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Tips for Outdoor Signage

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StrategyDriven Marketing and Sales Article | Tips for Outdoor SignageVisibility

Although the design of your outdoor sign is crucial, the creativity and effort involved will go down the drain if you don’t think about visibility. The objective of it all is to make your target audience know that your product or service exists and they won’t spend a lot of time looking at your sign.

Your goal should be to stand out but not go overboard in the process as this can make your audience take a considerable amount of time to actually figure out what your business is all about. Built-up signs are a great way to achieve this. It’s highly advisable to keep your signs simple and straight to the point. They should also be appealing and placed in locations where people actually see them.

When your audience understands what your business is all about by viewing your signs, they will be more likely to walk in and make a purchase. On top of this, signs that stand out are more shareable as they are different from other signs that consumers are used to seeing.

Less Is More

Now, the actual content or message you put on your business signs should be brief and concise. Going with the ‘less is more’ way may seem like the absolutely wrong thing to do, but actually it’s not. As already mentioned, people don’t spend much time looking at signs. So, your sign needs to grab their attention with as little information as possible.

Don’t plaster a whole paragraph of text or a rainbow of colours on your sign as this can confuse your audience. Instead, use simple words and brief messages that will arouse interest in your audience.

Remove The Clutter

To add on to the previous point, it’s important that your outdoor signs only have essential information about your business/brand and product. You may be tempted to share everything about your business on the sign, but this goes against the previous point. Remember, you should keep the text on your signs simple and brief. Remove anything that may seem unnecessary. Intuit recommends that signs should have a maximum of 7 words.

Including more content only makes it difficult for your audience to read and understand the information you are conveying. Something worth trying is designing your signs with a lot of white space and some text and graphics to catch the attention of the public.

It’s totally normal to want your sign to have an assortment of beautiful images and graphics. However, you should not use too many to the extent that your signs become illegible.

Studies suggests that at least 35% of your sign should be white space. So, remember this when designing your next outdoor sign for your business.

Choose Attractive Colours

Next, you need to think about the colours you are going to feature on your sign. Colours are closely related to your business/brand identity. Your audience will see the colours in your sign before anything else. Studies note that 80% of brand recognition is done based on colours.

Placing light shaded letter on top of dark background in a popular choice for many businesses. You can also use trendy, vibrant and bright colours as they are able to draw the attention of your target audience much faster.

Use Easy-To-Read Fonts

So, using fonts like Comic Sans on your outdoor signs is not the best idea. Your choice of font can be the difference between having an ordinary sign and a sign that your audience actually loves and shares as it’s so unique from other signs out there.

Choosing the right font that matches the identity and style of your business is very important. When you pick a good font, people will not struggle to read your sign. A bad font can disappear into the background and make your sign look dull and cluttered.

Also, heavy fonts are known to blend together making letters to seem combined and wavy. Using all Caps letters in your text may seem like the appropriate thing to do to make your message loud and clear, but this is not the case. Huge letters can easily disrupt the visibility of your sign.

Some simple but attractive fonts that you can use on your outdoor signs include Display, Helvetica, Sans Serif, and Serif fonts. These fonts stand out adequately and they are easy to read when combined with images and graphics.

An important point to note is that you should not use more than 2 fonts in one outdoor sign unless it’s really necessary. Always go with 2 fonts that match your brand identity and style. You will never regret this decision.

Choose Suitable Materials

There is no need to design a perfect outdoor sign that can effectively market your business and boost sales if you are going to use a poor material. The beauty and creativity of your outdoor sign can only be appreciated if has a suitable base or canvas. Rough or uneven bases are difficult to print on, so you can expect the print output to be sub-standard.

Choose the right material will ensure you end up with the perfect outdoor sign. Some materials are considered better for specific type of signs. For instance, acrylic is suitable for indoor signs used in stores and businesses. It is definitely not the best material for outdoor signs.

How to Decide if a Franchise is Right for You

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Many entrepreneurs wish to start a business based on an idea they have that they believe fills a gap in the market – or creates a new market. However, in many cases, you might wish to start a business but lack a viable opportunity in your location. This is where franchises come in. The basic idea is simple enough; you pay an established company for the right to use their business model and brand and run your own business under their umbrella. Some of the biggest commercial names run on this model, but how do you know if this would be a good fit for you?

Advantages

The main advantage of a franchise is that you don’t need to establish your business in a competitive marketplace. One of the main strategies of a new business will be to run effective marketing campaigns, which can be time-consuming, costly and a lot of work. With a franchise, you have that brand awareness in place already, and the marketing burden is largely taken off your shoulders. There is still a requirement for a degree in marketing, depending on the contract you sign, in which case you could look at social media marketing for franchises for example. The other key advantage is that the business model, including supply chain, IT systems, and personnel management is already in place, saving a huge amount of work compared to starting a business from scratch.

Disadvantages

The first thing that might spring to mind is the initial investment required for a franchise. This can be a sizeable sum for a major chain, and you will need to have a sound source of funding to be able to take on a franchise. However, before you dismiss the idea on these grounds, consider how much you would need to invest as an individual if you were starting from scratch. Factor in the costs of running marketing campaigns to the set-up costs and you may find that this puts the franchise cost into perspective.

One main issue is not so much the finance, because to start a business you will need investment anyway; rather it is your perception of the loss of autonomy. You will be bound by your contract to operate within the company regulations, normally with very little freedom to go your own way. Franchisors want their customers to be essentially unaware that the branch they are in is a franchise, so if you’re in an establishment in Delaware, it will be exactly the same as the one in Richmond, or Boulder. If you would find it hard to function with this lack of control, then franchising is probably not your best option. If, however, it is the challenge of being productive and profitable that is your passion, you could find franchising a perfect fit.

When considering the pros and cons of franchise opportunities, remember that with so many potential franchises to evaluate, there will be corresponding variations in the degree of control you have, so there could well be a business model out there that fits you. Read more on how a tree service franchise opportunity could be the business you are looking for.

What is the best CFD Trading Platform?

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StrategyDriven Entrepreneurship Article | What is the best CFD Trading Platform?

CFD trading can be a little overwhelming and complicated at the start, especially if you are entirely new to the scene. Therefore, it is definitely of the utmost importance to select a CFD trading platform that suits your needs. With the various types of CFD brokers that offer different services and access to different financial markets, being sure of what you want to achieve is the first step before you choose a broker and a trading platform. Forex brokers offer a range of trading platforms for the use of their clients and a majority of such online brokers may offer trading in a number of working and independent platforms, such as the MetaTrader, or MT4 software. Hence, ensuring that the trading platform is user-friendly and easy to use is paramount.

Apart from this, a good and reliable trading platform should be efficient when it comes to cancellation as well as order entry, to enable the investor to effectively manage their accounts and facilitate market analysis. It should also allow you to enter orders, receive real-time quotes and engage in transactions. Reliable trading platforms should offer a wide variety of tools to help investors in making prime decisions for profits.

StrategyDriven Entrepreneurship Article | What is the best CFD Trading Platform?

Top Trading Platforms

One of the best trading platforms in the market is the MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5) that are highly sought-after even by professional traders. They offer a range of tools and services that can help investors in their money-making decisions.

MetaTrader 4

CFD trading regards MT4 as the standard in the market and the platform is now being used by thousands of brokers all over the world. With their highly advanced technology and tight security, traders are able to open and close positions with their minds at ease as MT4 guarantees reliability and stability.

Key Features

MT4 is known for its extremely user-friendly interface that allows traders to easily manage their assets and trade with ease. The platform also supports major languages, appealing to a larger audience who can trade without having to be faced with a language barrier. Moreover, MT4 not only has ideal trading characteristics, but it is also equipped with highly advanced charting capabilities. This allows traders to conduct comprehensive analyses on the technical elements and their assets, facilitating better trading decisions.

Communication Tools

MT4 also allows an enhanced experience when it comes to communicating online. The various communication tools offered by the trading platform allow traders to interact in real-time, and to post messages without lengthy and complex email threats in the way.

As MT4 runs its software on low resources, this means that the platform is less prone to technical difficulties, and therefore allowing the platform to have shorter waiting times. This allows traders to act swiftly while trading, and that they are able to complete trades and implement transactions in the nick of time. With the accessibility to traders’ own account information, they will be able to see their access details, trading history, account balance and password information to help them keep track of their monetary assets easily.

Furthermore, MT4 boasts amplified security to protect traders from possible hacks and attacks. It safeguards sensitive and private information and encrypts the data between traders and the servers with a 129-bit key. The IP address of each trader is also completely kept from view, allowing them to trade without having to worry about security issues.

Customization

Unlike other platforms, MT4 allows trading platform customization for each CFD trader to tailor it to their own needs and practices. By being able to develop their own programs and technical indicators through their advanced MQL programming language, traders will be able to tweak the platform to their own benefit and needs. There are also various plugins offered by MT4 like the MetaTrader Supreme Edition plugin which gives premium access to traders to conduct trading insights, advanced analysis, and a variety of trading tools to enhance their experience.

StrategyDriven Entrepreneurship Article | What is the best CFD Trading Platform?

MetaTrader 5

The most up to date version of the MT CFD trading software is the MetaTrader 5. With a highly easy-to-use interface, traders will not have any problems trying to navigate around the platform. Switching between accounts is also easy with their user-friendly interface.

For traders who wish to open two accounts to carry out trade and scalp, the interface allows for easy switching between your two categories to quickly respond to market events. This saves a lot of time especially for regular traders who prefer to engage in several markets at one go.

Indicator Types

As compared to MT4, there are quite a few advanced indicators that MT5 provides, and they can be classified into four categories which include Trends, Oscillators, Volumes, and Bill Williams. Moving beyond that, MT5 also offers custom indicators that make access significantly quicker and simpler. The new trend indicators include the moving averages which include the double and triple Exponential Moving Averages (or ETAs), the Adaptive Moving Average and the Variable Index Dynamic Average.

Among the indicators, both double and triple ETAs and their derivatives are relatively new inclusions in the toolbox. MT5 is highly sought-after for traders who prefer automated trading since it offers a powerful Expert Advisor and an outstanding trading script. The trading script has been recently running on its new version, where it has managed to fix bugs and address several errors and issues. Improvement has also been made to the programming language, which has been compressed into a more compact and hassle-free form. Furthermore, the addition of the chart-in-chart style provides a deeper analysis of technical strategies that users want to utilize, effectively enriching the trading experience.

It is essential to select an excellent platform when you trade CFDs and to choose a suitable one that meets your requirements and needs. As MetaTrader platforms have been consistently proving themselves as the best in the market, do not hesitate to test it out and get a feel for the platform so you can determine if they are beneficial for you. The most important thing is to choose a platform that you are comfortable with using, and one that provides the right range of tools and services that you need to make your trading decisions. Do not settle for the first platform that you chance upon, and never stop exploring other platforms until you choose the one that works best for you. In fact, according to the review published by business24-7, Plus500 could be one that is suitable for you!

Keep Your Workplace From Going Viral

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StrategyDriven Risk Management Article | Keep Your Workplace From Going ViralWith the recent virus outbreak many people have become concerned with sanitizing their workplace to prevent the spread of the virus and germs. As a cleaning professional with over 25-years of experience, I have some good insights on how to handle this process. We at Cleaning Group Inc. have developed a protocol for disinfection and preventing infection in offices, gyms, medical facilities, restaurants, and other venues where the public meets with your staff.

The first piece of advice I can give you is don’t panic. Panic prevents rational thought and hinders the ability to make informed decisions. The first thing to do is assess the actual exposure. This is determined by how many people visit your facility on a regular basis and the probability that those people may be infected. Medical offices that treat patients or perform procedures in-office are at higher risk of infection than an office that only has a few employees and rarely receive visitors. The next thing to consider is where germs can be transferred. The most common places transfer takes place are telephones, door handles, light switches and restrooms. Air quality is another consideration as germs may become airborne and spread through ventilation systems.

Whether your workplace has a high or low risk, you should consider consulting a professional to assess what needs to be done in your facility. A professional cleaner will determine exactly what your individual needs are. There are safeguards that everyone can take. Start by informing employees, coworkers, clients and visitors of the risk factor. If you are a medical office treating infected patients or if you have employees who have been exposed, you need to inform everyone who enters your facility to take precautions. If you are hosting a meeting or conference, designate areas where visitors will be and properly clean and disinfect those areas before and after the meeting. Put hand sanitizing stations at entrances and lobby areas. Most people will use it if it is available. I recommend a touch free dispenser. When several people touch a soap dispenser before actually using the soap, they are leaving germs on the dispenser. Designate a phone that your visitors may use and place disinfecting wipes next to it with a sign asking people to wipe the phone before and after using it. Any keypads or touch screens that are heavily used should be treated the same way.

Signs should be placed in all restrooms asking everyone to please wash their hands. Touch free soap and towel dispensers are a great idea. Touch free faucets are beneficial. Electric hand dryers are better than paper towels. The restroom fixtures should be disinfected at a frequency that coincides with their use. A cleaning professional will be able to determine the proper frequency. Using the proper chemicals is key. For example, bleach evaporates much quicker than most other water-based disinfectants. In order for a disinfectant to work properly it must remain on the surface for several minutes. All surfaces should be wiped with a disinfectant daily.

Treating the air can be the trickiest. I recommend changing filters weekly using a high-quality filter that traps the most amount of allergens. Hepa filters work best. Having ducts professionally cleaned will help prevent germs from collecting in the ventilation system. Disinfectant fogging is the best way to treat the air and kill airborne virus. This process must be done by a professional. The fogger atomizes the disinfectant and sprays it into the air. This will treat areas that are hard to reach and may normally get overlooked.

Lunchrooms and kitchens are another area where disinfecting is important. Utensils and cups should be washed, dried and put away in a cabinet. Everyone should clean cups and utensils before and after each use. Water cooler handles should be disinfected as well. Make sure you replace kitchen sponges frequently and use an antibacterial dish soap. Wipe counters with disinfectant before and after each use also.

The best defense against germ and virus transfer is a good plan. Work with a cleaning professional and consult your local health department to assess risk factors and determine the level of reported infections in your area. These and other tips are available in more detail in our guidelines for disinfection. I realize that some of these things may seem extreme or expensive. Most business owners are reluctant to increase the cleaning budget. I can assure you that the money is well spent. Keeping your customers, clients and employees healthy is as equally healthy for your bottom line.

About the Author

StrategyDriven Expert Contributor | Glenn GreeleyGlenn Greeley is founder of CGI Cleaning Group Inc. headquartered on Long Island. For more information visit www.cleaninggroupinc.com, call 631-669-6033, or email [email protected] for a free disinfecting guideline.

What’s The Most Important Thing For Your Business Growth?

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article | What’s The Most Important Thing For Your Business Growth?

When it comes to being in business, it’s safe to say that you’re going to want to make sure that you can grow. But this isn’t something that you can do overnight. And it’s not always easy to make it happen. And so, when you know that you want to get somewhere with your business, you have to be intentional about it. Being intentional with your business means knowing what it is that you need to do to grow. It means having a plan and focusing on the right things. And this can be hard. So, it’s important for you to work on the things that are the most important to your growth. Let’s consider a few options.

The Right Intent

To begin with, it may be as simple as you having the best intentions for the business. Sometimes, it’s easy to think that you know what you want to achieve, But then your actions don’t match that. And so, you need to be able to make sure that you are setting goals and then following through with actions that allow you to achieve them. If you are really keen to grow, this is something you definitely have to stick to.

Better Research

Or maybe for you, the most important thing to focus on right now is research. If you have a particular product that requires advancement or that is in a technological or scientific area, then research is everything. And you will want to invest here. Whether that’s in Chemyo SARMs for research or for the team and equipment, it’s important to do it. Because if this is the one thing that will guarantee you success, you should go for it.

StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article | What’s The Most Important Thing For Your Business Growth?

More Sales

Sometimes, it can be as simple as needing to get more sales. When you want to increase your revenue, it can feel like you have to jump through hoops to get there – but that’s not always the case. Have a great product, try to help others, and watch the sales come in.

A Connection

When it comes to finding any kind of success in business, you’re likely to find that it matters for you to make a connection with your customers. So if you know that you want to see exponential growth soon, learning how to connect with your customers can really help you. So this is definitely something that you should make a priority. Because if you care to connect with them, it really makes a difference.

Perseverance

Sometimes, the most important thing that you can do is just keep going. Business success doesn’t happen overnight. It’s not a quick thing – it takes work and perseverance. It’s important that you can be patient and keep going – because the results will come. You never know whether the thing you need to make everything a success is right around the corner. So keep going – the growth will come.

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