Steps To Becoming a Real Estate Investor

Basically, real estate investors can earn from three very lucrative business avenues and these include property management, joint ventures and wholesaling. To be successful, however,  would-be investors need to be more than crafty in order to make it happen in a very competitive real estate world like ours today.   

Real estate investment, just like every other business requires a special skill set combined with discipline and true leadership in order to really make it out there. Given that real estate investments come in different forms, One has to choose the desired form and become an expert in their chosen category. In this article, we shall be looking at steps to becoming an expert real estate investor, some of which are offered by one of the greatest real estate investor alive today, Robert Kiyosaki. Read on.  

Eliminate The “Saving Mentality”  

It is often said that if you want to get something for yourself, all you need do is save enough money in order to afford it. Well, as a real estate investor, you definitely have to eliminate this mentality. Robert Kiyosaki believes that the accumulation of wealth through real estate lies in one’s ability to invest in real estate. As a matter of fact, he went on to state that “ the money-saving mentality is what keeps a lot of people poor.” Should you learn and master the habit of investing rather than saving, you’d be able to make your money work for you than just sitting there in the bank.  

Educate Yourself  

The difference between a novice and an expert real estate investor is partly the amount of education between them. Having set your mind towards investing rather than just saving, education and getting updated in the real estate world comes next. The pair of Alexander Romanov and Viktor Rybachuk, real estate investors in Seattle and Cofounders of Iwillbuyhouse believe that hanging out with like-minded people is a key habit of people who want to become successful investors. You’d want to read books, attend seminars, and of course take advantage of the internet to acquire your needed education.   

Understand the Basics  

Before pouring your hard-earned cash into your first investment, you have to understand the basic advantages of investing says, Mr. Kiyosaki.  

These include;  

a. The Monthly Rental Gains  

b. Tax advantages  

c. Investment Property Appreciation  

d. Easy Investment Property Financings  

Understanding these key basics is the bedrock of your money-making journey.  

Study Your Chosen Market  

Studying your market could prove daunting as the market is often hard to predict. But, it remains a very important thing to do.  Thanks to real estate giants like CoreLogic, Zillow, Redfin, and the likes. You could really depend on top-class analysis from these firms to navigate your way through the market.   

Seek Only the Right Investment Property

As a new investor on the block, you’d want to pounce on your very first deal as quickly as possible. But this is no different from cashing in on a lottery ticket of which the probability of losing is really high. Just like the saying goes, you don’t marry the first man/woman you see. You have to date a couple before your final commitments. The bottom line remains that you have to find a list of potential deals, get to know those with a good return on investment before making the giant move.  

Buy Below Market Value  

Now that you’ve got your eyes on the target property. You’d want to learn how to buy below market value. As an investor, you should be on the lookout for short sales and foreclosures. These are the kind of properties that are normally sold below market value due to broken mortgage agreements.  Buying below market value decreases the amount you pay for the property and increases your equity. 

from Feedster https://www.feedster.com/real-estate/steps-to-becoming-a-real-estate-investor/

How Stickiness Could Get Your Business Through A Recession

In October 2018, Forbes notes that a potential recession could happen a lot sooner than we may be expecting. While it may be alarmist to start considering the possibility of a recession without solid indicators of its arrival, we must remember that recessions are cyclic in nature. In a case where a recession does happen, you may have to consider what your business is built upon and if it can possibly withstand a couple of quarters of negative growth within the economy. The way to do that is through the exploration of a concept known as ‘stickiness’.

What Exactly IS Stickiness?

In the context of this article, the term stickiness refers to how difficult it would be for a client to remove your company’s contribution to their business. Being sticky means making yourself indispensable to the client. You can look at this in one of two ways: either you provide a valuable service at a preferential cost or you are so ingrained into their business practices that replacing you would be both unwieldy and not worth the time and money to set up another company or provider in your place. In the case of a business that focuses on selling more than one product or service, it’s in your company’s best interest to prioritize getting and keeping customers for the stickiest of those products or services. All of this, of course, hinges on legality. It’s a bad move to ignore the law when trying to make your company indispensable.

How Can Stickiness Help a Business?

Entrepreneur notes that diversifying customer bases can help in “recession-proofing” a business. When talking about stickiness, getting new customers and expanding the customer base allows for more potential clients to become indispensable to. A very good method of determining whether a business can survive a recession is checking the monthly or quarterly income reports and seeing where most of the income for the business comes from. If the business depends solely on one or two major clients and those clients don’t pay their bills on time, or fold as a result of a recession, it means the business could very well collapse through lack of clientele. A diversified client portfolio allows a company to weather a recession much easier, as income doesn’t depend on a single source.

Contracts as Instruments of Stickiness

Chron states that small businesses tend to have problems during recessions because of their limited access to cash and minimal cash flow. Cash is important and in a recession, it’s even all the more important. Cash ensures that a business can pay its obligations. Instead of considering cash as a spendable resource to improve the business, in recession it should be thought of as a cushion in case the business can’t make enough income for a particular month to meet its obligations. The best way to ensure that cash flow continues is through a system of subscriptions for a particular brand or service. Subscription-based sales are good in that the amount of income can be calculated beforehand with the help of a GST lawyer Toronto, allowing the business to know at the start of the month, what sort of assets they are dealing with. Stickiness can be applied here by automatically opting the client in to a renewal of the subscription service. Many people just don’t think it’s worth the time to opt out of a subscription system, especially if that system delivers information or services that are well worth the price.

Backups Plans are a Last Resort

Even if a business managed to get their portfolio diversified and build stickiness into their business ideal, there’s still the possibility of the business suffering negatively in an economic downturn. The way around this is to understand how to adapt dynamically. Having a backup plan might be something as simple as changing pricing on the product to reflect the economy’s state, or something as complex and changing products or services into something more marketable. The business’ survival depends on, not just providing the best service it can, but by doing so in a manner that makes it indispensable to the client. It is this indispensability that ensures the business’ survival during tough economic times.

from Feedster https://www.feedster.com/business/how-stickiness-could-get-your-business-through-a-recession/

How To Boost Your LinkedIn Engagement For Better Results

LinkedIn serves as one of the best platforms to build and maintain business connections, according to Forbes. However, just being present on LinkedIn isn’t enough to build meaningful, relevant connections. Just like every other social media platform, it’s built with marketing in mind but instead of products, it’s designed to market you as an employable professional. Because of this, there are a few very useful strategies that anyone can employ in order to drive engagement of their profile and increase the amount of connections they make through it.

Build a Stellar Profile

Based on research by The Ladders, it’s estimated that recruiters spend as little as six (6) minutes on a profile on LinkedIn, making that first impression even more important than you may initially think. Having a good profile layout is one way to do it, but in addition to that, the information on your profile should be relevant and the profile photo should be professional and updated regularly. Knowing that you’re being interviewed from the time a recruiter sees your picture on LinkedIn means that that initial contact need to leave an impression.

Update Regularly

Like all content marketing out there, regular updates are necessary to get the most out of a LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have the time to update, then you should make the time to do so. Updating your profile every month, or even every quarter with your newest achievements and jobs can mean the difference between being accepted as a prospect and being rejected because someone isn’t sure about where you are now professionally.

Keyword Marketing Works

One of the lesser-knowns ways to “hack” LinkedIn for clients is to include keyword terms within profiles and descriptions. These keywords show up when people perform searches looking for a particular skill or ability. Knowing when and where to place those tags is very important. Keeping those words to the kind of jobs you’re willing to write for as well as the type of work you do can go a long way towards filling your profile out and giving recruiters more to work with.

Your Shares Show Your Taste

While on regular social media you would share something that might impact you emotionally, on LinkedIn your shares should be something that you think is interesting from a business perspective or that allows others to see where your ideas about professional growth stem from. As CIO says, LinkedIn can potentially torpedo a career if someone sees something that may impact or damage your professional reputation . Shares are the way that people looking at the potential employee behind the professional profile learn about them. It’s worth taking a bit of time to think before just sharing a post because it seems interesting.

Post Regularly if Possible

As with all other forms of social media, having posts to engage an audience is a necessity, especially if you’re a men’s barber shop Toronto. Social media is the kind of place where you want engagement from your peers and suggestions to develop your professional career. The only way people will be able to do that is if they are aware of where you are professionally, and that requires you to update them on it. Updates come in the form of text, or video, or photos. All of these provide an insight into how you’re developing as a professional and how that professional development makes you better in your industry than others. Don’t be afraid to update as often as you can, but make sure those updates are substantial. Posting mindless updates is a good thing for Facebook or Twitter, but on LinkedIn your professional reputation may be at stake depending on what you say and how you say it.

Engagement Equals Offers

LinkedIn is where companies go to headhunt who they see as the best in a field. It’s a place where opportunity is rife, but only if you can market yourself property will it come knocking on your door. The responsibility lies on you to provide information to your potential clients about what you do and have done, as well as update them as to how you have been progressing. Using relevant keywords helps them to find you, but ensuring that they know as much about you before they contact you is an essential part of landing the kind of jobs you want. At the end of the day, the onus is on you to put your best foot forward. Treat LinkedIn as the social media marketing platform that you can use to sell your goods and services as an employable professional.

from Feedster https://www.feedster.com/linked-in/how-to-boost-your-linkedin-engagement-for-better-results/

Top 5 Reasons Why It’s a Bad Idea to Fire an Employee on Medical Leave

People get sick. And as a law, employees can take medical leave so that they can recover from their illness. Some people take two or three days – whereas others take longer leaves, depending on the gravity of their condition.

When someone seems to take too many medical leaves in a row, the employers are starting to ask themselves this question: is it worth it to accept this person back, considering that they are always on leave?

Under some circumstances – such as fraud, misconduct, poor performance, or the position is fully eliminated, an employee can be fired during the leave. But if you did not necessarily plan to fire that person before going on leave, it might turn out to be a bad idea. Here’s why:

1. It Can Get You Sued for Wrongful Termination

The law protects those who go on medical leave – and they cannot be fired for the fact that they simply got sick. Therefore, if they see the notification that they got laid off exactly because they went on medical leave, they might hire an attorney and sue their employer for wrongful termination.

This might not be a concern if the employer already planned on firing the person – but if the decision is solely based on the fact that they went on leave, it will most likely lead to a lawsuit – one that the employer will lose.

1. It’s a Troublesome Process

When an employer fires someone on medical leave, they will have to prove that their decision has nothing to do with the fact that they were on leave. They will have to bring the paperwork necessary to state their reasoning, to prove that the behavior is bad for the business, or that their job is no longer in existence. It’s a much more troublesome process than if they terminate while the employee is still at work.

1. You Can Be Accused of Discrimination

If an employer fires someone on medical leave, it can lead to a series of other fallen dominos. For instance, if the person is disabled or of color, they might be accused of discrimination and racism – which once more, it can lead to another lawsuit.

1. It May Not be Practical

Let’s say that you fired a person simply because the company changed and their job was removed. If the employee is not there, how can they prove that they are not useful somewhere else? They might be firing a good employee simply because they were not there to defend themselves.

1. It’s Simply Not Legal

Legally speaking, unless you had a reason to fire that person before they went on leave, it is not possible to fire someone. If you have proof, then you can proceed with the plan. If not, the layoff can be nullified, and it can also lead to a lawsuit.

If you are an employer, it is not recommended to fire someone on medical leave – unless you have proof that your reason for firing them has nothing to do with the leave. However, if you are an employee, you might want to seek attorney assistance if you’ve been fired after taking medical leave. Most of the time, the law will be on your side.

from Feedster https://www.feedster.com/human-resources/top-5-reasons-why-its-a-bad-idea-to-fire-an-employee-on-medical-leave/

The Crate Club Over Powering The Tactical Gear Industry

How To Use SaaS Tools Properly

SaaS tools provide business professionals with an unparalleled arsenal with which they can achieve their goals, but many companies are still struggling when it comes to making proper use of these gadgets. Despite the allure of making use of SaaS tools, your company can’t turn a profit with them until it knows how to leverage them properly, so it’s imperative to make sure you’re avoiding common mistakes and making the best use possible of your technology.

Here’s how to use SaaS tools properly, and some tips for recruiting the talented human capital you’ll need to keep making use of this technology going forward.

First, understand what to avoid

The first thing you need to do is wrap your head around the commonly-made mistakes that many newcomers to SaaS tools make. You can make an error when acquiring and pricing your tools, when distributing them to your workforce so they can actually be used by your company, or even when it comes to simply updating your tools as time goes on. It’s thus worthwhile for business owners and the IT specialists who will be called upon to integrate SaaS tools into an existing company network brush up on the most common early SaaS mistakes so they don’t end up suffering from them down the road.

If you’re not doing your homework ahead of time, you’re basically asking for a disaster later on. Now that you know what to avoid when it comes to handling your SaaS tools, however, you’re in a much better position to actually make proper use of them. The next step is recruiting the talented employees you’ll need, as a tech-savvy workforce is effectively a necessary part of success in the 21^st century, especially when it comes to making use of SaaS tools.

Generic IT hiring practices can help you here, but your business can really kick it into the next gear by thoroughly reviewing hiring tips aimed at talent acquisition in the technology and SaaS industry in particular. If you’re not constantly scooping up new candidates, your company could seriously suffer from brain drain, which can effectively turn your expensive investment in SaaS tools into a worthless endeavor. Never take your eye off the talent pool of your company, as using SaaS tools properly essentially depends on having clever workers around who know how to navigate a digital workplace.

Don’t drop the ball when it comes to security

Another thing you need to know about mastering SaaS tools is that security can be diminished if you’re not careful when using them. Given the disparate nature of SaaS tools, many companies give individual employees or entire departments plenty of leeway when it comes to picking the right one for the job, but that particular tool may not have been thoroughly vetted by your IT team. It’s imperative to understand that you can’t sacrifice the integrity of your company’s IT security regime just because it’s expensive to keep bolstering your digital defenses as you adapt new technology into your operations.

Securing your SaaS application on the cloud is one area where many businesses are falling short when it comes to security. With so many companies, including cosmetic consultants, pivoting to the cloud in this day and age, it’s understandable that some entrepreneurs aren’t thinking twice before hopping onto the latest bandwagon, but it’s a matter of fact that you need to make sure everything is secure before you can hope about turning profits on a long-term basis.

Your team needs autonomy to make proper use of SaaS

Finally, the most important tip to remember when it comes to making proper use of SaaS tools is to give your team plenty of autonomy when it comes to deciding which applications they’re going to make use of. As long as an emphasis is placed on security, you should be trusting your employees to pick the right tool for the job, as there are so many SaaS options available today that it would be foolish not to take the opportunity to sample as many as possible to find the best fit for your company. Don’t be afraid to empower middle-managers with the decision-making responsibility they need to pick new tools when the time arises, as the ever-evolving nature of SaaS tools is part of what makes them so useful for businesses everywhere.

Don’t stress when it comes to SaaS; like all emerging technologies, SaaS tools can be difficult to comprehend at first but ultimately prove to be a wondrous benefit to those companies which adopt them. As long as you’re operating on the basis of transparency and digital security, not to mention bringing on the best human talent available, you should put faith in your company’s SaaS tools as they help you leap ahead to the forefront of your industry.

from Feedster https://www.feedster.com/business/how-to-use-saas-tools-properly/

How To Create Landing Pages That Convert

Optimizing your landing pages is an important part of success in the digital world, yet countless entrepreneurs and struggling professionals can’t seem to master the process of crafting stellar pages that convert at a high rate. Luckily, a number of tried-and-tested strategies exist to help expedite the process, and you’ll soon discover that creating landing pages that convert doesn’t have to be as expensive, frustrating, or time-consuming as some claim.

Here’s how to create landing pages that convert at a high rate, and what common mistakes you’ll want to be on the lookout for.

Understand that first impressions matter

It’s important to establish that the first impression you make when a user arrives on your landing page is the most important aspect of this entire affair. If users get the idea that your website or newsletter is sloppy, unprofessional, or boring from your landing page they’re unlikely to remain engaged and probe further into your site. As a matter of fact, everything you do when it comes to crafting a landing page should be centered around the idea of luring in as many users as possible and keeping them hooked once you have their attention.

Before you leap headfirst into creating your first landing page, you’ll want to review the mistakes that have cost others so much over the years. Countless clicks are wasted every day, after all, so you should learn about the deadly landing page mistakes that can turn your digital operation into a dumpster fire if you’re not careful. For instance, you may not want to shell out the extra few bucks for an incredibly fast website but having a clunky landing page that lags behind your competitors is a surefire way to lose potential users. Elsewhere, remember that you’ll need eye-catching language that pops off the page without coming across as too desperate or flashy.

The next thing you need to know is that without an enticing call to action you can never hope to convert clicks into sustained engagement. Plenty of users are bombarded with pleas for their attention on a constant basis, which means you have to cut through the noise with a hard-hitting landing page that includes actionable steps users can take that will lead them further down the rabbit hole. Never forget that you’re waging a war for the user’s attention, and that every move you make should be directed at the end of converting more from your landing page.

Study what works

Besides knowing what to avoid ahead of time, you should also be studying what works if you want to craft a superb landing page that converts. You should pour over some existing strategies that industry professionals already make use of, as plenty of the steps others have taken to success are replicable if you’re smart and ambitious enough to try. Limiting the choices available to users like voluntary disclosure, for instance, and focusing your attention on turning what few choices remain into alluring options is a fantastic way to generate sustained engagement and convert temporary visitors into long-term users.

As necessary as it is to differentiate yourself from competitors, it’s also imperative to understand average statistics when it comes to landing pages so that you know where you stand in your industry. Brushing up on what’s a good average conversation rate in 2019 is a great way to start, as you’ll need to be constantly relying on up-to-date information if your want the allure of your landing page to endure for long. Generating traffic in and of itself is fantastic, but to truly rise to the top of the marketplace you need to know the lay of the land well ahead of time.

Lead them by the hand

Finally, the most important principle of creating landing pages that convert is gently leading your users by the hand to where you want them to go. Many landing page guides assert that working professionals should “include a strong call to action” on their landing pages without ever actually explaining what that means. You should focus much of your efforts on leading users on to the next step – perhaps it’s signing up for your newsletter, creating an account on your forum, or plugging in their information for future analytics operations. Whatever your end goal is, be sure that it’s directly tied to your landing page in such a way that interested first-timers who foray onto your webpage end up directly where you need them to be.

You’ll need stellar web design in order to make this dream into a reality, of course, so don’t be afraid to rely on professional expertise when it comes to ensuring your landing pages and the rest of your site are in harmony with one another. Creating landing pages that convert isn’t easy and can’t be rushed, but by following the right tips and knowing what to avoid you’ll be generating additional traffic and converting leads in no time.

from Feedster https://www.feedster.com/marketing/how-to-create-landing-pages-that-convert/