Category: Views & Ramblings

1. How can social media marketing help small businesses succeed?

   Posted on 12:00pm Monday 27th Jul 2020

   I was having a conversation with some friends recently about social and media and one friend genuinely asked, "what is it that you actually do?". It is amazing to think that around the world, the use of social media is rising with over 4 billion users already being on some kind of social media platform but if you don't operate in that world, you don't understand the benefits it can bring to a business.

   

   Social media is now considered the most influential tool that businesses can use to promote their brand to potential customers. You are missing out on a ton of opportunities if you are not using social media for your brand. There are multiple reasons why social media marketing is considered necessary for small businesses. We will list some reasons why social media is the most reliable way to market and grow your small business. 

   1. It is incredibly cost-effective

   When it comes to small businesses, the biggest hurdle in their way is the lack of finance. Since most social media platforms don’t charge to create an account and start using it, it helps you cut out a little money on marketing. 

   All social media marketing needs is investing a lot of time and working hard to build a brand image. Even if you get the paid version, you won’t have to pay as much as some other marketing strategies. So social media marketing is an excellent way to promote your business with a strict budget. 

   2. A better way to interact with customers and build trust

   Social media is all about meeting and talking to new people and engaging with them. That is what makes it an awesome marketing tool as it enables you to get closer to clients. 

   You can talk to potential customers and tell them about all the services your business is offering. Your page will explain everything that they need to know about your business and make it easier for them to trust you. This trust is what will build relationships with customers that will last a long time. 

   3. Showcases your brand’s authority and dedication

   Customers have to understand that you are committed to what you are selling to get them interested. Social media marketing makes it easier for you to answer customer queries and understand their requirements. 

   Their feedback can help you improve your product or your business and get better. Contented customers will also help you promote your brand to others and give you more sales. You can have complete control over your promotion campaign and gain loyal customers as a result of it. 

   4. Enables you to get better SEO rankings

   If you have a blog or a website to promote your business, your social media account will play a major role in driving traffic to it. SEO ranking matters a lot because it generates leads much faster and more efficiently. 

   Social media marketing is another outlet where you can promote your website and understand what people think of it. You can also share snippets of your content on social media to get people interested in visiting your blog.

   5. Build awareness about your brand in the market

   Social media is the most amazing way to introduce your small business to the market. You can promote it to the potential clients in your local area and gain their attention. At the same time, it is a good way to let your competitors know about your brand.

   With more than one billion active users each month, there is no better platform to find potential clients. And the best thing is that you don’t even have to spend a ton of time doing it. A few weeks of building your social account and a reliable social media marketing strategy is all you need to succeed.

   Conclusion:-

   We understand how difficult it can be to improve sales as a small business. Social media marketing has been effective for many businesses around the world and there is no doubt it works just as nicely for a small scale business. We hope that this article helped you to understand the importance of social media marketing for small businesses. Don’t waste any more time and start using it for your own brand today itself! 

   

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2. Benefits of Homeschooling- How it could make kids smarter?

   Posted on 12:00pm Thursday 16th Jul 2020

   It is funny how quickly times change. It seems like not that long ago, homeschooling was a less-explored concept. Now, in the wake of the COVID -19 virus, a large proportion of children and parents have had no other options than homeschooling.

   

    

   Parents are taking full responsibility for their child’s homeschooling. It requires a lot of upskilling for parents to homeschool their children. Moreover, parents have to develop patience to bring up their children in a formal manner in a home environment. Previously homeschooling was prevalent in rural areas only however, many parents are switching over to homeschooling, due to rising discontentment over the school curriculum.

   Benefits Of Homeschooling

   Homeschooling has a number of benefits. Let us find out more about this facet of education.

   • The parents have complete control over the child’s learning mechanism. No one teaches the child the wrong thing, as intermingling is less rampant. It also helps the parents to constantly monitor the child’s progress unhindered. It may not be possible to do that in school.

   • The teaching timings are also flexible. A parent can choose the teaching timings based on the child’s interests and comfort level. The child may also be interested in extra-curricular activities. So, he or she can concentrate the efforts on both sectors. This way, the interest levels of the child also remain up to date.

   • It is also a great way to pass on the ideas and beliefs directly to the children. You, as a parent, can instill a lot of confidence in the child, sitting at home. That may not be possible, when the child is spending 4-5 hours in school and then coming home. He will not be in a mood to listen to the parent’s theories and beliefs at the end of a tiring day.

   • Homeschooling can also protect the child from a lot of negativity. In school, children learn lots of things that they are not supposed to learn. It can come from peers, other parents and seniors. However, as a parent you can protect your child from this kind of nuisance if you practice homeschooling.

   • At home, education can be a fun and learning environment. However, in school things are much more formalized. So, the child grows up in a formal environment and it may hamper the development of a certain category of children. Every child’s learning skills are not the same, so the education mode has to be fun-filled and exciting.

   • Parents can also identify the hidden talents of the child, through homeschooling. A teacher at school may be loving and mother-like. However, after paying attention to 20 odd children at school, it is not possible for the teacher to identify the talent of each and every child, individually. So, at certain times the talents remain unexplored. However, if you are homeschooling, things can get better. Parents can easily identify the talents of their children and nurture them, then and there.

   • If both parents are working, whether from home or from office, one can pay attention to the child’s well-being. They can take turns in nurturing the child from all angles.

   Today, more and more parents are switching to homeschooling. It can actually make kids a lot smarter. It is possible that parents do homeschooling for a few years and then send their wards to school. It can be an extremely nourishing experience. So, by the time board examinations knock on the door, children are ready to take on the world.

   

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3. Mindful Social Media Practices That Will Make You Happier

   Posted on 12:00pm Monday 13th Jul 2020

   Social media is an indispensable part of our everyday life (especially ours). So much so that it often takes the shape of an addictive habit of unnecessary scrolling. This leads to nothing but complete detachment from the needful. Social media needs to be social and interactive but not necessarily ALL of the time. 

   The following tips are some small practices to lessen if not eliminate a complete addiction or dependancy.

   

   Learn to log out

   The most important aspect of anything is self-control. In order to derive the best outcome out of any action, one must practice self-control This largely applies in case of social media usage too. One must learn to make use of this technological boon in limits. Out there is a world that is constantly evolving to increase our intake of social media content but in order to derive the bet out of it, one must know when to exit. This is exactly why there is a button to log out of the virtual world. This is the first way to mindfully use social media.

   Mind filtering

   In many self-help books, the researchers have quoted one of their crucial findings under the tag of mind filtering. It is one’s own choice to take in things, opinions, judgments that are continuously fed to the commoners via social media. This is a crucial way of going on with the use of social media. In a world where every information good and bad is out in a virtual world, it is difficult to limit the usage of this. But like every question has an answer even this toxic habit of constant social media engagement has a solution.  Just pause for a moment and think that are all the things that came on your feed too important to ponder about or not. Go for this mindful elimination of toxicity.

   Have no-gadget hours 

   This is a crucial way of inculcating mindfulness in everyday life. As years have passed our daily lives have gotten more gadget based. This has untimely invited stress, anxiety, and other issues. Most importantly it has disrupted our natural mindfulness. In order to tackle such a situation, it is extremely important to have absolutely no-gadget hours. This is very helpful in being mindful for the major part of the day. 

   Practice unplugging

   Make some time every day to unplug from everything. Do not talk, or do anything, just be silent. Keep quiet and spend time with yourself. Just observe the way the mind works, the energy flows, and the thoughts channelize themselves. This is a major step towards achieving mindfulness and focus. This is one of the most understated yet profound ways to align oneself with the positive vibrations and channelize one’s energy in that path. This is what determines one’s good mental health and a calm state of mind.

   Unfollow the unnecessary

   The most underused button in social media is perhaps the “unfollow’ button. But this wonder option is a magical way to cut off all the junk and unnecessary content from one’s media feed. This is what one must regularly do in order to eliminate the toxicity of social media. This is the key to eliminating all the cons that social media serves on a platter. Needless to say, this is a major stepping stone towards mindful usage of social media. So just like in real life, surround yourself with the necessary and needed things in social media as well. 

   So learn to use technology just as a tool. Humans have created this blissful thing towards a better-connected world, let it not become a bane to their very own existence here.

   

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4. How to get motivated when you feel stuck

   Posted on 12:00pm Wednesday 8th Jul 2020

   Ever felt like giving up on things you planned for months because nothing seems to work out or that you’re simply in no mood to do anything? It’s okay, we’ve all been there. If you feel this way and need motivation but can’t find any, this article is for you.

   

   Lack of motivation can be because of multiple reasons, and every reason requires a distinct solution. This article focuses on all possible reasons to provide you an effective solution. 

   1. You’ve been doing things for far too long

   It’s normal to feel demotivated if you have been doing some things from quite some time that it starts to bore you. You feel less interested and hence plan on dropping everything. You must remember, feeling demotivated is not a good reason to give up on your plans and dreams.

   How to get motivated back

   When things get boring or you can’t seem to think of anything productive, it’s time to take a break. Sometimes lack of motivation is a signal your mind gives that you need to take a pause. Breathe. Breathe, take rest until you feel you’re ready to get back again. There’s no bad day to take a vacation.

   Vacations have been proved to be an effective way of not only refreshing your mind but to think things through. However, ensure that this pause does not turn into a full stop. Taking a break must not lead to quitting your plans entirely. Get back to them once you feel relaxed. 

   2. You don’t see results 

   Ever had that feeling when you worked like a robot but didn’t get the results you desired? You think you’ve tried enough, maybe harder than the rest but nothing good is happening, so maybe you’re not made for success and should give up.

   Yes, good results can keep you motivated but that doesn’t mean, insufficient results don’t mean tables can’t be turned. You must not let results hinder you. 

   Everyone gets bad results but that is why dreams are not achieved in a day. It doesn’t only take hard work, but a calm mind as well to achieve goals.

   How to get motivated

   Sometimes all you have to do is be patient. Change doesn’t happen overnight. It works differently for everyone. Some have to wait for months before seeing results, some even years. Just wait and do not give up. There are great things waiting for you. Don’t just lose hope yet, they might knock anytime.

   However, if it has been long, you might have to look again at your strategy. Just ask yourselves, are you doing things, right? If you’re uncertain, it’s always a great idea to get help.

   Talk to analysts, your friends, family, or whosoever who has expertise in the field you’re in. Sometimes it takes someone else’s vision to find your faults. 

   3. Lack of motivation as a phase 

   At times, the lack of motivation is a phase that comes and goes like sea waves. It might be relieving as well as stress to tell you that it is inevitable.

   The truth is you cannot always stay motivated. Motivation works like energy, there are days or even moments in the day when you feel lethargic, and other times, energetic.

   To put it in another example, it is like your phone battery. When it gets discharged, you are required to charge it. The question remains, how do you charge it?

   How to become motivated?

   Keep yourself surrounded by reminders.

   Sometimes all you need is a reminder to get back on track and not to give up. Sticking post-its on your closet, on the bed back, on walls is a perfect way to be reminded throughout the day. You can also keep motivational wallpapers on your phone. If you’re a social media addict, which we insist, you must not be. You can follow motivational pages or pages with subjects of your interest.

   Be social, talk to random people or experts

   Just as happiness comes in mysterious ways, motivation can knock your door similarly. When you talk to experts in the area of your interest, you’re motivated to become like them.

   You share stories until you realize if they can, why can’t you. Besides, you don’t always need an expert if you’re not associated with any. Talk to your close friends or family members. If not them, even random strangers after all, sometimes even your close ones fail to understand or motivate you. In such a case, random strangers are at your rescue. Added perk: You’ll be forming contacts and making acquaintances.

   4. You might have your interests elsewhere 

   We hate to break it to you, sometimes lack of motivation can also be because you’re forcing yourself into things you don’t like. You are draining yourself in the wrong place. This is when you need to figure out if that is what you like. Just listen to the voice inside you and you’d know. 

   How to feel motivated? 

   You need someone to tell you, you must follow your passion even if you think it’s too late. It’s never too late if you have years ahead of you. Apart from this, you need the courage to actually pursue your dreams even if it means defying notions and people. Allow us to say it, you’re the proprietor of your life. It is your decision to choose places you want to invest your time, money, and efforts in. 

   Here's for a fact, that life is not all rainbows and diamonds. You fail, you succeed, it’s a cycle. Don’t feel disheartened if things don’t go the way you want them to.

   There’s still nothing that can stop you. Getting motivated is easy, but it’s harder to keep yourself from giving up. But do it, don’t give up just yet, because if you do, remember you lose out all the progress you’ve made.

   

   You’re human, don’t crush yourself. You’re magical, there’s no stopping you. I would love to know your tips for getting things done when you feel stuck. Do drop them in the comments below.

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