Saturday, December 23, 2017

EasyAcc 20000mAh power bank



If you still think that the larger capacity a power bank has, the longer time it needs to be charged, then the EasyAcc monster 20000mah power bank will break the rule. As a high capacity portable charger with a truly unique feature it has dual input ports to double the recharge speed, so that it can be fully recharged within 6 hours. And this feather makes it stand out from battle EasyAcc vs Xiaomi.

Also see: AUKEY QUICK CHARGE 3.0 review

As well as the huge input, the Monster also delivers a very generous max output. The vast majority of high capacity power banks will put out around 3.5A, this external battery gives out 4.8A. Spread over 4 Smart ports, 4.8A can easily charge 4 smartphones simultaneously or a tablet and 2 others phones at full speed. Except from 4 output port, it also has an impressively bright LED torch on the top face which you can toggle on and off by double tapping the button. Anker vs Aukey.

Sunday, October 8, 2017

PLAYSTATION VR LAUNCH BUNDLE



What is PlayStation VR?

Sony has joined virtual reality gaming with PlayStation VR. The headset represents the cheapest of the “big three” on the market right now, and is the only option for console gamers interested in the technology as things stand.

Priced at £349.99, it’s significantly cheaper than both the Oculus Rift (£549 without Oculus Touch) and HTC Vive (£759). However, players will also need to invest in a PlayStation Camera priced at £44.99, and, to enjoy the “full” experience, a couple of PlayStation Move controllers, with a twin pack costing £69 (although you could probably find them for less). This brings the total cost to £464, which is still cheaper than the Rift headset, with Oculus also charging £189 for its own controllers.
PLAYSTATION VR LAUNCH BUNDLE – Installation and setup

In the box is the PlayStation VR headset, a processor unit, an HDMI cable, instruction manuals, a set of in-ear headphones, a lens-cleaning cloth, a demo disc and all the power cables you need. So many cables.



For the longest time I believed it was witchcraft that made the PlayStation VR work. Having taken a boxed one home and set it up, I’ve discovered the truth: it’s all about cables. Lots and lots and lots of cables. And then some more cables.

The setup process, to be fair, sounds trickier than it actually is. The whole process took around 30 minutes, feeding a series of HDMI cables from the PS4 to the PSVR processing unit, then to the headset itself.


Related: Best PS4 Games

The processing unit was a mystery for a long time before Sony revealed what it actually does – and it’s all pretty important stuff.

While the processing unit adds no power to the console itself, nor can developers actually program anything into it, it handles a few key functions. Firstly it helps carry out object-based 3D audio processing, which basically means you can pinpoint exactly where noises come from in games – so far, in my experience, it’s made sound design in games brilliant and terrifying. It also displays the “social” screen, basically rendering the image you see in VR onto the TV, though at a lower resolution and framerate. It also displays the standard PS4 screen in “cinematic” mode, allowing you to play non-VR games or watch movies on a display the size of a movie theatre screen.




The one annoying thing about this processing unit is that it requires a dedicated power supply, which is fine in itself, but when you turn the PS4 completely off, the unit remains in a semi-powered state, with a red “off” bar permanently lit. This means the thing is constantly using electricity, so even when the whole setup is powered down you’ll have to unplug it if you wish to save the pennies or simply get rid of the annoying light before bed.








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But, once everything is plugged in, the headset simply works. No drivers to update, no system requirements to fiddle with, no graphics options to tweak; you’re simply ready to go. Yes, there’s a software update, but let’s not split hairs.

Related: Best PlayStation VR games

PlayStation VR – Design and comfort

The Oculus Rift and HTC Vive headsets aren’t the snazziest bits of kit. The first consumer models look like glorified prototypes. The PlayStation VR, on the other hand, looks like an expensive bit of tech that you’d be happy to have on your shelf.

Everything about it looks gorgeous: the sleek white edging, the black fascia and the cool lights to allow for motion tracking.

The headset is pretty sizeable, with a cable coming out of the back, trailing down to a small adaptor with controls to turn the volume up and down on your headphones (which plug into the adaptor), as well as a power button to turn the headset on or off. Putting the headset on, I immediately noticed how comfortable it is.


Unlike other VR headsets, PSVR doesn’t fasten to your face with Velcro. Instead you press a button at the back of the headset to extend the plastic band, place it over your head and then it automatically adjusts to fit, kind of like a vice – a cuddly vice.


Thursday, August 10, 2017

How Do Garage Door Openers Work?



Some studies show that the average lifespan of the typical garage door is about 14,000 operations. The average American garage door usually opens somewhere around 1500 times a year.

There is actually quite a lot that goes on behind the process behind opening your door with a garage door opener (for example: MIGHTY MULE FM200 ) device. Contrary to what many people believe, the torsion spring is the part that does the heavy lifting and not the motor. The torsion spring is directly attached to the tracks which would later carry the door and drag it up the ceiling of your garage.

The operator is mounted to the ceiling by the usage of support brackets which allow the motor to be safely attached without the worry of falling. There would be either a chain or a belt that goes out of your motor and gets straight to the torsion spring, which is the part that is attached to your garage door and holds it during the whole process.

The whole thing is mounted on the ceiling by utilizing mounting hardware and a lot of bolts drilled in the ceiling. There is also an emergency release rope that would enable you to open the door in case of unpredicted situations. Basically, the motor would start pulling the belt or the chain inwards, giving enough lifting power to the torsion spring which would carry the door itself. Nevertheless, the strength of the torsion spring is what matters because if it fails for some reason the whole thing will collapse in a matter of seconds.

Garage Door Opener Types

It is important to understand that there is no particular best type of garage door opener. All of the different models and specifications are designated to serve a concrete purpose. This is due to the fact that garage door openers take into consideration a lot of factors while they are being manufactured. For instants, some of the different types are used to provide a solution for heavier garage doors while others are specifically designated to open lighter doors. This has to be taken into account in advance before you proceed with the purchase in order to avoid further complications. With this being clarified, let’s skip ahead to the different types of garage door openers.
Belt Drive garage openers use rubber belts that are designated to open the door. This process eliminates the metal on metal contact that occurs in other opening systems and this results in a significant lowering of the noise that is produced. Belt Drives are generally the quietest of all of the solutions. They also provide a great vibration reduction. However, on the other hand, they are generally more expensive and this would result in the requirement for larger up-front investments. They also have significantly fewer moving parts.
Chain Drive opening systems utilize a chain that is firmly attached to a metal trolley which is used to open the door. These units are typically the most common ones. A tip here would be to search for units that have a hiding mechanism because this would lead to a reduction of the noise they make. The Chain Drive systems make a lot more noise than Belt Drives, but they are considered more dependable in terms of operation. They are also the more economical version of the garage door opening systems.
The last of the general types is the Screw Drive system. It requires really low maintenance and provides a fairly quiet operation. They feature fewer moving parts and make use of a threaded steel rod that is designated to raise and lower the door. You should make sure that they are properly lubricated and kept that way to ensure quiet operation. You can also use plastic-lined tracks to reduce the noise.

This particular differentiation is based upon specifications that are in regard to the mounting and overall performance capabilities of the garage door openers. However, a lot of different types are available when it comes to other specifications, such as safety and security.

There are a lot of units that provide significantly more security than others. The most advanced garage door openers utilize modern technology such as motion sensors which would detect the movement near the door and this could trigger different applications. The most common one of them is to turn on the lights or to stop the door from closing. The last one could be particularly helpful if your garage door opener has malfunctioned and started closing the door while you are still parking. If it isn’t equipped with an automatic reverse function or motion sensors it could very well collapse on your car, or worse – on you or on another family member.

Another significant benefit that differentiates the units is the code-rolling technology that would generate specific combinations of numbers every time you use your remote control. This provides an incredibly large amount of security and would surely give the burglars a hard time to get through if they are using another electrical device.

Monday, July 17, 2017

Detailed Kodi Introduction

What's it like? Well, I tried it.
Being able to watch whatever you want, whenever you need, for free, is both liberating and incredibly overwhelming. Virtually everything in cyberspace is at your own disposal. The interface includes a futuristic vibe, and it's customizable with different backgrounds and skins exactly like an old-school media player (anybody remember Winamp?).

However, it's not without its flaws. It sure as hell does not run as smoothly as Netflix or even a Roku participant. For starters, it's not an app that is available via the home display, unless you are running on the most current Amazon Fire OS version (which in that case, you will find the Amazon Fire Stick jailbroken with Kodi shortcut on the Tab.) Those people that don't need to dig around in Preferences to find it, and choose the add-on to see from there.

Navigating through Amazon Fire Stick jailbroken could be cumbersome because you're stuck looking for content with the streaming player's controller. It is nowhere near as intuitive as a gamepad, keyboard, or smartphone. Luckily, programmers have rolled out new programs that make Amazon Fire Stick jailbroken for sale more conducive to this consumer. The Yatste app, by way of example, grants full control of Kodi straight from the smartphone using offline library synchronization, voice commands, and a virtual keyboard to search content quicker. Then there's Trakt, which keeps a thorough record of what you see by "scrobbling" all films and shows for your personal profile, which is then linked to your favorite add-ons such as Exodus or Phoenix to get immediate access. Both make for some fairly sweet Amazon Fire Stick Kodi hacks for the Amazon Fire TV.

Videos are hit or miss -- it wholly depends on what media pirates upload. For flicks that just hit theaters, expect a good deal of links to shitty bootlegged footage. The majority of other films and TV shows appear alright since they are ripped from DVDs or DVR'd and uploaded.

Live programming is not so good, with flows constantly freezing and appearing blurry. Selecting the best-looking streams is really a game of opportunity as most file hosts do not have the bandwidth to support thousands of viewers at once, therefore diminishing picture quality. So seeing a UFC fight is not very exciting -- that being said, if somebody's willing to go through all these technical loopholes, it stands to reason that they could figure out how to boost their Wi-Fi relationship and up the picture quality.
amazon fire stick free channels

Amazon Fire Stick jailbroken with Kodi is making motions to disassociate itself from piracy
Again, Kodi itself doesn't violate any laws -- it's no more illegal than a computer, iPhone, or any free movie-streaming website out there. It is just being used in illegal ways.

Kodi doesn't want to be related to piracy. Among the ways, it requires a stand would be by refusing to provide software support or bug fixes for third-party add-ons. As a result, many plug-ins are vulnerable to break or quickly become incompatible with Amazon Fire Stick free channels software. It's even gone as far to remove talks about "pirated content" and add-ons boosting such illegalities out of its message board.

However, Amazon Fire Stick hack still struggles to keep its absolutely legal platform distinguished in the unauthorized buggy content individuals are consuming on it. "Every day a new user shows up about the Kodi forum, totally unaware that the totally free movies they're watching have been pirated and surprised to discover Amazon Fire Stick unlocked itself is not providing those movies," Nathan Betzen, XBMC Foundation president, and Kodi product director, told TorrentFreak in February.

Then again, Kodi adamantly supports its open source policy and keeps a "neutral stance" on how programmers use its software. Kodi lately composed in a blog article, "Users, you're advised to continue doing whatever you need with Amazon Fire Stick free channels. Devs of all stripes, don't hesitate to keep growing whatever you want. This can be an open, free platform, developed under the GPL, and always is."

How long does Amazon Fire Stick free channels last?
Kodi's becoming a bad rap with big streamers -- Amazon removed the software from its app shop for "easing piracy," angering plenty who utilize Amazon Fire Stick fully loaded to play files they got lawfully. Nevertheless, banning the app doesn't stop unethical programmers from finding workarounds, and for most, the issue of dropping money on Prime Video versus obtaining it at no cost on Kodi is all too obvious.

No lawful action was removed from Amazon Fire Stick free channels... yet. However, the UK government is beginning its crackdown on the Kodi "outbreak", along with the Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT) verified that half of its investigations are based on streaming apparatus employing third-party piracy software. Additionally, recent reports indicate that Internet service providers may be next to assault Amazon Fire Stick free channels; Cisco claims to have established a system which automatically prevents pirated streams from being viewed.

For the moment, however, Kodi looks to be protected by the identical legal loopholes that maintain other off-the-grid streaming sites up and operating. The Amazon Fire Stick free channels team indicates in its Repository Submission Guidelines that add-ons must "be legal and free to distribute" and "not violate any known copyright laws." But Kodi's laissez-faire open source policy places it under the Judiciary microscope, and unofficial plug-ins put Amazon Fire Stick free channels in danger of violating the US' Digital Millennium Copyright Act.

Predicting Kodi's shelf life is dependent upon how much time it could continue to defend itself as a standard video player. Look back in other notorious peer-to-peer file-sharing principles -- LimeWire hung on for a full decade before dropping a four-year legal battle over copyright infringement, and it took six years prior to the Pirate Bay's founders were found guilty of infringement at 2009. Only time will tell if and when Amazon Fire Stick free channels is brought into the chopping block.

Tuesday, June 13, 2017

Preselling Your Child Care Center

Child Visitation Centers
For your child visitation centers, a specialist website could possibly be the excellent kick off point to an internet marketing campaign. It can help identify expertise, defeat possible objections, the depth the solutions provided, describe the advantages, and even aid the parents envision their child visitation services attending that core. Consequently, by the moment the parents have reached you they're presently a halfway to picking your core.

Identify Expertise

In order to feel relaxed, parents must trust your child custody services and also the suppliers who work there. A good website will help assemble this confidence by developing expertise with educational posts and tips. It may also highlight the qualifications, decades of experience and education of the personnel. Parents may know that your middle employs only the most highly-qualified employees to look after the youngster.

Overcoming Objections

As a section of an internet marketing strategy, a website can be quite helpful for defeating the most common objections that parents could have. Your supervised child services can highlight such aspects as the percentage of supervised child centers, minimal staff return, security file, licensing, accreditation, and reliability. Your website may also offer promotions which will help overcome issues regarding the budget.

Services

Explaining the companies that exist also can help pre-sale your supervised visitation services. Parents don't wish to spend your time investigating a center that cannot meet their requirements. Web sites can provide the parents with information such as age groups, hours of functioning, instructional idea, course, and expenses. It might also highlight any nontraditional companies including extended-hours or sick care. Before parents get the device to contact the guts, they'll already know just their desires may be met.

Benefits

A website should also support the parents understand the benefits of attending not just your specific supervised child visitation services but day-care generally. These benefits may contain socialization, encouraging understanding through the pursuit and early literacy skills that may offer a child a benefit when he begins college. Parents want fundamentally to offer the youngster every advantage, which will help them to view those rewards.

Imagine

As an internet marketing tool, one of the strongest benefits of having a website is supporting the parents to assume their visitation centers pleased and satisfied at your supervised visitation centers. Delivering photographs and describing the normal time including learning locations, actions and play-time can certainly help a parent. After parents can imagine the youngster involved in these activities, your decision has almost certainly been built.

If your supervised visitation centers near me does not yet have a qualified website, they absolutely should begin to build one today. This is the information age and many parents convert to it before ever picking up the phone or contemplating a trip. It will help establish experience, overcome objections, highlight companies and benefits. It may even prompt the parent to view the youngster in that setting. When this occurs, the chances are sturdy that this would be the center of their decision.

Affordable SEO Company

affordable seo company

Best SEO company New York is one of the efficient advertising techniques that lots of enterprise website owners utilize now to create their sites preferred. Choosing a seasoned and best local SEO company could be the first step towards achieving your search engine optimization goals.

If done correctly, search engine optimization can bring very good results and high search engine placement. You've to make your option nicely if you should be looking for a best local SEO to undertake local SEO NYC projects. A reliable site marketing business can offer you with all the necessary service and services you should obtain your business goals. They could properly execute the entire procedure for SEO services NYC, from aggressive evaluation and investigation, keyword researching and variety, copywriting to NY SEO services  consulting, and much more. The majority of the companies implement SE approved SEO New York NY techniques for advertising. These tactics are observed to achieve success in getting leading positions for client websites in the search engine results of key search engines, for example, Google, AOL, and MSN.

Website marketing companies may ensure you these SEO company NY benefits:

o Improved online awareness
o targeted prospects to your internet site
o An edge over your competition
E Finest return of your expenditure (ROI)
o Increased sales with better conversions
o Fair and affordable pricing

As a way to give you essential assistance regarding search engine marketing also to offer the very best degree of assistance, virtually affordable SEO services for small business employ a skilled staff comprising information writers, designers, search engine specialists, advertising specialists, along with other service personnel.

In the present aggressive enterprise situation, nearly every internet marketing firm promises to be the very best and economical affordable SEO company supplying cost effective solutions alongside fast turnaround time. Thus, it's necessary to make certain that the organization you choose is an effective and reliable one. A thorough investigation could help choose the SEO New York company that is best suited to your best affordable SEO company requirements.

Friday, April 28, 2017

Suntech STP255S-20/Wdb Review








PROS / There is little or no maintenance with these solar panels. If you choose, you can rinse them with water or just wait for rain to clean them.

CONS / You have few options for contacting the company if you have questions.

VERDICT / Suntech gives you good durability, an unusual but lengthy warranty on power output and easy maintenance. Unfortunately, contacting the company is not as simple as it could be.

You get durability with Suntech STP255S-20/Wdb solar panels, which can withstand a covering of snow weighing 113 pounds per square foot. Its really good result compared to RENOGY 100W with charge controller .  In addition, these sleek black monocrystalline solar panels can generate a solar efficiency of 15.7 percent, which is a fairly healthy figure in the industry.




These Suntech panels offer a maximum power wattage of 250 watts, maximum power voltage of 30.8 volts and a maximum power current of 8.28 amps. There are 60 cells per module, with a covering of tempered glass and frame of anodized aluminum alloy. These solar panels are simple to maintain because they need no particular cleaning other than rainwater, but can be rinsed with water if any dirt, dust or leaves settle on them.


The Suntech STP255S-20/Wdb solar panels can withstand temperatures of 40 degrees below zero and up to 185 degrees F.

With these Suntech solar panels, you get a somewhat unorthodox warranty that is different from the standard guarantees on workmanship and power output, which generally are 10 years and 25 years, respectively.

Instead, you get a 10-year warranty on workmanship with these solar panels. As far as power output, Suntech’s warranty states it will cover the panels for five years ensuring 95 percent of their original power output, for 12 years at 90 percent power output and 18 years at 85 percent. Suntech’s warranty provides 25 years of coverage at 80 percent power output.

This Suntech solar panel model offers you relatively standard dimensions of 64.56 inches in length, 39.06 inches in width and 1.37 inches in depth. Each of these panels weighs 40 pounds, which is the lightest of the panels in our product lineup.

If you have questions, you can contact the company by phone or email. Unfortunately, there is no live chat option or company blog for more information, which is unfortunate since Suntech has been a force within the solar industry since its inception in 2001 and by now has established a worldwide presence in the solar market.

Summary

Suntech Power is well known worldwide for its solar panel innovation. The Suntech STP255S-20/Wdb solar panels give you an unusual but lengthy warranty, a healthy solar efficiency percentage and good durability. One drawback is the relatively limited contact you get with the manufacturer.

Wednesday, March 8, 2017

Women business entrepreneurs: find your opportunity and take it



Today, women entrepreneurs from all walks of life are starting businesses that more closely align with their own personal values, affording them greater freedom and flexibility. Whether you're a student, a mother, returning to the workforce after raising children, or a retiree, you can seamlessly transition into starting a business or embarking on a new career. It all starts with finding, then choosing to follow, your passion.


By the numbers

According to the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO), women currently own 9.1 million businesses, which translates to a 29.8-percent share of existing firms. These account for 6.2 percent of the workforce in the United States. In addition, women's businesses generate over $1.4 trillion in sales, a 3.9-percent share of total revenue generated by the entire U.S. business community. The majority of women-owned businesses exist in service sectors such as health care, social assistance, and education, followed by retail, finance, and construction.

The top sources of capital for women-owned enterprises are informal investors, such as family and friends, followed by individual angel investors, corporate investors, and, lastly, venture capital firms. Seed funding averages $10,000, with only 8 percent using $50,000 or more to start their businesses.


First things first

It may be helpful to research how others have succeeded with their business ideas. Go online and find stories that chronicle successful women in business and other fields. Their backgrounds and career paths will inspire and motivate you so you can better anticipate obstacles and how to overcome them. Further, conduct research on those who have paved the way in your particular field to give you an idea of a typical career path.

You'll also likely need a healthy dose of specialized knowledge related to the business you are launching. Consider taking some refresher courses in business management and strategy, and determine what your best business practices will be. Also consider joining a professional organization where you can interact with and learn from other women in business, such as the National Association of Professional Women, or one related to your field of choice, like Young Women in Digital or Women in Healthcare Management.


Become a "mompreneur"

If you're a mom, you probably already have many of the skills required to successfully start a business. Your experience running a household and juggling multiple tasks throughout the day gives you that edge you need to be an entrepreneur.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 26 percent of working women with children under the age of 18 have flexible schedules, compared to 14 percent reported in 1991. Additionally, 75 percent of the almost 10 million women-owned businesses in America report "zero employees". These are sometimes referred to as mompreneur-owned businesses. This new type of businessperson is ringing in a new era of stay-at-home "hybrid mom" entrepreneurship, where there is a less rigid divide between personal and professional life.

Ideally, your entrepreneurial spirit will be driven by your lifestyle. Many women will be looking for freedom, flexibility, and control when starting a business. Other reasons may be supplemental, reflecting your lifestyle, including creativity, fulfillment, and passion. No matter your reason, becoming a mompreneur might just be your ticket to freedom and success as a businesswoman.


It's never too early — or too late

If you're young, employed, but feel stuck, know that you have options. Although you may not have the experience required to start a business in your early 20s, you certainly have the drive, along with the time and energy to Carefully plan your idea and see it to fruition.

If, however, you are an aspiring "late-bloomer entrepreneur," you should already have the life and work experience required to propel yourself toward business autonomy. You should not be held back by your current situation or allow yourself to be defined by your age. According to an infographic assembled by Funders and Founders, Robin Chase became the co-founder of the now-ubiquitous Zipcar brand at the age of 42. If you create a plan of action for yourself and pursue your passion, your business could become the next Zipcar.

Once you find your passion, you can successfully join the ranks of other women business entrepreneurs — regardless of your stage in life. All you need is confidence, persistence, and balance.

Tuesday, March 7, 2017

Guest Post: What Lovers of Vintage Wrist Watches Should Consider



Today, you can see some of the most amazing creations of science and technology. Who in his wildest dream would have thought about shopping without having to go out of home? Today, it is possible and you can do it using the internet, as everything is available in online stores, with better quality and price. It is due to a change in technology that you see different products with new features and looks. For instance, it is possible to see some of the most innovatively designed watches with features that were only a dream a decade ago.

Although it is true that buying a latest watch is the best idea, you will also find some people who just love the idea of buying and collecting vintage wrist watches. There are a number of reasons why people go for these vintage watches. For some, the old look of these watches work as a driving factor. For others, the history associated with these watches inspires them to spend thousands of dollars. Whatever it is, the good thing is that now everyone can shop for some of the most uniquely designed vintage watches without having to go through any hassle whatsoever.

Many different sites are available online, and they offer a variety of options for lovers of vintage wrist watches. For instance, some of these sites offer newly manufactured watches which are actually designed according to some vintage masterpieces. Buying these watches is a good idea, especially for those who just want to enjoy the look and style of these old watches. However, you will also come across some of those people who don't mind spending top dollar on getting authentic vintage watches. These folks are more interested in collecting these watches rather than wearing them to show off.

For someone interested in collecting wrist watches, it is important to determine his lifestyle and priorities before going any further. Different people may have their interest in different types of vintage watches. Some love the style of moon phase watches, whereas others opt for stop watches or old retrograde watches.

The thing you need to understand is that whether you go for the first option of wearing a watch or you choose the second option of collecting authentic wrist watches, you will have to spend a lot of money. Considering this, it is important that you take your time and perform some research before buying a vintage watch from a seller. The best thing is to go online and check some informative resources to understand the difference between the authentic and fake vintage watches. Moreover, you should consider spending some time in forums, as here you will find people talking about different issues they faced when buying these vintage wrist watches.

The crux of the matter is that collecting vintage wrist watches is something more than a hobby for many people. But it doesn't matter if you are buying these watches to adopt the same old style or want to add some good and authentic ones in your collection, you should consider above mentioned things to make perfect buying decisions.

Sunday, March 5, 2017

How to design a scalable marketing plan



When your business begins gaining momentum, you will need a way to expand the scope of operations without impacting productivity. Expansion involves taking on new employees as well as adding space and equipment to accommodate the larger scale of operations.

Your business's marketing effort will need its own expansion, too, which will require putting a scalable marketing plan in place. Here are some suggestions to set your business up for success on any level when you launch your earliest marketing efforts.

Identifying areas requiring scalability. Entrepreneurs ought to consider scalability in every aspect of a business. After all, the goal is to create a business model that will not be sidetracked by progress. In marketing efforts, search engine optimization (SEO) is essential to any well-run business, as is management of web content, social media, and email promotions. Such Internet-based channels are the principal means through which customers discover and engage with businesses these days.

Finding a scalable approach to marketing also involves finding ways to outsource jobs and increase their regularity as your marketing budget grows. To make this leap without hiring full-time employees, you can use freelance providers such as Vionic — which is available through UPS Small Business Services. In general, there is part-time help whenever you need it.


The nuts and bolts of a scalable marketing plan

When considering scalability, entrepreneurs must think of an increase in target audience, in the wealth of data on the table, in the number of people handling marketing efforts for the company, and, eventually, the number of people involved in company ownership. The blueprint of a scalable marketing effort will include these core elements:

Seeing the potential audience for your business: Even if your clientele resides in a small geographic area, initially, it can still grow to encompass entire regions of the country — if not the whole nation. Search marketing efforts should have a blueprint that is scalable to an audience of any size. Other considerations may apply if you choose to market your products and services to overseas customers.
Grappling with the data market analytics provide: To create effective marketing plans, you will need to identify what is working and what is not. This process involves analyzing data to see which Facebook posts are attracting engagement, which landing pages are leading to sales, and other quantifiable aspects of your business. The secret to properly managing this data is establishing an effective system before the volume of data multiplies.
Paying for services as your budget allows: Apart from the techniques you choose to employ in marketing efforts, you will need to consider budgeting and staffing. It is unlikely you will have the means to hire a marketing team full-time while your business is in its early stages. Outsourcing the work to professionals specializing in contract projects will offer you flexibility as your company grows.

Delegating is crucial

Whether you are outsourcing social media marketing, leaving advertising in a creative agency's hands, or directing a tech-savvy employee to handle SEO efforts, putting a scalable marketing plan into action requires a willingness to delegate responsibilities in your business. This will allow you to remain focused on the bigger picture while your trusted employees manage what may ultimately become a time-consuming aspect of the company.

Expanding your company is good news no matter when it happens, and you should consider marketing concerns a top priority before and after launch.

Monday, February 27, 2017

Why Small Businesses Have a Natural Marketing Advantage



During her National Small Business Week keynote address at the Microsoft Center in Boston on Thursday, Gail Goodman, CEO of marketing firm Constant Contact, said that large companies only wish they had the marketing advantages of a small business. Instead of spending thousands of dollars to find out who their customers are and whether or not they are engaged in meaningful experiences while they are shopping at a big box store, she said, small business owners just have to open up their shop and talk to the customers who come in regularly.

"You are naturally, unbelievably close to your customers," Goodman said. "You don't need focus groups and national research, you talk to them every day. That is easy to translate into revenue growth and more business."

Below, find out the specific advantages Goodman says small businesses have, and how to use them to increase customers and sales.


Ability to create a meaningful experience


Goodman said small business owners' first advantage is possessing "the ability to create a meaningful experience, a wow experience. Think about rising above the ordinary in small ways that delight your customer." She added: "The sad truth is that the customer experience bar is low and small businesses can easily rise above that without it being expensive. It just needs to be real. It's all about bringing a smile to the face of your customer."


Everybody knows your name


Big businesses have to work hard to relate to customers on a local level. But as a small businessperson, you may know your neighbors, customers, and other community members by name. "The second advantage is that you're connected with the community, with the person who owns the store next to you, and to your chamber of commerce. You can work together to build your business, learn, and grow," Goodman said. Your repeat customers become your friends and you can build relationships easily. Your store can become a staple in the community and repeat business will become easy to get.


You know your market


This intimacy with your customers and community means you will become familiar with your market quickly and easily. "The third advantage is that you have a real ability to know your market. Your market is in front of you every day--you don't need research," Goodman said. "You have a new idea, just ask the next three customers who come through the door and see what they think. Talk to people, test, but testing can be done in such a natural and easy way."


The view of the customer experience


Unlike a big company, you can watch customers' reactions when they enter your place of business. "The final advantage you have is that you can see your entire customer experience. You don't need a secret shopper--or undercover CEO--to understand what's happening today in your business, what's delighting your customers, where are the challenges, where the opportunities are to create that great experience. And it's these real relationships that make easier marketing."

Now that you are aware of your business' advantages, it's easy to implement a cheap, effective marketing strategy.


Stay connected


You need to ask your customers to stay connected via email and social media, Goodman said in her speech. "Once you've created that great wow experience, ask: 'Would like you to join our mailing list? We do great industry updates. Follow me on Facebook, fan me, LinkedIn to me,'" she said. "You don't have to do all of them, but pick one or two and ask your customers to stay connected. It has the most consistent reach and ability to deliver the message."


Post online


Small business owners actually know what to say to their customers because they talk to them in person every day. So creating an effective social media strategy is all about using that knowledge and being confident enough to put it online. "With the mobile experience taking off, you need to keep it short: a picture, a paragraph, and a call to action," Goodman said. "Once you get started, your business will inspire other ideas. A customer asks a common question, now you can put together a Q&A post. The holidays are coming up, put together great gift ideas for Father's Day. Your business has a constant flow of obvious things to say and you don't need to be a copywriter. You just need to know how to talk to your customers. Once you start, things will flow."


Continue to leave breadcrumbs


Once you get in a social media groove, don't stop. Continue to post every day and make sure your business can be found on Google, Bing, Yelp, and all the social media platforms you're comfortable with. Just be real and genuine, because these are customers you see all the time. "Real relationships, talking to your customer, what does that do? That really begins to drive your business," Goodman said. "People start to see that and they follow a breadcrumb trail back to your business."


Dig deeper into your contacts


Once you have a good network of customers, reach into their networks. If you run an outdoor sports store and have a network of hikers and mountain climbers, chances are their individual networks are composed of people just like them. "Your customers' social network is your best next prospect. The mantra is "targeted, targeted, targeted"--you want a targeted, relevant audience," Goodman said. "There is nobody more targeted and relevant than your current customers' family, friends, and colleagues. They are geographically and economically targeted."