Make your Business Marketing Savvy with these Strategies

Businesses take different strategies in online marketing. With the plethora of ways businesses can advertise their products, there is really no such thing as a perfect fit for all businesses when it comes to online marketing. Most of the time, businesses combine different ways of advertising and marketing so that they can achieve their goals. However, it is good to know that there are some generally accepted ways in online marketing that is effective for all kinds of businesses. One is social marketing. It is not very far from online marketing. It has the same intention, social marketing just uses a different platform and that is social media. 

Social marketing is a very popular marketing plan for many businesses. It is not very hard to see why social marketing is very effective. It can gather the customer base that businesses target and it is a very accessible form of advertising. Making a profile on a social media platform is very easy. On the other hand, there should always be some form of marketing to take place. Here are some easy strategies that most successful businesses use when it comes to social marketing. 

Product Advertising without Sales Talk

Social marketing is different from traditional advertising. Most social media users find sales talk irritating. The question then pops up- how do you advertise products without sales talk? The answer is plain and simple. Post straight to the point and appealing content. Social users are drawn to attractive content that is relevant and new. Moreover, presentation is key. Most people who use social media like to see graphics or images. A promotion for a new product can be easily spotted and will rapidly gain popularity when it is through a short interesting image. Remember that your website is probably not the only business page they are following, therefore make your content stand out by using images. No tacky sales talk allowed. 

Conduct Q & A

A social media is a big forum. It is not a one way street like a website that only feeds content to its visitors. Social media involves both parties and interaction between them. So, keep in touch with your customers constantly and give them some space for feedback. This is a good way to know their thoughts and opinions about your company’s products. In addition, it will also make your company customer oriented.

Blog about your Company

In a company’s website, blogging seems a little bit amateur. One great thing about social media is that it gives you an avenue to blog. Blogs are very helpful in attracting customers as it gives them a perspective about your company that they have never seen before. Blogging would definitely make your customers feel that they are personally connected to your company.

Important events in your company, behind the scenes pictures or everyday life in the company are great things to blog about. This will surely make customers prefer and patronize your brand.

Author Bio:

Austin Richard is an IT professional from Pass Certification. It provides you 100% 70-482 exams. Let’s take benefit of 70-432 Exams material efficiently and get guaranteed success. Check out free demo of all certifications Exam.

How to Plan a Financially Secure Retirement

saving and spending (Photo credit: 401(K) 2013)

You may think that you should only think about planning your retirement once you have plenty of funds saved and then and only then, seek financial advice. However, the most sensible way to approach it is to begin that planning process from your very first job. Don’t leave it until it is too late to save the money that you will need for retirement. 

Start Early

You don’t need the help of anyone in order to get started. You should start by saving a small amount of money a week and keep it in a savings account. Leave it to build up to a few thousand pounds. At this point, you can begin to invest the funds into the stock market. Ideally, you would invest in multiple diversified mutual funds, in addition to ETFs. Continue to save and invest until you have a nice little nest egg. Then you can begin to diversify further. 

Diversify Investments

To help in diversifying your savings, start to look at your portfolio as a whole and ensure that there is no single region, sector, industry or investment that is dominating your holdings. Essentially, ensure that you have investments in technology stocks, mature stocks, foreign companies, value stocks, growth stocks etc. To achieve this, begin to look through your mutual funds and note which company types and sectors are in each mutual fund. You should be reasonably diversified but this is nothing too much to worry about at this point. 

Focus on and take control of your retirement (Photo credit: SalFalko)

When you have reached a significant amount of savings, you can diversify even more. You can then look to purchasing property. If you have the time on your hands, that is. Alternatively, you can buy real estate trusts or real estate fund in either residential or commercial properties. They can act as an effective diversification strategy from conventional assets, such as stocks or bonds. 

Build on Your Plan

Once your investment portfolio has grown, you need to be increasing your awareness of investing as well as the level at which you are planning for your retirement. Estimate how much you will need in order to retire and begin to work toward that goal.

One option you do have and should consider when planning your retirement is a payday loan from a company such as DollarsDirect.ca. It may be that a member of your family is forced to have an operation or a loved one passes away. Such a measure should not be used for frivolous purposes but it can alleviate some of the stress that comes with retirement, just knowing that it exists as an option. 

As the time draws closer to your retirement, you will either feel secure or find that you are worried. If you are feeling nervous, it may be worth visiting a personal financial planner to assess your plan as it stands. They will be able to use sophisticated software in order to estimate the demands you are likely to be met with and calculate the odds of you running out of money. If you do feel secure then, by all means, enjoy your retirement!

Drop Everything And Travel While You Are Still Young!

English: Beach in Tobago (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

British poet Edward Young once wrote, "procrastination is the thief of time." The statement is no truer than in regard to failing to take advantage of wonderful travel opportunities while you are still young. Simply, you do not rattle responsible finance related decisions by taking advantage of travel before the years advance. 

Strategies exist that permit you the ability to balance unique and memorable travel with wise considerations pertaining to finance 

Travel is a Marvelous Investment ... In Yourself 

You have spent a good part of your life working tirelessly. One of your goals likely was to be able to enjoy a lovely retirement that includes the opportunity to take in the sights and sounds of different destinations, either across the country or around the world. 

Traveling is not only an enjoyable endeavor, but it can be a truly educational experience as well. A multitude of destinations exist on the map that are rich in history. 

Travel is also a great way to invest in the enhancement of your primary relationship. Getting away from the day-to-day grind is a perfect way of spending uninterrupted and that all-important "quality time" with your significant other. 

Finally, and not of least importance, because you likely dedicated a good part of your life to aggressively pursuing a career and raising a family, you deserve a great reward. Travel to interesting, enjoyable ports of call represents one of the most satisfying of all possible rewards for a life well lived. 

The fact is that you can make these types of investment in your life, and in the life of your spouse or other significant other, without busting your finance plan. Affordable travel tips exist that make trips and vacations compatible with your personal finance goals. 

You Do Not Have to be a Snowbird 

Some of the hottest travel options are precisely that: trips to semi-tropical or tropical destinations. The majority of people in the their 50s, 60s and beyond have adopted the firm mindset that the only acceptable time to travel these types of destinations is during the "season." 

The season in semi-tropical, tropical and desert destinations like Florida, the Caribbean, Central and South American countries and Arizona runs from approximately Thanksgiving to about Easter. Because these are the peak tourist periods, prices on everything rises, oftentimes significantly. 

In guarding finance considerations, which a wise person always does, you can save small amounts to a tremendous amount of money enjoying these fabulous destinations in the proverbial "off-season," which extends roughly from late April to mid-November. 

By traveling to these stereotypically viewed wintertime destinations, you can pare expenses significantly. For example, you will find outstanding lodging options for 25 to 50 percent off the peak season rates. Airfares are markedly cheaper. Food and entertainment costs decline sharply as well in the off-season. 

Group Travel Options are Fun and Cost Effective 

Group travel options represent another way in which you can preserve your finance related objectives and still take advantage of life-altering travel opportunities. By traveling with a group, you save money on everything from transportation to lodging. In addition, you have the chance to embark on a vacation or educational tour with like-minded or other similarly situated men and women. 

Package Deals for Older People 

Another avenue you can pursue when you want to travel without violating a commitment to responsible finance management is taking advantage of special package deals developed for people who have passed the 50 to 60 year mark. For example, by joining organizations like the AARP (which you qualify for at age 50), you can access travel packages that are priced affordably.

Author Bio

Joshua Turner is a writer and blogger who creates informative articles relating to business. In this article he explains the importance of travel in an individual’s live and aims to encourage further study through online degrees in diplomacy.

Debt Settlement and Credit Counseling Can Solve Your Financial Problems

Wipe our Debt (Photo credit: Images_of_Money)

Most of all Americans are in debt, but that’s not always a bad thing. There’s a saying that goes you need to spend money to make money. It’s when you are in debt that you did not intend to acquire and you don’t know what to do – then it becomes a problem. Whether it’s for your mortgage or overuse on credit cards, many debt counseling services exist to help guide you through these issues. 

So what are the factors you should take into account before looking into these organizations for help? What data points should you use to compare debt settlement and credit counseling services?

Compare Debt Settlement & Credit Counseling

1. Location – though communication via e-mail or by phone is easy, nothing beats an in person meeting when it comes to learning how to deal with financial issues.
2. Services – Are you looking into debt management programs or just counseling? You should also look into specific information like housing counseling or pre-discharge debtor education.
3. Agency Type – Both for profit and not for profit agencies exist, but not for profit ones generally rank higher and charge less.
4. Affiliations – This is just more for credibility, but that’s how you know whether an agency can be trusted. 5. Price – even not for profits have to earn revenue to stay afloat. The average debt management plan is about $65 per month.

Wireless Gadgets Help Boomers To Continue Working

Wireless gadgets are just so common place today. The amount of time we spend with our mobile device in hand seems to be ever increasing. Running several blogs and a business keeps me pretty busy. If I didn't have my mobile devices like my phone and iPad I couldn't be as productive as I am.

The key to being successful in today's economy is by maximizing your results by being as productive as you can. I don't need to be stuck in an office; I need to be out producing results for my company. Mobile devices help me do this. I can send and receive emails on my device quickly. The quick response may mean the difference in making that sale for the company. Mobile devices using the wireless communication system called the Internet has made me more productive.

Recently, I made a 2 day business trip. I brought with me with my mobile smart phone and laptop computer. I was constantly in touch with my customers. They didn't know if I was in town or 5000 miles away. I was able to serve them just as well as I ever did. 

Image via CrunchBase

As the Baby Boomer population continues to age and enter retirement many are finding new opportunities and careers. They are in need of more income because of economic uncertainties. They are worried their retirement savings is not going to carry them through their retirement. Many use the Internet to conduct their business. There has never been a time in history where it has been so easy to start a business and this is thanks to the Internet. 

There Many ways to earn not only a part time income but also a full time job. Working online allows you to set your own hours and the commute has been eliminated. Here are a few ways to get started:

• Sell Stock Photography - At websites like Shutterstock.com.
• Tweet For Sponsors - Make with Twitter at SponsoredTweets.com.
• Blog for Ad Revenues - Start a blog and earn money from advertisers.
• Sell Affiliate Products - In your blog place ads for Amazon.com
• Write an e Book - Sell your e-book at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Kobo they are just a few of the sites to use.
• Become a Virtual Assistant - Work from home and interact with clients.
• Use Your Skills - At 99Designs, Elance, Freelancer and iWriter you can be creative and make money.
• Selling on eBay - Sell new and used goods.
• Become A Mobile App Tester - Work for uTest and get paid to test apps.
• Designing T-Shirts - Design and sell T-shirts use threadless.com or designbyhumans.com

There hundreds of ways to make money online. Working online from home will be the way many Baby Boomers earn their money and make their lives a lot better.

Cash Back Credit Cards that Reward Home Improvement Purchases This Spring

This guest post was written by Jason Bushey. Jason is a full-time personal finance blogger, and he runs the day to day operations at Creditnet.com. 

It's already April, which means spring has arrived and homeowners are ready to crawl out of hibernation and get cracking on the spring cleaning we've all been putting off for months. DIY repairs may be the cheaper (and more fulfilling) route when it comes to home improvement this spring, but those expenses can certainly add up.

For their part, some credit card companies are willing to help out by offering bonus cash back on these home improvement purchases. Chase, Discover and American Express are all promoting 5 percent cash back or more on home improvement purchases made in quarter 2 of 2013, extending through June 30th.

If you're hoping to earn rewards on the home improvement purchases you plan on making anyway, here are four cards that can help take the sting out of spring cleaning:

1.) Discover it

Home Improvement Bonus: 5 percent cash back on up to $1,500 in purchases at home improvement stores

This popular cash back card from Discover is offering members 5 percent cash back on up to $1,500 in eligible home improvement purchases through June, 2013 when they enroll. All other purchases net 1 percent cash back per dollar spent. And since there's no annual fee, this is essentially one of the best free credit cards to carry so long as you pay your balance back in full each month.

What's the catch? The cap on bonus cash back earned is $1,500, so the most a member can earn on bonus cash back is $75 per quarter. That said, all other purchases earn the standard one percent, so no matter what you're buying with a Discover it Card you're still earning some cash back.

The Final Word: The quality of this card goes way beyond the 5 percent cash back bonus - there's also a 14 month 0 percent APR period applied to purchases and balance transfers, making this one of the best 0 percent interest credit cards on the market today - and in the short term you can earn some decent cash back for your home improvement purchases.

2.) Chase Freedom

Home Improvement Bonus: 5 percent cash back on up to $1,500 in purchases at Lowe's

The Chase Freedom card is offering cardholders 5 percent cash back on up to $1,500 in purchases at Lowe's. And if you want to reward yourself at the end of a day for a job well done, that same 5 percent offer extends to restaurant and movie theater purchases, too. That sounds like a pretty good Saturday!

What's the catch? If you don't live near a Lowe's you're sort of out of luck, and there's the aforementioned cap on 5 percent cash back at $1,500 in purchases. But like the Discover it Card, Chase Freedom members will earn 1 percent cash back on all purchases, so again you're still getting something for each swipe of your card.

The Final Word: This is another excellent cash back option, and as a bonus members who spend $500 within the first three months of their account opening will earn a $100 cash back bonus. Combined with your 5 percent cash back offer and you can save a bundle on home improvement purchases this spring.

3.) TrueEarnings Card from Costco and American Express

Home Improvement Bonus: 3 percent cash back on up to $4,000 in purchases made at Costco each year.

Costco has all the tools you'll need to get the ball rolling on those home improvement plans. Plus, they'll even reward you with 3 percent cash back at stand-alone US gas stations (again, up to $4,000), so not only will you receive cash back for the purchases you make at the store - you'll earn bonus cash back just for getting there, too.

What's the Catch? You'll need a Costco membership card to take advantage of cash back offered with this American Express card, and the $4,000 cap means a max of $120 bonus cash back each year. Like the cards before it, cardholders still earn 1% on all other purchases.

The Final Word: If you frequent Costco often (and we know there are plenty of you out there that do), this is an excellent card to carry year-round, long after you've put the finishing touches on that broken gutter or new doghouse.

Earn more than just self-satisfaction - and an improved living space - when you use the above credit cards to make your home improvement purchases this spring.