Martin Sumichrast

Stories By Martin Sumichrast

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  News

  News By Martin Sumichrast

  523 Billion Reasons to Love Ecommerce

  Though the thought of starting a business can be intimidating, the internet has made it possible for virtually anybody to have the opportunity to have a chance at success. Before the "rise of ecommerce", you needed a lot of startup capital (or a very rich uncle) to start your own business but these days people are launching their own commerce empire online for a mere investment of $29 a month (after a 14-day free trial, of course). It really is hard to not jump on the virtual shopping bandwagon as the ecommerce industry is projected to grow to a whopping $523 billion by the year 2020, more than double the online sales market in the U.S. today. The dreams of becoming rich and changing your life forever is more real today than at any time in modern day history but the learning curve can be somewhat steep if you are an online marketing newbie. Here are a few things that you can do to increase your chances at being successful selling online. Step 1: Do Your Homework Find out what's hot and what's not. Use analytical tools such as the Google Keyword Planner to find out what people are searching for online. You can even get a clearer picture of hot-selling items by browsing through Amazon's Best-Seller's list to see which products are moving like hot cakes and which ones you should avoid like the plague. Step 2: Select Your Industry Once you've done all of your homework, it's time to pick a niche. Make sure that you not only choose a product that is selling well but one that peaks your interests so that you know enough about your industry to separate yourself from your competitors. Step 3: Source Your Products If you want to get the highest profit margins, chances are, you're going to want to source your products overseas. Use websites such as Alibaba and AliExpress to order products from China from reputable suppliers. Step 4: Choose Your Online Platform Now, you could go the route of hosting the website yourself and hiring a web designer to do all of the coding for you or you can choose a robust tool like Shopify which gives you a drag-and-drop interface to add your products in only a few clicks. The choice is yours but we'll choose the latter. Step 5: Market, Market, Market Once you have your online store up and operating, you need to make sure that the world knows you exist. You can blindly buy advertising placements like many of us did when we were first starting out or you can invest in hiring a coach or taking an advertising class to ensure that you are taking the right steps towards success. When it's all said and done you're going to need a reputable ecommerce business guide to help you on your journey. The process of starting an online store really is one that will require a lot of patience and hard work. Make sure that you do not let a slow start discourage you but follow through on your plan to success. You've already done the hard research required to know your market, now is the time to implement.

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  Social Media

  Social Media By Martin Sumichrast

  5 Ways to Create an Online Persona that Earns You Respect

  The world is watching. Opinions about your character are constantly being made based on what's in your digital footprint. In a global community that is connected primarily through technology, creating and managing your online reputation is a requisite to establishing yourself as an industry leader and attracting new customers. Contrarily, a poorly managed online persona can spell devastating losses to profits as well as your personal and/or professional reputation. To equip you with best practices in online reputation management, I'm sharing 5 actionable steps you can take to improve your digital presence today. 1. Have a Professional Headshot Taken Do not skip this step. Your picture is the most important piece of your personal brand. You picture should leave potential customers, or anyone else who is searching you online, with a positive and professional first impression. Incorporate professional headshot for all of your online profiles. Be sure to smile and use the right lighting and background in the photo. 2. Choose a Professional Email for Your Brand It's time to get rid of the email address you created in junior high school and start fresh with a professional one. If you already have a hosted website (See Step #6), you can usually add a personalized email service to your account for just a few more dollars. If this option is unavailable through your web-hosting service, create a free email account with Gmail or Outlook. The best email formats to use are variations of your first and last name without any numbers (e.g. johnsmith@gmail.com , john.smith@gmail.com, etc.). 3. Set Up Social Media Accounts Now that you have a professional photo for your brand, utilize it to set up accounts on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. If you already have personal Facebook and/or Twitter accounts, considering create separate profiles that are exclusive to your business. Use these networks to post links to articles that are useful for your clients, announce important news, and conduct polls about your business. 4. Purchase a Website Having a professional website for your business is a must in today's business environment. Purchasing and maintaining a website is inexpensive and there are a variety of do-it-yourself options available on the market. Webhosting services, like Bluehost, GoDaddy, or Namecheap, allow you to purchase a personalized domain for less than $20.00. You can host for as little as $4.00 a month depending on which hosting platform you choose. There are also various free or low-cost "drag-and-drop" website-building programs where you can create your website in a few hours with no coding or programming required. Use excellent business tools such as Name Perfection to choose the perfect name for your site. 5. Establish Yourself as an Expert Do you know how most "experts" that are interviewed on the news earn their reputation? It is quite simple: they built their reputation and online presence ahead of time . They understand the value of actively controlling their persona, so they send out press releases and make comments before anyone asks for them. This is what you need to do online. Write reviews on Amazon for books in your field, and answer questions on Yahoo Answers and Quora to establish yourself as an expert. Every time you post on these sites, make sure you conclude with a link to your website so they appear when future clients search for you online. Websites such as HARO are making it easier to connect experts with members of the media. You can create an account on this platform and respond to pitches you receive from reporters three times a day. If your pitch is selected, you will secure a media mention in the story. Knowing that new eyes are watching you online isn't worth panicking over. Instead, you should accept this as an exciting opportunity to build your reputation at a low cost. By applying all of the aforementioned steps, you can rest assured that you have an online persona that will help you build a profitable brand...and that is something on which you can never put a price!

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  Mobile

  Mobile By Martin Sumichrast

  Why Cellphones May Not be the Greatest Invention since Sliced Bread

  Can everyone stop looking at their cellphones and take a moment to glance up every now and again? Way too much to ask? Research has found that average Americans spend an alarming 282 minutes on their mobile devices and check their social media accounts up to 17 times. While there is nothing wrong with using your cell phone for entertainment purposes, extended exposure can do a lot more harm than you may think. Though many companies are striving to increase the awareness surrounding the harmful effects of radiation and bring valuable products to this underserved market, there is a great need for more education as more and more Americans find themselves enslaved to their cellphones. What is Radiation? Radiation is a form of energy that travels through space. It has the ability to change the state of atoms and nuclei by altering them into ions that are electrically charged. The Sun emits radiation when it produces light and heat and even though we appreciate the benefits that it provides, we also ensure that we control our exposure to it. There are different forms of radiation including: Alpha, Beta and Gamma. Alpha radiation hardly ever penetrates the human skin but when it does (through the air, food or wounds) the effects can be very dangerous. While Beta radiation has the ability to penetrate the human skin, everyday clothing is enough to protect people from its rays. Gamma radiation has properties that are very similar to X-rays and has much greater penetrability than Alpha or Beta. Although all of these forms of radiation have differing properties, the ability to cause harm when exposed to each type is equally relevant. A research study found that most cell phones among U.S. carriers produced radiofrequency energy that our bodies absorb between the ranges of 0.35 and 1.59 watts for each kilogram. To put this into perspective, this is the maximum level of radiation that the U.S. government allows. It is important to keep in mind that exposure will vary according to area, network and frequency of use. This is known as the culmination effect which is when small doses of radiation build up and affect the body over time. The Effects of Radiation While many people understand that prolonged exposure to radiation can negatively impact their well-being, many do not know that the damages can affect genetics as well. Radiation canharm the human body in numerous ways, most detrimentally affecting the thyroid, lungs, red bone marrow and other internal organs. Once inside the body, radioactive isotopes have the ability to react in many ways – the effects are rarely identical. They can become even distributed within the body, or accumulate in the muscles, bones, thyroid, liver, kidneys, spleen, etc. Over time, these radioactive isotopes can produce highly unfavorable consequences such as radiation sickness, malignant tumor and even death – the costs just aren't worth the risks. The Solution While there really isn't a proven plan to eliminate radioactive contact in our daily lives there are certain things that we can do to limit our exposure. It really starts with reducing our cell phone use to times when we really need to use it. We have become a society that is plagued with the burden of being constantly preoccupied with either texting, surfing the web or playing the latest game on our mobile devices but we should really be cognizant of the effects these activities may have while making an effort to reduce our chances of overexposure. You can look into learning about radiation detectors that you can use at home to find out how much radiation you are being expose to on a daily basis. Our health should be our top concern and if playing an hour less of Pokémon Go is the sacrifice we all have to make, so be it.

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  Big Tech

  Big Tech By Martin Sumichrast

  Startup Success: 4 Things Tech Companies can do to build a Brand that Lasts

  Most technology startups have no idea how to build a strong consumer base because they often spend most of their time tinkering with their products instead of learning how they can better serve their customers. It's true. Good customer service has always been integral to a company's success but these days its importance has become paramount. While thousands of startups are born every year, the key to developing a flourishing brand that sustains the competitive landscape of your respective industry is to know your customer and deliver service that exceeds their expectations each and every time. This is far easier said than done but with proper planning and increased effort you can establish yourself as the leader in your industry through exceptional customer service. Here are three things that you absolutely need to do to become a brand that is loved by your customer base. Consistently Conduct Research While many companies are great at surveying their consumer market during a product launch phase, there are only few that add value to their customers by continuing to survey, research and test. The best companies are those who not only give their customers what they want but also continue to tweak their offering to increase the entire guest experience from start to finish. Amazon grew their brand to being the largest online marketplace by continuously pivoting and changing their business model to fit the needs of their customers. Through enhanced offerings such as their streamlined checkout, the process of shopping online has never been easier. Personalize the Guest Experience There is no point in conducting research if you're not going to use it to customize the experience that each of your customers receives. Surveys are useless if you are still planning on treating everyone the same. Use results from customer surveys to change the way that you interact with your customers. Make sure that you never send out the exact same email to all of the folks on your mailing list and create a segmented list to add a personal touch. Add Increased Value Customers have to know that they can count on you when they need you the most – it is your job to ensure that their needs are being met. It is no longer enough just to sell a great product but to also provide services that completely enhance the customer experience. Many new software companies are pushing the envelope by offering installation services and enhanced data support and backup services in addition to their primary product. Continue to Solve Problems We all know that the key to a successful startup company is finding a gap in the market and creating a solution that solves a problem while adding tremendous value. What a lot of the best companies are doing in addition to this is finding innovative ways to continue to solve problems by increasing the efficiency of their service. For example, many companies offer fast shipping options but there are many businesses that are looking for ways to increase efficacy by testing shipping options using jet packs, hyperloops and transporters. The startup game is a never-ending saga of who can serve the best. It isn't always about who has the best product because products can evolve and be improved over time. The best companies are the ones who are efficient at noticing opportunities to improve the guest experience. Continuing to research customer needs and tweak services until those needs are met isn't a novelty, it's just the way that business is done. While building a successful tech startup is tough to achieve, the benefits of serving your customer base will pay dividends for years to come.

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