Finance

Is Lexington Law Credit Repair Service Right For You?

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If you have researched credit repair services, you most certainly have come across Lexington Law. Since being found in 1991, they have become one of the most highly rated credit repair services out there. According to their website, in 2017 alone, they helped remove over 10 million negative items from customers’ credit reports.

So what exactly is credit repair and why would you want to leave it to the professionals? Credit repair is the process of removing incorrect information from your credit report. This also includes issues that have led to your credit score being negatively impacted. Now, why leave it to the professionals? One of the biggest reasons is because the credit repair process is long and daunting. It is something you can try to do on your own but unless you are trying to remove a simple error, it is best to leave it in the hands of professionals. In this article, we will cover why Lexington Law may be the right credit repair service for you and what you can expect if you decide to enlist their services.

What is Lexington Law’s Background?

With over 25 years experience, Lexington Law is regarded as one of the best credit repair services out there. They are based in Utah and have helped over 500k customers improve their credit score. One of their biggest selling points is that they are a fully licensed law firm. Furthermore, they specialize in credit law. Many of the credit repair services out there can’t say that.

What Can Lexington Law Do For You?

Creditors make mistakes all the time, so it is Lexington Law’s job to go through your credit report line by line. They will pull credit reports from the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian and Transunion) work to resolve and dispute any issues found on your credit report. If a creditor cannot provide the necessary proof to show that the item on your report is fair and accurate, the negative item must be removed from your credit report. Here are just some of the items they will attempt to challenge and have removed:

  • Foreclosures
  • Bankruptcy
  • Collections
  • Late Payments
  • Charge Offs
  • Liens
  • Settlements
  • Judgements
  • Repossessions
  • Wage Garnishments

As you move through the credit repair process, you can expect to have access to experts that will be available to answer any questions you might have. You will also receive ongoing updates on how your case is progressing. Ultimately, Lexington Law’s mission is to help you get your credit back in good standing so you can meet all your personal goals. Click here to read a full review of Lexington Law.

Certain items cannot be removed from your credit report

As a reputable credit repair service, Lexington Law will not be able to remove certain items from your credit report. They cannot dispute the following negative items:

  • Credit claims that are verifiable and legitimate.
  • Real debt. If a collector is able to supply proof of the debt owed, it cannot be removed from you report.

In these instances, a payment plan will be set up with the debt collector. In order to bring your credit score back up, you will need to make timely payments.

Lexington Law Plans

Lexington Law offers three different plans. The service plan that you choose will be dependent on how extensive you need the credit repair to be.

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Concord Standard: $89.95/Mo

Concord Premier: $109.95/Mo

Premier Plus: $129.95/Mo

 

Is Lexington Law Worth Your Money?

There is not a clear cut answer to this. Credit repair doesn’t have a one-size-fits-all approach. Although Lexington Law is one of the top rated credit repair companies, it is important to note that the credit repair process does not come with guarantees. Many of Lexington Law’s customers achieve positive results in about six months. They claim to remove an average of 10 negative items per customer over the course of 4 months. Of course all these claims are dependent upon how your credit is when you sign up.

At the end of the day, if you can improve your credit standing, you will benefit your finances in the long run. As time goes on, you will eventually look to secure a loan. With your credit in good standing, you will have a higher chance of securing a competitive interest rate. This will help to potentially save you thousands of dollars.

 

 

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5 Effective Tips That Will Improve Your Networking Techniques

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Utilizing the right networking techniques is an integral part of running a successful business. The key part is how to do it well. Most people dislike the idea of having to walk into a room of people they don’t know. The idea of going up to a stranger is just not a comfortable act for many. With that being said, there are definitely ways to make the process easier and more effective.

 

Here are 5 effective tips for improving on your networking techniques

 

 

1. Don’t come with an agenda

 

When attending networking events, you first thoughts shouldn’t be on how you can benefit from it. Effective networking is knowing that it is a two way street. You want to stay away from overly focusing on yourself and your business. People want to feel like there is a genuine interest in what they have to offer as well. The key thing here is to show that you are a good conversationalist by being a good listener. As you build that genuine personal connection with people, the business opportunities will naturally present themselves.

 

2. Try to create a reason to follow up

 

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[Image by Patrice Audet from Pixabay ]

 

An important part of establishing rapport with people is creating a reason for you to follow up with them. As an example, you may have read a blog post recently that may be of value to your new contact. You can send it to them with a note stating why you thought they might find value in it. You want to find ways to connect throughout the year with your network so always keep this tip in the back of your mind.

Another essential part of building rapport and long lasting relationships is to use a personal CRM system for both contacting and following up with your business contacts. Keep notes on your conversations, flag important discussions, set dates to follow up and more. Using a system like this will not only help you manage your relationships easier but it will be key in growing them as well.

 

3. Come prepared with questions

 

Questions are one of the best ways to gather important details while demonstrating interest in other people. For this reason, networking events are a perfect way for you to try out your questioning skills. By coming prepared with some thoughtful networking questions, you will learn all the important information you want to know about the person, their field of work and their organization.

Here are some great questions you can ask to get to know someone:

  1. What do you do for work?
  2. How long have you been working in your field?
  3. What do you like most about your work?
  4. How did you get involved in this field of work?
  5. What types of projects are you currently working on?
  6. What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

 

4. Social Media is the New Business Card

 

Although business cards are still an important way for exchanging contact information, social media also ranks right up there. So, an active presence on social media is key in today’s business world. It is a very effective way of getting to know your important contacts better prior to a face to face meeting.

LinkedIn, Google Plus, Twitter etc are all places to build connections through networking. Make an ongoing list of people to connect with and start being social. You can comment on a link they share or a comment they post. The important thing is to get a conversation started by offering something of value. From there, you can get to a point where you can set up a meeting in person.

 

5. Smile - One of the best networking techniques

 

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[Image by rawpixel from Pixabay ]

 

One of the most simple, yet often overlooked rules of engagement is the smile. It says a thousand words without saying anything. Smiling will not only help ease your nerves, but will also send a message of warmth to others. Always have a smile on your face when entering a room and before engaging in a conversation. Pretty soon, you will notice your conversations will start and finish that much easier.

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Seven Tips For Having More Productive One-on-One Meetings

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As a team leader, it is essential that you are in sync and connected with members of your team. Both parties need to communicate about updates and status of any pending projects. Many times though, communication is lacking. This is where having one on one meetings comes in. There are a number of benefits to these types of meetings that include:

  • A chance to discuss updates on projects, progress and activities.
  • Allows for questions to be asked and answered.
  • An opportunity to grow individual relationships.
  • You will get a chance to provide coaching and feedback.

In order to achieve all these great benefits, you want your meetings to be as effective as possible. You also want to make sure you are using a team progress tracking software. This will help you have a handle on what has been done, what’s getting done, and what can’t be completed (and why).

Below are ideas on how to make the most of your one one one meetings

1. Make expectations clear

In order to make the most of your meeting, you want to take the time to put together some sort of agenda. Nothing too formal but you do want to be on the same page about goals, expectations and what you want the outcome to be for these meetings. It is also important that you not only share your goals for the meeting but that your team members express what they are hoping to get out of the meeting as well. This will result in a meeting that is both productive and effective for both parties.

2. Set up meetings on a regular basis

Now that you know what you want to achieve with these meetings, you need to think about setting up a schedule for them. Meeting once a quarter is not going to benefit either of you. There is no one size fits all in terms of how often to meet but this is a very important puzzle to the company’s success. Make it count by meeting more often than not. Put it in your calendar and always be on time.

3. Show up prepared

Time is money, so you want these meetings to be productive. Take the time to prepare what you want to accomplish with each individual meeting. Whether it is on paper or digital, have a list of topics and questions you want to cover. You don’t want to be relying on your memory for this.

4. Avoid making the meeting a monologue

One on one meetings are a two way street. Both parties need to participate and a great way to start off a meeting is by having your team member go first. Let them share what is on their list of things to discuss and a conversational format will naturally follow.

5. Give feedback

Many times, one on one meetings wind up getting stuck in a loop of day to day issues. Although these are important to discuss, you want to make sure you are also giving feedback in real time. On the flip side, open up the conversation for feedback on your performance as well. This will help make certain that you are working towards the goals of the bigger picture for your team and the company.

6. Repeat back

With so much miscommunication happening between people, repeating back what you heard is essential. Not only does it help strengthen the relationship with your team member, but you ensure that you are on the same page with the discussion.

7. Take notes

Just like you have notes prepared for your meeting, you want to take notes as you move from topic to topic. You can then create a document to share between you and your team member. Each of you should go through it to make sure all the key points from both sides are in it.

Final thoughts

Having one on one meetings with your team members can be very effective and helpful if executed properly. Take the time to prepare for them by using the above tips and you will build stronger relationships with your team members while boosting productivity levels.

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6 Effective Tips To Improve Your Shopify Store Today

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Boosting sales for your Shopify store is on every business owner’s mind. To get the most out of this platform, you need to make sure you are employing the right tactics to help your business thrive.

Below are six tips to help you improve your Shopify store.

1. Plan out your product images

The images you use to sell your products is super important when it comes to e-commerce. The value customers will place on your products is directly linked to the images you supply. You need to give thought to how you are going to place them on your site as this affects the look and feel of your Shopify store. By planning this out you are keeping productivity levels on track. You don’t want to have to go back and start rearranging images. There are many techniques you can use to shoot your products, The Window Light Technique is a popular one to get started with.

2. Make sure your images are sized properly

The size of your product images is also very important. You don’t want images that are spread out or look strange. The key to having proportioned images is to hold down the shift key when resizing your images. It will help keep your images with the right proportions so it does not look stretched or skewed. You also want to decide what size you want your images to be so that you go with that everytime you re-size an image.

3. Your navigation and layout needs to be on point

When people come to your website they should be able to navigate it easily. This will help keep people on your site as opposed to abandoning it. They want to be able to find what they are looking for and fast. So load time is a big deal too.

  • The main pages of your site should be kept at the top of the home page. Also use the standard links like: About us, Services, Links, and Contact Us. You don’t want too many links.
  • Your contact details should be easy to find. You want to list your phone number and email at the top right of every page. Your businesses address and contact information should be on the bottom of every page. This will give a more trustworthy feeling to your site and make people stick around longer.

4. Write great product descriptions

If you plan on selling products from a manufacturer or a wholesaler, you should give thought to writing your own product descriptions and not just copying theirs. You want yours to be unique since other people are selling the same products and probably already using those descriptions. This is your chance to be unique and stand out from the competition.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when writing your product descriptions:

  • Make them easy to read – Your product descriptions should be easy and quick to read. A couple of sentences and some bullet points allow for easy skimming so a purchase decision that much quicker.
  • Optimize Your Product Descriptions for Keywords – Keywords that are relevant to your product is what you want to use in your descriptions. On Page SEO Checker is a great tool to use to help optimize your descriptions.
  • Include all key details – Always include all key details about the item. If it is apparel, sizing and a vivid description is needed. Whatever you are selling, give thought to every detail you think your customer needs to know. Put yourself in their shoes.

5. Write great content

Great content along with the right website design and product is key to your store’s success. If you have poorly written content, the other two do not matter. This means the information on your pages, your product specifications, blog posts and marketing copy all need to be great. You don’t want to lose customers because they are not clear on what your product does or they may equate poor content with a poorly designed product.

In addition, you want to make sure you have reviews and testimonials on your website. Social proof is everything these days and people trust the word of other consumers than they do the brand.

6. Go Mobile

Over half of internet usage happens from a mobile device so if you do not have a mobile app for your store, you are losing out on a ton of business. For this reason, you want to make sure the Shopify theme you choose is outfitted for mobile.

Here are just some of the benefits to having your store fit for mobile devices:

  • Visitors are less likely to navigate away from your site when using a mobile device. If you are having trouble with visitors abandoning your store without purchasing , Exit Offers is a great shopify app that has saved me a lot of lost revenue. They supply you with a pop up that appears when a visitor navigates away from your site. You can offer something like free shipping or a percentage discount. More times than not, you end up converting that visitor. Also, don’t forget about email marketing. There is a lot of opportunity there to boost sales too.
  • Improved customer experience. They will be able to add items to their cart and then purchase them from their desktop.
  • You will potentially rank better in Google Search for mobile specific queries.

Conclusion

Opening a Shopify store is not just about selling products and people will buy. There is a lot that has to happen behind the scenes in order to run a successful store. The above tips will help you improve you store and get you on the path to more profits.

 

 

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10 Tips For Boosting Your Real Estate Leads

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1. Get to know the professionals in your market

Do research into they key professionals of your market and call them to set up a meeting. Let them know that your clientele often needs an insurance agent, good attorney, banker etc. and you would like to refer them business. Keep in touch with them weekly to see how referral business is going for them or to refer them new ones. In real estate, everyone knows the strength of a referral and you will know doubt get returned the favor.

2. Talk to divorce attorneys

Everyone knows at least a few divorced people, find out if they used great lawyers and set up a meeting with them.

3. Introduce your life insurance agent

Life insurance agents are great for getting business referrals. They are in touch with a lot of people on a daily basis and are in the know about their clients’ financial plans for the long run. This includes if they plan on buying or selling a home. It is also a good idea to have your clients meet with your life insurance agent after they close. Now that they have just taken out a mortgage, they may need to think about additional insurance protection.

4. Work with personal bankers

Prior to searching for a real estate agent, most home seekers will visit their bank to make sure they will be approved for a loan. They are then typically referred to the bank’s lender without representation. That being the case, you as the agent are not part of this transaction taking place and you have no control over the client experience. This could lead to a poor experience by all. In order to circumvent this type of situation, you can make an introduction between your buyers and your banker. If they are moving into the area, chances are they do not have a personal banker already.

5. Research who the top financial planners are in your area

Any clients that walk away with a nice lump of cash after a house sale will need advice on what they should do with the money. You can be the person to put them in the direction of the best person for the job. Take time to find out who the top financial planners are in your market and start developing relationships with them. You will see it will pay off big for you. Clients put a lot of trust in them with their savings and will in turn trust their recommendation for a real estate agent.

6. Find good commercial lenders

Like financial planners, commercial lenders have a certain level of trust with their clients and can send a lot of business your way. If you have any self employed buyers and sellers, they are going to need access to capital, so this type of introduction makes sense. If you come across a great lender, you should consider opening up a bank account for your practice as a sign of goodwill.

7. Meet for regular happy hours with past clients and referral sources

Putting together a happy hour is a great way to get everyone together. Try doing one with your financial planner and you can invite people from your database and facilitate an introduction. Have your financial planner do the same and you will have a nice mix of prospects for both sides.

8. Offer to have a housewarming party a month after closing

Get together with your lender and attorney and split the costs. You can let the owners know they can invite the neighbors and you will cater food and drinks. All they need to do is make an appearance. This will set you back a mere $100 bucks for each of you and you will probably leave with at least a couple of new leads.

9. Thank your referral sources with a handwritten thank-you note

Immediately after receiving a referral, write a letter of thanks and put it in the mailbox. Each time you receive a referral, you should do this. Most sales people know this is good to do, yet many don’t do it. It is a great and simple way to show your appreciation. Stock up on stationery and stamps so you have no excuses to not send one out.

10. Send real estate email flyers

Flyers remain a very effective marketing tool for promoting your property listings. Real estate email flyers are a fast and easy way to instantly announce new listings, reductions in pricing and open houses to a specific group of recipients. Since this is email, you do not have to worry about the information becoming out-of-date.

 

 

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Top 10 SaaS Customer Retention Tips

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In the world of SaaS, customer retention and a steady flow of customer acquisition is the recipe for success. With that being said, retention is much less expensive than acquiring new customers so you really need to put great focus on trying to hold on to your customers.

Below are our top 10 customer retention tips for Saas businesses.

1. Follow up with customers after every interaction

After you have helped a client, it is key to follow up with them after as well. Add this extra layer to your customer service process and it will pay off big. With this scenario, you solved their issue but by following up a couple weeks later, you are making sure they are satisfied. When it comes to customer retention, a satisfied customer is just as important as solving their problems.

2. Welcome feedback

Addressing feedback should be a key component of any retention strategy. If a customer takes the time to make suggestions on how you can improve, they are investing themselves in the success of the company. Make it clear you are interested in their feedback by strategically placing something on your pricing page where they can submit their suggestion. You can also include a link on their monthly invoice. Just make sure wherever you place these calls to action, your customers can see it.

3. Create multiple opportunities for interaction with social media

You want to be able to engage with customers as much as possible. For this reason, it is key that you have a social presence on the key platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn) as well as any others that are relevant to your business. By doing this, customers can easily reach out to you via their platform of preference. By using social media as part of your customer retention strategy, you are not only boosting awareness for your brand but also driving engagement which is the number one way to reduce your churn rate.

4. You need to brand yourself as both a software and a service

SaaS providers really need to play both sides of the coin by positioning themselves as both a software and a service. The service part really is key. Take a look at your billing schedule and try to match your service improvement schedule to it. People want to feel like they are getting their moneys worth. This can be in the form of increased security features, storage upgrades or any other add on that will provide additional value to the customer.

5. Avoid customer satisfaction surveys

Every business wants feedback, but surveys are not the way to get them. They really just end up being annoying for the customer. This is not more true than when a customer has a problem that you have fixed (customer is bothered but happy it’s fixed) and you continue to follow up with survey requests that they do not want to fill out. The customer ends up feeling like the survey is more important than their time.

6. Emphasize engagement as soon as possible

If you are looking to improve your churn rate, driving engagement is key. Engagement equates to value when it comes to the customer. For this reason, you want to get your customers to use your product. Send out emails, make phone calls, whatever you need to do to. The sooner they start using your service the faster they will recognize the value. Once this happens, the less likely they are to cancel.

7. Come out with a new version

If customers aren’t getting enough value from your product, they will eventually move on. One way to get around this is by releasing a new version. It should be free and happen automatically but most of all, the increased value should be clear to the customer.

8. Offer free training

If your software is on the complex side, it would go a long way with users to provide free training sessions. As we have touched on before, the more value users receive, the less likely they are to churn. Furthermore, you are cultivating a stronger relationship between you and the customer.

9. Consider a loyalty program

Loyalty programs have been proven to work. It does not need to be expensive to be effective. The occasional gift card or discount will make customers feel valued.

10. Track exit feedback

You will not be able to save every customer. Some churn is inevitable. In order to reduce customer churn, you need to understand why they are leaving. But it doesn’t have to be all about loss. Take this unique opportunity to find out why they are leaving. You can then use this valuable information to help improve upon your processes and in turn provide more value to your current customers.

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7 Types Of Valuable Social Media Content To Share

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When it comes to social media marketing, the name of the game is to get as many shares, likes, re-tweets and engagement as possible. The way to achieve this is by providing your audience with valuable content. When executed properly, the right content creates a connection with your audience in a unique way. When cultivating a strategy, you want to focus on content that builds trust and is informational. By doing this, you will see your social media marketing strategy take off.

Below are 7 types of content to share with your audience that will give you the most value.

1. Infographics

In terms of shared content, Infographics take the medal home. These awesome tidbits of information are extremely engaging since humans are visual creatures. Aside from the visual appeal, humans just process content better when it’s coupled with pictures.

2. Interactive Content

Interactive content ( animation, video, moving image audio, games, etc) is one of the best ways to boost engagement. If you are looking to go viral, quizzes are where it is at. We have all probably taken one or had a friend share one (what fourth of July food would you be? Me, a watermelon). Go ahead and make your next post a quiz and see the results.

3. Content That Evokes Strong Positive Emotion

Content that sparks people’s emotions get more shares. Pretty simple. But which emotion will get you the most shares? Not surprisingly, studies show that posts that evoke happy emotions are the ones that inspire people to share. This rings true for whatever industry you are in. Laughter and inspiring achievements are both great ways of building a connection with your audience.

4. Content With Images

When it comes to what people like to share most, it should be no surprise that images were at the top of the list. Just like with infographics, our mind loves images. Shared strategically across all your social media platforms, you will see more engagement arise from your audience.

5. Live-streaming

As we approach the halfway mark of 2017, live-streaming has taken the front seat for many brands. Facebook Live and Periscope are just 2 of the live streaming tools that are catching on like wildfire. These tools are free so it’s time to get your strategy going. Breaking news, interviews, behind the scene shots and Q&A’s are just some ideas that can get engagement going with your audience.

6. Quotes

Sharing the right quote at the right time can do wonders for boosting engagement and your brand. They never get old and are highly shared. Quotery and Brainyquote are great sources for quotes. But before you go posting a bunch of quotes, you have to know what your audience will respond to.

7. User Generated Content

User-Generated Content is one of the best ways to engage with your audience. This type of content shows that as a brand, you care about them. Stay on top of all your social media platforms and keep an eye out for content that was created with your product in mind or that features your product. Just make sure to credit the person posting them back.

Coming up with great content share is not easy and can really drain your productivity. As my business is heading to the next level, I have decided to hire a company to write custom social media content for me. Emphatic.co has been a lifesaver for me. You provide them all the details about your business and they will give you amazing social media content tailored for you. They only thing you have to do is review it and schedule it. The process is so easy and has freed up so much time for me to focus on other things.

 

 

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10 Agent Tips For Selling Homes

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Now that you have landed the listing, it’s time to deliver on your promise and get that house sold for the best price possible. This is often easier said than done. Most often the types of homes you are selling need that extra bit of attention and agents and sellers need to be productive and work as a team in order to get that sold sign on the front lawn. This involves going above and beyond with your real estate marketing.

Below are 10 tips and tricks that will help you have more success selling homes.

1. Get a listing agreement signed

This is step one and and a must have. Sellers can be fickle. The deal isn’t reality until you have that agreement in writing and signed.

2. The MLS is your best friend

The MLS is key to the selling process. As you add details to your listings, be sure to include as many beautiful photos as possible. Listings with more than 6 photos are viewed twice as much than those that have less. Also, be extremely thorough and honest with specific details about the home. People will question you if you misrepresent the property.

3. Make sure listings are on all websites

Your listings should be on every major website. Zillow, Trulia, Redfin, Craisglist , Realtor, Movoto just to name a few. Most home buyers are online searching way before they reach out to an agent, so the early bird gets the worm in this case. Also, someone looking at Trulia is not necessarily looking at all the other real estate websites so being on as many of these sites as possible really helps expand your reach.

4. Check surrounding listings

Knowledge is power and knowing the market you work in is key in real estate. If your buyer is not interested in the home you are showing them, you should know what is on the market in the area. Real estate is all about service and it’s extremely helpful to know what’s out there.

5. Flyers are key for marketing

Flyers done right are still an effective real estate tool for marketing homes. Whether they are used at an open house or for people to take during a showing, your flyers should be thorough, beautiful and compelling. Printed flyers are not the only way to use this great tool. Real estate email flyers can be used in online marketing, email campaigns and any social media promotions you do.

6. Hire a photographer

A picture says a thousand words. Hiring a photographer will give you that extra edge with high quality photos. Just make sure they capture your vision. Details matter so make sure the house is in perfect condition. This means toys cleaned up, no visible wires, no dishes in the sink, you get the idea. If you do not want to spring for a photographer, make sure to invest in a decent digital camera. Taking photos with your cellphone is not the route to go.

7. Talk to everyone you can

Getting the word out about your listings is a great way to gain traction. Talk to your friends, family, neighbors and anyone else you come in contact with. The more you get the word out, the more interest gets generated.

8. Meet up with your competition

Make a point to visit other agents’ offices. Take them out for coffee and chat about what you both have going on. This is a great door opener as it can lead to mutual business and referrals.

9. Take advantage of social media

If you are not already using social media as part of your marketing efforts. You are missing the boat. You should be posting consistently to Facebook and any other social media channels you are on. Videos are a great way to get the buzz going for your properties. You can show off your latest listing or create informational videos sharing valuable advice and expertise.

10. Host open houses

Open houses are a great opportunity to increase your potential buyer pool. First impressions are everything, so make sure the home is beautifully staged, utilities are on and everything is in working condition. The rest is up to you. Time to bring your excellent conversational skills, and a happy and positive attitude.

 

 

 

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Top 5 Ways To Improve Your Landscaping Business

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As you begin to enter a new season, re-evaluating your work processes is key to keeping your business on the path of efficiency. This is something that is good to do year round, but a month or two prior to the season starting is the perfect time to gather your team and execute any needed changes.

Here are 5 ways to improve the way you are doing business now.

Make sure you are managing your man hours properly

Staying within budget when it comes to man hours is super important. You want to make sure you have a landscaping business management software that will make the process of tracking hours effortless. Scapersoft is a great business software that offers not only time tracking but a robust calendar with scheduling tools. Having this feature will help you make sure your team is staying within or under budget. This software is developed by lawn care professionals so you know you are getting every detail you could want or need in a business management software. If you want productivity levels to soar, using a software like this is key for your business.

Keep track of tools by creating a list

There are so many tools that can go missing, that having certain controls in place can really lessen the burden of this problem. A great way to navigate around this is by creating tool lists that your crew leaders will sign at the beginning of the season. If a tool goes missing or breaks due to negligence, the crew is responsible for replacing it. Having this in place really pushes the crewman to bring back their tools and really look out for them.

Switch crews up and provide cross training

They say consistency is a great way to drive efficiency but having the same guys doing the same work week after week can get monotonous for some. It is a good idea to sometimes switch up your crews. Doing so allows more sharing of information and the guys can learn something from one another.

Another great idea to consider is cross training. This includes having office staff getting involved with things like learning job estimates. Maybe event taking them out to a jobsite to see how things are run. Managers should also get involved with the office staff to see how they do things like data entry and report filing. Doing this helps the managerial staff have a better understanding of the inner workings of what goes into managing the day to day stuff. If you want to read more on why cross training is beneficial to any business, click here: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/importance-crosstraining-improving-team-performance-33216.html

If you don’t have a website by now..you should

Today’s business landscape is technology-driven hands down. You must have a powerful online presence if you want to be competitive. Consumers are searching online for everything including services like landscaping. Your website needs to be professional looking and easy to navigate. A great add on to your website is a blog. The landscaping industry can always use more blogging and is a great way to to stand apart from the competition, connect with your customers and show off your work. If you want more tips on building a website for your landscaping business, check out this great article: http://www.greenindustrypros.com/article/10257853/landscape-business-website-design-tips

Feedback from your customers is key

If a customer complains, make sure you are listening. This shows them you value their business. Make sure honesty and reliability are at the forefront of your business. This will create a level of trust that is key to building long lasting business relationships. It is also a good idea to create a space for consistent communication so that your customers know they can come to you and your crew with any questions or concerns. You will also want to perform routine inspections of your sites and take the time to briefly check in with customers. As you get more customers with your great customer service, consider implementing a referral program. This is a great way to expand your business! If you want to get more tips on this, check out this great read: https://www.landscapeleadership.com/blog/customer-referral-programs-tips-examples-landscaping-lawn-care-tree-service-companies

 

Uncategorized

5 tips for new real estate agents

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The formula for succeeding in real estate is making sales. But when you are new to real estate, that is easier said than done when no one knows your name yet. Selling properties is not easy and that big paycheck you are hoping for does not come overnight.

Here are 5 tips to get your new business off to a successful start.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Real estate flyers are a great way to promote your brand

Create a brand that makes an impression

Competition is fierce in real estate. In order to set yourself apart, you need to develop a brand for yourself. You will need to come up with a distinctive logo, profile photo, color scheme and catchy slogan. When first starting, your brand will be that of your company but this shouldn’t stay that way. You will need to get that personal brand going that will set you apart from your agency. A great place to showcase your personal branding is on real estate flyers. They are great for not only marketing your properties but also your brand. I love using Flyerco. They have a robust template gallery and you can customize your flyers to your liking.

Find a real estate company that is the right fit

As you first start out in real estate, you do not have an established reputation to depend on. For this reason, finding the right team to join is key. In order to figure out who that is, you will want to do some research. Check into which ones have won awards, have a great marketing framework in place and most importantly, the type of support from management that will help build your career.

Focus on a specific market

The best strategy when starting out is to find a specific market to focus on. This might be condos, luxury homes or investment properties. You want to look for an underserved market, that way you are not stepping on another agents toes. By doing this, you will be further enhancing your brand by becoming an expert in your niche.

Be Productive and Set Goals

Without a boss looking over your back, it is up to you to make sure you are working enough each day. Creating a routine and a set of daily goals are essential to efficiently managing your time. You should have a set amount of time put aside for things like marketing, reaching out to prospective clients and client relationship building.

Your expertise should be a selling point

To be successful in real estate you need to know the ins and outs of real estate. Things like legal issues, transaction terminology, housing laws etc need to be a part of your knowledge base. If it’s not, start brushing up immediately. This should be the first thing you do before reaching out to clients. Now would also be the time to become an expert in your niche. That will be your key selling point. Becoming an expert in your niche will give you the opportunity to create things like a home buyer’s guide or a handout with specific market information related to your niche. These extra small touches will help build your reputation as an expert in your specialized area.

Social Media

5 Tools Your Business Needs To Succeed On Instagram

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As many of you know by now, Instagram is one of the most powerful and robust marketing tools for businesses. It can be tough, though, to maintain and be consistent without the help of some great tools. Utilizing the right Instagram tools will help expand your brand and most importantly, save you time.

Here are 5 Instagram tools your business needs in order to maximize your marketing strategy on Instagram.

Boost your Instagram photos with Yotpo.

This cool tool provides you with a new and fresh way of engaging with your followers. Their moderation tools allow you to search for images on Instagram that are relevant to your brand. It will then automatically ask the original poster for permission to add their image to your curated collection. You are then able to display it on your site. This can be done by either a slideshow widget on your product pages or on any landing pages that have content related to different products.

Use a social media scheduler like Autogrammer

This tool is a lifesaver for scheduling posts to Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. You can easily put together posts for weeks at a time and schedule them to go out at peak times so that you can maximize engagement with your followers. Furthermore, the time that will be freed up will help you be that much more productive in other areas. It also has all the key photo editing tools and you can easily bulk upload your images. It’s a one stop shop.

Use Repost to share your Favorite Photos And Videos On Instagram

The Repost tool makes reposting and crediting the original creator so easy. You just tap a button to share an already existing post on your own Instagram feed. This is ideal for sharing user generated content for your business.

Use Tagboard To Track Trending Hashtags

This helpful tool allows you to track hashtags that are trending the most on various social platforms. You can then see how other brands are utilizing those hashtags and how you may be able to incorporate the same hashtags into your next marketing campaign.

Use Iconosquare For Tracking

Think of Iconosquare as the Google Analytics for Instagram. It provides you with all the tracking info you would want like comments, likes and engaged followers for each post. This then allows you to see which content is getting the most traction.

Any of these 5 Instagram tools will certainly help you and your team build a solid brand presence on Instagram. Utilizing all of them can definitely be a powerful way to kick start your Instagram marketing strategy into high gear.

Health

How Does Vitamin C Help The Anti-Aging Process?

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skin damageThere are great benefits to vitamin C serum for the skin. Vitamin C helps in reducing wrinkles, brightening the skin, and repairing skin damage. If you have been noticing fine lines and wrinkles on your facial skin, you must make it a point to try the serums containing vitamin C. There are quite a few different brands of such serums available in the market. You need to buy the one that is manufactured using state-of-the-art technologies and scientific methods. An example of a good brand of anti ageing skin care products is Skin prep.

Why is Vitamin C beneficial?

Vitamin C is one of the main ingredients of anti-wrinkle creams and serums. There are many cost-effective products available in the market. However, before buying any product, you must make sure to check the main ingredients. In anti aging serums, Retinol is one of the main ingredients. Vitamin C lightens and brightens the skin instantly and improves the overall
texture of the skin. Given below are some of the benefits of vitamin C in skin care products:

Vitamin C increases collagen production in the skin, which is one of the main ingredients for removing wrinkles and fine lines. Thus, vitamin C is known to have very effective anti aging properties.

  • As discussed, the vitamin leads to brightening and tightening of the skin.
  • It helps to reduce the negative effects of exposure to the sun.
  • Vitamin C has been noted to mitigate the effects of chlorine exposure to some extent.
  • Vitamin C helps to repair the skin.

How does retinol help in reducing wrinkles and fine lines?

Vitamin C and retinol are two different ingredients of anti-wrinkle creams. These can help in the formation of collagen and elastin. Thus, with regular application of serum and creams containing Vitamin C, the skin remains young, plump, and fresh. Pores on the skin are reduced, and there is also less of visible lines on the skin. Both the ingredients in the anti wrinkle products are so strong that they can help in countering the effects of harmful UV rays, pollution, and even a bad diet.

In most of the creams and serums available in the market, the amount of vitamin C used is made photo-stable. It is also given in a form which is easy for the skin to absorb. It is also one of the “free radicals scavengers”. Thus, it can help to fight out the free radicals that are present on the skin. It also helps to counter the effects of chemicals and toxins that affect the skin on a daily basis. Some of the factors that lead to early wrinkles on the skin are tobacco consumption, pollution, stress, malnutrition, and long hours of sun exposure. Vitamin C creams and serums are known to be effective in countering the effects of all these factors. So, do not ignore the importance of vitamin C creams and serums. However, you must make it a point to buy a good brand of product that has been manufactured scientifically and by maintaining proper standards.

Learn More: http://www.amazon.com/Hyaluronic-Tripeptide-Percentage-Vitamin-C-Guarantee/dp/B00KYUXIOG/

Credit

Get the Most Effective Credit Repair With Lexington Law

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credit repair firmLexington Law is one of the most trusted credit repair companies for many reasons. When it comes to repairing your credit, you have two options. You can do it yourself or you can hire a credit repair company. If you decide that credit repair is too complex of a process to handle, hiring a reputable firm like Lexington Law Credit Repair would be a smart choice.

 

How Lexington Law Can Help You

 

Lexington Law’s claim to fame

Lexington Law is the largest credit repair firm in the United States. With many years in business, they have garnered thousands of satisfied clients. What separates them from all the credit repair businesses is their expertise in consumer credit law. In 2019 alone, they achieved the removal of over 1.5 million negative items from clients’ credit reports. Ultimately, it is Lexington Law’s goal to help their clients take charge of their credit so they can successfully meet their financial goals.

An economical and viable credit repair program

When you sign up for services with Lexington Law, they will review your credit report with a fine tooth comb. They will identify any obsolete and inaccurate information. After that, they will draft letters of dispute that will be sent to the creditors. Most credit bureaus deliver the results in two months while Lexington law firm delivers in 30 days. The firm also identifies any form of theft or inaccuracy and erases them from your report.

Lexington Law’s service packages

The services of Lexington Law Credit Repair come in three packages. Depending on your personal situation, Lexington Law has a service package for you. If you have a more simple issue, the Concord plan would probably be just fine for you. If your situation is more complex, the Concord Premier of the PremierPlus may be more fitting. Your representative will help you pick the package that best fits your individual situation.

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Avoid credit repair scams

Stay clear of any credit repair companies that are guaranteeing results or promising other things. Here are some red flags to watch out for when it comes to finding a reputable credit repair company.

  • Guaranteed Results - According to the Credit Repair Organizations Act (CROA), credit repair companies cannot guarantee results of any kind.
  • Payment is requested upfront - The CROA also prohibits credit repair companies from collecting payment upfront before they render services.
  • They ask you to create a new identity - Any company offering you a new identity is a scam. They may try and offer you a new Employer Identification Number (EIN) or a Credit Privacy Number (CPN) but this is against the law.
  • Your legal rights are not explained - Any reputable company knows credit law and will openly explain what they are.