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Every day, the web becomes more and more useful for sales people; and as technology advances, the likes of video web conferencing perfectly replicates face-to-face conversations in just a fraction of the time of a traditional sales trip. Being able to make personal highly effective sales pitches at the drop of a hat, anytime and with anyone from anywhere in the world makes closing a sale that little bit easier.

For those sales people who have finely tuned their phone routine over the years and are sceptical about the advantages of using video for meetings, here are a few benefits to make you reconsider:

1. Online meetings using video allows for facial expressions to be read. Much of how we communicate is through facial expressions, posture, intonation and eye contact – all of which are lost when using only the phone to seal a deal. A video call allows you to use all of these tools to your advantage.

2. Sales people often feel obliged to fill awkward silences. With video chat, because you can see the people you are pitching to, you can ask the questions you want to ask and then leave the client to answer in their own time – all whilst you have visual connection which reduces any uncomfortable silences.

3. Showing people who you are, what you look like and how you present yourself can bring a sense of trust. The background setting also speaks volumes about what kind of person you are. Video gives your client visual cues which illustrate how you do business.

4. When fostering a business relationship, face-to-face interaction is extremely important in order to connect and gain trust. This is even more vital when asking someone for their business.

5. The added tools you gain with video conferencing software allow you to present documents and research in an incredibly simple way, to help sway your potential client.

Embracing video web conferencing provides you with a whole new way to close the deal. By adding a visual component to your sales pitch, you will find a whole new world of opportunities.

And if you are a small business with limited resources, using technology to your advantage will benefit you financially by allowing you to meet with many people without the cost of travelling.

For those without financial limitation, using video conferencing still enables you to get in there first and gain a faster response. What’s more, being able to make a pitch with the key decision makers based in several locations, gives you the power to make the best impression no matter where people are. Video conferencing also enables you to get the best panel of advisors to take part in a crucial meeting to close the deal, showing you have the right people on hand as and when your client needs them.

Video conferencing has undoubtedly crossed the boundary of simple user communication and team engagement; it has now become an important strategic tool that sales people are using all around the world to pitch and close business deals.

Getting to grips with setting up a business website can be a daunting prospect. With over a third of the world’s population now using the World Wide Web, the way you present your company and run your website can be a vital factor to your success.

From your domain name and digital certificate, to social media, SEO and subdomains protected through SSL Wildcard, the array of elements to take into account when building up your site is phenomenal.

First and foremost, purchasing your domain should be a priority. Try to secure a memorable address – ideally your business name, containing less than ten characters. If both .com and .co.uk domains are available, it is worth owning both, and pointing the second over to your preferred domain – giving you ownership of the domain as a brand.

Once you have obtained your domain name, consider purchasing a digital certificate. This will give your customer base an added sense of security when browsing your website. Obtained through a trusted Certificate Authority, such as Symantec, a digital certificate will authenticate your identity and encrypt all sensitive data passed between browsers and your server.

SSL Wildcard can offer security on multiple subdomains under your primary domain. Web users are consistently seeking a streamlined and efficient Internet experience, and subdomains can make your website far more efficient. Whether you want to send credentials directly to your mobile-optimised site or to create direct page links, building in subdomains will enhance the usability of your business website.

As well as ensuring your website contains effective, SEO enhanced copy, it is also essential to pick up to five key SEO terms and have these running throughout key elements of your website. This will significantly improve your search engine ranking and make your business more visible to potential customers who use your key phrases as search terms.

Optimise your business website today with a digital certificate from a trusted Certificate Authority.

All businesses have overheads; those recurring costs that show up month on month. They may have little effect on the day to day running, but can have a huge impact on your bottom line. Careful monitoring will prevent overheads getting out of control and what better time than New Year, to re-evaluate the necessity of these costs and re-establish your values.

There are only two ways to get more money; sell more or cut back. Nobody likes the idea of a cut back, but sometimes in business it has to be done. Simply looking at alternatives to what you already have can help open your eyes to other sources of saving. Your office and your everyday tasks can be replaced to a more cost effective substitute like swapping travel with video calls.

Here are some tips that should help lessen the blow:

1. Evaluate your office – Look not only at the physical space with all its associated costs, but at the furniture and equipment within the space.

Either move to a less expensive office or look for shared or serviced offices to cut back on overheads. Even just trying to re-negotiate the cost of your current space could save you money (and the expense of moving).

Unused office furniture could be sold and equipment recycled – some stores may even give you money off new when you trade in your old hardware.

2. Update old Software – this is viewed as expensive; however, hiring the right person for the job will pay dividends. There is a plethora of open source software available that provide options you did not have or are currently paying for. Research here is essential to ensure you retain professionalism.

3. Stop traveling – meet up via high definition video calls instead. Not only is the software easy to use and allows for much more than just a phone call with pictures; it makes the collaboration of colleagues, clients and customers all over the world available at the drop of a hat.

This method of communication also opens the doors to be able to deal with more businesses that were previously not possible without travel. The use of desktop sharing and interactive whiteboards make it easy for those in different locations to have a productive meeting meaning the world suddenly becomes a lot smaller for your business.

4. Compare services – just like all the television adverts for your home, investigate fixed price deals or utilities, water coolers, printers and recycling. Providers do not want to lose your business, so it is within their interest to make sure you are getting the best deal – make sure you are on it.

It is easy to go on about how to save money, but there are also things you cannot afford to cut. Maintaining your loyalty both from employees and customers is essential if there is going to be a business at the end of the day. Employees will understand cutbacks – but not at their expense; avoid reducing pension contributions or festive bonus schemes – they may help you out in the short term, but not in the long.

New Year is a great time to look back at your achievements and set your goals for the year ahead. Making the most of what you have and looking for new ways to be innovative will not only make your business more frugal, but will open doors to new opportunities.

Grow you portfolio with these simple steps & see your stocks succeed

Online stock trading is an adrenaline charged, exciting venture. If you’re new to the game, there are many hints, tips and techniques you will learn to help you succeed. Unlike many other industries, the luxury of online trading is that it’s not about how hard you work, but about how smart you work. Equipping yourself with the latest information, analysing trends and really understanding your market sector will distinguish you from other traders, and ultimately see your stock portfolio expand.

Here are 5 simple tips and techniques for those beginning the game of online trading.

1. Choose the type of stock you want to trade:

It may seem a bit basic however knowing the types of trading markets and stocks available is the first step you should take upon your foray into the online trading world. With so many options such as day trading, short term trading or monthly trading and more, knowing the kind of trading you want to execute is imperative, as switching between trades will significantly impact your success.

Day trading is generally the lowest risk form of online trading as it requires you close out at the end of each trading day, thus eliminating any risks that can occur to your stock prices over night. Day trading is probably the most simple and effective form of trading for beginners however it does require you be at your computer for hours at a time, monitoring and trading before the close of day.

If you’re looking for more of a relaxed trade lifestyle the long term trade styles is for you, however it is recommended you’re educated thoroughly on all aspects of long term trades before undertaking this online.

2. Choose a good stock broker:

Like race car drivers have good mechanics, so do good traders have a good broker. When you’ve determined the style of trader you want to be, you then need to venture out and find a stock broker that adequately matches that style. For example, if you’re a day trader, you will need fast, direct access technology such as a specified software installation broker. This allows all your executions to be managed and sent directly, rather than being stopped at a third party’s online interface first.

Alternatively, longer term traders can opt for online brokers that act on your behalf. Submit an order to their online interface, and they’ll execute and perform the trades etc. for you. It’s simple and cost effective for this style of trading.

3. Master your own risk management:

While it may seem obvious to preach the ‘low risk, high reward’ method of trading, the truth is this is the best way to go about the online share market. You have to be responsible, and educated, in regards to your own risk management.

Trading stocks is a risky business; you need to make sure you’re fully equipped to foresee the dips and lows as well as the spikes and highs. Don’t assume it will always be a winning market! Once you can learn to control your risks, the better the results you will see. Also, make sure your trading style works in all markets. Learn to take advantage of both ups and downs of the stock market – be versatile!

4. Know when to SELL, SELL, SELL!

It is vital to know when the best time to sell your online stocks is. Everyone is so focussed on the when and how to buy, that not too many people will take the time to consider when to sell. The selling of stock is equally as important as the buying – if you’ve traded well and the broad market bias is behind you, you’re in a great position to sell and potentially increase your profit significantly.

Teach yourself, or learn from someone in the know when the best time to sell is – that is, know specific market conditions that will signal when the right time is to get out. Remember, the only way to turn your stock into real money is to sell them!

5. Don’t buy into or remain in an overbought stock pool:

This is one of the most important yet overlooked tips in the online trade game. If a stock or currency is overbought- you need to get out! There is no point having minimal investment in a diluted stock, know when the stock is at its strongest and monitor the buy in rate. Once it gets over-crowded, it’s your cue to exit.

Energy prices have risen rapidly recently, and as a result, many households and businesses have looked at their monthly gas and electricity bills with a look of astonishment over how much they’ve been charged by their supplier. As a result, many energy companies are trying to persuade unhappy customers that, by switching to them, they can get a better deal, but is this actually true? It might sound tempting, but some energy suppliers contact people either door-to-door or via telephone without actually giving them a better deal after switching, which can be misleading.

Energy regulator Ofgem, which oversees energy companies in the UK including the so-called ‘Big Six’, says that if businesses and households are unhappy with their current energy supplier because they’re paying too much, they could switch in order to save money. Ofgem state that by failing to switch supplier, businesses could be spending at least £100 a year more than is necessary on their energy bills, which for smaller companies can be a significant amount of money that’s wasted.

To make sure that consumers are aware that they can find a cheaper deal elsewhere, Ofgem and Citizens’ Advice are launching a switching campaign called Energy Best Deal. The campaign claims that, by switching to a different energy supplier, businesses and households could save up to 40% on the cost of energy. The campaign states that, by making enquiries to several energy companies, trying to take advantage of special offers and visiting price comparison websites such as Make It Cheaper energy saving, it’s possible to cut energy costs without too much hassle.

However, switching supplier usually takes between six to eight weeks, so to get it done businesses need to allocate themselves time for it to happen, and they should remain patient. Also, businesses are advised to look at different companies, including smaller energy suppliers, to see what they have to offer. An increasing number of businesses are making the decision to switch to a smaller energy supplier from one of the ‘Big Six’ energy companies for several reasons. A spokesperson from makeitcheaper.com explained why:

“A number of our customers said that they trusted smaller energy suppliers more than the Big Six, especially because of their more reasonable prices and customer service. On top of that, 55% of those we spoke to said that billing issues were problematic, with 40% talking about poor customer service provision. Make It Cheaper was set up so that anyone who came to us would find the best possible deal for energy prices and customer service.”

or any businesses who may be interested in saving money on energy costs, they are hosting a two-hour free event in Twickenham, where Liberal Democrat MP and Business Secretary Vince Cable will be doing a Q&A session on small business issues. Anyone who attends can also network while receiving advice on how to save money for their company. It takes place at The Albany, 1 Queen’s Road, Strawberry Hill, Twickenham TW1 4EZ, and is on from 6pm-8pm.