You must have seen a lot of successful entrepreneurs who have set up huge businesses and employed hundreds of people. While it’s inspiring to look at these personalities, you should understand that not all successful entrepreneurs are great leaders. Great leaders are not just entrepreneurs with the goal of creating a profitable business. Rather they are visionaries who are capable of motivating their employees to make their vision a reality. In doing so, they will always take their employees with them on their road to success. They are not like the boss who commands their employees, micromanages them, demands respect, creates authority and generates fear. On the contrary, they are the ones who set the right example, treat others with respect and kindness, have a clear vision and are honest. They listen to you, value you and motivate you to do what’s best for you and the organization. If you want to be someone like that, this post is for you. In the following section, we’ll look at three easy ways to become a better leader for your employees. So let’s get started. 1. Be a good listener. One of the most important traits of a good leader is to be a good listener. In the world of the internet and digital devices, being a good listener has become a lost art. But to be a good leader, you should be able to listen to your employees attentively and empathically. For that, you have to give them your time. Pay attention to what your employees have to say. They might want to share an idea, clarify their doubts, ask for opinions, etc. But not everyone is good at expressing themselves. Some people need time to gather their thoughts before putting them into words. You have to be patient with such people. Ask questions to clarify your doubts and understand the situation better. Once you hear their thoughts, worries and concerns, take your time to reflect on them and express agreement with certain points first. By doing that, you can help them diffuse their anxiety and feel more comfortable with you. Now come up with a solution to solve your employee’s problems. If you think the issues can be resolved with a few discussions, make it happen. Explain to them how you'll take care of it and let them know that they don’t need to worry about it. This will help your employees have peace of mind and confidently believe that you have their back. 2. Learn to handle failure. No matter how successful or powerfulyou are, there will be times when you’ll go through hardships, experience failures and feel demotivated. Good leaders don’t give up at such times. Instead of being demoralized and unmotivated, find ways to learn how to handle failures positively. No one likes to fail. But failure and success are part and parcel of life. And you might have to face them every now and then. A good way to cope with failure is to develop realistic thoughts about your failures. For example, instead of giving up, reaffirm to yourself that you have failed because you have challenged yourself to something difficult. Some people try to put the blame on others. Good leaders don’t do that. They acknowledge the things they have learned from their failures and take responsibility for their actions. Once they do that, they involve their team to identify their mistakes and plan ways to move forward. Discuss your mistakes with your team. In doing so, try to learn from your mistakes and see how to do things differently the next time. 3. Serve as a model. Good leaders serve as role models by being examples of optimism, persistence and hope. If you too want to be a good leader, you should exhibit positive traits and characteristics that inspire people to respect and admire you. Always be empathetic to your employees and treat them like your extended family. Remember, your business is thriving only because of the hard work of your employees. So treat them with the respect and kindness they deserve. Make sure to apologize if you lose your temper. Never play the blame game and learn to take responsibility for your actions. Little things like these can make you more approachable and make your employees be more fond of you. It can also let them know that you care for them, and they may look up to you as a role model. It’s not easy to be a good leader. Anyone can sit in an office and delegate tasks to their employees. Being a good leader is more than just that. The above tips can help you be a great leader and help you shape your road map to success. Source: Forbes.com Image: GETTY
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You should buy small business renters insurance if you rent an office space or another type to run your enterprise. This kind of small business insurance protects your operations, team and covers property damage. What is Business Renters Insurance? A business owner can get this insurance coverage through a Business Owner’s Policy (BOP). These combine three different types of insurance.
Protect your business even if you’re renting a space because BOPs cover commercial property coverage. A small business gets financial protection from lawsuits, theft, and fire. Plus lost income if the property is covered. Why You Should Have a Business Renters Insurance Policy Business renters insurance protects small businesses from unexpected events, and issues like property damage. There are several other reasons why this renters insurance is a must-have.
What is Covered by Business Renters Insurance? A business owner’s policy like this provides coverage for natural disasters and lawsuits pertaining to bodily injury. Remember when you’re looking for any type of insurance coverage, you should really get a customized quote. Lots of companies have convenient tabs where you can find an agent too. This insurance covers the following as well: Professional Liability Insurance Designed to protect businesses against legal accusations of negligence or harm. Also called errors and omissions insurance. A general liability policy doesn’t cover you professionally, this does. Consider the following additions. Contractors should look at completed operations coverage. General liability insurance usually covers this. Advertising injury coverage is usually included with commercial general liability. This covers policyholders and protects them from issues like copyright infringement and slander. Business Interruption Insurance Another kind of additional protection covers otherwise missed business income from wind theft, fire etc. Workers Compensation Insurance Required in pretty much every state. Workers comp covers business for work-related illnesses and injuries. Also looks after lost wages and medical costs. Landlords require this. This is pretty much the standard coverage you’ll need. Basically, it covers your responsibilities as an employer. To cover workers in the event of death, disabilities, injuries, and illnesses. Make sure to get liability coverage too. Commercial Auto Insurance Part of what you’ll need in distribution and /or transportation businesses. A commercial auto policy covers your business vehicles. What is Not Covered by Business Renters Insurance? This type of business policy doesn’t cover everything your small business might need. Here’s what your business won’t get with these policies.
Remember that small business renters insurance should bundle options. An insurance professional and the insurance company should be able to customize solutions for you. How Much Does Business Rental Insurance Cost? Small business owners are usually concerned with the bottom line. Like how much good business renters insurance costs. Remember a good policy combines liability insurance and commercial property insurance. And general liability policies. There are additional endorsements you can add to renters insurance like a policy for errors and omissions coverage. And other insurance products you might need too. Here’s the bottom line. Business renters insurance should provide coverage mirroring BOP insurance. An insurance professional can estimate the average cost of one of these BOP policies. That’s usually around $1200 annually for good renters insurance. What you pay might be different depending on several factors. Like the type of property your business is on. There are many different casualty insurance company choices. Read on to find out how to find the one that supplies good business renters insurance. How to Choose the Right Business Rental Insurance Company Finding the right company is a big part of getting business renters insurance coverage. A good insurance company offers income insurance, commercial property insurance and others. There are several things you can look for to start a search. Make sure that you can bundle policies with any of the companies you are considering. Chances are you’ll need to customize the coverage to get the best deal. While you are at it find out what’s not covered, this can be just as important as finding out what is. Every company supplies policies that have these exclusions. You need to find out what they are at the beginning. Review your needs before you start any search. Knowing what your business renter’s coverage requirements are is essential. So, you should be reviewing them on a yearly basis. Here’s how to choose a company that works with your risk management strategies.
Best Small Business Rental Insurance Providers Effective business insurance coverage needs to come from industry-leading business partners. The top American companies for a good renter insurance policy are listed below. Remember to look for standards like liability insurance from any insurance company you’re considering. Take a look at the testimonials on their websites. These are good indicators of the company’s credibility. The Hartford This is a well know casualty insurance company. Their business renters insurance works better than the competition because their owner’s policy is trusted. Get customized property insurance for different types of businesses. They also supply excellent worker’s comp policies. Chubb The insurance cover you can get here is outstanding. Add commercial property, liability, and business interruption. Then you can get international coverage. State Farm There’s a handy tab to find a local agent. They support different types of businesses like restaurants and retailers. Their insurance for general liability comes in $1 million increments. Property insurance is available too. There’s no login required for this company. And you can get a certificate of your insurance right on their website. They look after a variety of small businesses like drugstores and bakery locations as well as online sales businesses, contractors and trades too. Hiscox Pay for a short-term liability insurance policy and protect property and data with cybersecurity insurance. This insurance company offers general liability insurance too. This is a company that has a 100-year history of making sure businesses have good coverage. There are 3,000 employees in 14 different countries and customers right across the globe. Nationwide They supply different types of insurance. Like liability insurance for different types of business, they offer commercial auto insurance with collision. And actual cost value when you need to replace property equipment breakdown is a covered loss. You’ve got insurance cover for errors and omissions too, and of course general liability insurance. They also provide resources and tools for smaller businesses and you can pay your bills online through their website. Nationwide has more than 90 years of business experience. Understanding business renters insurance and how it works can help you concentrate on making profits. Other business insurance products can also fold into a renter’s policy. Source: smallbiztrends.com Image credit: Depositphotos
Artificial intelligence (AI) has been a breakthrough technology for some of the most successful enterprises. Here are three different ways AI is being used to accelerate business growth. Some of the most revolutionary businesses of today were crafting internet strategies as early as the year 2000. Unfortunately, not every business followed its example right away. Some skeptics wrongly predicted the internet would collapse in 1996, which influenced some companies to deprioritize anything related to the web. That was a costly mistake now that an infinite number of e-commerce businesses launched within the last two years and are thriving, while many who went against the grain in the earliest years of the internet are still trying to catch up. The same could easily be said about Artificial Intelligence (AI) today. For example, when you shop online, AI technology picks up on your habits, targeting ads towards you, recommending products and providing insight for companies based on your browsing history. There are three central areas where AI can drive business growth:
If you're getting your small business off the ground or are an established corporation, your business can benefit from AI. AI-powered analytics The topic of cookies has made consistent headlines in recent years, with the future of cookies still unknown. When people visit your website and 'accept recommended cookies,' you gain vital information about their interests. AI can collect and connect different types of data, including:
Working in the background while users continue on their browsing path, AI permits businesses to secure generous amounts of information about their users. With this data, you can make strategic decisions on how to best communicate with customers and promote new offerings. The more data your AI software can generate and sieve through, the more targeted and personalized your marketing can become, which will, in turn, accelerate traffic for your business. AI-powered analytics can give detailed insights into buyer preferences, behaviors, trends, and interests. As a result, this technology can help you create products that the market is enthusiastic about and reach buyers at the most opportunistic times and channels. Monitoring competitors is also simplified using AI. There are numerous tools to help track competitor activity and performance so your business can stay ahead. For example, instead of reacting to competitor releases and announcements, AI can be used to watch competitor movements so humans don't have to. Customer service satisfaction One of the most significant obstacles for businesses is the ability to serve customers better. When it comes to customer support, expectations are high. Since nine out of 10 consumers say free shipping is their top incentive for purchase, businesses are working to make sure they keep a doors-open policy if customers need support and can effectively communicate any changes in expectations. We're not talking about those robotic, awkwardly phrased replies that you get on the company site. Instead, AI can help you communicate in a more personalized way, which can help you increase your brand reputation and grow your business exponentially. A total of 41% of consumers prefer chat support because they will get the answer to their problem fast. It is progressively becoming the most preferred platform for customers to contact brands when they need assistance. AI can also help you track these conversations in real-time. This type of insight can help you determine peak business hours, the amounts of agents needed to be available to customers and what kind of support customers prefer (i.e. chat or phone). Businesses can further use it to provide feedback to agents so they can be in the best position to support the customers when they interact. Targeted digital marketing campaigns Just because you have excellent products or services, it doesn't mean the market will want to buy them. A marketer's job has never been easy, and when the market changes, the more arduous it can be — and the market is constantly changing. With people spending more time online through their smartphones, tablet devices and social media, businesses have an opportunity to reach them on a vast array of channels. Companies must come across as open, communicative and responsive, with a tone that welcomes customers. Personalization is not a new concept to marketers, but it requires consistent practice, especially as times change. A total of 87% of marketers have reported a measurable lift from their personalization efforts, generating solid results, although personalization isn't easy. In a see-saw of market uncertainty, AI can help businesses collect and connect data to provide insights that help create successful marketing campaigns. AI grants marketers the ability to enhance personalization at an individual level. For example, the technology can predict customer behavior based on brand interactions, so businesses can communicate at ideal times and enhance experiences. It can also recommend products and services relevant to the right buyer, which will improve brand reputation. The power of AI So, what can AI do for your business? The most basic answer is that AI can do pretty much anything as long as you program it correctly. Don't ignore the value AI is already bringing to leading businesses and the possibilities it can bring to yours. While some of today's technological advancements can seem a bit intimidating, it's crucial to deepen your knowledge of how they are used and how you can use them to support your business so you don't fall behind tomorrow. Source: Entreprenaur.com Image credit: Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay.com
How often do you ask yourself, “How’s my company’s online visibility doing today?” You may think I’m kidding, but if your online presence isn’t something you’re thinking about nearly every day, you’re probably not giving it the attention it deserves. Increasing the online visibility of your business should be routinely top of mind. There are many reasons why boosting your digital presence is crucial. Improving your online visibility can increase sales, create brand trust and build your reputation among customers and industry partners. All this makes investing the time and resources necessary to increase online visibility something you don’t have to question. Raising your company’s online profile won’t just occur on its own. You need to be focused on the work it takes to make it happen. Here are four things you should do to increase your online visibility. 1. Envision Your Endgame Mental rehearsals have been proven to improve performance. Visualizing yourself shooting a basketball and watching it swish through the net will increase your free throw percentage. Why not use the same strategy to increase your online visibility? The first step will be to define what your “swish” looks like. You need to determine what constitutes success for your brand and set benchmarks and goals. That’s the only way you can know whether your online strategy is a hit or a miss. Let’s say you want to increase social media engagement with your brand by 25%. Obviously, reaching this goal demands increased visibility, so determine what tactics you can use on all your social channels. These could include making timely responses to comments, posting compelling content, holding a giveaway or enticing users to comment, follow, like and share. Visualize where you want to end up, and you’ll find developing a digital strategy to get there will more easily fall into place. Make your brand conspicuous by its greater online presence, not its absence. 2. Find Out Where You Stand To understand what you’ll have to do to achieve your goals means understanding where you are right now. Figuring out where you rank among your competition used to require investing in major market research projects. The digital world makes the calculation much easier. Use competitor analysis tools to take a close look at how key competitors in your niche are scoring in SEO rankings. Once you determine which ones are coming out on top, take a deep dive into how they’re getting there. Review their websites, content and social media presence. Explore which keywords are putting them at the top of the search results and how they’re using algorithms to their advantage. Employ Google Analytics to benchmark your brand among your competitors and to reveal how readers are engaging with their websites. Once you figure out what they seem to be doing right, insert the elements that will translate to your own brand into your strategy. Think of it as viewing your opponent’s game film before updating your playbook. To best the competition, you must know how you’re ranked going in. 3. Plan and Execute Your Strategy You have visualized where you want to be and whom you’ll need to pass to get there. Now you need to devise and execute a strategy to raise your online visibility. And that will require a team effort. You should tap your best talent to work on developing this plan. If you don’t have some of the necessary roles in house, look outside to recruit an employee for a needed position or outsource that role. Hire an SEO consultant or content agency to work with you on strategy, implementation and analysis. These pros can help you determine—and create—the kinds of content you’ll need to engage your audience at every stage of the sales funnel. They’ll advise you on the keywords you should be ranking for and let you know which ones are within your reach. From developing related webs of content to scoring valuable backlinks, implementing the right SEO techniques will gradually increase your online visibility. Whatever you do, make sure you keep your strategy true to your brand. If you resort to shady SEO tactics merely for the sake of competitive advantage, you risk losing the trust of customers and prospects alike. A savvy and solid game plan is indispensable in your pursuit to increase your brand’s online visibility. Put the right players on the team from start to finish, and you’ll find yourself celebrating wins. 4. Lower Your Expectations You read that correctly. In your quest to raise your brand’s online visibility, you need to lower your expectations. That’s because the climb to the top won’t be easy. As your team develops a strategy, develop realistic timelines and milestones and temper expectations. It’s critical to analyze what’s working and what’s not at every step, adjusting accordingly. Although there are some tactics that may boost visibility quickly, lasting success takes time. Trial and error is part of any new strategy. To paraphrase Thomas Edison, you’ll discover more things that don’t work than do, but both are equally valuable to the process. In the spirit of anticipating failure, have a Plan B and C for every Plan A. When something in the strategy misses the mark, you’ll be ready to send in a substitute. Having lofty aspirations for your online visibility is OK. But making sure your goals and expectations are realistic is the only chance you have to achieve them. Think of your strategy to increase your online visibility as a rebuilding period for your brand’s marketing efforts. Give it time. By envisioning your endgame, doing the needed oppo research and developing and implementing a solid game plan, you can slowly but surely get your business noticed. When you ask yourself how your online visibility is doing on any given day, “We’re working on it” is always a winning answer. Source: https://www.forbes.com
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