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Panasonic in HARUMI FLAG, Tokyo, 2020
Harumi Flag, a new urban development project located in the Harumi 5-Chome District, has been launched. This development is touted as one of the legacies of the Tokyo 2020 Games.
This 18-hectare area will hold 5,632 privately-owned and rental apartments in 23 buildings. It will accommodate a total of 12,000 residents by 2024.
Energy Management
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government, in partnership with ten private companies, is planning to redevelop the buildings that hosted the Olympic Village of the 2020 Games into an urban town called HARUMI FLAG. The new town will incorporate residential condominiums, child care facilities, and senior housing to accommodate a wide variety of people’s lifestyles and needs.
The town will use hydrogen as its primary power source, though conventional grid-supplied electricity can be used to supplement it. The area will also use solar generation and power storage systems in common-use spaces in 21 high rises that are now under construction.
In addition to providing hydrogen, HARUMI FLAG will also utilize an area energy management system** to monitor and control electricity consumption in each of the town’s residential blocks. Data from each block will be analyzed by the energy management system to lower reliance on conventional grid-supplied power and to help predict peak demand. By using these solutions, HARUMI FLAG will become an innovative model for sustainable development.
Security & Disaster Prevention
HARUMI FLAG is the name of the game in the snazzy new town being developed by a handful of well-heeled developers. This 13.9 hectare urban village will rewrite the rules of urban renewal and make Tokyo a more livable city for all. Panasonic is proud to be a part of this bold initiative that promises a new era in city planning and management.
Aside from the requisite security and surveillance, the real show stoppers are a handful of innovative features and technologies that will leave a lasting impression on visitors of all ages. Among these is the aforementioned 750 network-connected cameras which send pictures and videos to a specialized emergency response center. Other gizmos include a virtual reality experience which will give the residents a sense of what's in store when they move into their new home in 2024. Moreover, the aforementioned technology is matched with a smart phone enabled security system that will notify users via text message and email as soon as a break-in is detected.
Public Area Lighting
HARUMI FLAG is the first town in Japan with a full-scale hydrogen energy infrastructure system that includes a station, pipelines and hydrogen fuel cell generators. A group of private companies, leveraging the expertise and funds of the Tokyo government, is engaged in unified development and operation of this 18-hectare area.
Panasonic is a key player in this project, offering a comprehensive package of urban development solutions including Hydrogen Power Generation, Energy Management and Security & Disaster Prevention. 750 network-connected cameras are also deployed in town areas and common-use spaces to ensure security for residents. Finally, the HARUMI FLAG sales center features a cutting-edge VR (virtual reality) display that demonstrates how to make the most of a small screen in a large space using a high-brightness laser display. It is a highly entertaining experience. It’s also a smart way to get a glimpse of a future town in the making. The technology is a product of the long and close partnership between Panasonic and the Tokyo metropolitan government.
Virtual Reality Experience
Virtual reality (VR) is computer technology that makes you feel like you are in another place. The software produces images, sounds and other sensations to create a world that appears to be real, but it's all a simulation. Check their site to know more details HARUMI FLAG/晴海フラッグ
A VR system typically requires a headset, a computer, and a device that creates a 3D environment. It may also have sensors that can collect stimuli response information and send it back to the VR system to improve the experience.
A number of industries are benefiting from VR technology, including science and medicine, entertainment, education and real estate. A VR system could allow a doctor to practice procedures with virtual patients without putting them at risk, for example, or architects can show detailed plans in 3D before a building is built.
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Home Want to know how to use GoHighLevel like a boss? Check out our guide for tips and tricks to make it easy. Say bye to confusion and hello to success in a few steps. Get ready to boost your business with GoHighLevel! Key Takeaways Please start with the Basics: Familiarize yourself with HighLevel's interface and features to maximize its potential.Optimize Campaigns and Pipelines: Create effective campaigns and pipelines in HighLevel to streamline your marketing efforts and improve customer engagement.Explore Advanced Strategies: Dive into advanced features and strategies within HighLevel to enhance automation, lead generation, and client management.Leverage HighLevel for SEO: Utilize HighLevel for SEO content writing to boost your online visibility and attract more organic traffic.Stay Updated: Regularly update your knowledge of HighLevel's capabilities and new features to stay ahead in your marketing game. Start A 14 Day Free Trial Table of Contents Getting Started with HighLevelhttps://youtu.be/ujvIXXH8Utc?si=TQWS8XrrMuVATnwwCreate AccountFirst, sign up for a HighLevel account, opting for the 14-day free trial for Starter and Freelancer plans. This step allows you to explore the platform's functionalities without any initial financial commitment.Explore FeaturesOnce your account is set up, delve into the diverse features tailored for agencies, small businesses, freelance marketers, and digital marketing agencies. Familiarize yourself with the tools that can enhance your workflow and productivity.Contact Customer SupportShould you encounter any challenges or have queries while using HighLevel, don't hesitate to contact customer support. You can seek assistance through various channels such as email, chat, phone, or by joining the official Facebook community group. The support team is readily available to provide guidance and resolve issues promptly.Setting Up Campaigns and PipelinesAutomation SetupTo set up effective campaigns, utilize automation like SMS, calls, emails, and webhooks in HighLevel. This ensures efficient communication with leads across various channels.Pipeline CreationUnderstanding the process of creating pipelines is crucial to streamlining sales and marketing processes. Businesses can effectively manage their leads and track progress at each stage by setting up pipelines.Utilizing Twilio and MailgunHighLevel allows users to integrate Twilio for text messages, voicemail drops, and phone calls. This feature enhances communication with leads, providing a seamless experience. Mailgun integration enables businesses to send emails effectively, ensuring they reach the intended recipients.Advanced HighLevel StrategiesOptimization TechniquesTo maximize HighLevel's potential:Consider regularly reviewing and tweaking your campaigns and pipelines.Utilize pro tips to enhance customer engagement through personalized messages and strategic follow-ups.Experiment with templates and messaging styles to identify what resonates best with your audience.Integration OptionsExplore integrating HighLevel with platforms like Google for seamless data sharing and improved targeting. Linking your main domain to HighLevel can streamline communication and enhance brand credibility. Utilize the platform's features to sync SMS and calls, ensuring a cohesive customer experience across all channels.Agency CollaborationFor agencies using HighLevel, leverage its collaborative tools to manage multiple accounts efficiently. Create specific user roles to delegate tasks within your team effectively. Utilize the platform's CRM capabilities to track client interactions, nurture leads, and strengthen client relationships. Start A 14 Day Free Trial HighLevel for SEO Content WritingOptimizing ContentLeverage HighLevel's features to create SEO-optimized content that attracts organic traffic. Use tools like the highlevel website builder and wordpress integration to streamline content creation.
Enhance your content marketing strategy by utilizing HighLevel's capabilities for blog management. Collaborate with freelancers and manage all aspects of your content creation process in one platform.Boosting Online VisibilityOptimizing content within HighLevel can improve your search engine rankings. You can also utilize tools for Google Business Profile integration to enhance local SEO efforts and attract more customers.Implement best practices such as keyword research, optimization of meta tags, and internal linking to ensure your content ranks higher on search engine results pages. Start A 14 Day Free Trial Frequently Asked Questions How can I get started with HighLevel?To start with HighLevel, sign up for an account on their website, explore the platform's features, watch tutorial videos, and join GoHighLevel Academy to familiarize yourself with its functionalities.What is the process for setting up campaigns and pipelines in HighLevel?To set up campaigns and pipelines in HighLevel, navigate to the dashboard, click "Campaigns," create a new campaign, define your pipeline stages, add actions, and automate your workflow.What are some advanced strategies for utilizing HighLevel effectively?Advanced strategies for using HighLevel include:Setting up complex automation sequences.Integrating third-party tools via Zapier.Implementing split testing in campaigns.Analyzing data to optimize performance.How can I leverage HighLevel for SEO content writing?You can leverage HighLevel for SEO content writing by utilizing its built-in keyword research tools, optimizing landing pages for search engines, tracking keyword performance within campaigns, and monitoring organic traffic growth.Is there a community or support system available for HighLevel users?Yes! HighLevel provides a community forum where users can ask questions, share tips, and best practices, and connect with other platform marketers. They offer customer support through email and live chat for assistance. SummaryYou've learned the basics of GoHighLevel, set up campaigns, explored advanced strategies, and used them for SEO writing.Keep learning and trying new things to make the most of the platform. Now, it's time to take action.Test different methods, adjust your strategies, and keep practicing to improve.Embrace the journey of mastering GoHighLevel and see your business grow. Start A 14 Day Free Trial
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The Best Sales Pipeline Management Tools
Staying competitive in today's fast-paced sales environment requires having the right sales pipeline management tools. These tools are quickly evolving with the recent advancements in AI. If you are not using the right tools in line with your business objectives, you are bound to be left behind.
Such tools automate the sales process for both buyers and representatives. If used correctly, they can modernize your sales pipeline, ultimately saving your company time and money while maximizing revenue. The best sales pipeline management software tools example is mej sales AI
What are the Tools for Management of the Sales Pipeline?
Tools in digital form that help organisations to stay organised in their processes of management in sales and leads. Many organisations apply the use of a mixture of tools in proper synchronisation in managing their sales pipeline, enhances leads automation,
Provide buyer journey visibility,
Analyse team performance,
Support around-the-clock customer service with virtual assistants,
Automate text message follow-ups.
Popular tools like HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive, and Zapier automate tasks previously done manually. This saves time and lets the sales team close more deals by investing more time in doing higher-order tasks. These tools, with the proper development of AI going on continuously, will get automated further and bring about more efficiency, as the repetitive jobs, hitherto consuming most of the time of the sales rep, will be automated.
In this competitive world, sales teams need tools that save time, unlock customer insights, and drive more conversions. Next up, this article will help you understand which of the tools in sales pipeline management are apt to help your sales team achieve the goals.
Common Issues Associated with Sales Pipeline Management
An outdated or simply inefficient best pipeline management software tool can very well lead to missed opportunities and conversion losses. If you have out-of-date, clunky, non-integrated tools, you can bring in big problems for your sales reps and managers, such as bad customer experience, missed leads due to delays or other reasons for follow-up, wasted time on manual and repetitive tasks, an unorganized or misaligned department of sales teams.
Sales and related revenues are also reduced. Improving on different departments working with different data sets and customer insights from all means causes false sales forecasting. Now, if teams miss their targetings, that results in low morale, misalignment, and further decreased return from not accruing a bonus.
To drive the best sales effort, with the help of the contact center and sales agents for excellent customer experience, one should have in place the right sales pipeline management tools and software. Of course, you will need to ensure that you will select a tool that grows and evolves with your business.
6 Must-Haves of Sales Pipeline and Lead Management Tools
Each sales pipeline management software process is unique, but most share common elements, such as ensuring that sales reps can quickly connect with customers and provide a personalized, helpful experience. While many sales pipeline management tools offer very varied benefits, there are some key features that no sales team should be without.
Lead Management
The free sales pipeline management software needs to collect as much information of the lead as possible, as quickly as possible. Management tools for pipelines capture, qualify, score, and rank—all within seconds of a call, text, chat, or form submission—to make sure that teams are connecting with the right leads at the right time for the right conversations. Automated lead management ensures follow-up is timely and consistent, enabling sales reps to close more deals, faster.
Pipeline Visibility
Full visibility for every section of the free sales pipeline management tool helps you to identify the point at which prospects go cold or start stagnating. This way, sales reps can better nurture the prospects further down the sales funnel, close more deals, and shorten the sales cycle.
Insights into Customer
Sales and marketing teams need to understand their prospects' pain points and how a solution or service will relieve that. AI tools, by companies such as CallTrackingMetrics, with their realtime insights from the conversations happening with your customers, help you zero in on these high-value conversations and help your salespeople set follow-ups immediately. These insights could also help the marketing team tune their messages and campaigns.
Sales Automation
Tools such as CTM's ChatAI back up agents with service available anytime via chat. Whether it is help on password access, appointment scheduling, or sales automation provided by way of chatbots and virtual agents, customers can reduce turnaround time and enable salespeople to maximize their time, released from those more mundane matters. Hence, they can engage in more value-adding activities with customers going through the process of becoming buying customers.
Sift, Sort, Analyze and Report
There is real useful information in the conversations between the customers and the sales reps. Sorting through hours of calls, texts, and meetings is a headache, of course. AI-powered management software for the sales pipeline will sort, categorize, and put to use this data to find patterns and similarities, aiding teams in sales, marketing, and product development.
Integration Capabilities
You will also want to make sure that the sales pipeline management solution you select integrates with the rest of your stack, whether it be Salesforce, Zapier, or HubSpot. Services like CallTrackingMetrics keep all your data in one place, easily viewable, assessable, and reportable.
Technology and AI will advance, so will the possibilities of a sales pipeline management tool. Clear upfront needs and requirements that match your exact sales objectives will be at the core of how you choose which software to lean into at present and how you know it can scale with you into the future.
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Know How to Use ChatGPT for Sales
Not too long ago, the idea of having meaningful conversations with an AI chatbot that understands human context seemed like science fiction. But today, AI chatbots like ChatGPT can not only understand context but also hold real conversations, sometimes even cracking jokes. They’re becoming indispensable tools for various tasks, from developing sales strategies to creating content that helps businesses achieve their sales goals.
Companies, regardless of size, are adopting ChatGPT to rejuvenate their sales strategies and attract more customers. With ChatGPT, it’s like having a sales assistant that’s always available, quick with answers, and capable of providing valuable insights on achieving your sales goals. But how exactly can you use ChatGPT for sales? Here are some key ways it can benefit your business:
1. Customer Follow-Ups
Following up with leads and prospects is crucial in sales, but it can be time-consuming. ChatGPT streamlines this process, keeping your sales pipeline moving by generating personalized follow-up messages that nurture leads, address objections, and move prospects closer to a sale. This helps maintain consistent communication without the burden of writing individual emails.
Example Prompts:
"Draft a follow-up email for a prospect interested in our premium package but concerned about the price. Highlight our flexible payment options and ROI."
"Create a template for a check-in message to send to leads who went silent after our initial sales call. Include a gentle reminder of our unique selling points."
2. Product Demos
When you have an impressive product, showcasing it effectively is essential. ChatGPT can create engaging scripts for your demos by simply providing information about your product. These scripts can highlight key features, benefits, and how the product addresses your target audience’s pain points.
Example Prompts:
"Develop a comprehensive script for a product demo of [Product Name], including an engaging introduction, an overview of main features, a step-by-step walkthrough, pain points resolution, and a compelling conclusion with a call-to-action."
"Write a script for a 5-minute video tutorial on how to use [Product], including step-by-step instructions, common mistakes to avoid, and key benefits."
3. Personalized Sales Pitches
Customers appreciate personalized attention. ChatGPT can help craft personalized sales pitches that speak directly to each market segment’s needs. This approach can make your sales pitch more likely to convert, as it feels tailored and relevant to the recipient.
Example Prompts:
"Create a personalized sales pitch for [Client's Company Name], focusing on their need for [specific service/product]. Use the provided company data to tailor the pitch and address their unique challenges."
"Design a 3-email sequence for [Target Audience Segment], promoting our [Product/Service]. Focus on addressing their main pain points and how our solution can help."
What ChatGPT Can't Do in Sales (And How to Fix It)
While ChatGPT is a powerful tool, it has limitations. Here are some key areas where ChatGPT falls short and how these challenges can be addressed:
Limited Knowledge of Specific Business Data ChatGPT doesn’t have access to real-time, company-specific information. It needs explicit input to tailor responses to your business context. Solution: Train ChatGPT with your business data using tools like Sitebot, enabling it to provide more accurate and personalized responses.
Cannot Execute Sales Actions ChatGPT can generate text but can’t perform actions like making calls, sending emails, or updating CRMs. Solution: Integrate ChatGPT with tools like Sitebot to automate these tasks, allowing it to interact with customers and execute sales strategies in real-time.
Lack of Real-Time Market Insights ChatGPT’s knowledge cutoff means it doesn’t have the latest market trends, competitor actions, or industry developments. Solution: Regularly update ChatGPT’s knowledge base with the latest market information to keep its advice and strategies current.
No Direct Integration with Sales Tools ChatGPT doesn’t directly interface with your existing sales software. Solution: Use platforms like Zapier or Make to integrate ChatGPT with your CRM and other sales tools, automating tasks and ensuring seamless workflow integration.
Inability to Directly Engage Customers for Upselling and Cross-Selling ChatGPT in its raw form isn’t directly accessible to customers on your platforms. Solution: Embed ChatGPT on your website or app to engage customers in real-time, suggesting upsells and cross-sells during their shopping journey.
Lack of Lead Generation and Nurturing Capabilities ChatGPT doesn’t interact with website visitors to capture information or follow up with them. Solution: Use tools like Sitebot to embed ChatGPT on your site, enabling it to gather lead information, qualify leads, and initiate follow-ups.
By addressing these limitations, you can truly harness ChatGPT's power for your sales processes. Integrating tools like Sitebot transforms ChatGPT from a general-purpose AI into a specialized sales tool that knows your business inside and out, engages with customers in real-time, stays updated with the latest information, and works harmoniously with your existing sales tech stack. This not only overcomes current limitations but also opens up new possibilities for using ChatGPT in sales.
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CRM for Car Dealerships: Driving Sales and Customer Satisfaction
CRM for Car Dealerships: Driving Sales and Customer Satisfaction
In today's competitive automotive market, car dealerships need every advantage they can get to stay ahead. One powerful tool that's revolutionizing the way dealerships operate is (Customer Relationship Management) CRM software. But what exactly is CRM, and how can it benefit car dealerships? Let's dive in and explore this game-changing technology.
What is CRM?
CRM stands for Customer Relationship Management. It's a system that helps businesses manage their interactions with current and potential customers. Think of it as a smart digital address book that not only stores contact information but also tracks every interaction, preference, and detail about your customers.
For car dealerships, a CRM system can be a central hub for managing leads, sales processes, customer service, and marketing efforts. It's designed to help dealerships build stronger relationships with their customers, streamline operations, and ultimately, sell more cars.
Why Do Car Dealerships Need CRM?
The automotive industry is unique, with its own set of challenges and opportunities. Here's why CRM is particularly valuable for car dealerships:
Long sales cycles: Buying a car is a big decision that often takes weeks or months. CRM helps track potential buyers throughout this process.
High-value transactions: Cars are expensive purchases. CRM helps dealerships nurture leads carefully to close these valuable sales.
Service and maintenance: Dealerships don't just sell cars; they also service them. CRM can help manage ongoing customer relationships beyond the initial sale.
Competitive market: With so many options available to car buyers, CRM helps dealerships stand out by providing personalized, attentive service.
Data-driven decision-making: CRM systems provide valuable insights that can inform inventory decisions, marketing strategies, and sales tactics.
Key Features of CRM for Car Dealerships
While CRM systems can vary, here are some essential features that are particularly useful for car dealerships:
Lead Management CRM systems help dealerships capture and organize leads from various sources like website inquiries, phone calls, and walk-ins. They can automatically assign leads to salespeople and send follow-up reminders, ensuring no potential customer falls through the cracks.
Sales Pipeline Tracking CRM allows dealerships to visualize their sales pipeline, showing which stage each potential buyer is in. This helps sales teams prioritize their efforts and forecast future sales more accurately.
Inventory Management Many automotive CRMs integrate with inventory systems, allowing salespeople to quickly match customers with available vehicles that meet their criteria.
Customer Communication Tools CRM systems often include tools for email marketing, text messaging, and even social media management. This allows dealerships to stay in touch with customers through their preferred communication channels.
Service Department Integration By integrating with the service department, CRM can help dealerships schedule maintenance appointments, send service reminders, and track each vehicle's service history.
Reporting and Analytics CRM systems generate detailed reports on sales performance, customer trends, and other key metrics. This data can help dealerships make informed decisions about everything from inventory to marketing strategies.
Mobile Access Many CRM systems offer mobile apps, allowing salespeople to access customer information and update records while on the showroom floor or during test drives.
Benefits of CRM for Car Dealerships
Now that we understand what CRM can do, let's look at the specific benefits it offers to car dealerships:
Improved Customer Experience By having all customer information in one place, dealerships can provide a more personalized experience. Salespeople can quickly recall a customer's preferences, previous interactions, and vehicle history, making the customer feel valued and understood.
Increased Sales Efficiency CRM streamlines the sales process by automating follow-ups, providing reminders, and organizing customer information. This allows salespeople to focus on what they do best: selling cars.
Better Lead Management With CRM, no lead goes unnoticed. The system can automatically distribute leads to the appropriate salesperson and provide reminders for follow-up, increasing the chances of converting leads into sales.
Enhanced Marketing Efforts CRM systems can segment customers based on various criteria, allowing for more targeted and effective marketing campaigns. For example, a dealership could easily create a campaign for customers whose leases are about to expire.
Improved Customer Retention By tracking service history and sending timely reminders, CRM helps dealerships maintain relationships with customers long after the initial sale, encouraging repeat business and referrals.
Data-Driven Decision-Making The reporting capabilities of CRM systems provide dealerships with valuable insights into sales trends, customer preferences, and operational efficiency. This data can inform everything from inventory decisions to sales strategies.
Streamlined Operations CRM can integrate with other systems like inventory management and financing, creating a more efficient workflow across the entire dealership.
Implementing CRM in Your Dealership
While the benefits of CRM are clear, implementing such a system requires careful planning and execution. Here are some steps to consider:
Assess Your Needs Before choosing a CRM system, evaluate your dealership's specific needs. Consider factors like the size of your operation, your current pain points, and your goals for the system.
Choose the Right System There are many CRM options available, including some designed specifically for car dealerships. Look for a system that offers the features you need and integrates with your existing tools.
Plan for Data Migration If you're moving from an old system or paper records, you'll need to plan how to transfer this data into your new CRM. This process can be time-consuming but is crucial for the system's effectiveness.
Train Your Team A CRM system is only as good as the people using it. Invest time in training your staff on how to use the system effectively. This might include both initial training and ongoing support.
Establish Best Practices Develop clear guidelines for how your team should use the CRM. This might include standards for data entry, follow-up procedures, and how to use the system's various features.
Monitor and Adjust Once your CRM is up and running, regularly review its performance. Are you seeing the benefits you expected? Are there areas where you could be using it more effectively? Be prepared to make adjustments as needed.
Challenges and Considerations
While CRM can offer significant benefits, it's not without its challenges. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
Cost: CRM systems can be a significant investment, especially for smaller dealerships. However, the potential return on investment in terms of increased sales and efficiency can make it worthwhile.
Learning Curve: Implementing a new system can be disruptive, and some staff members may resist the change. Patience and thorough training are key.
Data Quality: A CRM system is only as good as the data it contains. Ensuring that all staff members input accurate, complete information is crucial.
Privacy Concerns: With increasing regulations around data privacy, dealerships need to ensure their CRM usage complies with all relevant laws.
The Future of CRM in Car Dealerships
As technology continues to advance, we can expect CRM systems to become even more powerful and integral to dealership operations. Some trends to watch for include:
Artificial Intelligence: AI could enhance CRM by predicting customer behavior, automating more tasks, and providing even deeper insights.
Virtual and Augmented Reality: These technologies could be integrated with CRM to offer virtual test drives or showcase vehicle features.
Internet of Things (IoT): Connected cars could feed data directly into CRM systems, providing real-time information about vehicle performance and usage.
Greater Personalization: As CRM systems become more sophisticated, they'll be able to offer even more personalized experiences for customers.
Conclusion
In today's competitive automotive market, CRM is no longer a luxury—it's a necessity for car dealerships looking to thrive. By centralizing customer information, streamlining operations, and providing valuable insights, CRM systems can help dealerships provide better customer experiences, close more sales, and build lasting relationships with their clients.
While implementing a CRM system requires careful planning and investment, the potential benefits in terms of increased efficiency, improved customer satisfaction and boosted sales make it a worthwhile endeavor for dealerships of all sizes. As the automotive industry continues to evolve, those dealerships that effectively leverage CRM technology will be best positioned to succeed in the years to come. Other Blogs:
best CRM for real estate
b2b crm Software
real estate CRM India
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Mastering Lead Export: Strategies for Maximizing ROI
Lead conversion is the lifeblood of any successful business. It’s the process of turning potential prospects into paying customers. In this article, we’ll delve into effective strategies for mastering lead export and maximizing your return on investment (ROI). Whether you’re a seasoned marketer or just starting out, these insights will help you boost your sales pipeline.
What Is Lead Conversion?
Before we dive into strategies, let’s define lead conversion. Leads are individuals who have engaged with your business and have the potential to become customers. Lead conversion, then, is the art of turning these prospects into paying clients. Your lead conversion rate measures how effectively you’re converting leads into customers. The higher the conversion rate, the better your business is at generating revenue from its marketing efforts.
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1. Lead Scoring
Lead scoring is a fundamental part of effective lead management. It involves assigning a numerical value to each lead based on their actions. For instance:
Clicking a paid ad might earn a lead five points.
Filling out a form and claiming a downloadable resource could earn them 20 or 30 points.
By using lead scoring, you can set thresholds to determine when a lead should move to your sales team. This ensures that your team focuses on the most engaged leads, rather than everyone who enters your funnel.
2. Content Marketing
Content marketing is a powerful tool for lead conversion. Create content tailored to your audience’s needs and pain points while promoting your brand or products. Whether it’s blog posts, videos, or ebooks, content helps attract, nurture, and convert leads at different stages of the sales funnel.
3. Keyword Optimization
Keywords play a crucial role in lead conversion. When using Google Ads or other search engine marketing platforms, choose relevant keywords that align with your services. Avoid targeting keywords that don’t match user intent. For example:
Target: “Best hair salon” or “haircut near me.”
Avoid: “Hair salon jobs” or “how to color your own hair.”
Remember, Google aims to show the most relevant ads for any given query. Quality and relevance matter, so focus on high-intent keywords that resonate with potential customers.
4. Landing Page Optimization
Your landing pages are critical for lead conversion. Ensure they are user-friendly, load quickly, and provide clear calls-to-action (CTAs). A well-designed landing page can significantly impact your conversion rates.
5. Automated Follow-Up
Don’t underestimate the power of timely follow-up. Use automated emails, texts, and notifications to nurture leads. Responding promptly shows your commitment and keeps potential customers engaged.
6. Segmentation
Segment your leads based on demographics, behavior, or interests. Tailor your messaging to each segment, addressing their specific pain points. Personalization increases the likelihood of conversion.
7. A/B Testing
Experiment with different approaches. Test variations of your ads, landing pages, and CTAs. A/B testing helps you identify what resonates best with your audience and fine-tune your lead conversion process.
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Conclusion
Mastering lead export involves a combination of smart strategies, data-driven decisions, and consistent effort. By implementing these tactics, you’ll be well on your way to maximizing ROI and building a strong customer base. Remember, every lead represents an opportunity—seize it! 🚀🔑
#marketing#seo#affiliate program#graphic design#typography#funneling#mastering#maximazing#ROI#customer base
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5 Key Benefits Of CRM In Real Estate Business
The real estate future of India looks bright, and with ever-evolving technology, India too, is seen making progress in this sector. Technology has brought immense change in the real estate world, and one big change that has proven its efficacy is the ‘CRM system.’
Short for ‘Customer Relationship Management’, this system, with time, has become an indispensable tool for real estate investors. As the name suggests, CRM is best known for managing your work around customers, and maintaining your relationship with the customer. With this blog, let's delve into understanding the five key benefits of CRM in the real estate business.1. Improved Client Management: A CRM system centralises client data, including contact information, property preferences, communication history, and transaction details. This centralised database enables real estate agents to provide personalised services tailored to each client's needs. With quick access to relevant information, agents can deliver timely responses, anticipate client requirements, and foster stronger relationships.
2. Enhanced Communication: Effective communication is the cornerstone of successful real estate transactions. CRM platforms facilitate seamless communication by automating email campaigns, scheduling follow-up reminders, and tracking interactions. Especially after the pandemic, where a lot of people opt for remote working, CRM helps facilitate communication by integrating channels like email, phone, and text messaging. This way, the agents stay connected with clients throughout the buying or selling process.
Did you know that a statistics report from Forester has shown that 50% of teams improved their productivity by using a mobile CRM?
4. Data Analysis and Insights: Data-driven decision-making is crucial for staying ahead in the competitive real estate market. CRM platforms provide valuable insights into client behaviour, market trends, and agent performance. By analysing data such as lead sources, conversion rates, and sales pipelines, real estate professionals can identify opportunities, optimise marketing strategies, and forecast future trends. Advanced reporting tools within CRM systems empower agents to make informed decisions, adapt to market changes, and maximize their ROI.
Businesses that leverage CRM software see sales increase by 29%, and sales productivity increase by 34%: source5. Enhanced Customer Experience: In today's digital age, clients expect personalized and seamless experiences throughout their real estate journey. CRM systems enable agents to deliver exceptional customer experiences by offering tailored recommendations, timely updates, and proactive support. By nurturing leads, addressing concerns promptly, and providing valuable insights, agents can build trust and loyalty with clients. Moreover, CRM platforms facilitate post-transaction follow-ups, enabling agents to stay connected with clients even after the deal is closed, fostering long-term relationships, and generating referrals.
Conclusion: At Aurum, we aim to bring in new technological advancements that empower agents to manage client relationships effectively, streamline workflows, and drive growth. By leveraging CRM systems, real estate investors can enhance communication, gain valuable insights, and deliver exceptional customer experiences, ultimately gaining a competitive edge in the market. Embracing CRM technology is not just a choice but a necessity for real estate businesses looking to thrive in today's dynamic landscape.
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Key Points of Web Data Extraction to Generate B2b Leads
In today's digital landscape, the quest for B2B leads often starts with leveraging the power of web data extraction. The ability to gather relevant information from online sources not only streamlines lead generation but also enhances the effectiveness of marketing and sales strategies. By harnessing web data extraction techniques effectively, businesses can uncover valuable insights, identify potential customers, and stay ahead in competitive markets. Let's delve into the key points of web data extraction for generating B2B leads:
Define Your Objectives: Before embarking on any web data extraction project, it's crucial to define clear objectives. Understand what specific information you need to extract, such as company details, contact information, industry trends, or competitive insights. Defining your objectives helps in selecting the right tools and methodologies for extraction.
Choose the Right Tools: Numerous tools and software solutions are available for web data extraction, ranging from simple web scrapers to advanced data mining platforms. Evaluate your requirements and choose tools that offer the features and scalability needed to extract data efficiently. Popular options include web scraping frameworks like Scrapy, BeautifulSoup, or commercial solutions like Import.io and Octoparse.
Understand Website Structure and Data Sources: Each website follows a unique structure, and understanding this structure is essential for effective data extraction. Analyze the target website's layout, HTML structure, and data sources to devise extraction strategies accordingly. Pay attention to dynamic content loaded via JavaScript, as it may require specialized techniques like browser automation or headless browsing.
Ensure Data Quality and Compliance: Maintaining data quality and adhering to legal and ethical standards are paramount in web data extraction. Validate extracted data for accuracy, completeness, and consistency to avoid errors or misleading information. Additionally, ensure compliance with relevant regulations such as GDPR or CCPA to protect user privacy and avoid legal repercussions.
Implement Robust Data Extraction Techniques: Deploy robust techniques for data extraction that can handle various scenarios and challenges. This may include setting up custom crawlers, utilizing APIs where available, or employing machine learning algorithms for text extraction and classification. Optimize extraction pipelines for efficiency and scalability to handle large volumes of data effectively.
Monitor and Refine Extraction Processes: Web data extraction is an ongoing process that requires continuous monitoring and refinement. Monitor extraction pipelines regularly to identify any issues or changes in website structure that may impact data collection. Stay agile and adapt extraction strategies as needed to ensure consistent results and maintain data relevance over time.
Integrate with Lead Management Systems: To leverage extracted data effectively for B2B lead generation, integrate with lead management systems or CRM platforms. Automate the transfer of extracted leads into your sales pipeline, enriching them with additional insights for targeted marketing and personalized outreach. This seamless integration streamlines lead generation workflows and improves conversion rates.
Focus on Targeted Outreach and Personalization: Utilize the insights gathered from web data extraction to tailor your outreach efforts and personalize interactions with potential leads. Segment leads based on demographics, behavior, or firmographic data to deliver relevant messaging and offers. Personalization enhances engagement and fosters stronger relationships with prospects, increasing the likelihood of conversion.
Stay Ethical and Respectful: While web data extraction offers valuable insights, it's essential to conduct operations ethically and respect the rights of website owners and users. Avoid aggressive scraping techniques that may disrupt website performance or violate terms of service. Seek permission where necessary, and always prioritize transparency and integrity in your data collection practices.
Continuously Evaluate ROI and Performance: Measure the ROI and performance of your web data extraction efforts to assess their impact on B2B lead generation. Track key metrics such as lead conversion rates, customer acquisition cost, and revenue generated from extracted leads. Use these insights to optimize extraction strategies, allocate resources effectively, and drive continuous improvement.
In conclusion, web data extraction is a powerful tool for generating B2B leads and gaining a competitive edge in today's digital economy. By understanding the key points outlined above and implementing best practices, businesses can unlock valuable insights from online sources, fueling their lead generation efforts and driving sustainable growth.
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"Exploring the Spectrum: The Different Types of GoHighLevel Accounts"
GoHighLevel offers several tiers of subscription plans, each providing access to different features and capabilities. Understanding the distinctions can help businesses select the right account type for their needs and budget.
Starter
The Starter plan provides basic CRM and marketing functionality for small businesses and early-stage agencies. Key features of Starter include:
Contact management for up to 500 contacts
Email marketing and automation
Form and survey builders
Website and landing page builders
Shared team calendar
Basic reporting and analytics
Starter offers an affordable option to benefit from core GoHighLevel features. However, contacts and capabilities are limited compared to higher tiers.
Professional
An upgrade from Starter, Professional unlocks additional features like SMS marketing, call tracking, and more advanced automation. Other key aspects include:
Expanded contacts limit to 2,500
SMS messaging directly within platform
Voice call tracking and logging
Smart lists and tags for segmentation
Appointment booking and reminders
Multi-user access and permissions
Professional suits growing agencies needing more robust tools and CRM capabilities compared to Starter.
Business
Business provides expanded capacity for mid-size agencies and teams[3]. Notable characteristics of this plan include:
Contacts increased to 15,000
Unlimited emails and text messages
Advanced workflow automation
Custom sales pipelines
Proposal builder
Expanded analytics and reporting
Business is built to support increased lead volume and process automation for established agencies.
Enterprise
The Enterprise tier offers maximum capabilities and capacity for large agencies and enterprises. Highlights include:
Unlimited contacts and accounts
Unlimited everything across platform
Highest limits for emails, texts, etc.
Advanced lead routing rules
Custom roles and permissions
Priority VIP support access
Enterprise allows complete scalability and flexibility for companies managing huge contact databases.
Membership Sites
This add-on plan enables building membership sites, online courses, and coaching programs within GoHighLevel . Core membership site features:
Course and lesson creation
Membership access control
Payment processing and subscriptions
Discussion forums
Drip content delivery
Membership Sites make GoHighLevel an all-in-one platform for managing memberships.
Agency Unlimited
Agency Unlimited offers consolidated management for unlimited clients and sub-accounts. It includes:
Unlimited contacts and users
Unlimited sub-accounts
Consolidated billing and reporting
Shared team calendar
Lead and deal distribution
This plan allows agencies to support unlimited clients from one GoHighLevel account.
Custom Enterprise
For advanced customization, Enterprise plans can be customized with add-ons and tailored pricing. Custom Enterprise allows:
Custom user permissions
Custom features and capabilities
Volume discounts and annual pricing
Dedicated support manager
The flexible Custom Enterprise option meets the needs of unique large-scale use cases.
Free Plan
GoHighLevel offers a free 14-day trial to experience the platform. However, no free plan exists beyond the trial period.
Selecting the right GoHighLevel account tier depends on business size, features required, and budget. While advanced plans cost more, they offer the benefits of expanded capacity, more capabilities, and greater flexibility.
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Redefining Digital Tools: What Software Does GoHighLevel Replace?
One of the biggest value propositions of GoHighLevel is its ability to consolidate many disparate marketing and sales tools into one unified platform. With its wide range of built-in capabilities, GoHighLevel aims to eliminate the need for many separate software subscriptions. But exactly which tools can GoHighLevel replace?
Email Marketing Software
GoHighLevel provides integrated email marketing features that remove the need for standalone email platforms like MailChimp or Constant Contact. Users can build email lists, create broadcasts, set up automations and sequences, and track performance all within GoHighLevel.
Landing Page & Funnel Builders
The drag-and-drop landing page and funnel builder included in GoHighLevel eliminates the need for LeadPages, ClickFunnels, or Instapage. No other software is required to create optimized pages and sales funnels.
Webinar Software
GoHighLevel allows users to host webinars directly on their website without requiring external webinar software. This replaces tools like GoToWebinar or Zoom for hosting virtual events.
CRM Platforms
With its robust contact management, pipelines, and sales features, GoHighLevel can serve as an all-in-one CRM platform removing the need for other CRMs like Salesforce or HubSpot.
Appointment Scheduling
The integrated calendar and appointment booking capabilities replace the need for scheduling tools like Calendly or Acuity.
SMS Marketing Platforms
GoHighLevel's text messaging marketing features eliminate the requirement for dedicated SMS tools like Postscript or Avochato.
Chat Software
GoHighLevel provides website chat widgets and live chat features that remove the need for standalone chat tools like Drift or Intercom.
Analytics Software
While basic, GoHighLevel does offer built-in analytics and tracking to monitor campaign performance. This can replace the need for standalone analytics platforms.
Membership Site Software
With its hosting, course creation, and payment processing features, GoHighLevel allows users to build membership sites without requiring additional membership software.
Conclusion
While GoHighLevel may not replace every feature of specialized tools, its comprehensive capabilities cover the core functionality of many popular marketing and sales platforms - all bundled into one integrated solution. This allows streamlining the number of tools while providing essential software needs.
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Best Real Estate Advertisement Networks Platform in USA
If you're a real estate agent or broker, you know how important it is to generate leads and close deals. With so many options available for advertising, it can be overwhelming to decide where to focus your efforts.
That's where a real estate ads network can come in handy. By partnering with a network specializing in real estate advertisement, you can reach more potential clients and get your listings in front of the right people.
In this blog, we'll explore how a real estate ad network can help you get more leads and grow your business. We will also explore how to choose the best real estate ad network. So let's start.
Understanding the Importance of Lead Generation in Real Estate
Lead generation is a critical factor for success in the best real estate ad industry. It involves identifying, attracting, and nurturing potential clients interested in buying or selling properties. Without lead generation, real estate agents and brokers would struggle to find new businesses and grow their sales. In this highly competitive industry, generating high-quality leads is essential for building a successful real estate career.
One of the primary benefits of lead generation is that it helps real estate professionals to build a strong pipeline of potential clients. Lead generation is essential for real estate professionals because it offers an opportunity to generate sales, increase brand awareness, and develop relationships with potential clients.
It also helps create a competitive advantage in the market, allowing real estate professionals to stand out. Lead generation can also help build relationships with existing clients, resulting in repeat business and referrals.
Finally, lead generation allows real estate professionals to establish themselves as experts in their field. Providing valuable content and resources to potential clients, agents, and brokers can demonstrate their knowledge and expertise, which can help build trust and credibility with those individuals.
What is a Real Estate Ad Network?
A real estate ads network is an online platform that connects Real Estate Advertising Platforms with relevant websites and publications to promote their properties. It acts as a virtual marketplace where real estate agents, brokers, and developers can place ads and get access to a wide range of media outlets and potential buyers.
Ad networks enable PPC for real estate to target their audience and create custom real estate ads for their properties. These ads can range from basic text ads to interactive videos and images. By leveraging the power of an ad network, real estate professionals can effectively generate more leads and increase their chances of success.
Best Practices for Maximizing Leads Through Real Estate Ad Networks
1. Utilize targeted audiences
Ad networks can be a great way to get your message to the right people. Utilizing targeted audiences allows you to narrow down the pool of potential leads and focus on those more likely to be interested in your services.
2. Focus on quality content
Quality content is vital to maximizing leads through real estate ad networks. Ensure your online real estate ads are informative, engaging, and eye-catching.
3. Monitor your campaigns
Monitor your campaigns regularly to ensure they are performing as expected. Keep an eye out for any potential problems or areas of improvement.
4. Test different approaches
Try different approaches when running your campaigns. Testing various ad copies, images, and targeting options can help you identify the most successful strategies.
5. Utilize retargeting
Retargeting is a great way to keep your brand in front of prospective customers. Utilize retargeting campaigns to stay top-of-mind and increase your overall leads and conversions.
6. Invest in lead generation tools
Investing in lead generation tools such as landing pages and forms can maximize ad network leads. These tools allow you to capture lead information and increase lead generation.
7. Track and measure results
Tracking and estimating your results allows you to identify areas of improvement and ensure you're getting the most out of your campaigns. Utilize metrics such as CTR, CPC, and CPA to understand the effectiveness of your campaigns better.
Following these best practices can maximize leads through real estate ad networks and increase your overall conversions. Remember that these strategies require time and effort to succeed, but the payoff can be significant.
Choosing the Right Real Estate Ad Network for Your Business
When choosing the right real estate ads network for your business, there are a few key factors to consider. The most crucial factor is the type of ad network you use.
Search Engine Marketing (SEM) and Pay Per Click (PPC) networks are the most popular types.SEM networks are designed to help you reach potential buyers through organic search results.
These networks are highly targeted and focus on relevant keywords to your commercial real estate business. This type of ad network can be more expensive than PPC networks, but the returns can be much higher.
Popular Ad Network for Real Estate
PPC ad networks, such as 7Search PPC, are designed to help you reach potential buyers through sponsored ads. 7Search PPC can be the best ad network for real estate professionals to get more leads. 7Search PPC is a pay-per-click (PPC) ad network that allows advertisers to bid for search engine placement for keywords related to their business.
The platform allows advertisers to create highly targeted real estate ads displayed in search results when people search for those specific keywords. 7Search PPC provides an effective way to drive more leads to real estate websites. PPC ads can be an excellent option for real estate businesses.
Conclusion
In conclusion, using a real estate advertising network is a great way to generate more leads for your real estate business. It gives you access to an extensive network of potential customers and allows you to target them more efficiently. By targeting the right customers, you can increase your chances of getting more leads.
Additionally, you can use the ad network to cost-effectively advertise your properties and services. Finally, you can use the ad network to track your leads and analyze your campaign results.
This can help you to optimize your campaigns and get the most out of your ad spend. Using a real estate ad network can be a great way to get more leads and grow your real estate business.
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Automation Feature of GoHighLevel:
Go High Level is a cloud-based customer relationship management (CRM) platform designed for small and medium-sized businesses. It offers a wide range of features to help businesses manage their customer interactions, automate tasks, and improve their sales processes. Some of the key features of Go High Level include lead management, appointment scheduling, email and text message marketing, pipeline management, reporting and analytics, and more.
One of the unique aspects of Go High Level is its focus on automation. The platform includes a drag-and-drop automation builder that allows businesses to create custom workflows to automate tasks such as lead follow-ups, appointment reminders, and more. Additionally, Go High Level integrates with a wide range of third-party applications, including payment processors, marketing tools, and more. Go High Level aims to help businesses streamline their operations, increase efficiency, and improve their bottom line.
Go High Level is a CRM (customer relationship management) software designed to automate and streamline the marketing and sales processes for businesses. It offers a wide range of features, including automation that can save businesses time and resources while increasing efficiency and productivity. In this article, we will explore the automation features of Go High Level and their benefits.
Automated Tasks
Go High Level offers a task automation feature that allows businesses to automate repetitive tasks. This feature enables businesses to schedule tasks such as follow-up emails, reminders, and appointments, which saves time and reduces errors. The automated tasks feature ensures that tasks are completed on time, and businesses can focus on more important tasks.
Automated Messaging
Go High Level allows businesses to automate their messaging systems. Businesses can set up automated SMS and email campaigns to send personalized messages to their customers based on their behavior, preferences, and history. This feature saves time and ensures that customers receive relevant messages at the right time.
Automated Lead Tracking
Go High Level offers lead tracking and management features that automate the lead management process. The system can automatically track leads from multiple sources and assign them to the appropriate sales representative. The system also allows businesses to track the progress of leads through the sales funnel, enabling them to identify and address bottlenecks in the process.
Automated Reporting
Go High Level offers a reporting feature that automates the process of generating reports. Businesses can generate reports on various metrics, including sales, leads, and customer engagement. The system can also generate customized reports based on specific business needs. The automated reporting feature saves time and ensures that businesses have accurate and up-to-date information to make informed decisions.
Automated Appointment Scheduling
Go High Level offers an appointment scheduling feature that allows businesses to automate the scheduling process. The system can automatically schedule appointments based on the availability of both parties and send reminders to both parties before the appointment. This feature saves businesses time and reduces the risk of missed appointments.
Automated Sales Pipeline Management
Go High Level offers a sales pipeline management feature that automates the process of managing sales pipelines. The system can automatically move leads through the sales pipeline based on their behavior and engagement with the business. The system also provides analytics and insights into the sales pipeline, enabling businesses to identify and address bottlenecks in the process.
Benefits of Automation in Go High Level
The automation features in Go High Level offer several benefits to businesses, including:
Time Savings: Automation saves businesses time by reducing the need for manual processes and repetitive tasks.
Increased Efficiency: Automation streamlines processes, reduces errors, and increases efficiency, enabling businesses to focus on more important tasks.
Improved Customer Engagement: Automated messaging and lead tracking features enable businesses to engage with their customers in a personalized and timely manner, improving customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Data Accuracy: Automated reporting features ensure that businesses have accurate and up-to-date information to make informed decisions.
Go High Level is a Powerful CRM software that offers a wide range of automation features. These features can save businesses time and resources while increasing efficiency and productivity. By automating tasks such as messaging, lead tracking, reporting, and appointment scheduling, businesses can improve their customer engagement, streamline their sales process, and make informed decisions based on accurate data. Go High Level provides businesses with real-time reporting and analytics on their marketing and sales performance. Businesses can track metrics like lead volume, conversion rates, and customer engagement to optimize their marketing and sales strategies. Gohighlevel can be used to segment customers based on specific criteria, such as purchase history or engagement with marketing materials, and automatically send targeted messages or offers to each segment. Gohighlevel can be set up to automatically capture leads from various sources, such as web forms or social media ads. These leads can then be automatically qualified based on specific criteria, such as industry, company size, or geographic location.
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Boost Your Business Quality with These Game-Changing Automation Tools
Automation is one of the most transformative technologies of our time, changing the way we live, work, and do business. In recent years, automation has been adopted by businesses of all sizes, enabling them to improve their productivity, streamline their operations, and reduce costs. In this article, we will explore some of the game-changing automation tools that can help you boost your business quality and stay ahead of the competition.
Chatbots
Chatbots are computer programs that can simulate human conversation through voice or text. They are an effective way to automate customer service, sales, and support, enabling businesses to provide 24/7 support without the need for human intervention. Chatbots can handle a wide range of customer queries, from simple questions to complex issues, and can be programmed to provide personalized responses based on the customer's history and preferences. By using chatbots, businesses can reduce their customer support costs, increase customer satisfaction, and improve their overall efficiency.
Robotic Process Automation
Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is a technology that enables businesses to automate repetitive, time-consuming tasks, such as data entry, invoice processing, and report generation. RPA uses software robots to perform these tasks, allowing businesses to free up their human workforce to focus on higher-value tasks. RPA can be integrated with existing systems and applications, making it a cost-effective way to improve business efficiency and productivity.
Email Marketing Automation
Email marketing is an essential tool for businesses to reach out to their customers and prospects. However, managing email campaigns can be time-consuming and labor-intensive. Email marketing automation tools can help businesses automate their email campaigns, from creating and sending emails to tracking and analyzing their results. These tools can also segment your audience, send targeted messages, and personalize your emails based on the recipient's interests and behavior.
Social Media Management
Social media is a powerful tool for businesses to connect with their customers and build their brand. However, managing multiple social media accounts can be a daunting task. Social media management tools can help businesses automate their social media activities, from scheduling posts to monitoring mentions and engagement. These tools can also provide valuable insights into your audience's behavior, allowing you to optimize your social media strategy for maximum impact.
Customer Relationship Management
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software is a powerful tool for businesses to manage their customer interactions and improve their customer experience. CRM tools can automate customer data collection, lead tracking, and sales pipeline management, enabling businesses to streamline their sales process and close more deals. CRM tools can also provide valuable insights into customer behavior, allowing businesses to personalize their marketing and sales efforts for maximum impact.
Inventory Management
Inventory management is a critical aspect of any business that deals with physical products. However, manual inventory management can be time-consuming and error-prone. Inventory management tools can help businesses automate their inventory tracking and management, from receiving and tracking orders to managing stock levels and reordering products. These tools can also provide valuable insights into inventory performance, allowing businesses to optimize their inventory management for maximum efficiency.
Accounting and Finance Automation
Accounting and finance are essential functions of any business, but they can also be time-consuming and complex. Accounting and finance automation tools can help businesses automate their financial processes, from invoicing and payment processing to expense management and financial reporting. These tools can also provide valuable insights into financial performance, allowing businesses to make data-driven decisions to improve their bottom line.
In conclusion, automation tools can greatly improve the quality of your business operations, saving time and increasing efficiency. With the right tools, you can automate repetitive tasks, streamline your workflow, and focus on what really matters - growing your business. From social media management to project management, there are a variety of automation tools available to help you optimize your business processes.
To stay updated on the latest trends and technologies in the world of startups and entrepreneurship, be sure to visit Startup Observer. As a leading source of information and insights for entrepreneurs, Startup Observer provides valuable resources and expert advice to help you achieve success in your business endeavors. Keep exploring and innovating with the help of Startup Observer!
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Creating a High-Quality Recruitment Pipeline
A recruitment pipeline is essential for modern companies to be keen on efficient staffing. Rather than taking a reactive approach to hiring, managers can be proactive, building out a pipeline of candidates they can contact beforehand to fill positions as they open up. This approach not only speeds up recruitment but also minimizes costs and enhances the quality of hires.
The first step to building a robust recruitment pipeline is to consider the organization's needs and pre-empt where staff shortages will crop up. Human resource (HR) managers should sit with operations, finance, sales, and other organizational department heads to identify future needs. For example, HR teams should be informed if the organization plans to expand its existing product or service offerings, enter new markets, or acquire competitors. With this information, they can forecast where they will need to recruit and start looking for hires with the skillsets required early.
To find these people, HR managers must look internally and externally. Internally, they can identify candidates in their recruitment database. These people already applied for positions at the company, and the HR department retained their details. Recruiters should evaluate this pool of candidates based on their resumes and then segment them into different groups according to their skills. This will make it easier to fit them into emerging positions.
Besides the recruitment database, HR teams can build a talent pipeline by turning to their employees for referrals. Existing employees already know how it is to work at the company and can recommend colleagues they believe will make a good fit. Organizations can give rewards to employees whose referrals are hired.
Externally, HR teams can generate employee leads by attending networking meetings and engaging with people at job fairs and industry conventions. They can also scout for candidates on social media platforms like LinkedIn and build connections with them there.
Once the organization has collected contacts of potential candidates, a recruiter can initiate contact with them by email or phone. In the email, they will ask the candidate whether they may be interested in a certain position at the company and whether they are willing to speak to a hiring manager. If the response is positive, the recruiter may ask the candidates screening questions to confirm their skillsets and then schedule an interview with the hiring manager. Candidates who complete the interview make it to the company's recruitment pipeline.
Noteworthy, HR teams will only be successful at generating interest from potential candidates if their companies already have a good reputation. Today's workers want to work at value-driven companies with a positive employer brand. Thus, companies should showcase themselves as great places to work and drive this message home by offering attractive employee perks and engaging positively with their surrounding communities.
Furthermore, HR teams should not just add people to their pipeline and forget about them. They should strive to nurture these relationships and keep candidates engaged through regular communications. They can send out periodic emails with relevant content, and some HR personnel could do check-ins by text or phone once in a while. All communications should feel personal and bear the same tone across different channels.
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Consumed By Flames Chapter 1
Piper sighed softly as she unlocked the back door to her small cafe and went inside, a smile lighting up her face as she turned on the lights to the back room. It wasn't anything extravagant: her cafe was one of those older buildings that were more original to the town's architecture, and because of this the price was slightly reduced for rent as there were exposed bricks and pipelines galore. She found she didn't mind however, even finding it quite charming in fact especially with all of the plants, various décor, and shelves of books around which gave her shop a homey dark academia vibe. Humming a soft tune, the woman moved from the back of the cafe out into the main area, stopping to grab a black apron and put it on as her 'uniform' otherwise she wore whatever she wanted, as it was her shop after all. Smiling softly at the black rib cage embroidered over the torso, Piper ran her hands down it quickly to remove any unseen dust and got to work getting ready for the day. Luckily the floors were mopped and cleaned nightly, so she really just had to take the overturned chairs down from the scant few tables and set them up right, then just light some incense, turn on the lights, and the system for making sales. Piper pulled her cellphone from her pocket and looked at the time. It shouldn't be too early to send a text to Muffet. With that in mind, she began to slowly type out a text message awkwardly with one thumb while getting everything ready.
[Hey Muffet. What time do you think you will be over to drop off the pastries today?]
sent 6:50 AM
Piper finished getting the tables ready and turned to light some incense by the register at a small shrine which was littered with dried flowers, crystals, and a few bones. Taking a moment, Piper whispered a silent prayer under her lips while the smoky scent of lavender filled the small shop. Her phone went off with a little chime just as she finished.
[I'm right around the corner now. Be there in a jiff]
sent 6:57 AM
[Okay I'll unlock the front door for you ]
send 6:57 AM
Moving to unlock the door just as she said, Piper took a moment to look at the near empty streets of town, drifting off for a moment while looking down the street where the Monster District was located. After the Monsters had come down from the mountain, they settled in fairly quickly in the buildings at the base of the mountain, which had caused many humans to move out. But this only made more room for the monsters, as it seemed they preferred to stick close to one another. It seemed like quite the tight knit community from what she had learned talking to Muffet. Her little cafe happened to be located just at the edge of where the Monsters settled, and while she still did get a few humans coming into her cafe like the regulars, and those who weren't racist assholes, it seemed as if Monsters were slowly making up a larger portion of her customer base these days. Humans tended to fear what they didn't understand, and while the government did allow them to move into town and was trying to come up with a way to process all of the Monsters into the citizenship system, there were no laws to protect Monsters currently. Although the barrier had only been broken for a few weeks now, it almost felt like a lifetime at this point. So much happened in so little time. Piper took in a deep breath and ran her fingers over her ever so slightly pointed ears, and ran her long stiletto nails through some of her long hair.
When the barrier broke...something happened to her, and many others from what the news had covered. Those that practiced the Craft...witches. Something dormant awoke within them when the barrier broke, and now every practicer had magic not unlike the magic of Monsters, though more attuned to nature and its elements. The government quickly labeled them as such, Witches, and were still debating on what to do about those who had magic awoken within them. Piper thought back to when she woke up one morning to find that her apartment had grown into a jungle overnight, all the plants within her home overgrowing at an impossible rate. She had been so confused and lost, scared even, until she saw the news. It was quickly addressed that the Monsters and the barrier breaking had something to do with this, but scientists weren't sure what exactly, and until recently magic was only something in fairytales. It was strongly advised for Witches to be considered armed and dangerous until something can be done to 'control' them. She snorted, rolling her eyes before seeing someone waving a lilac coloured hand in her face.
“Oh shit, Muffet!” Piper gasped softly, flinching and placing a hand over her heart before taking a breath.
“You really should pay more attention dear. Here, I brought everything you requested. Where would you like them?”
“O-oh. Thank you Muffet, please come in and just set it on the counter.” Piper let out a small breath and moved to let Muffet inside, helping her with two of the boxes and setting everything on the counter. Muffet had been the first Monster Piper met, and upon hearing the spider Monster knew how to bake, and after trying a few things at a bake sale of hers, had decided to exclusively sell Muffet's pastries in her little cafe. It worked out as this building didn't have a kitchen of its own, and she wasn't patient enough to make pastries anyway.
“You're burning incense again today. Lavender?” Muffet asked while taking a delicate sniff of the air after having set out the boxes. The Monster began placing the pastries into the small display case beside the front counter with ease, and far faster than Piper could either.
“Hey, good sense of smell you got there Muffet, you're right.” Piper smiled at her friend though it was lopsided, given the long scar that ran from the right corner of her lip to at least two inches up her face in a crooked jagged line, and while Muffet put the pastries on display, the Witch went to make a complimentary cup of tea for the spider Monster.
“There, everything is in order Piper.” Muffet stood back from the display case and shut the sliding door before gently collapsing the boxes she had used to transport the pastries. “You changed your hair again, it looks nice. It reminds me of a blue flame.”
“Great. What kind of tea do you want? Rose? Assam? Oolong?” Piper smiled to the Monster expectantly. The Witch grinned at the compliment, running her hand through her long hair which fell in delicate waves to the small of her back in an ombre of bright blue, orange, and finally down to yellow with a small touch of purple at the top of her head mixed with the bright blue. “Thank you. I was tired of the green.”
“Oh, Oolong sounds interesting. Let's have that one.” Muffet tucked the collapsed boxes under one of her arms and waited patiently for Piper to make her cup of tea, watching her intently with her five eyes.
Piper prepared Muffet's cup, pouring some hot water over a strainer of dark leaves which seemed to flare up with a soft emerald essence of magic, and she smiled before adding the cream and sugar as she recalled how the Monster liked her tea. Before handing it over, Piper took a long tea spoon and gently stirred into the tea while staring into it, that same magic from earlier flaring up, and once satisfied, she gently tapped the spoon on the edge of the cup to prevent spilling before placing a lid over the cup and offering it to Muffet.
“You seem to be getting some semblance of control over your magic. It's better than when I first met you and you were having accidental flares all the time.” Muffet smiled softly and accepted the tea, taking a sip of the hot beverage before her smile widened. “An excellent cup as always.”
“Thanks Muffet. I'm still having flare ups of course, but at least now I can sort of keep it under control. My apartment wasn't overgrown when I woke up this morning at least.” Piper chuckled before walking over towards the door. “I infused yours with good fortune and energy today. Oh by the way—I'll send the money later today for the pastries. Time to open shop.”
After seeing Muffet off, Piper turned on the rest of the lights and turned the open sign on, luckily just in time for her first customer to come in. She greeted them warmly and took their order, happily making them tea and infusing it with a bit of her magic. She did this same thing before, though before there was no visible or tangible proof that she was doing anything to the teas, and some customers had even scoffed at her 'powers'. Though they weren't laughing now. Piper hummed softly as she worked and took orders, also occasionally selling books, and becoming excited whenever she saw a new face come in; in truth, she was hopeful that more Monsters may show up as her human customers had quickly dwindled to a small trickle, but who needed racist customers anyway? Certainly not her. Work continued at an easy pace as it was only Monday, giving her enough time to enjoy a simple meal in the back room between filling orders. Piper had thought about hiring an employee, but the shop was small enough she could manage on her own, even at full capacity. The Witch was enjoying said lunch when the bell at the door dinged, signaling a new customer. Taking a moment to gently pat at her mouth with a napkin, Piper stood and went out to the front counter to greet them. She was able to spot two customers in fact, and her eyes widened ever so slightly in interest at the new faces. They were both skeletons from what she could see, but both very different. One was rather tall, probably at least 6 feet and a few inches (thank you tall ceilings) and seemed to be wearing some odd sort of armor? It even had a cape! The other was much shorter in comparison, probably closer to her height of 4'9” but certainly at least 5' as he was taller than her. In contrast to the tall one's outfit, the shorter skeleton wore what appeared to be black gym shorts, a white shirt with a blue fur hood jacket, and...were those pink house slippers? Yeah, they were. The two seemed to look around for a moment, the taller one seeming more excitable and interested than the shorter one, who had a lazy yet easy going smile plastered on his face. He looked at her and his smile became a little tighter.
“Hello, and welcome to The Witch's Brew, what may I do for you?” Piper chuckled internally at the little rhyme she came up with to suite her cafe's name.
“HUMAN! YOUR SHOP LOOKS LOVELY AND WELL ORGANIZED! AND IT SMELLS NICE. ARE HUMAN'S HAIR NORMALLY SO COLOURFUL? SANS WHY DOES FRISK NOT ALSO HAVE HAIR LIKE BLUE FIRE?”
“Nice place ya got here..Muffet told us someone was selling her pastries, we thought we would come check it out as she said you made some pretty good stuff.” The skeleton seemed to be staring at her chest, then at her counter, her shelves, and various other places, before his skull seemed to visibly sweat. How did that even work? “Say you don't have a...bone to pick with us do you?”
“OH MY GOSH SANS! IT'S TOO EARLY FOR ONE OF YOUR AWFUL PUNS!” The tall skeleton nearly yelled again, causing Piper, and a few of her current customers to flinch slightly.
“Uhhh..” Piper chuckled awkwardly, before following the shorter skeleton, she assumed to be 'Sans' 's line of sight. Oh...oh stars. She had various animal skulls and bones strewn about the place as décor, and she remembered then that her apron had a ribcage embroidered into it. Was that like...indecent? Nudity for them? Was it like a shop of HORROR walking in here??? Piper scrambled to fix this mess before it started.
“Oh my stars..I didn't think about all of the bones I have as décor and..oh gosh uhm I'm really sorry, you must find it all terribly offensive. I wasn't aware there were skeleton monsters..” Piper reflexively put her hands over her chest to cover the image of the ribcage, and tried to offer a charming smile while also turning pink.
“Nah, we don't find it offensive, right Paps?” Sans turned towards his brother, who seemed to be inspecting a deer skull that was mounted on the wall by a bookshelf.
“BROTHER!! LOOK AT ALL OF THESE BONES! CLEARLY THE HUMAN WANTED TO MAKE US FEEL WELCOME!!” The tall skeleton turned back towards the counter and approached. “YOU OBVIOUSLY HAVE HEARD OF THE GREAT PAPYRUS AND DECORATED JUST FOR THE OCASSION OF MY ARRIVAL! NYEH HEH HEH!”
“Uhh...” Piper glanced over to Sans, who seemed to grin at her wider and offer a wink. The small woman smiled up at Papyrus warmly and offered her hand for the skeleton to shake. “It's so wonderful to finally meet you, Great Papyrus. I'm Piper.” Feeling still a little flustered but relaxed by their assurance, she gestured to the menu once Papyrus released her hand from his enthusiastic handshake. “Now, may I get you two anything today?”
“I WILL HAVE THE MANGO PASSIONFRUIT TEA! WITH MILK!”
“I guess I'll have a matcha latte.” Sans shrugged softly while still smiling widely at her.
“Wonderful I will have it out momentarily.” Piper collected payment and after it was in the register she moved to make the two skeleton Monsters their respective drinks, humming softly as she did so. Papyrus continued to walk around looking at everything with great enthusiasm which earned chuckles from Sans as well as Piper. She had to admit Papyrus was adorable and very likeable once you got over the near shouting. Sans stayed near the counter, but out of the way in case other customers came into the shop. He watched Piper move about while she made the drinks, the woman seeming to nearly float or dance around the area. It was obvious she loved what she did. Piper was whisking the matcha while the milk frother did its job, bright green sparkles of magic being whisked into the air with her motions when Sans spoke up, his eye lights watching her intently.
“So, you are a Witch then...”His smile seemed to falter ever so slightly, and his eyes flicked to her ears, spotting the point. “Heh, and your shop is even named The Witch's Brew. Should've seen that coming.”
“Y-yeah. My powers align with healing, and I am able to imbue positive traits into the beverages I make...do you...not want me to?” Piper continued to whisk his matcha, though it was a little slower as she waited for his response.
“Nah, you're fine kid. So long as you don't hurt anyone. That and I know Muffet drinks your stuff almost daily; and shes not dust yet.”
“Hmm, thanks for the vote of confidence. Sans was it?” Piper poured the whisked matcha into a cup and then poured foamed milk over top. She topped the drink off with a smooth and generous drizzle of caramel sauce before sliding the cup his way. “Nice to meet you. Already told Papyrus, but I'm Piper.”
“Yeah, nice to matcha too, Piper.” Sans grinned ever so wider as Piper snickered before taking the cup and looking at the contents with some hesitation before taking a sip. “Okay, I'll admit. S'pretty good.”
“Pffft---that was awful. Love it.” Piper beamed happily in a lop-sided way at him and gestured to his cup. “I imbued your drink with extra energy today.”
“Heh. Thanks. So you are pretty close to the Monster District. How did you meet Muffet?”
Turning to pour the tea that had been steeping behind the counter into a cup, that same green magic flared as she stirred in some honey before pouring milk into the hot beverage. “Papyrus, your drink is ready!” Piper winks at Sans and whispered. “I imbued his with a 'sense of calm'.” While waiting for Papyrus to get his cup, she answered Sans' question. “I was actually exploring the Monster District when I came across her bake sale. I tried a few items and I was hooked. They sell out pretty fast, so I think my customers find them pretty good.”
“WOWIE THIS LOOKS GREAT! THANK YOU, HUMAN!” Papyrus came to get his drink and blew on it gently before taking a sip. “THIS IS AMAZING! FAR BETTER THAN THAT SWILL GRILLBY SERVES.”
“Grillby?” Piper tilted her head curiously, looking between the two.
“Yeah he's a Monster like us, he owns a bar called New Grillby's. You should come check it out sometime. Best food in town. And if you're not one for burgers or fries the bartender is pretty...hot.”
“SANS! I AM TRYING TO ENJOY MY TEA! PIPER!!! DO NOT LISTEN TO HIM GRILLBY'S IS NOTHING BUT A GREASE TRAP!!” Papyrus seemed to stick his nose in the air, but it was obvious he was trying to hide a small smile.
Piper chuckled at the two, nodding softly before placing her hands on the counter. “I'd actually love to come. To be honest I've been wanting to try other monster food besides Muffet's pastries.”
“C'mon bro, don't get all...fired up. Paps is just worried that your stuff won't be able to..hold a flame to Grillby's.” Sans grinned wider when Papyrus behind him groaned loudly.
Piper blinked a few times, not sure why he was making so many fire puns, but she still enjoyed them. “Is it very far? I confess I haven't gone very far into the area yet.”
“Tibia honest, its just a few blocks down the street.”
“UGH SANS I AM LEAVING!” Papyrus, while trying to seem un-phased began to move towards the door. “THANK YOU FOR THE LOVELY TEA PIPER!” Papyrus continued to sip his beverage on the way out.
“You're a pretty punny guy, Sans!” Piper couldn't help but joke back and earned a wink and two finger guns from the short skeleton. She chuckled. “Well guess I'll head over and find it one of these days. Might want to go catch up to your brother, he looks miffed.”
“Nah Paps'll be alright. But, guess I should get goin' before he leaves me behind. See ya round, kid.”
“Bye Sans, bye Papyrus! Have a nice day!” Piper exhaled as the two skeleton brothers left the cafe. They were certainly an interesting bunch, and now her cafe seemed all the more quiet without their presence. Smiling to herself she got back to work, as it seemed more customers began to filter in. She hoped she would see the two again, perhaps even make friends! Piper thought about when she could head to New Grillby's as she got back into the rhythm of things, trying to rack her brain on what all those fire puns had meant, as she had a feeling it wasn't about her hair.
Piper sighed softly as she shut off the 'open' sign to her cafe and stretched, her back popping a few times. “Another hard days work..” She set about doing her nightly routine of counting the cash, wiping the tables, mopping the floors, putting back any books people had read and left out, and locking up. After making sure everything was locked up properly and things would be ready for her tomorrow, Piper left through the back door and locked up for the night with a smile on her face. The Witch took a moment to take inventory of her attire. She wore a dark grey crop-tank top, some mid-rise black shorts with garter straps holding up two mismatched thigh high socks:one black and white striped, and one a dark grey like her shirt. She also wore some chunky platform boots and one of those stereotypical 'witchy vibe' black wide brim hats, and the outfit was completed with a black leather metal ringed collar. Was this outfit appropriate for Grillby's? She didn't think to ask what the dress code was, and the place was probably far too new to have a website or any sort of Google reviews to give her any indication. Piper figured it was alright for Grillby's, and if it turned out she was under dressed, she would just show up on an off day when she could wear something more appropriate.
Piper lived relatively close to the cafe, so often walked or skated to the cafe, and today had been a skate day. Sitting on a wooden pallet by the door, she switched out her chunky platforms for some inline skates she had in her backpack. Once she was ready, she stood and began rolling down the street, further into the Monster District. The sun had set, but it was still fairly early into the evening, so there were some monsters walking about who greeted her with warm smiles, and she cheerfully waved back. One thing was for sure, Monsters were far more polite and welcoming than humans were. It didn't take Piper long to find the place, especially with the large neon sign that said 'New Grillby's' in warm, bright letters. She took a moment to look into the windows, but they were that type of crinkly frosty style of glass that offered privacy while also looking classy.
“Only one way to find out now..”
Piper exclaimed gently to herself and sat on the curb to change out her skates for shoes again before stuffing the skates into her pack and walking in. Upon entering the bar, a warmth enveloped her that reminded her of being huddled under a blanket in front of a warm fire, and she sighed softly, relishing the feeling. It also made the outside feel comparably colder, so she quickly stepped away from the door and further in. Many of the Monsters looked her way, though they, like the ones outside offered nothing but curious and friendly smiles, waving when she did. So far so good, no one was telling her she wasn't dressed right. In the center of the bar sat a large table and she noted several dog Monsters sitting around it, seemingly concentrating on some sort of card game. She had the deep urge to pet all of them on their fuzzy heads and call them all good bois and girls, but she resisted that temptation, somehow and made her way to the bar. Piper was still looking around at everything when she came to stand at the bar, and slowly slid onto a stool before putting her backpack on one of the hooks conveniently attached under the bar for just that purpose. Feeling eyes suddenly upon her, Piper looked up and flinched slightly, finally seeing why Sans had made so many fire puns.
Before her stood a...well they were a Monster. Let's go with that for now and not assume. The Monster before her was entirely made of flame, though when she looked closely she noticed some hints of a jawline, hot-white eyes behind a pair of glasses, but no nose to hold them there, and no discernible mouth. The Monster wore a fitting old-styled bartender's outfit, and she had to admit, it fit him quite well. Was it a male? A him? Something about their being told her...yes. She could tell that this Monster was looking at her still, she could feel it though he lacked pupils or irises from what she could see.
“....” Though the Monster said nothing, they bowed their head gently, flames dimming slightly. Piper had the feeling he was perhaps..apologizing for startling her? Could he not speak?
“Oh, no no. No need to apologize. You didn't frighten me, just surprised me is all.” She smiled lopsidedly, but with much warmth, offering her hand out. “My name is Piper. It's a pleasure to meet you. A customer of mine told me about this place. I am to assume you are...Grillby?”
Possibly-Grillby looked at her hand for a moment, almost as if hesitating, before taking it and shaking her hand and nodding to her question, confirming they were in fact, Grillby. His flames also seemed to return to a normal brightness before he released her hand and stood back to continue cleaning the glass in his hand. He seemed to be waiting for something.
“O-Oh right. Apologies, may I please have an old fashioned, Grillby?” She watched as he nodded before setting down the glass he had been cleaning and went to make the drink for her. While she waited, Piper hummed along to the jukebox in the corner, watching Grillby make her drink. She was mesmerized by the elegant way in which he seemed to move, every movement was practiced and deliberate, making crafting a simple old fashioned look like an art form as he elegantly poured the liquors into a glass with practiced ease to not spill a single drop. Grillby added the remaining ingredients with care before finally garnishing the drink with an orange peel curl to complete the drink. He set the drink before her on a napkin and bowed gently like a waiter. Piper instantly knew he loved what he did, just like her and her tea.
“Thank you!” She gave another lopsided smile and took a careful sip of the drink, her eyes lighting up and looking at him. He was looking back at her, perhaps expectantly. “Grillby. This is. The. Best. Old Fashioned I've ever had.” It was slightly smokey and sweet and well-balanced and something in it seemed to tingle her tongue. Was that perhaps Monster magic? Muffet's pastries always seemed to have a little 'zing' to them as well. “You truly do make this an art form.”
Grillby's flames seemed to shoot a little higher, and she took that to mean he was happy to hear that. It was sort of..cute? How his emotions were expressed through his flames, if that indeed was what she was noticing. She could still feel his eyes on her, though he also looked around to make sure he wasn't ignoring any customers that may need him. Grillby's head tilted to the side again, in a silent askance.
Piper wasn't sure what he was asking without words, and had opened her mouth to convey such when the whole bar erupted into a cheer of a familiar name.
“SANS!”
“SANSY!!” Said the drunk bunny monster, off-que.
Turning around to look towards the door, Piper wiggled her fingers at Sans with a smirk across the way before looking back at Grillby who was, still looking at her for some reason.
“Sans was the customer that I mentioned who told me about this place. I run a small tea shop at the edge of the Monster community called 'The Witch's Brew' and he came with his brother this morning after hearing about it from Muffet.” Grillby seemed to perk up, nodding a few times while cleaning a new glass. Maybe he knew Muffet as well?
“Hey Grillbz. The usual. Hey Piper. I see you've already met Grillby. Didn't I tell you he was hot?”
Grillby seemed unphased by his puns and walked into the back room, presumably the kitchen to get his usual. Piper snickered, bringing a hand to lightly cover her mouth.
“Sans thats awful. Love it. I see now why you made all those puns today.” She took a small sip of her drink as the short skeleton sat down beside her. “Not to talk about Grillby behind his back, but is there something wrong with me being here? Am I dressed down too much? He hasn't said a single word to me.”
“Oh yeah, he doesn't talk much, you get used to it.” Sans did give her a once over now that they weren't separated by a counter anymore. “You look good to me, kid.” Sans even punctuated his sentence with a double raise of his brow bones...say, how the hell did that even work? Magic, she surmised.
'Was, was he flirting with me just now?' Piper thought, squinting at him a moment. She liked to consider herself an intelligent woman, but sometimes things did go over her head. Grillby came back out of the kitchen and set a burger down before Sans along with a bottle of ketchup before turning to her, expectantly.
“Oh, hmmm how about some fries? Please.” Piper gave another lop-sided smile as he nodded and returned back into the kitchen to make her order. Looking over towards Sans she noticed he was...practically drowning his burger in the stuff, and even took a swig from the fucking bottle. She couldn't help the small gag that escaped her. “Oh Sans...you must really like ketchup.”
“Yeah it's pretty good stuff. Goes well with this burger while I...ketchup with my friends.”
Piper giggled, covering her mouth again with one hand before taking a sip of her drink. “Okay, that one was truly terrible. A disaster, really.” She snickered slightly. Piper caught onto something, and perked up. “Wait are you saying we are friends?” She gave the skeleton a hopeful look.
“Yeah kid, you seem pretty alright to me. Paps really likes your tea by the way, so I think you've got yourself a new regular.” He smiled lazily at her in between digging into his burger.
“Oh that's so grand to hear!” Piper exclaimed as Grillby came out with her food and set the plate of steaming hot fries before her. “Thank you, Grillby. It looks absolutely wonderful.”
The fire element's flames once again rose higher in a sense of mirth, and he bowed for her just as he did with the drink. Again, he looked at her expectantly, perhaps asking if she wanted anything else.
“Do you have any malt vinegar?”
Grillby tilted his head slightly, appearing confused, before shaking his head.
“Oh. No worries, I'm sure its delicious even without.” As if to prove her point, Piper began to dig into her fries and offered a silent double thumbs up to Grillby as her mouth was full, now doing a strange little wiggling motion as she ate. “Yup. I was right. Its immaculate.”
The fire Monster seemed to suddenly became..shy? He rubbed the back of his neck, his flames growing brighter at the center of his face before he seemingly calmed down and nodded and moved off to tend to some patrons that had called him. Piper's eyes trailed after him for a moment before looking back to Sans, who was looking at her in a contemplative manner.
“What?”
“Oh, nothing kid. So how long have you had your place up?” Sans turned to her in his seat, burger finished, though he still clutched a bottle of ketchup in his phalanges. Piper could feel eyes on her again, and could tell Grillby was nearby, perhaps listening.
“About four years now. When I was little I always wanted to play make-believe tea parties and run a little cafe my dad made out of cardboard boxes for me. I decided to turn make-believe into my reality I suppose you could say.”
“You ever had any trouble from being a Witch?” Sans asked carefully, though he seemed genuinely curious, and his eye lights flicked off to the side, perhaps at Grillby.
“Actually not really. When I first opened up, people thought it was just a themed cafe, and it became popular. Once people found out I practiced legitimately, some did leave, but that's okay with me.” She brushed some of her hair behind a pointed ear. “Though ever since the barrier broke a lot more have left...” Piper took a contemplative sip of her drink, finishing it off. “I just wish to make delicious drinks for others, and offer them a nice environment to come in an relax, read, whatever they wish.”
“Seems like you and Grillby are on the same..page on that front.”
“Sans that's horrible. I love it.” Piper chuckled before turning her eyes towards Grillby. He nodded towards her, gesturing towards her empty drink, asking if she wanted another. “Oh, no thank you. I shouldn't drink too much as I have to skate home.” This got a tilt of the fire Monster's head. “I don't live very far from my cafe, so I either walk or skate to work. Today was a skate day.” He seemed to nod, and then return to cleaning glasses, taking the empty one of hers and cleaning it out.
“It must be..wheel convenient to live so close to work.”
“Sans you're going to make me choke.” Piper laughed lightly, covering her mouth again, which earned double finger guns from Sans.
After that the three fell into a companionable silence, Sans and Piper trading puns here and there, or talking more about her work and Grillby listening silently, nodding or shaking his head when he was included in the conversation. After some time, Piper looked at the time on her phone and winced.
“Yeesh, I should get going home. I didn't realize how late it was.” She was mentally groaning, knowing she was going to be tired tomorrow. Luckily it was only Tuesday, so not a very busy day again. Clapping her hands together in a prayer like gesture, Piper bowed her head slightly towards Grillby. “Thank you so much for the delicious food and drink Grillby. I would love to return the favor sometime and make some tea for you.” She looked up to see his flamed diminished slightly, shaking his head. It didn't take her long to realize why.
“Oh! You cannot have tea because it is water based. I am sooo so so sorry, Grillby. That was highly inconsiderate of me.” Piper frowned slightly as he seemed to shake his head again, offering a placating gesture with his hand that she knew meant 'it's alright, no offense taken'. Piper smiled at this before rummaging around her backpack for her wallet. “And how much do I owe you?” Grillby seemed about to try and answer her when Sans spoke up.
“Just put it on my tab, Grillbz.”
“What? Sans no, you already are my customer. I cannot let you also pay for my meal and my drink.” Piper looked to Grillby who seemed to be siding with Sans on this one. “Ugh. Men!” She giggled however, as she stood up and retrieved her backpack. “Fine then bone-boi, but your next two drinks are on the house. No ifs, ands, nor butts.” Sans widened his grin at her, and she swore she saw an ever so slight dusting of blue on his cheeks but, skeletons couldn't blush could they?
“Need someone to wheel you home, Piper?” Sans asked with a lazy smile, hands now in his jacket pockets in a nonchalant manner.
“Nah I'm alright. Thank you though Sans. And thank you again, Grillby, it was an absolute pleasure meeting you and dining in your fine establishment.” She offered a small semi-formal bow to him and when she looked up...oh he was definitely blushing now. A soft crackling of fire resounding in what she thought might be like a chuckle for him, as his shoulders shook slightly and he rubbed the back of his neck again, the center of his face having the barest hint of a blue flame.
“Oh hey let me see your phone for a sec.” Sans interrupted the moment, holding out his hand.
“Oh? Okay..” Piper retrieved it from her pocket and set it in his hand, back side up. Sans chuckled upon seeing her phone case had skeletons doing yoga on it before turning it over and typing in something. He handed it back to her.
“Added my number for ya, since we are friends.” Sans grinned at her.
“Oh thank you Sans. I'll text you so you have my number too.” Piper sent him a quick text, smiling at the little chime that came from Sans jacket pocket, a square lighting up against the fabric. “Okay. I'm off. Grillby, you should come by sometime, even if you can't enjoy the tea. I'm sure I can figure something out.” The fire Monster in question nodded softly, his flames going a little higher for a moment. “Okay, goodnight guys.” Piper made her way out of the bar and sat on the curb to change into her skates. Once she got home, showered, and finally laid down in bed, she was out like a light, only having just remembered to set out clothes for work tomorrow and make sure her alarm was activated. Piper fell asleep with a wide lopsided smile upon her face and a warmth in her heart she hoped to feel again.
“So Grillby. What did you think of Piper?” Sans asked while sitting at the bar, still drinking from a bottle of ketchup.
Grillby's mouth formed into a smile, and he spoke softly with a crackling voice to relay exactly what he thought about the short Witch.
#grillby#sans#papyrus#undertale fandom#undertale oc#undertale fan character#undertale au#undetale#fanfiction#fanfic#romance#slow burn#puns#witch character#goth
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