Traffic is the number one target if you want to dominate the search engine results page and get a profitable online activity. It has been proven that getting visible on the first page of the search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo can ultimately drive your sales up. However, a consistent traffic in itself does not ultimately equate to boosting sales. More is needed!

Many webmasters who have realized the need to optimize their conversion rate are finding different ways to help them garner more sales. While it can be tricky to compel your visitors to purchase your products and services, there are a number of ways to achieve this. 

Let us talk about the three simplest yet most useful conversion rate hacks that you can do, so that you get more online sales from the same amount of traffic.  

Study Your Posts and Pages

People are typically drawn to the things they want to buy. Consumers check the price and the brands for the items that they are interested to acquire. However not all people who search for the things they want will immediately buy that product or service. They need a little more convincing. 

This is a lot similar to buying a dress at the mall. When a store looks aesthetically enticing and impressive, you are more drawn to check out the products there, as opposed to another clothing store with a plain and boring looking interior. By studying your pages, you can identify which part of the website needs some tweaking, so that they become more appealing to your visitors.

Switch Things Up and Test

Try to switch things up on your website. Change the colors, the layout, the font size and style, the images, the punch lines, the call to actions etc… You can also try to change the theme and the placement of the various elements on your product page. A good looking site leaves a good impression on buyers. Test, test, and test!

So try to tweak a few things here and there, then test it out. Did your sales go up? Did you lose traffic? Conduct a SEO analysis of your website to determine how making a specific change affects your profit. After all the bottom line is what we should focus on!

This is how you will determine what your visitors like and dislike without asking them to leave their comments and suggestions.

Look for Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) Resources

When we say resources, this may come in the form of a tool or a live service from a specialized app. There are many different online resources you can choose from.

For instance, there are tools that can help you see the different tests they have run in the past. Some of the best conversion rate optimization tools can directly compel your visitors to convert into customers. 

When you try to increase the organic click-through rate for a specific result, then you are doing what is called conversion rate optimization (CRO in short). By constantly studying your website, updating your posts, and acquiring extra help from Conversion Rate Optimization tools, you will start seeing improving results and sales.
… Read the rest

Outdated computers can find a second youth.

Your old computer seems slow and inefficient? Before you get rid of it, there are ways to give it back some youth. If the computer station is mainly used for word processing, communication (emails, chat), reading media (music, video) and browsing the Internet, rejuvenation may suffice. Such an approach is less costly for the wallet and for the environment, compared to a new purchase.

An external hard drive to lighten the computer

Make a big cleaning of your data: save all personal data on an external hard drive or DVDs. This is an opportunity to delete everything that has become useless and to put aside what is important and should not be lost.

Faced with the slowness of your computer, simple steps can be effective, using specific software: install, update and run antivirus and antispyware software. This will remove unwanted malware that has been installed without permission.

Install, update and run cleaning software like CCleaner and Glary Utilities (free). These tools will delete unnecessary files (cookies, temporary files, duplicate files, empty folders …). They also allow you to check and repair the registry in one click (these software programs also facilitate cleaning operations, which can also be executed by Windows tools).

Uninstall any software that has become unnecessary or is used very rarely using the control panel (ProgramsUninstall a program). Disable applications that launch automatically at startup and slow down computer startup (Control PanelProgramsChange startup programs). Only those that are used regularly should be kept.

Clean discs

The next steps are devoted to discs: check for errors on the disks and correct them: My Computerright click on C:PropertiesToolsCheck now.

Defragment hard drives to reduce data fragmentation and speed up their use (Control PanelSystem and MaintenanceAdministrative ToolsDefragment your hard drive. Please note that this operation can take several hours if the data is numerous and very fragmented.

Reinstall only useful and frequently used data. The others can be kept on storage media so as not to clutter the computer and to protect them in the event of a computer problem. In the event of a serious problem, consider a complete reinstallation of the system. In this case, personal data must be saved before embarking on the operation, armed with recovery discs.

Recycling your Computer

If your computer remains too obsolete for your taste, think of recycling it before buying another! Here are some pointers for a successful computer facelift!

If you have to change computers, consider recycling the old one. If you really want (or need) to get rid of the old machine and acquire a new one, you must first make sure that it no longer contains confidential or personal data. Indeed, emails, passwords, contact details, financial information … can be used in the context of industrial espionage, scams or identity theft!

You must therefore first save personal data on an external hard drive or DVDs: text documents, spreadsheets, slideshows, photos, videos, software, game backups, emails, favorites, etc.

Then the data should be deleted from the hard drive. Unfortunately, selecting everything, putting it in the trash and emptying said trash is not enough: the data is always present as long as no new data is saved on top. Even formatting is not enough to destroy the data, apart from resorting to what is called low-level formatting using specific software from the hard drive manufacturer.

We must therefore operate this type of formatting or use specialized software, such as Eraser, which erases data relatively efficiently.

Reusing your old computer

Then, depending on its condition, the old computer can be sold second-hand, donated to an association, or thrown away. The sale, when possible, makes it possible to recover a (small) part of its funds to finance the purchase of new equipment.

If the computer no longer has any value on the second-hand market, it can still be useful for a disadvantaged audience. Several associations such as the Emmaüs Foundation or Club Numeric are responsible for repairing, reinstalling and recycling old computers for the benefit of institutions and people with limited means (individuals, schools, developing countries).

Recycling channels

Finally, if the machine is no longer functional, it must be recycled in channels capable of recovering them and avoiding pollution due to the toxic substances they contain.

As electrical and electronic equipment waste, old computers must therefore be put in recycling centers or exchanged when buying a new computer, according to the One for One rule.… Read the rest

2019 might not be the best for the Chicago real estate market. A forecast by Realtor.com estimates that Chicago might have the worst and the weakest housing market in the United States next year.

The survey says that Chicago might have a decline in the number of homes that are sold in 2019 and in the average prices of homes, among hundreds of metros in the States. The data postulates that the sale of homes in Chicago will fall by 7.4%.

What Forecasts Say

The median sale prices of properties in Chicago is also expected to go down by 1.9%. This is because of the slow population growth in Chicago, coupled with very slow growth in employment opportunities. This in turn, will impact the housing market in a downward manner and the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin Metropolitan Area will be among the worst hit in 2019.

Because mortgage rates are also growing to 5.5 %, home sales in the United States will usually slow down. But this situation will be much graver in Chicago, where home sales will slow down four times more than average when compared to the rest of the nation. Because home prices are also going up by 2.2% in the entire nation, a lot of homes which are located in the Chicago area will also lose about 2% of their values in 2019. Thus it will affect the demand adversely and land values in the Chicago area will go down.

Population and Migration

The poor state of Illinois’ real estate market will roll on to Chicago as well and this will hurt investment in the latter, as far as investment in real estate is concerned. The Chicago area also faced a decline in population in 2018 due to outmigration in large numbers.

This will negatively impact home sales and since the working population in Illinois and Chicago is reduced, it will hinder the growth in home sales and will also affect prices in the latter. A decline in the younger population means that millennials will also not invest in property as much in the Chicago area as expected and thus, this will further drive the market down.

Property Taxes

In Illinois, property taxes are also at an all-time high in comparison to the sale of homes; almost growing 76% faster than home values in Cook County, for instance. This is also spilling over to the Chicago market. Thus, if you are looking to invest in the Chicago real estate sector, please be cautious and exercise your judgment before jumping on to a hasty decision.

Check out the neighborhoods to gauge if they have re-sale value and then decide on a property. If you do not want to pay high property taxes, then it is probably safer to invest in another area.

These forecasts are only meant to be a guide as to how the real estate market might look like in 2019. They are not meant to scare you. Rather, they are meant to help you in making smart investment decisions. … Read the rest

Evaporative cooling is considered as one of the most effective cooling approaches in the home or office. These systems work with the help of the evaporation system, where the evaporation of water is used to get the optimum temperature and receive great cooling effect.

Moistened pads or cloths work as a filter, wherein the outside air is pulled and in this way, it allows the water to evaporate. Then the cool air is taken to the area that needs to be cooled. This was the best approach invented in the early 20th century in the areas where the summers were particularly of very dry nature. Even today, many people prefer to go for this system.

So if you are considering to make a renovation in your house, make sure to determine if you should replace your old AC with a new evaporative cooling system. As these devices are quite large, you may need to rent a dumpster to remove the waste. But it the end it is worth it if you want a more enjoyable cleaner home.

Below Are The Some Of The Benefits Experienced By This System.

Installation cost

Installation cost is one of the most crucial things when it comes to getting a cooling system installed in the home. When it comes to the other approaches and systems like window and split air conditioner systems, the cost goes up high because there are many mandates that manufacturers and installers need to follow.

On the other hand, the evaporative cooling cost installation is low and it can be said that it is even less than the half in many cases. As a result, this proves to be an economic option for the people that are low on the budget and still need the best cooling system.

Using green technology

Getting these installed in the home is definitely one of the gifts that you give to the environment. These systems consume almost 90 percent less electricity when compared to an air conditioning system. These systems only use water and air and are completely natural products. On the other hand, there is also no need for any refrigerant that can spoil the atmosphere.

It adds moisture to the air

This is another great feature of the evaporative cooling. This is the reason most of the people opt for this cooling option. In dry climates, most of the people prefer to get the moisture in the air and air conditioning units fail in these areas. This is where the evaporative cooling comes in handy. They provide efficient moisture levels that provide fresh feel to the users.

Cost efficient option

One of the greatest advantages of evaporative cooling is that the running cost is quite low as compared to the other options available in the market. All that you need to spend for is the electricity that is also way too less when compared to the other options. As a result, the overall cost that you spend for these systems comes down to the minimum. So, you can enjoy great cooling results for a nominal price.

Things to Remember

Make sure that you only take the services of the experienced professionals to install these systems. Although, these systems are cost effective, you need to make sure that installation take place perfectly. If you install these in a wrong way then you cannot expect to get the good results. Hiring an experienced installer is the key to getting good results in the future.

There are many ways in which, you can save cost and experience great results via evaporative cooling systems. Therefore, make sure that you find the right one suitable for your home. However, it is best to take professional advice on the suitability in your area and the amount of changes that you need to make in your home. This will help you make informed decision in this regard. As a result, you can experience great results for a long time to come. … Read the rest

Are you tired of being told what to do by your business partner, colleagues, team or associates? Have you ever wondered why some of your business colleagues and associates are so bossy and come across as controlling, while others let you have the freedom to do what you want to do?

A Difference of Style

You have probably noticed that you get along well with some business colleagues, associates and team members. However, there may be others whom you find challenging to relate to because they are different to you. It is these differences in style that can create conflict in our business relationships, and our business success.

When our style is the same as that of our business colleagues, associates and team members, we naturally get along. When our style is different to those of our business colleagues, associates and team members, then there is potential for conflict especially when we are unaware of what drives the difference in style. Rather than thinking that your business associates, colleagues and team members are being controlling or bossy, learn to understand your style and theirs to avoid future conflict.

Differences in style can be driven by many different things and at least by sixty different personality traits. One of these traits relates to how we relate to people in groups, and there are three different styles that a person can have when relating to their business associates, colleagues and team members:

• Management
• Team
• Independent
• Management Style

A business associate, colleague or team member with this preference will be the one organizing business events and projects. They will be the one initiating projects and events, often delegating tasks to others.

Put two people with this style together in a business and each one will want to take charge rather than do the work ie. two chiefs and no Indians. If there are only management styles in a business, they will all be telling each other what to do and nothing may get done. To avoid conflict, someone in the business will need to take a back seat occasionally, while another person takes charge.

Team Style

People with this preference will rarely lead or take charge of organizing events or business projects. They will tend to follow, enjoy being part of a group and prefer to collaborate and work together as a team.

Put two people of this style together in a business and they may do a lot of collaboration, yet may lack clear direction or outcomes. If everyone in the team or business has this style, there may not be anyone in charge of coordinating an event or project. To avoid conflict, lots of talk with little action or projects going off track, always have someone in charge.

Independent Style

People with this style like to do things on their own and prefer to act independently. They like to work on their own projects rather than things involving other people. They don’t take direction well. When told to do things, they may get annoyed.

If there are two independent styles together in a team or business, they may not spend enough time working together, not see each other or speak that often and be quite happy to do their own thing. Other members of the team or business many find this disinterest in spending time with them as rude or arrogant. To avoid conflict, the independent style person needs to occasionally spend time with the team, and others need to give this person time to be on their own and do their own thing occasionally.

Working With the Differences

It is important to be aware of and to respect the different styles amongst your team, business associates and colleagues. Start to observe their language and behavior and notice which style they prefer when relating to you and others. Then next time you are told what to do by your business associate, colleague or team member, remember it is how they relate to other people. Avoid taking it personally or over reacting to them. Respect the differences in style and notice how this impacts positively on your business relationships and business success. … Read the rest

Are you clear about your business vision, direction and goals? Is fear, second guessing and over analysis holding you back from taking action for your business? Do you wish you could regain control of your business?

Risky Business
While there are many possible risks in business, the biggest risk to your business success might be you and your lack of:

Clear vision, direction and goals
Effective people, communication, leadership and delegation skills
Trust and follow through on your decisions and commitments
Self-belief and persistence in the face of challenges
Effective self-promotion, relationship building and networking skills
Consistency in having and following systems and processes for business success
Control over your emotions – instead overreacting with anger, fear, hurt, guilt, resentment, betrayal, etc.
Consistent focus on what you want – instead being overly anxious and worried
Effective business habits – instead bad habits such as procrastination, being disorganised, etc.
From my 30 plus years of business experience I noticed a consistent theme. Despite a business having the best systems, best practice processes, latest gadgets, office set-up, etc, there is one thing critical to ensuring that these are used effectively for business success…… people! The more effective people’s behaviour is in using all the resources in the business, the more successful the business. You and your people are your business. Therefore, you need to have trust and solid business relationships with your employees, customers, colleagues, suppliers, partners, etc.

Whom/What Are Your Controlling?
If you are feeling out of control in business, think about whom or what are you seeking to control? Some people who feel out of control themselves, unconsciously seek to control other people. For example, by playing a victim role, getting angry, bullying, creating dramas, buying gifts, etc, they unconsciously create a dynamic where they are in control in that professional relationship. Other people who feel out of control, unconsciously seek to control things and their environment. For example, not delegating effectively, withholding information, overeating, drinking too much, etc.

At the end of the day, these people are ultimately not in control of themselves. That is the real issue. Until that is addressed, they will keep creating the same dynamics with people, things and their business and personal environment.

Control versus Influence
You are personally responsible for four things: how you think, how you feel, how you act and how you influence others. Other people are also responsible for four things: how they think, how they feel, how they act and how they influence you and others.

When you start to focus on how you can control what others say, think and do, you are focusing on what is beyond your control. Because this is beyond your control and if you seek to control it, you may feel frustrated or angry about the situation eg. sitting in bumper to bumper traffic and being unable to control the traffic or being frustrated by your colleague’s behaviour and being unable to change it.

Instead, focus on what you can control – changing your thoughts, feelings, actions and communication with other people. How could you take more charge of how you think, feel and act so that you are happier and more fulfilled in business and in life? How can you improve your communication and avoid misunderstandings and conflict? How can you treat people so that they treat you the same way in return?

Regaining Control
The first thing to realise is that people who trust themselves, trust others and the flow of business and life. Therefore, they find no need to control other people and situations. It is only people who have trust issues that feel the need to control others and situations. These people need to learn to trust themselves first in order to trust others. Trusting yourself is the key to business success and all highly successful business people trust themselves.

Focus on you and taking charge of how you think, feel and act so you regain control of your behaviour and your business. Address past emotions, limiting beliefs and internal conflicts, so that you stop sabotaging your business success and so that you fully trust yourself and your decisions. Also learn more effective communication and leadership skills to better inspire, motivate and empower others to perform at their best. Then watch your and your team’s performance and business thrive!… Read the rest