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If you’re well aware that consumer habits have shifted dramatically as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic and are interested in discovering innovative ways to increase your sales figures, simply continue reading. As you’ll discover how your businesses can thrive post lock-down and better engage with their customers.

Convince your customers that specific items are scarce:

Psychology studies into consumer habits have proven that if your customers believe that certain items are scarce, the items in question will sell out in a short space of time. As humans are hardwired to believe that scarce items are more desirable and that if items are low in stock, they should be purchased straight away, in order to avoid disappointment.

One way to convince your customers that particular items are scarce is to inform your online customers that there are only a few items of a particular product, in stock. For example, on a product page of a product that you’d like to sell, you may want to inform your customers that there are only 3 more in stock.

Run special promotions in order to entice customers to increase their spending with your business:

Recent psychology studies have also shown that consumers are far more likely to spend more money with a business, if they are promised a free reward. So you may want to think about offering your customers a free gift with purchases over a certain amount. As human beings love getting something for “nothing” and will jump at the chance to take up a free gift with purchase promotion.

Film product reviews in order to encourage your customers to shop with your business:

When it comes to business, the saying show don’t tell is still as valid, post lockdown as it ever was. In fact, as many individuals disposable income has been directly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. So now, more than ever, potential customers are far more interested in purchasing products that they are confident will work, over products that they haven’t seen demonstrated.

One of the simplest ways to show your customers that your business’ products work is to film product reviews and demonstrations of your products in action. Which you’ll then be able to start promoting on your business’ social media accounts.

Align your business with a carefully chosen cause:

Another way to positively impact the way that customers see your brand is to align your business with a carefully chosen cause. Which your business’ target audience cares about. Some examples of causes which could appeal to your business’ demographic include the Black Lives Matter movement and cancer research. If you’re unsure of the causes which are important to your target shoppers, simply use a survey to find out more information about your customers.

Choose music which your customers will relate to:

Choose your business’ playlists carefully. In order to include tracks that appeal to your target demographic.

So if you’re looking to increase your sales post lockdown, it’s a great idea to get started by incorporating all of the business strategies which are listed above into your business plan.

The world of web development is always changing. Each year, new trends emerge that touch on innovation and provide an even more immersive experience for your users. Now that we’re well into 2020, we’re starting to see some great web development trends of 2020 that are shaping the digital space and transforming the way that businesses conduct their activities online.

From artificial intelligence to mobile-focused strategy, it’s important to stay on top of these trends to make sure your website is always ready to leverage growth and conversions.

Here are the top web development trends of 2020 your business should leverage for the rest of the year and well into 2021. Many of these trends can easily be implemented with the help of a knowledgeable web development team.

Chatbots

Last year, the world of web development saw the rise in the use of chatbots, and these numbers have only been growing since then. Chatbots are AI-powered automated messaging systems you can implement on your website to interact with your customers instantly, especially when an agent isn’t available at that moment.

Your customers demand answers, no matter what time of the day it is. The traditional business hours don’t really apply online, especially if you operate an ecommerce business. According to statistics, 50% of customers expect an online business to be open 24/7, while 69% of customers prefer chatbots because they provide instant answers. Further, many people prefer to interact with your business online instead of calling.

A chatbot is an effective way to give your customers answers right away to the most common questions, and it’s not super costly to get up and running. When implementing this function, be sure to include an escalate to agent option that can connect them to a real person if they have a very specific question.

Progressive Web Apps

Research for 2020 indicates that more mobile users prefer using a progressive web app (PWA) than a mobile responsive website. A PWA is a website or a page that utilizes APIs to create an app-like experience for users who view your website on their smartphones or tablets. It will make your user feel like they’re using an app, without having to make the effort to download one from the app store and use up storage space on their phone.

Photo Credit: https://unsplash.com/photos/m_HRfLhgABo

Building a PWA is also a faster and more cost-effective way to give your users a mobile-based experience without building an actual app. You can collect plenty of data this way that helps tailor the experience to increase conversions and overall traffic.

Mobile Focused Design

If you don’t have the budget to build a PWA or mobile app, you need to make sure that your website is mobile responsive and tailored to mobile users. This is a trend that has been stressed for years now, but it’s more relevant than ever in 2020. Here are some current and emerging technologies you can leverage to increase mobile conversions:

• Accelerated mobile pages (AMPs): This is a key tool for creating an effective and mobile user-friendly experience in today’s world. Essentially, AMPs use HTML code to help your pages load faster and smoother on mobile than your regular web pages, so mobile users can get that instant gratification they’re already used to. As a bonus, AMPs can help improve your SEO rank because Google tends to favour websites that have quick load times.
• Text/SMS Marketing: Email marketing still works, but you can reach your customers faster if you implement a text marketing system. People are always on their phone, so your message can reach them more directly by SMS (especially for those who don’t always use their mobile data for Internet browsing) instead of waiting until they check their email.
• Mobile Push Notifications: Another way to leverage your mobile experience is to use push notifications for smartphones. This is a great way to reach those mobile users directly, while allowing them to forgo having to input their credentials in your site (like their email) to get updates on their favourite products.

Voice Search Optimization

More households are using devices like Google Home and Alexa to perform their daily activities, from listening to music to stocking up on household supplies. As these devices become more affordable, this trend has only continued to rise in 2020. Everything is about convenience, and it’s much easier to say, “Hey Google, search for pet supplies” from your couch than it is to open up your phone, open Google, and type in your search query.

Voice search optimization is a little different than your typical SEO strategy because people speak commands differently than they type them. A good web developer can integrate web speech API to work with voice data to give your website a stronger search presence in all areas.

Key Takeaways

No matter which of these web development trends of 2020 you decide to implement for your own business, here are some important points to keep in mind:

• Customer service will always be a priority, no matter what technology you use.
• Mobile experience is essential for the success of any online business.
• Be prepared for the continuous growth of AI and AI-based technologies.
• Today’s users love instant gratification, so give them what they crave.

Keeping track of your income and expenses is essential as it allows you to manage your wealth efficiently. It is a good idea to know how you are spending your money and the benefits you are driving from making these expenses. Everyone has a limited pool of wealth resources that they have to use to incur their everyday costs. Some people use them efficiently by spending on things that give the most benefits.

In contrast, others make arbitrary decisions without forethought resulting in an empty bank account before the end of the month. The difference between the two groups is in the planning and budgeting. It is vital to know beforehand about your cashflows, so you have ample time to make adjustments or look for alternatives.

Making a budget is not that of a challenging task, but there are hundreds of apps and financial services that will not only aid you in managing your expenses, but they also guide you to make smart investments from your wealth pool. Financial assistance apps and services undoubtedly help you in making more intelligent decisions about managing your wealth but beware of the risks involved.

Not all finance services out there genuinely want to help you grow, some of the heinous ones want to make quick profits for themselves by looting from unsuspecting customers. It is, therefore, imperative to look for finance reviews that are left by clients using these apps.

Most importantly, do not try an app or an unlisted service that has no reviews on the internet. It is risky, at best, to try these companies. Always go for a trusted financing service that has plenty of five-star ratings and reviews. It ensures that you are not scammed unknowingly. Among the financial assistance you can find in the market, the three most important categories are savings, investments, and speculative apps.

Savings

These services give you an insight into your spending habits and help you make smarter decisions. According to a survey, an average person wastes a substantial amount of his income on entirely unnecessary things. By choosing to go for financial services, you can reduce this useless dissipation of your wealth, thereby increasing your total spendable income.

Investments

Besides reducing your expenses, financial apps and services will help you make smarter investments that have a higher degree of return associated with them. Moreover, you can significantly decrease your risk by going for tried methods of financing. The good idea is to reduce unnecessary expenses and then invest them intelligently to multiply your savings over time. Do not go for untested services that promise huge returns on small investments. If there were such a scheme, people would have already concentrated the market, and you would have ample reviews to decide on the legitimacy of such a claim.

Speculation

Speculative financial services excel in predicting future market trends. They study the market in-depth and anticipate its direction in the future. It is an excellent idea to analyze the patterns of stocks and commodities in the market and then, based on your analysis, or that of your trusted service, make investments in stocks that show rising trends.

When it comes to the wellness industry, there are many new brands and products competing for business. The most recent numbers show that the global wellness industry is valued at an explosive $4.5 trillion. Not only that, but the market is still growing. Between 2015 and 2017, the industry grew by 6.4 percent annually, showing that more and more dollars are being spent in this sector. Despite all this new growth and competition, some companies have been staples in the industry for decades and stand out against the competition. HiLife Vitamins is one of those companies. It has remained an essential business since it was founded in 1971, while plenty of others have fallen by the wayside, and here’s why.

A massive inventory

HiLife Vitamins has a massive inventory of vitamins and supplements, meaning customers can turn to them as a one-stop-shop. HiLife Vitamins currently stocks more than 5,000 products from trusted and tested brands. This wide selection is appealing to consumers, who know they can trust HiLife Vitamins will have what they’re looking for. Plus, consumers know these are reliable brands, which are worth their dollars. Some of these top brands and products include:

• Bluebonnet: Founded on the principle of offering the cleanest, purest and most natural supplements available
• Lifetrients Speak Supplement: Formulated to improve cognitive function and support neurological health in children
• Life Extension Natural Appetite Suppress: A natural supplement designed to quell hunger and keep you full
• Megafood: Supplements crafted with real foods and added nutrients

Aside from these products, HiLife Vitamins has vitamins and supplements for a wide array of topics such as heart health, digestion, memory, blood pressure, and weight loss, as well as many herbs, and doctor recommended products.

A user-friendly website

A key way HiLife Vitamins has remained essential since 1971 is by making an effective shift towards ecommerce. Their website is filled with thousands of products, yet it is effectively organized, so customers can easily find the product they’re looking for. When adapting to the era of digital shopping, many companies which had been around for decades struggled to adjust to the changes. HiLife Vitamins has proven to be a timeless and essential institution, by easily adapting to the digital era.

Fast and easy shipping

HiLife Vitamins makes it easy and affordable to get their many vitamins and supplements delivered to your door. HiLife Vitamins offers free domestic shipping for orders over $49, making their thousands of products readily available to customers. With this, HiLife Vitamins is a competitive alternative to other supplement shopping options. Despite having a large inventory, HiLife Vitamins has the touch and feel of a small company, and it’s easy to get in contact with them. HiLife Vitamins has a phone line, which you can call between 9AM and 7PM. There’s also an email address customers can use to reach out to HiLife Vitamins any time.

When it comes to your business, the bottom line is always going to be profit. And to understand profit, you have to look at all of your finances. But, after you’ve grown your business to a certain point, who is really controlling those finances? You may have had a very good idea when you were the sole proprietor of a business idea, but as the concept has expanded, you can very quickly lose track of revenue and expenses. Depending on the size of your company, this realization may come sooner than later.

So, within the construct of your current business environment, who is in charge of controlling the finances? There is a chief financial officer to consider. There is someone who is known as the Comptroller. And, to a degree, the board of directors of a company will also have a dynamic say into how finances are used. Again, this is all context-based, and the size of a company has a great deal of influence.

The CFO

Even in a small business, there is going to be someone designated as the chief financial officer. This is the person who is in charge of the money. Their primary purpose in that role is to understand where the money is coming from and where the money is going. They handle the part of the business plan that recognizes all of the revenue and expenses that go into day-to-day operations and long-term endeavors. Without someone in a CFO role, your profitability will take a big hit because you have no way of analyzing all of the information coming through.

The Controller

Another essential person when it comes to your business finances is the controller. If you’ve ever wondered what a controller does, you may have to look at larger companies that have one or more people in this position. A controller is essentially the head of a financial Department, and they are the person who reports directly to the CFO. There can be controllers over different departments, and the organizational structure of a particular company or Corporation will determine how many of these people there are and what their specific tasks will be.

The Board of Directors

You may read the news that suggests the power of the board of directors to alter the financial direction of a company. After a company goes public, the board of directors is a group of people who are gathered to represent the interests of the shareholders and other stakeholders. Though in many cases, the work that this board does is not exactly transparent, the time, effort, energy, and resources they bring to a company is invaluable.

There are some issues when a board of directors does not necessarily navigate company policy very well. In those cases, the actual stakeholders in a company can adjust who the board of directors are. The board of directors also can hire and fire different high ranking positions within a company structure. The checks and balances are fascinating.

Crowdfunding has transformed the way entrepreneurs get their ideas off the ground and has made jump-starting ventures much more realistic. Now, it’s very possible for an idea to go viral, explode with traction, and receive tons of backing, thanks to crowdfunding, and entrepreneurs and investors alike have been taking notice of how successful it can be. But because the industry is so saturated with ideas, entrepreneurs want to make sure they’re going about their crowdfunding campaign the right way, from the get-go. As the Vice President of Marketing for InventureX, Mark Campbell understands just how much nuance can go into crowdfunding. InventureX is the #1 crowdfunding agency, helping entrepreneurs succeed in their crowdfunding campaigns. In the past, Campbell has shared some crowdfunding marketing secrets. Now, he’s diving into 4 elements all successful crowdfunding campaigns should have.

Be as prepared as possible

When it comes to crowdfunding, Campbell says you can tell which campaigns are well thought out, and which ones have been thrown together at the last minute, by inexperienced entrepreneurs. You want to be as prepared as possible before going live with your campaign. Weeks or months can go into planning just the launch of a crowdfunding campaign alone, and if you feel you’re not ready, you shouldn’t launch your campaign.

Have high-quality digital assets

In the digital era, there’s nearly nothing more important than having high quality end eye-catching digital assets, according to Campbell. InventureX has its own in-house studio, StudioX, responsible for photo and video shoots. Campbell feels this is an invaluable part of launching a crowdfunding campaign, and that digital assets are key to showcasing the project you’re looking to crowdfund.

Identify and hit your target audience

When launching a crowdfunding campaign, you don’t want to waste time, money, and energy, trying to market to the incorrect audience, says Campbell. Identifying your target audience is key to having your venture successfully crowdfunded. For example, at InventureX, they do a lot of that legwork for their entrepreneurs. That way, Campbell says, they’re making sure their projects are hitting the right audiences and getting successfully funded.

Know that you can transform your idea into reality

According to Campbell, being an entrepreneur takes a lot of guts, but it also comes with a lot of ups and down. One element to success every entrepreneur needs to remember is that with crowdfunding, it truly is possible to transform your idea into reality. Getting the funding to launch your venture is not impossible, and on the contrary, you have the ability to tap into a massive reach. The trick is knowing how to work the world of crowdfunding to your advantage.

About InventureX

InventureX is the #1 crowdfunding agency, helping entrepreneurs launch and successfully fund their ventures. More than 350 entrepreneurs have successfully crowdfunded their projects, thanks to InventureX. More than 85% of entrepreneurs who work with InventureX hit or surpass their crowdfunding goals. For entrepreneurs who are interested in working with InventureX, the agency will conduct a free review of your project.