Strategies and Techniques to Grow Your Online Business

The vastness of the online world can be intimidating sometimes. In case you have not noticed, there are lots of online sellers in the marketplace selling the same kind of business, and offering the same services. Building an online business is not easy, and there are some hard realities that you need to realize, but it doesn't have to be that way. The very thing that makes the internet such a great business tool is that it is free, accessible to almost everyone, and updatable at any second you want. This means that you can connect to your loyal customers and potential new audience around the world in an instant and offer what you have in store for them. Staying offline doesn't have that kind of power and almost always requires some cash to start.

1. Connect With Your Customers

Not all businesses have a running website but certainly have their email address. Even the most tech-illiterate has one, thus making it a very good starting point. Starting email marketing is a great option for businesses to connect with their customers. Make your newsletter simple and concise, use it as your platform to send your customers season’s greetings or even giveaways. Making them feel they are special.

One of the beautiful things about social media like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest is how effective it is without actually spending money and all of these apps are accessed by millions of users every day and can offer countless benefits to your business. Use this social platform to keep people updated on your offers, new arrivals, opening hours, or simply use it as your way to answer customer queries about your products. And another good way to boost your business image is by the review section offered by these social media apps for free that is likely to earn praise and establish a good image for your business.

2. Search Engine Optimization

This online marketing tool is a very famous term in marketing as well as the oldest and most effective strategy there is. Simply put, SEO will make your website competitive among others out there, through the right keywords, headlines, and relevant content, to help people find the product you offer, as high on the search engine result page as possible. Implementing strong, quality SEO on your business is always going to be beneficial to you and it’s a marketing effort.

3. Focus On What Is Important

If you try to reach the world, you will end up reaching no one because your efforts to reach an audience are vague. It’s like trying out to sell a set of encyclopedia books to a student who relies on google for the information. According to an excerpt from Helium 10, you need to analyze and know your customers. Focus the business on a particular audience. Assessing the demographics and interest of your customer can give you ideas as to what other people might also be interested in your product. The more specific you can get to your target audience, the easier for you to offer your goods and services. When you do, you will be more focused on your strategies.

4. Network with other businesses

Forming a good relationship with another business can bring a good side effect to your business in the long run. Networking takes a lot of your time and effort on your behalf because it involves reaching out to other businesses who are in the same industry as you but not exactly competing for the same audience.

For example, Samsung partners with Google to create android phones. This gives Samsung the operating system it needs and Google to run its software. In the end, both companies benefit from the collected sales. Google reaches Samsung fans and Samsung reaches the latter. It's a win-win situation for both giant companies.

Networking properly requires some kind of common niche for connection and finding the right company to work with.

5. Diversify Your Operation

The online world is predominantly a place of different kinds. Customers want to be able to read, see, and listen to things that interest them. One of the strategies to grow an online business often involves following the trend. There is nothing wrong with including additional side hustle that will help you meet a larger audience and satisfy their needs. Being diverse with your business grows income while keeping the company still from market shifts.

Many companies have started a YouTube Channel to create buzz for their business. Not only does it engage your audience, but you can earn ad revenue from the views as well. Sometimes, it may take a bit of time to figure out how to be diverse but in reality, it's worth the time.

Take a look at Google, for example. The company has different kinds of products, Pixels, Chromebook, software, and more. The company’s incredibly diverse, which means a failure of one does not affect the company as a whole.

6. Gather All Information

You cannot start a business if you do not know what’s happening around you. Gathering all the data about your sales, business, and marketing plan, deals, inventory are necessary steps before you can think about taking any decision. Data-driven insights are much more reliable than plain instinct. For your online business to thrive, you need to align your marketing efforts to a long term plan. Knowing which technique or strategy you should use based on your gathered information, or understanding where you want to invest your money are important to ensure your success in the future.

At the end of the day, if you want your business to succeed, you will need to keep going no matter what the trend is. Whether it's creating content that engages your audience or introducing your product using TikTok. An effort is your best bud, you can build a powerful online business or grow your business presence online. Play your strategies right to optimize your building effort. In today’s market, your online business is just as vital as your physical store.

Signs that Say Your Business is Ready to Go Global

Going international is never an easy road especially for ambitious entrepreneurs who want to take the global market, but it's often a necessary step, helping to prevent business stagnation in a demanding economy and of course, increase in revenue. But, how do you know when you are ready to go global?

Below are some signs that your business is ready to enter an international market:

Taking the Next Step

If your business is in a tough spot where the business is booming but growth has become a challenge. It could be time to take the leap. Just like Uber, ten years ago, it was just a ride-hailing app based in San Francisco. Since then, the company has spread like wildfire across the globe and transformed from black-car service into food delivery. International expansion offers a wide variety of opportunities and potential significant growth.

Demand All Over The Globe

If clients from other parts of the world start to get interested in doing business with you, this could be a sign your company would do better globally. It is advised to understand how International marketing and SEO work or utilize other tools to track where the demand is and reach out through these platforms.

You are Confident in Your Ability to Balance High-Level and Localized Presence

When planning international expansion, you must be confident in your ability that your business can deliver a quality experience and can operate efficiently. For operations to be efficient, you need to have a middleman to trust and can handle your transactions. Make sure you have a clear pathway of communication between your existing business and new venture abroad. Enlist local support to assist you as you prepare to hit the market. It is a good approach that will pay off over the years.

You Feel Comfortable with the Suppliers and Customers You Will Work with Abroad

Logistics can be challenging in the early days of your operations abroad but being able to trust your supplier that they can meet your standards will be essential to your success. There are times businesses are in slow-moving phase, sales are starting to stay still, and can not run in its full potential, look overseas to retain optimal profits.

You Understand the Task Ahead and Think Big

Making a decision for your business comes with a lot of risks. Selecting the right approach to your global expansion can manage your chance of success and can be your way to failure. Do your research and make sure your business plan is aligned with your individual needs.

Going global from the very beginning is challenging but when you take the time to plan your strategy, invest in your presence, and localize your approach, you will be able to go with the trend and adapt to challenges from the start, allowing you to open a vast number of opportunities as time goes on. And that puts you and your business in a fruitful position, local and international.

What Should I Do With $200 (And Make A Profit)?

Do you have $200 right now and not sure what to do with it? Don't worry, I got you covered right here.

You see, some days back I had an extra $200 which I was thinking how I can make some money out of it. I ended up making an extra $30 out of the $200 investment which is pretty cool.

Hey, you can't complain for getting extra money or profit, right?

So, what did I do?

Introducing Day Trading

Yes, this is gambling and if you are in some way not agreeable with gambling, the money is best invested into small business ideas such as business ideas for men, and these for women.

Now that we are clear, let's talk about day trading a.k.a. mid-range risk in investing.

Day trading is a process where you do not keep the stock or bond in your hand overnight. Some trading platform charges an amount for 'night storage' and day trading is an excellent choice to avoid the additional fees.

Start Day Trading For FREE

There are many trading platforms in the market but my favorite is eToro as it is legal entity that is safe to play and free from scam.

START NOW

How To Make Money With Day Trading With Only $200?

If you are using eToro (which I highly recommend) for day trading, there are two ways you can do with this.

Copy other professional traders (minimum investment is $200)
Buy and sell stocks on your own account

The first option is risky but effective if you want a hand's free strategy. However, it is important to understand that NOT all traders are day traders.

The second option is to buy and sell stocks on your own—a.k.a. becoming a day trader for yourself. Personally, I go with this route if I have $200 only as I have control on how much I could sell and profit.

What Is The Safe Value For Profit In Day Trading?

I wish I had the answer to this but sadly, no.

Day trading counts on gut feeling and yes, some knowledge in the stock market. If you are looking for quick turnaround, cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin is a great option to roll with. Two other slower but safer options are oil and gold. In the recent drop in oil and gold prices, I was able to generate around 20 - 35% profit in a day.

But yes, there are certainly some risks within it. Therefore, I recommend you to play it safe and take sometime to understand the game before going all in.

Start Smart Investing Now With eToro

Rich Dad Poor Dad Free PDF by Robert Kiyosaki (1997)

FREE] Rich Dad Poor Dad PDF by Robert Kiyosaki (1997)

When it comes to books related to finance, there are only that many gems in the market. And the Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki is one of the legend in the market.

As the matter of fact, the Rich Dad Poor Dad is the first book published by the writer, who took the need for personal financial education to the next level.

The book is, in a way, a philosophy before anything else, for it mainly focuses on thinks that rich people, or parents, teach to their children; the ideas that “Poor Dads” ignore.

The book is all about getting a personal financial education, which is logically a must in order to ensure financial independence.

“The way the rich teaches their kids about money is uniquely different as compared to the middle and poor.”

Rich Dad Poor Dad PDF Summary

The book is to make the reader that rich people don’t work for money, they turn money into a tool that allows getting more.

Is the Rich Dad Poor Dad PDF right for you?

This is an excellent book for those who wants to live a different live. This book teaches you exactly how to gain control of your financial life and making money work harder for you.

The content of the book is easy for a normal person with no degree in finances or Business Administration to understand what really makes it all, in a simple and interesting way.

Robert shares the experience of a child who had a father who’s poor (sort of psychologically, and financially speaking). According to Robert Kiyosaki, author of Rich Dad Poor Dad book series, most people are suffering from financial crises on a regular basis. It is true that they’ve been studying for many years, which makes in illogical.

The problem is that they went through without learning anything that is practically related to money, and its management. It is not surprising at all that we hear about parents who can’t manage their household.

Should I Get Rich Dad Poor Dad PDF?

If you want to be financially stable and learn more about finance, this is an excellent book to read!

Download Rich Dad Poor Dad PDF Here

Business Casual VS Smart Casual: What Are The Differences?

Business Casual VS Smart Casual: What Are The Real Differences?

Do you know the differences between business casual and smart casual? For a person who had very limited fashion taste (that's me), it was a shocker especially I heard of the term "business casual." You know, I was like "What the hell is that?" Business casual is a dress code (or some sort).

Here's what you need to know about the term business casual in fashion.

What Is Business Casual?

According to the Oxford Dictionary, the term "Business Casual" is a style of clothing that is less formal than traditional business wear, but is still intended to give a professional and businesslike impression."

In easier terms, business casual is a toned-down version of your traditional "business formal". You see, "business formal" is often more rigid and conservative with colours.

Business casual, on the other hand, allows you to showcase your personality by accessoring or adding a hint of vibrant colour. This provides taste especially in the fashion world.

“Imagine having to attend a meeting looking sharp and professional, while still having a nice blend of colours and style. That's what "business casual" means in today's world.”

Reginald Chan

In most cases, business casual is more suitable for business luncheons and meetings. At the same time, business casual is often considered more 'trendy' and often seen at tech companies, as well as consulting, marketing or PR firms.

Business Casual For Men

Here's what business casual looks like for men (yes, gents).

Additional tips for business casual fashion:

Tie is optional
A cardigan or sweater is an excellent substitute for a blazer
Incorporating colours that are less formal (brown, navy, light blue, etc.) is fine with business casual

Business Casual For Women

Here's what business casual like for women.

Additional tips for business casual fashion:

A pair of ballet flats with a simple one-piece is an excellent business casual fashion for female
Light coloured blazer makes it a great finishing touch
You may also opt for a coloured-blouse with a pair of fitted dress pants

What Is Smart Casual?

Business Insider defines the term "smart casual" as a neat and professional fashion — but still informal.

Smart casual is a fashion term easily contributed as a polished version of the casual wear. This form of fashion offers more flexibility than business casual (here's where business casual vs smart casual).

While smart casual term is very far and wide, this form of fashion often relates to work or business related occassion. Therefore, keeping in mind with the environment is critical. In many cases, avoid wearing shorts or mini skirts because that is definitely not 'casual smart' when it comes to business.

Smart casual is an excellent fashion option when it comes to interviewing in tech companies, IT companies, advertising or design companies. The right smart casual fashion will give the interviewers a good understanding on your creativity (at the very least).

Smart Casual For Men

What does smart casual means for men? Here's how it looks like.

Smart casual for men means looking smart, sharp and professional. And this means that:

Jeans and t-shirts are just fine
Sneakers are okay too
Strictly no shorts

Smart Casual For Women

Here's what smart casual like for women.

I know a ton loads of women who love smart casual. The best way to define smart casual for women is oftentimes looking good at the simpliest fashion.

But sure.

Here are some hints for smart casual for women.

Try pairing a pair of fitted jeans with a t-shirt, and flats or sneakers
Avoid sandals and mini skirt
It is okay to try something bright in colour or unique (just not too 'exploding' in fashion sense)

Business Casual vs Smart Casual: The Summary

Both business casual and smart casual have their own distinctive selectors and differentiation. More importantly, it is critical to understand the environment you will be in and then decide on the types of clothes or dress that you will be wearing.

Afterall, it is all about fashion sense!

What Is Digital Media? And Why Should You Care?

What Is Digital Media And Why Is Digital Media Important

What Is Digital Media? And Why Should You Care?

Looking for the real definition of digital media? Any form of media which is encrypted in machine-readable form can be called digital media. Digital media is any media which depends on electronic devices for its creation, distribution, view, and storage. Some of the popular examples of digital media include digital games, software, video games, digital videos, websites, web pages, digital audio (MP3, eBooks, etc.), social media, etc. In today's technology world, digital media can be said to be an uncomfortable replacement for print media.

While print media will still be around for sometime, digital media had taken its stronghold especially in the digital space.

The Death Of Printed Media

As a business consultant in Malaysia, there are many questions about printed media and it's effectiveness. The public had understood that printed media is getting out from the hot league.

If you have the same thought and question, the answer to this is simply a massive "yes".

Let's take the Star newspaper in Malaysia—a prominent and by far the most popular English language newspaper in Malaysia. For years, they had dominated the printed media industry and in 2019, they finally went all out with promoting their newspaper app.

The growth of digital media had surpassed printed media in many ways and not only in Malaysia. In many cases, digital media had delivered its knockout blow towards printed media a.k.a. the death of printed media.

The Impact of Digital Media

Digital media is now everywhere. From digital signages to online applications. In the era that we live today, the needs of digital media had increased multiple folds.

Digital media had also contributed directly and indirectly with digital media marketing—an online form of marketing that involves using the Internet and other online means.

What is digital media marketing (and why digital media marketing matters)?

I hate to break it to you, but the impact of digital media marketing goes far and wide. Brick and mortar businesses are now heading towards digital transformation, creating eCommerce stores and building online visibility.

With the emergence of easy to use eCommerce platforms (Shopify for example) and under 5-minutes digital marketing advertisement, it is much easier to launch and build an online sales funnel that never sleeps.

Can you imagine having a digital marketing sales force (program) that never sleep, doing sales and marketing 24/7 for your business? Affordable marketing tools such as ClickFunnels make it possible.

Learn More

Just like print media, digital media marketing require some skills before it can be effectively enjoyed.

Therefore, learning essential skills such as digital media and communication, digital media marketing, digital media design and digital media production are critical steps to build successful marketing plans (and executing them).

Challenges Associated With Digital Media

There are lots of challenges associated with the use of digital media. A lot of these challenges have a thing or two to do with intellectual property and copyright laws. Although copyright laws are still in place, they seem to be powerless as far as digital media is concerned. This is most likely because of the ease with which digital media can be shared.

When an individual writes a book or creates a film, there are laws which ensure that such content cannot be reproduced in any format. Everyone that is into the creation of content is aware of these laws and sticks to them.

Well, when digital media is involved, people are not exactly sure what the laws binding certain contents are. People share contents freely on social media without infringing on any law whatsoever.

While there are still, lots of issues associated with the use of digital media, the absence of very well defined law appears to be easily understood by the average person.

Summary

Digital media is definitely a form of online marketing that will takes its toll againsts printed media. As a matter of fact, digital media marketing will be (and often considered) a powerful strategy especially for businesses to build brand visibility, generating leads and growth.