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If you want your business to stand out from the crowd, consider the effect handwritten notes will have on business-customer relations. Here are some easy ideas to get you started.

There is nothing more important for a business than
how it treats its customers, from the way it designs its products and services
for their use, to the manner in which it interacts with them in good times and
in bad.

There are many ways to engage with your customers. For example, there are in-person meetings and ever-increasing online communications, to name just two. However, if you want to stand out from the crowd, you should consider the effect handwritten notes have on business-customer relations.

Take a look at these easy ideas you can use to personalize your business-to-consumer relationship with the maximum effectiveness of handwritten notes.

Why Handwritten Notes Work

While modern technology has grown in leaps and bounds in recent decades, it is often used as an excuse to ignore the personal touch a business should have with its customers. For this reason, it is easy for a business to get lost in the white noise of email marketing and social media strategies that have become all too familiar with customers in this day and age.

What customers want most is to know you are going to be available to meet their needs. Writing a handwritten note will help you engage with your customers in a way your competitors are overlooking. Moreover, it will inspire loyalty in a way that mass communications or printed letters will never be able to accomplish.

Add Flair to Direct Mail

There are few challenges more difficult for a business than attaining new customers. However, when you have the opportunity to do so, you need to seize it immediately. To this end, crafting a handwritten note to a new or potential customer on a piece of direct mail is a great way to let them know that doing business with you is personal. What’s more, they will know right away that attention to detail is a high priority to you.

RELATED ARTICLE: SELL MORE WITH A MARKETING CAMPAIGN THAT INCLUDES DIRECT MAIL

When sending out a letter to a prospective client, make sure you make it easy to read. Therefore, write in short paragraphs and use bullet points when applicable. What’s more, stay focused on the main thing you want your customers to know about your business. Recalling a story about them or a customer in a similar situation will help them pay proper attention to what you have to say.

Photo by Giftpundits.com from Pexels

Send Handwritten Thank You Notes to Customers

Although getting new clients is essential to any growing business, it is just as valuable to ensure your current customers are satisfied. One big part of customer satisfaction is reaching out and letting them know they are important.

A benefit of a handwritten thank you note is it can be sent at any time, whether a special holiday is coming up or after you’ve had a recent meeting and you would like to have a follow-up.

When sending a thank you card to a current customer, keep it simple. Still, you can add a personal touch. Include a handwritten note to let them know you are thinking about them and that your relationship with them is meaningful. Don’t forget to start with a warm greeting. Then mention why you are thankful for their business and close with warm wishes.

Customers Will Remember Your Handwritten notes

No matter the occasion, sending a handwritten note can help your business make an impression. Importantly, it personalizes your interactions with customers. Make the most of your opportunities by taking these examples and making them your own.

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Did you know there’s a technical signal that can alert you to a dramatic change in the markets? If you’re a Forex trader you really need to know about this signal. It’s called “head and shoulders,” and you can use it to better forecast the markets and improve the success of your trades.

RELATED ARTICLE: WHY DOES TECHNICAL ANALYSIS WORK?

What Causes a Change in the Markets?

If you’ve been trading Forex for a while, then you know that a change in the market in either direction represents an opportunity for you. If you’re smart about it, you have learned to stay alert for such changes, and you use a variety of technical signals to do so. In this post, we take a look at one of those signals, called head and shoulders.

Generally speaking, the markets change direction when governments make changes to their monetary policies. More rarely, changes in the markets happen when an unexpected world event happens. For example, this might be a sudden outbreak of violence in a sensitive area of the world, or it might be the onset of a pandemic.

How Can This Signal Help a Trader Remain Vigilant?

The head and shoulders signal can be a valuable tool when you’re trying to stay on top of a rapidly changing market.

For example, if you see a head and shoulders signal such as the one shown here, you can predict with a good deal of confidence that the market is headed for a bearish reversal. In other words, the trend has been moving in an upward direction, but it is about to reverse course. This might mean a short-term change, or it could mean a long-term change.

An Inverse Head and Shoulders Signal Means the Opposite

On the other hand, if you see a signal that looks like the reverse of the one above, as shown below, it means that the market is likely headed for a bullish reversal. This pattern is called an inverse head and shoulders signal.

An inverse head and shoulders signal always forms at the bottom of the chart, while the standard head and shoulders signal forms at the top. Both patterns signal a dramatic shift in pricing.

Characteristics of Head and Shoulders Patterns

When a reversal is taking place, prices tend to correct in the opposite direction for a short time. This leads to a zig-zag pattern that is easily recognizable if you know what to look for. For example, the head and shoulders pattern has three visual characteristics that you can learn to recognize:

1. When the price is trending higher, the signal forms a peak. Then it declines to where it was before. This forms the left shoulder of the pattern.
2. Next, the price surges up again. Here, it becomes more elevated than before and forms a new, higher peak. Then it falls back to its previous base, forming the head.
3. The price goes up yet again. However, this time it only comes up to roughly the same level as the left shoulder. Finally, the price reverses again and falls back to the level of the base support. This forms the right shoulder.

Experienced Forex traders refer to the base support of the shoulders as the neckline. When a bearish break occurs after the right shoulder shows up, this is called a neckline break.

How to Trade the Head and Shoulders Pattern

You can choose to trade this pattern either conservatively or aggressively. If you’re a conservative trader, you will probably wait for confirmation that you have seen a neckline break. Then you would open a trade in the same direction as that break.

On the other hand, if you want to address your trade aggressively, you might get into a trade while you believe the neckline break is occurring. However, this can be risky. This is because you might be misreading the charts, and a neckline break might not be occurring at all.

To be clear, a neckline break will only happen if prices are moving in a bearish direction just after the completion of the right shoulder. In other words, this will only happen in the case of a standard head and shoulders pattern.

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Bitcoin is growing more popular by the day, and its future is brighter than ever. Moreover, it holds significant benefits for businesses. For example, the cryptocurrency can cut costs linked to transactions. Have you been thinking it’s time for your online business to accept Bitcoin? This article sheds light on moving your online enterprise toward accepting this cryptocurrency.

Why
Businesses Accept Bitcoin

One of the primary reasons that businesses begin assimilating Bitcoin into their payment means is that it reduces transaction charges. For example, Bitcoin can decrease the fee for credit card processes to less than one percent.

Another factor is that this cryptocurrency does not have charge backs. Instead, it has irreversible transactions. As such, it automatically shuts out the returns or charge backs that occur with bank dealings and credit cards. In short, there are no disputes about accepted Bitcoin payments.

Worldwide Transfers and Faster Access to Funds

Also, Bitcoin enhances worldwide transfers. This comes at a time when small e-commerce retailers, as well as other enterprises, are refraining from putting their services and products in the international market due to costly fees in transnational transactions.

However, Bitcoin lessens the high cost of global operations through facilitating faster, cheaper, and easier cross-border payments. Bitcoin further offers some protection from identity theft that banking services and credit cards fail to provide.

Lastly, having finances available at once is crucial to the existence of most small enterprises. Compared to credit card payments, Bitcoin payments make funds available to your business in a shorter time.

Regulations Linked to Accepting Bitcoin

If you have a standard business and wish to begin accepting electronic currencies like Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies, you have to think about the legal side of this decision. Therefore, before starting the process, gather all relevant data regarding Bitcoin legalities.

Additionally, learn about the lawfulness of Bitcoin by state. To this end, it will be important to get assistance from an accountant or attorney and involve them in your decision.

How to Start Accepting Bitcoin

To begin accepting Bitcoin in your small enterprise, look for the most viable option for the kind of enterprise you own. At the moment, there are many methods with which businesses can begin accepting Bitcoin. The most straightforward options will simplify your accounting process.

For example, payment processors such as Multibit will let you begin accepting Bitcoin right away. Alternatively, open an account at Blockchain.info, where you can initiate accepting Bitcoin on your own.

However, most experts recommend starting with payment processors when you’re new to accepting Bitcoin. This is because a payment processor will help to shield you from Bitcoin’s volatile fluctuations.

Taking Bitcoin as an Individual

If you are uncertain about the suitability of accepting Bitcoin for your business, set up an account as yourself with a reputable site that handles Bitcoin exchanges. Among the well-known exchanges are Huobi, Bitfinex, BTC-E, BitStamp, and Kraken.

Next, download wallet software such as MultiBit. This is among the most popular of the desktop Bitcoin wallets. Others include Armory and Electrum. All three desktop Bitcoin wallets have a similar process.

RELATED ARTICLE: THE BEST CRYPTOCURRENCY WALLETS FOR BUSINESS

For instance, MultiBit is a Bitcoin wallet that is simple to use and enhances sending or receiving payments in the form of this virtual currency. The main benefit of MultiBit is that it can operate without downloading the whole Bitcoin blockchain.

It takes a few minutes to install MultiBit. After that, you can transfer Bitcoin payments from any person who has a Bitcoin address. It is always essential to consider security as a top priority and always lean on the side of caution. So adopt strong passwords for encrypting your Bitcoin wallet.

Making Use of Payment Processors

If your selling process is too complex to allow the direct payments of Bitcoin into a wallet, or if you run multiple dealings within your business hours, you can opt for a payment processor. Some of the popular ones include Coinbase and BitPay. Keep in mind, though, that services rendered by payment processors come with percentage fees or monthly charges.

On the other hand, when compared to PayPal or credit card charges, the prices from payment processors are by far less expensive. Besides, payment processors apply their technology, which makes it possible for you to send invoices via email, establish a point-of-sale system, or even add a shopping cart plugin to your online store. Payment processors also come in handy when looking to change Bitcoin earning into fiat currencies instantly.

Tell Your Customers You’re Now Accepting Bitcoin

Whether you are running an online platform or a bricks-and-mortar enterprise, you must tell your clients about the new payment method you are now accepting. For instance, in your business blog, you could explain the reason for the recent move to accept Bitcoin as well as its effect on your enterprise. If you have a physical location, you could put up a noticeable signboard close to the entrance as well.

Bitcoin as the Future of Online Gambling

In the coming years, you may be paying for online casino games with Bitcoin, provided the sites continue assimilating this payment method. With the excellent value for Bitcoin, a famous online booker, Betway, has not been left behind. For example, it provided odds on events linked to Bitcoin around the likelihood of McDonald’s accepting this virtual currency.

As soon as you assimilate the new payment means to your business, it would be best to put the word out to your clients that you now accept Bitcoin. You can include this information in your blog posts as well as on your website.

Happiness in the workplace has become one of the most talked-about topics since Millennials began infiltrating corporate working spaces. Employee happiness is one of the most important facets of running a business. Moreover, it’s an essential piece of a company’s health and long-term success. So boosting employee morale must be a part of a business owner’s focus.

RELATED ARTICLE: 4 WAYS TO MAKE YOUR EMPLOYEES HAPPIER AND HEALTHIER

Studies have shown that happy employees are productive employees. Therefore, it’s truly no wonder that so many modern companies are making efforts toward boosting employee morale. In fact, higher levels of contentment can increase productivity by as much as 20%.

With these statistics in mind, it’s probably time for your company to invest in its employees’ health and happiness in the office. Therefore, let’s take a deep dive into a few ways you can begin increasing employee morale today.

Offer More Vacation Time and Sick Days

As an executive, you likely never consider what your employees do outside of the office. However, it’s common for employees to look forward to the weekends and time away from the office. This free time gives way to embracing other passions away from the nine-to-five grind. Moreover, it allows the mind and body to recover from the stress of the work week.

Every kind of job requires some form of physical or mental power. Therefore, after long hours of productivity, your employees deserve a break. In order to avoid the negative effects of burnout and disillusionment, consider rewarding your employees with vacation days.

RELATED ARTICLE: CREATING AN EMPOWERING WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT

Starting with at least 14 paid vacation days is a great way to ensure your employees know they’re able to take time off when they need it. For even greater incentive, offer a generous amount of personal time off (PTO) as well.

Promote a Positive Work Environment

A happy company is a place where people enjoy going to work. A positive work environment is an essential piece of the puzzle.

Therefore, business owners should boost employee morale with the following: 

• Recognize hard work: Each and every one of your employees works hard at their job. While it may seem difficult to recognize the accomplishments of each individual, there are plenty of ways you can let them know their hard work does not go unappreciated. 

  Whether it’s encouraging managers to reward their direct reports’ accomplishments or putting an Employee of the Month program in place, don’t be afraid to experiment with different recognition methods.

• Develop genuine relationships: Fostering healthy work relationships is the first step toward creating true camaraderie in the workplace. This begins with getting to know your colleagues and employees. Happy hours, in-office networking events, and company outings are fun and inviting ways to encourage the development of those relationships.

Boost Employee Morale with Perks

An enjoyable workplace doesn’t just create itself. As an employer, it’s your responsibility to think about how to make your company stand out from the rest. Standard benefits like healthcare, sick pay, and paid time off are essential basics. However, there are many other perks that draw in more talent and interest.

RELATED ARTICLE: RECRUIT TOP TALENT WITH GROOVY OFFICE DESIGN

These include:

• A stocked fridge and snacks
  • Consider signing up for a snack subscription service like Love with Food or SnackNation
• Unlimited PTO
  • Endless freedom makes a productive mind!
• Student-loan debt reimbursement
• Corporate gifts
• Remote options
• Paid gym memberships
• Regular bonding events
• 401k match
• Learning stipend

Make Work-Life Balance a Top Priority to Boost Employee Morale

If you have a sense that your employees have experienced ongoing difficulty with keeping up with their workload, then it’s probably time that you revisited their work-life balance capacity. Are their hours stocked to the brim with assignments? Do they have any breathing room? If you’re unsure of the questions to these answers, the answer is probably no.

RELATED ARTICLE: HEALTH-LIFE BALANCE FOR PEACE OF MIND

According to David Ballard, assistant executive director at the American Psychological Association, “Top employers create an environment where employees feel connected to the organization and have a positive work experience that’s part of a rich, fulfilling life.” In short, without that balance, your company is, well, doomed.

Get Some Greenery

Believe it or not, plants are an important investment for any office space. Functioning as so much more than mere decorative items, plants help reduce stress levels, purify the air, and create a more inviting environment. 

Here are our favorite low-maintenance plants that are perfect for the workplace:

• Spider plant
• Dracaena
• Pothos
• Devil’s Ivy
• Dragon Tree

So, how do you plan on boosting employee morale in 2020? Try one or more of the suggestions here and enjoy the benefits of having a happier, healthier workforce.

How do you stand out in a saturated eCommerce market? Product page videos make the difference. Learn here about incorporating video.

Everyone’s used to online shopping by now. Most of us prefer online shopping instead of visiting the stores, especially during busy periods of the year like Christmas. You don’t have to battle the crowds or worry about traveling there only to find that the items you need aren’t in stock. Also, customers can avoid long walks between different stores to get everything that you need. You can shop around for the best prices. Customers get voucher codes. All of this from the comfort of your sofa. 

So, it’s no surprise that you decided to start an eCommerce store. Who wouldn’t? Everybody loves online shopping and with platforms like Shopify, it’s easier than ever to get started with this business idea. Heck, you can even drop ship your items. No need to worry about paying for somewhere to hold stock. Yep, you can start an eCommerce store from your bedroom if you want to. 

But how do you stand out in such a saturated market? Well, for starters, make sure product photos and written descriptions are information-rich. After all, customers don’t know exactly what they’re getting until it arrives. (This is pretty much the only downfall of online shopping.)

But you can do better. You can use a product page video. Here’s why you should:

Videos Boost Sales

There’s absolutely no denying that video helps increase conversion rates, even if you’re not using it on your product pages. Over 60% of customers will watch a product review video before deciding to make a purchase. Nearly 100% of video marketers say that video increases user understanding of a product or service, with almost 80% reporting a positive impact on sales. Including a product page video on a landing page can increase conversions by over 80%, so imagine what a product video is going to do for your sales? Get started now with these film production companies in Miami. 

Everybody Loves Videos

From funny cat videos to tutorials for anything and everything, video content has taken over the internet and everybody is here for it. People spend one-third of their online activity today watching videos, and it’s a number that’s growing rapidly as the Internet becomes absolutely saturated with video material. And it’s easy to understand why people love videos so much; they’re much easier to consume compared with long articles, for example. They’re more interactive, and they’re enjoyable!

RELATED ARTICLE: WHY YOUR BUSINESS NEEDS PROFESSIONAL VIDEO CONTENT

So, it should come as no surprise that 1 in 4 of online shoppers will probably lose interest. Much more so when shopping with a company that doesn’t have any product page videos on its website.

Product Page Videos Answer User Questions

Have you got a product that tends to get a lot of questions from people who want to know a little bit more about it before they buy? A product page video can address all of those questions, giving your prospective customers a chance to get all the information they need. Having the video right there on the product page, you cut out all the time it takes them to email you a question and then wait for your answer. As a result, you’ll see faster conversions and less abandoned carts. 

Online videos play an important part in the buying process. If you’re not using video on your product pages, you’re missing out.

Nursing is a thriving industry at the moment. But, if you’re a registered nurse or a nurse with advanced qualifications, there’s a lot more out there for you than simply working at the hospital or doctor’s office. This makes life as an entrepreneur nurse especially exciting.

Nurses work in the community, and if you’re trained as a nurse practitioner, you might even have your own clinic. But for many nurses with an entrepreneurial spirit, combining their love of caring for others with starting a business of their own is the ultimate dream. 

The Entrepreneur Nurse

Regardless of where you are in your nursing journey, there are plenty of options to consider when it comes to starting your own business. There are many fields in the medical and healthcare industries that might be appealing to you when it comes to setting up your own company. 

RELATED CONTENT: TOOLS FOR ENTREPRENEURS YOU SHOULD KNOW AND USE

You may want to consider starting a business working with:

• The elderly
• Disabled patients
• Pregnant mothers
• New parents
• Terminally ill patients
• Children and teenagers
• Fellow nurses
• Medical providers
• Student nurses
• The general public 

People are always looking for new ways to improve their health, and there’s no better way to take advantage of this fact than to start your own business as a nurse. 

Business ideas vary from working directly with patients in their homes to providing a tailored service to help your clients improve their fitness. Additionally, you could work more indirectly with the public. For example, you could start a health blog, develop an app for physical or mental health, or write a self-help book about general wellness. 

The Many Opportunities for Entrepreneur Nurses

The opportunities for entrepreneurial nurses have never been so vast. So if you’re looking for a step up from working for an employer or simply want to try something new as a nurse, starting your own business could be the best choice you’ll ever make.

Also, many business ideas that you can pursue as a nurse will give you the opportunity to get into something that you might have found difficult to do while in full-time employment, such as childcare. 

So, what are some great business opportunities for an entrepreneurial nurse? Here are 25 ideas you might like. 

#1. Private Nursing for Entrepreneur Nurses

An entrepreneur nurse can utilize private nursing to offer more in-depth care to their clients compared to what those clients would receive at a hospital or clinic. As a private nurse, you will usually need to have fewer patients than normal, so you can divide more time among caring for each of them. You might even work with just one patient at a time on a contractual basis. 

This is a popular choice of business for nurses who want to offer their services to the rich and famous or celebrities. 

#2. Senior Care

With more and more seniors receiving care in their own homes, the demand for good companies providing in-home senior care is on the rise. An entrepreneur nurse and your team of specially trained caregivers will be required to:

• Visit and check on seniors in their own home
• Help with everyday tasks such as getting showered and dressed
• Prepare meals and drinks
• Run errands 
• Tend to any medical needs such as taking regular medication

#3. Respite Care Service

As a respite care provider, you would offer a short-term service that allows family caregivers a chance to rest and recharge with the peace of mind that comes with knowing that their loved one is safe in your capable hands. You may be caring for:

• The elderly
• People with chronic or terminal illnesses
• Individuals with physical disabilities
• People with learning difficulties 

#4. Child Care for Entrepreneur Nurses

As an entrepreneurial nurse, child care can be a lucrative business field to get into. This is because many parents will feel more confident leaving their child in the care of somebody who has medical training. As a nurse, you will have the opportunity to open your own child care center or offer babysitting services either at your home or your clients’ homes. 

#5. Childbirth Education Service

If you are a nurse-midwife, then expectant parents will need your expertise when it comes to preparing for the big event. You could offer classes or training programs that are designed to help prepare expecting mothers and fathers for childbirth and the first few weeks of looking after their newborn. 

#6. Doula Services by Entrepreneur Nurses

Doulas are becoming more and more popular, making this an excellent option for an entrepreneur nurse. They are tasked with providing support and guidance for the mother during the process of pregnancy and birth. Doulas:

• Advocate for the mother during pregnancy and birth
• Offer support and advice throughout pregnancy
• Offer practical support to expectant and new mothers
• Are present at the birth to support the mother and act as an advocate for her
• Help with looking after the newborn

#7. Fertility Consulting

If your specialty is fertility, you could start a business that provides consulting and guidance to aspiring parents hoping to overcome certain fertility issues. 

#8. Lactation Consulting by Entrepreneur Nurses

New mothers can often feel overwhelmed when it comes to breastfeeding. As a nurse-midwife, your expertise will be valuable in a lactation consulting service. New mothers will hire you to provide help, advice, support, and encouragement with the breastfeeding process. 

#9. Hospice Service

Start a hospice service if you are passionate about improving care and comfort for terminally ill patients. This service provides:

• End-of-life care in comfortable settings
• Support for patients who wish to spend their last days in the comfort of their home
• Support for families and loved ones

#10. Home Health Aide Service

Home healthcare is a lucrative industry to get into as an entrepreneurial nurse. It’s an ideal business option for nurse practitioners, as you will be providing health care to your patients in their homes, rather than working out of a doctor’s office or hospital. 

#11. Patient Care Consulting by Entrepreneur Nurses

Many patients require an independent medical professional to:

• Help them review treatment options
• Provide a second opinion
• Navigate issues with insurance
• Make other important decisions about their health

#12. Dietitian Service

As a trained nurse, you possess a lot of knowledge when it comes to diet and nutrition issues. You can use what you know to set up a business that helps people improve their health and wellness through tailored health or weight loss eating plans. 

#13. Telehealth Service

Telehealth is an emerging healthcare trend that’s making it easier than ever for patients to contact their healthcare providers. Start a telehealth service and give patients the option to attend appointments and consultations with you via telephone or video calling, rather than in person. 

#14. Concierge Nurse Service

Similar to private nursing services, concierge nurses often work with the wealthy. You will be providing a private, top-of-the-line medical service to affluent patients who prefer to pay out of pocket for both personalized care and in-home visits. 

#15. Wellness Coaching from an Entrepreneur Nurse

Are you concerned about general health and wellness for everybody? Wellness coaching is a business idea that you can certainly take advantage of as an entrepreneur nurse. You will work with clients to provide a service that involves:

• General health issues
• Meal plans and dieting
• Fitness
• Mental health improvement
• And more 

#16. Health Blogging

Do you have a passion for writing and want to use your nursing expertise to help as many people as possible? If you want to start a business that relates to your nursing training but does not require you to work face-to-face with patients, then starting a health blog might be a good option for you. You can make money from your blog through advertisements, affiliate products and services, and more. 

#17. Health Books

Another option for nurses who love to write is to come up with a book idea. Perhaps you will write about something that worked for your own health or a general self-help book that aims to help your readers become their best selves in terms of physical wellness. Ebooks are a great option as you can self-publish and start making money right away. 

#18. Academic Writing

If you did pretty well in nursing school, you might want to put your academic writing skills to use. As an academic writer in nursing, you may be creating in-depth, well-researched pieces for:

• Health websites and blogs
• Nursing and medical journals
• Medical and nursing textbooks
• Online nursing program materials

#19. Public Speaking

Are you confident and ready to address an audience? You might want to consider sharing your expertise by speaking at public events for medical professionals, nurses, or simply for people who are interested in improving their health and well-being. 

#20. Private Nursing Student Tutoring

An online DNP in nursing education gives you the opportunity to teach the next generation of nurses via on-campus college classes, or through an online program. However, many student nurses find that they might benefit from some additional tutoring. This is where your expertise as an entrepreneur nurse comes in.

Online tutoring is more popular than ever, and there’s a market for every tutor. All you’ll need is a website, social media pages, and some good video chat or web chat software. Then you can start tutoring student nurses from all over the world. 

#21. Mindfulness Coaching

Mindfulness is an important and increasingly popular concept at the moment. It is often recommended and used by patients dealing with mental health issues such as:

• Depression 
• Anxiety
• PTSD
• Personality disorders
• Chronic stress

If you’re trained as a mental health nurse, put your knowledge to use with a business focused on helping others become more mindful. Alternatively, you could aim your services at professionals working in the mental health industry, to help them help their patients. 

Mindfulness apps are another big trend right now. So if you’re into tech, you might want to consider developing an app that helps users practice mindfulness and improve their mental health through guided meditation, breathing exercises, and more. 

#22. Alternative Medicine Service

Alternative medicine and holistic care are rapidly gaining popularity among lots of patients. Therefore, if you’re interested in holistic medicine or trained in alternative therapies such as acupuncture or herbal medicine, you could offer a service helping patients to:

• Determine the right herbal medicines for their complaint
• Choose the best holistic therapy for them
• Find the best alternative therapy practitioners in their area
• Navigate insurance issues with holistic and alternative medicine

RELATED CONTENT: ALTERNATIVE WELLNESS: A GROWING MARKET

#23. Medical Supply Sales

As an entrepreneur nurse, you’re knowledgeable when it comes to determining the types of products that might be missing from the medical supply market. Therefore, you could start a business targeting healthcare providers, especially if you’ve noticed a gap or insufficient quality in a certain area.

Perhaps you want to consider working with engineers and product designers to develop a product that fills a need, or source products that you know there is a shortage of. You can sell medical supplies both in person or online. 

#24. Nurse Product Sales

Since you’ve worked as a nurse, you’ll know exactly what nurses need to do their job competently. You might want to consider setting up an e-commerce store selling products such as:

• Nursing scrubs and uniforms
• Comfortable, safe footwear
• Clip-on watches
• Nursing bags

#25. Nurse Recruitment Agency

As a trained and experienced nurse, you’ll probably be well-versed in the needs of both nurses and medical companies. You might want to consider starting a business where you use your knowledge to connect trained nurses looking for work with job opportunities that are suitable for them. 

And there’s no need to stop there. For example, you could use your knowledge to connect other medical professionals with positions that are suitable for them in the healthcare industry. Or you could provide support for nurses and other healthcare professionals looking to improve their education and skills. 

Before You Launch Your Career as an Entrepreneur Nurse

When you’ve got the right education, skills, and experience, setting up a healthcare-related business is easier than ever. As a nurse, you’ve got the perfect foundation to start and thrive with any of these businesses. 

So which business idea is best for you? Ask yourself:

1. What is my passion?
2. What do I know?
3. Is there a demand for this service?
4. What am I trained for?
5. Who is my target audience?

Once you’ve chosen the right business idea for you, the world is your oyster. People the world over are always looking for new health services. So choose the right opportunity, and you’ll always be in demand.

The project management process for IT projects is quite different from that of other types of projects. Here, we outline distinctions in terms of time, budget, and resources.

Every project, whether IT or non-IT, follows a life cycle. The life cycle is composed of the different phases of the project itself, from start to finish.

Without a proper process in place, the probability of reaching the final phase is significantly low. This process is known as project management. While project management is a difficult skill to master, it is very much worth learning. 

Moreover, for IT projects, mastery is necessary. This mastery includes a host of skills.

Project management allows teams to organize and tame the chaos. A clear path is mapped out from the start to ensure that the outcome meets or surpasses the goals. Project management also allows you to establish a schedule. Also, it encourages teamwork and helps maximize the resources available. Other benefits of implementing a process include cost and quality management. 

However, the management process for IT and non-IT projects is quite different. Here, we outline those distinctions in terms of time, budget, and resources, along with a couple of examples. 

Team Location and IT Projects

Let’s consider a simple non-IT project such as bridge construction. Like any other job, the lead supervises and manages the team. Good supervision ensures that the bridge is constructed within a specific time frame. However, for the construction to be successfully executed, the team has to be in one place, which is at the construction site. 

With IT projects, a specific location is not mandatory. For example, a recent study conducted by Owl Labs in 2019 showed that more than 16% of all companies hire only remote teams.

Similarly, another study showed that within the IT industry at least 70% of people who work remotely. The frequency of working remotely in that study was at least once a week, all over the globe.

With more businesses looking for talent, building and managing a remote team in another country is no longer an uncommon phenomenon.  

And because IT projects can be handled remotely, setting up management systems exclusively on-premises is becoming obsolete. It can also lead to an unnecessary increase in the budget. So instead of using on-premises systems, leads or managers use cloud-based management.

Not unlike a traditional system, however, a cloud-based system also uses planning, collaborating, monitoring, and delivery tools. The only difference is that all these tools are online. Some other tools include fully integrated task-tracking tools, dashboards, and task management Kanban boards. Each of these tools can be customized for your business needs.

Timelines 

A survey conducted by Innotas showed that 55% of the IT professionals interviewed indicated that their IT development was a failure. They cited lack of time, budget, or resources as the causes. Most also blame poor planning as the primary reason behind this failure. However, many unpredictable circumstances can also make the timelines of an IT project unpredictable. 

For instance, sometimes, companies don’t do an in-depth feasibility test. Others neglect to give much thought to the logistics of a particular IT project. This can cause unrealistically optimistic expectations regarding timelines. 

For instance, consider an IT project that involves building an entire ERP solution from scratch. Though the manager determines a precise schedule, chances are it’s not going to work out according to the manager’s plan.

The explanation for this is quite simple. There are too many human and technology variables that influence the timeline of an IT project. For example, translation of the website can take a week longer than expected. Then web design can go to five drafts instead of three. Additionally, there could be an unexpected platform or server update that is incompatible with the source code. You never really know.  

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On the other hand, consider a manufacturing project such as a CNC machining serial production job. This process is quite simple. CAD/CAM files are automated, and the number of pieces produced simply determines the machining process time. There are no unexpected factors in play in a typical non-IT project. 

Flexibility

Flexibility allows managers to organize workloads and resources more consistently. They can spread out all the workload peaks and troughs to organize the project schedule. The focus is to schedule in such a way that no two tasks overlap each other. 

Sometimes, however, managers also find themselves managing more than two IT projects at the same time. Often, this is by design rather than for convenience. On one side of the equation, the more projects a business can run, the faster they can grow. On the other hand, too much speed can lead to chaos. However, if allowed more flexibility in their schedules, managers can organize their IT projects in better ways. 

In contrast, non-IT projects such as building an airplane require undivided attention and expertise. These cannot be done alongside other jobs.

IT Project Maintenance

Even after successfully executing an IT project, a common risk remains, especially in long-term development projects. That risk is technical difficulties. Software integration, compliance, data security, large-scale system implementation, and information privacy are some areas where managers are likely to run into unpredictable problems.

In such scenarios, risk management plays a crucial role. Identifying the risks and their effects on the project becomes the highest priority.

Commonly, maintenance of IT projects is intended to minimize risk to the greatest extent possible. This involves transferring the risk to an external party, avoiding it entirely, financing it, or accepting it.

To this end, developing the right strategies will help manage risks to an acceptable level. This is where the manager can simply update, redesign, or maintain work from a remote location for a monthly fee. In other words, the manager does not have to be physically present at the location. Therefore, the project requires fewer resources and less time. 

On the other hand, if a bridge requires repairs, then that is a whole new process in itself. This requires the presence and expertise of the manager. It also requires a significant amount of money and other resources. 

These are a few of the many major differences between an IT project and a non-IT project from the managerial perspective.

Change is the law of success for a digital marketer. With a keen eye on the future marketing trends and thoughtful application of strategies, a marketer can successfully address the changing needs of consumers and stay current with marketing trends. Here are some of the important digital marketing trends that can boost your business growth.

Digital Content Marketing

It’s not news to say that content marketing needs to dominate your company’s digital marketing strategy. Nearly every marketer out there is creating content for brand’s websites, local directories listing profiles, social media channels, and more. Therefore, it’s getting harder to outshine your competitors in terms of content marketing. What’s more, there is a good chance the same consumers you’re targeting are exposed to numerous advertisements daily.

To outpace your peers, your digital marketing content needs to slow down and get more real. In other words, authenticity and more personalization are popular concepts that could make your brand stand out. Amazon and Netflix have set the bar very high, and consumers desire this level of personalization. Work with a web design consultant to achieve these objectives. 

Journey-mapping, or mapping a customer’s purchase flow, is closely tied to personalization. This is becoming a foundation for today’s marketers. Therefore, your brand needs to take a step back and focus on customer purchase flow. Focus on understanding the content consumption process, customer buying behavior, social sharing, and more. Then, figure out any form of pattern and then take the right step that’s unique to your target consumer.

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Conversational Marketing

This digital marketing model is used for keeping your target audience engaged in real-time, addressing their needs, and connecting them with solutions intuitively. Historically, the concept has taken the form of inbound phone support or live chat. However, conversational marketing is currently taking the direction of artificial intelligence, chatbots, and machine learning.

Digital Marketing and ML/AI Powered Data

For many years, you have been hearing about machine learning and artificial intelligence. Focus is on their unique customer insight and social listening applications. Most importantly, you should know that companies are collecting a lot of data about their prospective clients. So, companies must parse through relevant information, enrich it, and package that information for the marketing and sales departments. Consequently, this task is more and more challenging.

However, you can handle these monumental effectively. From lead scoring and persona insights to complex tasks like consumer segmentation, AI and Machine Learning present endless possibilities in terms of streamlining data consumption. In short, these concepts can improve digital marketing results.

Email and Digital Marketing Automation

Nearly everyone is using email. So, if you have ever come across the tech pundit’s next big announcement suggesting that email marking is dead, don’t believe it.

According to the Radicati Group, there are over 2.6 billion email users worldwide. Also, 55% of business decision-makers prefer email communication. Therefore, personalized email digital marketing is an effective way to connect with your target audience.

Wrapping Up

In conclusion, your digital marketing directly impacts your business success. Other digital marketing trends like SEO, cross-device marketing, and video marketing worth your attention, too. Consult with an experienced digital marketer to create a comprehensive online marketing strategy for your brand.

If you’re not familiar with the inner workings of the UK’s NHS (National Health System), you might not have heard of integrated care systems.

These systems were rebranded and restructured in 2018/19. This rebranding occurred in a bid to improve healthcare and provide a more seamless experience for patients throughout the United Kingdom (UK).

Simply put, these systems help NHS organizations, commissioners, and local councils collaborate. This improves the quality of healthcare throughout the UK. This type of integrated system essentially takes collective responsibility for managing resources within the NHS. Also, the system delivers agreed-upon standards and improves patient experience across the board.

How Have Integrated Care Systems Evolved?

In simple terms, integrated care systems represent an evolution of pre-existing sustainability and transformation partnerships (STPs). STPs previously covered the whole of England. They set out core proposals to improve the quality of healthcare for patients.

In this respect, integrated care systems simply represent a more collaborative and intertwined partnership. They assume far greater responsibility for planning and commissioning care for populations in specific regions and areas of jurisdiction.

These close partnerships are also alliances of NHS providers that focus on collaboration rather than competition. Hospitals, mental health services, community services, and general practitioners work seamlessly with each other. These providers also work with selected third-sector suppliers.

Interestingly, the private sector has played a key role in the formation of effective integrated care systems. Legal experts such as Browne Jacobson provide guidance to help businesses understand what’s required.

Are Integrated Care Systems Beneficial to Patients?

There’s no doubt that this type of system is inherently beneficial to both patients and caregivers alike. There are numerous reasons for this.

From the perspective of patients, there’s evidence to suggest that integrated care systems trigger a direct increase in patient satisfaction. The perceived quality of care and access to various services also increases with a more collaborative approach by stakeholders.

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Also, when it comes to healthcare providers, it’s fair to say that integrated care translates into better-coordinated services. Better coordination reduces waiting times, improves patient flow, and enhances the consistency of information shared by caregivers.

What Does the Future Hold?

Going forward, the government must do more work to clarify the precise role of integrated care systems in the UK. After all, these partnerships seek to make sense of the fragmented organizational arrangements that have evolved from the contentious Health and Social Care Act of 2012.

The NHS suffered from significant under-funding over the course of the last decade. Therefore, collaborative systems must work with reduced resources and within an increasingly strained public healthcare system. However, the promise of renewed investment by Boris Johnson’s government offers greater hope for the future. In addition, the Prime Minister’s 80-seat majority also enables the Tories to prioritize healthcare and make integrated care systems fit for their purpose.