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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" > <channel> <title>uizonms.info</title> <atom:link href="http://uizonms.info/feed" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /> <link>https://uizonms.info</link> <description></description> <lastBuildDate>Tue, 22 Aug 2023 10:09:18 +0000</lastBuildDate> <language>en</language> <sy:updatePeriod>hourly</sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency>1</sy:updateFrequency> <generator>http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3</generator> <item> <title>Construction Accounting Software – The Need For Specialist Construction Project Management Software</title> <link>https://uizonms.info/construction-accounting-software-the-need-for-specialist-construction-project-management-software,html</link> <comments>https://uizonms.info/construction-accounting-software-the-need-for-specialist-construction-project-management-software,html#comments</comments> <pubDate>Tue, 04 Apr 2023 13:24:44 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category> <category><![CDATA[inventory management]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://uizonms.info/?p=61</guid> <description><![CDATA[There is no shortage of general accounting packages available however if you are in the building and construction industry you should seek out a specialised solution designed just for your industry. Why?………Because construction is so different and it’s so easy to fail.The issues start with the construction projects themselves. These can often involve large value [...]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p> There is no shortage of general accounting packages available however if you are in the building and construction industry you should seek out a specialised solution designed just for your industry. Why?………Because construction is so different and it’s so easy to fail.The issues start with the construction projects themselves. These can often involve large value contracts and what concerns the business is that changes in the scope of works (called variations) are often greater than the project’s planned “gross profit”.Unless variations are managed properly the viability of the business is at risk. Purpose built Construction Accounting Software will include facilities to highlight these and to produce the required paperwork through the various stages a variation goes through before it is approved by the client. This ensures that should either the Head Contract or Subcontract be disputed then the required paperwork is in place to help the business justify its claims in a court of law.With construction project varying in their scope of works; the corresponding changes to the value of contracts and subcontracts; and payments being made out of sync with deliverables, it is easy to see why the stakeholders strive to clearly recognise their position in all projects and to implement corrective actions to avert liquidity issues downstream.Construction companies generally fail for liquidity reasons – therefore, Construction Accounting Software will focus on providing tight liquidity management with the current status for all projects always available. To complicate matters, good project managers will aim to maximise, under the terms of the contract, the income from their projects. This will result in an influx of funds however funds received prior to expenditure should not be confused as “profit”. They are “project prepayments” and should be clearly reported as such.Profit reporting is another unique feature of the industry. Traditional accounting assumes that the client is only invoiced for work provided. However construction projects are typically executed over a number of financial periods and depending upon the contract this could mean that the client is invoiced in advance. Using general accounting software, companies would then overestimate their profits and pay tax on them. Later they would have to do reversals when all the activities required to complete the project required payment. A proven approach is to report on current “earned value” by projecting both Income and total project costs to completion.Construction Accounting Software needs to take a wider view of the world than standard accounting systems. For example, the projects themselves involve considerable risks that can cause cost increases or time delays or both. Firms need to manage these risks and ideally the construction project management software would feature an integrated operational risk management software system. This would ensure the key items of work, decision or verification are properly managed and account for the value of the identified risks.The Taxation Laws (of Australia and probably elsewhere) are another reason why construction accounting is different. Tax treats certain construction specific transactions in a special way. For example:Goods & Services Tax (GST) on Progress Claims<br /> RetentionsIn summary, Standard Accounting Systems, fail to provide what the industry requires; namely a package that mitigates disputes, manages risks, conforms to industry Taxation requirements and accurately reports liquidity and profits. These functions can only be effectively met through specialised Construction Accounting Software. </p><div class="mads-block"></div>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://uizonms.info/construction-accounting-software-the-need-for-specialist-construction-project-management-software,html/feed</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Inventory Management, Asset Tracking & Field Data Collection Using a Smartphone and Barcode Scanning</title> <link>https://uizonms.info/inventory-management-asset-tracking-field-data-collection-using-a-smartphone-and-barcode-scanning,html</link> <comments>https://uizonms.info/inventory-management-asset-tracking-field-data-collection-using-a-smartphone-and-barcode-scanning,html#comments</comments> <pubDate>Tue, 04 Apr 2023 09:32:44 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category> <category><![CDATA[inventory management]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://uizonms.info/?p=59</guid> <description><![CDATA[In recent decades, barcode scanning has become a cost-effective data capture technology for enhancing processes in virtually every industry and market. Low-cost scanning solutions improve performance and reliability in a wide range of enterprise activities and deliver benefits such as increased productivity, improved task efficiency, and reduced operational costs.Barcode Technology Integrated With Information Systems Can [...]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p> In recent decades, barcode scanning has become a cost-effective data capture technology for enhancing processes in virtually every industry and market. Low-cost scanning solutions improve performance and reliability in a wide range of enterprise activities and deliver benefits such as increased productivity, improved task efficiency, and reduced operational costs.Barcode Technology Integrated With Information Systems Can Reduce the Effort of Managing Physical ItemsWhen integrated into an information system, barcoding allows businesses to track merchandise and perform inventory management, asset tracking and field data collection. Inventory can be reconciled in a fraction of the time required for that of manual procedures. Key assets can be tracked by the location where they have been transferred to or by the personnel that have checked them out. Data collection can be performed with fewer errors and barcoding provides more accurate data while saving both time and costs.Combined with data-collection technology, bar codes provide a rapid, accurate, and efficient means to collect, process, transmit, record and manage data in a variety of industries including retail, warehouse management, medical equipment tracking, construction site equipment tracking, heavy equipment inspections (cranes, forklift), fire extinguisher inspections and fire alarm testing and inspections.Tracking inventory manually is a laborious process. With barcodes applied to each item in inventory, portable scanners can be used. Barcode inventory control provides accurate, real-time inventory updates. This allows a company the opportunity to reduce stock levels and thereby reduce carrying costs. It also reduces the time taken to collect data for purposes such as annual inventories. With improved efficiency, operating costs are lower.Reduced cost is the most obvious benefit of barcode data collection. In many cases, this cost savings alone is enough justification for implementing such a system. Reduced revenue losses resulting from data collection errors can however surpass the savings in labor costs.Although hard to measure, improved management and better decision making due to automated data collection technology could be the best benefit of a barcode system. A barcode system can easily gather information that would be difficult or impossible to gather in other ways. This allows managers to make fully informed decisions that can affect the direction of a department or company. Faster access to information goes hand in hand with better decision-making.A Broad Range of Barcode Types Exist to Meet the Needs of Many Industries A barcode is an optical machine-readable representation of data. The mapping between barcodes and the data that the barcode represents is called a symbology. The three primary categories of symbologies are linear (1D), stacked and matrix (2D). The most common barcodes represent data in the widths and the spacings of parallel lines, and are referred to as linear or 1D (1 dimensional) barcodes or symbologies. Linear barcodes are one dimensional, meaning that the unique information is in the horizontal plane and the same information is repeated vertically. The heights of the bars can be truncated without any lose of information. This allows a symbol with printing defects, such as spots or voids, to still be read. The higher the bar heights, the more probability that at least one path along the bar code will be readable.There are a number of 1D symbologies: UPC (numeric codes found on retail merchandise), Code 39 (numeric, uppercase letters and 7 special characters) and Code 128 (all 128 ASCII characters) are three of the more popular.Stacked barcodes are a set of linear bar codes stacked on top of each other. An example of a stacked symbology is the PDF417 format used on airline boarding passes.2D barcodes come in patterns of squares, dots, hexagons and other geometric patterns within images termed matrix codes or symbologies. Although 2D systems use symbols other than bars, they are also generally referred to as barcodes as well. Examples of 2D codes include semacodes which are optimized for use by cell phones and the similar QR codes originating out of Japan.A 1D barcode can only encode a number or string of characters which can be entered into a database, while a 2D barcode can actually hold the entire database. For example, you can embed an Excel spreadsheet into a 2D barcode, to use as a portable database. Most 2D symbologies can hold at least 2,000 characters per bar code. The typical 1D bar code contains about 10-20 characters.Not all Barcode Readers Can Read All Barcode TypesBarcode scanners are available with basically four types of readers:<br />(1) Laser,<br />(2) linear imagers/CCD,<br />(3) area imagers and<br />(4) two-dimensional CCD.The reader type, and software included, will determine what type of barcode symbologies can be read.A laser scanner sweeps a beam of light across the barcode in a straight line, reading a slice of the barcode light-dark patterns. Laser scanners can project a beam of light a long distance without diverging, or spreading out, as light from other sources do, enabling them to decode high density bar codes over wide ranges. This proves advantageous in applications that require scanning range flexibility, such as forklift operations where packages are often located on high shelves or hard-to-reach areas.Stacked linear symbologies are also optimized for laser scanning, with the laser making multiple passes across the barcode. 2-D symbologies cannot be read by a laser as there is typically no sweep pattern that can encompass the entire symbol. Laser scanning is the preferred technology in high-throughput areas that require motion insensitivity, such as supermarkets, where users can rapidly swipe item after item over a fixed scanner, and the required symbology is limited to 1D linear codes.Linear Imagers, also known as CCD barcode readers, use an array of LED’s and receptors to decode linear barcodes. Linear imager barcode scanners are better for reading damaged or poorly printed barcodes as well as barcodes under plastic film or covering and are ideal for a variety of applications including retail, shipping, receiving, and inventory. CCD readers can scan 1D and 1D stacked linear barcodes such as PDF417. Linear imagers use sensors to capture only a single row of pixels within the image. This allows linear imagers to decode a 1D bar code, but not entire images or 2D bar codes as an area imager can.Digital area imagers use LED light that illuminates the target bar code. A lens projects the image of the bar code onto a 2D array, and the light is converted to an electrical signal to construct the digital image. Decoder software in the imager locates the bar code within the image, and processes its data using advanced decoding algorithms. Area imagers use sensors with pixels arranged in a 2-dimensional grid (multiple rows) and can read 1D and 2D symbologies.Cell phones employ two-dimensional imaging scanners. They use a small video camera to capture an image of a bar code. Sophisticated digital image processing techniques decode the bar code. Video cameras use the same CCD technology as in a CCD bar code reader except that instead of having a single row of sensors, a video camera has hundreds of rows of sensors arranged in a two dimensional array so that they can generate an image.Most smart phone barcode readers can read 2D codes but not all of them can read and decode 1D codes. The factors for consideration here are whether the smartphone camera supports autofocus and whether it has a macro lens. The Android smart phone and some versions of Blackberry’s (the Tour, Storm and the 9700 but this may not be an exhaustive list) meet this criteria. As of the writing of this article, the iPhone does not have a camera lens with auto-focus but there is an app that is optimized to read the numeric UPC and EAN codes of retail products.There are some special purpose Windows Mobile/Pocket PC and to a lesser extent Palm OS devices that have barcode scanning capability. These are typically high-end rugged devices that cost in the $1500-$4000 price range. One of the companies in this space, Trimble, offers an Android version of their Trimble Nomad rugged handheld.Smartphones with Barcode Reading Capability Links Physical Assets to Wide Area Communication and Information NetworksSmart phones are well recognized as consumer electronic devices with a number of personal productivity applications and the Blackberry is vital for many to stay in contact with the office and with clients. Smartphones can also be a game changing tool for savvy businesses to optimize core operations. Smart phones communication capabilities with voice, text and email are obvious uses, however they can also function as data collection devices. Their ability to operate with the physical world via barcode scanning and image and voice capture, along with their ability to operate with the virtual world via web-enabled applications that can communicate with software services that exist in the “cloud”, offer some unique capability to securely create, update, disseminate and manage business information from anywhere and at anytime.Three functional areas that have broad applicability are inventory management, asset tracking and field data collection. Most businesses leverages one of these capabilities and many can benefit from all three. Most businesses have some form of inventory with retail and warehouse management being markets that can obviously benefit from an inventory management system. Most businesses have some form of assets and industries as diverse as health care and construction can benefit from an asset tracking system. Many businesses have the need to collect data from a location that is not tethered to a desk. This includes inspectors, field service personnel, home inspectors and installers. In many cases, the field data impacts safety and compliance. Electronic capture increases productivity, reduces errors and reduces oversights.Inventory Management is Concerned with What You Have, What You Need to Order and What You Cannot Account ForInventory management is concerned with maintaining optimal inventory levels to ensure that items are available when needed (for purchase by external customers or consumption by internal organizations). This includes knowing current stock levels, knowing which items (colors and sizes) are selling well and how much is unaccounted for.Inventory Control software lets you see what you sold, what you need to order and what should be left in stock. Barcode technology can be used to track stock accurately and update current stock levels. As shipments come in, warehouse workers scan bar code labels on items, cartons, or pallets. The scanned information is verified against purchase orders and sent to the inventory software for update.Retail Inventory Management Tracks Counts of Individual Items at the Point of Sale Retail inventory management is the process and methods used to keep track of the stock in a retail business. These methods control everything from ordering, shipping, receiving, tracking inventory, retail turn-over, and storage. The objective is to see what is selling and what is not. Products that spend more time on the shelf should be re-evaluated or discounted to get rid of them. Barcode inventory management allows retail businesses to know what they have and where it is. You’ll be able to receive, put away, move and ship out (to internal or external users) all the items you have in inventory. Barcodes represent a time efficient means to managing retail inventory, making sure that products are always removed from the system as soon as they are sold. The same is true for receiving shipments of new stock and performing audits regularly to make sure the computerized system is accurate with what is actually in stock. Smartphone technology and inventory management software can provide every business an affordable means to perform inventory management. Even part-time eBay businesses can benefit cost-effectively.Warehouse Management Tracks the In-flow, Inspection and Out-Flow of Palettes of Items A warehouse inventory management system handles all aspects of inventory movement, from receipt to shipping platform. The software tracks inventory based on each SKU (stock keeping unit) and its location within the warehouse. The system will also track all inventory changes, sales and receipts of each SKU.The inaccuracies of manual data recording and data entry are magnified as the number of transactions grows. Errors that are in your favor result in customer or vendor complaints and errors that are not in your favor may go unreported.A warehouse management system incorporates an inventory control application designed for routine cycle counting. This software will determine which inventory to count, track these counts, and report any inventory irregularities.A barcode warehouse management system offers efficiencies over manually accomplishing these tasks. Smartphones as part of a warehouse management system allows a single device to track inventory with the barcode capability, reorder stock using the web capability, and reconcile discrepancies with employees, suppliers and customers using the communication capabilities.Asset Tracking is Concerned with Knowing Where Your Equipment (Tools, Computers) IsAsset tracking refers to the ability to locate, identify, and assign assets to an organization, location or person. Assets are different than Inventory in that assets are re-used, and have a useful life of 12 months or more. Examples of assets would be things like torque wrenches, computers, copiers and forklifts. Their value is depreciated over time. Inventory items are consumed by the organization in the course of doing business.An asset tracking system provides the ability to know the location and status of the assets in the organization, and allows you to do analysis of those assets to determine current status, total utilization, depreciation levels and maintenance requirements.A barcode system can provide an efficient asset tracking means. Assets can be tracked by location or personnel. Tracking assets by location involves assigning assets to physical places like a room, a building, or a department or GPS coordinates.Both locations (rooms, construction sites) and personnel badges can be barcoded. Personnel badges can be scanned at checkout and check-in and locations can be scanned when an item is moved from location to another.Rapidly Tracking Medical Equipment in a Hospital Can Have Life-Saving ConsequencesHospitals routinely need to identify the location of medical equipment for inspections, repairs and for use in clinical procedures. Radio frequency identification (RFID) is touted as one means to accomplish this. A number of hospitals are evaluating this technology though to date there have been a limited number of deployments as there are a number of implementation considerations. The first step in such an implementation is to ensure that all equipment is identified in an asset tracking database. At this step alone, barcode and smartphone technology can be utilized with no further organizational disruption.Hospital employees can scan medical tools and equipment as they are used, immediately updating inventory and ensuring critical items are replaced as necessary to guarantee they are always on hand for urgent situations. This also accounts for tools after a procedure and prevents loss of expensive equipment. Doctors and nurses can scan patients’ wristbands to access information quickly, right at the point of care. This provides immediate visibility into test results, blood type, and other vital health data, so medical personnel can make informed decisions at bedside, reducing treatment and medication errors based on faulty information.An Inability to Track Tools at Multiple Construction Sites Can Be CostlyControlling expensive tools, heavy equipment, and material at a construction site is critical to a successful and profitable project. Managing the tools, equipment and materials at a site can be quite difficult and challenging. With an asset tracking system, tools can be tracked in and out of the tool crib, tool room or from site to site. Tools can be assigned to a location or site manager and critical tool maintenance dates can be managed all in one tool tracking system.Barcode technology coupled with asset management software allows construction material coming into a site to be tagged and the tag ID used to locate where on the site the material has to be stored. This technology has the potential to speed up delivery of material to the point of use. Using smartphone technology, this can be accomplished with a simple series of barcode scans, from a device that you already use in your everyday business. In some cases, a rugged device will be most appropriate for construction environments.Field Inspections and Data CollectionField data collection includes everything from collecting bridge, levee and offshore drilling rig inspection data across a region of a state, to performing food, drug and fire extinguisher inspections in a city, or servicing patients or medical equipment in a health care facility. A lot of field data collection, including safety inspections is captured using clipboard, pen and paper. In some cases the paper forms are later transcribed into a computer and in other cases this critical data is just archived as paper forms. In both cases, this manual process can be error-prone and it is laborious to generate reports and track trends. Barcode technology can be used to rapidly recall that portion of data that rarely changes and ensure that no items are missed when visiting a remote site. Electronic capture of field data introduces a tremendous amount of efficiency to the process and opens up a wealth of opportunity to use collected data to create safer better functioning environments.Inspecting Every Fire Extinguisher in Every Public Facility Every Month Can Be DauntingThe National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) permits electronic record keeping for fire extinguisher inspection data as an alternative to paper logs. The electronic capture of inspection data reduces the time to perform inspections, reduces time preparing reports, and ensures compliance by identifying units that were overlooked, tracks annual and multi-year maintenance schedules. Each piece of equipment is labeled with a barcode. Each location is also labeled with barcodes, so the user can scan the location, and then scan all the pieces of equipment that need inspection at that location. A smartphone application can issue simple prompts to assist with the inspection. Barcode scanners represent an efficient means to rapidly record data such as unit serial numbers and location identifiers. Smartphones with the appropriate software can be an excellent means to capture fire extinguisher inspection data electronically as well as fire alarm test and inspection data.Ensuring Heavy Equipment, Rig and Crane Inspections is Critical to Public Safety Equipment deployed in the field may require interval based inspections and scheduled maintenance. This will include heavy equipment such as cranes. When inspectors go on site, they normally read the crane’s serial number, find its record and then carry out the inspection and make manual notes. Then they send a copy back to the customer. With barcode technology, the inspector’s smartphone can automatically register the crane, so they can start to immediately go through the inspection criteria. Once they press save, the record transmits to the web site, where they can download appropriate certificates and send reports.SummaryBarcode scanning can deliver benefits such as increased productivity, reduced errors and reduced operational costs. Smartphone technology has the potential to deliver these benefits to budget constrained small businesses and to departments in larger organizations that are concerned about disruptions to enterprise-wide procedures. When coupled with the appropriate software, inventory management, asset tracking and field data collection can be performed efficiently.Retail inventory and warehouse management are areas that can benefit from efficient inventory capability. Asset tracking of equipment at construction sites where multiple companies are working in the same location, or with critical medical equipment where rapid determination of its location can save lives are important factors for some organizations. Rapid identification and recall of past results is important for mandated fire extinguisher inspections. Scanning asset identification tags on widely distributed heavy equipment such as cranes can help ensure that that the correct equipment was inspected / maintained by scheduled due dates.These are just a few examples to get you started thinking about what you can do with bar codes. Barcode systems routinely save companies money while improving quality, on-time performance, and other key business factors. Smartphones with barcode reading capability, voice capability and video capture capability represent a convergence of the virtual/information world, communications and the physical world. </p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://uizonms.info/inventory-management-asset-tracking-field-data-collection-using-a-smartphone-and-barcode-scanning,html/feed</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>The Gains of Using Construction Project Management Software</title> <link>https://uizonms.info/the-gains-of-using-construction-project-management-software,html</link> <comments>https://uizonms.info/the-gains-of-using-construction-project-management-software,html#comments</comments> <pubDate>Tue, 04 Apr 2023 07:13:22 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category> <category><![CDATA[inventory management]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://uizonms.info/?p=57</guid> <description><![CDATA[When a construction business is growing, more transactions are dealt with, volumes of documents are processed and schedules on different projects are set with the corresponding estimate on the budget and the number of workers for the job. These are the common tasks that must be organized by the contractor in order to pursue the [...]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p> When a construction business is growing, more transactions are dealt with, volumes of documents are processed and schedules on different projects are set with the corresponding estimate on the budget and the number of workers for the job. These are the common tasks that must be organized by the contractor in order to pursue the plan. The use of spreadsheets and large piles of documents placed in boxes are the traditional methods of managing a construction industry. However, with the dawn of the computer age, companies have adopted the use of construction project management software.You might ask and wonder what the benefits of construction project management services are. The answer is on the name itself. It helps you manage your construction projects and transactions. It generally helps you organize your documents and files so that you will conveniently know where to look at once you need it. It is very easy to make some updates. Moreover, it gives you control over the whole budget plans and anything that relates to the money that goes in and out of your funds.The use of project management scheduling software helps you create a standard to all your construction projects. This aids your varied employees to look at the same updates, the same files, have similar documents and the like. Naturally it creates a unanimous guideline that the workers can look at anytime. This eliminates misunderstanding among contractors and workers on the project already set and planned. This also increases your value as a company by using a professional, effective and reliable system in dealing with a construction project.Another benefit of construction project management software is the control of all your documents and files. If you would follow the traditional way of using spreadsheets and different kinds of programs, all your files will be scattered and it may not pass your knowledge that other files are already lost. You would not want this to happen to you especially that a construction work requires evident documents that can be visibly and conveniently used by workers if they want to. Having only one software and source for all your files keeps them monitored and organized.Lastly, take control of the whole issue when it comes to money matters of the construction project with the aid of the construction project management services. Using a single and standard software help you track down all the expenses that you made on the whole project. This alerts you to take several measures when there is a need to change some plans due to any problems on the cost. You can also use the accounting plans for future projects if it went well with the previous ones.The construction project management software is indeed a useful tool for all the companies involved in the construction industry. Having your own standard tool gives you the confidence that you can take control of your files and project costs. Moreover, you can manage and organize your plans on the whole project and provide employees with common information with the use of the software. </p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://uizonms.info/the-gains-of-using-construction-project-management-software,html/feed</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Account Based Marketing – Why Businesses Should Consider It</title> <link>https://uizonms.info/account-based-marketing-why-businesses-should-consider-it,html</link> <comments>https://uizonms.info/account-based-marketing-why-businesses-should-consider-it,html#comments</comments> <pubDate>Thu, 30 Mar 2023 15:12:25 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://uizonms.info/?p=55</guid> <description><![CDATA[ACCOUNT BASED MARKETING – WHY BUSINESSES SHOULD CONSIDER ITAccount-based marketing or ABM has been around for a very long time, but it is only now that people are really paying attention to it and implementing it closely and more consciously as part of their marketing campaign. It involves taking your resources and placing them all [...]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p> ACCOUNT BASED MARKETING – WHY BUSINESSES SHOULD CONSIDER ITAccount-based marketing or ABM has been around for a very long time, but it is only now that people are really paying attention to it and implementing it closely and more consciously as part of their marketing campaign. It involves taking your resources and placing them all on a set of targeted accounts within the market. The business strategy uses campaigns that have been personalized to engage each account individually. These campaigns are developed by looking at the specific needs and wants of an account.Many people across the industry consider account-based marketing revolutionary and cutting edge. This is because the strategy looks at marketing holistically, as a whole, whereas older techniques focus too heavily on lead generation. A key attribute within account-based marketing looks at wagering and taking advantage of larger accounts. This means that you’re looking at trying to up-sell and cross-sell your larger accounts to get more value out of them, rather than spending time in the seemingly endless and tiresome loop of lead generation.Account based marketing offers benefits both for the business and its customers. This is also one of the reasons why people are drawn to it.1. Personalized and customized marketing experience.Understanding your customers better gives you a leg up on the competition and allows you to strengthen your business relationship with that customer. The personalized marketing campaign could lead to better and more sales. A large part of account-based marketing is the personalization of marketing techniques to larger accounts. By figuring out the customer’s expectations, wants, and needs, you can tailor the marketing campaign specifically to and for them.2. More realistic ROI expectationsAccount-based marketing is known for giving higher returns than any other marketing strategy. It offers the highest return on investment (ROI) than any other B2B marketing strategy. The new strategy gives more precise measurements of the ROI that a company can expect. In turn, it allows companies to get a better grip on how their customers are responding to certain advertising techniques. This means that they have more control over what tactics are working as well as those that aren’t working.3. Strategic use of available, fewer or limited resourcesThe account-based marketing approach focuses on a smaller number of accounts at a given time. Because they’re working with fewer accounts, they are more likely to bring those accounts to the final sales process. You’re actually going to be bringing more with fewer resources. This also frees up resources that used to be spent on funneling numerous companies. So, companies who use account-based marketing tactics can use these now free resources to complete and focus on other tasks.4. Shorten sales timeline significantlyWith your sales and marketing teams are working together to align and move accounts through the sales pipeline, you’ll find that the sales cycle shortens significantly. Your teams don’t have to juggle multiple moving parts separately. Rather, you’re streamlining the process and making it easier for everyone to keep up with the leads and customers that your business currently has. This also makes it easier to cater to these specific customers, making sure their concerns are addressed appropriately and in a timely manner. They don’t get lost in the noise.5. Better, more effective and efficient marketing and sales alignmentMarketing teams and sales teams are more likely to and should work together to accomplish goals and sales together. By bringing these entities together, they can work on important tasks as a team rather than individually:<br />Identify accounts that you want to target</p><p>Create customized/personalized marketing campaigns for those targeted accounts.</p><p>Aligning accounts and moving them along the sales cycle as a team</p><p>Having an account-based marketing approach will take your lead conversion method to a new level. If your marketing and sales teams are still separated, you likely run into a lot of issues when it comes to successfully converting leads into sales.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://uizonms.info/account-based-marketing-why-businesses-should-consider-it,html/feed</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>If Technology Is Effective in the Classroom – Why Do Some Students Dislike It So Much?</title> <link>https://uizonms.info/if-technology-is-effective-in-the-classroom-why-do-some-students-dislike-it-so-much,html</link> <comments>https://uizonms.info/if-technology-is-effective-in-the-classroom-why-do-some-students-dislike-it-so-much,html#comments</comments> <pubDate>Thu, 30 Mar 2023 13:48:17 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://uizonms.info/?p=53</guid> <description><![CDATA[The effectiveness of technology use in the classroom has become a controversial issue. While many teachers and students feel that it’s best to use technology because it enhances teaching many others feel that it causes too many challenges and that it is a waste of time. If technology is as effective in the classroom as [...]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p> The effectiveness of technology use in the classroom has become a controversial issue. While many teachers and students feel that it’s best to use technology because it enhances teaching many others feel that it causes too many challenges and that it is a waste of time. If technology is as effective in the classroom as many teachers believe it to be; why do some students dislike it so much?In order to objectively respond to this question, 3 articles were examined. 2 out of the 3 relate how the use of technology in the classroom frustrates students while the last one translates the thoughts of students who feel that technology in the classroom has responded to their need. So the issue is not that technology is not effective but rather that some teachers need to be mindful about technology use in the classroom and others need to be trained in order to properly use technology to teach so that students do not view technology as obstruction learning but as an enhancing tool.After summarizing the 3 articles that have been reviewed we will be able to prove that there are 2 groups of students who claim to dislike technology in the classroom: Those who are improperly exposed to it by their teacher and those who did not give themselves enough time to familiarize themselves with it. We will then be able to get to the logical conclusion that those same students would appreciate the value of technology in the classroom if their teachers used it properly. Let us first summarize the articles that we are referring to.The article “When good technology means bad teaching related that many students feel that teachers and professor use technology as a way to show off. Students complain of technology making their teachers “less effective than they would be if they stuck to a lecture at the chalkboard” (Young) other problems related by students include teachers wasting class time to teach about a web tool or to flab with a projector or software. When teachers are unfamiliar with the technological tools, they are likely to waist more time trying to use them the technological software that is used the most according to students is PowerPoint. Students complain that teachers use it instead of their lesson plan. Many students explain that it makes understanding more difficult “I call it PowerPoint abuse” (Young). Professors also post their PowerPoint Presentation to the school board before and after class and this encourages students to miss more classes.Another problem reported in the article with the use of technology in the classrooms is that many schools spend time to train their staff about how to use a particular technology but it does not train them on “strategies to use them well” (Young). The writer believed that schools should also give small monetary incentives to teachers and professors to attend workshops.In an interview made with 13 students, “some gave their teacher a failing when it came to using Power Point, Course Management systems and other classroom technology” (Young ) some of the complains were again about the misuse of PowerPoint’s and the fact that instructors use it to recite what’s on the scale. Another complaint was that teachers who are unfamiliar with technology often waste class time as they spend more time troubleshooting than teaching. The last complain mentioned is that some teachers require students to comment on online chat rooms weekly but that they do not monitor the outcome or never make reference to the discussion in class.Similarly, the article “I’m not a computer person” (Lohnes 2013) speaks to the fact that students expectations as far as technology is concerned is very different. In a study done with 34 undergraduate university students, they advise that technology is an integral part of a university students life because they have to do must everything online from applying for college or university, searching and registering for classes, pay tuition and that in addition to being integrated in the administration, etc. technology is also widely used to teach and is valued by higher education.Those students, however, feel that technology poses a barrier to success as they struggle to align with the ways in which the institution values technology.” A student explains that technology is used in her freshman year to turn in assignments, participate in discussion boards and blogs, emailing the professor, viewing grades and for a wide range of other administrative task including tracking the next school bus. This particular student whose name is Nichole says that she does not own a laptop but shares a family computer. She has a younger brother who also uses the computer to complete his school work so she consequently has to stay up late to complete assignments. She states “technology and I? We never had that connection” (Lohnes). Nichole dislikes the fact that her college requests that she had more contact with technology than she is conformable with. Nonetheless, she explains that as she started doing those school online assignments so frequently she came to realize that they were not that bad.One of her issues though with technology is that she had come from Puerto Rico about a year prior entering college and that she never had to use the computer so much there. The articles relates that other college students like Nichole have admitted that they are “reluctant technology users” (Lohnes) The article wants to explain, in essence, that although most people would expect that college students prefer technology and are already familiar with it,” that assumption is faulty” (Lohnes).On the other hand, the article “What Screenagers Say About… ” High school age students were asked about what they thought of technology but most expressed liking it. One of them said about PowerPoint: “My history teacher did a good job with Power Points. He would put them online, which made for really great reviews.” (Screneagers, 2011) Others expressed how technology was really who they are and that teachers should understand for example that when they text in class, they are not being rude but that they have gotten used to multi tasking. Another student invites teachers to not be afraid of technology “Teachers shouldn’t be afraid of technology. Understand that it’s how we live our lives. So don’t just push it out. Learn to cope with us and how we work.” (Screenagers, 2011)Another student however, expressed how she prefers simpler technology that her teacher is comfortable with rather than high tech that the teacher does not manipulate well “The most important thing for teachers is to be comfortable with what they’re using. It doesn’t have to be super high tech. My math teacher used a projector, and it was one of my favorite classes. Then I would go to this other class where the teacher used Power Points and the SMART board, but I didn’t get any more out of it because she wasn’t comfortable with the technology” (Screenagers, 2011) Students spoke about their appreciation for virtually all types of technology used in the classroom. Another said “One of my teachers used Skype. That’s face-to-face interaction. If I had a problem with some math problem I was working on, I could take a picture of it and put it on the Skype screen. She could see where I was making my mistake. It really helped.” (Screenagers, 2011) The bottom line is that those high school students wanted to let teachers know that they really like technology and that it is already a great part of their daily routine but that it had to be used properly in order for them to enjoy it.Similarly, they summarize a few things that they dislike as well. Among the list, they said: reading on the computer, paying a lot for an online textbook and the fact that they often forget everything else when they get caught up with using technology.Nonetheless, they had much more positive things they liked in technology like for example that some teachers would text a question for them to think about before class, so if they do not know they answer, they would communicate with classmates to discuss the possibility for the answer before class. This allows them to go to class prepared. They also like using Skype, emailing their teachers instead of going to speak to them in person. They also enjoy discussion boards. The advice they would like to convey to their teachers is to make sure that they are comfortable with whatever technological tools they are using, to give them more freedom to use the good sites and those in the middle range when they are surfing the net using school computers and to understand that technology is part of their lives.After summarizing those articles, we can see that the students mentioned in Youngs, 2004 dislike technology because their experience with it was not satisfactory. In other terms, a group of students dislike technology because some teachers are not mindful about technology use or they need additional training. For example, some students are frustrated because they feel that instructors waist their time when they are not properly trained to use the technological tools. Others disliked the fact that some teachers had PowerPoint presentations which were either not meaningful or they would just read whatever they wrote and add no additional comments. Those examples are called “bad teaching (Young, 2004) and they are in fact terrible examples that teachers should not follow because technology is not meant to help teachers do the least work or to adopt poor teaching practices. Somme students related that PowerPoint was widely used by teachers so they even call it PowerPoint abuse.I can relate to what is being expressed by those students. I observed a Teaching Assistant teach a grammar class recently. He purchased a device to allow him to monitor the screen without touching the computer. He was able to walk throughout the class while changing slides. It all looked so impressive but despite all of this show, students were left so confused at the end of the lesson. When they asked questions, he went back to the slide that had the grammar rule and read it over to the class. The PowerPoint was a duplication of the textbook chapter. The same examples of the book were used. At the end of the course, he felt that he had done a great PowerPoint when in fact, it was not meaningful. It was a copy/paste project from the text book to the screen. This example shows that we need to use common sense when using technology. When teaching grammar, a teacher has to be able to come up with examples other than those in the book, you have to write on the board, have student practice what they have learned. PowerPoint use was a real bad idea, in my opinion, for teaching this course. It was just not the right technological tool for the lesson.Students in that class may decide that they hate Power Points because it confuses them more while the issue is not with the use of PowerPoint but instead with the teacher’s poor choice of technology. The point I also want to make here is that teachers may sometimes be unaware of their improper use of technology. This is why, as educators, we sometimes need to ask students for their feedback so we may make corrections where needed.We can then conclude that those students dislike technology as a result of improper technological use by teachers, and also because many teachers do not attend workshops or training sessions to help them obtain a broader knowledge of technology since they are so busy. Like suggest (Youngs, 2004) and (Lohnes, 2012), those same busy teachers would have attended those trainings if there were given an incentive. In the article “Technology Standards in a Third-Grade Classroom” (Kovalik, 2001), it is related how a study done on a 3rd grade class of 25 showed that students were properly using technology. There is no indication that those students dislike using technology. The article also mentioned how the teachers were highly trained because the Ohio board pays incentive to teachers to participate in technology training which teaching them not only how to use technology by teaches them strategies on when to use them.Boards from other states should consider doing the same thing to ensure that their teachers are responding to the technological need of their students and that they are teaching them according to the standards. The Ohio school mentioned above met the standards as far as technology is concerned because of the technology coaching received by the teachers. If teachers learn how to properly use technology in the classroom, it will be a less frustrating experience for them and for the student who will less likely dislike technology since it will meet its purpose to enhance teaching.The other groups of students who dislike technology are those who were not exposed to it for long enough. The College Freshman, Nichole advises that she was not exposed to so much technology while she was in high school in her home country; consequently, it seemed to be a burden to her to have to need a computer to complete most of her school assignments but also to interact with her classmate via a discussion board. What is interesting though is that even though she claimed to dislike technology so much, she advised that once she started to spend so much time using it, she realizes that it is not so bad. Even though it is likely that some people do not like the telephone and texting so much, the computer and some website have become part of most people daily routine. In Nichole’s case, she does not own a laptop and has to wait for her turn to use the family computer which means that she has no attachment to this media because her use of it is controlled. However, once she gets to own her own computer, it is a guaranteed that her view of technology will change.I returned to school after about 12 years. When I was in college the 1st time around, nothing was electronic but when I contacted USF to apply, they told me that everything was online. At first, I asked why everything was online but once I got used to it, I started to understand the value of having the convenience to do a lot of things without having to live my home.Therefore, Nichole will certainly not continue to dislike technology that much once she gets more familiar and more attached to it. The fact is that she stated that she started to realize that it was not that bad once she started doing so many assignments. She came to the conclusion that the computer was not yet a friend but that it was no longer an enemy; it became to her an acquaintance.With this understanding, depending on the background of some ELL students and depending on whether or not they were exposed to technology in their home country, they may not like technology at first but this should not be a sign that they will never come to appreciated it. As teacher, we will need to allow them time to familiarize themselves with it while we continue to properly use it so that we do not advocate against it or involuntary send missed information about its true value.On the other hand, the last article testifies to the fact that the new generation is technology driven and that when used properly, they benefits from it in the classroom, there are several examples of how teachers originally used technology to teach which are appreciated by students. What should the conclusion be then?We have proven that technology use is effective in the classroom but that teachers need to take some actions in order to make this tool useful to students. It is necessary that they received some training if they lack it, and like a student suggested in the Screenager article, they should refrain from using complicated tools if they are not sure about how to use them. It’s best to properly use something much simpler that they are familiar with like a high school student suggested.In addition, it is important for teachers to screen the countless technological tools and to research them before introducing them to their teaching. Should they test some that do not work well, they have to stop using them and seek one that is more appropriate. Most importantly, technology is not always the answer this is why teachers should be balanced when using it. If it is required that we use the board and chalks to help students better understand, this is what we should do. Doing so, we will ensure that more students appreciate the use of technology in the classroom for what it is worth.Work CitedKovalik, Cindy, Lynn Smolen, and Jazmine Toddy. “Technology Standards In A Third-Grade Classroom.”<br />Journal Of Research On Computing In Education 33.5 (2001): 1-17. Academic Search Premier.<br />Web. 9 Aug. 2013Lohnes Watulak, Sarah. “‘I’m Not a Computer Person’: Negotiating Participation in Academic<br />Discourses.” British Journal Of Educational Technology 43.1(2012):109-118. OmniFile Full Text<br />Mega (H.W.Wilson). Web.9Aug. 2013.Young, Jeffrey R. “When Good Technology Means Bad Teaching” Chronicle Of Higher Education<br />51.12(2004): A31-A31. Academic Search Premier. Web.9Aug.2013.What Screenagers Say About… (2011). Educational Leadership, 68(5), 44-46 Wed. 9 Aug.2013.ByNICK MYRCA MALEBRANCHE- GAUTHIERSubject: Classroom Technology<br />8/9/13 </p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://uizonms.info/if-technology-is-effective-in-the-classroom-why-do-some-students-dislike-it-so-much,html/feed</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>There is an excessive amount of traffic coming from your Region.</title> <link>https://uizonms.info/there-is-an-excessive-amount-of-traffic-coming-from-your-region,html</link> <comments>https://uizonms.info/there-is-an-excessive-amount-of-traffic-coming-from-your-region,html#comments</comments> <pubDate>Wed, 29 Mar 2023 18:09:56 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Internet Marketing]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://uizonms.info/?p=51</guid> <description><![CDATA[#EANF#]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>#EANF#</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://uizonms.info/there-is-an-excessive-amount-of-traffic-coming-from-your-region,html/feed</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Effective PR For a Small Business on a Budget – Get Local and Get Online!</title> <link>https://uizonms.info/effective-pr-for-a-small-business-on-a-budget-get-local-and-get-online,html</link> <comments>https://uizonms.info/effective-pr-for-a-small-business-on-a-budget-get-local-and-get-online,html#comments</comments> <pubDate>Wed, 29 Mar 2023 12:37:35 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Small Business]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://uizonms.info/?p=48</guid> <description><![CDATA[If yours is like most small businesses, you can’t afford the luxury of a PR department, much less a dedicated PR agency or even one employee responsible for external communications and PR. However, this business function is critical as the world of communications continues to expand with new applications, demands and opportunities like social media [...]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p> If yours is like most small businesses, you can’t afford the luxury of a PR department, much less a dedicated PR agency or even one employee responsible for external communications and PR. However, this business function is critical as the world of communications continues to expand with new applications, demands and opportunities like social media networks. The thought of a concerted PR strategy and execution can be overwhelming for a small business owner, but it doesn’t have to be. There are two primary elements of PR for a small business to engage upon – leveraging online and local offline outlets. The old world of face-to-face will continue to be critical in building your PR strategy and overall business, but let’s face it – the environment has changed, and you simply can’t ignore the power of the Web, particularly social networks. Proactively getting your business out in the community while leveraging the Web will ensure the success of your PR strategy. And, these tactics are not expensive; in fact, many present opportunities for free PR for your small business.These PR strategy tips are designed for those small businesses that simply don’t have budget allocated toward hiring and retaining a communications expert. If you are a smaller company, hopefully you can take a few tips below to integrate PR into your small business to help build a brand and generate leads. Utilizing informative, valuable PR about your small business gives you the opportunity to influence people and lead them to your destination – your website, your store, your offering. Take advantage of what’s out there! Get online and get local – it’s that simple.Growing Your PR StrategyGrow OnlineIf you don’t have a website, you need to get one immediately. Today, you can get a starter site for free or within your communications packages from your voice and data provider. If it’s in the package, then it’s a no-brainer. If you have a website, then make sure it’s dynamic (video, blogs, and communities) to ensure your target audience comes back and builds a relationship with you and your brand. It’s a requirement in today’s online world; the days of stagnant sites are over. Then, once you have your interactive site, make sure you optimize your website and everything you say about your business online to ensure your potential customers are finding you online when they search. This is a key part of your online PR strategy. Don’t you search Google or Bing to find what you need a pinch? It’s called Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and it can be an affordable way to create additional PR for your small business — and it’s often found in your communications and IT packages. At the very least, getting a URL allows you to be FOUND online and that’s key. Google now provides maps when visitors are looking for a specific service in a specific area. By simply having an Internet address – you can be found online looking professional with a map to your location and link to your business, which is pretty cool.The Wild World of Social MediaYou have probably heard about “social media” and you may already be taking part. For many, however, the world of Twitter, Facebook, Linked In, blogs, vlogs and status updates may be a bit unsettling. Suffice it to say – these are powerful tools to help you carry out your PR strategy, especially when used properly to connect, communicate and yes, to sell.As a small business, you can’t afford NOT to take part. It’s easy and affordable, so don’t waste anymore time. Of course, you do need to understand how best to engage before you jump in. Here are a few quick ways to start creating more PR for your small business:1 – Create a Twitter profile and gain followers by “Tweeting” about your business, surrounding businesses and community topics that map back to your business. Build buzz about what you provide – can you Tweet special coupons? Can you give advice? Can you share relevant information to your community? Do you have an event you want to invite local prospects to? Twitter, an emerging PR strategy with an increasing audience, is a great way to quickly (140 characters or less) get a message out and position yourself as a leader. Remember, it’s not all about you; you must talk about the world around you to make an impact. Start off Tweeting about your business, but quickly begin integrating Tweets about your customers, your community, and your industry – and the most important part is to provide some kind of value or benefit in your tweets. Be respectable as well. And if you see someone comment about your business online (good or bad) – respond online for all to see. It’s a great way to show you are committed to your customers. The cost to you? It’s essentially free PR for your small business.2 – Create free profiles on Linked In and Facebook. All you need for Linked In is a profile of you, and from there, you can create a group where you can share stories, news, and other PR about your small business. People can ping you for questions which positions you as an expert and, you can join interest groups that will help you track what other potential buyers in your community do, say and think. For Facebook, simply select “business” on the homepage to create a business “fan” page. Local residents, family and friends can then become “fans” of your company, which is an easy way to highlight the most recent PR about your small business. All you have to do is commit to posting news, updates, coupons, photos and other interactive content to get people engaged. Remember – provide a benefit – a reason for your “fans” to come back for more.In addition to these PR strategy tips, there are local meet-up groups in every community that often originate from the Web, and then meet offline to have a real interactive discussion. Check out Meetup.com in your area to find one.Confused about this new world of social media? Read Groundswell by two Forrester Research analysts, Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff. This book will set you straight and get you excited about the opportunities out there in terms of online PR for your small business.Grow LocalMuch like how consumers like to buy from locally grown farms, small businesses tend to buy from their peers – other small businesses. An effective PR strategy is all about supporting your local communities, and these days, that’s more important than ever. Keeping this in mind, focus on your community by generating PR for your small business at local events. Depending on your business, there are often specialty groups for different types of businesses such as professional service specialty groups. Often these groups gather monthly or quarterly to share best practices and to network. There are certainly general small business groups in your community such as your local Chamber that meet regularly as well. Beyond networking events, you can get ink for your business. Most Chambers have monthly newsletters or emails. Do you have something to say? Could you contribute twice a year with a special promotion to drive people to your business? Take advantage of these opportunities to fuel word-of-mouth marketing through PR for your small business. Hand out business cards, build relationships and follow-up. These opportunities are right outside your door.Think grassroots.Shake hands with other small businesses owners, refer each other and grow your business. To improve PR for your small business, think about what events are taking place this weekend where you could set up space, hand out collateral, serve up some hotdogs, and generate solid leads. Is there an art show or “Taste Of” type of event? Don’t take it all on yourself; partner with other local businesses right in your area to split costs and cross-sell to each other’s customers. A hand-shake goes a long way towards an effective PR strategy. Add a coupon and see the results. Most communities have annual events that bring hundreds/thousands of people – target those. In terms of PR for a small business, the best thing you can do is to connect directly to your audience by showing your personality and your value – get out there!Leverage Local Media.Another important element of your PR strategy involves local brand development, which means building relationships with local media. Yes, there is still benefit in reaching out to traditional media when it comes to PR for your small business. Take a moment to find out who your local reporters are and introduce yourself. Share with your new media contacts areas of expertise that you would be able to discuss if requested. If you create a relationship with your local media and have something compelling or contrarian to say, chances are they will call you when they need your input. Consider a quick email to your local reporters with an introduction, a quick reference of your expertise and what you could comment on. Being timely and relevant is critical to your PR strategy. Offer a cup of coffee. Those relationships can go a long way when you really want to make noise in the community. It’s important to know that if you want coverage and/or additional PR for your small business – you won’t get it with a cold pitch. You must: 1) – establish a relationship; 2) – have news to share that’s relevant, unique or at least different; and 3) – have a product/or service that is remarkable. These rules ring true for influential bloggers as well. For more on being remarkable, read Seth Godin’s Purple Cow – a great, quick read that will get you thinking about how to stand out from the rest to grow your business.Blending Old and New: Building PR for a Small BusinessHopefully these PR strategy tips will help you build a brand for your small business and generate new and recurring business via PR. Communicating to customers and enabling them to communicate back to you is essential in today’s social world of media. However, what remains important today as it did 100 years ago is the face-to-face interaction. Nothing will replace it, so make sure you show your face and personality in the community. Coupling the old with the new will ensure a successful PR strategy for your small business. </p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://uizonms.info/effective-pr-for-a-small-business-on-a-budget-get-local-and-get-online,html/feed</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Ten Top Fallacies of Branding</title> <link>https://uizonms.info/ten-top-fallacies-of-branding,html</link> <comments>https://uizonms.info/ten-top-fallacies-of-branding,html#comments</comments> <pubDate>Thu, 02 Feb 2023 09:28:53 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://uizonms.info/?p=46</guid> <description><![CDATA[Having done brand development for the past 20 years, it is a cause of amazement to find how frequently most companies use other creative or advertising avatars as stand-ins for a true brand. If you are a marketing consultant, odds are high you have heard these top excuses for branding.Here are the top 10 Fallacies [...]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p> Having done brand development for the past 20 years, it is a cause of amazement to find how frequently most companies use other creative or advertising avatars as stand-ins for a true brand. If you are a marketing consultant, odds are high you have heard these top excuses for branding.Here are the top 10 Fallacies of Branding heard from clients, and a “tough love” (TL) response.Fallacy #1: I’ve/we’ve been in business a long time – my customers know what we stand for.TL: Please show us your data. Because we bet they don’t. If we talk to 10 customers about you, we will get 10 different answers. We will. We know this because we’ve never done a brand project where customers responded how executives thought they would respond. Some of the customer responses you won’t like. And most likely, what they actually think of you isn’t quite (or at all) what you’d like them to think of you.Fallacy #2: We have a logo done (by the CEO’s nephew), and that is our brand.TL: What is the meaning behind the logo? Is there a story? What is it meant to convey? What is your promise to your customers that they will experience each and every time they connect with you? Is your logo hinting at that promise? When your customers see that logo, do they immediately know what to expect? Do they even recognize the logo? Does the color of the logo convey meaning about your brand? Can customers name your company when they see the logo? Is the logo original and differentiated?Fallacy #3: We have a website and that is our brand.TL: How does your website operationalize your promise to your customers? Does what your website says match with what you are trying to deliver? Is the website an offshoot of your brand position, promise, personality and core messages? (And are those written down anywhere so you can leverage these across all your communications?) What kind of brand experience do you customers have when they visit?Fallacy #4: We have an advertising campaign, and our brand is communicated through that.TL: Oh, you have a brand campaign? How does this campaign move the needle on your customer’s brand experience? Is it building brand loyalty? Is it moving you higher in their consideration set? How does it communicate your brand promise? Are you resonating emotionally? How do you know? Or… is your campaign really a product campaign or leads generation campaign?Fallacy #5: Our CEO has created our mission, vision and guiding principles, and that’s our brand.TL: Please, please don’t confuse these with a brand. And please prove to us these are original, well thought-out (not just a writing exercise), and are ingrained into your culture. Please demonstrate us how these are carried out in your company. Show us how these principles provide a foundation for your brand. (If you can, then cheers! We use that as input to the brand.)Fallacy #6: We know what our customers want. We talk to them all the time.TL: Yes, we know. You’re talking to them about how you’re serving them now and you’re having a lot of transactional conversations. When have you asked what they need in the future? Have you asked them if there is something they want that you are not doing? Have you hired a third-party to ask them tough questions (because they may not tell you the hard truth to your face?) Do you have quantifiable numbers that show you how you’re doing with customers compared with competitors? What is it they would like you to stop doing? Have you probed enough into their buying and usage patterns to identify a need they haven’t even thought of yet? Do you have enough customer responses to trust betting bet several million dollars on a new product or service?Fallacy#7: Our advertising agency had a creative session, and told us what our brand is.TL: Really? Because top brands are based on original internal and external research and data. Specifically about you. So branding isn’t simply a creative exercise, it’s a strategic process tied directly to your company plan that uses data to shape strategy. Your brand informs your go-to-market approach, is operationalized through how you interact with customers, defines and deeply informs you about your priority customer segments. It will guide your product offerings, your R&D and even who you hire. Creative is highly necessary to give a brand “lift” but it comes last, not first.Fallacy #8: We use the same colors from our logo on everything, so we look really consistent.TL: Please don’t confuse consistency with meaning. Consistency is excellent, if it is reinforcing the important meaning behind, and the selection of, your brand. What do your colors mean? What do your colors convey to your customers? How do you use them to support your brand promise?Fallacy #9: Our customers know our name.TL: No, no and no. Some customers know your name. Many customers cannot remember you if you asked them to list companies or brands in your category without help (unaided awareness.) Many customers will be able to name the number one company in your category. Hopefully, it’s you. If not, you have brand work to do. If your customers do remember your name, can they say what you stand for? And does what they say match with what you want them to say? What about customers no longer doing business with you – have they forgotten your name? Oh, and what about potential customers? Do they know your name?Fallacy#10: We think we’re the leader, so we really don’t need a brand.TL: Leaders need brands to stay leaders. Because if your competition gets smart and gets branded, you’ve got some serious competition in the wings. If you truly are the leader (and we’d love for that to be true), how did you become the leader? Can you replicate what you did again and again – in new markets, among new customers, with new products or lines of business? Why not bottle what makes you so great and ensure you never, ever lose the recipe to the secret sauce? </p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://uizonms.info/ten-top-fallacies-of-branding,html/feed</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Search Results</title> <link>https://uizonms.info/search-results-2,html</link> <comments>https://uizonms.info/search-results-2,html#comments</comments> <pubDate>Wed, 25 Jan 2023 21:28:02 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://uizonms.info/?p=44</guid> <description><![CDATA[#EANF#]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>#EANF#</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://uizonms.info/search-results-2,html/feed</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Search Results</title> <link>https://uizonms.info/search-results,html</link> <comments>https://uizonms.info/search-results,html#comments</comments> <pubDate>Wed, 25 Jan 2023 21:26:16 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://uizonms.info/?p=42</guid> <description><![CDATA[#EANF#]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>#EANF#</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://uizonms.info/search-results,html/feed</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> </channel></rss> If you would like to create a banner that links to this page (i.e. this validation result), do the following:
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