Category Archives: Business

The globally expanding and technology oriented business world now offers a wide range of profitable business career paths. Businesses operating in diverse industry require skilled business professionals to run effectively. Business paths can be explored in areas like engineering, finance, marketing, health care, human resources and more. Do you like public contact? Have excellent creativity? Have skill of managing money? There is a large list including attractive business opportunities suitable for everyone looking for a job offer in the corporate world.

You find an irresistible charm in business. But which business field to choose for? What would be your job role? Perhaps you are likely to start with your career for the first time or have already one but looking to try something different and interesting. However, choosing both your first or next business path can be too difficult, so you should learn what to consider, which trend to follow, what strategies to implement and above all which business path to chase.

Online Marketing Strategy for your Small Business – Best Online Marketing Tips You Can Follow

Posted on September 6, 2019 by James Paul

The use of social media by businesses and individuals is a part of our daily lives. Scrolling through Facebook or Instagram is a ritual for many and has worked its way into becoming part of our communication methods. Businesses who are not active on social media are losing several opportunities to connect with current and future customers.

If you just started or launched a new business, you have a number of responsibilities and risks to consider. Creating a social media presence is crucial to the growth and success of any brand. Since your customers are likely talking about your business and their experiences, it simply makes sense to join in the conversation and find ways of making social media beneficial for your business growth. Regardless of your current business size or level of success, here are a few social media tips that any business can embrace.

Focus on the right metrics

Social media marketing has become its own industry, that can be confusing for many business owners to navigate. However, creating a social media program that is based on the amounts of tools, posts, or volume is not conducive to success. In fact, quality is much more important than quantity. Connecting with your audience on a gradual basis with quality driven content and on limited social media platforms is the best way to begin and grow a successful social media strategy.

More than anything else, it’s important that all social media posts offer some sort of value to your audience. If your social media activities are sales pitchy, or focused on driving traffic to your website, followers will not find value in continuing to follow you. In fact, it’s likely to drive them away. Social media is first and foremost about developing relationships. In order to do so, you need to be honest, real, human and factual. This isn’t something you can fake – it needs to be genuine in order to be effective.

Finally, don’t spread yourself too thin. If you feel comfortable using Twitter, focus on developing that platform first. If Facebook is more your style and pace, build your following there then expand.

Exploring your social media choices

While it’s important to slowly build a social media following, it’s also important to choose a platform that makes sense and gives you the best opportunity for reaching your intended audience. It is important to realise that you can use different platforms for unique connections. The key is to use a social media platform that permits you the best opportunity to build an audience that helps your social network grow.

Speed up the process with automation

Automation helps to simplify and improve social media success. Social media platforms including Facebook and Twitter are equipped with multiple tools that help improve productivity for any small business. Using the right tools helps a social media novice transform their program into a professional and highly effective social media strategy.

Engagement: Social media is all about engaging with your customers – not speaking at them. There are multiple engagement tools such as Hootsuite, that helps you locate and isolate all mentions or activity related to your business on social media platforms. This allows you to quickly reply and engage with others who are actively speaking about your business.

Analytic Data: Having a way to monitor the success or failure of any social media program is crucial to fine tuning and improving the strategy.

Visualisation: Whether you use photos, infographics, video content, or even memes, creating eye-catching posts helps improve interaction and engagement.

Content Sharing: Creating social media content can be a challenge for any user. Sometimes it’s just as effective to share quality posts from others that are relative to your business type. Using tools like Pocket and BuzzSumo are quite helpful for located like-minded content.

Plan and schedule your content

Creating a content calendar for social media engagement is a great way to optimise your program for success. One of the best ways to use the calendar is to schedule social media posts in advance for automatic distribution. This process will allow you to allocate your time on developing quality social media content as your busy work schedule dictates and allows.

Measuring your performance

Keeping track and monitoring the performance of your social media strategy is another benchmark for improved success. It is crucial to stay on top of success and failure with regards to what you post, when you post, and how it is received by your audience. The analytical tools that are noted above will provide you with a good starting point to track and refine your social media performance.

When you have developed a consistent social media strategy that is effective, it is just as critical to evolve and grow your campaign to reach new users. A great strategy for achieving this type of success is an A/B testing method, where you make microscopic changes that slowly boost your success rate.

Regardless of the size of your business, social media tools help reach new followers, increase brand awareness, and permit businesses to connect with consumers by establishing solid relationships with them. It’s just as critical to remember to take a balanced and gradual approach to social media marketing. Remember, this type of program is a marathon – not a sprint, so start slow and gradually build on success.

Understanding what it’s all about

Arguably the best feature about social media marketing is it’s unique ability to directly connect and receive valuable insights from your consumers. Always remember that social media is about communication on a two-way street. This establishes credibility and builds a relationship that permits the business to increase sales. Moreover, when your followers engage with your social media content, it provides you with an exceptional opportunity to reply and connect with them on a personal level.

Health Advantages of Living In A Wooden House – Know How Wood Affects Your Body

Posted on August 3, 2019 by James Paul

Wood has been an all-time favorite building material of many when it comes to their houses. Most people feel relaxed and satisfied with their wooden home. It gives a calm and peaceful vibe especially when it was built far away from the noise and pollution of the city. When an individual is living in a stress-free environment, it results in a better and healthier life. It can also be a key for long life.

Not all people have the capacity to build a wooden house of their own but most of them have a chance to experience how it feels to live in a wooden house when they spend their vacation with their family and friends and rent a wood house. This article will discuss the health advantages of living in a wooden house.

#1 It Serves As A Natural Insulation.

According to the dictionary, insulation is a thick layer of a substance that keeps something warm, especially a building. Therefore, wood can protect you from any kind of climate. You can be safe from the heat of the sun and even from the extreme cold in winters. Wood is capable of making the interior of the house warm and cozy even when there is a sudden change of climate. Many people can testify that living in a wooden house help improve their mental and physical health.

#2 Wood Is Energy Efficient.

Since woods are natural insulators, there is less energy leaking from the house. Wood can make warm or cold temperature stay in your home since you will no longer be using the heater or air condition often. Solid wood is considered alive because it can absorb and repel vapor. Buying an air filter may not be necessary since wood allows any harmful gasses to pass outside (in case there may be present indoors).

#3 Wood Is A Good Noise Absorber.

Wood can prevent echo and noise that is why it is ideal when it comes to noise absorption. If you know how to play a musical instrument, it is going to be a great jamming night with your family and friends. Just like how you enjoy the sound of a wooden musical instrument, you will also be happy and satisfied with your vacation because of the peaceful ambiance the wooden house brings.

#4 Wood Is Safe From Static Electricity.

Wood is preferred as a healthy material since it protects people from static electricity which is said to be dangerous to human’s health. In addition to this, there is a low chance of fire caused by short circuit since wood is resistant to electricity.

#5 Wood Can Be A Timeless Art.

The wood itself with its growth rings and knots is already an art. Its natural features make it aesthetically pleasing to the eyes of many. That is why a wooden house can give a relaxing and comfortable feel for those who are strained at work. Wooden pieces of furniture can add up to the cozy vibes. Best for people who are looking for a stress-free life.

Yes, a wooden home can be a fine source of fresh and clean air. It can possibly help you with some of your health concerns. Wooden home is not just good for you but for our environment as well since it has low carbon emission levels. If you plan to have a wooden house, why not start with hardwood pergo flooring and have a first-hand experience of its advantage.

How To Hire the Best Employees

Posted on May 13, 2019 by James Paul

In the age of the internet, hiring can be an overwhelming process. Once a job is posted, there are often hundreds of resumes to sort through, and it is time consuming to find the best candidates. How does a hiring manager go through the process efficiently, particularly if that person is not a full-time recruiter? Here are some tips for making the entire experience a smoother one.

Write a Specific Job Posting

Regardless of the role, it is always helpful to be very specific in a job posting. This can save you time in the long run by helping candidates weed themselves out. For example, if a role requires previous management experience, you could say “only candidates with previous experience managing at least five employees will be considered.” Job seekers tend to apply to jobs they believe they could do, rather than those they are qualified to do.

Sort Through Resumes

It can be tempting to start looking at resumes as they trickle in, but it’s not an efficient way to compare candidates. Set aside time in your day to review them all together. Immediately discard those who do not have the required experience or education. Ideally, you can compare the remaining resumes to find the five strongest candidates. From there, it’s best to conduct a phone interview with each one.

Vet the Candidates

Conduct interviews in person, and make sure to let the candidate do the majority of the talking. This will give you an insight into the person’s work history, communication style and personality. Once you have a strong candidate, make sure to do all required background checks. For example, in the financial industry, you want to find a company that can offer credit check services for employers.

Hiring can be an overwhelming process, but staying organized can help eliminate the hassles. A hiring manager should be specified in the job posting, intentional in resume sorting, and careful in checking background information. If those steps are followed, you will end up with a strong candidate and an impressive employee.

Cargo and Shipping Containers for Sale – A Buyers Guide on Containers

Posted on March 25, 2019 by James Paul

Repurposing shipping containers has gone mainstream, with people turning them into everything from storage sheds to houses to swimming pools! Because of the increasing demand for shipping containers for uses outside of actual shipping, there has been an increase in pricing to buy used shipping containers in the last few years.

If you are looking to buy or rent if you are able to look at the information from a specialist company. You can check websites like http://shippingcontainersale.org/, you will find that they can guide you to asking the right questions in order to ensure that you get the container that will suit your needs perfectly.

What is purpose of your Shipping Container?

Before you even start to look at prices, be very clear what you are using your shipping container for. You might have the idea to use it for storage initially and eventually turn it into a self-contained room for your budding teenager in order to give them more independence. In this instance your end goal is a container that will be suitable for a tiny-home conversion, so make sure that you are looking for something that has specifications suitable for this purpose rather than something that is spec’d out as storage facility.

Intermodal Containers

Although when you’re buying a used container you will normally look for “shipping containers”, in the actual shipping industry these may be known as ‘intermodal containers” (see here). It is estimated that there are over 5million shipping containers carrying a range of cargo on ships at any given time. With conservative estimates of over 20 million containers in use for shipping around the world. This does not include the decommissioned containers that are purchased for scrap metal or, with increasing regularity, for repurposing.

As cargo ships increase in size, so does the amount of cargo they can carry. This means that we aren’t just seeing more containers on these freight vessels, but that we are also seeing larger and larger cargo containers being loaded onto ships. Cargo containers account for more than 60% of the worlds seaborne trade (as at 2010).

Shipping containers were standardized in the 1940s, so there is obviously a range of ages to look at when you are buying a container, from brand new (or near new), to rather old (although it would be highly unlikely that you would be purchasing a genuine container from the 1940s to store your extra outdoor gear in).

Purchasing Online or In Person?

Obviously, you are doing your research online, but do you truly want to do your final purchase online? Although significantly cheaper than alternative options, shipping containers are not a small outlay, so you really do want to make sure that what you’re purchasing is what you will be getting. Look at the firm you are considering purchasing from and consider a few questions:

#1 Do they offer a range of containers, or are they a small outfit reselling only a few?

A company that specializes in selling shipping containers is more likely to know exactly what they are doing and is probably more able to assist you in getting the container you need. They possibly can get better deals on containers because of the amount of trade they do as well.

#2 Do they have photographs?

If you are buying online, you are unlikely to want to purchase without having a clue what will arrive. Most websites selling products online, no matter what the industry, will have photographs of the products.

#3 Do they have an office?

A larger company specializing in shipping container sales is going to have an office, probably a yard to store containers, and possibly have locations in a variety of places. Do they have a way of contacting them? Can you talk to a real person? Just having a quick skype or phone call with someone from the company can make things run a lot smoother and can help alleviate any concerns you might have.

#4 Are you able to see the container?

If they do have a yard near where you are, are you able to purchase the container in person? Bear in mind that some containers may be stored on port docks, which can have security restrictions around who can be on site.

#5 What are the delivery options?

The delivery of your container is likely to be centred around your physical location and the size of container. Do you have easy access for a truck to bring a container to where you need it? Will access require a crane to move the container into place? Or perhaps your only option really is going to be placement via a helicopter? Working out where you want your container is only part of the problem, you need to make sure that the company you are purchasing from is able to deliver it to that spot. Otherwise you run the risk of having to move your future storage shed 100” up that hill on your own.

#6 Do they have a policy to solve problems?

This is important! Although shipping containers are, obviously, pretty sturdy objects, problems can arise, even in containers that are near to new. It is rare, but if you have purchased a container and it arrives with a problem that wasn’t disclosed (or if it was somehow damaged in transport), you want to make sure that the company you have purchased from is going to be able to help resolve the problem. Most reputable companies will have a good policy around what they can do in order to make sure that you are happy with your purchase – but you also need to make sure that you know what you are buying.

Hopefully the company you choose to purchase from offers advice on key things to look out for when your container arrives, and also what to do in order to ensure that the site where you want your container placed is going to be suitable. Price is important, but you need to be sure that what you wanted is what you get.

5 Ways To Beat Unpacking Procrastination

Posted on July 31, 2018 by James Paul

There’s no doubt that unpacking is an overwhelming task to do. After a tiring move, you would rather watch your favorite movie or TV show on a couch than unpack everything off. Besides, the moment you unload all your moving boxes from the moving truck, you may find the effort of unpacking an unappealing thing to do afterward. Unfortunately, you can’t get rid of this task for a lifetime because living with a ton of boxes around your house isn’t good at all. Thus, you need to dive in and get it all done right away. So here’s how to beat unpacking procrastination from the get-go.

Set a deadline for yourself

If you’d not work on it now, how much later? Well, that’s pretty bad in dealing with unpacking procrastination. If you want to beat that not-so-good habit, begin by setting a deadline that would get all your unpacking tasks completely done.

However, make sure you’d stick with the date from start to finish. You can schedule something on that date like a barbecue party for your family and friends that would push you to work on the tasks beforehand. This is because knowing that other people are coming over means a signal for you to get everything unpacked before the scheduled date.
Besides, you want your house to look clean and nice the time your friends would come over.

Split up your tasks

Unpacking would be much easier if you break up the work and start with the easy ones. When you feel exhausted about the thought of unpacking, then you can find effective ways to make the entire task less paralyzing.

For example, you can start with the things that don’t require a lot of effort and planning to unpack like cables or books which are just easy to place right on the shelf.
While you have a transition from working on the easier one to the bigger one, you may also find taking breaks in between an ideal thing to do. Maybe you can unpack all your living room boxes, then go for a walk and come back to do the bedroom boxes.

Listen to music rather than watching TV

Indeed, unpacking alone can be boring. That’s why people tend to watch TV while doing the whole thing. Unfortunately, TV would just be a distraction especially if you’re watching your favorite TV show or movie.

Also, the time you spend for unpacking isn’t the perfect time for you to catch up the shows you miss throughout your move. Instead, playing music than TV would be better so you’d be able to pay more attention to the task at hand and not on the show.
Perhaps, listening to music can still entertain you without taking away your attention from what you’re doing. Another this is that unpacking while playing music is more productive.

Indulge yourself with rewards

Doing something you really don’t like to do after all results in procrastination. However, you can’t forever procrastinate when it comes to your moving boxes.

Once you’ve lugged down all your boxes from the truck, the next big thing to do is to unpack them as soon as possible. Yet, there’s a voice in your head urging you to procrastinate on your unpacking tasks.
In order to beat it, try to find the balance between the things you want to do and you don’t want to do by indulging yourself with rewards. By doing so, you’d be encouraged to accomplish unpacking the right way.
You can start with small and easily achievable rewards that would eventually encourage action on your end. Repeat the whole process until you see a significant amount of progress later on.

Seek help from friends

Unpacking can be more enjoyable if you do it with friends. As a matter of fact, everything would be easier if there’s another set of helping hands. Hence, ask your friends to come over to help you with these tasks.

And instead of considering unpacking as a chore, you can turn it into a social activity where you and your friends can make fun with. For example, you can play games during a break or initiate one during the unpacking process.
Maybe the person who unpacks the fastest can have a reward in the end. On one hand, if your friends are unavailable, you can seek moving help from professionals found online.

Conclusion

Remember that there’s really nothing wrong with unpacking procrastination. However, it would be more efficient on your end to settle everything in your home and get to spend quality time on things you really want to be doing. Perhaps, the more you encourage your procrastination, the more you’d be dealing with tasks later on.

Hence, procrastination is worth beating for. So fight the drive to procrastinate by following the tips mentioned above. If you need moving help, you can find a professional like NYC moving company that can make the entire transition fast and stress-free.

Funding For Your Business – What Can You Do?

Posted on March 20, 2018 by James Paul

It doesn’t matter what sector you are in, how much experience you have or how good your idea is, creating a successful business is exciting but it’s also a huge amount of hard work. The potential rewards can be great, however it’s a mammoth task. So, what can you do to increase your chances of success? Getting started is not easy. You have to plan, plan and plan, not to mention have enough cash to get the ball rolling. Cash is king and if you don’t have a healthy flow throughout your business, it will only end in trouble. Keeping cash is essentially important, as it is the lifeblood of any business; ensuring that you plan and save can keep you out of trouble. In terms of creating funding and aiding cash flow, there are some very effective tactics you can put into place to ease things along.

Whether you’re starting a new business or are already running one, having a reliable trustworthy accountant can be hugely beneficial for the business. They can offer advice on what sort of organisation your business needs to be (a sole trader, partnership or limited company) and provide good advice about taxation. Accountants can also relieve some of the workload on a business especially if you are a relatively new entity. Your accountant can also do all the necessary bookkeeping for certain records and tell you the correct places where your company needs to be registered. This can allow business owners to focus on their usual job and day to day running of the business.

There are plenty of funding options available. Here are top ways to fund your business.

Self-Funding, Friends and Family

One of the more common practices for starting a new business is self-funding. Dipping into long term personal savings, or selling assets to raise funds is what a lot of new business owners do. A lot of business save for years, working on a tight budget to put enough into a fund for their dream job.

An alternative, is finding equity from either friends or family. This can work well in some ways, as you are borrowing money from a trustworthy reliable source who you have a positive relationship with. However, with so many businesses ultimately failing, it can be a huge risk involving people close to you.

The loss of this capital can be devastating to friends or family, who in some cases could even be relying on you financially for results. If you are to involve friends or family, it’s essential to make them aware of the possible risks and any possible losses.

Angel Investors

These are usually business entrepreneurs, willing to take risks and invest money into new businesses. Angel investors have more recently begun forming groups, so they can spread the risks of their investments as well as to gather more resources and research. Most angel investors need a lot of persuading and the hard part sometimes can just be getting sat down in front of them. There can also be more pressure through this form of investment than others. Angel investors are always looking to see where they can get their money back, they are always looking for a get out if things go wrong. This form of investments also means that as a business owner, you would have to give up part of your company. Sacrificing any part of a business is always difficult and although you can gain a significant investment, in the long run you could end up losing more.

Partnerships

Having a partner can not only be a brilliant source of funding for a business, it can also be hugely helpful with the running of the business. A partner can aid you with planning, budgeting accounting and the day to day aspects of the business, however, sometimes it can be hard for new owners to relinquish control. Partnerships can be hard to maintain though, as the initial business owner, compromising on your own ideas can be difficult and can lead you down a different path, which you believe might not be right for the business. Strategic partners can help aid your business by passing on eventual work. If they are in the same sector and run a mutually beneficial business, you can make recommendations for one another and effectively feed each other business.

Invoice Financing

For B2B businesses invoice financing is a fantastic option, but unfortunately not enough businesses know about it, or know that it can be available to new start-ups. Invoice financing effectively allows you to raise finance based on the value of your invoices. If your funds are low, but you have lots of unpaid invoices that your waiting on, a factoring company can advance a percentage of the invoices. This can give you those extra funds which you might need to boost your cash flow further.

During the process of factoring, the factoring company effectively manages your ledger and collects your outstanding invoices for you. They will take their fees, before returning you any residual balance. One of the biggest benefits of factoring, is not only the additional funds that come your way, but also the time it can give business owners. Instead of collecting invoices from late paying clients, you can focus on other aspects of the business.

Bank Loan

Bank loans are perhaps the most traditional and well-known form of business funding. Banks have maintained that they are willing to loan, however, they have tightened up their criteria. If you have a viable business plan, with a solid idea and plenty of potential there’s no reason you shouldn’t be able to get a bank loan. Even if your business is going through a bit of trouble cash flow wise and you have had to pay a large cost, if the bank recognises that the business can work, you can still get funding via a loan. However, it’s not always the most viable solution to an emergency problem.

If you are unfamiliar with the process, applying for a bank loan can be a stressful procedure. It requires a lot of admin work and planning. If your business is experiencing difficulties during this time it can make the application even more stressful. Most banks usually require two years’ worth of company accounts. If you are a new start up and unable to supply these accounts, banks will normally require security against your assets.

Commercial Finance Broker

If you are unsure about the best methods to raise funds, then just like with asset financing, a commercial finance broker could be the best way forward. If you require a bank loan, or need invoice financing, they can find the most viable option for you. If your idea is brilliant, but you’re not totally confident when it comes to finances, a broker can give you that boost when it comes to securing money for the business. In a similar fashion, if you are looking for an investor or partner (rather than borrow money) to grow your business a broker can often help find a suitable investor.

Retractable Banner Stands: An Ideal Addition For Any Public Event

Posted on October 25, 2017 by James Paul

Are you looking for an impactful visual addition for your next public event?

Then retractable banner stands, also known as roll up banner stands or pull up banner stand, are ready to set all your displays.

The simple and sleek appearance of these stands prioritizes the vibrantly printed full-colored banner graphics. This simple set-up stand is quite popular among trade shows and other public events.

Retractable banner stands are a new addition to the series of stylish portable banner stand. With time its popularity has ascended among the show biz trade communities due to its durability, wrinkle-free charm, and easy transportable nature.

These stands look great with their fibre glass or aluminium metal stand frame, which are easy and quick to assemble as well as available in a variety of dimensions to fit into the limited space of the trade show exhibitors.

Benefits of Retractable Banner Stands

Some top advantages of retractable banner include quick turnaround, flexibility, high level durability, simple assemblage, easy usage and top quality banner printing portrayal. We readily avail different banner stands for our customers, for a variety of usage.

Flexibility: You might think that we are overstating, but it’s until you’ve looked into the tension free display. The frames are extremely creative and take into account the different shape of banners to heighten your displays in public events. Now, no need of underestimating your unique idea of potential presentation!
Easy Use: These Retractable Banner Stands are extremely easy to set-up and take down. Again, changing the banners is also a simple process that makes swapping of the banners easy and quick.
Transportation: With our Retractable Banner Stands, no need to worry about taking extra care of the stand. They are easy to carry on the go, as the material isn’t that heavy or temperamental.
Durable: Its durability makes it an important addition to different public events. You can spot the retractable banner stands not only in a trade or public events but also in airports, malls, storefronts and other places because of its durability. The high usage of these stands in different places certainly justifies the investment.

Easy To Order Option

Retractable banners are available in different range and sizes, starting from small tabletop exhibits to extra large public displays. But selecting an appropriately sized display will add value to your creativity, create a better visual interest, and draw potential sales lead.

Affordable Pricing

The cost of retractable banner stands basically depends on the dimension and quality of the printed design. To get the best deal cracked with these banner displays, place your order in bulk and the option of customizing the retractable banner stands is also an option.

QR codes: How to Best Use Them in Small Business Marketing

Posted on March 13, 2017 by James Paul

Do you own a small business and you want to advertise it? Our friends over at find my workspace share some useful strategies to help you maximize the use of QR codes.

You might have noticed how some companies nowadays are making use of mobile-scannable QR Codes to offer discounts or promote a marketing gimmick in a given period. These QR Codes look similar to bar-codes that are imprinted in most grocery items, though they look more like a dried out ink maze-like imprint rather than a series of lines with numbers above them.

In a sense, QR Codes and bar-codes are quite the same because both are means to track a product unit, but the two however differ in the capacity of information they can contain. Bar-codes get to have 20 digits, while QR Codes can hold a string of alphanumeric characters.

A QR Code functions like a scannable link towards either your official website, Social Media pages, landing pages, or activate an automated email or SMS for the customer. This is where businesses can include promos and other special offers.

Why use QR Codes?

QR Codes are useful when it comes to promotions and customer engagement efforts for any business – even for small to medium-sized ones.

First, they are more convenient for customers to use as these are simply scanned, and their mobile phones could do the rest. In a way, customers can easily get their discounts even without filling up any sort of form.

Second, they can be easily placed anywhere – from printed materials, to your office desks, counters, and other things that are accessible to your customers. And the best part about them is that, they are highly mobile.

How Do I Get QR Codes?

The good thing here is, you can get QR Codes for your business without additional cost – yes they’re free! So this works to the advantage for small to medium-sized entrepreneurs, because there is no need to shell out additional expenses just to generate a unique one for the company.

The most trusted QR Code generators are Kaywa, iCandy, and StickyBits. Each has different specialties, Kaywa for example is the easiest way to generate a QR Code that could be linked to a certain web page, or SMS. iCandy on the other hand could do the same, but it has more complicated tools for analytics. StickyBits are also useful in a sense that you can easily create and print out stickers containing your QR Codes.

In addition, your customers also need a mobile app in able to scan QR Codes. There are several free providers from the Google Play Store for Android phones, and Apple iStore for iPhone users.

Best Practices for Using QR Codes

Although it is easy and free to get QR Codes, business owners like you should know how and where to place them strategically. As mentioned earlier, they can be placed in things that are accessible to your customers. This also includes:

a.) Business cards – many professionals put QR Codes in their business cards that link towards their online resume, professional website, and the like. You can also do this for your business too! You can link your QR Code to your official website, or Social Media pages so your customers can easily connect with you then.

b.) Promotional flyers, handouts and the like – this is great especially if you are offering a special discount or limited promos. While the flyers and brochures you hand out contain all the necessary information, your attached QR Code will make it easy for your customers to avail of said promo.

c.) Product packaging – attaching your QR Code to your product package feels like a more natural or organic way of marketing compared to handing them out through flyers. It is of course non-intrusive, and it is a way to improve customer retention especially if your QR Codes are attached to a promo or discount.

The most important rule to remember is to place your QR Codes in stuff that are easily accessed by your customers. Moreover, make sure you link your code to the exact page or message that you want them to see – in other words, make sure your QR Codes will provide value for them.

The reality however is that, there are still a number of people who are not accustomed to QR Codes. So while this is a great way to offer your customers something, you may also need to resort to other ways to reach out to those who are not very digitally-inclined.

The Art of Illusion: Making Small Spaces Look Bigger

Posted on March 10, 2017 by James Paul

When young, all of us dream of being princesses or warriors living in big castles we called home with tens of servants around us, luxurious furniture to sit on and the best of delicacies to enjoy. But sadly, for the majority of us, this only remained a dream. Most of us have lived in medium-sized homes, stuffed all our suitcases in a dorm room when moving to college, gotten ourselves the cheapest of apartments to rent and now finally, are moving into another small space after marriage.

If there was one thing that remained constant were the small spaces in which we spent half of our lives. Even today, thanks to the soaring prices of homes and apartments in Australia, many of us are confined into small spaces with bedrooms that barely fit the bed, a TV lounge we call our dining area and home office, and bathrooms not big enough to fit a bath tub.

But despite all that, aren’t we all happy? Because we understand that it isn’t the small spaces that matter, it is the people who dwell in it.

If you have recently found yourself feeling a little ashamed to call your work colleagues to your new home because you think they might find it small, you can either get advice from property stylists or follow some of these styling tips that might come in handy.

Using these hacks, you can easily make any space appear bigger–guaranteed!

Wallpaper the ceiling: Doing so will draw attention upwards and make a room feel bigger.
Get the flooring right: Going with different flooring styles can make bigger spaces look smaller. Since that isn’t the goal here, choose a single type of flooring as it creates the illusion of an uninterrupted flow. This makes the room look part of a bigger space. When choosing tiles, choose one with fewer grout lines and a large format design as it makes the floor look like you invested some solid money into it.
Put in stylish pieces: Take up any interior design magazine and look up any latest furniture styles and you will see that it is the statement pieces that reign. Think about it, instead of putting separate couches, going with one will leave you more space to add other stuff.
Stay low on the paint: By that we mean to keep walls single coloured by picking lighter shades that don’t trap light. Going with a darker paint will only make the room feel cosier and you will also have to invest hugely in the lighting.
Don’t push the future to the wall: Even though the opposite makes more sense as you get more space in the centre, many home stylists suggest to keep at least a few inches of distance between the walls and your large furniture pieces to make the room feel bigger.
When carpeting, go for striped rugs: No need to carpet the whole house when you can simply lay a few rugs here and there to make the space appear more airy than compact. When choosing rugs, go for a striped rug as they make spaces appear longer.
Cover your windows with stylish indoor plants: You can always hang them from the window top or let them sit comfortably in the window sill. Not only do they make spaces look fresher and tidy, they also help create the illusion of a larger room.
Remove some doors: Unless you are worried about privacy invasion, removing a few doors that separate two smaller rooms can also make your house look bigger.

Can You Cancel An EIN? If So, What Is The Process?

Posted on February 18, 2017 by James Paul

Most of us apply for an employer identification number easily but when it comes or changing or cancelling it, you might feel baffled on how to do it. You can apply for an employer ID number (EIN) online if your principal business is based in US or its territories.

Let us learn about how you can change or cancel the employer identification number. But before we proceed, it is important to know what EIN is.

Employer ID number (EIN)

An EINis a unique 9-digit number assigned by Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for the purpose of identification to business entities operating in the US. It is also known as federal employer identification number (FEIN).

You need an EIN if the answer for these following questions is yes:

Do you have employees (including your spouse/ children)?
Do you operate as a corporation or partnership?
Do you file an employment, alcohol, or other taxes?

There are other less common reasons as well to apply for an EIN.

How do I make changes in the EIN?

In general, you get an employer identification number and it is yours for the entire span of the business. But there arises some reasons to change your EIN. Firstly, it is important to know if you have to change it or not.

You need to have your EIN, if:

You change the structure of business like sole-proprietorship becomes a corporation etc.
You inherit or acquire a business
Sole-proprietorship declares bankruptcy
Your corporation gets a new charter from the state secretary
You became a subsidiary to any corporation

You made a mistake with your EIN, now what?

It’s okay to make a mistake happens with all. If you made a mistake while applying for an EIN, don’t panic & apply for a new one. Instead, you can mend you mistake in few simple steps as recommended by IRS. Let’s see how:

You need to submit a letter (on company letterhead, if you have one), with the following things mentioned of the current principal officer, owner, general partner or the grantor:
The name
Taxpayer Identification Number
The business entity’s complete name,
EIN, and
Mailing address
Make sure you send the above details correctly so that IRS can identify your account.
The final step is to send the letter to one of the below mentioned IRS locations based on where you entity operates.

IRS locations for EIN changes

If your business operates at :

Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia or Wisconsin.

Then the location is:
Internal Revenue Service
Stop 343G
Cincinnati, OH 45999-0023

If your business operates at :

Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas,Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, or any place outside of the United States.

Then the location is:
Internal Revenue Service
M/S 6273
Ogden, UT 84201-0023

How to change your EIN if you made the following changes:

You need to change your EIN, when there is any change in your business like name, address etc. But the change varies from case to case based on the type of entity, type of change etc. All you need to do is to file these changes to notify IRS.

Case1: Change in business name

You need to note down the changes in your tax form before you file it. The tax form depends on the type of entity you are. For

example:

For Corporation: Form 1120/ 1120S which ever you used previously.
For Partnership: Form 1065
For sole-proprietorship: Just write a letter (duly signed by the owner) stating where you filed your return with the name change to notify IRS.

Case 2: Change in business address

You need to notify IRS by using form 8822-B in case of change of address, location or the identity of the responsible party.

Case 3: Change in business entity type

You need to notify IRS by using form 8832 incase, if you change your entity by adding members in a single-member LLC to multi-member LLC or to other types. This form is used even when you change your tax status.

For all other changes, the process is simple; you need to send a letter or fax stating the changes to notify IRS at the location based on where your business entity operates.

How to cancel an EIN?

As per the IRS, once you are assigned an EIN it is never re-used by other entities. The EIN remains with the same entity which applied for it as an identification number for tax entries. So, in short you cannot really cancel an EIN.

Instead you can cancel your account with IRS if you feel you don’t need the EIN anymore.

To close your IRS account, write a letter to:
Internal Revenue Service
Cincinnati Ohio 45999

The letter should have the reason for the account closure along with the complete name of the entity, EIN and business address. Also, include a copy of the letter received from IRS when you set up your EIN.

Summing up

Hope that now you have an idea of when you need to change your EIN and how to do it for different cases. If you’re planning to close your IRS account then don’t forget to pay the taxes for which you are liable.