Everybody was surprised when Google launched Google+ social network without including any specific feature for the business owners to promote their brands. But within a few months, Google allowed companies to promote their brand by creating customized branded pages. The option now allows the business owners to promote their business on a social networking platforms being accessed by millions of members residing in different regions, states and countries. If your business does not have a presence on Google+ till date, you can consider some simple ways to attract the attention of both existing and prospective clients.1. Claim Your Google+ Business Page: You need to have a personal profile on Google+ to claim a business page. The social network allows members to link their business pages with personal pages from the beginning. Once you create a personal profile on Google+, you can sign in using the same credentials and create the business page. Along with other details, you can include the physical location of the business by on a map. The map can be added to your business page to increase its visibility on search result pages.2. Become Familiar with Lingo: Each social network offers some unique and new features to its members. Similar to the Facebook and Twitter, Google+ also has its distinct parlance and lingo. You have to understand and become familiar with these specific attributes. Along with other features, a Google+ user must know the Google+ Circles and Hangouts concepts. The Circle refers to the group of members who want to share and follow the content posted by their friends. On the other hand, the Hangouts feature allows you to communicate and interact with your existing and prospective clients through video conferencing.3. Use the Free Tools: The social networking platform also provides its members with a set of free tools to promote their business in a more effective manner. For instance, you can use the Google+ badge to your website to allow other members to recommend and add the business page to their respective Google+ Circles. These free tools and apps can further assist in maintaining a base of regular followers.4. Follow the Right Brands: Google+ has prescribed creation rules and guidelines for its members to follow other brands and individuals on the social networking platform. For instance, a branded page on Google+ cannot follow individual members unless the individual is already following your business page. It is very much important for a business page owner or administrator to understand and comply with these specific guidelines.5. Evaluate Your Marketing Success: Along with the free tools and special features, Google+ offers a suite of analytics tools for the business page administrators to monitor and evaluate the marketing performance. For instance, the Ripples tool will assist you in identifying the members who are sharing your content in their Google+ Circle. These tools can assist you in targeting the members who have shown interest in the specific products or services offered by your business.Your business can definitely attract more clients and boost the sales figures by having presence on a social networking platform already joined by millions of members.
How to Use Inbound Vs Outbound Marketing [Complete Guide]
Should I use inbound or outbound marketing? Where do you find that balance between outbound and inbound marketing to maximize and grow the flow of leads? What should you consider when concocting a synergic marketing mix to include both? To answer all these questions, let’s start by understanding each of the marketing techniques, its strengths and weaknesses.What is Outbound Marketing?
Outbound marketing can be simply described as a straightforward business exchange proposition. “Hey there, want to buy my thing?” is your basic message and approach of outbound marketing. It’s the oldest and most fundamental part of any marketing strategy, and is also what non-marketers assume marketing is all about.Examples of outbound marketing include telemarketing (“cold calls”), paid mailings (both electronic and “snail mail”), advertising (banner ads, radio ads, billboards, etc.) and even door-to-door sales. It’s all about reaching out and pulling the prospect in.Strengths of Outbound Marketing
Not only is it the older and better polished set of techniques, outbound marketing generates sales leads almost immediately. It goes beyond saying that it’s no magic wand, but when it comes to “sealing the deal”, your go-to tools are those in your outbound toolbelt.1. Easier to measure ROI2. Quicker to show impact3. Potentially PersonalizedWeaknesses of Outbound Marketing
Many businesses and brands love outbound marketing for its quick and easily measured results. However, they equally hate the cost and too often the reaction of the target audience, which can easily manufacture a negative sentiment toward the brand.1. Intrusive2. Expensive3. Ineffective on its ownWhat is Inbound Marketing?
In short, the idea of inbound marketing is to create a pull effect to bring in pre-qualified leads instead of pushing intrusive messages.Inbound marketing activities include opt-in email marketing, content production and promotion, social media, and search engine optimization efforts (SEO), among other things.Using this method, a type of funnel is created with leads coming in at the top of the funnel (TOFU) and being “nurtured” down the funnel with marketing messages tailored to the stage that the lead is in until they are “ready” to be approached with a message directed to start the purchasing process.Strengths of Inbound Marketing
Though it existed long before social media and even online sales, the inbound methodology has taken over digital advertising by storm in the past decade. With growing banner blindness, do-not-call lists and the rising cost of users’ attention, it’s no wonder so many brands and businesses include inbound marketing in their strategies.1. Cost-effective2. Unintrusive3. BroadWeaknesses of Inbound Marketing
For B2B marketers, it’s often hard to explain the value of inbound marketing to executives who just want to see those leads flowing in and converting. It’s no longer a new approach and methodology, and yet there are reasons brands sometimes hesitate to prioritize inbound marketing activities.1. Slow to show results2. Harder to measure3. ImpersonalBrewing Your Marketing Mix
Let’s go back to the question we started with: which should you be using – inbound or outbound? Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each, you can see why both are necessary ingredients in your marketing mix. But how much of each, and when?A number of variables affect the inbound to outbound ratio of every brand, product, campaign, and even specific transaction. The impact of some might be less than of others, depending on your unique business and product.Deal SizeProduct TypeFunnel StagesThe Marketing Mix and Match
Combining inbound methodologies and outbound marketing techniques in your marketing mix is not always easy, but is usually worth it. By defining the correct balance between the pull techniques of inbound and the push techniques of outbound, you can combine both to create an optimized lead nurturing and conversion process. It all depends on how well you know your target audience, and how willing you are to make the effort to cater to their needs along the journey down the funnel.
Women’s Apparel Trends
Winter has arrived and it’s time to keep yourself warm. Women’s fashion evolves every season. It is hard to say which trends will stay and which won’t. Big fashion houses have introduced new autumn/winter trends this year. But for everyday women, following trends is as important as beating the weather conditions in an affordable way. You do not need to buy a Burberry coat or Gucci boots to stay trendy and warm. There are cheaper and stylish options in the offing too. You can keep yourself warm by wearing layers of clothing to shield you from the winter winds. The basic clothing you need in winter are- coats or jackets, jeans, tops, sweaters, hats, gloves and scarves. For footwear, you may go for anything that cover your feet- boots, sneakers, shoes, etc.Cardigans with beaded or crocheted borders are trendy this winter. They look very elegant and feminine. They are great for a retro look this winter. Team them with jeans or dresses and you’ll look like a timeless 1950s fashion diva. Jumpers in geometric patterns are also great. They make strong and graphic fashion statements and look great for an edgy look. A-line knee-length dresses are also in vogue this season. They look great for any body type, even pregnant women. They will look great with cardigans, jumpers or coats. A-line dresses in different patterns suit different styles. A-line dresses with psychedelic patterns when teamed with a plain overcoat, chunky necklaces, knee-length leather boots and a scruffy woolen hat make a great bohemian look. It is not difficult to stick to your style of dressing.Plain A-line dresses in solid colors are very chic and in vogue. Team them with patterned stockings, closed leather pumps, a warm trench coat and other accessories and you’ll look like a timeless beauty. If you want to go for skirts, the protocol is the same for a chic or a bohemian look. But yes, do wear stockings to keep yourself warm. Stockings in bright colors like royal blue or canary yellow are very trendy and can add an edge to your look.You can team stockings with shorts also. If you do go for shorts, avoid denim shorts. Denim shorts are trendy only in summer and as beach wear. Shorts made of leather (faux or real) are great for winters. Team them with cropped leather bolero jackets, leather gloves, stockings and leather boots. This urban-chic biker-chick look will make heads turn. For an easy everyday-urban winter look, girls can try layering. Wear a nice cardigan or jumper over a knit top. Throw in a pair of jeans, gloves, a hat and boots. And you are good to go. When you are layering make sure that you don’t look burdened by your clothing. Wear light clothing in layers.Bags in winter should not be overshadowed by the abundance of your clothes. Bags in tan-brown, black or maroon are in. These earthy winter colors will look great. Carry a bag having a long shoulder strap for comfort.Leather bags with fringes will look great with leather shorts or bohemian dresses. Accessorize with scarves and hats. They are versatile pieces, especially scarves. They can go with multiple outfits and keep you warm and cozy. For neck-pieces, wear long, sleek chains or chunky ones. Wear simple metallic jewelry. Always keep leather gloves to keep your hands warm.The basic purpose of winter clothing should be to keep your body, ears, hands, neck and head warm. Whatever you wear, make sure you don’t catch a chill.
Opt For Preventive Care To Reduce The Cost of Healthcare
People often do not prioritize their health and visit the hospital or their doctors while detecting some disease-causing symptoms in their bodies. However, preventive care is the best possible way everyone can undertake and cease the risk factors before the symptoms become dangerous and life-threatening. The following article will focus completely on preventive health care and how it helps reduce further costs involved with healthcare.
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What is Preventive Care?
Preventive health care or prophylaxis involves the measures that people consider for preventing any diseases. The form of healthcare includes utilizing medical services or precautions that fight against the potential health crisis. It is the most important step that people can adopt in better management of their health.
Several factors such as genetic predisposition, lifestyle, environmental factors, and disease agents affect people’s health. Hence, everyone must undergo periodic health check-ups and screening tests from the doctors.
People opt for preventive health care for maintaining better health, and eliminating the disease becomes serious. Preventive care in conjunction with medicines will save a patient from health breakdown and save money from future expenses, especially if the patient is suffering from a chronic disease.
What are the Preventative Care Services?
Here are some of the examples of preventive health care services, along with their frequencies. ·
Annual Check-up (1 per calendar year): During the annual check-up, the doctor or Primary Care Provider (PCP) checks all areas of a person’s health, including physical and psychological. Examining the patients in detail helps in detecting any health care concerns in the early stages.
· Flu Shot (1 per year): Most health plans include flu shots and protect the patients from all strains of flu viruses.
· Mammogram (1 calendar year, after the patient attains the age of 40 years): Patients over the age of 40 must undergo routine x-rays of breast tissues and check for signs of cancer and other abnormalities. Some health plans might cover the costs of 3D imaging. ·
Colonoscopy (usually once in every decade after the age of 50) for detecting colon cancer.
· Vaccinations, including boosters for such as measles, rubella, polio, etc. administered during childhood.
Preventive health care helps keep people productive and active, enabling them to earn well during their senior years. Studies show that approximately 35% of people have to consider early retirement, even before they are financially ready. Opting for affordable, preventive care helps in reducing the numbers.
Why Should Patients Opt for Preventive Care?
Access to preventive health care helped reduce healthcare costs among Americans, as the physicians can prevent or treat the disease before the patient needs emergency room (ER) care. Almost one-third of costs in America include hospital care, which is undoubtedly very expensive. In 2010, 21.4% of adults paid at least a visit to the emergency room, which reduced to 18.6% in 2017. Adults not having affordable access to preventive care are more likely to pay a couple of visits to the emergency room.
Statistics show that 7% of the adults in the age group of 18-64 paid visits to the ER in 2014, as they had no other option, regardless of their health insurance status. About 77% of Americans went to the emergency rooms due to complications in their health, including those whose doctors advised them for emergency room care. Approximately 15.4% of uninsured adults in 2014 are more likely to use the emergency room, as they lacked other providers.
Undoubtedly, the cost of ER care for uninsured patients was extremely high. Hospitals provide care, even if the patient fails to provide fees for their services. As hospitals must recover the cost, they shift to Medicaid and health insurance premiums, which increases the healthcare cost for everyone.
Impact of Preventive Care Cost on Health Care Costs
Chronic diseases are the major leading cause of death among people, either preventable or manageable with regular visits to health care. These include:
· Heart diseases
· Cancer
· Stroke and
· Chronic lower respiratory diseases
Poor nutrition and obesity are the leading cause of heart disease and stroke. Genetics and smoking lead to lung cancer, which is the most common type of cancer. Obesity also risks several other forms of cancer.
Treating these chronic diseases is expensive, even before they reach emergency room status. Approximately 90% of the 3.5 trillion USD includes health care expenditures for people suffering psychological problems and chronic diseases. Patients who never went for preventative care or did not have any prescription coverage failed to afford the treatments, screenings, regular check-ups, and medications that would manage the underlying conditions of the disease. Instead, they head up to the emergency rooms with cases of strokes, heart attacks, and other complications.
However, with regular access to affordable, preventive care, the patients were more likely to discover and manage their chronic conditions. Doing so lowers the chances of visiting the emergency rooms and investing more into expensive treatments for those diseases, which passed regular management. With the decrease in the expenditure for treatments, the overall healthcare cost also decreases for everyone, as the hospitals no longer try to cover the treatment cost of the uninsured patients.
When and What Preventive Health Care is the Most Suitable?
A patient’s primary health care provider will help him or her coordinate the most suitable shots and tests. While analyzing the beneficial shots, the health care provider will consider certain aspects such as family history, age, sex, current health status, and several other factors.
Conclusion
Preventive health care often covers 100% of health plans and offers the patients several benefits both in cost and health. However, if the patient experiences doubts or are in dilemmas about the things covered and tests conducted, he or she must communicate with the physician at the earliest.
Everyone knows, “health is wealth.” If a patient is healthy, he or she will perform the best. However, it is also important to adopt a healthy lifestyle, reducing the risk factors and saving the patients from spending money on medicines.