For many reasons, web accessibility issues are currently a front-page topic. As such, it’s a good time to reassess whether your sites are part of the solution or part of the problem.

To help you out, in this post we’ll discuss how a number of often-used web elements can actually hamper your site’s accessibility. Of course, we’ll also chat about the best path toward making sure you’re not on the wrong side of the fence.

Let’s get right to work!

Why does web accessibility matter?

In general parlance, accessibility can mean several things. From a high-concept standpoint, it’s about how easily you can obtain what you need. When it comes to the web, however, we’re looking at a more concrete meaning for the term.

When browsing a website, there are plenty of elements that can potentially serve as an annoyance, hindrance or roadblock to a visitor’s desired action — especially for those with physical or mental impairments.

Even simple aspects, such as the choice of color for your design, can severely hamper user experience (UX) for visually challenged users.

There are many types of people with impairments who are presented with web accessibility issues. This means there are several parts of your website that might need some work.

Related: What is web accessibility, why does it matter, and how do you get started?

Watch out for web accessibility issues with these 5 popular site elements

At this point, we’re going to look at five elements that most websites have, which can create web accessibility issues if not handled carefully. When it comes to addressing these aspects of your site’s design, we’ll be taking our cue from the A11Y Project, a community-driven way of making web accessibility easier. The five elements are:

1. Sliders.
2. Forms.
3. Links.
4. Colors.
5. Text.

Let’s start addressing these issues one by one.

1. Sliders

First, let’s discuss sliders (also called carousels). They’ve been a staple of the web for a while, and are a popular method for showcasing a lot of content. However, sliders also have many detractors.

As it turns out, sliders are actually pretty terrible for accessibility. They can be confusing to navigate, and are often hard or impossible for screen reader technology to make sense of.

If that’s not a strong enough argument, sliders are also bad news for your site’s search engine optimization (SEO).

Rather than go through all the reasons here to avoid sliders — of which there are many — we’ll simply point you toward the excellent Yoast SEO blog post on the matter. Think twice before adopting a slider or carousel on your next site. It’s accessibility might be at stake!

Related: Coding for SEO — A simple guide to search engine optimization (SEO) through development

2. Forms

Anyone who’s tried to navigate a poorly designed form with a keyboard knows this can spell disaster for accessibility.

Forms are one of the most crucial elements to get right, as they represent the end of your conversion funnel.

As such, it’s worth spending the time needed to get everything in order.

A11Y guidelines recommend taking the following steps to improve all forms on your site:

• Make sure the tab order of the form is correct and logical.
• Have the correct label in place for each field.
• Remove all <placeholder> tags before pushing the form live.
• Group related elements, such as radio buttons and checkboxes, using fieldset.

Fortunately, many of these tasks are taken care of by popular WordPress accessibility plugins. However, it’s still worth double-checking each element before your forms go live.

3. Links

You might not think that links could cause web accessibility issues — but you’d be wrong. Fortunately, there are only a few things you need to get right with links, and their accessibility value usually comes down to simple elements such as colors and sizes.

After that, practically everyone will find the following beneficial:

• Employ skip nav links where possible.
• Check to ensure that links are clearly visible, usually through underlining and/or prominent colors.
• Include the :focus state.

For those using screen readers, the last two items on the list are especially important. This should be reason enough to implement them on your site.

4. Colors

This is one aspect many people skip, as colors are often pre-determined — especially if you’re dealing with a brand that has a defined visual look. However, your site’s colors impact many types of visitors, so you don’t want to just ignore them.

For example, the earlier you can test your design’s contrast levels, the better.

Colors that are too similar can make it difficult to tell various elements apart, and to navigate your site seamlessly.

A tool such as Contrast Ratio can help you improve your site’s visuals for all users, regardless of their specific impairment.

Color blindness in particular can be a challenge to account for, as there are multiple types you need to consider. Toptal’s Colorblind Web Page Filter tool lets you see how well your site is optimized for each variety of colorblindness, helping you make it accessible for all.

5. Text

This final web accessibility element is a little broad, but crucial. When it comes to text, there are plenty of aspects that warrant your attention.

Given that text is arguably your site’s most important ingredient, you should at the very least focus on making it enjoyable and accessible for everyone to read.

For starters, those with visual impairments will find their screen readers much easier to use when there are language attributes included in your pages’ HTML (such as lang=“en”).

Also, using semantic headings and clear structures will help all users read through your content, regardless of their primary method for doing so.

Images also have a role to play, of course, especially since someone who is visually impaired won’t be able to view them. That’s where alt text comes in handy by providing a written description of each image.

Our advice for writing alt text is to be as descriptive as possible, without being overly wordy.

Time to get started

Making sure a website is accessible for all potential visitors is often low on the list of web development priorities. However, to do this is essentially stating that some visitors aren’t as important as others. Of course, nothing could be further from the truth.

While there are a ton of elements that could cause web accessibility issues, you’d do well to focus on the most popular — and therefore most used — elements. The A11Y Project offers a library of patterns that can help you get started, while a little research and common sense can take care of the rest!

The post Web accessibility issues with 5 popular site elements appeared first on GoDaddy Blog.

Various types of wasteful processes slow down software delivery efficiency and effectiveness. Eliminate waste from Agile and Waterfall delivery.

On a scale of 1 to 10, how efficiently do you believe your company delivers software? Now, on that same scale, how efficiently do your customers think you deliver software?

In a three-part series, I’ll focus on the elimination of waste from our software development efforts.

Waste elimination traces back to the mid-1900s, the birth of lean manufacturing, and the Toyota Production System (TPS). The main objectives of the TPS are to design out overburden (muri), inconsistency (mura), and eliminate waste (muda). TPS has been so successful that it has been widely adopted by Toyota’s competitors as well as outside of the auto manufacturing industry.

You may wonder, why I am talking about TPS in a software delivery blog and why now?

Having played different roles in the Application Development and Delivery process (software developer, tester, product manager, scrum master, manager, architect) for nine years and then stepping into a management consulting role for the next seven years (strategic planning, business-technology consultant), I have encountered numerous companies that struggle with their ability to deliver software efficiently.

I have found that companies produce much waste in their software delivery processes – whether they’re growing aggressively through innovation or acquisitions, undergoing cross-functional transformations, or relying heavily on custom-built legacy software. This “waste debt” continually hampers the nimbleness of the company’s ability to respond to business needs until they eliminate the root of the waste.

An Agnostic of Agile

The word “Lean” has recently moved into our everyday life. In the past few years, I have started challenging myself to adopt a lean mindset.

On a personal level, “Lean” means getting in better physical shape. To accomplish this goal requires a systematic plan – eat healthily, eat smaller portions, and hit the gym at least three times a week. The improvement does not stop there, and for sustained results, I need to execute, maintain and tweak the plan. You may agree that it takes months before you see the change you desire.

Likewise, during my consulting career, I found almost every company has initiatives on their strategic agenda to streamline operations, reduce technical debt, improve IT and Business processes and adopt a continuous improvement/delivery mindset. “Lean,” “Agile,” and “Digital” are terms slowly integrating into businesses as they look for ways to deliver products cheaper, faster, and better.

Software delivery processes require increased efficiency as well to enable these improvements. Adopting an Agile framework might provide some critical foundational work to move the needle in this area. However, to raise-the-bar, there is a growing need to “trim the extra fat” from even agile software delivery processes. To follow my analogy, to take the lean fit body to the next level we need to develop six-pack abs, which require extra work!

We have found that by innovatively applying Lean Six Sigma principles to the context of software development and delivery, we can take enterprise agility to the next level.

Types of Wastes in the Software Delivery Process

Agility comes by removing the inefficiencies from Application Development and Delivery processes. Here are types of waste within delivery processes and a few representative reasons for these inefficiencies:

High wait times:

• There is a cumbersome approval process to make decisions.
• There is a lot of back and forth between IT and Business due to unclear expectations and lack of preparedness.

Rework:

• Lack of clarity in business specifications and change requests force the team to schedule additional meetings to rework requirements.
• Misinterpretation of requirements and inadequate data in the testing environment to prove success causes testing phase failure.
• QA and UAT timelines overlap, leading to duplicated testing efforts and rework loops.

Over-delivery of low-priority work:

• Multiple avenues for work intake create inconsistent and time-consuming processes and documentation.
• The team spends significant time checking emails, attending meetings, status reports, training, and other low priority tasks.

Context switching:

• The SDLC process results in canceled or re-prioritized projects, causing an unexpected realignment of resources.
• Project resources work on multiple projects at the same time resulting in switching between tasks.
• In-scope initiatives and timelines constantly change to meet a set deadline.

Lack of automation:

• Testing processes still primarily rely on manual processes.
• The team deploys code manually, and manually updates change logs.
• Absence of component level testing done earlier in the delivery process results in defects later in the delivery process.

Inflexible workforce:

• Vertical IT delivery organizations monopolize resources with limited sharing between silos despite common technologies in use.
• In-demand resources, such as subject matter experts, are not available when needed.

Reevaluate Your Software Delivery Process

Now let’s revisit our 1 to 10 scale. Is your level of efficiency the same, or did you recognize some areas of inefficiency previously overlooked? Which areas are the top three in which your business struggles most?

Don’t worry! Next time we’ll take a look at how you can leverage our proven process improvement techniques to address these inefficiencies.

The post Eliminating Waste from Agile and Waterfall Delivery to Improve Business Performance appeared first on Centric Consulting.

Mileage tracker apps are a valuable tool for both small business owners and their teams. If your operations cause you or your employees to track travel that needs to be reimbursed, billed to clients — or if you want to deduct the expense of business travel on your tax return — the logistics can be a nightmare.

Manually recording time, travel, distance, the purpose of the trip, and receipts into a central location can be cumbersome for even the most organized person. Mileage tracking apps can do all the work for you, store valuable information and make reimbursements or deductions a painless process.

Related: What you need to know about writing off auto expenses

6 best mileage tracker apps for small businesses

While there are multiple mileage tracker apps, we’ve reviewed six of the best. Check out the costs, key features, pros and cons of each app.

1. MileIQ.
2. Hurdlr.
3. QuickBooks Self Employed.
4. SherpaShare.
5. TripLog.
6. Everlance.

A common feature of mileage tracker apps is automatic tracking, which is when an app uses the GPS on your smartphone to automatically track any car ride, and then logs that into your account. You’ll note we’ve explained if the apps include this feature and any specifications. App ratings are based on a five-point star system.

Let’s jump in.

Editor’s note: All features and prices listed are accurate at the time of publication.

1. MileIQ

• Cost
  • Basic plan: free, limited to 40 trips per month
  • Premium plan: $5.99/month or $59.99/year (paid annually)
  • Teams plan: (enterprise) pricing available upon request
  • MileIQ is included with Microsoft Office 365 from GoDaddy, in the Business Premium plan, with pricing starting at $9.99 user/month
• Automatic mileage tracking: Yes
• Key features: Intuitive software learns your regular routes and locations — after minimal setup, the system runs itself
• Best for: Business owners looking for a mileage tracking system to set and forget with robust reporting capabilities, and companies with multiple employees that need to use the same system to track mileage
• App ratings
  • Apple: 4.6 with 16,500 ratings
  • Android: 4.5 with 49,523 ratings

MileIQ has intelligent software capabilities that recognize frequent trips and allow you to flag regular routes and locations. After you flag or confirm those routes, they’ll automatically be classified. You can also set work hours, including customized shifts. Anytime you drive during those times, miles will be tracked. Hours can be customizable, which is beneficial for owners or employees that work different hours each week.

The main benefit to MileIQ is ease of use — you can set up the app and have it run in the background of your phone.

There’s a simple swiping functionality when reviewing trips: swipe right for business, left for personal. The reporting system is fairly robust and can be accessed via your mobile device or the desktop dashboard.

While the free plan is limited to 40 trips per month, if your business is already using Microsoft Office 365, the premium version of the app is included at no cost.

Paid plans are on par with other options. The enterprise version is meant for teams with multiple employees that need to complete a mileage log approved by an administrator.

A potential drawback could be that the system only tracks miles. If you want a combined expense-tracking program or advanced accounting capabilities, options like Hurdlr might be a better option. Although you can integrate your MileIQ with QuickBooks or Freshbooks.

2. Hurdlr

• Cost
  • Basic plan: Free, for single users
  • Premium plan: $7.99/month or $59.88/year (paid annually)
• Automatic mileage tracking: Yes, available with a premium plan
• Key features: Integrations with other platforms and apps, the ability to track income and expenses to forecast profits and estimate taxes
• Best for: Freelancers, solopreneurs, real estate agents, or self-employed individuals that want an all-in-one expense tracker
• App ratings
  • Apple: 4.7 with 4,100 ratings
  • Android: 4.5 with 4,077 ratings

Hurdlr is a full-fledged expense tracker that you can use to track any business expense. This app is beneficial for anyone looking for more than just a mileage tracker. You can also integrate income into the accounting system to estimate taxes (based on expenses versus income).

What sets this app apart are the integrations with popular gig-economy platforms, like Upwork, as well as Airbnb and real estate-specific features.

The company markets themselves to self-employed contractors, freelancers, independent real estate agents and those who make supplemental income via renting homes. One downside is that automatic mileage tracking is not available on the free version.

3. QuickBooks Self Employed

• Cost: Self-Employed QuickBooks account: $10/month
• Automatic mileage Tracking: Yes
• Key features: QuickBooks can serve as your entire accounting software; you can add mileage from your tracker directly to invoices
• Best for: Self-employed individuals or small business owners looking for a mileage tracking app that automatically integrates into their accounting system
• App ratings
  • Apple: 4.5 with 13,100 ratings
  • Android: 4.4 with 19,108 ratings

QuickBooks offers a self-employed version (SEQB) with the lowest price tag, in comparison to their other business plans that also include mileage tracker apps. The automatic tracker works in the background of your smart device and records your travels via GPS. You can also manually add mileage as well.

The unique selling point with SEQB is the built-in functionality via the accounting platform.

Mileage from the app can automatically populate into your TurboTax account when you’re doing taxes (if you have it connected). You can also download IRS-compliant forms to give to your CPA or accountant.

If you charge clients for mileage, QuickBooks lets you add the mileage directly to a client’s invoice.

SEQB is only meant for one person. If you have employees, you’d be better to check out options like MileIQ enterprise or TripLog. Even for solopreneurs, a potential drawback is that SEQB cannot upgrade to another small business QuickBooks account. So if you plan to expand or add new employees, there might be extra work to switch over accounts.

4. SherpaShare

• Cost
  • Basic plan: $5.99/month or $59.88/year (paid annually)
  • Super premium plan: $10 per month
• Automatic mileage tracking: Yes
• Key features: Unlimited mileage tracking, in addition to SmartDriver tools with helpful data and insights
• Best for: Rideshare drivers who want mileage tracking along with advice and tools on locations, routes, and ways to optimize earnings
• App ratings:
  • Apple: 4.5 with 1,100 ratings
  • Android: 4.5 with 2,891 ratings

Many business owners have side hustles to bring in extra income. If your side gigs include ridesharing for Uber or Lyft, SherpaShare stands out from other mileage tracker apps. It not only tracks all of your mileage for tax deductions but offers deep analytics to help you improve your driving profitability.

SherpaShare’s offers SmartDriver Tools that include:

• Hourly revenue and profit charts
• Heatmaps that plot other drivers’ locations so you can find underserved areas and revenue-maximizing intersections
• A driver-to-driver chat platform
• A compass that analyzes past fares and recommends profitable routes

You can use this mileage tracker app if you’re not a rideshare driver. But with the price tag and primary focus, it’s value is best used by Uber or Lyft drivers. For other business owners or solopreneurs, try out the other mileage tracker apps on the list.

5. TripLog

• Cost
  • Free plan: No automatic tracking, limited to five vehicles
  • Basic plan: $2/month
  • Premium plan: $4/month
• Enterprise version: pricing available upon request
• Automatic mileage tracking: Yes, with paid versions
• Key features: Lots of options—manual tracking, automatic tracking or plug-in to car’s bluetooth system; can also view routes directly on Google Maps
• Best for: Small businesses with multiple employees/contractors that need to track mileage on one system
• App ratings:
  • Apple: 4.5 with 755 ratings
  • Android: 4.6 with 2,387 ratings

With TripLog you can have multiple cars and drivers on one tracking system. A feature that sets TripLog apart from other mileage tracker apps is the various options for tracking miles: manual tracking, automatic tracking, connection to vehicle Bluetooth, iBeacon, OBD-II, Plug-N-Go and app widgets.

The enterprise version of TripLog is feature-rich. Not only does it support multiple drivers, but the administrator of the account can set-up variable rates, per diems, as well as track fuel purchases.

One con is that the free version only allows for manually adding trips, which slightly defeats the purpose of mileage tracker apps. However, the basic and premium plans are relatively inexpensive compared to the cost of other apps.

6. Everlance

• Cost:
  • Basic plan: free, limited to 30 trips per month
  • Premium plan: $8/month or $60/year (paid annually)
  • Team plan: pricing available upon request
• Automatic mileage tracking: Yes
• Key features: Simplicity, the app creators (and reviewers) confirm the user interface is clean, simple and easy to use
• Best for: Self-employed contractors who want straightforward mileage tracker apps with expense tracking as an option
• App ratings:
  • Apple: 4.9 out of 5,000 ratings
  • Android: 4.7 with 9,993 ratings

Everlance is the highest rated mileage tracker app on the list. It’s a complete expense tracker, so you can keep tabs on mileage with the automated GPS system on your smart device, as well as record other expenses. The app’s accounting system generates IRS-compliant forms with itemized expenses for deductions at tax time.

Similar to MileIQ, with Everlance you can swipe to quickly categorize your trips as personal or business. While this app was rated the best mileage app for small business, it also boasts some big name corporate customers on their enterprise platform, like Century21 and Coca-Cola.

The free version is limited to 30 trips per month, so if you’re looking an unlimited, low-cost mileage tracker app, you might want to turn to another option.

Automate your reporting with mileage tracker apps

If you’ve ever attempted to guesstimate your mileage as a contractor or business owner, you know it isn’t an easy process. Reimbursing employees for mileage can also be difficult and drawn-out.

Mileage tracker apps make it easy to keep an up-to-date record of all business related driving, whether it be for you or your team members.

Apps allow you to set up the program and track mileage with limited time and management required. Use these business tools to minimize admin tasks, automate your reporting — and then use the extra time to focus on high-level tasks to grow your business.

The post 6 best mileage tracker apps for small businesses appeared first on GoDaddy Blog.

When you know exactly who your target customers are and how to reach them, building and growing your business becomes much easier. That is why every business owner needs to know about hypertargeting.

What is hypertargeting?

Hypertargeting is a marketing strategy where you clearly identify a target customer and deliver extremely relevant messages in the places where they will be most likely to see it.

To fully understand hypertargeting, it helps to also understand the following definitions:

• Buyer persona: An in-depth customer profile that outlines who your target customer is by defining their demographics, sociographics, professional roles, values, goals, challenges, influences and buying habits.
• Segmentation : The act of dividing an audience into smaller groups based on their interactions with your brand or their demographics, sociographics, professional roles, values, goals, challenges, influences and buying habits.
• Geo-targeting : The act of targeting a customer based on their location. This could be as broad as targeting by country or as narrow as targeting by zip-code or mile-radius around a location or business.
• Retargeting : The act of sending messages to audiences who have already engaged with your brand. This could include remarketing to people who have visited your website, visited your store, made a purchase, followed your brand on social, signed up for an online opt-in offer, or had any other interaction with your brand.

Related: Tips for targeted marketing in a digital world

What are the benefits of hypertargeting?

Hypertargeting that uses these tactics and methods is extremely powerful because it helps you:

• Deliver personalized marketing messages that are relevant to what customers actually what and need, and stop sending customers marketing messages about products and services they have no interest in.
• Get a better value for your ad spend because you can reach the right audiences and not spend money on ad campaigns that are reaching the wrong audiences.
• Get qualified leadsfrom people who are likely to become customers, and avoid filling your funnel with uninterested audiences.
• Generate more sales by marketing the right offerings to the right customers on the right platforms.

When executed properly, hypertargeting can make it easier for you to connect with customers, generate leads, and increase your sales .

How can you use hypertargeting for your business?

Related: How to use personalization to increase sales

What you need to get started with hypertargeting

To launch hypertargeting strategies, you need a few things.

• Buyer personas: Effective hypertargeting campaigns rely on you knowing exactly who you want to target. So start by creating two to five buyer personas that clearly outline the top types of customers you want to attract.
• Email marketing or customer relationship management (CRM) software: Effective hypertargeting also relies on knowing, documenting, and tracking the people who have interacted with your brand. So set up an email marketing or CRM software that allows you to collect customer contact information and create customer profiles.

• Facebook pixel : A Facebook pixel is a line of code you add to your website to place and trigger cookies on users who interact with your website. It captures information about the people who visit your website and how they use your website so you can learn about your audience and also set up retargeting campaigns.

Related: How to retarget website visitors with Facebook Ads

• Google remarketing tag : Similar to the Facebook Pixel, a Google remarketing tag is a line of code that places and triggers cookies on users for the purpose of collecting information about them and setting up retargeting ads.

Related: How to retarget website visitors with Google Ads 

3 ways to leverage hypertargeting

While there are many ways to leverage and use hypertargeting, let’s look at the three most powerful strategies.

1. Hypertarget on Facebook

Because of its advanced targeting features, Facebook advertising  is perfect for hypertargeting campaigns. You can target specific people by making a variety of audience lists.

• Customer list audience: Creates an audience of people who match your buyer persona. Choose from dozens and dozens of details ranging from life events (if they just got married or started a new job) to purchase activity (if they make online purchases or how often they make purchases) and everything in between.
• Saved audiences: Targets people who are already on your email or text marketing lists. Facebook matches users with your customer contact information and enables you to show them Facebook ads.

• Lookalike audience: Uses your existing audience to find similar audiences. Facebook takes the characteristics of your current list and creates another list of new audiences who match those characteristics.
• Remarketing audiences: Uses Facebook retargeting to target people who have previously engaged with your brand by performing specific actions on your Facebook page (such as liking your page or watching one of your videos) or on your website (such as if they visited a page with a certain keyword or stayed on your site for a certain amount of time).

Related: Boost Facebook content to reach more customers

2. Hypertarget through Google ads

Google also makes it easy to target ideal customers. You can pay for ads as paid placements on search engine results pages (SERPs) or displays ads on third-party websites. Using pay-per-click (PPC)  or display ads, you can target users based on:

• The search phrases they use
• Their country, city, or ZIP code
• Their current location (through geofencing
• They type of device they are using
• The pages they have visited on your website
• The activities they performed (or didn’t perform) on your website

Related: Google AdWords vs. Facebook Ads — Which is right  for your business?

3. Hypertarget through email marketing

You can also engage in hypertargetting right from your own customer database using CRM and email segmentation. To engage in CRM and email segmentation:

1. Break your audience or customer base into hypertargeted groups based on their characteristics or activities.
2. Create content, marketing messages, and promotions that speak directly to the wants and needs of the specific segments.
3. Deliver the content through personalized email and text marketing campaigns.
4. Retarget audiences based on how they responded to your campaign.
5. Tracking your results and continue to refine, tweak, and improve the process.

Editor’s note: GoDaddy Email Marketing  makes setting up email campaigns easy. With plans ranging from 500 contacts to 5,000, as well as 24/7 support and professional templates, you can get your email marketing up and running in no time.

Grow your business with hypertargeting

Now that you know what hypertargeting is, why it is such an effective way to deliver marketing messages, and how you can use it to grow your business, put these tactics to work.

Get started by learning how to create buyer personas for your ideal customers.

Starting with a detailed description of your target customer will help you launch more effective and impressive Facebook, Google, and email hypertargeting campaigns.

Related: Tips for creating an ideal client profile and putting it to work

The post What is hypertargeting and how can you use it to grow your business? appeared first on GoDaddy Blog.

A Customer 360-view allows forward-thinking, customer-focused insurers to differentiate themselves, retain customers, and capitalize on opportunities.

In all industries, customers respond best to companies which provide personalized content and products that suit their known interests.

This is made possible by building a Customer 360-Degree View that includes the capability to analyze direct interactions between your company and customer, gather data on the customer’s browsing and purchase histories, analyze mobile application activity, and link data on social media interactions with individual customer profiles.

This comprehensive cross-platform approach not only empowers your company to develop more customized relationships with current customers, but also helps you develop predictive analytics that inform product development and data-driven marketing campaigns.

Is Your Customer My Customer? The Challenge of Harmonizing Customer Data

One of the biggest challenges that large property & casualty (P&C) insurance enterprises face is the harmonization of customer data across business units and subsidiary firms. Large companies frequently acquire smaller companies and face the challenge of aggregating data and accurately merging customer records across different systems.

For example, a customer may have a car insurance policy with the parent corporation and a property insurance policy with the subsidiary firm. In a perfect world, customer data is harmonized to create unified customer records that provide a 360-degree view of individual customers based on all data that has been collected across the expanded enterprise.

However, data harmonization doesn’t happen automatically. In fact, it is common for recently acquired companies to be resistant to sharing information, particularly in the early period following an acquisition.

Company cultures may differ, information may be managed differently, technology platforms vary, and there may be pre-existing employee incentives that deter information exchange.

When such conditions are present, your company can be adversely affected in several ways:

• Customer Service Shortfalls: Your company may fall short on creating a positive business relationship with the customer. When your company doesn’t appear to know its customers, it invariably misses the mark on personalized customer communications, which negatively impacts service delivery. In a competitive, data-driven market, some customers will be lost to competitors since service-related problems are a key cause of brand-switching.
• Missed Opportunities for Cross-selling and Up-selling: With the customers who remain, the lack of complete data on their behavior and preferences will cause your company to miss opportunities for cross-selling and up-selling. For example, let’s say that a company specializing in general liability insurance wants to develop a commercial insurance product and so it acquires a small company that exclusively writes automobile insurance. The parent company must eliminate any barriers to gathering customer data across their expanded enterprise in order to cross-sell to current customers, up-sell to new customers, and extrapolate trends to expand market share. Customer 360-views provide insight on what current customers are asking for and what the market demands.
• Inability to Detect and Prevent Fraud: Information silos create missed opportunities to detect policy duplication and prevent fraud. An insurance company with a Customer 360-View capability can scan across its customer base to flag potential fraud cases. For example, after an acquisition, the parent company may discover that a customer has filed multiple insurance claims for loss or theft of the same property. Fraud affects an insurance company’s bottom line and impacts the entire customer base by prompting across-the-board rate increases and damaging the customer experience. Therefore, effective fraud prevention helps to reduce costs, improves customer retention, and stabilizes a positive brand reputation.

Develop a Customer 360 Culture

Harmonizing customer data across your insurance enterprise requires breaking down existing communication barriers.

Until resolved, these barriers will serve to obscure the company’s insight about customers and inhibit the ability to build stronger customer relationships. If such conditions persist, they can create an adverse effect on service delivery, which leads to negative impacts on brand reputation.

Companies that embrace the need for 360-Degree Customer Views are gravitating toward cloud-based platforms that offer advanced analytics and the ability to scale data storage.

The best technologies provide the most current and powerful analytics that enhance personalization and identify cross-sell and up-sell opportunities. In addition to technology solutions, these companies must ensure that all departments, business units, and subsidiaries are on board with how data should be developed, tracked and used across the enterprise.

Final Thoughts

Building a powerful Customer 360-view enables forward-thinking, customer-focused insurance companies to differentiate themselves from competitors, retain customers, and capitalize on opportunities for cross-selling and upselling.

You can bundle insurance packages and offer new products based on enhanced knowledge of market demands in specific demographic groups. You can even produce more powerful predictive analytics about how customer and general market preferences may evolve.

Developing a multi-platform Customer 360-view can help your insurance company build lasting customer relationships and a positive reputation that will retain a loyal customer base and attract new customers.

The post Applying a Customer 360-Degree View to P&C Insurance Companies appeared first on Centric Consulting.

Like many things in life, the world of web design is continually evolving, so much that it can be hard to stay on top of the latest web design blogs and trends.

It can be tough especially for beginner web designers and developers to soak up all of the information that’s out there nowadays on modern design, mobile-friendly websites, UI/UX and even just getting up to speed on the ever growing list of industry standards and best practices.

What are the best web design blogs and sites?

For those who want to cut the line and get right to the good stuff, we’ve curated a list of the best web design blogs and web design news sites out there today.

Check our 15 web design blogs and web design news sites, for beginner and advanced web designers, in the following categories:

• UI/UX.
• Best practices and industry standards.
• WordPress.
• Inspiration.
• Resources and freebies.

To make things easy, we’ve categorized the list so you can pick and choose the different areas of your skill set that you want to refine and continue to develop.

Best practices and industry standards

As the popular saying goes: if it’s not broken, don’t fix it. Ensure your web design success by keeping up with the latest best practices and industry standards in the industry.

1. A List Apart

There is no better way to get yourself immersed into the best practices and industry standards of web design than A List Apart. The blog is largely popular in the world of web design for being an authority in best practices (largely due to the fact that it’s been around since 1997!).

You can find topics related to design, development and content strategy in a very digestible format that’s easy to comprehend and understand even for beginners.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alistapart

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/alistapart

2. Webflow Blog

The Webflow blog is another great resource for web designers to catch up on web design news and trends, while also soaking up the essentials every web designer needs to know to stay in line with industry standards and best practices.

The blog is neatly organized into “reading lists” that make it easy to find the content you’re looking for. Some of their reading lists include: how not to, SEO, UI/UX design, freelance lifestyle, and of of course, essentials.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/webflow/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/webflow

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/webflowapp/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/webflow

UI/UX web design news

Improve the user experience on every new web design you create with these top blogs:

3. Smashing Magazine

For starters, Smashing Magazine is undeniably the most popular blog in web design news. This is not only only of the longest standing web design blogs (launched in 2006), but they provide some of the most useful information you can find in the field of web design and development.

One of my favorite things about this blog is that while they track “trends,” they focus on telling the real story regarding what tactics truly work and fail in real-world projects.

Among news, you’ll find book recommendations, industry events, and even web design and development job postings. If you only end up following one blog from this entire list, it should be Smashing Magazine!

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/smashmag/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/smashingmag

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSDtqcJ8ZXviPrEcj1vuLiQ

4. Mockplus Blog

Web designers, get ready to fall in love with your new favorite blog!

The Mockplus blog has a plethora of design resources not just for web, but also for mobile including iOS and Android. The blog is heavily focused on design prototyping  and helping web designers sharpen their skills in the world of UI/UX.

The articles on Mockplus Blog offer guides for user testing methods, web design trends, web design news, web UI mockup tools, and many more design-centric pieces that will keep your web design mind fresh and sharp.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Mockplus/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Mockplus

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mockplus/

5. UX Booth

Get ready to take your UX skills to a whole new level with UX Booth. This leader among web design blogs is geared towards beginners to intermediate level web designers and developers.

It’s done in a way that can be absorbed by fresh new web designers who want to continue developing their knowledge and understanding of web design elements. Don’t let the name fool you — UX Booth articles are also centered around content strategy, business strategy and research.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UXBooth

Twitter: https://twitter.com/uxbooth

WordPress web design blogs

While other web development platforms and content management systems (CMS) are picking up steam, WordPress  remains the most popular platform for web designers. These blogs are dedicated to WordPress news, tips and trends.

6. SpeckyBoy

Love WordPress? You’ll love this blog!

SpeckyBoy is a web design news blog with a main focus on WordPress. You’ll find all things related to the platform like popular WordPress themes , plugins, tips and tutorials, development techniques and hacks, and of course, some UI/UX tips — all written by a team of WordPress experts.

If WordPress is your thing, you will want to bookmark this blog to stay ahead of the curve with all WordPress updates.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SpeckyboyDesignMagazine/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/speckyboy

7. WPKube

Another WordPress fan favorite at the top of the list is WPKube, one of the web design blogs dedicated to writing on WordPress tutorials, news, plugin recommendations, security — and even troubleshooting guides  for common WordPress problems.

Be sure to check out the Beginner’s Guide section, which covers many of the basic issues, problem and questions on WordPress.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WPkube/

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/wpkube

8. TorqueMag.io

Want to know what’s going on in the world of WordPress at any given time? Torque is a leading blog in WordPress web design news that’s published by WP Engine, a hosting service that’s solely dedicated to WordPress websites.

The blog is updated consistently with the latest news and trends so you can always be up to date.

What better place to get your WordPress news than from the people that live and breathe it every single day? Get insights, news, tips and guides to build better WordPress sites and tricks to maintain them more efficiently and securely.

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/torque

Twitter: https://twitter.com/thetorquemag

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/16196901/

YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8kE-SmTc9DvcBnNNXhY-1w

Inspirational web design blogs

Drawing a blank on a design for your new client ? The following web design blogs we’ve picked are going to give you all the creative juices you need.

Whether you need a modern, fresh design, or something classic that takes advantage of the latest best practices, you’re sure to find something inspiring within one of these blogs:

9. Web Designer Depot

When it comes to finding inspiration, Web Designer Depot is one of the most popular web design blogs that never fails to provide some fresh new design ideas. It doesn’t matter if you’re stuck on the overall design layout for a site, or the finding a web font that fits.

Web Designer Depot can give you inspiration with apps, branding, fonts, illustration, and responsive design.

Keep this one bookmarked, just in case you need a creative boost in any project.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/webdesignerdepot

Twitter: http://twitter.com/designerdepot

10. DesignrFix

Need some help inspiring some creativity in the graphic design department? This blog truly understands the needs of the graphic design community and their articles and posts reflect that.

DesignrFix has got you covered with graphic design inspiration, tutorials and web design resources.

DesignrFix also has no shortage of deals on software, tools and online courses that will help improve your graphic design skills. Oh, and don’t forget to check out the freebies section for some free stuff!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Designrfix/

Twitter : https://twitter.com/designrfix

11. Awwwards

This is one of our web design blogs that does a phenomenal job of providing highly curated designs and illustrations related to web design and graphic design in general.

From the moment you enter the blog you can start flipping through some of the latest top designs floating around the web, including a “Sites of the Day” section that highlights some of the latest, beautiful web designs.

If you’re looking for some feedback on some of your work, you can submit it and receive constructive feedback from the Awwwards community of web designers.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/awwwards/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/awwwards

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/awwwards/

Resources and freebies

Who doesn’t love a little bit of free stuff? These blogs are going to give you a handful of new resources to keep bookmarked for future reference and free stuff that you can add to your arsenal of web design tools to make your job easier and faster.

12. InstantShift

Instantshift publishes a lot of how-to’s, UI/UX guides, and other web design news and trends articles.

What really sets this web design blog apart is the freebies page  that provides a ton of helpful templates and PSD files that will help you start off every project on the right track.

Their freebies also go beyond that, as they also give away things like icon packs, fonts, banners, and other tools to accelerate your career like CV templates, flyer templates and even Photoshop brushes. Time to stock up your tools!

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/instantshift

Twitter: http://twitter.com/instantshift

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/instantshift

13. Spoon Graphics

The Spoon Graphics blog (written by Chris Spooner himself) can give you a handful of highly curated resources and freebies for any web design project, or even graphic design projects.

The resources  page on this blog breaks down several resource categories like fonts, essential creative assets, and products and services.

And of course, don’t forget to check out the freebies  page for some free downloads that’ll add an edge to any web design project you might be working on. Oh, and there’s also tutorials and inspiration posts, so make sure to check those out.

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/spoongraphics

Twitter: http://twitter.com/chrisspooner

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/spoongraphics?sub_confirmation=1

14. Backlinko

Backlinko might not be the place to get your hands on free stuff, but it’s definitely a resource blog that you’ll want to have bookmarked — and an important one, too.

SEO is one of the most essential elements in any successful website, and as a web designer, it’s important that you understand how your design and even content contributes to the success of a website’s SEO strategy.

Backlinko will help you stay up to date with the latest SEO strategies , tactics and news, all in one place.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/backlinko

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/backlinko/

15. Naldz Graphics

You can always count on Naldz Graphics to give you a lot of free resources and tools that are specific to web design and graphic design. From icons to textures, vector graphics, and even presentation templates to help you pitch your web design to clients, Naldz Graphics has it all.

There’s no limit to what they’ll provide, and there’s new stuff added every single day.

If you need to find niche-specific WordPress themes, this blog also has a curated list of premium WordPress themes you can purchase.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/naIdzgraphics/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/naldzgraphics?lang=en

Closing thoughts on web design blogs

We hope you found this list of curated web design blogs and web design news sites helpful. As a new or even intermediate web designer, it can always a be hit or miss finding a great web design blog that gives you all of the useful information and continual learning that’s needed to keep advancing your career.

These web design blogs have all made it to the top of the list due to their dedication and passion for web design and the great content that they publish on a regular basis.

You can trust that these sites are going to give you the reliable information and resources needed to become an industry expert, and to give your clients the knowledge they need when it comes to their web design projects.

The post 15 web design blogs and news sites to follow appeared first on GoDaddy Blog.

Small business owners know that gathering feedback on review sites like Yelp can be extremely helpful to understand their customers and their community. They also know that receiving negative reviews can be damaging to their reputation and can discourage potential customers from visiting their stores, restaurants, salons or auto-repair shops. How do you know when it’s time to flag a Yelp review?

Related: Standout tools — GoCentral Yelp Business Listing feature

When and how to flag a Yelp review

Even though negative reviews on Yelp can be discouraging, taking the simple step of responding can help to assuage the situation. But what about those negative reviews that are false, inflammatory, for the wrong business or from a former employee?

You can’t pay Yelp or other sites to remove reviews — and getting them taken down can be difficult.

But you can report reviews to Yelp’s content moderators asking them to remove the reviews that go against their guidelines.

Yelp has guidelines in place to prevent these kinds of reviews from overwhelming your business’s page. If a review violates Yelp’s Terms of Service or Content Guidelines, you can report the review to a Yelp administrator who will review your case.

4 steps to flag a Yelp Review

Not sure how to flag a Yelp review? Just follow these four easy steps.

1. Click the flag icon.
2. Click the most relevant option for flagging.
3. Write a concise description of why you reported the review.
4. Respond to the review.

Related: 3 steps to managing reviews online

1. Click the flag icon

From your Yelp for Business Owners account, find the review in question and click the little flag in the bottom right hand corner of the review.

2. Click the most relevant option for flagging

From the drop-down menu, you’ll click the most relevant option for flagging.

The options are different from the Content Guidelines, but you can select whichever option corresponds most closely to the issue. The categories are:

Inappropriate content: It contains threats, lewdness or hate-speech.
Conflicts of interest: It was posted by a competitor or ex-employee.
Promotional content: It contains promotional material.
Relevance: It doesn’t describe a personal consumer experience.
Privacy: It violates Yelp’s privacy standards.
Intellectual property: It violates Yelp’s intellectual property standards.
Demanding payment: The reviewer asks for payment to take down their negative review.

There are also other options, like: “It’s for the wrong business” or “It contains false information,” which you can choose if one of those options is more relevant to your situation.

3. Write a concise description of why you reported the review

It’s important to be professional and to provide evidence where possible when you report a review to Yelp’s moderators. Referencing Yelp’s Content Guidelines in your response can help your case.

4. Respond to the review

It will take three to five business days for Yelp to decide whether the flagged review will remain on the site. They will let you know either way.

The decision is up to Yelp’s content moderators, but there are no guarantees that the review in question will be removed from the site. In the meantime, it’s important to respond and try to get some clarity on the review.

Potential customers can see this response, so make sure you are polite and amenable. You can still point out false information in a review without seeming disagreeable.

Ask questions to get to the bottom of the issue and apologize where necessary. That way, even if the review remains on your site, your customers will see that you took the time to respond because you care about providing excellent customer service at your business.

Ultimately, the best way to overshadow any negative reviews is to respond sincerely, succinctly and professionally in your unique voice to let your customers know you’re listening.

Related: The best tips for responding to online reviews

Another good way to overshadow any negative reviews is to get more reviews in general.

Yelp provides stickers that say “Find us on Yelp!” for your brick-and-mortar location so that anyone visiting your business knows that they can share details about their experience at your business on Yelp.

Bring in the good reviews

When it comes to getting more positive reviews, keep those glowing reviews coming in by continuing to provide the service and products that your customers love you for, and by continuing to respond to their feedback (on social media and review sites)!

Being friendly and accessible and providing a great customer experience are the best ways to get positive feedback and keep your business top of mind for your current and potential customers.

Related: How to ask for testimonials and reviews from your clients

GoDaddy Social can help you elevate your reputation management strategy to help you get a handle on your online reviews and save you valuable time. 

The post How to flag a Yelp review in 4 steps appeared first on GoDaddy Blog.

Often, all it takes is a little money to get the ball rolling for a young (or new) company. But what options are out there to acquire the necessary small business funding that a startup needs to put things in motion and actually begin growing?

Fully understanding the choices available — as well as the process of how to raise capital — are the factors that set many successful young businesses apart from their counterparts.

And while these startup funding options aren’t always intuitive, it only takes a bit of effort to absorb and understand them.

Small business funding guide

This comprehensive guide was created to act as that bit of effort. It aims to help entrepreneurs and small business owners get up to speed on myriad funding options for new and fledgling ventures.

Before we dive into the specific small business funding options, though, we’re going to take a close look at 5 recommended preliminary steps to take prior to exerting energy raising capital (because everyone has to start from somewhere).

• Solidify your business plan.
• Know your numbers.
• Begin to build business credit.
• Establish or strengthen your business’s online presence.
• Do your research.

Then, we’ll take a deep dive into 10 small business funding strategies (with pros and cons of each) to help you better understand the choices at your disposal, so you can get the financing needed to succeed.

1. 1. Bootstrapping and personal loans.
   2. Crowdfunding.
   3. Small business financing via angel investment.
   4. Equity fundraising.
   5. SBA loans.
   6. Other types of small business and startup loans.
   7. Small business grants.
   8. Business credit cards.
   9. Business credit lines.
   10. Equipment financing.

We’ll round out this guide with some additional startup and small business funding options to consider.

Ready? Let’s make it rain!

Editor’s note: This content should not be construed as legal or tax advice. Always consult an attorney or tax professional regarding your specific legal or tax situation.

Preparing to raise capital: 5 key steps

Raising money may feel like a daunting prospect if you’ve never done so before, but it’s a process that becomes less intimidating with a bit of preparation. Follow these five steps, and you’ll be in good shape when it comes time to meet with banks, investors and other potential contributors of small business funding.

Solidify your business plan

If you’re an established business owner, you already understand the value of a fine-tuned business plan. But if you’re new to the entrepreneurial game or creating your first startup, it’s important to not overlook this key step in the small business funding process.

While viable business plans are comprised of numerous components, there are certain ones that are more critical than others. To create a business plan compelling enough to inspire startup funding, make sure you hash out these four key elements:

Element 1: Your value proposition

If you’re to have any hope of rounding up startup funding from investors, you need to have a well-thought-out value proposition. Understanding what your product or service brings to the table and being able to clearly explain this to others is essential.

If you’ve made it to this stage, you likely have a good idea of what this value element is. But have you explained it in writing before? Have you given anyone the “elevator speech” — the abridged version of what value you’re bringing to the market with your startup?

Related: What is an elevator pitch and why your business needs one

Element 2: Customer segments and relationships

Unless you’re pitching the next Google-type product, there’s a good chance you won’t be marketing your business to everyone (if you are, best of luck). Since you’ve already hashed out a sound value proposition, you should have a rough idea of what segment of the population might be interested in your product.

Do your research ahead of time, so you have some concrete, quantifiable data to share here.

Writing out your target demographic — including details like projected age range, gender, geographic location, education level, etc. — will help investors assess whether the potential is there or not for your business.

You also want to highlight how you plan to interact with this demographic, because this will (ideally) reflect a better understanding of your audience as well as your ability to connect with them.

Related: Why a target audience matters — and how to find yours

Element 3: Revenue streams

What’s your strategy for making money? It’s possible you have several in mind. For instance, maybe you intend on facilitating in-person sales, online credit card processing and even recurring ACH billing for a membership program you have in place.

Note that if you’re planning on opening a business considered risky by banks, you’ll need to work on opening a high-risk merchant account to ensure your revenue continues to actually keep streaming into your coffers.

It’s an encouraging sign to investors that you have your payment processing needs sorted out, and makes your ability to eventually pay them back much more apparent.

Related: 5 keys sections to include in your business plan’s financial projections

Element 4: Key activities and resources

Do you have any competitive advantages or ways of tapping into your industry’s market that set you apart from other businesses? Maybe you plan on simply doing something in a more efficient way than your competitors.

Such details will play a large role in how much your business plan resonates with interested listeners.

Also bring to light what resources you currently have to work with and how they can be wielded to help your customers. Things like human resources, additional capital, intellectual property — these details are valuable, and give your business plan some weight.

If you’re starting from scratch here, that’s OK, but having some type of resource to leverage makes your business instantly more compelling.

Lastly, it’s important to remember that while a business plan is crucial for small business financing and startup funding efforts, it holds more value than just that. Specifically, it acts as a guide that you can constantly turn to during those less stable early stages, plus it can help you in day-to-day operations.

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Know your numbers

Some founders shy away from the financials, and put most of their energy into their product or service. While that enthusiasm and passion is ultimately what drives them to run their own business, none of it is possible without a solid understanding of the books.

Even if you decide to separate yourself a bit from the financial side and outsource your funding efforts, you should still learn how to read the statements and projections.

Potential lenders and/or investors will expect a clear explanation of your venture’s key metrics (e.g. gross margin, net income, cash requirements, monthly burn rate), use of proceeds, growth projections and, in the case of investors, their estimated ROI.

Without them your chances of acquiring the small business funding necessary to thrive will greatly diminish.

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Begin to build business credit

When you first enter the entrepreneurial world, you soon realize that personal credit can only get you so far as an owner, and that building business credit is imperative to your long-term success.

Taking time to build business credit during the early stages of your startup means that you’re setting yourself up to get approved for the loans needed to expand later.

And while this step is a gradual one, over time it will solidify your financial standing with banks and investors, as well as establish your business as a trustworthy organization to work with.

Plus, as you build business credit your interest rate for loans will gradually decrease. By understanding how business credit works, you can put your business in a better position financially.

The four credit bureaus for businesses

There are four credit bureaus that assign business credit scores:

• FICO assigns a Small Business Scoring Service (SBSS) score from 0 to 300.
• Dun & Bradstreet assigns a PAYDEX score from 0 to 100.
• Equifax assigns three scores: a payment index from 0 to 100’ a credit risk score from 101 to 992’ and a business failure score from 1,000 to 1,880.
• Experian assigns a business credit score from 0 to 100.

If you’re in the market for a business loan, the FICO SBSS score is popular with banks for pre-screening, and most require a minimum score of 160. Without any business credit history, the highest possible score is 140, so you can’t rely on great personal credit to obtain a loan.

But remember, lenders could choose to pull any of your business credit scores, so it’s in your best interest to work on all four of them.

How business credit scores are calculated may be complicated, but building your business’s credit doesn’t need to be.

Follow these strategies to help collectively build business credit across all four bureaus.

Strategy 1: Set up an LLC or corporation

You can only build business credit if your business is legally a separate entity from yourself, meaning you’ll have to establish an LLC or a corporation.

While it’s easiest to form an LLC or incorporate your business in your home state, some business owners choose to do so in another state with more favorable business laws for their particular business model.

To further establish your business as a distinct entity and not a sole proprietorship, consider putting together an LLC operating agreement. It’s not required in most states, but having one looks good to investors and creates operational parameters in the event of disputes.

Strategy 2: Make payments on time

Every credit bureau uses your business’s payment history as a factor in determining its credit score. Needless to say you shouldn’t miss or postpone paying your bills, or else all that energy you spent to build business credit will largely be wasted.

If you needed further incentive: Dun & Bradstreet bases its PAYDEX score entirely on payment history, and to get a 100 (their highest score), you’ll need to make payments 30 days in advance of the due date. If that’s too much of a challenge for your particular enterprise, paying on the actual due date results in a score of 80, which still falls in the bureau’s low-risk range.

Strategy 3: Keep your credit utilization below 30 percent

Equifax, Experian and FICO all use credit utilization as a factor in calculating business credit scores, so it’s another factor worth monitoring and addressing.

Credit utilization is the amount of debt your business has compared to the amount of credit it has available. However, what credit bureaus weigh most heavily are balances on revolving lines of credit.

Let’s say that you have multiple business credit cards, and their credit limits add up to cumulative $50,000. If your total spending amounts to $10,000, your credit utilization is at 20 percent.

To effectively build business credit, it’s essential to keep your utilization down.

Strategy 4: Track your credit with each bureau

Unfortunately, free credit reports are a consumer luxury rather than an entrepreneurial one. However, purchasing them through each credit bureau for your business once or twice a year is still a worthwhile investment. Doing so allows you to check your various scores and check for errors.

You might also discover that your business’s credit history is missing information about payments to certain suppliers and lenders. Not every company reports payment information to the credit bureaus. If some of your payments aren’t reflected in your business credit report, you can contact these particular companies and request that they start reporting them.

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Establish or strengthen your business’s online presence

Whether you’re running a small mom-and-pop bakery or are aiming to take the world by storm with a revolutionary SaaS platform, you’ll want to have a well-curated online presence. At the time of writing this piece, there were nearly 4.2 billion internet users across the globe. Not using this to your advantage is a big mistake.

You don’t need to run a monster website to receive small business financing, but there are several actions you can take that will increase your chances of impressing lenders and getting the cash you need.

Get a professional domain

A business without a legitimate domain name tied to it does not look great to prospective investors.

Thankfully, this is something that is easily rectified — all you need to do is research available domain names, and buy one that falls within your budget and makes sense from a branding standpoint.

Go ahead — give it a try:

Related: How to buy a domain name

Purchase email addresses for that domain

Domain registrars often provide packages where you can get professional email addresses that include the domain name. This is a smart idea for several reasons.

In terms of startup funding, a business email is simply more authoritative than a generic email account.

Additionally, this type of email address is more likely to stick in the mind of an investor and customer. At the very least, you want your email address to make an impression when communicating with anyone contemplating an investment in your company.

Related: How to use a custom domain name for email

Create a website

You can bet that potential investors, like potential customers, will search for your business online. Having a professional-looking website will likely give you a leg-up in securing small business financing.

And it doesn’t require a big investment of time or money.

Sure, having a highly customized website that covers all the online needs of your business is the dream, but early on, a simple website that covers all the basics will suffice.

You can use an easy DIY website builder to create an effective, professional-looking website in under an hour.

Related: How to start a website from A to Z

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Do your research

If you really want to know how to raise capital effectively, it will take time and research.

You might already have some great leads on investors and are feeling optimistic, but keep deep-diving into competitor analysis, hashing out your business plan further, and learning more about the unique angles and resources available to your particular business.

For instance, if you’re a female entrepreneur, there are some excellent business loans for women that you can explore. Likewise, a number of venture capital firms specialize in startup funding for female founders.

Look into angel investors and fundraising organizations in your city, because many such individuals and groups prefer to support local startups.

Taking every angle when approaching the startup funding process will increase your chances of finding suitable contributors.

Of course, the internet hosts plenty of information about small business funding opportunities — even providing them in the form of online platforms that exist solely to source capital.

Finally, doing your due diligence will help assure you’re actually pitching to the right people (i.e. interested ones who share your values). For instance, if you found an opportunity presenting your ideas for a SaaS company to a group only interested in medical technologies, it would be a waste of your time (and theirs).

Investors who have a track record working within your specific industry or at least profess a strong interest in your business model will help you get the startup funding you need.

Be sure to research the investment portfolio and culture of each group you’re appealing to, and then try to find a champion or mentor within that group who seems well-suited to fighting the good fight in the name of your startup.

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How to raise capital: 10 small business funding options

There are many ways for industrious entrepreneurs to procure the small business financing they need these days — but which way is the best? The answer is not so simple, and each way comes with pros and cons that you’ll need to consider before going all in on one (or several).

These 10 small business funding options provide an overview of the main choices out there, and give you an idea of how to raise capital successfully.

1. Bootstrapping and personal loans

Bootstrapping

Originating from the expression “pulling yourself up by your bootstraps,” bootstrapping involves financing your business entirely with your own money. You’ll start out using your savings, and once you’re earning a profit, you can reinvest that money into your business.

Pros

Since you’re only using your money, you avoid paying any interest. Plus, you won’t put your credit score at risk like you would with a credit card or loan. (That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t build business credit as a bootstrapper, however).

You’re also keeping ownership solely in the hands of yourself and your partners, rather than investors who might not have the same vision as you do for the future of your business. If you’re worried that others might steer your company off course, then this may be the best small business funding option available.

Cons

A major drawback with bootstrapping is that your resources are simply limited — whatever you’ve got saved in the bank is all you have to work with. Exclusively bootstrapping could end up slowing down the expansion of your business, and turn what could be quick growth into a taxing slog.

Who should consider bootstrapping?

Bootstrapping is the American dream, and as such provides everyone an opportunity to try and run a business their own way. If you’re a freshly minted graduate out of college with hardly a dollar to your name, though, bootstrapping is going to be much more of a grind than if you have a sizeable savings account and have accumulated various assets.

Also, if you’re not prepared to be frugal — with everything —bootstrapping might not be the best choice for you. With resources all coming from your own checkbook, you’ll need to minimize expenses at every possible turn.

Personal loans

If bootstrapping 100% isn’t practical for your particular business model, you can try pairing your own finances with a personal loan. As an aspiring startup, your financial history is likely limited, making the process of getting a business loan more difficult. But you can get a personal loan to help inject some cash into your company’s development.

Pros

Your business won’t be considered in your loan application, so if you’ve built a strong credit history over the course of your life, you’ll be in good shape to get a personal loan. Interest rates for those with excellent credit ratings average around 10%-12%, but could be even lower depending on the lender.

Cons

If your credit history isn’t respectable, you probably won’t qualify, and even then the rate might be too extreme (upwards of 30%).

Also, the amount you can borrow is much more limited in comparison with a standard business loan, unless you’re already exceptionally wealthy with a pristine credit report. If you’re looking for a six-figure lump sum to kickstart your business, a personal loan isn’t going to get you there.

Who qualifies?

To qualify for personal loans that have competitive rates, you’ll ideally want good or excellent credit, which requires a FICO score of 690+. And just because you qualify doesn’t mean you’ll want to take the loan at the rate offered.

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2. Crowdfunding

If your personal bank statements are looking a bit lean and you’re struggling to qualify for various types of loans, hope is not necessarily lost.

One interesting small business funding strategy that has exploded in popularity recently could be your ticket to business growth. Are you ready to give crowdfunding a try?

While many people think of crowdfunding platforms as places where you go to cover the cost of a family member’s surgery or help support a friend’s dream of building homes in impoverished countries, they can also be excellent places to attract startup funding.

With crowdfunding, you’re essentially asking the public to fund small pieces of your business in return for discounts, material goods/products and other established perks.

Pros

Crowdfunding is a great way to create hype in the early stages of a business, and it also helps you gauge the demographics who may be interested (or not) in your product or services.

Not to mention, in the event that your campaign fails to reach its desired goal, there’s a lot less to lose than if you have to default on a loan.

Cons

Your business ideas could get poached if you haven’t taken the proper measures to legally safeguard them through patents and registered trademarks. You have to go into the process prepared, or else you might get burned.

Who is most suited for crowdfunding?

If you have a business idea and can’t seem to qualify for startup funding, you might want to give crowdfunding a shot. Also, if you’re an effective navigator of the internet and know how to drum up supporters through social media and other consumer channels, it could be a great solution for you.

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3. Small business financing via angel investment

Unlike crowdfunding, which focuses on micro contributions from the masses, angel investment is centered around the idea of finding one or several “angel” investors — accredited business types who hope to grow their net worth by providing startup funding to intriguing ventures.

Pros

Angel investors are no strangers to small business financing. They’re veterans, likely in the industry or market your business falls under, and they have deep pockets. Suffice to say, a single angel investor can easily contribute more money to your bank account than the other small business funding options outlined in this guide if you inspire them to do so.

Angel investors also didn’t get to this point in life without accumulating business savvy.

Their contributions to your company’s development will go beyond startup funding. They are now invested in your future success, and they’ll do what they can to ensure their ROI.

Plus, if your business fails altogether, they aren’t going to be chasing you down to repay them. They aren’t a bank, and they understand the risks associated with small business funding.

Cons

Tracking down angel investing can be an expensive endeavor, because even making a simple pitch includes gathering and preparing your business information, hiring lawyers and accountants, actually pitching and then following up — some of which involve out-of-town travel.

In the last couple of years many angel platforms have moved online, but the documents and processes involved are still costly.

Then, once you’ve procured angel investment, you’re looking at a relationship in which you owe a very high return, simply because financing a startup is a risky proposition. If your company fails, they lose their investment— or if you have future investment rounds, their investments are subject to dilution.

Who should embrace angel investing?

If you’re trying to launch a startup with a brilliant business idea but are miles away from realizing your idea due to a severe lack of funds, angel investment might be for you. Also, if you operate in a competitive industry where a veteran mentor could give you an advantage over other businesses, an angel investor can help you take that next step.

Just don’t forget about the strings associated with this form of small business funding.

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4. Equity fundraising

Did you know that as a private company, you’re able to sell shares or ownership in your company? With Title III of the JOBS act (passed in 2016) allowing anyone to invest and gain equity, equity fundraising is now suddenly a viable way to approach small business financing.

Pros

Similar to crowdfunding, equity fundraising is a great way of building a devoted following before your product or service is even launched.

However, whereas crowdfunding has an established end point (whenever the goods are delivered, discount provided or service rendered), equity fundraising keeps investors in the game.

This means that the your business suddenly has hundreds (or thousands) of minor shareholders who are incentivized to help your brand succeed long after you launch.

Plus, unlike angel investing where a single investor has immense sway over the direction of your company, small shareholders who contributed money through equity fundraising have much less power.

You’re still in the driver’s seat of your own company, which is an appealing prospect for many.

Cons

Sorting out equity when you have hundreds (or thousands) of small investors can be a major legal headache, and might end up costing you money in lawyers or business advisers that you hadn’t accounted for in your business plan.

Also, even though you’re not listed on a public stock exchange, you’re still subject to the rules from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

If you plan on embracing this small business financing method, you’ll want to talk to a lawyer first.

Who is best suited for equity fundraising?

Owners who have a very clear vision of how their business will progress into the future are best suited for equity fundraising. Such a startup funding method keeps influential figures (in the form of angel investors) out of the equation, and keeps you in a position to call the shots.

Also, companies that could benefit from the help of “brand ambassadors” (in the form of minor equity holders) would also appreciate equity fundraising. Businesses need help to succeed, and forming a small coalition of investors interested in making that happen can be a boon for your company.

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5. SBA loans

Loans available through the Small Business Administration (SBA) are aptly named SBA loans, and if you’re wondering how to raise capital without dealing with investors, this may be just what you’re looking for.

Minimum requirements depend on your particular business and its location, but will typically include a good business credit score, a clear future projection of generating income, possible collateral, and a variety of other factors.

Pros

SBA loans have been coined the “Holy Grail” of small business loans by certain entrepreneurs across the United States — and for good reason.

From a cost perspective, SBA loans are the often best choice for small business financing because they offer the lowest interest rates (5% to 9%) and fairest terms (many of them lasting up to 25 years at the same interest rate).

You can also apply for large loan amounts — like, in the millions — that can be used for most business purposes, including long-term fixed assets and operating capital.

Cons

The issue most businesses encounter when going the SBA loan route is actually qualifying for one.

While SBA loans are the most traditional small business financing option, they’re also the most difficult to obtain because they demand very specific requirements.

For instance, business owners must have excellent personal credit, demonstrate a “sound business purpose,” adhere to a variety of other eligibility guidelines, and even assess their precise business size according to SBA regulations to determine what dollar range they qualify for (if they even qualify at all).

Who should use SBA loans?

The question might be more aptly phrased as “who can qualify for an SBA loan”? If you’ve been operating for several years and have a proven track record of growth, you’ll be in much better shape to apply and receive an SBA loan than someone looking for startup funding.

If you’re trying to use an SBA loan as a startup or young business, you’re going to face much more of an uphill battle. It’s not an impossible feat, but you’ll need to prove you’re a risk worth taking on.

Related: How to get a small business loan in 7 steps

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6. Other types of small business and startup loans

Outside of traditional SBA loans, other primary loan options include:

1. Microloans
2. Traditional term loans
3. Short-term loans

Here’s a quick overview of these three small business financing options offered by banks, credit unions and online lenders, as well as their associated advantages and disadvantages.

Microloans

While the name implies a small quantity, don’t be fooled — you could borrow up to $50,000 through a microloan. According to Fundera’s Meredith Wood, these types of loans generally start around $500, and SBA microloans average about $13,000 each. Terms last up to six years, and interest rates usually range from 8% to 13%.

Although there are many lenders that offer microloans, the most popular way to find a lender is through the SBA’s Lender Match program.

This program also offers business training, and in some cases requires you to complete that training before it will process your loan application.

When applying for a microloan, expect the lender to ask for proof of income, financial statements and your business plan to show how you intend to use the loan. The lender may also require references.

Pros and cons

If a business credit card doesn’t fit your needs but you can’t qualify for a loan, microloans serve as a nice middle ground. They’re also easier to obtain than business loans, and the interest rates are reasonable.

However, since they generally run through official channels like the SBA, qualifying for one can be more challenging than for other loan types. Also, the amount of money you can get from a microloan is (understandably) not enormous.

If you were looking for a huge boost of capital to get things rolling, a microloan isn’t going to cut it.

Traditional term loans

When most people think of a loan, they’re likely thinking about a traditional term loan. The structure is simple: You take out a loan at an interest rate determined primarily by your credit score and credit history, and incrementally pay it off until it’s fully covered.

Pros and cons

A major advantage of traditional term loans is their timing flexibility — giving borrowers upwards of five years to pay back the loan in full via predictable monthly payments at a fixed rate.

They will also help you build business credit over time, which helps other financing endeavors later on.

However, getting a traditional term loan can end up costing you more time and energy than a short-term loan, plus you’ll likely be required to put up collateral (especially if you’re new to the game). If you’re looking for startup funding, this might not be your ideal solution.

Short-term loans

Short-term loans have payment periods that usually last between six and 18 months. They are also offered by credit lenders, banks and the SBA.

Pros and cons

Approval for short-term loans can theoretically happen in a single day, which means you can get your business’s cash-flow going in a pinch. Overall, they’re less of a hassle to set up than traditional term loans and SBA loans, which makes them appealing to many business owners.

However, with this convenience comes higher interest rates and early repayment penalties. Just be aware of what you’re getting into before signing the dotted line.

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7. Small business grants

Small business grants are divvied out by a variety of organizations, meaning there are a variety of types that you could potentially qualify for. Some of the main categories of small business grants include:

• Federal
• State and regional
• Corporate
• Specialty (veterans, women, minorities)

Related: 5 questions entrepreneurs need to ask when searching for small business startup grants

Pros

Small business grants are one of the most coveted forms of startup funding, because who doesn’t like the idea of getting “free” lump sums of money for their startup venture?

Plus, qualifying for a grant isn’t hinging on your excellent business credit or your stellar growth rate, making it extra appealing for those involved in the world of startup funding.

Cons

Some entrepreneurs refer to landing a small business grant as capturing a unicorn due to its seemingly impossible nature. While there’s no shortage of small business grants out there for you to apply for, most of them are highly restrictive in who they cater to.

If you’re running a standard small business, have no idea how to raise capital, and were hoping that a small business grant was your golden ticket, you’re likely out of luck.

Who are small business grants for?

They can really be for anyone, but they’re especially useful for women, minorities and veterans due to the numerous grants set up for these particular groups.

If that’s not you, however, there’s still hope.

Local and regional small business grants are sometimes available for various reasons — whether it’s to try and stimulate the economy of a downtown area with some new businesses, or to help beautify a more decrepit part of the city, these opportunities do arise. You can check out the U.S. Economic Development Association for more information regarding regional small business grants.

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8. Business credit cards

Looking to build business credit and simultaneously get some of your startup funding out of the way? A business credit card can help you with both.

It’s recommended that anyone getting involved in the world of startups or small business apply for a business credit card, because there’s no other way to establish great business credit.

Pros

If you’re looking for short-term financing, a zero-percent annual percentage rate (APR) business credit card is among your best small business funding options. The zero-percent APR lasts for an introductory period, with most ranging between six and 15 months — making it an excellent deal if you can stay on top of paying your bills. Plus, there’s no collateral involved.

Business credit cards also earn you either reward points or cash back, making it a good idea to use one for all your business spending. That way, you’ll be able to maximize your return and build business credit at the same time.

Cons

Credit cards are never good for long-term financing because they tend to have higher interest rates than loans.

They are not an all-in-one small business funding solution for savvy business owners, but rather a complementary resource that operates in conjunction with other financing methods.

Also, you’ll need a good credit score to qualify for those zero-percent APR offers, and when the introductory period ends, the card issuer will charge you interest on your current balance. Make sure you have a plan to pay your card off before the APR goes up, or else you’ll be paying the price.

Who should use business credit cards?

If used responsibly, every business owner should consider applying for a business credit card. It’s invaluable to build business credit over time in the event you ever need it, and it’s something that can get you through minor funding bumps instantly without the paperwork.

Related: 5 ways business credit cards can help startups

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9. Business credit lines

Not to be confused with business credit cards, business credit lines are another small business funding option available to enterprising owners in need of financing options. While they may operate similarly to their plastic counterpart, there are distinct differences.

Pros

Business credit lines operate like business credit cards, but with fewer usage restrictions — making them similar to a loan in terms of flexibility. If you established a line with a bank or an online lender, you’ll have a steady source of funds to shell out at any moment to pay for things like payroll, inventory or even future projects.

They can also be used to build business credit, generally have lower APRs than credit cards, and can be accessed by everyone from startups to established small businesses.

Cons

It costs money to establish business credit lines (there are often annual fees), and they are more difficult to qualify for if you’re running a startup. Startups may have better luck with online lenders than banks, since the banking system has a strong aversion to risk.

Also, there are limits to credit lines, whereas loans can often end up being much more substantial sums of money.

Who should use business credit lines?

If you’ve been running a company for even one year and prefer the idea of only borrowing money when you need it, a business credit line might be right for you.

Plus, it gives you a chance to build business credit in a way that may seem more official than using the company credit card.

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10. Equipment financing

Without some amount of working capital, you’re going to find it difficult to buy the things you need to start your business. And although you may be focusing on more product-centric spending in the early stages, if you have a physical office you’re going to need equipment.

You’ll find equipment financing options online if that’s a route you’d like to go. Here are some pros and cons of this strategy.

Pros

Many of the alternative online lender types who provide equipment financing are ready to take most clients, even those who lack any significant business credit history. Since the equipment itself acts as collateral, creditors have less stringent lending standards.

This means you have a much better chance of getting approved when your business is in startup funding mode.

Plus, lenders are generally willing to finance up to 100% of the equipment’s value. If you’re in need of a small business financing method that’ll allow you to go get that car you need for your new venture, equipment financing can help.

Cons

It may be easier to qualify for an equipment loan than many other types of small business funding, but in the end it’s the lenders who are getting the best end of the deal. Interest rates range anywhere from 8% to 30%, depending on several factors, making them a potentially more expensive way of handling your money needs early on.

Who should consider equipment financing?

Equipment financing is ideal for startups, as well as businesses who struggle dealing with banks and more stringent lenders out there like the SBA.

Before you explore this option, remember that it’s possible your startup doesn’t need equipment right away. Be sure to not prematurely finance equipment, or else you’ll be wasting money paying interest for goods you’re not even using yet.

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Additional startup and small business funding options to consider

Although we distilled a list of the top 10 small business financing strategies, there are still a variety of other ways to get the startup funding (or any type of funding) you need for your business. Here are a few more ideas to think about:

Enlist a commercial finance broker

Although they don’t act as a direct means of how to raise capital, commercial finance brokers can help you narrow down your available options.

A broker will shop around and discuss possible financing methods with you, and they’re often good at finding you better deals.

A broker could help you save a huge amount of time and by leveraging their experience and expertise effectively. However, since brokers aren’t regulated closely like money lenders are, you should be careful before hiring one, and make sure their reputation is stellar.

Use invoice financing

Invoice financing lets a business obtain an advance based on the value of late, unpaid invoices.

If late-paying clients are affecting your cash flow and choking up your business proceedings, invoice financing is a potentially great solution.

Specifically, it allows you to free up cash that you’ve been owed for an outstanding period, and lets you focus on your actual business rather than hustling delinquent clients.

The way it works

A factoring company will assess the quality of your invoices before deciding on the potential risk involved with lending. They will then advance you a sum worth a certain value of your invoice, collect payments from your clients, and then take back the fee they’re owed before returning any remaining money.

Consider a merchant cash advance

For most business owners, payment processing is an unavoidable part of running business. Did you know that your payment processor likely has merchant cash advances available at your disposal? By giving your provider percentages of your future sales, you can get funding quickly.

Pros

Since the advance is agreed upon between a payment processor and their own client (you, the business owner), there is no collateral involved in the process. It’s also fast, doesn’t include fixed monthly payments, and can get you money when banks and lenders turn you away.

Cons

Merchant cash advances have higher APRs than traditional term loans (not to mention SBA loans). They also lock you into the same payment processor until your contract expires, which could range from months to even a year and a half or more.

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Conclusion

If you’re looking for the one golden solution to your small business funding woes, chances are you won’t find it. The right financing method for your business is likely a combination of the 10+ options listed above, and there are many factors that play a role in determining which pairing (or grouping) is best for you.

The most you can do is be prepared, do your research and explore the choices available to you at this moment in time.

Certain financing doors might be closed to you for now, but they could open in the future.

Understanding what’s out there can help you ascertain when that time comes, so you can get the funds necessary to succeed with the best possible interest rates (because nobody likes to pay interest). Best of luck financing your venture!

This article includes content originally published on the GoDaddy blog by the following authors: Meredith Wood, Mary Juetten, Roman Shteyn, Dan Hughes, Kristian Rivera, and Edward Wade.

The post 10 small business funding options — from angel investment to traditional loans appeared first on GoDaddy Blog.

As a small business owner, you probably use Microsoft Office programs such as Word and Excel on a daily basis. These programs are great for keeping track of your financials, sharing documents with staff, and sending contracts, invoices, or receipts to potential clients and customers.

But what happens when you need to collaborate on a project or present your business ideas for the next quarter? In those cases, you would need a program like Microsoft PowerPoint that’s better suited for presenting and pitching ideas.

In this post, we’ll explain what PowerPoint is, show you how you can use it in your business, and share 10 PowerPoint tips that will help you create presentations with a punch.

Related: What is Office 365 and how can it help small businesses grow?

What is Microsoft PowerPoint?

PowerPoint is a part of Microsoft Office.

It’s a slideshow presentation software with built-in themes and templates paired with a suite of familiar editing tools that allow you to collaborate and present your ideas in a visually dynamic and creative way.

Editor’s note: The right tools make all the difference. Office 365 from GoDaddy includes PowerPoint, which enables you to create, edit, view, present and share beautifully designed presentations.

How to use PowerPoint

If you’ve used another MS Office program such as Word or Excel, you’ll know how to use PowerPoint. Once you launch the program, you’ll see a familiar interface where you can change fonts and font sizes, add shapes, insert images, and more.

There are a variety of ways to use PowerPoint — from creating a slideshow to present your newest marketing idea to designing a pitch deck for potential investors and getting seed capital for your startup or small business.

While PowerPoint is not used as often as Word or Excel, it’s still an easy-to-use program that has quite a few different and useful applications for small businesses.

Create a PowerPoint presentation to share ideas

The most obvious way to use PowerPoint is to share ideas that will help grow your business. For example, you can create a presentation to present a new marketing plan or to explain the vision you have for the business going forward.

Design a pitch deck for potential investors

You can also use PowerPoint to design a pitch deck for potential investors.

Use it to gather and present important information about your business, the vision you have, as well as goals and projections for your business.

A professional presentation that clearly outlines your idea and vision is more likely to get investors on board than simply hearing about it without any stats or information to back it up.

Create PowerPoint presentations for client projects

Another creative way to use PowerPoint is for client projects. You can use PowerPoint to create a summary of what has been discussed during an onboarding or strategy call, followed by your ideas or plans for executing their project.

Use PowerPoint for employee onboarding

Use PowerPoint to create an onboarding presentation for new employees.

You can include slides that share the most important information about your business, brand guidelines, and company culture. You can also include information about company policies and even save the PowerPoint presentation as a PDF that you can share as a handout or simply share it online so employees always have it handy and can refer to it as needed.

Use PowerPoint as a whiteboard

Lastly, consider using PowerPoint as a collaborative, digital whiteboard where all members of your team can brainstorm or work together on a project.

Not only can you share the presentation with team members, but they can also leave comments and suggestions as well add their own input and ideas to it.

This allows you to keep all the ideas in one place, have the presentation always accessible, and make it easy to keep the presentation updated as the project evolves.

Now that we’ve covered what PowerPoint is and how you can use it in your business, let’s go over a few important PowerPoint tips that will help you design awesome presentations for your small business.

10 PowerPoint tips to create awesome presentations

These 10 PowerPoint tips will have you designing the most engaging presentations in no time!

1. Prepare a script.
2. Keep your presentations short and to the point.
3. Choose your fonts carefully.
4. Use a custom theme.
5. Save time with built-in slide layouts and templates.
6. Pay attention to alignment.
7. Use visuals to enhance your story.
8. Stick to one idea per slide.
9. Create and reuse slide masters.
10. Avoid using special animation or transition effects.

Follow these 10 PowerPoint tips to make sure your presentation is a success.

1. Prepare a script

The first and most important rule is to prepare a script for your presentation. While this tip seemingly has nothing to do with design, the truth is you will have a much better idea of how to structure and design your presentation when you know what you need and want to cover in your presentation.

Once you have established the flow of your presentation, you can go on to plan the structure of your presentation slides. At a minimum, plan to have a title slide, an intro slide, one slide for each main idea, and a slide with a call-to-action or the main pitch of your presentation.

2. Keep your presentations short and to the point

According to Silicon Valley venture capitalist, marketer and author Guy Kawasaki, your PowerPoint presentations “[…] should have ten slides, last no more than twenty minutes, and contain no font smaller than thirty points”.

Unlike Word, where you can get quite descriptive with your text, PowerPoint is used more as a tool to support your story and to help you get your ideas across.

Avoid using literal text that you will wind up reading out loud to your audience and focus on using bullet points that will keep your presentation short and to the point.

3. Choose your fonts carefully

Even though your PowerPoint presentation shouldn’t have a lot of text, you still need to choose your fonts carefully. Make sure your fonts are legible so your audience can easily read the text.

Avoid using script or decorative fonts as they can be quite hard to read and instead stick to serif or sans-serif fonts.

If possible, consider using your brand fonts to infuse your brand into your presentations.

Related: Everything you need to know about creating a brand style guide

Another PowerPoint tip is to consider your font size. If your text is too big, the text will dominate your screen and make it harder for your audience to focus on what you’re saying. If your text is too small, nobody will be able to read it. A general rule of thumb suggests you should aim to keep your font size around 24 pt.

4. Use a custom theme

As mentioned earlier, PowerPoint has built-in themes or color schemes that you can use to make your presentation more visually appealing. The problem with these themes is that they are rather generic and won’t make your presentation stand out.

Instead of relying on built-in PowerPoint themes, consider creating your own theme that will reflect your brand and help you build brand recognition.

Use your brand colors and fonts to create a unified, branded look for all your PowerPoint presentations.

Editing a PowerPoint theme is easy.

With PowerPoint launched and your presentation open, click on the Design tab. In the second column at the top, click the downward arrow and then Colors > Customize Colors.

You will then be able to customize colors for text, backgrounds, headings, links, and more. In a similar fashion, you can tweak the background and the fonts used in the presentation.

5. Save time with built-in slide layouts and templates

When you set out to create a PowerPoint presentation, building each slide from scratch can be time-consuming. To save time with your PowerPoint creation, use the built-in slide layouts and templates.

Since everything is predesigned for you, you don’t have to worry about creating a layout from scratch and you can focus on making sure the content of your presentation is top notch.

To access the layouts, all you have to do is click on Insert > New Slide and then choose the layout from the drop-down menu.

Another way to save time while designing your PowerPoint presentation is to use a built-in template. PowerPoint gives you a choice of templates once you launch the program but you can also access additional templates by using the search box at the top of the screen.

6. Pay attention to alignment

Your slides will look much better when you make sure the content and visual elements are aligned consistently.

Your text should be left or right aligned as a center-aligned text is hard to read and will make your presentation harder to follow.

In a similar fashion, make sure the images, graphs, charts and other visual elements follow the same alignment hierarchy. You’ll notice that as you start dragging elements, guiding lines will pop up that will help you keep consistent alignment and spacing on each and every slide.

7. Use visuals to enhance your story

Visuals such as images, graphs, charts, and icons can not only make your presentation more visually appealing, but they can also help you enhance your story and make it easier to understand.

For example, background images on title slides can help your presentation stand out and stay on brand.

Icons, on the other hand, can add extra appeal and make your bullet points or titles stand out more.

However, be careful not to overdo it as too many different elements on a single slide can make your presentation appear cluttered and lead to information overwhelm.

8. Stick to one idea per slide

If you want to make sure your presentation stays on point and keeps your audience engaged, stick to one idea per slide. Packing too much information into one slide leads to information overwhelm which will make your presentation weak and your audience will not only lose interest but they will also have no idea what the presentation was all about.

Contrary to that, sticking to one main idea per slide will ensure that you stay on topic, make it easier for your audience to focus, and have a better understanding of the idea you’re presenting.

9. Create and reuse slide masters

If you plan on creating many PowerPoint presentations, plan on saving and reusing slider masters. Slide masters control the design of your PowerPoint presentation. This is especially useful if you want to use the same layout for title slides each and every time or make sure that your logo appears in a certain position on each slide.

Reusing and editing slide masters will save you time so that every time you need to make a design change, you will only need to make it in one place instead of going back and updating each individual slide.

To edit slide masters, go to View > Slide Master. You will to see all the slide masters that your presentation uses which control designs for multiple slides.

To create a new slide master click on View > Slide Master and then click Insert Slide Master. You can then change the style, add shapes, define font styles, and more.

10. Avoid using special animation or transition effects

Lastly, avoid overusing special animation or transition effects. A subtle fade transition between slides is fine and more than enough.

Not only does this distract your audience but it also makes your brand and business appear less professional, which can ruin the presentation as a whole.

Similarly, avoid using every single animation effect for text that PowerPoint has to offer. Just like transitions, they can be quite distracting and annoy your audience instead of presenting your business in a professional manner.

Final thoughts on creating PowerPoint presentations

Designing powerful presentations is easy once you know how to use PowerPoint and understand the basic design principles that make a great presentation.

With the 10 PowerPoint tips outlined in this article, you’ll be well on your way to creating presentations with a punch and successfully sharing your ideas.

The post 10 PowerPoint tips to create presentations with punch appeared first on GoDaddy Blog.

The three digits at the beginning of your business phone number indicate to customers where your company is based. This information can either help or potentially hinder your ability to establish a relationship with them.

In the past, you couldn’t control the area code your phone was attached to. Everyone was simply assigned a number based on the location of their landline or service provider.

Now, with services like GoDaddy SmartLine, you can choose the area code you think would contribute most to your business success. If you don’t think these three numbers have that kind of power, think again. Whether you’re starting your company or already running your business, you will want to take advantage of all the help you can get.

Who should get a local phone number for their business?

Many businesses have customer bases heavily concentrated in a specific city or county. But it’s easy to end up with a phone number that uses the area code of a completely different location. Here are a few common situations in which that can happen:

• If you live in one city, and your business is located in another
• If your business moved but didn’t update your number accordingly
• If your customers are located in a different area than your business

If your business relies heavily on the patronage of people who live in a specific community, it’s best to use a phone number with a matching area code. Doing so communicates that you, that your business, is, to some extent, just like them. That you know the area. That you’re “local.”

What are the benefits of getting a local phone number?

People take a lot of pride in their communities and like to support local businesses. The first thing someone will notice when you call is the area you are calling from. If they see their own area code, then you will have established a valuable connection before even talking to them by showing them that you are a part of the same community.

Not only do people like to support local businesses, but they also place more trust in businesses located within their own communities. It’s easier to believe that an order placed with a company in your own town or city will arrive on time and in full, for example, than it is to trust that you’ll get the same result from a business based in a city far away.

Why do I need a separate local phone number for my business?

Even if you already have a personal phone number with an area code that matches that of your customer base, consider getting a separate, local number for your business through a service like GoDaddy SmartLine. The benefits are twofold.

It improves your professional image

First and foremost, having a separate local phone number for your business will increase the professionalism of your business:

In a survey of over 500 small business owners, 64% cited ‘answering calls professionally’ as one of the top ways of displaying professionalism to retain and find new customers.

With a separate business line connected to your existing phone, you will be able to immediately tell whether an incoming call is personal or work-related and can answer it accordingly. Greet that new client with a confident, upbeat “Hello!” instead of the relaxed, intimate “Hey” you may greet a friend with.

When you can’t answer a call, don’t worry about customers hearing your personal outgoing voicemail message. Missed work calls will be automatically routed to a separate voicemail that you create for your second local phone number.

It improves your work–life balance

Getting a separate number to use for your business will also make it easier to manage a healthy work–life balance. Even entrepreneurs need time to themselves, but when all of your communication is done with a single phone line, catching that break can be nearly impossible. Small business owners spend an average of 8 hours a week outside of work worrying about their business and over 40% say that they regularly get pulled away to deal with business matters when trying to take a break.

When you use a single phone line for both your work and your personal life, you can’t shut yourself off from your clients unless you also shut yourself off from your friends and family. By connecting a separate business line to your phone with SmartLine, you can set specific hours, when incoming work calls will automatically be routed to your business voicemail instead of ringing your phone.

You can also make a more informed choice about when to answer and when to let a call ring. If you don’t know whether a call is coming from a prospective customer or from your very chatty uncle, for example, you can end up stuck on a personal call when you are busy working (or talking to a future client while you are on vacation). But with a separate number connected to your phone, you will be able to tell the difference right away.

How to get a local phone number

Getting a local phone number for your business is easy. With GoDaddy SmartLine, you can start texting and calling with a local business phone number straight from your smartphone in a matter of minutes.

Step 1: Download the GoDaddy SmartLine app, or sign up for SmartLine on the web.

• It’s compatible with both IOS and Android phones.

Step 2: Choose a local phone number that works best for your business.

• Search by area code, and pick from a list of options for a number that is easy to remember.

Step 3: Start making calls and texts!

• Record an outgoing voicemail message for calls you can’t take, and set your business hours so that when you’re not working, business callers can leave a message instantly.

The post How to get a local phone number for your business appeared first on GoDaddy Blog.

One of the most common mistakes newbies make when adding images to their DIY website is skipping picture editing — and not taking time for image editing can hurt your business.

If you hastily load pictures onto your website without any edits, it lowers the overall quality of your design, distracts from your brand and message, and makes you look sloppy.

However, if you follow a few simple picture editing tips, you’ll be able to really impress your audience and look like the professional that you know you are.

All it takes is some basic picture editing tips and you’ll be on your way to a really strong website for your business.

In fact, if you’ve created your site with a tool like GoDaddy’s Website Builder, then you’re already ahead of the game. Not only can you whip up a gorgeous site in under an hour, but also they integrate with a library of stock photos you can choose from. You don’t necessarily need your own photos to start.

Keep in mind, though, that stock images might need picture editing, too.

What you’ll learn about picture editing in this article

We’re going to cover the following topics in this post:

• Why is picture editing an important skill for entrepreneurs?
• Best software for image editing.
• Using color-embedded profiles.
• 10 best practices for picture editing.

It’s possible you can get away with less editing if they’re from the same photographer and fit in well with your brand (you don’t need to worry much about adjusting size or cropping because that’s built into the tool.) But if you’re uploading your own photos, don’t skip the picture editing step.

Related: How to use a stock photo 8 different ways

Why is picture editing an important skill for entrepreneurs to have?

If you take the time to learn picture editing, this guarantees that your images are all top quality, and gives you the opportunity to create a clear style on your website by consistently using the same filters, lighting, or adding your logo to the picture.

It’s pretty easy to achieve even if you only have a few initial source pictures to work with. If you’re clever, you can take a single edited photo and use it multiple ways to get more mileage out of it.

When your images look professional, this makes your business look more professional and enhances your “Know-Like-Trust Factor” (or KLT).

You’d be surprised how much of this KLT factor hinges on the quality of your website design and images.

If you take the time to edit your pictures so they look top notch, visitors will trust you more. They’ll get to know your brand better if your images are edited consistently, and they’ll like you better if your site looks amazing.

In the article, “Know, like and trust: The essence of networking,” they described the benefits as, “All things being equal, people will do business with and refer business to those people they know, like and trust.”

So you can see that when you focus on KLT, your visitors are more likely to purchase from you as well as refer you to other potential customers.

If you’re sitting there wondering how to get started, thinking, “how do I edit photos?” and maybe feeling like you won’t have the talent for it, stop worrying.

I promise you can do it!

Basic image editing doesn’t take that many additional resources or formal website design experience. Follow some picture editing best practices and come away with epic results.

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Best software for image editing

One of the main picture editing tips I give to new business owners is to take some time to learn Adobe Photoshop, because it gives you the most control and allows you to use and create mockups, graphics and more.

I’ve been using it for years and it is my all-time favorite for picture editing and graphics. But not everyone is ready for that kind of program when they’re new. Thankfully there are other options out there!

Mobile apps for image editing

I’m a small business owner, too, and often I find myself doing work LOTS of places other than my desk at home. I want to edit pictures when I’m in line at the post office or at the bus stop waiting to pick up my kids. So my biggest picture editing secret? Apps on my phone!

Photoshop does have a mobile app, but I don’t like it as much as the desktop version. So I researched a few mobile apps to use instead and three came out on top (all available for both iOS and Android):

1. Your mobile device’s built-in image editing tools (comes with your phone). Don’t disregard this resource. You’d be surprised what you can do with tools you already have on your phone right now.
2. Adobe Lightroom CC. Most people don’t realize that you can use this app for free! You don’t need a paid Lightroom subscription to use it. (Adobe Lightroom Desktop version is included with an Adobe Photoshop subscription so if you want to get the whole shebang, it’s not that expensive.
3. Snapseed. This free app is my personal favorite! Check out the examples below for a demo on how Snapseed works.

Photoshop alternatives for desktop image editing

The fun doesn’t stop with these options, though, so check out these affordable Photoshop alternatives for even more photo editing tools.

• Canva
• PicMonkey
• Pixlr
• GIMP

Related: How to use Canva to create branded images in less than an hour

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Using color-embedded profiles (if possible)

One reason you might want to use Photoshop is because it allows you to use something called a Color Embedded Profile. (Lightroom allows this,too.)

According to photographer Amy Eaton in the video, “Smartphone Photography Tips for DIY Product Photos — Etsy Photography Tips,” apps that allow you to use a color embedded profile are preferable because this allows your colors to remain true across different website platforms. If you’ve ever uploaded your product photo to your website and were startled because the colors mysteriously looked CRAZY then you need to know about color embedded profiles!

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10 best practices for picture editing

Let’s take a look at 10 best practices for editing images and photos, including:

1. Use the right lighting.
2. Limit distractions.
3. Use a tripod.
4. Check rotation.
5. Crop your photo.
6. Size your image.
7. Fix darks and lights.
8. Adjust the color tone/color cast.
9. Adjust color saturation.
10. Cleanup.

You might think that all 10 of my best practices are limited to steps you take after your image is already shot. But actually, you need to make sure a few important things happen in the “pre” stage, too.

Your editing job is so much easier when you’re working with great source photos. It’s worth a few extra steps. So let’s start with the pre-steps.

1. Use the right lighting

Your photo should be well lit.

This means natural light with reflectors, if needed, or a lightbox. And it’s best if the light is filtered through something like a sheer fabric or curtain.

If you’re using a lightbox, the walls of the box act as a filter. And if you have big fancy photography box lights, they have a filter built right around the light.

It doesn’t matter if it’s fancy or plain, use what you have available and you’ll be off to a great start.

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2. Limit distractions

Keep distracting things out of the picture.

Before you take a photo you want to do a quick scan of the area around your subject. Is there any distracting trash in the background? Or maybe an extension cord, or something on the wall that’s looking odd?

Clear all that stuff away early so you don’t have to edit it out of the picture later.

Your future self will thank you. You want all focus to be on your product or whatever the main subject of your image is — not some random things in the background.

The picture below, for example, has some distractions. There’s a pile of pens off to the side. You’d want to take the time to push these out of view before taking this shot. The wall could be OK alone, but that bead board material has a lot of vertical lines that can detract from your subject. But paired with the backsplash and counter in the dark patterned granite? It’s too much! The glass practically disappears in this location.

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3. Use a tripod

The more stable your camera is, the sharper your image will be. Don’t rely on shaky hands and arms to take your photos or they’ll be blurry every time!

If you don’t have a tripod, set your camera on a stool or a desk — anywhere solid and steady. Just don’t hold it in your hand.

After the photo is pulled into your picture editing software, then the real work begins. For this next section, I’ll show you screenshots from Snapseed on my phone. The app is very easy and quick to use and I love that you can access it while on the go.

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4. Check rotation

Make sure rotation and perspective look good. Sometimes after you look at a photo you realize that everything is tilted.

This is easily fixed with a simple image rotation, like this one on my phone.

Once you click into the rotate tool in Snapseed, it’s easy to drag and adjust the rotation on your image or click the buttons at the bottom of the crop screen to get other options.

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5. Crop your photo

You might have a particular ratio of width to height (like 5:4 for instance) that you need your final image to be, so you can crop it accordingly. Or just crop it so the arrangement in your picture looks nice and nothing important is out of view.

Here’s the crop tool in Snapseed (left picture). Once you click into it, you can drag your box size to crop it accordingly (middle picture) or click on the little button to the left of the checkmark to adjust by ratio (right picture).

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6. Size your image

Make sure your image size is right for your platform.

If you’re posting to a website, you’ll want to find out the best size for your final image needs (example: 1500px x 1200px) as well as file size maximums (actual size in MB.)

Keep these picture editing tips in mind when you’re sizing.

Snapseed doesn’t let you create a particular size in pixels, so pull your image into an outside program like Canva to size to the perfect dimensions for your site.

Free online image compression tools like Compress JPEG make it a snap!

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7. Fix darks and lights

Adjust your photo so the darks and lights are balanced. This falls under different categories depending on what application you use. So it could be in a tool called Levels, or Brightness/Contrast or something similar.

You might want shadows eliminated so everything is very bright and white or you might want to play them up.

In Snapseed you can find these features inside of Tune Image. Once you click the button to the right of the X, a little popup appears with options in it to adjust brightness and contrast.

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8. Adjust the color tone/color cast

Often your photo might be too yellow or too blue so you have to adjust the colors to make it look more natural and true to real life. The best place to adjust this in Snapseed is in the white balance tool. Just click into that and drag the slider until the image looks natural.

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9. Adjust color saturation

Saturation is about how much of the color is in the image. A very saturated image looks bright and vibrant. Don’t go too far on the saturation, though — this can be easy to overdo.

Desaturated images remove color the more you desaturate. You can even reduce a photo to black and white if you turn your saturation dial to zero.

Inside the Tune Image menu of Snapseed you’ll find this popup that you saw earlier when we adjusted brightness and contrast. The third option is Saturation. Just drag your finger left or right to adjust, just like you did on the other tool options.

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10. Cleanup

Clean up any blemishes in your shot, like spots or dust that might have been on your lens when you shot the picture.

Usually these tools are called Healing Brush or Rubber Stamp or Eraser.

In Snapseed it’s called Healing. Just brush your finger over the area that needs cleanup.

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Closing thoughts on picture editing

Even if you don’t download Snapseed, you should be able to make most or all of these changes in another free app, so try a few out and use your favorite. Have fun!

If you want to get really serious with picture editing or edit multiple images at once, it’s best to invest in a paid tool like Photoshop or Lightroom.

But it’s 100-percent OK if you need to do this on the cheap for now. As long as you’re editing your photos, you’re off to a great start.

So what do you think? Did these picture editing tips help you? I hope you can see that the key to great images isn’t a deep, dark secret. It just comes down to figuring out what edits your photos need and being consistent about it.

Stop hesitating and just dive in, because learning comes from experience.

Pretty soon all your entrepreneur friends will be coming to you asking, “How do I edit photos?” and you can impress them with your newfound image editing knowledge. Have fun sprucing up your site with your gorgeous new images!

The post 10 best practices for picture editing appeared first on GoDaddy Blog.

A web design contract protects you, your time, your bottom line and your sanity. As with any contract, a web design contract defines the business and legal relationship between you and your client, as well as the personal relationship concerning business practices, communication and interactions.

Legally, it’s a mutually binding agreement, where each party makes commitments around deliverables and compensation for the work to create them. If either party fails to meet their commitments, the contract becomes the basis for possible legal action.

Why you need a web design contract

Beyond protection, contracts contribute to your peace of mind, as well as the success of your business. When new to the job, less experienced and full of optimism, you may have thought or said:

• “I’m a small business, I don’t need a contract.”
• “It’s a small project, why bother with a contract?”
• “I don’t want to scare clients with imposing documentation.”
• “I trust my clients to pay me for the work I deliver.”
• “I’ve never had a problem that needed a contract to resolve.”

As an overwhelmed fledgling freelancer, you were dealing with all sorts of start-up processes, and adding a piece of overly legal documentation to the mix sounded crazy. But as an established professional, it’s time to step up your game.

Different web designers and developers need different web development contracts

There’s no one-size-fits-all solution, and the web development agreement that’s right for you won’t be right for others. Contracts are critical in:

• Specifying a clear scope of promised deliverables.
• Making sure you get paid.
• Describing each party’s role in the process, including actions, confidentiality, and consequences of not fulfilling that role.
• Clarifying who owns the work after delivery.
• Explaining post-delivery activities, in terms of changes, warranties and liabilities.
• Mitigating common “what if this happens” scenarios.
• Protecting yourself in the event of exceptions.
• Creating a helpful reference document for later.
• Setting the stage for a successful relationship.

Related: How to improve your web design process

Bad client situations help create a great web design contract

Generally, clients have no idea what goes into creating a website.

We hope they realize they’re paying for our professional expertise, and that we’ll lead, educate, and make the process as easy as possible. It’s our responsibility to avoid confusion, especially around deliverables and compensation.

If every client was perfect, you wouldn’t need a web development agreement. If every engagement went according to plan, there would be no horror stories about web pros or clients.

A web design contract helps us avoid bad situations, including misunderstandings, mistaken assumptions, lack of respect, unruly behavior and either party feeling taken advantage of or abused.

These situations stem from communication problems, and a clear, well-written web design contract can help avoid them. Should you encounter a new challenging client situation, consider adding a clause to your contract.

Related: Difficult clients and how to manage them

Why your clients need a web design contract

Web pros and clients share many needs addressed by contracts, such as clarifying the scope of deliverables, and compensation for those deliverables.

The website development agreement creates a mutual agreement from both sides, by setting expectations, establishing boundaries, and explaining how things work. In addition, contracts:

• Create accountability between the client and their service provider, so the project gets done on time and in budget.
• Craft an understanding of the roles each party will have in the project, who is responsible for what, and specifically what they must do and provide you, so that you can deliver as promised.
• Ensure they are hiring a professional who takes their business and craft seriously.

Related: 14 tips for successful web design projects

Starting the process with project costing

Most projects start out with a speculative form of preliminary documentation that initiates the project costing conversation — and ideally leads to a more formal contract.

Four cost presentation options cover increasing levels of complexity, formality and required work.

Estimates

These provide a general idea of whether services can be delivered within budget in the client’s required timeframe — and are offered with the understanding that details could change as more is learned about requirements.

This can be helpful early on to manage client expectations. Estimates are considered variable, given the likelihood of as-yet-unknown factors, and are not legally binding.

You can’t be required to complete work for an estimated price.

Quotes

These are more formal, with a fixed price constrained by a limited valid timeframe. If your quote is accepted as a formal agreement, be prepared to complete the project at that price.

This is ideal for well-specified services at a flat-rate price, such as a fixed-price Care Plan.

Including a time limitation protects quotes depending on the purchase of other items such as hosting or an SSL certificate, as those prices might increase.

Bids

These provide documented responses to a set of well-defined specifications, often submitted in competition with other bids.

Bids are best when you’re confident you can deliver the winning solution meeting all requirements at a competitive price.

Typically, you save the time and work of gathering requirements before committing to a cost, and those requirements are thorough, including expectations. However, bids are often submitted without detailed discussion, providing little room for negotiation, and are often evaluated with emphasis on the presented bottom line.

Proposals

These deliver a comprehensive, detailed document, and are perfect for letting you outshine the competition.

It’s an ideal platform to feature your portfolio of similar work, and highlight your Unique Selling Proposition (USP), showcasing your value and ability to get the work done.

Although the most time-consuming option, it works well for complicated projects where you can offer multiple options or solutions.

Once you’ve negotiated an agreement with your client based on one of the above methods, it’s time to seal the deal with a comprehensive contract.

Related: How to write a web design proposal 

What goes in a web design contract

When you consider guidelines for contract preparation, of course you should make sure your contract includes all of the crucial details and looks good. In addition:

Keep it simple

An overly complicated web design contract may lead to confusion or misinterpretation.

The best contracts are straightforward and make sense to everyone, regardless of their legal expertise.

Streamlined text improves understanding on both sides. By minimizing both legal and technical jargon, you also remove the possibility that the client blames any misinterpretation on your writing.

Make it readable

You know all about readability for websites, and many of the same principles apply here.

Keep the fonts simple, avoiding excessive underlining, italicizing, bolding, or caps. Use text large enough for easy reading, with good use of white space, line spacing, and page numbers. Sub-headings help organize information for easy searching within the document.

Treat each client as a special case.

Each client and project has their own special needs.

An overly generic web design contract may become irrelevant to the majority of clients.

Instead, start with your own comprehensive template and tailor to each client’s needs.

Elements of strong web design contracts

A website development agreement needs to cover some basics, no matter what business you’re in, or what kind of project it is. At its simplest, a web design contract covers six key areas:

1. Introduction.
2. Scope of work.
3. Financials.
4. Process.
5. Legal.
6. Agreement.

Let’s look at each of these in a bit more detail:

1. Introduction

• Clear and informative introduction of you, your business, and the potential partnership
• If multiple players are involved, short team member bios
• Contact information and communication preferences

Related: Customer service and communication principles for web designers and developers

2. Scope of work

• Scope of work, with details of exactly what is (and is not) included
• Deliverables
• Objectives
• Timeline

Related: Why you should use WordPress website prototypes to avoid scope creep

3. Financials

• Payment terms, including deposit, schedule, advance payment incentives
• Accepted payment methods, including online payments
• What happens financially if the project is cancelled, or goes dormant for some time

Related: How to get clients to pay on time

4. Process

• Details about how your process works, including steps, who will be involved, and when revisions and approvals are needed
• Roles your team and the client’s team will play
• Materials and resources clients need to provide

Related: Tools for gathering content from your clients

5. Legal

• Copyright and ownership of work
• Location of legal filings and proceedings
• Warranty of work
• Support and maintenance
• Dispute resolution
• Privacy and confidentiality
• Termination

Related: How to start a WordPress maintenance business

6. Agreement and signature

• Validation of a legally binding agreement
• Confirmation that they have the authority to enter into it
• Contact information and signatures

Resources for your web design contract

Developing your own contract from scratch can be time-consuming, and you may forget something important. Then again, paying someone else to create your custom contract can get expensive.

The compromise solution starts with finding a free, customizable web design contract template.

Ideally, you’ll locate a well-tested web design contract template that has all the necessary elements and has endured throughout the years.

Both Github and Docracy host free web design contract templates, while many others are hosted on the authors’ websites. Here are three of the most popular free web design contract templates for web pros.

Contract Killer

This popular open-source contract for web professionals was developed by Stuff & Nonsense, a UK-based design company. Its popularity arises from the fact that it’s easy to understand, with minimal legalese and a touch of humor.

First developed in 2008, and last revised in 2016, it covers all of the major aspects, including what you’re being hired to do, payment schedule and details, how changes will be handled, intellectual property rights, and what both parties agree to.

The latest revision even includes specific technical issues such as SEO and mobile browser testing.

AIGA Standard Form of Agreement for Design Services

AIGA allows you to create customized Terms and Conditions for different types of design engagements. It takes a modular approach, with two foundation modules usable for all design assignments (Basic Terms & Conditions, and Intellectual Property Provisions), and additional modules that can be added as needed for specific design disciplines.

The template includes instructions and guidance for use and customization, acknowledging that most designers develop a custom proposal document per project, and then create the appropriate set of terms and conditions to attach to it.

When joined together, the custom proposal and attached terms and conditions provide the complete binding agreement.

In addition, it provides guidance on advance preparation, project planning, what is sent to the client, and finding and working with an attorney.

Web Design Law’s Design Contract for Freelance Web Designers

This one is a robust and all-inclusive resource. It starts with an excellent overview of contract development and use, then provides a number of templates. The full template set includes letter of agreement, project proposal, two versions of terms and conditions (full and condensed), invoices, past due reminders, and collections letters.

Tips for using contract templates

A template is only a starting point. Even the perfect template needs customization — whoever created that template didn’t know you, your business, or your clients.

Combine the best elements of several templates. Cherry-pick the applicable elements of multiple contracts to build your own super-template.

Have several people review your final version. When you think you’ve created your best template, solicit review by those you trust, including web pro peers, friends, or your business attorney.

Proofread. Again. Review and revise until you think it’s perfect. Step away for a day or two, then proofread again.

Common errors in a web design contract

Guard against common contract errors that can render your web design contract useless or unenforceable.

Dates: Preparation and signing dates must be clearly stated, as well as any deadlines related to deliverables or payments.

Not getting help: If you feel you can’t write a good contract, even starting with a web design contract template, considering hiring a lawyer. It will be an investment in protecting yourself from potentially costly mistakes.

Signing: Of course both you and your client must sign the contract. When dealing with a company of more than one, make sure you have the correct signatory. Ensure that both you and the client have full signed copies.

Creating and sending your contract

And speaking of signing, establishing an efficient signing process saves time, increases convenience for your clients, and improves the way you do business.

DocuSign enables collection and management of digital signatures for contracts as well as other important business documents, such as purchase orders or partnership agreements.

Additional services help you verify identities, perform background checks, and manage digital workflows. Benefits include:

• Faster turnaround time in getting contracts distributed and signed
• Quicker creation of new contracts using templates
• An intuitive and immediately usable method of signing
• Integration with dozens of other applications and services
• Flexible customization and adjustments
• A digital audit trail that time-stamps signatures

While you can sign up for a free trial of DocuSign on its own, you can also use it through an Office 365 business plan integrating apps and services.

Related: What is DocuSign?

Closing thoughts on your web design contract

Your ultimate goal is to create a clear yet concise contract covering the essentials of the scope of work, deliverables, financials, timeframe, process and legal responsibilities — while simultaneously cultivating trust and respect, and providing everything potential clients need to make the decision to move ahead with you.

The above content should not be construed as legal or tax advice. Always consult an attorney or tax professional regarding your specific legal or tax situation.

The post How to create a web design contract that converts new clients into long-term customers appeared first on GoDaddy Blog.

As you look at your marketing strategy for the rest of the year ahead, it’s important to make sure you’re incorporating the latest social media trends.

Utilize these social media trends for 2019, and you’ll be sure to engage current and potential customers with every post, on every platform.

1. In-the-moment content

Have you noticed that more Instagram users and businesses are using Instagram Stories? That’s because this kind of in-the-moment content is fun, relatively easy to create and gets the message out quickly. It’s definitely one of the key social media trends your business should be using in 2019.

In fact, Buffer predicts that this year, “in-the-moment content will win out over highly-produced content.”

You can use Instagram Stories to show off new products, showcase what’s happening live at an event, start a promotion, and most of all — give users an inside look at your business. The more they get to know your business and familiarize themselves with your products, services and team — the more it’ll feel like home when they visit you.

Here’s Compass Rose in Washington, D.C. showing fans a BTS, or behind-the-scenes, creation of one of their most popular dishes, Khachapuri:

Authenticity and transparency are very trendy right now on social media because young users want to get to know brands that are genuine. So, share those stories, behind-the-scenes videos and inside looks — your fans will love to share that content with their friends and followers.

Instagram Stories also present a great opportunity for businesses to engage with new customers. Monitor your notifications and see when users are tagging your business in their Stories. Then, respost that content to get engaged with your fans — just hit “Add to your story.”

This leads us to our next trend.

2. User-generated content

Adding content from your fans and followers into your social media content strategy is a great way to engage with your followers the rest of this year. In 2019, be vigilant about your notifications so you can use user-generated content on your social media platforms.

Most user-generated content is completely organic.

1. Monitor who’s tagging you and talking about you on social media.
2. Share this content on your channels!

For example, a customer might come into your restaurant, snap of photo of their meal and tag your business. You can share this post on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter — tagging that user, and thanking them for coming by and sharing that content with their followers.

Here’s Hattie B’s, famous for its Nashville hot chicken, reposting a customer photo and giving them photo credit in the caption:

View this post on Instagram

… And #BaconCheeseGrits! Every Sunday till 4! #SundaysAtHattieBs ・・・ Repost @zim2065: Chicken ‘n Waffles @hattiebs #sundaybrunch

A post shared by Hattie B's Hot Chicken (@hattiebs) on May 19, 2019 at 9:13am PDT

According to Offerpop, 85% of consumers find visual user-generated content more influential than brand photos or videos. This means that consumers want to see other people enjoying your products and services to feel confident that they themselves will enjoy your products and services.

And, this is especially true among the generation every business wants to target — millennials.

In one survey, 51% of millennials said that user-generated content from strangers is more likely to influence their purchase decisions than recommendations from their friends and family. 

3. Social media ads

Sometimes it can feel like your posts on social media aren’t getting the results you want. The truth is, it’s important to invest both time and money into your social media strategy.

 One kind of paid content that’s easy to create and manage are boosted Facebook posts. You can boost your best Facebook posts to get new eyes on your brand.

Using boosted posts is an excellent way to reach new people who are likely interested in your business but aren’t currently your fans on Facebook. When you boost a post, you have the potential to reach more people and entice current fans and potential new customers to visit your business.

Note: This is different than creating a Facebook Ad. While boosting a post is still considered an ad, Facebook ads are created through Ads Manager and have more customization options.

To start boosting, think about high-quality content you’d like to feature in your boosted post. If you’re putting money behind a post, it should look great. You’ll need a high-quality photo or video, and typically, a good post to boost is for an event, special, discount or promotion.

And, it’s important to keep your caption short and sweet. Facebook users have a lot of content to scroll through on their timelines. Make your content exciting enough for them to pause and click through to your page to find out more.

Pro Tip: Before you boost content, publish your post on Facebook and to get some organic reach and engagement (i.e. likes, clicks and comments.) Boosted posts tend to perform better if they have earned some engagement first.

4. Using Twitter

Speaking of reaching new customers, if you haven’t already integrated Twitter into your social media strategy, it’s time to embrace it.

More businesses use Twitter than every other social channel except for Facebook, according to Convince & Convert, and that’s because it still has an “active, vibrant community” of mostly “urban, educated, high-income” adults.

So, how can you start using Twitter better? First of all, anything you post on Instagram or Facebook can have a place on Twitter as well. Think about who your audience is on Twitter and make sure they would find the interesting or valuable and use trending hashtags to increase the reach of your tweets.

If you’re stuck on the best content to tweet, try these ideas:

• Tweet your daily specials, promotions or deals
• Post fun, engaging content for users to like and retweet of your team, product and services
• Start your own weekly hashtag like #winewednesdays 
• Retweet other users in your neighborhood or community
• Hold a Twitter Q&A where you get insights from your customers and followers
• Reach out to Twitter users and start conversations — that’s what they’re there for!

Checked the forecast and it turns out there’s a 100% chance of pizza bagels. 🍕🥯 #treatchaself #fridayvibes #carbs pic.twitter.com/hqSGJzG0bC

— Call Your Mother Deli (@CYM_DC) February 15, 2019

Social media is all about using the platforms that matter most to consumers in an engaging way. If you utilize these social media trends for 2019 for the rest of the year, you’ll be sure to start seeing more engagement and more results.

The post 4 social media trends for 2019 appeared first on GoDaddy Blog.

After defining various forms of waste in software delivery processes, we look at the tools necessary for measuring and identifying these types of inefficiencies.

In my previous blog, I talked about achieving an optimal personal fitness goal. We should shoot for developing six-pack abs and not settle for merely being lean and fit. Similarly, if you are inclined and inspired to bring a similar optimal performance to your company’s software delivery efficiency processes, you should not settle for less.

It takes time, but in our journey towards improving software, delivery efficiencies are a learning experience. The intention is not to make processes incrementally lean, but also to uplift the overall productivity of the company and to make processes efficient.

This time, let’s look at the specific approach and tools useful for better software delivery efficiency.

Tools to Use to Eliminate Waste

In Part 1, we learned the six different types of inefficiencies in application development and delivery processes, which, when addressed properly, makes the workforce effective and project delivery more efficient. Based on our experiences, there are various tools we can leverage to address different aspects of these inefficiencies.

Let’s look more closely into the tools listed in the table.

Stakeholder Interviews

• Interview the impacted client leadership, as well as technical delivery teams, deriving the critical business insights to articulate the client specific challenges better.
• Use targeted questioning and balance the need for business and IT for a full understanding of the problem.

Time and Project Data Analysis

• Understand where your project team should focus by collecting metrics on where the team spends its time.
• Ask relevant client stakeholders clarifying questions to understand the priority of business projects and to identify processes that need to be automated.

Process Workshops

• Conduct a value-stream mapping SIPOC (Supplier, Input, Process, Output, Customer) workshop, which comes in handy to decipher the wait time and rework type issues. During process improvement, SIPOC summarizes the inputs and outputs of one or more processes in table form.
• Perform a detailed analysis of business and IT processes via process baselining and process comparisons, flowcharting, value-stream mapping, cause and effect analysis, and hypothesis testing.

Measuring for Successful Waste Elimination

You may ask, how do we measure the success of our software delivery efficiency efforts qualitatively and quantitatively? The two key KPIs that help answer this question are:

• Process Cycle Efficiency (PCE): This is the time spent performing the critical tasks in comparison to total elapsed time to complete the job. We can benchmark company specific PCE against the world-class efficiency benchmark metrics.
• Employee Productivity and Employee Engagement: These are two indicators of the project team that capture employee motivation and engagement. We collect this information by leveraging a Gallup survey, or an internally created HR enabled survey. Gallup’s employee engagement survey reflects more than 30 years of in-depth behavioral economic research involving more than 17 million employees. Through rigorous research, Gallup identified 12 core elements powerfully linked to essential business outcomes.

Periodically capture and compare both measures against the baseline to track success.

Finally

In the final part of this blog series, we will look at a case study from a large-American Life and Annuity client who gained 20% software delivery efficiency by applying the techniques we discussed today.

These improvements supplemented the agile transformation effort at the client by developing a culture of focus and innovation that the client sought.

The post Qualifying and Quantifying Waste for Better Business Agility appeared first on Centric Consulting.

This post was originally published on Feb. 12, 2018, and was updated on May 21, 2019.

While conversions and sales are important, branding your business is just as vital. A bad first impression is no impression at all, and poor branding is the equivalent of showing up for an important meeting in a T-shirt and cargo pants.

Defining your brand’s personality, conceptualizing your visuals (such as a logo), claiming social media handles and custom email addresses, and much more should all be on your checklist. The need to capture the very best leads and customers demands it.

With that in mind, we’ll spend this article talking about four key basics for branding your business that you’ll need to follow. First, however, let’s discuss why branding is so vital!

Why branding your business should be a primary concern

The term branding is bandied around a lot. Essentially, it means the visual presentation of your small business, including your logo, color scheme, “personality” and even your business name.
Given how all-encompassing this concept is, there are a wealth of reasons to make sure it’s at the forefront of all your business decisions. For example:

• Implemented correctly, branding can increase your perceived professionalism.
• It generates a unique “brand identity,” which potential customers will recognise regardless of where it appears.
• Branding offers consistency across all of your promotional channels, such as social media, newsletters, print media and wherever else you choose to advertise.

In short, branding is more than just a fancy logo — it’s how your company is perceived, what it stands for, and how business is conducted. All in all, working on your branding efforts is vital to success.

Start branding your business in 4 key steps

Fortunately, branding your small business isn’t complicated. The following four steps will go a long ways towards getting you started.

1. Define your key goals.
2. Understand your target audience.
3. Conceptualize your brand’s personality and identity.
4. Run consistent social media and marketing channels.

Now that you’re familiar with the importance of branding, let’s move through these four steps to ensure you’re getting the most out of your marketing efforts.

1. Define your key goals

It’s a good idea to nail down your major goals early on. Doing this will give you a great foundation for any decisions you’ll make from here on out. If a potential idea doesn’t fit with your key goals, you’ll either need to refine it or scrap it.

To do this, you’ll need to ask yourself a few simple questions, such as:

• What do I want to achieve?
• What is the longevity of my business?

There’s much more you could work on here. Ultimately, however, you’ll want to determine some specific objectives for your business and note them down.

2. Understand your target audience

Just as with your business goals, you also need a firm grasp on your target audience when you’re branding your business. The answer to the question, “Who are you trying to sell to?” should not be “Everyone.”

Narrowing your potential customer base may sound counterintuitive to good business, but by knowing who to target, you’ll attract leads who will be more inclined to convert.

To begin, you’ll simply want to look at your current customers and those of your competitors, and start to generate an average customer persona.

Next, list the benefits of your products and services, and make sure they match this persona. The idea is to start thinking about what the customer needs from you before they’ll open their wallet. Once you understand that, you can move onto developing your communications.

Related: Why a target audience matters and how to find yours

3. Conceptualize your brand’s personality and identity

At this point in branding your business, it’s time to take what you already know about your company and customers and develop a specific personality and identity to match. It should be clear why this is important. When you project a persona that your audience can relate to, they’ll be more inclined to gravitate toward your products and services.

Quiz: Your Brand Personality

Take our quiz to discover which personality best suits your brand.

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There are a number of elements to consider here, such as your logo, the tone you use when writing and even the format of your email address.

Your email, for example, will benefit from a strong username or “local-part” (such as hello or contact), and should always be attached to your website’s domain.

As for the visual elements, you’ll first need to consider what makes your business stand out, such as your mission statement, your brand “essence” and the promises you make to your customers.

Next, begin thinking about how those traits can guide the choices you make with regard to your typography, logo and color scheme. There’s more to consider down the line, but this is a solid first step to take.

Related: How to choose brand colors and use them on your website and Everything you need to know about creating a brand style guide

Editor’s note: Part of having a consistent brand personality involves ensuring your name is consistent across all platforms. Be sure to register your business’s domain name sooner rather than later to keep anyone from poaching it.

4. Run consistent social media and marketing channels

Finally, you can begin to step away from your website and look to other direct marketing channels, such as social media. Forty-one percent of Americans think that having a strong social media presence is important for any business, so you need to give this due attention.

If you’re not already on social media, this is the perfect time to claim any available handles, even if you don’t plan on using them.

This will help you offer consistent social media branding and deter domain squatters from hijacking your efforts.

After that stage of branding your business, you need to start developing a strategy and then create your content. How you do this depends largely on your goals and audience. It might take some effort, but the work you do to brand your business will help you immensely in the long run.

Related: How to claim your social media handles — and why you should do it now

Conclusion

Branding your business should be a pressing concern, especially those who haven’t previously considered it. In this post, we’ve discussed branding your business — more specifically what constitutes good branding — and how to achieve it. Let’s recap the four steps you’ll want to follow:

1. Define your key goals to provide a foundation for your branding efforts.
2. Hone in on a suitable target audience so you’ll know exactly who you’re aiming your brand at.
3. Create a personality and identity related to your target audience and goals to homogenize your efforts.
4. Make sure your marketing and social media is on point so you can start developing a strong conversion funnel.

Branding can have a direct impact on success, both in the short- and long-term. The fortunate news is that branding your business doesn’t have to be difficult. Use these steps to kickstart your marketing efforts and establish your company.

The post A beginner’s guide to branding your business appeared first on GoDaddy Blog.