#I already printed business cards with those social media handles on them

[unintentional-sad-wizard]

I have reached the part of starting a small business where I am paralyzed by the reality of producing content for Instagram and TikTok for marketing purposes

[binniedeactivated]

whorehouse. || 💦

➥ 𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 | 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐢 𝐲𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐣𝐮𝐧 𝐱 𝐥𝐞𝐞 𝐣𝐮𝐲𝐞𝐨𝐧 𝐱 𝐡𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐲𝐮𝐧𝐣𝐢𝐧 𝐱 𝐟𝐞𝐦!𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

➥ 𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐑𝐄 | 𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐛𝐨𝐲𝐬! 𝐚𝐮, 𝐬𝐦𝐮𝐭

➥ 𝐖/𝐂 |  4k

➥ 𝐒𝐘𝐍𝐎𝐏𝐒𝐈𝐒 | 𝐧𝐨, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐛𝐨𝐲𝐬. 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦. 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞.

➥ 𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 | 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐞𝐱! , 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞, 𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐤, 𝐝𝐨𝐠𝐠𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐲𝐥𝐞, 𝐭𝐨𝐲𝐬, 𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐥!𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐥!𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐞, 𝐰𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐧𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐭 𝟏𝟖+ 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲.

multi-fandom ask requested by @light164star​ hope you enjoy this my love!

in any normal university a fraternity represents ambition, passion, and integrity amongst brotherhood. but things were different in your university.

the Sigma Chi (ΣΧ)’s were different. they stayed in this big gorgeous frat house across campus, they threw the best parties and had the best of everything. they had the best selection of everything on campus, even down to the best dining hall. they were very selective to who they admitted. well, judging by the guys you saw leave that building it seemed as if they only accepted the best of the best. the best looking guys, best athletes, the academic powerhouses, the all rounders. every guy on campus wished they were one of them and every girl wished they could be with one of them. but the Sigma Chi’s never dated anyone. that was their number one rule.

and lastly, the sigma chi was rich. not because it was full of a bunch of guys who were spoiled rotten by their parents. not because the university provided them with full ride scholarships. but because the sigma chi house wasn’t what everyone thought it was. of  course it was a house of brotherhood, but they had subscribers all across campus. including you. and the university officials had yet to know that. not that anyone would snitch anyway, they practically had everyone wrapped around their fingers. they even managed to wane off some of the security guards and professors from scoping out their territory, giving them hush money for their loyalty.

i know what you’re thinking. no -- the sigma chi’s aren’t a mafia. despite their ways they’re actually far from a mafia. they were a fraternity. they were a business. and one thing for certain, two things for sure, don’t you ever meddle in the business of the sigma chi’s. no one has ever came back from that little mistake. as far as you were concerned the victims were basically wiped off the face of the earth, complete lost of contact, even their social media accounts deleted and deactivated. no one knew what the sigma chi’s did to them but no one wanted to find out either.

anyway, you held your head low while walking towards the steps of the house. not everyone on campus knew about their little secret but that still didn’t keep you from being embarrassed about yours. you were a happy subscriber and you weren’t going to deny that. sometimes you wondered how your application even got accepted. but it did. you went into the little convenience store they held in the building, waiting for kim seungmin/kang taehyun/ ju haknyeon, either one of them were required to check you in. they worked at the house convenience store but little did anyone know the trio were the brains behind the whorehouse. they didn’t handle much subscribers themselves, but faithfully took care of admissions and payments. oh, and also check in’s. no one could get service or even have access to the whorehouse without going through them first.

the motion detector chimed indicating that they had a customer. you bit your lips looking around a bit, hoping no one walked in right after you. hoping they would think you’re just there to purchase snacks or something. with his sleeves rolled up from handling the store’s stock--coming from the back was kim seungmin. he approaches the back of the counter and does a little head tilt, indicating that you needed to show your identification. you reached your fingers into your wallet and plucked up your student identification card, sliding it on the counter. he reaches for it and opens an app on his smartphone, making sure you were a paying subscriber. lord knows they had enough people behind on payments yet still trying to receive service. even though you knew you were up to date on your payments you still gulped. seungmin never really showed much of any facial expression which scared you. just a sullen, hard expression that made everyone around him think he hated them. 

“you’re all set. sign this slip”.

he grabbed the small notepad full of paper slips he’d printed and specially designed himself, writing the date and his signature signifying that he approved your service. it was your job to sign the bottom line though confirming your consent to anything included in your service. you swiftly grabbed a pen and scribbled your signature.

“room 502. make sure you give them that or else you’ll have to leave”.

you nod and place the slip in your pocket, taking the elevator to the floor. you admit you were nervous as hell, this is how you were each visit. when you’re a subscriber you don’t know what type of service you can get. you’re just assigned to a random room and you’re promised a good orgasm-- several even--- by the time you leave. the way university was stressing you out these days that’s all you needed. your feet finally approach the door and you knock hesitantly. the door opens a bit, just enough to show his face and they grey and black silk robe he was wearing. it was choi yeonjun. fuck. you were scheduled with choi yeonjun today. there was no doubt in your mind that you’ll be fucking ruined.

“slip?”.

you fished it out of your pocket and showed him. he took it and nodded before crumbling it and tossing it in the nearby trash can. he opened the door further, you could see the dark room only illuminated by the deep red lights that lined the perimeter of the room. your heart dropped to the pit of your stomach at the sight of handcuffs, a pack of gummy worms and a vibrator sitting on the edge of the bed.

“come in”.

you nervously slipped through the crack of the door while he shuts it behind you. the room smelled like cherries, it always did for some reason. you stood there and swallowed. you could hear yeonjun faintly chuckling behind you, his hand brushing along your waist.

“you scared baby?”.

“y-yes”. you stammer. he kisses your cheek.

“you should be. take those panties off and get on all fours for me”.

“okay”. you stuttered once more doing as you were told. you came here enough to know that clothes always went on the clothing rack beside the door. fully naked you hesitantly crawl on the bed and remain on all fours just as instructed. you could hear the clashing metal of the handcuffs behind you as yeonjun undoes them and hooks them around both of your wrists and around the headboard. the cold metal ring clung painfully tight around your wrists and you gasp a little at how rough he was.  your back was now arched in the perfect bow and anything he wanted to do he could do it, your body was at his full disposal. you could feel his hand slide down your midsection and your breathing hitched. he removes it and lowers himself to the level of your face just to glare into your eyes. you stared into the abyss of his eyes in fear. he takes two fingers and rub them together, smearing the wetness he collected from you before slipping them in his mouth. he then slides it out.

“you’re not wet enough”.

and on that note he shifts to another side of the room and you heard the familiar sound of goo melt into the palm of his hand. you wince at how cold it was when he coated you with it, getting a good rub on your clit before slipping his fingers inside of you just to coat you that way. a subtle moan left your lips when he did so, unbeknownst to you that yeonjun had other plans when it came to your needy noises.

“none of that today,”. he says in response before picking up a pack of long heavy gummy worms. “that’s what these are for”. he ripped the pack open and grabbed a handful just to go over and shove between your lips. “I don’t want to hear any sounds from you today, you understand?”. you nod with the gummy treats in between your teeth. they were so thick you didn’t know how anyone could ever chew through them.

the buzzing noise of the vibrator rang behind you and your feet immediately grew cold. you couldn’t back out now. you paid for this. this is what you subscribed for. you had to take it.

yeonjun clutches your thighs and slides himself beneath you, face to face with your pussy that was practically begging for him at this point. you felt the smooth, thick grey vibrator slip past your slippery folds pushed deep inside you. in an instant you no longer knew how you were going to keep your legs in place this whole time. you started breathing hard gnawing on the gummies as hard as you possibly could. “shaking already baby? you’re going to have a hard time today”.

he steadily holds the toy, sinking it between your folds and pulling it back out slowly relishing the way your wetness coated it. moans awaited in your throat yet you forced them back down. yeonjun loved the way your pussy looked from this angle but most importantly he loved the way your clit looked. plump and glistening with lube. he softly hums and slides his tongue against it. you gasp but this time refusing to exhale.

“mmm”. he hums again and gives it another cat lick before pushing his face closer and coddling it between his lips. you decided to breathe, as shaky as it sounded at least you weren’t making any noises. but fuck you wanted to. the way he was twisting and moving the toy inside you, the way his wet tongue felt curling against your clit, you wanted to collapse. and he knew it.

he groans after pulling away from your folds with a thin spit string to follow but he couldn’t keep himself from going in for more. he ate you like a hungry tiger, each taste of you is like heaven in the coil of his tongue.  that’s what killed you the most. that’s what made your legs tremor the most. yeonjun didn’t eat pussy as if he wanted to eat pussy. he ate pussy as if he needed to eat it. and that made all the difference.

every lick sent electricity straight to his groin. the fact that you were shaking above him unable to do anything but breathe heavy and take whatever he was giving you turned him on. he thought your little lips were so soft, pretty and scrumptious. he slid his tongue around every crease and fold refusing to neglect a sector. he always had an unquenchable desire to please. your insides burned with agony. he told you that you weren’t allowed to make noise yet he ate you like this? you couldn’t take it. your breathing was already heavy and your legs were already on the verge of collapsing so if he didn’t stop within the next 5 seconds you’d be a moaning mess through the gummies in your mouth.

he fucks you with the toy a bit faster,  twisting it inside you while he flat tongued your clit prior to sucking it gently; hallowing his cheeks in the process. your eyes close and the jolts of pleasure made your tummy cave in. your heart rate soars and now your wrists were writhing desperately inside the cuffs. it felt so fucking good. god, it felt so good. your torso was on fire. his fingers dug into your innermost thigh while his tongue further explored you. he licks a particular spot that you weren’t quite fond of anyone licking, sending a bone shuddering moan through the air.

“ ffuckk! please!”.

yeonjun halts his movements at the sound of it. you mentally cursed at yourself. how could you be so stupid?

“what was that?”.

you swallowed. you agreed to keep silent. that was a bad choice. he slipped himself from underneath you and approached your face, grabbing your jaw roughly forcing his attention on him.  “answer me when I’m speaking to you”.

lord knows you wanted to. but he looked so incredibly scary like this your jaw trembled at the thought of even replying. he lets go of you forcing your head to drop back down in between your shoulders. “you don’t want to fucking listen right?”. you heard a barely audible chuckle but you knew he wasn’t chuckling because anything was humorous. “I got something for you”.

the sound of that made your heart drop. you didn’t know what the hell that meant. your mind couldn’t even grasp what it could possibly mean. all you knew was that you were handcuffed to this bed in this dark red room, your body in the position of complete freewill. after a couple of minutes more of drowning in the fear of your own thoughts the door behind you open and close. you heard not one set-- but other sets footsteps creak the floor. your eyes grew as wide as moons. little did you know though, this was all apart of their plan. yeonjun knew you wouldn’t be able to take what he was doing to you.

“since you don’t know how to shut up, I brought some friends who won’t mind doing it for you”.

squatting to your eye level was lee juyeon, another one of sigma chi’s most honorable members. he does this sly smirk before rubbing your cheek with his hand. “how you doing precious?”. your heart began to pound dangerously fast. sliding his hand through your hair was hwang hyunjin, on the other side of your face wearing the same smirk as juyeon. “damn you’ve got a pretty one jun”. he comments. if you weren’t bound to the headboard you’d run out of sheer nervousness. but you couldn’t.

juyeon grabbed your jaw and glares into your eyes steadily, almost as if he were searching for something. with him doing this you hadn’t even noticed that yeonjun and hyunjin disappeared behind you. “you have some pretty lips. you know that? show me how well you can suck my dick“.

he fiddles with the waistband of his briefs, giving you a gorgeous view of his chiseled body and you wanted to melt right then and there. however someone was groping your thighs underneath you and you realized yeonjun was back in the same position as before. and hyunjin was above him, his hands groping your ass and kneading it. he spills some lube into the palm of his hand and shoves two slendery, slippery fingers inside your ass without warning. you choked on your own spit and wince at the pain. he rubbed his clothed dick against you, biting his lips.

“have you ever done anal before baby?”.

you shudder. “nno i haven’t”.

he hums before scissoring his fingers inside you a bit more, stretching you out so his dick could fit perfectly. you’ll admit, you weren’t too keen on anal before hyunjin stuffed his dick inside you and filled you to the brim. yeonjun attaches his lips to your clit again, and juyeon rubs his dick against your lips forcing you to take him in whole. more than anything you didn’t know you’d be experiencing this. being ruined by three men instead of one.

you hummed against the shaft of juyeon’s dick at the feeling of yeonjun’s tongue licking your soft folds through and through, all the while hyunjin’s giving you soft thrusts from behind. the delicious mix of pleasure made you delirious. your tummy caved in and your thighs were trembling once again. and oh yeah, yeonjun got his wishes of you staying quiet. juyeon was filling your mouth so much a sound could barely be audible. juyeon slips his hands in your hair, jerking your head back just so he could see your mouth filled his precum. he grins.

“a subscriber of the whorehouse gets used like a whore. you like this shit don’t you?”.

hyunjin grips your waist harder and chuckles. “she can’t talk with her mouth full. she’s being a lady”.

juyeon smirks and glances down at you trying to suck him as far as you could possibly reach. “is that true? you’re trying to be polite?”.

yeonjun smirks and licks another stripe up your wet swollen clit before chiming in. “if so, shes at the wrong place. polite prissy princesses don’t get fucked and sucked this good”.

hyunjin slams a hand down on your ass, making it jiggle underneath his palm. “they sure don’t”. you groan against juyeon’s length feeling like you could pass out any second. he thrusted himself between your lips steadily loving the sloppy, messy sounds your mouth was making in the process.

“look at you...you suck dick and take it good. who taught you this?”. juyeon growls.

you softly whine, crying in response. numerous moans left your throat but it was a mystery on whether or not they’d actually be heard. it didn’t even matter though because all three of them was groaning loud enough to drown out the sound of yours. you felt like you were going to lose your damn mind being used like this. the pleasure of it all made your toes curl and body shiver. yeonjun’s wet lips were coated in nothing but you precum at this point and hyunjin speeds up the movements of his waist, snapping into you like he’d never get a chance to do it again. well, considering the system of the whorehouse he just might not. and he was making it evident.

“fuck, your pretty ass”. hyunjin groans while throwing his head back and biting his lips, slamming you back against his waist every chance he got. your ass was pretty like this, stemming down from your cinched waist it was plump and perfect from this angle. hyunjin thought he could watch it bounce against him all day if he could. you unintentionally pushed back on him leaving a hum of approval sputtering from him lips. “oh shit”. he grumbled.

“she’s fucking you while riding yeonjun’s face. shit, I like her”. juyeon licks his lips while holding your hair in up a makeshift ponytail. tears jerk from your eyes as he shoves his dick down your throat again before pulling it back out. you gagged enough to spit his precum back over his tip.

“I like her too”. hyunjin mentions, completely stopping his hips just to watch you desperately fuck yourself to an orgasm. a throaty groan became a murmur as your legs trembled and the familiar wave of electricity washed over your whole entire body. you didn’t know how much more you could take.

“she’s pulsating so hard around my tongue I think she’s about to cum”.

“she’s so cute look at her fucking herself. you gonna cream all over us baby?”. hyunjin groans.

your high pitched whine rang through the steamy atmosphere and as if your body listened to hyunjin words you did just that, your juices spilling down his thighs and waterfalls down yeonjun’s chin. hyunjin slips his fingers into the curve of your waist and fucks a bit more until your ass was filled with his cum, and the sticky contents of juyeons fluids were already slithering down your throat. your body spasmed and jerk so hard and yeonjun licks the aftershocks out of you before getting up and fucking your throat until he got a fix of his own. he grunts and roughly pulls your hair while he does so, letting his hot cum spill down your throat after he was finished. your limbs felt so weak. you wanted to just stay there and sleep. but unfortunately you had to walk back to your residence hall in this condition. it was fucking worth it though.

after you were freed from the handcuffs you could see the bruised rings on your wrist from them both. “put your clothes back on, go back to your dorm and take care of yourself baby”. yeonjun speaks just before they all vacated the room.

[russellacali]

What is Empowerment Technologies?

This blog, Empowerment Technologies, is an insight into what I have learned on our lessons about Empowerment Technologies: ICT for Professional Tracks, for 11th grade, under the teaching of Miss Shaira Denise Dela Cruz. The goal of this blog is to promote ICT and give you some insight into ICT

The first lesson that was discussed was, what is ICT? ICT is the abbreviation for Information and Communication Technologies. It refers to technologies that provide access to information through telecommunications such as mobile phones, wireless networks, telephones, and other communication mediums. The current state of ICT is WWW or World Wide Web.

The World Wide Web(WWW), commonly known as the Web, is an information system where documents and other web resources are identified by Uniform Resource Locators, which may be interlinked by hypertext, and are accessible over the Internet. It has three versions which are Web 1.0, Web 2.0, and Web 3.0. Web 1.0 is the first version and most web pages were static or “read-only web.” 

The second and most used is Web 2.0, which allows users to interact and contribute with the page instead of just reading a page, the users are able to create a user account. Web 2.0 offers us five features: Folksonomy, Rich User Experience, Long Tail, User Participation, and software as a service.

The last is Web 3.0. Its aim is to have machines understand the user’s preference to be able to deliver web content specifically targeting the user. Web 3.0 hasn’t released yet as it still has some problems. Those problems are compatibility, security, vastness, vagueness, and logic.

Moving on to the next lesson which is all about ‘Online Saftey, security, ethics, and etiquette.’ 

The Internet consists of tens of thousands of interconnected networks run by service providers, individual companies, universities, and governments. It is defined as an information highway, which means anyone can access any information through the internet. That is why the internet is one of the most dangerous places, the reason why it is important how to keep yourself and your personal information safe. Some of the information that is in rick when spoiled on the internet are names of your immediate family, address, phone or home number, birthday, email address, your full name, and your previous and current school. It is important to keep this information top secret as cyber-creeps can use these to find you. 

To keep yourself safe:

Be mindful of what you share online.

Do not just accept terms and conditions, read it.

Keep your passwords to yourself, and make sure your password is long, strong, and unique.

Do not talk or meet up with someone you don’t know.

Never post anything about a future vacation. This can signal some robbers about which date they can come and rob your house. It is better to post about your vacation when you got home already.

Add friends you know in real life, don’t accept someone you barely know or met.

Avoid visiting or downloading anything from an untrusted website, make sure to check the icon beside the search box. *picture* According to DigiCert Blog, “How to Know if a Website is Secure?”, Look at the URL of the website. If it begins with “https” instead of “http” it means the site is secured using an SSL certificate (the s stands for secure). SSL certificates secure all of your data as it is passed from your browser to the website’s server.

Make your home wifi private by adding a password.

Make sure to install and update antivirus software on your computer.

Do not reply or check links from suspicious emails as it can lead you to an untrusted site and can hack your laptop or social media.

To give you more information, here are some of the internet threats that we need to be aware of and try to avoid:

The Malware, stands for malicious software. It includes virus, worm, trojan, spyware, adware, and ransomware. The virus is the most common malware. It is a malicious program designed to replicate itself and transfer from one computer to another (internet, local networks, FDs, CDs,etc.). Worms is a standalone piece of malicious software that reproduces itself and spreads from computer to computer. The trojan is a malicious program that disguises as a useful program but once downloaded or installed, leaves your PC unprotected and allows hackers to get your information. Spyware is defined by Webroot Cybersecurity as "malware used for the purpose of secretly gathering data on an unsuspecting user." It is a program that runs in the background and spies your behavior as you are on your computer. Adware is malware that forces your browser to redirect to web advertisements, which often themselves seek to download further, even more, malicious software. Lastly, Ransomware, also known as scareware. This is a type of malicious software from cryptovirology that threatens to publish the victim’s data or perpetually block access to it unless a ransom is paid.

The Spam, this is any kind of unwanted, unsolicited digital communication, often an email, that gets sent out in bulk.

The Phishing, is a cybercrime in which a target/s are contacted by someone posing as a legitimate institution to lure individuals into providing sensitive data such as personally identifiable information, banking and credit card details, and passwords.

Lastly, before we move to the next lesson it is important to know ‘The Core Rules of Netiquette’ are excerpted from the book Netiquette by Virginia Shea.

First, Remember the Human.When communicating online, practice the Golden rule:  Do unto others as you would have others do unto you. Remember that your written works or messages are read by real people, therefore you should ask yourself, "Would I be okay with this if someone else had written it?" before sending it. 

Second, Adhere to the same standards of behavior online that you follow in real life. It is a must that your best to act within the laws and ethical manners of society whenever you inhabit "cyberspace." Standards of behavior may be different in some areas of cyberspace, but they are not lower than in real life. Be ethical. Don't believe anyone who says, "The only ethics out there are what you can get away with."  

Third, Know where you are in cyberspace. What's perfectly acceptable in one area may be dreadfully rude in another. And because Netiquette is different in different places, it's important to know where you are. Thus the next corollary: Lurk before you leap.

Fourth, Respect other people’s time and bandwidth. Online communication takes time: time to read and time in which to respond. Most people today lead busy lives, just like you do, and don't have time to read or respond to frivolous emails or discussion posts. It's your responsibility to ensure that the time they spend reading your posting isn't wasted.

Fifth, Make yourself look good online. One of the best things about the virtual world is the lack of judgment associated with your physical appearance, the sound of your voice, or the clothes you wear. However, you will be judged by the quality of your writing so keep in mind the following tips: (1)Always check for spelling and grammar errors, (2)  Know what you're talking about and state it clearly

Sixth, Share expert knowledge. The reason for asking questions online works is that a lot of knowledgeable people are reading the questions. And if even a few of them offer intelligent answers, the sum total of world knowledge increases. The Internet itself was founded and grew because scientists wanted to share information. Gradually, the rest of us got in on the act. So do your part. Despite the long lists of no-no's in this book, you do have something to offer. Don't be afraid to share what you know.

Seventh, Help keep flame wars under control. "Flaming" is what people do when they express a strongly held opinion without holding back any emotion.g. While "flaming" is not necessarily forbidden in virtual communication, "flame wars," when two or three people exchange angry posts between one another, must be controlled or the camaraderie of the group could be compromised. Don't feed the flames; extinguish them by guiding the discussion back to a more productive direction.

Eighth, Respect other people’s privacy. Depending on what you are reading in the virtual world, be it an online class discussion forum, Facebook page, or an email, you may be exposed to some private or personal information that needs to be handled with care. Thus, Just as you expect others to respect your privacy, so should you respect the privacy of others. Be sure to err on the side of caution when deciding to discuss or not to discuss virtual communication.

Ninth, Don’t abuse your power. Some people in cyberspace have more power than others. There are wizards in MUDs (multi-user dungeons), experts in every office, and system administrators in every system. Knowing more than others, or having more power than they do, does not give you the right to take advantage of them. For example, sysadmins should never read private emails.

Tenth, Be forgiving of other people’s mistakes. Everyone was a network newbie once. So when someone makes a mistake, whether it's a spelling error or a spelling flame, a stupid question or an unnecessarily long answer, be kind about it. If you do decide to inform someone of a mistake, point it out politely, and preferably by private email rather than in public. Give people the benefit of the doubt; assume they just don't know any better.

The last lesson that was taught to us is ‘Advanced Word Processing Skill’. This lesson focuses on the software word processor the ‘Microsoft Word.’

A Word Processor is an electronic device or computer software application that performs the task of composing, editing, formatting,  and printing of documents.​

Microsoft Word is a word processor developed by  Microsoft and the first released on  October 25, 1983.​ Microsoft Word has features and functions which are not mostly known by others. These are the Auto-Correct, Grammar Checker, Read Aloud, Template, Thesaurus, Mail Merge, and Text Wrap. 

Advance Features of Microsoft Word are discussed. Beginning with the kinds of Materials we can have in Microsoft Word.

The first is Pictures. Generally, these are electronic or digital pictures or photographs you have saved on any local storage device.​ There are three file formats that pictures have which are JPEG or Joint Photographic Expert Group, this can support 16.7 million colors so that it is suitable for use when working with full-color photographic images, GIF or Graphics Interchange Format, this is used for computer-generated images that support animation,  can only support up to 256 colors., lastly, PNG or Portable Network Graphics, this is similar to GIF except it has smaller file size but does not support animation, it can display up to 16 million colors and allows the control of the transparency level or opacity of images.​

The second material is Clip Art. This is generally a GIF type; line art drawings or images used as a generic representation for ideas and objects that you might want to integrate into your document.​

The third is Shapes. These are printable objects or materials that you can integrate in your document to enhance its appearance or to allow you to have some tools to use for composing and representing ideas or messages. The fourth is Smart Art. Generally, these are predefined sets of different shapes grouped together to form ideas that are organizational or structural in nature.

The fifth is Chart. Another type of material that you can integrate into your Word document that allows you to represent data characteristics and trends.

The sixth is Screenshot. Sometimes, creating reports or manuals for training or  procedure will require the integration of a more realistic image of  what you are discussing on your report or manual.

Moving on to the most focused part of the lesson which is the Mail Merge. Mail Merge is a useful tool that allows you to produce multiple letters, labels, envelopes, name tags, and more using information stored in a list, database, or spreadsheet. When these two documents are combined  (merged), each document includes the individual names and addresses you need to send it to. The two components of Mail Merge are the Form Document, this contains the main body of the message we want to convey or send., and the List or Data File, This is where the individual information or data that needs to be plugged in (merged) to our form document is placed and maintained.​

It was demonstrated to us, how to use and make mail merge, and here’s mine:

Before ending this blog, I would like to show you some of my modules for the subject Empowerment Technologies(ETech): ICT for Professional Track.

First, the open forum about the “How can you promote Netiquette?”

Second, an assignment about “Cyberspace:  Share an experience that you have always tend to do but later did you discover that it is not a standard of ONLINE SAFETY, SECURITY, ETHICS, AND ETIQUETTE. “

Third, another open forum about “What is the importance of Microsoft office in your education?”

Lastly is another assignment, making an Infographic: Promoting your specific track/strand. My infographic is a promotion of my strand, STEM or Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.

Hope you learn a lot from this blog as I learn a lot from my subject teacher for  Empowerment Technologies(ETech): ICT for Professional Track. 

Let this day be filled with success in all the ventures you make today. Have a great day!

Photo Credits:

1

https://curatti.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/WWW-Image-1.jpg 

2

https://go4customer.com/articleimages/1581925569Safety_Internet_Day.png 

3 

https://futureofsourcing.com/sites/default/files/articles/internet_attacks.jpg 

4

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/fc/37/e1/fc37e162244d19115d88ab58e07ccc2b.png 

5

https://cdn.guidingtech.com/imager/assets/2019/05/226896/Image-Best-Microsoft-Word-Online-Tips-and-Tricks 2_4d470f76dc99e18ad75087b1b8410ea9.png?1558678050 

[cilldaracailin]

Another One Bites The Dust

Hello all my lovely Tumblr’s. I am back with the next part of the series of Robyn and Taron. It’s just a little one shot and follows on from where A Kind Of Magic left.

Hope you all enjoy :)

“Sometimes you meet a person and you just click--you're comfortable with them, like you've known them your whole life and you don't have to pretend to be anyone or anything.”

Two days after Taron had arrived home, with help from Lyndsey, he had made his press release from the comfort of his own sitting room in his home in Aberystwyth without his hat, all of his injuries on full show. Lyndsey had asked him to do so, showing that his slight disappearance had actually been for a reason, letting everyone see that he had actually been seriously injured. He read Robyn’s words along with his own, explaining briefly what had happened in the 7/11 and how his life had been saved by the quick thinking of Robyn, who selfishly came to his aid. He clarified that he would be fine and was under strict medical instructions to rest and take care of himself.

He also mentioned how filming for Kingman had been halted but would pick up when he had returned to full health and was able to film. Mathew had explained to Taron that the delay in filming shouldn’t push back the release date and he would make sure the film was released as planned as the end of April, meaning none of Taron’s press schedule had to be changed either and Taron had mentioned that in his statement too, as he knew it would be a question that would be hanging in the air if he didn’t address it. Taron had only filled everyone in on the necessary details of the last three weeks, not including anything about where he had been or who he had been with, keeping his secret getaway with Robyn completely undisclosed. Taron then asked for his privacy to be respected as well as Richard’s and Robyn’s and for everyone to understand that what they had experienced was still very raw and fresh for them and they were both still coming to terms with the whole ordeal.

He knew the story of the truth of what happened to him was going to be a headliner but he had not expected the newspapers to actually run with the truth and not try to twist the story too much. ‘Egerton on the edge of life’ and ‘Taron’s still standing’ were some of Robyn’s favourite’s and she had to find the articles online to actually read them as Taron refused to send her the English newspapers. The Irish equivalent of the tabloids weren’t as interested in Taron as the English ones and she wasn’t travelling into Dublin to get them from the big bookstore so had to find other ways to read the articles and stories that appeared after Taron’s statement. She was relieved to see that they were factual and used quotes directly from Taron’s own press release and of course her words too and her name was written right beside his, as the woman who had performed the CPR that saved his life.

Robyn had been incredibly proud of how Taron had handled his press statement and called him once he had made it, to reassure him that he had done the right thing and talk him off a ledge he was teetering on. She was worried about the backlash from the media for Taron’s sake as he had been almost making himself sick with the apprehension after his video was circulated but he was taking the attention really well and twenty four hours after he had made his statement, he wasn’t as stressed as she thought he was going to be about it and with constant support from his family, friends and Robyn herself, Taron was relieved with the positive outcome from the story

One paper tried to run with a version of how Robyn was stalking Taron and followed him from the set in New York to Florida, while another said she only did what she did to try and get into his pants. Robyn had calmed Taron down when he called her to vent by explaining to him that technically he did end up in her bed and his laughter filled the air as she pacified his annoyance and once the next edition of the paper was printed, those stories were long forgotten.

After meeting some reporters outside his home for the first few days, the news quickly changed to some other celebrity gossip and he had peace from hidden photographers and immoral journalists who snooped around his mams house too. Taron was delighted to hear that Robyn had very little fallout from the news too other than her family and friends wanting to know if the story that filtered across the ocean to her was true. Taron was so thankful that Robyn’s home country newspapers and magazines were not concerned with gossip and stories of the nonsense that came with his job and he felt slightly foolish for panicking so much in her bedroom three weeks ago and was so appreciative that everyone was extremely supportive of her in her work too.

Robyn had encountered two reporters at her gate who had travelled from the UK to try and track her down but she had actually stood at her gates and had a conversation with them and the story printed just confirmed Taron’s words and appeal for their privacy. Taron was furious with her at first for talking to the reporters but she had angrily shouted at him down the phone that turning them away was only going to ruin the hard work Lyndsey had already done to appease the media and it had done no harm to either of them. She was so angry with him, she had hung up the phone, Taron ringing back immediately with an apology. She accepted it but firmly told him she was a grown woman who could handle herself and if he didn’t realise that after what they had been through then he needed to get it through his thick skull very quickly. A bunch of flowers had been delivered to her work the next day with a card that read ‘I am sorry chicken’ along with a picture he had drawn of a rocket with stick man inside.

What had really helped Taron and Robyn with their luck was the fact that the video footage from what happened in the 7/11 had been leaked onto the internet four days after Taron’s statement and although it terrified Taron at first, it had only worked further in their favour as the media and fans actually got to see a first-hand real account of Taron being shot and knocked unconscious by the shelf as well as Robyn administer CPR on him. Taron hadn’t been able to watch that part of the video feed at first and it had really upset him mam when she saw it and then he had to watch it back for himself. Once the footage showed the seriousness of their situation, the media had almost backed off realising that Taron Egerton had nearly lost his life but was saved thanks to a stranger who was now a firm friend of his. It completely changed the emotional charge of the story and those journalists who had cheapened the story, wrote a more suited article about the footage, praising Robyn, Taron and Richard for their endurance and strength through it all.

The three had managed to get two quick skype calls together but with Richards work commitments in Chicago and the time difference, they had lasted only about ten minutes each. It was just enough time for them to talk over the lack of fall out from the media and ensure they weren’t frazzled by the papers and online platforms. Another promise had been made between them to meet up properly in person once they could arrange it to suit all of them. With Richard in the middle of filming, he had very little free time and it was unlikely their meeting would be before the year was out, especially with Taron going to back his own filming in the near future. Robyn was just as busy as them, her work schedule filling up fast and it only got busier for her the closer it got to the end of the year. They had to be satisfied with the few quick chats they had as a trio and were happy to have them rather than no contact at all.

Taron’s words and video had spread over social media initially like wild fire and Robyn took to twitter to inspect the damage the news has caused despite Taron’s desperate protests but with an ocean between them he couldn’t stop her. She had scrolled through many threads, posts and comments reading with delight, shock and horror at the words written. While the replies under his Instagram pictures he had posted of the rainbow cake and him posing with the stuffed dinosaur were positive and welcoming, once Taron’s name had been associated with her, a female woman, the attitude of some of the fans had changed and they tried to call Robyn out on stalking Taron, using the happenings in the 7/11 as a way to only get closer to him. However, despite the few negative comments, the majority of the fans had been supportive and grateful and even more so when the video recordings had leaked, most who had made a little fun of what had happened, quickly editing or adding a new comment to thank Robyn for what she did for him. However of course there was the one percent who had to be extremely nasty. After a while, Taron caved and skimmed through the judgements people had made about them and what had happened and had called Robyn every time to apologise each time he read one he found that was particularly upsetting for him.

“I am sorry about that comment Robyn.”

“If you say I am sorry once more Taron, I am going to catch a flight over to you and hold my hands so tight over your mouth to stop you from apologising to me, you won’t even be able to lick me.”

“I am sorry!”

“Funny and nice try.”

“So, when are you coming to visit me then?” He asked after Robyn had scolded him and he smiled when he heard her sigh. “Ok don’t cut me off. I just want to make sure you haven’t been reading every comment on Twitter and everywhere else. You really don’t need to be doing that.”

“Of course I have. I am making a list of who I am going to get you to write a strongly worded letter to.”

“Robyn!” Taron wished she was beside him so he could scowl at her.

“Taron you need to stop worrying about it all.”

“I know you are big girl and you can look after yourself but I do worry and I will worry and I always will worry about you.”

“If you think one little foul comment about me giving you the breathes being compared to kissing and used as an excuse just to kiss you, which by the way we actually have done, twice, is going to make me run away from what happened and our friendship, then your fans are going to have to come at me with something a little more imaginative.”

“Don’t even tempt them Robyn.”

She laughed and could imagine him frowning at her. “Maybe I should post the picture we took together at the piano on my Instagram.”

“Don’t you even dare.”

“But if it is a private one…”

“It will take about two minutes before it goes viral. I am just glad that footage in the 7/11 couldn’t be zoomed in.”

“They already know what I look like Taron.”

“Yeah I know.”

“And don’t get pissed off about it. I am not having this conversation again and again and again. It is what it is and it has been supportive and positive. Now what you need to do seeing as how it has been a week since the statement release and it has already completely mellowed out, is get into bed with a cup of tea and get some proper sleep.”

“My mam has been talking to you.”

“Of course she has.” Once Tina was able to compose herself after she watched the video footage, she was on the phone to the Robyn, thanking her once more for what she did for her son. “She has been telling me all about your time at home. I think I need to send cwtch to you to help you sleep.”

She could hear him smile on the other end of the phone but the tone of his voice was down. “It’s just been a bit stressful Robyn.”

“I know Taron but like I said, a week has passed and everything has calmed down. You can actually put your head down and get some sleep, some decent sleep.”

“Cosy in the duvet sleep?”

“Yeah that kind of sleep. You need to make sure you keep resting Taron.”

“I will and don’t raise that one eyebrow at me.” Taron might not have been able to her, but he knew her left eyebrow was raised in a perfect unapproving look. “I promise. Tonight, I will do my best to try and get a decent night’s sleep.”

“That’s all I can ask for Taron.”

It was Robyn who phoned him when he posted the picture two weeks later on his Instagram of the key lime pie he had made. ‘Learning new skills while I rest up’ was the caption he had written under the photo along with a love heart and chicken emoji.

“A chicken?”

“Well I had to get the nod to you in there somehow!” He laughed as he sat on his mam’s couch, with his sisters either side of him. He had wanted to bake something for his mam as even though he had insisted he stayed at his own home, she visited him every day and had made him many dinners he could freeze and re-heat. Once all the craziness of the media relaxed and he was able to catch up on much needed sleep, he wanted to repay his mam for all her kindness. Her hug had hurt him dreadfully when he got home but he didn’t dare let go and it was an extremely tearful reunion, his step-dad hugging him just as tight and Tina had been almost hounding him lovingly every day making sure he was resting, sleeping and eating. Taron brought the book Robyn had made with him over to his mam’s house and used the recipe she had wrote out for him for the key lime pie to make one in his childhood kitchen much to the amusement of his family. Tina was very interested in the book he was given as a present, and had hugged her son hard around his waist with one arm as she looked through it, laughing at the pictures of his and Robyn’s antic’s and giving him a kiss on his forehead when she got to the picture near the end where Robyn was leaning on his chest with her hand on his heart. Mari and Rosie had insisted that they sat together with him so he could talk to them about the book too and he had answered Robyn’s call as they drooled over the pictures of the rainbow cake. “My mam liked the pie by the way.”

“You do realise that if you keep posting chicken emoji’s someone is going to see a pattern of chicken emoji’s and wonder what on earth they mean.”

“They are just chicken emoji’s.”

“Who uses a bloody chicken emoji Taron?”

“I do and my mam loved how I baked a whole pie by myself.”

“Ok so let’s avoid the subject and I see my thorough instructions worked in your favour.”

“Very helpful.” He agreed. “Robyn I am going to put you on speaker. My sisters want to talk to you.” Taron’s sisters had hugged him tight when he arrived home and even though their arms squeezed his ribs painfully hard, he couldn’t ask them to let go. The arms were warm and comforting around him. They had questioned why his head had a big cut on it and both placed a kiss on his forehead to help make it better, Taron cuddling them both into him for a long time as he knelt on the doorstep of his mam’s house.

“Hey Robyn!” The girls called.

“Hello girls.”

“Robyn did Taron really make that cake in the book you gave him?” Asked Mari.

“He sure did.”

“And he really did throw flour at you.” Confirmed Rosie.

Robyn laughed. “I told you he was being a little bit naughty Rosie.” After speaking with his young siblings a few times on the phone over the past few weeks, she could easily tell their voices apart from each other now.

“We love the book you made for him.” She said. “You had a lot fun with Taron.”

“We did have a lot of fun.” Agreed Robyn.

“The girls want to know if cwtch can come and visit us.” Taron chipped in. “But I told them that he didn’t have a passport.”

“Taron teddy bears don’t need passports.” Laughed Rosie.

“Rosie cwtch is not a bear. He is a dinosaur.” Corrected her younger sister.

“Well dinosaurs don’t need passports either.” Rosie replied.

“Cwtch doesn’t really like airplanes.” Said Robyn.

“Told you.” Replied Taron as he watched the girls flick through the book to try and find the pictures of the plush Robyn had stuck in.

“Yes you did.” Robyn replied knowing Taron’s words were for her. She had wanted him to bring cwtch home with him but he had refused saying that his sisters would want him and how right he was.

“Taron you really loved cuddling him.” Said Rosie as she found the picture where Taron was asleep on Robyn’s bed with the dinosaur in his arms. “Robyn did you really let Taron sleep in your bed?” She asked.

“Should I not have?” Robyn asked back.

“No I am glad you let him. Mam said that we have to let Taron sleep just like you did. It is what the doctor says he had to do. Mari and I gave him one of our bears to cuddle but I think he just needs cwtch to help him sleep.”

“Oh, he does, does he? Rosie has Taron been sleeping in his bed?”

“In our house no. In his house sometimes. Mam has been telling him he needs to stop drinking coffee and sleep.”

“Taron…”

“Robyn, I need to go chicken. My mam is looking for me.”

“No she’s not Taron!”

“Love you!” He called and ended the phone call.

Robyn sent him a text with an angry smiley face followed by a bed, a rocket and a man and Taron’s reply of a love heart, chicken, sheep and a cloud made her grin.

A week later it was Taron who called her to first scold her from commenting on his latest Instagram picture and second to thank her once more for giving him CPR in the 7/11.

It had been over a month since he had left Robyn and he could finally feel his ribs starting to heal and movements that had once stung him and caused him to stop and groan, were much easier for him and he could sit and stand with an ease he had taken for granted before he was hurt. The bruises on his face had completely faded away and his forehead was finally looking healed and only a small thin scab was left as the wound fixed itself. His arm had repaired itself too and again only a skinny scab that he didn’t need to cover was left on his skin. It was taking every ounce of his restrain to not pick at the healing wounds. He didn’t want to be left with a significant scar compared to the small one he would have.

One of the first things he knew he wanted to do once he could move more freely was contact the British Red Cross and enquire about a CPR course that he could take part in and he did so during the first week of October. He had already spoken to his agent about it as well as Lyndsey, his parents and Robyn, who though were concerned with his willingness to throw himself into a course that taught the technique that saved his life so soon, they could see how much it meant to him and supported him with his choice and his need to follow through with his decision to do so.

When he explained who he was and why he wanted to learn such a vital skill to the lady on the phone, it only took three days for his team to work with the British Red Cross in Wales and organise for Taron to take a two day first aid course at home in Aberystwyth. He was extremely happy to share his experience on video for the Red Cross to use in their training, making sure it was ok with Robyn too before he donned the t-shirt with the Red Cross logo to explain how important CPR was and how it had saved his life. It was a campaign that he was proud to be a part of and the two days of training although had been very important for him, were extremely hard and he had to leave the room twice during the first day to compose himself before the instructor could actually show him and those taking the course, how to properly perform CPR. His hands shook and his breathing quickened as he took to his knees in front of the mannequin and he nearly didn’t do it but pushed himself and even when tears started to form in his eyes, he continued to push the compressions up and down. He was glad when the instructor let them take a break before they introduced the breathes as he needed to leave the room and get some air.

He quickly pulled out his phone and called Robyn needing his confident to sort his head out before he went back in.

“I am so proud of you Taron.”

“First off, I don’t know how you did that to me. I was working on a mannequin and my hands were shaking. Your hands were on a real person, on me and you did that. Second, Jesus Robyn, it takes so much energy. I am knackered and I have only done it a few times without the breathes. Thirdly, I can’t believe how hard you have to push down on a chest to ensure you do it properly and fourthly, could you have made it any more obvious on my Instagram that you are the Robyn who helped me? We are supposed to be avoiding social media contact.”

“Oh, how I am missed my rambling numbering things Taron.” Robyn wished she was there with him so she could give him a hug that she was sure he desperately needed. She thought he was crazy when he had called her to tell him what he was organising and only because it was so soon after he had been given CPR. She fully supported him and the campaign he wanted to be a part of and couldn’t encourage him enough for what he wated to do and learn. However, she really felt that learning the new skill would only bring unwanted memoires and pain back to him but he had been so insistent on learning it and she couldn’t talk him into waiting until the new year. “I am giving you a virtual hug now, rocketman.”

“Thank you because I need one.”

“Let go sort through those numbers for you. Firstly, I did it to you because I had to. Believe me, when you are faced with an unresponsive body in real life, it is a very different feeling than sitting in front of a mannequin. Adrenaline automatically runs through you when there is someone’s life depending on you and you do everything within your power that you can to help them. Second, yes it takes a lot of energy but again your adrenaline and instincts kick in and you will be doing lots of rounds Taron when you practise so you get used to the feel of it. I only did one on you but then it is good to understand how much energy it takes. You can tag team with someone else if they know how to do it too.”

“Yeah the instructor had said that.”

“Third, it’s a fair push down on a someone’s chest. You really have to put a lot of strength into those straight arms and thrust the compressions down.”

“And you didn’t break anything.” When speaking about his experience of receiving CPR from Robyn, the instructor was baffled by the fact that Robyn hadn’t broken any of his ribs.

“Still haven’t figured that one out yet Taron and thankful that I didn’t. It would have been a completely different story if I had of broken your ribs.”

“Something else I have to be thanking you for.” Agreed Taron. “The instructor told us to sing Baby Shark in our heads to help keep the beat so each compression is even and solid.”

Robyn laughed a little. “I actually did that.”

“No you didn’t.”

“Yeah I did. It’s what I was told too and it’s a great tip. Really helps you with the rhythm.”

“Everyone laughed when he said it but I think I might go back and tell them that little tip works.”

“And fourthly, you expected me not to comment on the photo you posted of the campaign? I am extremely proud of you for doing this Taron and I am going to say so.”

“You have completely offered yourself up to the world now.”

“The world already knows who I am.”

“You read the comments?” He asked as he walked up and down the car park.

“Naturally.”

“And?”

“All good Taron. You have done such a wonderful thing with this campaign.”

“Well it’s very close to my heart.”

“Nice pun.”

“Wasn’t actually a pun, Robyn.”

“You ok though? This cannot be easy for you.”

She heard him take a breath. “It has been hard. Really hard but I need to do it and I need to it now rather than later when I will chicken out or don’t have the time and I am actually enjoying it, even though it scares me shitless. We are working on the breathes next.”

“Just take your time with it Taron. Everyone understands that this is a very unusual situation for you and won’t mind how long it takes you to get comfortable. I know I am going to find my next first aid training very difficult. At least you don’t remember the CPR.”

“Ugh Robyn what a fucking mess.”

“And here we go again.” Robyn smiled as Taron used his go to phrase when things got a little hard for him and he started to get frustrated when he couldn’t figure his problem out quickly. “Not a mess Taron. Hard and emotionally horrible but needed for healing for you. Seeing the video footage from the 7/11 and watching it makes it harder for you too. Now you have seen the actual CPR, it makes it so much more real for you.”

“Even with an ocean between us you can still read my mind.”

“I told you it was my gift to you.”

Taron looked at the instructor came out and gave him a wave. “Robyn, I have got to go. We are ready to start again.”

“Just breath and take your time. Concentrate on the reasons why you would have to learn this and call me when you are done.”

“I will. Thank you Robyn.”

“Anytime.”

“Before you go, can I ask you something?”

“You know you can ask me anything.”

“Have you thought any more about coming to Elton’s charity benefit with me? And remember it wasn’t me who invited you but Elton himself and you know you can’t turn Mr Elton John down.”

“Taron…”

“I don’t want to put you under pressure but I would really love for you to come.”

“I know Taron. You have already said that to me the last four times you asked me this question over the last week.”

“You would get to wear a fancy fancy dress.”

“You said that too.”

“Please think about it. It is only two weeks away and it’s on a Saturday so you won’t have to miss work.”

“And again, you have told me this already.”

“And it was Elton who invited you, not me.”

“And yes, I know this too. I got the invite in the post.”

Robyn had been confused when the gold envelope arrived in her letter box and opened it, shocked to see that she had been invited to the auction for Elton’s AIDS foundation at his home. Taron had sworn blind that he had nothing to do with the fancy invite when she called him and that Elton had only asked for her address.

“Robyn?” He asked when he heard her go quiet on the end of the phone. He heard his name called and turned to look at the instructor and he gave him a two-minute sign with his left hand. “Hey, look, I don’t want to pressure you into it. I know it is a huge ask for you.”

“It’s only one of the most important charity events of the year being held in Elton John’s home with an array of celebrity faces. Meant to be the soirée of the year. Full of press and media.”

“It’ll be my first event since Florida.” He said quietly.

“Taron…”

“I am not guilting you into it Robyn. I promise I am not and I honestly had nothing to do with the invite. Elton wanted to invite you himself. He knows how much you mean to me and he thought it would have been a nice ‘treat’ as he called it for you.”

“You know I believe you. I just need to think about it Taron. It’s a lot and I thought we were keeping me away from the media.”

“We are and I just miss you. Today has been hard and it’s just bringing some emotions back.”

“I miss you too. I just need some more time to think about it ok and I am always here if you need to vent some emotions.”

Taron hoped Robyn hadn’t heard his sigh into the phone. “I really need to get going Robyn. They are waiting for me.”

“I don’t think you should go back to that course with your mind set the way it is.”

“I will be ok.”

“Yes you will be but you need another ten or fifteen minutes to clear your head.”

“Always looking out for me.”

“And always will be.”

“I should go.”

“Yeah I know. Please call me when you are finished ok?”

“I will.”

“I am still stupidly proud of you Taron.” She enjoyed the small laugh he gave her. “Just remember to breathe and it’s ok to stop if it gets too much for you.”

The call ended and Taron wandered slowly back towards the building where the training was taking place. He had slipped his phone into his pocket but pulled it back out when he felt it ding against his thigh. He was confused when he saw a message from Robyn and unlocked the phone, sliding the screen to open the message.

‘I will be there.’

Four little words brought the biggest grin to his face and he replied quickly with his most used emojis lately: a chicken and a heart.

[buzzdixonwriter]

Duty Now For The Future (part three)

(When last we left our intrepid scrivener, he was spitballing ideas on what he thought the post coronavirus pandemic world would look like…)

Creative Breakthroughs

A lot of people are going to be doing things that interest them during the lockdown, and we’ll see the benefits of that very soon.

Ideas will collide and new ideas will emerge from that.

The high ticket items that our capitalist system kept saying was what we wanted will be supplanted by smaller scale, more personal ideas.

In my phone right now is a free app that enables me to make movies of any length.

There’s a music making app as well.

People are going to create and they’re going to create with the resources they have on hand.

The big movie theaters are taking a hit.  There will not be enough audiences to sustain them.  They’ll be rapidly repurposed.

Once a vaccine is developed for the coronavirus, live venues will flourish.

Pop up theaters and clubs along the times cited above for stores and restaurants will also flourish.

Some of those big empty shopping centers will see crowds return since every week will have a new batch of stores and food stalls and live entertainment to offer.

There are going to be some remarkable media projects created by this, and that will be the artistic wave of the future, and out of necessity it’s not going to be the bloated big budget blockbuster.

If you can tell an interesting story shot in your house using family members as cast, you’ll be able to craft other small scale dramas.

(The only movie theaters likely to flourish will be drive-ins, and for pretty much the reasons they flourished in the past:  They’re cheaper than motels.)

Also, if you thought my incel prediction was scary, try this on for size:  iPhones + senior citizens X trapped at home X several weeks or months confinement = epic granny porn.  (Right now a bunch of you are rolling your eyes and saying “there goes Buzz, making up weird stuff again” and to that I say “you wish!”)

. . .

Print Takes A Hit

Disposable printing (i.e., cheap magazines, books, comics, and newspapers) may not be wiped out, but it’s gonna get rocked back on its heels.

There will always be a small and identifiable market for quality printed works (and here I’m talking about the physical package, not the contents), but the days of buying a magazine knowing full well you’ll throw it away in a few days or weeks will end.

Disposable printing will remain for specific local events (conventions programs, conference brochures, etc.) but mass market printing will go.  (And expect more and more conventions and conferences to make their programs and brochures available online only.)

That’s going to be quite a block to several overlapping industries and creative disciplines.  There are new venues springing up digitally and online, but the transition over will not be an easy one for older consumers.

. . .

Collecting & Crafting

Bad news for all you folks holding onto “collectables” that were cranked out by the shitte-tonne.  The only people who value them are folks like you, who bought ‘em hoping to sell ‘em to some other sucker.  Real 21st century collectibles will be precious because of their scarcity and their craftsmanship, in particular the fame and reputation of the crafter making it.

. . .

DIY Culture

This is going to overlap with a resurgence in home crafting, making items by hand that become desirable because they were made by hand.  Smart tailors and jewelers and other crafters will operate on margins too thin for large scale production but will do quite nicely since they’ll eliminate mid-level distribution by selling direction online.  Already Etsy and similar sites are making this possible.

Couple it with 3D printers becoming cheaper and more reliable, and a lot of small household items are going to actually be made in the house they’re intended for.

We should also see people creating automated looms, knitting machines, woodworking lathes, etc., that eliminate or at least drastically reduce the skill set required to turn out serviceable goods.  

Not everyone will own one (much less all) of these devices, but in neighborhoods and among family and friends we should find people we know and trust who can make things for us.

. . .

Pop Up Stores And Restaurants

The worst business to be in is the restaurant business.  

An estimated 20% of all new businesses fail in their first year, and 50% fail by their fifth year, but for restaurants it’s a staggering 60% in year one, 80% by year five.

Who would want to get in any new business?

No, what we’ll want to do is get our new business out.

What kills most new businesses is a tug of war between financing (never enough) and real estate / hardware (always unexpected costs there).

A restaurateur needs to find an affordable location, make sure it is outfitted with a suitable kitchen, assemble a staff, then open at set times in a fixed location and hope enough people come to make the venture profitable.

Why?

Look at food trucks.  They go everywhere and they do good business.  Of course, there’s no fine dining establishment, you just grab your grub and go, so it’s not the wort of thing that appeals to people who wish to socialize or do a business lunch.

But a pop-up restaurant could offer that.  Find an empty venue, either take over its kitchen if it has one or truck in your own if needed, open only during the hours you wish to be open, then cart everything off when finished.

There are night clubs and raves that do this sort of thing already on a much lower scale.  And it doesn’t have to be confined to entertainment style businesses.

A small shop could easily open up for a few weeks in a specific location, sell products, then close and move on / wait till the next opportunity.  (This already happens in the form of Halloween and Christmas shops that pop up for a few weeks then disappear around those holidays.)

Returns could be handled in a centralized location; the business need not generate what it sells but could be the storefront for a manufacturer.

It will mean a change in the way we shop and the way we market what we shop, but with most durable goods purchased online, and with smaller items either made at home or by a local crafter one knows, this might be a viable market for items and services that might otherwise fall through the cracks.

. . .

The Knowns, The Known Unknowns, And The Unknown Unknowns

The above are what I think is going to result from this current coronavirus outbreak.

Frankly, there are still so many wild cards in play that there’s no guarantee any of the above will come about. 

Consider: The tragic polio outbreaks of the 1920s / 30s / 50s were rightly or wrongly associated with public swimming pools.

A great many families, once they rose high enough into the middle class, bought a backyard pool -- either an inground or a temporary seasonal above ground model -- to keep their family safe.

It became a status symbol to show how well you looked after your kids.

Even when polio was finally defeated, it remained a status symbol.

There’s no reason for everybody to have a backyard pool, and in places like Southern California they’re actually counterproductive, contributing to climate change (you’re better off filling ‘em in and planting trees instead).

Nobody anticipated that in the 1950s when building pools became more and more common for middle class families around America.

You’ll notice I’ve avoid discussing contemporary politics.

That’s because this crisis is ultimately one of a political nature, both in the US and around the world, and it’s going to be solved (hopefully) through politics.

Or violence.

Which is why I’m rooting for politics.

Whatever happens, it’s going to be change in a big, big way.

It may not be good change.

We may not like it.

We may have to fight to change to something else.

But we’re never going back to where we once were.

. . .

Bottom Line: We’re going to get through this, but we’re not going to be the same on the other side.

 © Buzz Dixon

[queleembdeme1972-blog]

Ikke helt det samme. Med tanke p at alle det ikke gr ut over folk som har tatt vaksine, for de er vel trygge? Og regner med at de som ikke tar, tror at kroppen selv m klare st imot / g igjennom sykdommen og bygge en immunitet. Noe som de selv da har ansvar for. The biggest benefit for this change would be the fact that it completely stops all wilderness lures. You still won want to die with a party hat on. Those things cost 10m to reclaim. The downtown streets that run east to west are all numbered and previously were called the names of Texas trees. And some still are, depending on which part of the street you're on, as do local businesses near those streets. In numerical order (south or north), major downtown streets include Cesar Chavez/First Street; Second Street (Live Oak); Third Street (Cypress); 진주출장마사지 Fourth Street (Cedar); Fifth Street (Pine); Sixth Street (Pecan); Seventh Street (Bois d' Arc); Eighth Street (Hickory); Ninth Street (Ash); 10th Street (Mulberry); and 11th Street (Mesquite).. Furthermore, after switching industries over to finance with a focus on the China market, I want to make it clear to anyone that is hurr durring this Tencent buy: they absolutely can and intend to censor. As another Redditor stated, it is a cultural war. That is how this country sees it. It's funny you say it'll bring down too performers. I'm considered one and I've been thinking of quitting if I don't get a promotion or raise this next cycle. I make roughly $1000 more than him and we are the same classification. Besides, some aspects have been handled rather weakly imo. I would have preferred if none of the masters stayed. It doesn make sense to me that Mei would just return. Its not that bad of a game. Ive got over 90 hours in it, with most of that time being really enjoyable. Baring the few really bothersome bugs i encountered of course. It arrives offcycle from their paychecks, which are usually 100% allocated against their bills and daily expenses already. The tax refund for a lot of these people may be the biggest check they see each year. Because it not allocated like paychecks, it may also be the only big chunk of money they see in a year for things like a car down payment or paying off an outstanding credit card or medical bill.. I going back to him" not that exactly but the was the point of the text. I destroyed a door. Just punched and kicked it until it was just splinters. Vanilla custard v1 cap and banana cream tfa contain either or both Acetoin and Acetyl Propionyl, which may have something to do with it, but they do not have any sweetener in them. Some flavorings behave differently than others. I notice any mix I make with strawberry ripe discolors and kills my coils quickly. I loveeee the new ones however. I normally don't wear lipstick because I don't like to draw attention to my full and uneven lips but these look pretty on me without looking too bold. These are basically like a tinted lip balm but can be built up to a higher pigmentation without looking weird or patchy.. I 진주출장마사지 like to think she would have fun looking back at the pages and see photos of her dad and I, her uncle and I, grandparents, old pets, etc. I still print out tons of photos and hang photos on the wall but idk I really enjoy using social media to share. And no my kid won't see my message to them if I say happy birthday but who cares lol she won't see my written notes either until she's not older, but I still do them.

[findmoneycoach77]

Smart Life Business Solutions!

I advise you to look Use the apps to communicate with all your employees, manage payroll, job scheduling and so much more.

The Best Business Apps To Use:

Expensify

Managing travel can be difficult, but managing expenses can be even harder. You know expense receipt-keeping is important, but it can be painful and receipts are easy to lose. Turn to Expensify to sync with your credit cards and bank accounts. Cash purchases can be scanned by simply taking a picture of the receipt.  Cost: Free. However, there’s a cost for team and corporate plans.

Quickbooks

The Intuit QuickBooks app is a big help when it comes to your accounting and bookkeeping needs. QuickBooks’s accounting software helps you run your business and provides a full sense of your company’s financial health. This app includes robust tools to track your business’s expenses and sales, view financial statements, pay your employees, track unpaid invoices and more. Try it free for 30 days.

Square Invoices

Square Invoices allows you to create and send custom invoices to your customers and clients. When they receive an invoice, it can be paid online – making the process smooth and easy. In addition, Square Invoices helps you keep track of customer invoices. You’ll be able to see who already paid and which customers still have a bill due.

Slack

Slack is a real-time messaging and collaboration tool for small businesses with the ability to organize conversations into separate private or public channels or send a direct message.  Slack’s business app allows you to drag and drop files, so you can quickly share information. It even integrates with Dropbox, Google Drive, Salesforce, and more. You can try Slack for free but a paid plan offers more features and controls for $8/month per user.

Proven

Are you looking to grow your team? Proven is a leading hiring tool for small businesses. This small business app allows you to post to multiple job boards with a single post, post to premium and specialty job boards, store resumes for HR, share job postings on social media, and organize your hiring process. You can also schedule interviews and messages candidates from the app.  Try Proven free for 10 days and pay as you go.

GoToMeeting

No matter the size of your business, there is a good chance you will be hosting meetings or webinars, especially for those not in the office. GoToMeeting allows you to host conference calls or trainings that allow participants to join via phone, tablet or at a computer. You can also share screens with this app and attend or start sessions from anywhere.

MailChimp

There are many email marketing tools available for small businesses today, but MailChimp helps you easily manage email lists and create and send newsletters. With this app, you can build and customize email templates and view reports to track email performance. Pricing for this app depends on the number of subscribers in your email list.

Gusto

Gusto is an online service to help manage your company’s payroll, benefits and HR needs. Gusto offers many options to help you choose the right plan and budget for your small business. This app automatically reports new hires, handles local, state and federal tax filings and automates deductions for benefits and workers’ compensation. This app starts at $39 per month with and additional per-employee cost per month.

Evernote

This handy app helps you remember whatever you need to remember across multiple devices, including from your computer to your phone. You can type messages, record voice notes, and snap pictures all to help your team’s productivity. Evernote’s free version lets users upload up to 60 megabytes of data per month with more options for an additional cost.

TripIt®

Travel frequently for business? TripIt helps you stay organized. Just forward your reservation confirmation emails and the app builds an itinerary you can access while on the go. This app allows you to consolidate your travel plans into one master itinerary that can be accessed on any device, any time. You can also check on flight times, weather, delays or find directions.

HootSuite

You know social media is important, but it’s time-consuming to keep up with multiple apps like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. HootSuite pulls them all together, allowing you to use a single app to communicate on a variety of social media platforms. There are five plans available, including a free version.

Dropbox, Google’s G Suite, and Apple’s iCloud are all services that allow users to store their files in the cloud. Using a web browser or the respective app, users can access their files on the go. So if you need to show a client a specific document or print out a contract while you’re traveling, you can do so with these apps.

[talenlee]

Here’s a one-part diary, one-part itinerary, one-part aspirational documentation of what I did this past year as best I can explain it and we’ll see how well we go as we go with it. This wrapup is at least in part to look at what I did, but also to try and get a handle on my own feeling of yawning lack of accomplishment. If you didn’t do a lot this year and you get overwhelmed by lists, please don’t read this because it might make you upset. On the other hand if you want a wrapup of the kind of things I do and try to do… well, hey, checkit out.

Writing

I got back into writing daily in July, and did so consistantly throughout the year. Part of what let me get onto that schedule better was the use of a Bullet Journal, a tool I found very handy for tracking my progress as I blogged and recorded my mental health and wellbeing. A material object is very satisfying to handle, so I recommend it to anyone struggling with frantic feelings of impermanence.

Of the things I wrote, it seems the things people were most interested in were the articles on Jace, and my Amerimanga covers, with a late-year run-in for Perry’s Lock story.

Study!

I finished my honours thesis, and did well enough to get an almost-but-not-quite top rating mark. The research was considered interesting enough to serve as the basis of my PhD, which I then applied for, and my application was approved. This was a really harrowing experience – I thought writing and applying would take a few weeks at most, but it took almost two full months of work.

My Honours thesis is listed under my government name so I’m reluctant to share it as is, but the basic gist was to try and tackle the idea that when critically engaging with games, play is a paratext, rather than text. That is, there is no true textual analysis that can be done of play without recognising the input of the player, but, you can examine the play the player brings if you recognise what the player means to the reading. This wound up forming the basis of my Making Fun videos.

Reading!

I don’t read enough, I tell myself, so I did my best to read more. When I found myself reading, I made sure to share it and indulge in it, which helped me focus on reading more. Interestingly when you share reading you’re necessarily framing it, which means you’re sort of explaining it, a thing that made approaching some books a lot easier. I’d wind up at the end of a book realising I’d explained it and understood it, without noticing that’s what I was doing.

The Grasshopper: Life, Games and Utopia, by Bernard Suits

Alien Phenomenology: What It’s Like To Be A Thing, by Ian Bogost

Paratexts: Threshold of Interpretation, by Gerard Geanette

Game Play: Paratextuality in Contemporary Board Games, by Paul Booth

Understanding Media, by Marshall McLuahn (SUPER dense)

I also read some manga and comics, and some of those I’d recommend are:

Sense Art Online

Lumberjanes

Irredeemable

Top 10

I also reread Nation, by Terry Pratchett, which isn’t at all interesting because this is merely one of my favourite books and just one of the best things he ever wrote. Also, one final note to Blades in the Dark, a game book I really liked and makes me very excited.

Robots!

I made a bunch of twitter robots, which are basically an automated way of playing with text. They seem like they’d be harder than they are – and you’d be surprised once you get past a certain threshold how well they do things you forgot you told them they could do, or never realised. You can look at all of them here.

Media!

This year I made a protracted point, as well, to actually watch some TV! That may sound like a really minor thing, but TV these days is such a vast thing that there is some cool stuff there. What’s more, TV you can’t interact with and you can’t be expected to get wrong – which can make it good for relaxation and trying to diminish anxiety. I know I watched all of the first two seasons of American Horror Story back to back while in the grip of The Worries, and you would think that would be distressing but it was kind of the opposite.

This also broadened my palate and gave me more ideas for stories. As a nearly non-stop Youtube watcher as well, I’m already in the market for short, informative videomaking, which I also got into, so longer-form, higher-production stuff – even stuff like just Bob Ross was good to watch.

I also took this chance to catch up on some TV series and movies that are part of ‘the zeitgeist’ that for some reason or another I never really watched. I tried watching more anime, too, which is like TV but you can’t multitask during it, unless you watch it dubbed. And on that note, I watched Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood, dubbed, and didn’t hate it. In fact, my thesis and FMA Brotherhood, as well as the work of Sideways, is what convinced me to try making Youtube videos on the subjects that interest me.

What I’m saying is I have a FMA Brotherhood video in me, but we’ll see how I go with this new editing software. Anyway.

Shirts!

I made at least 36 different t-shirt designs this year – holy nerts, that’s a lot more than I expected. My original goal was something like 1 shirt design per month – and thanks to the practice doing graphic design, I wound up making three a month.

In case you were curious, yes, these don’t really sell.

Playing Games!

I did a lot of work on my backlog of games. At the last accounting, I have 559 games in my Steam Library, and of them I have marked 229 as Completed. Note that to me, a game is completed when I’m done with it – I don’t need to slog through a game that bored me in the first hour.

Making Games!

And here we have an absolute bumper. Partly because my thesis required a lot of game design and partly because I cannot resist the joy of merely making, I spent a lot of time this year creating card and board games, including our first proper release of a board game.

I planned to make a game a month for 2017, based on 2016, and that arc follows here, but.

January – D-73C7, a hidden movement game on cards

February – Chin Music, a memory game of punching

March – Pie Crimes, the prisoner’s dilemma, with cake

April – Dragon’s Favour, a voting game of hidden roles

May – Queer Coding, a cooperative communication game

June – Fabricators, an economy game of 3d printing futuristic factories

July – You Can’t Win, an impossible trick taking game

August – Cafe Romantica, a handsome boys builder game

September – Good Cop, Bear Cop, a hidden identity accuse-em-up

October – Sector 86, a space station builder

November – Escape Code, a bluffing conversation game

December – C-QNS, a pattern matching number game

In addition to this, there were some extra games we released, Push Pins, Nobeard’s Treasure, Skulk, Camp Osum (Alpha) and Yes Chef. In my thesis I had to complete preliminary design for two more games, Mystery Machine and The Coins Of Tarim, and I did prospective work for Kinksame and pushed through stage one of The Comissioner’s Game. I also put out a prototype concept for a VHS-style wrestling game. So far none of these games have proven to be world-beaters, but I’m happy with all of them, in no small part because I love the process of making them. There are stories about each one, stories about how they improved or changed and that may wind up going up over on the main Invincible Ink website.

I also collaborated more and made more games solo. I made D-73C7 entirely on my own (and incidentally, that number is 881,607, in decimal), and continued this with some of our games – Fabricators and You Can’t Win, for example, were entirely solo projects. Yet at the same time, this year featured Skulk, which has art by Alex Zandra, Sector 86 uses some of our first paid stock art, and Cafe Romantica is a game whose entire visual aesthetic is made by Fox.

In addition to this, games that were complete in 2017, but not released include LFG (releasing Cancon 2018), Black Jack’s Dungeon, Bag O Pipes, Domains of Meh, and Winston’s Archive. There were also revisions and second editions for Crowdfund This, Murder Most Fowl and Chin Music. As I write this, in another window, I have a document open for what I’m hoping might be yet another complete game, which I’m super excited to get my hands on.

Anything Else?

I attended six conventions this year – Cancon, Comic-Gong, SMASH, MOAB, GaymerX and LFG, with varying degrees of success. Cancon was an absolute corker, as was Comic-Gong, with GaymerX surprising us with their interest in our ares, and MOAB and LFG a bit more low-key. Still, contact was made with vendors and FLGS, so here’s hoping going forwards there will be more.

I tweeted a lot, and had a handful of tweets go viral, including a new Most Viral tweet of mine, about Vincent Price. This year that was less annoying – the new twitter feature ‘mute this conversation’ does its job.

Emotionality!

This year featured a few big changes for me. One of them is that I spent some time this year making the conscious decision to minimise my interaction with people who actively make me feel bad, and to instead focus my emotional energy on improving the lives of people I really care about. Something in my family life has come up that I simply cannot deprioritise – it’s too important – and that means that I’ve had to ask myself if the emotional distress of a stranger is really my business, even if I do want to live in a world where people will randomly be kind to you. I acknowledged that there are some people, even queer people, who are just jerks, and I don’t need to spend my time listening to and ceding to them, because they are not immune to basic social consequences. I still take the hit when I can, as my privilege armours me pretty well.

I’ve taken to offering random instances of kindness to people, as best I can, to simply tell people hey, here’s a reminder the world doesn’t suck so bad, and being okay when they drop it.

I admitted to some of my trauma. I opened up and shared with some people about my stress. I watched as my parents recognised that their best intentions have had problems in both my life and my sister’s life and started to learn how to forgive them. And I started to face things about myself that make me miserable and sad and feel inadequate, and start to try and develop a framework for them.

Here’s the big thing: A member of my family is getting divorced. It is not a nice divorce. There are kids involved. Abuse is involved. This sucks. This straight up sucks on toast. There is no cutesy way around it.

What’s next?

Tune in tomorrow.

The 2017 Self-Examination Roundup Here's a one-part diary, one-part itinerary, one-part aspirational documentation of what I did this past year as best I can explain it and we'll see how well we go as we go with it.

[charleightolley-blog]

Final Major Project

26-01-2019

I began my Final Major Project by struggling to find something I wanted to spend a vast amount of time researching into and creating outcomes for. I began by brain storming issues in society which I was interested in tackling and then narrowed them into a handful of topics which I could tackle realistically and produce powerful outcomes for.

After a conversation with one of my lecturers, Brian, about what I was passionate about in the world, what sparked an interest and what I spent my spare time looking into / watching. I created a brain storm of what I am extremely passionate about and chose one pathway from that.

I spend a lot of my spare time looking into missing people cases as it amazes me that in the 21st century people can still go missing, especially in a city like London where we are completely watched with CCTV. I watch YouTube video’s to understand theories and do my own research into how and why people go missing. It’s a bit of a strange hobby but it’s actually quite popular and growing in popularity on YouTube. So I took this hobby and started researching into a specific area among missing people where I could explore and maybe someone hadn’t already explored.

Then having a group chat with some peers and presenting them with the issues I have faced, helped me narrow down an insight to tackle directly through out my final major project - some people want to be missing (for what ever reason), how can we help the people they have left behind. Rather than force the missing to be found when this is not their wish, help the families have closure to a worrying time.

I started some brief research into the current missing people campaigns and how charities have tackled the issue of missing people / runaways. The emotion I got from these campaigns were extremely sad but also very mechanical. I wanted my campaign to have emotion and feel personal to the people I am targeting.

09–02-2019

I needed to decide how I would be able to help those wishing to stay missing without making them feel as they need to disclose their location. After critically analysing existing campaigns for missing people and discovering that there is not any campaigns which allow the missing person stay missing - all current campaigns feature them coming home or others disclosing their whereabouts. This research helped me greatly as a designer as this will be what I will be researching into and gaining an understanding of what is already targeting the area of which I am trying to 

Most campaigns are online, meaning those with no smart phone / internet do not get to see these campaigns which may be aimed at them. I knew I had to design and make something physical and that could reach those without smart phones and could possibly be living on the streets.

From this, I began researching into techniques pieces of information can be distributed physically.

05-03-2019

I began looking directly into zines and why zines were used. Zines are most commonly used to distribute a message to a vast audience, however on a budget. I believed that using a zine, printing it by hand gave each issue a personal touch rather than polished magazines which have no personality to them. Zines usually look rough, not polished and finalised. Going to Ravensbourne university library, I was able to look at some hand made zines which had been donated to the library for educational purposes. This really helped me gain a better understanding that Google wouldn’t have been able to.

After deciding I was going to be  creating a zine, I began doing depth research into people who have gone missing and are believed to be in London (as London is a popular city people decide to run away to due to its population). When researching into charity pages such as Missing People and YouTube video’s where YouTubers relay the information they have researched, I began making content for the zine. The content consisted of the missing persons photograph, hand written messages from their loved ones and where they were able to send a response home.

After talking to Brian, again, it came to me that maybe it would be very difficult for the missing person to compose a message to their loved ones. Finding it difficult to put into words why they need some space, and then Brian told me about how back in the world wars, families would receive a message from the front line but it would be a pre written message. Rather than the soldiers composing messages themselves.

Taking a leaf from this book, i decided to start looking into possible pre written responses which would be sent to families back home.

As well as doing this, I was designing the layouts for the zines and working out which type of printing would work best.

17-03-2019

After a Riso Printing workshop with Steve Stacey,  I decided that this way of printing would fit perfectly with my zine’s identity. I wanted the zine to feel personal to each person reading it and that the reader felt a connection to the content they were reading. Each print from the Riso printer would be slightly different depending on how the paper went in, how warm the ink was and the papers grooves. I then began changing my designs to fit how the Riso printer needed the images / layers to look.

I had never used such a printer before so it was quite difficult learning how the print outs would work, very trial and error with a lot of my first zines. However, after perseverance, I began to know how the printer worked, how to change the ink colours and what buttons I pressed would effect the final outcome.

Whilst prototyping the zine, I began drawing up some of the interactive screens and how they would navigate through the screen / user journey. Very early on, I knew that the screen had to work in a few taps rather than taking a lot of time out the individuals day. The longer it took to answer, the less chance it is for someone to complete the screen activity. The human races attention span has rapidly decreased - it’s known on social media, if a video is longer that 30 seconds, most turn off the video. And some news articles now have a time of how long it will take you to read it. So keeping this in mind, I made the screen designs easy to follow and only a matter of clicks.

25-03-2019

I began using Adobe Xd to start developing my drawings of the interactive screen. I had not used this software before and gaining an understanding of how it works and how it can help me in the future developed me as a designer. Developing my knowledge of prototyping and how to mock up a screen to understand and map out the users journey.

I realised when creating the interactive screen that it would be handling delicate information and there could be a chance that the person interacting with the screen could want to exit the screen quickly as they had changed their minds with contacting home. This was then back led up with research when looking into the Missing People Charity - on the website, there is a button which says exit quickly. When pressed changed the page url and what is on the screen to a search home (google). I then incorporated the exit quickly button into the screen and who ch pressed, takes you back to the home page and deletes all content/ data.

Developing the users journey through the screen and creating the different ways someone could explore the screen helped me explore the software more and understand how it could be used to present my work to it's full potential.

After watching some YouTube tutorials, I began working Adobe Xd to it’s full and working the mock ups so I was able to drag the screen and scroll down pages which would be used in the real interactive screen. After finishing this mock up, I was able to put the video onto an iPad screen to show viewers how it would really look when in person.

After creating this, I had to do the same with the application on smart phones where families / loved ones could submit their messages for the missing person.

30-02-2019

Sadly, my next door neighbour was reported missing - he had gone missing after a family argument and leaving the house. He was known for suffering of depression and having a rocky relationship with alcohol. Having a person so close to my home chose to go missing and seeing first hand what it does to a family when searching  and needing closure made me more passionate about creating my FMP outcomes better and more relatable to the missing person. Having many conversations with his wife and her sister about him being missing and following their search for him over a week gave me an insight into how families feel about loved ones deciding to go missing.

Fortunately, he made contact with home and was found safe.

02-04-2019

Printing the final zines with the Riso machine was a bit touch and go, still learning how the machine works and how to change the master print. However, it did work eventually and I was able to print out two issues of the zine.

After creating my first issue of the zine, sadly two of the young missing people’s bodies had been found. Liam Smith was a 16-year-old who was last seen on 17the November on a bus. A major search was launched in the Aberdeenshire countryside, but a member of the public discovered a body which has now been confirmed the body was that of the teenager.

And the other being the 21 year old student Libby Squire. Police searching for missing Hull student Libby Squire have confirmed a body recovered from the Humber estuary is in fact the young woman. 

Due to these sad news updates, I decided to design a second issue of the zine.

After finishing the zine prints, I decided that it would be practical to made small business card like cards with the information to where the interactive screens are located with the name of the cause. This would be practical for people to hand to homeless people around London and could be in constant cycle when the zines are not published or circulating.

This project has really helped me improve as a designer by understanding how the research process and prototyping process works in industry. I developed my knowledge in prototyping software and evaluate what was missing in my portfolio and created it. Physical / print outcomes were missing from my portfolio and by creating and finishing this brief, I was able to fill that whole in my professional portfolio.

[emmakillianfan]

Music of the Heart Chapter 45 of ?

Previous Chapters: FF.net and AO3

Later that morning Emma sat at her desk with her travel cup of coffee balanced precariously in her hand as she flipped through the contract for Elsa’s upcoming appearances. It seemed relatively standard and without some of the caveats that she had thought might cause an issue when she mentally considered options in the shower that morning. While Elsa had yet to say definitively if she was reneging from the obligation of the tour, Emma felt it necessary to arm herself fully in the pending discussion with Regina.

Stretching her boot covered feet under the desk, Emma took another sip from her travel mug and managed to place it next to her phone without spilling it everywhere. The office was relatively quiet, everyone out on assignments or in the studio that morning. A few people were answering calls – mostly unsolicited artists trying to break through into the business by making pests of themselves. She ignored those and stuffed the contract back into the folder.

She was part way through an email to the tour manager about security provision cost estimates when she heard the familiar and foreboding clack of high heels on the hallway floor. Without even looking, Emma knew them to be Regina’s. While Zelena wore such heels too, her steps were usually more gliding compared to the determined march of the younger sister. Sure enough Regina’s dark head poked into the office after a preceding knock.

“You wanted to see me?” she asked, her arms folded and hands tucked as she stared into the much smaller office. “Are you finally going to explain this concern about Elsa? I was at the Rabbit Hole on Saturday. She can’t be that upset that some fan spent a fortune on flowers for her.”

“It’s a bit more complicated than some flowers,” Emma said, motioning for her boss to come in and sit. It would not do to cower to the woman’s sense of propriety and seem weak or wishy washy. No, she had to present herself confidently and as a woman who was not going to cower. It wasn’t that foreign of a concept to Emma, but one she found herself losing ground on with Regina. “Here’s the sheriff’s findings. He’s still investigating, but you’ll see there was an incident yesterday at the condo involving Liam’s car.”

Barely glancing at the neatly typed form from Graham, Regina held it between her finger and thumb as if it might somehow stain her double button blazer and creamy blouse. Her dark red lips pursed out. “And we’re sure this is all legitimate? I know sometimes women can like to garner attention for themselves. It wouldn’t be unheard of for a woman to stage such things to get the renewed affections of a wayward boyfriend.”

“I doubt Graham would have missed that kind of clue,” Emma insisted, not taking the document back as Regina waved it vaguely. She knew the thinly veiled comment to Regina about Graham would sting somewhat. “He’s a pretty good judge of character and whatnot. And Elsa was with Liam the whole time. She couldn’t have slashed his tires without his knowing.”

“Maybe she had help. Her sister maybe?” Regina crossed her legs, the material of her skirt stretching tightly along the split at midthigh. “That’s plausible.”

Pressing a finger to where he nose met her forehead, Emma sighed. “You think that she had her pregnant sister sneak into a garage and slash three tires on a car. The same pregnant sister who has decreased her work load and schedule because of wanting to do everything right for her baby.”

“I’m simply throwing possibilities out there, Ms. Swan. No need to get defensive. So you and the sheriff are sure it isn’t self inflicted. What about an old boyfriend? That’s not unheard of, you know. Elsa has reached a certain level of celebrity and some would assume independent wealth. I could see some man from her past hoping to benefit from a rekindled relationship.” She shifted in the rounded chair, the silvery heel of her left shoe digging into the carpet enough to create an depression. “Did the sheriff not see anything odd about the fact that Elsa is receiving flowers and notes while her boyfriend gets his tires slashed. I’m not an investigator, but that just screams jealous ex to me.”

Emma gave a placating smile, leaning back in her chair. “I don’t know that it matters at this point. Elsa said she does not know anyone who would do such a thing. And I believe her. Graham agreed that it is most likely an obsessed fan of some kind. So that leads us to discussing security issues. I’m about to ask our IT guys and girls to take a look at the blog, social media, and message boards for anything that stands out. I was also thinking that we need to prepare our front line staff to answer questions without providing personal information that could be dangerous in the wrong hands. I also want to look at our own procedures for divulging information like travel details and dates.”

The dark haired woman’s chin rose slightly. “And this extra security will be coming out of the general budget?”

Expecting such a protest, Emma passed over the spreadsheet she had already printed. “There will probably be extras but this is a good estimate on the start of it. That doesn’t include measures for Elsa’s safety if we continue on course with the tour dates. I was also thinking…”

“Of what? Hiring a cook and housekeeping help for her? Maybe a masseuse to deal with all those pesky issues of stress from all this? A decorator so this stalker has a better looking place to wait?” Regina threw the unread report and spreadsheet on the floor. “I run a music label, Ms. Swan. This isn’t a charity.”

Emma was prepared for that too, knowing that Regina hated to part with money or control. “The final details will be up to you, but I just put together some numbers. I also looked at whether it might make more sense economically to pull out of the upcoming performance dates.” She smiled as she held another estimate in her hands, hoping that her idea of concentrating on the monetary aspects were more likely to sway the fiscally conservative woman than simply asking permission. This would give everyone enough time to book another act if that is how we decide to go.”

“She wants to back out on performances that will bring more attention to her and her music?” the woman asked coldly. “Why not? Let’s not ever record, promote, or otherwise do anything that would make people think we were a label. We could make sand art and sell it at craft fairs or crochet little hats and scarfs. Would that make you happy?”

“Regina, I’m not suggesting anything. I am just presenting the possibilities.” She hoped that her face was not betraying her calm voice that she was trying to keep stoic. “Elsa has a good reason to be concerned. And I’m not saying we’re responsible, but a fan who is bordering on stalking is something we should be prepared to handle. I realize I haven’t yet, but surely you have with your experience.”

Pushing off the arms of the chair, Regina was quickly on her feet and back at the door. “Fine, we’ll do something. I’ll make my decision by the end of the day. I want to see the reports from these security people as soon as they come in. No editing them, Ms. Swan. I want it unfiltered.”

“If you think that’s best,” Emma said, turning back to her computer screen. “You’re the boss.”

***AAA***

Mr. French’s shirt was a crisp white with traces of moss and the floral scent of a man who worked all day with flowers. His calloused hand gripped Liam’s tightly as he eyed the man and frowned just enough to let everyone know that he was not used to having his business interrupted by people asking questions and buying nothing.

“I don’t know what else I can tell you. The guy came in here and bought the flowers, wrote the card himself. He used your name, but having never met you…”

“I’ve been here before,” Liam groused with his hands shoved in the front pockets of his jeans. “So this guy just claims to be me and you don’t question it?”

“You think he should have asked for identification? He was buying flowers not a hand gun,” Graham said, tilting his head back to check out the two security cameras placed strategically. One was trained on the cash register and the other on the door. It seemed a bit much for the 14’X16’ show room that was crowded with floral displays. “I know you gave us the tape, but is there anything else you remember? Did he have a limp? A tattoo? A scar? Something that would distinguish him in any way?”

Liam grumbled at the questions, his mind immediately thinking of different movies where the bad guy seemed to have such a trait. He certainly hoped that Graham’s training went beyond watching movies and trying to imitate the men in them.

“Nothing really, the grayed man said as he brushed a bit of the cut greenery off the counter from the last sale. “Well, he did have an accent. English I guess. I don’t know much about those things myself. Can’t usually tell the difference, but he sounded like this guy here.”

Graham wrote that down, flipping back through the worn notebook as if he was looking for something. “If you had to guess his age, what would you think?”

“Maybe 20? Maybe a little older or younger? I don’t know really. I appreciate my customers but I don’t typically get to know them that well. I remember his name only because he emphasized the first part and I wrote down Lee at first. He corrected me and then said that she would know who they were from so no need to use his name.” He chuckled to himself, the first sign of humor in the old man. “You wouldn’t believe the number of men who don’t want the woman to know they are sending flowers. It’s a bit like a white flag. See if she shoots or if she accepts. Most of the time women like the attention. I like to think I have a part in that.”

“You’re a regular cupid,” Graham said with a smirk. “And so you or one or you guys dropped off the flowers at the Rabbit Hole? That afternoon?”

“I only have one guy who works for me. He dropped them off about closing time. It was the last delivery of the day.”

Graham talked for a few more minutes, asking questions and even gathering information about everything from the cost of the flowers to the fact that the man had seemed oddly confused about paying cash. “He had to look at each bill two times at least,” the proprietor said. “It was like he’d never seen them before.”

“That was worthless,” Liam muttered, sliding into the passenger seat of the cruiser. He was aware that as a private resident he had no right to tag along on the investigation. However, Graham had afforded him that privilege and seemed to not mind his doubts and concerns. “So we know the price and that he used my name.”

“We know a bit more than that,” Graham said, turning the wheel of the car and pointing it in the direction of the docks. “French said the guy used your name, yes, but where did he learn it? The stories I’ve read on Elsa don’t include your name. Even when you manage to make it in a photo with her, you’re identified as a companion. That would say that either, a – the guy works with Elsa and knows you, b – the guy has done his research, or c – this is about you or Elsa personally and not just a fan who has stepped over the line.”

Liam could see his face reflected back in the glass as he stared at the passing landscape. His eyes were heavy and his mouth in a firm line. The stubble of his face was more in line with what Killian would wear, but he had not shaved that morning. “And how do we figure that out?”

“We find the guy and that’s when we’ll know.”

***AAA***

“I could get used to this,” Emma said when Killian arrived at her office that afternoon. She had just gotten back herself, having visited with Anna and Kris along with Elsa. Regina had yet to make any announcement of a decision, but she knew that her earlier meeting had gotten under her skin and bored its way into her head. She had just dropped her jacket on the hook at the back of the door when she heard the family lilt of his voice calling her beautiful. She’d called him on her way back to town to tell him that he and Henry were on their own for dinner. Her contract study, meeting with Regina and then the two sisters had kept her from the pending negotiation of another act and a call that she needed to make on travel arrangements for Liam and the guys. It would be late before she got home.

He had wrapped her up in a big hug, his arms around her waist and lifting her up off the ground as she smiled against his lips. Her legs kicked playfully, the leather of her boots heavy.

“If I can’t convince you to leave at a reasonable hour, I can at least prevent you from starving to death,” he said after another peck. “You probably have nothing in that desk other than a stick of gum and maybe a candy bar that isn’t even a brand made any more.”

If he had been wrong she might have pulled open the drawers to show him. Instead she pointed to the single cup maker outside the door to her office. “There’s coffee.”

“Hardly a sustaining meal for my love,” he said, setting her down and lifting bag from Granny’s up high. “This isn’t the most substantial either, but you seem to appreciate the simpler things. Grilled cheese, onion rings, and a slice of pie for dessert.”

She ran her tongue over her pink lips. “You know me well. You know me well.” Relieving him of the bag so he could pull off his coat, she frowned and shook the bag again. “This is pretty heavy. Sure you don’t have a meal for yourself in there?”

“I believe I picked up a burger and cheese fries for me. After all, your boy is currently keeping Granny company and probably being fed every greasy and fattening concoction known to man.” She raised an eyebrow at him before peering into the bag. “Moderation, Swan. I can have some treats. I simply try to keep it in moderation.”

“Right, right, right, you’re a regular health nut.” She placed the items on the small glass table that sat in front of a love seat over in the corner. “I think I’ll just enjoy the treat and ignore the surgeon general warning. Besides I don’t want to spend this chance to be with you on calorie counts and carbs.”

It took them no time to find a comfortable position on the not so comfortable furniture. She stole cheese and bacon covered fries from him while he only managed to threaten to steal onion rings from her. Each time he mentioned it, she pulled them out of his reach defensively. The meal took a bit longer than strictly necessary, as they both managed kisses and caresses between bites.

“This won’t get me out of here any earlier,” she said, her stomach full and her legs stretched over his as she slumped against the cushions. “Right now I need a nap.”

“You would not have accomplished much with a growling stomach either, love. And besides we needed the chance to replenish before the next crisis hits our lives. I gather Liam and Elsa will be back at the house tonight.”

She nodded, her fingers smoothing the soft flannel of his shirt sleeve in an absentminded pattern. “Graham said the contractors made some suggestions for security but it has to go before the board. So I think we have guests for a few more nights at least. As competitive as you and your brother can get, I think he’s more comfortable with us than at Anna’s. And nobody else has the room. So we’re it.” She yawned slightly. “You don’t mind too much, do you?”

“They are both family as far as I’m concerned. And so long as we have a door we can shut, I would estimate that we will have happy moments together.” Reaching out his hand, she assumed he was about to caress the side of her face. She even tilted her head slightly to receive the affectionate gesture. Instead he pushed some of the blonde hair behind her ear. “Perhaps it will do us some good to have a house full. Might be good practice.” His eyebrows raised of seemingly their own volition and her cheeks felt warm under his gaze.

“Slow down, Romeo. You do have one good idea though.”

“Just one, love?”

She tilted her head coyly at him. “Maybe I can get out of here for a few minutes and pick up Henry. You’ve been doing the heavy lifting on his social agenda lately. I owe you more than a few.”

“You know I don’t mind helping you scuttle the lad back and forth. He’s good company and a fine conversationalist if someone steals the batteries to that bloody handheld game of his.” He smiled. “And for the record, I’m not keeping score on that any more than I noticed how many of my French fries you commandeered.”

***AAA***

Emma’s boots crunched the gravel beneath her as she walked from her car to the fenced area where a few other parents were waiting for their children. Appreciating for a moment that this was not currently one of Henry’s more frequent after school activities, she noted the familiar comradery of the parents there and the way they all pointed to each other’s children with a shared pride. When she thought about it, she was grateful that Henry’s interests tended to be more in line with music, writing, and even art. She was not all that sure she wanted or was suited to the sports mom phenomenon where she would sit on bleachers and yell at umpires, referees, and even other children in support of her son. However, the men and women at the horse farm were not all that competitive and seemed much more in tune with being caring toward the growing and maturing of their children. “You’re Henry’s mom?” a plump woman asked, her with her coat over her shoulders and a steaming disposable cup in her hands. “He’s a cutie. You should bring him here more often.”

Emma smiled her thanks, taking a spot near the wood fence and looking toward the ring where about half a dozen young teens were astride their horses. She’d never considered that as an activity for him, but Violet seemed to be a big influence in it. The young girl sat in her riding habit with perfect posture on a velvety black mare. From what Emma had learned, she was quite the horse woman and had started competing at dressage with promising results. Henry had ridden a few times, mostly at camp or on field trips, but he was nowhere as accomplished as his friend.

Henry’s helmet was falling forward as he turned his head in her direction, noticing her just seconds before it covered his eyes. He pushed back on it clumsily and then seemingly realized both hands were not on the reins. Jolting a bit in the saddle, he gave her a weak smile before turning his attention to the instructor who was giving direction for Henry to lead the horse around the field in a slow walk. She could see his ribcage expand as he breathed out a sigh of relief at not being required to ride the horse in a strong gallop or trot that might have made him feel even more off balance.

She pulled out her phone and readied the camera to snap a couple of pictures as he rounded the corner nearest to her. Flashing her a nervous but toothy grin, she waved at him enthusiastically until he was past.

“They grow up so fast, don’t they?” Tamara asked, startling Emma. “That’s what Neal always says.”

Emma nearly dropped the phone, sourness taking root in her stomach. “Did we get our wires crossed? Is Neal…”

The petite woman smiled brightly, waving her hand before her. “No, I was coming to meet him. He wanted to watch Henry ride. But he got held up at work. I was about to leave when I saw you so I thought I’d say hello.” She adjusted the collar on her caramel colored jacket and squinted into the late afternoon sun. “So hello.”

“Hi. I guess I owe you a thank you for watching Henry the night of my birthday.” She wasn’t sure what to say to the woman, knowing that she was having to share her time with her son was bad enough. “I’m sure you had other plans.”

“No problem. He’s great. I know we didn’t get off to the best start…”

Over Tamara’s shoulder Emma could see a few of the parents pretending not to listen. It was the curse of small towns that everyone knew everyone’s business. “Everyone deserves a second chance. And I think he’s enjoying his time more at Neal’s now that you two have talked. Each time he comes back he’s telling us about your wedding plans. Sounds like those are coming along well.” She gripped the phone tighter, hoping it might ring and give her an excuse to answer.

“Yeah, it’s all a balancing act. I’ve been meaning to ask. I know Neal was concerned that with the reception at the vineyard tasting room that Henry won’t be allowed in because of his age. But I didn’t think he’d want to attend that part. I mean, dancing, eating, and all that. I thought you and your fiancé might could take him back to the hotel or something.” Her bag slipped down her shoulder and she quickly lifted the strap back in place. “I mean if you don’t mind. It would solve a lot of problems.”

“We’d be happy to do that,” Emma said with her own flash of a smile to match the other woman. “I’m happy to spend time with my son.” She knew that the arrangement would probably place doubt in Henry’s head about his father’s love, but she hoped it wouldn’t last long.

Tamara didn’t get the insult and smiled more brightly. “Awesome. I knew you’d handle it. I told Neal that you two have one of the most cooperative custody things ever. So you let us know if we can take Henry off your hands for your wedding. I know Neal wants him there and you probably do too, but you have to admit that fitting a 13 year old into a ceremony is hard work. He’s shorter than the other groomsmen so it will look funny. And boys that age always look so gangly and unkempt. You’re going to take him for a haircut before my wedding right? I don’t want him to look bad in the photos. My parents have already worked out deals with a few newspapers to put the wedding in the style section so those photos matter. And the minister keeps asking if we want to have him as part of the vows.” She groaned. “You know what I mean?”

She could feel her muscles stiffen and then pulse with anger. “You realize that 13 year old is Neal’s son right? He’s my son too. No matter how funny it looks, my son belongs in my wedding. Because that day isn’t going to be about me in a pretty dress. It’s not about Killian becoming my husband. It’s not even about me adding a piece of jewelry or changing my name. It’s about the fact that we are officially becoming a family. And while Neal and I have agreed on precious little over the past few years, I assure you that Neal feels the same about Henry. You’re not just a bride that day. You’re going to become his stepmother. You may not like that. You may want fewer strings and less baggage. But that boy…that 13 year old…he’s going to become your stepson and your responsibility too. Maybe that’s what you should be concentrating on rather than the style section of a newspaper.”

[gertrudejnieves]

bizVideo Review + OTO Info + Bonus & My Honest Opinion

bizVideo Review – 

The World’s First Business Video Production Marketing Tool To Harness The True Power Of Video Marketing

Introduction

Investing in video marketing?

Are you already using a tool to make your videos?

What do you do for videos like that?

Do you have more leads, opt-ins, subscribers and sales of your video campaigns than you can handle? If not, then with those videos you need to start creating successful campaigns.

Why not you invest all the time, energy and money on videos? Make them the stars of your campaigns on bizVideo so they can begin delivering the results you need to grow your business.

You made your videos, now it’s time to make your video marketing.

bizVideo Review – The Product Overview

Product Name bizVideo Product Creator Ajay Sagar Launch Date & Time [2020-Sep-16] @ 03:00 EDT Price $67 to $150 Bonus Yes, Good Bonuses Available Refund Period 30-Days Official Site https://bizapps4me.com/ Product Type Video Software Skill All Levels Recommended Highly Recommended

What Exactly Is bizVideo?

“BizVideo” is a groundbreaking platform that solves the real-world problems that video marketing is facing. You can convert T-Shirts, Jackets, Mugs and hundreds of promotional items into immersive video campaigns using bizVideo. For the first time, you can sell your online video campaign with offline items such as posters, mailers, jackets and coffee mugs.

Example: Recently, a vendor has sent me a very good promotional coffee mug. I took a video from their website, set up a campaign for them, and put the QR code campaign on their mug. Then I scanned the link to my mobile phone and watched the video campaign. I converted their static promotional item into a video campaign in less than 10 minutes.

The bizVideo campaign includes a video, promo text, call-to – action, sharing buttons, media picture, media text, your signature information, and a contact form. Depending on how many campaigns you buy, you can create and run those campaigns at the same time. However, there is no limit to the videos or any other element (up to your maximum storage capacity) of the campaign. Any part of the plan can be changed at any time and as many times as you want. The viewers are still going to see the new.

9.6 Total Score

Excellent Software!

Turn T-shirts, TV ads, blogs, email, texts, social media, brochures, web pages, mailers and more into interactive video campaigns. Use any video to capture and identify leads, build lists and close sales. bizVideo transforms videos into marketing. Simply insert your bizVideo QR code into your TV ad. Invite your audience to scan the code and they will see your bizVideo campaign. Your campaign video can be any length you want. You only pay for a 30 second spot and add your campaign video of any length.

QUALITY

9.5

FEATURES

9.5

EASY TO USE

9.6

WORTH FOR MONEY

9.6

RESPONSE TO CUSTOMERS

9.8

PROS

never seen before technology

24/7 email support

online help built in

video tutorials included

CONS

It is not a regular JvZoo type of product. It’s a premium one with subscription.

User Rating: Be the first one!

Features of bizVideo

[+] bizVideo’s Coherent Campaign Interface [+] Use any video (YouTube, pre-recorded, record on the fly from your cell phone) [+] Access video campaigns on any device (cell phone, laptop, desktop, tablet etc.) [+] Real time capture of contact data on screen [+] All campaign content is reusable – maintained in your bizVideo galleries [+] Link to order forms, store fronts or any web page for direct sales [+] Mobile ready – view campaigns on any device [+] Build entire campaigns from your cell [+] Your contact info automatically added to your campaign [+] Simple copy/paste social media posting [+] Unlimited concurrent videos – you can update as often as you like [+] Acquire viewers’ contact data at anytime, even while video is playing [+] Acquire names, email addresses, phone and inquiry of interested buyers [+] No links, no clicks, no distractions, your viewer stays focused [+] Track leads on your phone, tablet and laptop in real time [+] Automated List building for each campaign in real time [+] Automatic list segmentation [+] List is fully opted in [+] Call on the go feature makes your leads available on your cell phone (and other devices) in real time [+] One touch dialing or texting for following up [+] Quick response (in less than 1 minute) [+] Text messaging and text chat [+] One link and one QR Code. Print QR Codes on business cards and flyers and never need to reprint [+] Viewers will always see the latest content [+] Update any element of your campaign at any time [+] Linking of campaigns with your bizVideo partners (power team) [+] Embed a link to your promos, sales pages, landing pages, websites, events etc. [+] Built-in SEO with geo location [+] Built in share buttons for Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter [+] Simple copy and paste social media posting and check mark under bizVideo [+] Actionable analytics, measure viewer engagement [+] Real time stats for views and leads easily viewed on dashboard [+] Built in CRM [+] Make notes as you talk to your clients and retrieve them later [+] Fully compatible with bizMail, bizMail+, bizLead, and bizEvent for marketing & events

About The Creators

Founded in Virginia, Pixl Inc. (dba bizApps) has a rich and diverse background in developing software and IT solutions. From multi-million dollar federal contracts to commercial services, bizApps has been providing customised solutions to businesses for over 25 years.

About five years ago, bizApps turned its attention to developing cloud-based marketing solutions. In 2017, bizApps introduced the first of its bizApps marketing tools line. The latest product to be rolled out, bizVideo, joins the line of integrated marketing products including bizMail, bizMail+, bizPage, bizClean, bizLead and more.

By 2020, bizApps will begin to roll out a full line of bizApps marketing tools across multiple affiliate networks and through direct sales to businesses.

bizVideo App Review – How Does It Work?

The strength of video is its potential to capture and hold the attention of peoples. But your video can not capture your email addresses or their names. For your bizVideo campaign, inviting your prospects to share their contact data and collecting that data is a job.

[+] CAPTURE PROSPECT CONTACT DATA

BizVideo aligns the invitation form to the video on the same screen. No need to connect to a different web page or screen. There are no links, there are no clicks to enter a question, or reply. You never risk not getting back to your campaign, and they never have to quit. Your viewers can share their contact details at any time, including during playing of your video.

[+] BUILT IN CRM

After they submit their contact data or query, the bizVideo built in CRM takes over. Every new lead is added to the “My Call List” BizVideo will automatically build your mailing list for you, and each lead will be selected for you. This means My Call List is ready to be used as My Email List.

You can access My Call List from a tablet , laptop or cell phone. Using bizVideo’s “Call On Go” features, you can send them a text message or give them a call. It’s all going to happen in real time so you can actually call them before they even finish watching your video.

Quick response is the key to opening a dialogue and establishing a relationship. In fact, you have a 400 percent better chance of qualifying for a lead if you contact them within five minutes. Speedy ‘s response is how you can nurture your leads and close more sales.

[+] EASY TO USE

It couldn’t be easier to launch your bizVideo campaign. You can record a video, build and launch your campaign using your phone. You can update your video at any time, in real time.

BizVideo is the first marketing tool to harness the true power of video marketing.

bizVideo campaigns are accessible to anyone, anywhere, anytime on any device.

What bizVideo Can Do For You?

[+] Build your own campaigns to generate high-quality sales leads and grow your business. Each lead is your own, not shared or sold to four other people. Every lead is a motivated buyer. Every lead clearly wants and/or needs your product or service. These are the leads that you can convert to sales.

[+] Increase your direct sales by linking your order form or front-end store to your campaign. To get the order while they’re excited, please place your order form link right below your video. You make it easy for them to buy at their peak interest point.

[+] Make money to build bizVideo campaigns for clients. Companies spend tens of thousands of dollars trying to build video marketing campaigns with less than half of the bizVideo coverage. You can offer them more channels and add them to offline sources at a fraction of that cost. It’s a very profitable win.

[+] Too many videos are left to languish on a website with little or no traffic. Very little traffic means very few views, and that means very few results.

[+] Most small businesses are putting their new video in a single email blast. Small scale one and finished email marketing simply can not produce the views needed for a successful campaign.

[+] It’s common practise these days to post your new video on your Facebook page. But how many people are going to see it there? According to Facebook, the average account has only 338 followers. So, just posting your video on Facebook isn’t going to produce thousands of views.

[+] You need to talk about YouTube if you’re talking about video marketing. Everyone seems to be posting their videos on YouTube. But on average, most YouTube channels generate only 50-150 views per month. Even if all of those views were the same video, it’s not enough to build your business.

Who “bizVideo” is For?

BizVideo combines your campaign building platform with a multi-channel delivery and tracking system including data capture, CRM, and more (see table above). To build a product with all of the features and capabilities of bizVideo, you would need to hire a team of:

[+] Marketing product designers [+] Systems architects [+] Programmers [+] Testing engineers [+] UI designers [+] Wrap programmers [+] Procure development hardware systems [+] Procure platform hosting

and a lot more…

Top 8 Reasons Why You Need To Buy bizVideo

REASON #1: BIZVIDEO BRINGS MARKETING TO VIDEO

A lot of products are there to help you create your video. But when it is finished what do you do with your video? Video can’t market itself, after all. All those manufacturing products end where MARKETING begins video. The problem is your video is not being able to market itself magically. To get your video out there where people can see it you have to create a marketing campaign. BizVideo can put your campaign to millions of worldwide screens. Getting your video seen is your video marketing campaign’s first job Nothing gets more people viewing your video than bizVideo.

REASON #2: USE ANY VIDEO

Video can not grab anybody’s attention unless they watch. If there are no viewers, video can not drive traffic, or generate leads. Video is powerless when no-one ever sees it.

REASON #3: USE ALL OF SOCIAL MEDIA

Why limit your campaign to a single social media platform, if you can use all of them? Go ahead and post your campaigns on Facebook , Twitter , Instagram, LinkedIn, Snap, TikTok and more on bizVideo. BizVideo is an agnostic platform so your campaigns work on all social media platforms.

REASON #4: REACH OUT BEYOND THE VIRTUAL WORLD

We all live in the physical world but in the virtual world, we work and we play. So why not extend your video marketing to both? You can place your bizVideo campaign anywhere on the Internet, on any channel online. But then bizVideo bridges the gap and allows you to expand your physical world marketing. They can use physical collateral such as a brochure, sign or T shirt to access your campaign. No other marketing product, like bizVideo, can do this.

REASON #5: MAKE CHANGES ANY TIME

Imagine that, in your video campaign, you invite people to an event. You posted your campaign on Facebook, submitted your list by e-mail and put it on your website. But then something happens, and the event needs to be rescheduled to a different date. With the evergreen ties of bizVideo this is by no means a concern. You simply change the date in your post, update your campaign, and now everybody is seeing your content updated. They see the new date when they open the text, when they look at your facebook posting and when they click on the link in your website. You can alter any aspect of your campaign with bizVideo, and you never have to replicate or republish any links to campaigns.

REASON #6: CAPTURE VIEWERS’ CONTACT DATA

A video can’t collect the data from the audience by itself, but bizVideo can. It’s so quick and straight-in built. No special formatting or player media required. No special mobile Applications or Extensions. No links to other website. Capture is built right into any campaign on bizVideo.

REASON #7: GET HIGH QUALITY LEADS

Every lead from bizVideo is of high quality, chosen as lead. You know they saw your ad, and they were inspired to share their contact details with you. There are certain leads of the highest quality. There are leads you should convert from.

REASON #8: FOLLOW UP LEADS FAST

If you respond to the lead within one hour, your chance of turning a lead to a sale is seven times higher. * bizVideo makes it easy to response in seconds. Get them while hot.

bizVideo Review – The Pricing & Evaluation

bizVideo FE (Price $69.95 – $149.85)

[+] Additional 750 views** makes a total of 1000 views [+] Additional 1 campaign** makes a total of 2 campaigns [+] Additional 5 GB Storage** makes unlimited video gallery*** [+] unlimited media image gallery*** [+] unlimited promo text storage [+] unlimited social media postings [+] unlimited use of online and offline (QR Code) campaign links [+] store up to 250,000 opt in prospect records [+] unlimited campaign changes/updates [+] unlimited software (bizVideo) enhancements and updates [+] 1 campaign** [+] 500 views per month (1500 total)** [+] 5 GB storage** [+] Duration 3 month [+] Technical support [+] Online help and tutorials [+] *** subject to storage limits [+] a total of 10 GB storage

OTO #1: bizVideo Double Punch (Price $40)

Double Punch lets you run two campaigns instead of one at your Simple account. You can capture the opt-ins twice with two campaigns, and build your list twice as easy. But you won’t pay the price twice, because you get a 35 percent discount from Double Hit.

Also, Double Punch adds 750 more views, meaning 1,000 potential prospects will watch your video this month! Double Punch adds 5 GB of storage, so all the video, sales copy, links and media images you need can be stored easily.

[+] Additional 750 views** makes a total of 1000 views [+] Additional 1 campaign** makes a total of 2 campaigns [+] Additional 5 GB Storage** makes a total of 10 GB storage

OTO #2: bizVideo Delux (Price $20)

If you post your campaign on social media, add it to your website or blog page and email it to a few hundred people, you can surpass the 250 views in your Simple account. But the Deluxe OTO adds 500 more views to ensure you ‘re not losing a single lead or opting in. These additional views also indicate that 750 new prospects will watch your video campaign in the next 30 days. With Deluxe you get all this and still save 35 percent. Deluxe also doubles 5 GB of storage or additional memory. For just 20 dollars you can store loads of videos, more sales copies, more media images, and links.

OTO #3: bizVideo Triple Punch (Price $144)

Your bizVideo Advantage account supports a single initiative, kind of like a one-screen movie theatre. Triple Punch provides funding to two campaigns. Three promotions are going to deliver a lot of views and you don’t want to run out. But Triple Punch adds more than 2000 views. In twelve weeks, there could be 7500 new prospects watching your campaigns.

All those campaigns also need storage so Triple Punch adds another 5 GB of memory. Sufficient for you to store video hours, loads of photos and everything else you need for your campaigns on bizVideo. All that marketing power is well worth the standard $390 price. But you get all these extra’s for three months with Triple Hit, and pay only $195.

OTO #4: bizVideo Elite (Price $77)

If you are converting your Advantage account into an Elite Advantage account, you can run two campaigns at once. Two promotions can generate leads twice, and double your opt-in so you can close sales twice. Elite adds another 1000 views to your Advantage account, too. That means that in the next three months 4,500 new prospects will view your campaigns. All these bonuses to the campaign are well worth the standard price of $180. Yet you double your selling power with Elite with a 57 per cent discount.

Good & Bad

Good

Generate and identify highest quality leads and sell them to others

Capitalize on their peak interest and link to your web site

Use bizVideo to get new subscribers, they can subscribe right in your campaign

Design, build and run video marketing campaigns for marketing coaches, consultants and marketing agencies

Sell bizVideo to your customers

Maximum exposure delivers maximum results

More People See Your Campaign when it’s on More Channels and Sources

Bad

Subscription based product

Limited time special offer

bizVideo Review – My Opinion

Would you like to focus attention of your prospect on your video? Or do you think you’ll produce better results by tempting them with images of flying turtles, rainbow unicorns and the goods of your competitors?

If your viewers remain focused on your video, we believe you can get better marketing results. Thus they developed the Cohesive Campaign Interface of bizVideo to ensure that no other videos are in sight. Your audience remains focused on your message and the video.

Once your video captures their interest, you want to capitalise on that interest. In fact, their most important point of interest is when they watch your video. So the BizVideo Coherant Campaign Interface allows them to share their contact information, make a comment or submit a question at any time. Even while your video is still being played!

If your prospect has to link to another screen to access your contact form, it may never come back. Why do you take the risk? The bizVideo contact form is right on your video screen. They don’t have to click anywhere to share.

There are no taps, no links and no distractions available with bizVideo. Just your initiative on video and your invitation to share and ask. To optimise your response rate you capitalise on their peak point of interest.

That is how the real power of video marketing can be harnessed.

bizVideo Bonus From Vendor

BONUS #1: AUTOMATIC LIST BUILDING

Inputting prospect data manually is time consuming and prone to errors. You don’t want to risk it now, after all that work to get the lead. BizVideo adds each new lead to your list automatically. All the leads are chosen to make your list clean and ready for you to start building your business.

BONUS #2: AUTOMATIC LIST SEGMENTATION

BizVideo sorts new leads automatically by programme. This automated sorting enables the creation of campaigns that target particular segments of the audience. Marketing segmentation has been shown to increase ROI by 15 percent or more, and is incorporated into your bizVideo account.

BONUS #3: SEARCH ENGINE MARKETING

Search Engines are automatically designed for bizVideo campaigns. Tags are built in for Facebook , Twitter and LinkedIn as well as the geo position. Your SEO on video marketing is done for you. What you save more than pay for bizVideo in the SEO expenses.

BONUS #4: MY CALL LIST (CRM)

You can always keep on top of new leads with this Call List, which leads you to call back, what details they asked, which campaign captured their attention, review callback reminders and much more. Everything that you need to turn into customers and sales is new leads.

BONUS #5: CALL ON THE GO

As nobody responds in time *, up to 64 percent of all Internet leads are lost. That means you can boost your conversion rate by calling them or quickly sending them a text up to 64 per cent. My Call List contains all the information you need about your leads. Call On The Go makes a slice of cake to follow them up with. You can contact any lead, right from your phone, with Call On The Go.

BONUS #6: DIRECT SALES MADE SIMPLE

Direct sales can be only one click away using bizVideo. Insert your order form link into your campaign and start direct sales driving. Keep them focused, keep them involved and make buying simple just one click away with an order.

Special “bizVideo” Bonus From Me

How You Can Claim My Custom Bonuses?

STEP 1: “CLICK HERE” or click on any one of the buttons advertised on this page and it will take you to the official sales page.

STEP 2: Order the product from official website.

STEP 3: Send me you purchase receipt to below email id. You will get your bonuses within 24 hours.

(bonus.spsreviews@gmail.com)

In case if you see a message like below, check my name (Partha) and affiliate id (#764589) and approve the change.

from SPS Reviews https://spsreviews.com/bizvideo-review/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=bizvideo-review from SPS Reviews https://spsreviews.tumblr.com/post/629425664363233280

[jerometbean]

bizVideo Review + OTO Info + Bonus & My Honest Opinion

bizVideo Review – 

The World’s First Business Video Production Marketing Tool To Harness The True Power Of Video Marketing

Introduction

Investing in video marketing?

Are you already using a tool to make your videos?

What do you do for videos like that?

Do you have more leads, opt-ins, subscribers and sales of your video campaigns than you can handle? If not, then with those videos you need to start creating successful campaigns.

Why not you invest all the time, energy and money on videos? Make them the stars of your campaigns on bizVideo so they can begin delivering the results you need to grow your business.

You made your videos, now it’s time to make your video marketing.

bizVideo Review – The Product Overview

Product NamebizVideoProduct CreatorAjay SagarLaunch Date & Time[2020-Sep-16] @ 03:00 EDTPrice$67 to $150BonusYes, Good Bonuses AvailableRefund Period30-DaysOfficial Sitehttps://bizapps4me.com/Product TypeVideo SoftwareSkillAll LevelsRecommendedHighly Recommended

What Exactly Is bizVideo?

“BizVideo” is a groundbreaking platform that solves the real-world problems that video marketing is facing. You can convert T-Shirts, Jackets, Mugs and hundreds of promotional items into immersive video campaigns using bizVideo. For the first time, you can sell your online video campaign with offline items such as posters, mailers, jackets and coffee mugs.

Example: Recently, a vendor has sent me a very good promotional coffee mug. I took a video from their website, set up a campaign for them, and put the QR code campaign on their mug. Then I scanned the link to my mobile phone and watched the video campaign. I converted their static promotional item into a video campaign in less than 10 minutes.

The bizVideo campaign includes a video, promo text, call-to – action, sharing buttons, media picture, media text, your signature information, and a contact form. Depending on how many campaigns you buy, you can create and run those campaigns at the same time. However, there is no limit to the videos or any other element (up to your maximum storage capacity) of the campaign. Any part of the plan can be changed at any time and as many times as you want. The viewers are still going to see the new.

9.6 Total Score

Excellent Software!

Turn T-shirts, TV ads, blogs, email, texts, social media, brochures, web pages, mailers and more into interactive video campaigns. Use any video to capture and identify leads, build lists and close sales. bizVideo transforms videos into marketing. Simply insert your bizVideo QR code into your TV ad. Invite your audience to scan the code and they will see your bizVideo campaign. Your campaign video can be any length you want. You only pay for a 30 second spot and add your campaign video of any length.

QUALITY

9.5

FEATURES

9.5

EASY TO USE

9.6

WORTH FOR MONEY

9.6

RESPONSE TO CUSTOMERS

9.8

PROS

never seen before technology

24/7 email support

online help built in

video tutorials included

CONS

It is not a regular JvZoo type of product. It's a premium one with subscription.

User Rating: Be the first one!

Features of bizVideo

[+] bizVideo’s Coherent Campaign Interface [+] Use any video (YouTube, pre-recorded, record on the fly from your cell phone) [+] Access video campaigns on any device (cell phone, laptop, desktop, tablet etc.) [+] Real time capture of contact data on screen [+] All campaign content is reusable – maintained in your bizVideo galleries [+] Link to order forms, store fronts or any web page for direct sales [+] Mobile ready – view campaigns on any device [+] Build entire campaigns from your cell [+] Your contact info automatically added to your campaign [+] Simple copy/paste social media posting [+] Unlimited concurrent videos – you can update as often as you like [+] Acquire viewers’ contact data at anytime, even while video is playing [+] Acquire names, email addresses, phone and inquiry of interested buyers [+] No links, no clicks, no distractions, your viewer stays focused [+] Track leads on your phone, tablet and laptop in real time [+] Automated List building for each campaign in real time [+] Automatic list segmentation [+] List is fully opted in [+] Call on the go feature makes your leads available on your cell phone (and other devices) in real time [+] One touch dialing or texting for following up [+] Quick response (in less than 1 minute) [+] Text messaging and text chat [+] One link and one QR Code. Print QR Codes on business cards and flyers and never need to reprint [+] Viewers will always see the latest content [+] Update any element of your campaign at any time [+] Linking of campaigns with your bizVideo partners (power team) [+] Embed a link to your promos, sales pages, landing pages, websites, events etc. [+] Built-in SEO with geo location [+] Built in share buttons for Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter [+] Simple copy and paste social media posting and check mark under bizVideo [+] Actionable analytics, measure viewer engagement [+] Real time stats for views and leads easily viewed on dashboard [+] Built in CRM [+] Make notes as you talk to your clients and retrieve them later [+] Fully compatible with bizMail, bizMail+, bizLead, and bizEvent for marketing & events

About The Creators

Founded in Virginia, Pixl Inc. (dba bizApps) has a rich and diverse background in developing software and IT solutions. From multi-million dollar federal contracts to commercial services, bizApps has been providing customised solutions to businesses for over 25 years.

About five years ago, bizApps turned its attention to developing cloud-based marketing solutions. In 2017, bizApps introduced the first of its bizApps marketing tools line. The latest product to be rolled out, bizVideo, joins the line of integrated marketing products including bizMail, bizMail+, bizPage, bizClean, bizLead and more.

By 2020, bizApps will begin to roll out a full line of bizApps marketing tools across multiple affiliate networks and through direct sales to businesses.

bizVideo App Review – How Does It Work?

The strength of video is its potential to capture and hold the attention of peoples. But your video can not capture your email addresses or their names. For your bizVideo campaign, inviting your prospects to share their contact data and collecting that data is a job.

[+] CAPTURE PROSPECT CONTACT DATA

BizVideo aligns the invitation form to the video on the same screen. No need to connect to a different web page or screen. There are no links, there are no clicks to enter a question, or reply. You never risk not getting back to your campaign, and they never have to quit. Your viewers can share their contact details at any time, including during playing of your video.

[+] BUILT IN CRM

After they submit their contact data or query, the bizVideo built in CRM takes over. Every new lead is added to the “My Call List” BizVideo will automatically build your mailing list for you, and each lead will be selected for you. This means My Call List is ready to be used as My Email List.

You can access My Call List from a tablet , laptop or cell phone. Using bizVideo’s “Call On Go” features, you can send them a text message or give them a call. It’s all going to happen in real time so you can actually call them before they even finish watching your video.

Quick response is the key to opening a dialogue and establishing a relationship. In fact, you have a 400 percent better chance of qualifying for a lead if you contact them within five minutes. Speedy ‘s response is how you can nurture your leads and close more sales.

[+] EASY TO USE

It couldn’t be easier to launch your bizVideo campaign. You can record a video, build and launch your campaign using your phone. You can update your video at any time, in real time.

BizVideo is the first marketing tool to harness the true power of video marketing.

bizVideo campaigns are accessible to anyone, anywhere, anytime on any device.

What bizVideo Can Do For You?

[+] Build your own campaigns to generate high-quality sales leads and grow your business. Each lead is your own, not shared or sold to four other people. Every lead is a motivated buyer. Every lead clearly wants and/or needs your product or service. These are the leads that you can convert to sales.

[+] Increase your direct sales by linking your order form or front-end store to your campaign. To get the order while they’re excited, please place your order form link right below your video. You make it easy for them to buy at their peak interest point.

[+] Make money to build bizVideo campaigns for clients. Companies spend tens of thousands of dollars trying to build video marketing campaigns with less than half of the bizVideo coverage. You can offer them more channels and add them to offline sources at a fraction of that cost. It’s a very profitable win.

[+] Too many videos are left to languish on a website with little or no traffic. Very little traffic means very few views, and that means very few results.

[+] Most small businesses are putting their new video in a single email blast. Small scale one and finished email marketing simply can not produce the views needed for a successful campaign.

[+] It’s common practise these days to post your new video on your Facebook page. But how many people are going to see it there? According to Facebook, the average account has only 338 followers. So, just posting your video on Facebook isn’t going to produce thousands of views.

[+] You need to talk about YouTube if you’re talking about video marketing. Everyone seems to be posting their videos on YouTube. But on average, most YouTube channels generate only 50-150 views per month. Even if all of those views were the same video, it’s not enough to build your business.

Who “bizVideo” is For?

BizVideo combines your campaign building platform with a multi-channel delivery and tracking system including data capture, CRM, and more (see table above). To build a product with all of the features and capabilities of bizVideo, you would need to hire a team of:

[+] Marketing product designers [+] Systems architects [+] Programmers [+] Testing engineers [+] UI designers [+] Wrap programmers [+] Procure development hardware systems [+] Procure platform hosting

and a lot more…

Top 8 Reasons Why You Need To Buy bizVideo

REASON #1: BIZVIDEO BRINGS MARKETING TO VIDEO

A lot of products are there to help you create your video. But when it is finished what do you do with your video? Video can’t market itself, after all. All those manufacturing products end where MARKETING begins video. The problem is your video is not being able to market itself magically. To get your video out there where people can see it you have to create a marketing campaign. BizVideo can put your campaign to millions of worldwide screens. Getting your video seen is your video marketing campaign’s first job Nothing gets more people viewing your video than bizVideo.

REASON #2: USE ANY VIDEO

Video can not grab anybody’s attention unless they watch. If there are no viewers, video can not drive traffic, or generate leads. Video is powerless when no-one ever sees it.

REASON #3: USE ALL OF SOCIAL MEDIA

Why limit your campaign to a single social media platform, if you can use all of them? Go ahead and post your campaigns on Facebook , Twitter , Instagram, LinkedIn, Snap, TikTok and more on bizVideo. BizVideo is an agnostic platform so your campaigns work on all social media platforms.

REASON #4: REACH OUT BEYOND THE VIRTUAL WORLD

We all live in the physical world but in the virtual world, we work and we play. So why not extend your video marketing to both? You can place your bizVideo campaign anywhere on the Internet, on any channel online. But then bizVideo bridges the gap and allows you to expand your physical world marketing. They can use physical collateral such as a brochure, sign or T shirt to access your campaign. No other marketing product, like bizVideo, can do this.

REASON #5: MAKE CHANGES ANY TIME

Imagine that, in your video campaign, you invite people to an event. You posted your campaign on Facebook, submitted your list by e-mail and put it on your website. But then something happens, and the event needs to be rescheduled to a different date. With the evergreen ties of bizVideo this is by no means a concern. You simply change the date in your post, update your campaign, and now everybody is seeing your content updated. They see the new date when they open the text, when they look at your facebook posting and when they click on the link in your website. You can alter any aspect of your campaign with bizVideo, and you never have to replicate or republish any links to campaigns.

REASON #6: CAPTURE VIEWERS’ CONTACT DATA

A video can’t collect the data from the audience by itself, but bizVideo can. It’s so quick and straight-in built. No special formatting or player media required. No special mobile Applications or Extensions. No links to other website. Capture is built right into any campaign on bizVideo.

REASON #7: GET HIGH QUALITY LEADS

Every lead from bizVideo is of high quality, chosen as lead. You know they saw your ad, and they were inspired to share their contact details with you. There are certain leads of the highest quality. There are leads you should convert from.

REASON #8: FOLLOW UP LEADS FAST

If you respond to the lead within one hour, your chance of turning a lead to a sale is seven times higher. * bizVideo makes it easy to response in seconds. Get them while hot.

bizVideo Review – The Pricing & Evaluation

bizVideo FE (Price $69.95 – $149.85)

[+] Additional 750 views** makes a total of 1000 views [+] Additional 1 campaign** makes a total of 2 campaigns [+] Additional 5 GB Storage** makes unlimited video gallery*** [+] unlimited media image gallery*** [+] unlimited promo text storage [+] unlimited social media postings [+] unlimited use of online and offline (QR Code) campaign links [+] store up to 250,000 opt in prospect records [+] unlimited campaign changes/updates [+] unlimited software (bizVideo) enhancements and updates [+] 1 campaign** [+] 500 views per month (1500 total)** [+] 5 GB storage** [+] Duration 3 month [+] Technical support [+] Online help and tutorials [+] *** subject to storage limits [+] a total of 10 GB storage

OTO #1: bizVideo Double Punch (Price $40)

Double Punch lets you run two campaigns instead of one at your Simple account. You can capture the opt-ins twice with two campaigns, and build your list twice as easy. But you won’t pay the price twice, because you get a 35 percent discount from Double Hit.

Also, Double Punch adds 750 more views, meaning 1,000 potential prospects will watch your video this month! Double Punch adds 5 GB of storage, so all the video, sales copy, links and media images you need can be stored easily.

[+] Additional 750 views** makes a total of 1000 views [+] Additional 1 campaign** makes a total of 2 campaigns [+] Additional 5 GB Storage** makes a total of 10 GB storage

OTO #2: bizVideo Delux (Price $20)

If you post your campaign on social media, add it to your website or blog page and email it to a few hundred people, you can surpass the 250 views in your Simple account. But the Deluxe OTO adds 500 more views to ensure you ‘re not losing a single lead or opting in. These additional views also indicate that 750 new prospects will watch your video campaign in the next 30 days. With Deluxe you get all this and still save 35 percent. Deluxe also doubles 5 GB of storage or additional memory. For just 20 dollars you can store loads of videos, more sales copies, more media images, and links.

OTO #3: bizVideo Triple Punch (Price $144)

Your bizVideo Advantage account supports a single initiative, kind of like a one-screen movie theatre. Triple Punch provides funding to two campaigns. Three promotions are going to deliver a lot of views and you don’t want to run out. But Triple Punch adds more than 2000 views. In twelve weeks, there could be 7500 new prospects watching your campaigns.

All those campaigns also need storage so Triple Punch adds another 5 GB of memory. Sufficient for you to store video hours, loads of photos and everything else you need for your campaigns on bizVideo. All that marketing power is well worth the standard $390 price. But you get all these extra’s for three months with Triple Hit, and pay only $195.

OTO #4: bizVideo Elite (Price $77)

If you are converting your Advantage account into an Elite Advantage account, you can run two campaigns at once. Two promotions can generate leads twice, and double your opt-in so you can close sales twice. Elite adds another 1000 views to your Advantage account, too. That means that in the next three months 4,500 new prospects will view your campaigns. All these bonuses to the campaign are well worth the standard price of $180. Yet you double your selling power with Elite with a 57 per cent discount.

Good & Bad

Good

Generate and identify highest quality leads and sell them to others

Capitalize on their peak interest and link to your web site

Use bizVideo to get new subscribers, they can subscribe right in your campaign

Design, build and run video marketing campaigns for marketing coaches, consultants and marketing agencies

Sell bizVideo to your customers

Maximum exposure delivers maximum results

More People See Your Campaign when it’s on More Channels and Sources

Bad

Subscription based product

Limited time special offer

bizVideo Review – My Opinion

Would you like to focus attention of your prospect on your video? Or do you think you’ll produce better results by tempting them with images of flying turtles, rainbow unicorns and the goods of your competitors?

If your viewers remain focused on your video, we believe you can get better marketing results. Thus they developed the Cohesive Campaign Interface of bizVideo to ensure that no other videos are in sight. Your audience remains focused on your message and the video.

Once your video captures their interest, you want to capitalise on that interest. In fact, their most important point of interest is when they watch your video. So the BizVideo Coherant Campaign Interface allows them to share their contact information, make a comment or submit a question at any time. Even while your video is still being played!

If your prospect has to link to another screen to access your contact form, it may never come back. Why do you take the risk? The bizVideo contact form is right on your video screen. They don’t have to click anywhere to share.

There are no taps, no links and no distractions available with bizVideo. Just your initiative on video and your invitation to share and ask. To optimise your response rate you capitalise on their peak point of interest.

That is how the real power of video marketing can be harnessed.

bizVideo Bonus From Vendor

BONUS #1: AUTOMATIC LIST BUILDING

Inputting prospect data manually is time consuming and prone to errors. You don’t want to risk it now, after all that work to get the lead. BizVideo adds each new lead to your list automatically. All the leads are chosen to make your list clean and ready for you to start building your business.

BONUS #2: AUTOMATIC LIST SEGMENTATION

BizVideo sorts new leads automatically by programme. This automated sorting enables the creation of campaigns that target particular segments of the audience. Marketing segmentation has been shown to increase ROI by 15 percent or more, and is incorporated into your bizVideo account.

BONUS #3: SEARCH ENGINE MARKETING

Search Engines are automatically designed for bizVideo campaigns. Tags are built in for Facebook , Twitter and LinkedIn as well as the geo position. Your SEO on video marketing is done for you. What you save more than pay for bizVideo in the SEO expenses.

BONUS #4: MY CALL LIST (CRM)

You can always keep on top of new leads with this Call List, which leads you to call back, what details they asked, which campaign captured their attention, review callback reminders and much more. Everything that you need to turn into customers and sales is new leads.

BONUS #5: CALL ON THE GO

As nobody responds in time *, up to 64 percent of all Internet leads are lost. That means you can boost your conversion rate by calling them or quickly sending them a text up to 64 per cent. My Call List contains all the information you need about your leads. Call On The Go makes a slice of cake to follow them up with. You can contact any lead, right from your phone, with Call On The Go.

BONUS #6: DIRECT SALES MADE SIMPLE

Direct sales can be only one click away using bizVideo. Insert your order form link into your campaign and start direct sales driving. Keep them focused, keep them involved and make buying simple just one click away with an order.

Special “bizVideo” Bonus From Me

 How You Can Claim My Custom Bonuses?

STEP 1: “CLICK HERE” or click on any one of the buttons advertised on this page and it will take you to the official sales page.

STEP 2: Order the product from official website.

STEP 3: Send me you purchase receipt to below email id. You will get your bonuses within 24 hours.

(bonus.spsreviews@gmail.com)

In case if you see a message like below, check my name (Partha) and affiliate id (#764589) and approve the change.

source https://spsreviews.com/bizvideo-review/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=bizvideo-review from SPS Reviews https://spsreviewscom1.blogspot.com/2020/09/bizvideo-review-oto-info-bonus-my.html

[douglassmiith]

Follow These 6 Steps to Bulletproof Your Digital Business Strategy

May 29, 2020 8 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

The current crisis has forced us to live in a world where we can’t go outside. Although this change is temporary, imagine if it weren’t — how would businesses survive? What technology could possibly be used to cater to such a world across industries?

As restaurants have proved during the stay-at-home orders, just about any business can be brought online. In fact, I believe that by 2030 we could see entire businesses sustained through just mobile orders, whether they’re retail, food service or something else. It all depends on how smart the technology medium connecting businesses and consumers is. 

Related: Why You Should Bet On the Future of Ecommerce

A bonus of all this? By targeting both traditional in-person channels and online sales, businesses that successfully adapt during and after the crisis can potentially double their sales, all while serving their customers better.

The question, of course, is how to create a mirror of your physical presence online smoothly. You can do that by focusing on a few key steps:

1. Decide what you will sell online

First, are you a retail, service or food-service company? This will dictate what you sell online and how you sell it. Although overall strategies are similar, they are not exactly the same. 

For retail, you might want to make all of your in-store items available online. But it often makes sense to focus on specific items, such as customer favorites. If some items aren’t practical for online shipping, you still might be able to offer them for online purchase with curbside pickup. Previous sales data and feedback from customers can give you the insights you need to organize your products.

For services, are you able to provide what you do over the phone or through a video chat instead of in person? For something that usually must be done face-to-face, like beauty services, consider offering DIY kits to send to customers and walk them through how to use it on a video consultation. 

If you’re a restaurant, you might want to make your whole menu available to order from online. Or, if that seems overwhelming, you can do a limited menu consisting of bestsellers and easier-to-make dishes.

Related: 7 Online Business Ideas That Could Make You Rich

2. Set up packing, shipping and order-to-door services

If your business is smaller, you might be able to handle packing and shipping yourself. Eventually, however, you’ll likely want to consider third-party partners. Since higher shipping rates can influence purchase decisions, the goal is to find a partner with the most reasonable fees for consistent, damage-free delivery. Either way, delivery options (e.g., two-day shipping, shipping all items together, etc.) and a clear return policy can help your customers feel more in control. 

For businesses like restaurants, you can set up online ordering for pick-up and partner with delivery services such as UberEats or Postmates to ensure you can still operate a successful business whether or not people are dining in.

3. Choose your ecommerce medium

This step encompasses the technology you’ll utilize to sell what your business has to offer. It might be ecommerce, a web app, a  third-party delivery service or something else. Decide what you need and get it set up. Regardless of what type of business you’re in, make sure you’re going to get reliable service, support, flexibility and scalability from the medium you choose. 

For retail, you can use options like Shopify or Megento, or you can have someone build your site for you. Either way, think of the platform as the foundation for your online store. 

The ability to link to other systems (e.g., your POS) is critical, too. Those systems allow options like inventory tracking and payment and also let you enjoy more efficient, automated processes and data collection.

Related: Ecommerce Entrepreneurship Grows as Unemployment Rises

4. Create your site (including a mobile version)

The two most important things to focus on when creating your site are design and brand. Customers will quickly leave if your setup is not intuitive and easy to navigate, so keep your site simple and make sure shoppers find what they want or need quickly. The design also needs to convey the flavor customers have come to expect from your business, as the familiarity in style can help customers feel more comfortable and trusting. 

Overall, experts predict that ecommerce will value $845 billion by 2022, with almost half of ecommerce sales coming from mobile devices. Designing a mobile version of your website that’s optimized for smartphones ensures you can give customers an incredible experience no matter where they’re shopping from and that you don’t miss out as shoppers look for items on the go.  

For both your sites, hone in on your shopping cart (if you need one for your business). Abandoned items are a common issue, so ask yourself what you can do to help shoppers finish their transactions, such as opt-in push notifications.

You’ll also want to invest in good technical and customer support. Even short outages can cost an online company big bucks, so you need experienced people who can address glitches quickly. And the better your customer support is through email, chat or video, the more satisfied and loyal customers will be. Bots can help out some, but maintaining the human touch makes a difference.

Even if your business is a coffee shop or restaurant, decide if you want to sell merchandise, like coffee beans, mugs or t-shirts. If you do, you’ll want to make sure you have both retail sales and online food and drink order capabilities set up.

5. Figure out data and security

As an online company, collecting more personal data from your shoppers will be the way of life. Some of this information is a must for basic transactions, such as credit card numbers. But other data can help you understand customer behavior and who’s actually buying. Customers deserve and expect you to keep this information private and to know how you’re using it. They also need protection against issues like hacking. Using SSL certificates is an example of a basic precaution you can take.

Related: How Ecommerce Companies Can Continue Engaging New Customers

6. Design your marketing

The ways you can market an online store aren’t limited to the Internet. For example, you can use traditional print banners and mailings, business cards and coupons or offers included with purchased items when you package them for shipping. Online, don’t underestimate email, which still has one of the highest ROIs of any marketing agency option. Strategic click ads work, too.

But you’ll also want to give attention to social media. These platforms give you a fantastic way to interact with customers you already have as well as find new ones. Although you can promote events or products with shoppable posts, the focus should be on providing content that creates a real relationship with buyers. 

Lastly, think about your in-store experience for new ways to market. For example, if you know that demonstrations have increased sales, you could try marketing agency with a demonstration video.

After you’ve taken all these steps, it’s simply a matter of communicating your intent to your customers and helping them make the switch in a cooperative way. Alerting them early, soliciting their input and offering regular updates can make them more comfortable. Once customers are buying from your online store, don’t be afraid to adjust your site based on new, post-crisis goals and market shifts, just as you would for your brick-and-mortar.

Related: How to Strategically Take Your Event Online

Innovating for a permanent crisis

In the end, your success both during and after this time will largely depend on how well you take advantage of the technology available to duplicate your brick-and-mortar online. Not only will it keep you afloat until people are able to and comfortable with the idea of shopping in person, but it might just double your sales — or more. 

The businesses that made themselves crisis-proof with the technology available to them, whether intentionally or unintentionally, are the ones that have struggled the least in these times — some have even flourished! If we all innovated like this, we would see some truly amazing technologies and strategies emerge.

So, in the end, the question isn’t so much if you will take part in the digital revolution, but rather: Can you afford not to?

Website Design & SEO Delray Beach by DBL07.co

Delray Beach SEO

Via http://www.scpie.org/follow-these-6-steps-to-bulletproof-your-digital-business-strategy/

source https://scpie.weebly.com/blog/follow-these-6-steps-to-bulletproof-your-digital-business-strategy

[riichardwilson]

Follow These 6 Steps to Bulletproof Your Digital Business Strategy

May 29, 2020 8 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

The current crisis has forced us to live in a world where we can’t go outside. Although this change is temporary, imagine if it weren’t — how would businesses survive? What technology could possibly be used to cater to such a world across industries?

As restaurants have proved during the stay-at-home orders, just about any business can be brought online. In fact, I believe that by 2030 we could see entire businesses sustained through just mobile orders, whether they’re retail, food service or something else. It all depends on how smart the technology medium connecting businesses and consumers is. 

Related: Why You Should Bet On the Future of Ecommerce

A bonus of all this? By targeting both traditional in-person channels and online sales, businesses that successfully adapt during and after the crisis can potentially double their sales, all while serving their customers better.

The question, of course, is how to create a mirror of your physical presence online smoothly. You can do that by focusing on a few key steps:

1. Decide what you will sell online

First, are you a retail, service or food-service company? This will dictate what you sell online and how you sell it. Although overall strategies are similar, they are not exactly the same. 

For retail, you might want to make all of your in-store items available online. But it often makes sense to focus on specific items, such as customer favorites. If some items aren’t practical for online shipping, you still might be able to offer them for online purchase with curbside pickup. Previous sales data and feedback from customers can give you the insights you need to organize your products.

For services, are you able to provide what you do over the phone or through a video chat instead of in person? For something that usually must be done face-to-face, like beauty services, consider offering DIY kits to send to customers and walk them through how to use it on a video consultation. 

If you’re a restaurant, you might want to make your whole menu available to order from online. Or, if that seems overwhelming, you can do a limited menu consisting of bestsellers and easier-to-make dishes.

Related: 7 Online Business Ideas That Could Make You Rich

2. Set up packing, shipping and order-to-door services

If your business is smaller, you might be able to handle packing and shipping yourself. Eventually, however, you’ll likely want to consider third-party partners. Since higher shipping rates can influence purchase decisions, the goal is to find a partner with the most reasonable fees for consistent, damage-free delivery. Either way, delivery options (e.g., two-day shipping, shipping all items together, etc.) and a clear return policy can help your customers feel more in control. 

For businesses like restaurants, you can set up online ordering for pick-up and partner with delivery services such as UberEats or Postmates to ensure you can still operate a successful business whether or not people are dining in.

3. Choose your ecommerce medium

This step encompasses the technology you’ll utilize to sell what your business has to offer. It might be ecommerce, a web app, a  third-party delivery service or something else. Decide what you need and get it set up. Regardless of what type of business you’re in, make sure you’re going to get reliable service, support, flexibility and scalability from the medium you choose. 

For retail, you can use options like Shopify or Megento, or you can have someone build your site for you. Either way, think of the platform as the foundation for your online store. 

The ability to link to other systems (e.g., your POS) is critical, too. Those systems allow options like inventory tracking and payment and also let you enjoy more efficient, automated processes and data collection.

Related: Ecommerce Entrepreneurship Grows as Unemployment Rises

4. Create your site (including a mobile version)

The two most important things to focus on when creating your site are design and brand. Customers will quickly leave if your setup is not intuitive and easy to navigate, so keep your site simple and make sure shoppers find what they want or need quickly. The design also needs to convey the flavor customers have come to expect from your business, as the familiarity in style can help customers feel more comfortable and trusting. 

Overall, experts predict that ecommerce will value $845 billion by 2022, with almost half of ecommerce sales coming from mobile devices. Designing a mobile version of your website that’s optimized for smartphones ensures you can give customers an incredible experience no matter where they’re shopping from and that you don’t miss out as shoppers look for items on the go.  

For both your sites, hone in on your shopping cart (if you need one for your business). Abandoned items are a common issue, so ask yourself what you can do to help shoppers finish their transactions, such as opt-in push notifications.

You’ll also want to invest in good technical and customer support. Even short outages can cost an online company big bucks, so you need experienced people who can address glitches quickly. And the better your customer support is through email, chat or video, the more satisfied and loyal customers will be. Bots can help out some, but maintaining the human touch makes a difference.

Even if your business is a coffee shop or restaurant, decide if you want to sell merchandise, like coffee beans, mugs or t-shirts. If you do, you’ll want to make sure you have both retail sales and online food and drink order capabilities set up.

5. Figure out data and security

As an online company, collecting more personal data from your shoppers will be the way of life. Some of this information is a must for basic transactions, such as credit card numbers. But other data can help you understand customer behavior and who’s actually buying. Customers deserve and expect you to keep this information private and to know how you’re using it. They also need protection against issues like hacking. Using SSL certificates is an example of a basic precaution you can take.

Related: How Ecommerce Companies Can Continue Engaging New Customers

6. Design your marketing

The ways you can market an online store aren’t limited to the Internet. For example, you can use traditional print banners and mailings, business cards and coupons or offers included with purchased items when you package them for shipping. Online, don’t underestimate email, which still has one of the highest ROIs of any marketing agency option. Strategic click ads work, too.

But you’ll also want to give attention to social media. These platforms give you a fantastic way to interact with customers you already have as well as find new ones. Although you can promote events or products with shoppable posts, the focus should be on providing content that creates a real relationship with buyers. 

Lastly, think about your in-store experience for new ways to market. For example, if you know that demonstrations have increased sales, you could try marketing agency with a demonstration video.

After you’ve taken all these steps, it’s simply a matter of communicating your intent to your customers and helping them make the switch in a cooperative way. Alerting them early, soliciting their input and offering regular updates can make them more comfortable. Once customers are buying from your online store, don’t be afraid to adjust your site based on new, post-crisis goals and market shifts, just as you would for your brick-and-mortar.

Related: How to Strategically Take Your Event Online

Innovating for a permanent crisis

In the end, your success both during and after this time will largely depend on how well you take advantage of the technology available to duplicate your brick-and-mortar online. Not only will it keep you afloat until people are able to and comfortable with the idea of shopping in person, but it might just double your sales — or more. 

The businesses that made themselves crisis-proof with the technology available to them, whether intentionally or unintentionally, are the ones that have struggled the least in these times — some have even flourished! If we all innovated like this, we would see some truly amazing technologies and strategies emerge.

So, in the end, the question isn’t so much if you will take part in the digital revolution, but rather: Can you afford not to?

Website Design & SEO Delray Beach by DBL07.co

Delray Beach SEO

source http://www.scpie.org/follow-these-6-steps-to-bulletproof-your-digital-business-strategy/ source https://scpie.tumblr.com/post/619500217528680448

[scpie]

Follow These 6 Steps to Bulletproof Your Digital Business Strategy

May 29, 2020 8 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

The current crisis has forced us to live in a world where we can’t go outside. Although this change is temporary, imagine if it weren’t — how would businesses survive? What technology could possibly be used to cater to such a world across industries?

As restaurants have proved during the stay-at-home orders, just about any business can be brought online. In fact, I believe that by 2030 we could see entire businesses sustained through just mobile orders, whether they’re retail, food service or something else. It all depends on how smart the technology medium connecting businesses and consumers is. 

Related: Why You Should Bet On the Future of Ecommerce

A bonus of all this? By targeting both traditional in-person channels and online sales, businesses that successfully adapt during and after the crisis can potentially double their sales, all while serving their customers better.

The question, of course, is how to create a mirror of your physical presence online smoothly. You can do that by focusing on a few key steps:

1. Decide what you will sell online

First, are you a retail, service or food-service company? This will dictate what you sell online and how you sell it. Although overall strategies are similar, they are not exactly the same. 

For retail, you might want to make all of your in-store items available online. But it often makes sense to focus on specific items, such as customer favorites. If some items aren’t practical for online shipping, you still might be able to offer them for online purchase with curbside pickup. Previous sales data and feedback from customers can give you the insights you need to organize your products.

For services, are you able to provide what you do over the phone or through a video chat instead of in person? For something that usually must be done face-to-face, like beauty services, consider offering DIY kits to send to customers and walk them through how to use it on a video consultation. 

If you’re a restaurant, you might want to make your whole menu available to order from online. Or, if that seems overwhelming, you can do a limited menu consisting of bestsellers and easier-to-make dishes.

Related: 7 Online Business Ideas That Could Make You Rich

2. Set up packing, shipping and order-to-door services

If your business is smaller, you might be able to handle packing and shipping yourself. Eventually, however, you’ll likely want to consider third-party partners. Since higher shipping rates can influence purchase decisions, the goal is to find a partner with the most reasonable fees for consistent, damage-free delivery. Either way, delivery options (e.g., two-day shipping, shipping all items together, etc.) and a clear return policy can help your customers feel more in control. 

For businesses like restaurants, you can set up online ordering for pick-up and partner with delivery services such as UberEats or Postmates to ensure you can still operate a successful business whether or not people are dining in.

3. Choose your ecommerce medium

This step encompasses the technology you’ll utilize to sell what your business has to offer. It might be ecommerce, a web app, a  third-party delivery service or something else. Decide what you need and get it set up. Regardless of what type of business you’re in, make sure you’re going to get reliable service, support, flexibility and scalability from the medium you choose. 

For retail, you can use options like Shopify or Megento, or you can have someone build your site for you. Either way, think of the platform as the foundation for your online store. 

The ability to link to other systems (e.g., your POS) is critical, too. Those systems allow options like inventory tracking and payment and also let you enjoy more efficient, automated processes and data collection.

Related: Ecommerce Entrepreneurship Grows as Unemployment Rises

4. Create your site (including a mobile version)

The two most important things to focus on when creating your site are design and brand. Customers will quickly leave if your setup is not intuitive and easy to navigate, so keep your site simple and make sure shoppers find what they want or need quickly. The design also needs to convey the flavor customers have come to expect from your business, as the familiarity in style can help customers feel more comfortable and trusting. 

Overall, experts predict that ecommerce will value $845 billion by 2022, with almost half of ecommerce sales coming from mobile devices. Designing a mobile version of your website that’s optimized for smartphones ensures you can give customers an incredible experience no matter where they’re shopping from and that you don’t miss out as shoppers look for items on the go.  

For both your sites, hone in on your shopping cart (if you need one for your business). Abandoned items are a common issue, so ask yourself what you can do to help shoppers finish their transactions, such as opt-in push notifications.

You’ll also want to invest in good technical and customer support. Even short outages can cost an online company big bucks, so you need experienced people who can address glitches quickly. And the better your customer support is through email, chat or video, the more satisfied and loyal customers will be. Bots can help out some, but maintaining the human touch makes a difference.

Even if your business is a coffee shop or restaurant, decide if you want to sell merchandise, like coffee beans, mugs or t-shirts. If you do, you’ll want to make sure you have both retail sales and online food and drink order capabilities set up.

5. Figure out data and security

As an online company, collecting more personal data from your shoppers will be the way of life. Some of this information is a must for basic transactions, such as credit card numbers. But other data can help you understand customer behavior and who’s actually buying. Customers deserve and expect you to keep this information private and to know how you’re using it. They also need protection against issues like hacking. Using SSL certificates is an example of a basic precaution you can take.

Related: How Ecommerce Companies Can Continue Engaging New Customers

6. Design your marketing

The ways you can market an online store aren’t limited to the Internet. For example, you can use traditional print banners and mailings, business cards and coupons or offers included with purchased items when you package them for shipping. Online, don’t underestimate email, which still has one of the highest ROIs of any marketing agency option. Strategic click ads work, too.

But you’ll also want to give attention to social media. These platforms give you a fantastic way to interact with customers you already have as well as find new ones. Although you can promote events or products with shoppable posts, the focus should be on providing content that creates a real relationship with buyers. 

Lastly, think about your in-store experience for new ways to market. For example, if you know that demonstrations have increased sales, you could try marketing agency with a demonstration video.

After you’ve taken all these steps, it’s simply a matter of communicating your intent to your customers and helping them make the switch in a cooperative way. Alerting them early, soliciting their input and offering regular updates can make them more comfortable. Once customers are buying from your online store, don’t be afraid to adjust your site based on new, post-crisis goals and market shifts, just as you would for your brick-and-mortar.

Related: How to Strategically Take Your Event Online

Innovating for a permanent crisis

In the end, your success both during and after this time will largely depend on how well you take advantage of the technology available to duplicate your brick-and-mortar online. Not only will it keep you afloat until people are able to and comfortable with the idea of shopping in person, but it might just double your sales — or more. 

The businesses that made themselves crisis-proof with the technology available to them, whether intentionally or unintentionally, are the ones that have struggled the least in these times — some have even flourished! If we all innovated like this, we would see some truly amazing technologies and strategies emerge.

So, in the end, the question isn’t so much if you will take part in the digital revolution, but rather: Can you afford not to?

Website Design & SEO Delray Beach by DBL07.co

Delray Beach SEO

source http://www.scpie.org/follow-these-6-steps-to-bulletproof-your-digital-business-strategy/

[laurelkrugerr]

Follow These 6 Steps to Bulletproof Your Digital Business Strategy

May 29, 2020 8 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

The current crisis has forced us to live in a world where we can’t go outside. Although this change is temporary, imagine if it weren’t — how would businesses survive? What technology could possibly be used to cater to such a world across industries?

As restaurants have proved during the stay-at-home orders, just about any business can be brought online. In fact, I believe that by 2030 we could see entire businesses sustained through just mobile orders, whether they’re retail, food service or something else. It all depends on how smart the technology medium connecting businesses and consumers is. 

Related: Why You Should Bet On the Future of Ecommerce

A bonus of all this? By targeting both traditional in-person channels and online sales, businesses that successfully adapt during and after the crisis can potentially double their sales, all while serving their customers better.

The question, of course, is how to create a mirror of your physical presence online smoothly. You can do that by focusing on a few key steps:

1. Decide what you will sell online

First, are you a retail, service or food-service company? This will dictate what you sell online and how you sell it. Although overall strategies are similar, they are not exactly the same. 

For retail, you might want to make all of your in-store items available online. But it often makes sense to focus on specific items, such as customer favorites. If some items aren’t practical for online shipping, you still might be able to offer them for online purchase with curbside pickup. Previous sales data and feedback from customers can give you the insights you need to organize your products.

For services, are you able to provide what you do over the phone or through a video chat instead of in person? For something that usually must be done face-to-face, like beauty services, consider offering DIY kits to send to customers and walk them through how to use it on a video consultation. 

If you’re a restaurant, you might want to make your whole menu available to order from online. Or, if that seems overwhelming, you can do a limited menu consisting of bestsellers and easier-to-make dishes.

Related: 7 Online Business Ideas That Could Make You Rich

2. Set up packing, shipping and order-to-door services

If your business is smaller, you might be able to handle packing and shipping yourself. Eventually, however, you’ll likely want to consider third-party partners. Since higher shipping rates can influence purchase decisions, the goal is to find a partner with the most reasonable fees for consistent, damage-free delivery. Either way, delivery options (e.g., two-day shipping, shipping all items together, etc.) and a clear return policy can help your customers feel more in control. 

For businesses like restaurants, you can set up online ordering for pick-up and partner with delivery services such as UberEats or Postmates to ensure you can still operate a successful business whether or not people are dining in.

3. Choose your ecommerce medium

This step encompasses the technology you’ll utilize to sell what your business has to offer. It might be ecommerce, a web app, a  third-party delivery service or something else. Decide what you need and get it set up. Regardless of what type of business you’re in, make sure you’re going to get reliable service, support, flexibility and scalability from the medium you choose. 

For retail, you can use options like Shopify or Megento, or you can have someone build your site for you. Either way, think of the platform as the foundation for your online store. 

The ability to link to other systems (e.g., your POS) is critical, too. Those systems allow options like inventory tracking and payment and also let you enjoy more efficient, automated processes and data collection.

Related: Ecommerce Entrepreneurship Grows as Unemployment Rises

4. Create your site (including a mobile version)

The two most important things to focus on when creating your site are design and brand. Customers will quickly leave if your setup is not intuitive and easy to navigate, so keep your site simple and make sure shoppers find what they want or need quickly. The design also needs to convey the flavor customers have come to expect from your business, as the familiarity in style can help customers feel more comfortable and trusting. 

Overall, experts predict that ecommerce will value $845 billion by 2022, with almost half of ecommerce sales coming from mobile devices. Designing a mobile version of your website that’s optimized for smartphones ensures you can give customers an incredible experience no matter where they’re shopping from and that you don’t miss out as shoppers look for items on the go.  

For both your sites, hone in on your shopping cart (if you need one for your business). Abandoned items are a common issue, so ask yourself what you can do to help shoppers finish their transactions, such as opt-in push notifications.

You’ll also want to invest in good technical and customer support. Even short outages can cost an online company big bucks, so you need experienced people who can address glitches quickly. And the better your customer support is through email, chat or video, the more satisfied and loyal customers will be. Bots can help out some, but maintaining the human touch makes a difference.

Even if your business is a coffee shop or restaurant, decide if you want to sell merchandise, like coffee beans, mugs or t-shirts. If you do, you’ll want to make sure you have both retail sales and online food and drink order capabilities set up.

5. Figure out data and security

As an online company, collecting more personal data from your shoppers will be the way of life. Some of this information is a must for basic transactions, such as credit card numbers. But other data can help you understand customer behavior and who’s actually buying. Customers deserve and expect you to keep this information private and to know how you’re using it. They also need protection against issues like hacking. Using SSL certificates is an example of a basic precaution you can take.

Related: How Ecommerce Companies Can Continue Engaging New Customers

6. Design your marketing

The ways you can market an online store aren’t limited to the Internet. For example, you can use traditional print banners and mailings, business cards and coupons or offers included with purchased items when you package them for shipping. Online, don’t underestimate email, which still has one of the highest ROIs of any marketing agency option. Strategic click ads work, too.

But you’ll also want to give attention to social media. These platforms give you a fantastic way to interact with customers you already have as well as find new ones. Although you can promote events or products with shoppable posts, the focus should be on providing content that creates a real relationship with buyers. 

Lastly, think about your in-store experience for new ways to market. For example, if you know that demonstrations have increased sales, you could try marketing agency with a demonstration video.

After you’ve taken all these steps, it’s simply a matter of communicating your intent to your customers and helping them make the switch in a cooperative way. Alerting them early, soliciting their input and offering regular updates can make them more comfortable. Once customers are buying from your online store, don’t be afraid to adjust your site based on new, post-crisis goals and market shifts, just as you would for your brick-and-mortar.

Related: How to Strategically Take Your Event Online

Innovating for a permanent crisis

In the end, your success both during and after this time will largely depend on how well you take advantage of the technology available to duplicate your brick-and-mortar online. Not only will it keep you afloat until people are able to and comfortable with the idea of shopping in person, but it might just double your sales — or more. 

The businesses that made themselves crisis-proof with the technology available to them, whether intentionally or unintentionally, are the ones that have struggled the least in these times — some have even flourished! If we all innovated like this, we would see some truly amazing technologies and strategies emerge.

So, in the end, the question isn’t so much if you will take part in the digital revolution, but rather: Can you afford not to?

Website Design & SEO Delray Beach by DBL07.co

Delray Beach SEO

source http://www.scpie.org/follow-these-6-steps-to-bulletproof-your-digital-business-strategy/ source https://scpie1.blogspot.com/2020/05/follow-these-6-steps-to-bulletproof.html