New Business Direction LLC
You no longer need professionals to create quality videos. Video creation has gotten so easy that anyone can do it with the right tools. Many smartphones can take quality video, and the best news is you don’t need expensive video editing software. All you need is an app and your imagination.
There are many reasons to create a video:
- Web pages that include video rank higher than those that don’t have video
- Because people love to watch video, videos will often reach more people than text articles
- Video is often the best way to educate people
- Your message comes more alive when you use more senses: sight and sound
The first step is to figure out what you want to say. Here are some video topic ideas for your business:
- A customer service tip
- Your company mission, vision, and values
- Your company’s origin story
- Behind the scenes look into a production process
- An event, sale, or service promotion
- An employee spotlight
- A customer spotlight
- A product spotlight
- A how-to
- A deadline reminder
- A new product or service announcement
The next thing you need is a rough script of what you want the video to say, as well as graphics you can use to illustrate your points.
The final thing you need is a video creation app. Consider using InShot for easy yet comprehensive mobile video editing. When searching for video editing apps on your phone, there are free and paid plans to choose from. Other popular video apps include Adobe Express and Magisto.
With most video apps, you have hundreds of templates you can choose from to help you get started. You can easily replace your text, graphics, and sound with your own items, or ones that the software provides.
Have a favorite video editing app? Let us know!
Don’t be afraid to try your hand at video creation. It’s an easy way to impress your customers.
The purpose of marketing is to create relationships with customers and prospects. Since people may receive hundreds of marketing messages per day, it’s a good idea to get creative with marketing efforts. So why not have some fun with it? Here are some unique ways to grow your relationship with your customers.
- Celebrate an obscure or fun holiday.
For example, August 27 is National Just Because Day. It’s a day to do random things, which can be pretty easily tied to whatever your service or product is. You can do something as small as send an email or as big as hosting a live event on the holiday you choose.
- Feature a customer or staff member.
A great way for customers to get to know your team and for your team to get to know your customers is to feature them in a short write-up that you post or send out.
Make this fun by sharing things like favorite ice cream, activity they would love to do, country they want to visit most, most fun responsibility they have at work, and more.
- Highlight community work.
Does your organization have a favorite charity? If so, share experiences with your customers. Many customers value and prefer to support businesses that make community contributions. Go as far as holding a volunteer day or do a write-up for donations in your newsletter.
- Take a survey.
When is the last time you’ve been asked a “deep” question? Send a survey that asks your colleagues and customers a question like what inspires them. Then share the results, with their permission, of course.
This type of activity can lead to meaningful conversations and a deeper connection with your customers. It may also provide great insight into how you can connect with what’s important to your clients.
- Provide a gift guide.
Is it close to Christmas or another holiday where gifts are exchanged? If so, your customer might benefit from a gift guide you can put together.
You don’t have to own a retail store to benefit from this idea. Service organizations can provide gift certificate and other ideas in their gift guides. And you don’t always have to list only your own items. Add your customers’ and suppliers’ items and make it one big “business family” affair.
- Tell people a story.
Do you remember your first sale? Write a story about it, or the first day you opened your new location, your first hire, or another fun business milestone.
People love hearing stories about how others got started. Don’t be so private that you miss out on this wonderful way to connect with clients.
Try these six fresh marketing ideas to create a meaningful connection with your customers and prospects, and watch your relationships blossom.
August 18, 2020, North Conway, NH. New Business Directions, LLC is pleased to announce that Rhonda Rosand, CPA has been named a 2020 Top 100 ProAdvisor by Insightful Accountant, an independent news and information source written specifically for the small business advisor to keep up with current technology, trends in the industry and continuing their education.
This list recognizes the leading consultants who have embraced the ProAdvisor program and have leveraged it in order to better serve their clients and grow their own business. “We’d like to congratulate everyone who made this year’s list,” said Insightful Accountant Senior Technical Editor, William “Murph” Murphy.
“This is the seventh year of our ProAdvisor awards,” said Insightful Accountant Publisher and Managing Partner, Gary DeHart. “The ProAdvisors who make this list are the best in the business. Any small business would be well-served working with any one of the winners on this list.
About Insightful Accountant: Insightful Accountant is an independent news and information source written specifically for the small business advisor who needs to stay current on the latest news and offerings in accounting technology; including updates from Intuit, Xero, Sage and the hundreds of add-on products serving the small business ecosystem. With news and insight specifically written to help the advisor better serve their clients while building their firm, Insightful Accountant is unlike any other news source serving this space.
Britney Schaub, Office Assistant and Bookkeeper of New Business Directions, LLC, recently obtained her Associate’s of Science from Granite State College, majoring in Business. She is now pursuing her Bachelor’s degree.
Many families and small business owners may have seen decreases in income over the last several months. Money struggles can cause us to experience stress and worry, and none of us need that right now. Instead we need to boost our immune systems and decrease stress.
Here are some tips on how we can take back control of our finances and reduce our stress around money.
- Assess your situation.
Take an inventory of your bank accounts, credit cards, and other financial accounts. This helps you to see
the entire picture. You can be financially healthy in different ways. For example, you might be low on income, but if you have healthy savings or plenty of assets, you might be just fine.
- Track your spending.
When you can see where the money is going, you can make good decisions about what changes you need to make. Using software like QuickBooks or simply a spreadsheet can help you see how much you really need for things like the rent or mortgage, food, utilities, and other necessities.
- Make any changes that you need to.
If you have more expenses than income, here are several ways to get back in balance:
- Cut any unnecessary spending. For example, trade the expensive $100+ cable bill for a $15 Netflix subscription, at least for a while.
- File your taxes early, especially if you have a refund coming.
- Avoid temptation spending if you don’t have enough for the basics. Remember what’s important and find the will to curb impulses.
- Sell some of the items you own that you no longer need to raise money.
- Get a second job.
- Get support from local nonprofits that can help you if you qualify.
- If you must, dip into your savings or 401(k).
- Ask family members to help.
- Build a budget and stick with it.
Making a plan helps some people reduce their stress a great deal. They feel good that they now have goals and can develop new habits that will work for their lifestyle.
In your software or spreadsheet, commit to monthly spending limits for each major category: housing and utilities, food, transportation, clothing, entertainment, savings, paying off debt, and other.
Each month, track how you did by comparing your actual spending with your planned spending. Give yourself a grade on how you did, and either reward yourself or make the changes you need to.
- Pay off debt.
If you have debt, make a plan to pay it off systematically. Here are some ways you can speed that up:
- Pay down the debt that has the highest interest rates. You might even be able to consolidate and refinance your debt to a lower rate.
- Make a payment every single month, even if it’s small.
- See a credit counselor for more ideas on how to get out of debt faster.
- Build a cushion for the future.
If your spending and income is balanced, but you don’t have a savings cushion, that can also be stressful. You need a safety net to fall back on for times just like these.
Decide on an amount that you can put away for a “rainy day” fund, and stick to it. It’s also never too early to start saving for your retirement years. The younger you start, the more your money will grow into a significant nest egg, providing comfort and flexibility in your final years.
- Identify any other stressors related to money.
Perhaps a relative constantly asks you for money, and this causes you stress. In this case, you may have to make a “tough love” decision to reduce your stress while maintaining family relationships. These are very personal, individual decisions that include factors far beyond finance. But if they are causing stress, some kind of action should be taken.
- Make your accounts work for you.
If possible, select credit cards that give cash back, miles, or other perks. Keep your bank balance high enough so that you don’t get charged a monthly fee, and try to get an account that pays interest. You won’t get rich from these things, but they are fun perks that help you save.
- Invest wisely so you can sleep at night no matter what happens.
Understand your risk tolerance level when it comes to investments, and avoid investments that are too risky. You’ll sleep better at night knowing your money is safe.
Hopefully, these tips will help you decrease your money stress and improve your control over your finances.
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