StrategyDriven Talent Management Article|Top Performers |How To Keep Hold Of Your Top Performers

How To Keep Hold Of Your Top Performers

StrategyDriven Talent Management Article|Top Performers |How To Keep Hold Of Your Top PerformersIf you want your business to grow and compete with the bigger names in your industry, then it is vital that you are able to keep hold of your top performers. It can be frustrating when you have talented, hard-working, and passionate staff but lose them to another company as this can have such an enormous impact on many areas of the company. It is hard to retain your top performers particularly if you cannot match the wages that they could command elsewhere, but there are a few effective strategies to try which can encourage staff loyalty – here are a few ideas:

Create An Enjoyable Working Environment

Although it is a major influencer, money is not everything when it comes to working. People spend so much of their time at work, which means that this needs to be somewhere that they feel happy and content. You can do this by creating an enjoyable working environment in the office so that people enjoy working together and come to work each morning feeling happy and content.

Provide Progression Opportunities

The top performers are also the ones that are the most driven, so you need to make sure that you are providing them space to grow and progress within the company. Otherwise, they could have their head turned when they have gone as far as they can within the business. Look to promote from within and offer higher salaries to keep hold of your top performers.

Work Perks

You might not be able to match the wages that the command elsewhere but you can offer a range of benefits to staying with your company. This might include flexible working, employee discounts, benefits, gym membership, and various other perks.

Employee Awards

Nobody wants to stay in a job where they do not feel valued, especially if they are a top performer. It is for this reason why you must recognize and celebrate their hard work, and one excellent way to do this is with employee awards ceremonies. You can have engraved/glass awards produced and hand these out in a fun social event which can recognize hard work as well as bring the team closer together.

Challenge Them

Those that perform best in the workplace are the ones that are smart, driven, and ambitious. This means that you need to keep them challenged so that they do not get bored with their role. In addition to progression opportunities, you can also do this with new projects, setting them targets, giving them under-performers to mentor and any new task to keep them engaged. In addition to keeping them motivated and interested, this can lighten your own workload and help the company to succeed.

Keeping hold of your top performers is something that most business owners have to worry about particular if they are a smaller company that cannot offer huge salaries. Although it is hard to compete with larger salaries, there are strategies that you can use to retain your top performers with the above being a few of the more effective methods to try.

StrategyDriven Professional Development Article |Masters Degree Online|8 Benefits Of Studying A Masters Degree Online

8 Benefits Of Studying A Masters Degree Online

StrategyDriven Professional Development Article |Masters Degree Online|8 Benefits Of Studying A Masters Degree OnlineIf you’re thinking of studying a master’s degree online but you’re unsure whether or not it is the right choice for you then don’t worry, you have come to the right place. Although it may be tempting to study a master’s degree on campus, there are lots of incredible benefits to being able to study from the comfort of your own home. Whether it’s fitting your degree around you’re schedule or being able to continue the life you were living, studying an online master’s degree can be incredibly rewarding. With that in mind, here are 8 benefits of studying a master’s degree online:

It Can Be Much More Affordable

One of the great things about studying an online master’s degree is that it can be much more affordable than studying on campus. Not only is the degree cheaper, but your living costs are likely to be more affordable if you’re staying at home. You also won’t have any unnecessary moving costs, any worries about transportation costs and any costs when it comes to maintenance. For more information about how much it costs to go to University, you can visit this site here.

You Can Fit It Around Your Own Schedule

If you have a busy schedule and you don’t want to have to rework it completely, you will find that an online degree will allow you to work around it. If you’re studying on campus you have to attend lectures and seminars at specific times, however, with an online degree, you can study when it suits you. Although it requires you to have a certain level of willpower and self-control, being able to work to your own schedule is a huge selling point for some. Whether it helps when it comes to your family life or it means you’re able to keep your current job, studying a master’s degree online doesn’t have to take over your whole life.

You Don’t Have To Leave Your Job

As mentioned above, studying online means you can work to your own schedule, allowing you to keep the job you already have. Whether you’re working full-time or part-time, you will be able to fit your master’s degree around your work hours. Not only does this mean you will be able to stay on top of your finances, but it also means you’ll have job security when you graduate. Even if it’s not in the industry you want to be in, job security is incredibly valuable.

You Can Stay In Your Current Town Or City

If you don’t want to uproot your whole life for your master’s degree, studying online will allow you to get your qualification without having to leave your current town or city. Whether you’re living with your partner or you’re living with your parents, sometimes leaving to go study is just not possible when you have rent or a mortgage to pay. For guidance when it comes to staying at home whilst you study, you can visit this site here.

There Are A Wide Range Of Subjects To Choose From

Although people believe that there are fewer choices when it comes to studying online, often you will find that establishments have just as many course choices for those that want to study from the comfort of their own home. Whether you want to study a degree in marketing or a master’s in social work, with a little bit of determination you will be able to find a course that suits you. If you are considering a master’s degree in social work, you can visit the Rutgers site for more information here.

You Can Still Socialise With Others’ On Your Course

A common misconception about studying a degree online is that is not very social. Although you may not have as many events to attend, you will find that there are ways to talk to others on your course. Whether it’s through monthly meetups and get-togethers or through an online chat system that has been set up by your course provider, an online degree can be as social as you make it. If you don’t want to socialise, that’s completely up to you too.

It Teaches You Self-Discipline And Responsibility

To be able to study at home you need to have a lot of self-discipline. There will be no strict time table you need to stick to and without self-discipline, you may find that you fall behind easily. There are so many things at home that can distract you that if you turn away for a second, it could be hours before you come back to your work.

If you think you’re going to struggle when it comes to finding the motivation to study, you might want to consider creating a schedule that you stick to every week. If you have a specific time of the day where you plan to study, make sure you are actually studying during those hours. If you have someone at home who can keep you in check, that’s even better.

Another great way to ensure you’re always in the mindset to work is to ensure you have a dedicated space to study. Whether it’s a home office or a desk in your lounge, you need to ensure you have a place that once you sit there, it means it’s time to study. For home office inspiration, you can visit this handy site here.

You Still Graduate With The Same Quality Of Degree

Finally, when your degree comes to an end and it is time to graduate, you will be coming away with the same quality of degree as those who studied on campus. Often people think an online degree is worthless, however that is another common misconception. Studying at home doesn’t mean the degree is going to be worth any less. After all, you should be proud no matter where you study your master’s.

 

StrategyDriven Marketing and Sales Article |Poster Advertising|What are the benefits of poster advertising?

What are the benefits of poster advertising?

StrategyDriven Marketing and Sales Article |Poster Advertising|What are the benefits of poster advertising?It may be one of the oldest forms of advertising still in existence but, to this day, poster advertising remains one of the most popular. While the world may be gradually becoming more and more technological and internet-focused, the high visibility that posters can provide makes them one of the best methods for advertisers to use.
You only have to walk down the street to see their power in full effect – poster adverts are literally everywhere. Whether it be a clothing brand advertising a new sale, or Netflix showcasing a new TV programme, posters are one of the most effective ways of reaching new and existing customers.

Here, we go through each of their benefits in further detail, clarifying why poster advertising remains such an effective and widely-used form of advertising.

Design

Posters are, in effect, a blank canvas. They are ideal for brands and businesses who want to show their creative colours, providing a design freedom like no other. Depending on the type of business or purpose the advert is being used for, it is easy to be as creative as you like in their design; if you fancy using bright, attention-grabbing colours – go for it. Want to inject a bit of humour? Why not. How about filling the advert with tons of text? You can, but it’s probably not the best idea.

Nailing the design can make a big difference to how or whether a customer will respond to it. Most businesses tend to hire the help of a professional digital printing service at this stage, to ensure that the poster they want to print is both of sufficient quality, and meets the relevant printing guidelines.

Location

Inside, outside, wherever – posters can be used everywhere and anywhere. You will often find them in shops and on windows, billboards, walls and hoardings – wherever they are likely to be seen. For instance, bars and restaurants often use posters in toilets or bathrooms to advertise particular events, such as quiz nights, happy hour deals and live music events. In essence, wherever you come across people, you are likely to find a poster or two.

Size

The size of posters really varies depending on its location. For a poster placed inside a retail or business premises, smaller posters – such as A4 or A3 – are the most commonly used sizes. Whereas, at a large shopping centre, outdoor poster sizes are normally much larger.

The chosen poster size will largely depend on how customers are expected to interact with it. For example, an A3 poster may look huge when you’re holding it in your own two hands, but it will barely be seen if used outdoors. Similarly, while an A1 or A2 poster may be perfect to use outside, if it takes up half of the wall when using it indoors, then it probably isn’t a practical choice.

However, having this flexibility to decide the ideal size is one of poster advertising’s key benefits. If you are looking to print a poster, here are some of the most common sizes used:

  • A4 – 210 x 297mm
  • A3 – 297 x 420mm
  • A2 – 420 x 594mm
  • A1 – 594 x 841mm
  • A0 – 841 x 1189mm

Visibility

Since posters are typically located wherever people are, they are incredibly visible. Whether a business worker walks past a particular advert at 6 AM, or a dog walker sees the same advert at 12 PM, the advert is always available and able to reach a wide range of people, whatever the time of day may be. This means that a huge number of people will be able to see, interact with and respond to a wide variety of brands throughout the day, which could lead to several potential conversions.

Plus, posters which feature a particular call-to-action on them, such as an email address, website, or social media information, will encourage customers to engage with them, influencing their online and buying behaviour.

Durability

The longevity of a poster really depends on the quality of the material it is printed on. Most good indoor posters are printed on strong, heavy matt or gloss laminated paper, with a ‘Grams per Square Meter’ value between 90gsm and 350gsm.

Outdoor posters, on the other hand, are typically printed on durable water-resistant paper that adheres to the material without cracking or tearing. Take a look next time you walk past a large outdoor poster – there won’t be a crack or blemish anywhere in sight.

Cost

Having a number of stunning posters produced can cost a lot less than you might think. Compared to a large interactive billboard or another form of digital advert, poster advertising can be a much more cost-effective method to use. It could also potentially reach a lot more people, so could offer a better return on investment. Likewise, it is generally considered a more trusted and tolerated form of advertising to consumers over digital or online alternatives.

Final thoughts…

There you have it – the various reasons why using poster advertising can be such an effective way of reaching more customers. It may not have the interactive pizzazz that digital adverts can provide but, as one of the oldest and most widely-used forms of advertising, it certainly is a cost-effective and incredibly popular choice.

StrategyDriven Risk Management Article |Cybercriminals|Fending of the Cybercriminals: How to Protect Your Business in the Digital Age

Fending of the Cybercriminals: How to Protect Your Business in the Digital Age

StrategyDriven Risk Management Article |Cybercriminals|Fending of the Cybercriminals: How to Protect Your Business in the Digital AgeIn the digital age of today, cybercriminals are your business’s biggest enemy. They will stop at nothing to take advantage of both your company and your clients in order to benefit themselves, regardless of the damage they cause. They’ll phish, impersonate, hack, and scam their way to financial success, without bothering to even consider the consequences of their actions.

You cannot allow these petty cybercriminals to bring down the business that you’ve worked so hard to build up. Quite simply, you have to resolve to fend them off at all costs. To find out how that can be achieved, be sure to read on.

Know your enemy

Simply knowing your enemy and getting familiar with the dangers that you face will help you to fend off cybercrime.

Some forms of cybercrime that you should definitely be aware of include:

Partner up with an anti-phishing expert

Fake websites, social media accounts, and email addresses are created by cybercriminals in order to hoodwink unsuspecting customers. Instances of this happening are referred to as phishing attacks, and they are common place on the world wide web today. Unfortunately, the bigger your business’s reputation, the greater your chances are of being targeted by a cybercriminal who specializes in this type of criminality — your company’s reputable name and extended customer base provide them with plenty of opportunities to scam their way to financial success.

Fear not, however, as you’re not alone in your fight against phishing. There are plenty of anti-phishing experts out there, and you should partner up with them if you’re serious about preventing this kind of plight before it has the chance to befall you.

FraudWatch International are one such expert that you could turn to in this instance. The anti-phishing services that they offer include:

  • 24/7 monitoring
  • Domain registration
  • Detection capabilities
  • Layered protection
  • Scanning tools
  • End-to-end solutions
  • Speedy site takedowns

Make sure your employees understand the dangers

If they remain in the dark with regards to all the digital dangers your organization faces day in, day out, your employees could inadvertently end up making it incredibly easy for cybercriminals to hack into your business.

Should your staff members access a virus-contaminated website or open up a trojan email while they are connected to your office WiFi, your whole network could be infected and your personal details could be hacked into — once they are granted access in this instance, you can be sure cybercriminals won’t leave you alone or give you back what is rightfully yours until you yield to their financial demands. For this reason, you need to ensure that the entirety of your workforce understands the severity and danger of cybercrime.

In the digital age of today, physical crime is not the only danger that you face. You also have to contend with cybercrime — fail to tackle it, and an untold amount of problems could befall your business. Take the above advice, and be sure to fend off cybercriminals before they have the opportunity to sink their claws into you.

StrategyDriven Entrepreneurship Article |Real Estate|The Art Of Selling Houses: How To Keep Your Books Ticking Over

The Art Of Selling Houses: How To Keep Your Books Ticking Over

StrategyDriven Entrepreneurship Article |Real Estate|The Art Of Selling Houses: How To Keep Your Books Ticking OverKeeping your books full as an estate agent is partly hard work and partly having the gift of the gab. Being able to sell houses involves crafting a delicate balance of being persuasive but also keeping everyone informed. You don’t want to be the real estate agent equivalent of a snake oil salesman, but you also want to keep your books nicely ticking over. If you have just started in real estate, here’s how to get your houses selling.

Marketing strategy

It doesn’t matter what condition they’re in: the houses on your roster need to be well presented online for people to consider them. Even if you have a wreck on your hands, someone who is looking to start a passion-project will want to get a sense of what they will be overhauling. You will come across as a much more reliable real-estate agent if your marketing is of a high standard. Using professional photographers and marketers, such as Yught, will get you a service that is specialized in real estate.

Part of your marketing strategy should involve a strong online presence. A brilliant website allows you to capture your personality and tone of voice. This is hopefully, what will draw potential clients to you – and importantly, gain trust with customers. Your website should be easy to find and accessible. Existing on social media is also important to advertise exciting new properties and open a dialogue with house-hunters.

Don’t rely on word of mouth

Positive word of mouth will certainly benefit you in your career – but that doesn’t mean you should rely on it. It’s been said that a real danger for any new real estate agent is making the assumption that friends and family will get them business. In order to become a successful real estate agent, the reality is that you will need to work hard and network. Don’t wait for the work to find you – you will need to source most of it yourself while you are starting out.

Specialize

Your education should not stop once you finally become a full-time real estate agent. It is important to keep learning not only for the betterment of your skills as a real estate agent, but also to help you specialize. If you want to find a niche set of customers in a particular price bracket, it is recommended that you become an expert in a particular area. As with any job, this comes with a combination of experience and knowledge. You will need to build this up over time, but it could be incredibly beneficial to you – it may even become a real passion.

What will keep your books ticking over is a devotion to your job. Your devotion should be reflected in your marketing strategy, your work ethic, and in your dedication to learning more as an agent. When you combine all of these features you are building the foundations for a successful and busy career.