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Customers in need of urgent work call Oneflare’s dedicated phone line, enter their postcode and wait to be connected with the nearest available expert. Businesses in close proximity, who match the requested service type, are alerted immediately via a phone call.
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Getting a small business off the ground is a challenging, time consuming and costly exercise. After going through the effort of planning and setting up, the next thing you need to focus on is getting found by potential customers.
Usually, this means paying for ads. Thankfully though, there are ways that you can get around paid advertising, to begin with, especially when your budget may be a little low after paying for setup. Instead, you could invest in a professional graphic designer to revamp your logo or animation on your site. Or maybe you don’t yet have an online website and need to hire a qualified web designer or developer. Below, we’ve gone through the top 6 advertising methods that you can engage in to get your small business off the ground.
If you’re wondering how thousands of businesses manage to appear on Google Maps, then the chances are that they have a Google My Business profile. These are completely free and are a great way to help potential customers discover you.
Many internet users perform search queries which include terms such as “near me” e.g. “lawyers near me”. With an optimised Google My Business profile, you could appear in both Google’s search results and Maps for related customer queries.
Some of the key benefits of owning a Google My Business profile include:
You can get found on Google Maps
A potential customer can build their trust of your business through customer reviews
Information such as opening/closing and peak visit times is available on demand
An optimised GMB profile helps improve your search rankings
Google My Business also offers insights on how many people visited your profile, and whether they did so via Maps or a search query. If you see that it’s beginning to pay off, you can always pay to show up at the top of the maps pack, which will help your business generate even more enquiries.
Social media
Social media networks are visited by billions of people every day. As a result, they’ve become a mighty competitive space between businesses. In fact, social media websites Facebook and YouTube are the second- and third, most visited websites in the world.
It’s no secret that just about all social media channels have become a “pay to play” environment in terms of exposure to new customers. Though there are always ways to beat the system.
Generally, posting content across Facebook, Instagram and YouTube are completely free, albeit with limited exposure. With Facebook in particular, though, you can take things one step further.
There are many neighbourhood community Facebook groups, each presenting an opportunity to reach a localised audience. Every time a new post is made within these groups, users are notified.
To find a neighbourhood community group, begin by typing in a suburb name in the Facebook search bar. Then, you will see a list of related groups under the “groups” tab. When you find your group, join and then you can begin posting away. Just be mindful of any community posting rules.
Another great way to increase exposure via social media is with the use of “stories”. This is a feature derived from Snapchat and has been adopted by Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Email marketing
The letterbox drop of the 21st century, email marketing is among the most effective online advertising channels. You can take advantage of email marketing platforms such as Mail Chimp who offer their services for free for up to 2,000 subscribers.
The trickiest part is building up a relevant subscriber list. Depending on how aggressively you want to generate subscribers, this could be a costly exercise, though we’ll keep to the free methods.
The easiest and cheapest way to acquire a new email subscriber is to ask a customer in person. If someone has engaged with your business already, then the chances are that they will be more open to receiving emails from you due to familiarity.
Another great way to obtain new email addresses for free is through the use of lead magnets. For example, if you own a pool cleaning business, then you can offer a free downloadable pool safety checklist in exchange for website visitor emails. This is something that you can ask your web design expert to setup for you.
The final free method that we’re going to is the method of blogging. Essentially, this is offering free and useful information to your website visitors. Take this article, for example. At the end of the article, you can place a newsletter sign up form. Then, users who find your articles useful might be inclined to subscribe.
Abandoned cart emails
If you own an e-commerce site, chances are you’ve experienced customers leaving your site before finalising their purchase or completing a form. This is can be referred to as an abandoned cart. A way to win back these customers is to implement an abandoned cart email strategy for your business.
Firstly, this involves capturing the customer’s right email in the early steps of your online form. As long as you can successfully capture your potential customer’s email, you can target them with a personalised follow-up email.
There are multiple reasons why a customer may have leave part-way during your checkouts process, from the shipping costs being too high to getting distracted. Strategies for your abandoned cart emails can include sending easy steps to complete their purchase or creating a clear call-to-action.
Another strategy can you implement is applying a multivariant split test on both your email campaigns and landing pages. By implementing this technique, we were able to convert 60% of users who landed on our abandoned cart landing page.
Local citations
Local citations are the digital version of those thick Yellow Pages books that were once delivered to your door on an annual basis. Here you can input your business details such as name, address, phone number, trading hours, services you offer, website address and more.
Admittedly, these have become less effective as free advertising methods, and many businesses have moved over to paid services such as ours where you only pay when you get a potential customer.
Online directories mainly apply to businesses with physical addresses. If you don’t operate from a physical address though, you can look for link roundups related to your services online. Then, ask these websites to include your site as well.
Contact local SEO and SEM experts
Review websites
Many customers turn to review websites to find out whether or not a business is worth visiting or not. Think of Word of Mouth. Not only is it the best way to get free publicity, but on this Australian site, customers can leave reviews about businesses such as restaurants and bars, dentists, beauty salons, doctors and more.
The best part about Word of Mouth is that the brand has built trust among its community members, meaning that all you have to worry about is getting some positive reviews. The Word of Mouth website receives thousands of visitors on a monthly basis, so this represents a massive opportunity in terms of reach.
Thankfully, Word of Mouth allows you to list your business for free. Using the free profile, you can respond to customer reviews, upload photos and even post your own deals. There are also paid options, which allow you to create targeted ads, including customer support and even remove competitor ads from appearing on your profile.
Indoor plants have become a calling card of the millennial decor, and with good reason. Once extremely popular (the 1970s saw a boom in indoor plant life), this style is suddenly back in vogue. Try it out – you might be pleasantly surprised at the difference in the house after you bring some flora inside.
If you’re looking to hop onto the trend and unsure where to start, here’s some helpful tips on which plantlife might be the best addition to your home.
Benefits of indoor plants
Indoor plant life can add a real boost to your home. A few of the right kinds of plants can add a touch of beauty to any room in the house, especially for extremely urban environments where nature is limited to what springs up between the cracks in the cement. In those cases, you should definitely try to add just the slightest touch of green to your life. Having plants around is also very relaxing. Coming home to see your plants grow is automatically revitalising and helping to take care of them can serve as a calm, soothing release after a long day.
Another bonus? Plants will help clean and purify the air around you – removing pollution. So not only will your house look better, you’ll breathe better in it. You don’t even need a whole garden’s worth of plant life; just one or two will work wonders!
Types of indoor plants
There are a myriad of options when it comes to selecting a type of indoor plant. While considering your options, it’s important you consider how much maintenance and light they require – and if that fits your home and lifestyle.
If you decide to bring a few plants inside your house, there are a few specific species you should try.
Weeping Fig plants are extremely durable. If you’re the forgetful type who might go a few days without watering or caring for your plants, this kind of plant should still be just fine. Weeping Figs also last for quite a long time.
Peace Lily plants are quite beautiful and grow fine in darkened parts of the house; just be sure not to overwater them.
Philodendron, or”Xanadu” plants are compact plants that also do very well in darker areas.
Lady Palm trees grow very slowly but look very beautiful – just ensure that they are placed in rooms without air conditioning.
Dracaena trees are also very elegant, but need to be watered constantly.
Poinsettias aren’t just for Christmas anymore. They do very well as indoor plants and add a nice touch of colour to any apartment.
Orchids add an exotic, gorgeous touch to any home, and they also come in plenty of beautiful varieties.
Caring for your indoor plants
Select plants which go with the overall room decor. Indoor plants are the perfect way to decorate an empty corner, or as a room divider, or as a connecting link between your indoor and outdoor areas.
Tending to your indoor plants
Plants need to adjust to a new environment before they can be permanently left indoors. They can be taken indoors anytime, if you have a year around regulated heating system at home. If not, try to get the plant acclimatised before bringing it indoors fully, in order to avoid damage. Place it on the southern end of the house where it will not get direct sunlight, while also reducing the quantity of food and water afforded it. You can ascertain whether it has adjusted well and take it indoors when it shows signs of new growth.
Plants have growth spurts during the warmer season, and should be taken outdoors to have fertiliser applied. Water soluble fertilisers have an advantage over organic ones as they are odourless. Fish and organic seaweed are perfect fertilisers as they allow the plants to absorb the essential nutrients. For aesthetic value and rapid growth, it is advisable to prune your plants occasionally. To keep away sap sucking pests, you could spray the plant with a special oil meant for the purpose.
Where to place indoor plants to give them adequate light
Exposure to direct sunlight is detrimental to the health of your indoor plants. On the other hand, lack of sufficient light can lead to pale and unhealthy plants, with thin, long, and weak stems; stunted new leaves, and overall stunted growth. They thrive best in well-lit areas with filtered sunlight. When leaves mature naturally, they turn yellow and fall off.
You need to understand the temperature and sunlight needs of your plant in order to position it best in your home. Plants which thrive in darker places are the Rochford holly fern, the Parlor and Kentia palms, aspidistra and sansevieria. Plants like the Devils ivy, Boston ferns, African violets, the Madonna lily, weeping figs and dracaenas, do well in bright spaces.
Water requirements of indoor plants
A plant needs more water during the summer, and less water if it is kept in dimly lit areas. However, it is advisable to check the soil for dampness before adding more water. Leaving water in the saucer can lead to rotting of the plant root. Brown spots on the leaves signal over watering, which is the greatest cause of plant death.
The best plants for your bathroom
The bathroom can be a tricky room in your home to decorate with plants and flowers. The limited amount of light and excessive humidity can be a nightmare for many plant species, but there are actually some that thrive in just these conditions. Here are some plants that you can keep in your bathroom to add some personal style and help keep the air fresh.
Aloe Vera: Just like many other members of the succulent family, aloes do not require too much attention. They can get by just fine with a dash of sunlight and some water once a week or so.
Bamboo: Lucky bamboo, despite the name, is not actually bamboo. It is a tough indoor plant that will thrive in either water, soil or crystal soil. If its green colour begins to fade or dull, simply make sure your bamboo gets an extra dose of sun.
Chain of hearts: Aptly named, this is one house plant you will love! Its heart-shaped leaves look especially stunning when this plant is displayed as a hanging arrangement. This plant also only needs to be watered moderately during the warmer summer months.
Dieffenbachia: You may know this plant better as dumb cane. It has broad, oval-shaped leaves and can do very well without much light at all. On the other hand, this cream and green beauty will need some extra water to help it flourish.
Ferns: Ferns are known to enjoy rainforest type settings. This means loads of moisture in the air and indirect sunlight.
Figs: With their glossy leaves, figs can handle moderate light but will need some extra water in the summer.
Orchids: Nothing quite compares to the beauty of an orchid. Whether in bloom or not, they will give your bathroom a real touch of class. They do very well with a medium amount of light. You can ease off on the watering during the winter months, but summer calls for a regular watering routine.
Spider Plant: This plant is part of the lily family and does very well without much care at all. It will need an adequate amount of light and looks especially stunning when displayed in hanging form.
Who wouldn’t love to have a maidenhair fern in their living room or their kitchen? With its delicate, lacy appearance and soothing green hues, a maidenhair fern is a resilient plant that can make an ideal addition to your house.
As the name suggests, a maidenhair fern is a type of fern that can be grown both indoors and outdoors. There are many varieties of maidenhair ferns and some varieties, like the \”Fragrans,\” thrive better indoors as they cannot tolerate excessive sunlight. Similarly, other varieties, like the Valley Mist and Rough Maidenhair, are commonly grown outdoors.
Contact local gardeners
Caring for maidenhair ferns
Location: If you are growing an indoor maidenhair fern, choose a spot that is not prone to temperature fluctuations, like the bathroom. At the same time, make sure that the position remains fixed as maidenhair ferns are very sensitive to changes in moisture, temperature, etc. Indoor ferns can be grown in pots, hanging baskets, or terrariums. Finally, never place them in a dark spot, and protect them from temperature extremes.
If you are interested in growing outdoor ferns, select a spot that is partially shaded since these ferns require only moderate sunlight and an appropriate level of moisture.
Sunlight: They require adequare, yet moderate sunlight. Place them in a well-lit spot but out of direct exposure if outdoors
Water: You will need to water your maidenhair fern regularly as they thrive under high moisture conditions. They also require regular application of liquid fertilisers for proper growth and development. If you are worried that you might forget to water your maidenhair fern regularly, invest in a self-watering pot. These pots have a reservoir of water, which is released into the plant at regular intervals.
Pests: Maidenhair ferns are also prone to infections in the form of pests. Therefore, make sure that you use a protective spray like Confidor, but always use the spray outdoors where there is decent ventilation.
Repotting: Typically, these ferns need to be repotted once in two years. In the meantime, if the ferns become too large, repot and divide them into two or three parts. To ensure regular growth, use high quality potting mixture with adequate levels of sand and peat. While potting, be careful not to insert the crown of the fern inside the soil as this would arrest further growth. Finally, prune dead ends with a simple pair of scissors every now and then.
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There is a lot of talk about sustainability these days, especially when it comes to home design. Finding a sustainable home design is important not only for your budget’s sake, but also from an eco-conscious view point as well. Australia now has stringent requirements for builders of new structures to create buildings that are sustainable and energy efficient.
Designing a sustainable home
Designing a sustainable home is about choosing materials that are not necessarily cost-effective now, but will last the longest and provide the most wear. It is important when designing a home that you ensure that the design will work for some time to come with energy efficient aspects such as a north facing living room, energy efficient windows, open floor plan, and more.
Sustainability is the ability to endure through change and requirement. A sustainable home design is not only appealing and attractive but energy efficient, spacious, and provides effective use of square footage. Other aspects of sustainability include good insulation, sealed windows, energy efficient heating system and minimal use of natural resources.
Sustainable home design principles
Sustainable home design principles include:
Prime location, orientation and landscaping to maximize exposure to natural sunlight and breezes.
Solar energy elements
Water recycling and efficiency
Alternate energy sources such as solar or wind power
Low energy consumption
Recycled materials
Ways to create a self sufficient home
1. Save water
Unless you have a well somewhere on your property, going completely off the grid when it comes to the water supply is nearly impossible; still, it doesn’t mean that there’s nothing you can do to save water and minimise its consumption. You can collect rainwater from your own rooftop and use it for the toilet, washing clothes, and watering plants. What is more, if you properly maintain your rainwater tank and follow the Department of Health’s guidelines, you can use it for cooking too. Having a rainwater tank can save you a lot of money. You can also save water you used for washing your hands and use it to flush your toilet, for example.
2. Waste management
We all make a lot of waste every day, but if you start sorting it, recycling, and making compost, you will be able to minimize the impact you have on the environment. Compost is easy to make, all you need are organic materials you can layer: scraps of vegetables from your kitchen, grass clippings after mowing your lawn, dry leaves and twigs in autumn, as well as shredded paper. You will also need a bit of soil in order to create a concoction which becomes humus which you will be able to use to fertilize your garden naturally. Keep in mind that dairy and meat products shouldn’t be thrown in compost bins, as these attract the ‘wrong’ kind of insects.
3. The sun is your friend
It’s possible to produce your own electricity and not pay for it by installing solar panels on the roof of your home or pick free-standing ones and leave them in an open area. Solar panels use the sun’s rays and warmth and convert them into electrical energy which you can use to power your home in any way: for cooking, electrical appliances, charging your phone… You name it! Even though they used to be rather expensive and difficult to get, solar panels are more affordable today than ever. They will allow you to save a lot of money too: a 5kw solar system will save you up to $1800 a year. As the electricity prices rise every day, solar panels are a common sight everywhere.
Solar is a renewable source of energy and can help save you money on bills / Source: Hot Water Heroes Pty Ltd
4. Natural heating & cooling
Your heating and cooling systems are taking up a lot of energy and money, so by switching to solar panels, your monthly bills will be significantly lower. Your reliance on these can also be reduced, however, if you make small changes in your household: if you opt for increased ceiling and wall insulation as well as double glazed windows, you won’t have to rely on artificial heating and cooling. The best thing is that both of these things can be added as building sustainability upgrades for your modular home. Also, you’ll want to close off areas of your home which you aren’t using all the time: living room during the night and bedrooms during the day.
Wrap up
Turning to alternative sources to provide your own heating, cooling, and water, as well as to manage your own waste is a great way to do something for our planet. You might think that it’s not much, but you’d be surprised to discover how much those ‘little things’ matter when you consider the bigger picture. Attaining self-sufficiency is challenging, but definitely worth it, and if you’re willing to put in more effort, you’ll manage to get your own self-sufficient home and do something for the environment.
When the frigid temperatures of winter hit, you don’t want your home to become uncomfortable and cold. You want to be cozy and warm! You can achieve a comfortable temperature in your house all winter long by having gas heating installed in your home.
What is gas heating?
Any heater in your home that uses natural gas or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is a gas heater. They produce large quantities of heat, which makes them popular. They’re also much more cost efficient to run than electric and are more energy efficient than other methods of heating. Several types of gas heaters exist; however, they fall into one of two categories unflued or flued. Unflued gas heaters lack a vent, so the emissions are released into whichever room they’re located. There are strict emissions requirements for this type of heater, but they still aren’t suited for rooms with bad ventilation. They’re dangerous in small rooms as well. Fluid heaters have vents and are safe for small rooms and rooms that aren’t ventilated well.
Gas heaters come in different varieties including the following:
Convective space heaters
Gas ducted heating
Radiant space heaters
Gas fireplaces
Gas powered hydronic heating
Gas log fires
Gas heating installation
It’s good to know that there are several different ways to use gas to heat your home. Portable gas fireplaces are one option to heat your living areas. Space heaters are another. If you currently have an outlet in your home for them, then they’re simple to hook up. The outlet is known as a bayonet fitting, and it connects to your heater. If you choose permanent fireplaces or ducted heating, you may have a bit of a rough time installing them. For this reason, you should opt to hire a heating professional such as a gas fitter.
Maybe you don’t even have a gas hookup at your home. In this case, you’ll need to have gas pipes installed. When natural gas isn’t available in your area, you can opt to use LPG. This particular type of gas is available in large bottles and must be replaced on a regular basis. Installing gas isn’t just complicated, it’s also very dangerous. Therefore, you should hire a registered gasfitter to complete the job.
Ducted gas heating
Vented ceiling ducts are typically made of sheet metal and run from your central heating unit to various rooms in your home. These ducts are installed in the ceiling cavity and are connected to ceiling vents that allow the warm air to flow into the room.
The installation of vented ceiling ducts is a complex process that requires specialized knowledge and tools. A professional heating installer or duct fitter can help you determine the best location for your ducts and vents, as well as the appropriate size and materials for your specific home. Find someone to work with so that in the future, you don’t have to worry about how to remove ducted heating ceiling vents and how to put them back.
Benefits of ducted gas heating
1. Greater control
Ducted gas heating creates heat by burning gas in a central area and then uses the network of ducts to distribute heat throughout your home. Since ducting is modular, you can install it in as many or as few rooms as you want. This type of heating gives you more control because you can also specify different areas in your home that are heated only when you need them to be, such as heating your bedrooms at night and your living spaces during the day. As with all heating systems, you also have control over the exact temperature at all times.
2. Gain efficiency
Compared to electric heating, gas ducted heating is much more efficient in energy usage since gas is cheaper than electricity and it generates heat more effectively. Additionally, gas-generated heat burns cleanly and leaves little waste behind, so you aren’t using excessive resources. Stay on the lookout for a high “Energy star” rating as well so that you can ensure your gas ducted heating is as efficient as possible, thus saving you money in the long run.
3. Avoid outages
Another benefit of ducted gas heating is that since it doesn’t rely upon electricity to run, you won’t experience heating outages. Even if there’s a blackout in your neighbourhood, you’ll still have heat in your home. Moreover, because gas ducted heating is so efficient, you can effectively heat your entire home no matter how cold it is outside. Even if the outdoor temperature drops below 5 degrees, your house will still be warm without overloading your heating system and costing you more money.
Contact local heating experts
4. Healthier living
Finally, ducted gas heating is just healthier than other heating systems, which is good news for people with asthma or allergy problems. You’ll never worry about your heater completely drying out the air in your home, and any emissions from the gas are easily vented outside, so as not to pollute your air quality. However, there’s no need to be concerned over emissions from ducted gas heating because it actually produces far less than solid fuel heating systems.
How much is gas heating installation?
If you already have gas hooked up to your home, it’s inexpensive to install. And even if you don’t have gas, the price is still relatively cheap. A majority of the price is the expense of the heater itself. Keep in mind, installation of gas ducted heating is about half the price of electric ducted heating.
Are you considering having a family lawyer to help you through a divorce, child custody, or even prepare a prenuptial agreement? If yes, then you must have figured out that finding the right legal adviser is not easy. Legal representatives are not equal, and every family dispute or agreement has a unique twist.
Due to the intricacies in these cases, finding the best family court lawyer is the best guarantee for an amicable solution and optimum benefits. The legal officer will help you navigate the murky waters of family disputes and even the healing process. Below are tips on how to find the right family lawyer for you.
Understand your needs
Understanding your needs is not only necessary knowing if you need a legal representative, but also the specific qualifications to look for in a legal representative. You certainly need a family lawyer for any of the following situations:
You are preparing a prenuptial agreement with your spouse.
You plan to adopt a child.
You are contemplating divorce, separation, or annulment.
You or your partner wish to amend a divorce agreement.
You are dealing with or need a restraining order.
Family-related decisions have long-term consequences, especially when children are involved. Therefore, no issue is too small for the best legal counsel. Besides, people change, which makes a legal agreement more necessary.
Understand what a family lawyer does
Family lawyers specialise in domestic relations. However, even within this already specialised niche, there are further specialisations. They include marriage and divorce, child support, child custody, surrogacy, adoption, paternity conflicts, and much more. Your family issue may fall into one or two of these categories.
A competent family lawyer often specialises in only one or two areas of family law. A jack of all trades kind of legal officer might not be up to date with the latest rules and occurrences in the area that affects your case.
Consider the location
Legal cases are often handled in the plaintiff’s (the person filing the claim), county of residence. If you are the defendant, and your spouse lives in a different county, then you will have to incur additional travelling expenses.
You should choose a divorce lawyer that resides or practices in the city or county where the case is being handled. First, it will reduce the cost you will be paying for the legal counsel. The most significant benefit, however, is the familiarity factor.
A legal adviser who works within the same location as the case understands the local custom, court judges and staff, as well as other judges in the case. The knowledge can be handy, as your family lawyer will be navigating familiar waters, hence can give you the best counsel on your case.
The right lawyer for you will help make the process easier / Source: Causidicus Legal
Seek relevant experience
Track record usually says more than the time spent as a qualified lawyer. Therefore, while you should pay attention to the years of experience a lawyer has, their case history can be more important. Some of the questions to help you decide if a family law adviser has the right experience are:
How many cases similar to yours has the officer handled in the past?
What were the outcomes of those cases?
Has the legal officer written on legal matters relevant to your case?
Can the lawyer refer you to any of their past clients?
Often, many family lawyers who claim to have years of experience turn out to have very little when tasked with these questions.
Please remember not to use writing on legal matters as a deal-breaker, though it is a good indicator of a legal officer’s authority in the legal community. Some excellent legal writers do not have what it takes to argue a case successfully.
Check for an understanding of financial statements
This is very important when dealing with divorce, child support, prenuptial or funeral agreements. A child support lawyer and a property dispute lawyer should be able to understand and recognise issues concerning taxation, trust, and corporate practices. Some family law practices hire qualified financial advisors to help with complicated cases.
Seek the opinions of past acquaintances
Once you have a list of legal advisers that meet the primary considerations above, the next step is to seek the views of those who are familiar with them. Since family issues are sensitive, you should only consult people you can trust. Do not seek the opinions of people who met the legal officer as opponents, as their views might not be entirely objective.
Your friends’ experiences should tell you whether the legal officer:
Was available for consultations
Was punctual for appointments
Was transparent about services and fees
Was informed and supportive
Contact local family lawyers
Interview your potential legal representatives
Call all the family lawyers on the top of your list and book an interview. Since lawyers charge for their time, most of them will opt for a face to face interview. Use the meeting to get the details about their experience, and the possible cost of your case.
While you should not share everything about your case during this interview, an overview will be helpful to the lawyer. Ask about the useful information you need to have, the possible outcomes of the case, and the responsibilities that come with it.
Even more, inform the lawyer that you are interviewing other lawyers as well. While they expect you to do that, being open about it creates an environment of trust from the onset, which will come in handy if you choose to hire the firm.
Watch out for self-centred litigators
Family cases such as divorce are riddled with hate, anger, and emotions. Looking through such a glass makes a legal officer who prides in being a fierce litigator seem like a good option. However, if you have children, this might not be a good decision.
Most family court judges focus on what is best for the children. Therefore, they will ignore and reject proposals and arguments if these are actuated by selfish motives and the sole desire to win.
Besides, most marital issues have brewed for years before reaching the corridors of justice. Therefore, understand you need a more solution-focused approach to achieve a lasting solution. A competent divorce, child support, or child custody lawyer should understand this.
Find a family law representative who will not fuel your rage, or encourage you to compromise your integrity to get even. Being honest and sincere with your family law issues will also earn you respect from the judges.
Therefore, while it is good to have a powerful advocate, ensure your legal adviser is advocating for something greater than your own or their ego.
Conclusion
Family law is an intricate affair that involves finances, strong emotions, and grave consequences. Consequently, you need to choose your family lawyer correctly. Opt for one with sufficient experience and affordable fees. Most importantly, select a legal adviser who will focus on solutions, not your emotions, because that is what wins in a family court.
Videos are an ever-present medium of communication that you can find anywhere today. From the smartphone to the big LED screen, visuals are some of the most attention-grabbing ways that you can get someone’s eye.
That’s why any marketing strategy worth their salt should integrate videos into their campaigns. Not because they’re ubiquitous – though that should be reason enough – but because video content can help you boost customer engagement.
These statistics show that even compared to other forms of marketing; video still has the edge:
54% of users want to see more video content from brands they like
88% of companies that use video marketing report high ROI and improved conversion rates
88% of users stay longer on a website with video
And while videos are unlikely to fall from its place as an effective method of engagement, it’s not enough to attach some images or animate some slides. A poorly designed-video will have more or less the same effect as any other subpar marketing collateral, and might even cost you in the long run. Luckily, there are ways for you to avoid this pitfall.
But before we examine that, let’s talk about the one thing you should keep in mind whenever you want to create a video for customer engagement.
Purpose-driven video
The biggest mistake that you can make when producing video content is making it for the sake of making it. It’s easy to get blindsided by all the options you have when relating a video, and it’s these options that can muddle your vision of why you put out a video in the first place.
When you make a video, always keep the purpose of WHY you choose a video format to convey the message. While the statistics we showed earlier prove that video content has an edge with engagement, those don’t guarantee success.
Making video content for the sake of showing something rather than getting a message across isn’t just wasteful: it can backfire with terrible results. Consumers today are more aware of what content has substance in it and what content just looks pretty. And while you can pique their curiosity with a well-crafted video, it’s a purpose-driven one that can hold their attention.
So, whenever you discuss strategy around a video-centric engagement campaign, always keep the aim of why you made the video at the forefront of your mind. It’s easy to get blinded by shiny graphics and aesthetically pleasing models, but those things aren’t the heart of what drives video content and audience engagement.
But that being said, there are concrete steps that you can take to make sure that your message gets across – or at the very least, more straightforward to convey.
Ways to leverage video content for more customer engagement
1. Create compelling content
Everyone likes stories. And everyone has a story to tell.
Videos can get your story across, but you need to make sure that your audience has a reason to get invested in what you have to say. That’s where well-crafted narratives and compelling content fall under.
You don’t have to be an expert in filmmaking to do this: more often than not, building a sensible narrative is enough. Even a rudimentary grasp of how narrative writing works can be the difference between a flat narrative and a compelling one.
Make sure that your video makes sense in context. Have a beginning, a middle, and an end. Conduct market research to see which kind of storytelling will work with your target audience and the subject that you’re talking about. This step involves a lot of back and forth with your audience and video team, so make sure that the conversation is understood on both sides. Having these two work in sync is your best chance for creating a compelling narrative.
2. Show products instead of talking about them
Videos about products often fall into the trap of just talking about what the product does, instead of showing what it can do. And while you can wax poetry about how great your product is and how it works, nothing will beat a simple demonstration.
Remember, you have a visual medium to work with, which lends itself naturally to an actual demonstration rather than a written narrative about your product and service. People are more inclined to engage with something that they’ve seen working, rather than take its merits with no demonstration.
3. Entertain your audience
No one enjoys sitting through a dull video. That’s why it’s essential to keep your audience interested during your bit, and entertaining them is the best way to do that.
The simplest way to do this is through comedy, but it’s not the only way to do it. The best way to entertain your audience is to show actual interest and passion in your videos. People will subconsciously mimic the actions of others in a social situation, and a video can be the perfect bubble where you can take advantage of this inclination. You don’t have to be funny – you just have to be interesting AND be interested in what you’re doing.
Make sure that your entertainment matches the video that you’re producing. The last thing you want to do is to cause some dissonance between your message and how you deliver it. Not only will this confuse your viewers, but it also wrecks the entire point of your video.
4. Be genuine
For your audience to get a genuine emotional connection to a video, you need to be authentic. This is a tricky thing to convey in a video, but it is possible.
Being genuine refers to the capability of the audience to relate to your message, whether it’s a point you’re making or convincing them to see your side. The key to this step is to produce content that your audience will want to watch. Not only does this improve the conversion rate, but it helps forge an emotional connection between your brand and its audience.
Being genuine also means that you should always present your product or service as it is and never try to advertise or show more than what it can do. Be realistic in what you show since you don’t want to create any false or unreasonable expectations.
5. Post your video on multiple platforms
Whenever you release a video, always optimize it for multiple streaming sites. Even if you publish a video on one site, remember that people are browsing from multiple devices – which means different screen sizes and resolutions that different video streams can accommodate.
Get creative with your video content / Source: Media Chameleon
Remember that social media also has video streaming options, so check if your video can work on all formats. Not only does this give you more reach, but this is also the best way for them to show up on the site’s feeds or search options. SEO for small business will likewise benefit from this practice.
6. Always end with a call to action
A video isn’t complete without a call to action – whether it’s acting on the service provided or to buy the product. Since you’ve already gotten their attention by engaging them with the video, it’s easier for you to convince them to act on what you say.
The call to action doesn’t have to be all sales-centric and obvious: you can even consider the entire video as one elaborate call to action. The point of this method is to convince your audience to act on the message you present in your video. This can be as simple as asking a question or giving them a place to look for more information.
7. Make it shareable
Organic growth is one of the best ways to share any kind of content, and videos are no exception. If you structure your video campaign, so it’s easy to share, you engage with many market segments that you won’t be able to reach usually. Shareability improves the SEO for small businesses, aside from just putting your brand out there.
Allowing your video to be shareable also means your audience becomes ambassadors for you, driving even more engagement between those that may not be following your brand. Even just raising awareness through sharing your video can bring a lot of good traffic to your brand.
8. Give people a reason to buy
For advertising a product, you should be able to convince your audience to buy whatever it is you’re selling. Whether it’s by showing its good points, convincing them that this is something they need, or just proving it superior to other products, always go intending to make it desirable.
However, it’s important not to oversell what your product can do, or push too hard with making people buy. The best way to approach this is to give reasonable expectations about what the product can do and make these expectations desirable to the people watching the video.
Contact local videographers
9. Keep your audience in focus
Tone-deaf messaging is one of the worst things you can apply to video marketing – but it’s a common pitfall by a brand that doesn’t study its audience.
Before making the video, try to tailor it to what your audience would like to see. Since they’ll be the ones engaging with the content, making it more relatable to them can give it a higher chance of success. This doesn’t just go for content: it also means keeping things like web accessibility resources and other methods of access in mind.
Again, this is another aspect where knowing your audience is important. While you can make some general assumptions on what they would be like, direct contact with your audience is a better way to get a firm grasp of what they want to see. You can think of this as engagement before engagement – reinforcing the connection between you and your audience.
10. Thumbnails are important
Before your audience ever watches a video, there’s a moment where they can see the thumbnail.
This is more important than you think. A well-crafted thumbnail can stand out in the sea of other videos on a feed and gives your audience a reasonable expectation of what they’ll see when they click the video.
A thumbnail can also help with the video itself by either subverting or reinforcing the message of the video. In this way, it works as a compelling narrative storytelling tool.
11. Create interactive content
If you have the budget and the idea, you can’t try creating interactive videos. Plenty of video streaming websites offer some version of these videos, but if you’re hosting them on your website, you have more freedom in the content. If you ever build a business website, then this is a step you can’t miss.
Interactive videos offer an added layer of experience above the engagement that video already provides. By encouraging your audience to interact with your video, you guarantee their attention and engagement.
Just remember not to make the video any more complicated than it has to be. Simplicity drives effective interactive videos. If it’s too annoying or too complicated, your audience will lose interest and will drop engagement.
12. Feature your audience in video content
Finally, featuring your audience in the video can be a great way to make engaging content. This can be as simple as featuring regular customers, to featuring content created by your audience.
User-generated content doesn’t just connect better with your audience, but you also save on the actual costs of producing the content for the video. User-generated content needs minimal editing and retouching so that you can pour your resources into other parts of the video.
One thing you should avoid is to mess with the content used in the video. The advantage of using user-generated content is that there’s a greater chance it can engage your audience since it’s more authentic and close to their experiences.
Video as a connection
Making video content is a necessity that any brand strategy needs to take into consideration. But a good video doesn’t always cause a successful one, and neither do successful videos always come from good looking video.
Video content should accomplish one thing above all else: be something that leaves an impression on the people watching it. With a good grasp of what to show and whom you’re showing it to, making engaging videos can be a reliable and successful endeavour.
Aside from having the right cover, one of the top considerations with insurance is how to maximise your policy.
Which cover you decide to buy is just the starting point.
To protect your business against all risks and manage your insurance effectively, it’s essential to understand the policy and increase your chances of a successful claim. Business costs can quickly rack up. But by minimising risks and improving precautions, you’re able to save money and gain more benefits from your cover.
Here’s how to optimise your business insurance for the most significant results.
1. Choose the right cover
Without the right cover, your business is at serious risk.
The best insurance for your business depends on the industry, number of staff, where you work from and what risks are associated with the work you do.
Choose the right cover by:
Conducting a risk assessment
Considering common business threats that apply to your industry
Determining what types of insurance coverage you need – for example; professional indemnity insurance (service-based, if you offer advice for a living), public liability insurance (protects against injury/damage caused by your products/services), business insurance (package option to cover multiple policies such as building, contents, theft and general property) and cyber-liability insurance (protects against online risks)
Tip: One of the biggest mistakes business owners make is underinsuring. In fact, according to the Insurance Council of Australia, only 63% of businesses have enough cover. Make sure you weigh up your business assets, include the most valuable in your cover and reevaluate if you buy new equipment or extra stock.
2. Review your business activities
Activities grow as your business does, so it’s essential to make sure you’re protected if things change.
If you have an insurance broker let them know when business activities differ. They’ll be able to review coverage options on your behalf to find the most beneficial one for you.
Check your policy to see if existing coverages need changing. Or, you may need to buy more protection. Significant changes to report include if you move your business to a new location, change the amount of staff you employ or introduce operational variations like expand product/services offerings.
The best way to lower your insurance costs is through a yearly evaluation.
Checking insurance statements is usually on the bottom of the to-do list. But avoid the set-and-forget tactic to review every 6-12 months, so you know what you’re working with.
Tip: Review your deductibles as well. Set an amount you can easily come up with if you need to make a claim. Higher deductibles may be beneficial for lower-risk businesses, as they help discourage you from filing smaller claims. Some insurance companies offer discounts for policyholders who don’t file claims.
4. Avoid bad practices
Bad practices increase the costs of your business insurance.
Consider the actions you take (and don’t take) if you want to avoid out-of-pocket costs and higher insurance premiums. Failing to provide training to staff and not maintaining a safe workplace are just some of the culprits that can increase your expenses.
Contact local commercial law experts
Make sure you:
Keep adequate records for risk management programs
Take reasonable care to ensure your staff are safe at work and on the job
Provide staff with regular training to prevent accidents
Choose a reputable insurer, licensed in your location and provides a good service
Implement more robust risk management to reduce insurance costs
Understand the policy details, such as contract terms, what it does and doesn’t cover and how you get paid for each claim
Some business owners are better off working with an insurance broker who helps by providing risk management advice and increasing your chances of a successful claim. This prevents high premiums, under or over-insuring and uncertain claims as a result of paperwork not being filled out correctly.
Getting your cover and policy right is the difference between being adequately insured or leaving your business exposed to incidents.
Your car is your road to freedom, so when your vehicle starts making funny noises, unfamiliar lights appear on the dashboard, brakes are becoming less responsive or smoke is appearing from underneath the bonnet, it is a sure sign that your car needs to be serviced. To avoid a surprise breakdown and expensive repairs we have identified the top ten warning signs that your car needs to be serviced by a qualified mechanic.
1. Engine warning light
The appearance of warning lights on your car’s dashboard should not be ignored. Car warning lights are programmed to light up when there is an issue with the area of the vehicle that they are monitoring. There are many different warning lights that will indicate a number of different problems, from battery issues, security alert, lamp out, oil pressure warning, reduced power warning and more. However, the one warning light that you must never ignore is the Engine Light. Should the Engine Light be showing it is important to take your car to a garage to be serviced immediately. Failure to do so may result in breakdowns and expensive repairs.
If you see or hear a warning sign, it’s important to have you vehicle checked for roadworthiness / Source: Premium Mechanical Services
2. Funny noises
Unusual noises, such as squeals and squeaks coming from your car can be an indication of problems with the fan belt, braking system or power steering fluid. The main noises to listen out for and what issues they indicate are:
Highly pitched squeals: heard when the ignition is turned on is indicative that the fan belt is either worn or loose
Squealing as brakes are applied: can be a sign that you need new brake pads or that dirt or bits of rock have ended up in the braking system
Squealing while driving: A squealing noise apparent whilst driving is a sign that your car tires may need to re-balanced, or that you need to replace your power steering fluid
3. Emissions of Smoke
Unusual emissions of smoke either from the exhaust or from under the bonnet of the car must be checked out. Black smoke from the exhaust can be signs of an oil leak, blockages and build-up of carbon in the system. Smoke from under the bonnet can be a sign that the car radiator isn’t working properly.
Strange vibrations are often a sign of problems such as worn or unbalanced tires, worn brake discs or pads, suspension issues or a problem with the steering system. It is strongly advised not to guess the root of the problem yourself and to instruct the services of a professional auto-mechanic as soon as you can.
4. Strange vibrations
5. Unresponsive brakes
The brakes on your vehicle go through a great deal of wear and tear, it is therefore extremely important to recognise any changes in the sensitivity and responsiveness of your brakes. If you notice any changes take your car to a garage to ensure your safety.
6. Stalling
Sudden stalling, even if you’re in the right gear, can indicate a fault with your engine. The stalling can be caused by clogged fuel filters or faulty spark plugs. Find a garage as a matter of urgency if you are experiencing these issues.
If you find it takes numerous attempts to get your car engine going, or your car coughs and splutters as you try to drive off this is likely to be a sign of faulty ignition. Ignition faults can be caused by a number of problems including a faulty starter motor or a dying battery.
8. Grinding gears
Grinding gears are often a simple indication of wear and tear, and will need to be fixed. Your chosen mechanic may replace parts of the gearbox, along with replenishing transmission fluids. The good news about gearbox issues is that they can be identified and fixed early, saving the driver costly repairs in the future.
Contact local mechanics
9. Decrease in power
A decrease in the power of your car, such as your vehicle struggling to reach its full speed potential, sudden surges of power or a full tank of petrol doesn’t take you as far as it used to, indicate that you should get your car checked over. Things such as incorrect tyre pressure can also cause a decrease in power but can be avoided if you have a high-quality tyre pressure gauge.
10. Steering
If you’re experiencing issues with your vehicle pulling to one side, even when you are in a neutral position, this is an indicator that something is wrong with your car steering. This is often caused as a result of a broken steering rack mounts or worn ball joints. If you finding that your steering wheel is very stiff this can also be a sign that you don’t have the right amount of air in your car tyres, or that you need to adjust the amount of power steering fluid.
