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Life Tips for Personal, Financial and Business Growth

Maxwell

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Why Customer Loyalty Programs Are Good for Your Business

The growth of the internet and comparison websites means that consumers can now quickly and easily find the cheapest and best deals for products. While this is good for consumers, it often means that businesses need to consistently find new ways to stand out and attract customers with imaginative products, enticing deals and sometimes cheaper prices.

Loyalty Program Types

Loyalty programs, however, are a popular method of attracting and maintaining customers. According to a Harris Interactive Poll performed for Transera, there are 2.6 billion loyalty program memberships in the U.S. There are different types of loyalty programs, but in general, they are a marketing system that offers rewards to customers for buying products. From the classic loyalty cards, popular with companies like Starbucks, which offer a free drink for a full set of stamps on a card, to niche-specific methods like online casinos’ no deposit bonus scheme, wherein you sign up at a new casino and you get an automatic bonus without paying anything at all, as shown on NoDeposit.ca.

But no matter what your sector, customer loyalty schemes are a very helpful marketing strategy to consider. There are many benefits to programs, and we’re going to look into some of them today.

Increase Customer Retention

Once a customer starts collecting loyalty points, for example, there is a strong incentive for them to return. If the customer is promised something free at the end of a circle of purchases, then they will likely consider that it is worthwhile to keep going back. If they go somewhere else, they risk being unsatisfied with the other product as well as missing out on a loyalty reward.  Customer retention is one of the most difficult tasks for businesses and therefore if a customer feels like there is a reward for going back, it increases their likelihood of doing so.

Once you’ve got your loyalty programs set up it’s crucial to advertise and catch the eye of customers. A simple yet effective way of doing this is by using digital signage for retail stores. Bespoke templates for retail are the easiest way to get set up with a very little cost to your business.

A Well-Known Success Rate

Customer loyalty schemes are a tried and tested method. Many companies provide it and it is incredibly popular. A 2016 study found that customers who are members of loyalty programs, garner between 12 and 18 percent more revenue than non-members. Even if a customer doesn’t return for a while, they may find their loyalty card in their purse or receive a customer email, which can remind them of the scheme and make a spontaneous decision to utilize it. Although the initial set-up can be difficult, there is a reason why it is popular – because it works.

The Feel-Good Factor

A study for KiteWheel reported that one in four consumers are frustrated when a company fails to recognize them as a past or current customer. When the customer has received their reward, it is often a very satisfying feeling, especially if the reward is worthwhile. By have a loyalty program, you are demonstrating that you are not just solely interested in making money, you want customers to feel valued and appreciated. This boosts the reputation of the company, builds a repour with the customer, which in turn, further increases the likelihood that the customer will come again and even spread the word to other people.

Once they are Set up, You Can Relax

Setting up such a system initially can sometimes be time-consuming because you need to undertake research into what type of scheme best suits your business and customers. But this is normal for any new feature of a business and is insignificant compared to the potential benefits, and thus, once it is set up, you can relax and watch the rewards come in.

Therefore, there are clearly numerous reasons to adopt a loyalty scheme. Boosting customer retention, building strong customer relations, strengthening your company’s reputation and standing out from the crowd. A great way all around.

Lax

Setting up such a system initially can sometimes be time-consuming because you need to undertake research into what type of scheme best suits your business and customers. But this is normal for any new feature of a business and is insignificant compared to the potential benefits, and thus, once it is set up, you can relax and watch the rewards come in.

Therefore, there are clearly numerous reasons to adopt a loyalty scheme. Boosting customer retention, building strong customer relations, strengthening your company’s reputation and standing out from the crowd. A great way all around.

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Four Ways Of Getting The Rustic Look In Your Home

From all the home trends that have been showing up in the past few years, the rustic style has been one of the most successful. The reason of its popularity is likely due to the way the style brings the outdoors in to your home for a gorses country charm. There are a number of ways of getting this aesthetic, so lets jump right in.

  1. Avoid Artificial Elements

To get the rustic look you need a house that reminds you of a rural environment. It is for this reason that you need to use natural materials that bring in the textures and colours of nature to your home. This would be stone and or wood for bigger pieces of furniture, and wool for rugs and blankets. Luckily, you don’t need a big budget to get this look. With the interior design market booming you can easily pick up accessories for next to nothing that all help to build the theme. Try potted plants for example as a small way of brining some life to a room.

  1. Colours

Colour is a very powerful tool when it comes to home decor, to get the rustic look you should go for earthy colours such as brown and beiges. Don’t be afraid of being too minimalistic, to create contrast you can mix shades of a same colour.  This can be easily done if you are using wood as a feature material as you can incorporate different shades and even species. For example a good way of doing it is using a lighter shade of wood for the floor, that will help to floorspace to look bigger, and use darker shades for your furniture.

  1. Flooring

Wooden floors are perfect for this style, but this doesn’t mean you need to go for solid wood. If this is to pricey for you, you can still get the wood look by using other materials. For instance, you could choose laminate flooring which uses synthetic materials but imitates real wood perfectly. It has also some benefits that solid wood flooring doesn’t. For example, laminate doesn’t expand or contract with temperature fluctuations and as a result you can install laminate with underfloor heating. You can also install it in places with higher moisture levels since this floor is highly water resistant.

  1. Textures

As previously mentioned, you should aim to use natural textures. As with the contrast of colours and wood, the same can be done for fabrics and textiles. A great example of this would be a wood floor with a woollen rug. The contrast between hard and soft gives a room that staple country atmosphere.

And there you have it, some bits of advice to get an amazing rustic house. Of course, it will all depend on yourself and your personal style, but we hope this will help you to give to your house the makeover you were seeking for.

 

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Best Places To Eat On Vacation In LA

If you’re headed to LA for a trip of a lifetime and want to dine out at some of LA’s most popular eateries, However, besides going to some of the most popular attractions, and making sure that you stay in one of the most reputable Los Angeles rental homes, we suggest you read this LA bucket list which include takeaway joints, bistros, cafes, salad bars and restaurants, has some Ideas to discover some of the best places to eat on a fun-filled LA-based vacation.

Best Places to eat on vacation in LA:

  1. In-and-Out Burger

In-and-Out Burger was founded in California in 1948 and is an LA institution. There is even an In-and-Out Burger restaurant situated across the road from LAX, Los Angele’s premier international airport. Why are you better off getting a burger, fries and chocolate milkshake from In-and-Out Burger, rather than an international franchise such as Mc Donalds?

What makes In-and-Out Burger stand out from its competition is that all of its food is made fresh, with none of the burger joint’s food arriving prepacked or frozen. If you visit, you should see employees hand cutting potato fries from whole potatoes on-site.

If you need another reason to check In-and-Out Burger out on your epic LA adventure, you may be tempted by the fact that numerous A-list celebrities rave about the popular takeaway joint. Examples of which include Armie Hammer, Selena Gomez, and Emma Roberts.

  1. Lemonade LA

As La natives are well known for their collective, healthy eating habits, LA boasts numerous eateries which offer fresh, mouthwatering, health-conscious fare. So if you’re interested in eating food which is both delicious it’s well worth heading to Lemonade LA, which offers yogurt based fruit smoothies, kale and edamame salads and curried cauliflower.

Lemonade LA also offers homemade lemonade in a wide array of flavors and colors. You can even order a pink lemonade. So if you’re looking to grab a bite to eat and a thirst quenching drink after a hike up Runyon Canyon or a busy day spent sightseeing, it’s well worth checking out one of Lemonade LA’s stores.

  1. Health Nut

While Health Nut is located in a shopping center in the San Fernando Valley and may not seem like anything special from a first glance, Health Nut is famous for its delicious salads and has a wide array of celebrity clients. Examples of whom include the Kardashian sisters who often eat Health Nut salads, on their reality shows, such as “Keeping Up With the Kardashians”.

If you’re not sure which salad to opt for, as Health Nut offers a wide selection of appetizing salads, you may want to start off with ordering a tasty Chinese Chicken Salad, which happens to be one of Kim and Khloe’s favorite salads. Alternatively, you may want to try out Kendall and Kylie Jenner’s favorite salad Health Nut’s Deluxe Salad. The latter of which features chow mein noodles, sunflower seeds, sesame dressing and pickled ginger.

  1. Disneyland

If you’re a foodie, it’s well worth visiting Disneyland as they offer a wide array of fun cuisine which includes Mickey Mouse shaped pretzels which are filled with cheese, sugar covered chocolate churros, key lime pie and Louisiana inspired gumbo. When it comes to grabbing a meal at Disney, there are so many tasty options available, that it pays to take a look around at the various eateries on offer before making a final decision.

Although if there’s one food which you have to try, it’s the pineapple Dole whip, which is served outside the Tiki Room and which is the perfect way to cool down after a hot day spent exploring Disneyland.

  1. Bubba Gump Shrimp Company

Bubba Gump Shrimp Company offers a wide array of LA locations to choose from, however, you can’t go wrong walking into the Bubba Gump restaurant which is located on the Santa Monica Pier. As Bubba Gump restaurants are themed around the movie “Forrest Gump”, which features a scene where Forrest Gump finishes an epic cross-country run at the end of the Santa Monica Pier.

One of the unique reasons to visit Bubba Gump’s is that at some point during your meal your server will ask you whether you’d like to take part in a “Forrest Gump”, themed quiz.

What kind of meals can you expect to order? While Bubba Gumps is famous for its seafood dishes such as shrimp and bacon potato bites and shrimp with salsa, it also offers vegetarian dishes. So if you’re a seafood lover, you’re bound to fall in love with Bubba Gump’s fare.

  1. Republique

If you love French cuisine and aren’t on a strict budget you may want to book a table at Republique, which is the top-rated French bistro and bakery in Los Angeles. Examples of some of the dishes which you may want to try include potato and leek beignets, foie gras torchon toast and tournedos rossini.

Alternatively, you may want to order a cheese platter, which will feature a wide variety of imported French cheeses, which are sure to cause your mouth to water.

  1. Nobu

Nobu is insanely busy so it’s well worth ringing ahead to book a reservation for your upcoming trip to LA. Nobu is named after it’s head chef Nobu Matsushita, who is a celebrity chef who is famed for his world-class Japanese cuisine.

However, what makes Nobu unique is that it specializes in fusion cooking and its menu blends Japanese fare with Peruvian fare, to offer food which you won’t taste anywhere else in the world but Nobu. If you only have time to visit once, make sure to order the black cod in miso, which is Nobu Matushita’s signature dish and one of Nobu’s most highly rated meals.

If you’re keen to try Nobu’s fare head to Nobu West Hollywood, Nobu Los Angeles or Nobu Downtown. All of which offer Nobu’s full menu of delectable dishes.

So if you’re headed to sunny Los Angeles and are looking to eat at as many of Los Angele’s top-rated eateries as possible on your short trip, it’s well worth heading to all 7 of the popular LA-based eateries listed above. Many of which only exist in Los Angeles and are sure to delight your taste buds!

 

 

 

 

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Top 3 Cultural Cities In The UK

The UK is a mass of sprawling metropolises, with culture from across the board bubbling away upon the streets of the city. But where has the greatest amount of culture in the UK – and where is worth trying to squeeze every ounce of this culture from.

London, England

No mention of culture in the UK is complete without taking a quick tube tour of London. From the Victorian architecture to the V&A Museum, the British Museum, the Natural History Museum, and the Tate art galleries, almost every step across London’s pavement is steeped in culture. The height of London’s culture has to be the history that the city keep alive – from the Tower of London to Westminster Palace to the Royal Botanical Gardens (all UNESCO heritage sites). But part of the culture of London comes from the melting pot of people that the city attracts. Waiting staff by day, the indie theatres, music venues, and watering holes are populated at night by those with talents showing off the culture they hope to offer in the future. London’s culture is too vast to isolate and is best explored.

Liverpool, England

This port city may not be most people’s initial thoughts when it comes to high culture, but the European Capital of Culture 2008 is looking to spend 2018 showing why it was crowned in the first place. A slate of activities to showcase the unique Merseyside charm and appeal, including celebrations of The Beatles, performances by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, and cash boosts for 14 of the city’s existing festivals. Liverpool is also known for it’s Aintree racecourse, which hosts the Grand National every April. As William Hill shows, the Grand National is a prestigious event that takes a glance at the sporting culture of the UK using the illustrious racecourse as a backdrop. Liverpool also boasts a waterway of culture with boat trips round the city that showcases the port history the city has to offer.

Edinburgh, Scotland

Heading up north, past Hadrian’s Wall and into bonny Scotland gives us another stop off on our cultural tour of the UK. Auld Reekie, as Edinburgh used to be known, has shifted its stinky image and replaced it with one of culture. From the Edinburgh Fringe to the King’s Theatre and Edinburgh Playhouse that showcase the delights beyond the wall, Edinburgh’s Golden Mile contains glimpses into its Celtic past. Edinburgh also boasts galleries and cultural landmarks such as the National Library of Edinburgh, the Nelson Monument, and the Scottish National Gallery. Just a short trip out of Scotland is the Scottish highland countryside, while Hadrian’s Wall sits 100miles below the city, offering a scenic depiction of the history between England and Scotland.

Almost every city in the UK has some aspect about itself that provides glimpses of culture, and almost all of them could have made the list. While everyone has their own favourite locations, London, Liverpool, and Edinburgh each offer a different look at how culture can be delivered by a city.

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Four Ways Smart Technology Is Infiltrating The Office

Smart technology is becoming more and more common in the home. From lights that turn on with the push of a button to doorbell cameras, we can expect our homes to get smarter and smarter over the coming years. It makes sense that we would expect our offices to get smarter too!

Although smart technology isn’t as talked about in the office, it’s slowly making its way behind commercial doors. Here are four ways smart technology is making itself home in the office.

The Cloud

Before talking about any kind of gadgets that work well in the office, it’s important to start with the thing that makes all those gadgets possible—the cloud.

With unified storage capabilities on the internet, you can integrate all of your systems on a single compliance and risk assessment dashboard. You can store massive amounts of information on the cloud without worrying about whether that information will be safe if your systems crash. It also enables smart devices to communicate with each other, which makes for a smoother user experience.

Smart Thermostats

The war over the thermostat is a constant challenge in the office. The solution has been to install a lockbox over the top of the thermostat to keep people from messing with the temperature, and in turn, increasing the utility bill. That ugly box isn’t necessary anymore.

Smart thermostats are great for the office because they can keep employees who don’t have the right access codes from messing with it. In addition, you can set the thermostat for different temperatures at different times and days of the week to increase everyone’s comfort while increasing energy efficiency at the same time.

Affordable Security Cameras

Installing security cameras is a decision you should consider very carefully. You still have to make sure you’re abiding by privacy laws, but you no longer have to fret about how much those security cameras will cost.

Smart technology has made surveillance cameras more affordable than ever, and because they easily connect wirelessly to apps that can be accessed on mobile devices, staying on top of security issues has never been easier.

Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence is big business, and you can bet that it will continue to make your business easier to run in the future. With all of the things artificial intelligence can do, you’ll soon think of artificial intelligence as an office coworker.

Some things artificial intelligence can do in the office include:

·         Generate understandable text from computer data and vice versa

·         Virtual agents are a quick and easy way to enhance customer service

·         Smart managers will maintain the comfort of the office by managing smart technology

·         Engines will be able to design training and maintenance programs

·         And more

The office just isn’t what it used to be. First, we got rid of that massive file cabinet, and now we don’t even have to worry about the thermostat anymore! As smart technology continues to evolve, it will continue to make your job easier so you can focus on the more demanding and important aspects of your business.

 

 

 

 

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