Lakeside Software, a leader in cloud-based digital experience management (DEM), has appointed David Keil to the role of Chief Executive Officer. 

Keil’s track record as a leader of growth-stage enterprise matches Lakeside’s profile as one of the leading companies in the rapidly expanding DEX space.  

Lakeside offers unique solutions for a new generation of employee satisfaction and technological advancement. The pandemic revealed many gaps in company IT systems with the sudden transition to at-home work. Employees were left in the lurch, forced to troubleshoot issues previously handled by entire IT departments. 

Through comprehensive IT monitoring, Lakeside can predict and troubleshoot tech issues before they even occur, giving employees the opportunity to focus on their jobs. Their cloud-based digital experience management gathers and analyzes everything that could impact the user and gives an unmatched level of visibility. This level of monitoring is necessary for a digital workforce and helps increase productivity over time. Proactive IT operations such as this will help companies excel in today’s predominantly remote and hybrid work environments. 

“I am joining Lakeside Software at the optimal moment for the company and the market,” Keil said in a press release. “Our products are recognized as best-in-class by leading analysts, our investors have one of the strongest technology portfolios around, and the demand for digital experience management solutions is exploding. I anticipate a significant growth phase ahead and could not be more energized to lead the Lakeside team forward.”

Before joining Lakeside, Keil worked as Chief Operating Officer and board member at Tricentis, a software testing solutions company, where he was responsible for global sales, business operations, and post-sales functions. At Tricentis, he led a team of over 700 employees and grew the business from $65M to over $200M. 

Over the past several months, Lakeside has announced a number of major enhancements to its product suite including the expansion of its Digital Experience Cloud, the release of its Executive Insights and its interactive dashboards, as well as geographic expansion within the United Arab Emirates and France. 

The post Lakeside Software’s New CEO to Lead Digital Transformation appeared first on Grit Daily News.

It may seem like an outdated statement given the major corporations that seem to dominate most markets, but the data shows that small businesses actually lead the charge in key areas, such as job growth. Between 1995 and 2020, small businesses accounted for 62% of all new jobs—12.7 million compared to 7.9 million by large enterprises, according to the Small Business Association. 

In spite of their significance in the American economy, many small businesses and entrepreneurs face considerable challenges accessing affordable financing, especially loans that are less than $250,000. One neobanking platform, Nearside, is making a name for itself in the small business space. They’ve zeroed in on this largely underserved sector, reaching out to small businesses and new entrepreneurs with the aim to provide business banking options without any hoops to jump through.

Their mission is to democratize banking, making it easier for entrepreneurs to get their ideas off the ground—even the ones who aren’t independently wealthy or working with venture capital partners. With its innovative business model, the company provides fair financial products with low or no fees, along with tools and guidance to help entrepreneurs grow and in some cases, gain recognition to boot. Their Small Business Spotlight series is an example of how a company can use its marketing platform to further the mission of other businesses—a number of them being Nearside’s own customers.

In the spirit of National Small Business Week, here’s a look at some of the up-and-coming entrepreneurs featured, each one exemplifying the trademark tenacity that fuels the entrepreneurial journey: 

Pink MahogHany

From a rural area in Longview, TX, Chavalia Dunlap-Mwamba calls nature “her first perfume.” Nature, in its many forms and iterations, was the inspiration behind Pink MahogHany, the brand of hand-crafted fragrances that Dunlap-Mwamba created and beta-tested on herself. From there, it was only a matter of time before a client list began forming. But balancing demand with production and, of course, running a start-up business is no easy task. 

“I used every piece of finance that I could, no loans. Whatever I saved went right back into the business,” said Chavalia in her video, which was nominated for the short form documentary category of this year’s Webby Awards. Through her dedication and creativity, Dunlap-Mwambe is the first Black independent perfumer in Texas.

Trio Plant-Based

Louis Hunter took a risk and experimented with soul food. He wanted to find a way to make the dishes from his childhood and community more nutritious. The experiment and risk turned into Trio Plant-Based, the first Black-owned, plant-based restaurant in Minnesota. Hunter brought his vision to life during the civic unrest of George Floyd’s murder and the subsequent protests and discussions. 

“The biggest challenge of being a small Black business owner: I cook, I clean, I prep, I do paperwork. It’s a struggle, but I love this. I love what I do.” Hunter explains in his video. 

His business is his passion, and it’s his way to support his community in a time of uncertainty—by offering healthier options and increasing soul food representation in a new way. 

Sheer Faces

LaShondra White, an entrepreneur from Eastpointe, Michigan—20 minutes from Detroit—lived below the poverty line when she launched her business. As a mother of two girls and four boys, she struggled to find the financial backing she needed to launch her business, a lash studio—Sheer Faces. Her bank of 10 years denied her business credit when she was ready to become her own boss. 

“Nobody wants to give you business credit,” she said in her video. “Nearside was the only one who said, ‘Okay, we’re going to take a chance on you,’” White explains. And the chance paid off. Sheer Faces not only offers specialized cosmetic services for lashes and brows but also provides training on these services.

The Culture of Small Business 

Small businesses not only play a vital part in our economy and in job creation, they are also a big part of our culture and our story. The iconic American Dream is heavily tied to our culture of entrepreneurship—following your dreams, working hard, and enjoying the payoff. But this dream isn’t achievable without access to capital and financing. 

With more equitable banking options, new entrepreneurs from all backgrounds and walks of life will be able to share their ideas and innovate in their industries. This will be a win for all of us, as more thriving small businesses means a growing job market, a stronger economy, and, of course, more high-quality goods and services competing in the marketplace and challenging the mass-produced big business status quo. 

During this National Small Business Week, consider how to use your own marketing efforts as another way to support local small businesses and celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit that keeps America thriving.

The post How One Company Is Celebrating National Small Business Week by Spotlighting Entrepreneurs Who Overcame Obstacles to Get Up and Running appeared first on Grit Daily News.

After two-plus years of living through a pandemic, a lot of us are starting to feel it. We’re exhausted. We’re overwhelmed. Many of us are overworked and stretched thin. So why are we ignoring our mental health? Why aren’t we paying attention to burnout?

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and while most people are aware that mental health is a “thing,” they don’t really know how to address it or treat it—or even how to stay mentally healthy. While mental illness is a serious medical concern, it isn’t treated with the same urgency as a broken arm or chest pains. Oftentimes, mental health concerns are ignored or downplayed—and it’s becoming a problem.

That’s why mental health apps are now such a big trend, and why they’re paving the way to better managing burnout in the workplace.

According to the World Health Organization, burnout is a syndrome resulting from workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It’s characterized by three dimensions: feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion, increased mental distance from one’s job or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job, and reduced professional efficacy. Pandemic-related stressors like work-from-home complexities, social health needs, childcare concerns, and teammate turnover likely won’t stop anytime soon, so stress-reducing measures should be top of mind for employers.

We’re managing multiple things at once, from the usual family and friend-related responsibilities to work schedules, to a prolonged and potentially life-threatening health scare—and all while pivoting regularly based on changing global health recommendations and dealing with the Great Resignation. It’s a lot to handle, and sometimes we simply can’t do it alone.

That’s why we need to think of mental health holistically, not just in terms of work-related burnout, but in terms of how every component of our lives plays into stressors (or stress-relievers), and they all need to be taken into consideration. One solution to help get a holistic picture of one’s mental health is to track mental health patterns 24/7. It seems impossible to do without having a personal psychologist following you around, but one company is using tech to try to accomplish this goal. 

The Behavidence Android app takes advantage of modern consumer technology (your smartphone) to accurately diagnose mental health flare-ups. Behavidence uses machine learning-based tools to detect and assist with remote monitoring and management of mental health conditions through passive digital biomarkers. 

The app is designed to predict disorders such as depression, anxiety, ADHD, and more by assessing patterns in consumer behavior. The digital phenotyping measurement-based outcomes of the app are the first of their kind, and Behavidence hopes that having a wealth of data to measure in relation to mental health diagnoses will improve psychology and psychiatric research—leading to more accurate diagnoses and treatment plans.  

From a consumer perspective, the app can be used by individuals to monitor their own behaviors, making them more self-aware, and empowering them to seek medical attention as they see negative trends. Employees can monitor changes in their mental health by reviewing their daily mental health similarity scores. As an employee experiences mental decline, the app will begin to show changes in the digital behavioral metrics, in some cases, before the employee even notices the symptoms.

When it comes to managing stressful situations for those that do not currently suffer from a mental health condition, prevention is key. Cue: Mindfulness, which may just be one of the hottest trends of 2022. Through meditation—breathing exercises intended to center your body and mind—mindfulness can be achieved. But you can also practice mindfulness simply by being present and not allowing your mind to wander to past or future worries. Once you learn how to clear your mind and focus on being in the moment, you’re one step closer to avoiding burnout.

New to the mindfulness movement? There are apps for that, too. Apps like Headspace and Calm partner well with Behavidence and offer employees guided meditations and tools to support them through burnout moments. With calming sounds, peaceful visuals, and centering your thoughts, you’re able to get to a better mental space—and that’s good not just for employees but for everyone around them.

Employees are going above and beyond to avoid the burnout and stressors of past years. But tracking and understanding mental health is a science, and we need to start treating it like one. Apps that use digital phenotyping to track patterns over time allow users and their physicians to better understand the intricacies of mental health. With the right data in hand, and an urgency to achieve mental wellness, we can all make proactive decisions to improve our quality of life and to better support those around us. 

The post How Mental Health Apps Are Helping Employees Better Manage Burnout appeared first on Grit Daily News.

These conversations centered around the future of digital currency, women in crypto, NFTs and the arts, and more. This event proves to be an incredible opportunity for industry experts and the best in entertainment and tech to gather together and discuss the future of their respective industries.

But how can people access the benefits of SXSW if they are unable, or unwilling, to attend? Emerging social platforms are leveling the playing field and giving people unprecedented access. Here’s how. 

How Social Technologies Bring SXSW To You

Festivals like SXSW are awesome for creators of all backgrounds, but attendance is just not possible for some. Steep ticket prices and post-pandemic health concerns leave many past attendees working with tighter budgets and additional restrictions, leaving the cost of attendance at major festivals out of reach. That’s where platforms like Stage 32 come into play. 

Stage 32 offers creators the same benefits year-round, free for members leveling the playing field on information transfer, pitching, training of professionals, and other activities traditionally requiring an in-person networking event to accomplish. On this platform, the benefits of SXSW are available year-round, and during the pandemic, Stage 32 even hosted screenings when others canceled. 

What can we learn from this platform? While in-person events certainly aren’t a thing of the past, their necessity and importance are changing over time. The pandemic taught us that events, classes, and clubs can all take place from the comfort of our own homes. Social technologies and streaming services give everyone access like never before. 

The “New Normal”: How the Events and Entertainment Industry Is Shifting 

At the end of 2019, if you were to tell the global entertainment and events industry that virtually everything they did could be accomplished online, many would have scoffed. But the level at which we’ve experienced technological and digital acceleration can’t be denied. 

This year’s SXSW explored these themes at length. Their innovation award nominees and winners centered around AI, machine learning, robotics, wearable tech, as well as virtual reality. The metaverse also provided to be a big topic of conversation. Another big topic of conversation was how these technologies could further integrate not only into business and entertainment but into our everyday lives.

We now see clearly that events and entertainment don’t have to take place in person to be truly successful. Nothing depicts this concept quite like the AR, VR, and the metaverse. Attendees and speakers at SXSW centered on how this topic will change the future of not only entertainment but social connection in the world at large. Tech has always played a big role in our lives, but recent innovations are already shedding new light on how they can be better integrated into entertainment. Founded by actor, producer, screen writer, and voice artist Richard “RB” Botto, Stage 32 has fully grasped this concept since the genesis of the platform and understands technology’s role in and relationship with the entertainment industry is more important now than ever before.

It’s been three years since SXSW was held in person, and since then, we’ve seen a lot of changes. As our society continues to grow and develop, it is our responsibility to see how we can use these technologies and tools to create a more equitable and expansive future. 

The post How Trending Tech Brings the SXSW Stage To You  appeared first on Grit Daily News.

Connection—when you connect with the person behind the brand or product. One of the fastest ways to make that connection is through live selling. When done well, live selling gives you the opportunity to speak to your audience directly, create a compelling story, and boost your bottom line. It’s no wonder, then, that live selling is a growing phenomenon. 

The live-selling e-commerce market in the United States is expected to grow to $35 billion by 2024, according to Coresight Research, making it a critical component of any brand’s sales strategy. The highest-earning sellers use live selling strategies to turn their products from an object to obtain into a story to become a part of, according to a recent survey of small- to medium-sized U.S.-based retailers conducted by Switcher Studio Inc., a leading content creation and video production software company.

Crafting this story and presenting it is a big part of successful live selling. When pairing a strong brand story with targeted marketing and a seamless sales experience, live selling can take your strategy to the next level. 

Ultimately, with the direction things are headed, if you’re not going live, you’ll be left behind.

Selling the Story

During the height of the first surge of the pandemic in 2020, there were massive numbers of closures. 1.9 million store-based retail employees were sent home. And when stores began to open back up, many saw significantly less foot traffic than before. Customers were—and are—still cautious amid the uncertainty of the economic recovery.

Some retail store owners and employees got creative and began live streaming on social media sites like Instagram to showcase merchandise and build a following. As a result, many retained or improved their commissioned sales, proving that live selling works.

But that’s just one example. Solopreneurs have been using live selling as a substantial part of their marketing efforts to such success that larger companies have noticed. Nordstrom has recently embraced live selling to boost sales while enriching customer relationships through chat. The survey by Switcher found that three-quarters of higher-earning sellers used both live selling and recorded videos. Additionally, 59% said their brand’s interesting stories had attracted customers.

It’s through the story that the connection between seller and audience is built. It can be used to show buyers the humanity behind the business and the uniqueness of the product. The key is authenticity, knowing your customer, genuinely wanting to help them, and communicating that. Here’s how:

• Connect with your audience. Interact with them during the live stream. Host Q&A segments, respond to questions in the comments section, create live polls to gather customer insight, and more.
• Talk about the benefits of your product, don’t just list features. Ask yourself what the product is going to do for your customers and craft your story around the answer. 
• Invite your customer into the story, use language that helps customers picture their experience with the product, like “imagine yourself in this car” or “can you see how this item would fit in your home?”

Best Practices for Going Live

Switcher’s survey found the best live sellers have several characteristics in common. When crafting your live selling strategy, be sure to include the following parameters:

• Going live frequently, at least every other day
• Keep your live sessions under 30 minutes (research shows the average session lasts 26 minutes long)
• Making sure you have the right subject matter: ads, new product announcements, contests, and giveaway videos

Live selling doesn’t require studio, lighting, or professional camera work. Sure, those are all nice to have, but they are not necessary. You can download a streaming platform directly to your phone. Make sure you use a live selling app that integrates with your social media channels, so you can go live on each platform you use.

With some simple planning around your messaging, equipment, and strategy, your live selling streams can take your sales to the next level. 

The post How Live Selling Can Boost Your Revenue appeared first on Grit Daily News.

While many adopted telemedicine during COVID-19 as a means to avoid potential contamination from in-person appointments, the reason we continue to use telemedicine is multi-faceted. CallonDoc, one of the nation’s leaders in virtual primary care practice, sees cost, privacy, and convenience as key reasons behind the growth of its platform. And these were some of the driving forces that compelled them to take telemedicine beyond the standard. 

While most telemedicine providers act as a quick clinic option, providing sinus infection diagnoses and prescriptions over the phone in a matter of minutes, CallonDoc goes beyond the norm. With a highly customized offering and sophisticated tech platform that serves as a quick clinic option, they also build the long-term primary care physician relationships that are traditionally reserved for in-person interactions. 

Why Telemedicine Is So Important

According to the United States Census Bureau, in 2020, 28 million people (8.6% of the population) did not have healthcare coverage at any point during the year. Many were unable to receive medical care due to the costs.

Initially used to screen for and treat COVID-19 cases, virtual care became pivotal for primary health services as well. Suddenly, traditional offices were using Zoom meetings for check-ups, and telemedicine platforms rose in prevalence—for more than just those quick-fix situations. Just as many other industries shifted to remote and digital options, healthcare made strides to digitize further.  

Telemedicine helps provide necessary care to patients while minimizing travel and maximizing accessibility and efficiency for those who need it most. Traditionally, marginalized communities and other populations in need face the challenge of limited resources that extend to lack of insurance, lack of transportation to medical offices or laboratories, and limited funds to manage expensive appointments. With telemedicine providers, these communities can get the medical attention they need with convenience and ease. 

CallonDoc has no need for insurance, and patients can receive primary care services, prescription care, and even lab testing through their solutions—all from the comfort of their own homes. CallonDoc’s remote lab testing, in particular, is revolutionary in the telemedicine industry, as prior to it, those who needed bloodwork performed would face the same scheduling, transportation, and cost issues that made in-person care prohibitive. CallonDoc’s testing kits are delivered to the patient’s home with instructions and a prepaid return box, and they can be used for lipid panels, blood glucose levels, STDs, and more. 

Remote lab testing and many other telemedicine offerings are also favored over in-person options because they offer more privacy and comfort. Patients who need mental health services are not tasked with sitting in waiting rooms with others, nor are those getting tested subjected to discussing their private testing needs with receptionists while others mill about the waiting room. Instead, all of these services offer the highest level of discretion. 

By making healthcare accessible, affordable, convenient, and private, many who would otherwise be unable to access treatment and those who would put it off due to inconvenience or discomfort are empowered to take control of their health with the help of board-certified physicians and easy-to-use digital platforms. With innovative providers pushing the envelope past the standard quick-diagnosis care, we will continue to see telemedicine grow and transform to meet the multi-faceted needs of consumers nationwide. 

The post How a Trailblazing Telemedicine Provider’s Tech Platform Is Disrupting Healthcare appeared first on Grit Daily News.

Even though many of us stayed at home for the majority of the last two years, and countless companies pivoted their in-store experiences to focus online, physical security was still a real issue. In 2020 and 2021, home burglary remained an issue even though people were (for the most part) present. While this might seem unexpected, it actually makes sense—in times of economic uncertainty, with many people out of work and the economy in a state of uncertainty, people begin taking desperate measures to secure some form of financial assurance—even theft.  

One major issue that contributes to burglary is that people often underestimate their safety requirements. It is important to have a solid understanding of how these incidents happen and what weak spots currently exist in your security system (if you have one). Crime has evolved past the point of relying on deadbolt locks—there are many other things to consider. 

On average, there are 2.5 million burglaries every year, and home invaders are three times more likely to target properties that don’t use a security system. And here is where the main issue lies: only 17% of US homes use a security system. 

While some cite cost as their reasoning for not installing a security system, investing in safety is investing in peace of mind, and many systems cost less than the amount we spend on Starbucks each week. It’s time to consider how we can all have more peace of mind this year. 

Simple Tips to Keep Your Home Safe

Home security is more than locking your doors and windows and relying on a Neighborhood Watch sign on your street. Installing an intrusion system is a simple way to make sure your home is safe, not just when you’re out of town, but any time of day or night. 

The technology around security systems is constantly changing to stay ahead of burglary tricks and trends. An up-to-date system with the latest in alarm technology ensures dependability, no matter the size or location of your home. Companies like AEC Alarms offer web-enabled alarm systems, which allow you to manage and monitor your home security system from anywhere in the world (or at least anywhere with internet access). This allows you to use your computer or smartphone to gain access to real-time control and management with video footage of your property. This can make a huge difference in real-time response and overall peace of mind, allowing you to unplug and focus knowing that all of your belongings are safe.

Other simple tricks to ensure your home is secure? Never announce on social media that you are going out of town. Posting this information on such a public platform makes it easy for burglars to scope out which houses to vandalize, knowing that the residents won’t be walking in at any minute. Additionally, ask your trusted neighbors to keep an eye out for your home. Ask them to collect your mail and deliveries (so that it isn’t evident that you have not been home for several days), maybe even shovel your driveway if there is snow, and generally keep up appearances while you’re away. Another simple trick is to set certain lights in your home on timers so that it appears that people are in your home at night. If all of the lights stay off all of the time, it becomes too obvious for potential burglars to identify that no one is home.  

While it is important to take all of these precautions, the biggest step to reducing your risk of burglary is to install a comprehensive alarm system. Whether you are looking to prevent home invasion or want a comprehensive CCTV surveillance system, this is a vital first step in protecting your property.

The post Tips and Tricks to Prevent Home Invasion Year-Round appeared first on Grit Daily News.

Inevitably, during this prolonged period of isolation, many turned to social media to stay connected and entertained. But instead of keeping us connected, the increased use of social media led to spikes in both anxiety and depression. One study even suggests that social media doesn’t just elevate mental health issues—it causes them. 

Increase in Broad-Based Social Media Use Led to Less Connection and More Anxiety

Social media gives us a 24/7 window into people’s lives, and it usually isn’t an accurate one. Curated and filtered feeds can feed into a sense of comparison and cause stress. The easy answer is to just log off, but we live in a world where life (and even work) without social media doesn’t really seem possible—and yet, we are seeing people log off of certain social media platforms. 

Vox found in a survey of its readers that the increased anxiety and feelings of isolation as a result of spending more time on social media led many to leave broad-based social media platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter. In a 2019 study conducted by Origin Hill, their research arm found that 34% of Gen Zers were leaving social media, and various reports and studies have indicated this exile has increased during the pandemic. There are multiple reasons for their leaving, but the top two reasons? It’s a waste of time and far too negative.

Instead of leaving social media altogether, the Vox study shows that readers sought out safe havens with niche social media communities. Niche social platforms allow people with common interests to easily connect, creating a heightened sense of community and more positive interactions. In contrast, when we open up our larger mainstream apps like Facebook and Twitter, it often feels less like a community and more like we’re stepping into the unknown, bracing ourselves for the onslaught of politics, individuals oversharing, trolls, and simply overconsumption of news (both real and fake). More and more people are seeking out niche platforms as a safe and healthy alternative.

Why Creatives Are Seeking Community

So how did the entertainment industry respond to this? When the world came to a halt, one niche social media platform provided an outlet for creatives to connect and share ideas. Stage 32 allows people from every segment of the entertainment industry to network and learn.  

Those who join the community are immediately connected to others in their industry and given access to educational content to take their skills to the next level.

Simply put, people get more out of niche platforms and communities, because of their shared interests and similar values. More importantly, they get a sense of connection. The isolation caused by the pandemic has certainly led most to seek out supportive communities. Niche social networks are providing that exact environment. Even where there are hundreds of thousands of people on the platform, there is still a strong sense of connection due to the shared interest and empathy that comes from people with similar pursuits and goals.

Stay Connected Through Social Media in a Healthy Way to Protect Your Mental Health

People don’t have to forsake online connections entirely to preserve their mental health. Instead, it’s time to be more deliberate about the communities you choose to partake in. “To preserve our mental health and stay connected with one another, we don’t have to leave all of the social media,” says Stage 32 founder, Richard “RB” Botto. “Instead, we need to create and find more niche social platforms that match our interests and values.” Stage 32 upholds policies like no trolling, spamming, or abusive language, which led to the community becoming self-regulating and extremely positive, regardless of background or skill level. This is important for an industry like entertainment that is typically rife with criticism and comparison. 

Whether you want to stay connected with others in your industry, a particular fitness community, music fan community, or even a baking community, niche social media platforms can help us reap the positives of social media and actually enhance our mental health.

The post How Niche Social Media Platforms Like Stage 32 Are Creating Digital Safe Havens appeared first on Grit Daily News.

While spending grows, the way people shop has shifted. We all know that in-store purchases were limited last year due to the pandemic, but retail taking place predominantly online is not a passing trend. So how does this affect Holiday shopping in 2021 and beyond?  

This shopping season brings in as much as 30% of businesses’ yearly sales and revenue, so it’s no wonder that holiday marketing and e-commerce trends rule the minds of many companies during this time. But 2021 presented its own unique challenges, like record inflation and continued COVID restrictions. Effective marketing for this season is top-of-mind across industries to combat these issues.

U.S. consumers were already starting their Christmas shopping well before Thanksgiving, but this year brings an added complexity—the global supply chain crisis. These supply chain issues put many shoppers in a conundrum and limit the guarantee of last-minute purchases arriving at their designated doorstep on time. 

We are seeing increased prices at gas pumps and shortages of everyday items in stores nationwide. With this in mind, how can marketers prepare for this pivotal season? Here are a few tips.

Change Your Delivery Expectations 

It’s likely that businesses will avoid the typical “last minute shopping” message in its entirety. Due to the current supply chain issues, some businesses are specifically flagging that they are unable to promise fulfillment times, especially as we approach the beginning of December. This will likely prevent the typical “free two-day shipping” or “last day to order” promotions we often see after Cyber Monday. That normal three-week safety window to get your packages before Christmas most likely won’t exist this holiday season. 

If you haven’t already, begin to weave this important shipping information into your social media posts, website banners, email alerts, and more. When in doubt, over-communicate! Urge shoppers to order now, and encourage them to opt for the extra shipping and handling fee. It could make a big difference in getting what they want on time.

Maintain Your Momentum and Offer Incentives 

If you’ve already started your seasonal campaigns, don’t let Cyber Monday’s end deter you. Maintain your momentum by offering a post-Black Friday sale for those who missed it. This could be as simple as a one-day promo (after Cyber Monday) encouraging shoppers that there’s still time to spend.  

While we’ve seen a decrease in in-person shopping over the past decade, physical stores will likely see an unexpected boost in sales, especially as we get closer to Christmas Day. If your company has a physical location, consider offering an incentive for holiday shoppers to purchase in stores. 

Stay Close to Your Target  

Maximize your digital marketing and stay close to your target audience during the holidays. It can be easy to adopt an “anyone and everyone” approach, but in a world full of so much noise, consider how to best speak to your most loyal audiences. 

We live in a world where competition has never been steeper for brands across industries. While there is always a huge push to reach as many consumers as possible in order to find new customers, your most loyal customers are key to your company’s success. AdRoll’s 2021 Ecommerce Holiday Marketing Trends Guide highlights the importance of mapping to your target audience. Their advice? Find your repeat customers and loyal brand advocates and market specifically to them. If you have a loyalty program, send them a specific email campaign to increase sales. If not, develop one and offer a percentage discount as a bonus for signing up.

While this holiday shopping season may seem different, certain factors remain the same. You know customers are going to spend more money during this time—it’s just a matter of when and where. Find your customer base, target them with effective campaigns that highlight this year’s challenges while providing them with a solution, and you’ll be ringing in the New Year with success!

The post ‘Tis The Season for Strategy: How To Advance Your Ecommerce Efforts This Holiday Season appeared first on Grit Daily News.

With so many issues to resolve, sales to close, and priorities to balance, these routines bring about a sense of consistency and often provide time to rest and recuperate as well as time to learn and grow outside of business hours. Much like professional athletes have a certain warm-up and stretching routine before practices and events, many leaders find that maintaining their routine helps their mindset, allows them to feel their best, and enables them to perform at their peak.

How to Build Healthy Habits

Self-discipline is a key trait for any leader—especially someone who wants to pioneer their industry and achieve lofty goals. In order to build lasting healthy habits, it is vital to start with small, measurable goals you can implement in your day-to-day life. Jayson Waller, a founding CEO of POWERHOME SOLAR, credits much of his mindset for success to his simple morning routine. Every day, he wakes up at 6 a.m., eats breakfast, helps his kids get ready, and then drives them to school. After that, he hits the gym, showers, and makes sure he’s dressed professionally before heading into work. While it may seem simple, this focus on family and personal health allows Waller to begin each day focused on feeling his best and performing at his peak. 

The proof for Waller’s methodology is evident—he has grown Powerhome Solar to more than 2,100 employees since 2014 and has the company on a path to becoming a billion-dollar business. He hopes to take the company public one day and wants every employee who has helped him build the business from the ground up to share in that success.

Waller’s daily routine was developed with two goals in mind: staying focused on making the right decisions for all 2,100 of his employees, and finding meaningful time with his family.

Stay Focused on What Matters 

Many leaders say that their workdays consist of a never-ending flurry of calls and meetings. There is so much that needs their attention, and only a short window of time each day to accomplish necessary tasks. Good leaders know how to effectively delegate and focus on what demands their full attention. In recent years, horizontal or “flat management” structures have increased in popularity. This type of organizational structure more evenly distributes power and decision-making skills among employees. The goal here is to give them a sense of individual and corporate responsibility. Every captain needs a strong team on their side. Putting more trust in employees (and focusing less on micro-managing them) communicates that leaders trust them. 

Learning to delegate helps CEOs focus on what matters. Executives should give their whole attention to what can only be accomplished by them. This level of focus will make a big difference in your business.

Daily habits build a strong foundation for ourselves and our businesses. Waller’s balanced approach puts him in the right mindset to handle whatever is thrown at him. He’s focused on the right things and does what he needs to do every day to achieve his goals—personally and professionally. If you are a business leader or owner, make sure you’re proactively pursuing habits that will make a difference for your company.

The post Daily Habits of Ultra-Successful Business Owners appeared first on Grit Daily News.