Distance education, like online learning, presents one of the best academic opportunities for grade-school and college students alike. Distance learning connects students to classrooms digitally, allowing the flow of classroom materials and lessons through the Internet or email. While the benefits of distance education are profound, students should take advantage of these five tips recommended by mommyenterprises, a top online resource for mothers. …
Hot Industries You Should Be Watching
If you’re considering starting your own business or wondering which are some of the best industries to invest in, there are a plethora that can provide you with fantastic job possibilities and great investment returns. Here are 5 hot industries you should be watching.
Health And Social Care
Healthcare occupations are expected to rise 15% between 2019 and 2029, substantially faster than the overall labor market, producing roughly 2.4 million new jobs. Healthcare vocations are expected to grow faster than any other occupational group. The majority of this predicted growth is attributable to an aging population and increased lab tests to assist doctors in diagnosing medical conditions. In the United States, more than 7 billion clinical lab tests are performed each year, and all this will increase demand for healthcare services. The country’s Health and Social Care industry has a GDP value-added of $1.136 trillion, accounting for 8% of GDP. Healthcare is a major component of both sectors, with America’s healthcare spending per capita topping the globe at $8,608. As most people reach retirement age, more will require some type of care, whether medical or social. According to the United Nations, there will be 2.1 billion individuals over the age of 60 in the world by 2050.
Finance And Insurance
The finance sector is another major contributor to GDP in the United States, with a GDP value-added of $1.159 trillion, or 8% of total GDP. Insurance carriers, credit intermediation, Federal Reserve banks, commodities contracts and securities, trusts and funds, and other financial vehicles are all part of the finance and insurance industry. The banking and insurance industry’s expansion is crucial to the US economy since it aids in the ease of US exports. In addition, the industry is estimated to directly employ approximately 5 million individuals in the United States, accounting for 4% of overall employment.
Web Hosting
In terms of revenue from world wide web hosting services by end-user, the enterprise segment accounted for 90.46% of the market in 2019. However, in 2019, the North American market had a revenue share of 35.28%. When looking at the growth rate per region, Germany and the United Kingdom contribute the most. In 2018, Germany had more than 7 million domains, accounting for about a quarter of all websites hosted online. By 2025, the global market for web hosting services is expected to grow from $102 billion to $321.5 billion. Evidently, the web hosting market continues to expand as more organizations, especially those in marketing, see the need for good server stability and continuous support from providers.
Real Estate
With a GDP value added of about $1.890 trillion, real estate, renting, and leasing is the largest sector of the US economy, accounting for 13% of the national GDP. The industry added to the economy in two ways: the first is through consumer expenditure, such as rent and utility payments, and the second is through residential investments, which includes new housing unit building, broker fees, and home renovations. The industry, often known as the housing sector, plays an important part in the US economy, as seen by its impact during the 2008 recession when a statewide drop in home prices sparked America’s worst economic downturn of the 21st century. With nearly 1.899 million individuals employed in the industry, it is a major source of employment.
Technology
Technology has always been at the center of innovation, especially now that we live in the digital and information era. Computers, phones, information technology, and social networking are all part of our daily lives and will continue to grow as the world becomes more networked. In the ever-changing world of modern manufacturing, technology like CNC milling is essential. But, precisely, what is CNC? Well, it is an abbreviation for computerized numerical control. CNC milling is used to control a wide range of complex machinery, including grinders, lathes, and turning mills, which are used to cut, shape, and manufacture various components and prototypes. CNC machinists use mechanical design, technical drawing, mathematics, and computer programming skills to make a wide range of metal and plastic parts daily. CNC operators have the ability to turn a sheet of metal and cut it into 3 dimensions. The industry provides all these benefits and more on the way.
These 5 high-growth categories are some of the top trillion global industries, and business is rising. Each of these 5 hot industries addresses future prosperity in different ways, and there are countless possibilities for businesses to capitalize on these trends through 2021 and beyond.
How to Improve Your Small Business’s Virtual Communication
Virtual communication is an important component that plays a major role in the success of any business. Virtual communication bridges the gap between the buyer and seller. Ultimately, virtual communication increases your sales, making the business a profitable venture. Therefore, it is important to incorporate it into your business.
Why Is Virtual Communication So Important?
Virtual communication reduces the cost of operations for your business. About 30.7 million small businesses in the United States operate using this system. Virtual communication allows your employees to work from home, hence cutting down the cost of rent, office equipment, stationery, and utility bills. Moreover, it allows you to access the services from distant vendors without having to meet them personally.
Furthermore, it enhances communication between the employer and employees, promoting efficiency and increasing their productivity. It also provides a platform for employees to interact and seek clarification, thus allowing your small business to run smoothly and seamlessly. Virtual communication fosters easy decision-making for the management and is an effective way for problem-solving within the business. It also enhances convenience, as documents can easily be located. It also salvages a lot of time because communication can be passed to a larger number of people within a short period.
Virtual communication promotes teamwork among the employees in your small business, thus helping you achieve the goal and objectives of your business. It also enhances accountability because of the transaction history that prevents the mismanagement of funds.
Provide Training and Do Check-Ins
Virtual communication is a relatively new system that small businesses are trying to embrace and incorporate into their operations. With a hosted private branch exchange (PBX), you can manage phone lines for all of your employees, even remote workers. Therefore, it is important to ensure that your employees undergo proper training and learn how to use virtual communication appropriately. The training will ensure that the employees get to optimize its use. Ultimately, the employees use the system to enhance efficiency and effectiveness in your business. In addition, it is essential to conduct check-ins to gauge how well your employees are interacting with the new system and whether they have fully grasped how it functions.
Try Virtual Team-Building Exercises
Virtual team-building exercises allow employees to interact further with the system. Over time, the employees get conversant with the system. It is important to note that working from home can get monotonous and boring. Virtual team-building exercises help increase the productivity of your employees. The employees get to interact amongst themselves as they exercise and learn how to work together, hence allowing you to achieve the set business goals. The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted 2500% more organizations to invest in virtual team-building activities.
Make Business Information Easily Accessible
In addition, virtual communication increases your reach. Customers get real-time responses from your business on any inquiries that they might have concerning the products you offer or business operations in general. Virtual communication allows your small business to function perfectly from the online platform. By employing appropriate marketing practices, you get to provide the same services that a physical business provides. Virtual communication allows clients at distant locations to use your services and access your products. Virtual communication is an effective and efficient marketing tool for your business. It enhances the customer experience by providing quick solutions to problems.
Schedule Virtual Meet-Ups
Virtual meet-ups are effective and efficient when it comes to saving time. It also reduces the cost incurred when booking the meeting location and refreshments. Virtual meet-ups provide you with the platform to discuss relevant strategies that will allow your business to grow and move to the next level. Employees also get the opportunity to express themselves and share marketing ideas that will help the business grow and increase profits. Make sure to follow ADA guidelines, with one of them being the absence of discrimination at work.
Virtual communication will help your business unlock new levels of success and help you meet your targets. Therefore, it is important to identify how you can leverage its use in your business.
How Marketing and Technology Go Hand in Hand
Technology has had a drastic impact on the marketing industry. It’s almost impossible for traditional forms of marketing to exist without padding from online marketing. That said, online marketing is arguably the most important aspect of marketing today. Without search engine optimization (SEO) work and a website, companies would be stuck with mascots standing outside swinging their sign around.
However, online marketing is not the only aspect of marketing. Here we will address just how important it is to consider and implement all aspects of marketing, including social media, in order to have the most successful business.
Online Marketing
Because online marketing is so important, we’ll start there. First things first, establishing a website is the most basic thing you must do if you hope to market your business. Without a website, any potential clients you are hoping to engage with will never be able to find you online. Because this is the major way customers find new businesses, it is a huge disadvantage to go without.
Additionally, the quality of your website is important. Your content needs to be concise while also engaging the readers. If your site is messy, confusing, or takes too long to load, you’re going to lose customers. If a website takes more than three seconds to load, 50% of people will leave the page. As a business owner, you want to be sure that your website is functioning properly at all times.
Another aspect of your website is your brand. Your logo, your website, and your mission statement are staples of your brand. The purpose of your brand is to tell potential clients who you are and what you do. As such, it can be a huge help when it comes to advertising your company. When all of these things align and you send a clear message to your customers, consistent branding across all channels increases revenue by 23%.
Without getting too in-depth, SEO wouldn’t be possible without the influence of technology. Thanks to Google Analytics, marketers can figure out keywords and phrases that will help your content rank better online. As a result, this provides your site with more searches, and thus, more customers. For this reason, marketers owe a huge “thank you” to the technological advancements that make this type of work possible.
Traditional Marketing
Though online marketing plays a huge role in advertising a business, it is not the only way to reach new clients. Signage, trade shows, and word of mouth can carry a heavy impact.
Though this article joked about those who spin a giant sign, there is value to in-person advertising. Firstly, drivers are trained to look for people near the roads. Putting a person out near the road waving around a big sign is going to get people’s attention. And while it may seem old-fashioned, that could be beneficial if it’s completely in line with your company’s branding.
Your signage has other ways it can be beneficial for marketing your business as well. For example, people love stickers. And even if they don’t personally want the sticker, it has to end up somewhere. If your business’ sticker ends up on a light pole in the nearest city, all of those people who commute in that area are now potential clients. They could see your sticker while waiting for traffic and look up your website right then and there. The same goes for bumper stickers with your logo on it. Of course, without the printing technology and the design technology to create these marketing pieces, companies wouldn’t be able to market this way.
Additionally, trade show exhibits are a great way for companies to engage with clients that are further away. If your product or service is bound by location, this wouldn’t necessarily be as useful for you. However, for those whose service knows no geographic bounds, trade shows can be incredibly useful. This is largely because those who visit the trade shows are looking for partnerships or new services. The audience couldn’t be more perfect. In fact, 99% of marketers said they found unique value from trade show exhibits that they did not get from other marketing mediums. For this reason, it can be a worth-while aspect of marketing.
There is a lot to consider when it comes to marketing and all the different ways you can attract customers to your business. Technology has played a huge role in catalyzing different marketing techniques, and we didn’t even mention the impact of social media. Another reason technology has such an impact on marketing is because it is ever-changing. As technology evolves, so does marketing, and vice versa.
In the Age of Remote Work, Here’s What You Need For a Better Home Office
Although businesses are starting to reopen across the country, many organizations are opting to operate in a remote capacity for the foreseeable future. Whether you were already set up to work from home as one of the 400 million entrepreneurs worldwide or you’re trying to adjust to this new normal, there are always improvements that can be made to your home office for the COVID age. And while renovations are common, with homeowners remodeling more than 10.2 million kitchens and 14.2 million bathrooms each year, you don’t necessarily have to break down any walls to be more productive while working from home. Here are a few suggestions that will take your home office to the next level.
Functional Furniture
If you’ve been using your living room as a makeshift office or you never really got around to purchasing a new chair or desk, your body might be paying the price after a few months of remote work. If your work station doesn’t keep ergonomics in mind, you’re probably experiencing more back and neck pain than before. You’ll definitely want to get yourself an adjustable office chair with lumbar support and look for a desk that provides the right height. While the standard height is around 29 inches, people who are taller or shorter than average may do well with a slightly taller or shorter desk. Adjustable desks or tables may provide a good solution, but there’s an easy way to check: if you sit up straight, determine whether your forearms are parallel to the ground and your wrist stays fairly straight when you type or use a computer mouse. If your forearms or wrists have to bend, you’ll need to make an adjustment.
Aside from purchasing an ergonomic chair or even using a standing desk, there are a few things you can do to reduce overall strain. If your computer is too high or too low, thus causing strain in your neck, you may need to play with its height or even use a laptop stand. When sitting in your chair, you should ensure your feet can comfortably touch the ground. If you’re in a position to get a new computer monitor or two, make sure to go for high-quality options; while they’re a bit more expensive, they’ll be less likely to cause eyestrain. And speaking of eyestrain, look into getting glasses that filter blue light from your screen. Although these work just as well at a conventional office, it’s good to keep a pair at home for remote work situations. Of course, you shouldn’t rely solely on the glare of your screen to light the room. Ideally, you’ll want a mix of natural light and overhead lighting, but take care to avoid placing desk lamps too close to your screen to prevent unnecessary strain.
Connectivity and Cybersecurity
Fast, reliable, and safe internet are a must in the digital age. Many businesses will use cast routing technology to ensure web visitors access a site through a firewall and CDN, which makes for faster loading speeds. But as much as consumers expect quick loading times, workers and business owners also rely on speedy connections. And if you plan on working from home for the foreseeable future, you’ll need an internet provider that’s up to the challenge. Ethernet and WiFi typically offer the fastest connections and are among the most versatile options for home internet. If you’ve found your internet connection has held you back during the last couple of months, it may be time to explore your options to reduce frustration.
Not only does your connection need to be dependable, but it also needs to be secure. Cybersecurity is a huge concern for businesses that have recently gone remote, as phishing attacks and other threats are on the rise. Cyber crime involves the use of the Internet to communicate fraudulent representations to consumers. It’s a good time to bolster your web security while you spruce up your home office. Make sure to update all of your software, invest in a password locker, and consider using a virtual private network (VPN) for an extra level of protection. Screen locks should be used, while the use of USB sticks and default passwords should be retired. If your employer has yet to implement a specific set of policies for company-wide cybersecurity when working remotely, that should be a priority moving forward.
Supplies and Gadgets
Of course, having access to the latest technology can make working from home easier and more enjoyable. But that doesn’t mean you need every fancy device on the market. Although 3D printers can be used to build bridges (which can hold up to 250 pounds) and to create everything from medical devices to footwear, you don’t necessarily need one in your home office. You may, however, need a printer and scanner, a surge protector, a headset or some noise-canceling headphones, some lightning cables or a docking station, and possibly an external microphone or webcam (depending on your video conferencing needs).
Take note of where your setup has been lacking over the past couple of months and decide what really needs to be upgraded. Keep in mind that many businesses do opt to provide necessary equipment for remote workers or may offer a technology stipend. If you’re not able to go into the office to retrieve your equipment or that equipment needs to remain within that facility, it may be worth talking to your boss to see whether it might be feasible to gain access to some equipment for work purposes. While it may not be completely state-of-the-art, it may allow you to avoid spending too much on tech that you won’t use outside of working hours.
Let’s face it: even people who are accustomed to working outside of the conventional office are having a tough time with this new normal. But if you’ll be working from home for at least the rest of 2020, you deserve a better setup. By keeping these tips in mind, you can be productive while you stay at home.