fbpx

Working Vacation: Don’t Leave Your Days Off On The Table

working vacation

Are you busy to the point where taking time off seems impossible? Are you afraid taking a vacation could compromise your career, projects or the overall health of your business? Many American workers and business owners take very little vacation time every year, with many of them simply leaving a majority of their vacation days unused. There is an unspoken assumption that those who work the most will be the most successful, but there is significant evidence to the contrary. In fact, people who take vacations and time away from work are often more productive and better employees.

It may seem impossible right now, but it is good for your overall wellness and mental health to take vacations. One way you can have the best of both worlds — time away while still managing your responsibilities — is to take a working vacation. With advances in technology and good wifi available almost anywhere, you can work from the beach, the mountains or wherever you choose to go. Working vacations can allow you the balance between spending time with your family and checking on things at work.

In order to make a working vacation work, you have to commit to minimizing your time on the computer or your phone, otherwise you might as well be back in the office. Work for two or three hours in the morning, check-in at lunch and stop checking your email after a certain time. Determine the bare minimum of work you will need to do, then commit to sticking to a schedule while you are away so you can make the most out of your vacation hours.

If a full-fledged vacation with no work responsibilities is not an option, consider a working vacation. Taking a break is important, and this could be a smart way to keep an eye on work while still resting, relaxing and enjoying your loved ones.

By Meagan Kerlin for Vertu Marketing LLC

Why You Should Learn How To Delegate Well

delegate

Small business owners wear many hats, and they often have to fill many roles in the everyday operations of their businesses. As your company grows, it may be harder to personally manage every aspect of your company, and it may be more important to learn how to delegate.

Delegation could be crucial for your sanity and the well-being of your business. Positive growth and expansion will likely mean that you will have to allow employees to take over certain tasks because you simply can’t do it all yourself. Learning how to delegate well is a skill that every business owner should develop, and it can be a smart way to foster growth, development and creativity in your employees.

The exercise of assigning tasks and delegating responsibilities involves much more than just telling people what to do. It’s about aligning the right person with the right task. Allow the people who work with you to exercise their talents and grow by giving them the space to thrive. This may mean handing over some of the things you are used to handling, but a fresh perspective from a new person can be both beneficial and, over time, profitable. When you refuse to delegate, you may be keeping control of something that would be better off in someone else’s hands — don’t be afraid to let others lead, create and grow.

It is impossible to delegate if you are not working with people you trust or who are not committed to the well-being of your business. Strive to hire well and implement the right training, and over time, you can delegate to people you know will work diligently to do their tasks well. If you feel like you are always running on empty and never able to catch up, it may be time to evaluate what aspects of your business you can delegate. Lightening your load is not only smart for your peace of mind, but it can free you up to brainstorm, develop new services and focus on other aspects of your business that may need your attention.

By Meagan Kerlin for Vertu Marketing LLC

Common Business Traps And How Avoid Them

traps

Starting a business is risky, and it is important to do everything in your power to minimize your exposure to risks and issues in every way possible. Many entrepreneurs end up starting business organically — allowing a hobby, talent or idea to slowly develop into a venture that actually pays. Whether you are jumping in with both feet with an official launch or your business sort of grew slowly into what it is today over time, it is smart to take heed of common business traps and work to avoid them.

It is an unfortunate reality that a large portion of small businesses fail. There are many reasons why so many are not successful, and it can be helpful to look at what might have gone wrong and how these companies may have survived had they made different choices. One of the most simple and common traps businesses fall into is choosing the wrong name. Your company name should be easy to remember and appealing as well as translatable across various markets as your company grows.

Another trap that catches some businesses is lacking a formal marketing strategy. When your business has seen a significant amount of growth through word of mouth and customer referrals, it can be difficult to see the importance of having a serious marketing plan. However, as you formalize your operations and attempt to reach new clients, it is smart to do this in a professional manner. When you have a strong marketing strategy, you can see significant growth for your business.

One of the most common errors new businesses make is to significantly underprice their products and services. Charge what you are worth — if you value what you offer to customers, they are more likely to also value it. Cheaper prices may lead to more customers right away, but that won’t help you pay the bills, and it can cause trouble in the future if you need to dramatically increase prices.

Avoiding common business traps will not only help you stay in business, it can reduce complications and stress you may experience as a business owner. As you start your business or move to formalize your business operations, it can be beneficial to learn about certain pitfalls you will want to avoid.

By Meagan Kerlin for Vertu Marketing LLC

Rebranding: Could It Be Beneficial For Your Business?

Rebranding

As an entrepreneur, you know the benefit in sticking with what you know will work. At some point, however, even the best ideas and clever branding schemes can wear thin and wear out, meaning you are no longer reaching potential new customers and clients. When your current branding is no longer effective or you believe it is time to try something new for the sake of recreating your image, an entire rebranding effort may be beneficial.

A brand is about much more than a logo — it includes the logo used for your company, but also pertains to everything else that communicates to the customer about the personality, tone and culture of your business. Strong branding carries over to everything from your company letterhead to how your company interacts with people on social media. It’s crucial that branding be visually appealing and consistent in the tone it sends about your business. If it is time to rebrand, the following questions can help you narrow your focus and choose the approach that will work best:

  • What problems am I hoping to solve by rebranding?
  • What story am I hoping to tell by rebranding?
  • Who are we trying to reach and attract?
  • How can we connect meaning and importance to our new branding?

Many major companies that have rebranded unsuccessfully have learned that it is crucial to be thoughtful and careful when taking this step. In some cases, a company has had to backtrack from its campaign and revert back to the old branding, and it can take a long time for customers and clients to move past it.

Rebranding is a big step. If your customers are changing, your business has changed significantly or fierce competition has necessitated the move, rebranding, if done the right way, can boost sales and garner the attention of potential clients. In fact, it is such a big decision that many companies invest in extensive research and development before launching a rebrand. Before you make the choice to move forward with this, take the time to carefully weigh the benefits and drawbacks of presenting a new “face” to your company.

By Meagan Kerlin for Vertu Marketing LLC