First And First Capital International Ltd

 Learning Your Customers 101: As an entrepreneur, you work hard to attract customers to your location so the last thing you want is to drive them away when they're already inside your store. But whether or not you realize it, you or your team may be doing things that send clients packing.  Here is why some of your loyal customers may have drifted away... #1. Wait times Nearly 60% of any kind of caller finds being on hold to be a frustrating part of the service experience. I recently rang my phone carrier to inquire about my bill and the wait time was 10 minutes. In my frustration I hung up. On calling another business, while the wait wasn't quick, they stated they would call in 10 minutes if I provided a number. Someone actually valued my minutes! #2. Having a team that lacks the right attitude Lack of empathy in customer service and lack of communication skills. Team members avoiding customers and not making eye contact showing a lack of interest and being unengaged. Your te...

 Improving Employee Development. Every company has it's own set of priorities to help take it to the next level , and knowing which initiatives will make the greatest impact can be tough.  You're never going to have a better shot at engaging employees than on their very first day. Starting a new job is equal parts stressful and exciting. New hires are anxious to make a great first impression, and their new teammates are anxious for them to hit the ground running and become part of the team. However, we don't always stop to consider what's expected of employers in these early days. Making a good impression cuts both ways, and companies have to start laying the foundation for mutually rewarding relationship beginning on Day One of the employee journey. Here are 4 key ways to accomplish this hidden success of a company ! #1. Don't wing it As a small business owner, you're super busy, but integrating new people into your team is among the most sensitive, mission-cri...

 Building Winning Startup Teams. Many successful entrepreneurs won't admit this secret. But I'll let you in on it. There is no such thing as a solo entrepreneur. Nobody who's ever scaled a business from the ground up did it alone. In fact, left to themselves, they wouldn't have a business. What are some of the key component of leading and coaching a stellar team? #1. Ensure everyone is on the same page For a crew team, everyone is in the same boat, rowing in the same direction, except for the signal caller, who is looking forward. That person is the guide. He or she sets the direction and course-corrects, if necessary. If only all companies worked like this! I've seen some companies where people acted like they were in their own boats, doing their own thing, thinking about separate ideas. I've also seen people working very hard, but they didn't have a plan or a clear idea of where they were going. Rowing the wrong way can be as much of a problem with leader...

 Ideas for Social Media Campaigns. Collaboration with social media influencers is a proven method to increase brand awareness and sales or site traffic. Did you know that 63% of marketers today work with ten or more influencers on every campaign? Have you thought about the various ways to collaborate with influencers?  While quality content is an essential element to the success of a campaign, there's another aspect that's crucial; finding influencers that match your brand's image and the goals of your campaign. With that in mind, here are some suggestions on how you can work with social media influencers. #1. Giveaways People love freebies and love winning things. If you're hosting giveaways through an influencer's account, it's a great opportunity to increase the followers and engagement of both the influencer as well as your brand. Also, it puts your brand's name in people's minds. Since giveaways typically require that participants follow your page...

 Equipping Your Business For Success. Back in the 90's when innovative new technologies enabled the growth of entrepreneurship, many small business owners wanted to hide the fact they were home based, fearing their clients would not consider them professionals. Fortunately, that is no longer the case. There are several tips I would like to share with on how to make your home based business successful.  Walk with me: #1. Use free or low- cost services to save on monthly expenses. Of course, having a home office means you don't have to shell out any money for office space, but that isn't the only place where a home based business owner can save some money. Ensure tools that are not necessary at the moment or are not fully utilized, they should not be paid for. In this case am talking about the online tools.  #2. Make sure you have a dedicated workspace You can try to work at your kitchen or dinning room table, but that's not a good long-term solution. Ideally, you'll...

 Business Finance Management. Bad money habits are kind of hard to break. We do them over without even realizing it. Just like any other bad habit can bring you down, bad money habits can be a source of great frustration and harm.  When it comes to bad habits surrounding money, the effects can be painful. When running an entrepreneurial endeavor, it's easy to pick up bad money habits that can sink your ship before it has a chance to sail. Here are four of the most common ways new entrepreneurs or executives mess up their companies' finances. #1. Paying too much for office space There's no reason to pay for a beautiful office park or other expensive office space if you and your employees won't use it, especially if you're just getting started. Don't invest in tons of company rooms or even an entire building until your startup is well off the ground and turning a profit. If you have several employees in your company, why not offer them remote work opportunities?...

 Business Networking Complete Guide. You've joined a few industry groups , attended their conferences and had drinks at the monthly after hours mixers. You've also mastered your elevator pitch and are dutifully sending LinkedIn invites and meeting people for coffee. You've even forwarded relevant articles and sent thoughtful thank-you notes.  And here you sit wondering why you're not getting close to meaningful contacts who can help you advance your business or professional goals . So what are you missing? Perhaps the problem isn't the width of the net you're casting, but the depth. Here are top 3 best and proven ways to take your networking game to the next level. #1. Be vulnerable Being yourself and sharing your truth, no matter how vulnerable that makes you feel, give people a chance to know you and truly connect with you. Within what you feel comfortable sharing, there will likely be some common interests that the other person will build on. Being authentic ...