Self-Employed Gals, What’s The Next Target?

January 15, 2021 By in Freelancing/Self-employed Tags: , , , , , 1 Comment

*Collaborative post.

New year, new projects! 

Even though 2020 has been a tough year for all of us, a lot of self-employed professionals have been able to rise above the challenges and grow their business presence. Perhaps, this has to do with the self-employed/freelancing mindset. When you embark on a career path where you are on your own, you can afford to miss opportunities. Therefore, a lot of self-made solo entrepreneurs have seized the challenges of a post-pandemic world and make them work for their businesses. 

So at the beginning of a new year, it’s worth considering how to leverage the lessons of the pandemic and boost your presence further. Here are 10 ideas to bring your business profile to the top! 

self employment tips image
Unsplash – CC0 Licence 

#1. Expand your business network

We live in a digital economy. People work remotely. They also shop remotely. So why shouldn’t you embrace the remote landscape and leverage it for your business? In a remote environment, you can build partnerships with international suppliers and business partners that will benefit from clients. If you are a tech freelancer, for example, you could send money to China to a local tech partner who can report on the latest gadgets. Are you a fashion and beauty business? Why not build bonds with South Korean to find out more about the 10 steps Korean beauty routine? Growing your business network allows you to diversify your offer. 

#2. Build an international presence

English is a proxy language. But that doesn’t mean that all your customers are fluent in English. Why not spend some time digging through your web analytics? You could find out where international visitors come from. It can be a good idea to create an international presence with Google translate plug-ins. You can even buy a new domain or subdomain to match your overseas target. 

#3. Let others do the menial tasks

We get it; you got there by yourself. But that doesn’t mean you can’t benefit from outsourcing and contracting some tasks. Ultimately, delegation can help free up time for more important and pressing matters. Picking the right person for the job isn’t always easy. Take your time to find someone you can trust. There are plenty of freelancers around, so it’s worth checking their qualifications before you make a decision.

#4. Launch your next corporate product/service

Bringing your independent business to the next level needs money. A lot of freelancers begin with small and cost-effective services until they are ready to release an offer that can compete with big players. As a beauty and fashion blogger, for instance, you may want to create your range of products. It’s a brilliant way of reaching out to a new market. But you need investors to make it happen. When the bank isn’t an option, crowdfunding platforms can be a game-changer!

#5. Influence, and influence some more

Why be one of the many small fish when you can become a big fish in the digital pond? Becoming a social media influencer can catapult your business presence from unknown to the top of the list! Social media influencers play a huge role in business marketing strategies as you could build a source of income through your online presence. Growing your online influence can help getting noticed by big brands.

Freelancing tips image

Unsplash – CC0 Licence 

#6. Diversify your offer

If you’ve had to adapt your business services to the pandemic situation, you are probably aware that people’s needs have changed. Why not run market research to gain a better understanding of your post-pandemic audience. What do people in 2021 expect from the market and how can you make it happen? 

#7. Update your brand image

As they say, new year, new you. If you’ve been working with the same brand image for a long time, you could consider some minor tweaks and improvements to update it. A brand image update is not a rebranding project. Your brand remains recognisable to your customers. But it feels fresher and more dynamic. Brand update ideas include a professionally-taken profile photo, minor changes to the logo and brand guidelines, or even a new web design. 

#8. Start a podcast

We’ve all got a story to tell. Blogging is an effective tool to publish your words. However, the pandemic has created a sense of digital data overload. There’s too much everywhere all the time. People’s attention span has suffered dramatically. So, your heartfelt blog article could get unnoticed because it’s too long. But podcasts, on the other hand, give your words a new voice. And they’re super accessible, so it’s easy for your audience to relax and listen. Podcasts also serve a marketing purpose for small businesses, as they can be cost-effective to produce and release while promoting your expertise to a broad audience. What’s not to like? 

#9. Make a video

No, we don’t mean a filmed selfie that you upload on Instagram. We mean a professional video that shares your story and your business goals. There are plenty of professional video companies that can help you create a short introduction film that packs a lot of engaging content in a short time. Becoming a full-time video blogger – vlogger for short – is time-demanding and requires additional equipment. However, you can refresh your online presence with a short video that engages with web visitors. 

If you’ve got an extra marketing budget, you can also publish your video on advertising platforms, such as distributing it on the Google Display Network and Youtube. It can be helpful to define your target audience beforehand so that you’re only showing the video to the relevant target. 

#10. Get that LinkedIn Premium membership

LinkedIn offers two premium membership packages, for individuals and businesses. With a premium account, your business can expand its network by reaching out to more potential partners and peers. InMail messages are a smart and useful tool to boost your business awareness and find new opportunities. Not sure if that’s the right thing for you? You can try for free for a month. 

What’s your business strategy for 2021? Are you going to grow your social influence, expand your network, or deliver additional services to your customers? Whatever your goals, it’s time to seize the opportunities and make the most of the post-pandemic business environment. Small businesses and freelancers have been quicker to adjust than big brands. Make sure to maximise your chances while you can! 

 

 

14 Benefits of Investing in Your Health and Wellness

January 14, 2021 By in Lifestyle Tags: , , , , , 13 Comments

*Collaborative post.

If you’ve got health and wellness on your mind, you aren’t alone. Each year, millions of people choose to put more time and attention to their health and wellness routine.

It’s time to start investing in your health and wellness. Wondering why? Read on for our favorite benefits.

Benefits of Improving Your Diet

Benefits of Improving Your Diet picture

When it comes to health and wellness, diet is a go-to for many. While some may have been taught healthy eating at a young age, not all are so lucky. Here are a few of the many benefits of improving your diet:

1. Feel good: Have you ever eaten an unhealthy meal and felt sluggish? That’s probably because you aren’t getting the nutrients you need. When you eat nutritious fruits, vegetables, healthy proteins, and whole grains, your body gets the nutrients it needs to function. Combine these foods with all-natural, organic CBD oil and a multivitamin for the optimal dose of nutrients.

2. Stronger immune system: Those same nutrients your body needs to help you feel good also help your immune system. Foods rich in protein, like eggs, chicken, and turkey, and antioxidants like berries, purple cabbage, and bell peppers, give your immune system a boost.

3. Better gut health: No one likes tummy troubles. It turns out that consuming foods that are rich in probiotics, like yogurt, kimchi, and miso, in tandem with plenty of fiber can help protect your gut. That means more regular and healthier bowel movements.

4. Improved memory: Studies show that foods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids like salmon and avocado can protect your brain against memory loss and potentially even dementia.

5. Stronger bones: As a kid, you were probably told that milk would make your bones stronger. That’s because it’s rich in calcium, which is central to bone health. You can get calcium from plenty of other foods, like broccoli, cauliflower, legumes, and more.

Benefits of Regular Exercise

Benefits of Regular Exercise picture

Do you exercise for at least 30 minutes each day? If not, you may want to start. Here’s what exercise can do for you:

6. Improved mood: Exercise releases endorphins, a key chemical in making you feel good. Additionally, regular exercise has been proven to increase your brain’s sensitivity to serotonin, the chemical that makes you happy.

7. Stronger muscles: It’s a no-brainer that working out makes your muscles stronger. But fewer people know why that matters. Muscle strength is extremely important as we age. It keeps us upright, retains our posture, and protects us against injuries.

8. Stronger bones: Turns out, regular exercise can make your bones stronger, too. Just like calcium, it helps improve your bone density. This can protect you from osteoporosis as you age.

9. Smoother skin: Did you know that regular exercise can also improve your skin? The main component of visible aging is oxidative stress. This occurs when your body doesn’t have enough antioxidants to repair oxidative stress on your cells from free radicals. Regular exercise improves your production of antioxidants, which help prevent excessive oxidative stress.

10. Better sleep: Couldn’t we all use better sleep? In addition to burning off extra energy, exercise can also reduce the stress and anxiety that keeps us up at night.

Benefits of Mental Health Care

Mental health is the most oft-forgotten component of overall health and wellness. Fortunately, much work has been done to destigmatize mental health care. Here’s why you should consider your mental health, too:

11. Better quality of life: In the process of taking care of your mental health, you’ll tackle problems that make your life feel harder and less worthwhile. Once you start to address these problems, you’ll find that your quality of life improves.

12. Stronger relationships: Not only can seeking help for your mental health give you the opportunity to address problems in your relationships, but it will help you make more room in your life for nurturing your relationships, too.

13. Better sleep: Mental health care is another tool that can help you sleep better. By addressing and working through the problems you face, you’ll find that you have less racing thoughts that keep you up at night.

14. Improved concentration: Without so many thoughts and issues on your mind, your concentration and focus will improve dramatically.

These 14 benefits of investing in your health show just how important it is to take care of your body to feel better, be more productive, and live a more rewarding life.

 

4 Ways to Improve Your Mental and Physical Health in Lockdown

January 13, 2021 By in Lifestyle Tags: , , , , 2 Comments

*Collaborative post.

4 Ways to Improve Your Mental and Physical Health in Lockdown picture

Pixabay

With lockdowns in place all over the globe, millions of people are confined to their homes. Although these measures were introduced to protect everyone from a deadly virus, there are signs that lockdown is having a hugely detrimental effect on people’s health.

With outdoor exercise limited and gyms closed, many are finding it hard to maintain a healthy level of physical activity. People are spending more time in a sedentary state, watching TV and working from home and this is inevitably going to be harmful to people’s health. Recent evidence has shown that people’s eyesight is suffering from the increased screen time caused by lockdown too. But perhaps the greatest risk is to people’s mental health. As a species, we are not designed to be kept in a confined space, shut off from others, and worrying about the future. Gloomy news headlines and social media debates only make things worse, and it looks like little will change in the immediate future.

Therefore, it is of paramount importance that you do what you can to protect your health in this difficult time. Though you may be stuck at home, as long as you are proactive, you can keep an eye on your physical and mental wellbeing to stay as fit and healthy as possible. Here are four tips to help you.

Limit your technology use

When you’re stuck indoors with nothing to do, it’s easy to resort to watching TV and staring at your phone. Although you might be initially pleased by the prospect of finally catching up with your favorite series, too much time on devices is bad for you. Try to cut down the amount of time you spend online, and turn off your phone a couple of hours before bed to protect your sleep. It may be worth investing in some special glasses that block blue light. These blue blockers will help you sleep better at night and protect your mental health.

Make the most of your time outdoors

Despite lockdown, everyone is still entitled to time outdoors, whether for exercise or buying groceries. Even if you have no urgent need to leave the house, you should make the most of this freedom. Try to get outside every day, whether for a walk, run, or bike ride. As long as you are careful, there is no harm in it, and your mental health will benefit enormously.

Eat well

What you put into your body has a tremendous impact on your overall health. If you are continually buying greasy takeaways and eating junk food, you are doing great harm to your body. Buy fresh ingredients every time you go shopping, and learn to cook some delicious healthy meals.

Exercise indoors

As well as your allotted daily exercise, there is no limit to the amount of time you can spend working out at home. And the best bit is, you don’t need any equipment to get started. Just find a free online workout video and follow the instructions. You’ll be sweating in no time!

 

 

 

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