How Auditing and Certification Are Carried Out

Auditing is the process of evaluation based on a set of standards in quality as declared by national standards organizations. Academic and public service institutions and business establishments are among the entities that are audited. When their quality is assured, they receive certification for it; this is called accreditation. An accredited institution is publicly revealing its good quality, encouraging others to avail of its services.

Quality audit is supported by a set of standards that institutions must attain. For example, medical institutions must hold good standards when it comes to public health and wellness and be staffed by competent medical practitioners, including medical technicians who all value the same ideals. The hospital or clinic must also maintain the infrastructure suitable for people recovering their health. Hence, the hospital possesses adequate equipment and firm and solid infrastructure. "Adequate equipment" includes safety features like fire extinguishers, smoke-detecting sprinklers, and emergency exits accessible for both patients and staff.

Energy audit is quality audit geared toward energy conservation in a building. This can apply to any business or public service establishment. Hospitals, factories, and residential buildings are covered here; a home must support the family it shelters with sufficient and efficient electricity. The electric supply that powers the institution is measured and evaluated as well as the equipment involved.

Benchmarking is also called the simple audit, screening audit, or walkthrough audit because this process involves simple observations of the infrastructure and facilities of an establishment. The operating personnel are briefly interviewed; the facility utility bills are reviewed; and the auditor walks through the establishment. Benchmarking is sometimes called a preliminary audit because a more extensive auditing process may follow.

In the preliminary audit stage, other aspects of the infrastructure and its energy consumption are also assessed. If its quality matches the standards, the establishment may achieve ESD 20:20 Certification. This may apply both to business and public and private infrastructure, including residential buildings.

Infrared thermography is an extensive and thorough method of energy auditing. An infrared thermal image of the infrastructure shows the patterns of surface temperature. These patterns are analyzed, and strengths and weaknesses are found. If any flaws are found, methods for improvement are carried out so that the establishment can pass the ISO 9001.

Pollution audits are becoming essential aspects of energy audits because of the widespread awareness of global warming and greenhouse effect. The temperature regulation and energy circulation of both residential and industrial infrastructures are assessed so that they can achieve the standards of ISO 9001.

Read More

How ISO Certification Improves Consumer Confidence

The global economy is an umbrella term that encompasses the world's national economies. In recent decades, the economic boom in developing nations like China and India have opened up hitherto unexplored economic sectors. However, with increasing competitiveness in the global economy, international quality standards need to be promulgated to ensure a consistent degree of excellence across various industries. How can industries maintain a high level of excellence and receive the accreditation that will give them an edge in the global economy?

Business enterprises can gain widespread consumer acceptance if they follow the technical standards devised by internationally recognized standard-developing organizations. A standard-developing organization is an organization which primary activities involve developing, promulgating, revising, and implementing technical standards. Most standards disseminated by standard-developing organizations such as the ISO 9001 registration are considered voluntary because entire industries adopt them without being mandated by law.

The term "formal standard" refers to technical specifications that have been approved and promulgated by standard-developing organizations. The term "de jure" refers to standards that have been mandated by various governments as mandatory protocol. Furthermore, the term "de facto standard" refers to specifications or protocols that have achieved widespread acceptance without being promulgated by any standard-developing organization.

The three most well-established international bodies are the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). All three international bodies have existed for more than 50 years and are based in Geneva, Switzerland. Moreover, these international bodies have established tens and thousands of standards that have supplanted various domestic standards.

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) publishes technical reports, technical specifications, and comprehensive technical guidelines that streamline processes across a variety of industries. Technical standards are mainly concerned with developing interface standards, which detail how technical products interconnect with other components, as well as the safety standards that ensure that products remain safe for humans, animals, and the environment.

The ISO 9000 group of standards are concerned with streamlining quality management systems, ensuring that organizations meet the needs of customers and other stakeholders. The ISO 9000 deals with the eight management principles that facilitate excellence. The eight principles are customer-focused organization, effective leadership, the active involvement of people, a coherent process approach, a coherent system approach to management, a desire for continual improvement, an objective approach to decision making, and mutually beneficial supplier relationships.

Commercial enterprises that have undergone ISO certification enjoy greater consumer confidence and international prestige. A 2011 survey conducted by the British Assessment Bureau has revealed that 44% of their certified clients have won new business. Moreover, research has proven that ISO-certified organizations achieve superior returns on their assets and superior operational performance.

Read More

Tips for Shooting Interiors

Tip 1: You need a good digital camera with a tripod. When photographing an interior, you want to make sure that everything is clear and sharp. I use F11 (aperture) and 1/2 second (ISO 200) in most cases. Sometimes if you want to get a blurred background on a close-up shot, then you will want to shoot with a wider aperture, or the smallest f-stop your camera will allow (e.g. F1.8).

Tip 2: Use a wide angle lens. Shooting wide can make the room look great, especially when in Hong Kong, the size of the property is most likely less than 100 sq. meters. In a confined space, sitting tight into one corner while you try to get the other three corners in just looks wrong. You shouldn't shoot all three walls into one picture. Showing the highlights of the interior design features is important. About the lens, anything in the 16-24mm range on full frame (or the APS-C equivalent which equates to 10-16mm approx. on some less expensive camera) is great. I often use 17mm full frame for my wide interior work.

Tip 3: Sufficient indoor and natural lighting are both important. Light up the room. If there is good natural light coming through the windows, use that as well. Adjust the overall feeling of the lighting to a balanced and optimized level.

Tip 4: Find the best angle. Take time to explore different angles to shoot from. Decorate the room with small artistic items, plants or anything you like to add a bit of creativity. We can't all afford a tilt-shift lens to keep perspective in check, so it's a really good idea to shoot with the camera at or slightly above mid-room height. This means you can keep the camera aimed out straight to keep the walls vertical. While the perspective distortion you get can be corrected in post-production, it's much easier to get it right in camera. This is another reason to use a tripod as well.

Tip 5: Use post-processing software, e.g. Photoshop or Lightroom. You should bring the Highlights down and open up the Shadows. Next bring the Blacks down to ensure that the contrast lost from opening up the Shadows doesn't impact the image too much.

Tip 6: Go vertical for staircases and other special feature. This is also important if you want to share the pictures on the web, as most images are horizontal in the interior photography world. Some vertical images could light up your portfolio. Verticals usually mean letting the eye fill in gaps, so make use of the composition to show hints of the room.

Read More

Essential Photography Tips for Beginners

Learning the art of photography is fun and fascinating at the same time, photography is now much easier than what it was back in the days, when photographers need to expertise a lot of technical knowledge about photography before they can actually start, but now with the advance photography equipment and accessories, you can just start clicking images anytime, though at a later phase you will learn techniques that will fine tune your photographic skills further.

In this article we will discuss the essential photography tips for beginners:

The first question that every photographer has is "How do I take a great picture?"

1. Make mistakes: "Every expert was once a beginner" remember this one line before starting. When you are new there is nothing to lose, make as many mistakes as you can, but don't get frustrated with your mistakes, learn from them and develop your skills further.

2. Get as close as you can, to your subject, try to fill the gap around your subject by approaching as close as you can to him, this will fill the frame of your picture with the subject only, you will see the difference between the pictures clicked from a close distance than when you clicked the same subject from a far distance. You will see the fine detailing of your subject.

3. Click as much as you can: We all know that "practice makes a man perfect" this can be said rightly for all the new photographers reading this article, if you are a new photographer, click as many pictures as you can, of the same or of different subjects to find your masterpiece with different angles. This will help you in mastering technical skills of photography.

4. Use the light: If you learned how to take advantage of a light source and utilise the source of light whether it's a natural source like the sun or an artificial source of light like a lamp or something, you can make an ordinary picture look extraordinary.

5. Using flash: If you are a new photographer, you might think that you only need a flash when it's too dark or when you are clicking pictures indoor, but this is not true. You might have come across a very common problem of uneven shadow patterns, those have spoiled your shots, when you were taking pictures in the bright sunlight, to resolve this issue you need to on the flash of your camera and put extra light on your subject, this will help you in getting rid of those shadows.

Read More

5 Key Things You Need to Know While Photographing Corporate Events

Corporate event photography can be a daunting task, especially when people are networking and don't want to be disturbed. Corporate events can be of various types - from conferences, and sales events to receptions and parties. The challenge lies in compelling coverage as poor coverage not only harms the brand identity but leads to poor networking too. While there are different ways to photograph corporate events, hiring professional event coverage services can help to get the job done professionally and flawlessly.

Whether you engage professionals or decide to do it yourself, here are some key things to know:

Have the right equipment: Corporate event photography doesn't need lots of fancy equipment. Instead, it needs a perfect blend of the right gears. Usually, an external power flash with reflector or diffuser, full frame DSLR with a moderate range zoom, memory cards and spare batteries are good for the job. However, there are other details that need to be taken care of. If the event takes place in a large hall, a telephoto lens is a must. If it's a compact venue, then a wide is essential. A second body camera is usually suggested for more serious event photography to avoid switching lenses regularly.

Study the location: Analyzing the lighting conditions and scouting the location play crucial roles in ensuring good event coverage. Before the event, visit the venue to get a clue if you'll be dealing with minimal light indoors or plenty of light. In case you can't visit the venue before the event, ensure to gather adequate information about the venue and lighting conditions from other sources.

Grab the best shots: When it comes to corporate event coverage, moments pass quickly. If you fail to adjust quickly, you'll fail to have the shot. Remember to take care of the minute details and capture compelling shots. For instance, a wide aperture with fast shutter speed for the key speakers, or keeping the aperture small enough for group shots to keep everyone in focus can help.

Focus on shots for marketing: While it's crucial to get shots of people having fun, it's also crucial to have shots that can be used for marketing purposes. In this age of social media, businesses often share images of their corporate event coverage immediately. While focusing on the faces of attendees is positive and powerful, it's also important to focus on abstract shots that can be used for branding and marketing purposes.

Quick edit, fast delivery: In today's fast-paced life, businesses want a quick turnaround time. Once a couple of days are gone, the images become a little stale. And people move to the next events and lose interest in yesterday's news. You should make sure that once the event is over, you edit the images taken and deliver them fast.

Read More

Need Advice About Business Expense Management

Knowledge is power, they say, and it always has been. But these days it's to be found in the unlikeliest of places. It's in your coffee machine, your central heating system, and even your home lighting.

It's the Internet of Things; the network of physical devices, vehicles, home appliances and other items with electronics, software, sensors, and actuators embedded into them, alongside the power to communicate with each other and exchange data.

Working together they can adapt automatically and change their behaviour to match changing circumstances; analyse and draw conclusions from data they've gleaning for themselves, and use it to decide what they should do next.

But if they're talking to each other and exchanging data, shouldn't you be part of the conversation? After all, in a world where the coffee machine can prepare itself to make coffee when the home central heating come on - because you've told it to during your commute, why should they cut you out?

Cut wasteful spending

But back to the 'knowledge is power' thought. If this information is being exchanged it has the power to impact your business expenses. Lights that don't need to be on don't have to be, and the heating won't be warming a space when no-one's there. Make no mistake; a warm office block with all its light blazing is making your electricity bill larger than it needs to be. And who wants to pay more than they should because of waste that could so easily be eliminated? Quite apart from the pain in your pocket, it's also bad for the environment.

Remember that you, as a business owner, probably take a different view of wasting your money than your employees. I recall one employee who didn't turn his work computer off for a little over four years - even when he went on two week's annual leave. That meant the computer was in standby mode for longer than he was actually using it, but he didn't care; his money wasn't paying the bill.

Manage energy

So what can you do with smart energy management? You can use electricity from the solar panels on the roof (you do have those, don't you?) to run appliances. At night, when everyone's gone home, devices on standby can automatically be switched off to reduce power consumption - and the size of your bill. Your heating and air con systems can learn the temperatures needed in any given room and maintain them at that level; and can turn them down when the rooms are not in use. It can even protect your assets by incorporating intruder alarms, or telling you about water leak, for example, so you can react promptly and minimise any potential damage ­- and the disruption and cost that invariably go with it.

Read More

Plan a Successful Hotel Grand Opening?

If you're planning to have a grand opening of your hotel grand, you must make sure it gives an amazing impression for all the right reasons. Here are the top 3 tips to make sure a successful launch event.

Tip1: Share your vision

This may look to be obvious, but getting the answer- "What, Who, When, Why, Where" cannot be more crucial to the launch of a successful event. The question- "why" is particularly vital because, in the end, if you don't know the reason for organizing the event, you are much less probable to achieve your goals.

Good events don't happen by themselves; it takes a strong army of partners & vendors to get the "wow factor". Share the clear vision with your team, so that they can help you increase the overall experience and eventually assist you achieving your goals.

Tip 2: Highlight the existing features of your hotel

In several instances, event planners concentrate on fully transforming a space to build an impressive event experience which your guests will remember. For a grand hotel opening, you should look for a fine balance between developing an exceptional brand experience, while at the same time encouraging the existing features of the hotel without overriding them with lighting, decor, etc. The main goal is to have guests leave your event with a positive impression of the hotel itself; not merely a good time at a cool event.

If you are not skilled in organizing events, you must take assistance from a professional hotel consultant to make your event grand and successful.

Tip 3: Expand the existence of your event

Many people may think that once the event gets over, your opportunity to make an impact on your guests and customers ends as well. In contrast, the post-event follow up is a potent tool in your armory to continue to cultivate your business relationships from the hotel opening. Just when your guest or customer thinks that the event has ended, have valet surprise them with a bottle of sparkling water or coconut and a thank you note on their car.

Giveaways- don't forget them! Give your existing and potential guest some small giveaways with your hotel name printed on it, so they remember your hotel. It lets guests take a piece of the hotel home with them and memorize the positive experience that they had at your hotel.

Conclusion

An effective hotel grand opening doesn't have to break the bank. Most of the hoteliers have a fear of spending too much on a luxury hotel's grand opening won't get a big ROI, so they choose a very apathetic tour with a simple cocktail reception. Rather, follow some of the above-mentioned steps to make a highly impactful event choice exciting guests and leaving a long lasting impression of your hotel. Connecting your brand (hotel) to your people in an unforgettable way is the most crucial thing to consider when planning the opening of your hotel. Or, the other best way is to hire a professional hotel consultant to look after everything on behalf of you.

Read More

Secrets of Bonding 121: Are Court Bonds Like Fruit?

Mostly we issue contract surety bonds (Performance & Payment) for contractors and our insurance agent / colleagues. However, we are also an important provider of Court and Probate bonds. We issued a number of interesting court bonds recently so here is some info on this subject.

What Are Court Bonds Are Why Are They Needed?

Generally, court bonds serve three purposes.

They provide required protection for the other party in the litigation (opposite the bond applicant)
They guarantee the payment of related court costs
The court likes them
An Injunction Bond is a good example. In these legal actions one party wants to limit or prevent the actions of another. An insurance agency may request an injunction to prevent a former salesman from soliciting their clients. The court requires the plaintiff (insurance agency) to provide a bond for the protection of the defendant (salesman) in the event it is found that (s)he has been wrongfully restrained.

A Replevin Bond is similar. These are required when the plaintiff (a bank) wants to seize an asset (your private jet) for failure to pay your finance charges. The bond will protect you if it is later found they wrongfully seized "Wings Over Yonkers." See how these work? In different situations the bonds provide the same type of function. The name of the bond identifies the underlying legal action.

Why Do Courts Like Them?

You may think "what's not to like?!" That's true. But the court may require a surety bond for a practical reason. If the litigation involves a financial matter, they could require that an escrow deposit be placed with the court for the benefit of the other party. They would hold this money until the case is decided.

This works, but is not convenient. Where will the funds be held? Who is responsible for their safekeeping? Will there be periodic accounting if the case runs for years? Who pays the expenses associated with this? What if the money is misplaced or stolen?

Compare this to a surety bond: Get the bond, throw in the file. Done!

Even though the court may have the option to take cash in lieu of bond, they may demand the issuance of a surety bond simply for its convenience.

Other Court Bonds

When a money judgment is rendered, the defendant may want the matter heard by the Appellate Court. Let's say Maynard sued Dobie for money and wins a $10,000 judgment. Maynard figures "OK here comes 10 big ones!" However, Dobie wants to dispute the decision so now Maynard has to wait.

In order to bring the Appeal, Dobie must obtain an Appeal Bond which protects the interests of the court and guarantees prompt payment if Dobie loses again. To get this bond, he'll have to give his personal financial statement, his indemnity, and put up maybe $11,000 for the surety to hold. Oh, and pay the bond premium! Why is all this necessary?

Read More

Why Are Indians Starting Their Business in Singapore?

India is a country full of promises, it is the world's largest economy; but astonishingly, many start-ups are looking for a business setup in Singapore. Surprisingly, the earlier trend involved start-ups integrating their businesses in Silicon Valley or Hong Kong. What precisely caused this shift? Let's explore the reasons as to why Singapore has suddenly become every Indian entrepreneur's go-to destination?

• Infrastructure & Facilities: it has a well-connected route to India which makes it possible to reach this city-state in approximately 6 hours. Singapore is easier to get to than most places in India itself. Additionally, the infrastructure of our country acts as an obstacle in the way of good business. The world is getting digitalized by the second and the internet facilities available in India are less than satisfactory. On the other hand, Singapore boasts of the world fastest broadband services. Moreover, it has a sound logistic transport system, which is an added advantage to the import and export sector.

• Tax structure: Singapore also boasts of one of the most ideal tax regimes for businesses. Where the tax rate of profit is between 30 to 40% in India, in Singapore it makes for less than 20%. Moreover, Singapore does not charge tax on dividends and capital gains. It is also the 5th easiest place to pay taxes. Where India not only charges a high tax but also makes it difficult to pay it, Singapore seems like a lucrative opportunity then.

• FDI regulations and the finest IP regime: Singapore is known for its political stability, which means a business does not run on the whims and fancies of the controlling power. In a world where Intellectual Property is guided with utmost care, Singapore offers investors a sense of assuredness whereas the same cannot be said of India. This liberty accompanied by one of the finest Intellectual Property rights in the world creates a sense of trust and certainty among business owners who find it easier to invest their money in Singapore. Additionally, it is also one of the places with the least corrupt economy. They abide by GAAP, which is observed to be more user-friendly and transparent.

• Ease of doing business: It is no mystery that Singapore has consistently ranked in the number 1 spot as the easiest places to do business for over a decade now. It takes the least amount of time to set up a business in Singapore, which is further simplified by means of using online registration procedures, this means no years of endless paperwork. Another advantage is that along with the registration one can also take care of the tax work at the same time. Whereas, in India, the registration and tax procedure, are two separate procedures. Singapore offers ideal conditions where entrepreneurs can focus on growing their business rather that get tangled in a hazy registration system.

If this wasn't reason enough, Singapore is influxed with talent which makes recruiting a skilled workforce an effortless experience. Additionally, there are many agencies that support the growth of businesses' in Singapore; some of them include Economic Development Board, Standards, Productivity and Innovations Board, Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority and SMEPortal.

Read More

Step to Gain Recognition Under Startup India Program

India has the third largest startup ecosystem after U.S. and Britain. India is the youngest startup nation with more than 72% of the population below 35 years of age. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has encouraged the youth of India to believe in their ideas through Startup India and Standup India initiative. He sees technology and innovation as a way to transform India.

The Startup India initiative aims to help people with creative ideas realize their potential and help them start their own business. A startup India Action plan is formed to help budding entrepreneurs concentrate on their core business. This flagship of Government of India aims at nurturing the Startups of India and driving sustainable economic growth.

The Startup India Plan got rationalized on 1st April 2016 and since then it has addressed more than 12,500 queries through social media, e-mails and telephones.

Blooming buds can easily avail benefits under the Startup India programme like relaxation in environmental and labour laws. Often Startups are too much stressed with regulatory formalities requiring compliance with environmental and labour laws. Many a times people are not aware of many rules and regulations, as a result they often end up being a victim of intrusive action by the regulatory bodies. The program will allow startups to self-certify their business through a mobile app, and avail 9 labour and environmental benefits. Also there will be no inspection on these startups for three years.

The question which arises here is how will startups gain recognition under this flagship.

There are certain criteria which a startup needs to do before gaining recognition.

The legal entity of a startup is either a Private Limited Company, Limited Liability Partnership or a Partnership.

The age of a startup is not more than five years.

The annual turnover of a startup must not exceed 25 crores.

The next step would be to gain a recommendation letter from any one of the following:

a. be supported by a recommendation (with regard to innovative nature of business), in a format specified by Department of Industry Policy and Promotion, from an incubator established in a post-graduate college in India; or

b. be supported by an incubator funded (to the project) from government of India as part of any specified scheme to promote innovation; or

c. be supported by a recommendation (with regard to innovative nature of business), in a format specified by Department of Industry Policy and Promotion, from an incubator recognized by government of India; or

d. be funded by an Incubation Fund/Angel Fund/Private Equity Fund/Accelerator/Angel Network duly registered with Security Exchange Board of India that endorses creative nature of the business; or

e. be funded by the Government of India as part of any specified scheme to promote innovation; or

f. a patent granted by the Indian Patent and Trademark Office in areas affiliated with the nature of business being promoted.

A startup will gain a recommendation letter only if it is working towards the innovation, deployment development of a product or service or it is adding value to the existing product or service.

Read More

How Equipment Appraisal Can Help To Secure Bank Loan

When you plan to set up a business or expand the existing one, bank financing is the foremost concern. If the bank asks for collateral, your existing machinery or equipment seems to be the most viable solution. If you do not possess any asset to be presented as collateral, then you may be required to pay hefty interest rates. But, if you possess some machinery that you can use for this purpose, it is advisable to avail services of certified equipment appraisers. They are experienced and experts in this domain. As such, they can offer you better business valuation services that you can present to your bank. Here are some other reasons to opt for professional appraisers for your machinery before using it as collateral for a bank loan.

- It Helps To Ascertain True Value Of Equipment:

Certified equipment appraisers can offer you specialized services for valuation of your existing machineries. Banks accept this valuation agreeably because it is verified and true to the facts. Hence, you can negotiate in a better way to resettle the terms of your loan with respect to its repayment, interest rates, duration, or amount of loan.

- It Helps To Determine The Life Span Of Equipment:

Only an expert appraiser can tell you about the true life of any evaluated equipment. It largely helps to determine the duration of your loan. If your machine is estimated to have a life of 10 years, your repayment term can also be prolonged reasonably in relation to its expected operative life. This verified documentation from certified equipment appraisers can solve many of your problems.

- It Serves As The Most Trusted Collateral:

Your bank will always trust a verified appraisal report from certified business valuation service provider better than any other arbitrary document. It is legally binding and helps them to ascertain a better loan amount depending on this authentic value of your existing equipment. You can get a loan closest to the amount of valuation of equipment to be used as collateral. It also facilitates banks to fully reclaim loan amount in the event of non-payment. If you have copies of latest valuation reports at the time of such contingencies, it gives you better credibility at the lending institution.

- It Is Always Fair Priced And Timely:

When you need finance for your business, time is always at a premium for you. In this regard, professional business evaluation service companies can offer you timely reports with a fair pricing of the equipment based on its current market value.

These points prove the trustworthiness of equipment appraisals to secure a bank loan at better rates and term. But it is equally imperative to get this valuation done by a certified appraiser.

Read More

What Is Cognitive Bias And How Does It Affect Decision-Making

Are you a successful decision-maker? Do you, more often than not, choose the right decision?

Ask most people these questions and they would probably think they do okay, without being perfect. Lack of perfection would be no surprise to any neuroscientist, because the decision-making process is known to face many challenges.

Emotion is likely to 'hijack' decision-making at any moment; and then there is cognitive bias, which can cause us to make decisions based on predetermined perceptions rather than the facts at hand.

It may be surprising to readers that, in business, where it is tempting to assume that decisions are always made rationally and logically, these biases apply just as much as they do to other decisions we make.

What is cognitive bias?

Consider the many recent cases of the unjustified killings of black people by police in the USA; this may provide a clearer idea of how cognitive bias play outs in the most serious cases.

Cognitive bias is defined as a systematic pattern of deviation from norm or rationality in judgment, whereby inferences about other people and situations may be drawn in an illogical fashion.

While we must be careful of making generalisations with the aforementioned shootings, there may be no outwardly racist motive involved in them; but it is highly possible that cognitive bias was a key reason for the police offers acting the way they did.

Our own perception of reality is based upon our cognitive biases, which sometimes fly in the face of the objective input i.e. what's really happening, the facts etc. By definition, our own version of reality is subjective, and our behaviour is based upon that.

How does it affect our decision-making?

In the example given, a black policeman may not perceive the same sense of threat as a white policeman in the same situation. A less intense cognitive bias in this particular situation might lead to different decisions and different behaviour.

This also helps to explain why you may not make the best decisions in the workplace or at home; your cognitive bias may distort the facts and lead to inaccurate judgment, illogical interpretation, or "irrationality".

Just to be clear - we are all victims, to an extent, of cognitive bias. It is normal. Indeed, in the case of many everyday situations we face, cognitive biases can help us make the fast decisions necessary to go about our daily business effectively.

However, being aware of cognitive bias, especially when making more challenging decisions, can help prevent the mistakes and errors of judgment that may have serious consequences.

Most readers here will not face life and death situations like policemen do; but we all have to make decisions constantly every day. So, by increasing our awareness of how we arrive at these decisions, and how to combat some of the most serious challenges to good decision-making, we clearly benefit.

Since the 1980s, the field of neuroscience has been shedding more light on the workings of the brain and our understanding of the decision-making process is growing. Lists of typical cognitive biases have even been compiled, which should be of great interest to almost anyone in a professional field.

Read More

To Know About Wow Structures

When organizing an event, it is important for individuals to invest in event equipment. These event items are imperative to make events more appealing and better. Plus, some items can also help make events safer and more secured. So, if you are looking for an item that can make events better and appealing at the same time, it is best to invest in wow structures.

What are wow structures?

Wow marquees or structures are identified with its own unique style and design, smooth round shapes and a robust tubular structure. These corporate event tents have the ability to take up to 400kg of suspended weight directly from the in-built rigging points enabling truss, screens, lights, signage or anything else you may desire resulting in a unique, spacious structure with all floor space available for use.

Benefits of using wow structures

Surely, there are other types of tents individuals can choose from. However, when making use of wow structures, individuals can obtain the following benefits.

First and foremost, individuals can easily create even larger areas. This is possible since individuals can join numerous structures together to create vast undercover which is suitable for almost all events and requirements.

Next, this type of tents can be assembled easily since there are a wide range of options including zip-in side walls and printed covers, the Crossover range is available to hire for a function or purchase for keeps.

Read More

Why Had Gondola Shelving Been So Popular Till Now

The ultimate shelving solution - Gondola!

What impresses the most business is the timeless and durable Gondola shelves appearing in the merchandising stores, convenience stores, and liquor stores. In fact, you may have an intimate interaction with them that you don't remember at all.

Retail stores - Yes, that's where you frequent for buying a variety of products for yourself.

Usually, the Gondola shelving has double-sided or single-sided with a pegboard in the shelves. Most of the retail stores would have 72"-84" tall single-sided (wall) for shelving or 60" for a double-sided option for shelving. (You can observe it the next time you visit a store!)

Gondola Shelving in a Retail Environment

There's no purpose of installing them in the homes or offices, is there any?

Residential shelving options have a plethora to offer, therefore, there's no requirement of Gondola shelving at homes. The basic purpose of installing Gondola shelves is to put the products on display, store and organize them neatly.

It's unique. Needless to say, it is better than wire shelving and other options. Mainly, the presentation attracts the shoppers or customers. Adding to pegboards allows the retailers to hang the products onto them. So, it's versatile and can be used with or without pegboards.

In a retail store, the center aisles have double-sided shelves, whereas the one-sided ones are installed near the walls. These are solid installations in a retail layout. Moreover, there is a wide range of sizing options available in the markets.

Generally, the small retail owners are content with 2", 3" and 4" long sections. But, large retailers can find 8", 10", 12", 14", 16" and up to 28" deep options, suitable for their respective retail stores. Anything that the store could accommodate is available.

Attractive layout options and versatility

Why aren't other shelving choices on the same level as Gondola shelving?

Certainly, the "others" don't qualify where the gondola does. It's all about customization. Indeed, the base decks, the shelves, the peg boards, the extensions, the end caps - all provide the versatility with customization.

As for retailers, they can explore a good number of layout options. Attractive options, to be precise. Understanding the dimensions, requirements, and capacity prior to the ordering of Gondola shelving parts is an imperative. Otherwise, random considerations could incur higher costs. In fact, some people ignored the height considerations and ordered tall shelves for their stores, which was completely unnecessary.

Durability is the key

When you consider performance in the long-term, the gondola shelves come at the top. The product display and organization is just making it simple through Gondola and the customers find it easier to shop the products of their choice.

Read More

How Much Should You Spend On A Pay-Per-Click Advertising Campaign?

Running a business is really hard work, and even for those of you out there who have multiple businesses, the work does not necessarily get easier. Not only are you dealing with the day-to-day operations of what your industry is, but you are also navigating the 21st century in terms of spreading the word about your business, and this will undoubtedly include a pay-per-click advertising campaign.

As companies have begun to understand what it means to be relevant players in the online advertising game, being able to know how best to drive traffic to their website is critical for success. Moreover, not only is the initial push of traffic vital, but there is a need to understand what it takes to maintain a static ad campaign. In today's world of online advertising and marketing, clicks are what it is all about. There's just one problem - how exactly does a business's advertising budget factor into funding a successful pay-per-click advertising campaign?

The truth is that all businesses struggle with making sure their advertising budget is efficiently spent and that there is a worthwhile return on investment. Thus, the question comes up about the amount of money that should be spent when it comes to a pay-per-click advertising campaign.

Here are a few things to consider:

Determination of Goals - What's it all about for your business? Numbers of leads or sales per ad dollars? Knowing what you want & what means the most to your business is the best guide.

Find Out Where You Can Save Money - Advertising experts note that only about 25% of small businesses are active in their PPC accounts. Getting your hands a little dirty may actually save you money because you're taking the time to see where issues have arisen & trying to nip them in the bud before they become problems.

Factor in Room for Errors or Changes - Advertising budgets need some room to maneuver so that changes can be made when necessary. A dynamic advertising plan is always vital for any business because standing still without financial wiggle room means you get left behind.

Have An Actual Budget From Which to Work - Perhaps the most important part of any pay-per-click advertising campaign, businesses need to have a budget from the beginning. This lets you know how much you can spend & allocate funds for changes that may come up.

Read More

Prospecting Made Easy

Today's message is very short and sweet... well maybe not so sweet but short for sure... and hopefully helpful to you.

We've all felt the frustrations of trying to get good clients. Heck, trying to get new clients period can be a real challenge.

So today I wanted to share a few ideas that have worked for me...

Start by making a list of who you'd like to work with. Think: "Who's my perfect prospect?" If you could hand pick any client, who'd that be?

This could be connections from a past job, or business associates that you know and who like and trust you or a vendor who you've done business with in the past. As a last resort you could put together a "cold list" of prospects.

Study that target market intensely and find out what problems they're dealing with today, who are they (male, female), how old they are, what magazines they read etc.

Learn all you can about your perfect prospect and the marketplace in general. This is a critical step. This is very important step and should done before you start your marketing message. I know that I've talked about this many times, but it's super important.

Once you have a target group in mind, create a mailing list. You're going to be sending them numerous messages, offers, and various messages over and over until they become clients, so I suggest that you put these names in a program like Excel so you can keep up with them easily.

Study the competition and learn what they're doing what offers they're sending out, go to their websites, landing pages, and direct mail etc. This way you can position your business uniquely.

Once you feel you have enough "intel", create a lead generation letter and send it to your prospect list.

It's going to take more than one letter. I like using a letter series sent over a couple of weeks. Sure, you can sometimes close the deal on a single letter but it's very unlikely. The power in direct mail is by mailing several letters not just one.

So, don't be discouraged if you don't get a response on the first letter you sent. This is typical. Again, the power of a letter series goes a long way to landing that client.

You got to remember, people are busy, they are preoccupied, and flooded with lots of distractions, junk mail, and advertising messages in today's super-busy world.

Lastly, I encourage you to study the masters. Learn all you can about your craft. If you can afford a mentor, then by all means hire one. A good mentor will save you tons of money, time and frustrations. It's as good as money in the bank... provided you follow through and act on what you've learned.

Read More

Is Copy Still King?

The pondering time she comes. Have you ever wondered if advertising copy is still king... you know the big kahuna of advertising... the apple of the marketing eye?

Heck, with all the modern "marketing devices" we have today, you may be wondering if copy is even relevant these days.

Let's dive in and take a look-see. Check out any magazine you can find on the shelf these days and start thumbing through the pages. Pay keen attention to the ads.

What do you see?

If you are paying attention, you'll notice most ads are scarcely worded, beautifully illustrated, oftentimes confusing, sometimes humorous, resembling pieces of artworks.

These ads do more entertaining than they do selling. They do very little promoting your business...

... and if you run advertising like this, then be prepared to have your bank account drained.

Hey, maybe I'm wrong. But can you really afford to entertain your prospective clients? Even if you're in the entertainment business, you still need to sell your services, right?

I'll tell you this: Media (places to run your advertising) doesn't come cheap. Most established publications costs big bucks. And if you don't believe me, then give 'em a call and ask for their rate sheets. Be sure to be seated when looking over the costs... it's shocking.

Makes you wonder why anyone would spend big money on such waste. In my book, advertising and marketing should increase your bottom line, not shrink it. Right?

What's worse, we believe this is how advertising should be. It's the status quo, the norm of advertising as we know it, right?

After all, seeing decades upon decades worth of this "traditional advertising" being run makes it's true, right?

WRONG. WRONG. WRONG.

And I'll prove it.

OK, for now I'll save you the rest of the rant and answer the question posed in the article title.

The short and dirty answer is...

... YES.

I humbly submit to you to check the stats of any high-functioning business that uses proven marketing methods. At the root of their marketing you'll see direct response marketing and the main sales driver.

Read More

The Austrian Oak's Brilliant Positioning Secret

People think that Arnold was the luckiest bastard alive especially considering his "subpar," acting in his earlier movies and somehow he became famous overnight.

But that's not the case at all.

His first movie was Hercules in New York and that movie was horrible but I digress.

Let's get to it.

Arnold moved to the US in 1968, couldn't speak a lick of English, became a world champion bodybuilder and then an iconic movie star.

But yet what people don't know is that when Arnold landed his first movie role he was already damn successful.

He had a brilliant mind for business that no one could match.

When he was 21 Arnold started his first business in the Hollywood Hills.

He noticed a demand for bricklayers around the high-end homes and also noticed the "keeping up with the Jones," mentality.

He formed his own bricklaying company with his bodybuilding friends and demand for his company skyrocketed.

His business wasn't much different from the other bricklaying companies around YET they couldn't get the same high paying gigs that Arnold got.

And that brings me to ANOTHER point...
... Arnold charged MORE for his bricklaying services and people PAID for them.

There was nothing special about what Arnold's business. They did the exact same work as other bricklaying businesses...
... YET..

HE STILL CHARGED MORE.

AND...
... PEOPLE WERE WILLING TO PAY!

Why?

Why did Arnold get more business than the other bricklaying companies? He wasn't known among the other bricklayers.

Read More

How to Advertise Your Used Car

There are many places that you can advertise your car for it to be sold. The question is: How is the correct way to advertise it?

Someone who is looking at an advert on social media, a website or a newspaper will want to know everything there is to know about the car. This means that they are interested in the car's history such as if it was in any accidents, special features and they want to see a picture of the car. The idea is to sell a car to people who are in need of a working and functional car but don't want to pay much for this basic transportation.

A clear description is the most important aspect of selling any item. Since a person can't physically see the car the first time they see it online, they will want to know everything about the car before they consider seeing it in real life. A prospective buyer will want to know if there are any scratches or dents that can be repaired, scratched hub caps that should be replaced or buffed, and different modifications that the previous owner has made to the car.

Be careful when advertising a car that has had modifications done as such modifications can either add or lessen the value. The car will lose value if the owner has done the jobs himself and it appears untidy. This includes wheels that have been installed, turbos and superchargers, cone filters, blacked out lights (which is not allowed in many regions), and dimmed windows.

In your description you will also have to add what type of engine the car has and the interior features. The interior description includes ABS, air conditioning, Bluetooth, automatic windows, type of finish on the seats, central locking, a radio and whether the car has power steering. The engine description should include the type of engine it is (how much fuel is consumed per cycle), if it is an automatic or manual transmission, how many gears there are available, what type of fuel it uses and if any modifications have been done to the engine to increase power.

Lastly, you would need clear and bright pictures that showcase the car. Only one picture won't be helpful as a person who is looking to buy a car wants to see the car from all angles. They also need to know if it is road worthy and worth consideration.

Read More

The Experience Economy: Why I Can't Sell My China

My husband and I are on a quest to downsize and get rid of "stuff" that serves no purpose in our lives. This includes our two sets of beautiful Wedgwood china that we lovingly chose many years ago. But, to our dismay, no one wants it. Not even our sons. And it's not just me. My friends who share a few gray hairs are experiencing the same.

It turns out the world has changed dramatically since our young days of hedonistic consumerism. And it's probably changed forever. What's going on? Consider the following:

According to Business Insider, millennial home ownership is at an all-time low. In fact, according to Trulia, 71% of millennials surveyed regret the purchase in the first place. They simply don't like the debt, and they regret investing money into a permanent home. Furthermore, they are moving to smaller urban spaces that do not allow for the "collection of stuff." In other words, "things" don't matter.
The obsession with Tiny Houses. I can count at least four television shows that promote this streamlined type of living. Personally, I'm obsessed with the idea. According to a ValueInsured survey, millennials are not investing in large homes. And even more surprising, it's the baby boomers who are more likely to purchase lower-priced homes.
What's going on? People (not just millennials) are moving toward collecting experiences over things. The "Experience Economy" values more time with family and more money to travel, as well as more time and money to experience all that life might offer. Something other than things. In fact, one could argue that we are a society looking to simplify, even moving toward a minimalist lifestyle. What's even more telling is the fact that our digital world takes the place of stuff we needed in the past (storage for CDs, for example).

Recently, I was sitting around a C-level roundtable discussing this very topic, and one gentleman even claimed that the move toward "experiences" is for social bragging rights. You've seen it - pictures of food, concerts, vacations, etc. - all over social media. Whatever the reason, the Experience Economy is here.

So, if you are a brand like Road Scholar, you are in pretty good shape. But what about the rest of you? Brands that listen to consumers and find opportunities among their evolving wants and needs, rather than in spite of them, are the ones winning today. Consider Nordstrom and their "tiny store" model that offers experiences over shopping. Or Bonobos, who has created a unique retail experience in which you cannot walk out the door with merchandise. Or even ThirstyNest who offers personalized wine gifts to newlyweds who are interested in creating memories over filling up a china cabinet.

So, with smaller living spaces and fewer dollars being spent on things, what's a brand to do? Ask yourself the following three questions:

How do my products create an experience or enrich the lives of my customers? If you sell puzzles, shouldn't you really be selling family time, allowing loved ones to gather together and enjoy each other? If it's a pair of shoes, are they comfortable enough for someone to enjoy the concert they're attending, or are they lightweight and easy to pack for their next adventure? It's critical you change the selling benefits of products to reflect how the world has changed.

Read More