Even if the past two years challenged tried-and-tested business practices, industries found ways to adapt to the new normal. Last September 18’s Globe Business conference, G Summit: Opportunities Unlocked, intended to uncover these key learnings so micro, small, and medium enterprises can discover and take opportunities to grow their businesses. Opportunities relevant to the business topics Leadership, Productivity & Remote Work, Practical Marketing, Human Resources & People Engagement, and Technology & Digitalization were the highlight of the conference.
Inviting over 20 industry experts and acclaimed entrepreneurs, the G Summit aimed to empower and inspire event attendees to take charge of their growth through in-depth talks vital in today’s business climate. Here are insights from the event every MSME should be aware of.
A critical highlight of this year’s G Summit is recognizing that businesses succeed better when they work as one. Surviving challenges wouldn’t have been possible if not for local businesses helping, sharing, and collaborating with each other. This was at the core of the plenary speakers’ messages, hosted by Sonjia Calit. Issa Cabreira, KD Dizon, USec. Bles Lantayona, and Fernando Zobel de Ayala share G Summit’s goals of reclaiming success and sparking social good to uplift communities, unveiling ongoing programs that highlight the same objectives.
Renowned analyst and international speaker Brian Solis drove this point further, sharing, “As a community of entrepreneurs, we can move; we can do things that others can’t. This is your time to unlock opportunities and explore new ways to grow your business. Your customers were disrupted in this time too. They were also digitally-transformed. Let’s look at it from their perspective. That’s a growth mindset. We have to be human-centered, digital-first, and technology-enabled. As an entrepreneur, this is your time. You are the architects of the future that didn’t exist before the pandemic.”
Famous actor and entrepreneur Marvin Agustin reminded participants that resilience is inherent in our culture, inspiring them to embrace the Filipino characteristics: sipag, tyaga, diskarte, kapal ng mukha. “Either we grab the moment and put all of ourselves into it, or else we cannot turn a crisis into an opportunity. New models for businesses will emerge very quickly. How best we adapt to these emerging trends will determine our success,” he said.
True leadership is tested when business owners and managers must navigate unfamiliar situations with limited resources, and a team needing their guidance. Spring Valley CEO Jonathan De Luzuriaga covered the ways to do so in his talk Engage for Impact: Leadership in Times of Crisis. He left attendees with this important thought: “Anyone can lead when the plan is working. The best leader is when the plan falls apart.”
Head of Business Banking for Bank of the Philippine Islands Eric Luchangco followed this up in his talk, Leading in a Transitional Period. Luchangco mentioned, “Don’t rely purely on past experiences to solve current problems or identify new opportunities created by the change in the environment.” This encapsulated his talk on helping transform key personnel into decision-makers who can steer their businesses towards further growth.
In Role of Digitalization on MSME Growth, Mynt Head of Product Ferdie Perez discussed how technologies like GCash have helped communities bounce back from the pandemic’s economical hit. Introducing GCash Pro for businesses, which features easier access to merchant loans, attendees learned how to use tech like this for productivity, profitability, efficiency, and competition. “Regardless of your size, your skill, whether you’re formal or informally doing it, we want to offer the solutions. We want to offer the answers to the pain points that businesses are experiencing today,” Perez mentioned.
In times of a shifting workforce setup and economy, maintaining the same level of productivity is the priority. This is tackled in Employee Experience and Hybrid Work headed by Vett Watson, Modern Work & Security Business Lead at Microsoft Philippines. He gave tips on efficiently maintaining workforce performance and keeping team morale up, saying, “When we invest in people and we invest in the employee experience, we can directly impact engagement, retention, employee satisfaction, and profitability.”
Stephen Liu, Carrier Channel Sales Leader APAC at Zoom, touched on these themes as well in his session Remote Work and Changing the Game for Business in the New Normal. He shared, “Providing the workforce the autonomy over where, when, and the amount of work can actually increase the number of high performers.”
With minimal experience in distance management and remote work, finding the right way to handle people is often confusing and stressful. Squadzip VP for Business Development Raymond Villanueva helped participants identify what their businesses need to focus on in Making Remote Work Productive. “It’s not that we do not communicate [well] digitally, it’s just that we need to adapt to work digitally — and to do this we need the right equipment for our teams and giving them the proper tools,” he said.
Among the most fundamental tools and strategies for any business is marketing. But has marketing evolved differently in the pandemic? And how can business owners adapt to this change strategically? Gino Pineda, Vertical Lead at Facebook, answered these concerns in Facebook Advertising 101. “It’s really critical that small business owners meet their customers where they are. As a business owner, you want to be able to connect with your customers wherever they are.”
“Any of our platforms [can] be made more useful this year when it comes to sharing optimism,” said Wunderman Thompson Executive Strategic Planning Director Pam Garcia, in Game-changing Business Trends in the New Normal. In this talk, participants were informed of top trends that can inspire business owners to create or reinvent their products and services.
When it comes to influencer marketing, Cathy Pumarega and Jhenice Alana, VP for Business Development and Account Director of GetCraft Inc., respectively, gave the rundown on choosing the right partners for your business, including a free Influencer Brief Template, in Influencer Marketing: Why Does it Matter to your Brand? “Creating a personification of influencers is important as they would have to match your brand’s values and ultimately represent your brand amongst their target audience or followers,” stressed Pumarega.
In order to help attendees understand how to go about establishing their brand and choosing influencers, Alana walked them through the Influencer Brief Template, which ensures teams are aligned with goals and executions to achieve successful campaigns. “As to anything, and much like how you do it with your businesses, you always need a proper foundation for everything,” she said.
Canva Philippines Community Manager Chris De Vera challenged businesses to think about their purpose and values and how best to communicate these to their markets through design in Branding for your Business. “Don’t risk watering down your brand’s personality. Sino ba ang brand ninyo? Think of your brand as a person. What connects you to it?” he asked. De Vera established this foundation before delving into design elements that will resonate with customers.
The Employee Experience During the Pandemic session with Globe Telecom Inc. Employee Engagement Manager Mark Dimaisip helped business leaders learn the ideal ways to care for their people. Understanding what employees — any company’s greatest asset — are going through in these challenging times benefits businesses as a whole. “There is not one program that will work for everyone. That’s why empathy and employee listening are very important. The more you listen to them, the more answers you get,” suggested Dimaisip.
In Leadership and Employee Engagement for the Future Normal, attendees learned that effective human resource management begins with an internal change in company culture. Mark So, CEO at Business Maker Academy, talked about keeping an open mind to help identify pain points within businesses’ workforces and ways to help. “Be inclusive. You cannot have fans as leaders. But friends — true friends can really be your fellow leaders.”
Atty. Kesterson Kua, Partner at SKY Law, pointed out the five emerging business shifts in Philippines HR Trends in the New Normal, which arevirtual work, digitization & technology, social media regulation, mental health, and compliance. He stressed that “digitization and technology will be [the] key. Data will be driving the new world. Your competitors will be data-driven. Their employees will be technology-savvy. What about you? Are your employees and systems ready to take on this challenge?”
First, businesses must cover their bases. Protecting virtual storefronts is paramount as competitions moves to the digital realm. The talk Jumpstart your Security Journey provided a roadmap for MSMEs to get started.Speaker Albert Dela Cruz, Founder & Director at Philippine Computer Emergency Response Team (PHCERT), emphasized how all businesses should take cybersecurity seriously. “There is a paradigm shift in terms of information security. Before we had a saying ‘trust but verify.’ Now, we say ‘never trust, always verify.’ Because of today’s cybersecurity threats, it’s not if you’ll get attacked, it’s when and how severe.”
In Business Continuity and Solutions to Boost Operational Efficiency, Globe Business Solutions Architect Timothy Genato discussed how technology and digitalization powers business continuity plans to mitigate crises and improve business resilience. He leaves attendees with an important thought: “We cannot afford to think and pretend that [companies] will never ever face a disruptive event or incident.”
For owners who’ve felt overwhelmed by the increasing business demands and changes, and felt frustrated about coping with technological advancements, Yashua Group General Manager Ron Bayron shared ways to aid MSMEs overcome challenges and promptly respond to new opportunities in IT Trends, Digital Transformation, and Critical Tips for Success in the New Normal. “You succeed by knowing, not ignoring,” he mentioned.
CEO of HYBrain John Dueñas talked about technology’s impact on the healthcare industry in Journey of Healthcare Institutions Towards Digitization. “In this kind of digital journey, your traditional digital house model, from being focused on security, will now be moving towards having created a network of trust,” he said.He also touched on how HYBrain’s partnership with Globe Business in forming a Hospital Information System helped facilities improve overall patient care.
Gauging if Your Company can Safely Collect Data led by NADPOP Founding Chairman enlightened attendees on data collection’s do’s and don’ts. The two-time president of the Philippine Computer Society goes through every detail of data privacy, leaving attendees with this instruction: “What gets measured, gets improved. When you don’t measure anything, you don’t get to improve it. So you have to use measurement to be able to make sure that you understand where you are in this current time, and how you progress to the next level.”
Leaving no stone unturned, G Summit participants unlocked vital opportunities to persist, move forward, and uplift each other in the new normal through these vital insights.
You, too, can still learn from these seasoned industry experts! Just visit glbe.co/GSummit to register and get your ticket. Watch the videos on demand until October 18, 2021.
Enjoyed the tracks discussed at G Summit? Get invited to more Globe Business events and masterclasses by signing up to the Globe Business Upstart loyalty program here. The learning never stops, and neither does the success with Globe Business as your trusted partner.
It’s the new year! As we continue with the new normal, we know how hard you and the team have been preparing to make this year one of growth for the business. We’re sure you already have your Business Continuity Plan in place and have looked into resources such as the Diskarte Kit for a solid foundation.
As always, we’re here to help you take your business one step further. We’ve distilled for you the Philippines’ latest business trends and concrete steps you can mobilize your team to help you win this 2021.
Even with several vaccines appearing and the vaccination process beginning, scheduling, procurement, and distribution are still in the works. Make sure that your workforce plans until at least the first half of the year are in place and ready to be implemented.
Keep employees connected and productive while keeping your valuable business data secure when you get them a Globe MyBusiness ThePLAN. Aside from free gadgets, GCash credits, and mobile data for remote and in-transit work, you can invest in Mobile Device Management systems like Samsung Knox for easy monitoring and security.
Automating processes is the key to opening doors that may be kept closed due to the pandemic protocols’ uncertainty. As mentioned in this article, you have to keep your business flexible. This includes minimal human intervention for some parts of your supply chain, so the business runs smoothly. Online forms, digital processing, and APIs are a few examples. With the onset of technological innovations, you have your pick of which ones can easily be integrated into your company systems and be used by your teams. And the best benefit? More savings in the long run from labor and minimized business disruption.
Automated processes will need reliable and strong internet connectivity with trusted business support. Your first step should be looking into upgrading your network infrastructure. Beyond broadband, explore the benefits of having a Direct Internet connection for uninterrupted operations with up to 99% reliability. Already have a leased line? Maybe it’s time to get a backup for your growing operations!
Consumers have discovered new and local brands that can cater to their needs since the government imposed lockdowns. We’ve learned to seek goods and services within our communities and have become comfortable interacting with small businesses near us. According to this McKinsey study, due to the unstable availability of some products and services, brand loyalty has gone to an all-time low. With about 80% of consumers now willing to try and switch to alternate brands, it’s an opportunity to capture the market in your immediate areas. Keep in mind that consumers still encounter financial difficulties and respond better to smaller serving sizes and value pack versions of your goods.
Firmly establish your business’ position in your area and immediate market by launching a loyalty program for frequent customers. Use high-impact SMS marketing highlighting special promos using M360.
By now, you know that consumers, and even employees, look for brands that recognize, relate to, and understand what they need. Beyond proper engagement and sensitive messaging, you can set your business apart from your competitors by making sure that whatever information customers provide is safely stored and ethically processed.
Make sure that customer and business data are secure with robust cybersecurity that suits your company.
Companies consider data as one of their most significant assets today. By knowing trends, profits, losses, performances, and consumer behavior through reviewing your data and the available information around you, you can set benchmarks and navigate your business to better heights. That’s why securing your data from hackers, disruptions, and corruption is vital in this era, especially with the shift to remote working.
Look into cloud storage such as Google Workspace. It offers data security with enhanced Google applications. Your business can have continuous data collection and analysis to know what you, your employees, and your customers need without the fear of losing them.
Globe myBusiness is here to stand by you and guide you with the latest innovations and developments in Philippine industries. We can help you plot out your tech and business roadmap for 2021 and beyond. Sign up for a digital consultation with us now.
As the saying goes, every ending is also a new beginning. A new year is on the horizon. For entrepreneurs, it means welcoming new opportunities to drive success and growth.
While welcoming the New Year is a festive tradition cherished all over the world, it can be a stressful time for entrepreneurs. This may be a jam-packed time for business, but you can still take the time to review, reflect, and gear up for the next 12 months.
Here are some ways to ready your business for the coming year.
Take time to reflect
Use the opportunity to reflect on how your business ran for the past 12 months. Learn from your experience. Evaluate and analyze the strong and weak points of your business. Take note of feedback from your peers, your team, and your customers.
Did your business meet sales goals? Were your marketing plans and promos effective? Did you generate more income? Reflecting can help your business set new goals and create new game plans for the new year.
Close your books properly
The end of the year means you will soon file your annual income tax, but before you can do that, you have to close your books properly first.
To wipe your slate clean this year, you should invoice all unbilled orders, pay all your dues, and record all your income and expenses. Make sure to update all your fixed assets if you’ve purchased new equipment or property, as well as record your inventory.
Create stronger relationships
Creating a strong relationship between your business and your local community is far more valuable than anything. A personalized connection with your customers can go a long way in growing your business.
You can establish this link by adding an advocacy to your business, like hosting a charity event in your community or donating the proceeds earned from your promo to a foundation. Not only can you do this during the holidays, but also for the rest of the year.
Aside from your customers, you can also make time for your team. Give your employees a pat on the back. Celebrating the holidays with them to strengthen the bond. Motivate them by giving incentives and bonuses.
Treat yourself
Managing your business can be tiring and grueling. Like your customers, you too deserve time for self-care. Treat yourself to a weekend trip outside town, or a massage at your favorite spa. Take time to unwind and exercise. With a relaxed mind and stronger body, you can lead your business towards success in the new year.
Create a game plan
The success and growth of your business depends on how you will game out your strategy for the new year. As mentioned above, taking time to reflect can help you write your new business plan. Take note of your successes and mistakes and learn how you can progress from it.
For more business tips, sign up to Globe myBusiness Academy today for free!
Every Christmas season brings with it a set of holiday traditions. Whether it’s Media Noche with the family, reunions with old friends, or holiday practices that come at every end of the year, there’s always something for you to look forward to as December comes to a close.
For business owners, there are other traditions that come with being a negosyante. Discover how a first-time milk tea brand reinvented their Christmas traditions with the addition of a new business venture.
Refresher Course is a quaint milk tea shop in Biñan, Laguna founded by Janyn Reyes, Kriselda Espinola, and Joyce Ellice Ramos. It was founded in September of 2018, so this is the first Christmas its founders are spending as entrepreneurs.
Alongside the usual things they do with their families and friends during the holidays, the addition of a business has given Janyn, Krisel and Joyce more things to do as well as more things to celebrate.
In fact, right from the beginning of their business journey, there were many new things to enjoy and overcome.
“Starting up, we faced a lot of challenges,” says Krisel. “Sales everyday, setting up [the shop], hiring and training. It all took time.”
Having started as college friends, the three co-founders had to learn to balance their friendship with their professional lives.
“We started out as college friends, and our big learning was to balance fun and professionalism,” Krisel says. “We [had to learn] to separate our friendship from business.”
“Another big thing we learned is compromise,” Janyn adds. “We learned to compromise not just with each other, but with everyone and everything else. We learned to accept things that we can not change.”
As they overcame each of their challenges and got better through thick and thin, things became more stable and enjoyable for these co-founders. But a new season rolled in, bringing with it a new set of habits for each business owner to form.
If there’s one thing they all agree on, it’s that there are more people to take care of now besides their usual peers. As Janyn says, “Back then we only had to think about our family and friends during the holidays; but now we [have a commitment] to our customers, too.”
To answer this commitment, they set up some holiday-centric programs meant to increase their customers’ satisfaction and make the experience offered at Refresher Course even better than usual.
They created a Christmas drink as a “gift” to their customers, who had been asking for the flavor for a while now. This special drink is available during the season, spurring customers to try it out, but it’s also a good testing ground for the entrepreneurs, who can continue the drink if it does well.
They also put up a holiday raffle and, despite being a small and very new business, have found a way to give back to their customers that isn’t too expensive and still shows they care. With every purchase of their Christmas drink, customers get a ticket to the raffle and can win prizes like early Christmas gifts.
This is above and beyond their regular loyalty card promo, which is available year-round and lets customers have a free milk tea after purchasing a certain number of drinks.
In addition to all that, as Janyn says, “We try to make our customers feel as Christmas-y as possible. On Christmas Day and Christmas Eve, we’ll be giving drinks and candies to the carolers of our small community.”
When asked about how their Christmas is different now that they have a business, the three owners have similar answers.
“Janyn and I plan to stay here at the shop on the 25th,” Joyce says, “so we’ll really be spending Christmas here.”
Krisel also told her parents that rather than going home to her province early in the season, she would have to spend much of her time at the shop now that she owns a business.
These new responsibilities are ones that each co-founder is happy to take on, since it means they’re supporting their business and each other as well.
“It gets a little hectic,” Janyn admits. “You have responsibilities to your family [and] to your work, but you can’t forget your business and your plans for it.”
“Before, we used to just think of what to give to family members as Christmas gifts,” Krisel says. “Now we have meetings to discuss plans, logistics […] and we have a lot of plans for the future.”
“There are so many more things we need to think about now, unlike back when Christmas was just about good times,” Janyn says. “We have to think about the hours of our employees, salaries, the market growth during the holidays … that’s how the whole month of December has changed for us.”
Christmas has always been a special time of year for these three, but having a business makes it both more challenging and more exciting for them. From putting up a Christmas promo and special drink to staying at the shop during Christmas Day, these are all things they haven’t done before.
But each challenge is taken with confidence and each new prospect is awaited with excitement. After all, Christmas is a great time to try new things and make new memories. So a few new traditions are right up their alley.
For more success stories and business tips, sign up to Globe myBusiness Academy today.
Christmas—a season for loving and giving—is a perfect time for you to express your gratitude to your customers. It’s a time to give back, and let action speak louder than words. Your business can show love and appreciation that hits closer to home.
Do something new that comes a long way in helping you build trust and loyalty. Sweet treats, special freebies, and holiday rewards—more than just little gifts, these forms of appreciation and gratitude can help your business greatly enhance customer experience.
To spread love towards your customers this Christmas, here are some ideas that you can use to create holiday rewards.
To sweeten up the cheery season, your business can offer sweet treats as Christmas rewards like candies, chocolates, and pops to your customers for the purchases they make.
Likewise, you can also offer personalized tokens and limited edition merchandise like pens, mugs, planners, shirts, and stuffed toys, among others, as freebies to your loyal customers.
Spice things up a bit with some fun and games where your customers can play to win rewards. You can create raffles, online quizzes, and mini-games for your customers to earn points and win special prizes.
You can thank your followers on social media by offering them exclusive promotions that they can avail on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
For example, you can allow your customers to earn special rewards by following and sharing the social media accounts of your business.
This way, not only do your customers enjoy rewards, but your business’ social media platforms also benefits from the gimmick.
Give your customers a shout out by featuring them on your social media platforms.
What you can do is take group photos of your customers, and then share them on your Facebook page or Twitter account to thank them for choosing your business.
Through this feature, your business can make your customers feel valued and appreciated.
Allow your customers to earn and accumulate points that give them access to exclusive promotions like discount coupons, free merchandise, and other incentives.
Your business can effectively do this with the RUSH Loyalty App, which allows entrepreneurs to grant customers points and rewards through mobile phones.
By creating a loyalty program through RUSH, your business can provide more value and impact to your customers, which allows you to create long-lasting relationships with customers.
As the saying goes, actions speak louder than words. With a rewards system made for your loyal customers, your business can enjoy a successful Christmas season.
For more business tips and event invites, sign up now to Globe myBusiness Academy for free.
While Christmas is a season filled with festivities for everybody, it may be a different story for entrepreneurs.
There’s no doubt that it’s a busy season. Businesses go full steam ahead. Most entrepreneurs work long hours amidst the shopping rush, sacrificing time they could have spent with their families, friends, and loved ones.
However, the balance between your professional and personal lives does not have to suffer. Like everyone else, entrepreneurs like you also deserve some time off.
To help you enjoy the holidays, here are some tips on achieving work-life balance during the busiest time of the year.
Socializing runs deep among Filipinos during Christmas, you will most likely receive invitations to parties, reunions, fiestas, and get-togethers. While you may want to attend every single event, you still have a business to manage. In this situation, it’s important to have technology and time management skills on your side.
To manage all that, you can start by syncing your Facebook Events with Google Calendar. This way, you can monitor your Facebook friends’ invitations as well as your work schedule on the Calendar app. Here’s how you can do it:
Once done, you can now see your Facebook events on your Google Calendar. To add your Facebook friends’ birthdays, you can use the same process, just right-click on “Birthdays.”
Christmas is one of the best times for Filipinos to spend more time with their families and friends. Employees are allowed by their companies to take some time off, while children get to take a vacation as schools are closed.
Entrepreneurs, however, have a different working schedule compared to employees and students. While they are their own bosses, entrepreneurs still have to work to serve a huge population: busy shoppers.
But with the help of management apps like Microsoft OneNote and Trello, you are able to plan projects for your business and execute them ahead of deadlines. This way, you can leave work early and make more time for people who matter.
Not only is Christmas the season of giving, but also the season of leisure. It’s a time when you get to travel to amazing places with your family and friends.
However, managing a business at this time of year makes it harder for you to plan for your travels. This is why your mobile device can help you manage your trips on days when you can take a break from work.
Using various travel apps like Trivago, Airbnb, and Traveloka, your mobile device allows you to plan your itinerary and accommodation easily.
While you’re out of town, sometimes you have to tend to urgent matters to your business. But technology has given a wonderful gift—instant communication anytime and anywhere.
With your mobile device equipped with chat apps, you are able to stay up-to-date with the latest on your business at any time of the day.
In a busy time like Christmas, entrepreneurs may find their plates full. Shoppers are everywhere, and business owners are on a daily grind to take advantage of all the holiday opportunities they can grasp.
But, as mentioned above, entrepreneurs are their own bosses. They are in charge of running their business and managing their schedules, but convenience and portability is essential.
That is why mobile devices like tablets can give you the power to work remotely—at the comfort of your own home, at a coffee shop, at a restaurant, or any place of your choosing.
Using a tablet, you are able to save money, balance your work and personal life, as well as celebrate this festive season with your loved ones.
Time is not a luxury everyone gets to enjoy, but with a strategic mindset, you can surely enjoy the jolly and cheery Christmas season.
For more business tips, sign up to Globe myBusiness Academy today for free.
As a negosyante, running a business with maximum efficiency means making the most of the tools available to you. Digital tools can now help you manage every aspect of your business, and it’s time for you to embrace the transformation.
Embracing digitization means not only getting the device you need, but also getting the productivity tools that can help you manage your business.
Here’s how you can create value for money using mobile devices like phones and tablets equipped with fast Internet connection and essential productivity apps.
Facebook and Instagram are not just platforms to connect with people across the world. With a mindset of an entrepreneur, you can turn these social media platforms into your marketplace where opportunities are limitless.
For example, you can turn your Instagram profile into your personal apparel business. You can take and publish stunning photos of clothes and sell them on the platform. Strike deals with interested buyers via direct message and it’s up to you whether you’ll deliver the products by yourself or through a delivery service.
Likewise, you can also sell books, gadgets, food, and other products on Facebook through the app’s “marketplace” section. If you want to sell products in a specific category, you can join Facebook groups that are specific to a market niche.
Selling through other online marketplaces are also good alternatives such as Lazada, Shopee, Carousell, BeautyMNL or Zalora.
Technology allows every business owner to use mobile devices to manage their businesses virtually anywhere. Using Google’s Google Workspace (previously known as G Suite), your team can run your business in an office, a coffee shop, or at home.
With the Google Workspace (previously known as G Suite), you can write and edit your business plans and contracts, as well as manage your inventory and ledgers on any device. You can also store your important files on Google Drive. With the Drive, you can access and share your files to any account as well as save space on your devices.
With free chat tools like Facebook Messenger, Google Hangouts, WhatsApp, Viber, WeChat or Telegram, your business can create its own free hotline where customers can communicate with your business.
Allow your customers to instantly send inquiries, requests, and feedback to your business. Make sure that you can promptly respond to their messages.
Likewise, you can also use these chat apps to collaborate with your team virtually anywhere, such as Slack or Google Hangouts. If your business runs more than one branch, you can create chat groups where your employees and managers from different locations provide updates on business operations.
Convenience and portability are important when doing business today. This is why tablet devices have become powerful business tools for on-the-go negosyante.
Add a bluetooth keyboard or stylus to your tablet device and you’ll get a personal computer that you can easily tuck in your backpack or handbag. Complement it with a 4G LTE Sim card and you can use your tablet device to call your clients.
With all these work tools on a mobile device with Internet, you have the power to boost your business’ productivity and at the same time create value for money.
For more business tips and event invites, sign up now to Globe myBusiness Academy for free!
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The Christmas season brings out the rush in holiday shoppers. Malls are crowded, bazaars are packed, and online shops are swarmed. Everyone is buying gifts in this time of giving.
For an entrepreneur, it’s also an opportunity to give back to your customers. You can create holiday cheer through your products and services by offering special discounts, promos, and loyalty rewards. In addition, you can use this opportunity to grow your business in this festive and prosperous season.
Here’s a rundown on why it’s important for your business to create a Christmas promo.
During the holiday season, more customers go out with their families, friends, and loved ones. Notably, this is when private companies as well as government offices usually allow them to take a vacation.
This is apparent in the surge of customer activity at malls, holiday bazaars, resorts, and other leisure spots that are usually reported in the news.
With this in mind, business owners can expect more demand for products and services in major public squares where business activity is high.
Business owners can expect shoppers to have more money to spend during the holidays. After all, this is the season when consumers receive their much-awaited 13th month pay as well as holiday bonuses.
However, shoppers are not so eager to spend it all hastily. They still prefer great deals and offers to make the most of their cash. Some flock to brick and mortar stores while others surf the web for affordable gifts.
Department stores, apparel outlets, and toy shops usually offer discounts ranging from 25% to 50% as well as “buy one-take one” promos on their select products.
Some major brands offer special Christmas rewards to loyal customers who consistently purchase their products throughout the season.
One good example is how food and beverage stores would offer exclusive rewards such as planners, gift cards, and other essentials to loyal customers as a way to make them feel special this Christmas.
If your business can offer a hot holiday reward, you can expect customers to spend generously on your goods and services.
During the holiday season, business owners usually create a clearance sale to clear their shelves of surplus that they were not able to sell before.
For example, some department stores offer clearance sales at reduced prices ranging from 60% to 90% worth of discount. This is because they want to replenish their inventory with new stock.
With a fresh inventory, your business is able to start offering new products once the new year arrives.
With more customers, more demand, and more purchasing power, your business is not the only one wooing holiday shoppers.
Offline and online, businesses are offering their own special discounts, offers, and rewards to attract more customers. At malls, online shops, and bazaars, the market is competitive—almost every shop has their own Christmas promo.
Get ahead of your competition. Study your market. Be on the lookout for activities of competitors, and analyze how you can rise above it. With this, you can create a promo that can attract shoppers and grow your business.
For more business tips and event invites this holiday season, sign up to Globe myBusiness Academy today for free.
The “ber” months mark the beginning of the holiday season in the Philippines. A shopping rush is coming, so it’s time for entrepreneurs to plan and gear up.
Holiday preparations in the country are like no other. As early as September, shoppers are already placing orders to organize grand celebrations like lavish street parties, religious feasts, and gift-givings.
As shoppers are preparing to hit stores across the country, business owners should also make preparations for the “ber” months, the most lucrative time of the year.
Turn the Christmas season into a prosperous one with these holiday business tips:
Identify the goals you want your business to achieve for the holidays. Write them all down. Make sure they are specific, realistic and measurable. Explain how you will be able to achieve them within a period of time.
Exceeding a sales target, engaging more customers, and expanding your reach on social media are examples of business goals that you can set.
Holidays are the seasons of giving. You can attract shoppers by providing creative guides and catalogs that feature your products and services.
Customers love getting more than what they pay for. Create good package deals, holiday coupons, special discounts, and exciting rewards to increase your sales.
Give out free merchandise such as pens, mugs and t-shirts bearing your company’s logo to frequent customers. Placing digital vouchers is another great and affordable way of giving out discounts and freebies. This doesn’t just stimulate sales, it can also establish loyalty among customers, and additionally work as marketing materials for your brand.
The Internet provides a great platform for entrepreneurs to showcase their products, promotions and holiday offers online.
Engage shoppers during the “ber” months by creating a campaign and setting a theme when you promote your products online.
Set a festive mood by adding a little flair to your website and social media profiles. Entice your customers with multimedia content such as holiday-themed photos, videos, and graphics. Emotional content touches the hearts of Filipinos during the holidays — this can be a good way to connect with your customers on a deeper level. It’s about putting out content that will help your consumers relate with your brand.
During the “ber” months, having more shoppers means meeting a higher demand. Make sure that your inventory is fully stocked for the holidays.
Order more stock if demand exceeds your inventory, but don’t buy too much. Prioritize products that are in high demand.
Use digital tools to seamlessly keep track of your business’ sales, revenue, and expenses.
The holiday rush means businesses have to operate longer hours to accommodate more shoppers.
To be ready for the “ber” months, prepare your company’s holiday schedule as early as you can to ensure a smooth and organized business operation.
Meet your employees and plan the schedules and shifts to be implemented. Ask your employees if they will be working overtime, or if they will be taking some time off for a vacation.
With a determined mindset and efficient management, your business will surely be ready for the holidays.
For more holiday tips and tricks, sign up to Globe myBusiness Academy today!
Looking for expert business advice? Check out these key quotes from Spark Fest 2018’s renowned speakers, who inspired business owners from all over the country during its two-day run at The Globe Tower.
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