Book Review – The Virgin Way

Book Review – The Virgin Way

The Virgin Way |“If it’s not fun, it’s not worth doing.”

Book Review – The Virgin Way, a book on leadership with great sense of humour, written by Richard Branson.

Picking up this book from the business section shelves in the bookstore was easy this time. My goal was to get a book that will inspire, entertain and teach me skills that I have not mastered yet. (Which I know is quite a long list.) The bright red cover of The Virgin Way book with Richard Branson wearing pink shorts caught my attention right away.  I immediately told myself, this will for sure be a good fun read and… It was!
 
At the beginning of this book, we learn about Richard Branson and his dyslexia. We learn that he had to find a way around it in early childhood and that it was one of the triggers of his later success.
 
Branson talks about his parents and the way how they taught him the leadership skills during the time when he was a child.

“Leadership Lessons Begin at Home, We need to say less and contribute more.”

 
According to Branson, one of the most important lessons his parents taught him was the ability to listen. He believes “The Importance of being able to listen is dying”. Many of us struggle with listening more and talking less, including myself.
 
Considering many books written on business tend to get boring, repetitive and can be hard to finish. I have to say this one felt different, Branson’s April fool’s pranks and other life stories are well written and amusing.
 
Lastly, I found this book was both fun to read and insightful. I recommend it to anyone who is looking for a book on business that stands out.
 
The Virgin Way by Richard Branson can be found in the business section at bookstores everywhere or on amazon.
 
 
 

Generation Z – The Next Consumer Target for Marketers

Generation Z – The Next Consumer Target for Marketers

Meet the GenZers

This is the year to learn more about GenZers. It is evident that these talented young individuals are way different.Accordingly, their priorities and habits are changed from us Millennials, GenXers or Boomers.
 
There are 2.52 billion GenZers across the globe. More than half of them are savers, not spenders. They read nutritional labels, want a job that has a social impact, and entrepreneurship is their dream they want to achieve one day. They are creative bunch and they watch less TV than Millennials.

Generation Z – The Next Consumer Target

Interestingly, their attention span is only 8 seconds. Basically, they do not stay still! Therefore marketers have to change their approach on how to target them. Two-way dialogue to engage them is a must, GenZers are constantly exposed to 4 different screens: smartphone, TV, laptop and tablet. Marketers have to deliver their stories across all of the major platforms by using Multi-Channel marketing.
 
We are also seeing some changes in preferred social media platform usage, currently, Facebook is losing a portion of it’s under 18 users. YouTube, Instagram and SnapChat are more favourable for GenZers.

As Mark McCrindle the social researcher says, Gen Z is “the most connected, educated and sophisticated generation in history. They don’t just represent the future, they are creating it.”

 
 
 

Creating an Online Point of Contact for your Customers | Squirrel Construction

Creating an Online Point of Contact for your Customers | Squirrel Construction

Improve your presence online – Be top of Mind

Whether you are small business owner operating a non-profit or a key decision maker for a Fortune 500 company. We all have one thing in common. Our customers work hard for their money, and EVERYONE is asking them to spend it.
 

“Sales is a transference of feeling. Customers buy based on what we tell them and what we show them that they believe.”
 
–       Zig Ziglar

 
However, it goes deeper than that. Not everyone we reach out to is going to be ready to buy when we first make contact. This can be for any number of reasons. People need our product, but they can’t buy it if they don’t know it exists. More importantly, they won’t buy it if it is not top of mind when it is time to buy.
 
This is as true in Business to Business, as it is true in fundraising and retail. As a business owner, how do we make sure we are at top of mind when it is time comes for the customer to make up their mind? Truthfully, there is no easy answer, but we can hedge our bets.

Method to the madness?

Squirrel Construction was built just for that reason, to provide an information resource for potential clients as well as to act as a lead generation tool to increase business by extending the work
 
As you can see in the attached mockup, Squirrel Construction’s website is simple, clean, and straightforward. With that said, it provides potential clients with exactly the information they are looking for. There are elements of branding, a personal message from the owner, a gallery of past projects, as well as an opportunity for clients to provide feedback.
 
Squirrel Construction | Web Development | Web Design
 
The site is straight forward and styled in a way that reflects the image of the owner. Moreover, it is accessible on any platform. Simply put, the site does exactly what the client needs it to do. Sometimes having something basic is all you need to improve your presence online.