Because of the rise of social media, some business owners focus only on their social media pages and put email marketing to the side since it’s becoming less valuable. Is email marketing dead? 

Those who believe email marketing is ineffective today might be doing it wrong. Forget the myths because email marketing is still very much alive and popping! In fact, it is still the most powerful tool to take your business to the next level. The key to a successful campaign is attracting customers and clients to do business with you. The best way to accomplish this is by sharing relevant and valuable content.

So, again, “Does email marketing work in 2023?” The answer is YES when you do it properly. But don’t just take my word for it; here are some stats to prove that email marketing remains to be the King of ROI and still offers enormous potential for your business:

• For every $1 you spend on email marketing, you can expect an average return of $40 (Omnisend).
• In a survey about marketing emails, 59% of respondents said that emails directly affect their decisions to make a purchase (SaleCycle).
• When it comes to acquiring new customers, email is over 40 times more effective than social media, especially when they are targeted and personalized (McKinsey).
• Email marketing conversion rates are three times that of social media marketing (eMarketer).
• 99% of people check emails at least once and up to 20 times daily (OptinMonster). 
• Email marketing is ranked among the top 3 most effective marketing channels by 79% of marketers. (Hubspot)

How do you make email marketing work? Here are some of my suggestions:

1. Make sure your customer lists are segmented. 
2. Personalize your messages and create a strong email subject line.
3. Make your marketing emails mobile-friendly since most users check emails on their mobile phones.
4. Create valuable and compelling content.
5. Include a clear call-to-action
6. Only send a few emails to your subscribers.

In conclusion, email marketing has been around for a long time, and it’s not going anywhere. It will do wonders for your business and drive significant results if your email is timely, engaging, and relevant. 

If you need help with your email marketing, please call TimeHelperz! We can help you create and implement an effective strategy to generate the best results from your email campaigns. Contact us today to learn more!

Working as a small business owner is rewarding, but other times it is emotionally draining. It can be overwhelming, and you are burning out without realizing it. Between admin tasks, marketing, taking care of clients, managing your online presence, plus your responsibilities at home, there’s little time left for yourself.

It can be a slippery slope if left unchecked in its early stages. It’s essential to identify the signs of burnout early, so you can learn how to manage it before it can harm your health and business more.

Common signs of burnout 

• You need to be more motivated and able to perform your usual duties.
• You’ve lost sight of what’s important.
• You feel that you have no control over your business, or you feel trapped.
• You’re working too much and bringing work home.
• You failed to prioritize your health.

The effects of burnout on a small business

Burnout doesn’t just negatively affect the mind. It can also affect your business, including low productivity, poor decision-making, and more “dropped balls” and stalled projects. Some more severe impacts are harder to come back from, such as mistreating employees, toxic office, and negative public image. These side effects of burnout might result in lower sales, customer loss, and employee churn.

How to bounce back from a burnout

Whether you’re currently experiencing symptoms or are concerned about developing them in the future, it’s better to start taking action; stop and reassess your situation. Here are my top tips to overcome burnout and regain your business mojo:

1. Have a healthy work-life balance. Eat well, exercise, get enough sleep, and maintain your social life outside work. Avoid thinking about upcoming projects or answering emails when you leave the office.
2. As a business owner, you naturally focus on work, but you must schedule some time to detach from anything work-related to reset and recharge completely. Consider taking a sabbatical if you need it. 
3. You don’t need to carry all your business burdens alone. Learn to delegate tasks that are repetitive and time-consuming. Consider sourcing help from an experienced virtual assistant to help you run your business and reduce your risk of burnout.
4. Put your phone on do not disturb after hours. This is a big thing I try to teach my clients. We are not doctors – it is not a life-or-death situation. 99% of what we do can wait until the office opens tomorrow. Your family and your sanity are much more important!  
5. Another one I feel strongly about is saying NO! It is okay to say no to something – whether it is bringing someone a dish or attending an event. You have to make time for yourself and your family.  

TimeHelperz is a full-service virtual assistant firm with over nine years of experience. We can handle your social media, email marketing, blog writing, and other administrative tasks. Remember, taking good care of yourself means taking good care of your business. If you’re ready for a better work-life balance, contact us today to get started!

There is danger in comparing ourselves to others. Sometimes it’s motivating, but other times it’s destructive. We waste precious energy when we focus on other people, so we are implored to compete against ourselves. However, what we really can’t avoid is competing against time.

Here are three reasons why time is our greatest competition and how to take it on:

1. Setting the Alarm

According to a study from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), one in three Americans snoozed their alarm at least three times each morning. Many of us are struggling to get out of bed in the morning. However, our biological responses to our alarm clocks can affect how well we function at work.

2. The Importance of Setting Deadlines

Research shows 80% of people fail their New Year’s resolutions by mid-February. To avoid this pitfall, make your New Year resolutions specific and measurable. Deadlines give us a sense of urgency. We will put things off and procrastinate when there is no urgency. Goals without a deadline is not a goal at all. It is merely a wish.

3. Increasing Sense of Urgency

People often interpret an extended deadline as permission to delay. But as the deadline gets closer, the sense of urgency increases. Our competition against time will reach its peak when the deadline is here. By developing patterns of urgent behavior, you improve productivity and become more efficient in completing tasks.

Every professional goes through different stresses when they are competing against time. Reliable professionals have a knack for handling pressure properly. They seem to be unfazed when facing a difficult situation. In contrast, other professionals will falter in stressful circumstances.

Research suggests that business and political leaders who carry more responsibility experience lower distress levels than those who carry less responsibility because they’ve mastered how to manage their time and prioritize tasks. These leaders also don’t back down from challenges because they have no problem using what they’ve learned from their past experiences.

If you compete against time, you are competing against yourself, which means you’re improving yourself. The tricky part of competing against time is it can quickly leave you in endless circles of frustration. But with the right mindset and strategies, you can get where you want to be. Make sure to enjoy the ride.

Hiring a freelance writer can be a game-changer if you want to produce high-quality content to attract and retain customers. But how do you find the right freelance writer for your business? 

Here’s a five-step guide to help you pick the right person for the job.

Determine the budget

You should establish a realistic budget before you begin the search for writers. Freelancers often charge more because they operate their own businesses and are responsible for paying their taxes. It’s also important to remember that geographic location and level of expertise may influence their rates.

Write an effective help-wanted ad.

Freelance writers carefully review help-wanted ads to determine if the position is a suitable fit for them. Your ad should explicitly outline your goals and deliverables to generate more qualified responses and precise proposals. Try to be as specific as you can when establishing the scope of work to help ensure you’re able to find the best candidate for the job.

Find the ideal writer for your company.

Nowadays, more than ever, job boards and social media platforms make it simple to find a skilled writer. These tools assist in putting businesses in touch with qualified writers who can produce the content any business requires to succeed. Also, ask your professional and personal networks for referrals. Since they are already familiar with or have experience working with the suggested writers, their opinions are quite valuable.

Evaluate their experience

Once you identify potential candidates, evaluate their experience. A quick phone or video interview may be helpful to find out more about their background and skills. Ask the right questions, and don’t hesitate to request samples of their previous work. Eliminate those who need to meet your essential criteria.

Hiring the freelance writer

Once you’ve decided which freelancer to employ, prepare a contract or agreement. It’s essential that the contract outlines the project’s requirements, start and end dates, payment terms, limitation of liability, and more. Wait until both parties have signed the contract before starting the working partnership.

If you want to supercharge your content marketing efforts with regular blog posts, TimeHelperz can help. Get high-quality content without having to worry about it yourself. Contact us today!

Most new businesses start as sole proprietorships because of the simplicity. They are easy to form and allow owners to keep taxes and legal matters as uncomplicated as possible. However, this business type may only suit your needs for a while. It will make you consider transitioning to a limited liability company (LLC) as your business needs evolve.

But how do you know if it’s time to upgrade from a sole proprietorship to LLC? Here are some critical differences between both business entities.

1. Personal assets

In a sole proprietorship, the owner is responsible for all liabilities. This means creditors can go after a sole proprietor’s home, bank accounts, and other personal property to satisfy business debts or other obligations. 

On the other hand, an LLC is a legal entity on its own, separate from the owner. As such, a member is not personally liable for the debts of the LLC and can protect the owner’s personal assets.

2. Tax flexibility

With sole proprietorships, whether you like it or not, the business income gets taxed at the owner’s personal tax rate. You are also responsible for paying self-employment taxes.

Unlike sole proprietorships, LLCs can be taxed as a sole proprietorship, partnership, S-Corporation, or C-Corporation and may save money. Many people often go with S-corp because it offers numerous tax benefits.

3. Hiring employees

As the employer, a sole proprietor is responsible for filing the appropriate tax forms on a timely basis and proper administration for these hires, which can be overwhelming. You can look at switching to an LLC if you often struggle with legal requirements and payroll taxes. Because LLCs separate the business’s operations and financials from the owner’s, it can make managing full-time employees simpler. Additionally, if an employee were to injure himself at work, you can have protection on your personal assets in the case of a lawsuit.

4. Liability protection

If you don’t convert to LCC as soon as a partner joins your business, you are putting your personal assets at risk. When you form an LLC, your assets will remain protected. The wrongdoing or negligence of your partner or an employee is still your full responsibility. This means you and your personal assets will be held accountable.

Moving from a sole proprietorship to LLC may be just the next step in your entrepreneurial journey to put your business on a trajectory toward growth while keeping your personal assets safe. As a small business owner, taking risks and making changes can be terrifying. If you have concerns about changing your business entity to an LLC, don’t be afraid to seek out professional advice.

Halloween is a holiday where many aim to frighten others. But, for small business owners, starting a company and keeping it running is a scary proposition in and of itself. But this doesn’t mean these savvy entrepreneurs have no fears and are worry-free. A successful entrepreneur takes qualities like persistence, resilience, and many other bold characteristics.

Here are four things that scare small business owners the most and some tips on what to do with them.

Raising Money

A lack of capital can prevent a small business from hiring, expanding into additional markets, and exploring new opportunities. According to the SBA, only about 25% of small businesses can get by without additional financing. The other 75% use one or more sources, half from banks and a half from different types of financing. 

To improve your chances of getting a loan, attracting an investor, or otherwise accessing capital, you need:

• To have a business plan in writing and potentially a pitch deck, 
• Work to improve your credit score, and 
• Ensure your cash flow, profit, loss statements, and balance sheet are updated, accessible, and auditable.

Hiring More People

“I’m afraid to hire employees only to lay them off. The problem is I’m working more than I should be.” 

This is understandable since a good hire could save you time and money. The problem is, if you let this fear cause you to avoid hiring, more stress and burnout will surely result.

To improve the hiring of the right people, ask the right questions in your job descriptions and interviews. You need to be able to trust this new person, so you don’t end up micro-managing. 

Managing Finances

If you don’t have a lot of experience with managing business finances, it can feel like a chore, and you could be slipping into bad financial habits that could one day harm your business. 

To stay on top of your finances, pay yourself, keep good credit, monitor your books, and plan. Determine what you can handle yourself, and hire an accounting and tax professional who knows how to save your business the most money.

Being Overshadowed by Larger Brands

Large brands have the popularity and budget to overshadow smaller brands. If you fear that your lack of funding might leave you behind, there are ways to get more exposure and sales without spending money, such as:

• SEO
• Social media
• Email marketing

Once you get more cash flow, you can set a budget for paid marketing activities. Till then, you can try out any of these organic methods. 

Want to increase your social media presence and grow your email list? Reach out to TimeHelperz and discover how we can help your business grow.

What is your biggest fear in your business?

Frightening. Scary. Horrifying. Nightmare. For many business owners, these words relate to much more than the spooky season. This can also describe their reactions to many business-related issues and challenges. 

So, if you’re a small business owner or are considering starting one before you forge ahead, you should be aware of the issues that could haunt you down.

In honor of the Halloween season, let’s look at some of the horrors that can befall small business owners at any time of the year and how to overcome them.

Ghoulish cashflow

For smaller and growing businesses, delays in payments can cause some domino-effect problems and have led many companies into cash flow difficulties. To avoid this, send your invoices upfront, charge late fees and create payment plans.

Chilling compliance responsibilities

Small business owners must comply with federal and state business licensing laws. To ensure that you take legislative requirements into account at all times, you might want to outsource to a third party; these companies will be well-versed in compliance and have a good understanding of what your business needs to do to comply. However, most small businesses have limited resources when launching, so you have many hats to wear as the owner.

The fear of data loss

Data is increasingly valuable to businesses—especially data related to customers and payments, and that data is also the target of criminals to use fraudulently. That puts an uncomfortable target on any business that accepts credit and debit card payments. Perhaps the most significant long-term consequence of a data breach is the loss of customer trust. Following best practices for GDPR and cybersecurity will prove to be highly beneficial. Create an action plan so you can protect what you’ve worked so hard to earn.

The fear of failure

Fear of failure is expected. It can even be healthy to motivate you to fine-tune your business model before launching your business. But, as you can imagine, sometimes, this fear of failure prevents many entrepreneurs from following their dreams. You must weigh up your options carefully and get expert advice from fellow business owners and mentors to help you put the fear of failure into perspective, so it doesn’t stop you from your tracks.

Horrifying tax returns

The dreaded tax return and end-of-financial-year responsibilities are a huge burden for business owners but necessary when running a company. Running a small business is hard enough. The last thing you want to do is add more tasks to your already busy plate or get into tax trouble. If you are still doing your business tax returns, it may be time to hand this off to a professional. We can recommend bookkeepers and accountants to you.  

Understanding the unique issues faced by small businesses can help you be more successful. There will naturally be some spooks along the way, but handling them will ultimately be the key to your business’ success.

What has been your biggest business-related horror story? And how did you overcome it?

It’s that time of year again! The leaves are falling, the pumpkins are out, and retailers are gearing up for Halloween. This time of year isn’t just for fun — Halloween is a big deal, and people are spending bucks. Use the Halloween spending hype in your favor and spruce up your website, social channels, and campaigns with the best marketing strategies.

Launch A Halloween-Themed Email Campaign

Launching a themed sales campaign is the simplest and easiest way to celebrate Halloween. Make your Halloween email stand out by being bold and using fresh, innovative content. (Muahahaha!) no matter how things change, email remains the best digital marketing tool for ROI, so ensure your Halloween email marketing looks devilishly good.

Decorate Your Home Page With Halloween Graphics

Halloween graphics are a great way to make any website fit for the season. Seasonal landing pages drive sales during holidays by making your page more interesting. Transform your page into a fun shopping experience and boost your Halloween sales. 

Launch A Themed Social Media Marketing Campaign

Use holidays to guide your social media strategy. Halloween is one of many key dates you should celebrate on social media to boost your engagement. Your campaign could include promotions, advertisements, contests, giveaways, and scary stories.

Write A Blog Post About Halloween

BOOst your SEO rankings by writing a Halloween-related blog post. Use this marketing idea to drive traffic to your website and business. Ensure that all content you post closely relates to your business or the industry. For example, you might write a blog that discusses “scary things” about your brand’s respective industry.

Thank Your Most Loyal Customers By Sending Out Thank You Notes or Halloween Gifts

Saying “thank you” to your most loyal customers is an excellent way to secure their loyalty for the long haul. Send your most loyal customers a unique discount code, free gifts or samples, or post-purchase discounts to show your appreciation for their continued support. You may also send handwritten thank you notes or spotlight your customers in your social channels.

Are you looking to elevate your digital marketing strategy but are too busy running your business? We’re here to help! Schedule a meeting with TimeHelperz today!