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Choosing a Web Hosting Service: A Buyer's Guide

Posted: 02 Jul 2019 02:58 PM PDT

Whether it be a simple website or a robust e-commerce store, it is essential for small businesses to have an online presence. Choosing the right web hosting company is one of the most important decisions a small business owner will make. How you present yourself to the online world – how fast your site loads, if your site goes down – says a lot about your business to consumers.

There are several features to evaluate when choosing a web hosting company – security, storage, site speed and pricing. There are also red flags to consider, such as site downtime and negative reviews. Not every web hosting company is right for your business. Learn what to look for in a hosting provider and how to know which one fits your needs.  

We evaluated more than 40 web hosting services. Below are the companies we think are the best for small businesses in 2019. In addition, we explain our methodology process, what web hosting features small business owners should look for, how much you should expect to pay for web hosting (including fees) and a complete list of web hosting vendors.

The Best Cloud and Web Hosting Services

Best Web Hosting Service for Small Business: InMotion Hosting

InMotion Hosting, our choice as the best web hosting company for small business in 2019, is a comprehensive web hosting platform that provides a variety of hosting services. It offers several hosting types, including shared, virtual private servers (VPS), dedicated servers, WordPress, managed and reseller hosting. For each hosting type, it has multiple competitive plans you can choose from. If you are looking for a cost-effective plan for your small- or medium-size business, consider one of its shared business plans.

Pricing: The pricing for InMotion Hosting plans varies depending on the type of hosting service you are looking for. Shared hosting services are ideal for small businesses, and InMotion Hosting offers three shared plans at competitive prices: the Launch, Power and Pro plans. Promotional pricing is available and ranges from $6.39 to $14.71 per month. Upon renewal, the standard rates increase and range from $7.99 to $15.99 per month – InMotion's rates are cheaper than many of competitors. You can commit to a six-month, one-year or two-year contract; the longer you commit, the more you save per month.

Free domain registration or transfer is included for the first year of your contract and costs $15.99 each year thereafter. InMotion has a 90-day, money-back guarantee for all shared hosting plans; however, a cancellation fee may apply.

Features: InMotion Hosting offers unlimited disk space, bandwidth, monthly transfers and email storage. Keep in mind, though, that unlimited does not mean infinite. Instead, InMotion establishes an average range, based on your plan, for you to operate within. InMotion Hosting provides users with malware protection, free SSL certificates and SSH access, among other security measures. And if you need help creating your website, you can use InMotion's website builder. More than 400 free applications can be installed with one click.

Support: You can reach InMotion customer support by phone, live chat and Skype chat. There is also a support center on its website which features FAQs, product guides, tutorials and community support.

InMotion Hosting is accredited by the Better Business Bureau with an A+ rating.

Read a review of InMotion Hosting on our sister site, business.com.

Most Secure Web Hosting Service: A2 Hosting

A2 Hosting is our choice as the most secure web hosting service. It offers multiple plans for shared, VPS, WordPress, reseller, cloud and dedicated server hosting.

Pricing: A2 Hosting has three shared hosting plans: Lite, Swift and Turbo plans. For new customers, A2 Hosting cuts the price of its plans 51%. The Lite plan costs $3.92 per month, the Swift plan costs $4.90 each month, and the Turbo plan costs $9.31 per month. Upon renewal, the rates increase and range from $7.99 to $18.99 per month. You can choose from a one-month, 12-month, 24-month and 36-month term. Some plans are eligible for free domain registration or transfer for the first year. After the first year, domain registration costs $14.95. Unlike its competitors, A2 Hosting has an anytime guarantee policy. If you cancel your subscription within the first 30 days, you are eligible for a full refund. If you cancel after the first 30 days, you may receive a prorated refund rounded up to the next full month you have left on your contract. Refunds are not offered on partial months of service.

Features: A2 Hosting offers exceptional security measures for its shared plans. Regardless of which plan you buy, you get 24/7 network monitoring, a free SSL certificate and free malware protection. A2 Hosting also provides KernelCare rebootless updates, brute force defense, reinforced DDoS protection, a dual firewall and Patchman-enhanced security tools. Each shared plan has unlimited storage and transfer, but as is the case with most hosting services, unlimited typically refers to an average usage range the company expects you to operate within. A2 Hosting patrons have access to cPanel and Softaculous, so they can easily build and manage their website.

Support: You can reach A2 by phone, live chat or submit an email ticket. The company also provides an online knowledgebase where you can find a wealth of information about hosting, developing and maintaining a website.

A2 Hosting is an accredited member of the Better Business Bureau and has an A rating.

Read our review of A2 Hosting on our sister site, business.com

Best Cloud Hosting Service: 1&1 IONOS

We recommend 1&1 IONOS as the best cloud hosting company. It provides the standard hosting options like shared, VPS, dedicated servers, WordPress and cloud hosting, as well as additional cloud solutions like cloud servers, cloud backup, and cloud apps.

However, 1&1 IONOS' cloud hosting options are more advanced than competing cloud hosting services and are perfect for users who want to customize their scripting language, web server, and database for their online business.

Pricing: Cloud hosting is typically more expensive, but it comes with an increased level of scalability and customization. The Managed Cloud Hosting M plan costs $15 per month, the Managed Cloud Hosting L plan costs $25 per month, the Managed Cloud Hosting XL plan costs $35 per month, and the Managed Cloud Hosting XXL plan costs $65 per month. 1&1 IONOS includes a free domain for the first year. After that, there is a $15 registration fee for each subsequent year. Since cloud hosting is a pay-per-usage service, you can cancel your service at any time.

Features: 1&1 IONOS is transparent about what each of its cloud hosting plans include. Depending on the plan, you will be allotted between 1GB and 8GB of memory, between 50GB and 160GB of web space, between 4 and 16 databases, 10,000 subdomains and 10,000 email accounts. Each plan is fitted with automatic resource allocation, seamless resource scaling and data center selection. All sites are secured with a Wildcard SSL certificate and high-security SSD storage network (SAN). 1&1 IONOS has its own custom control panel and supports integrations with popular apps like WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, TYPO3, PrestaShop and Magento.

Support: Customers have access to numerous online resources, including a support center, a startup guide, a digital guide and an online community. Customer support is available by phone. You can also request a callback rather than wait on hold.

1&1 IONOS is accredited with the Better Business Bureau and received an A+ rating.

Read a review of 1&1 IONOS on our sister site, business.com.

Best WordPress Hosting Service: DreamHost

DreamHost is the best WordPress hosting service. It, too, offers shared, VPS, dedicated servers, cloud and WordPress hosting. However, its WordPress hosting features stand head and shoulders above those of its competitors. Its managed plans offer the best value for small business owners seeking affordable web hosting with advanced website-building tools.

Pricing: There are three managed WordPress hosting plans: DreamPress, DreamPress Plus and DreamPress Pro. Costs range from $16.95 to $71.95 per month, billed annually. With the first-time purchase of any DreamPress plan, your domain name is free for one year. After the first year, the domain name registration fee costs $12. DreamHost offers a 97-day money-back guarantee on select plans. (However, you will be charged the domain name registration fee for canceling or downgrading your plan.)

Features: DreamPress provides unmetered bandwidth, SSL certificates, daily backups, one-click restore, built-in caching and automatic WordPress updates. DreamHost is transparent about how many visitors each plan supports. DreamPress supports 100,000 monthly visitors, DreamPress Plus 300,000 monthly visitors and DreamPress Pro can accommodate one million monthly visitors. Each plan is scalable if you need a higher limit. SSD storage for each managed WordPress plan is listed at 30GB, 60GB and 120GB, respectively. DreamHost managed WordPress plans are fitted with a customized control panel to optimize efficiency and control over your website. You also have access to Jetpack and thousands of WordPress plugins with a single click.   

Support: DreamHost has a searchable knowledgebase with FAQs, product support and related articles. You can contact customer support and request a callback, live chat or submit a ticket. DreamHost customer support is open 24/7.

DreamHost has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.

Read a full review of DreamHost on our sister site business.com.

How Much Do Web Hosting Services Cost?

Most companies offer several hosting plans that vary greatly in price. What you pay depends on the type of hosting (shared, VPS, dedicated, cloud, WordPress, etc.) you want and the plan you choose. Most plans are based on a monthly fee. You can pay month-to-month, annually, biannually or triennially. Most providers offer promotional pricing for the first term, or billing cycle, and then charge a higher rate for renewal.

Free domain registration is another perk many hosting providers offer for the first year of service. After the first year, they typically charge an annual fee of roughly $15.

The length of the contract you choose also affects the price. While some web hosting companies offer month-to-month plans, it's usually cheaper to pay annually, biannually or triennially.

The best web hosting companies offer a free trial period, typically 30 days. Some, like Dreamhost, offer a longer free trial period, as long as 97 days. If you cancel within the specified time frame, you are granted a refund. However, most providers will still charge you a domain name registration fee, and they may not refund add-on features you may have purchased.

If you're not sure which type of web hosting is right for you, here is a breakdown of the different service types, as well as the pros and cons of each:

  • Shared hosting: This plan is ideal for small- and medium-size businesses with blogs or basic websites. It provides many of the necessary website functions needed at a low cost, typically starting at less than $10 per month. However, because the service hosts your website on the same server along with other customers, it can sometimes go down, especially when there are high traffic spikes.
  • Managed hosting: This type of hosting is similar to shared hosting, but it has an added level of support. Providers manage your operating systems, hardware and applications. The most common form is managed WordPress hosting. WordPress hosting is more expensive than shared hosting, but it offers extensive features and website builder options, which can simplify the process of building your website.
  • Cloud hosting: With a cloud hosting plan, your website is hosted on multiple servers instead of just one. Some cloud hosting plans can be more technical, which, if you're more tech savvy, can be good, because you are able to customize your website and scale your server and infrastructure. For basic sites with limited memory and CPU requirements, starting costs for cloud hosting are higher than shared web hosting but are less than VPS hosting. However, starting costs for managed cloud hosting can be extremely expensive.
  • Virtual private servers (VPS): With VPS, the provider divides a server into virtual services, which means each website is hosted like a dedicated server while still sharing a server with other websites. VPS hosting conservatively starts at $20 per month.
  • Dedicated servers: This is typically the most expensive type of hosting because it hosts your website on an individual server. It is extremely secure since you aren't at the risk of sharing your server with questionable neighbors. It offers fast load times and is ideal for large businesses with high-traffic websites. Costs start at $100 per month.
  • Domain name registration: Many web hosting companies offer free domain registration or site transfer for the first year you subscribe with them. Each consecutive year typically costs between $10 and $15 thereafter to register your domain name.

What Features Should You Look for in a Web Hosting Service?

While price is certainly a key factor for small business owners, there are other features you'll want to weigh when choosing a hosting provider.

Storage and bandwidth: The amount of storage and bandwidth you need depends on what you plan to have on your website. If you have (or plan to have) a lot of high-resolution images or list a huge inventory on your site, look for a plan with a lot of storage. Bandwidth determines how fast information travels to and from your site. Therefore, if you have high traffic, post videos or downloads on your website, seek plans with a higher amount of bandwidth. Pad your estimate with room for traffic spikes and growth. Also, be aware of "unlimited" plans. Unlimited never means infinite. You'll see this term a lot when looking for hosting services. Most of the time, these plans base their claims on the average customer. If your website exceeds the allotted amount, you may have your service suspended, be charged extra or asked to move to another plan. Always check the terms for these limitations and ask the sales representative about the specifics of your plan.

Security: Security should be a top concern for small businesses, especially those that have an e-commerce website. Most reputable website hosts have SSL encryption, spam protection and some form of site backup. If you are running an e-commerce store or need extra security, however, look beyond these basics. For example, many hosting companies provide advanced encryption levels and other features, like DDoS protection and hack protection. These services are usually outlined in the more advanced plans. Even if you don't have or need an e-commerce site, you should still get an SSL certificate.

Automatic backups and one-click restore: The best services offer regular backups and one-click restore. Daily backups mean that if your website is hacked or compromised because of an error, you can get back nearly all your information. It can be the difference between an hour-long outage and one that lasts days (or months) as you recreate content. Plus, it's good for peace of mind.

Customer support: Whatever web hosting company you consider, be sure you can trust that it will respond to your needs quickly and that its reps are very knowledgeable. Most web and cloud hosting services can be reached quickly and offer multiple ways to contact them, such as live chat, phone support and email ticketing. Many also have a blog or online knowledgebase that can answer frequent web hosting questions.

Methodology for Choosing the Best Web Host

To determine the best cloud and web hosting services for small business, we compiled a list of more than 40 web hosting companies. We considered companies we've reviewed in the past or found in our preliminary research. We added vendors we found on reputable news and review websites, as well as companies that contacted us asking us to consider their service.

We spent hours researching each provider (and its services) and considered the best vendors for different use case scenarios. We also posed as small business owners to test the company's customer service and to learn information we couldn't find online.

Our short list of best pick contenders included 1&1 IONOS, A2 Hosting, Bluehost, DreamHost, GreenGeeks, HostGator, HostMonster, HostPapa, InMotion Hosting and SiteGround.

Here are the features and criteria we evaluated:

  • Types of hosting offered
  • Rates and contracts
  • Domain and transfer fees
  • Cancellation policies
  • Security
  • Storage and bandwidth
  • Preinstalled apps and integrations
  • Reported uptime
  • Reputation and customer service

What to Expect in the Web Hosting Industry in 2019

The web hosting industry is constantly evolving. It's also very competitive, and as web hosting companies vie for new users, advanced features emerge for small business owners. These advancements include better security, increased site speed and personalized support offerings.

Here are some important trends to be aware of in 2019:  

  • Security: Cybersecurity is an important aspect of any small business website. As more and more small businesses are targeted by cybercriminals, your web hosting company is the first line of defense. Especially with the implementation of General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) laws, protection of sensitive information is becoming more important than ever. Most web hosting companies provide a minimum of an SSL certificate, site backups and SPAM protection for their hosting plans. However, look for a plan that offers more advanced security encryptions like DDoS protection and hack protection. Some plans offer extensive security features on all of their plans, while others only include them on their most expensive packages.
  • Better hardware: Storage capacity and traffic volume are two features that web hosting companies compete on. As technology advances, expect more hosting companies to implement solid-state disks (SSDs) for better storage and performance.

Full List of Web and Cloud Hosting Services

Here is a complete list of the cloud and web hosting services we evaluated, along with a summary of what each company claims to offer. This alphabetical list also includes our best picks.

*1&1 IONOS – While 1&1 offers a variety of excellent web hosting services, it is our pick for the best cloud hosting service. It allows for advanced customization and scalability on cloud hosting plans, and it offers free SSL certificates, site backups, great customer service and plenty of storage space. https://www.ionos.com/

A Small Orange (ASO) – A Small Orange offers a variety of unique hosting options, including shared, dedicated servers, cloud VPS and reseller hosting. It offers secure plans that include daily backups, virus filtering and Hotlink protection. https://asmallorange.com/

*A2 Hosting – This provider is our best pick as the most secure web hosting company. It has many features businesses need to securely host their websites, including unlimited websites and transfers, free SSL certificates, 24/7 network monitoring and HackScan malware protection. https://www.a2hosting.com/

Accu Web Hosting – Accu Web Hosting has a plan for any-sized business and offers shared, cloud, WordPress, VPS, dedicated servers and reseller hosting. It offers RAID 10 architecture and high-speed SSDs. https://www.accuwebhosting.com/

Arvixe Web Hosting – Arvixe Web Hosting has shared hosting, VPS, cloud hosting and dedicated hosting plans. This provider has every feature we looked for in a hosting solution, such as unlimited email accounts and free SSL certificates. While its business plans are more expensive than most of the other solutions we reviewed, it has personal shared plans at a lower price point. https://www.arvixe.com/

Bluehost – Bluehost has solutions for any small business, especially its shared hosting and WordPress hosting plans. These affordable plans allow your website to grow as your business expands, plus they have unmetered storage and bandwidth. https://www.bluehost.com/

Cloudways – Cloudways has a small web hosting selection, including managed cloud and WordPress hosting, for businesses of all sizes. It offers free site migration, free SSL certification, dedicated firewalls and backups. https://www.cloudways.com/en/

*DreamHost – DreamHost is our pick for the best WordPress hosting services because its affordable plans are packed with helpful features like free SSL security, domain privacy, fast SSD storage, custom control panels and automatic WordPress updates. DreamHost has managed and shared hosting plans for WordPress. https://www.dreamhost.com/

FastComet – FastComet is an ideal web hosting solution for small businesses working with a small web hosting budget. It provides transparent, affordable shared plans, a free domain and unmetered bandwidth. https://www.fastcomet.com/

FatCow – FatCow is a basic shared hosting solution brimming with helpful features. Features include unlimited bandwidth, disk space, domains, subdomains, email accounts and MySQL databases. However, some features, such as SSL certificates and backups, are only available for an extra price. https://www.fatcow.com/

Go4Hosting – Based in India, Go4Hosting offers a standard package of web hosting services for shared, WordPress, VPS, dedicated servers and cloud hosting. With a range of hosting options, Go4Hosting provides expert advice on which service might best serve your business. https://www.go4hosting.in/

GoDaddy – GoDaddy provides several web hosting packages to meet your small business needs, including shared, VPS, dedicated servers, WordPress and reseller hosting. In addition to its complete web hosting solution, it also offers domain registration services. GoDaddy web hosting plans feature unmetered bandwidth, cPanel and one-click application installation. https://www.godaddy.com/hosting/web-hosting

GreenGeeks – GreenGeeks is a web hosting company that offers a variety of solutions, including shared hosting, reseller hosting and WordPress hosting. It is also committed to the environment by working toward eliminating its carbon footprint. The service offers unlimited SSD disk space, unlimited mySQL database and free domains and migration. https://www.greengeeks.com/

HostGator – HostGator offers a range of solutions, including three shared hosting plans. However, if you want to create an e-commerce website, you need the most expensive shared plan. Each shared plan offers unmetered disk space and bandwidth. https://www.hostgator.com/

Hosting24 – Hosting24 offers a wide variety of web hosting plans including shared hosting, WordPress hosting, cloud hosting, VPS hosting, dedicated server hosting, reseller hosting, cPanel hosting and free hosting. It also provides access to a domain checker and a website builder. https://www.hosting24.com/

Hostinger International – Hostinger offers three different web hosting plans including shared, cloud and VPS hosting. It also offers a domain checker and website builder to help build your website with ease. https://www.hostinger.com/

HostMetro – HostMetro provides a limited selection of cheap web hosting plans for business owners who don't want to deal with too many decisions. Both shared web hosting plans offer the basic features needed to host a website. https://www.hostmetro.com/

HostMonster – HostMonster offers a variety of shared hosting plans for small businesses. While the basic plan boasts standard features, the Choice Plus package offers unlimited disk space, bandwidth and emails. It also has a simplistic website builder, which can add blogs, image galleries and bulletin boards to any site you create. While HostMonster has multiple plans, its basic packages are lacking some key features needed for e-commerce stores. https://www.hostmonster.com/

HostNine – HostNine provides a range of web hosting plans, including shared, VPS, dedicated servers, cloud and reseller hosting. Some plans include a free domain, unlimited bandwidth and disk space, cPanel control panel and access to Softaculous application installer. https://hostnine.com/

HostPapa – HostPapa offers a variety of web hosting solutions, including shared hosting, VPS hosting, reseller hosting, cloud hosting and WordPress hosting. Its shared hosting solutions are well suited for small businesses and have features like free domain registration, unmetered bandwidth, a website builder, cPanel and Softaculous. https://www.hostpapa.com/

HostRocket – HostRocket offers basic plans for shared hosting, reseller hosting and dedicated server hosting needs. They offer a free domain name, unlimited mailing lists, cPanel control panel and SSH access. https://www.hostrocket.com/

Hostwinds – Hostwinds offers a variety of web hosting plans, primarily for large enterprises. Its web hosting features include unlimited bandwidth, storage and email accounts, along with free website transfer, dedicated IP address and domain registration. https://www.hostwinds.com/

*InMotion Hosting – With its affordable plans paired with its helpful features, InMotion Hosting is our choice as the best web hosting service for small businesses. Its plans have every feature we looked for, including unlimited emails, unlimited bandwidth, backups and restores, DDoS protection and an SSL certificate. https://www.inmotionhosting.com/

iPage – iPage has shared hosting services that includes a free domain name, free SSL certificates, free security tools and vDeck control panel. This solution offers a good selection of features for small businesses at an affordable price. https://www.ipage.com/

Just Host – Just Host's plans offer many web hosting tools to sustain a variety of web-based needs, though the basic packages are best suited for small businesses with less web traffic. This web hosting service provides tools that can help you build, manage and promote your website. https://www.justhost.com/

Kinsta – Kinsta is a WordPress hosting solution that offers plans with fast loading times and a secure network. It has standout WordPress security features and a wide mix of plans and services. https://kinsta.com/

Liquid Web – While Liquid Web offers a range of hybrid web hosting solutions, it doesn't offer standard shared hosting plans. Therefore, its packages are more expensive than other services we reviewed. Its cloud-based plans offer built-in website backups, SSL certifications and 24-hour support. https://www.liquidweb.com/

Lunarpages – Lunarpages provides web hosting services to both Windows and Linux users. It is a great web hosting option with free domain registration, free website transfer, unlimited email accounts and extensive customer support options. https://lunarpages.com/

MDDHosting – MDDHosting offers cloud hosting, VPS hosting, dedicated servers and reseller hosting options for small businesses. The company is unique in providing a 1000% uptime guarantee. It also offers 24/7 technical support and a 30-day money-back guarantee. https://www.mddhosting.com/

Midphase – Midphase is a small business web hosting provider that boasts cheap hosting. It is one of the cheapest solutions we reviewed, and it has all the features you need to build, launch and maintain a successful website. https://www.midphase.com/

Miles Web – Miles Web offers a large variety of inexpensive web hosting options for international businesses. Many web hosting plans include a lifetime free domain, unlimited SSD disk space and bandwidth, an SSL certificate, cPanel control panel and Softaculous application integrations. https://www.milesweb.in/

Namecheap – Namecheap offers shared hosting, managed and shared WordPress hosting, dedicated server hosting, VPS hosting and reseller hosting. It also provides a series of resources for website building and application integration. https://www.namecheap.com/hosting/

PeoplesHost – PeoplesHost is a web hosting service that offers several hosting features including daily backups, SSH access, cPanel, one-click application installations and 24/7 live support. https://www.peopleshost.com/

Site5 – Site5 offers a variety of shared, VPS and reseller hosting plans. While their basic plans have limited features, some plans include free site migration, unmetered bandwidth and storage, site backups, malware protection and 24/7 support. https://www.site5.com/

SiteGround – SiteGround offers several solutions for businesses of all sizes, including multiple shared plans, cloud hosting, dedicated servers, reseller hosting, WordPress hosting and enterprise hosting. Its shared hosting plans are affordable and offer the features we looked for in a web hosting service, including free email accounts, SPAM prevention, automated daily backups, SSL certificates and WordPress integration. https://www.siteground.com/

Sitejet – Sitejet provides a limited selection of shared hosting services that can be paid for monthly or annually. It has features like unlimited storage and bandwidth, SSL certificates, CDN and DDoS protection and automated backups. https://www.sitejet.io/en

WebHostingBuzz – WebHostingBuzz services shared, VPS, dedicated servers and reseller hosting plans. It lists features such as free website migration and SSL certificates, unlimited bandwidth, a cPanel control panel and Softaculous integrations. https://www.webhostingbuzz.com/

WebHostingHub – WebHostingHub offers easy-to-use shared and WordPress hosting solutions that are great for those with limited technical skills. It has a website builder, a one-click installer for multiple applications and 24/7 customer support. https://www.webhostinghub.com/

WebHostingPad – WebHostingPad offers many common features we looked for in web hosting services. While it typically meets the needs of small business owners, you may quickly outgrow the cheapest package. All shared packages come with free domain registration or transfer, 24/7 support, Weebly's website builder and a 30-day money-back guarantee. https://www.webhostingpad.com/

WestHost – WestHost, a THG company, offers shared, VPS, dedicated servers, cloud and WordPress hosting. Unlike many competitors, it has a convenient product selector widget to help narrow down your choices and select the right web hosting product for your business. https://www.westhost.com/

WP Engine – WP Engine has multiple packages designed to host WordPress websites. Its plans are loaded with great features that business owners need in a hosting solution. Features include automated SSL certificates, transferrable sites and more than 35 StudioPress themes. https://wpengine.com/

If you'd like your company to be added to the list and possibly considered as a best pick for our next round of reviews, email your request to b2bconsiderrequest@business.com.

Additional reporting by Matt D'Angelo, Saige Driver and Karina Fabian.

Scoring Brand-Building Goals by Cultivating a Community

Posted: 02 Jul 2019 12:00 PM PDT

New Brunswick United Football Club looks and feels like a soccer team, right down to its logo: A crest that you would expect to find emblazoned on any football club's jerseys. You could be forgiven for thinking the duo who founded the brand, Jad Kaado and Dan Macheret, were preparing to launch a soccer team in the Hub City. But you would be wrong.

New Brunswick United Football Club (NBUFC) is actually an apparel company built around love for soccer and the arts. Its namesake and design plays on long-standing styles prevalent among soccer organizations, because football, a tightly bound community that celebrates active fan bases, brings people together. Forming a community around shared interests is the essence behind branding, as well, and bringing disparate communities is the bedrock of NBUFC's mission.

"It's true that this is a 'fake' soccer team but also a clothing brand, technically speaking," said Macheret, co-founder of NBUFC. "But to us, especially, it's so much more. It's a way to build community. New Brunswick is a place where people come from all different parts of the country and the world. From the beginning, we kind of imagined this as a clothing brand but also a community built around watching the sport we love and supporting local artists."

So how is NBUFC successfully building a brand around a soccer team that, frankly, doesn't exist? Kaado and Macheret told Business News Daily that it takes equal parts communication, partnerships, events and fostering a positive, welcoming environment.

Branding the soccer team that wasn't

A brand is supposed to communicate to an audience clearly and unambiguously what is an organization's identity. In this case, NBUFC's brand might seem confusing but, in fact, is intended to convey that the company is much more than an apparel merchant. One of the brand's go-to slogans, "Central Jersey Exists," is an embodiment of this sense of community building.

Jad Kaado, co-founder of New Brunswick United Football Club.
Source: Photo courtesy of Charlie Kratovil of New Brunswick Today.

"We are an organization that is both specifically a brand and also an organization for soccer fans to meet up [with] during events, socialize and get the chance to form a community around soccer in an area comprised of different fans from all different walks of life," said Kaado, co-founder of NBUFC.

"We're trying to start a community that will be long-lasting beyond us and that bridges the disconnect between different communities in New Brunswick using soccer, music and comedy," Kaado added. "We're using our events and partnerships with local businesses to showcase young artists and local soccer players, as well as build our own brand."

New Brunswick, known affectionately to residents as "the Hub City," is a centrally located in New Jersey and extremely diverse, sometimes leading to pockets of isolated communities. Kaado and Macheret envision NBUFC as a way to elevate the things that bind New Brunswick residents together, namely soccer and a vibrant local music scene.

"New Brunswick has a famous basement music scene and, unfortunately, it can be hard for those artists to find a place to play," said Macheret. "So, bringing those two worlds together is what we're trying to accomplish."

The international community already has an immense love for football, and New Brunswick is a hot-spot for immigrant communities. Kaado is a first-generation resident whose family emigrated from Lebanon, while Macheret's family came to the city from the Soviet Union, so providing a welcoming atmosphere for immigrants and long-time residents alike is a huge responsibility for their brand, they said.

Taking a cue from the successful growth of the similar Asbury Park Football Club, launched by Shawn Francis in 2014, the duo decided that marrying their love of football and the arts under a brand that puts their hometown in the spotlight was a creative way to do just that. Of course, any brand that has New Brunswick at its core requires partnerships with local businesses and organizations to thrive; those partnerships have been central to NBUFC's initial events.

"When we started talking about having match viewings and live music at events, we immediately needed a venue," Macheret said. Local bar and restaurant Barca City was a natural fit because it was already plugged into the wider football community and well-suited for hosting events.

The next step was finding acts to perform during watch parties, which NBUFC located through the help of the local arts organization Embrace DIY Productions, which already organized shows at Barca City and other venues throughout New Brunswick. At a recent event, where NBUFC hosted a watch party of the World Cup matchup between the U.S. Women's National Team and Sweden, all these elements came together in a celebration of what makes the Hub City a great place to work and live.

"At that event, I'd say maybe only half the people who were there were hardcore soccer fans," Macheret said. "The other half came out because a friend told them about it. One of the most effective ways to build a network is through people speaking to their friends."

"One thing Dan and I have noticed is that people generate an interest in soccer when they're here, even if they're not generally interested in it," said Kaado. Creating a welcoming space where there is more to do than just watch soccer makes it accessible and fun for everyone. It's an easy format to bring a range of people together regardless of interests, Kaado said.

Leveraging community to build a successful business

As NBUFC builds the community around its brand, it also has to conduct its apparel business. Leveraging that community to drive sales of branded merchandise is a way to not only derive revenue from its efforts but also give supporters a tangible way to express their participation in the community.

"Staying in contact is a big part of it," Kaado said. "More events is the immediate step, but it's about staying in touch with the people we've been communicating with."

To do so, NBUFC captures email and contact information from people at events. They use these points of contact to inform their audience of upcoming watch parties, market their merchandise and promote partner brands in the city. For example, NBUFC has been able to raise awareness about the nearby professional women's team in Sky Blue FC, which a lot of attendees uninitiated in the world of pro soccer didn't recognize existed.

"A lot of people didn't even know there is a women's pro team right in their own backyard," Macheret said. "Having this welcoming atmosphere where people feel comfortable, and they're smiling and laughing, … feeling that passion about soccer and music helps us connect on a human level. We can keep people engaged and using some of those connections [to elevate the sport and our partners.]"

In this way, NBUFC prides itself not just on building its own brand and growing its business but also creating a judgment-free environment that contributes to something much bigger than itself.

Elevating the brand after creating a strong foundation

NBUFC has built a brand around a community of shared values and interests, but that is just the beginning. Capitalizing on the foothold it has gained to elevate the brand, the sport and the arts that surround it requires building on the momentum its generated.

"We're beginning with our own supporters and seeing what they want from us," Kaado said. "We want to promote more professional and local soccer games. We want to promote Sky Blue FC in the women's pro league. And, of course, we want to be sure we're reflective of the community we're in."

Whether it's asserting that "Central Jersey Exists" or giving local New Brunswick soccer fans a banner to unite under, NBUFC wants to use the community its brand has helped build not just for business ends but also to foster and further a culture that is already central to international football.

"My experience with soccer and supporter culture has been influential on me," Macheret said. "It's a different way of viewing the sport; it's active participation in the atmosphere of the game, rather than passively sitting back and watching. That was transformative for me and translates to a lot of areas in life. You can't just sit back and passively watch; you've got to get involved in your community."

The next big event NBUFC has on its agenda is a watch party at Barca City for the Women's World Cup finals on July 7. It's a full day of soccer starting with the Women's World Cup finals at 11 am, followed by the New York Red Bulls matchup at 2 pm, the COPA America final at 4 pm and a screening of the men's Gold Cup finals at 9 pm. Live music from artists associated with Embrace DIY Productions will be performed between the games all day. It's precisely the kind of community celebration that Kaado and Macheret set out to establish when they launched NBUFC.

Branding is about messaging and creating a sense of loyalty

At its core, branding for any business is about establishing a message and identity and then creating a sense of loyalty among the target audience. For NBUFC, this means music, football and community, but identifying what it means for your brand is the key to successfully establishing an identity. Whether you offer a consumer-facing product or business-to-business services, understanding your audience's needs and wants will help you craft an effective message.

Sticking to that message and deploying it on the right channels – the channels where your audience is already active – will help to amplify your brand and your business. Every successful company is built around a strong brand, an immediate recognition of your values and what you offer to your audience.

Turning inward to consider what it is that drives you and your business is the best way to promote your brand and gain a loyal following. For NBUFC, this method has been an indispensable and inextricable part of their business model; establishing a community is the end goal of creating a strong brand and disseminating its message.

Optimism in Small Business Exceeds Pre-Shutdown Levels

Posted: 02 Jul 2019 11:30 AM PDT

  • 64% of SMB owners reported capital outlays, marking the highest reading since February 2018, and 30% said they had plans for capital outlays in "the next few months."
  • Among respondents, 62% said they either hired or attempted to hire new personnel, but 54% said there were few or no qualified individuals to fill open positions. Both findings show a 5% increase.
  • Owners still exhibited high uncertainty levels, but officials said they were focused on a "very busy Main Street."

Optimism among small business owners hasn't been this high since before the government was shut down for 35 days from December 2018 until January 2019, according to the newly released Small Business Optimism Index for May 2019 from the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB).

Conducted this past May by William C. Dunkelberg, NFIB's chief economist, and Holly Wade, director of research and policy analysis, the report is based on data collected from NFIB members. Each member was mailed a questionnaire regarding the current outlook on small business sales, employment, earnings and other major aspects of owning a business.

What the latest report found, officials said, was resurgent optimism, thanks to changes in Washington and a stronger economy.

"Optimism among small business owners has surged back to historically high levels, thanks to strong hiring, investment and sales," said Juanita D. Duggan, NFIB president and CEO. "The small business half of the economy is leading the way, taking advantage of lower taxes and fewer regulations, and reinvesting in their businesses, their employees and the economy as a whole."

Of the 10 indexes examined in the monthly report, officials said six showed an uptick, three remained the same, and one fell. Among those that saw increases were sales, business conditions and the environment for expansion. Capital spending plans also "increased sharply," officials said.

Growing labor markets

The NFIB's latest findings suggest that many small businesses are looking to expand. Approximately 62% reported either hiring or trying to hire people in May, marking a five-point increase from the previous month. Looking forward, approximately 29% of respondents said they planned to increase their total employment, while 3% plan staffing reductions. Approximately 32% said they had openings for skilled workers, and 16% said they have openings for unskilled labor.

Following recent studies from other sources that suggest the job market favors workers, the NFIB pointed to the fact that 52% reported "few or no qualified applicants." That number was also five points higher. Officials noted that 38% of respondents reported having job openings that they couldn't fill in the current period, remaining relatively unchanged from April. In the construction industry, 59% of small businesses said they had openings, and 93% were for skilled workers. As for temporary workers, 14% of respondents said they had used one in the past.

Capital spending trends

One of the more promising aspects of the monthly NFIB report, officials said, is the willingness of SMB owners to spend money on improvements. According to the report, 64% reported capital outlays, marking a six-point increase and the highest reading since February 2018.

A closer look into what business owners spent their capital on shows that 44% purchased new equipment, 29% purchased vehicles, and 19% improved or expanded existing facilities. Further, 6% said they purchased new buildings or land for expansion, and 14% purchased new fixtures or furniture.

Over the next few months, 30% of SMB owners reported expecting to spend even more money on capital outlays, setting a three-point increase and historical high. Among those plans, transportation needs ranked the highest (45%), with manufacturing (39%), professional services (39%) and construction (31%) following close behind.

Officials said this increased interest in spending has been consistent for the past two years.

"Small business owners are demonstrating a continued confidence in the strength of the economy and are betting capital spending dollars on it," Dunkelberg said. "This solid investment performance is supporting ongoing improvements in productivity and real wages."

Positive sales outlook

With a burgeoning yet troublesome labor market and continued business investment, SMB owners are optimistic for potential increases in sales. According to the report, "a net 9% of all owners (seasonally adjusted) reported higher nominal sales in the past three months." While that figure is unchanged from April, it remains a historical high.

Similarly, the number of owners expecting higher real sales volumes increased by three points to 23%. "The pace of economic growth is solid, and consumers as well as business-to-business are an important source of the improvement in sales," the report said.

When it came to inventory increases, things remained relatively flat. A net 2% (seasonally adjusted) reported increasing their inventory, but officials said that was "consistent with the significant buildup in the first quarter." The number of owners who see their current stock as "too low" was at a net negative 4%. Officials said they found that owners were "ready to place new orders and build some inventory in anticipation of stronger real sales."

SMBs planning wage increases

While conditions are looking up for the average SMB owner in the NFIB's latest report, workers can expect to see some of the positivity come their way as well. According to the report, 34% of all firms reported providing higher worker compensation, though that number is largely unchanged from the previous report.

Additionally, 24% of respondents said they had plans to give their workers a wage increase, marking a four-point increase. "Overall, reports of rising compensation are holding at historically high levels," officials wrote on the matter.

Among SMB owners' top business problems was the 25% of respondents who said "quality of labor" was an issue. That problem ranked higher than taxes or regulations.

Who Are the First 5 People Your Startup Should Hire?

Posted: 02 Jul 2019 09:00 AM PDT

You created a product or service, you started your business, and you finally began making a little money – now it's time to hire your first employees. Figuring out who those people should be, however, is easier said than done.

While you might be chomping at the bit to get some more talent on your team, money is typically tight for startups, so it is important not to rush through the process. You want to hire slowly and vet your candidates thoroughly.

The people you hire will depend on your business's specific needs, but any employee you hire should have a few key qualities: flexibility, passion and trustworthiness. It is important to hire people who are flexible enough to take on diverse responsibilities until you can expand further. When interviewing new-hire candidates, avoid traditional interviewing methods in favor of hands-on simulations, drive and culture fit.  

Since every employee can have a huge impact on a startup, it is important to hire people you trust. Sue Andrews, business and HR consultant at KIS Finance, said the best way to find your initial team members is by word of mouth and personal recommendations. This can be done by connecting with old colleagues, friends and people from your alma mater.

"If that doesn't give you the right results, then a specialist recruitment agency is a good choice to make sure you find people with the exact skills and experience that you need," Andrews told Business News Daily. "Good agencies will have contacts in the relevant area of the market and should be able to help you find appropriately qualified and suitable staff."

To help you find the right hires, here are some of the most commonly suggested first hires for your business.

Chief executive officer (CEO) and chief operations officer (COO)

Two of the most essential players in your business will be the CEO and COO. The CEO is typically the big-picture person who controls the company's direction, vision and culture, whereas the COO is primarily focused on the day-to-day operations to keep your business running.

You can hire externally for these positions, but it is common for the founders of the company to assume these responsibilities. Tierra Wilson, strategic business consultant at Tierra Wilson & Co, recommended that you always start as the CEO of your business before hiring out. If you and your co-founder(s) already plan to take on these titles and responsibilities, look to hire the following five positions next.

Product manager

The product manager will be your go-to on all things related to your products. This team member manages the product strategy, vision and development. They typically work closely with the engineering and marketing teams to create and market the product.

Dr. Vince Repaci, senior coach at LOVR Atlantic, said that bringing on a product manager can be difficult for founders, as they are typically the initial default product manager and are heavily invested in their own products or services.

"When you [can] afford to bring on a project manager, though, it forces you to change the way you think about the project by documenting and training someone else in it," he said. "This move allows founders to start working on the business rather than in the business."

Chief technology officer (CTO) and VP of engineering hybrid

A team member who specializes in technology and development is crucial to your business's success, especially for tech startups. Although you can hire freelance front-end and back-end engineers, it can be useful to have someone on your internal team to take charge of this sector. As your team grows, this role can be split into two separate positions.

"Having someone with the skills to decide what will work best for your business, as well as overseeing the integration and management of various systems, is key," said Andrews. "They'll need to consider everything from hardware to software and mobile technology." 

Andrews said this team member can also take the lead in building your online presence, although this can be split with your marketing manager as well.

Chief marketing officer (CMO) and community manager hybrid

This team member will focus on your customers and how they view your product or service. Andrews said that hiring an expert with excellent marketing and promotional skills is essential to make sure your vision reaches a wide audience.

"Find a marketing manager that is a jack of all trades," said Wilson. "Until you can scale, they should be able to write copy, design collateral, code landing pages, run ad campaigns and handle social media marketing."

Additionally, they should interact with your customers and act as an interim community manager to maintain positive relationships between your business and consumers. This team member can work with the product manager to incorporate customer feedback into the product development.

Sales manager

This team member will focus on generating new leads and bringing in money for your company. Wilson said startups and small business owners who master sales first last longer.

"Hire an amazing sales rep or manager, and then use the money they bring in to hire more people," said Wilson. "This is probably the hardest position to hire for, but worth the time and effort to get the right person."

Repaci said that a skilled sales manager in your industry typically won't require a lot of training to generate leads and close deals.

Chief financial officer (CFO)

Experts recommend that startups outsource their accounting and finance roles, but if you have the capability to hire a CFO, it can be extremely helpful for your business.  

"It's essential that you have someone on the team who is responsible for the money and has an eye for detail to manage all aspects of the company's finances," said Andrews. "In the early stages, this will range from major issues, such as securing bank lending and leasing premises, to everyday necessities, such as paying suppliers and managing the petty cash."

Positions to outsource

There are several roles that can be outsourced to freelancers and external services. Repaci said that business owners should look to outsource anything they aren't great at, as soon as their returns justify the investment.

Here are a few common roles many experts suggest outsourcing:

  • Accountants and financial advisors
  • Administrative workers
  • Attorneys and legal advisors
  • Content writers and digital marketing freelancers
  • Human resources and payroll specialists
  • Web developers, designers and programmers

As a rule of thumb, any occupation that is essential to your core business should be filled internally, while anything that is not essential can be outsourced. As your team grows, Andrews said, you may choose to bring these additional services in-house.

Company culture

When hiring staff, ensure that your employees embody your company vision statement, mission statement and culture. Andrews said that hiring staff members who have the right values is just as important as finding the right skill set, since they will influence the organization's culture for the future.

"If you get this wrong at the beginning, it's really hard to correct further down the line," she said. "Diversity brings strength to any organization, but it's important to make sure the team has shared values and are able to work well together."

As your team grows, Repaci said, you must set aside time to discuss, agree on and align with the type of company you want. Your team and culture will be the basis for your continued success.

10 Email Marketing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Posted: 02 Jul 2019 07:00 AM PDT

When it comes to developing quality marketing campaigns, email marketing remains an ideal choice, especially for small business owners. It can engage an audience, develop a readership and lead to sales without breaking the bank.

While the marketing channel works for many businesses, many email campaigns flop. Reasons ranging from boring content to bad strategy all cause small businesses to put out subpar email marketing campaigns. We spoke with marketers and performed detailed web research to find 10 of the most common email marketing mistakes you should avoid. Limiting these errors can help you turn emails into sales.

1. Selling too hard

When emailing your customers, it's important to first understand why you're emailing them. You want to get something out of the relationship, whether it's increased sales or website traffic, but you still need to foster a relationship with your customers. If every email tries to sell your products, your customers are going to become disengaged. Try to find a balance between helpful content and product offers.

"For example, if you run a hardware shop, perhaps you could send out a weekly newsletter with tips on better completing projects around the house or worksite," said Nicolas Straut, senior SEO associate at Fundera. "Interspersed with this regular content, you could showcase relevant, new items or sales."

Sharing tips and ideas allows you to engage customers through content marketing. By doing this, you can bolster your position as an industry expert while also gaining trust and building a relationship with customers. This will lead to higher open rates, as well as improved conversion rates.

2. Failing to optimize for mobile

As consumers continue to use smartphones to open emails, it's vital that your business considers mobile optimization when emailing customers. 

"You can usually see in reports if most people are reading your email on a desktop or mobile device, but it's always good to send yourself a test copy of your email and check across devices to see if the font is big enough, the graphics or video looks good, the flow of the email translates well, and if the email is too long to scroll through if reading from a phone," said Shannon Howard, content editor and producer at The Predictive Index. 

The best emails give customers a great experience both on mobile and desktop. It might take a few extra minutes to perfect your email's format, but it's worth the effort to ensure your emails are optimized for mobile. Information from Adestra suggests that if your email doesn't display properly on mobile, nearly 3 out of 4 people will delete the email in seconds. [Interested in using email marketing software? Check out our best picks.]

3. Violating email marketing platforms' terms of service

Don't use customer communication platforms like Mailchimp or Constant Contact for lead-based email campaigns. These services don't allow businesses to use purchased or other third-party mailing lists they didn't compile themselves, but marketers often buy lists and load them on these platforms. If you violate their terms of service, these companies may shut down your account or, worse, blacklist your domain.

Be sure to take the time necessary to review your email marketing platform's terms of service before sending out email marketing campaigns. Many email marketing services require sign-up forms for you to generate your list, as they want to prevent spammy email sends. The best way to avoid violating terms of service is simple: Read them. At the very least, give them a solid skim.

4. Avoiding customer segmentation

"Marketing is much more effective when the message is targeted," said Michael Cohen, a marketer with over 20 years of experience, including more than 10 as a vice president of marketing for three companies. "And the deeper you go, the better. Demographic information such as gender and age is a good start, but deeper behavioral segmentation based on data like purchasing habits delivers even more value to customers and greater marketing effectiveness."

Catering to the needs of each customer is crucial. Think of the process almost as individual email marketing. Customers want to feel like they matter and aren't just another subscriber on your list. Including personalized greetings in each email is a good starting point.

5. Failing to include clear calls to action

Your emails should serve a purpose. Whether you want your customers to consider buying a product or following you on Instagram, there should be a call to action for it. It's important to be clear about what you're looking for from customers; otherwise, you're just crowding their inbox.

"Decide what you want the recipient to do, draw their attention to it – in the form of a big bold button or [something] similar – and enable the action to be taken in as few clicks as possible," said Sean Luechtefeld, communications director at ANCOR.

He warns against overdoing it with CTAs, however. You don't want to overwhelm or confuse email recipients.

"If you're asking your subscribers to buy multiple products, sign up for another email list, post a photo on Instagram, support a cause and seven other things, you are likely to fracture your audience into different conversion funnels," Luechtefeld said. "The result? You have 100 people taking 10 different actions, rather than having 100 people taking one action."

6. Ignoring GDPR considerations

When GDPR changes took effect in late May of 2018, the world of email marketing changed. To comply with GDPR, businesses are required to show proof that customers have opted to receive emails. These regulations don't directly apply to emails sent to those in the U.S., but adding an opt-in feature to your email list is a good idea regardless of where your recipients reside. 

"Perhaps more to the point, even where not illegal under actual law in the U.S., such email is seen as spam by most people, and all email inbox providers, meaning that you will be subject to the 'law of the spam filter,' which will penalize all email that you send, not just marketing email," said Anne P. Mitchell, an internet law and policy attorney and CEO of the Institute for Social Internet Public Policy.

By avoiding common mistakes and following legal guidelines, you put your business in a position to reap the benefits of email marketing.

7. Neglecting analytics

To generate consistently engaging email marketing campaigns, you need to use analytics. Check the click-through rates of your campaigns. Monitor the open rate of your email campaigns. Keep an eye on how many new subscribers you're gaining and how many people unsubscribe.

Without monitoring analytics, it's exceedingly difficult to develop and improve your email marketing strategy. Some email marketing services integrate with Google Analytics, which helps you monitor the readers who go from your email campaigns to your website.

When evaluating an email marketing tool, you may place an emphasis on finding a platform with a wide array of analytic tools. If your marketing campaigns rely heavily on email marketing, it helps to use a detailed email marketing tool.

Running email campaigns without monitoring analytics is a flaw that can hurt your business's email marketing success. If you put time and money into email marketing, make sure to use analytics to verify that your efforts lead to something.

8. Writing poor subject lines

Getting an email recipient to open your email is the first step to successful email campaigns. According to Mailchimp, the average open rate for emails across all the industries the analyzed was 20.81%. It's hard to get consumers to open your emails, and bad subject lines can wreck your chances of boosting your open rate. According to research, 35% of email recipients open email based on the subject line alone.

Try your best to follow subject line best practices. These vary a bit from company to company, but it's a good idea to keep subject lines short. Convince & Convert found that subject lines tend to be under 60 characters, and the average subject line from data they collected was just over 40 characters.

For optimal engagement, write short subject lines that are clear and engaging. This can be easier said than done, but following the general rule of keeping subject lines under 60 characters can help you stand out in someone's inbox. Depending on your audience, you may find that using emojis or colorful language in your subject line increases open rates. Other businesses may find better luck using stoic and professional wording. The tone of your subject line depends largely on your email recipients. 

9. Sending emails at the wrong time

Data from HubSpot suggests that emails sent at 11 a.m. had the highest open rates. This doesn't mean 11 a.m. is the best time to send an email for your business, but it's worth experimenting with different send times to see which time best engages your audience.

It's a good practice to send emails during a timeframe that makes sense for your core audience. For example, Morning Brew sends a daily email at approximately 5-6 a.m. that overviews the latest happenings in the business world. This newsletter sends early in the morning because its audience normally reads the newsletter on their commutes or when arriving to work. Sending early also ensures that the newsletter won't be behind breaking news each day. If the newsletter is sent at noon and there was a major business story breaking at 11:30 a.m., it wouldn't give their team much time to put together an intelligent and well-researched product.

Even if your business doesn't send time-sensitive information via email, it's a good idea to find a time when your audience likes to see your emails. Avoid sending emails at odd hours of the day, as they may get lost in a crowded inbox. Timing is an important aspect of email campaigns. 

10. Forgetting personalization measures

The best emails engage the audience. To best engage the audience, it's important to create personalized messages. Personalized can mean anything from segmented email campaigns to including a recipient's name in the subject line. According to data from DMA, email list segmentation and personalized emailing were the most effective email strategies of 2017.

If you're a small business with a tiny email list, you can take personalization to a deeper level than larger businesses. With people receiving dozens of different promotional emails at any time, try catering your message more specifically to the individual groups or people subscribing to your campaigns.

By sending segmented messages with personalized written content, you have a better chance of getting someone to engage with your email. This gives you a better chance of converting them into a paying customer. Standing out in a crowded inbox requires personalization.

Additional reporting by Sara Angeles.

The Right Hire: How to Decide Between Multiple Qualified Candidates

Posted: 02 Jul 2019 06:00 AM PDT

With a pool of well-qualified candidates, choosing between potential hires may appear to be straightforward. But to anyone who has shouldered the burden of deciding which candidate gets the offer, having a larger pool of candidates doesn't necessarily make the selection process any easier. When faced with multiple candidates with strong backgrounds, skills, and references, the hiring manager must leverage strategies which can expose traits that signal which candidate is a better fit. Deciding between job candidates relies on the use of a framework in making key hiring choices.

Here are several techniques that help staffing agencies, recruiters, and HR professionals make decisions for selecting a job candidate when there are multiple qualified options.

Map a candidate's work history to the open position

By reviewing candidate résumés with a strategic lens, hiring managers may benefit from drawing a line from one position to another. Does the work history tell a story? Can you draw a line from past job to past job so that it ends where your company begins? Give the job candidate an opportunity to tell their own work experience narrative so you can hear the story in their own words. Among some of the specifics you should pay close attention to are:

  • Focus on job title and responsibilities.  Does the work history provide a stepping stone at each point during the candidate's career?
  • Do the candidate's abilities and successes hint that they see how company vision and execution strategy align with each other?
  • What are the biggest problems the candidate has solved and what tactics did they use to overcome those challenges?

By mapping out their past history and getting answers to these questions, you will provide yourself with the type of data that is needed to help choose between multiple qualified job candidates.

Determine if a candidate fits your company culture

You shouldn't only focus on job skills. Once qualifications and hard and soft skills are assessed, hiring managers should consider the level of cultural fit a job candidate demonstrates. Is your work environment a traditional one where business suits are the norm? Does leadership value individualism and creativity?

You need to consider how those types of work environments shape your culture? You should know the answers to these questions to help identify and choose the job candidate that will fare best in the company. During the interview process, there are a few additional questions to ask to help you verify a job candidate fits within your company culture:

  • What is one word your previous co-workers would use to describe you?
  • What elements make up a successful team?
  • What would your previous manager say about you?

Use peer validation to choose the right candidate

One of the best ways to determine which candidate is a better fit is to leverage existing team members in the process. By giving your employees the opportunity to help to make the hiring decision, you not only enhance your candidate's chance for success but you also positively affect the outlook of current team members.

From the team the job candidate will be joining, select a diverse set of individuals with various levels of expertise and personas. Then let them engage your candidates, setting guidelines for the process and your expectations for feedback once the interviews are complete. This is one area where hiring managers can learn the most about everyone involved on both sides of the decision process.

Test problem-solving abilities

Choose a job candidate based on real-life scenarios. If you want to stress test your final round candidates in a productive way, consider having your prospects answer questions involving a case study.

Use a scenario that mimics a problem set the team they may be joining has faced or will soon be confronting. Include details pertinent to the situation while refraining from giving the candidate any hints about the way they should answer. The key is to evaluate the candidate's responses, determine their problem-solving style, and learn how they react to real-world problems that could be faced in the future.

Breaking a tie between multiple qualified candidates

There may be a scenario where the backgrounds of qualified candidates and other they fared on the above strategies are competitive or very similar, and the decision hits a wall. One candidate may possess the necessary soft skills while another may have previously performed the job functions you are looking for. Determining which job candidate is the best choice can come down to a small, qualitative piece of selection criteria.

Here are three qualitative metrics to help you verify a job candidate when the pool becomes competitive:

  1. Which candidate more enthusiastically discussed the job opportunity and why they were looking to make a change at this point in their career?
  2. Between the top candidates, evaluate the questions they asked and how they asked them. Which one posed more insightful questions?
  3. Of the final round candidates, which one followed up first? Which one followed up with additional questions?

Use every resource at your disposal

In the end, you need to take all of these factors into consideration to make the best choice for your company. Deciding which job candidate is the best fit is a process best handled by multiple teams and decision makers. No matter which person is evaluating the talent, the choice between two or more qualified candidates is a challenging exercise. However, by using a collaborative team approach that is open and transparent, you'll make better choices using better data, enhancing not only the selection process but also the outlook of those who are tasked with decision-making.

In the race to staff a company and keep business teams running at peak performance, staffing agencies, recruiters, and HR professionals have a monumental task – building and maintaining a candidate pipeline that consists of the most qualified candidates available. Not only are you tasked with filling vacancies within the company, but you must also use every resource at your disposal for an effective selection process.

 

Integrating Trello with a Database Backend

Posted: 02 Jul 2019 05:10 AM PDT

Trello works best for just-in-time work and is a fluid workflow system. When things are changing so quickly, especially in large environments, it's important to store that data; a great way to do that is to integrate Trello with a database.

Tools

To narrow our scope a little bit, let's first cover one way to integrate Trello with a database backend. I'm assuming that you already have a Trello account and a board or two created with some lists and cards. You now need a database to store information in. One database I highly recommend is AirTable. AirTable is a spreadsheet/database combo service with an easy-to-use API. This will come in handy.

Next, we could build our application or script to update AirTable when changes in Trello are detected, but let's not reinvent the wheel. To keep Trello and AirTable in sync, I'll use the automation platform Zapier. Zapier connects thousands of services together and allows you to build some advanced automation. Luckily, it has support for both Trello and AirTable.

Getting set up

Assuming you've got accounts with Zapier, AirTable and Trello already set up, we'll start with creating a zap. If you're not familiar with Zapier, I encourage you to check out their Getting Started Guide.

To store a database record in AirTable for each Trello card that gets created on a board, use Zapier. Create a trigger to fire whenever a new card is created on a board.

Add a step to create a new record in AirTable. Then create a Create Record step. Using the AirTable step, I can specify fields that are returned via my Trello trigger as you can see below.

Zapier automatically pulled all of the fields that were available in my Partner table inside of my Personal CRM base. At this point, it's just a matter of selecting the field dropdowns and picking the Trello items.

Notice the Trello logos in the Name and Courses fields. These indicate that the data that will be inserted to create this AirTable record will come from the Trello trigger we created earlier. These items will be added in real time (technically every five minutes) into AirTable from Trello.

Once I'm done, I can enable the zap which will tell Zapier to begin monitoring my Trello board for new cards. When one is found, it will create a new record in AirTable.

Summary

This is just one simple example of connecting Trello with a database backend. The options are limitless in what you can do. Using Zapier, you're able to trigger when cards move lists, are updated, when comments are made and just about any event that happens inside of Trello.

Merging Trello and a database like AirTable using Zapier is a great way to save information from Trello to transform Trello into a much more robust solution for large companies.

What Small Businesses Need to Know About Assistive Technologies

Posted: 02 Jul 2019 05:06 AM PDT

  • The 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires employers with 15 or more employees to provide "reasonable accommodations," so long as that accommodation doesn't pose an "undue hardship" to the employer.
  • Accessibility technology can vary wildly and requires you do your homework before making a purchase or negotiating a contract with a vendor.
  • An inclusive, accessible workplace means happier, more productive and more engaged workers, so accessibility features ultimately benefit everyone.

Approximately 18.6 million people with disabilities between the ages of 16 and 64 are currently in the American workforce. Assistive technologies (AT) can vastly improve such a person's productivity in the office. But many small businesses don't know exactly what AT means. 

By law, if you employ at least 15 people, your company must make "reasonable accommodations," so long as the expense or challenges in implementing that accommodation don't lead to "undue hardship" for the business. Both of those terms are filled with legal gray areas. It's the employee's responsibility to identify their disability and request their employer's help, and employers aren't required to offer the exact remedy requested. The employer can request medical documentation of the issue at hand. 

An accessible workplace now means much more than wheelchair ramps and Braille signage. Many of today's ATs can seriously improve disabled employees' day-to-day experience at work and open your organization's doors to all qualified individuals, regardless of ability.

AT devices are technologies that are used to increase, maintain or improve the functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities, so they play a substantial role in diverse and inclusive workplaces. These technologies can aid in essential job functions such as communication and productivity, and help employees with disabilities work more independently. What's more, a fully accessible workplace benefits all workers by increasing productivity across the board, expanding your talent pool and customer base. [Read related article: Why Hiring People With Disabilities Is Good for Business]

There is a common misconception in the working world that hiring people with disabilities can be complex or cost a company extra money, but a 2018 study by Accenture found that businesses that actively seek to employ people with disabilities outperform businesses that do not. Their revenues were higher, their net income was nearly double, and employee retention was at nearly 90%.

"Businesses are often too quick to dismiss an employee that is disabled due to [the misperception of] them not being able to fulfill the duties of their role," said Bridget Schlotzhauer, marketing specialist at eSight, and Gary Foster, manager of eSight's coaching team. "However, it is actually much more cost-effective to accommodate their needs and keep an experienced employee in the workforce rather than taking the time and money to hire and train someone new."

Implementing assistive or adaptive technologies in your workplace does not have to be complex or expensive. Here is what you need to know about AT and how to make your workplace more inclusive.

Types of assistive technologies

Because there are many forms of disability – including those affecting mobility, sight, hearing, cognitive function or the immune system – there are also many types of assistive technologies. Most are created with a general purpose in mind and can be customized to suit the individual's needs.

These are some common technologies:

  • Screen readers, which read onscreen text out loud
  • Voice recognition, which converts spoken words into digital text
  • Switch devices, which take the place of mice or keyboards and allow the user to control other technology more simply
  • Reading assistants, which can customize fonts or spacing, hide sections of text, or adjust navigation to ease comprehension
  • Closed captioning or subtitles, which help deaf or hard-of-hearing employees watch videos
  • Motion or eye tracking, which allows the user to control a mouse pointer with their eyes or other part of their body

Embracing built-in accessibility features

The best way to make sure all of your employees' individual needs are met, according to Schlotzhauer and Foster, is to be transparent about all the available options and work with the employee from there to ensure they have what they need to be successful.

Many assistive technologies are built into products most of your employees likely already use. Large tech companies such as Apple, Google, Dell and Microsoft offer customizable, built-in accessibility options like voiceover, display accommodations, speech recognition, automatic subtitles, screen magnification, and keyboard adjustments with their products and services.

Microsoft Office, for example, has the Accessibility Checker, which ensures all documents can be easily read by people with disabilities by checking for missing descriptive hyperlinks, extra whitespace, improper page breaks and other discrepancies that can interrupt comprehension.

These accessibility features can make a big difference in productivity for many of your employees, disabled or not, so make sure that all of your employees are aware of the accessibility features in whatever equipment they already use. Offer trainings on how to use the features for anyone who wishes to learn.

You can also offer one-on-one meetings to your employees with disabilities to see if any other accommodations would help them at work.

"Trust your employees," said Sharon Rosenblatt, director of communications at Accessibility Partners. "They know what works for their needs."

Understanding disability

To have a successfully diverse and inclusive workforce, it is imperative that you, your management team and your employees all have knowledge of disability and the culture around it.

"We've heard stories about workplaces speaking loudly to blind employees or wondering about wheelchair access for deaf employees," said Rosenblatt, "so a basic understanding about disability in an empowering workplace in a great step."

A place to start is providing training for your employees on how they can contribute to a more inclusive work environment. You can initially provide the training for your existing employees and adopt it as part of your employee onboarding process.

The training should include best practices like pushing in chairs after meetings for easy navigation, reserving front seats for deaf or hard-of-hearing employees during presentations and any other specific accommodations your individual employees may need, as well as basic etiquette like not leaning on a wheelchair or petting a service dog while it is working.

"Accessibility is a team effort and a continual journey, not a destination," said Corinne Weible, co-director of Partnership on Employment & Accessible Technology (PEAT). "It requires putting organization-wide policies and procedures in place, aligned with an overall effort to build a culture of awareness and inclusion."

Weible said that having policies like making sure all documents and PDFs are accessible is great, but you have to make sure you are providing adequate support and training to help your employees know why it's important and how to effectively implement it.

Adequate training can also mitigate ignorance and misunderstandings of reasonable accommodations, which could otherwise lead to resentment among employees who may view an accommodation as special treatment.

Starting at the beginning

Taking existing technology and modifying or retrofitting it to be accessible can be costly, which is why it pays to outfit your business with accessible technology right at the beginning. This also has an effect on your overall company culture by enforcing the idea that accessibility is simply part of who the company is.

"Employers need to take a structured, systemwide approach towards building a workplace culture of inclusion and accessibility," said Weible. "Small businesses can help mitigate the need for accommodations by investing in universally designed technology [that is] interoperable with assistive technology from the start."

Weible also said to keep in mind that most accommodations are free, and not all employees with a disability will need an accommodation. The Job Accommodation Network found that the average cost of an accommodation is $300, and half of all accommodations cost nothing.

Legal rights, requirements and protections

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prevents discrimination based on a physical, sensory or cognitive disability and provides several legal protections for people with a disability both in and outside of work, including the right to an accessible workplace.

The ADA generally applies to businesses that fall under Title I, with 15 or more full-time employees, or Title III, a business that falls under "public accommodation" such as a bank or hotel, and requires those businesses to make "reasonable accommodations" for people with disabilities.

The wording of "reasonable accommodations" is intentionally vague, because every business and every person with a disability is different, so what works in one instance may not work in another. You must consider all the main aspects of your business and how they may affect people with disabilities that either patronize or work for your company.

For example, many businesses have wheelchair ramps for those with mobility issues, but do not have accessible websites. In the fall of 2018, the Department of Justice confirmed that the ADA covers digital accessibility, meaning websites and other digital entities must be accessible, though there are no specific regulations for digital accessibility. You can run various accessibility checkers on your website to make sure you aren't missing anything. [Read related article: How to Make Sure Your Website Is ADA Compliant]

Before you buy anything, you'll want to research the appropriate vendors. You can approach that process in a few different ways:

  • Attend an AT event where you can meet with various vendors in person.
  • Ask to see a company's Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) conformance statements, relevant products and other websites to make sure they are legitimate.
  • Ask if the company makes the products itself or is simply a reseller.
  • Make a formal request for information (RFI) to compare vendors to one another.
  • Build in acceptance testing as part of the procurement process to ensure what you get will ultimately fulfill your actual needs.

How accessibility benefits everyone

An inclusive, accessible workplace means happier and more engaged workers, which is why accessibility features ultimately benefit everyone in a company.

"Technology created for people with a wide range of abilities also tends to help everyone be more productive," said Weible.

Think about the time when you wanted to change the song but couldn't because your hands were wet, dirty, or occupied and you told Siri or Alexa to change the song. Or when you were pushing a baby stroller or a cart and used a curb cut to get it easily onto the sidewalk. Or when you were eating chips and watching Netflix and turned on the subtitles so you could still understand what was happening.

"Disability is part of being human, so it's crucial that companies provide workplaces that are inclusive and accessible at every level," Weible said. "If companies aren't providing the right inclusive environment, they're going to miss out on the benefits."

Data Proves There Is a Formula for Getting Hired

Posted: 02 Jul 2019 05:00 AM PDT

  • When convincing employers of your ability, providing specific evidence has been shown to be more effective than stating one's skills.
  • Resumes featuring keywords that imply proactivity and managerial skills are correlated with higher employer ratings.
  • Resumes suggesting self-centeredness, a need for training or resistance to hard work are correlated with lower employer ratings.

"Know your audience" may well be the central tenet of the art of persuasion. The same principle applies to resumes – in effect, the first step in persuading someone to hire you.

With that in mind, the best place to get resume tips should be your audience: the employer. The problem is that the internet is rife with conflicting advice – just what is the final verdict on including a summary? Furthermore, employers don't always act on their own advice.

Numbers don't lie

ZipRecruiter, a site that allows businesses to post jobs to more than 50 job boards at once, analyzed its database of more than 3 million resumes to determine why some are rated higher than others. On ZipRecruiter, hiring managers rate candidates' resumes on a scale of one to five stars, with one being the worst and five being the best.

"By looking at keywords, length and sections, we were able to create a profile of the perfect cover letter and resume: what you should include, what you shouldn't include, and plenty of tips to help your resume and cover letter stand out from the crowd," Scott Garner, ZipRecruiter's senior corporate communications manager, wrote on the company's blog.

Here's what the data revealed. 

Tip No. 1: Include a cover letter.

It all starts with the cover letter. ZipRecruiter's research revealed that cover letters increase a resume's chance of receiving a five-star rating by 29%.

"A cover letter is the first chance you have to impress an employer, or to turn them off permanently," Garner wrote.

The study found two keys to a good cover letter: Be polite and display confidence that you'll get the job done. Specifically, the phrase "thank you for your consideration" was included in 10% more of the five-star resumes than those that received just one star. 

Tip No. 2: Prove your value.

Additionally, since the employer has posted a job because they have a pressing need, job seekers should present themselves as a solution to that problem and not as a work in progress focused only on their own career trajectory.

"Words like 'learning,' 'develop' and 'myself' have a strong correlation with one-star resumes, meaning that employers want a team player who is ready to start contributing to the business on day one," Garner wrote.  

A willingness to contribute should not be told but demonstrated with evidence of past performance. 

"The biggest mistake folks make on their resume is telling me what their skills are," said Cecilia Deal, a former company recruiter now freelancing as a career coach.   

Instead, compelling resumes show, not tell. For example, the phrase "I'm great with people" is not going to convince employers, but "I built my customer base from 100 to 1,000 in 30 days" or "selected as a leader for two key projects" offers proof, Deal said. 

Tip No. 3: Reorganize your sections.

When formatting a resume, it's critical to only include the sections employers care about. The research revealed that resumes containing "summary," "references," "work history," "objective" and "training" were 1.7 times more likely to earn a five-star rating (that answers that question).

"Employers want to know everything about you that may be relevant to your ability to perform the job they've posted," Garner wrote.

The sections employers find irrelevant were "languages," "personal interests" and "accomplishments." The study discovered that including these sections made it 24% less likely for a resume to receive a top rating.

Tip No. 4: Word count matters.

Length also plays a key role in how well hiring managers receive a resume. ZipRecruiter found that managers rated 600- to 700-word resumes much more favorably than resumes with fewer than 500 words. In addition, the more a resume exceeds 700 words, the lower its ratings.

The research also revealed that the summary should be between 90 and 100 words in length and that the objective should be approximately 30 words long.

"Following these length guidelines results in a 30% boost in the chances of receiving a five-star rating," Garner wrote.

Tip No.5: Word choice matters.

When actually writing a resume, job seekers should include certain keywords and avoid others. 

The research found that keywords that imply management skills, problem-solving abilities and a proactive stance toward working were associated with the highest ratings. These are some specific "power keywords" that can increase the chances of a five-star rating by up to 70%: 

  • Experience
  • Management
  • Project
  • Development
  • Business
  • Skill
  • Professional
  • Knowledge
  • Year
  • Team
  • Leadership

Garner cautions job seekers, however, not to go overboard – at a certain point, these keywords have diminishing returns. "Keyword stuffing will more than likely lead to your resume being discarded," Garner wrote. "Make sure you only include words that are relevant to your skills."

ZipRecruiter's analysis also pinpointed words that correlated with low ratings:

  • Hard
  • Need
  • First
  • Me
  • Time
  • Myself
  • Chance
  • Develop
  • Learning

While job seekers shouldn't bend over backward to remove these words from their resume – there's nothing inherently wrong with the words themselves – what they should do is avoid the sentiments these words are often used to convey. That may be the impression that a candidate is self-centered, inexperienced, in need of a great deal of training or put off by hard work.

"Keywords that employers and hiring managers don't want to see are those that are largely overused, often meaningless and don't prove anything unless backed up with solid examples," said Lars Herrem, group executive director at Nigel Wright Group.

For Herrem, phrases like "value-add," "results-driven," "team player," "strategic thinker" and "detail-oriented" should be avoided.  

Other phrases widely disliked among recruiters were "problem-solving," "strategic thinker," "think outside the box," "go-getter," "team player," "unique," "dynamic" and "self-motivated."

"The takeaway is to replace adjectives with action verbs as much as possible," said Chris Chancey, founder of Amplio Recruiting. This circles back to Tip No. 2 – whereas adjectives simply state your importance, verbs give evidence of your importance.

Experience still matters

While a resume with all the right characteristics correlates with higher ratings, applicants must keep in mind that correlation is not causation.

For example, a resume including the word "management" may be correlated with success, but this doesn't mean finding a way to work "management" into your resume is going to get you an interview. What this probably means is that applicants with managerial experience are more desirable to employers.

In a similar vein, a word count above 500 in and of itself is not going to affect your chances. What's more likely is that, of the 3 million resumes analyzed by ZipRecruiter, poorly rated candidates tended to be those without a lot of experience to report on their resumes, thus lowering their word count.  

What job seekers can conclude from these tips is that resumes are more formulaic than we realize. However, nothing replaces actual ability.
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