Business.com


Business.com

Posted: 12 Jul 2019 02:00 PM PDT

After mapping out your business specifications, securing executive buy-in, and carefully managing the project, your work is still only half done.
One of the biggest factors in successfully adopting technology occurs after the implementation itself: training. If you don't have a training plan in place, your new solution is unlikely to be adopted across your company and you won't enjoy all the benefits of the digital transformation. 
The key is to take a process-centric approach, which will allow you to cover all your bases and provide your entire team with training that makes them feel confident using your new technology.
Read on to learn how to develop your training plan – from choosing the right methods, materials, and resources, to facilitating your digital transformation into the future. 

Forming the outline of your training plan

You should start developing your training plan long before the technology solution is deployed. Ideally, your training plan will start to take shape as soon as the design for the new technology has been finalized. At this point, you will have a good idea of how the technology will function and how it will be used by your entire team, which is critical information for a comprehensive training plan.
Now is the time to think about your employees – the end users. There are two important factors any good training outline must address: the technical skill level of the end users, and the array of learning styles of the end users.

Think about your end users' technical skills

Your teams use technology in different ways and for different purposes. As a result, your employees will vary greatly in terms of their technological knowledge, familiarity, and comfort. Take all competencies, skills and use cases into account as you build an outline for the training plan. This will ensure that your training plan serves its purpose to bolster the company-wide adoption of your new technology.

Consider different training methods

Remember that not all your employees will learn in the same way. Consider using a diverse mix of training methods, materials, and resources that hit all three learning types: kinesthetic learners, auditory learners and visual learners.
  • Kinesthetic learners learn by doing. They want to dive in and practice a skill. They enjoy simulations and other types of training that immerses them right in the technology itself, such as gamification-based exercises.
  • Auditory learners learn by listening. They are best served by traditional training methods such as seminars, lectures, and lunch-and-learns. They also benefit from opportunities to ask questions and talk through problems with another person, which might make mentoring opportunities a valuable part of your training plan. 
  • Visual learners learn by seeing. They learn well through online tutorials, training videos, and presentations that incorporate graphics, charts, and text.
Identifying the needs of the employees who will be using the new system is essential, as their needs will guide the initial outline for your training plan and the development of the training sessions.

Designing your training plan

With an outline formed, you're ready to create the step-by-step guide to conducting your training. Here's how you can flesh out your outline and create a foolproof training plan.

Provide clear structure

Without a clearly structured training plan, your employees are likely to become confused and frustrated with the training and, in turn, with the technology itself. Worse, a poorly organized training program can make the new solution appear more difficult to use than it really is. Your teams will be less open to trying out the technology – nevermind using it on a daily basis – if it seems to be less user-friendly than the existing business process.
Design your training program logically. Each part of the training program should focus on a learning objective or skill employees should attain before they move on to the next section. Start with the simplest skills and build up methodically from one skill to the next. By structuring your training plan in an accessible way, you help emphasize the usability of your new system. It also provides your teams with a positive experience from the very beginning of the digital transformation and increases the likelihood that they will want to use the technology.

Decide who will lead the training

A good trainer must be equipped with both technical skills and communication skills, in order to effectively train your employees. There are a few ways to go about identifying a good training leader: you can outsource your training, manage it in-house, or use a mix of both methods.
If you use in-house trainers, such as managers or members of the IT department, allow plenty of time for them to get comfortable with the training program and the new technology before they are expected to train others. Make sure final preparations have been made to instruct trainers by the time the new technology has been implemented and is being evaluated. That way, training can start as soon as any bugs have been ironed out and the technology is deployed to all employees.

Define when the training starts and how long it lasts

Training should begin as soon as your new technology is deployed, which means you should provide clear communication before the deployment date about when the technology will go into effect and what employees can expect.
Look for ways to turn your deployment announcement into a training opportunity. Award a prize to the first 10 employees to use the technology to complete a particular function, or give a demonstration on how an employee used it to close a sale right after it was deployed.
If you've chosen a variety of training methods and designed a program that methodically moves from skill to skill, your training program will naturally take more than a few days to complete. Any good training program will likely stretch over months and may even last up to a year to bring your company to full adoption. While this might sound like a long training period, it ensures that your teams have plenty of time to adjust to the new system and practice working with it.
After all, digital transformation is a big change and you want your teams to feel confident using your new technology on a day-to-day basis by the end of the training.

Making the most of your training plan

Even after your training plan has kicked off, you can take action to ensure its effectiveness.
Monitoring technology adoption rates allows you to see how quickly your teams are adjusting to the new system. You can also check whether the technology is helping you improve the metrics your company is focused on, such as more sales, better customer retention, or greater efficiency. If any of these numbers are below what you expected, it might be because your employees are struggling to use the technology.
Actively seeking employee feedback will help you understand areas where your teams are unable to use the technology to its full potential. Feedback straight from the end users can give you the information you need to offer further support in the learning process. Provide feedback mechanisms to all employees. Consider creating feedback groups of employees from across your organization to get the full picture of the end user experience. This will allow you to make any updates that are needed to refine your training program and boost company-wide adoption.
Creating a robust training plan and continuously evaluating the program isn't an overnight project. A well-developed training plan with clear structure will make a lasting impact on technology adoption. By following these guidelines, you can usher in a new technology that supports your teams with their work processes and drives transformative business value for your company.
Posted: 12 Jul 2019 01:00 PM PDT

By that, I mean that they base their core values on experiential marketing. The one thing that determines the success of a company is the fact that it delivers an exceptional experience to its customers.
Think about it. When was the last time you stepped into your favorite fast food joint, knowing precisely what you're going to get? Moreover, you probably knew how the staff is going to treat you and how the process of ordering and consuming the food is going to look.
Real experiences have much more significant impacts on our senses than abstract ideas and, therefore, stay in our memory for longer. According to a study from the International Journal of Supply Chain Management, 100% of respondents (customers) said that brand visibility experiences induce curiosity in them about a particular product or a service that is being offered.

The definition of experiential marketing

Every marketer will give you their view of experiential marketing. It comes in many forms and sizes. It's also called "live" or "engagement" marketing and serves as a tool that encourages the customer to take part in an activity your brand organized.
Those activities often look like random happenings. However, they are carefully-planned events to drive brand awareness and teach customers about your company and your products. Sadly, not every company knows how to deliver a top-notch event.
What's more, a badly-executed experiential marketing campaign might look like a publicity stunt or a way to push your product to the customers. People don't like brands pressuring them into making purchases. Even worse, such an event could damage your image in the industry.
The most critical factor in your customer reach is engagement, so if you still haven't, start learning about your customers and tactics to create a successful campaign. Experiential campaigns take longer to execute but are far more rewarding than your regular social media campaign. Plus, they can give you more repeat customers than the ads you put on Google.

Why experience brings value

To strategically plan an experiential marketing campaign, you will have to forget everything you know about digital marketing strategies for a second. Social media marketing, email marketing, content marketing, and similar forms of advertising can personalize your customer's experience to a certain level, but they will never come close to building the real interaction between a person and a brand.
Traditional marketing tactics help with an already established customer base and can give you data about potential customers. However, they are only visual and verbal and can't get to the customer on a deeper level.
Experiential marketing, on the other hand, is a "3D" version of a marketing campaign. It makes the customers dive into the brand much easier and much faster than through the screen. So, here are the three values experiential marketing creates for your company.

  • Customer engagement

Except for going out to gatherings and events, people love to brag to others. The single most valuable factor of the campaign experience-wise is customer engagement. An innovative strategy can create the need for posting on Instagram or Facebook. If people are genuinely interested in your event, they'll share where they've been. In other words, you can essentially build your online visibility without investing in digital marketing. The numbers only go in your favor. According to the most popular social network stats, Facebook still leads the game with over 2.2 billion monthly active accounts, while 1 billion monthly active users use sixth-ranked Instagram.

  • Media coverage an online visibility

Recent eCommerce statistics showed that 68% of customers would trust a business if they see something positive about it on the internet. Once you successfully create engagement, your campaign can attract other forms of marketing (that will also come in a free form). For example, events in small communities often get significant media coverage. Although I said before to forget everything about digital marketing strategies, let's return briefly to them. Your successful event-only experiential campaign could have indirect digital marketing effects and give you the online visibility (you would typically create with digital marketing).

  • Building brand affinity

There are many brands like yours out there. Customers easily switch between brands, so you must come up with a way to retain them as long as possible. One effective method is to give them authentic interaction at an event. Experiential marketing campaigns ensure your customers will learn more about you firsthand, as well as be able to test out your products for free. You'll then slowly build brand affinity and generate better sales.

Types of experiential campaigns

After you learned why experiential marketing brings value, let's see which types of such advertising you can choose for your company. It will depend on the kind of service and the product you offer, as well as the preferences of your target audience.

1.Product testing

Everyone loves free stuff, mainly if it's their favorite brand that's handing out the products. You can organize product testing with free samples of the product. Not only will it engage the participants, but bring new potential clients into the picture.

2.Organizing a workshop

Another type of campaign is a workshop. Here, you'll need an expert who will guide the customers through the class or a practical workshop, but it can be quite rewarding. Your customers will learn a thing or two about how to make something, and you'll have a significantly larger customer base once word of mouth spreads from the satisfied workshop participants to the potential customers.

3.Having a tour of the facility

If you have a production facility nearby, make sure to organize free tours (with the option of testing). Why? Because now more than ever, customers like to know the origin of the products they're buying. Let them know how you do it and lead them through the process. This kind of engagement stays with them for long because they experienced your brand in its entirety.

How you can implement experiential marketing to your strategy

  • Research your target market. Ask yourself why users want to connect with your brand, what exactly motivates them, which channels they prefer, and what you can do to give them what they need.
  • Come up with a message you want to send. Create an event around it and decide which marketing channels to use based on your previous research.
  • Announce your event. Digital marketing channels will now come in handy since most of your audience probably use social media. Announce it on all your channels and consider the live streaming of the event once it takes place.
  • Partner with a reputable name in the niche. If you know any company that could share the event with you, great! Invite them to partner with your company. Find a sweet spot between your services and the services from the partner company. What I mean by that is, you have to see the ways one company can complement the other and show it to the audience.
  • Talk from the heart. Once you get to the event, make sure your words get through to the customers. Be honest and show them your product in a way they have never seen it before.
  • Go live. During the event, it's best to film the event and broadcast it live on Facebook, YouTube, or any other platform that enables live video streaming.

What do you think?

Do you believe experiential marketing is the future of customer engagement? If so, start learning more about it and implement it into your strategy. Your customers and your business will profit from it.
Posted: 12 Jul 2019 12:30 PM PDT

  • The number of naturalized citizens who became incorporated business owners increased by 70.5% between 2000 and 2017.
  • The top industry for both U.S.-born and naturalized citizens' incorporated businesses was construction.
  • Four of the top five metropolitan areas with the largest proportion of businesses owned by naturalized citizens are in California.
Immigration in America has been a hot-button issue for decades, but under President Donald Trump's administration, the issue has reached a fever pitch. While most proponents of stricter immigration policies believe restrictions will save American jobs, a recent survey by FundRocket found that immigrants who become naturalized citizens are major drivers of the country's small business community.
According to the study, which drew on data from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey, naturalized citizens are not only twice as likely to start incorporated businesses as U.S.-born citizens, the industries and cities that they operate in are thriving.
"Naturalized citizens founded many of the nation's most powerful businesses: Google, Yahoo, and eBay owe their existence to entrepreneurs born abroad," researchers wrote in their study. "Still, more titans of industry hail from families from other countries: Steve Jobs' and Jeff Bezos' fathers came from Syria and Cuba, respectively."
Nearly half of Forbes' Fortune 100 companies last year were founded by immigrants. Furthermore, researchers estimated that more than 1 in 10 American businesses are owned and operated by newcomers to the country.

Business ownership and employment

There are more than 30 million small businesses in the U.S., which account for nearly 60 million jobs, or around 48% of the American workforce. With those numbers in mind, the 12.5% of incorporated businesses owned by naturalized citizens accounts for roughly 7.5 million jobs.
Though the number of businesses owned by naturalized citizens makes up a relatively small percentage of the overall workforce – compared to the 80% owned by native-born citizens – researchers found that the number of incorporated businesses owned by immigrants skyrocketed by 70.5% between 2000 and 2017.
Researchers also found that naturalized citizens were twice as likely to work for their own businesses than native-born residents. According to the data, 3.8% of naturalized citizens worked for themselves, compared with 1.9% of American-born residents. The trend continued in unincorporated business, as 5.3% of immigrants worked for themselves in that area compared with 3.4% of native-born Americans.
Overall, 53.6% of naturalized citizens held wage-based or salaried positions, compared with 42.7% of U.S.-born citizens. The data also shows that 43.3% of native-born workers reported being unemployed, while 28.2% of naturalized citizens polled said they were out of work.
While those unemployment numbers differ from those in the Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics, which shows native and non-native workers experiencing a much smaller gap in their respective unemployment rates, researchers said they think the discrepancy relates to the "rates of attrition" from the workforce.
"In some cases, naturalized citizens who came to America later in life are not eligible for benefits such as Social Security, meaning they can't comfortably retire like their native-born peers," they wrote.

Immigrant industrial growth

Through its research, FundRocket identified the industries that benefited the most from immigrant participation. What researchers found was that construction (10%), food services (7.4%) and real estate (5.2%) had the largest percentages of naturalized business owners.
From 2000 to 2017, some industries experienced exponential growth thanks to the influx of naturalized citizen ownership. During that span, child day care grew more than 17 times larger, despite an ongoing shortage of child care programs in the U.S. Other sectors that grew substantially during that time were crop production (by 15.5 times) and individual and family services (by 6.9 times).
In comparison, native-born business owners helped other industries boom during that time. The number of museums, art galleries, historical sites and other institutions grew 15.8 times larger. Beverage manufacturing (11.9 times) and electronic component and product manufacturing (8.1 times) also saw major increases.
Researchers also found that certain ancestries had larger percentages of small business owners. Asian Indians made up the largest group, owning 8.7% of small businesses owned by naturalized citizens, while Mexicans (6.9%) and Chinese (6.4%) rounded out the top of the list.
Further data shows that 25% of naturalized citizens hailing from Kuwait were business owners, with most of their holdings in real estate. Similarly, 23.6% of naturalized Polynesian Americans own businesses, their industry of choice being professional, scientific and technical services. Nearly 20% of naturalized Israeli Americans are small business owners, and most of their businesses are in the construction industry.

Business-friendly locations available to naturalized citizens

"Sanctuary cities" have cropped up in recent years to stymie U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents' detention of undocumented immigrants. As a result, large populations of naturalized citizens also dwell in those locations.
Researchers found that many sanctuary cities are metropolitan areas with large percentages of businesses owned by naturalized citizens. The biggest concentration, according to the study, was in El Centro, California, with 50.4% of the incorporated businesses there owned by immigrants. Mexican Americans made up the majority there.
Of the top 15 metropolitan areas researched, eight are located in California and only three are located in a non-coastal state (Texas). Other locales with large percentages of businesses owned by naturalized citizens include Los Angeles; Washington, D.C.; and Newark, New Jersey. Researchers also revealed that 1 in 5 business owners in Florida are naturalized citizens, while California had the largest percentage of incorporated businesses owned by naturalized citizens with 23.8%.
Posted: 12 Jul 2019 05:15 AM PDT

Social media marketing has grown in popularity and sophistication in recent years. And, unfortunately, for many small business owners, the rapid changes, combined with a steep learning curve and lack of time to learn the different platforms, have left many struggling to establish and grow a strong social media presence.
What is a small business owner to do? Check out these six tips on how to create quality social media marketing posts that engage followers and help you build a strong following. 

Understand your brand.

First and foremost, you need to understand exactly what your brand is and how you plan to market it. If you're not sure about these two things, it will result in scattered, nonsensical social media posts, which will confuse and alienate followers.
Whether you are just establishing a channel on social media or have an existing one, before you randomly start posting, first identify what makes your business unique.
How do you want customers to see your brand? How you want them to interact with you? Once you have an idea about your brand identity and communication methods and style, you can then brainstorm the types of posts that will effectively convey that message to your target audience.

Content is king, but distribution is queen.

It's true, content is king, but distribution, carefully spreading the same message different ways across multiple platforms, is queen.
"People focus too much on the content, like wording or photos, which isn't a bad thing," said Carly Brasseux, president and owner of Carly Brasseux Consulting. "But you also have to know the best hashtags, the ideal time of day to post, and [to switch] up wording and images for each platform. If you're cross-posting a tweet to Facebook or Instagram, you need a different-sized image, different hashtags, and [you need] to post it at a different time of day."
By spreading your message across multiple platforms and varying your posts, those who are likely to see them on the various platforms aren't likely to be annoyed.

Avoid "the sell."

Because marketing has become so pervasive, audiences know when they are being sold to. They have developed an aversion to classical forms of advertising, such as "Buy this product now, and you'll be happy."
Modern marketing, particularly social media marketing, has become significantly more nuanced – the focus now is on selling a lifestyle rather than a specific product.
"It's obvious [on social media] when all you're doing is selling," said Brittany Morales, CEO and founder of Brimagraphics LLC. "People won't care, and your posts will do horribly."
Make a point of sharing your story with followers and why your business exists. The key is to make your followers care about what you do so they engage with your posts – caring equals engagement, which means you have an increased chance of gaining new customers.
"Social media is a conversation, not a sales tool," said Richard Kelleher, marketing sociologist.
At its core, social media is a place for socializing and engaging with others. Encountering a hard sell in that space is jarring and unwelcome to most people. "Be human," said Chad MacDonald, social media specialist. "Let people see you be human, and don't always talk about the things you're selling. If you're real, people will follow you just for that."

Create bonds by sharing your story.

Sharing your own business story and creating a space for others to share their experiences not only engages followers, they feel valued.
"People love talking about themselves and sharing their stories," said Megan Winkler, owner of Limelight Visibility Marketing. "They want to feel like they're a part of a company's story, too; that they matter. Creating content that does that helps forge a bond between a business and its customers."
With your social media channels, there's a void between your business and your followers. Your job is to close that gap, and some easy ways to do that (while forging a bond with people) is creating posts that ask followers to comment with their personal stories or responses, hosting giveaways or challenges, or reposting followers' content (as long as it's appropriate).

Know your audience.

To create content that your audience will engage with, you need to understand your audience and what will prompt them to engage with you. And to determine that, you'll have to try a few tactics before you know what works and what doesn't. Pay close attention to things like how many people see your post versus how many comment on it or like it, what types of photos seem to get more engagement, etc.
"Consider everything an experiment," said Winkler.
You can also use Google Analytics to find out demographic information about your audience, like the primary age, gender and where most of your audience is located. This can help you hone your posts so they are more appealing to your audience.
A common mistake, said Olivia Angelescu, content marketing strategist, is recycling or copying a specific type of post from another business.
"Always have your own audience in mind when you create your social media posts," she said. What works for one business may not work for another – or yours.

Have a goal for each post.

Avoid posting for the sake of posting. No one will notice if you miss a day, but they will notice if you're posting for no apparent reason. Make your posts purposeful and well-thought-out, and your engagement rates should increase.
Have a purpose or goal in mind for every post. What does this post do for my business? Why is it worth posting? What do I stand to gain from it? What does the post say about the business?
"With every post, you need to make people either know you, like you, trust you or take a desired action," said Angelescu.
"Treat every post like its own little billboard," added Corri Smith, owner of Black Wednesday Marketing and PR. "Post often, [as long as] you have strong content and something important to share."
Posted: 12 Jul 2019 05:15 AM PDT

Are you ready? Amazon Prime Day, which is really two days, starts on Monday, July 15, and anticipation for the 48-hour event is ramping up. Bargain shoppers across the globe look forward to the event, which features hundreds of thousands of different sales in its two-day duration.
While some people picture consumers buying products for personal use on Amazon Prime Day, small businesses can benefit from the discounts as well. If your business needs an Amazon device, or any other business product for that matter, consider taking advantage of the potential savings by buying the item on Prime Day. With so many different sales and discounts available, it's important that businesses know the basics of Amazon Prime Day.
For those unaware of what Amazon Prime Day is, here's a quick refresher:
  • Prime Day is a day when Amazon Prime members are offered special discounts on an assortment of items on the site.
  • Amazon Prime Day will take place on July 15 and 16, 2019.
  • The day's popularity has put it in the conversation with other major sales days, including Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
  • Participating in Prime Day requires an Amazon Prime membership, although users can sign up for a free 30-day trial to participate in Prime Day without paying for the full membership
If you're unsure where to start looking on Amazon Prime Day, we've compiled a list with 10 of the best Amazon Prime Day deals for small businesses.

NEWYES Smartpen

If you prefer handwritten notes but want that data available on your technological devices, the NEWYES Smartpen is an affordable ($129) way to get exactly that. The pen uses a built-in camera to capture the exact location of everything you're drawing. Those notes and images then transfer to the NEWYES app.
Any small business owners who enjoy taking handwritten notes can benefit from their notes and drawings immediately syncing up with an app. This pen's benefit is especially noticeable if you're drawing out a design or planning out an event. It's often easier to draw on paper than it is to draw on a tablet or computer, and this pen allows you to draw on paper while still viewing drawings in a digital format.

Amazon Echo Input

Amazon's Echo Input adds Alexa to an external speaker. It can connect to a speaker with an audio cable or with Bluetooth. If your office has a speaker and you want to connect with Alexa, the Echo Input is an affordable ($34.99) way to do that. Amazon currently lists the price at a $20 discount as a Prime Day presale, so it can be purchased for just under $15.
While the Input likely won't transform the way your small business operates, it's an affordable option that can be put to use in any office setting, even if it's just for playing music. [Interested in using Amazon Alexa devices in your business? Check out this related article on our sister site, Business News Daily.]

Amazon Echo Dot

Amazon's most popular smart speaker, the Echo Dot, checks in at $24.99 with an Amazon Prime Day presale deal. Small businesses can use the Echo Dot to play music or to ask Alexa questions. Whether a business is looking for a speaker to play music or a way to stay up to date on the headlines, the Echo Dot can help.
Much like the Echo Input, the Echo Dot's price point makes it a reasonable purchase for small businesses. While it might not transform your business operations, it can certainly be used enough to justify the price.

Fellowes Corsivo Height Adjustable Standing Desk

As businesses become increasingly health-conscious, standing desks have become all the rage. This adjustable desk, which costs $249.99, can be used by anyone in the office and allows employees to stand while working. It's easy to move around, which makes it easy to move from desk to desk if desired. This standing desk is also easy to assemble and built to last for years. [Interested in different office desk solutions? Our sister site, Business News Daily, has some ideas.]

Norton 360 Premium

A small business can purchase Norton antivirus software for up to 10 devices. The price of $99.99 makes this an affordable option for small businesses. Cybersecurity has long been a concern for small businesses, so it's important to protect your technology from cyberattacks. Spending roughly $100 to protect 10 devices from basic cyberattacks is a logical purchase.

Anker 60W Charger

This versatile charger can charge MacBook Pros, iPad Pros, several different types of iPhones and more. Priced at $39.99, it's a good office addition, especially if your office primarily uses Macs. Having extra chargers on hand for laptops and phones is a nice convenience for an office space, and spending less than $50 for a valuable resource seems reasonable. The charger's size is a bonus, as it's smaller than most traditional chargers.

AmazonBasics Classic Computer Desk With Shelves

This desk, priced at $59.99, will be released on July 10. It's best used in a small office or home office. The desk's unique size and configuration also make it a valuable storage space within an office, especially given its two shelves. The shelves can be moved to either the right or left side of the desk. It's a compact desk that could be a good addition to the home office of a remote worker.

Rocketbook Everlast Fusion

Priced at $37, this notebook may initially seem like an expensive option. Once you dig deeper, however, it becomes clear this product is a bargain given its many features. The notebook features 42 pages with seven page styles. Most importantly, the pages are reusable, and the purchase includes a microfiber cloth to wipe the pages clean after you write on them. If you're big into writing down ideas or setting goals, this notebook is a good option for an affordable price. Small businesses may opt to purchase one journal for everyone on their team.

Crayola Take Note Colorful Writing Set

Depending on your business's needs, you may want to take notes and put together detailed drawings using colored pens and markers. If you feel you might need an assortment of colors and writing utensils, this $19.99 package is worth considering. Buying one pack of these is easier than making a run to Staples for a variety of products, and the erasable highlighter is particularly popular.

Amazon Cloud Cam Security Camera

Also good for home use, this security camera is relatively inexpensive at $119.99 and a good option for businesses hoping to add a security measure to their organization. The camera works with Alexa, so if you don't already have an Amazon Alexa device, you'll need to buy it in addition to the camera. If you do have Alexa, the cost is fair, and the camera allows you to monitor what goes on at your business even when you aren't there.
One interesting (and slightly creepy) feature of this camera is two-way audio. In theory, you could watch someone break into your business and tell them you see them through the two-way audio setup. Another notable feature is the detection ability of the camera. The Cloud Cam can detect specific sounds, like glass breaking, which can be helpful for knowing if and when someone is breaking into your business.
Posted: 12 Jul 2019 05:12 AM PDT

Everything's coming up Amazon as Prime Day approaches and the company claims its new title as the world's largest retailer, edging out longtime top dog Walmart.
If you want to cash in on the deals this season, here's everything you need to know about Amazon Prime Day deals in 2019, and Prime memberships in general.

Amazon Prime Day FAQ

When is Amazon Prime Day?

Amazon Prime Day 2019 begins at midnight (PST) on Monday, July 15, and will run through Tuesday, July 16.

What is Prime Day?

Amazon Prime Day is an annual 48-hour flash sale. The exact date of Prime Day is not publicized until just before the event happens, so shoppers who want to cash in on fantastic deals need to stay alert.

Who can get deals on Amazon Prime Day?

You must be an Amazon Prime subscriber to access the deals offered on Prime Day. You also have to be logged into your Amazon account to see the deals.

What goes on sale on Amazon Prime Day?

During Amazon's previous sales extravaganzas, the retail giant has offered deep discounts on all sorts of products:  TVs, furniture, appliances and other everyday essentials. Usually, flagship devices like Amazon's Fire tablets and TVs and Echo speakers go on sale as well.

How do I find the best Amazon Prime Day deals?

Amazon Prime Day is a massive promotion, with about 1 million deals being offered during the 36-hour sale window.  Past Prime Days have featured steep discounts on technology, so lots of tech outlets serve up live coverage of the best items offered on Prime day.
The other option to monitor deals is, of course, to just stay logged into your Prime member account and refresh the home page regularly, so you don't miss anything. You may also want to make a list of whatever you're hoping to snag, so you can stay focused on what you really need and avoid overbuying just to take advantage of a deal.
For those who own an Amazon Echo, Echo Dot, Echo Show, Fire TV or a Fire tablet, you can access Alexa-exclusive deals accessed through voice shopping. You can preview, track and shop for specific items as you are alerted to new ones from the Amazon App or at amazon.com/watched.

What is Anti-Prime day?

To compete with Amazon, other retailers like Best Buy and Walmart have started running their own sales on Prime Day. If you're buying big-ticket items, shop around.  Just because Amazon is running a deal doesn't mean it's the best deal out there.

Amazon Prime FAQs

If you want to take advantage of Prime Day deals, you must be a Prime subscriber. Here's what you need to know.

What is Amazon Prime?

Amazon Prime is a subscription offered by Amazon that provides a few benefits to subscribers. The service is typically $12.99 a month (or $199 a year), but students and recipients of Medicaid can get Prime for just $6.99 per month. That is an expansion of the program that affords a deal to anyone on government assistance programs, including food stamps. It requires customers to have a valid Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card.
A subscription includes access to Prime Video and unlimited reading, music streaming, and photo storage, as well as free same day delivery on eligible Prime products.

What shipping discounts does Amazon Prime offer?

Amazon offers free two-day shipping in the contiguous U.S. for Prime products; same-day delivery is available in eligible ZIP codes and in select cities. It is $2.99 or $5.99 on most other orders. In those cities, you can get 1-hour delivery for thousands of products at local stores. And you can get free two-hour delivery in eligible ZIP codes through Prime Now. Saturday shipping prices vary by item size and weight, and start as low as $7.99. Orders over $1,300 may require a signature.
Consumers in Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico can expect Prime deliveries in three to seven days for free. For expedited shipping of two to five days, prices vary based on size and weight, starting at $5.99. Priority shipping of one to four days similarly varies starting at $11.99. Note: Expedited shipping is not currently available in Puerto Rico.
Prime comes with release-date delivery on eligible preorder items within the continental U.S. Some mail carriers will make deliveries to residential addresses as late as 7 p.m. Signature isn't required for most release-date delivery items.
It's worth mentioning that Amazon Business comes with its own Prime shipping deals. You get free two-day shipping on orders of $49 or more. You also get improved order tracking and Amazon's tax exemption program.

Is Amazon Prime a good deal?

There are more than 100 million Prime subscribers worldwide, so many shoppers do find value in Amazon Prime subscriptions, but it's not always the cheapest way to shop. The value of free shipping on selected items from Amazon is impacted largely by local prices and availability, bulk prices for business shoppers, and order scheduling. For example, if you own a restaurant and typically order from Restaurant Depot a few times a year, you should do a price comparison; it may be that you're already getting the best deal possible. On the other hand, if you live in a remote area where there is little in-store shopping available or delivery costs are frequently very high, Prime may be worth it.
If you're on the fence, you can always try a free subscription, but if you decide to cancel your subscription after the 30-day free trial, you'll need to proactively cancel before your time is up to avoid getting charged. To cancel your Amazon Prime trial, simply go to your account, select Manage Prime Membership and click Do Not Continue or End Membership.

Additional Prime Member Products

Prime members have access to additional Amazon credit, financing, and rewards programs that can help them save money on purchases and get cash back on shopping, not just on Prime Day, but all year long. These are the best benefits offered to Prime members currently; if you're certain you'll be shopping a lot on Prime Day, you may want to sign up now.

Amazon Store Card

Prime members are eligible for an Amazon Prime Store Card with no annual fee. You earn 5% back on every Amazon.com purchase, as long as you're not using promotional financing. Store Card holders can choose promotional financing on orders of more than $149, to be paid back over the course of six months. For orders of more than $599, you get 12 months. Interest starts accruing on the purchase date if you have not paid your balance within the given time frame. The APR was 28.24% as of press time.

Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card

Eligible Prime members can earn 5% back on all Amazon and Whole Foods Market purchases, in addition to 2% back at restaurants, gas stations, and drugstores, and 1% on everything else. It has no annual credit card fee and no foreign transaction fees. As soon as you are approved, you get a $70 Amazon gift card. The APR starts at 16.49% as of press time, but it can go as high as 24.49% depending on your credit history.

Amazon Prime Reload

Through a rewards program called Amazon Prime Reload, members can earn 2% cash back on select items when they first load funds into their Amazon Balance using a debit card attached to their bank's checking account. Your Gift Card balance never expires, and there are no fees associated with this perk. You'll have to provide Amazon with your driver's license number and bank account information, though, and the process of adding funds takes about five minutes but can be delayed by as much as four hours.

Shared memberships

For two adults living in the same household, you can create an Amazon Household to share benefits. Plus, you can extend your personal account to your Amazon Business account to take advantage of some of its benefits on business purchases. First, log in to your personal account. Then, click Your Account > Your Prime Membership > Share Your Prime Benefits. Next, select Extend Prime shipping to your Amazon Business account. You'll need to enter those credentials and then click Extend your Prime shipping benefits. If you're already a Prime member anyway, this seems like a no-brainer.
If you don't yet have a Prime account, you can do this process in reverse. First, log in to your Business account. Then, go to amazon.com/prime to complete the sign-up process.
Additional reporting by Anna Attkisson.
Posted: 12 Jul 2019 05:00 AM PDT

Have you ever wondered what the world's first website looked like? Who created it and when? Well, the world's first website was launched by Sir Tim Berners Lee in the year 1991. It was a simple webpage having some texts and hyperlinks. You can have a look at it by clicking on this link.
From that modest beginning back in 1991, we have come forward 27 years where some extraordinary transformations have taken place in the world of web design. Whether, it is the launch of the first browser in 1996 by Microsoft, or the introduction of CSS and Flash (both in 1996) and in the recent years, the need of responsive design, all played their role in the evolution of web design.
Now, we are moving into the future of web design and conversational interfaces will be the key that will power up modern mobile first websites.

What is conversation UI?

Conversation interface has been rightly referred to as the "UI of the future." Global leaders like Google, Amazon and Apple are already developing smart websites that will handle customer queries using conversational interfaces.
In fact, a few years back Google developed a chatbot that could debate the meaning of life with users – its developers didn't build it through code but used a machine-learning algorithm to study existing conversations – namely movie conversations to teach it to respond to queries from users contemplating the deeper meaning of life.
Conversation interfaces are platforms that have the power to mimic a conversation with a real human. This means, users can interact with a machine in the same language as though they are communicating with a human. This happens with the help of Natural Language Processing which allows the computers to understand, analyze and create meaning from the words entered or spoken by the user.
The evolution of UI that started with a keyboard a when command level language like DOS was used to enter commands that could easily be understood by a computer. We have since transitioned from basic input devices that were used to enter data to more robust platform that do not require data entry but through voice, gesture etc. based inputs can cater to user commands. Now, with the introduction of Apple's Siri and Amazon's Echo, computers are able to easily understand the language of a user, be it a simple demand like Siri tell me what the temperature is outside to more complex requests like Google can you book me an appointment at a women's hair salon.
After seeing what the world has in store for modern websites, you can forget about buttons because the era of colorful buttons is coming to an end. Instead, conversational interfaces like chatbots and voice assistants will power up the websites of the future.
But don't take my word for it. Here are some modern day brands that have used Chatbots to dramatically increase their productivity:
  • Popular ride hailing service Lyft lets you book rides through tools like Slack by typing /lyft home. 
  • Sephora a well-known personal care brand lets you engage with its bot VIA platforms like KIK to get product information, watch tutorials etc.
  • 1-800 Flowers. A famous floral and gourmet food business has a very conversational website that runs you through floral arrangement scenarios so you can choose your preferred order.
The point here is that a lot of popular brands have been experimenting with the concept of a conversational website for quite some time now, and with online serviceability on the rise, brands are expected to build omni-digital experiences.
More and more brands are seeing bot powered websites, apps etc.as not just tricky pieces of tech, but as essential customer management assets that can help them drive down costs and boost online traffic.

How to build a conversational website

A conversational website is a simple website that uses a chatbot (either voice or text) to interact with users. The key lies in creating a website that literally talks with the visitor. Stick to the basic rules of designing a website and then add an interactive function to it. He or she should feel like they are interacting with an actual human and not a bot.
Adding a chatbot to your existing site is all you need to convert your boring website into a site of the future. A chatbot can be of two types namely text chatbot and voice chatbot. Let's learn about these.
If you don't want to bang your head into codes then there is an easier option for you. You can easily create chatbots with the help of chatbot builders.
Amazon Lex is the top solution for building conversational interfaces for your website. It uses the same technology as Alexa that enables you to quickly and easily build sophisticated, natural language, chatbots.
Apart from Amazon Lex, there are other builders like Collect.chat that can assist you in building a customized chatbot for your business. With a powerful algorithm at the backend, the chatbot can interact with the visitors, understand their requirements and suggest the best products or services to them. 

Why conversational interfaces are better

Conversational interfaces are always better as compared to traditional interfaces because they help to reduce the friction in communication and people can easily communicate in the language they are most comfortable leading to better user experiences and increased sales.
  • It has been estimated that around 83% of shoppers need assistance during online shopping. Hence, having a chatbot assists them in choosing the best product in the shortest possible time.
  • A chatbot can handle multiple requests at a time so the waiting time is reduced to NIL. Hence, businesses can scale up their operations leading to improved revenue.
  • A conversational interface helps to generate better leads and also helps in lead nurturing.
  • A chatbot adds a personalized experience for every user leading to improved customer satisfaction. This leads to better ROI and increased word-of-mouth referrals.
  • Customers are able to make easy payments using the same platform that generates significant revenue to your business.
  • A chatbot never sleeps so you can expect customer interaction to happen 24x7. This helps to improve brand value and increased customer retention.

Why conversational interfaces are the future

Conversational interfaces are surging in popularity and there is no coming back. Websites of the future will have simple interfaces powered by voice assistants and chatbots. Businesses that are able to build websites that provide customers with better experiences, having them to type or say less and get instant yet accurate recommendations are bound to win.
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