It’s brunettes versus blondes this week! Our #HolisticHairTribe showed off their balayage skills and transformed these popular hair colors into fabulous, multi-dimensional hues.
Tuesday, May 9, 2017
Friday, May 5, 2017
3 Key Marketing Plan Ideas For Any Successful New Business
As a new business owner, you have a lot on your proverbial plate. From finding freelance coders to help with your website design to choosing paint colors for the office walls, every decision, large and small, falls to you.
It’s a responsibility that’s both rewarding and challenging—but it can often mean you feel like you have neither the time nor the resources to spend on things like a marketing plan.
But these perceived limitations don’t have to keep you from developing a robust, actionable marketing plan that’s simple, effective, and true to your brand.
And successful marketing is key to a successful business. It’s how you communicate your story, product, or service—and that you exist in the first place—to potential customers. This is true for any business, no matter how long they’ve been around, but is especially critical for new businesses without a core customer base to rely on.
Below, you’ll find three tips (with plenty of additional resources throughout) that will help strengthen your elevator pitch, demystify digital marketing, and keep you within budget.
1. Share it, don’t sell it
People are becoming increasingly savvy when it comes to recognizing “the sell.” They know when they’re getting the hard sell—and they don’t like it. Instead of giving a traditional canned elevator pitch, try tailoring your modern sales pitch to your audience by engaging in a helpful, genuine conversation.
Think of it as talking with someone rather than talking at them. Today’s sales pitch is about having a dialogue that flows naturally and genuinely engages the listener. It makes it easier for you (no one really enjoys making an elevator pitch!) and more meaningful for them (no one really enjoys getting the hard sell!).
From responding to an Instagram comment or chatting at a business brunch, you can easily incorporate your product or service naturally into the interaction in a way that feels real. By making a connection between your product or service and the listener in a specific way, you’re demonstrating a level of thoughtfulness and understanding that goes way beyond a quick sell.
Thankfully, there are many ways to start integrating the modern sales pitch into your everyday interactions. Have a look at “The Modern Sales Pitch: Start a Conversation” for ideas.
2. Harness the power of digital
A compelling website and social media presence that communicate a cohesive identity are among the first steps to building an online business presence that will work for you 24/7—but they’re only part of the equation.
As explained in “Launching Your First Business? A Digital Marketing Crash Course,” there’s also social media, targeted online advertising, SEO strategies, and conversions.
“Digital marketing is an area that every first-time business owner should try to understand. Every business, e-commerce to brick-and-mortar, can benefit from effective digital marketing.”
— Derek Miller, CopyPress
In this post, Derek Miller of CopyPress provides a quick overview of branding, conversions, and content, as well as a look at how to scale your digital marketing efforts.
3. Keep your budget in the black
Perhaps the best part about these new marketing resources is that they’re incredibly affordable for any new business.
Whether you’re a social media master or a networking genius (or both!), you don’t have to max out a major marketing budget to get your story told—and heard. There’s a lot of marketing you can tackle with a shoestring marketing budget, such as focusing on SEO, asking happy customers for reviews, or developing targeted ad campaigns
Want more strategic ideas you can incorporate into your new marketing plan? Learn more tips, trends, and best practices in Upwork’s Hiring Headquarters >>
The post 3 Key Marketing Plan Ideas For Any Successful New Business appeared first on Upwork Blog.
from Upwork Blog http://ift.tt/2q7HBH2
Trending Hair Colors This Week
Check out which ones we loved most this week!
Chestnut Hair Color Formula
Hair by Kat Cline
Chestnut is a perennial favorite among women because it suits a wide variety of skin tones. This rich shade not only gives off a warm, glowing vibe, it’s also very easy to maintain and style.
Color Melt: 20g Oway Hnectar 3.0 Natural Dark Brown + 30g Oway Hnectar 4.66 Cayenna Brown + 50g Oway Hcatalyst 20 Volume Cream Developer from Zone 1 into Zone 2
Strawberry Blonde Hair Color Formula
Hair by Christen Papasso
If you’re looking to change your blonde or brunette tresses this spring and summer, strawberry blonde is perfect for you! This warm, reddish hue reflects light and looks great from every angle – you’ll definitely stand out.
Balayage: Oway Hbleach Butter Cream Lightener + Oway Hcatalyst 30 Volume Cream Developer
Luxe Blonde Hair Color Formula
Hair by Carolyn Hodge
Soft, creamy blondes are pretty – but when they’re given more dimension, they are absolutely stunning. And this is something Carolyn is really good at.
Balayage: Oway Hbleach Butter Cream Lightener + Oway Hcatalyst 40 Volume Cream Developer
Foils (Weaved and Sliced): Oway Hbleach Butter Cream Lightener + Oway Hcatalyst 30 Volume Cream Developer
Zone 1 & 2: Oway Htone 9 Volume Cream Developer + Oway Hcolor 7.0 Natural Blonde
Zone 2 + Ends: Oway Htone 9 Volume Cream Developer with Oway Hcolor 10.1 Ash Extra Light Blonde + Oway Hcolor 9.0 Natural Very Light Blonde
Havana Blonde Hair Color Formula
Hair by Josie Ragains
Want a hair color change but not yet ready for super bold tones? A nice blonde balayage might be the answer. It’s natural-looking and great for growing out hair.
Base: 15g Oway Hcolor 6.0 Natural Dark Blonde + 7g Oway Hcolor 5.35 CT Tobacco Light Brown + 8g Oway Hcolor 7.32 BA Havana Blonde with Oway Hcatalyst 20 Volume Cream Developer (1:1)
Balayage: Oway Hbleach Butter Cream Lightener with Oway Hcatalyst 30 Volume Cream Developer (1:2)
Tone: Oway Hcolor 90.11 Intense Ash Super Bleaching Blonde with Oway Htone 9 Volume Cream Developer (1:2)
Copper Brown Hair Color Formula
Hair by Meredith Johnson
Copper brown is one of those shades that are just timeless. Its eye-catching but elegant hue can instantly elevate any look, especially if you add depth and dimension to the base color.
Base: 10g Oway Hcolor 7.35 BT Tobacco Blonde + 10g Oway Hcolor 6.34 Golden Copper Dark Blonde + 5g Oway Hcolor 6.0 Natural Dark Blonde
Balayage: Oway Hbleach Butter Cream Lightener + Oway Hcatalyst 20 Volume Cream Developer
Radiant Plum Hair Color Formula
Hair by Maren McKenna
Why we love spring: It’s the season to experiment with bolder, more vibrant hair colors. An aesthetically striking hue, this Radiant Plum hair color by Maren makes a perfect statement this season.
Base: Oway Hcolor 8.1 Ash Light Blonde + 2 in ribbon of Oway Hcolor 0.7 Purple Booster
Ends: Oway Hcolor 11.17 Frosted Platinum + 2 in ribbon of Oway Hcolor 0.7 Purple Booster
Which one is your favorite this week?
from Simply Organic Beauty http://ift.tt/2qIOmvT
Thursday, May 4, 2017
Wednesday, May 3, 2017
How HVAC BRAIN Successfully Hired A B2B Social Media Pro
For the past five years, Hiroshi Saito, a serial entrepreneur with a passion for marketing, has looked to the Upwork website to find top talent to support the development of his ideas and businesses.
Most recently, Hiroshi decided it was time to take his current company’s social media presence to the next level: Within a few days was able to find an amazing social media manager with the B2B experience he knows will help his company grow.
Hiroshi is a co-founder and principal of HVAC BRAIN, an online supplier of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) supplies to facilities and institutions such as factories, manufacturing plants, hospitals, universities and other large buildings. Started in 2012 in Cleveland, OH, HVAC BRAIN now carries more than 60,000 products and services clients across the country.
The company was able to facilitate this growth by enlisting the skills and talents of almost 40 different freelancers over the past few years, including 18 that are currently engaged on some level.
“I appreciate all the help and support Upwork has given our company in sourcing and collaborating with a talented team of geographically distributed freelancers as our company has grown.”
— Hiroshi Saito, HVAC BRAIN Co-founder
Building the infrastructure of the business was the focus of the first few years. Hiroshi leaned on freelancers initially to get the website up and running, with help from graphic designers, web and e-commerce developers, and search engine optimization experts.
Hiroshi’s main focus now is growing HVAC BRAIN’s marketing efforts to connect with more customers and drive sales—which is why he went looking for a social media expert.
Social media management (SMM) is one of the fastest growing skills on Upwork, according to the latest Upwork Skills Index. Not only did Hiroshi need someone well versed in the latest social media tools and trends, but he needed someone with proven success in B2B marketing who could deliver measurable results.
Hiroshi feels he can find talent most efficiently by investing time to search for freelancers he think will be a good fit. After creating a detailed project description, he invites the people he’s identified to apply. For the social media project, he narrowed it down to a pool of 20 qualified freelancers; within a few days, he’d reviewed a number of proposals and set up interviews with the top four freelancers.
One freelancer in particular stood out above the rest, meeting all the tangible and intangible requirements for this critical project—a perfect match to help expand HVAC BRAIN’s social presence.
Hiroshi and HVAC BRAIN are a great example of how a business of any size in any industry can leverage the latest technology trends and skills needed to build a vibrant business that can thrive in the competitive business landscape.
If you are looking for support for your social media efforts, too, Upwork’s Hiring Headquarters has specific insights to help you create a social media job description and how to hire the right freelancer, as well as the latest ideas for harnessing social media and improving your marketing efforts.
The post How HVAC BRAIN Successfully Hired A B2B Social Media Pro appeared first on Upwork Blog.
from Upwork Blog http://ift.tt/2oYmFlT
Tuesday, May 2, 2017
April 2017 Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver Statistics Package with Charts
Condominiums and townhomes in high demand across Metro Vancouver
Demand for condominiums and townhomes continues to drive the Metro Vancouver* housing market.
Residential property sales in the region totalled 3,553 in April 2017, a 25.7 per cent decline compared to April 2016 when 4,781 homes sold and a 0.7 per cent decrease from the 3,579 sales recorded in March 2017.
April sales were 4.8 per cent above the 10-year average for the month.
For the first four months of the year, condominium and townhome sales have comprised a larger percentage of all residential sales on the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in Metro Vancouver. Over this time, they’ve accounted for 68.5 per cent, on average, of all residential sales. This is up 10 per cent from the 58.2 per cent average over the same period last year.
“Our overall market is operating below the record-setting pace from a year ago and is in line with historical spring levels. It’s a different story in our condominium and townhome markets,” Jill Oudil, Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) president said. “Demand has been increasing for months and supply is not keeping pace. This dynamic is causing prices to increase and making multiple offer scenarios the norm.”
New listings for detached, attached and apartment properties in Metro Vancouver totalled 4,907 in April 2017. This represents a decrease of 19.9 per cent compared to the 6,127 units listed in April 2016 and a three per cent increase compared to March 2017 when 4,762 properties were listed.
The total number of residential properties currently listed for sale on the MLS® system in Metro Vancouver is 7,813, a 3.5 per cent increase compared to April 2016 (7,550) and a three per cent increase compared to March 2017 (7,586).
The sales-to-active listings ratio for April 2017 is 45.5 per cent for all property types. This is two per cent below March 2017 and is indicative of a sellers’ market. Generally, analysts say that downward pressure on home prices occurs when the ratio dips below the 12 per cent mark for a sustained period, while home prices often experience upward pressure when it surpasses 20 per cent over several months.
By property type, the sales-to-active listings ratio is 26 per cent for detached homes, 58.2 per cent for townhomes, and 82.2 per cent for condominiums.
“Until more entry level, or ‘missing middle’, homes are available for sale in our market, we’ll likely continue to see prices increase,” Oudil said. “There’s been record building this past year, but much of that inventory isn’t ready to hit the market.”
The MLS® Home Price Index composite benchmark price for all residential properties in Metro Vancouver is currently $941,100. This represents a five per cent increase over the past three months and an 11.4 per cent increase compared to April 2016.
Over the last three months, the benchmark price of condominiums has seen the largest increase in the region at 8.2 per cent, followed by townhomes at 5.3 per cent, and detached homes at 2.8 per cent.
“Home buyers are looking to get into the market and they’re facing fierce competition,” Oudil said. “It’s important to work with your local Realtor to help you navigate today’s marketplace.”
Sales of detached properties in April 2017 reached 1,211, a decrease of 38.8 per cent from the 1,979 detached sales recorded in April 2016. The benchmark price for detached properties is $1,516,500. This represents an 8.1 per cent increase over the last 12 months and a 1.8 per cent increase compared to March 2017.
Sales of apartment, or condominium, properties reached 1,722 in April 2017, a decrease of 18.3 per cent compared to the 2,107 sales in April 2016.The benchmark price of an apartment property is $554,100. This represents a 16.6 per cent increase over the past 12 months and a 3.1 per cent increase compared to March 2017.
Attached, or townhome, property sales in April 2017 totalled 620, a decrease of 10.8 per cent compared to the 695 sales in April 2016. The benchmark price of an attached unit is $701,800. This represents a 15.3 per cent increase over the past 12 months and a 2.4 per cent increase compared to March 2017.
The post April 2017 Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver Statistics Package with Charts appeared first on Mike Stewart.
from Blog – Mike Stewart http://ift.tt/2pUhROg
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)