Author: Brooke Aliyah

Shareholders have become savvier in the last three decades. They want to know more about the companies they invest in. Investors no longer choose a company simply because a stockbroker or a friend told them to invest in that particular company.

Shareholders want to read information, learn about a company, know their objectives, and even understand who is running the company and why.

Why Are Investors So Proactive?

Sure, at one time in history, a banker or a stockbroker would say invest in this company, and the investor did it. He trusted implicitly in the profession and walked out of the institution’s office thinking his money was safe.

Things began to change in the 1920s when the stock market crashed. Other critical situations like the Exxon Valdez disaster of 1989 and the market crash of 2008 have also influenced the way investors connect with the companies they invest in. Today, investors are not so naive and they don’t trust a company based on a simple handshake.

Now, investors want to know that the companies they invest in have a rock-solid foundation and ethically conduct business dealings.

Investors Are Savvier

Today, investors are more intelligent. They have huge amounts of information at their fingertips and use the internet the investigate and learn every aspect of the company they select. So ultimately, the purpose of doing all of this research is to minimize their investment risks and improve their rewards.

Where Do Investors Look for Company Information?

They can turn to the company’s quarterly reports and the news to find relevant information on a company. But new studies show that investors are increasingly making decisions based on their digital holdings, the information they find on social media, and information they find on corporate executives for the company.

The Use of Digital Sources

Studies now show that 98% of all investors use digital sources to research the companies where they invest. In addition, more than 80% of investors make a purchasing decision based on the information they learn online.

Most investors use search engines, news sites, and blogs as their go-to digital source for investing. However, podcasts and social media sites are also becoming of significant value to this type of investor.

Evan Spiegel net worth did not become so large simply because teenagers want to chat. It is because business people, investors, and the like use digital outlets to investigate and get the information they need.

Investigation of Top Executives

One of the most surprising changes we’ve seen in investors getting their information is the extensive research they do on top executives. People now read about CEOs, CFOs, and boards of directors. They want to learn of any additions or changes before they decide to invest their earnings.

People now take the time to see what CEOs are saying, study interviews and articles, and even learn about a director’s background. They use sites like LinkedIn, Google Searches, and even Social Media platforms like Twitter and Facebook.

This new leap into CEO and executive director background research suggest that companies will need to pay close attention to who they choose to lead the company, and executives with weak digital profiles and poor content strategy will affect the way investors purchase stock in the company. So creating effective digital executive profiles on search engines will be an essential component for companies who wish to have strong shareholder relationships.

Young Investors Trust Social Media

Most young investors use social media to do research but also to make investment decisions. For example, about 40% of all stockholders between the ages of 20 and 35 use social media platforms like Twitter and Whatsapp to make an investment decision.

Investors in this age category trust in what they learn on these social media sites, maybe not as much as they do from a financial media site, but they do stand higher than traditional publishers, articles, and blogs. Trust in YouTube, Reddit, Twitter, and Whatsapp may not be as high as the financial platforms, but they are comparable to Buzzfeed and WebFX.

The Measurable Link

The consensus is that there is a measurable link between online communications and a company’s share price. Online communication does have a significant impact on the way investors invest.

There are three takeaways here for company executives. First, make sure that senior executives use digital and social platforms to communicate pertinent information about themselves and the company they work for. Second, use digital and social media to engage with investors. The easiest and most successful way to do this is through LinkedIn. Third, expand in other digital areas such as podcasts to connect and improve investor relations.

Live Receptionist Answering Services is a growing industry and businesses are now realizing the importance of having a professional live receptionist answering the phones to serve their customers better.

Professional receptionist answering services will offer several services like virtual receptionist, live receptionist, inbound calling, outbound calling, text messaging, voice mail, caller ID, greeting, video conferencing, voicemail and much more.

There is an endless list of services the call handling businesses offer that will help you boost your business and provide better customer service. If you are running a business and are looking for Live Receptionist Answering Services then you are at the right place. I am glad you decided to read this article because it will give you valuable information about this industry and how you can make money through this lucrative service.

There are many different types of business answering services. Live Receptionist Answering Services will offer many services such as call waiting, live receptionist answering, call forwarding, audio broadcasting, live voice response, and much more.

One of the best aspects of having a professional receptionist answering your calls is that your customers will be able to reach someone immediately. This can be beneficial to both your customers and yourself. Many times when people are stuck on the phone they don’t want to talk to anybody and if you have a live receptionist answering your calls you can simply redirect them to someone that can talk to them.

These services will allow your business to grow and increase your customer base. You will be able to generate sales without having to put in extra hours into your office; you can spend more time with your clients and their families which is important. The Internet is becoming a very valuable marketing tool for many businesses, but it is also an effective way to advertise your business.

Are you looking to build a business website?

If you want to be successful in this digital world, you’ll need a business website. With 91% of online adults using the internet to find products and businesses, you can’t afford to miss out. But most of us don’t know how to build a website from scratch.

Don’t worry! Read on for these 8 tips on how to build a business website your customers will love.

1. Secure Your Domain Name

It’s a good idea to pick a domain name that matches your business name, so long as it isn’t already taken. You’ll need to buy your domain name, and you’ll need to pay to keep it registered to you.

On average, they’re usually between $10-$12 to buy. And it’ll cost around the same each year to keep it.

2. Set Up Your Email Address

For an added touch of professionality, you need to link your business email to your website. Usually, business addresses use your domain name. Getting this custom business address is easy, quick, and doesn’t cost much. G Suite is a good choice.

3. Choose Your Building Platform

In an ideal world, you should go with an easy-to-use website maker. WordPress is a good starter tool to create a business website for free.

Or you can use a hosted website builder. Costs will vary from plan-to-plan, for example, Squarespace Business costs $18/per month.

4. Pick Your Host

If you go with a business website builder that includes hosting, you can skip this step. If WordPress is your option, then you need to pick a host for your site.

A good choice is Bluehost, and it’s the one WordPress recommends. But, as you grow you may need to scale up your hosting needs.

5. Pick Your Template/Theme

Builders offer a lot of templates (themes) to choose from. Once you pick and load up your choice you can customize the layout and pages. You can have anything from eCommerce pages to review pages to built-in portfolios.

6. Get Your Content In

Before you put anything onto your site, have a plan and a structure:

• Homepage:The first thing users will see on your site
• Product/Service/Portfolio:This shows what you have to offer
• About:Let users get to know your business
• Contact:This shows users how to get in touch with you
• Blog:Provide useful content to users and boost your SEO

You need to include these pages, but after that, you can be as creative as you want.

7. Focus on SEO

It’s not enough to have content on your site, people need to be able to find it. This is where SEO comes in. A few places to start include:

• Using relevant keywords/phrases in posts, pages, and headers
• Optimize for loading speed
• Use internal and external links across your site and content
• Use post names in permalinks

And don’t forget to build a responsive, mobile friendly website. With 51.5% of search traffic coming from mobile devices, you don’t want to miss out on these searches.

8. Publish!

Most website builders let you keep your site private until you’re ready to publish. Before you press publish, check:

• your site works on mobile devices
• your content is accurate and mistake-free
• you’ve taken out the filler content from the base template

How to Build a Business Website Made Easy

So, there you have it! Now you know these 8 tips on how to build a business website you’re set up for success.

Have a plan, and start with the foundations of a domain name, business email, and website builder/host. Get the look you want that ties into your business branding, and optimize your content. Do this, and your website is sure to be a hit.

If you found this article useful, check out our other blog posts today.

Are you looking to set up a bottled water business but aren’t quite sure how to get started?

Running a bottled water business can be very lucrative. In fact, in 2019, Americans consumed 14.4 billion gallons of bottled water, an increase of 3.6 percent from 2018.

But, how do you get started in the bottled water business?

Check out this guide to learn everything you need to know about running a successful bottled water business.

1. Create a Business Plan

Every successful bottled water business begins with a detailed business plan. A business plan is a formal written document that highlights your business goals as well as how you plan on achieving these goals.

Here are some things you need to include in your business plan:

• Your startup costs and ongoing costs
• How you plan to fund your business and grow your revenue
• Who your target market is (ie, gender, age, location of consumers)
• How much you’ll charge per water bottle or case of water
• What your business name will be
• How you’ll market your water bottles
• How you’ll stand out from the competition

You’ll also need to figure out how you’re going to source your bottled water, i.e., if you plan to source it from local tap water or natural spring water. You also need to figure out how you’re going to put together a bottled water production line.

2. Form a Legal Entity

Once you’ve put together a business plan, it’s time for you to form a legal entity. This means you need to choose a business structure to function under.

You can choose between a corporation, limited liability company (LLC), or sole proprietorship. If you establish a corporation or LLC, you’ll be protected from being held personally responsible should your bottled water company be sued.

After you form a legal entity, you also need to register for taxes on the state and federal level.

3. Set Up a Business Bank Account

Setting up a business bank account allows you to separate your personal assets from your business assets. It also makes accounting and filing taxes easier.

In addition to setting up a business bank account, you’ll also want to take out a business credit card to keep your expenses separate.

4. Establish Your Brand and Web Presence

Once you’ve set up your business account and figured out how you’re going to produce your bottled water, it’s time for you to establish your brand and web presence.

Even if you plan to sell your bottled water solely in stores, you should still set up a website to raise awareness about your brand and promote your products. You can then begin marketing your bottled water company on social media and online so people will recognize your brand when they visit grocery stores, stadiums, and other events.

Are You Ready to Start Your Bottled Water Business?

Now that you’ve read this guide, it’s time for you to start your bottled water business. With these tips, your bottled water business should take off in no time.

Be sure to check back in with our blog for more tips and tricks on running a successful bottled water business.

Customised t-shirts have definitely been around, and we can see them almost everywhere. Some of the most famous retailers produce custom t-shirts on a regular basis, and customers snatch them up at every turn, especially when they display an appealing logo or image. But while you may not be engaged in retail and have a different kind of business, you can still take advantage of the many benefits customised t-shirts bring. Customised t-shirts have proven to be a worthwhile investment for numerous businesses, and if you want a way to get recognised and attract customers as well as give the right impression about your enterprise, then here are the real advantages of utilising customised printed t-shirts for your business.

• They are not expensive to produce

Truth be told, you could very well devise a number of marketing strategies for your business, but customised t-shirts are guaranteed to be one of the most inexpensive ones. Of course, the overall cost will greatly depend on the number of shirts you want to be produced and printed, but you can easily order in bulk and save on cost even further. Screen printing, for example, is by far the most common method of t-shirt printing, but if you want something less expensive, you can go for laser transfer printing, where the image can easily be pressed onto the shirt with an iron that is heated.

But there are other t-shirt printing methods you can take advantage of as well, and they needn’t cost an arm and a leg. For instance, there’s vinyl cutting, which can give you excellent results and the choice of using various layers for printing various colours. You can make it even less costly if you use a simple design and stick to just two or three colours, as advised by expert printing services in Manchester like Harveyboard Print & Digital.

• They are versatile

T-shirts are found everywhere, and they are worn by everyone. If you have customised t-shirts and give them away to your customers, your customers are bound to wear them once in a while – the perfect advertising tool. They are also versatile, which means you can print whatever design you want on them to attract your customers, and you can go all out with images, text, and so on.

But here’s another thing: since they are versatile, you can even have them printed as uniforms for your own employees and staff. If you want your staff to wear something casual and comfortable while working on your premises or while participating in an event, then you can utilise custom t-shirts for everyone. What’s more, they’re easy to wear and come in a range of sizes, and the material is ultra-comfy so your staff can work and walk around in comfort as well.

• They are the perfect advertising tool

You may already make use of various marketing and advertising tools for your business, be it posters and signage, digital marketing platforms, and so on. But custom t-shirts are the perfect marketing and advertising tool because they give instant recall, and anyone wearing them will become an immediate promotional billboard for your brand. But whatever you decide to put on your custom t-shirt, make sure it adheres to your brand and showcases what your company is all about.