Category: Business Tips

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5 Surefire Ways To Motivate Your Team And Actually Get Results

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Motivation and confidence boost is the essence of letting anyone do anything and acquire big goals that once seemed impossible. These are the core elements of forming a great team that doesn’t fret over any vast or small everyday obstacles at work.

When you are leading a team, and it’s on you to get the best out of them, you want to make sure that none of your team members sit idle or their skills go to waste. You want to make everyone bring their best out and give it to the core goal you all are working for.

So what are the ways to motivate your team?

1. Don’t ever underpay 

The best way to make people work the best and give their most expertise to the goal you want results from is to pay them enough. Always remember that they won’t give it their best if it is not their dream.

Nobody would work for free, and when reaching some goal in the proper payback to a few, others want enough money in return for them giving their bets. And it would help if you always kept this in mind. Pay your team members adequately, and when you are setting their salaries, you should be sure that the pay is consistent with the rest of the companies in your industry.

It would help to keep in mind that 26% of engaged employees say they leave their current jobs for only a 5% increase somewhere else. Do not mistake losing your people as you are underpaying them. Motivating your team will bring many health outcomes in a few days.

2. Offer them the environment to work 

You might already know that our external environments are often the most impactful factor in bringing our productivity out. Everyone wants to work in a stimulating and clean office environment, making them feel ideal instead of bad.

It would help if you weren’t spending a lot of money to make your office a perfect workspace but be sure it is pleasant and clean. Team motivation roots in the team lead to be motivated as well.

3. Offer opportunities for better self-development 

Your team members will be precious to your organization and themselves when they will have opportunities to learn better skills. Give your team everything they need to improve their careers and also e knowledgeable of their industry news and latest technologies. An improved team member will be giving his best to the core goal all by himself naturally.

4. Encourage collaboration within the team 

A team is as strong as its weakest link, just like a chain is. You must always focus on improving the inner relations of your team members and let them be the best of themselves. According to research, 39% of employees do not feel their input is appreciated by their peers.

It would help if you encouraged the team members to appreciate one another and give suggestions on improving their skill sets.

5. Do not punish failure:

We are human beings, and making mistakes is our nature. The primary key is not to regret your past mistakes but to learn from them and move on. Try your best not to repeat your mistakes, as that would mean that you aren’t learning anything from them. When your team members make honest mistakes, try not to punch them but encourage them to try again and be better.

These are some of the top ways to motivate your team and let them bring their best out. You will find your team members better at work when they know that they are always supported and given the best surrounding to work in. Having a daily team inspiration session of 10 minutes will make you more reasonable than scheduling it after every month for an hour or two.

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4 Ideas for How To Start a Small Business at Home in 2022

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By: 

With the rise of home-based business opportunities as a result of the pandemic, more and more people are discovering ways to become entrepreneurs with their businesses based at home. Generally, if you’re resourceful enough, you can easily start working on your business ideas from home using your existing space and means. People create many types of businesses to operate from home, and we’ll cover some of the most popular ideas here:

Virtual / In-Person Teacher

  • Music teacher: teach an instrument such as guitar, violin, or piano. Plan to offer your services on different teaching platforms and offer private lessons as well as group lessons.
  • Dance teacher: teach modern dance, ballet, or ballroom dancing. Offer different types of schedules for kids and adults. It is important you have all the proper equipment so your online lessons look highly professional.
  • Art teacher: teach drawing and illustration, painting, or sculpture. Define which are technique you are best at and create a schedule of all the different hours available you have.
  • Language instructor: teach Spanish, Chinese, Latin, or French. Be sure you completely dominate the language you are planning to teach.
  • Tutor: Tutor either elementary or high school students in subjects that you are degreed in, such as math, English, or chemistry.
  • Yoga instructor: teach virtual yoga and meditation techniques.
  • Blogging: Whether you decide to become a blogger and create new and rich content there are many ways to make money blogging. Creating your own blog can be a different and fun activity where you will be able to experiment with your creativity.
  • Freelancing photography: Consider the type of photography you want to do and what are the most popular requirements needed from your potential clients.

E-commerce Seller

You can operate an e-commerce company from your home. You can purchase products in bulk and sell them online. You’ll partner with a warehouse where your products will be shipped from. You can also perform all services related to e-commerce and expand as you need to. When choosing products, consider how much space you’ll need to accommodate this type of operation.

Homemade Products

Many home-based business owners sell products that they create, such as:

  • Candles: A candle company may be the best business for anyone passionate about wicks, soy blends, and achieving the perfect scent. You can offer soy candles, scented candles, beeswax candles, paraffin candles, and more.
  • Baked goods: Bakeries have been around for a long time, but recently they have grown in popularity. Entrepreneurs have taken their cakes, cupcakes, and cookies from home and open regular bakeries and restaurants, and even franchises that make. Creating cupcakes, artisan bread,  cookies, wedding cakes, and more could be a great way to start.
  • Jewelry: Making people’s personalities come alive through jewelry is a very fulfilling creative pursuit. Think about creating beaded bracelets, necklaces, earrings, rings. etc.
  • Essential oils offer many opportunities for creativity and reward. Own a business or buy wholesale oils to resell on your own.
  • A lot of people know how to knit, but it’s generally considered a new fad or lost art. It’s not clear to them how to make money with it. You can start by creating hats, scarves, mittens, or sweaters.

Services

You may base your business on providing services to customers either in person or online depending on the services you offer, which might include:

  • Makeup tutorials: Teaching how to properly use makeup and providing some confidence tips might be a loving activity, not only for you but also for your potential clients. Even showing how to apply lashes properly would be a great way to get started.
  • Dog walking: Taking care of furry babies and just having a long walk outdoors could definitely bring you great benefits.
  • Personal trainer: While training for your own personal goals, you are also helping others to achieve theirs.
  • Virtual assistant: if organizing and scheduling your day is a passion of yours, you should definitely offer these services to people that don’t have that same passion or patience as you do.
  • Clients of personal shoppers usually buy clothing and accessories for themselves. A personal shopper may work directly for a client or their stylist; other personal shopper employment is available through boutiques and departments stores.
  • Housecleaner: This is a great opportunity if you are passionate about cleaning and decluttering. These services have a high demand.

A curious fact, Recently India has become the hotspot for foreigners for starting an Indian Subsidiary and Ebizfiling is a one-stop solution for a Company Registration in India by a foreigner. Know the benefits of starting a business in India.

Home Office Essentials

When developing your business, you’ll want to create a home office where you can ‘set up shop’ and manage all the important aspects of operating your business. Here are some home office essentials to consider:

Good Lighting

Be sure that you have good lighting so that you can work without straining your eyes. You may want to have better overhead lighting installed by an electrician. Or, you can add more lamps to the space to ensure that you have great lighting even on dark and dreary days.

Adjustable Desk

An adjustable desk is ideal for a home office. You can use your desk for various tasks that may be related to your business.  A standup desk is also a great feature if you’re concerned about fitness. You’ll burn more calories by standing up to work.

Comfortable Furniture

Try to invest in a quality ergonomic office chair. You’ll be spending a lot of time in your home office, so be sure to have comfortable and supportive furnishings for yourself and anyone else who may be working with you. You may also need filing cabinets, a workbench, or other furnishings related to the type of work you perform.

Decor

Office decor may not seem essential, but it can enhance your mood each day. Remember, your office is your place of work. Decorate it in a way that inspires and motivates you to be productive. Although you don’t want to add much in the way of clutter, some thoughtful decorative pieces will add personal warmth to your office.

Plants

House plants can make your home office feel cozy and welcoming. However, that’s not all. Many houseplants feature air-purifying properties. Add plants to your office space like aloe vera or spider plants to keep the air smelling clean and fresh. Consider plants of various sizes to add a dynamic look to the space.

Equipment

You’ll likely need basic office equipment and may require other equipment or gear related to your products or services. For instance, if you perform sewing services, you will need a high-quality sewing machine. Typically, you’ll need office equipment such as:

  • Computer or laptop
  • Internet (consider business internet service) pocket wifi could also be a great option.
  • Business Phone
  • Printer
  • Copy machine
  • Headphones
  • Adding machine/calculator
  • Postage scale

These are just a few ideas. You’ll need to brainstorm to ensure you have all the equipment you need for your operation.

Quiet Space

When laying out your office, be sure to choose a space with an adequate room as well as an area where you can work without interruption. If you live in a bustling household, you’ll need a place where you can work without distractions. A quiet space away from children or the television room would be ideal.

Office Bar

Although you can always visit your kitchen, you might want to create an office bar where you have a coffee maker, healthy snacks, and even a small refrigerator to keep water or other beverages cold. This way, you can keep your work items separate from the household’s supplies.

Use these tips to create your home business. Be sure to give yourself adequate time to address each aspect of your business’s development. Once your business is up and rolling, you’ll also want to consult with an accountant to ensure that you understand your tax obligations.

Source: Porch

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Expert Reveals A Growing Number of People Are Forgoing Buying Their Own Home Due To Housing Affordability Crisis

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Earlier this month, the Reserve Bank of Australia announced that interest rates would once again be rising by 0.5 percent, making the new cash rate 1.85 percent. This recent hike marks the historic fourth month in a row that the RBA has raised interest rates- increasing the pressure on homeowners already struggling under mortgage stress due to the recession and rising cost of living.

The interest rate hikes are also putting a hold on the plans of many aspiring first home buyers, who will no longer qualify for the loans they need to buy houses in the areas in which they want to live. After being priced out of the property market in major capital cities, one option which many Aussies are considering is ‘rentvesting’- the trend of renting where you want to live (to be close to work, family, and the lifestyle you like) and buying an investment property in an area where you can afford to purchase a property.

Lloyd Edge, Founder and Director of Aus Property Professionals, says that “Today if you’re making the average Australian wage of $78,000 a year and you decide to buy a $1.2 million house, that’s 15 times your salary. This shows the difference in scale between incomes and house prices in the 2020s compared to the eighties or nineties when the average house price was only four times the average yearly salary. Skyrocketing house prices and inflation have really changed things, so if you’re an average income earner and your big goal is to buy your dream home, you’re going to have work up to it through savvy investments.”

Adding, “Many of my clients come to me initially looking for their first home, however, after we have a strategy session and assess the full range of options available, often they’ll choose to keep renting and buy and investment property instead. With interest rate hikes and no foreseeable end to the housing affordability issue, rentvesting is a good choice for many people. A positively geared or cashflow positive investment property has multiple benefits, like helping you build wealth, generate income, and increase your borrowing capacity. With interest rates going up, it’s important to make sure you’re borrowing under your maximum capacity, leaving yourself a buffer for when rates rise even higher. You need to make sure you’re assessing your borrowing capacity each month, as your circumstances will change depending on what the RBA decides.”

Lloyd is also the author of the best-selling property book Buy Now: The Ultimate Guide to Owning and Investing in Property. In the book, he lays out the strategy for utilising rentvesting to grow your property portfolio and buy your dream home. Below are some of Lloyd’s top tips for rentvesting:

  1. Target high-growth regional areas: Regional areas are great for rentvesting, as the property prices are usually cheaper than the major capital cities, and the rental yields are higher. Look for areas that have a growing population and are supported by multiple industries. Other key things to note is whether there’s any increase in government spending in that area, any major transport or infrastructure being developed, or any universities or hospitals. All these factors will add value to your investment property and ensure the likelihood of capital growth.
  1. Have an exit strategy: To secure your dream home in the 2020s, you will probably need to build an investment portfolio and set an exit strategy, which will mean selling some of your properties to pay down the debt on others. Ultimately it will be your exit strategy that helps you secure your dream home.
  1. Look for a value-add opportunities: The trifecta we look for in investment properties is equity, cashflow and growth. To achieve this, we often recommend that our clients buy a property with some value-add opportunity, like a subdivision, development, or renovation. Buying an investment property with this sort of potential will help you build up your equity and afford a better home down the track.
  1. Clarify your goals: Investing without clear goals or a strategy is pointless, as different tactics will give you different results so it’s important to specify what you’re aiming for. Think not only about the short-term, but also the long-term and where you’d like to be in 5, 10 or 20-years time. This will influence where you buy and what your strategy is. For example, if your long-term goal is financial security when you retire, it makes more sense to invest in a number of properties than to spend all your money on one property, so you don’t put all your eggs in one basket.

Lloyd concludes “Many people are being scared off buying a property right now due to the current market, however with the right strategy it can be the perfect time to get your foot onto the property ladder through rentvesting, and use that as a way to purchase your dream home sooner.”

This article was sourced from a media release sent by Kathleen Quere of Agent 99 PR

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5 Ways To Take Advantage Of A Bust Property Market

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Challenging economic circumstances, including rising inflation, steep interest rate hikes, and a looming recession ahead, have caused the property market to decline. The buying ‘frenzy’ of the pandemic property boom is over, and home buyers and investors alike are feeling wary about making the life-changing decision to purchase property in this economic climate.

Lloyd Edge, Founder and Managing Director of Aus Property Professionals, says, “Already property prices have fallen in major capital cities like Sydney and Melbourne, and we should expect to see the market slow by a further 10 percent to 15 percent in the next few months. For savvy property investors and home buyers, the declining market presents an opportunity to get better value for their money.”

Lloyd has recently launched his second best-selling property book Buy Now: The Ultimate Guide to Owning and Investing in Property, which includes practical tips for people looking to buy a house, whether in a boom or bust market and strategies for how to make the best of the economic circumstances that you’re in and use it your advantage.

Lloyd says, “I began my own property journey at the age of 28, buying a one-bedroom flat on a teacher’s salary of no more than $70,000 per year. At the time, I had no idea I was going to become a serious property investor. Fast-forward almost two decades later and I’ve grown my portfolio to 18 properties worth $15 million. I had to persevere and learn a lot of hard lessons along the way, and now I want to share my knowledge and help people find the same success in property as I have.”

For prospective buyers, particularly first home buyers or aspiring property investors, Lloyd shares his top advice from Buy Now that will help you to break into the market and get better value for your deposit:

  1. Look for below-market value properties: A buyer who pays under the perceived market value of a property will have made instant equity on the property, meaning that they’ve made a profit from day one and can use this equity to keep building their property portfolio. One way to find a below-market value property is to use a buyer’s agent. A buyer’s agent can help you buy under market value because of their negotiation skills, contacts with local real estate agents in their areas of expertise, and their ability to uncover off-market gems. However, you can also do it yourself by researching the recent sales of similar properties in the same area and seeing if you can negotiate a better deal with the real estate agent.
  1. Motivated sellers: So, how do you find a below-market value property and snap it up quickly for a bargain price? One way is to buy a property from someone in need of a quick sale. It could be because they’ve bought another house and need to close the sale on their current property quickly, or they could be a developer looking for a quick sale to pay off outstanding debts. However, this advice comes with a word of warning, as some sellers may want to sell fast because there is something wrong with the property, so it’s always advisable to do an in-person inspection and commission a full property report and pest inspection.
  1. Be willing to negotiate terms: In cases of motivated sellers, if you can be flexible on the settlement terms of your contract, this can put you a head above other potential buyers, as flexibility is a strong negotiation tool to bring to the table. Suppose you are able to settle in as little as 21 days instead of the standard 35 or 42 days or offer an unconditional offer with no cooling-off period at all. In that case, you could find yourself getting a much better deal on a property, and it will make your offer look far more attractive, even if you’re not necessarily the highest bidder.
  1. Be proactive with finances: Before you begin your property hunt, a mortgage broker is the first person you should speak to. A mortgage broker will be able to tell you what your borrowing capacity is and help you secure pre-approval on your loan- this will ensure you don’t miss out on properties while submitting your paperwork and waiting for the banks or brokers to get back to you. If your finance is ready to go, you’ll have the option of making an unconditional offer. You’ll also be aware of any other conditions the seller has included in the contract, so you can accommodate these for a greater chance of success.
  1. Be known to local agents: If you’re ready to go, reach out and get in touch with local real estate agents. Let them know your buying criteria and budget, and ask to be contacted with off-market opportunities and when new properties are listed. Ask to be added to their mailing list so you’re one of the first to know about new listings and to inspect a suitable property when it becomes available.

Lloyd says, “One of my favourite mantras is ‘No-one ever got ahead by waiting.’ Too often I’ll meet people who say they’re not quite ready to buy just yet, they’re waiting for property prices to drop or interest rates to go down. Meanwhile, while they’re waiting property prices start to rise again, and they’ve missed out on the opportunity to get better value for their money. My advice to people in this situation would be buy when you can afford to, when your finances are in order, and ultimately, you’ll be better off in the long run.” 

This article was sourced from a media release sent by Kathleen Quere @agent99pr.com

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5 Surefire Tips To Become A Top-Notch Content Creator In 2022

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Every day, new digital content creators are popping up on our social media timelines. As the online sphere continues to grow, anyone with an internet connection can easily venture into content creation and share their ideas and talents with the world with just a click of a button. The challenge, however, is how to stand out among the rest.

For prominent social media personalities Phillip Hernandez (popularly known as the CEO of “smooth promotions” Davao Conyo) and Yumi (one of TikTok’s biggest bird moms), anyone can be a successful content creator like them as long as they put in the work and build a strong connection with their audience. After all, they did not gain millions of followers overnight.

Here are five tips they shared to help content creators unleash their creativity and discover their passion in the online space:

1. Start now and don’t be afraid.

Yumi didn’t take too long to post videos when she made her TikTok account. When she discovered the potential of the platform to grow, coupled with her interest in joining the vlogging community, she took the opportunity immediately. She said, “If you already know you want to start creating content, take action now. You are the only one who can make it happen.”

Phillip also jumped in, saying that people shouldn’t be afraid to try creating content even if they feel they don’t have the talent for it. “On the internet, there is a space for everyone,” he added, believing that every person has something valuable to share.

2. Observe trends and people to craft relatable content.

Creativity is necessary if you want to create content regularly. Yumi, who is followed by over 4.2 million people, shares her life as a K-Pop stan, casual gamer, and mother of six pet birds. Even if she simply shows a glimpse of her daily experiences, she tries to keep it fresh and exciting by using trending topics and challenges to incorporate into her videos.

Phillip, whose hilarious dubs and skits are loved by 3.9 million people on Facebook and TikTok, likes to observe people and real-life situations so that his viewers can recognize themselves or their friends and family in his characters. He always tells people, “Your content should be relatable. No matter how funny a joke is, if it’s an inside joke that not everyone will get, then it’s useless.”

3. Find meaning and passion in what you are doing.

According to Phillip, making content is more than just a job for him because telling stories and making others laugh is his passion. This passion of his inspires him to execute better outputs for his audiences.

Yumi has also grown to love sharing her stories and views her platform as a chance to make others smile and feel inspired. “I want to be an inspiration to the youth and show them that they can have bigger dreams. I had people I looked up to when I was young, and I want to be like that for them too,” she shared the big dream motivating her every day.

4. If you want to work with brands, show them that you are easy to work with.

Some content creators have made a career out of their talent, and brands reach out to them so they can help promote the brand’s products and services. Phillip has worked with several brands over the years, especially since he’s famous for his skits’ unexpected yet amusing brand intrusions.

One of Phillip’s main pieces of advice is to understand your audience and the brands you work with. “If you want to make a living out of content creation, you have to show companies and brands that you are easy to work with, and they can incorporate their brand in your content,” he said.

Aside from attitude and creative ideas, content creators need to show brands that they are capable and equipped with the essentials needed for them to deliver the brand content in the best quality possible.

Watch Davao Conyo, and Yumi’s SKY Fiber branded TikTok videos for a guide on how they create content for brands.

5. Subscribe to an internet plan that fits your lifestyle as a content creator.

An online content creator’s schedule requires them to stay connected with their clients and audiences virtually. Given that it’s also a work-from-home set-up for most, a good quality internet connection helps them keep up with the job’s daily demands.

For Yumi, having a WiFi signal anywhere in the house is essential for content creators since they usually shoot videos and work in different parts of the house. Phillip added that affordability is also important. While they may earn from their online content, they are still budget-conscious consumers.

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The World’s First Trillionaires… REVEALED

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In light of reports stating Elon Musk may pull out of the $44bn Twitter deal, new research reveals that Elon Musk is set to be the world’s first trillionaire by 2024.
 
A new study from Approve has predicted the world’s first trillionaires by comparing the annual net worths of the top 30 richest people and their annual growth rate to estimate how soon each of them will reach one trillion dollars.
You can view the full study here: https://www.approve.com/the-trillion-dollar-club/
Potential rank for the world’s first trillionaires:

Rank

Name

Industry

Current age

Average annual net worth growth

Estimated year of trillion dollar valuation

Estimated age at trillion dollar valuation

1

Elon Musk

Automotive & Aerospace

50

129%

2024

52

2

Gautam Adani & Family

Diversified

59

121%

2025

62

3

Zhang Yiming

Technology

38

123%

2026

42

4

Mukesh Ambani

Diversified

64

43%

2029

71

4

Bernard Arnault

Fashion & Retail

72

27%

2029

79

6

Jeff Bezos

Technology

57

24%

2030

65
The world’s richest person, Elon Musk, who could possibly be purchasing Twitter, has an estimated net worth of $263 billion with an average annual net growth of 129%. This means his net worth can potentially hit a trillion dollars in as little as two years, at the age of 52.
Gautam Adani & family own the commodity trading business Adani Group (one of India’s most profitable companies). Adani would be a year behind Musk, reaching trillionaire status in 2025, at the age of 62 at his current rate of 121% growth.
At just 38 years old, Zhang Yiming is the founder and chairman of Beijing ByteDance Technology Co, which is considered to be one of the world’s most valuable start-ups. The business is predicted to make Zhang Yiming a trillionaire in 2026, at the age of 42.
Further Findings
  •  Zhang Yiming is set to be the youngest trillionaire, potentially reaching trillionaire status by 2026 when he is just 42, with a 123% average annual net growth.
  • The technology sector is set to produce the most trillionaires, with six of the top ten trillionaires working in the sector. For example, Amazon’s founder, Jeff Bezos ranks in sixth place, potentially reaching trillionaire status by 2030.

  • Bernard Arnault, chairman, and chief executive of luxury goods company Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH), is the only trillionaire in the top ten from the fashion industry, predicted to reach trillionaire status in 2029.

You can view the full research here: https://www.approve.com/the-trillion-dollar-club/
This press release was sourced from Fay McFarlane of Digitaloft
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10 Surefire Strategies That’ll Help You Create A Profitable Facebook Page

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What began as a way for Harvard college students to connect with each other has now grown into one of the world’s biggest social networks and the best marketing resource out of all the other social media platforms.

Facebook currently has over 200 billion active users.

Yes, you read that correctly, 200 BILLION users.

Hence the reason why Facebook remains ahead of other social media platforms when it comes to social media marketing. This is also the main reason why I highly recommend all entrepreneurs to get serious about promoting their businesses on Facebook by creating highly engaging Facebook business pages because that will translate to money in your pocket.

So how can you make your Facebook page more profitable?

Simple, you need to attract potential customers by engaging them first on your Facebook page and then eventually driving them to your website. But here’s the thing, you have to do it organically though. Doing this organically won’t cost you anything besides your time and effort. You need your customers to engage with your content because the more organic reach you have, the better your chances are of converting potential buyers into actual buyers.

So the big question is: how can you engage potential buyers? How can you get organic reach?

Well, first we need to take a look at how Facebook’s news feed algorithm actually works first. Then we can take a look at some practical strategies we can implement to increase your business page’s organic reach.

There are a ton of factors that decide which posts eventually show up in a user’s news feed. Adam Mosseri, the VP of News Feed at Facebook, explained in detail how the algorithm works by presenting a real-world problem – he compared it to ordering something for his wife at a restaurant as an example.

Adam broke the explanation down into four steps:

1. He goes over the menu to determine what his options are.

2. He takes into account all of the information that is at his disposal (for example, what does his wife like to eat, is it lunch or dinner time, what’s good at the restaurant?)

3. He then comes up with predictions in his head (for example, would his wife enjoy having salmon for lunch today or would it be weird if he ordered her a chocolate soufflé for breakfast?).

4. After considering all of this information, he’ll be able to then place his wife’s order.

Here’s a quick summary of his explanation:

Inventory – What’s on the menu?

When you first open your news feed, Facebook’s algorithm immediately takes an inventory by reviewing all of the stories posted by your friends as well as the pages you follow which is similar to Adam reviewing the menu.

Signals – Is it lunch or dinner time?

Facebook then reviews all the available data and tries to decide how interested you may be in a particular story. Facebook refers to this information as “Signals”. This is what Facebook uses to rank your content. Facebook takes into account things like who posted the story? What’s the frequency of posts from that person? What’s the average time spent on the content? What phone is the user on? What time was the content posted? What’s the overall engagement the post already has? When was the story posted? Facebook even takes into account your friend’s tags or even recent comments from a friend.

Predictions – Would she enjoy the salmon?

Facebook then uses these signals to create predictions and calculate the probability of specific outcomes; for example, how likely are you to click or comment on a story? How likely are you to spend time or share a story?

Score – Place an order.

After coming up with predictions and calculating the probabilities, Facebook combines all the information it has gathered to calculate a “relevance score,” an actual number that represents how interested Facebook thinks you may be in a particular story.

Adam eventually pointed out that Facebook doesn’t really know how interested you are in a specific story – it’s an educated guess at best. In a nutshell, Facebook’s algorithm uses these four steps to help it decide as to how to rank your content in the news feed.

So what’s Facebook’s ultimate goal for its News Feeds?

Just like Google, Facebook cares the most about its users. Facebook only wants its users to experience high-quality and relevant content.

So how can you boost your Facebook organic reach taking into account its constant algorithmic changes? Below are ten effective strategies.

1. Focus on providing valuable content rather than reach

Going after Facebook’s organic reach can only get you so far. In hindsight, it should just come secondary to providing valuable content because your audience should come first.

When you post Status updates – your primary focus should be engaging your followers and getting likes and comments. When you post links – your primary objective should be driving traffic to your website.

So how do you do that?

Simple, you need an attention-grabbing headline as well as an attention-grabbing photo. The post should also be short; it should just be around 40 characters or less for maximum engagement. Here’s a perfect example from Buzzfeed.

2. Find out what your audience wants

What better way to gain engagement than by finding out what your audience actually wants?

Maybe they want to see photos? Or perhaps they want links or videos?

The best way to find out is through your Facebook Insights which I will explain in more detail later. You need to keep a sharp eye out and figure out which content gets more likes and shares.

Another way is to conduct a voting poll on your Facebook page to figure out what content appeals to them the most. You can create a Facebook voting poll by clicking this link on your page.

3. Build authority

It’s nowhere near enough to just focus on increasing your business page likes because realistically, the number of likes on your page gives no indication as to how the content you post will perform.

What really matters is building authority and a strong presence online because by being an authority in your field, you’ll be able to command your audience to respond favourably to your posts. Therefore, they will be more likely to positively engage with your content.

If you want to increase engagement on your page here’s what you can do:

– Only post content that is relevant to your business and make sure that you post consistently.

Posting about a cute cat video on a business page that sells plumbing tools is just plain dumb and will get you 0% engagement because you’re just posting irrelevant content.

– Promote your Facebook page on your other social media platforms.

If you have a huge following on other social media channels such as Instagram, Snapchat or Twitter, you can leave a link of your Facebook page in their bio section.

– Use your audience insights to track and analyze your organic search.

You need to identify where your weaknesses are by gathering significant metrics to measure your page’s performance. Without this data, you won’t know where to focus your efforts on.

4. Publish compelling content

You need to publish “evergreen content” if you want to engage your followers – a type of content that is always relevant to readers and highly unlikely to become immediately dated.

The word “evergreen” is usually used by editors referring to the type of stories that are always interesting to readers. The idea behind this kind of post is to write compelling stories that can be easily found by search engines while making sure they are always fresh (forever green) without needing to be updated so that your followers engage with your content.

Once you’ve found a compelling post that has gone viral, you can always repurpose that post by taking note of this content and approaching that piece of content and putting a new spin on it, or changing the context. Make sure you publish your repurposed content at different times. This guarantees that there always be some fresh eyes that get to see and engage with this “new” content.

5. Share other people’s compelling content on your page

Another smart way of getting your followers to engage in your page is to look at other similar Facebook pages from across the internet and share their viral content on your page.

Here’s the thing, you can’t just press the share button, and that’s it. Instead, you need to put a different spin on it. A great example is Problogger’s reading roundup of posts related to blogging. It’s a great way of putting a new spin on other people’s engaging content.

6. Post content when it’s the best time to post on Facebook

The best time to post on your Facebook page is when your followers are active on the network. This data garnered by Optimal times shows 20 studies that prove that posting at the best days and times will help you get more traffic, more engagement, and of course, more followers.

This data taken from 20 studies proves that posting at the best times will help you get more traffic, more engagement, and more followers.

Of course, I don’t recommend that you blindly follow this post because every Facebook page is different, I live in Australia, and I find that for my pages, the best time to post is past 5 pm on a weekday as most of my audience are on their phones on the train on the way home and around 3 pm on weekends.

But to make it easier for you, I suggest that you take a look at your Facebook Insights to find out exactly when your fans are online.

You go to your Facebook Insights and go to post, and you’ll see the most popular times your audience visited your page. You can even monitor the social media marketing posting strategies of your competitors by visiting Fan Page Karma if you want to take a peek how your competitors are going.

7. Keep an eye out for the latest Facebook app updates

Just like Google, the Facebook app gets updates all the time. You need to be on top of these updates because there’s always a new feature released and you need to take advantage of these updates so you can master it faster than anyone and be ahead of the game.

Here are some updates worth noting:

Facebook stories: Similar to Snapchat and Instagram stories, Facebook stories are short user-generated photo and video collections that can be viewed up to two times and disappear after 24 hours.

360-degree photos and videos: this feature gives you the ability to capture a 360, panoramic view of pretty much anything you want.

Video autoplay: Facebook users no longer have to manually tap the play button to play a video. You can now watch a video while still scrolling through your news feed.

Facebook offers: This feature enables you to create and share coupons, discounts, and other promotional offers on your Facebook business page.

8. Share your content on your Facebook Profile

If you want to boost post views on your latest post, then you need to first share a post on your Facebook page then share it from the page on your personal Facebook profile.

This is a useful technique for posts that you feel would resonate well with your Facebook friends. There’s also that chance for them to share your content if they like it so your brand will be exposed to a new crowd.

9. Use hashtags effectively

If you’re always on Facebook, then you’ll surely be familiar with hashtags and how they actually work.

But do you know how to use them efficiently for maximum engagement?

After analysing more than 1 billion Facebook posts from over 30 million pages, BuzzSumo discovered that Facebook users are in fact prone to hashtag fatigue. Posts with a lot of hashtags shockingly performed worse than those without.

Therefore, hashtags should be used in moderation – according to online marketing guru Neil Patel only two hashtags maximum should be used in any given post.

Why only two?

After analyzing 200,000 brand posts on Facebook, SurePayroll discovered that interactions were highest when only one-two hashtags were used that’s why.

To make the most of hashtags, your hashtags need to be unique so that it doesn’t get confused with anyone else’s. You can also use your hashtags to search for your content. This way, you’re enabling your users to continue to refer to your past content by carrying out a hashtag search.

10. Run a competition

Facebook contests are an excellent way to establish brand presence quickly.

First, you need to determine the reason for the poll, are you looking to generate more fans or more leads? The answer to this question will decide what you’ll do next.

Next, you need to figure out what sort of competition you need to run. If your goal is to get more emails then you need to establish an email grab system, if your goal is to get more followers on your Facebook page, you can require willing people to follow and like your page before they can enter the competition. Just make sure you have a decent price for the winner of the contest, offering something silly like “exposure” on your Facebook page is not going to get you anywhere.

Don’t forget to review Facebook’s guidelines when it comes to running contests and challenges before you start any contest – you don’t want Facebook to shut down your Facebook page for not following instructions.

Let’s face it, Facebook is an incredible marketing tool.

As long as you put into practice the ten strategies that I’ve enumerated above, you’ll definitely be well on your way to improving your organic reach and generating more income for your business.

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5 Surefire Tips That Can Help Businesses Thrive In The New Normal

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Successful business professionals presenting analytical report while working together with colleagues in the modern office

SKYBIZ, the business solutions arm of SKY Cable Corporation, partners with Microsoft’s Crayon Software Experts Philippines, Inc. to help entrepreneurs and enterprise owners shift and grow amid today’s digital age of doing business as it conducted a special webinar event, showcasing the features of the all-in-one business suite Microsoft 365.

Alongside the introduction and demonstration on how to use Microsoft 365 to help in aiding business operations in today’s times, the event, in line with SKYBIZ’s ongoing Grow Together campaign, shared business tips and factors to consider to sustain work progress and productivity.

Here are some key takeaways from the webinar hosted by SKYBIZ and Crayon Software Experts Philippines, Inc. that would help small, medium, and large enterprises grow their ventures to new heights in today’s age of digital transformation:

1) Business alteration and reset

Indeed the pandemic has changed our way of living, including how we do business.

According to Crayon Philippines’ solutions architect Danica Francisco, many businesses are finding ways to make their businesses thrive amid these uncertain times, ushering the new normal in how we communicate and transact with our clientele.

“We’ve seen how businesses changed and shifted focus on making their ventures thrive. I’m not only talking about the large enterprises, even the small businesses. Here, we could see the resiliency of these businesses, some didn’t make it, but others thrived in today’s times,” Francisco shared.

Shifting to digital could be beneficial for many business owners in order to cope with the ongoing new normal set-up and make operations accessible and run more smoothly.

2) People are the driving force behind progress

Despite the ongoing shift in today’s digital transformation, people are still pivotal in driving success for all businesses.

With this in mind, companies and smaller businesses alike should continue addressing the needs of their employees to establish trust and bolster rapport in boosting work productivity.

Plus, considering a more work-friendly set-up for workers, including the implementations of work-from-home or hybrid arrangements, would be beneficial in promoting work productivity and safety.

“It is important for organizations and companies to address their current needs. We know that it is difficult to go to work due to these uncertain times with COVID affecting the transport sector. We need to think of how we can help our people to stay motivated at work,” Francisco added.

3) Real-time collaboration

One of the worries of business owners is how flexible working set-ups would hamper real-time collaboration, with employees now working apart from one another to maintain their safety.

But with the help of modern technology, including the Microsoft 365 business suite, businesses can run smoothly as usual with real-time collaboration applications that would help them interact with one another and continue doing their work together virtually.

Another vital factor to note in virtual real-time collaboration is to introduce a user-friendly interface so all employees, whether tech-savvy or not, can seamlessly conduct business activities without the worry of being left behind.

4) Strengthening digital security

Going digital may also introduce new risks, including cyber threats that would potentially affect one’s business.

From stealing personal information to breaching bank funds, investing in additional digital security measures is key to protecting all crucial data from hackers and other digital perpetrators alike.

5) Taking note of costs

Shifting to digital may also be heavy on the pockets of most businesses.

With costs in the equation, it is apt to find an all-in-one solution to cut costs while enjoying the benefits of virtual real-time collaboration and digital security.

This is where Microsoft 365 enters, providing a business suite for collaborating through its Teams app with access to all of the essential Microsoft Office applications, which is helpful in documenting and presenting their day-to-day progress.

Plus, its security features also ensure companies and business ventures that their vital information is locked in within their system to avoid potential digital threats, whether on mobile or on their computers.

Together with SKYBIZ’ reliable internet connectivity, users can fully utilize Microsoft 365 and integrate it in their day-to-day activities at ease.

Upon subscribing to SKYBIZ’s BIZBB PRO Fiber, it comes with speeds of up to 200 Mbps and free access to Microsoft 365, plus gift vouchers from Grab or ABS-CBN Dash to help in sustaining business growth in today’s digital age.

Business owners can also subscribe to SKYBIZ’s BIZTastic Bundeals, which also come with fiber business internet connectivity, plus access to Microsoft 365 and a free ABS-CBN Dash voucher. Promo is extended until June 30, 2022.

To know more about SKYBIZ’s internet plans and promo updates, visit www.skybiz.com.ph.

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5 Essential Must-Have Skills To Succeed As An Entrepreneur

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Any entrepreneur can earn considerably well from owning a firm if things go well. Still, they also take on a significant level of risk—far more than a typical employee of the business. This entrepreneurial risk can take many forms, including financial risk, career risk, emotional risk, and overall business risk.

Because there is so much at risk when it comes to the beginning and maintaining a successful business. There are very particular talents that every entrepreneur should have to be successful. We’ve highlighted five of them below.

1. Communication

Every entrepreneur must have excellent communication abilities. Whether a person is a lone founder or the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, they must be able to communicate effectively with all stakeholders and potential stakeholders who have an impact on the company. An entrepreneur must communicate effectively with workers, investors, customers, creditors, colleagues, and mentors.

If an entrepreneur cannot explain the value of their product, it is doubtful that the business will be successful. They must also be proficient in all modes of communication, such as one-on-one and in-person interactions, group discussions, written communication, and email or internet messaging.

2. Sales

Develop entrepreneur skills in sales. The soft skill of sales is inextricably linked to the communication skills necessary for success. As an entrepreneur, a person must be able to sell everything and anything. A business person must have the skills to sell the idea to potential investors, the product or service to customers, and oneself to employees.

An entrepreneur who can effectively communicate is better positioned to promote their original ideas and products. Entrepreneurs are accustomed to being the first salespeople at their numerous businesses. These selling skills are necessary to demonstrate value to all stakeholders, both inside and outside the company.

3. Focus

Attention is a crucial one among the numerous must-have characteristics for an entrepreneur. The road to success as an entrepreneur is fraught with ups and downs. There are highs from triumphs and lows from disappointments. A successful entrepreneur must be able to focus on staying on track when things become difficult.

This skill is also known as thinking with the end in mind. Regardless of the difficulties an entrepreneur faces, a successful entrepreneur has the attention required to keep steadfast sight of the final objective and drive himself to achieve it.

4. Curiosity

A healthy curiosity has always been the most exemplary business talent. This will prompt you to investigate what your rivals are doing and use new technology to simplify your business and even reach out to new clients. When your only limitation is what you can envision and apply, almost anything is conceivable.

5. Strategy For Business

While a competent and successful entrepreneur must have developed a successful firm, business planning is the fifth most essential talent that every entrepreneur should have. Entrepreneurs frequently attain success in their firms by sheer force of will.

An entrepreneur may develop a company plan on the fly by using good communication skills, sales abilities, a keen focus, and a sense of curiosity. However, while establishing and expanding a firm, the structure and development plan must be founded on strong business sense and talents. Among the traits of successful entrepreneurs, business strategy is a must.

Final Words

These are the top qualities of a successful entrepreneur. While there is no perfect formula for becoming a successful entrepreneur, those who do tend to have mastered the following set of skills: excellent and effective communication; the ability to sell both themselves and their idea or product; strong focus; curiosity to learn, and be flexible; and a solid business plan.

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5 Crucial Ways To Lead A Business Through Crisis

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Running a business is already a psychologically complex undertaking under normal conditions. Taking the helm during a moment of crisis and uncertainty, on the other hand, is a whole different ballgame. The Covid-19 epidemic was the type of disaster that may rock the global economy. The sort compels corporate executives to reconsider and rethink our entire strategy for dealing with a catastrophe.

Unfortunately, for many, this procedure seemed more like an autopsy, with you gazing back in regret at what you wished you had done differently. Others were luckily able to eke out a living but are fully aware that drastic adjustments are required. For the business leaders, the previous two years weren’t without their worries; however, the following five tips for leading a business through a crisis will help you.

1.    Keep The Core Intact

A good leader in a crisis will definitely keep the core intact. When the entire economic impact of the epidemic became clear, many businesses promptly furloughed or lay off personnel to save money. If a crisis occurs and the first question your employees have is, “Will I still have a job next week or next month?” they will not be focused or involved in the problem-solving effort.

If your organization conducts onboarding and hiring well — that is. Suppose you invest time and money finding individuals who are a good fit for your company culture. It would help if you acknowledged this as your most valuable asset. If you work in a service-oriented industry, such as the event industry, you understand that the experiences your employees create for your clients are everything.

2.    Deliver Consistently

Even though many obstacles and causes are beyond their control, the most exemplary leaders manage a crisis and accept personal responsibility in every situation. They coordinate team attention, develop a culture of accountability, and build new measures to assess success.

As a business leader, you must be aware of and connected with a daily dashboard of priorities. Leaders should record their top five goals clearly (on half a page or less) and ensure that those above them are on the same page. Examine performance against those things regularly — if not daily, then at least monthly — and ensure that leaders communicate this information with direct reports. At the end of each day or week, go over and update your “hit list.”

3.    Adapt Bravely

Strong leaders anticipate, respond to changing situations, and effectively lead through a crisis. They seek feedback and information from various sources, are not embarrassed to confess their lack of knowledge, and bring in outside experts when necessary. You and your leaders should do the following:

  • Determine what you will not do. Put a stop to primary activities and costs, and prioritize ruthlessly. Make your “what not to do” decisions public.
  • Toss out the playbook from yesterday. The past acts that drove outcomes may no longer be applicable. The most outstanding leaders adapt fast and devise new strategies.
  • Improve (or create) direct linkages to the front lines.

4.    Participate To Make A Difference

No job is more vital than taking care of your employees during a crisis. Influential leaders are aware of their team’s conditions and diversions. Yet, they find methods to engage and encourage their team members by clearly and completely delivering vital new goals and information.

This aspect demands particular emphasis since, while the COVID-19 epidemic is, of course, a health problem, it has also triggered a financial crisis. In this time of continual and intense change, your leaders must constantly reiterate new goals to maintain sustained alignment.

It would help if you interacted with specific team members to lead through a crisis. Reach out to at least five people daily for a “pulse check”; set out a time on the calendar to do so. First, relate on a personal level, and then focus on the job.

5.    Get Prepared To Reallocate Resources

Identify unnecessary costs and programs in various functional areas that might be reduced to save capital and resources during a crisis. Evaluate and identify the significant business drivers and the sales and lead generating areas that are truly pushing the needle.

Prepare to eliminate laggards and underperforming projects while reallocating resources to the stallions that provide the most returns. Everything, large and little, is tracked and managed. Know your numbers and handle them with vigor. Concentrate on critical and consider delegating, automating, or eliminating anything else.

Final Thoughts

Consider taking these actions while leading a business through a crisis; we believe you’ll come out stronger and better positioned as a consequence. As a leader, you must navigate new and shifting priorities with little response time. Small efforts in support and coaching may go a long way toward increasing the effectiveness of your leaders.

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The Big Reason Sydney’s Residential Property Will Be The Winner In This Pandemic

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By: Justin Wang

At the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, I said that Sydney’s residential properties will become the winner out of this epidemic. This confidence is based on my long-term research and unique understanding of Sydney’s real estate market, and it is based on the “PIA investment philosophy” that I have concluded over the years. I always have great confidence in Sydney’s residential property market. In 2004 and 2005, whilst many people were pessimistic about the market, I said that there was no problem with Sydney’s residential market. The problem was that we lack an understanding of Sydney’s residential properties. During the Global Financial Crisis in 2008, the value of real estate assets in the United States fell by 30% and by more than 20% in the UK. Many international institutions, including the International Monetary Fund, predicted that Sydney’s residential property would suffer the same decline, yet I held the opposite view. And I was right.

The impact of the COVID-19 on the economy is unprecedented. So, why am I still confident in the Sydney residential property under the current circumstance?

The epidemic will have an impact on all assets, however, some will resist the negative impact based on the characteristics of the assets.

One of the characteristics of Sydney residential assets is that the character is mainly based on the internal factors of supply and demand and high development costs. The residential asset is less dependent on other external factors. So when external factors negatively impact the economy, the Sydney residential assets always stand out in the crowds.

The value of Sydney’s residential properties, or their ability to withstand price drops, depends on two demands. One is housing demand and the other is investment demand.

Regardless of the development of the epidemic, people still need housing. When people cannot go to the office to work or have food at restaurants, housing becomes even more important.

Although border closure and the rising unemployment rate will have a certain impact on the demand for housing and rental affordability, 95% of the demand for housing is still there, and it is still very strong. The NSW Government has recently decided to spend 500 million dollars to buy residential properties from private developers to meet the needs of society. Although this is not enough, at least we can see from the government’s action that residential properties are still in short supply.

The second demand for housing is investment demand. I said earlier that the residential properties in Sydney are Noah’s Ark of wealth. The Bible records that when the flood came, the righteous Noah escaped the disaster using Noah’s Ark. Under the trend of economic downturn and wealth loss, we cannot expect wealth to grow. We shall learn how to preserve our wealth first.

In judging whether an asset is suitable as a carrier of our wealth and to ensure the longevity of our family wealth, we need to consider the following aspects: 1. Whether the ownership is permanent; 2. Whether the asset can maintain its value; 3. Whether the asset can appreciate. 4 Whether the asset can generate passive income.

Those assets are quite limited and examples of those assets are cash, stocks, shares, gold, collection, etc.

Cash has permanent ownership, but it cannot appreciate or maintain its value. Under normal circumstances, it will depreciate due to inflation. Normally cash deposits can generate income by gaining interest. However, when the epidemic caused an economic downturn, the interest rate kept dropping to a record low level. If the global epidemic cannot be controlled, the interest rate will remain low for a long time, we may even see a negative interest rate. If a person has a deposit of $ 2 million in the bank and the interest is 3%, then he can live with $ 60,000 per year. If the deposit interest drops to 0.5%, the interest will suddenly become $ 10000 which is not enough for him to live. If he wants to maintain his living standard, he has to make good use of the principal. From this perspective, the cash had devalued. Governments all over the world are borrowing heavily to issue more money, resulting in a huge deficit. Who will make up for this black hole? The easiest method for governments is through the depreciation of the existing cash deposits. On top of that, some people say that the world’s debt will be paid by the entire generation. This means that the interest is likely to remain low for a long time.

For stocks, it’s needless to say, not only may the stock price fall, but we may not expect to receive any dividends in the near future either. However, a lot of public companies may go bankrupt, then the value of their stocks will become zero. Not even mentioning return, stocks can’t even guarantee ownership.

Though trading stocks are shares issued by publicly listed companies, companies that are not publicly listed and their shares can face the same issue too.

We say the collection market flourishes when times are good because everyone has money. Now that everyone has no money, many companies can no longer survive anymore, and life can not be carried on in the same way. Under this circumstance, the collections naturally will not appreciate. The collections are merely embellishments of economic prosperity unless they have significant value to human heritage and history. 

What about gold? I have never advised people to invest in gold. Though the ownership of gold can be guaranteed, it cannot be preserved, appreciated, and it cannot generate passive income.

What about real estate? Commercial real estate, retail real estate, and tourism real estate are already facing problems. And the problem will not get too much better after the epidemic. Because the epidemic has changed the way we work and consume. The longer the epidemic drags on, the bigger and stronger this change will be, and the world will not be the same again. E-commerce and the home office has already become a trend. This epidemic has made these changes come faster and more thorough. So in the foreseeable future, the world no longer needs that many offices and retail stores. For the shops and offices that lost their tenants during the epidemic, it will be difficult for them to find the same rental demand as before. It will take a long time to find new ways to use those office buildings and shops.

No matter what happens in the world, people must have a home. When the border was closed, some people could not enter the country. But for people who remain in the country, they must have a home.

Residential property as a form of real estate will never lose its advantage. As its ownership is permanent, and its living function will never disappear. Because of the epidemic, people may choose to order food online, shop online, or work online, but those activities need to be done at home, so the value lost in commercial properties is being transferred to the residential properties. From this perspective, the residential property has gained a new utility value because of this epidemic.

When disaster strikes, no one can escape its impact, so does Sydney’s residential property market. Many people worry about whether this epidemic will affect their rental income. The impact will definitely be there, but even if it does, it will not affect Sydney’s housing market being the winner in the wealth race.

Interest on long-term deposits is less than 0.5% p.a only.

The yearly return on government bonds is only 0.75%.

Stock dividends can not be counted on at all,

Business operations are very difficult.

Only Sydney’s rental market has a return of 2.5-3% after deducting 1% of outgoings. Even if the vacancy rate rises to 6%, which is double the historical average vacancy rate, the rental return rate can still reach 2.35-2.5%. This is still considered a good return compared to other investments.

If we see Sydney’s residential property as an asset, not only we need a stable rental income, we also want capital growth. There are five Don’ts in PIA’s business philosophy. One of them is not to make subjective judgments on the market. Here I will not say when the house price will grow back and how much it will grow. But here we can give you a few tips and, you can think for yourself.

1. Under immense financial pressure, the residential housing prices in Sydney have not fallen so far.

2. Two of Australia’s major construction and real estate industry associations have joined forces to lobby the government to provide tens of billions of dollars to support property development. The reason is not just to stimulate the economy, but responding to real demands.

3. The government has started to discuss canceling stamp duty to stimulate residential property sales. Although the sales of off-the-plan properties are not good at the moment, we are not seeing a significant drop in land prices. On the contrary, because of the epidemic, and the stricter building standards set out by the government, the construction cost has begun to rise. If the land price does not fall, and the construction cost increases, there is no room for property prices to fall.

4. Although it is estimated that net immigration will decrease in the future due to the epidemic, the facts may be on the contrary. Some people currently living overseas with an Australian permanent residency visa will return to Australia because of Australia’s ability to keep the epidemic under control. In addition, as Austliaa built upon immigration, increasing immigration is the best way to solve the crisis and revitalize the economy. This happened in the past, so it will happen this time. The only difference is that this time only the high net worth immigrants who create job and investment opportunities will be welcomed. Those who are only there to get welfare payments or do low-end jobs will be kept out.

5. News from today says the Government is considering priority entry of international students into Australia.

Because international students will not only affect Australia’s education export industry they will also boost the real estate market again.

When the government announced the mandatory closure of multiple industries, it was specifically mentioned that the construction industry will be business as usual. When easing the restrictions, the open home inspection is among the first batch of restrictions that have been lifted…..

I personally feel that the prosperity of Sydney’s residential property market will come sooner than most people think, and the real estate industry will recover faster than many other industries.

Some people say that living through this COVID -19 is like being through a world war. Then you may wish to take a look at the historical data on and how property prices in Australia have risen right after the First World War and the Second World War.

The above is just my personal opinion for your reference only.

Disclaimer: the above article contains information about PIA and the investment philosophies of its founder and MD, Justin Wang. The information and material are purely for information and general marketing. In reviewing this document you acknowledge and accept that no representation or warranty in any way whatsoever and howsoever is meant or intended in or from any information or material appearing at any time and you do not rely on such. Persons reading this document should always rely on their own independent advice and judgment, and further in making any inquiry with PIA or its employees the enquirer may not rely on any statement whether in writing or verbally made by any members of PIA unless PIA confirms in writing.

Source: PIA

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5 Realistic Tips To Build A Successful Startup Business

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Getting into the business world is not easy because it comes with many risks and chances. Most entrepreneurs think that having a business plan, some capital, and a workforce is enough to survive in the market. The case is not so. Even the most confident entrepreneurs who have all the resources to maintain a strong position in the competition fail. This is because they do not consider the minute things that will determine their position in the market.

Here are some essential points that can make your business an instant hit with the masses:

Overestimate the Expenses and Underestimate the Revenue

Keep this in mind; there is a high chance that your expenses will exceed your expectations, whereas your revenue will realistically be relatively less. When you are conservative with numbers, your ability to accept reality is weak. Therefore, it is better to estimate figures that will not be shocking for you and not put your morale down.

Let Your Customers Create Your Business

No one is a bigger marketing genius than the customers. It is up to them to decide whether something is worth staying in the market or not. Do not get into a guessing game while assuming what your customers might be looking for. Instead, do the market research and actually find out the current demands of the people. Talk to them and identify their problems and their needs.

Know Your Competitors More Than You Know Yourself

Stepping into the market is definitely not easy. You need to know what you will be facing. It would help if you won the hearts of the consumers, so you can be a step ahead of your competitors because that will make your business stand out in the crowd.

Keep Discovering New Cost-3Effective Method 

Obviously, there is no success in the business until a handsome sum of money hits your bank account. One of the best saving methods is discovering new and reliable techniques to save your cost and increase your profit.

Keep Learning During the Process and Never Miss on Expert Advice

Remember that the process of learning never comes to an end. You will keep discovering new methods, and innovative creations will continue to pop in front of you. If your first formula was a success and ensured a good running of your business in the first season, then the second one doesn’t have to do the same. You might need to strike a new chord to maintain your success.

Keep the points mentioned above in your mind, and you are good to start your venture. Make sure that you never run out of capital to cover up for small losses, which might sum up to create a massive problem in the future.

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How To Style Your Property To Get The Best Property Sales Result

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The Sydney real estate market has really taken off and has become very competitive. To get buyers’ attention and secure sales, your property must stand out.

Property styling is essential in achieving this. Beyond being a visual selling tool, property styling allows prospective buyers to see the full potential of a space and envision their future home. It is about capturing their imagination with rooms styled to reflect their ideal lifestyle and trigger that urgent desire to purchase.

Deciding on how to style is a task which experienced property stylists are equipped to help you with. Armed with interior decorating and design expertise and a keen understanding of your target market, they know which look will suit your property and delight your potential buyers.

To ensure the best results, here are key points to remember

1. Style to complement your property and attract your target market

Before selecting a particular look, one must ask the following questions – Who is the target market, and what makes them tick? What look and kind of lifestyle appeal to them? What type of property is being presented? The answers to these questions will determine which look to choose.

As each project is different, we at Valiant Property Styling enjoy this initial stage. One day, we’re creating a coastal luxe look for an up-market coastal penthouse unit. On a different day, we’re doing a traditional look with modern touches for a heritage home.

With the growth of urban units, one of the styles we often use is ‘contemporary.’ This look does wonders for city apartments aimed at young middle-class families. It’s modern, practical, and effortlessly flatters a wide range of properties. Its versatility allows for a variation of looks – you can do luxe, chic, or even arty – and it appeals to a wide range of potential buyers.

2. Play up the property’s best features

Each property has features that make it special and give it character. It is one thing to recognise these; it is another to know how to highlight them. There are subtle yet effective touches to bringing out the potential of these amazing features and adding that extra dimension to a space.

The property boom has brought many brand new apartments and units into the market. Two amazing features these tend to have in common are great views and/or generous light beaming through the space. There are different ways to take advantage of these, but some our favourite tricks are:

– The use of low furniture pieces with slender legs
– Furniture with reflective surfaces such as marble tabletops, mirrors, or pieces with shiny finishes.
– Introduction of a mirror to amplify the natural light in the room
– The use of light colour

3. Picking the correct furniture sizes

It is vital to use appropriately sized furniture to showcase the optimal use of space and further play up its best features. A small room doesn’t necessarily mean you should use small furniture or a large room and big furniture. Using the wrong scaled furniture only highlights the room’s weaknesses and misses the opportunity to showcase its real potential.

For small spaces, many assume that small furniture and accessories are the way to go. On the contrary, a few strategic large pieces can do wonders in widening the feel of the space. For example, a rug that spreads all the way under the lounges creates an illusion of a larger lounge room. Additionally, using rounded edge pieces, like a round coffee table, help create flow. Edges can slice up a room and make it feel even smaller.

When it comes to larger spaces, it’s about furniture positioning. One trick is to float furniture off the wall and arrange pieces to form living spaces within large floor areas. This way, you don’t leave blank spots, and you create a sense of coziness and intimacy while allowing potential buyers to feel the largeness of the room still.

4. Create consistency throughout the home

Having one style applied throughout the property creates a strong sense of continuity and brings different parts of the home together. Doing otherwise disconnects one room from the other. It’s important to create that cohesive viewing experience and present the property as a whole, no matter the size of the property.

5. Leave ample space for people to walkthrough

Part of styling property is finding that balance of empty and filled space. The rule is to allow a little more than enough space for people to move open for inspections comfortably. The aim of property styling is to enhance to fill every space with furniture or accessories.

6. Enhancing with the right accessories

Accessories are always a lot of fun. Like icing on a cake, it’s amazing to see how the space comes together once the little details are added. To maximise the effect accessories can create, balance is always needed. One can easily over accessorise and distract viewers from seeing the features of the space, while with under accessorising, you miss the opportunity to bring a space to life.

Always remember, styling to sell a property isn’t just making a space look beautiful; it’s bringing the correct design elements together to appeal to your buyers. Make sure this is done well to enhance your selling prospects and get the best results.

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3 Simple Ways to Fatten Up Your Wallet

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By: Michelle Baltazar

Just like your body, there’s no point putting your purse under a crash diet. Slowly but surely, getting rid of high-sugar expenses is the way to go.

What happens if your bank account is fat-free? When you count the minutes to your next paycheque? Or maybe your credit card blues are starting to give you the twitch?

Don’t stress. Millions of Australians are in the same boat. According to research, many are weighed down by their mortgage payments, mounting credit card bills, and rising prices of just about everything (food, petrol, and alcohol included). No wonder there are plenty of Aussie battlers!

But with the new year comes a new chapter in your life – a good excuse to scratch your money problems in 2022. Here are three tips from the experts.

1. Don’t go ‘cold turkey’.

Find out what you can cut from your expenses and what you can’t – but go slow on changing your lifestyle or else you’ll revert back to old habits, says experts.

For example, if you buy coffee from your favorite deli every morning, cut it down to only twice a week (to coincide with the days you really need a pick-me-up).

New year’s resolution? Buy your own percolator and coffee beans. It’ll cost you a fraction of what you usually pay and you can avoid those long 9 am queues.

2. Visit the markets.

For sightseeing on a lazy Saturday morning, go to the Bondi Markets, the Glebe markets, or the one in Paddington. But for a serious “oh-my-god-I-can’t-believe-how-cheap-it-is” feeling, go to Paddy’s Markets or somewhere away from the city (like the suburban markets of Blacktown and Flemington).

In Paddy’s Markets Chinatown for example, a bag of snowpeas cost $2 (can cost double that at major groceries), or a punnet of strawberries for $1 ($2.99 in groceries), or a bag of mushrooms for $2 (can be $4 for the same bag in groceries).

Markets are also great for buying birthday and Christmas gifts. Pre-loved items that look good as new are a-plenty. In Blacktown markets, for example, one happy buyer snagged an uber-cool lamp for $5 while another bought a rare, retro doll for $2. Less practical but more memorable than the usual soap and shower gel set!

3. Get running

Research shows that all types of exercise can help keep your brain sharper than if you didn’t do any exercise at all. Aerobic activity (gets your heart pumping for more oxygen) also prevents you from getting mental-related illnesses in the future. It has something to do with the synapses in your brains remaining connected and fired up with regular exercise.

Why is running a money-saving strategy? You don’t need a gym membership for it and you can save on huge healthcare bills in the future. Oh, running to your favourite store during a sale doesn’t count as exercise. Sorry.

Source: The Australian Filipina

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How To Attain Your Life Goals Through Self Improvement

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Always remember that as long as you are alive, you can change your ways and succeed in life. You have the power and the opportunity to do what you want and be the person you want to become. If you want to improve yourself and achieve your goals, you should follow these self-improvement tips.

  • First and foremost, you need to accept that you need to take full responsibility for your self-improvement. You need to know your true self, the things you’re interested in, and how you’re going to actively pursue them. If you don’t have any idea where you should go, you’ll definitely end up where other people want you to go.
  • You need to set realistic goals and stick to these objectives as well as find ways to achieve them. Such a thing, however, is not enough.
  • Learning continuously is also important. There are skills and techniques that you can adapt to improve your life. Never stop learning. Many people know how important this tip is. You need to continue learning in order to succeed.
  • Look for effective ways to learn new things and improve your skills. Realizing the power of learning can encourage many people to become better in various ways and achieve what they really want. Remember that if you learn new things enthusiastically, you’ll achieve self-growth and succeed in living a more content life. You will become happier and live the kind of life you have always wanted.
  • You also need to change your bad habits. There are many times when a person’s life is dominated by bad practices. If you really want to become a better person, you need to change these habits and stick to the positive changes you’ve made.
  • Being persistent is also important. Some people give up too easily. Always remember that your perseverance will serve as the driving force that will encourage you to do things you think you cannot do.
  • When you focus on a goal, it is important to keep your mind on it. Don’t let yourself get distracted by other goals. Many people cannot focus on anything related to work for a long period of time. It is difficult to do especially since our culture is full of reasons and distractions that force us not to bother a lot with attaining real success.

There are a lot of excuses that we can say so that we don’t do anything productive. If you want to improve yourself and achieve your goals, you need to prioritize every action. Even when you’re not seeing any major progress, you should keep going towards the completion of your goal.

Keep at it and you’ll reap the rewards in the end. There are self-improvement books that provide life-changing ideas and advice that you can integrate into your life. Discover and learn things that can benefit your pursuit of self-improvement. Always remember that learning new things can do you a great favor. Continuous education will certainly help you succeed.

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5 Surefire Ways to Protect Your Mental Health During COVID-19 Pandemic Outbreak

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While you’re in a global pandemic, it’s natural to feel that you’re letting your mental health slide during this stressful period. Not interacting fully with others face-to-face, having to conform to new guidelines that may seem foreign to you, and working at home may leave you feeling unsettled and that life has become beyond your control. This, although it may be common, can be dangerous if you don’t take the time out to give your mind a rest. Therefore, here are 5 ways you can be in control and protect your mental health in these uncertain times.

1. Take a stroll through the park

Going for a walk (unless you’re self-isolating) is a great way to cool your mind down after a struggle. Getting a breath of fresh air and exercising not only stretches out your muscles thus relaxing the body but going outside and looking at the green in one’s surroundings is scientifically proven to improve your mood, by the brain releasing endorphins, a chemical that reduces sensitivity to pain and makes one happy.

2. Try and laugh more

Listening to or reading a few jokes is an easy pass to become happier and more relaxed. Laughing reduces anxiety and burns a fair number of calories, for those who are wishing to slim down during the pandemic. Also, research suggests that laughter improves the activity of NK cells, a type of cell in the immune system that takes part in combatting tumours.

3. Express your feelings

Bottling up your emotions is never a good idea. Venting your frustrations and negative emotions to a friend or family member instantly lifts a weight off your shoulders. Even if you can’t find a person to talk to, you can write your emotions down on paper and tear them up. Sharing your thoughts and worries helps you reason with the problem and getting a second opinion may help solve it.

4. Eat a good meal

It’s no secret that ‘comfort eating’ works. This is because your brain tells itself that you wouldn’t be eating if you were in danger, which then lowers your anxiety. In addition to this, an empty stomach can make you feel much worse, and not eating enough lowers the immune system. Being vulnerable to disease is trouble, especially with Covid-19 about and you need to be ready to combat it so that it doesn’t make you feel worse. Therefore, eating a healthy and satisfying meal is fundamental in keeping your mental health stable.

5. Do something you enjoy

Although with new schedules constantly popping up, you must find the time to do something that makes you happy. While on a work or school break, find something to keep you occupied. It takes your mind away from what’s around you so that you can clear your mind effectively, along with causing your brain to produce happy hormones. Be it watching a cool video, doodling something funny, or even taking a nap, taking time out from your busy day does wonders for your wellbeing.

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4 Millionaire Success Habits That Will Definitely Inspire Your Life

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The road to becoming a millionaire is not through those typical infomercials that will make you believe that you will be rich by buying a distressed property and then selling it for millions of bucks. The only thing that you will likely get with them would be eye bags due to lack of sleep. In case you are one of those people who was lured on their false advertisements, you probably have more debt now.

Realistically, the best possible way to become a millionaire one day besides winning the lotto is to work for yourself. This is why most businessmen are brave to face the possible risk of failure, the emotional roller coaster and the vulnerability of the economy because there could be a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

To help you get started on your journey towards becoming a millionaire, we have created a rundown of regular habits that successful people normally do.

Create Choices

The average people will usually choose on the existing choices. Successful people will try to examine the existing choices, and they will then create their own choices. In case you are in a particular situation, you will often choose the best case scenario and stick with it. However, if you want to know how rich people think, you may start the habit of analyzing the best possible option and then make this choice available. This is the reason why most millionaires are doing the impossible.

Believe in Yourself

If you want to be a millionaire, you will stumble upon numerous obstacles in your journey. There are people who will disapprove, and there are those people who will criticize you. The rich people look at their opinions as a mere data. They tend to filter the data and look at the things that they can use. The rest of them will be ignored. We do not necessarily mean that you should disrespect the idea of others. We simply say that you should believe in yourself, your ideas, dedication, perseverance and abilities.

Think About how You Play the Game

In case you want to know how to be a millionaire, the way you play the game is more vital than winning or losing. Everyone wants to win. In fact, you will not be reading this if you are not determined to win. However, you should not be playing the game that you are just forced to play. You will need to alter the existing rules, create the arena and win the game on your own terms.

Hate the Comfort

There are some people who once they acquired essential skills they just work hard and stay within their comfort zone. We’re not saying that it is a bad thing; the definition of success differs from person to person. However, if you really want to be a millionaire, you should hate the contentment that is brought in by acquiring new skills. Look at this as a step towards achieving a higher skill. Achievement is a foundation towards another achievement.

Dream big and try hard, there is really no impossible thing for you to achieve. If you are determined to be a millionaire, the right amount of perseverance, dedication, and these habits will guide you on the right path.

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Six Things You Need to STOP Doing if You Want to Be Successful

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Becoming successful is already a difficult feat but staying successful is far more difficult. Most entrepreneurs have some sort of idea of what it takes in order to become successful.

But what most don’t have, is an idea of what NOT to do in order to be successful. A number of entrepreneurs spend much of their lives stuck in this conundrum and as a result, suffer highly.

This article lists and explains some of the things entrepreneurs should stop doing in order to be successful.

  • Return to What Didn’t Work

This is one of the most important aspects of what shouldn’t be done for maintaining success. Once something does not work, it should be avoided at all costs in the future. There is simply no point in believing that a certain idea will work the second time when it failed the first time.

  • Change Yourself

Changing yourself in order to ensure success is not recommended. Yes, one should step out of their comfort zone to explore new avenues but this does not mean that they should change their personality and values completely. Staying true to yourself is one of the most basic principles required to be successful.

  • Change Someone Else

Change is inevitable whether it’s for yourself or someone else. However, forcing the issue is not. Changing someone and manipulating them for personal gains and advancement will only result in a loss of respect and trust from the side of the other party. Success should be done in a competitive manner but within the bounds of ethics and morals.

  • Please Everyone

One can simply not please everyone at the same time. There will be many hurdles and individuals in your path to success. Managing them and planning strategies and goals accordingly is essential you stay successful in the long term.

  • Think Short Term

In the history of successful individuals, there has been no such case where the individual thought of the short-term rather than the long-term. It is simply not possible to achieve and sustain success if one constantly thinks about the short term and avoids strategies and planning required to sustain success over a longer period of time. Thinking short-term will only get you so far but looking over the horizon and smarter than your competitors will not only result in personal satisfaction but also financial gain.

  • Look at the Smaller Picture

Highly successful entrepreneurs always devise strategies by looking at the bigger picture. They always have a backup plan or contingency measures that will be implemented if an unfortunate situation or event arises. This ensures success is not short-lived and any potentially threatening scenario does not prove to be catastrophic.

All in all, keeping in mind all of these factors can enable an individual to come back from a debilitating failure. What is needed is an optimistic frame of mind and the will to be better than your previous self.

Photo Credit: Andrea Piacquadio

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5 Small Business Success Tips For Emerging Young Entrepreneurs

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Establishing a company might be one of the hardest things that a young entrepreneur could ever do. And starting your business might also be a door to financial freedom however if it doesn’t work out based on your plans it might as well ruin personal finances.

As you build a business, it would be of great importance to have a smart plan to make sure that your personal wealth is being protected. Here are some tips that can help you when it comes to protecting personal finances due to business risks:

Put your eggs in many different baskets

There is a need for you to be prepared for every different situation therefore you should never invest all your money in your business. Allocate your money in different places like in assets, investment, cash, and emergency cash cushion. This emergency cash cushion would be needed for you to fall back on once you need it. Once bad things happen, you would already have money set aside to keep you afloat in tough times.

Hope only for the best and plan for the worst.

Once you are in the world of business, there is a need to hope for the best and plan for the worst. There is a need for you to be optimistic however when shits occur you just have to be prepared. Avoid taking all your money out of cheque accounts to fund all the operational business costs. So that even though one of your businesses fail, you will have other sources of income to continue the business.

You must consider separating your business and personal expenses

This is indeed a must once you are starting a business. With regards to tax reporting, the business expenses are simply deductible from the business income. And also the more deductions that you would have the lesser tax that you are to pay. Just simply open a separate bank account for the business and personal finances.

Learn to manage your cash flow

Running out of cash is one of the reasons why a company fails. Cash flow is considered as a king and so the queen is the documentation. The first financial planning lesson that you must consider once running a company is to have a manageable cash flow. You will be at risk if you don’t know where your money will go and comes from. Just simply create your budget and then stick to it.

Ask for help

Being new as an entrepreneur, you must not forget to track the business expenses and keeping the documentation as well. It would be very important to consider a simple accounting system in order to record as well as track the spending every month for you not to scramble for the information once you need it. Or you might as well use free financial tools once you don’t have the budget in investing in an accounting software. Freelance bookkeeper might be of great help as well.

Those are just some among the best tips about finances that you might consider once you are starting up with your business.

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How to Increase Social Media Engagement: A 5-Step Guide For Entrepreneurs

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Is your social media page not kicking off the way you’d hoped? Perhaps you wish to share your knowledge with others, or you want to start a career with social media, but you’re not getting enough engagement. Although making an account may seem easy, there are certain things that you need to look out for so that you catch your audience’s eye. Publicity plays a large part in what makes a social media page successful and so you need to do it right. Therefore, here are 5 steps you need to take in order to improve your social media engagement.

1. Have a good layout

Graphic design is the very starting point of gaining engagement. Be sure to give your social media page a clean look that is welcoming to your target audience. Keeping the right fonts, having a consistent colour scheme, and spacing things out helps a lot when it comes to attracting others. Organising things so that your content is both chronological and flows well motivates people to pay attention to what you have to say.

2. Advertisement

Finding ways to promote your social media page in other places such as other sites is a good way to gain engagement. People are more inclined to associate with things they are more familiar with and if they have seen an advertisement about your page somewhere else, they would be driven to see what you offer. Also, it increases your page’s chances of getting noticed among a countless number of others, as your page would then be what comes to mind first because they’ve seen it before.

3. Listen to others when it comes to improvement

When someone has an idea on how to improve your social media page, take it into consideration. It shows that you’re willing to respond to people’s constructive criticism, which will then lead them to respond to you, thus increasing engagement. It shows that you are within reach and that they can level with you, which is rare for sites and pages nowadays. This means more people will interact with you as they feel they can without being pushed to the side.

4. Hold events that the audience can take part in

Putting up an event that others gain from is a fast-track to increase your engagement. Occasions such as conditional giveaways and competitions are very appealing to those who are looking for something to gain. Announcing something that the audience can compete for, be it an actual item or a chance to be promoted on your page, piques the interest of many as they have a chance of winning.

5. Introduce something with a limit

You could put on a one-time-only sale or introduce a product or theme that will only be up for a short time. This gives people the impression that they must go to your page and get whatever it is you have introduced before the deadline. This is because they have the fear that they’d miss out as once something is gone, it’s gone.