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Reginald Chan – Page 259 – Serious Talks on Marketing & Relationships Matters

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How To Maintain an ADA Compliant Website in 2021?

It’s no secret that commerce has been increasingly shifting to the online marketplace. If you’re a business owner and you operate a website where you regularly conduct e-commerce, it’s important to understand that even your company’s page is subject to compliance standards outlined in the American Disabilities Act (ADA).

Digital accessibility is easy to overlook since most of us presume ADA regulatory standards only apply to your business’s physical environment. However, with 20% of the population attesting to some form of disability, ADA digital compliance is a key consideration to make note of as you grow your online presence.

The ADA already requires compliance for all websites that provide government services. This is because official government services must necessarily provide access to all individuals, irrespective of ones’ ability. The ADA’s digital accessibility requirements in sections 504 and 508 on the Department of Human Services website.

An act introduced more than 30 years ago, the ADA was designed to specifically prohibit various forms of discrimination, particularly in employment and government settings. The ADA’s guidelines primarily apply to public spaces such as parking lots, elevators, along with a building’s entrances and interiors.

In January 2017 the ADA introduced new regulations for web accessibility, later effectuated in 2018. These new rules pose many of the same obstacles to businesses as the act did when it was first introduced over thirty years ago. While it might seem impossible to remain 100% compliant, utilizing a free online ADA compliance checker is a good place to start with your assessment.

Your company page is primarily a visual medium, so you should pay close attention to its presentation while keeping in mind those who are visually impaired. Try to avoid the use of small fonts that are light in color. Similarly, ensure that you are using alt tags that describe the various elements of your website so they can be read aloud by accessibility tools and utilize captions on your videos for those with hearing limitations.

Perhaps the best way to bring your site to compliance if finding an understanding of how your disabled customers navigate the Web. Foremost, those with visual impairments use screen readers to read the text audibly. Brail keyboards are also commonly used, and those with physical impairments often utilize a hands-free mouse which is controlled by speaking commands. A good understanding of these tools is a reliable way to avert a potential conflict with those who use them.

Experts at AudioEye are keen to point out that “a website that is not accessible increases the legal exposure to a potential accessibility lawsuit.” Fundamentally, it’s good practice to ensure your website is accessible to everyone. This ultimately enhances your potential customer base. With that said, keeping on top of ADA compliance within your digital marketplace protects against the prospects of defending a costly accessibility claim.

Indeed, strict ADA compliance won’t be easy at first. It’s important to start adhering to the ADA’s standards early. Should you find this task beyond your scope, don’t hesitate to engage an automated ADA compliance checker tool such as the one offered by AudioEye.

June 9, 2021
Tips on Providing Improved and More Efficient Payment Services

Every business wants to provide the best service or product they can. Some are more fortunate than others when it comes to being able to provide them, for whatever reasons. However, for a business to be able to provide something, customers or clients have to want to buy them. If they chose to part with their money, especially via any cashless method, they want to do so with the knowledge that the transaction will be secure. With this in mind, here are some tips on providing improved and more efficient payment services.

Faster Payments

No one likes to be kept waiting, especially when it comes to buying something. It can be frustrating having to wait in a queue, then having to wait for your payment to be processed. Nor is it much fun when you’re attempting to make a payment on a website, and it freezes or prevents payment some other way.

Studies have shown that customers are less likely to return to a business if it’s slow to help them make a transaction, often opting for others that will do a better job when it comes to financial transactions. This could cost you sales, which will affect your profit and the long-term survivability of your business. With this in mind, it’s integral to have your business able to make financial transactions quickly and succinctly every time a customer purchases something, whether online or actually in your business. It shouldn’t matter how they make a purchase, but that they can do so the same way no matter how they do it.

Ultimately, you’re in business to make money, so this is one aspect you should always be on top of and always aware of current technological developments that make it easy for both your customers and business. Businesses nowadays need two shopfronts: a physical one and a website, with the latter, often being the more popular choice for various reasons. One integral aspect of a business’s website will be the ability for customers to pay for what they’re selling.

As a result, electronic money institutions (EMI) are increasing because they, in essence, are able to act as a digital alternative to banks or building societies, holding money in what’s best described as an electronic wallet, operating on an electronic platform. In the United Kingdom, EMIs can only operate once they’ve obtained something called an EMI license UK, and this basically authorizes them to do the above, as agreed by the Financial Conduct Authority. This means you can trust to use them as this regulatory authority has given them permission to do so.

Payment Security

Most of us have earned the money we’re choosing to spend using your payment service, therefore we want to know that when we’re entering into a transaction with your business our details will be protected and not misused. Unfortunately, as soon as a new level of security is added to protect consumers and businesses alike, hackers are often attempting to break it down so that money can be made from your financial details.

In consideration of this, there are more lines of defense used alongside encryption, including multi-factor authentication, which is a method of electronic verification whereby a user has to prove, or validate, who they are based on the information they supply to an authentication mechanism so that they can access a website or app.

Multi-factor authentication can be a combination of security, such as entering your email and password, before being sent a password that code consists of numbers, letters, or both. These passwords could also have time restaurants, so the transaction will need to be completed quickly.

Most customers expect this type of security to protect their money and financial details. If in doubt, think about the security your online banking has, as well as the online shops that you purchase from. You wouldn’t entrust them with your money if you felt that their security was lax, so it makes sense that your customers would want you to protect their financial transaction details securely when doing business with you. With word of mouth and reviews constantly being relied on as a measure of good business, by potential customers, it would be foolish to be complacent in this regard.

Centralize Your Accounts

Having your accounting in one place makes it easy to access any financial information you immediately require, which would greatly help with business forecasting and planning. It can help to implement good practice and enables you to quickly respond to unexpected changes in market forces.

For your financial reports to be of any use, they need to be up-to-date and also accurate. This is the only way you’ll accurately be able to retrieve information to make informed financial decisions. To save your financial department time, there’s a range of software and apps that may be suited to the business needs that you could use to produce these reports regularly.

Being on top of this important aspect of your business’s operations will allow you to make payments on time, chase late payments and also steer your business in the right direction in times when profits are low. Additionally, you’ll never be late paying yearly rates, which could result in financial penalties or worse, because they’ll remind you of them.

Small businesses may not have financial departments that can shoulder this, so they’ll need all the help they can get. Using software or apps that can automatically generate invoices, receipts, as well as reports that can save time and provide you with important information that can affect how your business grows.

Money is what enables us to survive. It allows us to afford a roof over our heads, food in our bellies and purchasing items, whether it’s a good or service. With consumers increasingly reliant upon reviews, and more willing to opt for a business that can quickly and efficiently allow them to do this, it’s imperative that your business can meet their expectations.

Failure to do so could lead to poor sales, poor reviews, and a bad reputation. This could take time to improve, during which your business is suffering from a loss in profit. Therefore, ensure your payment services are reliable and secure so that both your business can continue to thrive. Furthermore, keep abreast of current developments in finance and technology, so your business can be a market leader in your sector.

June 9, 2021
5 Marketing Solutions to Promote a Dating App

From mail order bride sites where you can buy wife online to apps like Tinder, the dating market is riddled with match-making apps and dating platforms. This fact makes it a little hard for new apps to sell themselves to an already overwhelmed audience. New players in the dating industry face stiff competition from leading companies and customers may not take to them as quickly as they expect.

When you come up with these apps, there is a chance that the market will be interested in them at the beginning. However, as is natural with these things, people return to their old apps soon enough. The goal is to ensure that those who come aboard the app in the first stages stay on. The saturation of the dating market creates a need for marketing solutions to promote your dating app. Here are five of these marketing solutions:

Finding your target audience

The major problem with the marketing process of some of these apps is that they are not exactly streamlined. They try to reach diverse audiences at once, thereby stretching their resources thin or messing up their branding. For example, you should not advertise an app that helps people order a bride to those looking for hook-up partners. People come on the former to find brides and go to the latter for just the vibes and sex.

When marketing a marriage-themed app, you should categorically state that the app will help people find a wife online, and for the latter, state its purpose too. Knowing your target users enables you to tailor your marketing efforts to them, ensuring you attract the people who need your services. Doing things differently could still get many people to download your app, but they may end up unsatisfied and then delete it. So, find your target audience and stick to them.

Carving out a niche

Some people are looking for love, and some are not. And because you cannot give everyone what they desire, find what you can and stick to it. Promising to give everyone what they are searching for will only complicate things. We recommend finding your niche in the market and addressing the needs of its customers.

Although Tinder is the most popular dating app, gay people still prefer Scruff and Grindr because it’s dedicated to catering to their sexual preferences. You have to choose your niche, and when marketing, make it a major part of the campaign. This approach goes hand-in-hand with focusing on a target audience because when marketing a niche, your target audience comes easy. More often than not, people tend to gravitate towards what they can relate to.

Prioritizing simplicity

One of the reasons Tinder will always find its way to the top of the list is simplicity. The app can be operated by a 7-year-old if they understand the concept of attraction. Tinder is designed like a colorful cute game, easy to understand, and easy to navigate; all you have to do is keep swiping till you find love.

The only places you’ll see people go through long processes to update dating apps are in movies. No one wants complicated apps in real life; they want something simple and seamless. People need to know that they wouldn’t have to go through stress to understand your app. Also, when designing the app, focus on simplicity and navigational ease, using them as strong points when marketing.

Focusing on stories

When you can, get testimonials of people who used your app and found partners and other forms of satisfaction. They give a face of trust to your brand and make it easier to get signups. People love a good love story; getting the accounts of those who found what they wanted on your app and telling them does you good.

A way you can get these testimonials is to add some kind of reward for telling their stories. If your app is not free, you could unlock a feature for a testimonial or offer something else. But be sure to look out for real proofs like pictures and videos that validate their stories.

Leveraging on emotions

People are lonely, so capitalize on that when marketing your app. Say something emotional about finding love and fulfillment, and then proceed with the fact that we often stay indoors, which makes it hard to find a partner. Doing this solves their pain points, and you cannot sell a product without solving your customers’ needs. Make them believe that you are their final chance at love, after being through other dating apps. Find the right words to make them open their hearts to you so that you can sell your app to them.

Final thoughts

Getting the right app out to those searching for love may seem like an easy task until you realize you are not the only one gunning for them. These are tough times, and people desire to be loved. While this opportunity creates a large market for you, you must remember that you have thousands of competitors, some of whom have been in the game for decades.

The people you need to beat have had long strategy sessions on how to remain in the game. When you faithfully follow these strategies, they will give you an edge and place you above your competitors.

Note: This post is contributed by Jamie Polster. He is a seasoned relationship counselor who has been in business for over a decade. He has helped people deal with relationship issues and assisted others in finding their significant others. Jamie has a workshop that guides people to find the love of their lives, and most of them are happily married now. He also works at YourMailOrderBride with a team of relationship specialists.

June 9, 2021
9 Tips To Help You Manage Your Mortgage

It’s a dream for many people to own a house, but just purchasing one isn’t enough. The mortgage has to be paid every month, and it can become quite a headache if not managed properly. Managing your mortgage payment can prove to be somewhat challenging; especially for new homeowners or people who don’t have an effective financial management system figured out. To help you out, here are 9 tips to effectively manage your mortgage payments and make your life a lot easier.

Keep A Backup Account

Keep a sufficient amount of funds separately in case the need arises. A backup amount will ensure you have something to fall back on for your mortgage payments in case you’re going through financially tough times. Keep enough money saved to pay for 6 of your monthly mortgage payments, plus the property taxes, since you never know when you might need the funds. In case of emergencies, you can also use the said fund to finance any emergency repairs needed on your property.

Pay On Time

Paying your mortgage on time seems like pretty stupid advice, right? It actually holds more importance than you would imagine. If your monthly mortgage amount is paid late, it could have a number of consequences on your financial situation. In addition to late fees, you may have to deal with lower credit scores, which essentially translates to higher interest rates on your monthly payments. To avoid this, make sure your monthly payments are as regular as you can make them. You can use a mortgage repayment calculator to figure out the exact amount you should pay each month. Moreover, if you don’t have a financial problem, put your transfers on auto-pay such that the monthly amount gets transferred automatically every month. This way there will be a much lesser chance of you forgetting and missing your payments.

Manage Your Credit Rating

Your credit rating is the main factor your interest rate and applicable loans depend on. Your credit rating will determine if you can apply for a better loan from the bank, and it will also make you eligible for lower interest rates. For this purpose, you should keep an eye on your credit rating, if it’s low, that means you don’t have a stable financial history. So, make sure you try to be as regular as you can with your payments.

Don’t Overspend

In case your finances are tight, and you’re already struggling with paying the monthly mortgage on your house, it’s a bad idea to be making any big purchases. Moreover, if you’re struggling with finances, it’s not advised to take huge loans for anything other than necessities. So, spend responsibly and don’t make any purchases that would make your credit score look bad.

Pay Your Mortgage Payment ASAP

Paying your mortgage as quickly as possible is one of the best solutions. Once you don’t have that weight hanging on your shoulders about paying the mortgage, you’ll be at ease and live out your days peacefully. There’s a small technique that does wonders once you start using it. If you’re looking to pay your mortgage quickly, then all you need to do is split the payment in half and save it every two weeks. When you do it for the whole year you end up with 26 half payments which are equivalent to 13 months’ payment. The extra monthly payment can be used to pay your mortgage, which also ends up with you saving money.

Try To Get Lower Interest Rates

Your interest rate plays a pivotal role in mortgage payments. The more you can decrease the mortgage cost, the easier it will be to pay it. This can be done in a lot of ways, one of which is by lowering your interest rates. There are two ways to lower your interest rates. For starters, you can hook up with a mortgage broker and try to see if you can qualify for a lower interest rate. Secondly, you can also contact your lender and try to check if you can negotiate a better deal with lower interest rates. If any of these ways work, you will have less payment to make and won’t worry about the mortgage too often.

Manage Your Debt

Sometimes you stress about the mortgage because you feel troubled if you’re buried deep in debt. If you feel like that’s the case, then you need to hit your financial advisor and discuss with him, so he can guide you in the best way possible. His assistance will prove useful, and you’ll be able to manage your debt way better, which will ease you regarding your mortgage.

Keep an Eye on Insurance Bills and Property Taxes

Insurance companies will bait you in with lower rates in the start which get paid through your mortgage. You usually don’t focus on it much but over time they increase their rates by ten to twenty percent which can add up to a lot of money and cause problems for you in the end. Similarly, property taxes change from time to time. You need to be familiar with the recent rates, so it doesn’t come as a shock to you at the end of the year. Keeping both these things in your mind and having an eye on them is crucial if you’re trying to manage your mortgage.

Manage Your Purchases

Most people have to spend every last one of their pennies on buying a property. After that, they spend every nickel on completing the purchase and buying appliances or items for their new property, such as a refrigerator or a new oven. If you do this, it may lead you to a lot of trouble because you will have to pay the interest back from the same credit cards you’re using to make the purchases. Therefore, it’s always good to manage your purchases and think twice before buying an unnecessary product or appliance.

Paying a mortgage is something almost everybody worries about. Sometimes it gets hectic to manage it. However, if you have the right mindset and guidance then it doesn’t seem as hard. There’s plenty of things you can do to manage your mortgage. If you follow the tips above, then you’re going to have a better chance of managing your mortgage, and you won’t have to worry about it much. The right mindset with guidance and knowledge will ensure you’re at peace when you think about paying your mortgage.

June 8, 2021
Understanding the Purpose of a Pay Stub

Pay stubs show how much you’ve earned and how much is being deducted from your salary. They include all sorts of information that can validate your identity and your income. In this article, you will learn everything you need to know about a pay stub, also known as a payslip, as well as everything that a pay stub can be used for.

What Is A Pay Stub?

Pay stubs are, quite simply, documents that show your salary. However, they include far more accurate and detailed information than a simple bank transfer or statement. Most employees are paid via bank transfer – over 91% in the US – but many still receive a physical pay stub.

In the past, most Americans were paid via a physical paycheck, which they then had to take to a bank to pay into their account. In those days, the paycheck pretty much always came with a printed payslip. Since the dawn of electronic banking, however, fewer and fewer companies provide pay stubs.

Who Is Responsible For My Pay Stub?

As mentioned, it is the responsibility of an employer to ensure their staff receive the right pay and, in some cases, a physical pay stub. However, it is only a legal requirement in 11 states. In 26 others, it is a legal requirement for employees to be able to access online records to show their pay is accurate, while in the rest there are actually no laws regarding pay stubs. So, depending on where you are, there may be no legal requirement at all for your boss to share a physical or digital pay stub with you.

Self Generate Pay Stubs

If your employer does not generate pay stubs for you, there is an alternative. You can generate a pay stub yourself using an online service. These services allow you to enter various details including your state, salary, and net pay to generate a new pay stub. This can come in really handy for various reasons – many of which will be discussed shortly.

Alternatively, most employers’ accounting teams will be able to create a payslip for you. Though, as mentioned, that is not always an easy task. If they feel they have no responsibility to do so, it may be far quicker for you to use an online generator instead.

Information On Pay Stub

A pay stub includes a lot of information, all of which is designed to show that you are being paid the right amount as well as being deducted the right amounts. Firstly, a payslip needs to include all the right personal details for yourself. This includes your name, address, employee number, and a few other details to verify your identity.

Secondly, a pay stub must show everything you have earned. This includes base salary, hours worked, and any overtime. This section also needs to show if you have lost any of your salaries due to sickness or absence.

Finally, a payslip has to include any deductions being taken from your account to show your net pay. These deductions can be salary sacrifice schemes such as pensions or benefits, while also showing your tax payments and any employee insurance contributions. At the end of all of this data, you will be able to see your net pay for each pay period as well as your overall yearly gross and net pay.

Pay And Taxes

Your payslip must show your taxes, both federal and state. Federal tax changes depending on which tax bracket you fall into. At the low end, you will pay around 10% of your income as federal tax, increasing incrementally up to 37% depending on your income. A pay stub is a great way to double-check that you are paying the right amount in both this and state tax.

State and local taxes are worked out differently depending on where you live. Many have brackets, too, just like federal taxes do. But, the amounts massively vary depending on your state. Some local areas have local taxes, which are usually smaller amounts to help pay for certain local services.

Other Deductions Shown

There will be other deductions on your payslip aside from taxes. Some of the most common ones include pension payments and payments to certain benefits such as medical or insurance. Once again, getting a physical or digital copy of your payslip allows you to be able to check that your deductions are fair and accurate and that all your earnings are going where you expect them to be going.

Pay Stubs As Proof Of Income

One of the most valuable uses of a payslip as an individual is proof of income. There are a wide variety of situations where this could be important, from buying or renting a home to applying for a loan. All sorts of lenders could ask for proof of income. A pay stub is the most definitive and obvious way that you can show your quoted income is valid and truthful.

Some of the most common needs for proof of income are housing, car leases, or finance applications. A landlord, for example, is highly likely to request proof of income before they allow you to rent their property. A car dealership, too, is more than likely to require adequate proof of income to show you can afford to keep up with payments on your chosen vehicle.

Pay Stubs For Unemployment

There is one final, more unfortunate use for a pay stub. Often, you may receive a final pay stub at the end of any employment. This could detail your final pay and deductions and show that you are no longer employed. These can be essential when claiming unemployment benefits, should you need them. Either way, getting that final pay stub is important, as you can triple-check that you have paid the right taxes during your employment term.

As you can see, pay stubs are more important than many give them credit for. In fact, it’s crazy to think that they aren’t important. Knowing that you are being paid the right amount and, in turn, paying the right amount out of your payslip are very important things. If you have any doubts, get a copy of your pay stub ASAP.

June 7, 2021
7 Gaming Accessories That May Enhance Your Gaming Experience

Regardless of the kind of games you play, having the right accessories can drastically improve your in-game performance and the level of enjoyment you get from gaming. While most of these accessories are meant to provide you with higher quality performance, the various style options that they are available in means that you can find a piece that suits your aesthetics and reflects your personality.

Where you are probably spending hundreds if not thousands of dollars on the gaming setup itself, why not spend a bit on its looks and create something which is visually appealing to you? If you enjoy the minimalist look and would prefer a setup that looks completely stock but is tough competition even for pro-rigs, you might want to consider these options for a serious performance upgrade. Here is what you need to take your gaming to the next level.

1. Headset

Poor sound quality completely ruins a good game. Regardless of how high your FPS is and how vivid the visual display is, if you can’t hear well, you can’t play well. With a better quality headset that delivers a surround sound experience, you will feel a lot more immersed in the game, and it gives you a much better idea of what’s happening in the game. Many gamers would say that high sound quality can compensate for low graphics quality, but not vice versa. There are plenty of wireless options that have enough battery time to get you through even the longest of gaming sessions. Top-tier headsets incorporate high-frequency mics that make communication crisp and easy, adding more value to multiplier games. With things like surround sound features and high-quality sound canceling, these headsets are great for listening to music, watching movies, and getting great audio output for everyday tasks.

2. Mouse

If you are playing shooter games or even strategy games, accurate mouse movement is critical. In racing games, the mouse isn’t that important, but it would still feel much better to have a high-quality mouse. The latest gaming mice options have programmable buttons which are extremely useful when you want to customize your layout and the different RGB lighting options make for a fantastic visual experience. Some gamers give a lot of importance to the weight of a mouse, modern gaming mice give you the option to customize this aspect of the device as well.

3. Playmat

With your gaming mouse, you need a quality surface on which you can realize its accuracy, smoothness, and weight advantage. The folks at yourplaymat.com suggest creating a custom-made playmat so that you can get the exact size and image of your preference. There are multiple fabric options you can choose from and of course you can get them designed with your custom image or a theme to suit the rest of your setup.

4. Keyboard

The second thing to go on your play mat and arguably one of the most used gaming devices is the humble keyboard. However, gaming keyboards are far from humble, with tons of options there are so many features that you could choose to have in your ideal gaming keyboard. This completely depends on your style of play, the games you play, and what you consider an aesthetically appealing keyboard. Modern gaming keyboards also incorporate displays that keep you updated with vital system stats without you ever having to toggle away from the game and eliminates the need to have an on-screen window to display the information. With these things displayed on the keyboard itself, you can dedicate your entire screen to the game.

5. Monitor

If you have invested in a solid rig with top-of-the-line specs, it wouldn’t do it justice to use a 1080p monitor to visualize the experience. It would be better if you saved some money on the internal components and invested that in your display setup. Modern games make use of high-resolution screens and blink-of-an-eye refresh rates. Without these things, not only will you get limited gameplay in terms of graphics, but you will also experience a significant difference in the feel of the game. Some of the latest titles make great use of 4K screens, however, if you choose to invest in a 6K or 8K option, that wouldn’t be a bad decision. Some of the upcoming game titles will efficiently use these super-high output monitor features and also make use of multiple screen setups.

6. VR Headset

If you are ready to take the plunge to the next level of immersive gaming experiences, then VR headsets are what you need. It delivers an unbelievable gaming experience, something that simply cannot be emulated on a monitor regardless of its size or specs. The only catch is that you will need to ensure your system is compatible, if it is, then this is definitely the most valuable upgrade you could make.

7. Seat

Gaming seats are designed not only for comfort but also to maintain good posture and help keep your back healthy. A lot of people are using chairs designed for gamers to use in their day jobs that require them to sit in front of a computer for several hours on end, just like a gamer. If you can invest in a good-quality gaming chair, it will most likely have proper orthopedic and chiropractic research that has gone into it to make it perfect for long hours of use. Combined with the fact that they are highly customizable, you can adjust them to exactly meet your height and sitting style. They can be pricey, but well worth it.

Sure, you can game with just a standard setup and the average chair and table, but that stands equally true for the components that you used in your rig. While you could get by using a simple processor with inbuilt graphics to play even the most graphic-intensive games, the only difference would be you wouldn’t really experience the game the way it should be experienced. The same thing applies to all external equipment that you can add to your gaming rig. Combined, it enhances your gaming experience many folds.

June 7, 2021