Category: Insights

Insights

8 Bathroom Problems that Can Be Easily Fixed

on May 17, 2019

Bathrooms are supposed to help you to de-stress and relax after with cold showers and warm baths. But just like other elements of the house they too need proper maintenance and care. Here are a few common problems and solutions to deal with them in a smart way. You can also request and refer free catalogs like Ballard Designs or Pottery Barn for similar solutions and useful products to deal with the maintenance and cleaning issues.

1. Poor Ventilation

Poor ventilation retains moisture and humidity in washrooms. This leads to accumulation or dripping of moisture residue from walls and ceilings. In such cases, it is evident that your washroom has no or little ventilation. To address this problem you may have to repair the damaged fans and install proper ventilation with the assistance of professional. Cleaning ducts from time to time are also recommended and cost around $350.

2. Molds

With poor and improper ventilation molds and mildew is a natural occurrence. Sometimes mold can be toxic to our health and hence it is important that we deal with it as early as possible. To clean the mold, use white vinegar with a spray bottle. Vinegar is non-toxic and safe mold cleaner which does not need to be diluted with water. You can use a brush or cloth to clean the vinegar sprayed surface. Don’t forget to use protective gloves while cleaning. The other (easier) option is to hire a professional Phoenix house cleaning company, or a company wherever you are based, as they are easy to book and the results can be amazing!

3. Slow Drains

Slow drains are the result of debris and hairs getting stuck into the pipes. You can unclog drains by flushing them with drainage products or hot water. If it doesn’t work you may have to fish out stuck items with the help of a drain snake. If you don’t address this problem in time you may have to deal with clogged drains in the near future.

4. Dull Brass Fixtures

You don’t need to buy expensive brass polishers or cleaners to bring back lost shine of your brass fixtures. Make a light paste by mixing equal amounts of lemon juice and baking soda. Use a brush to clean the fixtures with this solution and your brass fixtures would appear new like.

5. Grungy Grouts

Grout tiles may become grungy due to mildew with the passage of time. The best way to deal with them is to clean them with a brush dipped in vinegar. You can also spray vinegar on the infected area and scrub it away after 10 minutes for better results. Bleach is a great alternative to vinegar. Chloride bleach along with an equal amount of water can aid you in cleaning mildew efficiently.

6. Filmy Glassdoors

Glass doors in bathroom showers become filmy with mineral buildup. To get rid of mineral residue spray the door with vinegar and leave it untouched for a few minutes. Next, rub and clean with a paste made from the same amounts of salt and baking soda and rinse the door.

7. Crusty white faucets

To deal with mineral deposits on fixtures you will need white vinegar and three paper towels to get started. Let the paper towels soak in white vinegar and wrap them around the faucets. Let them stay there overnight.

Remove wrapped paper towels the next morning and scrub the faucets with warm water, dishwashing liquid, and a toothbrush. Your faucets will now shine bright enough to reflect the light.

8. Consistently running toilet

Constantly running toilets can be annoying and can bring with them increased water bills. To tackle continuously running toilet all you need to do is peep in the flush tank and simply unstuck the flapper chain that may be stuck and you are good to go.

Conclusion

Most of the issues mentioned above can be dealt with a little amount of expenditure. You may need to buy to utilize simple ingredients like salt, bleach, lemon juice, vinegar or tools like drain snake and plungers to tackle these problems. But ignoring them for long durations may result in bigger issues which will come with extra expenses. Hence, it’s recommended to solve these problems as early as possible. In complicated scenarios, you may have to take the aid of professionals like plumbers and certified cleaners to ensure safe, clean and tidy washrooms.

DevelopmentInsightsProductsSaaS

Ways to Make Your Smart Home Work for You

on May 17, 2019

Over the last few years, smart devices have managed to get everywhere — in your television, your refrigerator, your speakers and even your door locks — but you might not have paid them much mind. You, like 63 percent of the population, might find smart tools “creepy,” or like 55 percent of the population, you might believe the tech to be totally untrustworthy.

In truth, smart technology is in its infancy; compared to another tech, which has developed over decades or centuries, smart tools are brand-new, which means they still have many of the kinks that untested inventions typically have. However, just because smart devices aren’t perfect doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use them. In fact, there are many ways that smart tools can make your life better in major ways. Here are a few ideas to help you make smart technology work for you, so you can enjoy a better-functioning home.

Consider Your Home Troubles

It’s tempting to buy the exact same smart tools that everyone else is buying, but blindly jumping into smart home tech is a near guarantee that you’ll waste your money and be dissatisfied with smart devices. Instead, you should take time to consider exactly what ways you wish your home worked better; muse on what struggles you consistently have with your home and how smart technology could improve it.

A good example of a common home issue is getting locked out of the house. Many people tend to be forgetful with their keys or the locks on their doors, and homes with children might need a way to let their kids get inside without entrusting them with a key. Smart locks allow recognized users to gain access to a property without a key but instead with their smartphones. Users can lock and unlock their homes from anywhere using a mobile phone app, which can be exceedingly useful and anxiety-reducing.

Because there are a near-unlimited number of smart home tools on the market, you can find a device to solve nearly any problem around your home. You should make a list of common problems or else a list of home features you think could better suit your lifestyle and search for smart tech to fit.

Investigate Your Smart Options

It still isn’t time to make any purchases. Once you have a good idea of the tools available to you, specifically those that would enhance your home and life, you will have a good foundation for making a few key decisions about your smart home. In particular, you need to choose which smart home ecosystem is right for you.

Currently, there are three major smart home players: Amazon, Google, and Apple. A handful of smaller players are easy to find as well, to include Samsung, Wink, Hive, Logitech, and Yonomi. Generally, the larger, better-known smart home systems have more devices available, but those devices might come at a steeper price, and, perhaps more importantly, you might not prefer their interface. Because every smart tool that you acquire should be able to integrate with the ones currently in your home, it is imperative not only that you remain consistent in the smart system you use but also that you understand and enjoy using the system.

You can read reviews online to get a sense of how homeowners like you are reacting to various systems, and you can also sample a few systems out at big-box tech stores like Best Buy. After you determine which system is right for your home, you can start purchasing smart tech — but you should make absolutely sure that the devices integrate with your desired system.

Bolster Your Smart Network

Even after you have a cadre of smart tools throughout your home, your job of setting up your smart home isn’t done. That’s because you need to keep your home safe from digital attackers, who utilize relatively insecure smart devices to infiltrate your network and steal your data.

Fortunately, it is rather easy to guard against this type of attack. First, you should acquire a smart device manager, which makes it easier to see all the smart tools on your network and keep them safe. You might also consider setting up your smart tech on a separate network from the one you connect to your computers, so any data saved on your computers is completely inaccessible from your smart devices.

Even with these protections, you need to be diligent about keeping your smart tech up to date in patches for software and firmware. Most cybercriminals use known vulnerabilities in outdated firmware to infiltrate home networks, so with simple updates, you can trust your smart tools to do their job and keep you safe.

Smart technology might seem like a trend now, but it’s unlikely to go away. The sooner you accept some smart tools into your life, the sooner you can benefit from a fully functioning smart home.

InsightsMartech

Reasons Why You Should Give Importance to Video Marketing

on May 15, 2019

It’s the 21st century, and the nature of content marketing has changed manifold. We all know that an image can speak in many ways. When you add a good quality image to a social media post, it increases its popularity manifold.  It is one of the tried and tested tactics of content marketing. And here it is important to mention about video marketing that helps to promote and market your videos. Videos have increased reach and can promote your content in unique ways. It is one of the best marketing methods today that most corporate brands are opting in. Some of the important facts that establish the importance of video marketing include the following:

  • Videos can claim over 80% of web traffic.
  • By embedding videos in your landing page, you can maximize the conversion rate by almost 80%.
  • When you add impressive videos to your email marketing campaigns, the click-through rates can increase between 200% and 300%.
  • More than 90% of the customers find videos helpful when they have to make a buying decision.

It is important to get professional help when you want to make high-quality marketing videos. To know more on this, you can get in touch with Austin SEO agency. Not sure if you want to say yes to video marketing? Refer to the benefits discussed below:

1. Video content helps in maximum brand recall

Based on a HubSpot research about 80% of the consumers will remember a video that they have liked. In fact, if they have watched any influential video in the past 15 days, chances are they will remember it. Video marketing has a visual impact which helps to promote a marketing message better, as you learn if you know more about connectivity for marketers. When an online user remembers video content, he/she also learns about your brand. It automatically translates to lead generation and sales better as well. Also, if an online user has liked a video, chances are he/she will share it as well. And this helps to maximize the online reach.

2. Video marketing can enhance your website SEO

Almost 65% of the business decision-makers choose to visit a website, once they have seen video footage by the brand. Hence, quality content when used through video marketing can significantly enhance your website SEO, by making people curious about your site. It directs people to visit your homepage and learn more about your brand.

3. Video content can perform well on most devices

Responsive design is what impacts online marketing. If your content fails to perform optimally in a chosen browser system or device, it affects the business. There’s less online traffic, and the conversions are also minimal. Video content is apt for all mobile and computing devices. Hence, the reach of the video is much more. And that’s what makes it consumer-driven and user-friendly. If you have added video as a part of your online marketing strategy, you have the best chance to improve your brand message. That aside, you can add a persona to your brand as well! By implementing simple features such as branding and design, to advanced aspects like content and voice, video marketing can boost brand identity. Once you refer to the pointers mentioned above, you can decide better whether you want to resort to video marketing.

DevelopmentInsightsStartups

Business Strategies that Give Your Restaurant an Edge over Others

on May 15, 2019

Every restaurant owner wants to earn profits by providing the best service to their customers. From elegant decor to the chef-curated menu, they want to cater to every customer requirement. Today, the food industry is flourishing at a fast pace. People love to visit themed restaurants for fine dining with their friends and family. They expect complete value for money. Hence, it is important to incorporate a few strategies that can earn profit and consumer goodwill.

Are you planning to open-up a multi-cuisine restaurant? Do you want your customers to revisit your restaurant? Do you want maximum recall value for your brand? If yes, then you can consider the following business strategies:

1. Update your customers on the new menu

For a restaurant, it’s the menu that is the core product. So, whenever you have a new line- up of the best cuisine delicacies, it is essential to inform your loyal customers. If there’s a menu update, occasional discounts or a food festival over a weekend, ensure that you inform your customers through SMS marketing or email marketing. Customers use their Smartphone to check messages as well as emails. Hence, they can check the message and email and visit your restaurant accordingly. It will enhance your brand awareness and also increase the recall value.

2. Implement a food labeling software

People today are making better lifestyle choices. And many people who love food are also health-conscious. They want to know the food ingredients and the nutrient quotient of each platter. It helps them to keep a count on their calories and carbohydrate intake. It is here that you can opt-in for food labeling software, which lets the customers know the ingredient and the nutrient content in a platter. It helps customers to order for their best dishes and maintain a food balance. Another thing to consider is to use a restaurant bookkeeping expert to maintain your accounting system to ensure accurate financial reporting and maximum profitability. 

3. Work on the ambiance

Your restaurant ambiance needs to be thoughtful. Today, customers are not just attracted to the menu, but also the ambiance and the theme. You can have a distinct theme in your eatery or restaurant. For instance, if you are keen to position yourself as a Tibetan restaurant, then you need to implement the required aesthetics that will create the correct backdrop. Your ambiance will complement the food platter as well and result in an immersive experience. Check out some rooftop bars that have amazing ambiance here.

4. Include a suggestion box

Every business wants to generate happy customers. And when you listen to your customer, it makes them happy. Every customer has suggestions they want to share. If you listen to these suggestions, it might carry valuable perspectives that will help you to enhance your business. Hence, you can keep a suggestion box in your restaurant. Alternatively, you can also request your clients to email your suggestions.

Going forward you can arrange for freebies or promo codes for customers who share the best suggestions that you decide to implement. It will help you bond with your customers better, increase sales and customer goodwill. These are some of the essential business strategies that will help you flourish your restaurant business manifold. You can also add another strategy that you deem fit.

DevelopmentInsightsMartech

Are you a Local Business – Here is what you should know about your online reputation

on May 14, 2019

Your reputation online dictates the responsiveness of your target audience and how they perceive your brand. By using a local business review management tool you can identify, monitor and enhance how your customers find you. It is also instrumental in helping you determine what exactly it is they are looking for and their experience with your website and customer service.

The online reputation you have harnessed from previous users isn’t going to be enough to attract future customers. You have to maintain and enhance it so that you can reel in potential customers and provide them with the same level of experience. Consistency is the name of the game here.

The importance of streamlined online reputation management

Managing your digital reputation may sound like a service required to win you the next presidential election or if you’re launching a cutting-edge device. The fact of the matter is, if you want people to spend money on your products or services, you need to first make a good first digital impression. For example, you need to be able to respond to user comments on Facebook in a timely manner. Customer service is what is essentially all about.

In light of this, here are six dynamics you need to understand about your online reputation.

It impacts buying decisions and sales

Source

According to the Local Consumer Review Survey posted by BrightLocal in 2017, it was determined that around 97% of users based their buying decisions on reading online reviews on local businesses. Moreover, according to the same survey, 12% of consumers searched for new local business each day.

There is no question, online reputation management acts as a bedrock for local business success and popularity. Consumers value positive online reviews. You’d be shocked to learn that as per a Moz report back in 2015, four to five bad reviews on any company online cost them 70% of future customers!

Your existing customers will still read new reviews about your product or service or company as a whole, which is why online reputation management can either make or break your digital footprint.

Your digital reputation is eternal

While we aren’t immortal, our business reputation will surely be around for generations to come. The online world has significantly evolved, becoming a sort of a public archive for a variety of things. This includes things that are known and unknown to most. Simply put, in a business sense, your company will always be what people say about it – and it could be frighteningly difficult for you to change anything.

Even if a user says something that is simply not true, there isn’t much you can do about it, other than to not give them a reason to say anything bad. However, comments such as “it’s a scam!” or “don’t shop from this business” can put a lot of potential customers at the backfoot. What is done will remain done; the only thing you can do is effectively manage your online reputation and ensure consistency.

Word of mouth – faster than a speeding bullet!

Source

The speed by which information travels on the web is phenomenal. Social media networks are a great example of how people spread the word around on new businesses and products. As much as this can help businesses grow their brand visibility, it can also destroy them before they can even lift off. Just look at the backlash United Airlines got after it forcibly removed a passenger from an overbooked flight in 2017.

The point is, your customers can either leave you with a 1-star rating or a 5-star rating – both actions depend on a slew of important variables, such as customer service, delivery, quality of the product, response rate and sometimes, boredom. You have to understand that if a customer doesn’t like your website or how sluggish your customer rep was to respond to his queries, one bad review, and down your company goes.

That is why it is so important to keep a check on these incidents and ensure consistency.  As per a research report posted by Vendasta, 95% of unsatisfied users or customers will come back to you if you solve their problem on time.

The opportunity to set the record straight and make things right

Have you looked back on something that you did wrong then jumped on the opportunity to set it right? The feeling is overwhelming, and you don’t have any regrets about anything. Online reputation management is a surefire way to convert a potentially adverse perception of your target audience into trust.

Bad reviews and constructive criticism can be a very good way of acting quickly to change everything that is wrong with your business. You can improve your quality and services and learn from your mistakes. However, repeating the same mistake twice may not give you the opportunity to correct it again.

Sure, it can be heartbreaking to hear a customer talk bad about your business; however, attentively listening to them and converting their criticism into a healthy discussion is a good way of improving your business. That is exactly why a local business review management tool is so important!

The inability to get rid of a bad review

Sure, you can try your best to solve a customer’s problem quickly and effectively, and you can overshadow some bad comments as well.  But what you can’t do is delete negative comments. Sometimes an angry customer is just looking for validation or a refund. Good reputation management includes taking on-time actions on resolving and de-escalating consumer complications in a harmonious yet professional way.

You can also try to overshadow bad comments by pushing your content at the top of the SERPs, getting rid of the negative search results on Google. After all, most people don’t go past the first page on Google when searching for information or products.

Final words

Overall, these are some vital elements that will dictate your online reputation for better or for worse. If you are meticulous with your digital strategy, ensure quality and consistency, and are willing to solve problems on time, there is nothing for you to worry about.

DevelopmentInsights

Some of The Most Vital Aspects of Google AdWords for Real Estate Investors

on May 9, 2019

We are living in the most advanced scenario, where people are engaging with the internet. These days, many people are taking advantages of AdWords in their business. If you are a real estate investor, then you must understand the outcomes of AdWords. People those want to make the use of PPC advertising can easily able to access its AdWords Account wisely.

If you create an effective strategy which is useful in the AdWords, then you must pay attention to it because it would be supportive in the business. You can call these guys in order to collect more information regarding Google AdWords and understand the process of using the AdWords.

Eight smart steps away from a victorious campaign

If you find yourself a typical real estate investor, then do not get pessimist because this is the time to show yourself. Here are some steps that will help you to get a successful campaign –

Step 1–Create a perfect plan; you need to design a plan for the campaign and try to think about the ROI. Try to write some plan down and revisit it properly. A successful investment plan always works, so simply choose the type of campaign that you want to build. Instead of this, you can also determine the acquisition cost of the customer.

Step 2 – Now the time is to find a perfect keyword, so let get yourself in the research. Once you get the directions plan then the time is to research your market, some keywords and the most important is the opponents that will give you high competition.

Step 3 – Now, the time is to control the Unique Selling Proposition. Basically, USP would be a great benefit that you take.

Step 4 – Audiences offers and ad copy make it possible to analyze everything. One thing that you keep into the mind is that the idea offered by the competitor is unique but do not copy it.

Step 5 – Try to write ad text that stands out because this would be the best formula for you that can grab more and more traffic on the site and enhance the chances of getting the best outcomes.

Step 6– Pay attention to the quality and high converting landing pages which are mobile approachable. If you have the well-optimized landing page, then it would be supportive for enhancing the conversion rate and pull down the cost per clicks.

Step 7– Now the time is to install the conversation and lead tracking, so it will help you to enhance the ROI from AdWords, so you must trace the sales funnel by the help of keyword to the consumer.

Step 8 – Setting up the campaign for the AdWords search campaign. You should simply use the search and try to disable the Display network when you are newly making the campaign.

Well, we have covered all the significant 8 steps away from a successful campaign of which you can take benefits.

DevelopmentInsightsProducts

6 Ways to Manage Your Complicated Solar Projects

on May 7, 2019

Back in 1997, the price of a solar panel was approximately 227 times higher than what it is today. To be specific, the rate stood at $101.5 per watt back then, and it is currently at $0.447 per watt. Moreover, the US stands at number 3 as the country with the leading annual solar power installations.

In fact, there is a new solar panel system installed every 4 minutes. These numbers reveal the lucrative market for solar PV systems. On top of that, more and more people are becoming aware of the need for clean energy, another reason why the solar market is doing so well.

Having a solid market demand, however, does not mean that your solar business is going to run smoothly. If anything, complicated solar projects are common. Only effective management can prevent roadblocks.

In this context, here are some useful tips for managing your complicated solar projects;

1. Sit and discuss the issue with your client

The first and foremost step to a successful project is client communication. To this end, it is essential that you understand your client’s concern, so that you can solve the issue accordingly.

It’s best to communicate effectively since the start of the solar roofing, installation, or any such work. Proper communication here that aims to understand the client’s requirements genuinely can help prevent obstacles throughout the project.

2. Research your audience

Although this step comes before you launch your business, you can always do it later on as well. In fact, audience research continues as your solar business grows. Keep in mind that your business is to serve your audience by providing solar energy solutions to them. And, research is the basic element that can help you comprehend what your customers want.

Understanding your audience via research will help you in two ways majorly. Firstly, you can dive into your customers’ pain points and develop a marketing strategy that focuses on solving those problems.

Secondly, you can get an in-depth look at your clients’ common problems. Once you note these regular issues, you can devise a strategy to solve them, which can assist in removing the complications from your solar projects.

3. Educate your prospects and consumers

A lot of problems surface when existing customers and new prospects fail to understand your services, pricing, or anything else related to the solar PV system. An easy and effective way to solve these issues is by educating your audience.

To this end, you can start an email newsletter, send an informative pdf or leaflet, or blog regularly. As you research your market, you’ll learn what troubles your customers. Take these pain points and convert them into topics for your blog posts.

This tips will not only help simplify your business projects, but help increase your solar sales. A report reveals 81% of the interested buyers conduct online research before sealing a business deal. Furthermore, research confirms that47% of the prospects read at least 3-5 content pieces from your blog before they get in touch.

Hence, by putting educational and valuable content on your site, you show your expertise to your potential clients, which can help boost sales and revenue.

4. Simplify the first steps

More often than not, complications in a solar project arise even before work on the project starts. If you wipe the hiccups in the first stages, you will simplify, at least, half of the process. Moreover, in this way, the entire process of working with you won’t be complication-ridden.

In this context, one of the most common issues consumers face is the lack of contact information regarding the business. You can always help them with the information on where to get solar panel maintenance or anything related to your solar panel systems. So, make sure sufficient contact details including your business number are given on your website.

It is also best that you enhance customer experience on your website by improving its page load speed. Surveys by Gomez.com and Akamai highlight that half of the visitors on your site expect it to load in two seconds or less. Any delay in the page load speed would translate into the prospect abandoning your site and business.

5. Enhance customer experience

Aim to boost customer experience in everything that you do. For instance, striving to communicate well with your customer is one way to boost the client’s experience. When your customer’s experience is good, he feels valued. This reduces the likelihood of your customer getting annoyed when problems poke out of a solar project.

If anything your client will put in more effort into explaining his problem, which can help in reducing and solving the obstacles in the path of project completion. Again, this tip works in favor of your solar sales as a happy customer irrespective of the project complications shares his positive experience with other people.

On the other hand, an unsatisfied customer passes on anti-referrals to about 16 others. Therefore, you should focus on improving the customer experience. Another closely related point is getting customer feedback. This will give you an idea of how you can improve your solar products or installation services business as per your audience’s requirements.

6. Use tech to improve your product as well as services

Lastly, employ technology to solve your complications. For instance, use tech to boost your product quality. On average, solar panels convert less than 14% of the solar radiation into energy.

This is pretty less.

However, by offering another efficiency-boosting tech, you can solve a lot of your customers’ problems. A case in point here is offering solar concentrators. These can optimize the output of the PV system by roughly 50%.

Similarly, you can use software and CRM services to streamline work on several projects and manage things better. This can help chop the odds of snags in your work.

Final thoughts

Complications in your solar projects are inevitable. However, by managing them adequately, you can move forward with your business. The best way to sail through such issues smoothly is striving to understand your client’s problem, trying to effectively communicate with him, and finally putting all efforts in solving the issue.

Bear in mind that the chances of selling to a customer who is happy or getting referrals via him are fourteen times higher than selling to a new prospect. Therefore, you can’t choose to ignore these issues. If anything, work to remove them from the start or boost the quality of your work as you gain experience in your line of work.

DevelopmentInsightsMartechProducts

Everyday Items that Can Change Your Branded Giveaway Game

on April 29, 2019

Promotional products are integral parts of tradeshows and product campaigns. They should never be an afterthought. Sometimes, brands spend months trying to find their one “magical” promotional product that can turn their business around. Whether you aim to sell your products or to introduce a new service; you can leverage promotional items to reach that goal.

Why should your promotional product be common but useful?

The first mistake most brands make is choosing something rather uncommon or unique as their promotional product. Your promotional product should increase the engagement between your consumer and the brand. If it is unique and the target consumer only uses it sparingly, you should think twice before buying and customizing the item in bulk. The product you choose for promotional purposes should be useful and durable. Something as familiar as a pen with customized branding can deliver higher recall than something unique like branded beach towels or snow shovels that people use only in particular season and limited areas.

While surveying items for promotional needs, do not forget to look at everyday things that people buy and keep in their homes, cars or offices. Visit https://www.superior-resource.com/services/promotional-products-nyc/ for a fresh look at the things you can customize for your promotional campaigns.

The seven every day but useful branded giveaways

Here are seven grand ideas for promotional products your brand should leverage in the upcoming trade shows –

1. Throw pillows

Who does not have throw-pillows and cushions at home or office? People love using throw pillows, and no one can have enough of them. There is no reason you cannot use them as giveaways. Create a nice design, keep the logo small and tasteful, incorporate your brand colors and make sure they are plush! Customized throw-pillows are the new “pen” of the promotional product world. Since they don’t have a seasonal factor, people tend to use them in their living rooms or office all year round.

2. Kitchen sponges

Move over coasters; it is the time of the kitchen sponge. With a drastic increase in microwave resistant cookware, people are buying and dumping sponges every week! There is a sudden surge in demand for good quality, reusable kitchen sponges. While a good sponge is not necessarily great looking, you can design one with your brand logo and colors that works great and looks stunning. They are the perfect low-budget giveaways when your target audience is a homemaker or a person, who takes special care in keeping their house clean.

3. Picture frames

We have all been in love with photo frames since time immemorial. Your customer can choose to display family photos, pet photos or graduation photos in a frame with your brand colors. Customization of a frame can help your brand engage with the customer and his or her family every time they look at their photo. Be careful to keep your logo small and tasteful.

4. Storage containers

Storage containers from recycled wood pulp and fiber are our favorites. No homeowner has ever said he or she has enough storage bins in the house. There are always new books, new clothes or new toys that require discrete storage. Design containers from recycled material to uphold your brand’s environmentally friendly image. Don’t forget to include your logo and message on the unique but useful gifts!

5. Socks

Unisex, ankle-length socks are perfect for almost everyone. Whether you are targeting kids or their parents, designing socks in attractive colors and patterns can become your brand’s best chance to lure in more customers. Socks are so easy to customize and design! They are always within the budget. You can think about creating only ankle-length socks or customize a variety of lengths for your target customers. More brands should think about using them as promotional giveaways in events and tradeshows.

6. Water bottles

If your consumer loves the outdoors, you should think about designing eco-friendly and BPA-free water bottles that can keep their drinking water cool for hours. Get a custom labeled, see-through bottle with a water drinking guide. It should not only help your consumers stay hydrated, but it should refresh your brand’s memory each time he or she takes a sip.

7. Scented candles

Scented candles are the black lights and fairy lights of 2019. Do you sell coffee? You can think about giving away coffee-scented candles with your logo on the lid. Give away candles according to seasonally trending smells. The next time your target consumer comes across the same fragrance in a mall, he or she will think about your brand only! It is an entirely scientific method that helps link memory to a scent. Studies show that this method is effective more than 90% of the times.

Brands should consider their demographics before they select the products they want to customize for promotions. These seven items are only suggestions. There are hundreds of budget-friendly, durable and high-quality items out there that you can use to establish high brand recall. Research shows that conducting consumer surveys on promotional products they have used often yields a guideline for new brands.

DevelopmentInsightsProducts

Cracked iPhone Screen: Here’s What you Should Do!

on April 25, 2019

What happens after your drop your prized iPhone? Panic! Pure panic sets in because we know how fragile those touchscreens can be. When you manage to shatter or crack your display screen, you should immediately start thinking about repair options. Sometimes, you even need to consider using it with minor cracks after a soft fall.

No matter what you decide to do, this guide can be of help.

Keep your fingers safe

If you have a broken iPhone screen, first check if sharp shards are sticking out. You don’t want to break your iPhone and land up in the emergency room on the same day! Secure the pieces with clear wrapping plastic so that the repair person has access to it.

Inspect the damage

How damaged is the screen? Is it one clean crack? Can you still use it? Does the screen look like a cobweb? Is it wholly shattered with pieces falling off? Assessing the degree of damage can help you make the next decision.

In the event of minor damage, Apple might make an exception. You might be able to get authorized service from Apple stores in Orlando for minor repairs.

However, since Apple does not cover any physical damage to its products, you might have to seek out local repair services. Local repair shops in Orlando are often cheaper than Apple repair services.

Call a service center – repair options

1. Come to your repair services

The modern service centers for Apple products provide door-to-door repair service to their customers. They understand how important a phone might be and how impossible it is for some to get away from their jobs or homes for even an hour. These enterprises send highly skilled and specially trained technicians to their client’s doorstep to cater to their need. Check out Love My Phone Orlando iPhone screen repair for “come to you” repair options near your location.

2. Mail-in repair services

In case you don’t have access to a “come to you” repair option, you can check with mail-in repair services near you. You don’t need to go and wait listlessly at service centers for fixing your broken screen. You can mail your broken phone to a registered and authentic address in Orlando. Before you send your precious phone, always ensure that the company has excellent reviews. The only downside to mail-in repairs is their return time. You may have to wait for more than a week for the repair or replacement of a screen.

Self-service!

Fixing an iPhone screen is not rocket science, but it is the option only accessible to tech-savvy iPhone owners. Repairing the touchscreen of any iPhone model is a delicate process that requires confidence and finesse. You might be able to master it after watching an endless number of YouTube videos, but it is still risky. There are uncountable numbers of small cables that are fragile and require delicate handling. Apple warranty services will not cover tearing these cables or damaging the iPhone while trying to fix the screen.

Keep using it

When your iPhone is still working, and the screen does not have multiple scratches, you should be able to use it for a couple more days till the replacement becomes imminent or it is time to buy a new phone. Unless you are planning to resell it, trading it or giving it to someone, you can keep using your iPhone with minimal cracks and scratches.

DevelopmentInsightsMartech

Custom Manufacturing: Expectations vs Reality

on April 15, 2019

After years of decline and overall slow growth, the manufacturing sector is starting to thrive once again. No doubt aided by technological growth and innovation, the uptick should largely be seen as a positive thing.

On the flip side, however, there are still major challenges to be faced.

In this article, we take a look at what these challenges are – and we also present some solutions.

Shortage of Labor

Baby boomers acquired lots of skills that were valuable to the manufacturing sector. In 2019, however, many are exiting the workforce and taking those skills with them. As a result, the worry is that they’ll leave behind 2.4 million unfulfilled jobs.

The rise of Artificial Intelligence, robots and automation are helping to plug the gap, but only to a certain extent. A labor shortage is real, with the lack of trade school opportunities for young people being a growing problem.

A solution lies with solid training programs aimed at teaching candidates the right skills needed to thrive in the manufacturing sector. These skills include sheet rolling, robotics programming, and welding.

Manufacturers also need to improve the way they attract workers, and this means employing extensive digital marketing strategies and utilizing social media.

Keeping Up To Date With The Latest Technologies

Cloud computing, robotics, artificial intelligence and the Industrial Internet of Things are just some examples of advanced technology that is helping the custom manufacturing sector.

The problem is that many manufacturers are struggling to keep abreast of all the latest changes and advances. Worse still, technologies are developing at such a fast pace that once manufacturers have got to grips with a piece of technology, a new one is developed.

It’s a smart idea for businesses to work closely with consulting firms who have experience with manufacturing, and the latest technologies. This will allow the business to make faster strides forward, and it will give them the insights and assistance needed to adapt as fast as – if not faster – than their rivals.

This is key because, as analyst firm IDC points out, spending on drones and robotic systems is expected to eclipse $115 billion by the end of 2019.

Other technologies manufacturers need to get to grips with include blockchain, which will soon directly impact the cost-effectiveness, security, and speed of financial transactions and operations in the manufacturing sector.

3D printing is another piece of technology that is continuing to evolve and improve. Its ultimate benefit will be cheaper, stronger and better manufacturing.

Cybersecurity

So, technology is rapidly evolving. While this is clearly beneficial to the manufacturing sector, there is a darker side. Namely, those cybercriminals are upping their game at the same time.

Cryptominer’s and banking Trojans have been named as the two biggest cybersecurity threats that the manufacturing industry is now facing. The concern is that too many manufacturers are still using old and outdated security systems that are simply unable to thwart these attacks.

Businesses need to start employing better, more sophisticated and advanced ways of keeping their networks strong and secure. The traditional firewall approach that worked in the past is no longer enough.

To that end, it’s a good idea to make sure all your computer security software is updated frequently. Educate your staff about the telltale warning signs, too.

Fierce Global Competition

The U.S. has traditionally been the world’s most competitive economy – but all that has now changed. China is now leading the way, although the U.S. is still in hot pursuit.

To get back on track, attracting the best talent and getting to grips with the most sophisticated and up-to-date technologies are essential. Production will need to be shifted to a higher value, too, while offering new service-based pricing models and product-as-a-service are seen as other ways to keep the manufacturing sector competitive.

Attracting The Right Leads

In the past, manufacturers would rely on ‘old school’ ways of attracting leads – cold calls, trade shows and the like. In 2019, that won’t cut it anymore.

Manufacturers need to invest heavily in a robust digital marketing strategy. While building a website is important, what’s more, important is that manufacturers take care of the many facets of digital marketing to increase leads. This means creating content marketing campaigns, SEO campaigns, email marketing campaigns, and even social media campaigns.

Digital marketing is all about building relationships and connecting with people where they are at. It also means creating lots of value and giving things away for free that educates their audiences, such as eBooks, case studies and infographics.

Conclusion

Whatever kind of manufacturing industry you’re involved in, it’s really important that you’re aware of the expectations and the realities.

Custom manufacturing is heading in the right direction, and it’s really important that your business follows the latest trends. Use the tips in this article to get up-to-date with where custom manufacturing is, and then put into place plans of action that generates better results in our ever-evolving world.

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