How successful online businesses stand out in highly competitive markets

It’s a crowded market out there, and if you’re an online entrepreneur, you may be wondering how you can possibly make your product or service stand out from all your competitors’. While it may seem like a difficult goal to achieve, there are a few things you can do to turn it to reality.

What Makes You Different?

Before you even start, make sure to choose an optimal product or service. When trying to decide on what you will sell, think of problems your customers have and figure out how to address them. If applicable, you should also take a look at your competitors and determine what they are missing, then fill that missing niche. Whatever way you decide to make yourself different, make it your brand.

Aside from solving a previously unaddressed issue or simply creating a better product, you can also get a little more creative in how you differentiate your brand. For example, make free one-day shipping, a lifetime warranty, or other appealing guarantees a part of your business model. You must be able to back up any offers though. Another idea is to found a startup with a cause marketing effort and make giving back to your community or a charity a pillar of your business. This method may require a large change in your business model, however, if it was not part of your original plan.

Being Honest

Be honest to your customers about your products and services. If you feel the need to exaggerate about your product’s quality, there is an issue. Instead of making things up (that end to come out in the end anyways), work towards improving and accomplishing things that you can actually brag about. Similarly, admit and mistakes you make and try to fix them quickly. Owning up to an issue and correcting it can turn a bad experience into a good one, and customers remember experiences so this is an important effort to make.

Having a Strong Online Presence

We have already posted an article that goes into greater depth on this topic, but having a strong online presence can make a world of difference for your online business.

The first step is to have your own website. Ideally, it should be simple so people can absorb information quickly and easily, as well as pleasing to the eye. Investing time and effort to ensure it is mobile friendly also means a larger audience will be able to properly view your site. Posting high quality content is another very important requirement. Consider posting on a blog too if you want more web traffic. Education content will win your business favor and reputation, and entertaining content will similarly attract readers. However, promotional content will turn people off. Lastly, pay attention to SEO.

Beyond your own website, you should aim to grow your online presence in other ways. You can try to get yourself featured on other websites. This will help you gain exposure with a new audience and increase your credibility. If possible, having others endorse or positively review your product will help boost its popularity. Another method is to become an online resource. Participate in chat forums answering questions and responding to comments. Lastly, make sure to be active on social media! Social media is an easy way to become a part of people’s everyday lives. On social media, you can interact with customers, post content, and market your brand. Just make sure to tailor your business’s social media persona to appeal to your target audience.

Customer Service

Customer service is another factor that matters heavily to customers. In fact, about 75% of customers in one survey said that they consider customer service a test of a company’s competency. If your customer service is notable, that’s an instant plus for your business and it’ll help you stand out. As a testament to just how much customer service matters to buys, 73% of respondents in a PwC survey said it was an important determinant in their purchasing decisions. The same survey also found consumers are willing to pay up to 16% more for a superior experience and will be more loyal to brands that provide them.

Always Making an Effort to Improve

Once you have a plan, it’s good to stick to it. But, nonetheless, be willing to change it if you see the opportunity for improvement. Keep yourself informed about new developments in your field and be sure to stay on the cutting edge. Produce new and improved products as your company grows, and as you always want something to differentiate yourself, be willing to adapt and change if increased competition means you are no longer unique.

References:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/larrymyler/2017/02/23/7-ways-to-make-your-business-stand-out-in-a-crowd-of-competitors/#24878a9f62fa

https://www.strategy-business.com/article/How-to-stand-out-in-a-crowded-marketplace?gko=9a505

Founder Story of HK Momtrepreneurs

About HK Momtrepreneurs

HK Momtrepreneurs is a nonprofit organisation aimed at teaching mothers and families the skill of entrepreneurship and empowering women to achieve and fulfil their career goals while still balancing their families and communities. Recently, we sat down with HK Momtrepreneurs founder Lena Wong to discuss her experiences with the organisation as well as to listen to her advice for aspiring entrepreneurs.

HK Momtrepreneurs Founder Lena Wong

What inspired her to start HK Momtrepreneurs?

When asked what inspired her to start HK Momtrepreneurs, Wong discussed her own experience as a mother looking to start a business. Sought as she might, she couldn’t find a community that provided the support and information she desired. So she decided to start her own Facebook page where she shared the knowledge and wisdom she had acquired. Over time, she started meeting more and more women in similar positions through the page.

From Facebook page to NGO…

Wong wanted to go back to work, but now a mother of two, her outlook on life had changed and she wanted to make a difference in the world. So in late 2018, she transferred the idea of HK Momtrepreneurs from a Facebook page to an official nonprofit organization.

What was the largest issue she faced?

How can a non-profit coexist with entrepreneurship?

In its early stages, Wong remembers HK Momtrepreneur’s largest issue being how people viewed it. It was new, “momtrepreneurs” was a term she had coined, and people often questioned why a nonprofit existed for entrepreneurship. To overcome these issues, Wong explained she simply focused on educating people and sharing what HK Momtrepreneurs stood for. She emphasized all startups, not just hers, face this need to tell society why it needs you.

Wong also expressed gratitude for the support she had received. Among others, she mentioned the encouraging general manager of a coworking space as well as a bank that waived fees for them.

In the past, she explained that HK Momtreprenuers had worked more like a professional organization and less like a typical charity. But in 2020, HK Momtreprenuers launched a fellowship program aimed at expanding the organization’s reach to different socioeconomic classes. She made this addition, recognizing that while starting businesses, women from less fortunate socioeconomic backgrounds often face the same difficulties as wealthier women while also dealing with more challenges. With this fellowship program, Wong feels HK Momtrepreneus now has a more solid base as a nonprofit.

Unforgettable stories…

Transformation of a hesitant mother

When asked about any memorable stories, Wong had two instances to talk about. The first was a full-time mother she met at a networking event. While fairly educated, the woman hadn’t worked for the past twenty years, long enough that she was no longer comfortable in a professional environment and struggled making strong eye contact. She had lost her confidence in meeting strangers. However, she and Wong still clicked and talked for a while. Just a few months later, this woman had opened her own business (a co-creating space with a kitchen and sewing room), and her whole energy had changed. When Wong asked the woman what had led to her dramatic change in personality, the woman explained that it just was the experience of empowering other women to create that had empowered her.

Paths are intertwined

Wong’s second story was about a sleeping coach/consultant who was going to be a speaker at one of HK Momtrepreneurs upcoming events. In the confirmation meeting, the sleeping coach mentioned that the two women had actually briefly crossed paths once before. She had been in the audience of a panel Wong had participated in. The woman had been inspired enough to make a change in her career path and similarly become an entrepreneur. Wong explained this story had stuck with her because that experience of a small moment changing the course of one’s life was familiar to her.

Story between GoBuddy and HK Momtrepreneurs

When asked about things that aided HK Momtrepreneurs’s development, Wong talked about GoBuddy. She met GoBuddy founder Kow at a seminar, and after seeing a demo of GoBuddy’s features, she decided to utilize its services. She explained how happy she was to have the support it provided. For example, HK Momtrepreneurs often hosts events, and registration had always been a hassle. But with GoBuddy, the relatively low-cost registration system now handles the difficult elements for her.

Words for future entrepreneurs

In the close of the interview, Wong imparted a few words of advice. First, she advised all businesses to have diversity. For her business, that means she is working towards including male and female voices, those of parents and those without children. But she emphasized the need for diversity in all its aspects.

She also suggested that those who wish to be entrepreneurs, both men and women, should establish their businesses before having children. Her reasoning is that after having children it takes time to adjust to your new life, and if you run your own business, you can control your reentry to the workforce and gradually settle back in at your own pace.

Wong’s last piece of advice was to work for a big corporation after finishing school befores starting your own business if possible. She explained that doing so provides the chance to explore and understand what work suits you best. Some may find that they are built for the corporate world, and it is also an easier transition from the corporate world to entrepreneurship than the other way around. Starting a business also requires money, so savings from a corporate salary will help pay bills later on. Lastly, job qualifications build your reputation and improve your potential when heading into establishing a business.

HK Momtrepreneurs

Website： https://hkmomtrepreneurs.com/

Email： hello@hkmomtrepreneurs.com

Tel：9248-4861

關於香港創業媽媽

香港創業媽媽是一個非牟利組織，旨在向母親和家庭傳授創業技能，提倡女性自我實現和實現職業目標，平衡其家庭和社區的參與。最近，我們與Momreprenuers創始人Lena Wong坐下來討論了她在該組織的經驗，並聽取了她對有抱負的企業家的建議！

是甚麼啟發Lena開始香港創業媽媽呢？

「成為了一個母親之後，我希望尋找一個創業的社群，可以提供相應資訊和幫助。但我發現身邊並沒有這樣的群體，於是就萌生了開始Momtrepreneurs的念頭。」她說，「一開始我是在Facebook 開設專頁的，隨著時問累積，開始受到不同女性的關注，並希望陸續推廣我們的理念。」

由Facebook社群走到NGO⋯⋯

Lena在成為一位母親後對人生和職業的看法有了轉變，她希望在照顧孩子的同時也可以平衡工作和職涯，而且她希望更多的女性也可以受啟發而能夠開展自己的職涯。於是在2018年她把本身經營的facebook社群轉而開發了一個NGO.

她遇到最大的問題是⋯⋯？

一個NGO可以如何與「創業」這個理念共存呢？

在最開始的時候，Lena發現最大的阻礙是要把創業理念放在一個可非牟利組織上。一個組織可以如何幫助女性創業呢？

後來，她明白到教育的重要，並更積極清晰的向公眾解釋香港創業媽媽背後的意念，參與社會上的大小事。

她也向曾幫助Momtrepreneurs 的人們真誠的感謝，並表達了對一開始的她提供莫大幫助的人們對香港創業媽媽的支持十分重要！

Lena表示，以往香港創業媽媽是比較傾向於一個專業組織，但她認為在今年開始的不同活動，會把組織更往公益組織方向發展。她也提及比較少經濟能力的女性們可以和其他人更多的交流，從而達到互助，而她們將推出的Fellowship program也希望做到這點！

難忘的故事⋯⋯

一個銳變的故事

當我們問Lena有沒有難忘的故事分享時，她馬上說了一個關於一位猶豫不決的媽媽的銳變故事。

她們是在一個社交場合認識的，在那裏這位媽媽給Lena的感覺是比較害羞內向，不會有很多的眼神接觸。了解後她才知道原來這位媽媽是因為已有20年沒有在社會工作過，所以漸對在社會上陌生的人有一種難以接觸的感覺。

但是在她們認識了其他的創業媽媽後，這位媽媽開始變得更有自信，甚至開始了她的生意，創立一個共享空間，並可以在那使用器材煮食。而她的整個人也變得積極自信，與以前判若兩人！

一位「睡眠諮詢師」的故事

因為Lena經常外出參與活動和演講，在一次的活動中有一位女性向Lena說她曾遇過她，並因為Lena的分享而開始她的睡眠諮詢師歷程。這次的經驗讓Lena更深深明白到她能做的影響，其實小小的分享足以影響到很多人呢！

和GoBuddy的故事

Lena和GoBuddy創辦人Kow是在一次的活動上認識的。Kow向她解釋了GoBuddy的理念，在試用後她決定使用GoBuddy的軟件來幫助香港創業媽媽在網上的發展。她也提及GoBuddy的網上預訂功能為她省卻許多時間和金錢，以專注在創業媽媽的發展上。

給未來創業家的話？

「生意應該可以容下不同聲音！例如在創業媽媽，支持我們的人其實有男性的聲音，也當然有女性的聲音。在做決定時多聽聽不同意見，即使看似不關係但可能會有不同的收獲！」

她也提到，想創業的人可以考慮在有孩子前開始準備。因為你會有更多的時間和心力放在你的理念上，也比在有更多家庭負擔的時侯更容易做決策。

最後，她鼓勵大定在創業前可以試試在大企業裏先工作，累積經驗和實力，在創業時這些會是莫大的幫助！

香港創業媽媽

網站： https://hkmomtrepreneurs.com/

電郵： hello@hkmomtrepreneurs.com

電話：9248-4861

5 books you must read if you are an Entrepreneur

No matter how successful you are, knowledge and powerful advise is one thing which is never-ending. Below are some of the best books with god-tier advise that can help entrepreneurs and to-be entrepreneurs.

1) How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

One of the best books to help improve people skills and a step-by-step guide to make lifelong connections.

2) The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey

This book written especially for Entrepreneurs and how they can achieve success by imbibing certain qualities and further help build their business.

3) The Art of the Start by Guy Kawasaki

If you are looking for some inspiration or just anything to take your first step as an Entrepreneur, this is your go-to book.

4) Getting Things Done by David Allen

Looking for ways to get rid of that procrastination? and stress? This book will help you get organised and clear your mind.

5) Think and Grow Rich by Napolean Hill

One of the most popular and best books out there used by millions of people and business owners. It will help you get perspective and a positive mindset and just the perfect advise that you are looking for.

Reference:

https://www.fundera.com/blog/best-books-for-entrepreneurs

7 Tips for Managing Online Activities

Organizing online events may be new to you, but there’s no need to find the prospect of doing so intimidating!

So what is an online event? Simply put, an online event is any event that is hosted online. Using online platforms, more and more events are now being hosted remotely rather than in a central physical location. They can be anything from workshops to courses to virtual meetups to conferences and more.

If you’re uncertain how to approach setting organizing one, just give these few tips a read!

1. Be Original

First things first, decide what you want your virtual event to be about. If you’re trying to attract a large audience, make sure to choose an original topic. Why should people attend your event or listen to you when you are in saturated marking, doing and talking about the same things as everyone else? That’s not to say that you can’t succeed in a popular area though; just find a niche. Last, sure to also tailor your virtual event to your own brand and strengths.

2. Make a Plan

Once you know what you want your event to be about, it’s time to start making a plan. Set a date and a time for it first. Be sure to consider what will work best for the most people; avoid major holidays or other days people may be busy, and think about how times may work for people in different time zones. As for the length of the event, you want your event to be long enough for substantial interaction, but not long enough that people’s interest will wane. The ideal length will vary from event to event.

Next, decide what format you want for your online event. Do you want it to be all live, or do you want to include pre-recorded elements? If you are planning on more of a presenter-centric event like a course or conference, think about if you want a single presenter or multiple? Will it be an interview, and ask me anything, a product demo?

Last, you’ll need to choose a platform on which to host your event from. These days, there are many options. Perhaps the most well-known or popular right now is Zoom. The software can work for both group meetings where everyone participates in conversation as well as talks where one presenter is the main focus and others simply join in to listen or submit questions. GoBuddy is another fantastic option. The webstore and booking site allows users to list their events on an online marketplace and provides video conferencing tools that don’t require any additional app downloads.

3. Promote the Event

Promoting your event can be done simply enough by posting about it on social media. Be sure to include links in your posts to a site where people can register for your event. If you already have an email list, include information about your event in newsletters you send out.

4. Do Prep Work

Make sure you put in adequate preparation for your event! For example, even great speakers may not be used to doing online events. Without the energy of an in-person crowd, they may find it harder to keep up the same banter. For this reason, practice is a must! You should also do a dry run before the actual day-of as it provides a chance to test all the software and troubleshoot any issues. Even if things all work during your dry run, it’s still a good idea to have a plan for what to do if anything does go wrong during your event so you won’t be scrambling in the case that it does.

5. Engage your Audience

When an event only has a one-directional flow and it’s just a presenter speaking at an audience, it’s easy for the audience to lose focus. Keep your attendees connected by involving them with polls, quizzes, questions, and games! Another simple way to ensure you start off well is to simply begin on time. If you’re late, you’ll already be losing people’s interest from the start.

6. Make it Inclusive

If you want to reach a larger audience, consider being more mobile-friendly so more people will have access. Ensure any software features you plan to use in your event work on mobile versions as well and try to think about any other considerations you may have to make for phone usage. For example, if you are showing any presentations, use a large font size so the text will still be readable on smaller phone screens.

7. Follow up with a Survey

Getting in touch with your attendees after the event and asking for feedback is the easiest way to improve in the future. Doing so allows you to hear first-hand what worked well and what didn’t. If you use a software like GoBuddy to run your event, built-in communication features can make reaching out to your attendees can be really simple!

【7個步驟輕鬆做到滿分網上活動！】

當大家都在做網上活動，我們可以如何突圍而出？

1.不要害怕獨樹一格

首先，肯定你的目標顧客和受眾是誰。當您處於一個有這麼多競爭者的巿場中，與其他人談論相同的事情時，為什麼人們應該參加你的活動或聽你的？根據自己的品牌和優勢量身定制網上活動吧！其實網上活動要成功，必先與你的觀眾建立良好，可信任的關係。這個我們會在之後探討喔！

2.制定計劃

知道要舉辦的活動之後，就可以開始製定計劃了。首先設置日期和時間。確保考慮對大多數受眾可以參加的時間點，這個可以參考IG或FB的後台分析。

至於活動的持續時間，如果希望活動足夠長，可以進行更多互動，但又不要長到讓人們的興趣減弱。理想的長度因事件而異。（例如聊天室和賣場網購也有不同互動形式）

接下來，確定活動使用的格式。你會希望它全部直播，還是包含預先錄製的影片？如果計劃進行更多以觀眾為中心的活動，例如課程或會議，請考慮是否要更多演講者？

最後，您需要選擇一個平台來承載您的活動。也許現在最著名的是Zoom，可以用於小組會議，也可以用於網上演講，但就不能同時售賣產品和展示你的商店。

要做到以上的話，可以考慮用GoBuddy～可以一次進行網上營商，線上會面，和活動管理，而且不需要下載應用程式喔！

3.推廣活動

只需在社交媒體上發布有關活動的信息即可輕鬆完成。確保在您的帖子中包含指向人們可以註冊您的活動的網站的鏈接。如果您已經有電子郵件列表，請在發送的新聞通訊中包含有關事件的信息。

4. 做好萬全準備吧！

即使是網上活動也不可掉以輕心，要採排！採排！採排！重要的事說三次。尤其當我們要跟同事合作時，更要清楚每個人的工作崗位。

5. 與觀眾互動

不能只有你說，也要適時讓大家感到他們是可以被看見的。這樣不但會增加觀眾對你的好感，更能讓他們參與在你的活動中，往後更積極參加！

6. 顧及各種需要

這個不用多說吧。網上活動的參與者有各式各樣，記得可以的話做好參加者調查，看有沒有其他國家的參與者，接納不同文化和語言。

7. 活動還未結束！

記得活動後適當調查一下大家對活動的回饙，對你日後的活動有莫大的幫助！

Fun Facts about Starbucks

Starbucks- Everyone’s go to coffee shop! Some might say it is overrated or overpriced but all those things aside, nothing beats their homely environment and great customer service. Here are some facts about Starbucks you might not be aware of!

There are more than 87,000 drink combinations possible.

Best Starbucks Drinks Around the World - Delish.com

Starbucks spends more on healthcare for employees than on coffee beans every year.

Starbucks offers employees free mental health app - Talent Canada

Starbucks has its own record label.

From Sonic Youth to Sia, the surprising history of Starbucks ...

They have been sued for under-filling lattes.

Starbucks Blonde Vanilla Latte Review: Sweet, Floral, Bright, and ...

The reason why Starbucks has more round tables than rectangular ones for customers is so that their customers feel at home.

Chairs tied around tables at metro Starbucks in effort to ...

星巴克飲品的配撘合計有87000個！
星巴克付在員工醫療福利上的成本比咖啡本身還要多
他們有自己的唱片公司！
他們曾因沒有把latte量倒滿而被控告！
他們有更多㘣桌的原因是令顧客感到在家的舒適感

Reference:

https://www.insider.com/starbucks-fun-facts-2018-7#theres-a-reason-for-the-round-tables-in-the-restaurants-7

7 Ways Businesses can Maintain a Good Online Presence

There’s no denying that we’re living in a digital age, and that means that a business’s online presence is no longer something they can overlook. A business’s online presence is its overall impact on the internet from its website to its listings to its social media accounts. It also includes the ways people have interacted with the business like reviews and or mentions of it on other websites.

A strong online presence is important because customers are becoming increasingly likely to search for business online and to use search engines to look for products and services before making a decision. In fact, according to one study, 97% of customers look for businesses on the internet. Another survey found that 33% of people used the internet daily to find a local business in the last year. With stats like this, not being online or having a poor presence means countless missed opportunities. Starting to build your business’s online presence may seem intimidating, but with these seven tips, you’ll be on your way to reaching your internet full potential in no time!

1. Have a Website

First things first, make sure your business has its own website. This website will be the foundation of your internet presence as websites are often where customers first find and interact with businesses online. If you want to make a good impression on your potential customers, your website should impress them. Aim to have a clean, intuitive layout, appealing graphics, and a quick loading time. Moreover, your site should load on both mobile and desktop devices.

Once you’ve laid the foundation and created your website, the next step is to make sure it contains valuable information. List your location, business hours, products/services, news or announcements, etc. as to be as informative as possible. If you don’t make it easy for your viewers to find the information they want to know, they’re less likely to give you their business. In addition to providing details about your business, consider posting educational or entertaining content (for example, on a blog) that people may want to share as well. Doing so will spread your brand name.

2. Social Media

Creating your own website is just the start. With the widespread usage of social media,

many businesses have begun to join some platforms as a way of reaching out to new audiences, interacting with their customers, and promoting their goods and services. In general, businesses should prioritize and start with the platforms their customers are active on. However, if you’re uncertain of where to begin, Facebook is usually a solid choice. With 2.6 billion active users, Facebook is the largest social media platform out there and it also has the option to create a Facebook Shop account which can be useful for businesses selling physical items. Instagram and Twitter would be the next most-obvious choices. As you join multiple social media platforms, keep your brand consistent by doing things like posting with a common color scheme and graphic style, promoting the same business values, and displaying a constant personality.

This idea of a business personality is crucial when posting online. One of the main mistakes businesses can make these days is to come across as a faceless corporation; people like seeing business make jokes and interact with other users like friends. Look at your customers and determine what your business’s buyer persona is, then use this information to strategize what kind of content you should share.

3. Be an Online Expert

In addition to social media platforms, businesses can also consider establishing themselves as online experts. Some ways of doing this include posting on your own blog or on forums like Reddit and Quora. Share helpful tips relevant to your industry or respond to people’s questions, and you’ll build your reputation as a credible source and draw positive attention to your business.

4. Be Active

After setting up a website and branching out to other platforms, make sure to keep active

on them! Reflect any business developments (like new hours of operation or product prices changes) on your website, and if you have a blog, post new articles regularly. Additionally, check through your site every now and then to make sure there aren’t any empty pages or dead links that no longer work. Simply creating a good website isn’t enough to make it successful; you have to maintain it. An abandoned site is never a good look, and it can make your business look unprofessional and outdated.

For social media, come up with a realistic posting schedule that your followers can keep track of, and always respond to users who reach out to you quickly. If you don’t get back to customer inquiries on social media, you’ll leave bad impressions. So only join as many social media platforms as you can effectively manage.

5. List Your Website and Pay Attention to Reviews

Another important aspect of a businesses online presence is its listings. Listing your

business on places like Google Businesses and Yelp is both free and helps your business reach a larger audience. As people search online, your listings may show up and lead them to you.

These listings also give people the opportunity to leave reviews. According to one survey, 36% of participants always read reviews of local businesses, 18% do so regularly, and 27% do so occasionally. This means well over half of the population places at least some weight on online reviews, so amassing positive reviews on listing sites can provide a boost for your business. Consider asking your customers to leave reviews to help start this process.

While you’ll strive for mostly good reviews, respond to even the negative ones. Replying to these shows that you listen to all your customers and care about their experiences.

6. Collaborate with Others

Another way to get your business’s name out there is to build relationships with others in your industry. Getting others to post about your business or your collaborations on their own websites, blogs, and social media will generate more mentions of your business online, growing your presence as well as your credibility.

For some businesses, providing influencers with samples of your product or service in exchange for them promoting it can also help you build a larger audience.

7. Modify and Adjust

As you work on developing your online presence, looking at analytics can help you see what is working best and what you need to change. If you’ve been trying to improve your SEO, you can track your search engine results, and if you’ve been attempting to grow an email list, you can track your number of subscribers as well as open and click-through rates. Tools like Google Analytics can prove to be very useful. Simply observe how your stats change as you make adjustments, and continue to modify until you reach your goals

如何建立一個好的網上品牌

網上品牌對小型企業尤其重要，因為大部分人開始用網站/社交媒體來判斷品牌形象。一起來看看你可以如何把它做得更好吧！

** 1。建立網站

首先，請確保你擁有自己的網站。它將成為您建立互聯網的基礎，如果您想給潛在客戶留下好印象，您的網站應該給他們留下深刻的印象。擁有整潔，直觀的佈局，吸引人的圖像和快速加載時間。此外，您的網站應同時在移動裝置上加載。

奠定基礎後，下一步就是確保它含有價值息。盡可能列出您的位置，營業時間，產品/服務，新聞或公告等。除了提供有關您的業務的詳細信息之外，還可以考慮發佈人們也希望分享的教育性或娛樂性內容（例如，寫博客）。這樣做會傳播您的品牌名稱。

** 2。社交媒體

創建自己的網站僅僅是開始！隨著社交媒體的廣泛使用，許多企業已開始加入某些平台來接觸新的受眾，與客戶互動並推廣商品和服務。通常，企業應優先考慮存在活躍客戶的平台開始。如果您不確定從哪裡開始，Facebook通常是一個不錯的選擇。 Facebook擁有26億活躍用戶，是最大的社交媒體平台，它還有Facebook Shop，對銷售實物商品的企業非常有用。 Instagram和Twitter將是下一個最熱門的選擇。當您加入多個社交媒體平台時，可以通過通用配色方案和圖形樣式進行發布，促進相同的業務價值以及展現出恆常風格來保持品牌一致性。

** 3。成為在線專家

除了社交媒體平台，企業還可以考慮將自己品牌建立為在線專家，包括在自己的博客或Reddit和Quora等論壇上發布內容。分享與您的行業相關的有用貼士或回答人們的問題，您將樹立可靠信譽，並可以令人關注您的業務。

** 4。積極點！

建立網站並擴展到其他平台後，請保持活躍！

您可以在您的網站上公佈最新發展（例如新的營業時間或產品價格變化），如果您有博客可以定期發布新文章。此外，可以不時檢查您的網站，確保沒有任何空白頁或無效鏈接。

** 5。注意大家的評論

企業在線形象的另一個重要方面是評論和意見。Google Businesses和Yelp等平台都是免費的，可幫助您吸引更多的受眾，並在搜尋器上出現。

這些平台還使人們可以發表評論。根據一項調查，36％的參與者經常閱讀本地企業的評論，18％的人定期閱讀，27％的人偶爾閱讀。這意味著大部分人至少會對在線評論給予一定的關注，因此在列表網站上積累積極的評論可以為您的業務帶來增長。考慮讓您的客戶留下評論吧！

雖然您會爭取獲得好評，但也要回應負面的評論，傾聽所有客戶的反饙。

** 6。與人合作

另一種方法是與所在行業的其他人建立關係。讓其他人在自己的網站，博客和社交媒體上發布有關您的業務或與您的合作的信息，從而增加您的影響力和信譽。

** 7。讓數據說話

在建立網上形象時，查看網頁分析可以幫助您了解最有效的方法以及需要更改的內容。如果您一直在嘗試做SEO，可以跟踪搜索引擎結果，如果您一直在嘗試增加電子郵件列表，則可以跟踪訂閱者的數量以及電郵打開率和點擊率。Google Analytics（分析）之類的工具可能非常有用。只需觀察您的統計數字在進行調整時如何變化，然後繼續進行修改直到達到目標即可。

Some Interesting Facts about Coca-Cola

#1 There are only two countries in this world where Coca-Cola is not sold- Cuba and North Korea

15 Bans and Restrictions You Can Only Find in North Korea

#2 Coca-Cola is the second most understood word in this world after “OK”

#3 In 1985, Coca-Cola became the first soft drink to go to space.

Coke was the 1st soft drink consumed in space

#4 The Coca-Cola brand is worth an estimated $83.8 billion. That is more than Budweiser, Subway, Pepsi and KFC combined.

#5 Coke makes so many different beverages that if you drank one per day, it would take you more than 9 years to try them all.

Portfolio overview | Coca-Cola HBC Russia

＃1 這個世界上只有兩個國家沒有出售可口可樂: 古巴和北韓

＃2 可口可樂是僅次於“ OK”的最被理解的單詞

＃3 可口可樂在1985年成為第一款進入太空的汽水。

＃4可口可樂品牌價值估計為838億美元。（遠遠超過了Budweiser，Subway，百事可樂和肯德基的總和！）

＃5可樂生產非常多種不同的飲料。如果您每天喝一杯，那麼要花9年以上的時間才能嘗試全部。

Reference:

https://www.businessinsider.com/facts-about-coca-cola-2015-9#coke-makes-so-many-different-beverages-that-if-you-drank-one-per-day-it-would-take-you-more-than-nine-years-to-try-them-all-coca-cola-has-a-product-portfolio-of-more-than-3500-beverages-and-500-brands-including-sodas-energy-drinks-and-soy-based-drinks-6

3 Ways Businesses Can Be More Sustainable

Corporate Social Responsibility is becoming an increasingly important aspect within all businesses. Choosing to “go green” and holding campaigns to spread awareness about sustainability is what grants businesses bonus points amongst the consumers. Not only does it help the environment- it establishes you as a brand that cares about the environment and community, thereby refining your brand image. And, lets be real- brand image is super important. It is pretty much what distinguishes you from your competitor.

#1 Going Paperless

Imagine how many trees don’t have to be cut if businesses can forego using paper and adopt a cloud-based filing approach to save all their information and data. Up to 50% of business waste is paper waste; hence, businesses will be able to lower their impact on local landfills by converting to a paperless office. Since we are talking about it in business terms- it reduces costs! An average worker uses 10,000 sheets of paper annually- going paperless would help reduce the cost of buying tons of paper for office work.

#2 Letting Employees Work from Home

Another way a business could lower its carbon footprint is by encouraging remote working. A reduction in the usage of electricity, reduction in pollution (no commute) and fewer office supplies used leading to a reduction in office waste.

#3 Recycle, Recycle, Recycle

It’s inevitable for companies to produce tons of waste and to continue doing so. However, it is possible for companies to reduce the amount of waste they produce by recycling most of it. Not all of it has to go to landfills, right? As much as 60% of the rubbish that businesses send to landfills can be recycled; and it does cost a lot of money. Most businesses just keep a little rubbish bin on their floor but it is wise to adopt a waste bin of categories “Plastic, Paper, Glass” for recycling.

References:

Adapting to Online Business during the Pandemic

More likely than not, if you have a business, it has been dramatically affected by the recent Coronavirus pandemic. In order to prevent further spreading of the disease, social distancing and quarantine has become the new norm. This, however, has not been beneficial for many businesses. Without customers walking into their stores, many offlines businesses have seen their revenues drop, and some have even had to close.

Adapt to online marketplace

One way that businesses have learned to cope with such circumstances is through adapting to and embracing a new online marketplace. While in-person shopping and services may be suffering blows right now, online shopping and services are booming like never before. And learning to tap into this market could mean a world of difference for businesses going through troubles. If there has ever been a time for entrepreneurs thinking about growing their online businesses to make it happen, it’s now.

Grow your online sales

First of all, many businesses have begun to use incentives to grow their online sales. Whether it’s through coupons, deals, or free shipping, these incentives can draw a lot of attention to businesses. In fact, one survey found that 56% of customers are interested in the initiatives that brands have put in place during the outbreak. Other businesses have taken the approach of creating offers for free or heavily-discounted services that ease the current situation (like free meditation apps or online yoga instruction) in hopes of increasing brand awareness and of retaining customers after the pandemic and the deal end. However, businesses should always consider the costs of any customer incentives to ensure they don’t outweigh the benefits.

Online meet ups could be helpful

While selling online, businesses can also think about new products or services they can provide their customers. Although the avoidance of close contact might mean fitness classes, restaurant meals, and other in-person activities are no longer possible, these industries have done their best to meet old customer needs through the internet. Exercise classes are being hosted on zoom and restaurants are cooking meals to-go. In this same manner, other businesses that were similarly previously reliant on human interaction should consider what replacements they can offer instead, how they can solve the old customer needs with new methods.

Adapt to the changes by introducing new products!

Another idea to consider is producing something new that caters to new pandemics needs. For example, some businesses have also started selling product bundles that provide at-home entertainment like crafting or cooking kits. While it might mean shifting away from their pre-pandemic mode of operation, businesses should be open to expanding into open niches. And as always, they should feel free to do outreach and simply ask customers what they want.

Everyone is on social media now…

As businesses expand their online practices, social media is one of the top factors to keep in mind. While growing their online practice, businesses should use social media and virtual outreach to engage customers. During the pandemic, reflecting on the current citation (including any struggles) is a way to connect with them. With quality social media handling and interaction, businesses can significantly increase brand awareness, increase consumer trust, and draw in new sales. Some ways stores have taken advantage of social media stores include going live on different platforms to display their wares in lieu of in-person browsing or to show off behind-the-scenes activities and to post on their Instagrams stories with polls and questions. A blog is another means of sharing valuable content with readers, and it can become a reliable, authoritative source of information. Moreover, social media and email are also both very effective ways of marketing.

Optimise your website!

Of course, if their aim is to expand online business, businesses must ensure their website is functional. First, check that the website loads and displays well on both desktop and mobile. Next, make sure it is up-to-date and answers the following questions: Is the business open? If so, at what locations, on what days, and during what hours? Have there been any other changes in pace due to the pandemic? It may even be useful for some businesses to create a Corona FAQ page if the pandemic has created enough uncertainty around their operation. Businesses should also keep their Google Business listing updated with the same important information.

Stay healthy, stay happy

Lastly, aside from concrete changes, business owners should also try to keep within a positive and constructive state of mind to aid themselves, their business, and their community. Although the switch to online business may be abrupt and stressful, taking advantage of new internet shoppers and maximising online sales can result in an expanded market that will last long beyond the pandemic. Additionally, seeing this pandemic as a time to learn a new skill, whether it be related to online business or not, can prove to be useful in both the short and long run. Taking this time as an opportunity to work together with and lean on other businesses within the same industry can provide needed assistance and forge new connections for the future. If a business has the means, a local community or charity focus can also improve brand name, especially as the coronavirus outbreak has created a new sense of responsibility to the community for many people.

All in all, while the shift to online business may have been unexpected, there are still many things businesses can do to make the best out of it and even possibly grow in the proces. Just remember, even small changes matter, meet customer needs, and focus on maintaining building your brand. And, of course, make sure to keep on top of quarantine restrictions as they change and know what they mean for you!

在疫情下，中小企和創業家們是如何應對的呢？讓GoBuddy和你看看他們用了什麼方法吧！

✨適應網上市場

企業已學會擁抱新的網上市場。儘管面對面的購物和服務正遭受打擊，但在線購物和服務正以前所未有的速度蓬勃發展。學會打入這個市場可能對遇到瓶頸的企業帶來不同商機。如果你曾經考慮發展自己的在線業務，那就是現在！

✨增加您的在線銷售

許多企業已開始使用激勵措施來增加在線銷售量。無論是通過優惠券，交易還是免費送貨，這些激勵措施都可以引起廣泛關注。實際上，一項調查發現，有56％的客戶對品牌在爆發期間採取的措施感興趣。其他企業則採取了創建免費或打折優惠服務的提議的方式，以緩解當前的狀況（例如免費的冥想應用程序或在線瑜伽指導），以提高品牌知名度並在交易結束後留住客戶。但是，你還應考慮措施的成本，確保它們不會超過收益。

✨在線聚會？

在網上銷售時，企業還可以考慮他們可以為客戶提供的新產品或服務。儘管避免親密接觸可能讓大家不再上健身課，外出用膳等，但這些行業已盡力通過互聯網滿足老客戶的需求（網上健身課程正在流行中！）同樣，以前依賴人機交流的其他行業也可考慮提供哪些替代產品，以及他們如何使用新方法解決老客戶的需求。

✨通過引入新產品來適應變化！

要考慮的另一個想法是生產滿足新需求的新產品。例如，一些企業還已經開始銷售新產品，這些產品可提供家庭娛樂，例如手工製作或烹飪套件。雖然這代表要改變經營方式，但企業應該願意向開放的市場擴張。

✨現在每個人都在上社交媒體！

隨著企業擴大在線業務，社交媒體是首要因素之一。在發展在線業務的同時，企業應使用社交媒體和虛擬外展吸引客戶。在疫症期間，反思當前策略是與建立聯繫的一種方式。通過高質量的社交媒體內容和互動，企業可以大大提高品牌知名度，增強消費者信任度並吸引新的銷售。例如在不同平台上直播來展示商品或展示幕後活動，並在Instagram故事中進行互動。寫blog也是與讀者共享內客的另一種方法，它可以成為可靠，權威的信息來源。此外，電子郵件也是非常有效的營銷方式喔！

✨優化您的網站！

如果目標是擴大在線業務，企業必須確保網站正常運行。首先，檢查網站是否可以在所有裝置上正常顯示，確保它是最新的版本。此外，創建一個FAQ頁面會很有用！企業還可使用重要信息來更新其Google Business列表。

✨保持正向！

最後，記得保持積極的心態！:) 幫助自己，企業和社區，將現在視為學習新技能的時機，無論是否與業務相關，增值自己在短期和長期都是有用的！以此為契機，與其他企業合作還可為將來建立新的商機！來為你身邊的人帶來正面影響吧！

Do you need to go to University for entrepreneurship?

As we all understand- there is no direct path to success. If there was, we would all be successful. Wanna be a doctor? Go to Med School. Wanna be a lawyer? Go to Law School. But, what about if you wanna be an Entrepreneur? Is there an Entrepreneur School, per se? Is there some kind of academy where they teach you how to be great Entrepreneurs? Well, there aren’t. Yes, there is college and they provide majors in Entrepreneurship but with the significant cost of tuition fees and an even enormous student debt- Is it really worth it?

Unfortunately, there isn’t any correct answer. Its all based on a personal level. College provides lifelong learning and skills which you might not have access to had you not attended any university. It helps you grow personally and professionally. I think it has more to do with what exactly fascinates you- what is it that you love? Maybe you’re into painting.. perhaps you could open up your own art studio. No matter what type of business you dream of starting someday, there are some skills you NEED to have as an Entrepreneur. You need to be able to market yourself, you need to have a little more than basic accounting and technical skills.

I do think before you decide to start your own company, you should work for someone else. It is the best kind of learning. It teaches you numerous things about how a business operates and gives you the kind of experience college never would. You will come across various opportunities and challenges and it will teach you how to overcome them. Working for someone else will also give you some financial flexibility and stability. You need to have enough capital of your own in the beginning so that you don’t drown in debts.

Going to college and starting your own business right after- I would say it’s quite burdensome. It would be quite difficult to continue investing in your company and making profits when you have a 6 figure college debt hanging over you. Perhaps online courses would be a good idea? Community college for some courses? Maybe that would be a cheaper option.

Whatever you decide to choose, make sure you know what you’re doing. There isn’t any correct answer- it depends on you, your personality, how you like to get things done. Many successful businessmen did not go to college or dropped out of college- and while that may be encouraging to hear- it shouldn’t affect your decision.

眾所周知，成功沒有捷徑。

普遍社會認為的是：想成為醫生嗎？去考醫學院。想成為律師嗎？去考法學院。但是，如果您想創業呢？有企業家學校嗎？是否有某種學院教我們如何成為優秀的企業家？我們或許會想起各大學的商學院，他們提供創業課程，但是我們卻要支付高昂的學費和學生債務-真的值得嗎？

這並沒有正確的答案。大學提供終身學習和技能，它可以幫助您個人和專業成長。這與您喜歡的知識有關-您喜歡什麼？如果你喜歡藝術，也許你可以開設自己的藝術工作室。無論你夢想有一天開始什麼類型的業務，作為企業家都需要具備一些技能。您需要能夠進行自我營銷，還需要具備基本的會計和硬知識。

另外，在決定創辦自己的公司之前，為別人工作是最好的學習方式。它會教你許多有關業務運作方式的知識，並為您提供了大學不能學到的的實際經驗。您一人田日遇到各種機遇和挑戰，而它將教您如何克服挑戰。為他人工作也會為您帶來財務上的靈活性和穩定性。開始時，您需要擁有足夠的自有資本，為之後舖路。

上大學後馬上開始自己的生意不是不可能。如果你不需也許在線課程是一個好主意？社區大學的一些課程？也許那將是一個更便宜的選擇。

無論您決定選擇什麼，請確保您知道自己在做什麼。沒有正確的答案-這取決於您，您的個性以及完成工作的方式。許多成功的商人沒有上過大學或輟學了，儘管這可能會令人鼓舞，但它不會影響您的決定。