Author: Kivo Daily Staff

Brand awareness is vital for the success of your business. When customers are able to recognise your company name, logo and most importantly, associate a positive consumer experience with you, then you’re likely to see economic growth and an increase in your market share.

When customers begin to actively choose your brand over your competitors, even if there are cheaper alternatives, they refer you to friends and family. And when they have a direct understanding of what your business can do for them, you know that recognition for your brand is successful. Unfortunately, the road to brand awareness is a long and arduous one, and it’s important that small businesses focus on enhancing awareness of their brand to secure success and growth in the long term – check out Bynder.com for the latest information on branding design and how to represent your brand effectively.

So, with this in mind let’s explore some worthwhile ways to increase brand awareness for your business.

Use Branded Packaging

Just because a customer has made a purchase, doesn’t mean that your brand awareness strategy has to end there. Rather than sending just another package in the mail, consider using branded packaging to make the arrival of your order a little more exciting. Enhancing the customer experience means better recognition for your brand, and custom packaging is a fun and exciting way to update the unboxing process and even create emotional connections with clients who are thrilled to receive your products. If you’re someone who is looking into influencer marketing as a way to increase sales, branded packaging can also boost brand awareness at this stage.

Infographics

If you’re a business offering specific services, then cementing your brand as an expert within its field is an effective way to build brand awareness and to strengthen levels of trust amongst current customers and potential leads. This, in turn, means more clients are likely to choose you over a competitor. Graphic representations or infographics of relevant statistics create shareable content, demonstrating a high level of knowledge that your customers will use and enjoy. Remember to make your infographics colourful and engaging.

Social Media Advertising

It’s not a new concept in terms of sales, however, with social media advertising you can also enhance brand awareness by targeting your specific demographic. Being able to reach your consumers with pinpoint accuracy means increasing brand awareness with high-quality content, images, videos and other informative approaches.

Consider Referral Schemes

While many businesses are of the opinion that referral schemes are old fashioned and not cost-effective, they haven’t explored the bigger picture. Referral schemes are a simple yet effective way to increase brand awareness by giving customers the incentive to share your brand with friends and family. This approach means you can boost brand awareness and your sales with one simple approach.

Final thoughts…

Implementing a stronger brand awareness strategy within your business model means reaping the benefits of consumer trust and loyalty as well as an increase in revenue and growth. 

Phone upgrades are often fun, but they’re also costly and the price tag is only growing. It’s time to take a look at all the options before you make your next phone purchase. 

 

In 2021, Americans are expected to spend $4 billion on phone repairs and $59 billion on phone upgrades, although the life cycle of a smartphone is actually increasing. In 2016, Americans kept their phones for 23 months, on average. By 2019, that time frame had increased to 33 months. 

 

The reasons for the change in the lifespan of a smartphone are simple. Changes in carrier contracts break the 2-year upgrade cycle. Consumers are more likely to pay full price for a smartphone, which can easily take two years or longer to pay off. Higher prices, over all, are causing consumers to hang on to their phones longer. 

 

From 2016 to 2019, the prices for the top three smartphone brands increased by 52%. This hefty price hike is making consumers less eager to purchase the latest and greatest. Not only is the price higher, but the features are no longer giving consumers that “wow factor.” Only 1 in 3 Americans are interested in upgrading to access the newest innovations. 

 

All of this increased longevity for smartphones means that they’re also more likely to be broken or damaged. Right now in the US, 2 smartphone screens get cracked every single second of every day, and 95 phones are damaged by drops each year. Together, that amounts to $29.8 billion in electronic devices being damaged. 

 

It’s no surprise though. Seventy-two percent of people have broken a smartphone at some time, and sadly, if you’ve broken one once, you’re 2x as likely to break one again. A lot of this could be prevented by simply ensuring that your phone has a quality case. Forty-four percent of people were not using a phone case at the time of the damage, but 55% added or upgraded a case after the damage occurred. It seems a little counterintuitive, but who are we to judge? 

 

Most phone damage is done to screens and batteries, and most breaks happen in cars or parking lots. With so much damage going around (kind of like a pandemic!), chances are you’ve dealt with a broken or damaged phone at some point. 

 

Fifty-nine percent of consumers would rather replace their phones than repair them, but that may not actually be the best option. There are other avenues to take. 

 

Repairing rather than replacing actually benefits everyone in several ways. Repairing is better for the environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, reducing chemical pollution from discarded devices, and conserving energy and resources. 

 

Repairing is also more convenient for the consumers as there’s no need to restore files or set up a new device in any way. Then, of course, there’s the financial benefit. Repairing will generally save the consumer money. 

 

In whatever direction you choose, there are steps you can take to prevent phone damage and increase the longevity of your phone. You can use a good case that will guard against drops. A shock-absorbent case, for instance, like those made of silicon or rubber, can prevent drop damage. You can also consider a screen protector to avoid getting a scratched screen. Another great tip is to make sure that your battery stays at 50% or higher as often as possible, but prevent overcharging by using a charger that stops when the battery is full. This feature may be built into newer phone chargers. 

 

Even with all of this, it’s likely you’ll deal with a damaged phone again in the future. When you do, make sure to consider all your options before jumping into the latest gadget. 

Interior design is not just what it looks like, design is how it works. It is a concept not too many outside of the profession can execute perfectly. The essence of interior design is always about people and how they live. It is more about the realities of what makes for an attractive, meaningful environment, not just about the fashion, what is in and what is out. One of the big Interior Designers to keep an eye on is Ikuhiro Yamagata, who is reinventing the Interior Design concept. 

 

Yamagata attributes this ability to suddenly conjure designs to an incredibly powerful subconscious, which he likens to a field of magma flowing just beneath the surface of his conscious mind. Yamagata creates mental spaces, emotional surprises, and enigmas. A successful interior design today is a contrast between the emotional and functional objects.

 

Ikuhiro Yamagata is a well-known figure in the Japanese interior design world. When it comes to Japanese design, he is one of the most well-known figures. Yamagata rose to prominence by combining his expertise in interior design with Japanese design styles to reinvent interior design. His experience allows a different approach when it comes to situational adaptability. Yamagata took this mindset and applied it towards the way he creates the concept of design for any building.

 

Yamagata learned the value of simplicity, natural elements and leveraged it as the framework for all his designs. As the world shifts more and more to one where “perception is reality”, someone like Yamagata can play an incredibly powerful role in building massively credible Japanese interior design footprints.

 

He has been able to put himself in a position where he can cultivate monumentally powerful Japanese interior design seemingly out of thin air for high profile clientele. Luckily for us as clients, Ikuhiro Yamagata is an anomaly, not the rule. As perhaps one of the most powerful Japanese interiors in the world, his level of access is not easily attainable.

 

Offering a combination of natural design approach and an easygoing intelligent manner, he caught the interest of the top clients. Now a successful interior designer, Yamagata has created a Japanese interior design footprints which he is the chief operator and has access to an ever-growing clientele all around the globe. In the digital age of uncertainty, Yamagata is not only rebranding client’s projects, he’s rebranding interior design as we once knew it.

The advent of technology has brought about countless ways to establish a business by utilizing the digital space. Online businesses have continued to thrive throughout the years, even surviving the massive fallout of the global pandemic. While most of the old-fashioned businesses closed down, the markets sank, and stocks hit rock bottom, online businesses continued to bloom, which is why Leon Vartanian hopes to teach other individuals to get into Amazon FBA, an online business platform that’s as convenient as it is lucrative.

FBA stands for Fulfilment by Amazon, a smart way of doing business in these trying times. It is a method of selling products where Amazon will ship every single order and take care of other tasks such as customer service, so business owners don’t have to. Whichever item it is, businesses can send it to Amazon warehouses which will be stored in their fulfillment centers for when it gets ordered.

When Amazon receives the product, business owners can monitor it through their convenient and intuitive tracking system. The FBA system has been in place since 2006, and Amazon has been consistently trying to uplift small businesses to start their hassle-free service through Amazon’s customer support and trust. In fact, despite the global pandemic ravaging the business industry as a whole, the sales of platforms like Amazon went through the roof instead.

Enter Leon Vartanian, a college dropout who consistently makes six figures on Amazon today through his breadth of knowledge and experience. He initially dove into his online business journey in the fourth quarter of 2018 by selling on eBay and Shopify. Initially, his business strategy wasn’t as efficient as Amazon FBA since he had to advertise and fulfill orders manually. 

He eventually realized that he had to be more efficient, hence without wasting much time, he started his business on Amazon in the third and fourth quarters of 2019. Since then, Leon has been scaling his business and coaching other individuals on how to start their own. With the breadth of his expertise, Leon has successfully coached over twenty clients on how to start their FBA business.

His success has always been rooted in his motivation. Leon saw people selling online from the comfort of their own homes and drew inspiration from the fact that he knew he could do that as well. Drawing from his own inspirational roots, Leon hopes to inspire the clients that he coaches with the fact that there are no limits for mentally strong individuals who want to put their blood, sweat, and tears into whatever they want to do. 

Leon is a testament to the fact that hard work truly does pay off. He has an optimistic approach when it comes to making money and being his own boss. He is a fearless man who has successfully generated income online and now hopes to bring his skills and expertise to other people of the same ilk.

The thriving entrepreneur believes that whoever works with him will acquire a growth mindset and learn things efficiently. With that in mind, Leon Vartanian aims to coach more than 500 clients in the next five years and help them generate income through FBA. He also wants to scale his business to seven figures and build a $1 million real estate portfolio. He is extremely determined on his entrepreneurial journey, and there are only great things ahead for the young maverick entrepreneur.

To know more about Leon Vartanian, make sure to follow him on Instagram.

 

They say that money makes the world go round, and in your little corner of the world getting paid is what puts food on the table and gets you up in the morning. Frustratingly, getting paid on time is a constant stumbling block for freelancers and the self-employed. Even your most loyal and trusted clients can be a little slow to respond to your invoices, and while it’s easy to be sympathetic it doesn’t help your business move forward.

There are dozens of reasons why invoices don’t get paid on time including

• Invoices are never received
• Payment terms are unclear
• The business is having cash flow problems
• Customer doesn’t want to pay because they’re dissatisfied

Understanding why your clients might not pay their invoices on time is helpful, however, putting strong processes in place before sending out your payment requests can ensure these problems are less likely to arise. Let’s explore some simple ways you can get paid faster as a small business.

Make Them Professional

It sounds trivial and it shouldn’t matter, but in reality, first impressions count! Using an invoicing template for self employed is a simple, yet highly effective way to ensure your templates are consistently professional-looking, high-quality and accurate. When an invoice is dull, poorly worded or quickly scrawled on a piece of paper, it’s more likely to be placed at the bottom of the pile and forgotten about. Using a template to create customised and fully personalised invoices means you can maintain a high level of accuracy, brand consistency and create a strong, professional image for your company.

When your invoice is professionally designed, it makes payments easier, as your clients will be able to find the most vital piece of information, such as who to pay and when – easily.

Make Your Payment Terms Clear

When you meet with a potential client, go through payment options, complete the work and then send on the invoice, these are crucial moments within your business relationship to highlight your payment terms and make them as clear as possible. Avoid jargon where possible, and ensure all these details are clear on your final invoice.

Send Your Invoices on Time – Every Time

If you want your clients to be consistent with their payments, then you also need to be consistent with your invoices. Ensure they’re sent out promptly and at the same time each month, so clients know when to receive them.

Accept Multiple Payment Methods

The more payment options you provide, the easier it will be for your clients to pay you. Whether it’s a quick bank transfer or a credit card option, making the options clear and extensive means speeding up payments.

Consider Offering Incentives for Prompt Payers

Depending on your current business situation, if you’re in the position to offer an incentive for those who pay their invoices promptly could kick your clients into action.

Final thoughts…

Getting your clients to pay on time and promptly can sound like a struggle, so consider these tips above to streamline the process.

Drastic times call for extreme measures. For anyone who yearns for massive transformation in a short time, challenges are necessary. Entrepreneur, author, and consultant Andy Frisella takes it up a notch by introducing a Herculean program that is challenging people from all over to level up their whole being through a strict regimen. The results have been nothing short of astounding for the thousands upon thousands of people whose lives have forever been changed by the 75 Hard program.

It doesn’t take two looks to conclude that Andy Frisella has accomplished a significant deal in his lifetime. He’s a successful business owner and highly sought-after speaker and consultant who teaches entrepreneurs to create customer loyalty, build reputable brands, build raving cultures, and succeed at business. The business expert and motivational authority has appeared on multiple top-tier publications, including Inc Magazine, Entrepreneur, and Forbes, to name a few.

Andy is also a highly-respected podcaster and show host who ran “The MFCEO Project” from 2015 to 2019. It was the number 1 business and success podcast on various platforms. Today, he has launched a new podcast called REAL AF, where he interacts with guests on trending topics and hot-button issues.

Lately, what Andy has been best known for is his program, 75 Hard, which features a daunting challenge that guarantees explosive results if followed religiously. The program has taken off and gone viral, gaining as many as a billion views on the newest social media craze TikTok. Over 200,000 people have completed the challenge and seen tremendous transformation in their health, productivity, careers, relationships, and self-image. Given that the program commands a registration tag of zero dollars, the return on investment has been astronomically massive for all participants. All that Andy hopes is that his students pay it forward.

The 75 Hard program requires that participants follow a strict regimen, including daily habits that will push people to make significant life-altering changes. The program includes following a diet that you choose with no cheat days, working out twice a day, drinking four liters daily, reading ten pages of a book, no alcohol & taking a daily progress photo.

To say the least, the 75 Hard program can be overwhelming, but many have lauded the program for the results it brings to their overall manner of living. There are currently over 700,000 posts in the hashtag #75hard, with more coming in daily. Given that the program can run side by side with any coaching, fitness, or learning program, the program looks to welcome thousands of new participants.

The program has done more than improve people’s fitness. It has profoundly impacted their mindset, confidence, work ethic, and many other traits and qualities that help build more successful lives. It’s Andy’s goal that the program changes millions of lives over years.

The 75 Hard program continues to call on all who have the grit, persistence, and mental conditioning to make big strides in their overall way of life. To check out the program, visit its website. You can also learn more about Andy Frisella by visiting his official website.

High-quality, optimized content is the cornerstone of effective B2B marketing and can provide organizations many benefits that can compound the success of their marketing and sales efforts.

1. Audience retention

Relevant and engaging content compels potential clients to stay on your website for longer and encourages them to keep on returning.

Capturing and retaining your target audience’s attention with content allows you to consistently reinforce a positive impression of your brand and core messaging in a way that will translate into more prospects.

2. Curate less invasive marketing

Amongst many other benefits, B2B marketers can avoid overwhelming prospective clients with content marketing as it appeals to potential customers by encouraging interaction on their own schedule.

Marketing in this way is inherently less invasive and therefore more attractive to a better-informed prospect who already has an idea of what they are looking for, but wants more detail. 

3. Social growth

Social media campaigns are fueled by impactful and informative content. As a result, the success of content marketing is compounded by audience growth encouraged by social media reach. 

As the number of website visitors that are drawn in by social media posts increases, so does the amount of followers. 

The resulting increase in social traffic is conducive to higher rates of engagement and improved exposure as the effect continues to snowball.

Aligning social media and content strategies allows for both to grow simultaneously off of each other’s success as brand awareness continues to improve and drive sales.

4. Build brand awareness and trust

Content that provides prospective clients with value helps to build brand awareness and trust that ultimately leads to encouraging sales

Utilizing content marketing is a fantastic strategy for reaching out to potential clients in a creative way that showcases your company’s talent, insights and represents your brand. 

Creating content that is thoroughly researched and engaging for your target audience will result in more earned media such as recommendations and positive reviews that can continue to develop awareness with minimal effort and expenditure.

By aligning content with fulfilling your prospect’s needs, you will be able to connect with them and influence their journey through the funnel.  

5. Establish your brand as an authority

Content marketing is an effective strategy for getting the most out of your team’s know-how and leveraging it to grow your brand authority and thought leadership.

The more knowledge you provide in the form of engaging content, the more traffic will be driven to your site, improving your SEO as you become recognized and trusted as an authority in your sector.

Employing multiple channels of distribution compounds this effect and ensures content gets more viewers and increases referral traffic.

Partnerships with content syndication networks is another efficient method of distribution.

This maximises the effect of your pre-existing and new content by republishing it across the network’s array of sites, increasing brand exposure and authority.  

6. Foster deep relationships with clients

Providing prospects with a stream of personalized, valuable content not only promotes brand authority and awareness but also leads to establishing personal relationships with them. 

Engaging and useful content that focuses on prospect’s needs develops loyalty and trust with leads as well as fueling marketing efforts and conversion rates.

Ensuring your content is personalized for each segment is time-consuming but can be aided by AI-driven applications, software, and tools, as well as listening to and drawing inspiration from leads.

These insights can be used to personalize and test content strategies, as well as analyze feedback to ensure your content speaks to prospects and drives engagement.

7. Generate more quality leads

Providing and linking to a varied library of content on your website can become a catalyst for identifying and developing qualified leads.

Gating content and downloadable resources allows you to collect advantageous information and data that can advise your lead nurturing strategies further down the line. 

Well-optimized, regularly-updated content marketing continues to drive lead generation well after it has been published as more readers continue to find and read it. 

Evaluating your resources and reaching out to prospects with content at the appropriate time and frequency is a powerful way of generating and qualifying more leads.

8. Improve conversion rates

A successful content marketing campaign that engages, informs, and aids your clients can be leveraged to create sales opportunities for your company.

As you address your prospective clients’ problems in your content and provide them with solutions, this is an apt time to promote your own services and products that will help them.

To maintain the effectiveness of your content marketing and avoid damaging your reputation, it is crucial to promote correctly. 

Find a balance between bringing value to your clients and tactfully pitching your product.

Done correctly, you will be able to take advantage of the loyalty you have nurtured with prospects to increase your conversion rates exponentially.

9. Decrease marketing costs and increase value

Whilst it is true that the upfront costs can seem expensive, the greatest investment in content marketing is time.  

An effective strategy takes time to grow and deliver results, but when established, creates lasting value.

 In comparison to traditional marketing, video, or paid advertising, content marketing is far more budget efficient due to its potential to have a permanent effect.

Content marketing is constantly changing and becoming smarter with new tools at B2B marketers’ disposal every year. 

Given the ROI of content marketing strategies, it‘s no wonder why it continues to be the most financially efficient mode of inbound marketing for B2B marketers.

10. Streamline the sales process

Effective content breaks down broad topics into accessible, bite-sized pieces of information that allow potential prospects to self-educate themselves on the services and products you offer.

By publishing and providing a variety of content that informs clients, marketers can achieve lead nurturing in an efficient way that cuts down on sales teams’ workloads.

A well-mapped content strategy attracts better-informed leads by providing them with content that answers common concerns and questions ahead of them being asked.

Creating a content library that covers a broad range of topics is a catalyst for this process, as it allows your sales team to leverage more content to potential clients to encourage their journey through the sales funnel.

This combined with CTAs results in an expedited process that generates more leads who are likely to become sales-ready faster. 

 

Final Thoughts:

In short, the benefits of implementing a content marketing strategy tailored to your target audience are substantial.

Content can be leveraged to meet significant sales milestones and boost your company and brand by continually guiding more visitors to your landing page and keeping them there. 

With new technologies constantly emerging that streamline the process, there’s never been a better time to start your content marketing journey.

Two in three couples had to postpone their wedding due to Covid-19 in 2020, but regardless of the pandemic, 36% of couples went ahead with their plan to tie the knot. From new traditions, including smaller, more intimate ceremonies, to bolder dress and ring styles, there’s no doubt that the wedding industry has transformed in recent years. From the most popular trends of today to what this means for professionals in the industry, here’s what you need to know.

 

Weddings of today — and their unique challenges

 

With vaccinations becoming more and more mainstream, many eager couples who postponed their big day in 2020 are ready to get back to normal — or at least in some capacity — when it comes to their big day. However, today’s brides still face additional, unique challenges as a consequence of the pandemic, particularly if they’re going forward with a larger ceremony and the possibility of not all of the guests in attendance having gotten the vaccine. Returning to a large guest list can, therefore, seem daunting, making smaller, more intimate ceremonies a popular choice.

However, it’s also important to realize that for the industry, professionals now must navigate a unique set of challenges of their own, with planners having to handle and manage a number of postponements from 2020, new clients, as well as those who must postpone or cancel this year due to the lingering effects of the pandemic — not to mention overbooked venues. Additionally, with such a high demand for ceremonies this year, ensuring that reliable staff are in place may also present a challenge. In fact, Jamie Chang, owner and destination wedding planner of Mango Muse Events in Los Altos, California, notes that “The demand greatly outweighs the supply and this is resulting in the importance of alternative options and couples needing to be flexible,” highlighting just how extensive the issue is.

 

Fresh, modern looks

 

Aside from pandemic-induced trends within the industry, new traditions surrounding rings and dresses have emerged, with modern styles overtaking timeless classics. For example, contemporary ring styles offer something uniquely different from the traditional classic band for men, with matte finishes, dark metals like tungsten, and even mixed metals and colors for a modern and fresh spin on old traditions. A more unique approach can be seen when it comes to dresses as well, with today’s brides choosing bold prints and patterns to brighten up the day. Puffed sleeves are also making a comeback, and offer a romantic look, in addition to giving the body a postural presence.

 

The popularization of simpler, smaller ceremonies

 

A number of new wedding trends have been brought to light over a small period of time, thus changing the definition of what it means to get married altogether, and altering the wedding experience entirely. One major trend is the concept of having a “micro wedding”, or having a ceremony with a very small number of guests in attendance. Elopements and simple civil union city hall ceremonies have also become a lot more commonplace, making for a much more special and intimate celebration for the couple.

Generally staying closer to home is another major trend that’s taken over the wedding industry, with many people foregoing travel and lavish destination weddings in exchange for exploring their own backyards. Other wedding trends like streaming the ceremony via platforms like Zoom also present a unique solution for those who would like to go ahead with their plans to have a smaller physical guest list. This offers great benefits in terms of cutting out travel costs while ensuring loved ones can still witness the special day.

In addition to smaller ceremonies, practices that were once considered to be staples at weddings are now plummeting in popularity, particularly in regards to those that pose health safety concerns, like self-serve buffets involving shared utensils. Amy McCord Jones, wedding planner and florist, notes that “The wedding industry has undergone big changes in the past 10 years, and over the top weddings may not be the norm for much longer.” She goes on to add, “I believe couples in 2021 will take a more simplified approach to their weddings.” From simple cake and champagne ceremonies instead of full dinners to a smaller guest list, there are a number of ways that couples may choose to celebrate without breaking the bank.

 

A promising future?

 

The definition of getting married has changed significantly, with couples spending less time engaged before getting married in 2021 than they did in 2019, according to one Zola survey. This, coupled with the consequences of the pandemic and consequent 2021 “wedding boom” bring to light a particularly busy year. The Liberty Hotel in Boston is just one example of this, as October is expected to be their busiest month of the year, with a wedding booked for every day of every weekend, and many of those weddings with more than 100 guests in attendance. However, while being busy is generally considered to be good for business, there are challenges in terms of staffing due to 2020’s layoffs, which puts an immense amount of pressure on professionals.

 

While couples who had to postpone their wedding in 2020 are eager to tie the knot this year, there are a number of challenges that have redefined the way we get married today. From challenges such as maintaining health safety to the difficulties that professionals within the industry now must face, there’s no question of the need for a restored balance.