7 Proven Ways To Write Emails That Get Replies, Backed By Science | Yesware Blog

December 15, 2014 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Effective email writing boils down to one thing: Mind reading.

Really.

Sure, we’re all different, but in many instances our brains are prone to react to psychological triggers in a similar manner. Understanding these subtleties can help you hone in on creative ways to persuade others to take a desired course of action, like reply to more of your meticulously written emails.

Here are seven powerful psychological principles that can help you get busy people to respond to your emails, backed by template reply-rate data and examples from Yesware’s own sales team.

9 jobs robots could replace in 2015 | Mashable

December 15, 2014 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Walking through the city, I find myself thinking about all the jobs a robot could do.

A robot could probably stand in for my coffee truck guy, though I doubt he’d smile, call me “buddy” and ask if I said “three sugars” or “no sugar.”

A robot could probably take over for that guy spraying down the street every morning — though I often wonder why we need anyone doing that at all.

Could a robot drive that taxi, which just deposited a woman on Fifth Ave.? Probably, though I bet it wouldn’t be as good at multi-tasking. I’ve watched taxi drivers snack, take a call and quiz me about my work all while driving above the speed limit. A robot might simply drive at 25 MPH.

These are not idle thoughts. In two separate reports over the last two years, researchers predicted that the rise of the robot worker was imminent. In the UK, Deloitte and the University of Oxford predict that 10 million unskilled jobs could be taken over by robots. Last year, Oxford Research predicted that 45% of the U.S. jobs across a fairly wide spectrum of industries could be automated and taken over by computers by 2033.

Tap the Power of Thank You | Getentrepreneurial.com

December 12, 2014 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

There may be only one day a year devoted to giving thanks, but expressing thanks year round and doing it well is one of the most profitable business strategies you can have.

Numerous studies reveal that when you thank your customers, they spend more money and tell their friends about the exceptional service and products you deliver, increasing your profits. Volumes chronicle how employee productivity zooms when appreciation is expressed, raising your margins. Vendors go the extra mile to extend credit and deliver “just in time” when they hear gratitude regularly, and keep your cash flowing. Giving thanks works in business.

But you’re already doing more with less and the last thing you want is another item on your to-do list. What are the most effective and efficient ways to express gratitude to these important players in your positive business success?

Start today implementing these 4 tips to develop the profitable habit of saying “Thank you” to your customers, employees, and vendors year-round:

Shopping Ads Test: Is Google Stealing Traffic Again? | Small Biz Trends

December 12, 2014December 15, 2014 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

How would you feel about paying more for your Shopping Ads on branded search terms?

A new Google Shopping test, spotted recently by Andy Taylor at RKG, actually directs branded search traffic to a Google Shopping results page, rather than back to your website or your own Shopping Ads.

In this test, the Anthropologie shopping results are organized by category in the top right. The “Shop from anthropologie on Google” link takes the user to a Google Shopping page. In fact, clicking on any content (images or categories) in that ad box will deliver the searcher to the category on Google Shopping, not the Anthropologie website.

In the example RKG found, at least, all of the products on the results page were offered for sale by Anthropologie, the brand from the original query. However, Ginny Marvin at Search Engine Land found this additional test result – querying “David Yurman” and drilling down into the “Rings” category surfaced shopping results from multiple retailers:

Cheap phones! Consumers win, Investors lose | Money CNN

December 12, 2014December 15, 2014 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

This is a great time for anyone looking for a new smartphone or tablet — or to switch from one wireless carrier to another.

That’s because the big four U.S. telecom companies are pummeling each other silly with price wars and discounts on new products. Check out some of these offers on Twitter.

Sprint (S) is asking people to “Bring us your Verizon or AT&T bill. We’ll fire up the chainsaw and #CutYourBill in half!”

T-Mobile (TMUS) recently tweeted, “Fa-la-la… oh forget it. The Note 4 is at @Tmobile for nothing down right now! GO GO GO!

Ma Bell is urging customers to “Switch to AT&T & Get a $150 Bill Credit with AT&T Next line.”

And Verizon (VZ, Tech30) is touting this. “Huge 16MP camera. Tiny price. Get the Samsung GS5 for $199.99 w/ $50 mail in rebate (2yr activation req’d) #GoodMore”

4 Reasons to be Ready to Sell Your Online Business Right Now | BusinessTips.com

December 11, 2014 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Having an online business is great. Not only are you your own boss and can dictate your own hours, but you can also sit in casual clothes at the computer during conference calls and filling orders. But even if your business is going smoothly, and the profits are rolling in, it is still absolutely essential that you prepare the business for sale. Even if you have no absolutely no intention of selling.

Confused? Read on and you won’t be.

In the excitement of running a new business and watching it succeed beyond your wildest expectations, selling the company is probably the last thing on your mind. But the fact is, most business owners eventually end up selling to an investor or an individual at some point in time, and usually when they aren’t expecting to do so. You may be lucky enough for someone to come to you with an acquisition offer, but more likely than not, you will be looking for a buyer, not the other way around.

So in preparation for that day possibly coming, it is essential to have an exit strategy ready, so you can sell quickly and easily, and move on to your next business idea. Even if you vow never to sell your business, it is still good to perform an exit strategy exercise on a regular basis. Here’s why:

Expect fewer passwords and more secure login systems in 2015 | LA Times

December 10, 2014 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

A group of banks, technology companies and hardware makers looking to improve upon the username-and-password login systems that keep getting hacked reached a pivotal point in the effort Tuesday.

The Fast Identity Online, or FIDO, Alliance announced that it finalized the technical rules that companies must follow to get new login systems running. Websites and apps could replace passwords altogether or combine traditional logins with a second less-likely-to-be-hacked element such as a USB key, fingerprint scanning or eye or voice recognition.

Google has already begun allowing an $18 USB stick to be plugged in to log into a Gmail account, for instance. PayPal or Alipay users also can approve transactions by tapping the fingertip scanner on a Samsung Galaxy S5.

Employers Will Have to Raise Wages. They Just Don’t Know It Yet. | NYTimes.com

December 10, 2014 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

American employers are the equivalent of a shopkeeper who has a “Help Wanted” sign permanently on display in his window, but never actually hires anybody. None of the applicants who come in offer the perfect mix of skills, experience and willingness to accept low pay that the shopkeeper is looking for.

That’s one way of reading some key measures of the labor market, updated Tuesday, that shed light on what afflicts the economy and where things will go from here.

According to the latest Labor Department data, employers had 4.8 million positions they were looking to fill in October. That’s up 25 percent in the last year and 125 percent since the start of the economic expansion in mid-2009.

But for all these vacancies, actual hiring isn’t in a similar boom. The number of people hired is up only 12 percent in the last year and 33 percent over the five-year expansion.

Gifts for Employees – Great Holiday Gifts for Your Staff | Business News Daily

December 8, 2014 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Your employees work hard all year long, and there’s no better time to reward them than during the holiday season. You may not be able to give them big bonus checks or send them on expensive vacations, but a small token of appreciation from the boss can show your staff how valued they are. Here are 18 fun holiday gifts you can give your employees for less than $50

The 10 Communication Commandments That Drive Reputation And Business | Forbes

December 8, 2014 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

I have come to a bold realization this week: Researchers predict that reputation score will soon matter more than credit scores for individuals and businesses in the burgeoning “reputation economy” now emerging online.

However, a new SaaS software company, The World Table, believes the issues of bad or insufficient reputation are entirely fixable. All it would take is adherence to 10 easy rules. The curator of these practices is my personal friend Randall Paul who has quietly been refining these principles (along with a new technology platform) together with co-founder and partner Bryan Hall over the last several years.