Technology is changing all the time and as customers become more accustomed to instant communications and on-demand services, so their needs and expectations are increasing. While customers benefit from the speed with which they can obtain information, goods, and services, there's also the risk that increasing automation is making customer service less personal. Scottie Gardonio explores here how further technological advances in augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) could reverse this...

With the increasing tendency towards a leadership style that's more relationship- than task-orientated, leaders need to inspire their teams with their vision and encourage innovation while supporting and developing team members to fulfill their potential. Successful leadership requires a high level of self-awareness, which is the foundation of emotional intelligence and the key to communicating effectively with others. In this article, John Hall shares how effective leaders use their impressive ...

One of the most difficult aspects of starting and running a business is finding new customers, and the first step to building your customer base is to define your target market. By understanding who your customers are, and how your business can solve their problems, you can grow the business by identifying ways to attract new customers and target your most profitable customers to increase sales. To help you get started, Grant Leboff, principal of the Sticky Marketing Club, shares some top t...

Starting your own company can be daunting and before you take the leap into entrepreneurship you need to be armed with accurate information, advice and guidance. There's a wealth of resources available for UK entrepreneurs to access reliable business advice, and yet there's still a lot of inaccurate information and poor start-up advice that could be stopping budding entrepreneurs in their tracks. To help you separate fact from fiction and make well-informed decisions, founders and CEOs behind hu...

A strong customer retention and referral program is crucial for the growth of your business. A happy customer isn't only more likely to continue buying from you; he or she is also more likely to recommend your company to others, especially when there are incentives involved. Customer acquisition is a challenge for any business and the increasing use of digital channels makes it easier for your existing customers to act as brand ambassadors. To help you harness the power of referral marketing, Ri...

Digital marketing is no longer an optional extra in your marketing toolkit, and social media is an essential part of the marketing mix for businesses of all sizes. A strong social media presence helps you build a relationship with existing customers as well as connecting with potential new customers. While many companies have reaped the benefits of being early adopters of social media platforms, there are still tremendous benefits to be gained by being an early adopter of new features on an exis...

Digital marketing is no longer an optional extra in your marketing toolkit, and social media is an essential part of the marketing mix for businesses of all sizes. A strong social media presence helps you build a relationship with existing customers as well as connecting with potential new customers. While many companies have reaped the benefits of being early adopters of social media platforms, there are still tremendous benefits to be gained by being an early adopter of new features on an exis...

Most people have the capacity to become successful entrepreneurs. Perseverance, a positive attitude, and a willingness to learn, are all essential attributes that you can cultivate, while skills such as effective communication and risk management can be learned. Nevertheless, data from the Small Business Administration shows only half of new businesses survive at least five years and only a third survive 10 years or more. "So, how does an entrepreneur beat the odds?" To answer his own quest...

Most people have the capacity to become successful entrepreneurs. Perseverance, a positive attitude, and a willingness to learn, are all essential attributes that you can cultivate, while skills such as effective communication and risk management can be learned. Nevertheless, data from the Small Business Administration shows only half of new businesses survive at least five years and only a third survive 10 years or more. "So, how does an entrepreneur beat the odds?" To answer his own quest...

Most people have the capacity to become successful entrepreneurs. Perseverance, a positive attitude, and a willingness to learn, are all essential attributes that you can cultivate, while skills such as effective communication and risk management can be learned. Nevertheless, data from the Small Business Administration shows only half of new businesses survive at least five years and only a third survive 10 years or more. "So, how does an entrepreneur beat the odds?" To answer his own quest...

It can be difficult to stay motivated when you're bored at work and struggling to find things to do. While it may be tempting to while away the hours flicking through your social media, you could be using your time more productively to further your career instead. This article explores a range of activities you can do either in the office or during off-hours to expand your network, boost your skills, take on additional responsibilities, make your office happier, get out of the office, or do some...

Storytelling isn't just for branding, marketing, or getting your kids to sleep, it can also help you organize your file storage for greater fluidity and collaboration, according Rob Baesman, senior director of product management at Dropbox. Many of us are making the same mistakes when it comes to cloud storage, Baesman says, and we're not using it to its full potential because of our preconceived notions about its functionality. In Lydia Belanger's article, Baesman shares how to let yo...

Creating an inclusive company culture isn't just good for demonstrating your commitment to promoting equality and positive attitudes to diversity; it's also good for business. To remain competitive, it is crucial for a company's employees to reflect the people they serve. And employing people with different lifestyles, backgrounds, and experiences can also boost creativity, innovation and productivity. To ensure your employee feel valued, safe, and comfortable being their authentic selves at wor...

With the increasing tendency towards a leadership style that's more relationship- than task-orientated, leaders need to inspire their teams with their vision and encourage innovation while supporting and developing team members to fulfill their potential. Successful leadership requires a high level of self-awareness, which is the foundation of emotional intelligence and the key to communicating effectively with others. In this article, John Hall shares how effective leaders use their impressive ...

At the age of 19, Falon Fatemi became one of the youngest employees at Google when her internship developed into a full-time role that lasted six years. For more than a decade Fatemi has focussed on go-to-market strategy, global expansion, and strategic partnerships, and is now the founder and CEO of AI data analysis start-up Node, writes Ali Montag. In this article, Fatemi shares some of the valuable lessons she learned from her parents, entrepreneurship class, and time at Google, and...

  Following the success of its Digital Garage workshops in cities across the UK, Google is taking its free training on tour in a converted double-decker bus. The pop-up hub will visit more than 30 locations offering free digital skills coaching that ranges from beginner to intermediate skill levels. With both pre-booked and walk-in sessions available, and covering topics such as social media strategy and building your brand online, the Digital Garage Bus Tour aims to help those in smaller t...

While many small business owners are making effective use of online marketing channels, others have yet to harness the full potential of their online presence. Although marketing your business online can seem intimidating when you're not familiar with marketing concepts and jargon, if outsourcing isn't an option you need to understand how to increase the visibility of your business. To help you get started, Brenda Stoltz shares some top tips that will help you reach your target audience, grow yo...

Venture Capital funding is not only difficult to secure, it's also not the best choice for every startup. Before engaging with VCs, founders need to understand what their role is and what it means for the business. "While startups are driven by their founder's passion for creating something new, startup investors have a much different agenda — a return on their investment. And not just any returns, VC's expect large returns," writes Steve Blank. If, as a founder, you're aiming for rapid growth, ...

The most precious resource we all have is time, and to get the most out of life we need to spend our time wisely.  To invest in your future, you need "step away from your to-do list and ... invest in activities that have a long-term payoff in greater knowledge, creativity, and energy," says entrepreneur and author Michael Simmons. He shares here how to achieve a lifestyle that helps you accomplish more in less time by adopting these daily habits that can bring order and ...

How you start your morning is important. Those precious first minutes, often considered the most important of the day, have the power to set the tone for the rest of your day. While a negative morning mood can affect the quality of your work and lead to a loss in productivity, a positive frame of mind can carry you through the day regardless of the challenges ahead. If your morning routine consists of hitting the snooze button, getting up at the last possible moment, taking a quick shower, grabb...

Achieving work-life balance can be tough, and for most people it means either making career sacrifices or sacrificing family life to achieve career goals. When we're torn between the two, making sacrifices can lead to resentment further down the line. If we think of it in terms of making choices rather than sacrifices, however, we can take ownership of the situation and make decisions in a more positive way. For Neil Pasricha and his family, making the decision to accept a promotion came down to...

Achieving work-life balance can be tough, and for most people it means either making career sacrifices or sacrificing family life to achieve career goals. When we're torn between the two, making sacrifices can lead to resentment further down the line. If we think of it in terms of making choices rather than sacrifices, however, we can take ownership of the situation and make decisions in a more positive way. For Neil Pasricha and his family, making the decision to accept a promotion came down to...

While all promotions are  regarded  as   career advancement, not all career advancement requires a promotion . If you're looking for a more satisfying and challenging role, and there isn't a suitable promotion available to you, you might want to consider shaping your own role instead. Research suggests that for women in particular, an indirect path often makes an elusive C-suite role more accessible. With this in mind, Gloria Feldt shares here how to create more opp...

  Since its launch as an online bookstore in 1994, Amazon has grown to become the "largest Internet-based retailer in the world by total sales and market capitalization," according to Wikipedia. With its recent expansion into the grocery category, there are now very few products consumers can't find on Amazon. And the company's "vast influence and presence make it an appealing platform for retailers who want to take advantage of the site's unmatched volume of traffic," writes digital trends...

For many people, fear is the biggest obstacle to achieving happiness and success. And when you examine more closely other obstacles that are holding you back—such as procrastination or perfectionism—you may recognize some form of fear as the underlying cause of those too. We all experience fear differently and the first step towards achieving your goals is to recognize when your fears are preventing you from achieving your full potential. Then you can learn how to overcome them. To help you...

For many people, fear is the biggest obstacle to achieving happiness and success. And when you examine more closely other obstacles that are holding you back—such as procrastination or perfectionism—you may recognize some form of fear as the underlying cause of those too. We all experience fear differently and the first step towards achieving your goals is to recognize when your fears are preventing you from achieving your full potential. Then you can learn how to overcome them. To help you...

An understanding of the psychological factors that influence consumer behavior and decision making leads to better marketing strategies and boosts brand engagement. In an increasingly competitive market, leveraging your knowledge of consumer psychology will help you empower your customers, build relationships with them, and avoid making costly marketing mistakes. Robert Cialdini, professor emeritus of psychology and marketing at Arizona State University, has defined six universal principles...

An understanding of the psychological factors that influence consumer behavior and decision making leads to better marketing strategies and boosts brand engagement. In an increasingly competitive market, leveraging your knowledge of consumer psychology will help you empower your customers, build relationships with them, and avoid making costly marketing mistakes. Robert Cialdini, professor emeritus of psychology and marketing at Arizona State University, has defined six universal principles...

For many people, fear is the biggest obstacle to achieving happiness and success. And when you examine more closely other obstacles that are holding you back—such as procrastination or perfectionism—you may recognize some form of fear as the underlying cause of those too. We all experience fear differently and the first step towards achieving your goals is to recognize when your fears are preventing you from achieving your full potential. Then you can learn how to overcome them. To help you...

The widespread use of ad-blocking software could be impacting your digital marketing efforts. While some methods may only block tracking codes, others remove all advertising from a web page, including text ads, banner ads, sponsored content, and videos ads. And yet there are ways savvy marketers can adapt to create valuable web content that isn't blocked, writes Tricia Hussung. In this article she shares some top tips from experts on how to adapt your marketing strategy to make sure your message...