When an employee does a good job, it's only natural that you want to show your appreciation. But it's important to be careful about how you express yourself. You can't go up to an employee and say something like, "Oh wow! You did such a great job on this project. I love you so much!" and give him or her a hug. You need to tone it down — a lot. Avoid a potentially awkward situation by using one of our suggestions to let your employees know how much you appreciate them.
Take Your Employees to Lunch Everyone loves food. So why not take your employees to lunch as a sign of appreciation? If an employee does a good job on a special project, reward him or her with lunch — just make sure you listen more than you talk so he or she can tell you really care. Do you have a team that's been exceeded expectations lately? Take them out to lunch. It's a great way to get out of the office and bond with other team members in a more casual atmosphere. Celebrate Small Accomplishments If you only celebrate the big accomplishments, your employees might not realize just how much the job they do matters. Consider sending monthly recap emails that feature all of the good things that happened within your company the previous month — make sure to do a shout out to anyone who has done an above-average job. If you have the time, consider having a small celebration for employees. It doesn't have to be anything extravagant. You could simply have a small lunch buffet on-site or have a sundae bar after normal lunch hours — you provide the ice cream and toppings and your employees can decide what type of sundae they want. Start an Employee of the Month Program Implement an Employee of the Month program that rewards exceptional work. Let your employees nominate each other for the award. Then, make an announcement at the beginning of the month telling everyone who gets the honor of being Employee of the Month. Be sure to include a reward with your announcement. A gift card or small plaque would work well. Remember, you don't have to have some elaborate celebration to show your employees how much you care. If done consistently, little signs of appreciation go a long way.
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If you're like many professionals, you spend a significant portion of your day sitting at a desk. According to research, that's a problem.
In fact, multiple studies have linked a sedentary lifestyle with an increased risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and even cancer. Not surprisingly, sitting all day is associated with an increased risk of weight gain and obesity. Fortunately, even if you have a desk job, you may not be desk-bound. Standing desks are becoming an increasingly popular choice among office workers, offering a host of benefits. Reduces Lower Back Pain Sitting for hours puts a lot of stress on the body. If you suffer from back and leg pain, then you've likely noticed that the longer you sit, the more uncomfortable you feel. According to a study conducted by the CDC in 2011, standing can reduce back pain by 54 percent. Standing also promotes better circulation, helping to prevent leg pain. Prevents Neck Strain and Decreases Headaches If you're sitting in front of a computer monitor all day, then you probably find yourself straining your neck towards your monitor. This causes your spine to curve into a "C" shape, which has both short-term and long-term problems like disc damage, shoulder pain, pain in your neck, and headaches. When you stand, you restore a healthy "S" shape to your spine, reducing pain through your back, neck, and head. Boosts Energy Standing burns more calories and requires that the body put forth more energy, but that doesn't mean that your energy levels will take a hit. In fact, because standing promotes better circulation and allows your body to take in more oxygen, you feel better for longer. Simply standing while you work can give you the energy boost equal to a cup of coffee, without the crash that comes later. Improves Productivity Unsurprisingly, that energy boost leads to greater productivity. A study conducted by the Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Public Health showed that just by standing rather than sitting, office workers can improve their productivity by as much as 46 percent. It's Part of a Robust Wellness Program Many employers have recognized that implementing a wellness program that support workers' physical and mental health not only creates a better work environment, but it can help reduce out-of-control healthcare costs, employee absenteeism, and diminished productivity. Transitioning to standing desks can drastically cut down on the number of hours that employees spend sitting, helping to prevent serious health problems. These are just a few of the many benefits that standing desks provide for office workers. While there are special considerations that need to be made (for example, hours of standing in place can result in foot and joint problems) making this transition and reducing the number of hours that you or your employees spend sitting is a simple way to boost morale and promote a healthy lifestyle. If you're company has staff meetings, you know all too well how quickly these regular meetings can become boring, unproductive, and a real drag on employee morale. The good news is that with a little creativity, you can transform your typical meetings into original, exciting events that deliver real results for your business.
Here's some tips you can use to make your next meeting more productive and original: Try Standing Up With the growing awareness about the health hazards of sitting for long periods, more and more companies are looking for ways to get their employees out of their chairs while on the job - that's why standing meetings are quickly becoming the norm at a number of companies. According to Neal Taparia, Co-CEO of Image Easy Solutions, making the switch to standing meetings not only gave their employees a health boost, but it also cuts the amount of time spent in meetings by 25 percent. Taparia observed that standing during meetings helped to eliminate typical distractions, such as the temptation to use a handheld electronic device, which in turn made the meetings more productive. Change The Venue Another way to make your next meeting more original is to get outside of the boardroom and head to another venue, whether that's a different office, coffee shop, or local park. Switching up the routine by meeting somewhere that's out of the norm is a great way to re-set your staff team and give everyone a much-needed change in their daily work lives. If your company budget allows, consider holding a meeting at a local restaurant - many have private rooms that can be blocked off for events. Another option is to blend your meeting with a team-building event like a game of mini-putt, bowling, or other fun activity. Bring In A Guest Guest speakers can add a fresh perspective, transforming your typical meeting into an event. Look for guests who your team might not normally have the chance to meet in person, such as a supplier who you only speak with on the phone, or a customer who uses your products or services on a regular basis. Wondering how to transform social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter into powerful marketing tools for your business?
If you're like most small-to-medium business owners, you know that your clients, customers, and prospects are already spending a significant amount of their day browsing through their social media feeds, but did you know exactly how much time? Recent studies reveal that the average American consumer spends about 5 hours per day on their mobile device, and half that screen time involves social media sites. This makes social media an obvious place to focus your marketing efforts, however, chances are good you either don't have the time or the know-how it takes to manage multiple social media feeds - that's where automation can help. Social Media Made Simple With Automation Services There's a number of online tools and services designed to make social media management simple and stress-free for companies, providing you with a seamless, worry-free way to attract and retain your online audience. Some of the most well-known social media automation apps for businesses include Hootsuite, SproutSocial, and Buffer. While the features vary slightly between each product, each one is designed to give you a one-stop interface that allows you to quickly monitor all of your social media accounts at once, schedule posts, and track tags and mentions. Social media automation tools also provide advanced features like analytics that allow you to track which posts are most popular, monitor for negative comments, and link with other apps like YouTube Analytics. Turn Your Blog Into A Newsletter Another valuable way to increase the ROI of your social media efforts is turning the content in your blog into a newsletter that you can share through your feeds and distribute through your email list. Transforming your blog into an email newsletter is simple using the five steps outlined by the Content Marketing Institute here. Share Content From Industry Experts Social media isn't all about you and your business - it's about sharing content that supports your messaging and aligns with your brand. Look for opportunities to pass on information about your industry on your social media feeds. Not only does sharing relevant content save on the volume of unique content you need to create, but it also helps to position your business as a subject matter expert in your field. Maybe you've heard the value of word-of-mouth advertising; according to Nielsen ratings, 92% of consumers trust their friends' and family's recommendation over traditional advertising. That doesn't mean you can simply sit back and assume that the quality of your product is so much better than your competition's that customers will be raving about it to their friends without any extra effort on your part.
We want you to get the answers you need to the questions that will grow your business. How can you turn satisfied customers into loyal repeat visitors? How can you get customers to become promoters, so impressed with their experience with your product or service that they can't wait to tell everyone they know? The answer is a little trick called customer engagement. Increasing Customer Engagement For hospitality businesses like hotels and sit-down restaurants, it's easier to craft a lasting user experience because your guests spend more time in your establishment. For people who own retail stores and quick-service restaurants, however, it's a little more complicated. Your customers only spend a little time interacting with your business, no more or less than they do with your competitors, so customer engagement turns into a war for the attention of patrons whose time in your location is fleeting at best. It's one thing to make a purchase that you're satisfied with — it's a whole other ballpark when trying to create a lasting impression. That's why customer experience matters so much. And for businesses that don't have the advantage of having their customers' full attention, creativity is key to creating a lasting experience without actually getting to spend significant time with the customer in question. How Much Does User Experience Matter? This theory is far from unfounded. According to a study from the White House Office of Consumer Affairs, 80% of consumers said they would pay more for a better experience. This means engaging with customers in and outside of your brick & mortar establishment, creating a friendly interaction between your brand and your customers. Take Chik-fil-A, for example. When the chicken chain first opened, the founder had a firm idea of what he wanted the experience of the restaurant's guests to be. Every cashier says something like "my pleasure" or "have a nice day". People crave this type of friendly encounter with customer service pros and will go out of their way to get it. But what about when customers aren't in the physical confines of your store? Then it pays to use digital marketing tactics that give your brand a personality. Make sure your company twitter account is interacting with people in a positive way, whether you're responding to requests or complaints or simply about promotions your business is running. Personalize your emails with a survey that shows that your brand truly wants to get to know the customer and their tastes. The Bottom Line When you become more than just a faceless brand, and something like a helpful companion, dare we say even a friend, to your customers, that's when they'll be inclined to recommend you to their peers, friends, and family. That's the process of turning a customer into a loyal promoter. David Aaker is well-known for his expertise in marketing and his ability to help businesses thrive and exceed their goals. His branding concepts, including identifying customer's interests and creating a community or story around those interests has made him an icon in the business world. In a constantly evolving marketplace, David Aaker's work can teach us to develop strong leadership in the workplace.
Business owners of all sizes rely on Mr. Aaker's expertise and training to improve their marketing, but he doesn't stop there. David Aaker recommends training the entire workplace, from sales people to accountants, to obtain top results. Seven Tips to Be Better People in Business
David Aaker helps companies and their employees improve their leadership skills. The Chamber provides resources to help your company reach it's full potential within our community. Stop in or call to learn more about our workshops and meetings. Everyone likes to save money. Some save it in an account. Some save it under the mattress. But, if you could save money, while actually spending money. Counter-intuitive right? Well, we here at the Chamber of Commerce would like to show you this wonderful way of saving money. If you have just a little patience, you can save hundreds and possibly thousands every year. So, shall we start saving money?
The secret to saving money while shopping is not clipping a whole bunch of coupons. No, the secret is to have patience, and by items at end of each season. Then, if you insist, clip those coupons and save even more money. Best Things Wait Until Spring to Buy Home Gym Equipment - With more people doing their workouts outside, due to warmer weather, manufacturers are eager to get rid of excess inventory. Boats - It's offseason for boats and manufacturers want this big-ticket item off the books. Cruises - Prices fall dramatically between January and March. Ski & Snowboarding Equipment – We're pretty no one is hitting the slopes. Don't buy spring fashion, furniture or new cars. Wait Until Summer and Save Big Large Appliances – Manufactures are preparing for gear up in the fall. School Supplies, TV's and Electronics - Prices drop in preparation for markups for Fall and Christmas. Automobiles - With new models soon debuting in the fall, you could save 15 percent or more. Don't buy suits and accessories, FYI weddings are the most expensive in Summer Prices on These items Will Fall in the Fall Patio Furniture - As the temperature cools, so do the prices. Lawn Mowers - The grass is no longer growing and neither are the prices. Grills - the Bar-B-Cue season is unfortunately gone, but so are the markups. Try to get your Christmas shopping done because the markups and crowds are coming to town. Winter Wonderland of Price Cuts Most of the things that you would buy in the Winter, should probably wait until after Christmas. After Christmas, they are generally steep, steep markdowns, as manufacturers race to get products off their books, in preparation for the following year's taxes. Sports Equipment - Home gyms are out, gym memberships are in. New Cars - The last week features the years best pricing on vehicles. Clothing – You could see mark-downs as much as 70 or 80 percent. Here at The Chamber, we hope that these shopping tips will keep you shopping -- but more importantly saving -- throughout the year! Major disasters like earthquakes, acts of terror, and widespread power outages, though relatively rare, can have a devastating impact on your business. However, even more common and seemingly less detrimental emergencies like burst pipes, electrical fires, or server failure can have a surprisingly crippling effect. Many companies have a plan in place for worst-case scenario but neglect to put a plan in place for the small-scale crises that threaten businesses every day.
Having a disaster preparation plan can mean the difference between keeping your business up and running, even when the unexpected happens, or being forced to close up shop for days or even weeks while you recover from an emergency. Here are a few steps to take to create an effective disaster preparation plan. Understand What Threats Your Business Faces Unless you evaluate the types of situations that are a threat to your business and the potential costs of responding to them, you can't create a workable disaster preparation plan. A risk assessment and a business impact analysis can help you understand whether or not you could even recover from a given disaster, how long it would take for your business to recover, and what costs you would face if operations went down. Create an Action Plan A robust action plan will make provision for a variety of emergencies, including life safety (bomb threat, active shooter, or chemical spill), severe weather or environmental disasters, a problem with your supply chain, and any other types of emergencies that may be specific to your industry or geographic region. Train Your Staff No matter how well-rounded and carefully thought out your disaster preparation plan may be, if your employees don't understand what is expected of them in an emergency, your plan won't benefit anyone. Take the time to talk about your disaster preparation plan and run drills to ensure that your staff knows what to do if the unexpected should happen. Fine Tune Your Plan As you're going through training exercises and drills, you may identify what works and what doesn't. Make tweaks to your plan to streamline your processes and update it as procedures change. Consider Your Supply Chain While your disaster preparation plan should focus on crises that your business could face, you don't want to forget to consider disasters that could face those in your supply chain. For example, if one of your main suppliers goes down, you don't want to assume that they have a system in place to ensure that their buyers receive their products and services without interruption. A disaster at a supplier could pose a significant problem for your own operations, so developing a business continuity plan is important. Monitor for Threats In the event of a disaster, minutes matter. As much as possible, monitor for oncoming threats so that you can respond appropriately and as efficiently as possible. Emergency planning can seem like an overwhelming task, but having an organized approach and taking it one step at a time can ensure that your business is able to weather nearly any disaster. Whether you're next business trip involves catching a flight, boarding a train, or heading out on a road trip, packing everything you need in a single carry-on can cut costs and reduce stress while you're away from home.
Start With The Right Suitcase Whether you're a frequent flier or not, a high-quality, airline-approved carry-on suitcase is a smart investment for any business traveler. Most airlines strictly limit carry-on sizes to bags measuring no greater than 22" x 14" x 9" - any bigger and you'll be looking at checked baggage fees and the inevitable delays that come with airport luggage carousels. Look for one that has wheels and a pop-up handle that can do double-duty as a briefcase holder during those long treks through the terminal, parking lot, or hotel hallways. Choose Neutral Colors Packing a high-quality black (or neutral) business suit will give you the perfect base to build all your outfits on during your trip. During the day, wear the entire suit with a simple button-down business shirt, then pair the pants with either a casual dress shirt (for men) or a blouse (for women) to wear in the evening so you won't need to pack multiple pairs of matching shoes. Stick with black socks, and use ties and lightweight silk scarves to add a touch of color without bringing along extra clothes. Pack Travel-Sized Personal Care Products Not only can regular-sized containers of hair care products, contact lens solution, and beauty creams take up a lot of room in your luggage, but there's strict limits on what you can take with you on a flight. Pack only TSA-approved travel-sized containers of any must-have toiletries, and remember, most hotels offer complimentary toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, and conditioner on request. Unless you need a specific brand, go ahead and leave those personal items at home. Ditch The Winter Boots If you're travelling to, from, or between destinations where boots are a must, consider investing in a pair of pack-able, waterproof winter overshoes. Lightweight and versatile, they're the perfect space-saving alternative to bulky boots, and they're designed to fit over both casual and business footwear. Wear Your Jacket Jackets can really eat up the limited space inside your carry-on bag - that's why we recommend wearing your coat or blazer while traveling. Not only will this leave more room inside your luggage, but your jacket can serve double-duty as a pillow in a pinch. Roll or Fold? Roll small items like underwear and socks so they can be tucked into small spaces in your bag. To pack dress shirts, first button them up, lay them front-down, and fold into thirds. Fold again horizontally, then roll tightly from the fold right up to the collar. Similarly, dress pants can also be rolled vertically - just be sure to keep the crease straight. Suit jackets are the exception - they should be carefully folded (not rolled) and packed last to minimize wrinkles. Limit Your Electronics Choose a single, multi-function laptop computer in lieu of multiple devices when traveling. Not only will this cut down of what you'll have to pack, but it'll reduce the risk that you'll loose your electronics while on the road. Storytelling is a major buzzword in the marketing industry these days, and it is an aspect of promoting your business that you cannot afford to ignore. Rather than focusing your marketing efforts on promoting your products or services, the new business model requires telling the story of your brand to help your customers feel connected to and engaged with your business. Follow these tips to do it right.
Stay True to Your Core When coming up with your "brand story," it is important to stay true to the foundation of your business. For example, if your company manufactures reusable water bottles, you wouldn't want your brand to be associated with anything that is disposable in nature. Instead, you would want to tell a story that coincides with sustainable values. Viewers these days are becoming more and more discerning in terms of the brands they choose to patronize, and they will immediately identify anything disingenuous. Tug at the Heartstrings Emotions are incredibly powerful when it comes to influencing consumer behavior, and your brand can use this fact to its advantage. People love seeing stories of triumph over adversity, personal growth and achievement, and giving back to the community, so try to incorporate these or similar storylines into your brand storytelling. Of course, any content you produce should still align with your company goals at the same time as telling your story. Generate Excitement The primary goal of brand storytelling is to get prospective customers excited about your brand. Whether you do this through associating with popular local events or by offering frequent promotions and discounts, the goal is to keep your customer base interested in your offerings and excited about buying from your company rather than your competitors. Aim for a high energy level in your marketing materials and branded content online so that your customers are excited to share your content with their friends and followers, helping to expand your reach even further. Tie in Your Company's Offerings At the end of the day, the ultimate purpose of brand storytelling is to attract new customers, and you can't accomplish this without letting people know what your company has to offer. With any content you create, whether it be blog posts, social media posts, advertisements or videos, there should almost always be an element that speaks specifically to your company's products or services. Without this critical aspect, your audience won't know why your brand is sharing its story. You need to help them make the connection between the story and your offerings. Overall, brand storytelling is about more than just selling products; it is about helping your customers to feel more connected to your business, increasing the likelihood that they will continue to buy your products or services in the future. Keep this end goal in mind at all times to help guide you in creating your brand story. With a bit of creativity and effort, you'll draw in customers and establish dedicated brand loyalty, setting your business up for ongoing success in the future. |
The Durango Chamber of Commerce
The Durango Chamber of Commerce is a membership-based organization that promotes and supports the local business community through communication, advocacy, education, leadership and financial viability. Archives
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