3 Steps to happy Collaboration between you Engineering & Business Team 

The engineering and management teams in number of firms are often at odds, yet collaboration needs to be increased positively between the two pillars. Some methods have thus been suggested by a business consulting publication in order to achieve the same. The management employees to be made understood that the corporate strategy drafted is actually implemented on the ground by the engineering staff. Similarly engineers must be able to respect the marketing team which enables the firm to grow. Problem solvers must be recruited on both sides to promote collaboration. 

6 Books that will Transform & grow your Business 

Six books have been suggested which are set to revolutionize the way businesses are run and help them on path of growth. Shanno Kaiser’s “Adventures for your soul: 21 Ways to Transform your habits and reach your full Potential” is on top of that list. Joe Pardo’s “31 Life Changing Concepts” is another. Alex Harris’s book titled “Small Business Big Money Online” is an instant game changer. “The Eventual Millionaire: How anyone can be an Entrepreneur and successfully grow their Startup” is another top book recommended by business consulting firms. The there is “The Successful Thinker” by Corey Jahnke. Completing this exclusive list is “Hangouts Marketing Mastery: Your Platform to Enhance Visibility, Attract Ideal Clients, and Increase Revenue” by Michael Bloom and Jon Schumacher. 

The 3 best Social Media Campaigns of 2015 

Social media platforms are now an integral part of digital marketing. The best marketing campaigns on social media in the year 2015 have been charted. Hewlett-Packard (HP)’s ‘Bend the Rules’ campaign allows creative people to express themselves but in six seconds only. Honest Tea’s ‘Refreshingly Honest” taps into the need for greater good felt across the cities and thus started a contest to find out the most truthful cities. WWF put forwards its point on the urgency for conservation through their campaign titled “The Last Selfie” where the selfies would disappear on Snapchat in ten seconds. 

3 Ways of Twitter Utilization to Support & Enhance the Impact of Instructor- led Training 

Twitter is not just an essential component of any digital marketing campaign, it is also being increasingly used for corporate training that is anchored by instructors. They can be used in pedagogical sense by enabling the posing of questions, answering such queries and sharing of learning resources online. It can be used in social sense by improving group experiences, providing encouragement and support to enrolled students. Finally, Twitter can help the management team by providing constant reminders, notifications and learning management tools. 

 Business Travel on the rise for 8 Quarters 

Business travel is an aspect that has been constantly rising for the past eight quarters. This is particularly benefitting hoteliers and aviation companies where tourism jobs are on the rise. Rental car rates however have dropped average worldwide. Consolidation in this industry has led to base rates reducing and thus remaining competitive for users. The average duration of the business travel too is rising. International business travel has not risen as much as the same on the domestic front. 

The Power of Personalization in e-Learning 

Customization for individual users is becoming critical in e-learning which is a very useful tool for those targeting an Executive MBA. Some tips have been suggested to boost personalization in e-learning. Personal content of users must be customizable. Users must have freedom in choosing their digital or remote devices. The learner must be addressed by name. Content must be streamed to the user. The language and content to be used for training must be inclusive in nature. Even the content viewing must include options such as audio, video or simply PDF. 

 Hosting a Winning Webinar: The Ultimate Guide 

Business research has thrown us some ideas which will enable us to be ideal webinar hosts. The webinar can be divided into three stages – pre event, during event and post event. Pre webinar, the team must get adept at using the relevant tools and technology. A test run must be done. Evaluation must be made on space and infrastructure for the event. During the event, the webinar hashtag and social media links must be highlighted to boost digital marketing. Users must receive clear instructions. The event must get recorded for future references. Post the webinar, a parting token must be offered to the participants. The team must listen to the recording to analyze the rights and wrongs for further future improvement. 

The 7 skills of Valuation 

Valuation is an integral part in the business analysis process. Certain skills are needed in order to conduct a thorough valuation. A holistic view must be taken into consideration. Results must be linked to people in charge of those operations. The planning and corporate strategy must be there to achieve success. Delivery of all teams and verticals needs to be aligned together. There must also be adequate focus on the future. While investment decision is taking place, the returns must be calculated optimally. Most importantly, efficiency must be a buzzword in all processes. 

The next top Travel & Tourism Innovations 

The IBTM is an annual tourism exhibition held in Barcelona this year. Business innovation in the field of tourism is particularly rewarded. The winners would have complete access to hosted buyers, exhibitors and visitors. This award is of particular help to startups as seed fund is also available. Real change is often affected by the creativity on display at IBTM. Fifteen thousand odd meetings can then be held the year round. Last year’s winners- Live Group- now has a fully functioning mobile app including a location finder. 

Digital Marketing: the 7 Essential Channels 

Market research conducted has provided us with certain platforms which must be used in order to attain best possible results out of digital marketing. There must be responsive websites. Search Engine Marketing (SEM) must include paid search strategy as well as search engine optimization (SEO). Advertising must be directed using online displays. Video is the most interactive form of customer engagement. Social media is now an integral part of the campaign especially platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. The marketing must also be aimed at the mobile device. Time and again email marketing has been proven to be the most cost effective channel.  

5 Ways to boost your Social Channels using Social Media Metrics

Business analysis observed using social media metrics have provided us some insights which can help boost social channels. Follower numbers must be as high as possible. Organic growth using own activity is always better option than earned coverage. The metrics must also be used to find out the best content emanating from the firm / agency. Top performing accounts on social media must be used as benchmarks to measure against. While Twitter is emerging as most popular platform for organizations to conduct digital marketing, other platforms, notably Facebook can still give us extremely good results as had been the case with Adidas and Nike. 

The top 10 Consulting Firms and what it’s like to work for Them 

The top management consulting firms have been rated post business research conducted by Vault. McKinsey takes its usual top position followed by Bain and BCG. Deloitte and PwC take up the next two positions. Accenture has dropped out of the top ten, as its now mainly focused on the technological side of business. Consulting firms have had to change their work patterns as a recent trend showed that top MBAs were being priced away by the technology firms. Bridgespan enters the top ten on the strength of the perceived social benefits its work generates while A.T. Kearney completes the list. 

10 Dream Trips every Traveler should Experience 

As per tourism consulting by CNN, certain trips have been identified as dream ones which must be on every traveler’s agenda. Riding the Trans-Siberian Railway from one end of Russia in St. Petersburg to the other end at Vladivostok is seen as one of those. Setting foot on Antarctica is seen as another. Route 66 from Chicago to Los Angeles is considered the ultimate highway to undertake a road trip. At number seven on the list is photographing the ‘big 5’ in Africa on safari. A visit to Italy’s Amalfi coast comes next on the list. The Galapagos Islands are known for their unique marine and land wildlife and exploration of these lands gets 5^th rank. Trekking the Inca Trail all the way to Machu Picchu comes close to the top. Then comes the more laid back activity of admiring the sunset over Santorini off the Greek mainland. Sleeping in a bungalow just over water takes up the runner up spot. Right on top is the Northern Lights and not just from anywhere but in fact from Akureyri in Iceland. 

How do you write a Digital Marketing Strategy 

Digital marketing has become extremely crucial so it must emanate from corporate strategy level. There are ways this can be done effectively within a framework titled SOSTAC. The S in the acronym stands for Situational Analysis, O stands for Objectives and S stands for Strategy. Meanwhile T stands for Tactics, A for Actions and finally C for Controls. All these factors must be taken into consideration while devising the campaign. The same could be for increasing sales, generating leads or strengthening brand footprint. One has to be selective about which platforms to use depending on aims. 

Active Tourism Emerges as Travel trend 

As per tourism consulting provided by the George Washington University, the concept of active tourism is growing at a rate of more than sixty percent annually. Activities such as cycling, canoeing, hiking, zip lining, trekking and camping are included in this. Thus instead of typically enjoying a fruit drink on the beaches of Spain, one travels the country by cycle. In this way, the active lifestyle of individuals gets incorporated during their travels as well. This kind of travel is not limited to solo young men, but all segments are getting pulled into this. 

5 Trends Reshaping Social Media 

Certain trends have been observed on social media which will help digital marketing campaigns target efforts accordingly. Facebook is increasingly being used by an older population group rather than primarily youngsters as was previously the case. In fact the future is more dependent on the mobile phones than laptops. Users are utilizing social media as quasi search engines. Politics is increasingly being held live on social media. Organizations are using big data to conduct business analysis in order to customize content for individual user personas. 

Free Tourism Zones could increase Tourism sector’s Competitiveness 

While Turkey is among the leading players in global inbound tourism, currently ranking sixth in terms of volume, its competitiveness does not match up. This is as per business research conducted by the World Economic Forum (WEF). Thus Turkey is now planning to develop certain tax free zones within the country to free up the tourism sector. The first steps for this will be taken up in the Aegean and Mediterranean provinces such as Dimim and Marmaris as well as west of Antalya. 

3 Reasons HR needs to be involved in Planning a Business’s Strategy 

The HR department has not often been included while formulating any organization’s corporate strategy. However, this must change for a variety of valid reasons. They best know the skills gap in the organization and how best to rectify the same. The ROI on employees can be improved dramatically by them. This can help reduce turnover as the best of HR professionals have a pulse on the talent market. They can help optimize recruitments through business analysis which they have conducted using actionable data. 

5 Things to Note when engaging your Audience on Social Media 

The target audiences for most organizations these days are being tapped using social media which provides them an ideal platform for conducting digital marketing. Certain trends have been observed which must be followed to ensure more fruitful audience engagement on the same. Goals set must be reasonable and achieved. Firms have to somehow start tapping customer conversations. The right tools must be used for these purposes. Talent management is critical and people with the correct skill set must be recruited. The feedback procedure must be swift and transparent. 

3 Reasons you’re not getting a Promotion 

A lot of professionals suffer from mid career blues where they get stuck up at certain levels and not getting the desired promotion. There may be multiple reasons as provided by a management consulting publication, but they all have similar solutions. The person may not be universally liked in the firm and this can be an obstacle but to go past this problem, the professional may choose to become the critical go-to person for all hindrances. He /she may not be visible to all, so the person must spend time building fruitful relations. Some verticals in otherwise well stocked organizations, may suffer from a resource crunch due to combination of reasons. This needs to be taken care of and at the right team the person responsible needs to address this issue to the higher authorities. 

8 Habits of Leaders who know how to Delegate 

It is an oft repeated maxim that the best of leaders know how to get work done by others. That is why very few are actually good at delegation and business research has provided us with certain habits that they all possess in common. They evaluate results fairly and frequently. Open, honest discussion is encouraged within the firm. Business innovation is a constant part of the work processes. They are good at assembling human and material resources at the right time and place. Their decisions incorporate the ‘what’ but the actual implementation is delegated to subordinates. Achievements by team members are lauded. These leaders show genuine interest in colleagues’ work. Finally, they are open to participation by all. 

7 Ways to Improve Employee Development Programs 

Corporate training for employees is now such a crucial part of any business, that newer employment development programmes are being developed. Some methods have been suggested by a management consulting publication to improve the same. Managers’ passions must get ignited so that the same reflects when they impart the training. The shelf life of learning and development modules is not very long and this needs to be well understood. Employees must get a sense of belonging and commitment to their own careers’ developmental aspects. Similarly trust must be woven towards the top management. The learning options provided must involve flexibility. Learning needs of virtual teams must be incorporated in the planning. Management training programmes must also be custom designed keeping in mind the various employee personas. 

Why Tourism is on track to replace mining as Australia’s biggest Export 

Business consulting giant Deloitte has come up with a report that suggests that Australia’s economic boom is set to continue but now instead of mining, it will be directed towards inbound tourism. Demand for hotel rooms is set to expand over time. China is now the largest market for travelers to Australia creating en number of tourism jobs. India is another major source and the Cricket World Cup in 2015 further fuelled tourists from the subcontinent. 

3 Strategies for Moving your Brand to the next Level 

Business research conducted has provided us with certain strategies which if followed are set to take the brand’s positioning and value upwards. The user experience has to be improved. The scope of industrial buying must never be underestimated as number of products are in demand within the business to business range. The brand must have a fun appeal without which it will not appeal to the youth which is getting increasingly influential in the decision making process. 

7 Ways to Ignite Innovation and Surpass your Competition 

In order to succeed at business innovation, some methods have been proven to be fruitfully implementable. The leadership must understand the need for change. A powerful team must be assembled together. Clear timelines must be mapped. The corporate strategy must clearly incorporate the eventual vision that is envisaged. The process must be kept simple for all to follow. Initial gains will win over some followers. During the process, changes must be tactically implemented as and when requirement arises. 

The 10 most expensive Countries for Tourists to Visit 

A tourism consulting publication has provided us a list of ten most expensive countries for tourism purpose. 141 countries were studied for this report. The list is started by Austria. Other European countries such as Italy, Sweden and Denmark are the next in line. A notch above is Israel. Australia is the fourth most expensive country for tourists to visit. France is next up. Finishing runner up is the United Kingdom. The most expensive country though is Switzerland. 

The 5 Elements of a strong Inbound Marketing Strategy 

The inbound methodology is gaining traction for successfully implementing digital marketing. Some methods exist in order to ensure this works. Search Engine Optimization is the most organic process which yields the right results. Pay-Per Click follows a different model, yet this is needed as an option. Content for communication is key and focus should be put on the same during campaigns. Social media channels such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn all have their own niches and enable inbound leads and conversions in their own unique ways. Focus must also be put on the landing pages where the Call to Actions will redirect traffic to. All these steps need to be applied consistently in order to gain results. 

8 Leadership Traits Critical for Success 

Harvard Business School which is the foremost in the MBA field has provided us management consulting about some traits which every top leader must possess. Effective leaders can wade through complex situations with ease. The best of them eventually end up managing global corporations. They focus on corporate strategy and its implementation. Business innovation is a continuous part of their leadership. These leaders take advantage of networks developed. Customer engagement is also a part of their ideas. They are flexible with their personal and official requirements. Agility in learning is a buzzword for them. 

4 Steps to Creating a Formal Talent Management Process 

In the present times, talent management has attracted a greater sense of urgency. In order to succeed at the same, some formal processes have been proven to be successful. A narrative needs to created behind the requirements of the firm. A sense of absolution or forgiveness must exist in the organization so people do not feel constrained. Some champions must be identified within the firm who can vouch for the practices and motivate the newer employees. Existing business requirements must be aligned with expected future needs. 

5 Steps to Identify & Recruit Affiliates 

In today’s world of co-creation and co-marketing, the role of affiliates has risen exponentially. Some methods have been identified post business research which if followed, will provide organizations good results in identifying and finalizing agreements with affiliates. First an assessment of existing affiliates needs to be done. The concept of seasonality must be applied where all affiliates are not required during all times of the year. The recruitment plan must cover optimally half a year. Measurable targets must be set for the affiliates as well. Even post recruitment constant business analysis on productivity from affiliates needs to be conducted.