Category: Business Tips

There has been much talk of large businesses and corporations eschewing the old office format and knocking down the walls between employees, converting their tired, old floor plans into something new, exciting and collaborative. But what are the benefits and what are the downfalls of open floor plans in a business environment?

Why Businesses Love the Open-Plan Layout

An open floor plan presents a youthful image to a prospective employee. It promotes teamwork and collaborative growth as the focus rather than personal achievement. Employees are encouraged to chat and bounce ideas off one another, and as a result, the more casual and friendly atmosphere can help foster stronger work relationships.

Concerns of “Too Much Collaboration”

By taking down the cubicle walls and removing the barriers between employees, businesses are also making assumptions about their employees. Not every person is built the same way, however, and the insecurity of open floor plans may be a hindrance to productivity rather than a boost for those who feel exposed. Distractions become a real problem as well, with many employees turning to wearing headphones or earbuds to avoid coworkers who aren’t as involved in their own work or want to stop by and chat.

Consider the Nature of Your Business

With an open floor plan, it can be difficult to determine who is in charge. While collaboration rules the day at new-school businesses ranging from San Diego internet marketing agencies to cloud computing companies, stratified offices such as governmental departments will find it difficult to make the adjustment when the corner office is gone. Productivity and contribution rule the day, not seniority and familiarity.

Trending or Traditional

As with any business strategy, there are advantages and disadvantages of open-plan offices, and it will be up to you to decide if trending or traditional is the best match for your needs, goals and company culture. Stay true to your business and you’ll be able to confidently make a decision.

Interested in learning a few more business tips? Check out our Facebook or reach out to us directly at 858-277-1717. Saba, Inc is a premier internet marketing company in San Diego, specializing in SEO, PPC, mobile app development, web design and more!

Small businesses are often confined to small budgets, making it difficult to market and reach the right target audience. Fortunately, for those businesses who don’t yet have it in the budget to hire a sales team, there are simple secrets that can help propel the business (and profit) without spending too much, or anything at all!

1. Provide nothing short of exceptional customer service

   While it should be the goal of every business owner to create the best possible experience for a customer, providing excellent customer service is one of the easiest ways to grow overall sales. Today, review websites such as Yelp and Google+ are changing the way people search for products, with customers only frequenting a business if it has a proven track record of excellence. If you provide a great customer service experience and a friendly smile, the free publicity and exposure just through word of mouth can do wonders to boost your sales – all without costing you a dime.

2. Share your knowledge with the community

   Whether you provide a free demonstration that highlights your product or service or you use your knowledge to help other start-up businesses, sharing what you know is a great way to promote business and brand. It can help to get your name out in the community and put you at the top of mind of prospective customers should they need your product or service in the future.

3. Seek referral partnerships

   Networking has always been instrumental in the growth for a business, but challenge the traditional idea of networking and seek referral partnerships with other local businesses. Find businesses that offer a product or service that is different from yours, but would target the same people. You can then work to create a relationship with them, sharing and referring customers to each other to help grow one another’s business.

4. Start the conversation on social media

   Social media management is a great way to grow a business, and social media platforms are being used more and more by small businesses. Twitter works best for updates about the business while Facebook is perfect for sharing deals, discounts and building your brand’s image among your targeted demographic. And when used right, promoting on social media can all be done for free!

If you’re interested in learning more about growing your business, don’t hesitate to reach out to Saba, Inc., San Diego’s trusted internet marketing company. We offer affordable pricing that appeals to businesses of all sizes and can help you gain online visibility through PPC and SEO in San Diego, helping to increase leads and profits. Call us today at 858-277-1717 for a free website consultation and see if our services are a good fit for your needs!

Understanding your target market is the foundation of any solid marketing plan. It’s important to understand who your target demographic is, what they’re willing to pay for your product or service, and what motivates them to buy. Once you’ve gathered this data and thoroughly assessed your target market, you’re ready to make your marketing plan.

Not sure where to start? Saba, the San Diego online marketing experts, share a few strategies for how to create an effective marketing plan that reaches your potential customers.

• Determine your budget

  First things first. You need to determine how much money your business can afford to spend on marketing strategies and customer acquisition. It’s important to keep in mind that not all high-budget strategies are successful, and not all low-budget ones fail.

• Develop multiple marketing strategies

  Using a single strategy approach isn’t going to provide maximum reach. Don’t spread your budget too thin, but also be careful not to throw your entire advertising budget at one part of the overall plan. A combination of strategies, like print advertising, social media and San Diego PPC management, will help to reach different audiences and will allow you to test which strategies are best for your business and brand.

• Track your progress

  Be sure to set goals that you can measure against your progress. That way, you can modify your strategies in the future to focus more on what was effective. Rethink ineffective strategies, or scrap them altogether.

• Know when to make changes

  Good marketing plans leave room for change. If something isn’t working, it’s usually better to fix the problem early instead of stubbornly clinging to ideas that didn’t work. When you learn new information that leads to a better strategy, you might also want to immediately factor that new information into your plan.

There are often many untapped resources for learning more about particular markets. Public libraries can provide information about local demographics. The local Chamber of Commerce can provide information about local economic development and trends. Trade associations can also provide lots of industry-specific information about a particular target market. Constantly learning new information about your customers needs to be an ongoing part of any marketing plan.

For more information about how to best reach and market to your target audience, call Saba, Inc. today at 858-277-1717. We are an internet marketing company that provides a wide range of services including PPC management, web design and development, mobile app creation and SEO in San Diego. We offer complimentary website audits and are happy to answer any questions about marketing, so don’t hesitate to call us today!

Getting involved and helping the community is not just the right thing to do, it is good for business – whether you’re like us and selling a service like SEO in San Diego, or a brick-and-mortar store offering a product. While it may seem difficult to use precious time and resources on community service projects, many business owners may be surprised to hear just how much of an advantage this can be for their employees, their clients, and their profits.

Putting a Face On Your Company

Until their minds are changed, most of those living in your community are going to see nearby companies as faceless entities. This is going to result in fewer meaningful connections; connections and relationships that can often lead to business-to-business partnerships, a better pool of employees, and even more loyal customers. Until locals see your company involved in the community, they will never see you as part of a community.

Higher Employee Satisfaction

Everyone wants to work for a company that they feel good about and are proud of, and few tactics will accomplish this as much as regularly giving back to the community. Employees live in the community and are often going to be involved with schools, sports teams, religious organizations, and clubs. When they feel as if their company is improving the lives of their friends and family, their satisfaction is sure to skyrocket.

New Perspectives

It is difficult for anyone to step into another’s shoes and truly see the world through their perspective. One of the most effective ways to accomplish this is by interacting with them on a personal level with community service and charitable acts. When a business is able to clearly see their role within the community and how their products and services are affecting those around them, they are more apt to make well-informed decisions in the future.

Community service is about much more than free publicity and potential tax credits. Businesses that regularly give back are going to be able to connect with employees and customers on a level never before possible. At Saba, Inc., we are more than a San Diego online marketing company, we’re a local business that hopes to share our extensive knowledge and wisdom with the community. Our services are designed for all types of businesses, and we are always more than happy to have a free consultation with your business to see how we can help. Reach out to us today for more information – 858-277-1717.

It’s impossible to run a business and avoid setbacks with clients and customers. However, running into a problem with a customer doesn’t have to mean the end of a relationship. As a small business ourselves, we’ve found that there are tried-and-true tactics for ironing out issues and coming out of the situation with an even stronger relationship moving forward.

1. Ask yourself what you would want if you were in the customer’s position

   If the customer is unhappy or has an issue with your product or service, put yourself in their shoes. Why are they concerned? Is this something that resulted from something you did? Is it the result of poor communication? Listening is key. Then, identify their main concerns and don’t be afraid to ask them to elaborate on why they feel a certain way. Being able to see the situation from your customers point of view can help you better understand their concerns, thus you will be in a better position to address them.

2. Stay calm and level headed when speaking

   When a client is angry and frustrated with you, it’s natural and almost instinctual to feel angry and frustrated back. However, if you remain calm and explain the situation without getting upset, one of two things will likely happen: the client will be calmed by your patience and you’ll be able to work out a solution, or client may still not see your point of view, but you’ll have made a great foundation for additional honest and open discussions.

3. Demonstrate the value of your work

   Companies that are ethical and strive to go above and beyond what is asked of them are better able to settle issues because their work is able to speak for itself. Show the numerical value of your services, such as increased leads or profit, or the benefits of your product to the client’s company, such as increased productivity. In situations where customers are asking for a discount, explain how you won’t be able to effectively do your job and deliver the high quality service that is expected at such price.

Addressing conflicts or setbacks with clients is all about how you approach the situation, whether you’re a San Diego internet marketing company like ourselves, or you are a brick-and-mortar businesses selling apparel.

For more information about addressing conflicts or setbacks with clients, or to learn how you can further enhance your brand image and customer service, reach out to Saba, Inc. today at 858-277-1717 and learn about our wide range of services including web design and development, PPC and AdWords and SEO in San Diego.

Building a successful company that provides excellent customer service is challenging and requires the efforts of an entire team. Understanding the hallmarks of a great service company allows you to take any existing brand or business to the next level of success regardless of the competition in any industry or field.

As a company offering internet marketing services in San Diego, creating an exceptional client experience is our number one priority! We wanted to share a few simple ways that businesses can help build lasting relationships and brand loyalty with their customers:

1. Getting to know your customers

   Getting to know the customers or clients you want to appeal to is essential when providing the right amount of customer care and service. Researching your target market and demographic allows you to gain insight into the wants and needs of your consumers to better understand them while also having the ability to relate to them more directly, especially when troubleshooting or dealing with a potential issue.

2. Following up in a timely manner

   Following up with customers is another way to improve your brand’s image while increasing the chance of receiving referrals from your loyal clients in the future. When companies are kind enough to follow up with customers, they are more likely to remember your brand and business for future use, while also sharing the information with their own family, friends and colleagues. Referrals are often the best kind of business!

3. Rewarding your clients for loyalty

   Giving your loyal customers rewards such as reward cards, free gifts and even heartwarming holiday cards can help to boost credibility and the reputation you have as a business or brand. The more time and effort your employees are able to put in to ensuring the happiness and satisfaction of your customers, the more likely you are to see them return in the future.

Because customers prefer companies who work hard to provide great service, ensuring your team members and employees execute excellent customer service is a must. By providing the best customer service possible, it is much easier to retain and gain new customers and clients for the future success and growth of any company.

For more information about growing your client base, reach out to Saba SEO today. We are a San Diego SEO company that also provides services including AdWords/PPC management, web design and development and app creation. Call us today at 858-277-1717 to schedule a complimentary consultation or request a free website audit,

Networking has always been a way to build and expand a business. A referral partnership is often between two non-competing companies, where one businesses’ product or service would benefit the clientele of the other, and vice versa. There are many advantages to seeking and fostering these referral relationships, so it’s important to know how to get started and what needs to be done to find and reach out to the right partner.

1. Look for Complimentary Companies
   

   One of the best ways to begin building a referral partnership network is to look at the services or products your company offers. Decide which other companies would have services or products your customers could use and vice versa. Then, contact those companies that have websites or nearby brick-and-mortar stores, and see if you can set up a referral service which would be mutually beneficial.  Also, be sure to make specific offers to your perspective partners. For instance, you could invite a partner to contribute to your blog or newsletter, giving you content and providing exposure for your partner.

2. Get Customer Input
   

   Another way to start building your referral partnerships is to ask your current customers what other services or products they require. Take the answers received and begin searching for quality companies that might assist your customers and offer to have reciprocal referrals with those companies. Many customers are also looking for the best deal or the best price. See if you can strike up a deal to offer customers who purchase a product from your partner (often via a link from your site) a discount. This is likely to result in mutual business from customers purchasing some things from you and products you don’t offer from your partner.

3. Share & Market Content

   As a San Diego online marketing company that focuses on relevant and valuable content, we always suggest that businesses create unique content specifically for their referral partnerships; pieces of information that can be used by both your customers and theirs. Also, allow your partners to co-brand these materials. If, for example, you’ve put a lot of effort into creating an amazing slide presentation, allow your partners to use it within their own content. This is a great way to reach a new market and provide prospective customers with information about your business. And don’t forget, there’s no rule about having to keep your partnership secret. Create a joint video or a press release that can run on your website and your partner’s site, and share the benefits of your new relationship.

Building networks is crucial in business. The more businesses you interact with, the greater potential for more customers. While building successful referral partnerships does require nurturing a professional relationship beyond your initial efforts, it can be a great source of additional business for your company both in the short and long-term.

Interested in learning other ways to boost traffic and leads for your business? Reach out to Saba, a San Diego SEO and PCC company that specializes in helping companies grow their online presence. Call us today at 858-277-1717 for more information or to schedule a complimentary website audit.

As any small business in San Diego can verify, a new year brings new challenges. Technology plays a pivotal role in how a business operates, and embracing the current trends and innovations can often lead to massive windfalls in sales, profits, and savings. In fact, local IT consultants in San Diego recommend that all businesses should make an effort to embrace the following technology-based resolutions for the coming year.

1. Show your website a little TLC

   Updating your website so that it appeals to your target demographic is always a great idea. Too often, a site created years ago still occupies the business domain. Deciding to add new pictures, videos, or just refreshing the content helps keep customers coming back. Local businesses should also consider optimizing their websites in line with San Diego search engine optimization best practices to increase exposure on search platforms such as Google, Yahoo, and Bing.

2. Join the conversation

   Embracing the social media phenomenon is a must for business owners looking to interact directly and efficiently with their customers. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and more are social media pages that can promote the business and countless opportunities for free exposure.

3. Upgrade your POS system

   Maybe the old cash register is not exactly functioning like it used to, and maybe the inventory or menu has grown over the years to the point where buttons are doing double duty. Finding a different point of sale system that utilizes a tablet or smartphone not only simplifies the payment receiving system, but it also creates a more efficient way of handling cash, credit, and debit transactions.

4. Backup your data

   Backing up data is probably one of the top tasks that any San Diego IT support professional recommends. However, it is something that just has to be done. Utilizing many of the newer portable hard drives with automatic backup functions is way to take the work out of the process, and freeing up time for more profit making procedures.

5. Resolve to be your best

   Perhaps above all else, small businesses should make it a point to check out the reputation of their business. Many different review websites have popped up over the past few years, and those sites might have incorrect information, need responses, or might reveal new opportunities. Without research, business owners will never know they are there. Make it a point to know what customers are saying and do your best to meet any of their needs. Owning a business is about constantly striving to be better!

Get ready for 2015 by reevaluating your technology and making the necessary adjustments to ensure your presence both online and off. To learn more about how to market yourself online, reach out to Saba SEO, San Diego’s internet marketing experts, at 858-277-1717 and request free information or a free website audit.