3 Quick Ways to Improve Brand Awareness

If you’re a small business owner, you know what it’s like to be busy. Managing employees, product orders, and service logistics is a full-time job—and that’s only a foundation for success.  If all the moving parts are in place, you’re ready to service any customer who walks through your doors.

But where do those customers come from?  How do they know who you are? That's what branding is all about.

For many small business owners, branding is a scary word, but it’s one of the most important steps a small business can take to generate growth.  It’s true:  finding customers and growing a company is a multifaceted challenge.  While it can’t be done overnight, it’s easy to get started with a basic strategy in mind.

Here are three quick and easy steps to improve brand awareness:

Tips to Make Your Brand More Recognizable to Prospective Customers

1. Have a consistent online presence.

Creating brand awareness is all about presence and consistency.  It’s about having a recognizable presence in places where customers will look for your business.

You should have a professional website with a professional domain name.  It’s your digital front door, and it’s open 24/7.  To create a consistent presence with it, use the same logo on the website that you would use on your business card.  If you have a social media page, use the same logo there, too.

The same is true for photos of yourself and your team.  Get a professional headshot done and use it for your website, business cards, and social media.  When people see your logo or your headshot in different places, they’ll begin to recognize you. That’s branding.

2. Use popular ad platforms to reach your target market.

If you follow the news, you’ve probably seen all those articles about Big Data companies like Google and Facebook collecting user information and selling it to advertisers.  As you can imagine, those companies are very good at identifying the potential interests of their users, and you can use that to your advantage.

Services like Facebook Ads or Google Ads can drive new business toward your website and into your store.  While it’s paid advertising, you can direct your ads toward groups who are more likely to purchase from you.  In doing so, you create a positive feedback loop.

When your target customer searches for a service you offer, they see your ad and begin to associate your business with their needs.  When they click on your ad, it sends them to your website, where all the branding work you’ve already done tells them that they’re in the right place.

3. Go above and beyond for every customer.

Many small business owners make the mistake of thinking that the point-of-sale is the end of the relationship.  Far from it!  No matter what gimmicks you see out there now or twenty years from now, word of mouth will always be king when it comes to advertising.

Build an outstanding customer experience into your business model.  Whether you create an amazing website that’s easy to use or provide great customer service with a personal touch, find a way to go the extra mile for every customer.  If you give your customers an experience worth talking about, they’ll sell your business for you.

Stay consistent.  Every time.

At the end of the day, branding is all about how your customers view your business.  It’s easy to create a logo and headshot and make your online presence consistent, and it’s a necessary first step, just like handling staff issues and warehouse orders.

To get the word out, ads can help.  Use those big services like Google and Facebook to run an ad.  Have a sale or offer a discount.  Get customers into your store and when you do, make their experience one worth sharing.

Type 2 Diabetes Doesn't Have to Be a Life Sentence

Type 2 diabetes is one of the most prevalent diseases in the United States today. About one in ten Americans suffer from diabetes, with an overwhelming majority of these having type 2 diabetes. Moreover, the number of diabetes patients tripled between 1990 and 2010. In light of such distressing statistics, it is heartening to know that recent research and circumstantial evidence points to a lasting remedy for this disease. However, before we review the case for a type 2 cure, let’s review the causes and characteristics of this all-too-common condition. 

What Is Type 2 Diabetes?

Type 2 diabetes is an ailment involving insulin. Insulin is a hormone  which gives energy to cells by providing them with glucose. The body of a type 2 diabetic either fails to properly use insulin or simply doesn’t produce enough of the hormone for its needs. As a result, glucose doesn't reach the cells where it is needed; instead, it remains in the bloodstream. There are numerous factors that predispose a person to developing type 2 diabetes. They include obesity, lack of physical activity, and genetics.  When a person is diabetic, they can experience a wide variety of symptoms such as fatigue, unexplained weight loss, increased thirst and urination, and numbness and/or tingling in their extremities. Anyone who presents these or other symptoms associated with type 2 diabetes should seek medical help immediately. Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to a host of health issues, including stroke, heart disease, and kidney disease.

Can You Cure Type 2 Diabetes?

Given the fact that diabetes is such a serious and pervasive disease, it may seem surprising and even unbelievable that it can be cured. Yet, there is evidence that indicates that very idea. Researchers at McMaster University of Ontario, Canada performed a study in which subjects’ daily caloric intake was slashed by 500-750 calories; each person was also placed on a personalized exercise plan. The participants continued to take insulin and medication for their diabetes. Astoundingly, 40% of those involved no longer needed medication or insulin after four months of taking part in the program.

Other diabetes sufferers have echoed the findings of the Canadian researchers. Dennis, a reader of the Diabetes Self-Management blog, gave this report:

“‘Last November I weighed 288 [pounds] with an [HbA1c level] of 7.1%. Today, with a very low-carbohydrate diet, my [HbA1c] level is 5.6%. I’ve lost 35 pounds, my sugars are under control, and all my symptoms are gone!’”

Other readers of the site echoed Dennis’ statements, noting that their glucose levels had lowered or returned to normal ranges since changing their diet.

Type 2 diabetes is a common disease, but doesn’t necessarily have to be a lifelong one. As studies and other data have shown, many diabetics have reversed their condition by changing their lifestyle. Indeed, these findings are a remarkable breakthrough that no type 2 diabetic should ignore.

Should You Buy a House Soon After Graduating College? 

You've just graduated from college and now you're ready to take on the world as an adult, moving out of your parents' home and into a place of your own. At this point, you may be on the fence about whether to rent or take the plunge on home ownership. Purchasing a big-ticket item like a home, however, involves extensive research and careful planning to avoid costly pitfalls. You'll need to weigh the pros and cons to make the right decision.

What are the Pros?

Property value may increase over time.

Unlike renting, owning your home means that you can reap the benefits of increased property value. If there is an upturn in the market, or if you complete renovations that raise the value of your property, you'll increase its equity. As a renter, you will never stand to make a profit from your home. When you buy a home and make timely mortgage payments, you'll own the property outright at the end of the loan period.

Benefit from tax incentives.

Most U.S. states offer a variety of tax incentives for first-time homeowners, which may include tax credits, zero-interest loans, and grants. But the savings don’t stop there. You may also qualify for tax breaks for home improvement loans and improving your home's energy efficiency.

Have more control over the property.

In addition to creating a stronger financial future, homeowners also have the freedom to customize their space any way that they see fit. If you want to paint your walls green or renovate your kitchen, you don’t need permission from a landlord to tailor your space to your style and needs.

What are the Cons?

Spend more in the long run.

Remember that home ownership also contains added costs not included in the mortgage payment. You must also factor in the price of homeowner’s insurance, maintenance costs, property tax, and the initial down payment. Real estate experts recommend that you have 20% of the cost of your desired home saved as a down payment. It is still possible to buy a home with a smaller down payment, but a smaller down payment means you will need private mortgage insurance (PMI). PMI can be paid in a variety of ways but most commonly it is added onto your monthly mortgage payment.

Take on more responsibilities.

Once you own a home, you'll be responsible for its upkeep. Landscaping, gutter cleaning, furnace inspection, pumping the septic tank are just some of the routine maintenance that will require your time, effort, and money. You'll also have to deal with unexpected issues, too. If a pipe bursts and floods your living room, there is no landlord to call to fix the damage—that responsibility lies solely on you.

Less freedom to move.

Home ownership also leaves less flexibility and freedom to move. Generally it takes about 3-5 years to recoup the cost of your initial investment which is typically about 2-5% of the total purchase price of your home. If you have landed a great job in a city that you love and plan to stay in long-term, then home ownership might be a great next adventure! But, if you're unsure of where you'll be located in the next few years, committing to a short-term lease makes it easier to move.

The Bottom Line

If you have adequate savings for a down payment, you know where you want to live, and you are excited by the idea of customizing and maintaining your own home, now may be a good time to pursue homeownership. Before moving forward, however, do your research and consult finance and real estate professionals who can help you secure your dream home.

How to Pair Wine with Food 

The art of pairing food and wine may seem intimidating at first if you’re not a professional chef or a sommelier. How good will your filet mignon taste with a cabernet ? Would creamy linguine complement a bottle of chardonnay? Making the right wine and food pairing can improve the quality of your dining experience, but how do you pick a winning combination?

5 Considerations to Make When Pairing Wine with Food

1. Body

Consider the weight of the wine that you choose to pair with your food. White wines are considered light-bodied while most red wines are medium to heavy-bodied. For example, a savory blue cheeseburger would pair better with a malbec than pinot gris because that wine and food pairing is heavier. You would be better off pairing a light pinot gris with roasted vegetables and fresh herbs.  

2. Acidity

Knowing the acidity of your wine is key. More acidic wines go better with fatty foods versus saltier or creamier foods. These wines cut through the richness in foods and provide balance in your meal; it essentially cleanses your palate. A popular pairing that follows this rule is lamb, a fatty meat, and cabernet sauvignon. On the other hand, a creamy alfredo would pair better with pinot grigio versus an acidic sparkling wine.

3. Sweetness

Make sure the wine is sweeter than the food you’re eating. This assures that you don’t experience any bitter aftertastes. Sweet wines include port, ice wine, Moscato, sherry, and Riesling; they all pair well with sweet desserts. Try a fresh fruit tart with vanilla mascarpone with Moscato for a heavenly eating experience.

4. Sauce

When considering your wine and food pairing, match with the sauce that you use instead of the meat being used. For example, a rich and tangy marinara would pair well with a Sangiovese no matter what meat is being served with the marinara (if any). Tikka Masala, another tomato-based sauce, pairs well with a fruity pinot noir. An olive oil-based sauce, like a creamy aioli, can be paired with rosé to lift the flavor of the aioli.

5. Complement or Contrast

Decide if you want your wine and food pairing to complement or contrast each other. Complementing your food and wine is slightly easier⁠—just remember to pair sweet with sweet, creamy with creamy, and acidic with acidic. Finding delectable contrasting flavors can require more trial and error. Classic contrasting flavors are spicy with sweet. For example, Riesling goes great with the herbs and spices in the majority of Thai food.

Keep in mind that food palettes vary from person to person, so don't be afraid to experiment and go with what works best for you.