7 Tips for Moving Your Business While Maintaining Productivity

Moving your business can be intensely stressful. Not only do you have to relocate your inventory and equipment, find a new office or retail space, and inform all of the relevant parties of your moving plans, you’re worried about losing productivity during the process. Today, we share some tips to help you stay productive as you move, from re-registering with the right business structure to communicating with your clients and vendors about new developments.

Find a New Home

When buying a home, the first step is to evaluate your financial standing to determine how much you can afford to spend. Then, research the market and look for properties that fit your criteria. Once you’ve found a suitable option, obtain pre-approval for a mortgage from the bank or a lender. If your offer for the property is accepted, carry out a home inspection to check for any potential issues. Finally, upon completion of the necessary paperwork and payment of associated costs, attend the closing to receive the keys to your new home.

Form an LLC in Your New State

Perhaps you’ve already registered your company as an LLC or corporation in the state where you launched your business. But if you’re moving your company across state lines, you’ll have to file again for LLC or corporation status. Rather than spending on lawyer fees to get this task done, you can file on your own or work with a location service. Since each state has its own requirements for business registration, read up on the specifics for your new state before filing.

Keep Business Documents Organized

Organizing business documents is crucial to ensure the smooth functioning of a company. One effective way to do it is through the use of PDFs. By using PDFs to store and organize various business documents such as invoices, receipts, and contracts, companies can easily monitor their financial transactions, track their accounts, and access important documents from anywhere and at any time. PDFs also offer a level of security and protection that other file formats may not provide. If you want to create a larger file, you can use a merging tool to quickly combine PDFs online.

Hire Professional Support

If you’re moving your business, don’t try to tackle all of the physical moving tasks on your own! Instead, consider hiring a full-service moving company. You may be able to find a company that will assist you with everything from packing to moving to unpacking and organizing in your new space. If you know any other business owners who have relocated recently, ask if they worked with movers who they would recommend.

Communicate With Clients and Vendors

You’ll have to talk to your team about your moving plans as soon as the decision is officially made. Well before your official move begins, you’ll also need to let your customers and vendors know that your business is relocating. Even if you manage certain operations and workflows remotely, you’ll still want to alert your customers to your moving plans. Chicago Office Movers recommends updating your company website with your relocation date and information, announcing your move on social media, and writing up a blog post with any other important details.

Set Up Your New Space in Advance

You can start setting up your new space and installing any new equipment by working with trusted team members, vendors, and contractors in your new location. That way, you’ll be able to hit the ground running when you arrive. If you’re designing a retail space, VendHQ recommends mapping out a floor plan that will guide customer traffic past in-demand items, experimenting with cross-merchandising to pair complementary items, and incorporating seasonal decor. You can always tweak your set-up when you arrive!

Stay Organized

If your moving boxes are disorganized, and you lose track of your files, you’ll struggle to keep up with key tasks and projects in the midst of your move. Therefore, make sure that you have a straightforward organizational system in place for your physical documents. Eagle Transfer recommends labeling your documents in color-coded files, purging any old documents that you no longer need to save time and space, and uploading any essential documents to a digital filing system to ensure that you do not lose them. Pack your file folders carefully, and label these boxes so that you’ll always know where these documents are.

While buying a home and moving your business is a labor-intensive process, it can be worth the effort if relocating will open you up to profitable new opportunities. With the right strategy, you can avoid sacrificing productivity while moving. By following these tips, you can file for an updated LLC or corporation status, hire the right moving company, and keep your documents organized while moving.

A Small Business Owner’s Guide to Tech Investments

As a small business owner, you likely try to keep your operating costs low. One step business owners may take to reduce overhead is to minimize investments in software and other technology. However, skipping such essentials can cause you stress and lose you money in the big picture. For example, failing to invest in security for your technology can result in data breaches, costing you valuable cash. ClearTalking invites you to read on to learn about some essential tech investments no business owner should be without.

Use tech to automate processes

Automation can save your business time and money. It can also help streamline processes. For example, you can use automation tools to improve your customer service. Automated chatbots can be a solid first point of contact, answering easy queries. More complicated issues can then be escalated to human service agents. Automation can help in other areas as well. Productivity platforms, as well example, can help with issues like sales force automation and call log reporting, for example. By having one tool to automate many tasks, you can keep your workflows centralized.

Get tools to boost your website security

Your website is a central hub for customer communication. Potential customers refer to it to learn about your products and services. Depending on your business model, they may also buy products or services, make appointments, or send requests for quotes. You want to make sure your website is safe with security tools like DataDog, which detects risks, and BitNinja, which stops hacker attacks. These kinds of tools are especially important if you process sensitive data like customer payment info on your website.

Invest in general cybersecurity technology

Your website isn’t the only part of your business that needs to be protected against cyber attacks. IT Business Edge provides a comprehensive guide to cybersecurity tools worth investing in if you’re a smaller business. For example, antivirus software can keep devices like laptops and tablets safe. Meanwhile, a firewall and VPN can help protect your online browsing. If you aren’t sure what kinds of cybersecurity technology you need, consider hiring a consultant. It’s better to invest now than to risk a data breach or hack down the line, which can require costly fixes and result in reputational damage.

Use technology to boost efficiency

In addition to protecting you, your technology can also help your business run more smoothly. For example, project management software makes it easier to collaborate, while chat apps like Slack and Chanty simplify communication. A PDF tool is also convenient, making it easy to share documents. Plus, you can use tools to help you edit these docs as needed. For example, if you need to sign off on a PDF-based contract, you can use an online tool to help you get the job done (you can try one example by clicking this link). 

Best practices for buying tech

If you’re shopping around for business technology, do your due diligence. Compare prices and read reviews of any software before investing. Also, check what kind of customer support is available to you. You can call the customer support line as a test run before buying, seeing if anyone picks up and what kind of assistance they can provide. Some technology providers also offer perks like free tutorials that show you how to use and implement their tools.

It might seem like pricey technology is a waste of money for a small business. In fact, the right tools can save you time, headache, and cash in the big picture — and some of them, like online PDF editors, can be used for free at no cost to your business. Trust the tips above to guide your tech-buying going ahead.

Smart Growth: Developing Your Small Business Through Innovation

Innovation is critical to the success of any business, but that goes double for small and mid-sized ventures that may not have access yet to the same resources as larger enterprises. By utilizing disruptive technology and honing your business process management, it’s possible to supplant incumbent brands and emerge triumphant against the odds. Today, Cleartalking shares some tips to help your business grow from the bottom up.

Cloud Computing

Cloud computing can significantly lower overhead costs by reducing the amount of hardware and software you need to maintain and update in-house. It also provides easy access to powerful tools and applications that can improve productivity and the efficiency of your operations. Get started with the right cloud solutions by identifying which tasks and processes can be moved off-site.

Big-Data Analysis

Data is becoming increasingly important in today’s corporate landscape. FinancesOnline notes that by analyzing large data sets, you can identify patterns and trends that will help you make better decisions about critical growth factors in your business. Look for software that provides easy-to-understand visualizations of your data so that you can quickly glean actionable insights.

Mobile Apps

More and more customers are conducting business on their devices, so it’s important to have a strong presence in this space. Mobile apps can improve customer engagement and loyalty while also providing an additional revenue stream. When choosing which app to develop, make sure it provides value to your target audience and is aligned with your business goals.

Invoicing

More than ever businesses are emailing invoices instead of sending them in the mail. When you email an invoice, your client will receive it quickly and can view it immediately. This increases the chance that your invoice will be paid on time and you’ll get your money faster. To make this a smooth process, look into customized invoices you can create with an invoice maker. The right tool will have design features that allow you to customize invoices specifically to your brand and will allow for easy sending once it’s ready to go.

Digital Marketing

With the right digital marketing strategy, you can reach a wide audience at a fraction of the cost of traditional marketing methods. Methods like SEO optimization and social media management offer a number of ways to get your content in front of potential customers. Experiment with different tactics and track your results to see what works best for your business.

You can also benefit from having someone on your team who has a background in data analytics, since an ability to recognize and interpret data is essential if you want your business to be able to adapt rapidly to changes in the business environment. You might even want to fulfill this role yourself! And if you choose to take advantage of the flexibility of online learning platforms that lead to earning an online master’s in data science, you can proceed at your own pace, without having to take too much time away from your work. 

IT Services

Outsourcing your IT needs to a qualified service provider can save you time and money while also freeing up valuable internal resources. IT services can help you with a wide range of tasks, including developing custom applications and managing your network infrastructure. When selecting an IT service provider, be sure to consider their experience, reputation, and pricing. Most companies offer tiered packages that you can choose from according to your business requirements. 

Remote Work

Enabling employees to work remotely can improve work-life balance, reduce overhead costs, and make it easier to attract top talent. If you’re considering implementing a remote work policy, be sure to carefully consider the logistics and develop clear guidelines for employees so as not to compromise productivity.

Cyber Security

Technology can work wonders for your business, but it’s important to have digital security practices in place to keep your data and your customer’s information safe. Start with simple practices, like password protecting PDF documents. If you need to make changes to a PDF, a PDF editor allows you to make changes to documents and drawings without having to convert the file to another format. Simply upload the file online to make changes, then download and share. And when you use a convenient online tool this may help perform this function with ease and speed.

Online Time-Management Tools

Online time-management tools can help you optimize your workflow and get more done in less time. Project management software and task managers will boost productivity and get better results from your team. Make use of free trials on offer from various providers in different departments of your business to discern which yield the best results.

Implementation

The easiest way to find the right digital solutions for your business is by using business process management techniques. Start by mapping out your existing business processes and identifying which of these can be improved with the help of technology. Once you’ve implemented a few solutions, remember to monitor the results of your efforts so that you can fine-tune them as needed.

Lastly, when choosing a software or tool, it’s vital to consider the after-sales customer service. Don’t be afraid to reach out to support before finalizing your purchase in order to gauge the quality of assistance on offer. Oftentimes, good service is far more valuable than a low monthly fee.

Developing your business through innovation doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive.  Look for the processes in your business that can be optimized without too much difficulty or interruption to productivity, such as cloud computing, seamless invoicing or time management tools. Soon you’ll be well on your way to reaping the rewards of a more efficient and effective operation.

See what other businesses are doing to innovate by joining your local Chamber of Commerce. You’ll not only learn from them, but obtain benefits for your business as well such as professional development, networking, visibility, and more.

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Turn Your Love of Video Games Into a Rewarding Career

Playing video games is a pastime enjoyed by kids and adults alike, and it keeps increasing in popularity. Beyond its entertainment value, gaming can teach you critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills. So if you want to turn the time you spend playing on your console into a lucrative career, here are four critical steps you can take: 

Get a Bachelor’s Degree 

Go from amateur to pro by earning a Bachelor’s degree, which will make you stand out as a qualified candidate during your job search. The best thing is you don’t have to stop working to attend classes: thanks to accredited online universities, you can study at your own pace and around your schedule. Those online schools are also a more affordable alternative to traditional, in-person educational institutions. So if you’re looking to pursue a degree in this exciting field, this may be a good option to teach you the skills you need and turn your passion into your new profession.

Find an Internship

Game development, game testing, technical support to players, creation of 2D and 3D images, and animation: These are just a few of the many jobs available in the field of video gaming. If any one of those appeals to you, you can get your foot in the door by interning at a company where you’ll be able to learn about the different skills and expertise required to develop and bring a product to market. So go to game industry job boards online, and look for internships at big and small companies. You can even try a more proactive approach and get in touch directly with a smaller company in your area to offer your (free) labor in exchange for experience.     

Boost Your Résumé

Now that you’ve obtained the degree and credentials needed to start a career in the videogame industry, it’s time to write a CV that highlights your skills, experience, and education. Many recruiters use what is called an Applicant Tracking System, or ATS, in order to sift through résumés faster and quickly eliminate candidates that do not possess the skills required for the position they’re applying to. So as you prepare to write yours, make sure you use the same words as the job description: those are the keywords that will help your CV get through the ATS and onto HR’s desk. You can even use an online résumé builder to help you! 

Start Your Own Business

If you want to work from home and become an entrepreneur, there are many options to choose from when it comes to turning your gaming skills into a lucrative venture. Maybe you want to develop and produce your own game, or you want to open a brick-and-mortar store where gaming enthusiasts can check out the latest offerings. And if you’re more of an introvert, you may enjoy working as a freelance consultant or graphic artist or offer technical support and consultation virtually. Once you know what kind of services or goods you want to offer, start by forming a limited liability company and come up with a unique name for your business. You’ll gain legitimacy as a business owner with this structure, and it’s also less paperwork-intensive than is required to form a corporation. Additionally, an LLC provides great tax advantages, and you can use an online formation service to help you set it up for a very affordable price.

If you enjoy playing video games, think about turning your passion into a career. Get a degree in the field, and find an internship where you’ll learn the ropes with professionals. And if you want to start your own gaming business, set yourself up as an LLC to gain the trust of your customers.  

An interactive platform for users to discuss their experiences and ask questions, cleartalking.com is your go-to for anything related to telecom products and services.

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