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A Guide to Hiring The Best Web Designer in Brisbane

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Why Do You Need a Website Developer?

If you run a business you have likely been told that you need a website. It makes sense since the Internet allows your business to reach customers it could not otherwise. However, you may not understand why you need a professional web designer to do it for you and you may wonder what does a web designer do?

A professional web designer ensures that your website makes an excellent first impression. Without that, people will arrive, take a look at your business online and immediately exit. The average quality of websites has been improving for years and people’s expectations have risen accordingly. If you cannot compete, your business will struggle.

Choosing the Right Web Designer

Before you are able to choose the right developer, find one that meets your requirements. Ask yourself the following to narrow the field.

What is Their Service Area?

When you need web designers in Brisbane, the first thing you need to check is that the company you are interested in caters to your type of business. The requirements for startups, SMEs and large organisations are completely different. They also need to demonstrate that they are familiar with the particular niche that you are occupying or they will not deliver a suitable user experience.

How Experienced are They?

Do not let yourself be fooled by a dazzling sales pitch. You need a development company that has real experience. This is shown through an extensive portfolio which needs to demonstrate an understanding of the latest trends. Another test is to check their blog. Industry leaders are not afraid to show off their knowledge and will blog about it accordingly.

How Dependable Are They?

The greatest web development company in the world is no different from the worst if they do not do the work agreed. Look for recent reviews to get a feeling for their current status. Do not forget to check what people are saying on social media while also checking more formal review spaces.

Will They Meet Face-to-Face?

Part of finding web designers in Brisbane means finding people you can actually talk to. It may seem cheap or easy to outsource overseas but there are hidden costs. Chief among them is the breakdowns in communication that inevitably occur in purely digital interactions. Face-to-face meetings are the best way to communicate your concerns and ideas while getting a feeling for the type of company you may be about to hire.

Will They Meet their Milestones?

Developing your website is not a case of requirements turning into a working product with an indeterminate time in between. There have to be milestones along the way so that you can make sure that development is staying on track. They are the best way to catch mistakes or unforeseen issues early enough that they can still be remedied. So when you are outlining the project with your development company, make sure they are willing to set clear milestones that cover as many steps of the project as possible.

Will You Get Complete Website Ownership?

This is non-negotiable. Once complete, you need to make sure that your website is truly and wholly yours. Small web design and development tasks will occur after development ends and there is no point continuing to pay someone else to do what you can. This also lets you switch developers at a later stage if necessary without having to start from the beginning. This grants a vital measure of independence and there is no substitute for it.

About The Author:

Caroline Bird is a creative writer and digital marketer. She loves sharing her perspective, tips and how-tos related to home improvement, productivity, business, and technology through her writing. Connect with Caroline via @bCarolinebird12

The Logic of Layouts – A Guide to In-Store Displays

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Image: http://cdn.sheknows.com/articles/2010/07/baby/teens-shopping-clothes.jpg

When customers arrive at your store, it’s crucial that you present whatever you are selling in a way that will make it appealing to them and make them want to buy. Take a moment to put yourself in their shoes and consider how you can best display the product to highlight its features, show-off its unique selling point and make the consumer see why they need to make the purchase.

With in-store merchandising, you have the opportunity to do just this. You can design a display to present your products to the consumer, to offer information about the product and show how it can add value for the consumer. Effective in-store displays allow your customers to visualise themselves using the product, wearing the clothes or engaging with whatever it is that you are selling. It’s one of the most important marketing assets for any store owner to use and a very powerful tool but it’s important to take some time to make sure that you do it right.

Let’s take a look at just some of the ways you can make visual merchandising and product placement work to your advantage in-store.

Target Audience

In order for your in-store display to deliver, you need to ensure that you are designing your display for the right people. It’s not enough to target your customers based on age, income level, or education level, you need to go deeper into their behaviours as well as their psychological attributes. To get an in-depth sense of who your customers are, try sending surveys to repeat customers to get a true sense of what it is they want and expect from a store like yours.

Keep up with market trends to find out what’s working in your niche and visit some of your competitor’s stores to see what they are doing to successfully reach your same target audience. Armed with this information, you can create a display for your products that will entice and draw in your customers.

Focus On The Senses

Your customers experience your in-store displays, not just through seeing them but through other sensory stimuli, too. Visual merchandising tends to focus on the eye of the customer, as it is the easiest way to communicate with your audience. However, you can make a large number of sales for your product if you focus on the other senses as well.

For example, the music you are playing in the background of your store can be an influencing factor and useful marketing tool. You can slow customers down by playing softer, more deliberate, lighter music. If your product is for the younger generation, make sure to crank up the music and play upbeat dance sounds or hip-hop tunes to get the audience to browse in the store longer. You can accomplish the same effect with the other senses as well such as using different textures for touch and having different air fresheners and other smells in the air to have a positive influence on the customer.

Group Similar Items Together

When you have a product that is selling well, you can use it to your benefit by placing similar items in displays near your successful product. However, it’s important to keep similar products together as you need to ensure that your display still makes sense. Pair similar items together that will complement each other or are related in some way.

For example, if you have an electric store and one of your microwaves is doing great, trying to pair a TV with it on a display would not be a good idea. However, pairing a TV with a popular surround sound system would be a great pairing and will likely increase the number of sales for both items.  

Create Ambience With Light

A great in-store display will be lifted by the overall ambience you create. It’s important that you try to put your customers in the right mindset to encourage them to buy and to give your display more life. For example, mood lighting and soft music could be a hit when trying to sell high-quality lingerie, while bright lights and energetic music can create a “game day” atmosphere in a sports shop. Lighting can make a real difference in your displays so be sure to pay special attention to different types of soft and harsh lighting and experiment with different coloured lights to best highlight your products.

Use The Right Approach

Creating effective in-store displays to highlight your products is as much a science as it is an art. For positive results, it’s crucial that you take the time to understand your target audience so that you can take the right approach to garner their interest and appeal to that particular market. Experiment with different layouts, music choices, colours and textures until you find a design that works for you and your store. With the right display in place, you can be sure that your sales will increase, your customers will be more interested in what you are offering and you will be on track to a successful future.

5 Reasons Behind Ecommerce Industry Sales Growth

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onlione shopping cart 2016 and mobile commerce

Online ecommerce is a booming arena, and so is the job of thriving Magento developers. The popularity can be seen from the fact that today you can have groceries ordered right from the comforts of your home without even moving from your seats. For those planning to set up their own ecommerce business online, we have strong reasons why ecommerce development is growing online at such a brisk pace:

1. Mobile Commerce gaining rapid momentum

With the advent of Smartphone and apps, it is not surprising to see users sticking to their mobile for buying possibly everything. Convenience to buy anytime anywhere is the biggest asset of m-commerce, since your mobile phone always comes handy with you.

2. Hassle free buying and returning processes

Ecommerce makes it highly convenient to buy online without going through a lengthy purchase process of selecting products, comparing it with others, finding out right deals, and finally standing at the billing counter in a queue waiting for your turn. Additionally, if you do not like the product, then rather than visiting the physical store again in case of conventional buying, you can have it returned through Product Replacement Guarantee and Money Back Guarantee associated with every single product.

3. On time deliverability of products & services

Just place an order on web, and things like food items, groceries, or more, are delivered to your doorsteps within a matter of minutes. The same goes for services like hair cutting, baby sitting, and more. This is advantageous to even sellers as well, who can take instant orders, and serve utmost gratification by deploying the offerings as soon as they receive the requests.

4. Going for niche products not seen commonly

With ecommerce, you are able to shop a wide range of niche products which otherwise you might not find usually in physical stores. With the likes of sites like Dog Stuff, Botanik, Model Roundup, and lots more, you can have niche products searched online with ease, and place your order right away, without going around the city and searching for unconventional products difficult to find.

5. Availing best offers and deals through detailed comparison

Imagine, the amount of time you take when shopping in a mall or store. You won’t find relevant things in just one shot. There might be a range of things fitting your taste, and you need to determine the best of the lot, in terms of pricing, use, as well as other factors. No matter how much you stroll around a physical marketplace, you are going to surely miss out on things, due to time or other constraints. However, that is not the case with shopping online. While shopping online, you can have a glimpse at every single product, from the product category you are looking for. What’s more? You can even compare multiple products at once, and ease your buying decision by comparing every single minute detail of those products together.

Conclusion

Ecommerce is today’s trend that is even going to be the future of buying and selling. No matter how much physical wholesalers or retailers try to avoid this discussion, ecommerce is here to stay, especially with M-Commerce gaining increasing popularity. Just experience this ever rising bandwagon and you surely won’t regret on your decision.

Author Bio:

The author is Harshal Shah, CEO and founder of Elsner Technologies, a global IT consulting and web development company Specialize in Magento Ecommerce development. He is a tech evangelist with a reputation to provide optimum solutions for business automation and solving real life problems with the power of IT.

A Guide to Lightning Protection Systems: What Every Commercial Property Owner Needs to Know

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Every year its estimated 2,000 thunderstorms occur globally at any one time producing up to 100 lightning strikes per second. Each of these lightning strikes carries 100,000 volts or more sparking significant damage, even kilometres away from the point of impact. And whilst there’s definitely a few storm lovers out there; this enormous electrical discharge we know as lightning is not only spectacular, it can be extremely dangerous.

As an underrated disaster educating yourself about the damage lightning can bring to properties and individuals is important – especially as a commercial property owner. Lightning claims are costing property owners nearly $800 million worth of damage a year and gaining good risk management has never been so crucial. Lightning protection systems have become an important part of keeping homes, businesses and people safe. Here’s everything you need to know to keep your commercial property protected.

1. Super Risk Management

From a commercial property owner’s perspective, the damage caused by lightning can be huge. According to the Insurance Information Institute, lightning strikes can cost more than $1 billion in insured losses from damage to expensive electronic equipment to structural fires caused by the lightning strike that destroys entire homes and commercial properties.

Whilst there’s business insurance covers that should be in place for such damage, all commercial property owners should take additional steps to minimise any kinds of damage or loss that may occur due to a lightning hit. The safe installation of lightning protection systems is one of the most effective ways to do this.

As lightning strikes a property, the material damage of the powerful bolt can cause extensive harm to the structure which can lead to building collapses and fires. Electrical equipment and wiring in the property are especially at risk and pose a real threat to igniting fires as the surges cause the energy to jump around. As the electronic circuitry in buildings becomes denser and more interconnected, home and business owners are becoming more vulnerable to damage caused by lightning and power surges. Combined with business and lightning insurance, lightning protection systems can reduce the risks expressively.

2. What are Lightning Protection Systems?

Specifically designed to protect your commercial property from damage caused by a lightning strike, lightning protection systems provide a safe passing of the electrical current to the ground. When lightning strikes an unprotected structure, the damage that can be caused to the property or anyone in the building can be catastrophic.

Lightning protection systems work by a network of low resistance paths to safely take the dangerous electricity from the strike and direct it to the earth without impact to the structure or its occupants. They consist of rods or air terminals for the discharge, conductor cables that carry the current to the ground and ground rods which are buried into the earth around a protected structure – all bonded together.

Because of their vital role in the distribution of the electrical current, they are paramount in protecting people and properties from the worst effects of lightning by preventing or lessening the strike damage to structures. Whilst no protection system can guarantee 100% safety from lightning, a basic system can offer a conductive path between an air terminal and the earth, reducing the effects of the travelling current.

3. Business Insurance

Almost all business insurance policies will cover commercial property damage from lightning related incidents – including fire damage as a result from a lightning strike. Only some business insurances will provide coverage for power surges set of by a lightning strike though, so it’s essential you check what limitations there are in your lightning policy.

Because of the costly damage that can result from lightning strikes, it’s imperative to look into the best cover for your commercial property. Whilst it’s a vital safety consideration for the property and residents in it, it’s also an essential risk management so minimise business losses.

According to information released by the Herald Sun last year, Darwin is one of Australia’s hotspots for lightning strikes – but it still pays to have lightning protection regardless of the location you’re in as their power and potential damage is extraordinary.

4. How Safe is Your Property in a Lightning Storm?

On average 100 incidents a year are fatal from people being struck by lightning – but just how safe is your property during a lightning storm? Each year lightning is notorious for injuring people, killing livestock and billions of dollars in destruction to buildings, power lines, communication systems and electrical equipment, just to name a few.

As the high-voltage electricity is discharges, electrical storms become a massive risk. A strike to your property can kill all the electrics in your home, blast a hole through the property or start a fire. Properties with overgrown trees around can be at a higher risk too as the sap in trees are a natural lightning conductor.

5. Protecting Your Home and Business

To effectively protect your home or commercial property, you need to work with a lightning protection supplier who complies with the strict Australian and New Zealand Standard for Lighting Protection Act AS1768. This is the standard of lightning protection in Australia and New Zealand that comes with a comprehensive risk assessment section and best practices that should be used when designing a lightning protection system and should be used in commercial applications.

As more property owners consider the investment in lightning protection, it’s absolutely essential to contract only with qualified and experienced specialists who are trained specifically to install such systems in accordance with the nationally recognised safety standards. By using a certified lightning protection system along with adequate business insurance, lives and money can be better saved and property damage eliminated. How safe is your home or commercial business property?

Author Bio

Ray Loh is the General Manager of Perth, WA based West Australian Power Protection dedicated to offering earthing, surge and lightning protection products aligned with the latest safety standards.

Business of Your Future For Sale

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brokers and business for sale australia

Australia is booming economically. Building is going non-stop as entire neighbourhoods are created where once there were only grasses and wildlife.  Now is your best time to invest in the business of your own dream you have held so long. Whether you are interested in flexing your business muscles in a bustling supermarket or wholesale commodities, this is the time and Melbourne is the place.

Franchise or Business Owner?

There are business and franchise opportunities in practically every industry from wholesale to retail, manufacturing to repair, from vehicles to home fixtures. All categories have Business for sale. As a business person, you know where your skills lie and how you can turn them into a solid income for now and your future.  If your business interests are more in the services area such as cleaning, restoring or renovations, there is an opening for you to toss your hat today.

Selling or Buying?

To cash in on the anticipated upswing in the economy can also be the wisest move for you to sell your business that has given you excellent income.  Your company and its client base offered as a Business for sale should bring in a substantial price if brokered wisely, and you would be free to invest in another area.   Either selling or buying a business is a life changing event, and you must have the best representation available or face heavy and lasting disappointment.

Professional Advice and Representation

selling your business online interenet

Knowing when and where and how much is an educated professional’s forte and you should retain the best advice available in the form of a business broker. The broker’s job is not to just file the appropriate documents.  He is representing you, as either seller or buyer, in the business of your dreams. You want the person representing you to have clear communication, integrity and persistence –these are the keys, whether you are vendor or purchaser of a Business for sale.

Your expert consultants should meet with you in the first instance before details are discussed. Maintaining trust in your business broker is of utmost importance, particularly with confidentiality agreements. Ensuring all parties are comfortable and confident during meetings, discussions and inspections are a critical measure of a successful broker.  Successful broker means he successfully negotiated a sale or purchase for you!

BPA Brokers Have Right Stuff

Growing from a one man operation in 2000 into the well established brokerage today, with over 15 team members, did not happen by luck.  It occurred because of its founder’s perseverance and unflagging zeal for his business sales.  It also happened because Mino Stronghilis, founder, treats every contact with the same attention, respect, and willingness to go the extra mile to complete the transaction in a trustworthy, professional manner.

You need the confidence of having the BPA Brokers firm representing you, whether you are interested in buying a $750,000 cafe or selling a $40,000 ethnic Takeaway.  That need is the strong suit of BPA Brokers, in that the team of 15 professional brokers share the same vitality and expertise in bringing a sale or purchase to fruition.  The word which stands apt to describe Mino and his team is "professional", because that is exactly descriptive of who and what they are.

The BPA Brokers firm will handle your business for sale or purchase in a professional yet personal manner. They represent you and not a bank or other entity. They will never enter into any promise, agreement or reveal any details without conferring with you first.

Contact Mino Stronghilis at BPA Brokers today to discuss your present in regard to your future.

Top 10 Ways to Earn Extra Money Online

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Today there are several exciting ways to earn money online without having to make a large investment. Everything from self-publishing e-books to entering online tournaments has the potential to bring in an extra wage. The following are ten top ways to earn an income online.

One – Self-Publish an eBook:

Self-publishing books is a good way to earn an income online. Sites like Create Space provide services designed to walk writers through the necessary steps: uploading manuscripts, creating covers, and publishing books through Amazon, either in paperback or on Kindle platform.

Two – Online Poker Tournaments:

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If you enjoy online poker, there are several online tournaments that provide winning opportunities. For example ipops, with a guaranteed prize-pool over a million dollars, it’s a way of getting your pockets packed without very small buy-ins investments. You will have to start from the beginning winning satellites and getting yourself up will the finals where is where the big money is.

Three – Forex Trading:

While Forex trading requires an investment in time, the potential for earning is considerable. Practice on a free demo account until you feel confident. With leverages ranging from 1:1 to 1:888, the only loss you are exposed to is what you actually have in your account, unlike other markets where a margin call can leave you owing the broker money.

Four – Online Freelancing:

Online freelancing sites such as Fiverr.com, Gigbucks.com, and Elance.com provide wonderful opportunities for marketing your talents. While Fiverr.com provides a flat rate, sites like Elance allow freelancers to create unique profiles and bid on a variety of jobs, anything from translation to website SEO.

Five – Selling Artwork and Crafts

For talented individuals selling online can provide a solid income. Sites like Etsy.com provide a ready-made platform for artists and craftspeople to sell items through virtual stores. It is now easier than ever to sell merchandise on Amazon and EBay.

Six – Blogs on Squidoo

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Another exciting way to make money, Squidoo offers potential. While it may take a little while to start earning, adding gadgets to a personalized page can help draw the attention of internet users. Add modules to generated income from affiliate sales.

Seven – Google AdSense

Google’s AdSense is an additional way to earn money. Sign up for a free AdSense account and receive an extra income from ads attached to your website or blog. As traffic to the site increases, the greater the earning potential becomes.

Eight – Write for Online Article Bases

Writing for article bases like Yahoo Contributor Network can provide a nice secondary income. Contributors may write articles covering a broad range of topics and receive payments upfront or via performance pay-outs. Contributors are able to promote their own articles and receive ongoing payments.

Nine – Selling T-shirts on Zazzle and CafePress

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Designing unique t-shirts with colourful designs and slogans can provide the perfect opportunity for creative individuals to make a little extra money. Websites like Zazzle and CafePress allow designers to set up free accounts. Payments are based on established pricing, and the companies produce and ship the merchandise to the customers.

Ten – Set up a Consultant-Site

Perfect for retirees, a consultation site allows experts to take advantage of their knowledge and experience by selling advice to others. Set up your own site or use an existing site to serve as a platform for your expertise.

While it’s important to be aware of scams, there are many authentic opportunities. The best way to earn money online is to promote yourself, sponsor your work, love what you do, and do what you love!

10 Ways for E-commerce businesses to Improve their Landing Pages

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It is highly important to create a perfect landing page as it has the potential of making the biggest pleasant difference. After all, a highly sophisticated landing page has the potential of bagging immense business like never before.

10 Traits of effective landing pages

Following are the 10 Traits of effective landing pages

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  1. Simplicity

In order to attract customers, people “over do” their landing pages as they forget that the best way is to make the pages as simple and clean as it is possible. Links should only be kept wherever necessary and pop ups should be avoided to the core. Content equally need to be easy so that it is understood by every one. In this way, a visitor can realize the things which are being offered along with the ways to get them as well

  1. Provide fast search feature

Many businesses fail owing to the fact that in spite of giving all the details about the product they are not able to provide strong, reliable and fast search feature. It is necessary since customers want to search and check other products as well.

  1. Trustworthiness

Scams are every where, hence you need to go overboard in order to make every body realize that your company is trust worthy. Testimonials are one such way to build trust followed by getting security certificates along with badges from companies like Better Business Bureau and Verisign work wonders too.

  1. Clear and concise Goal

A person should have a vision for his landing page as each and every single page should motivate readers towards accomplishing their goals. A visitor should not be in any sort of doubt or else they will move on some where else leaving you remorseful.

  1. Be creative

Language such as “Place your order” and “Buy now” are extremely effective. Hence, it is important to be creative and innovative to bag business manifolds.

  1. Necessary Content above the Fold

As visitors arrive on landing page, they need to get complete information quickly. They should not have to scroll down or search here and there. They expect immediate information without any delay.

  1. Ongoing Testing

The landing page should be sophisticatedly tested. Every thing from color, size or font should be done in the best way.

  1. Attractive action buttons

No matter whatever colors you select for headlines and text, action buttons need to look different. For example, if your text is in black, let them be in green, maroon or bright orange.

  1. Social proofs

This is an age of social media hence placing a running tweet window will certainly do wonders. It is also advisable to use widget as well in order to invite continuous Facebook likes too.

  1. Enhance user experience

It is important to examine your transactional processes in order to give enriching and everlasting time for customers who happen to visit. If you come across any sort of issues about problems in processing payment or slowdown in information, then try to fix it without any delay.

Finally, aforesaid are the 10 Traits of effective landing pages. These traits will surely make a pleasant difference in your life.