Your Content Is Boring – Advice To Get Better Engagement

A lot of hard work and time goes into creating engaging and informative content. You want it to get noticed by the masses. No matter what you do, you can’t seem to get past a couple of likes and shares and your heart pounds when you get a couple of comments. But, you only post high-quality content? What’s up? Why haven’t I received hundreds of thousands of subscribers and followers yet? 

The truth is, the problem is probably down to your content. That doesn’t mean that your content isn’t high-quality or that your content isn’t good. What I mean is that your content isn’t engaging enough. This could be down to several reasons. To help you get off on the right foot, here is a list of tips and advice to making your content more engaging, increasing your number of followers and subscribers. 

Define Your Content 

Right, to get started, see what you’ve got, to begin with. I’m assuming you have several posts laying around online so pick five or six of your best ones and get them up on your screen. Now define the purpose of each piece of content. Having trouble? Try fixing one of these terms to each article. 

• Education 
• Entertainment 
• Inspiration 
• Conversion 

These are the main types of articles you’re going to read online. If you’re finding it hard to place the purpose of your article into any one of these headings, you need to start working on your article to give it a specific purpose. This way you’ll have a set goal with what you want to achieve in your posts, allowing you to effectively market to your audience. 

Update Your Visuals 

Visuals are one of the most important aspects of online content. Internet users are over 40x times more likely to share something if it has engaging and captivating visuals. That is a statistic that can't be ignored.

Lori Cox, a content writer at Academized explains, “If you’re using free stock imagery for articles, firstly, stop! If you look at larger blogs, for example, the Huffington Post or any larger publication, all of them are using the highest quality, paid imagery for their articles and content. There are many websites out there for you to buy imagery but you might be better off just grabbing a camera and taking your own!” 

Photos aren’t the only visuals you have to use. Infographics, videos and GIFs are all hugely popular and can massively boost your content engagement. 

Ensure Perfection 

Making sure your content is perfect is one of the most important aspects of content writing. This means proofreading and editing your content as much as you can. If your readers are finding easy-to- spot mistakes in your work, they will automatically assume you don’t put in that much effort and, subconsciously, they won’t be interested in your content. 

Sara Molls, a content strategist at Big Assignments says, “Sometimes it helps to get a second pair of eyes on your work to spot things you would have otherwise missed. Using a proofreading service will allow you send off your content to be professionally proofread, allowing you more time to focus on more important tasks.” 

Delegate 

Running a successful blog is extremely difficult when you’re working on your own or even as part of a small team. By trying to cover all the jobs yourself and rushing through them, there are certain details that can be easily missed, resulting in your content not being as engaging as it could be. Our advice here is to use online resources to lighten up your loads. Creating accounts on online writing communities, such as Paper Fellows, allow you to converse with other writers and writing professionals around the world that can give you expert advice on writing blog posts and managing large volumes of content. These are experts so take their advice and you’re almost guaranteed to succeed. 

Short & Precise 

This is easier the most the important point on this list of tips and tools. Readers don’t want to sit and read through articles that are thousands of words long and are filled with useless filler content. It’s important that you keep your blog posts and articles short and to the point, delivering all the information and meeting the original purpose of the article quickly. 

The majority of blogging users will be accessing your posts via their smartphone so may be lying in bed, hanging out with friend’s, waiting in a queue or commuting. This means you have an extremely short amount of time to grab their attention and make the most of it. Use tools such as Easy Word Count to try and keep your content under 500 words. This translates to a couple of minutes reading, more than enough time for you to make an impact but short enough that they will read the whole post and take it all in!

All of these techniques can improve your blog posts or online content. Improved content will lead to greater engagement and that leads to that critical criteria called revenue growth. 

Brenda Berg is a professional with over 15 years of experience in business management, marketing and entrepreneurship. Consultant and tutor for college students and entrepreneurs at Oxessays. She believes that constant learning is the only way to success.

I hope you enjoyed this article about how to spice up the quality of online content creation for your business blog and website.

Interested in more articles about improving content marketing?

Read My Blog Posts:

- The Top 10 Aspects Of Digital Marketing Strategy 

- How To Supercharge Your Productivity

More Bootstrap Business Blog Below

Do I Need A Personal Injury Lawyer? 5 Tips And Basic Legal Advice

Getting injured a troublesome thing for a few reasons. First, and most obviously, it causes you pain and prevents you from living your life in the way you like. 

Setbacks like this can put you into financial difficulty as well, considering things like medical costs and missed work. Both financial losses and pain and suffering are things to consider if you were harmed due to the negligence of another person. 

In these situations, often times car accidents, you might want to ask yourself, "do I need a personal injury lawyer?


Do I Need a Personal Injury Lawyer?

Dealing with legal situations is typically out of a normal person's wheelhouse. Often times, we do whatever we can to avoid legal proceedings and try to handle our issues on a personal level. 

While it's great to have compassion and deal with things in your own way, sometimes it's the best thing to move forward with personal injury lawyers. These are people who can put you at ease when dealing with difficult situations.

We're going to discuss a few of the reasons you should consider hiring a personal injury lawyer. If you're still scratching your head after this article, top local attorneys will have some valuable insight during a free consultation on whether or not you should hire a legal professional. 


1. Understanding of the Law

Many times, people are unaware that they're entitled to any compensation at all. This can lead to setbacks in life that are both physically agonizing and financially crippling. 

Consulting with a personal injury lawyer can clear up whether or not you could get any compensation as well as how to move forward in order to get it. While you may want to avoid the situation altogether, the truth is that it happened and the effects could be extremely detrimental in the long run.

Lawyers are trained and experienced in understanding and dealing with the law. Most situations are nuanced and difficult to comprehend, especially when there is an opposing party who is also taking legal action. 

Dealing with this situation on your own could be a trainwreck. 


2. Dealing With Insurance

Insurance companies aren't always transparent with their payouts, and you might not be getting everything you're owed. Additionally, you may not know exactly how to express the accident to your insurance, preventing them from giving you the benefits you need. 

Lawyers can help you understand and deal with insurance companies in an effort to get the most benefit possible. We tend to be overly polite, failing to assert ourselves and get what we need. 

An understanding of personal injury and insurance law will greatly help you navigate the red tape of insurance companies and leave the situation with the best coverage possible.


3. Paperwork

When looking to receive compensation for an injury, you will have to provide a lot of medical records, paperwork, insurance information, and police files. These things are tedious to uncover and they often take a lot of time to unearth.

As a person who has suffered an injury and has to take care of personal responsibilities and deal with legal proceedings, the simple act of finding paperwork could be the final straw. 

Lawyers are there to help you deal with those little details that are a pain in the butt to deal with. They'll be in contact with the various agencies and institutions that can disclose your personal information, and lawyers are likely to persuade these organizations to give over your information quicker than they would if you were to call yourself. 


4. Investigations and Proceedings

Another thing to consider is the court case itself. Personal injury lawyers will work with individuals who can investigate and narrow done points to prove that you're owed compensation. 

Getting a settlement is a difficult process and you have the burden of proof as someone who is accusing a different party of causing harm. That means you must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that you were in the right and your injury is detrimental to your life. 

It's a difficult process, and sometimes you need professional help to deal with it in a successful manner. You can visit Michelle Linka Law Office, who specializes on these type of investigations.


5. Contingency Fees

In a sea of medical costs, you might be worried that hiring a lawyer and losing the case would put you under. This is something that you won't have to worry about. 

Most personal injury lawyers work under the agreement that they'll be paid if you win the case. This is called a contingency fee, and it means that their payment is contingent on the fact that you win the case. 

This is an excellent thing for a number of reasons. First, clearly, you don't have to pay them if you don't win. This is wonderful, as the settlement you receive should go to the lawyer and you won't be set back too much. 

Second, this gives lawyers a great incentive to win your case. They will be working tooth and nail to find evidence and prove that you're owed a settlement because they won't get paid otherwise. 


Still Wondering if You Should Hire Someone?

If you're still not convinced, think about a few things. Ask yourself if the injury you experienced was clearly someone else's fault. Now consider whether or not the costs and suffering involved in the incident have set you back in any way emotionally or financially. 

If you're finding that the injury could have lasting physical results or that the trauma of an event has affected your performance at work or in school, you probably have some legal recourse. 

This isn't a time to sell yourself short, as winning a case could mean that you can afford better care and stay afloat financially as you recover from the injury. It doesn't hurt to call a personal injury lawyer and find out what they have to say. 

At the end of the day, what do you have to lose?


Get an Opinion on Personal Injuries

If you're even asking the question, "do I need a personal injury lawyer," you should look into talking with one. They'll let you know whether or not you have a shot at compensation. 

If you're finding yourself in other legal situations or want more information, explore our site for more insight on legal matters.

A Basic Guide For Home Warranty, Home Insurance And Manufacturer’s Warranty

Home appliance insurance, which is also called as the home warranty, is an extended or optional service contract that secures the majority of appliances and systems in your home when they breakdown. Some commonly covered home appliances include- dishwashers, dryers, refrigerators, cooking stove tops, oven as well as washing machines and garbage disposals. Many of them are being used on a daily basis, sometimes multiple times a day. Hence, there is a possibility that these home appliances could break down either unexpectedly or from general wear or tear. 

3 Major Home Protection Plans

There exist three types of home protection plans that can cover the expensive repairs and replacements of home appliances- Home warranty, Home Insurance and Manufacturer’s warranty. This article depicts everything that you need to know about all the three types, from coverage and inclusions to cost of the plans and best home warranty companies. Therefore, choosing the right consumer electronics insurance plan can be a vital step for you.

Home Appliance Insurance 

A home appliance insurance is an annual service contract that protects you from paying excessive repair and replacement costs, in the event that a home system or any appliance breaks down due to normal wear and tear. Instead of the total cost to repair or replace any appliance, you will be charged a small amount of service fee to the professional serviceman your home warranty provider sends. Well, a home warranty saves you thousands of dollars for a long period of time. 

Manufacturer Warranty Versus Home Appliance Insurance 

A manufacturer’s warranty is a warranty from an appliance manufacturer such as Samsung, Whirlpool, Frigidaire and many more. It is a guarantee given by them that their product will perform as advertised and for a specific amount of time, typically one year or a two. However, a few manufacturers may cover expensive parts like –a motor, for a long period of time. In the event that you need to cover an electronic or a particular home appliance, you will have to register your item at the time of purchase to activate your warranty. The manufacturer will outline the process for you to follow in the case that a covered appliance needs servicing while it is under warranty period. 

Home Owners Insurance Versus Home Appliance Insurance 

Coming to homeowners’ insurance, it basically protects your home in the event of theft, robbery or natural disasters like fire or cyclones. Unlike Home appliance insurance, homeowners’ insurance is required by home loan banks before you can close on a house. Homeowners insurance covers structural and property damage in the instance of risks, liability if someone is harmed on the property, property loss through damage or robbery and a momentary housing cost if your home ends up appalling because of damage or disasters. 

What Is Covered Under Home Appliance Insurance? 

Typically, home appliance insurance covers only items that have broken down due to normal wear and tear. Most of the home warranty providers have 3 levels (plan) of coverage i.e. a basic plan covering the major appliances and/or systems, a moderate or enhanced plan including coverage for additional items such as clothes washer, a bathtub or a dryer. And an optional add-on for special features like a guest house or its facility. 

Some other plans include total home protection plan that provides coverage for 17 of your household appliances regardless of age and coverage for your choice of four major household systems. 

Does Homeowner’s Insurance Cover Your Home Appliances? 

Your home appliances are covered under the homeowner’s insurance in the event they are damaged or destroyed on account of any risks named by your insurance policy and not normal wear and tear. Such risk and perils include unpredicted emergencies like theft or natural disasters such as fire, lightning or cyclones. In the event that lightning strikes your home and electrical systems, it is covered under your homeowner's insurance and not the home warranty. Moreover, if your 20 years old refrigerator breaks down, you will call your home warranty provider. 

Typical Home Warranty Coverage 

Following are some common home appliances that are typically covered under Home appliance insurance: 

• Water heater 
• Dishwasher 
• Clothes washer 
• Clothes dryer 
• Microwave / Oven 
• Refrigerator 
• Furnace 
• Cooktop / Range / Stove 

Cost Of Home Appliance Insurance Coverage 

Contingent upon the type of coverage you buy, a typical home appliance insurance plan can cost in the range of $26- $68 per month. For increasingly extensive plans that cover additional items like the second refrigerator, you can expect to pay upwards of $50 every month. Moreover, at whatever point you contact the warranty provider for servicing, you will likely pay a trade service charge, or service call expense, that ranges between $70- $120. 

Ultimately, the general expense of your home appliance insurance will rely upon the company you buy the coverage from, the plan of coverage you buy, and where you live. 

(Note: The size and age of your home, appliance, and systems should not affect inclusions or costs except if you live in a brand new home, which ought to be secured by a manufacturer's warranty, or a house that is bigger than 5,000 square feet) 

Are The Home Warranties Worth The Cost? 

Truly, the home warranties are worth the cost. The customers could spare a large number of dollars. You possibly pay a service charge of approximately $60 for a $1,400 repair or a fresh brand new appliance. 

In addition to financial savings, the home warranties or home appliance insurance gives a peace of mind. 

How Home Appliance Insurance Works

Most of the home appliance insurance providers aim to appoint the service within 48 hours of filing the claim; in any case, this procedure can take longer on ends of the week and holidays. Also, it is up to the home insurance company to choose whether your case is an emergency. Take a look at the following procedure for home appliance insurance coverage: 

1. Initially, call your home warranty company OR file the claim online. Do take note of that some claims might not be accepted if the appliance or system isn’t secured by your plans or was liable to code violations, inappropriate installation, or common wear and tear. 

2. Once the claim is approved, the home warranty organization will procure a nearby contractual worker to make an assessment. 

3. The serviceman will call you to schedule an appointment either to replace or repair your broken system / appliance. 

4. You will pay a little trade service charge to the home warranty company for sending a contractual worker to your home. Before you buy a plan, ask them whether you will be charged a service fee for each visit. 

5. Once an appointment is scheduled, the service provider analyzes the issue amid a home visit and suggests either a repair or replacement. 

Final Thoughts 

In conclusion, a home warranty gives homeowners access to an entire system of local professionals. When you file an insurance claim, your home warranty supplier is in charge of scheduling an appointment with a nearby and authorized local contractor in your area. 

While home appliance insurance is not mandatory. But it gives homeowners a peace of mind against exorbitant fixes and substitutions. It's a given that home appliances and the system will wear out and break after some time, so it is suggested to get a home appliance insurance for anyone who owns a home. 

Author Stephen Jones is a full time blogger living in Texas and currently working for EverythingBreaks.com i.e. Consumer Electronic Warranty Provider Company, which also offers total home protection plan. He is very passionate about his work, a big fan of technology, and likes to write on various business niches.

How Climate Change Will Affect Business And Economy

Climate change is an insidious issue that embroils every person and government on the planet. According to NASA, Earth’s average temperature has increased around 1.1°C since the end of the 1800s, with most of the warming occurring in the last three and a half decades. 

There are many negative impacts of global warming — including rising sea levels, shrinking ice caps, harsher heatwaves, greater precipitation, more hurricanes, and generally more erratic weather conditions which can all have catastrophic effects on our environment. However, do we truly know how climate change will affect specific aspects of society — such as business and trade? 

Fulton Umbrellas — a leading UK supplier of windproof umbrellas — has researched this issue to explore how changing weather patterns may affect UK commerce... 

Transport Infrastructure 

According to the European Commission, the impact climate change will have on infrastructure will differ across the EU, with some countries being in more danger than others. From roads and buildings to bridges and railways, most aspects of infrastructure that help people work and commute could be adversely affected by global warming. 

One potential outcome of climate change is longer heatwaves. Unfortunately, extreme heat can damage major roads, which may lead to more congestion and affect how easily and quickly people can travel to work day by day. In turn, this reduced efficiency could negatively impact productivity in the workplace and affect the job landscape. If it’s harder for employees to commute, companies will have to put more money and effort into offering incentives to make travelling easier in order to attract the best workers, which may impact on profits — especially detrimental to small and mid-size companies. 

In most countries, transport systems can withstand local weather — in other words, climates that each locality is used to enduring. However, if an area is subjected to a growing number of storms and precipitation, this will reduce the longevity of structures like bridges and roads. This means that local authorities may have to use more public spending to maintain and repair infrastructure to ensure its safety — money that could have been used elsewhere. 

Climate Refugees 

According to Friends of the Earth, changes to the environment has displaced millions of people as they’ve been forced to leave their homes due to climate change, which has adversely affected their livelihoods or living situations. Shockingly, The UN Refugee Agency claims that, eventually, changes to weather and environment will become the greatest instigator of population displacement. 

Extreme weather such as heatwaves and drought not only make living, working and raising families much more difficult, but it can also have a devastating effect on a country’s ability to grow food and feed its population. During the Syrian drought of 2006-2009, approximately 1.5 million people left the nation and by 2100, around 75% of the global population might be exposed to deadly climate situations. 

Although initiatives like the Paris Agreement are working hard to curtail climate change, the ongoing issue with extreme weather and environmental changes may force a growing number of people to migrate to other countries. This could put an initial strain on national economies, housing, education, and medical care until people assimilate themselves into their new home country. 

The Agricultural Industry And Food Firms 

Animal farming is responsible for more greenhouse emissions than exhausts from all transportation put together, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Also, livestock and its by-products make up 32,000 million tonnes of CO² a year — that’s more than half of all global greenhouse gas emissions! 

Considering that the World Health Organization has branded climate change the ‘greatest threat to global health in the 21st century’, it’s easy to argue that commercial sectors guilty of particularly high carbon emissions — such as agriculture — will face strict protocols and monitoring to reduce their already heavy carbon footprints. 

Although there’s a chance all types of sectors may face stricter regulations to lower their carbon outputs if global warming continues, businesses within sectors that handle livestock or trade in food sourced from farms may be scrutinised more closely. If agricultural processes are deemed not eco-friendly enough, the government may levy higher taxes on them, which would reduce their profit margin — not an attractive outlook for anyone considering starting up in the sector. This could lead to reduced numbers of farming and agricultural businesses, which would have an effect on the amount of food produce the UK would have to import and how much it can export. 

Are There Any Positive Effects Of Climate Change? 

Clearly, climate change will affect more than just the weather and the aftershocks could be significantly harmful to the UK if we do not get the issue under control. However, it’s the nationwide drive for climate change control that will bring positive effects to the UK. 

For example, in a bid to provide greener energy, technology firms may ramp up their research and production of new technology that offers cleaner power — creating more jobs and better air in the process. 

Similarly, erratic weather and storms will mean that the country will have to invest more in water management to protect people living in flood-risk districts. Again, this is a positive when you consider how devastating flooding can be and it will also allow for more housing projects to take place in areas previously deemed ‘at risk’. This, in turn, may ease the pressure on providing adequate housing for families. 

In UK motoring, we’re already seeing a rise in eco-friendlier electric cars, which are helping lower pollution levels caused by traffic. If more daunting statistics regarding the detrimental effects of climate change are taken seriously enough by the government, we could see a greater push towards cleaner vehicles like these which will improve air quality for pedestrians and motorists alike. That is the silver lining of global warming in 2022 and 2023. 

Climate Conclusion

Climate change is happening, but making changes to how we travel, live and work today could bring on a better environment tomorrow. Only time will tell how the market will respond to global warming and changing earth temperatures.

10 Community Involvement Ideas For Businesses

Does your company have to incorporate corporate social responsibility in its business model? 

Definitely is the answer in today's world of ESG and community involvement! 

Apart from boosting your potential sales, community involvement provides a networking platform through the interaction you have with the community. 

Thus, it makes sense for a business to integrate community outreach programs in an attempt to spike their growth. 

Contrary to what most business owners believe, giving back to the community is not a “large-corporate only” affair. Small businesses, despite their limitation in resources, can also interact with their local community. 

Here are 10 smart community involvement ideas to help you increase the awareness of your brand. 

Top Community Involvement Ideas For Companies

1. Volunteer 

Getting involved in voluntary schemes is one of the most common community outreach ideas for businesses. Besides being inexpensive, volunteer work shows that you’re willing to be part of something bigger than your business. 

It can be as simple as organizing annual family fun day activities, teaching a class, or cleaning the local park. 

No matter the activity you choose, make sure it’s aligned with your company’s values. For instance, if you’re a health-based company, consider teaching the community on the best health practices for free. 

2. Participate In A Local Event 

Sometimes all you have to do is pitch your tent at a local block party or cultural festival to improve your community involvement. This saves you from all the stress that comes with planning an event and can also be a viable option if you’re on a budget. 

To increase your visibility, you can hold fun games and offer gifts to people at the event. Also, ensure your employees are spread evenly across the party to answer any questions about your products or services. 

3. Donate Resources 

Donating involves responding to the needs of the society in terms of monetary needs or just resources. In turn, the community values your company by how much you’ve improved their lives through the donations. 

For instance, you can donate some of your unused computers to a local library. Or, give some funds to a charity event. Your knowledge and experiences in your field of business is also a valuable resource that you may want to share. Consequently, you’ll demonstrate your business expertise and your company will be the ‘go-to’ place. 

4. Sponsor An Event 

Sponsoring local events is one of the most underutilized corporate community outreach ideas, due to the high costs associated with it. Nonetheless, partnering with local organizations in their events doesn’t have to translate to spending loads of cash. You can simply buy uniforms for local sports teams and be there to cheer for them on their match day. This might not seem like much, but it means a lot to the players and the community. 

5. Partner With A Local Business 

You can partner with a local business by running promotions together or buying their goods and leaving reviews on their website. 

However, it’s recommended that you partner with a non-competing company who targets the same demographic as you. For instance, if you run a coffee shop, you can run promotions with a local bakery store to help you reach more people. 

6. Outsource From The Community 

Corporate outreach doesn’t only mean giving resources to the community. You can as well be on the receiving end and still connect with the people. 

If you need help with new product ideas or designing your next TV commercial, hold auditions to find local talent. You can also outsource skills from a local college and offer internships to the students. For example, this website sources its talent from its local community. 

Although this may not involve everyone, it empowers the lives of families in the community. 

7. Giveaways For The Holidays 

Apart from having fun, the holiday season is also a time to share. This is a perfect opportunity to get involved with the community. 

You can give out gifts and giveaways or visit the local children’s home. Holding contests on holidays also blends the fun and the sharing mood of the holiday season. Additionally, you can send out simple holiday messages to help strengthen your presence in the community. 

8. Challenge The Community To A Course 

Inviting the community’s participation on tasks such as collecting litter or a neighborhood watch program, shows that you’re concerned with the well-being of the people. 

Apart from participating, your company can offer the needed supplies to accomplish the task. For instance, if it’s a cleaning program, you can offer trash bins and sweeping brooms. 

9. Work With Your Employees 

As a business owner, it’s possible to run out of ideas on how to interact with the community. But, you don’t have to stress about it alone, you can make good use of your employees. Hold a meeting and ask what your employees are interested in or the changes they would love to see in the community. 

Then, based on their answers, design initiatives to help them bring the changes or exploit their interests with opportunities to give back. In this way, you’ll not only increase your employees’ participation but also leave a positive impact on the community. 

10. Mentor Aspiring Entrepreneurs 

In every community, there never lacks upcoming businesses trying to hit their next milestone. By using your resources and experience as an established business, you can organize educational events to mentor the young entrepreneurs. 

By doing this, you help the local businesses thrive and foster networking opportunities with new business owners. 

Improve Your Company’s Image with Community Involvement Ideas 

These community involvement ideas are a great way for companies to market their products while improving people’s lives. They’ll also help you connect with your customer base and understand their needs at a more personal level. 

For more educative articles that’ll help you revamp your business skills, check out our entrepreneurship page.


I hope you enjoyed this blog post about the top 10 community involvement ideas for businesses to give back and engage with locals.

Interested in more articles about businesses supporting community?

Read Related Resources:

• How Your Company Can Give Back To The Local Community

• Why Your Business Should Be Upstanding And Honest

More Bootstrap Business Blog Below 

9 Powerful Tips For Choosing A Conferencing Venue

Are you struggling to book a conferencing venue for your event? The venue you choose for your corporate gathering can make it a success or make it a bust. 

From capacity to location to amenities, what does your event need from a venue? Start by confirming the type of event you’re having. It could be a conference to teach employees new sales tactics, a product launch, etc. Narrow down the needs for your specific event. Then, seek out venues that meet your needs. Use the tips below to find a conference venue for your business or networking event that checks all the boxes. 

1. Finalize The Budget 

Before you even look at a venue’s website, set the budget. Choose the number you can, in no way, exceed. 

It’s common for event planners to negotiate with venues. Get comfortable with negotiation and try to work out a deal. 

If it’s an amazing venue, suggest booking multiple events at a cheaper price. Or, insist they add other services, like catering, to the offering. 

Ultimately, this event shouldn’t send your company into a deficit. There are plenty of affordable facilities that will get the job done, like these venues. 

2. Location And Commuter Access 

Will attendees be coming from out of town? Are you flying in speakers from across the country? 

The location of your venue matters to your guests. If you want employees to drive to the venue after work on a Friday, the shorter the commute the better. 

Venues close to the airport are more convenient for those flying in. The last thing you want to do is choose a venue that’s difficult to get to. 

3. Capacity Inside And Out 

Decide how many people are getting invited to the event. Then, predict how many will show up. You need these numbers when evaluating venues. 

Some venues can hold up to 300 people, others 10,000. 

Look at each venue’s indoor and outdoor capacity. They’ll also likely have a seated and standing capacity. If you plan on having tables and chairs, the seated capacity is less than the standing. 

4. Nearby Accommodations 

Even if your event is only one day, you should still secure nearby accommodation. Attendees that are coming from out of town will appreciate prearranged lodging. 

Some venues have on-site accommodations, especially resorts. Consider using hotel conference spaces to take advantage of the accommodation. 

If people are driving to your event, there also needs to be enough parking. Overnight parking is a must if they’ll be staying at the venue’s on-site lodging. 

5. Facility Amenities 

Most conferences use audio-visual elements for entertainment and speeches. But, not all venues have the equipment you need. 

Check that they have AV equipment. They should also have stage space, microphones, and speakers. 

WIFI is important to your guests and for your own production. Ensure that the venue has a strong and secure internet connection you can use. And, make sure it’s included in the price. Note where the plugs are so you can set up charging stations. Your guests will appreciate having a designated space for charging their devices. 

6. Catering Services 

Some venues come with in-house catering. The chef might have a menu they prefer to prepare. Or, they could be willing to work with you on a customized menu. 

Decide if catering is something your event needs. Do guests expect a full dinner or just a cocktail hour? Every event should provide some appetizers and drinks at the very least. If the venue doesn’t have in-house catering and you need it, that’ll be an extra cost. It can be more cost-efficient to choose a venue that takes care of the food for you. 

7. In-House Staff 

Besides a catering team, does the venue have servers and bartenders? The last thing you want to worry about is hiring serving staff. 

Venues that offer their own staff will also usually take care of the cleanup after the event. Confirm that they will provide all the staff needed for meal service. See if they have their own audio-visual technicians to take care of the technical side. If not, these are all positions you need to hire for. 

They might also provide the tables, chairs, and dinnerware. The more the venue provides, the less you have to plan for. 

8. Marketing Opportunities 

Marketing materials in the venue let guests know they’re in the right place. Branded banners, posters, and signs advertise your brand and the event. They also help tell the story of your brand. 

Does the venue have existing digital signs you can use? Do they allow you to put up your own marketing materials? Are you confined to only put signs inside the rented room? 

Ideally, you want to have marketing materials outside the venue where people arrive. Then, when they enter the venue there should be signs with your branding. Choose a venue that can support your marketing needs. 

9. Recommended Vendors 

Planning an event can be stressful and overwhelming. Especially when you have to vet and interview every potential vendor you want to use. 

Luckily, many venues have relationships with various vendors they support. They endorse vendors that they enjoy working with and believe their clients will like as well. 

To reduce your planning efforts, choose a venue that has recommended vendor connections. They may even have an on-site event planner you can work with. 

Take advantage of venues that provide an event planning consultant or team. They’ve seen events go well and go poorly in their venue. They’ll be able to guide you best to make this an awesome conference. 

Need More Help Finding A Conferencing Venue? 

You want this corporate event to be the talk of the town, or at least the break room. People won’t remember the speakers or message if the venue was disappointing. 

Use the checklist above to find a conferencing venue that meets your criteria. 

Every company wants to throw the best conference of the year. It makes you stand out from the conferences competition. Read here to learn how to beat your rivals and win the market.


I hope you enjoyed this blog post about powerful ideas for choosing the best conference venue for your business.

Interested in more articles about conferences and trade shows?

Read Related Resources:

• Why You Should Host Your Own Conference

• What You Need To Know About Event Marketing

More Bootstrap Business Blog Below 

How To Level Up Business By Integrating eCommerce

Part of running a successful business is to know when you have hit your limits, or when there are other opportunities that you could be taking advantage of. Taking your business online in the current economic climate makes perfect financial sense. Before we go any further let’s outline what eCommerce is: 

Commercial Transactions Conducted Electronically On The Internet 

This article will be looking at the benefits for you and your customers by taking your products or services online and integrating eCommerce into your business. 

Having a successful brick and mortar store is no easy feat, but by switching it up, and taking your products online, you are going to take your business to the next level. As well as having a host with great uptime, you’ll need a cohesive communication strategy - to keep your online store easy to access and find. 

Make sure that all of your email and social media have the company name (so you will be easily searchable), you can earmark those before you are ready to use them. Shopify email hosting provides a solution for companies who use a Shopify store and need a matching email address. This will get your branding off to a great start. 

It is worth noting that people are using their mobile phone to shop while they travel to work, or while they’re in bed - sales that you simply can’t make any other way - it pays to have a host that has the highest uptime. Check this massive guide for some of the best hosting options. 

Before we get into the plethora of reasons you should be considering taking your products or services online. Let’s talk about the last few years in eCommerce from a shopping perspective. 

Let’s take a look at the data chart from Statista to give you a deeper insight into the growth in worldwide sales from 2014 to the predicted global sales in 2022. 

Online sales in 2014 sat at a healthy 2.3 trillion dollars, and in 2022 we will see an astonishing 5 trillion in sales. Of course, you have to show up to the party to get a piece of the pie. 

It is essential also to know what makes people happy to spend so much cash online, you’ll need to keep it in mind as you build your online store. User experience can make or break loyal customers. In fact, more often than not, people will take a look at an item in store then purchase from the comfort of their sofa. 

Reviews Encourage Conversions 

Reviews play a huge part in why someone will spend money on something they have no experience with. Consider this - when you are walking around a store, you have no idea what people think about that mobile phone, or if that lipstick has the coverage that you are looking for. But, online? There is an opportunity for everyone to have an opinion. 

People share photos of products that they love, they head to the website and give reviews in the shape of stars. Value for money? Delivery time and cost? Quality? Buyers can share the stuff you really need to know. And this will benefit you as a store owner too. If you are shipping products or providing services people can leave reviews to let other buyers know they had a good experience and this will encourage more purchases. 

Price Comparison 

It gets incredibly competitive. With multiple comparison websites, it has never been easier to make sure you are getting the best deal. And it isn’t just that. It is first buyer discounts, lowest shipping, free gifts, samples, or exclusives. Excellent for the average consumer to feel like they are getting a great deal - and that happy feeling will happen the next time they think of that store, creating loyalty and familiarity that keeps people coming back, and spending money. 

No People 

Ever seen the lines and lines of people outside of a store on release day? Well, online pre-order is there for people who don’t mind waiting a day or two longer to avoid the scrum. It also works very well for people with anxiety, mobility issues or people with young children. Avoiding the crowds can mean that online shopping is peaceful and comfortable. Not to mention the savings on travel, gas or petrol prices, parking charges, extra stops for refreshments. 

And, of course, you can purchase just about anything in your pajamas or a bath. 

Consumer Convenience 

No queues, no other people, no cash exchanges, no heavy baskets… The list is pretty endless for reasons why online shopping is more convenient. In fact, a shopper could start a basket on Monday at 8am, and finish a purchase at 11pm Wednesday. This is made even easier with things like Apple Pay, PayPal and PayPal Credit and computers and mobile phones remembering the card details. 

All of those tend to relate heavily on the sale of products, rather than services though. When people are looking for consultants, freelancers, or business coaches almost all of this will apply apart from one: Immediate transactions. 

If you sell eBooks, workbooks, orderable services like webinars and other tools they will all be instant. Booking live calls etc. will need a decent booking system that you have control over and maintain well. 

Once you know the ins and outs of why people purchase online, you will have more insight into why the overall user experience is so valuable when building your website. And, why an eCommerce store is essential to take your business to the next level. 

A Bit On UX 

UX has been slipped into the digital world as the way the user experiences something they are using, in this case, a website. However, the user experience can be applied to any life experience according to an article on UX Design. Basically, the people who use your website should be happy, relaxed and enjoy the experience that you have designed for them. 

More Reasons To Get Your Business Online 


Rebrand Or Cement Your Brand 

You might decide when venturing into the great vast internet that it is an ideal opportunity to rebrand a bit. If you’ve had the same logo for a few years, now is the perfect time to get a bit creative. Think about the image that you want to portray and go for it. 

Alternatively, if you are happy with your branding, then it is time to double down and use it on your website and all of the social media channels you are intending on using. 

More Versatility 

There is so much more room for exploring the limits (or lack of) for your website. Timing your pop-ups, and call to actions, how your products look new promotions. Your site is something that can change as often as you like to make it work for you and your customers. Regular customers might like to shop online for a change, and new online customers might want to come and visit the store. 

Bigger Reach 

Remember the days when an advert in the newspaper would be the start and end of your marketing? Well, a single tweet can reach more people than a newspaper ever would. Which is impressive considering a tweet is virtually free. Once your website is hooked up correctly, people can share your content and do a big chunk of your marketing for you - which is brilliant. However, with that comes a lack of total control. While you can control what you share, and the message that you put out there - you can’t control every conversation that is had about you. 

Another perk to being online is you can track all of that reach. What platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest) are doing well and which aren’t. Where it would be wise to add some paid advertising and where the organic traffic is coming from. Being social is great for communicating with potential customers and clients, and also sharing new about your products. A healthy mix is necessary to not oversaturate timelines with links to products. 

All Day Every Day 

The internet is there no matter what time of day you decide to pick up your phone or turn the screen on. That means you can be making sales at 3am, or on a Sunday afternoon. In fact, while you are sleeping, you can be earning money - which sounds silly but is true. As long as you have great hosting that doesn’t have a lot of issues. 

Harder Working Marketing 

As mentioned above, sharing things on social media is free. Combine that with adding some share buttons on products, and you are putting the power of your marketing in the hands of the people who are already enjoying your goods. Add in your own social media channels, and the ability to easily share links. Word of Mouth will be your biggest asset and comes at very little cost, allow reviews on your website and social channels too. 

You get much more bang for your buck once you integrate eCommerce into your business model. 

DIY Friendly 

When you are initially getting to grips with what you want, you can do a lot of it by yourself. By using websites you already visit as a reference guide, you can create something that you enjoy using and would be proud to have as part of your business. WordPress with WooCommerce and Wix are both great options when you are first starting out, and further down the line, you can work with a web designer. 

Canva and Picmonkey are ideal places to start building out your branding, creating cover photos and display pictures for your social media and even a new logo if you want one. 

Excel By Incorporating eCommerce

Taking your business online has never been easier, or smarter than it is right now by integrating ecommerce. When it comes to getting your business online, what do you think are your roadblocks? Were you surprised with the 2022 global online spend? Tweet us @MikeSchiemer #BootstrapBusiness with your thoughts and experiences with business sales and e-commerce!


I hope you enjoyed this blog post about how to take your business to the next level by integrating eCommerce marketing into your sales strategy.

Interested in more articles about eCommerce marketing and sales?

Read Related Resources:

• How To Increase Sales With eCommerce Analytics

• The Top 9 Technologies Needed To Build An Ecommerce Store

More Bootstrap Business Blog Below 

5 Wealth Building Money Habits That Work

If you haven’t jumped on the wealth building bandwagon yet, let this be your year for success. Today, a startling 46% of Americans have an emergency fund. That means everyone else is one financial misstep away from a complete catastrophe. How do your finances stack up with the norm? 

The Will For Wealth

Hopefully, your finances are in a better starting place, but if not, there is time to turn things around for the better. It is a great year to make a positive change and start building wealth for the future. With a few shifts in your habits, you will become a money-saving pro. From there, you are ready to start making smart investments. The possibilities are endless.

5 Wealth Building Money Management Musts

1. Automated Finances 

The days of manually balancing your checkbook are in the past. Nowadays, your financial wellness can basically be on auto-pilot. That might seem like a scary plot out of a sci-fi novel, but it’s the way of the future. What does it mean to automate your finances? One main component is automatic investments or automatic savings. 

This means when you get paid, a chunk of your money goes directly to your savings accounts or your investment accounts. It’s that simple. This helps you keep on track with your financial goals since there’s virtually no temptation of spending that money. It goes right from your paycheck to your savings just like that. 

Similarly, using automated tools to find smart solutions to your financial problems is the way of the future. With a tool like Simple Personal Loans, you can find the right loan for your situation in a matter of minutes without the confusion and stress (read more: https://www.simplepersonalloans.co.uk/). Technology is making our lives simpler and more budget-friendly. 

2. Increase Retirement Savings 

We could all use more retirement savings. In this day and age, nothing’s a guarantee. Inflation is rising, and income isn’t rising to meet it. Most Americans today are utterly unprepared for retirement. To be more specific, 24% of workers and 21% of retirees have less than $1,000 saved for retirement. 

What does that mean for you? It means it’s time to get to work saving today if you haven’t already. The best way to do this is through an employer-matched 401(k) plan if that’s something your company offers. An employer match is basically free money. 

Otherwise, set up your own retirement account with help from an accountant or tax professional. You don’t know for sure what the future will bring. The only thing you do know is that it pays to be prepared. 

3. Invest Extra Cash 

One of the worst habits to get into is spending extra cash frivolously. It’s not your fault completely. We live in a society driven by “treating yourself” and keeping up with the Joneses. You want to have nice things and experience all that life has to offer. Yet, at the same time, you want to pay down debts and make smart investments. 

You can’t have your cake and eat it too. It’s smart to put that extra cash you might receive during the holidays or even just $20 bucks you found on the street to your investments or debt. It adds up. This way, when you get a raise in the future, you won’t be stuck with lifestyle inflation. 

4. Track Your Spending Virtually 

Another virtual advancement we have now is the ability to track our spending in just a few clicks. You can track all of your money from your smartphone, and it’s free and easy to do so. With apps like Mint, your spending is categorized so you can see just where it’s going. 

It might seem simple, but how closely do you really monitor your finances. It’s easy nowadays to swipe your credit card like crazy without thinking about the consequences. With a platform like Mint, you’re forced to look your spending in the eye. If you’re like most Americans, you’ll probably notice a few areas you could afford to cut back. 

5. Invest Pocket Change 

Investments don’t need to start large to make an impact. One of the best ways to build wealth is to start small. You don’t need to be a multi-millionaire to become a savvy investor. Start small with “spare change” investing. This is technically known as micro-investing, and it’s when you invest small amounts of funds into stocks. 

With apps like Acorns, investing is simple. Once again, manage your money in your pocket. With Acorns and similar apps, your purchases are rounded up to the nearest dollar, and this pocket change is automatically put to work at investments. This is a great way to learn about investing without a huge risk. 

Wealth Building That Works

Let’s face it, we don’t all have the healthiest relationship with money. Some of us grew up poor or making irresponsible financial and investment decisions. Others simply lack the know-how to manage things like investing or saving. Either way, there are fewer excuses than ever before for lagging behind in your finances. Work for your wealth! 

Thanks to the technological advancements of the year, it’s easier than ever to become the master of your own wealth. Get started today with the habits above and make this year your most profitable yet managing your money.


I hope you enjoyed this blog post about top wealth building money habits to help improve your personal finances and monetary growth.

Interested in more articles about maximizing frugal finances?

Read Related Resources:

• Heiken Ashi Investment Strategies

• Top Tips To Maximize Your Money

More Bootstrap Business Blog Below 

Seven Simple Suggestions For Success In Business

You don't want to just get by in business, you want to get ahead. You don't want to settle for career mediocrity, you want to strive for greatness. You don't want to get lost in the crowd, you want to stand out and lead the charge in the market. Pushing the limits of your professional potential isn't easy, but it will be worth it. Here are some of my suggestions for achieving greater success in business: 

1) Work Smarter, Not Harder

While work ethic is crucial to your success, you need to make sure that you are also making intelligent decisions that improve your efficiency. Continue to educate yourself, follow industry trends, and see what works (and doesn't work) for your peers. Utilize the strategies that have been proven to work and avoid the tactics of failed enterprises. Prioritize your duties and get organized. Automate or delegate if needed. If it is in your best interest or will help your bottom line, outsource certain business functions.

2) Be The Best At What You Do

Pretty obvious and much easier said than done of course. But strive to become highly sought after and indispensable by being the absolute best option for your clients and employer. Learn more about your industry than anyone else and practice what you preach. Continuously create value for your clients or employer and guarantee results. Build a reputation of getting things done and doing high quality work. Be a perfectionist.

3) Work Hard & Be Persistent

Nothing happens overnight in business and nothing is easy. An "overnight success" is years or decades in the making. You have to start small, be smart, pay your dues, outwork your competitors, innovate, be resourceful, and stay hungry. Don't quit if you hit obstacles or dead ends. And sometimes you have to make sacrifices to reach your goals. 

4) Be On The Lookout For New Opportunities

Be the opportunist! This is critical for "getting your foot in the door" or "getting your big break". Always pay attention for an unfulfilled need in the market. Take on those extra assignments or enroll in beneficial educational programs. Invest in promising companies and extraordinary people. Make connections with new people and find out what you can do to help them. Stay alert and be ready to move when opportunity knocks.  

5) Stay Ahead Of The Curve

What areas of your industry are growing and which parts are falling by the wayside? Are you aligning your efforts and abilities with promising business sectors? What needs do your clients or employers have that are being unmet? Take a look at projections made by industry experts and make your own judgement as well. Make sure that your value will grow over time and your skills or position don't become obsolete. 

6) Find Your Niche and Build Your Brand 

This might be the most important lesson of all. You absolutely must stand out from the pack and make yourself memorable. Don't blend in with the crowd and don't offer generic cookie-cutter services. You're better than that! When it comes to marketing, make sure you build a bold new brand and not something old and bland!


7) Get The Job Done. No Excuses.

If you really want to be successful you'll need to ditch the excuses. Roll up your sleeves, get your hands dirty, and put in the work required to achieve the objective. Make It Happen! If it takes a thousand hours then so be it. Nobody wants to hear about the reasons why you couldn't do something, why a task was difficult, or factors preventing you from accomplishing the goal. Don't use the phrases "could have", "should have", "would have", or "I can't". You must be a problem solver and be resourceful in business. 


Those are just some of my experiences and general advice to keep your career or business path more promising and productive. Other strategies or perspectives can certainly work for you, but I'm sure you can relate to at least a few of these suggestions. Some of these tips are really just getting back to basics, but the basics are crucial. Now go out there and take your business or career to the next level! Don't let anything stop you.



I hope you enjoyed this article about some simple but powerful recommendations that can help you get ahead and succeed in business and beyond.

Interested In More Tips For Business Success On A Budget?  

Read My Posts:

• 11 Ways To Leverage LinkedIn

• 30 Lessons In Business By Age 30

• Say NO To The Status Quo & YES To Success

Best Of Luck In Business To You All!

Published by Michael J. Schiemer

Owner of the Bootstrap Business Blog

Marketing - Media - Money - Motivation

Digital Marketing | SEO | Social Media

Mike Schiemer Builds Better Business

Share This On Social Media: