Great Time Management Tips to Help Your Business Get Ahead
Carter Black Business
Great Time Management Tips to Help Your Business Get Ahead

Running a business is challenging, and one of the many, and possibly main, hurdles to success is time management. There are those who just feel that they are unable to find the time to do all the tasks required of them, and they are struggling to fit everything in. It is not difficult to see how, without effective time management, a business can suffer.

For business owners looking to address this problem, there are a number of time management tips they can follow. There are also companies, such as LiquidPlanner, who provide scheduling technology programs to help with the management of tasks and time. 

Tips to Help You Manage Your Time

We came across an article on the Forbes website written by Don Markland in which the global sales leader and executive coach discussed the three time management strategies he believes ‘every executive, leader and entrepreneur’ should use to help them find the time to get everything done. 

The first tip was changing the way one thinks about time. As there is no way to change the amount of time one has, an individual should instead change the way that he/she uses that time. Changing the language with which one uses to describe his/her time, or lack thereof, can help make the individual in question more accountable. For example, Markland said that he encourages those he coaches to say, ‘I didn’t make it a priority’ instead of saying ‘I didn’t have time.’ 

Prioritization of tasks is the key to managing time more effectively. By prioritizing just three tasks per day that will be accomplished, one soon learns how to manage time better. To make this easier, it is a good idea to create a routine at the beginning or end of each day where these tasks are identified. 

And to really get more from the time one has, distractions such as social media should be eliminated. 

Goal Setting

Prioritizing daily tasks is a terrific way to start managing time better, but it is also wise to set goals, both short- and long-term ones. Knowing where one wants his/her business to go makes it easier to get there. Having goals means creating a plan and then achieving them is much easier. 

If you have a long-term goal for your business, start by setting short or small goals. These short-term goals are quicker and easier to achieve and will definitely contribute to effective time management. It is far easier to measure the success of a business when it is meeting its short-term goals. 

Remember to take things day by day. While setting goals is important, also be aware of the need to stay present and learn from each day. Apply what you have learned today to tomorrow, particularly in relation to time management. 

Consider a Software System

As already mentioned, there are companies that provide software solutions designed to help with the management of projects and time. If you are going to choose a software to help, it would be a good idea to do your research first and learn all you can about how to use it. 

The wonderful thing about project management software is that, in addition to the program, you are likely to get help and support as well as updates to ensure the program is working effectively for you and your team. 

Implementing time management tips and strategies into the way you run your business will mean your productivity increases, which will in turn hopefully help toward a bigger profit margin. After all, is this not the end goal of any business.

Is Procrastination the Enemy of Success?
Carter Black Business
Is Procrastination the Enemy of Success?

Time is precious; it is the one thing in life that you cannot get back. It makes sense then that you use your time wisely, whether that be in your personal or professional life. Managing time effectively will allow you to get the most out of life. However, one of the biggest hurdles in time management is procrastination – ‘the action of delaying or postponing something.’

You may have heard the saying, ‘why put off till tomorrow, what you can do today?’ This is exactly what is meant by procrastinating. Those who find it difficult to overcome their tendency to avoid attempting or completing certain tasks usually find that specific areas of their life suffer as a result. In a business setting, procrastination really is the enemy of success. 

Fortunately, there are countless time management strategies that can help, as well as many software solutions offered by companies such as LiquidPlanner. Indeed, the use of such software solutions allow for improved organizational skills among all employees. 

Changing the Way Procrastinators Think

In a recent article in the Star Tribune, om time-management guru Wanda N. Walker offers the lowdown on overcoming procrastination. She has been helping people for more than 30 years through her company Uniquely 

Yours Consulting. 

Walker explained that many individuals tend to get in their own way when it comes to meeting both personal and professional goals. This is why she works so hard helping others try to avoid this tendency. In a series of questions and answers in the article, she related how September is a particularly common month for procrastination as it usually involves a time transition for many. Think a return to school after summer recess or work after vacation. 

When asked if everyone procrastinates, she said that everyone does from time to time, even those who are highly organized. Interestingly, she admitted that it is rare for people to be procrastinators in all areas of their lives. 

Laziness or Fear? 

Walker also spoke about how she believes that despite what many people think, procrastination is not actually a symptom of laziness. It is more about fear and a belief of ‘falling short.’ She noted that for some individuals it is more about wanting to be perfect. Many of these people believe that if they cannot complete a job to perfection, they would rather not attempt it at all. 

Implementing Time Management Strategies

One of the recommendations in the piece is starting small and focusing on one thing at a time. This is a common time management strategy that can help with organization and efficiency. It is great advice as professional procrastination can, for example, lead to negative consequences that can include formal warnings, missing out on a promotion, or even job loss. 

Learning how to manage your time will help in all areas of life. By becoming more focused on the things you need to do means finding it easier to make positive decisions and having a greater chance of success. This mantra applies to business owners as well. 

Much time is lost in business and as we all know, time is money. If as a business owner you can implement certain time management strategies, you will maximize profits and help drive your company forward. Both project and time management solutions can help you get the most from your employees and your business. You can click here to see how employee monitoring, for example, can help you achieve this.

If you have been delaying making such an investment, remember that procrastination is indeed the enemy of success. Improving the way your people work will help you to reap the rewards; it will also help improve confidence and staff morale.

Get aware of GPB capital funds
Carter Black Law
Get aware of GPB capital funds

GPB was one of the rapidly growing private placement firms that sell shares through independent broker-dealers. Investors who invested in GPB holdings suffered huge losses and the investors are now seeking relief. The GPB investors are represented by lawyers and the attorneys are preparing themselves to initiate strong action against the company and seek compensation on behalf of the investors who have suffered losses due to their GPB investment. Investors who feel have lost money in GPB investment programs should contact lawyers for a discussion regarding their loss recovery options. 

GPB Capital is an asset management firm based in New York that has raised millions of dollars from various investors from all across the country. Several broker-dealers along with their representatives sold private placement. The registered representatives and the broker-dealers received millions as commission and fees for the sale of their products. GPB investors are witnessing a massive drop in the investment value and this investment is investigated by federal and state regulators. GPB has tried to console its investors through statements that it returned a huge amount of money to its investors via distributions that acts like dividends. According to the company, it has returned almost 15 percent of the capital. 

Role of investors

Investors in GPB capital are concerned about the money that has lost in GPB programs. The investors can contact security attorneys and can discuss the legal options with them. Many law firms are working with the investors and they are investigating activities related to GPB capital. Investors who have lost money in GPB capital should contact the attorneys who can provide the investors with useful information and discuss the option to recover the losses incurred by them while investing in GPB capital.

An investigation by security lawyers

The law firms that are representing the investors who have lost money due to misconduct or investment-related fraud in GPB capital are presently investigating GPB’s placement sales. The firms take the cases on a fee basis and the firms get paid from the money recovered by the clients from GPB. These lawyers have represented several victimized investors all over the globe and have huge experience in dealing with investment fraud cases. Investors who feel who suffered huge losses by investing in this company can easily contact a law firm dealing with investment fraud cases. These firms have eminent lawyers who have huge experience in these cases. With their help, you can definitely recover your losses.

How to Post Ads in Classified Sites?
Carter Black Business
How to Post Ads in Classified Sites?

Of late, you can find many ways to advertise your products without any hassle. If you are planning to sell something or you are going to buy any specific product for yourself, then you can take the help of the classified ads sites which are really perfect to meet your overall requirements for sure. The main advantage of these sites is that you can sell or purchase products with several dimension and size without paying anything. 

You need to understand that the type of results which you get from these classified sites totally depends on the way you are going to do it. Let’s understand how you can post ads in classified sites right now itself.

Note down all the reputable classified sites

The most important thing which you should do is to make a list of all the reputed classified sites which offer such services. You would get many sites which are dealing with such services. But, most of them would not be exceptionally good. To find out more about them, you can go through their number of ads which are posted in those classified sites nationally and locally. You can post free classifieds ads by visiting reputed sites which have an option to fully categorize the classified ads according to a geographical area. It is really a better feature which would help you in getting ads only from a specific location. 

Do your research before choosing classified sites

Make sure you are choosing the classified ads site wisely by considering all the important factors. Choosing the top 2 sites would be good enough. You should not waste your precious time by advertising in 3 sites. You should go for only those sites which ask only a little information at the time of registration. You should be able to post ads without any hassle. Always go for a reputable site with 4 years of history which would be a great option for you.

Always give a Professional tone to your ads

To achieve great results, you should think only professionally. You can post free classifieds ads in a professional tone so that customers get attracts by seeing your ads for sure. Casual tone surely has some advantages in connecting to the customers, but the right way is to make it highly professional. Also, to make sure your post looks good, it should be attractive and short.  

So, what are you waiting for? Start posting your first ad now!

The Growth in the business and CRM
Carter Black Business
The Growth in the business and CRM

The importance of crm app goes far beyond just managing customer relationships. When used right, it can become even more efficient, profitable and positively impact your company’s sales process.

Throughout this article, we’ll cover some of the key strengths of this solution and how to make the most of it to ensure the success of your business. Good reading!

Manage The Sales Cycle

Keeping an eye on the sales cycle at all times is essential to building customer loyalty and closing more sales. If, for example, you think your win rate is not exactly what it could be, implementing a smart tracking system can help increase your sales.

The free crm tools can be used to manage each step of the sales process, remembering what was and was not done, as well as what should be implemented next. While a rigorous approach will not work for all segments, keeping up to date will increase your control over relevant variables.

Prioritize Important Requests

Task management is one of the best strategies for achieving better sales results.

Your CRM system can automatically prioritize and notify immediate actions to be taken so that you can continue to maintain and develop lasting relationships with your customers, driving sales growth.

Capture Leads

As long as you’re proactive, using CRM functionality to optimize lead capture is one of the simplest ways to start a process that leads to increased sales.

The system used in your company should be able to adapt to your needs, for example by letting you know when and where someone entered your site or filled out a form, providing your sales team with a focused tone worth listening to.

Guide Sales

Implementing good free crm systems and optimizing its use is certainly vital for closing more sales. However, for the above elements to come together in a sales-oriented system, there are three keys to note:

Business Management

The tool alone does not ensure salespeople can close sales, but it does help with the progress of the process carried out by staff. As such, sales-oriented CRM should let you see what’s behind each customer, the contacts they make, and what it means to the organization.

Information Management

Core data must be organized into a database optimized to keep pace with workflows. The updating of information is essential for the success of the business.

In this context, it is vital to prevent data from being erased simply because it has not led to lead conversion.

Real-Time Analysis

Most CRM solutions are accessed according to traditional concepts, that is, analyzes are done after the end of a sales process or marketing campaign.

That should change as soon as possible. After all, it’s precisely the ability to access sales metrics, comparative tables, and relevant real-time charts that will make CRM’s importance to sales manifest in your organization.

Over time your business starts to become more profitable, you start growing and the number of customers increases to 30. In this scenario, you start prioritizing larger order relationships, serving customers faster, emails start and as you get shorter and more direct, calls get scarcer and you try to do what you need to do.

Five Easy Steps To A Send Parcel Overseas.
Carter Black Business
Five Easy Steps To A Send Parcel Overseas.

If you are sending a parcel overseas the first time, then there are certain things you need to know, to take care when shipping overseas. You need to take care of choosing the contents to make your DHL shipping (dhl ส่งของ, which is the term in Thai) arrives safely and securing to the destination country. There are certain things like choosing the right packaging, right courier services to send a parcel overseas. If you are wondering what else you need to know to get delivered your parcel safely, here are few simple steps to get started.

1. Labeling.

Labeling your parcel in the right way can help your shipment get transferred at the appropriate place and address and prevent it from getting into wrong hands. You should include both senders and recipient’s address on your parcel. One of the best ideas is to include your phone number and recipient phone number on the shipping label to make the shipping process more convenient and quick. The more information you include, the more effective and instantaneous your parcel gets delivered.

2. Courier Service.

The Second step to sending documents or goods to foreign nations is selecting the right courier service. Almost all courier services have the same functionality, but they may differ from shipment to shipment. Choose the services that fit best with your requirements, especially when you need to send valuable items overseas. Some courier services offer specialized assistance to freight like precious items and confidential documents.

3. Know About Your Freight.

There are many rules and regulations while importing and exporting goods. Few things are prohibited for exporting and importing to a particular country. You should check the list of prohibited item of shipping for your as well as destination country. For chemical items or liquid goods, you need to get appropriate services that you should confirm with your courier services. Also, know about the custom formats for invoice and other documents while sending the delivery to foreign countries (การส่งของไปต่างประเทศ , term in Thai)

4. Get a Pick-Up.

Courier services can offer you pick up service to pick up your parcel. You need to book a pickup so that your shipment gets picked up by the courier. You can also visit the courier office nearby to check and verify your freight before processing for shipping.

5. Know the Status Your Parcel Online.

Some of the courier facilities provide you application or link to track your parcel online. You can see the status of your shipment over your Smartphone. Some of the courier services provide the contact number or SMS services for knowing the status the shipping.

What Every Business Needs to Know about Data Governance
Carter Black Business
What Every Business Needs to Know about Data Governance

What is data governance? There have been many definitions, but the simplest way to define data governance is as the set of methods and principles that can be used to assure the high quality of data throughout its lifecycle. The need for such a program rests on the fact that technology alone is not enough to get the right information and documents into the right hands at the right time. There must be rules for organizing data and a set of institutional mechanisms in place to ensure those rules are applied correctly.

Your organization’s objectives and priorities will determine what data governance framework you should adopt. The right framework will help different officers within the enterprise — executive, legal, marketing, and so forth — make informed decisions with the best knowledge available. It will help assure compliance with relevant laws and regulations, as well as your organization’s own internal rules and culture. It can help protect privacy and security by ensuring that information and records are only released to authorized personnel in an appropriate way, and that record of who has access to what documents when is also properly kept.

Well-organized data is also key to corporate performance. It helps monetize data by making sure it is stored and distributed in a rational way. It can help your organization monitor KPIs, not only for data performance, but for all processes withing the enterprise. By standardizing and organizing data, governance can enhance the general efficiency of an organization, first by eliminating the need to overhaul data systems with every new initiative, but mostly by simply allowing organizations to do more with the sea of information at their disposal.

Most organizations that implement data governance programs take it in small steps. They choose a few discrete areas of business to focus on at first, rather than overhauling the entire data governance framework at once. After those areas — perhaps compliance, or market research — have been mastered, a foundation will be in place for controlling the rest of the organization’s data.

The next step will be to integrate data spread out over file structures, CRMs, and everywhere else loose data may be around. Implementing integration technologies and best practices will be absolutely crucial. Finally, the organization will have to draw up roles and rules. That is, the business will have to decide who will be given responsibility for managing the governance of data, what the scope of their authority will be, and by what rules data will be controlled.

All key stakeholders will have to be educated, and the flow of records and information within the organization clearly mapped. Finally, there must be feedback and improvement mechanisms to assure that the system is working as intended. The most important starting point when doing QA are the business users themselves. Management must have the information it needs to plan strategy and control costs. Finance must assure that spreadsheets balance and rules are followed. Marketing must know what new projects are coming and all pertinent information about the target market.

We live in an age of wondrous information technology. The tiny phones in our pocket have more computing power than machines in the 1960s that took up entire rooms. Digital voices answer our questions and turn devices and programs on and off. One might be so dazzled by these advances that one forgets that all these technological marvels are just tools to serve human needs, no different than fire, the wheel, and the internal combustion engine. As fire can be used to cook or to burn, as motor vehicles and highways would be useless without traffic safety laws, so too can the proper use of information technology make or break a large organization. 

3 reasons why you should take a personal loan instead of opting for a credit card
Carter Black Business
3 reasons why you should take a personal loan instead of opting for a credit card

People these days believe in luxurious life. According to them, one needs to earn money in order to fulfil their desires or dream apart from their basic necessity. Today’s society is competitive in nature. People are always competing with others in terms of their standard of living.

Although competitive but not everyone is capable of buying expensive goods or services. The people with lower income find it difficult to afford such luxurious things. So what should they do?

For every situation, there is an alternative available. One needs to find one.

Personal loans and credit cards are the best alternatives to get yourself rid of the burden of paying money at once to buy any luxurious thing of your choice or your dream.

What are a personal loan and credit card?

A loan can be defined as a sum of money borrowed by an individual from any financing Company or organization on fixed small charges. A personal loan is more specialized form of a loan, which is borrowed for one’s personal needs at a fixed rate of interest with a fixed repayment time period. The personal loan can be provided by any bank, private lender or credit union. Before applying for a personal loan one can analyse the interest rate using a personal loan eligibility calculator. It will help in easily understanding of the loan prospects.

Credit card is another method of buying things by borrowing money. But its way of functioning is slightly different than personal loans. Credit cards are small plastic cards used for buying goods and services on credit. The term Credit means buying first and paying later. Credit cards are just like your monthly electricity bills, issued by banks, in which you can shop the whole month and at the end of the month you are required to pay the credit bills.

Why choose a personal loan over credit cards?

Personal loans are more favourable over credit cards, which can be understood by the following points mentioned below.

  • Impact on your credit score

The credit score is one of the most reliable factors that is considered while lending you the loan amount. It is completely based on your utilization ratio. More you buy the higher your utilization ratio which will ultimately lower your credit score. Therefore it is advisable to opt for a personal loan as they offer a specific amount which will be easier for you to spend accurately after figuring out your expenses properly. Although limits are set in credit cards, these limits are higher and there is a possibility of spending all money reaching your limits at the end of the month which will ultimately decrease your credit score.

  • For instant cash requirements

They may appear a situation where you need to pay in cash. Personal loans are suitable for situations involving cash transactions. As with credit cards, you won’t be able to withdraw cash whenever required. You can also check if you’re eligible or not by the help of several online personal loan eligibility calculator.

  • Lower Interest rates

The rate of interest in the personal loan is more conductive and low as compared to your credit cards while paying your debt. The rate of interest for a personal loan can easily be checked by using a personal loan eligibility calculator.

Conclusion

There are lot of calculators available online out of which Personal loan eligibility calculator by Upwards is amongst the best personal loan eligibility calculators that can be used to analyse or compare the interest rates charged in a personal loan. One should choose wisely considering all the prospects before opting for any method of loan as mentioned above.

Secure yourself and your Business with Proper Background Check
Carter Black Business
Secure yourself and your Business with Proper Background Check

Are you planning to start a business? Do have someone who wishes to join hands as a partner? You need to be very careful about whom you have chosen. These days, incidents of frauds and cheats are quite common and you never know, you might end up being a victim of one such incident. Therefore, before you accept someone as a business partner; it is very important for you to make sure that you have all the relevant and important information about that person at your disposal. No matter if you have known that person for a long time; yet it is very essential to make sure that he is a good choice. This can only be achieved by running a thorough and proper background check. There are various ways by which you can conduct a background check; however, most of them are time consuming and can cost you a lot of money. However, there is one option available to you that would make this process simple, quick and cost free. It is, availing free background check services that are being offered by some of the websites in the United States. These websites generate authentic search results and would give you the information that you are looking for.

What is meant by Background Check?

As far as background check is concerned, it is nothing but the process of pulling up important and useful information about an individual that includes various details about him. A proper background check will help you get hold of genuine and proper information about an individual. Here are some of the various kinds of details that are revealed by a proper background check

  • Contact Details: With the help of a proper background check, you can get to know the contact details of an individual. You will have access to his residential address, phone numbers, and email address. If he has more than one house registered against his name, the address and location would also be revealed
  • Criminal Records: This is one of the most important areas of concern that needs to be looked after. You don’t want your business partner to hold any kind of criminal records. If he has any, it would be revealed by the background check along with all the details related to the case.
  • Financial Status: If you want to know about the financial status of your partner, in that case, a proper background check can help you acquire the required information. Besides, a proper background check will also let you know whether an individual is facing bankruptcy or standing at the verge of it

Apart from these, there are tons of different other important information that can be acquired through background checks. These websites which provide free services have proven to be very useful when it comes to knowing details about someone. So, if you are planning to get associated with someone in your business, then  make sure that you ran a thorough background check on that individual

From Dublin to Singapore, which of the world’s cities offer fantastic prospects for graphic designers?
Carter Black Business
From Dublin to Singapore, which of the world’s cities offer fantastic prospects for graphic designers?

There are many cities around the world seeking the talents and skills of graphic designers. So, don’t worry, you won’t be hard pushed finding a job wherever you decide to put down your roots. But if you’re weighing up your options and considering a change in city, let us help guide you with your decision making.

Read through our roundup below, walking you through which cities around the world offer creative industries bursting with more job opportunities, appealing salaries and a reasonable cost of living.

Dublin

Despite its economy suffering heavily from the recession, the Irish capital is gaining traction once again. Seen as a gate to the rest of the Europe, with Dublin airport offering stress-free flying throughout the continent, a graphic designer in the city is guaranteed opportunities. Thanks to the favourable taxation legislation, Dublin plays home to Google, eBay and Microsoft, while the city generates 42% of the country’s GDP.

Living in Dublin on the other hand can prove to be fairly expensive, with average costs per month coming at €1,170 (AU$1850) per month, however the average graphic designer salary is typically around €28,500 (AU$45,000). In 2019 it was voted the world’s 28th most expensive city to live, more so than Amsterdam and Copenhagen.

One certainty throughout the city is always being guaranteed to have access to a pint, with the cities Temple bar area offering a wide range of watering holes, to tickle everyone’s fancy.

Barcelona

If you’re wanting creative inspiration, then you’ll struggle to replicate what’s on offer in Spain’s second biggest city. Picturesque views are everywhere throughout, including La Rambla, Mercat de la Boqueria and of course Sagrada Familia. Perhaps the biggest mating call to Barcelona for those digitally minded is the number of co-working spaces. The city is full of digital nomads from across the world looking to swap skills and build a wider technological community.

Wages in Barcelona unfortunately don’t reflect the climate, with the average salary of a graphic designer around €19,500 (AU$30,750). The city isn’t the cheapest place in the world to live, although it is considerably less expensive than capitals such as London, with average monthly rental coming in at €980 (AU$1550).

Sydney

In Sydney, the average salary of a graphic designer is AU$54,500. Presuming you choose to rent initially, the average rent price in the city for a two-bed apartment is AU$650 per month whereas if you do opt to buy, the mean house price is AU$880,000. Bills tend to come in around AU$300 a month and then you’ll have your mobile phone contract to include as well, clocking up another AU$40 depending on your contract. Transport in the city can be a costly option if you opt to drive, however as week’s pass can be purchased on the bus for AU$60.

It can’t be all work and no play however, and you must consider how you would spend your weekends and days off… perhaps spending more time outdoors enjoying sports on the beach and BBQ cooking with friends. The city offers lots in the way of entertainment, however, be prepared to pay for a cocktail, with certain bars charging around AU$30.

In terms of job opportunities for designers, as previously mentioned, the industry in Australia is booming. Be prepared to work either freelance or within a small institution. Micro-businesses make up 85% of the companies which employ graphic designers throughout the country. The two largest areas which these employees work is, identity branding and publication design where a lot of book printing takes place.

Singapore

The Lion City, despite its small make-up of only 200sq miles, is perhaps the world’s most happening city. Awash with a variety of culture, Singapore is ideal for anyone looking to join establish themselves as renowned graphic designer, learning from the best. The city-state is keen to employ those who combine personality and skill. Those that can offer coding and front end developing are highly sought after, however Singapore is placing an emphasis on print media as well as digital. In a similar fashion to Sydney, many designers here operate on a freelance basis, with job listing websites offering a platform for self-promotion.

Cost of living prices in Singapore may seem initially daunting, but it is regarded one of the best places to live in the world. A fully furnished studio in a normal area could be obtained for 1,7400 SGD (AU$1,800) per month, with average the average income of a graphic designer coming in at around 30,100SGD (AU$31,000) each year. Obviously, this doesn’t leave much money to play with, however these multi-skilled individuals, with experience in both print and online are more likely to be pushing towards a salary of 38,800 (AU$40,000).

The city offers much more than career progression, the combination of modern-day engineering genius with age-old, outstandingly beautiful architecture, makes for idyllic viewing.

California

Make the switch to the Golden State and you could be on to earn the highest wages out of five choices, with the average salary of a graphic designer in California coming in around $42,100 (AU$58,800). As a state, California has a larger gross domestic product than Great Britain, and the job opportunities here match the ever-growing economy. In terms of design, Apple and Facebook are two of the largest companies to reside here, so dream big, and the sky is the limit. But don’t fear, if a smaller start-up is more your jam, the options are there.

Unfortunately, as glorious as the prospects and the sunshine are, the rent could end up equating to more than half of your potential wage. The average rent for a property throughout the entire state is around $2,500 (AU$3,500).

Article provided by Where The Trade Buys Print, a leading firm offering a range of bespoke book printing services for businesses.