11 Ways to Boost Employee Morale and Productivity During the Cold Days of Winter
Encourage them to get as much light as possible, from either the sun or an appropriate therapy lamp.
11 Tips for Hiring a Part-Time Employee to Help With Your Business’s Finances
Provide incentives for the part-time employee to optimize your finances.
Nine Ways Entrepreneurs Predict The Workforce Will Change In 2021
Prepare an answer that is honest and presentable during an emergency.
How To Grow Your Marketing Agency
Growing a marketing agency requires careful planning while also keeping an eye on current trends.
10 Surefire Ways to Find Qualified Job Candidates
Candidates want to make a good first impression, and you should do the same.
16 COMMON MISTAKES COMPANIES MAKE WITH THEIR BLOGS
Many blogs fail to optimize for SEO or create succinct and catchy titles.
12 Ways Service-Based Businesses Can Take Advantage of the Holiday Season
This is different from product-based businesses because you are selling an intangible benefit.
Nine Risks Entrepreneurs Should Be Aware Of When Starting Their First Business
Take risks when your business needs it, but don't go bankrupt for that.
6 ESSENTIAL STEPS TO AN EFFECTIVE ADVERTISING PITCH
Give them a reason to pay attention to you and hear you out.
Job Hunting? Make Sure Your Resume Has These Essential Elements
A resume must have clean, concise writing as well as proper grammar and spelling.
Nine Risks Entrepreneurs Should Be Aware Of When Starting Their First Business
You need to cover your bases and prepare for running a loss.
Top Five E-Commerce Conversion Optimization Tricks
With conversions, you have ample potential to reach relatively large audiences.
16 Common Mistakes Companies Make With Their Blogs
Many blogs fail to optimize for SEO or create succinct and catchy titles.
10 PRACTICAL AD STRATEGIES FOR DRIVING CONSUMER ACTION
No one likes to feel excluded, and you can convince someone that they want to use your product.
11 PIECES OF CLASSIC MARKETING ADVICE THAT STILL HOLD TRUE TODAY
The "unique selling proposition" as a concept is virtually timeless.
8 CONSIDERATIONS TO MAKE WHEN USING INFLUENCERS TO MARKET TO A YOUNGER DEMOGRAPHIC
Stay on top of changing values and current events.
Nine Essential Tools for Documenting Internal Business Processes
Harvest gives you the option of using a timer or manually tracking your time and organizing it.
Dealing With Employee Feedback: 13 Steps to Take
Employees are afraid of speaking up because they want to keep their heads down.
7 TIPS FOR CREATING EVERGREEN VIDEO ADVERTISING CONTENT
Every script, prop and special effect needs to tie into your branding.
E-Commerce SEO And How It Can Skyrocket Your Brand
In some cases, you can even host an online store on the website, using a business account.
12 BIG TECH TRENDS ENTREPRENEURS ARE EXCITED ABOUT
Data science is going to become essential for content marketers and SEO specialists.
Eight Tips For Appearing More Trustworthy During A Pitch
Sometimes the other party may respond negatively, and you have to prepare for that.
11 Unique Strategies for Reaching Out to Gen Z Audiences
These children are becoming adults too fast and feel invalidated by how the world sees them.
13 Key Factors for Ensuring a New Hire’s Success in the First Three Months
Set them up with a small assignment and ask them to complete it by a certain date.
8 COMMON (BUT FIXABLE) MISTAKES IN CORPORATE SOCIAL AD STRATEGIES
One common problem is that the strategies don't factor for negative comments on social media.
6 TIPS TO INCREASE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF PEER MARKETING
No one wants to feel like they're just another buyer in your plan to increase revenue.
12 Nontraditional Marketing Channels That Are Surprisingly Effective
If your demographic features younger people, then consider experimenting with posts on Pillowfort.
15 Ways to Get Return Website Visitors to Read Your Blog
People are visiting blogs to learn about a particular topic, and you can deliver that to them.
The Part Builder Functionality: A Customized Shopping Experience For Customers
Part builder functionalities are a specialized aspect of the personalized shopping experience.
Want To Attract (And Keep) The Right Clients? Try These 10 Strategies
Craft personalized messages based on your ideal client's demographic, desires and location.
15 Productivity Tips to Help Small Business Entrepreneurs Succeed
Account for everyone’s time. Create a timesheet on a website.
14 GUIDELINES FOR ADAPTING TO THE ABRUPTLY CHANGING MARKETING INDUSTRY
Social messaging apps will grow as advertising spread dips due to the lack of demand.
8 GAME-CHANGING APPROACHES FOR SOLVING A MARKETING PLATEAU
There are always areas to improve, and to save on time and money.
10 Smart Ways Businesses Can Keep Up With Ever-Changing Social Media Functions
Social media may change, but the human desire for the community doesn't.
8 EMERGING E-COMMERCE TRENDS MARKETING EXPERTS ARE EXCITED ABOUT
Companies that can spot these trends before they hit the mainstream can capitalize on their new kno
How Busy Entrepreneurs Can Make Time for Vacation: 11 Expert Tips
Set boundaries during a designated summer vacation and define the dates you are out.
How To Create And Build An Apparel Brand
Going a notch below — as a respectable online store that reaches a wider market — may prove safer.
Feeling Unfulfilled? Try These 7 Things to Find Better Purpose
It's very easy to set goals, but much harder to accomplish them.
7 STRATEGIES FOR OFFERING FREE PRODUCTS OR SERVICES (WITHOUT ‘BUYING’ LOYALTY)
The right way is to ensure that your customers are receiving value and a reward for buying from you.
16 Things You Should Never Say When You’re Negotiating
When you surrender etiquette, you show that you don’t respect the other negotiator.
Conversion Rate Optimization Tips For E-Commerce Platforms
A conversion has to make the customer user experience more enjoyable on a site.
Want A More Productive, Focused Team? Encourage These 10 Habits
If someone is doing the work of two people, divide it among them and their co-workers.
Eight Ways Companies Can Better Safeguard Their Customers Against IoT Risks
This reduces the burden on human operators to detect these hackers.
Want to Improve Your Workplace? 16 Productive Questions to Ask Yourself
You need to constantly assess, especially in times of uncertainty.
11 Creative (And Effective) Ways To Inform Consumers About Your Latest Offerings
Create educational video blogs. Either do them with your employees or outsource.
16 Habits That Help Top Recruiters Succeed in Their Work
You need to stay on top of all your meetings, phone calls, and appointments.
6 Ways to Stop Feeling Like a Fraud at Work
Impostor syndrome does not go away, Optimum7 co-founder and COO Duran Inci agrees
How To Set Up An E-Commerce Warehouse For A Large Operation
E-commerce businesses cannot get away with the same behavior because they are not oligopolies.
HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT PLATFORM FOR YOUR E-COMMERCE MIGRATION
A sensible owner won’t stick with a platform that a credit card vendor will be forced to refuse.
15 Ways Leaders Can Encourage Employees to Take Initiative
Praise employees who are proactive, and ask about their studies.
6 Ways to Stop Feeling Like a Fraud at Work
"You could make a hundred million dollars a year and feel like a fraud."
15 Incentives That Will Bring Top Candidates to Your Pipeline
When people come to a new company, they ideally want to learn new skills and grow into the role.
Top E-Commerce Marketing Tips In A Down Economy
We list several tips below as we prepare for a potential downturn.
HOW TO PREPARE YOUR BUSINESS FOR A POTENTIAL ECONOMIC DOWNTURN
As a general rule of thumb, the most recession-resilient industries produce necessary items.
15 Ways to Retain Core Employees as You Scale Up
They will stay if they see long-term benefits. Office culture is key.
13 Ways to Make Your New Hires Feel Welcome
It means a lot to a new hire when they see a desk, computer and other equipment assigned to them.
14 Ways to Get More Eyes on Your Job Postings
This allows you to address concerns... and make your company appealing to potential applicants.
Why it could be time to consider an e-commerce migration
You don't always need to migrate, but I recommend checking on technology upgrades
Competing Against Amazon? Here Are 5 Things Every ECommerce Company Should Know
While Amazon seems to be everywhere, not all countries or regions have reasonable versions of it.
E-Commerce Search And Filter: The Functionality That Can Make Millions
Reviews are one of the most important ways by which a consumer can filter.
ADA COMPLIANCE TIPS FOR E-COMMERCE BUSINESSES
ADA compliance isn't always straightforward, but it is possible.
Hire a Local or Go Remote? 11 Key Factors to Consider
Any employee, remote or local, needs to know how to manage their time and their priorities.
15 Non-Intrusive Ways Employees Can Help With Branding
If you want employees to participate in company branding, create extrinsic reasons for them to do so
5 TIPS FOR PRESENTING AN EFFECTIVE E-COMMERCE KEYNOTE
Being a keynote speaker is a huge honor, but the expectations can put a lot of pressure on you.
B2B eCommerce: Here’s What Every B2B Company Needs to Know
Provide the same ability for buyers to learn about brands.
How Your eCommerce Business Can Get More From Faceted Search
SEO, or search engine optimization, is essential to surviving on the internet frontier.
6 Books That Top Tech Execs Recommend Reading Now
For Inci, The Alter Ego Effect offers leaders a straightforward method to change their personas.
Duran discusses Mass Email Marketing and GDPR
If you can’t trust the internet with your data, what can you trust? That is the question that many p
Duran discusses Best Direct Mail Strategies for Lead Generation
Direct mail has greatly progressed beyond its humble origins. Thankfully, we no longer have to rely
Duran discusses Top Lead Generation Strategies And Tools For Small Business
When you start a business, you want to make sure that it can stay in the black. Earning enough reven
Duran discusses Top Business Opportunities In 2020
2020 is not too far away. In a world that keeps shifting, in terms of both tectonic plates and socie
Duran provides a Guide to Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) in E-commerce
In e-commerce, we have a new frontier with reasonable regulations and lots of potential avenues for
Duran Explains How To Maximize Email Deliverability
In the long term, you want to build your online reputation. That means creating and delivering....
Duran Discusses 12 ways small businesses can protect their data this storm season
Use surge protectors. Never let your machines get fried, Shut them down if you do leave....
Duran Discusses Unnecessary Work: 12 Things Your Resume Doesn’t Need
Too Much Focus on Design - Focus on proving your expertise by listing your skills and achievements..
Duran Discusses 7 Ways to Build a Loyal Customer Following
"If you want to foster brand loyalty, you must continuously provide valuable resources..."
5 WAYS TO MAKE YOUR WEBSITE MORE ADA COMPLIANT
Duran outlines the most important accessibility elements steps you can take right now...
"Duran Discusses the Advantages of Instagram Stories..."
"Instagram Stories give potential clients a far better idea of what they can expect..."
Duran Inci Discusses Effective Methods For Staying Productive While Working Remotely
Certain tools allow you to work closely with your team & know exactly what everyone is working on...
Duran Discusses How To Make a Great Impression in Your First Month
"I’m impressed with new employees when they study our processes and protocols, but don't..."
Duran Inci Discusses Communication and Culture Tips for Growing Your Company
“An anonymous employee survey allows people to speak their mind freely..."
Duran Inci's Take on Instagram Stories - 11 Tips
"Showcase Your Culture Via Instagram Stories in order to..."
These 12 Employee Perks Can Keep Morale High and Improve Retention
“Fixed work hours can feel like a corporate prison."
Duran Inci on 10 Effective Methods For Staying Productive While Working Remotely
"Tools allow you to work closely with your team when working remotely..."
Duran Inci Contributes to the 13 Tried-and-True Creative Tactics by Interview Candidates
"She used research on our company and competitor analysis and showed off her unique skills..."
Duran Inci Uses Relatable Analogies to Discuss Business
In my industry, we talk about SEO, PPC and many other processes that clients or audiences know
Duran Inci Offers YEC Members Preferred Pricing
Duran Inci is launching a Mailgun email client and is looking for users who want access to the beta
9 Communication and Culture Tips for Growing Your Company
“An anonymous employee survey gives you insight into the general atmosphere in your company.
14 Aspects of Entrepreneurship to Consider Before Taking the Plunge
You need to be willing to persist, even though it might take a long time before you start seeing...
16 Ways to Take Advantage of What Instagram Has to Offer
Don’t copy the style and type of content used by other advertisers and influencers. Millennials and
13 cutting-edge tech trends industry insiders intend to leverage (and how you can, too)
We intend on leveraging the advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML)...
11 Confidence-Boosting Strategies to Try Today
Feeling confident isn’t natural for everyone. In fact, if you’re shy or worried about how you might
Nine Better Ways to Communicate Your Commitment to Data Privacy
What's one way companies can communicate their commitment to data protection to their customers?
14 Cost-Effective Ways to Engage Facebook Followers
One of the best ways to build your audience and increase engagement on Facebook is to partner wit...
15 Soft Skills to Look for When Hiring New Employees
The ability to communicate effectively with both teammates and clients is extremely important. As...
Choosing The Enterprise E-Commerce System That's Best For You
There are hundreds of e-commerce systems to choose from. However, that list quickly weakens if yo...
How to Balance a Side Hustle with other Commitments – Including a Full Time Job
The best way to manage a side business is to create processes and set the right expectations for...
Forget 'Innovative.' Try These 6 Words to Describe Your Business
One of the biggest issues with growing a company and achieving success is scalability.
Identifying What to Watch: 14 Key Performance Indicators That Matter
Regardless of the type of business, cost per acquisition is the most important key performance...
11 Ways to Build an Email List That Actually Yields ROI
Wheelio is an interactive exit-intent pop up that allows users to spin the wheel for a chance to...
11 Expert Tips on How to Successfully Grow and Scale Your Business
Make sure that your technology has the capability to scale with your business.
11 Social Media Trends You Can Leverage for Business Success in 2018
With Facebook Marketplace, Instagram’s Shop Now button, Pinterest’s Buyable Pins and tools like...
12 Tips About Managing Client Expectations You Can’t Afford to Miss
Send your client a highly detailed list of deliverables that contain realistic deadlines for each...
13 Budget-Friendly Ways to Encourage Team Bonding
You don’t need to go out to a restaurant or bar for happy hour; you can have happy hour right in...
12 Basic Tech Skills You Need to Master to Run a Business
You don’t need to be a Google Analytics expert. However, having basic knowledge of the platform...
15 Free Tools to Learn the Basics of Coding
Mimo is a free mobile app that allows you to learn to code on the go...
13 Effective PR Exposure Strategies That Won’t Break the Bank
Utilizing social influencers and bloggers can be a cost-effective PR solution. Influencers can be...
Want to sell on Amazon? 15 strategies for success
Take advantage of Amazon’s new marketing tool, Amazon Marketing Services (AMS). AMS is a powerful...
13 Effective Ways to Build a Consistent Social Media Presence
There are many social tools that allow you to automate posts. However, a lot of them require...
13 Useful Retirement Planning Tips for Entrepreneurs
Put 10 percent of your annual income into the top performing technology stocks.The compound...
10 Books to Add to the Top of Your List for 2018
Ever since I read “What is Life,” by Erwin Schrodinger, I have been intrigued and impressed with...
How luxury brands can close the experience gap online
Establish a sense of exclusivity in your e-commerce store. As a luxury brand, your audience is...
How Can You Make Sure Your Business Idea Is Worth Pursuing?
Everyone knows the phrase, “don’t knock it till you try it.” If you are like me and are surrounde...
9 AI Applications That Will Streamline Your Business
Chatbots will start to play a huge role in your business development strategy. Adding a...
12 Ways to Successfully Market to Gen Z by Leveraging Social Media
Generation Z will judge your brand based on appearance. What does this mean? Gen Z members will...
10 Creative Ways to Use Content Marketing to Grow Your Small Business
We provide custom programming that can be integrated on any e-commerce platform. Even though our...
Four E-Commerce Tactics To Increase This Year's Holiday Sales
When you’re managing an e-commerce operation, now is the time to start preparing for the holiday...
8 apps to help you track customer reviews
BirdEye is a reputation-management platform that allows you to stay on top of what your customers...
When Seeking Corporate Sponsorships, Don't Forget These 11 Tips
When negotiating sponsorships, it is very important to make sure that your sponsor receives equal...
15 Tips for First-Time Management Success
Never ask something of your team that you are not willing to do or cannot do yourself. Getting...
11 Ways to Reduce Churn Rates by Keeping Customer Card Data Up to Date
Have a basic script set up that automatically detects what cards are about to expire and sends...
13 Low-Cost Ways for Small Businesses to Increase Digital Brand Value
Having well-designed and statistically driven case studies on your website is a low-cost solution...
The Modern Newspaper: 14 Mobile News Apps for Today's Entrepreneur
Just like other news apps, Squid allows me to filter by the topics I'm interested in...
Finding Quality Hires: 15 Traits to Look for When Weighing Candidates
When entering a new position or work environment, it can take time adjusting to new procedures...
12 Ways to Successfully Market to Gen Z by Leveraging Social Media
Generation Z will judge your brand based on appearance. What does this mean? Gen Z members will...
6 Strategies to Defuse Office Conflicts Before They Get Out of Hand
Happy hour -- it works! Creating a casual event where my team can have a few drinks has helped us...
15 Onboarding Processes the Experts Can’t Imagine Going Without
It is extremely important that our new employees undergo a thorough one-on-one orientation that...
14 Innovative Companies That Are Revolutionizing Their Industries
Every business owner dreams of coming up with that one game-changing idea that can turn their...
15 Useful Management Tips for New C-Level Executives
As a C-level executive, you’ve been tasked with looking at the bigger picture of your entire...
The Personal Approach May Be All You Need to Keep Customers Happy and Coming Back
My clients pay thousands of dollars for a service, and since our service is highly consultative...
9 Topics Your Company Shouldn’t Touch on Snapchat
Nothing will separate you from an audience quicker than a political post, no matter how neutral...
Which industry will artificial intelligence disrupt next?
There are plenty of articles that push the boundaries of the technological advancement of human...
9 Systems That Can Help Improve Communications With Remote Staff
We use Teamwork for client communication and project management. This allows me to oversee the...
13 Tech Innovations to Watch
Replacing cash and credit cards, PayPal and other e-payment platforms with facial recognition...
Favorite Business-Related Podcasts Startup Founders Recommend
I encourage all of my employees to learn as much as they can about the digital marketing industry...
10 Facebook Live/Webinar Faux Pas
Professionals who use Facebook Live for promotional and educational purposes have to stop playing...
11 Efficient Twitter Tactics for Busy Entrepreneurs
The best strategy right now is influencer marketing.
9 Online Meeting Tools to Keep Your Remote Team Connected
After trying various online meeting software, I have found that UberConference does the job witho...
At a Loss for Words? 10 Ways to Master the Art of Small Talk
People love to talk about themselves. I’ve gotten a lot of great business information...
How to Really Make an Employee Referral Program Shine
We find our best employees through our internship program...
Eight Ways to Support Team Mental Health and Wellbeing
Every quarter, our company conducts an anonymous survey. This gives...
9 ways to protect your customers’ data and keep them in the loop
As an internet technology company, our clients’ projects are complex, and private information, ...
10 Ways to Make Your ROI More Measurable
Customer service is about satisfaction and problem-solving. Train your people to be able to set...
What’s one technique to keep conversations with your customers productive and positive?
We are highly consultative, so results are not achieved overnight. I’m a firm believer...
13 Side Jobs That Can Help Startup Founders Pay the Bills
Selling a commodity with a need that essentially sells itself is easier than you think! As an Int...
How to Bolster Your Brand Influence in 2017
Producing creative videos — whether it’s informative, for a product, or pure entertainment...
10 Key Traits to Look for in a Potential Co-Founder
My co-founder and I need to share the same vision for our company. This is the foundation for any...
9 Ways You Can Supercharge Your Business's LinkedIn Page
Use your businesses’ LinkedIn profile as a showcase of what you are capable of and what you can d...
12 Smart Strategies to Stand Out in Your Next Job Interview
Show us the numbers or end result of a project that you were able to accomplish at your current...
11 Fun Team-Building Activities That Won’t Break the Bank
Every other Friday, we have an in-house “happy hour” where we bring in a couple 12-packs of beer...
11 Sloppy LinkedIn Mistakes That You're Too Qualified to Make
When we review resumes and the LinkedIn profiles of candidates, there are inconsistencies in empl...
Entrepreneurs Name the 12 Best Intranet Platforms
"We use HipChat for internal communication and it serves us well...
15 Marketing Strategies You Should Consider for Q1 of 2017
We believe offering highly valuable webinars to the right audience could help us generate leads...
13 Reliable Tools to Organize Your Busy Work Day
We use Podio, a browser-based project management system...
11 Creative Employee Perks That Barely Cost Anything to Implement
On Friday afternoons, we stop working a couple hours early to have a few drinks and enjoy a few...
10 Marketing Tips for Taking Advantage of the Smart Device Trend
IoT companies will have to tread carefully in terms of using wearable and smart device data for...
10 Mistakes Entrepreneurs Make When Hiring Their First Employees
Hiring too fast without properly vetting potential hires. Let’s face it, fast growth forces us to...
How startups can use open source software to compete against the big guys
Open source software allows small companies to deploy highly capable digital platforms and...
What the rise in encrypted messaging apps means for other companies
E2E encryption systems should already be in use in most cases where available. The most reputable...
11 Things to Do Today That Will Grow Your Business Tomorrow
Having a detailed growth strategy with realistic goals is crucial. Even more important is having...
10 Differences Between Corporate and Entrepreneurial Leadership
Corporate leadership is held back by bureaucratic inefficiency and a need to appeal to...
The Top 7 E-Commerce Functionalities to Boost the Performance of Your SMB
These days, it seems like everybody shops online. As an e-commerce consultant, I have built a...
8 Marketing Lessons Learned from the Success of Pokémon Go
The launch of augmented reality game Pokémon Go sparked the attention of both newcomers and...
9 Cliche Interview Answers That You Think Are Original (But Hiring Managers Think Are Blah)
Don’t just mention that you’re an experienced problem solver and can learn...
13 Reasons to Consider Your Exit Strategy When Launching Your Startup
Let’s face it: Starting a new business is risky business. Not everything may go the way you...
13 Pieces of Software That Make Hiring Easy
We use Podio as our internal project management system. We create...
How Psychology Can Make Marketing More Persuasive
Being able to make the consumers “act” is the main competitive edge any marketer should offer...
8 Payment Processors That Deliver What They Promise
Your payment processor could really be anybody you want, even your bank. We like Authorize.net as...
11 Sloppy LinkedIn Mistakes That You're Too Qualified to Make
When we review resumes and the LinkedIn profiles of candidates, there are inconsistencies...
13 Ways You Can Make Meetings More Effective
We solve many technical problems at our organization that have to do with custom integrations...
How to Restructure Your Business and Save Your Company
When I started Optimum7 back in October of 2007 with my partner Arthur Cooper, we had a business...
12 Ways This Year's Technological Advances Have Altered the Way We Do Business
We are in the business of custom systems consultation. We have received many more integration...
Forever a Student: 11 Types of Courses That Prepare You for the Future of Business
We went through the painful process of establishing a new office abroad during summer. There was...
9 Ways the New SEC Crowdfunding Rules Will Affect Your Business
For a startup, money means resources, and resources mean innovation. These rules will allow small...
17 Creative Ways Marketers Can Address the Rise of Ad Blockers
Marketers shouldn't worry about it since this doesn't concern marketers. At the end of the day...
How To Actually Care For And Invest In Your People
I learned most of what I know about conducting business in the U.S. from my partner, Arthur Cooper..
11 Things B2B E-Commerce Companies Should Keep in Mind When Building Their Websites
This is probably the most essential element for bringing in leads and sales for B2B e–commerce...
6 Copywriting Mistakes That Could Cost You Conversions
Content is king, and I can't stress its importance enough. Good marketing copy attracts people...
The Psychology Behind Persuasive Marketing and Branding
Abraham Maslow (1908-1970) was an American psychologist who left behind a legacy that can be...
12 Startup Founders’ Most Unusual New Year’s Resolutions
One of my 2015 New Year's resolutions was to learn how to kite surf and I ended up taking classes...
14 Ways to Increase Your Brand Marketing Impact in 2016
Pinterest serves as a virtual corkboard that displays vibrant inspirational quotes and even works...
This Is What 2016 Has in Store for Technology
Everything is interconnected. As a Web-based software developer, we get so many requests for...
12 Ways to Take Advantage of Instagram's New Video Channel
Product demonstrations are a big eye-catcher on social media. If companies are able to condense...
11 Things You Can’t Miss in Your Business Continuity Plan
Founders tend to begin searching for a credit line when things are going bad. Actually, the best...
Web developers, data scientists, AI experts: The 15 Top Tech Roles of 2016
Artificial Intelligence will take off in the next few years. We are actively looking for AI geeks...