5 Reasons to List in a Business directory

Over 70% of customers research online before visiting a store!

The Internet has become the go-to place to look for answers and ideas. Businesses that appear in listings have a greater online presence and are continually outranking those that do have a directory strategy.
Local listings, like our very own lookmeup, help create the presence necessary to compete in the search landscape.

So what are Local Business Directories anyway?

These are online websites that, similar to the good ol’ fashioned phonebook, allow businesses to list their information for potential customers to find them with their search terms.

Businesses can list things like their Business Hours, website URL, address, phone number, and even reviews. It is important that business owners keep tabs on their listings and update their company’s information whenever it changes. A listing with erroneous information can sometimes do more harm than you might think so it is important to stay on top of these valuable assets.

Fresh Content is King!

Some companies create a listing and then forget about them. But remember kids FRESH content is King. Search crawlers come through our site on a daily basis and if your content as stale as granma’s banana cake then that is what will happen to you search rankings. By changing or tweaking your business description you lure the search creepy crawlies to take another look at your Business listing and in turn gain more crawly points which will lead to higher search ranking for your business listing.

Below are some reasons why online directories are important for higher search appearances of your business.

1. They Give your SEO a Boost.

Search engine optimization helps your website is appearing in the top search results keywords. Business directories like ours allow you to optimize your listing for your target keywords.
For Example; Let’s say you own a barbershop in Melbourne or a vet clinic in Perth you could optimise your listing for keywords related to your category such as “Best Hair Cuts in town” or “The Vet that cares” … Well, you get the idea. Right?
Because online business directories tend to have high domain authority, those keywords that you add to your listing and link back to your web site will carry some serious weight and great value for your business listing.

2. Improve online exposure.

Each listing is like having another fan out there waving your company’s flag. The bigger the army of Directory fans you have the greater chance of getting found on the web.
You can also consider a listing to be like another page or even web site for your business, which is why it is important to keep your information and content up to date and listing fresh.

3. Increased Brand Awareness.

Most directories allow you to upload an image of your logo to their listings. Adding your logo will undoubtedly increase your brand’s awareness. Besides after all the money you spent on creating your logo, you might as well splash it around as many places as possible. Be wary of the quality of the logo you include in the directories as the last thing you want is a pixelated version of your hard-working brand out in the wild

Our logo sizes are 300×200 pixels and 100×100 pixels so anything bigger than that should look good, any smaller and you run the risk of having a pixelated Business logo next to your listing.
The more sites you add your logo to, the more likely users are to identify with your brand.

4 – Better Direct targeting.

One of the most important benefits apart from the other most important benefits of a directory listing is its ability to better target local clients. We all love buying and shopping local, its easy, fast and convenient. Why drive 50 kilometres to get that kitty door when you can get it for gorgeous George down the road… for less!!
When someone searches for ‘Organic Jams in Sydney’ then don’t want results that are up in Woologatawa they want a listing that promised ‘Organic Jams in Sydney’.
That’s where Direct targeting helps businesses gain customers
Lookmeup.com.au allows our Premium members to add direct links to their web sites as well as direct links to their product listings.

A directory listing will help you introduce your website to local customers, giving you more online visibility and presence.

5- Directory listings way cheaper than other methods of advertising.

Get more Bang for your buck!
Listings are a lot more cost-effective than other strategies like PPC or even Social Boosts and longer-lasting. For as little as $10 a year will have your listing flexing its muscle to get you noticed.
Chances are, if you have a business that you want to excel online, you will need, at some point, an SEO campaign to keep up with your competitors and grow your market share. SEO campaigns are helpful in boosting your online search rankings organically but they are not cheap. Although the return will be there it may take some time before you can really see the results of your many cash dollars.

Now if you have the budget you can hire some SEO Gurus for big bucks and they will do a lot for you ( including listing you on business directories ), but why not be a little savvy and get a head start by submitting your listings yourself, after all, once you have one listing in the bag it’s just rinse and repeat. But keep our ‘FRESH’ content is King motto and not only fresh but also ORIGINAL. You do not want the same Business descriptions on multiple sites… that will undoubtedly see your efforts go to waste.

It is not a “you get what you pay for” scheme either. Directory submission costs less, sure, but you’ll still be getting the boost in traffic you can get from organic SEO.

So Are Business Listings Worth Work?

Definitely so! Not only are they worth the trouble they are absolutely critical for any business strategy. They are by far the cheapest investment that a business can make with great results.
Not only do you get an increased exposure but most importantly you get all the other SEO goodies that come with a business listing. Backlinks, Tags, Logo exposure, direct phone and email contact through the sites just to name a few.

Get Listed today

Benefits of Making a Website for Your Australian Business

At the moment, the Internet has become a worldwide phenomenon. It has been able to interconnect millions of users all over the planet. People have made the Internet an indispensable part of their lives. If they want to find out where to eat, they look on their cell phones for restaurant recommendations. If they want to buy clothes, they can look at online catalogs of stores, and even shop online.

Now that everything is just a click away, brands must be alert. User-brand interaction is no longer the same. Now you don’t just have to go out and look for your customers, they can come to you. The only thing you have to do is learn to take advantage of the opportunities that the Internet offers you. Web pages are one of them. That’s why today we will show you how having a website will help you grow your business.

Broader Reach
Lower Investment
Better Way to Find New Collaborators
You Find New Clients
It Gives Confidence and Support to the Physical Store
Open 24/7
Increases Sales
Cheaper Advertising
It allows you to expand nationally and even internationally

Broader Reach

A web page is designed to be seen anywhere in the world where there is access to internet. Space and time barriers are reduced. Thus, a customer of yours who cannot come to your physical business can do so virtually. In this way, you can make your brand visible to more people at any time.

In addition, thanks to Google search engines, more potential customers can find you. Just by putting a keyword on the Internet they can reach your business. For example, if someone wants to know about a mahogany furniture dealer near their district, the first thing they will do is search on Google. Then they will analyze all the results and go to the store that’s most convenient to them.

It is in this way that just by implementing a website, you can get a greater reach of potential customers. A website can have the same reach as the Internet has. And you will get even more benefits if you list your website on a business directory like ours.

Lower Investment

As we mentioned in the previous point, just by opening a website you can reach a lot of people for not a lot of money, compared to traditional media, where this would be very expensive to obtain. For example, having a store open to show your products all day long would be very expensive.

Now, creating a website is very easy and inexpensive. You can get a web domain on servers like WordPress or Jimdo. Besides they offer you some templates and themes that you can adjust according to the requirements of your brand. There is a wide variety of actions that you can perform by buying the domain of your website, from displaying information about your company so they can find you to sell products virtually.

The best thing is that with a website you don’t need to pay rent or permanent workers. You only have to take care of getting a good web developer and the business will run by itself.

Better way to find new collaborators

With a website you can reach many people, but not only customers, but also people who want to work with you and grow your australian business. If you want you can implement a “work with us” section on your website. This way you can save huge amounts of money in making a big call for work. You can receive proposals and then filter them according to the profile you need. All in a fast, simple and economical way.

You find new clients

Thanks to the reach that a website gives you can always find new customers. Because when they have a need, they will search on the Internet. And if you have a well positioned website, they can find your brand and start a business relationship.

The best thing is that just like word-of-mouth advertising, a website can be recommended, thus increasing the network of contacts.

It gives confidence and support to the physical store

Most major stores now have a website where they can showcase their products and tacitly tell their customers that they go hand in hand with technology. This not only brings customers closer, but also gives an image of professionalism.

It works the same way as with the yellow pages in the old days, having an ad gave endorsement and credibility to the brand. Now they are not as popular, but people do use the Internet, and the web works in a similar way to the profiles in the yellow pages. Remember that now everyone searches the web to find out if a business really exists, and what better way to reassure people and give them confidence than with a friendly and well-designed web page, listed on the modern equivalent of yellow pages, a directory listings.

Open 24/7

A website is a showcase for your brand 365 days a year open around the clock. No need to pay workers or rent, just have a well designed website. This way a customer with tight schedules can visit your site at the time they want, for as long as they want. Without being afraid that the store will close or that he will feel harassed by the salesmen.

On a website, the user can take as much time as he wants and browse at his own pace, in case there is an online store on your website. Or he can simply learn more about the brand and be absolutely sure to establish a commercial link.

Increase sales

Just by making your brand visible on the Internet through a website you can increase your sales considerably. First, because you give your customers one more way to see your products, allowing them to take all the time they need. Secondly, because a website increases trust in users and allows you to close more sales. Finally, it helps expand sales to places you may never have gone before, expanding your business and making your brand better known.

Cheaper advertising

On the Internet, advertising works differently. It is totally different from traditional advertising such as radio, television and print ads. It takes advantage of the resources that exist on the Internet and uses them to your advantage. One of them is Google Adwords, which allows you to place ads in the search engine and position yourself in the top search results so that your future clients can find you faster. The best thing is that you only pay for each click that the customer makes on your ad. This is totally different from traditional ads, where you pay very high amounts and you can’t be sure who is really interested in what you have launched.

It allows you to expand nationally and even internationally

As we already mentioned, with a website there are no time or space barriers. So if you want to expand your business, there is no better way than implementing a friendly and well designed website. You can open an online catalog or offer your services virtually. This way you can expand your brand little by little. You can even reach international levels if you set your mind to it.

Now that you know some of the benefits of creating a website, what are you waiting for? It’s time to adapt to this globalized era and start succeeding! Maybe even look into the benefits of having your business website on an online business directory now that you have one.

10 Tips for Australian Business

Opening your first business is not an easy task! But it’s results can be very rewarding not only for your professional development, but also for you as a person.

In this blog, we will tell you about 10 excellent tips for entrepreneurs that you can take into account if you decide to take the leap into this great world, let’s start!

Start fast!
Don’t make decisions based only on money
Separate your finances from those of your business
Fail, but fail fast
Become a leader
Listen to your consumers!
Delegate, but stay in charge of your business
Be honest and generous
Learn from mistakes
Don’t give up, pursue your goal!

Start fast!

Opening your business is not about rushing and jumping head first off a bridge without a parachute, but about being active and fully committed to your business idea. Explore, analyze your environment, opportunities and risks! Take advantage of all your available resources and take advantage of your weaknesses. The idea here is that it is not so much about the pace of progress, but about not getting stuck.

Don’t make decisions based only on money

Entrepreneurs must have a vision to achieve things beyond money. Why do you want to do what you plan to do? Who do you want to impact? Where do you want to go? These are key questions to answer, in order to build a solid philosophy and principles to face adversity while maintaining focus. It is clear that you need money to live well and satisfy basic needs, but if it is the only thing that matters, you are destined to suffer frustrations and worse, your business might lose it’s essence.

Separate your finances from those of your business

This is very important! Everything your business generates does not translate into your personal earnings. If you spend everything your business generates, how do you expect it to grow? Worse yet, how do you deal with unforeseen expenses and crises if there is no money in an emergency fund? You would be risking the future of your company. Establish a fixed, modest salary and learn to live on it. Consider that your business is a place where you can reinvest, like a plant, and if you stop watering it, it will fall apart.

Fail, but fail fast

If you accept failure as part of the journey, then you’re going to say okay, I’m going to try other things, some will work, some won’t, but the best way to succeed is to fail, but fast. If I fail fast, I have time for something else and something else. So, failing fast is critical.

Become a leader

The truth is that being a “boss” is outdated. Your employees should not just follow orders, even if they disagree with them. They must want to follow them. A good leader does not give orders, but becomes a role model for his or her employees. If you are able to develop good leadership, there will be greater motivation in people, which will increase productivity. With a good leader, everything is an advantage! There is not just one type of leader, each one has his or her own style.

Listen to your customers!

we know that the most important thing in a transaction is the customer. If you pay proper attention to your customers, they can tell you what they are looking for and this is a very important and super useful source of feedback from which you can iterate, offer them what they are looking for, and improve your products, services and processes, making you more efficient.

Delegate, but stay in charge of your business

We know that taking on a large amount of work not only affects your physical and mental state, but can also be detrimental to your productivity. Fortunately, the solution is very simple: delegate.

However, this does not mean having a hands-off approach and forgetting about your business! It is important to delegate as a tool from which you can focus on your priority tasks and leave in the hands of experts tasks in which they can be efficient. Also, there is no point in delegating if you are going to be supervising the person. They are there because you trust them, right?

Be honest and generous

The business world can be very tough and cruel, but that doesn’t mean you’re going to let a negative situation shape your being and your ethical principles break down. If you don’t lie and treat people badly in your daily life, you shouldn’t do it in your business either.

Learn from mistakes

What happens is that every entrepreneur begins their journey strongly committed to a project to make it a reality and along the way mistakes, falls, failures and disappointments arise. It is important to see things also from an objective point of view and to know when something just isn’t working. It’s a challenge! It’s like your child, it has to work… right? Sure, but sometimes your strategy may not be the best. What we recommend is that you always analyze the situation with measurable facts to determine if what you’re doing is the best thing to do.

Don’t give up, pursue your goal!

Can’t find financing at your bank? Your partner betrayed you or left you hanging? Get your contacts to collaborate with you. What you should always keep in mind are 3 questions: the why, the what for and the how of what you want to achieve. Most of the problems that come your way, have a solution! So always keep your focus and strive to overcome all obstacles.

What do you think?
Do you think there are any other tips that an entrepreneur should keep in mind to be successful? Let us know!

5 Tips For Choosing Commercial Window Treatments

(Sponsored Post)

Window treatments can help elevate the mood and atmosphere of a business environment. They’re often not at the top of the mind when designing and decorating a space, but they play a significant role in creating style and function. In addition, window treatments contribute to your building’s energy efficiency by controlling glare, heat, and ultraviolet radiation.

Fortunately, commercial window treatments come in a wide variety to fit any style, and can meet your requirements. You can create the look and feel you need for your spaces, allowing you to have a beautiful atmosphere for your staff and customers. But you need to know how to make your pick for this to happen. This article will share the best tips to help you choose your commercial window treatments.

Consider the type of space

The window setup depends on the type of business, and so are the window treatments. The kind of space you’re considering installing window treatments in should be your top consideration. For example, a restaurant with an outdoor space may use the same treatments as an interior corporate office. The interior space isn’t as exposed to harsh weather elements and contact with people and things.

The restaurant will need higher quality outdoor blinds that can withstand the harsh environment while providing the aesthetic and functional value required. Similarly, corporate office space will need treatments that aren’t too distracting. But they should also be easy to control. The point is to look at the specific area carefully and spot what it requires before buying and installing window treatments. This will help you narrow down your search significantly and make your choice easier.
Look at your room’s design

While the previous point is more about choosing window treatments for functionality, considering the room design is more about the aesthetic function. Your treatments need to create a look that matches the other décor elements in the space. They need to enhance the design and décor of your commercial space and not look misplaced.

Remember, you need to keep branding in mind to portray a consistent image in all your communication touchpoints such as your website and online business listings. Your office décor, including window treatments, should also enhance branding. For you to achieve this, it’s advisable to go for custom treatments rather than picking them off the shelf.

When choosing window treatments to match your design, some significant elements you need to consider include colour, pattern, and fabric. Colour may help you enforce your brand image and texture and add character to your space. And the fabric you choose should fit naturally in the room.
Consider the level of light control you need

Light control is an essential function of window treatments, and it should be among your top considerations when picking one. Different spaces require different levels of light control. For example, an office reception might look and feel welcoming and full of energy when it’s bright, with enough light coming through. However, some office spaces or businesses may feel more private, quiet, and meditative when they’re darker, depending on the functions of the spaces.

But keep in mind that for you to efficiently control the lighting in a commercial space, you need flexible window treatments. This will allow you to control your lighting depending on situations and the function you require the blinds or treatments to play. Some of the most flexible window treatments for your commercial space include aluminium blinds.

These treatments offer excellent flexibility in transitioning a space from day to night mode, particularly for conference rooms and other spaces where you need to view videos and other such media. Others treatments include roller shades that work well in offering privacy to interior connecting rooms as well as exterior windows. (1)
Look at the level of energy efficiency

Commercial window treatments may require a considerable initial investment. But that’s not as important as how much they’ll cost you afterwards. One of the most important tips when choosing window treatments for your business is how well they’ll work in insulating the building.

Notably, a large percentage of the heat entering to or escaping from your building is through the windows. If you forget to consider the level of energy efficiency of your window treatments, you may find yourself paying extremely high energy bills for heating or cooling the building. This is something you can avoid with your choice of window treatments. (2)
Choose a window treatment control mechanism

Technology has made it possible to improve the efficiency of controlling your window treatments. Installing motorised blinds, shutter systems, or shades can make it easy to operate your treatments through remote-controlled devices or applications. This means you might need to consider how you want to operate your window treatments. (3)

Keep in mind that the lesser your treatments come into contact with people, the more you eliminate the risks of damage and dirt. However, before you invest in this type of blinds, it’s important to speak to reputable commercial window treatment experts to know your options. By consulting experts, you might also realise what you don’t need. For example, if you find that manual blinds work best for you, then you can go for that option.

Final thoughts

There are many things to consider when choosing commercial window treatments. They can impact your business’s atmosphere, mood, privacy, and even energy costs. But you’ll do alright if you know the best tips in picking the most suitable ones for your space. The decision requires research and time. Don’t hesitate to reach out to commercial window treatment experts for guidance.

References:
1. “Proper Lighting and Control Strategies Offer Multiple Benefits in a Variety of Commercial Interior Environments”, Source: https://iands.design/articles/45093/lighting-control-strategies-benefits
2. “Reducing heat loss through home windows”, Source: https://www.sustainability.vic.gov.au/energy-efficiency-and-reducing-emissions/building-or-renovating/windows-and-shading/reducing-heat-loss-through-windows
3. “ADDING BLIND CONTROL TO YOUR LIGHTING CONTROL SYSTEM”, Source: https://www.ssqld.com.au/adding-blind-control-to-your-lighting-control-system/

4 Ways To Benefit From Professional Mould Removal Services

4 Ways Your Business Can Benefit From Professional Mould Removal Services

Mould infestation can also happen in commercial spaces. It can occur due to poor ventilation, leaky plumbing or condensation, resulting in moulds appearing on the ceilings, drywall, floors, or carpets. (1)

Mould growth and infestation could present serious health hazards, affecting your employees’ productivity and work motivation. If you want to ensure a safe and healthy space for all your team members, you need to find ways to eliminate mould growth and mitigate the risk of future mould infestation. (1)

One way to do this is by consulting a professional mould removal service. So, how can these mould removal specialists help resolve your mould problems in the workplace? Here are four ways businesses can benefit from a professional mould removal service.

You’ll be given a proper mould assessment

The best thing about having professional mould removal services work for you is that they take their time to inspect the type of moulds present and determine the primary cause of the infestation. Several kinds of moulds could infest your offices, like the Alternaria, Cladosporium, Aspergillus, Penicillium, and others. They may differ in toxicity levels, which may require different mould-removal treatments and solutions. (2)

Professional mould removers can conduct proper mould assessment using the right tools and equipment. So, if you suspect that your office has an underlying mould problem, you can book a free inspection with a trusted mould removal company like MouldMen. Ultimately, you can save yourself energy and time from diagnosing the mould problem yourself and potentially putting everyone’s health at risk.
The mould problem will be treated and eliminated properly

Once the professional mould removers have assessed and determined the type of moulds infesting your building and the areas affected, they can begin treating and eliminating the moulds properly. Because they have enough experience, skills, and complete tools, you’ll have peace of mind knowing that they’ll successfully get rid of the moulds in your office.

Furthermore, mould spores tend to quickly spread across the building and could also potentially grow in hard-to-reach areas like the foundation, cracks in the walls or your office attic. The professional mould removers won’t have any problem locating these sources and clearing out the rest of the remaining mould spores to prevent them from spreading. Eventually, this results in a more extensive cleaning which you or your employees may not be able to execute on your own. Thus, you need to seek out business directories to find the service nearest you. (1)
Mitigate future mould problems

Even if you’ve successfully removed the moulds on the infected areas, there’s a great chance they can still grow back if the root cause is still left unresolved. For example, if the leaky plumbing in your office bathroom is left unfixed or your office still has poor ventilation, moulds will eventually spread again in no time.

Thankfully, the professional mould removers will not only remove the existing moulds, but they’ll also help mitigate the risk of future mould problems. They’ll help identify which areas are highly at risk of mould growth and give you some tips, suggestions, or solutions to make your space an unlikely environment for mould growth. Ultimately, a seasoned mould remover can accurately identify the mould-prone areas and educate you and your employees on how to stop mould infestation from occurring again.
You can save time, energy and money

Generally, many business owners may not have much time on their hands to deal with mould problems considering that they also need to handle business-related tasks and responsibilities. Unfortunately, the longer you wait to address the mould problem, the worse it gets and the costlier the damage will be. Even if you or your employees try to handle the mould problem on your own, it’ll also cost you time, money and energy. You’ll have to buy cleaning products and temporarily interrupt your team members from their responsibilities to deal with the mould.

Meanwhile, if you hire a professional mould removal service, you don’t have to worry about dedicating time, energy, money and manpower to resolve your mould problems. The professional mould removers can work fast and remove mould effectively while you and your employees can focus on your job responsibilities without constantly worrying about the mould.

Key Takeaway

Mould infestation is a serious problem that no business owners should overlook. Furthermore, mould removal operation is also not an easy task, especially if you don’t have the skills, knowledge, and right materials to go through the process.

But with a professional and reputable mould removal service, you know they’ll address your mould problems properly. Most importantly, having help will let you know that your space will be mould-free, and you can provide a safe and healthy environment for your employees and clients.

References:

“Basic Facts about Mold and Dampness”, Source: https://www.cdc.gov/mold/faqs.htm
“Types Of Mold And How To Remove Them”, Source: https://www.thespruce.com/different-types-of-mold-4772562

Our Capabilities – WAREHOUSE & INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES

WAREHOUSES & INDUSTRIAL FACILITY SERVICES

We offer practical solutions for warehouse operations and pride ourselves on meeting best practice with cost-effective delivery.

SERVICES OVERVIEW

Preliminaries:

Supply chain, logistics, storage and 3PL consultancy
Warehouse layout, work flow optimization, operations consultancy
Civil works, plans and permits

Warehouse Fit-outs and Storage:

Australian-made pallet racking
Industrial shelving systems
Conveyor systems
Materials Handling Equipment (MHE)

WorkSafe Pallet Racking Safety Inspections – AS 4084:2012

Annual inspections as per AS 4084:2012 Steel Storage Racking
Racking safety reports
Pallet racking Safe Working Load signage (S.W.L.)
Repairs and parts replacement
Emergency repairs

Warehousing Safety and Asset Protection:

Risk mitigation consulting
Asset protection – bollards, guide and guard rails
Racking protection
Pedestrian access walkways – safety barriers and gates
Racking mesh safety barriers
Containment fences and secure areas
Safety mirrors
Line marking
Warning signage
Tactile indicators

Mezzanines and Raised Storage Areas:

Mezzanines – new or extensions, work areas or offices
Raised storage areas
Stairs and balustrades
Up and over gates
Cross-overs

Others:

Warehouse staff amenities and kitchens
Concrete polishing, repairs, coring, epoxy sealing
Wall slab cut-outs
Landscaping
Perimeter gates and fencing
Roof Safety
Cladding
Roller doors
Fire doors
Painting
Windows and glazing

Custom Warehousing Solutions:

Bespoke design and fabrication
Custom stillages
Custom racking
Custom wind breaks and other structures

What to Look for when Renting a Wedding Dress

Planning on Renting a Wedding Dress? Lets try answering some of your questions.

Are you wondering whether to rent or buy a wedding dress? You may have a few questions. Renting is a new way to fulfill the dream.

1. Wedding dress rental: a new trend!

In current times, renting wedding dresses or elegant clothes for parties tends to be taken more naturally. Brides can wear beautiful designs in a more affordable way and not give up a dream because of the costs of buying a new dress. Many brides also calculate the impact that the purchase can have on a more limited wedding budget, so this solution is very favorable for them.

2. Sustainable option

The labor put into a wedding dress with worked lace and the material costs are reused much more over time. More brides can enjoy it and get all the happy moments out of it with photos that they will treasure in their wedding albums. It will not be necessary to look for a place to store the dress without it turning yellow or to wait years to transfer it to a daughter or another relative, even more so when houses have little space.

3. All styles

If you have already reviewed catalogs and visited bridal houses, you will have a better idea of what designs are in fashion, the cuts that are imposed in your favorite firms and the most empowered vintage or boho models. Most of the bridal houses are not limited only to the sale, but also offer the rental of wedding dresses, with advice and sewing arrangements just as if you were buying the garment.

4. Types of rental

The most common format is to rent a used wedding dress, that is, some brides have already worn it. These are dresses given for rent or garments owned by the Bridal firms that are made for that purpose. The second way is to rent a first-tier design that the lucky bride can wear for a much lower price than a new model. This second option is a bit more expensive.

5. How do wedding dress rentals work?

Each enterprise has its management modality. We already mentioned that you can discover a design that you fall in love with in traditional bridal houses. Other houses can be dedicated only to rent and add different models to offer a wide range. Another way arises from community networks made up of girls who give up their dresses to rent and thus amortize the expenses of their own wedding. If you thought about it, the same can be applied to the civil wedding dress.

6. Second hand

Renting and buying second-hand are equally valid options for thrifty brides. However, in the rental house they assure you of the good condition of the garment, while a second-hand purchase could require a greater investment in repairs, especially in the lower part and in the buttoning, for which we recommend that you check it carefully.

7. Steps to rent the wedding dress

Once you have decided on this modality and have found out how much it costs to rent a wedding dress, you should start the search at least three months in advance to start trying on various models until you find the one you like. It is advisable to look for a trusted site or a specialized company that offers 100% quality. You can request advice, and better yet, a prior appointment so that the staff is available to answer all your questions. The timing of the tests is important because it ensures comfort with the garment later at the moment of truth.

8. The contract

If you have already chosen your dress, we recommend reviewing it from head to toe to avoid encountering surprises later. Next you will need to formally reserve the dress and sign a lease agreement. Many stores can offer you insurance for the risk of breakage or stains that the garment may suffer, and it is advisable to take it. Finally, if necessary, you will have to make the sewing arrangements so that the dress you selected fits your silhouette.

When the dresses have already gone through a few uses, the stores usually move them to outlet sales, which is another way to get a simple and cheap wedding dress.
Best of luck in your Wedding Dress hunt.

About Time Bridal may have the right Wedding Dress to Rent in Sydney.

If you are looking for Mens Accessories online for that special event Jay Kirby may be the place to look

10 Benefits of online business directory for your business

Why create a Listing on an Australian Business Directory?

There are many reasons why you should add your business to a directory, but the main reason is to give your business the best possible chance to appear in the SERP’s (Search Engine Results Page).
The more places your Business appears around the Internet the better the chances of reaching higher rankings in search and being found.

Here is a run down of the Benefits of Having your Business listed on a Directory for Businesses

1. Improve your local search visibility

A Local search company helps your local community find your business. Most business directories have filtered business categories to add your listing to you industry. Local business directories are useful for targeting customers in your local community.

2. Enhance the online presence for your Business

It is important to accurately list your Business Name, Address and Phone Number. When potential customers search on Google or Bing for a service, they may come across your business listings on multiple directories. This can potentially put your business above your competitors and lead to a sale. The more times your business comes up in search the greater the likelihood of them visiting your website or call your business. Most business directories and listing websites extract business details from larger directories and create their listings with company name and contact details. At LookLocal we only list Australian Businesses in our directory that want to be listed. We do this so we can optimise every listing and give each business the best possible chance to reach customers through search. Not that automatic or Free Business Listings are bad, but these usually only help half of what a dedicated and optimised listing would.

However, there are several instances where the accurate details do not get updated on the listing websites and web directories. To avoid such a situation, it is important to regularly check your listings and fix your online presence as you can.

3. Boost your SEO

An online business directory listing will enhance your SEO
Search engine optimization is the craft of tweaking content in a way that search engines find it and rank it for Keywords in their search result pages.
Business directories and listings that are optimised are a fantastic way to further enhance your existing content to attract higher Rankings of search engines like as Google and Bing.

4. Your Brand awareness and Local Search

Every Business strives to make its mark and this can be a costly exercise and quite frankly sometimes a waste of money if not treated correctly.
When potential customer searches for a Business or Service in their local area they are likely to get thousands of results for businesses like yours. many of these results would be on different Local Business directories, the trick is to make sure that your Brand listing appears in as many of these searches as possible. This will increase not only brand awareness for your business through local search directories but most importantly TRUST for your Brand or Business. The more a customer sees your business, the more trust they will gather that your business is a serious and recognised brand.

5. Generate Leads for your Business

A Business is not a Business if it doesn’t have customers. And a cheap (and sometimes Free) way of gaining leads is through the searchability of listings on local search companies.
The Looklocal way of doing this is different to other Directories online as we not only optimise your Australian Business listing but also use our Network of channels to further promote your company and services.
The more we tell people about your Australian Business the more reach your listing will have which can potentially bring in more leads for your business

6. Social Signals

Social signals are an important ranking factor for businesses online. As mentioned in previous points; the more your Business appears around the internet the greater the trust that in gained and Social Media is the go to for trust and recognition.
With every Australian Business Listing in our online local directory, we allow for adding your Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn pages to make a relevant TRUSTWORTHY link back to your business details on the directory. This linking will send good social signals to the search engines and favour higher rankings due to this trust built through the connections to social media. With this at Looklocal we go even further. If you have a Facebook and or Instagram Business Page we will follow you and share your Social Content to other networks. This ten folds the value of your content and increases the Social Signals even further

7. Good, Cheap Marketing for your Business

The act of doing business doesn’t always come cheap so when you get the opportunity, TAKE IT!
Not only is the act of generally marketing your business expensive but it is also time-consuming. And in Business time is money.
Many Local Online Search Directories are free some are paid. For example, a Basic Business listing on Looklocal will only cost you less that $15.
So why pay for a listing when you can get them for free? Well at the end of the day its about the service that you get with a Paid business directory of Australia listing.
If the value is there and the price is reasonable then by all means get listed as it will definitely be money well spend.

8. No need for a website to feature in a Business directory

We highly recommend a website if you don’t already have one but if you don’t have a website yet you can still create listings in online business directories.
In fact if you don’t have a Business website then Local Directory Listings is a MUST if you want your company to have a chance against your competitors.

Local listings can start working for you from the moment you submit your business listing and when you have your website up and running, most listing companies will let you update your listings to include a link to your new shiney website.

9. Online business directories promote businesses

We are in the Business of helping companies promote themselves. One of the stand out benefits of online business directories like look local is that they actively promote the businesses in their databases
At Looklocal, we actively promote all our business partners as part of our basic business listing service. The more business we get for our customers the happier they are and who doesn’t like a happy customer right?

10. Backlinks are easy with Local Business Directories

You may have heard the term ‘backlinks’, but what are they exactly?
In a nutshell and as you may have deciphered; backlinks a links that point back to your website. They are an authoritative factor that makes your website more visible and also more credible.
in an ‘interverse’ full of billions of websites it is hard to distinguish the good from the bad; so one of the fallback mechanisms of search engines to gauge the difference is through these backlinks.
The more backlinks your Business website has pointing to it the more times the crawler bits will visit your website, which in turn will give it preference over a business that has fewer of these links connecting back to it

Our Final Thoughts on the Benefits for Online Business Directory Listings

We know that being a local search company it may sound a little biased to highlight the benefits of only directory listings, but the truth of the matter is that these benefits are legit and worth the time and money you spend creating them.
Time is of the essence when running your business, and whenever you get the chance to double down on your marketing tasks with minimal effort, go for it!
Some listings are free, some are inexpensive while some business directory listings are crazy expensive. Free Listings are a no-brainer and the paid options should be looked at based on the services they provide.
As a minimum, any paid listing should allow you to enter ALL your business details including your branding assets such as logos etc.
If the price is affordable, like our listings and the service they provide adds value then do your business a favour and get your local business listing details up.

Start promoting your business or services to Both the Australian and International audience you deserve which you can worry about the other 1000 things you have to do in your busy working life!

How a Blog Might Help You Grow Your Business

Although they have been around for several years, blogs have become a strong marketing tool even before the explosion of social networks, and now even more so.
However, the idea is not to start a blog without having a clear idea of why, how and who will manage it.
More than half of the blogs are abandoned in their first three months.
Although this is not really important if you are writing a personal diary or political blog, but it is very important if you start a blog for your company or for you as an entrepreneur/freelancer, and you don’t keep publishing consistently and with a purpose.
When a possible client comes to a blog that hasn’t been updated in months, it’s similar to walking into an empty business with broken windows and full of dust.It definitely doesn’t look good and it doesn’t help your image or your online reputation.

Don’t let that happen to you. Start the right way and do things smartly. Let’s go over some basics:

Because a blog is an inexpensive and quick way to build an online presence, it’s an ideal way for entrepreneurs, techies, consultants, speakers, writers and other professionals to build trust and credibility with the conversation generated by people’s comments.

By its very nature, a blog is perfect for busy professionals. Blogs are quick and easy to update. You’ll be creating fresh content frequently (two to three times a week is recommended as a minimum) that is useful to your potential and current customers, plus it’s loved by the Google SEO. Unlike the static “traditional web”, a blog is a dynamic site that encourages your visitors to interact with you through comments so they can get to know you better.
When you create a conversation with your audience (visitors, readers), you build trust. You are building your network and increasing the visibility of your products and services in a natural way.
A blog, in combination with a website for your products, services and/or your company, you will have everything you need to develop and manage your business worldwide from the internet.

1. Before doing anything else, analyze the reasons why you want to publish a blog.

Some people use a blog to build their database, their subscriber list.
Some are looking to build a platform for visibility, while others use the blog to develop content for other purposes, such as books, articles and programs.

2. What is the purpose of your blog?

How is the purpose of the blog related to your business objectives? Who is your ideal reader? For most companies and businesses, the ideal reader is similar to your ideal customer. It’s important to know your target audience so you can meet their wants and needs and focus on that.

3. How do you want your readers to feel when they read your blog?

This may seem like a strange question, however, it will help you tap into the emotions of your audience. Do you want your reader to be inspired, motivated, and take action?
Remember, tapping into this will help you focus your content on serving your reader.

4. How much time will you dedicate to your blog each week?

This is the essence of blogging. If you can’t commit to yourself to write a lot of valuable content, then I recommend you do nothing.
The most effective and successful blogs are those with fresh content available at least two to three times a week. Is that reasonable for you to manage? Are you going to have a team of bloggers?
Remember, there are many, many ways to create content. If it’s not your personal blog, it doesn’t have to be your own content all the time.

5. What is the core message of your blog?

This relates to the topic of your blog and the niche you focus on. What do you want your readers to learn, why should someone read your blog, and most importantly, why should they subscribe and follow you?

6. Create your editorial calendar.

It’s no secret that content rules in a blog, so it’s helpful to have a content plan. A key element of a good blog is to have a list of 5-10 keyword-rich categories.
Once you determine your blog categories, you can plan your content calendar. If you plan to post three times a week, make a list of 5 topics from each category. Then, fill in your calendar. Five topics per category, with ten categories: you have 50 blog posts in your calendar.

7. Build your blog.

Now that the research is done, you know your message and your content is ready to go, it’s time to get to work and build the blog.
This is where the fun part starts and I don’t think it can be covered in this article. You have to think about two things: 1) Are you going to do it on your own or will someone else build the blog for you? and 2) Are you a web technology aficionado or not? There are many blogging platforms, each with pros and cons.
As you can see, there are many more things to consider for business blogging than what may appear at first glance. The more preparation and dedication you put in and especially before you start your blog, the more successful it will be.
Once the prep work is done and the blog is built, you will have a powerful marketing tool to make a presence on the internet, increase your visibility tremendously and attract the right people to your business.

Is your business scalable?

After overcoming the survival stage businesses can exponentially increase their revenues.
Scalability not only means the ability to grow, but to do so with minimal investment and costs.
If you want to know if your business is scalable, you need to review different parameters such as the current demand for your products or services and your own ability as an owner to manage risk.
Have you ever thought about whether your business is scalable? What does that mean? During the early years of a business we are more concerned with making it survive than it’s growth. But when we are certain of its viability, then it is time to think about how to increase revenues and profits for the owners in an exponential way.

As experts explain, a business model is scalable when it has the capacity to generate more sales for a minimum investment and stable costs. That is, when growth is not hindered by a rigid production structure (such as the existence of a single supplier) or by a shortage of resources (such as the lack of capital to open another physical location); and, again, when obtaining more income does not mean a greater effort in time and money than the current one.

Now that you are clear that scaling doesn’t just mean growing, let’s look at the factors that determine and indicate that your business is on the right path to generate more wealth.

A proven product or service
Clear and automated processes
The ability to manage risk
Outsourcing of non-strategic activities
Having the necessary talent for the new stage
Openness to change

A proven product or service

If you still have doubts about the demand for your products or services or if you are still making adjustments to your value proposition, it means that your business is not ready to scale. So no matter how many sales you have in your business, even if you are already receiving orders from abroad, you need to wait longer and work on your business model as well.

Scalability needs firm foundations; otherwise, years of work and effort can fall apart in a few weeks after a bad decision.

Clear and automated processes

Are you still at that stage where, as a business owner, you are handling many tasks at once? Are there processes that are still being done manually? Are you just now incorporating automation tools? Are there many areas of the business that do not have clear and documented processes? Then your business is not ready for the big leap.

Without processes and automation tools that allow you, for example, to have better control of inventory in a store, your team will not be able to absorb a sudden increase in activity, the amount of information to be processed and customer demands.

The ability to manage risk

In a stage of accelerated growth, business owners must manage increasing costs, new demands and unknown scenarios. Therefore, not only they, but the entire organization, must be better prepared to manage risk.

That means that the operations must be agile, costs must be controlled and monitored so that your team of collaborators is able to make their own decisions, since the learning curve is much steeper and the demand for results is greater.

Outsourcing of non-strategic activities

Another clear indicator of a company’s ability to scale is the outsourcing of tasks to save time and money on activities that are important for daily operations, but have no impact on strategy.

This is the case of outsourcing logistics, shipping or accounting management when there is not yet enough of a budget to hire an accountant 100% dedicated to the company.

Having the necessary talent for the new stage.

Before starting a scaling process, it is also essential to have the personnel that will be in charge of new strategic tasks, such as the management of the online store or the export area. Are you clear about the new positions to be filled? Have you already defined the profile of these new professionals? Do you know how difficult it is to find them, and what you will have to offer in terms of salary and compensation to attract them to the business and keep them?

Consider that, many times, the best recruitment is internal; therefore, with the necessary training and a fair offer, current collaborators can become key pieces of the new expansion stage.

Openness to change

In order to scale up, it takes much more than an owner with innovative ideas and the ability to manage risk: it requires a corporate culture open to change, where all employees feel that they have room to propose new ideas, take risks and make mistakes, without jeopardizing their chances of growing up the corporate ladder.

In an environment of creativity and motivation, growth is made possible beyond material resources and the number of working hours. That’s why you not only have to surround yourself with the best talent, but also be able to clearly convey your vision.

Those are some of the factors to take into account when considering scaling up your business, we hope they prove useful, and if you’re thinking about growing your business it’s always a good idea to check 7 tips to help you make a good post for your business.

Small Business Digital Adaptation Program

Rebates are available for digital tools including web creation

The Victorian Government has invested $3 billion to help businesses impacted by COVID-19.
And now has commited $20 million Small Business Digital Adaptation Program to help sole traders, micro and small businesses adapt to a new online operating environment.

Is your business making the most of digital technology? Imagine the benefits of a new website, an online store, a food and drink ordering app or getting real time insights from an online accounting platform.

Register now to trial a range of end-to-end retail, website and digital business management products with access to training and workshops to grow your business. Businesses will be able to register, trial and then purchase selected digital products from providers such as Online Accounting Service Xero, MYOB Accounting Platform, Squar Business Tools, Squarespace Online Site Building and the Mr Yum ordering app. After purchasing a product, businesses can apply for a rebate of $1,200 to access the product for 12 months.

The program also offers free digital adaptation training and workshops to help registered businesses adopt and implement online tools in their business.

Registrations will remain open until funds are exhausted or until 11.59pm on 28 February 2021, whichever is earlier.

You can check eligibility and register now
business.vic.gov.au

Authorised by the Victorian Government,
1 Treasury Place, Melbourne.

Tips to Develop Resilience

One of my favourite ways of understanding entrepreneurship is to think of it not as a race of speed, but of endurance. And that is very true because everyone who has ever started a project, whether it is a study, self-improvement, business or even a family project, knows that problems arise. The possibility that something does not go well always exists. The gap between what is planned and what is executed is precisely what makes us strong. Solving problems, constant learning and even failure as such, are indispensable elements to continue and not give up.

So here’s some tips

to develop resilience in entrepreneurship and stay motivated and energetic to complete your projects.

Try to always find motivation

Motivation is essential for those people who want to achieve a certain goal, without it the objectives are indifferent, it is difficult to start doing the tasks and, once started, there is no motivation to finish them, this, in addition to preventing you from achieving the proposed objectives, will gradually destroy you inside, making you more and more apathetic.

Living motivated gives us that necessary impulse to move, the engine that will make us work and escape from the monotonous life that we would have if it were not for it. For this reason, it is important to strive for motivation, even if you have to dig it out from under the rocks.

Imagine the Future

A simple trick to live motivated is to think often about the future, to visualize it, to imagine it as we want it to be. In this way, we will have the illusion of being able to build it in the same way as in our dreams, and this illusion will be our motivation.

Do what you are passionate about

Another important point is to do what we really want to do. For example, we have to choose a university career because we are truly passionate about those studies, not because our parents tell us so. It is better to be a good hairdresser than a frustrated lawyer, since only what you do with passion will be done really well. In business it works the same way. However, you have to consciously analyze what drives you to build that business. Because that is what will make you get out of bed with energy every day. Some people are driven by money, which is not a bad thing. Others are motivated by personal fulfillment or because they want to help other people by solving their needs.

Keep your mental attitude positive

I know it sounds trite, but you must not forget to strive to maintain a positive attitude at all times. Although we may not like some things that happen in life, that doesn’t mean we have to be discouraged about what we can accomplish. If you fall down, smile and get up, you will see how with just a little effort you can keep walking normally.

Tips to overcome discouragement

Discouragement is a feeling that appears in our lives when our efforts to achieve something do not show the results we expected. Especially in entrepreneurship, many times we would like things to work faster and that generates frustration. That is why it is important to have a strategic plan that delimits each phase of your project and helps you measure progress.

First of all, understand that financial growth is not instantaneous. You must first work on marketing and then make sales, build a brand and transform all that into profits. But don’t get too ahead and try to make some quick money. It is obvious that at times you may have reasons to feel down, defeated and faint, but there is also something said about discouragement that is very true and that is that if you don’t beat discouragement, it will beat you.

Determination

In order to overcome discouragement, you have to be determined to get out of it. We understand that sometimes you do not have the strength or desire to do anything for you, but now understand that if you do not have the attitude to at least say “I want to get out of this well”, external help will be useless because discouragement is a problem from within.

Be active

If you stay alone and locked up in your room, discouragement will come to you and these thoughts will become more and more established in your mind. You must stay active in order to renew your mind and forget about what is making you feel bad. Even if it’s just visiting friends and going out with loved ones, it’s important to do something that can distract you while you regain your strength. And it never hurts to say that if you need help, you should seek it.

Visualize yourself at the finish line

Stop for a minute and imagine yourself on the podium with the victory medal in your hands. The finish line is still in the same place waiting for you to go for it and, even if it is still a little farther away, if you get back into the race you will reach it. When everything seems to go wrong, this should give you enough strength and encouragement to put all mistakes and failures behind you and try again. Don’t think that you will feel a superhero-like surge of strength in your body, maybe you won’t even feel an improvement.

But just because you don’t feel it doesn’t mean it’s not there. The forces are already deposited within you, so you must act, believe that you have these forces, get out of bed and set out on the road again.

When everything seems to go wrong, keep going

There are moments in life in which we lose all confidence, and it is that by setbacks of life, we lose the desire to move forward, and in which we even get to have the feeling of being useless.
But it is precisely in those moments when we have to look forward, draw new strength and rely on someone around us and that is the best solution to get afloat. If we find ourselves sunk, there is nothing like the help of a person who loves us to get up again and move forward.

In order not to get down, we must look for a helping hand and believe in something we can hold on to in order to overcome our problems and come out victorious. In those moments we just have to look around us and remember all that we have and are worth.

That is the best way to cheer ourselves up. So, in difficult times we must set goals, especially in the short term, and thus we will be able to establish guidelines to stay focused and not lose the course. And it is precisely those moments, when we feel more lost, when we will achieve the strength to excel in such a situation. Counseling is very important, especially in business, because when we stop seeing the horizon clearly, we should look for someone to help us. Do not pretend to know everything. Intelligence is about consulting the one who knows.

Be your own source of motivation

You will see how by following these tips you will feel more motivated with everything you do and little by little your results will improve in an amazing way. You just have to change your mindset and start thinking like a resilient person. Above all, don’t expect motivation from other people, as they may disappoint you, but learn to be motivated by yourself.

Why Claim your Business Lististing

By claiming your business you get exclusive control of your listing.

Some reason to Claim your listing

So You have you listing and that’s great so why should you claim your business? Here are a few reasons why;

Fresh Content

By claiming your business you get exclusive control of your listing. You can edit your description, keeping your content fresh. Updating your content, even every couple of months, has been proven to increase visibility. Fresh content acts like a magnet for search engines, the more they crawl your content the better it is for your SEO and marketing efforts.

Get your Socials On

Add links to your social Media and create a content loop frenzy that is bound to increase your visibility. Social Media Sites like Facebook, Instagram,Pinterest and Twitter among others have very high Page Authorities which means that the search engines regard them as V.I.Ps for content on the web. When you link from your listing to one of these Social media platforms you are associating your Company with what the search engines regard as authoritative figures on the web.

Tag your It

When you claim your business you will have access to add and edit Tags associated with your listing. Tags are a collection of words that help associate your listing with specific keywords.
For example, If you are a business owner of an accounting firm in Perth you could use Tags like; ‘Perth accountant’,’help with tax’, ‘tax back’ etc.
These tags will help Search engines filter and sort all the content with specific tags into groupings, the more groupings your company appears in, the more visible your company becomes.

Testimonials

The web loves hearing about experiences and nothing gets better traction than testimonials saying how great your service is. Word of mouth is by far the best validator of great service and testimonials is one of the most important markers to future customers. Because of the importance of Business testimonials we have added these to our Business listings with our Standard and Premium packages.

A Picture tells a 1000 tales

With a Standard or Premium Listing you can upload images to your page and further enhance your listing. Not only will this make your business page more appealing but it will also allow search bots like Google to collect and then display your images on the Image search. Make the most of your page listing and stand out from the crowd with this new feature.

So how do I Claim my Business Listing?

Claiming is easy. First search to make sure your business is in the directory. If it appears in the list of businesses; click on the link and once you are on your page; Click the CLAIM BUSINESS BUTTON

7 Tips to Help You Make a Good Post for your Business

The options to make your brand known on the Internet are countless. Among the most popular is the blog. Posting interesting content on the company’s website has great potential to generate interest among users. Therefore, the so-called branded content (production of content linked to a brand) is an increasingly frequent bet in digital marketing.

Now, how to make a good post?

Thinking about the consumer who looks for products on the Internet and buys them online, it is worth it to invest in this medium. Here are seven important points to consider when writing a blog post for your business.

Central Theme
Images
Structure
Exclusive Content
Length
Internal Links
Call-to-action

Central theme
The post must communicate something. The central theme of the article must appear prominently in the title, since this is where you will first attract the attention of users. It is important, however, that you do not frustrate the reader’s expectations. That is to say: the text must contain what you promise in the title.

Images
Although the content is the most important thing to reach the search engine results, images attract the attention of the consumer who makes a “diagonal reading” of the article. Add strategic images that help captivate your readers.

Structure
You must organize your thoughts and ideas. Few people pay attention to this and the result is that structure appears sloppy in publications. To avoid this, think first of the introduction and then conclude each idea before starting the next one, so as not to confuse the reader. Only finish the text if there are no outstanding issues.

Exclusive content
If you only replicate a post that was published somewhere else before, you will compete with the blog that published the original content. Ideally, you should create exclusive articles and differentiate yourself from the competition. To do this, you must resort to creative strategies that allow you to captivate the reader.

Length
Although it is true that many people do not have the patience to read a long text on the Internet, shorter texts do not always produce the best results. For the text to be included in search engines, articles should ideally be between 500 and 1,500 words long.
Internal links
The internal navigation strategy, widely used by traditional websites, can also be effective in a blog post. The use of internal links in a publication helps to keep the reader on your website and, therefore, you will gain traffic.

Call-to-action
Call-to-action is a good tactic to get the reader interested in what you publish. There is little point in creating quality content if you don’t invite interested parties to participate. Tell the reader what they can do, such as sharing the content or even buying your products through the brand’s online store.

How to Build an Effective Business Strategy

Business Strategy: What It Is & How to Build an Effective One

Written by Clifford Chi @BigRedDawg16

In the business world, professionals are obsessed with tactics because they can help them meet their short-term goals. But if all you do is focus on the short-term, you won’t spend enough time or energy figuring out how you can succeed in the long-term.

→ Download Now: Free Business Plan Template

Fortunately, building a strategy can help you achieve both your short-term and long-term goals. Strategy focuses on principles, which help you think, instead of tactics, which help you execute, so it allows you to concentrate on why your business does certain activities, not just how you do them or what you do. Read on to learn exactly what a business strategy is and how you can build an effective one today.

Business Strategy

Your business strategy is a roadmap for achieving your business’ goals. It establishes a set of principles that inform your business’ priorities, decisions, and actions. It’s not, however, the actual tactics you’ll leverage to execute your business strategy.

Your business strategy should be based on your overall vision for the company. For some brands it will be global market expansion. For others it may be more important to double down investing in existing markets they are already successful in. Regardless of your end goals, creating an effective business strategy will require thorough research beforehand.

How to Build a Business Strategy

Identify your business’ aspirations and values.
Conduct a self-assessment.
Pinpoint which segments of your market you want to capture.
Determine how you’ll beat your competition.
Set clear goals.
Make a plan.
Figure out which competencies are needed to beat your competition and sustain your business’ success.
Decide which management systems are needed to hone these competencies.
Measure your results.
Be flexible and willing to adapt.
Consider hiring a business consultant.

1. Identify your business’ aspirations and values.

In business, traditional goal setting lets you measure what you do, but it doesn’t lend itself to gauging how you do it or why. And if you only focus on the results, it can sometimes incentivize you to take a course of action that prioritizes your organization’s needs over your customers’ needs.

To help you focus more on your purpose and process instead of just your results, consider setting and anchoring to an aspiration, or your vision for your business in the future when building your business strategy — it’ll inspire you to do work that better serves your customers. Once you set an anchor to an aspiration, you can add your goal to the equation, which will help you simultaneously produce customer-centric work and hit your numbers.

2. Conduct a self-assessment.

Once you’ve figured out your business aspirations and values, it’s time to conduct a self assessment to help you evaluate the best avenues for business growth and success.

You can do this by conducting a SWOT analysis to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to your business. What do you do well and how can you capitalize on that? What can be improved and how?

3. Pinpoint which segments of your market you want to capture.

Your product or service most likely isn’t the best fit for your entire market, so it’s crucial to pinpoint the segment or segments of your market that benefit the most from your product or service.

Customers who genuinely need and want your product or service are also the customers who retain the longest and are least likely to churn, boosting your customer lifetime value and lowering your customer acquisition costs.

4. Determine how you’ll beat your competition.

Ricky Bobby’s legendary saying that “If you ain’t first, you’re last” doesn’t necessarily apply to the business world, but it does have some bearing on it. Your customers won’t buy two of the same products or services, so if you want to capture as much of your segment of the market as possible, you need to place first in the majority of your target customers’ minds.

Some of the best ways to stay top-of-mind are crafting a creatively refreshing brand, differentiating your product or service from the rest of the crowd, and pricing your product relative to its perceived value.

5. Set clear goals.

Now that you’ve completed your research and established a vision for your business, it’s time to set some goals.

Think about what you want to accomplish and work backward to figure out the steps to get there. Setting business goals will help inform your strategy and how each department collaborates to achieve your objective. To start, you can come up with:

Business goals: These are high level objectives you’d like the organization as a whole to accomplish.
Department or team goals: These are key objectives delegated at the department level to help the organization achieve their overall goals.
Employee-specific goals: Using departmental goals, establish goals for individual employees to contribute to reaching business goals.

These cascading goals will make sure that all stakeholders involved in executing your business strategy are on the same page and properly aligned.

6. Make a plan.

With your business goals defined, it’s time to make a plan to accomplish them. This plan should include actionable tasks your team can take and should outline the steps needed to achieve your mission or objective.

This plan can be rolled out as either a short-term or long-term plan or a combination of the two. Additionally you’ll want to check in with your plan often to make sure everything is still on track, and make adjustments as the business requires them.

7. Figure out which competencies are needed to beat your competition and sustain your business’ success.

Unfortunately, passion isn’t enough to beat your competition and rocket to the top of your industry. Talent and skill are just as crucial. Depending on your aspirations, goals, and market, you need to figure out which types of teams and employees you need to develop and recruit to not only beat your competition, but to also sustain your success.

For example you may need to recruit more engineering staff or hire a data science team with experience in your niche to achieve your goals.

8. Decide which management systems are needed to hone these competencies.

If your business is a team, then your managers are the coaches. They’re responsible for developing, supporting, and inspiring your employees to do their best work possible.

Establish check-ins with your team to ensure both employees and managers have what they need to succeed. Invest in technology that enables your team to work together more efficiently and propels your business goals forward. Because no matter how much raw talent your employees have,they’ll never reach their potential and, in turn, help the business reach its potential if they don’t refine the skills and discipline necessary to compete and succeed.

9. Measure your results.

It’s not enough to simply set goals and hope things work out. You’ll need to actively monitor your progress if you want to achieve greatness. As mentioned previously, you should be checking your plan monthly to make sure things are running as they should.

Evaluate your metrics to ensure your team is meeting key performance indicators (KPIs). If they are not meeting them, find out why and come up with a solution to get things back on track.

10. Be flexible and willing to adapt.

Along with measuring your results, it’s also a good to examine where your strategy is falling short and make changes.

Are their changes in the industry or external factors that impact your current strategy? This may be an opportunity for you to adjust your approach. Your plan is your roadmap, but it should also be flexible enough to pivot along with your business.

11. Consider hiring a business strategy consultant.

If all of the steps above seem overwhelming and you have the resources, consider hiring outside help. Business consultants can provide guidance and training to help you achieve your business goals.

Pros

Expertise: Consultants often have a narrow area of focus — meaning when you hire one, you’re getting an expert in your selected field. They can help you build a framework or structure that aligns with your goals. They can also add a different perspective to tackling issues your team has tried and failed to resolve on their own.
Unbiased: Since a consultant is not an employee of your company, they are not hindered by existing viewpoints or tradition and can look at your company with fresh eyes. This makes it easier for them to hone in on your goals and the best strategy to achieve them.

Cons

Expensive: Hiring a consultant is definitely an added expense and will most likely cost more than paying an existing employee.
No guarantees: Although consultants are experts, they don’t come with guarantees of success. Their is no guarantee of reaching a certain performance metric or number of sales. However, you can always vet consultants by asking for recommendations, looking at references and examining their work history.

Hiring a business strategy consultant is a great option if your team has been struggling with the steps above without success. A third party may pick up on business insights you may have missed.

Principles Over Tactics

We live in a day and age where the internet is overloaded with advice. You have access to countless amounts of tips and tricks that could potentially help you build a successful business. But without the ability to think critically about whether these tips and tricks actually apply to your specific situation, you’ll never reach long-term success.

That’s why strategy is so important. It grounds your business in principles that can apply to almost any situation and, in turn, help your business achieve both its short-term and long-term goals.

This article was originally published in May 2019 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

26 Tips for Using Instagram for Business

We found this great article with tips on how to use Instagram for your business.

“Every time I want to post soething on social media I just FREAK OUT.”

Would you like to use images and short video to enhance your customers’ experience?

Have you considered creating a brand profile on Instagram to make your brand visible to a new market?

Getting started on Instagram is fairly straightforward.

Simply sign up for an account (e.g., use the same name as your Twitter handle), add a profile photo (e.g., brand logo) and a link to your website, connect your account to Facebook and let your followers know they can follow you there.

Read the article here

NEIS Program

What is the NEIS Program?

Do you have a great business idea? Want to Start Your Own Business with Support

The New Enterprise Incentive Scheme (NEIS) is a government-funded program designed to help people with starting a business through small business training, expert coaching and income support (for eligible participants). The program is part of New Business Assistance, an Australian government initiative managed by Centrelink and the Department of Human Services.
NEIS stands for New Enterprise Incentive Scheme, is a self-employment initiative to help jobseekers start their own business.
The Neis Program, which is a Government funded New Business Incentive helps people start their paths to being their own boss.
NEIS Centrelink information can help you learn more about what assistance centrelink can provide you with starting a business idea

NEIS training can help you achieve a nationally recognised small business qualification. During the training your NEIS provider will help you to develop a NEIS Business Plan

Your NEIS provider will refer you to the appropriate training taking into account your business idea. This will be either a:

Certificate III in Entrepreneurship and New Business or
Certificate IV in Entrepreneurship and New Business.
NEIS Training is a Services Australia approved activity for up to 13 weeks. This means that people receiving certain types of income support (such as JobSeeker Payment) are not required to look for work while undertaking their small business training.

How Much is the NEIS Allowance?

NEIS Allowance is equivalent to the single, 22 or over, no children rate of JobSeeker Payment, and is paid fortnightly in arrears. Payment is subject to the participant meeting specified obligations under their NEIS Participant Agreement.

Am I eligible for NEIS Assistance?

To be eligible for NEIS you must:

Be at least 18 years of age
Be Able to legally work in Australia
Available to participate in NEIS training and work full-time in your proposed NEIS business.
You can also participate in NEIS if you are a part-time worker or student (up to 25 hours per week), or volunteer.

NEIS Program eligible participants must also not have:

Received NEIS assistance within the past 12 months
Filed for bankruptcy and still be classified as bankrupt

There are also Business eligibility requirements for NEIS

You must: not be currently operating on a commercial basis
be independent, reputable and legal
demonstrate potential commercial viability
be established, located and operated solely in Australia
ensure controlling interest in the business remains with the NEIS participant(s).

You can easily apply for NEIS Program at Holmesglen here or find other NEIS Program providers

What you will need to start your own business

So you have your business idea whats next?
First you will need to get your Australian Business Number (ABN). Register for an ABN here
Next you will want to register your Business Name. You can Check your Business name availablity here
Every Great Business idea needs a great Business website. Find your Business Domain name here

10 Ways to Improve Your Search Rank

Over Over 60% of customers perform Voice search!

A well thought out strategy goes a long way if you want to increase your search rankings. Below is a list of 10 ways to improve your Google search rank.

Write great SEO optimized content. Creating excellent content on your web site is probably the best way to grow traffic and improve rank. SEO gurus claim that on-page content improvement was the best SEO strategy. Ensure your content is well written, full of keywords, written to address the particular needs of your intended interest group, and mobile-friendly.
Improve your website’s user experience. The main four positioning components are site visits, load time, page views, and bounce rates. Every one of these four reasons are identified with the experience your site is giving your clients. If your site is simple and charming to utilize and offers important data, you’ll get more guests, who will remain longer on your site and visit more pages, and that will improve your ranking in the search results
Improve page speed. Mobile page speed as a ranking factor has become ever so important. Make sure your site is as fast as possible to improve your search ranking and provide a good user experience.
Broken links. Quality links on your website is another way to increase traffic as well as build the authority. Broken links will generate a 404 error which will damage both your user experience and your search ranking. There are many tools available to check your broken links. This would be the first step to fixing any 404 issues.
Optimize for local search. Local searches are more and more important. So if your business is based in Brisbane try to incorporate the location in your business writing
Get more backlinks. Backlinks—links from other sites to yours—are one of the most heavily weighted Google ranking factors. Incoming links to your website content from high-authority domains show your site’s authority, bring in traffic, and improve your search ranking.
H1 and H2 header tags. In addition to the fact that headers make your content more coherent and more obvious for people and SERPs, there is a solid connection between’s Google search rank and the utilization of header labels in the body of your writing. Header tags are a method to structure your web site content and highlight your central issues.
Optimize your images with Alt Tags. Alt tags are crucial to boosting the speed of your site and making it easier for Google to identify the images on your web pages. Make sure all your website images are compressed, have descriptive filenames, and include alt text.
Optimize for voice search. Voice search is here to stay. More and more web users are performing voice-based searches. More than 60% of current searches are performed using voice for posing inquiries on their cell phone. By consolidating probable voice search queries into your site content you will ensure your website has more visibility and in turn receive more traffic. The trick is to mimic spoken search terms as opposed to written phrases.
Submit your Business Listing. look for directory sites and add your business to them. Some are Free others have a small price attached to the listing. These costs are quite negligible and in marketing budget terms almost nothing. For less than 5 cents per day you can have your listing on our directory

Get Your Business Listed today

How to Register a Business in Australia

Registering and running a Business in Australia Links and Faqs.

Do I need an ABN to register a business?

An ABN (Australian Business Number) is a 9 digit number. To register a business name, you will need to have an ABN, or in the process of applying for one with the Australian Business Register (ABR).

How much does it cost to register ABN?

To apply for an ABN is FREE of charge. Whether you apply online or by a printable form you will not be charged for the application. If you go through your Tax agent they may charge you their fee to process the application.

Can I run a business without an ABN?

If your turnover is less than $75,000 you may be able to operate without an ABN. The Australian Taxation Office does suggest to apply for an ABN when starting as a sole trader even if your annual turnover is less than the $75k stated.

Do I have to pay to register a business name in Australia?

The fees for registering a business name range from $37 for one year to $87 for three years.

What is considered a ‘Small Business’?

The ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) and ATO have slightly different definitions of a small business. Below is a guide to what they may consider a small business is.
For more in-depth information and guidelines visit their websites.

ABS

Micro-businesses (businesses employing between 1 and 4 people including non‑employing businesses)
Non-employing businesses (sole proprietorships and partnerships without employees)
Other small businesses (businesses that employ between 5 and 19 employees)
Small businesses are more likely to have independent ownership and be operated independently.

ATO

A small business entity is an individual, partnership, company or trust that is carrying on a business
Has less than $2 million in aggregated turnover.
A Micro Business has a total business income of less than $2 million
A small business has a business income of between $2 and $10 million per annum.

What are some of the steps to starting a business in Australia

1. Choose your business structure.

There are four main Business structures to choose from:

Sole trader: You are the sole owner and are responsible for all the day to day operations and legal aspects of running the business and you are still entitled to hire people to work for you.
Company: A commercial business or entity with separate legal definitions to its shareholders.
Partnership: A Partnership as it sounds is when 2 entities work together but not as a company
Trust: A Trust is an entity that may possess assets such as property or income for the benefit of a third party.

2. Choose a business type.

By choosing a type of business you will better understand the structure you may need. Some of the business types are::

Retail Brick and Mortar
Online business
Franchise
Contractor

3. Registering for your Australian business number (ABN)

As stated earlier, visit the ATO website to start your application for your Australian Business Number

4. Set up record keeping and accounting systems

As you start gaining income, it is important to keep track of your Business financials

5. Understand tax and legal obligations

Learn what Tax and legal obligations you need to be aware of for your business. You will have to submit Tax income statements every year.

6. Get insurance

Find what type of insurance you may need as different businesses will have different insurance needs for liabilities.

Here is a link to a great starting your business checklist page from business.gov.au

Image Source: AnyBusiness.com

What are some Business costs that I can expect?

Every Business is different and depending on the type of structure you may expect some of these constants in the cost to run your business

Costs of Premise – If you have a Brick and Mortar of Office to work out of
Insurance – to deal with any legal requirements and incidents
Marketing – To get customers to your business, this may take many different forms such as Digital, social marketing, website content marketing, business directory listings etc.
Professional services Fees – such as accountants, solicitors, other expert professionals to oversee the legalities of starting a business
Stock – You may need to invest in holding your product ready to ship out
Staff and employment – as your company grows you may need to look at the prospect of hiring more staff to do some of or particular tasks
Finance Software – Programs to manage your money
IT costs – these may include Computers, servers, plugins for automation, Licencing of software etc.

Conclusion

There are many aspects of starting a new business, but as overwhelming as it all may sound, with a little planning and a few mandatory steps you can be well on your way into running your own business.
Once you have your ABN and have registered your Business name then all you need to do is start letting potential customers know about your business through Marketing. If you haven’t already take a read of our How to Rank Higher in Google article for some insights into promoting your business on the web.

Need some Helpful Business Resource Links?

Are you a small business owner? Have a look at a collection of links to some great Business resources

Visit Fairwork’s new virtual Small Business Showcase for more tailored information and useful resources to help you meet your workplace obligations.
Support for businesses in Australia – Business Australia
Business grants and suppor tInformation about grants and support to help your workplace plan and respond to coronavirus (COVID-19).
Small Business Mentoring Service COVID-19 Guide | SBMS Key information guide (PDF)
Victorian Small Business Commission | VSBC Presentation Supporting Small Business During Coronavirus (PDF)
Mental Health & Wellbeing (Australian Government): Support Services
ATO | New relief measures | Support for Tax Professionals
Australia Government | Where to get advice | IP Australia extensions | Looking after your mental health
Beyond Blue | Coronavirus Mental Wellbeing Support Service
Business Victoria | Advice, updates and support to help your workplace plan and respond to COVID-19
World Health Organization (WHO) | Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic Public Advice
Dept of Education, Skills and Employment | Restart incentive for hiring mature age workers
Dept of Health and Humans Services (DHHS) | COVID-19 updates
Fair Work Ombudsman | Fair Work Act COVID-19 workplace law changes
MyBusiness.com.au | JobKeeper rules explained (14 April 2020)
Small Business Victoria | Reopening Restaurants & Cafes Q&A
Small Business Victoria | Commercial Tenancy Relief Scheme: Template for making a request (doc)
Victorian Small Business Commission | VSBC Presentation-MBN-Webinar_Mental-Wellbeing (PDF)
Victorian Small Business Commission | Commercial Tenancy Relief Scheme – Stakeholders Toolkit | Dealing with rent in response to COVID
Victorian Small Business Commission | Tenancy Fact Sheet (26 October update)

Checklist For Moving Out Cleaning

One of the most demanding aspects of moving out is post-moving cleaning. While many people make it the last resort, if you want a more productive and organised moving scenario, you need to clean and dispose of junk every time you pack something and cover a part of your home. In such cases, you need a deceased estate rubbish removal services.

But before you proceed with hiring cleaning services, you must perform some cleaning operations yourself. If you’re failing to manage a disposal routine post-moving out and even before that, here’s what you need to do.

Start Small

Like you start packing by gathering your clothes and optimising your closets; similarly, start small when you’re cleaning the house. It will make things easier for you if you clean by a checklist. For instance, start from your bedroom, which contains the primary essentials for packing.

Buy a couple of recycling bags, and while your pack your clothes, dispose of anything unnecessary or unwanted. Since transportation services also cost a lot, you will have to manage your luggage. While you dispose of old and unnecessary clothing, you can pack them up in trash bags to make them easily portable.

Once you cover the bedroom, ensure that all mirrors are cleaned. Dust all surfaces thoroughly before locking the door to the bedroom the final time and ensure that the garbage cans are empty.

You must also vacuum rugs and carpets that are floor-mounted. In multiple cases where homeowners convert their property into a rental, they take care of things like thoroughly cleaning due to state tenant and rental regulations.

Keep The Place Sanitary While Packing

You will be using the house while you’re packing, so don’t forget to clean the bathrooms now and then. Many homeowners don’t fulfil sanitary requirements and risk their healths and others. As a homeowner, it’s your responsibility to clean the house and sanitise the bathrooms thoroughly.

Ensure that you cover the bathroom mirrors, sinks, and walls if they are tiled. Bathrooms are effortless to clean since they’re solely made of washable flooring and wallpaper. Regularly cleaning toiletries will unburden you from thoroughly cleaning the house post-packing and moving out.

Move On To The Kitchen

Most people have built-in open kitchens that are one of the first visuals around the interior of their houses. Since kitchens are operated almost daily, it’s hard to undermine the importance of cleaning them. But when you’re moving out, you need to clean it entirely in and out if you’re leaving home for rental purposes.

Since many people take their appliances with them when they move out, but if you’re keeping some electrical cooking appliances, make sure that you clean them out after the last usage to make them appear good as new. Overall, dust all surfaces in the kitchen once and vacuum or scrub the flooring.

Finalise Cleaning Processes

Ensure that there is no rubbish around the exterior walls of your home. Mow the lawn to make it look as good as new. Add finishing touches by collecting all the trash cans post-moving out and placing them outside so the rubbish removal services can locate them quickly.

5 Best Raw Dog Food Brands

There is a lot to love about raw dog food, so which are some of the best 5 Brands?

Raw dog food enzymes and nutrients in it are more likely to remain intact than in other types of dog food, because it has never been exposed to heat or other damaging processing methods. It also tends to be higher in animal protein than many other commercial brands, which means more healthy fuel for your pup.

Plus, eating raw is what canines evolved to do! Their systems are better able to digest and utilize ingredients that are presented in this form.

Raw meat diets are great for maintaining canine health, but making your own can be time-consuming. Luckily, there are a number of great commercial raw diets now available.
But just because a food is advertised as being “raw” does not automatically make it the right choice for your dog.
Like with any other type of dog food, there are good raw brands and less good brands.
To help you navigate this quickly growing market, yourdogadvisor.com have picked and reviewed the top 5 best raw dog food brands to help you find the one that is right for your pet.

1 Stella & Chewy’s Freeze-Dried Raw Dinner Patties

Pros:
High protein
95% animal-sourced ingredients
Multiple flavors and life-stages
Organic ingredients

Cons:
Pricey

Ingredients in Stella & Chewy’s Freeze-Dried Dinner Patties

This awesome freeze-dried raw dog food comes in a variety of flavors. Here are the first ten ingredients in the popular Duck Duck Goose recipe:

Duck with ground bone
Turkey
Turkey Liver
Goose
Turkey Gizzard
Pumpkin seeds
Organic cranberries
Organic spinach
Organic broccoli
Organic beets

Why we like Stella & Chewy’s Freeze-Dried Dinner Patties for dogs

The long list of fresh, healthy ingredients always includes a number of nutrient-dense organs and bone-meals to assure your pup is getting all the vitamins and minerals they need in a form they can easily digest with their food. This premier freeze-dried raw dog food is packed with meat and animal ingredients that dogs instinctively crave.

Raw bones are a great source of minerals for your pup.

What dogs should avoid Stella & Chewy’s Freeze-Dried Dinner Patties for Dogs?

All that protein and fat may be too calorie-heavy for older and less active dogs. But in most cases, cutting down on the portion size will allow dogs that need fewer calories to still enjoy the many benefits of this food without gaining too much weight.

However, this food may be too rich for dogs with certain digestive issues and pancreatic or kidney problems. If this is the case for your pup, it is best to talk to your veterinarian before switching to this raw dog food.

2 .TruDog: Feed Me: Freeze Dried Raw Superfood for dogs

Pros:
99% animal-based ingredients
41% protein
USA sourced ingredients

Cons:
Pricey
Limited to two recipes

TruDog Freeze-Dried Raw Superfood Ingredients

TruDog raw dog food comes in two flavors: Beef and Turkey. The ingredients for the beef flavor are:

Beef
Beef tripe
Beef lung
Ground beef bone
Beef liver
Beef heart
Beef kidney
Beef blood
Beef fat
Mixed tocopherols
B-alpha tocopherols
Herring oil

Why we like TruDog Freeze-Dried Raw Superfood

Like all carnivores, dogs have evolved to get all of their nutrients and calories from meat. But for them, eating a balanced diet that will help them thrive means getting plenty of organ meat, bone meal, and animal fat. Because these ingredients are more expensive than plant-based ingredients, most dog foods supplement their nutritional profile with vegetarian ingredients.

TruDog is different. Ninety-nine percent of their ingredients come from animals. Their nutrient-dense raw foods include things like muscle meat, tripe, and liver to assure your dog gets everything they need, without substituting in hard-to-digest plant ingredients.

What dogs should avoid TruDog Freeze-Dried Raw Superfood

Like with many foods on this list, the high protein and fat content could be troublesome to dogs with certain digestive conditions. If your pup struggles with kidney issues or pancreatitis, only transition to a high protein food like this with help from your veterinarian.

3. Primal Freeze Dried Raw Dog Food

Pros:
Organic ingredients
78% animal ingredients
High protein
Multiple recipes

Cons:
Large bricks take longer to soak
Pricey

Primal Freeze-Dried Dog Food Ingredients

This brand offers multiple recipes. Here are the top ten ingredients in their popular chicken recipe:

Chicken
Chicken necks
Chicken gizzards
Organic Kale
Organic Carrots
Organic Yams
Chicken livers
Organic broccoli
Organic apples
Cranberries

Why we like Primal Freeze-Dried Dog Food

This premier freeze-dried raw dog food is one of the best if having lots of options is important to you. With ten flavors, not only will you be able to find one your dog loves, but you will easily be able to switch between recipes to keep your pup interested.

What dogs will benefit from Primal Freeze-Dried Dog Food

At 37% protein, this food is well suited for a variety of dogs, from working pups to companion animals.
This brand is especially great for picky eaters. The meat-forward ingredients and variety of flavors mean that you are likely to find something your pup loves even if they turn their muzzle up at most other types of commercial food. The texture–something like thin wet food–also lends itself well to enticing picky pups to have a bite.

4. Sojos Complete Natural Freeze-Dried Natural Raw

Pros:
Affordable
Available in bulk
Quality ingredients

Cons:
Lower protein
More plant-based ingredients

Sojos Complete Freeze-Dried Ingredients

Sojos is available in six different flavors and three different life-stage recipes. Here are the first ten ingredients in their chicken formula:

Chicken
Yellow split peas
Whole eggs
Parsnips
Cranberries
Flaxseed
Coconut
Celery
Tricalcium-phosphate
Ginger root

Why we like Sojos Complete Freeze-Dried

We are all about high-meat content and quality ingredients, but those don’t matter if you can’t afford the food. Sojos provides higher-than-average animal protein and healthy, superfood ingredients in a package that won’t cost you an arm and a leg.

What dogs will benefit from Sojos Complete Freeze-Dried

At 28% protein and only 14% fat, this food is perfectly suited for the average companion dog. All recipes include meat-first ingredients and a plethora of antioxidant-rich superfoods, but because they contain less fat and more fiber, these recipes aren’t as rich as others on this list.
Dogs who struggle with weight gain and who are less active are more likely to maintain a fit weight on this food. Plus, Sojos makes formulas specifically for senior dogs who often struggle more with weight, and for puppies, who need more fat and protein to grow.

5. Stir & Boom Freeze Dried Raw Dog Food by “I and love and you”

Pros:
Affordable
Quality ingredients
Formulated for all life stages

Cons:
Lower in meat
Limited sizes available

I and Love and You Freeze-Dried Raw Ingredients

This raw diet from I and Love and You comes in four flavors. Here are the first ten ingredients in their popular beef recipe.

Beef
Sweet potatoes
Yellow split peas
Carrots
Dried egg product
Flaxseed
Cabbage
Bananas
Tricalcium phosphate
Dried kelp

Why we like I and Love and You Freeze-Dried Raw

Like Sojos, I and Love and You offers quality raw freeze-dried diets at a fraction of the price of others on the market. These meals include less meat than more expensive brands, but they still deliver all the nutrients your dog needs to thrive.
Plus, added superfoods like dried kelp and flaxseeds pack a lot of antioxidants and omegas to help keep your dog feeling their best. And the four available flavors–beef, chicken, turkey, and lamb–make it simple to find a flavor your dog will love.

What dogs will benefit from I and Love and You Freeze-Dried Raw

With 28% protein, this food offers more biologically appropriate energy than most dry foods and in a form that your dog is better able to utilize. This combined with an average amount of fat–15%–makes this food a great choice for the average dog.

What dogs should avoid I and Love and You Freeze-Dried Raw dog meals

An average amount of fat means this food has fewer calories overall than other choices. It also has more fiber due to the extra plant-based ingredients. These facts may make this food not the right choice for really active dogs or those in need of a lot of easy-to-digest energy.

Find these Raw pet food brands and more on Amazon

CITATION
Read the Full and original Article by yourdogadvisor.com

Business Support Fund – Third Round VIC

The Business Support Fund provides businesses in specific industry sectors with funding to help them survive the extended period of restricted trading.

Close date: 23 Nov 2020 11:59 PM AEDT.

Application detail:

Applications will remain open until funds are exhausted or until 11.59pm on 23 November 2020, whichever is earlier.

What is available?

Funding of between $10,000 and $20,000.

Who is this for?

Victorian businesses in specified industry sectors.

Overview

This round of funding aims to support businesses in industry sectors that have been restricted, heavily restricted or closed as a result of continued COVID-19 restrictions, including those in:

tourism
culture
entertainment
events
sports and recreation

Grants may be used to help the business to:

meet business costs, including utilities, salaries or rent
seek financial, legal or other advice to support business continuity planning
develop marketing and communications activities
carry out any other supporting activities related to the operation of the business

Eligible businesses receive:

$10,000 if its annual payroll is less than $650,000
$15,000 if its annual payroll is between $650,000 and less than $3 million
$20,000 if its payroll is between $3 million and up to $10 million

Eligibility criteria

To be eligible, businesses must:

operate a business located within Victoria
participate in the Commonwealth Government’s JobKeeper Payment scheme
employ staff and be registered with Workcover Insurance with WorkSafe Victoria
had a annual payroll of less than $10 million in 2019-20
be registered for goods and services tax (GST)
hold an Australian business number (ABN)
be registered with the responsible Federal or State regulator

How do you apply?

You can find out more about eligibility and how to apply at Business Support Fund – Third Round.

Want to see what other Grants are available?

Click here to search for Grants available by the Federal Government

What is Dermapen?

What is Dermapen?

This revolutionary micro-needling device (also known as collagen industion therapy) aims to tighten, lift and rejuvenate skin to visibly improve the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, trauma scars, pigmentation and enlarged pores. It is safe and effective for all types and skin colours. There is a no risk of post-inflammatory hyper-pigmentation. When compared to traditional dermal rollers, Dermapen causes less epidermal (skin) damage, reducing levels of pain and discomfort.

How Does It Work?

Dermapen advanced technology and oscillating stamp-like pen, vibrates and glides over the skin systematically creating micro-punctures which cause the body to naturally respond by launching processes to repair the physical damage. The result is an increased production of new healthy collagen and elastin. The punctures also act as micro-channels that carry topical nutrients used during the treatment deep into skin layers for an increased effect.

Is The Treatment Painful?

A mild numbing cream is applied to lessen discomfort 30 minutes prior treatment. Unlike other methods of needling Dermapen’s unique oscillating system further increases tolerance by diffusing nerve sensation hence only vibration with light pressure is felt. After the treatment you can expect the skin to feel warm and slightly tight, similar to that of light sunburn. This will progressively reduce over a period of 2 days.

What Is The Downtime?

Dermapen offers non-ablative technology that eliminates the risk of heat injury and preserves epidermal integrity, providing the most ideal balance between optimal results and minimal downtime. Petechiae may appear on areas of thin or more delicate skin and may last for 2-3 days before eventually dissolving. Minor skin flaking and potential skin dryness may also occur up to 3-4 days. The use of a suitable moisturiser and sunscreen is recommended to keep your skin hydrated, enhance results and promote repair. Application of mineral make up may be applied to camouflage any redness.

How Many Treatments Will I Need?

Dermapen can be safely repeated every 4-6 weeks until you achieve the desired results. For collagen induction we recommend to start with 3 treatments but with a minimum separation time of 4 to 6 weeks between treatments. For scar reduction an average of 3 to 6 treatments are recommended. The number of treatments required will depend on how each individual responds to the treatments and the extent of the damage at the beginning. Most people will begin to see results after the very first appointment and within several days to several weeks you will notice a smoother, brighter, more radiant appearance, however, the condition full effects of the treatment do not appear until several months later.

BOOK YOUR DERMAPEN TREATMENT TODAY!

5 Clear Signs That Your Business Is Growing

A business may be on the verge of growth, or experiencing a moment of impasse. In either case, if you don’t pay attention to the numbers, you don’t know if your Australian business really growing. You may have increased revenues, but may not be growing. Expenses may have gone up, yet the business is experiencing the highest percentage of sales growth in years.

Keeping effective control of revenues and expenses and being aware of when and how much your business is growing is not easy. In this post we would like to detail some indicators that you need to look at to know if your business is growing.

Income statement
Conversion rate
Visibility
Improving your brand
Exponential sales growth

Income statement

The income statement makes you focus not on what you earn and what you spend, but on profits. If your business is not generating profits, and has not been generating them for years, you have to ask yourself what you are doing wrong and if you really have a business that works.

It is likely that you can make a profit, but you need to cut costs. Your assets may not be performing the function we expected. Or you may have increased your debt so much that your income is not enough to eliminate it.

Increasing profits has to be your priority. One of the recommended economic decisions is not to allocate 100% of profits to debt repayment, but to allocate a portion to savings and to reach agreements to determine reasonable payment terms.

Conversion rate

It doesn’t matter how much traffic your website has if your conversion rate is enormously low. You are making far less money than you could if you invested in conversion optimization techniques.

By increasing your conversions, you are honing your revenue streams to give you a higher return. You can increase your turnover by showing more interest and effort in improving conversions, rather than putting too much effort and work into reducing superfluous expenses whose influence on the business is negligible.

Sometimes, you lose more when you spend too much time reducing small expenses than when you invest your skills in increasing revenue.

Visibility

When you increase your visibility, both online and in your physical store(s), you are also increasing the number of people who know you and can potentially become your customers.

Measuring the visibility of your business on a full scale is difficult, although on the Internet we can measure web traffic. The fact that our traffic has increased is an indicator that we are going to reach more people and we can increase our turnover, although it will depend on our conversion rate.

Improving your brand

It is difficult to measure, but when your brand improves, your business is growing qualitatively. Some indicators that your brand is improving:

People are recommending your products/services more and more. You are generating influence and word of mouth is having an effect.
You are being called to participate in congresses or conferences in your sector.
The media have set their eyes on you and contact you for interviews.
More and more companies want to collaborate or partner with you. They send you proposals to further enhance and grow your business.

The improvement of your brand has an intangible impact on the increase in turnover. Actually, you cannot predict with absolute accuracy all the effects of people talking more and more about you, or the effect your brand creates on people.

Exponential sales growth

There is a significant difference between growing by 2, 5 or 10%, and experiencing continuous exponential growth over the last year. This is a qualitative leap of great importance, which may lead you, for example, to increase the number of employees or even open our offices of your business in other cities, or expand through franchising.

These are signs that your business is booming and has a high growth potential. To realize these qualitative changes, it is of great importance that we have a suitable online management software, in which we can effectively visualize the sales data and our income statement, and we can compare them with previous years.

A mistake is to believe that your business is growing, when it is not really a growth that is maintained over time. Growth can lead you to gain confidence and make you believe that you are better than you are, investing more and taking greater risks, without paying attention to the need to increase the business’ savings in order to have more room for maneuver.

Make sure that your business is growing, and if it’s not you can always check our article on how blogs might help you grow your business.

5 Reasons to Own a Corporate Card for Your Business

As with personal credit cards, corporate credit cards can have many advantages for a business’ finances. Fortunately, today they are easier to access and there are more options are available.

Of course, the risks must also be taken into consideration, as well as using them wisely so that they work in favor of the growth and stability of your Australian business. As with a personal card, you should always take into account the credit limit, interest rates and payment deadlines. Today we focus on the advantages of a corporate credit card and the positive impact it can have on the growth of your business.

Allows you to separate personal and business expenses.
Facilitates the purchase of equipment, software and supplies.
They are a great help during periods of cash shortage.
Your business will build a good credit history.
You can take advantage of accumulated points, discounts or other rewards.

Allows you to separate personal and business expenses.

It is normal that during the first months or years of operation of your business you use your personal credit card or your own cash to make payments for merchandise or services. However, this can generate problems in the administrative and accounting order; for example, when recording expenses or managing cash flow. Of course, confusion can also arise when calculating tax payments.

Just like a corporate bank account, a card is very useful for separating expenses, bookkeeping and budget monitoring. So having one goes a long way toward ensuring the financial health of your business.

Facilitates the purchase of equipment, software and supplies.

A corporate credit card allows a business to go to the next level for another important reason: the possibility of acquiring equipment, tools, supplies and systems in interest-free monthly payments. Many times, small and medium-sized companies (SMEs) do not have the funds available to purchase a computer or a refrigerator with a single payment; nor do they have the banking history to apply for a credit.

On the other hand, with a card, not only can you take advantage of installments or deferred payments, but also of offers and discounts such as those that appear at the beginning of the year, and even pay taxes such as car ownership or property taxes. Of course, it is important to make sure that the payment option does not generate interest and to comply punctually with the monthly payments.

They are a great help during periods of cash shortage.

Credit cards can also help you out of an emergency in times of low sales and cash flow problems. Ideally, every business should have an emergency fund, but the reality is that this is not always possible.

For example, perhaps one of your most important customers is late in paying a bill, so you have to replace merchandise or pay for services such as Internet and electricity. With a card, you can get out of this predicament, but always keep in mind the payment deadline for the current spending period and whether or not you will have the necessary funds at that time.

If you meet your commitments on time, the bank or credit card operator will eventually grant you a longer payment term, which will mean more financial leeway for your company.

Your business will build a good credit history.

If you use your corporate credit card regularly and with financial discipline, your business will build a good credit history. This will earn you points so that in the future the credit line of the card can be extended, for example, from 30 to 45 days. And you may even be able to apply for a larger loan to buy machinery, commercial premises or other business needs.

Remember that a good credit history also includes the payment of services such as Internet or cell phone, so it is very important that you keep them up to date.

You can take advantage of accumulated points, discounts or other rewards.

Finally, do not forget that credit cards usually grant for accumulated consumption. For example, some points can be used to be exchanged for airline tickets, card bonuses or to purchase products from a catalog, among others. When you apply for a plastic card, take into account what these benefits are and what is most convenient for your business according to its line of business.

Likewise, there are cards that offer important discounts throughout the year in certain establishments or that allow you to pay for a purchase three months after it has been made. There are also those that include travel insurance or insurance or the purchase of electronics and telephone products.

All in all, it is a great idea to have a credit card for your Australian business.