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Just How Addictive is Online and Mobile Betting?

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Mobile and online betting apps are sites have been around for many years now and sadly there have been plenty of people over the years that have got into problem, when gambling in those environments, and that is something that has always needed addressing.

Being able to sit at home on your laptop or for example or anywhere using a mobile betting app and betting huge amounts of cash has always been way too easy, and the operators of those sites and apps are of course there to make a profit and love it when they bag a big spending customer.

However, problem gambling is something that the UK Gambling Commission has been taking a close look at recently, and they have launched a range of initiatives to ensure those who do gamble at any sites or apps they license can at the very least make use of a range of responsible gambling tools.

The UKGC has now instructed each of their license holders that whenever anybody signs up to their sites or apps as a real money customer, they must ensure they have full access to a range of tools and systems that will allow them to gamble responsibly.

Those tools take the form of for example deposit limit settings, take a break options and gambling site and app operators must ensure they monitor their customers’ accounts and contact those that appear to be gambling way too much to see if those customers need any help or support and whether they have a gambling problem too.

Increase in People Turning to GamStop for Help

One of the many free and easily available services that are offered to anybody in the UK that wants to give up gambling is the GamStop service, and I want to give you an insight into what they have to offer, for many people have turned to them for help and have successfully been able to address their gambling problem and ultimately give up gambling too.

What that organisation offers is quite straight forward actually, it is a self-exclusion register that is shared and is accessed by operators of every single online gambling site that is licensed and regulated in the UK.

What each of those operators are required to do is to compare the names of those who register with GamStop with the names of their customers and if they find a match then they are legally obliged to close down those customer accounts.

To ensure those that have added their names onto that register cannot sign up to any gambling sites that are part of that scheme in the future they also take steps to ensure any attempt by someone listed on it cannot at a later date try and sign up to those sites, and as such it is a service that I know many people will benefit from signing up to and using.

Non UK Bookies Should Become Part of GamStop

There are plenty of sportsbooks that you can sign up to online, and plenty of mobile bookies apps available too, which sadly means that even if you are on the GamStop self-exclusion register you will have no problems locating one that will accept you as a new customer.

Those sites are collectively known as non GamStop betting sites, and whilst you will be blocked from accessing any UK licensed betting site and all other gambling sites located and licensed there when you do register with that scheme, you will still have access to all other worldwide gambling sites and apps.

Therefore, you are going to have your willpower tested for sure if you have made a commitment to yourself that you are going to try and give up gambling, but what I would like you to be aware of is that there are plenty of tools available to you to help you quite your gambling activities.

One that you need to be fully aware of is a gambling blocking tool, in fact there are several of them available to you right now, and once you download one onto any type of mobile devices, computer or laptop and install it that software will block your from accessing any and all gambling sites and apps.

That is another line of defence that you should be using to help you quit gambling for good, so spend some time next looking for one to use and you will possibly be grateful later down the line that you had started to use one.

Pre-Settlement Funding: Can Your Attorney Deny Your Request?

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So, you have been in an accident, and the bills keep piling up. Hospital bills, mortgage, car repairs—the time you are missing from work is eating you alive. You may be wondering if you can get a pre-settlement loan, aka a cash advance on the money you expect to receive due to a personal injury lawsuit. 

Why Pre-Settlement Funding?

Lawsuits can take months or even years to resolve. In many cases, insurance companies will use delay tactics to drag out the process, even if it is evident that they will eventually have to pay for your medical expenses. This means that while the case drags on, you are still on the hook for your monthly bills, which are growing by the day.

These delays are part of insurance companies’ strategy to finally make you give in and settle for less than you are due. By the time they are on their fifth stall tactic, most people will be willing to throw in the towel and accept any offer they can get.

The insurance company has a definite advantage over you. They have armies of well-fed attorneys, unlimited resources, and all the time in the world to make your life miserable.  

Pre-settlement loans can give you the leverage you need so that you can wait for the money you deserve. They allow you to pay your bills to hold on for the duration of the case. You can use the pre-settlement funds for whatever you need. Groceries, car payments, kids’ tuition bills, attorney’s fees—it’s up to you.

You will either be paid in a lump sum or monthly disbursements. You decide on this when you take the loan. But when you win the case, you have to pay back the pre-settlement money along with additional fees and interest.  

Can Your Lawyer Say No?

The pre-settlement funding company will need the cooperation of your attorney before it can lend you any money. The company is loaning you money based on the assumption that you will win the case and be able to repay the loan. This means that the lawsuit loan company will need to know all the facts of your case. They will discuss with your attorney the odds of your winning the case.

The drawback of this requirement is that your lawyer will have to breach attorney-client privilege. An attorney-client privilege is designed to protect an attorney’s clients from unauthorized sharing of confidential information that may ruin their case or their reputation. It is called a client’s privilege because only the client can waive the privilege and give the attorney the green light to share their secrets with non-members of the legal team.

Under the attorney-client privilege, an attorney is legally obliged to not share their client’s confidential info behind their backs even if those people are no longer their clients or have died in the meantime.

Imagine telling your lawyer that you had taken a sleeping pill before the accident. Your attorney will likely have to share that information with the lawsuit funding company. For this reason, your attorney might refuse to do business with a pre-settlement funding company. 

Even if you agree for them to share your case details with a pre-settlement funding company, an attorney might refuse to legal funding contract agreement because it would land them in a conflict of interest with you. After all, they would become a trustee of the company, which means that they can no longer adequately protect your interests.

Also, there is little to no control over what will happen with the information your attorney decides to share with an outsider.

The Difference Between Pre-Settlement Legal Funding and Lawsuit Loans

There’s a big difference between legal funding and lawsuit loan. With a lawsuit loan, you will likely have to undergo a stringent process that includes a credit check and lengthy application. You may be asked to provide collateral to secure the loan. Also, you may have to start making payments immediately, even before your case concludes.

With legal funding like pre-settlement loans, there is no credit check or collateral necessary. You typically get the funds fairly quickly, in days instead of weeks. You pay nothing until you win your case, which frees you from the worry of trying to repay the money while still in litigation. 

Conclusion

Can your lawyer deny your pre-settlement funding? Unfortunately, yes. The good news is that there are attorneys who will work with you to get the money you need while still protecting the confidential details of your case.

The 3 most cost-effective laptop options

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The laptop has been able to survive amidst a stiff amount of competition from the world of smartphones and tablets. Even with all variety of platforms, it is possible to activate the leovegas bonus code on any of them and enjoy all the benefits. Today, one can pick up a laptop which are tailor-made for certain segments like gaming. The larger market, though, is focused on laptops which have a multifaceted nature. Based on this requirement, one can some of the best laptops that money can buy in 2021. They are:

MacBook Air

Apple brought about the new generation of MacBooks with the M1 processor. The in-house processor has brought about a huge advantage to the MacBook Air line-up, which can be picked up from $999. Despite its price, the MacBook Air is capable of competing with more expensive laptops.

The $999 model would carry only the 256 GB of SSD storage along with 8 GB of RAM. These specs may not seem mighty in 2021, but Apple’s efficient iOS helps create wonders.

The M1 processor is able to deliver outstanding performance with a never-seen-before battery life. One can easily extract more than 10 hours of battery life even when performing reasonably intense tasks. Apple finally listened to feedback and brought back the scissor-switch keyboard, which worked exceptionally well with the larger trackpad. One of the few disadvantages of the MacBook Air 2021 would be the 720p webcam.

HP Spectre X360 14

If the MacBook Air is an excellent example for the laptop, there are users who want to go with a Windows device. In this regard, HP Spectre X360 stands tall as one of the premium laptops that can be picked up in the market today. The outstanding looks coupled with the sturdy build make a strong impression right away. The laptop is powered by the latest 11th generation processors from Intel, while the integrated graphics is capable of providing snappy performance. The advantage of HP Spectre X360 is the availability of many display options. One can go with a full HD display if they are on a budget or they can go with a fancy OLED display. The battery life is excellent for a Windows laptop as it can easily last for more than nine hours.

The speakers on the HP Spectre have long been regarded as the benchmark for windows laptops and the trend continues even with the 2021 edition. The HP Spectre certainly does not come cheap at more than $1200, but it is a premium laptop which can deliver stunning performance.

Dell XPS 13

The latest generation of Dell XPS laptops have started shipping with the 11th generation Intel processors. The most popular option in the XPS range from Dell is undoubtedly the 13 inch variant. The 2021 edition comes with a 13.4 inch display, which can be configured in a touch format, is a premium design with very little in the form of bezels. One can pick up the XPS 13 laptops with up to 32 GB of RAM and even 2 TB of SSD. Admittedly, the whole thing will end up spiking the price to beyond $2200 but the XPS 13 is a model where buyers cannot go wrong.

Bitcoin Rallies 20% In A Day Of Market Rally

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Bitcoin rallies 20% in a day of market rally.

Investing.com – Bitcoin is trading at $ 46,596.4 today at 00:26 (23:26 GMT) on the Investing.com Index, representing a daily gain of 20.10%. This is the largest percentage increase in one day since last December 7, 2017.

This upward movement pushes the capitalization of Bitcoin to $ 848.1B, or 63.38% with respect to the total market capitalization of all cryptocurrencies. The maximum level reached by Bitcoin was at $ 758.5B.

During the previous 24 hours, Bitcoin has been moving in a range between $ 38,057.0 and $ 46,596.4.

In the last week, Bitcoin gained 35.32%. The volume traded for Bitcoin in the 24 hours prior to its current price has been $ 97.0B, or 46.91% of the total volume for all cryptocurrencies. It moved during the past week in a range between $ 33,462.3906 and $ 46,596.4102.

At its current price, Bitcoin shows a difference of 0.00% with respect to the annual highs that it marked at $ 46,596.41 on February 8.

Evolution of other cryptocurrencies of interest.
The ethereum marked today its latest move in $ 1737.08 in the Investing.com Index, representing a rise of 8.96%.

The Tether, for its part, is trading at $ 1,0006 on the Investing.com Index, which represents a gain of 0.00%.

At the moment, the market capitalization of Ethereum stands at $ 199.1B, or 14.88% of the total capitalization of all cryptocurrencies, while that of Tether is at $ 28.8B, or 2 , 15% with respect to the rest of the market value of the sector.

Bitcoin rallies 20% in a day of market rally

Decorate your home with BODEGA43 wine coolers

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One of the most exciting parts of getting to know more about and enjoying a wine is arranging your wine collection towards your desires and taste. Selecting and purchasing a wine is not the only part of the wine process: if you don’t drink the bottle soon they also have to be stored. Doing this correctly, the wine can last for years, even centuries, with that even growing in value, condition and quality. On the other hand, poor storage can spoil even the greatest wines in the world.

Store wine at the ideal temperature 

Of every factor that can influence the quality of stored wine, the temperature is probably the most crucial. Too warm or cold temperatures are a sure way to ruin the wine. In general, the best temperature for long-term or short-term wine storage temperature is around 55ºF (13ºC), but this can vary from wine to wine. Temperature recommendations for specific wines, you should consult the manufacturer. Regardless of the type or label, wine should never ever be kept below 25 °F (-4ºC), which can cause the wine to freeze, or above 68°F (20°C), which will  hasten the wine aging process and destroy volatile parts inside the wine. Most importantly, your wine storage temperature should be kept stable: because constant temperature changes can cause the cork to expand and contract, allowing wine to seep out (or air to seep in) around it.

Store wine bottles horizontal

This only yields for bottles with a cork of course. Make sure you store your bottles of wine horizontally. Storing like this will help to keep the cork moisted which is key for long-term storage, as soon as the cork will dry out, it can cause seepage and premature aging. For screw top wine bottles it may be not necessary to keep them on their sides, horizontal storage is nevertheless a more efficient way to store your wines for maximum space usage and also easy access towards it.

Protect the wine from light and vibration

As soon as you start storing a wine, whether for months, weeks, or days, keep your wine in the dark as much as possible. UV rays from the direct sunlight will harm the wine’s flavours and aromas. Prevent vibration in the wine, keep wines away from sources of vibration, such as your washer and dryer, exercise area, or stereo system. Vibrations can disturb sediments in the wine bottle, disrupting the delicate process that causes the wine to age favourably.

Store wine at the proper humidity 

As humidity fluctuations in the wine cooler or storage area exists, it can also impact your wine longevity. The lower the humidity the sooner your cork will dry out, letting the wine become vulnerable to the effects of oxygen. The higher the humidity the easier labels will peel of bottles making them harder to display and sell. The wine humidity should be between 60 and 68 percent.

Store your wine in a wine cooler, not a regular fridge 

Your storage space should constantly present the right conditions as described earlier. A dual zone wine cooler is a good option to fulfil this job. Unlike a standard household refrigerator, which keeps your food very cold and dry, a wine fridge keeps wine between 50-60˚F (10-15˚C) and at the proper humidity. A good fridge will also have a multi zone cooling option. A Dual zone wine cooler can cool your white and red wine without needing a separate wine fridge. This also helps prevent cross-contamination from food odors. If your budget is a concern, remember: wine cooling can become an investment, and in that case a good wine cooler is the best way to protect your investment and wine quality.

Wine coolers are cheaper

Wine coolers are not particularly complex and they don’t have a lot of mechanical or

electrical parts, like a fridge or other cooling devices. This means that you aren’t

going to have to spend a lot of time maintaining it or worrying about whether or not they will break down.

There are a lot of more options available when choosing a wine cooler. Built-in, under counter wine cooler or just a stand-alone device. Rest assured that a wine cooler is energy efficient, whisper quiet and designed to serve the best wine for everyone who loves to drink an excellent wine. 

Wine coolers are easy to move

Wine coolers are less big and easy to move. It can move around the house very easily, can be stored very easily and even bring with you anywhere you would like. Serve a wine with a perfect temperature at home, a party somewhere else or even during a walk or picnic. 

A look at the most successful horses in Gold Cup history as Al Boum Photo has a third successive victory in his sights

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The 2021 Cheltenham Festival is fast approaching, and horse racing fans across the whole of the United Kingdom and Ireland will be licking their lips in anticipation ahead of the illustrious meeting.

As far as today’s racing cards go, nothing beats what the Cheltenham Festival has to offer. There are a whopping 14 Grade 1 races across the course of the four-day meeting, but the Gold Cup is certainly the one that will attract the most attention this year, as Al Boum Photo has his sights set on winning the race for a third successive time, and the Gold Cup odds are in his favour.

So, with history potentially in the making, let’s take a look back at the most successful horses in Gold Cup history. Read on to find out more!

Easter Hero

Easter Hero was the first horse to win the Gold Cup back-to-back. In 1929, he became the sixth winner of prestigious race, and he did so in some style, winning by a whopping 20 lengths. For jockey Dick Rees, it was a third victory in the Gold Cup after triumphs in 1928 and the inaugural Gold Cup in 1928. Easter Hero defended his crown in 1930, this time with Tommy Cullinan in the saddle.

Golden Miller

Despite dominating in the Gold Cup back in the 1930s, to this day Golden Miller is still the most successful horse in the race’s rich history. Between 1932 and 1936, the Dorothy Paget-owned horse won the Gold Cup on five successive occasions, an amazing feat that is yet to be matched some 90 years on, and probably won’t be for another 90 years. 1934 was undoubtedly the best year for Golden Miller, as well as winning the Gold Cup he also landed the Grand National. He is the only horse in history to complete that double in the same year!

Arkle

When you think of Cheltenham Gold Cup winners, Arkle is usually one of the first to spring to mind. Most even hold him in higher regard than Golden Miller, despite the fact he has won the race on two fewer occasions. Arkle, who was owned by Anne Grosvenor, The Duchess of Westminster,won the Gold Cup on three successive occasions between 1964 and 1966. His final victory in 1966 is one worth noting. Arkle smashed through a fence in the early stages of the race, as opposed to jumping it, yet he still went on to win by a whopping 30 lengths. The Arkle Challenge Trophy on day one of the Festival is named in honour of the legendary horse.

L’Escargot

L’Escargot often gets overlooked when talking about the most successful Gold Cup winners, but he’s worth mentioning as he is still a part of the handful horses who have won the race successively. L’Escargot’s first victory was in 1970, when he won the race as a 33/1 outsider, and he defended his crown in 1971, this time as a much shorter 7/2 shot. It’s also noting that L’Escargot is accredited with stopping a third successive victory for Red Rum in the 1975 Grand National.

Best Mate

Best Mate is a modern-day great. He recorded three victories on the trot between 2002 and 2004, matching Arkle’s 1960s record, and no horse has been able to match it since. Best Mate, who amazingly never fell at a fence nor hurdle,had his sights set on a fourth successive victory in 2005, but an injury ruled him out just eight days prior to the race. There is now a statue of the legendary gelding at Prestbury Park.

Kauto Star

Unlike the others, Kauto Star didn’t win the Gold Cup on successive occasions. Instead, with victories in 2007 and 2009, he became the first horse in the history of the race to regain the title. The Paul Nicholls-trained horse was the odds-on favourite in 2008, but he missed out to his stablemate Denman. After his second victory in 2009, he tried for a third Gold Cup three more times. However, he could do no better than a third-place finish in 2011.

Al Boum Photo

After victories in the 2019 and 2020 editions of the Gold Cup, Al Boum Photo is gunning for Arkle and Best Mates’ record of three wins in a row. Despite Willie Mullins’ wealth of success at the Cheltenham Festival over the last decade or so, Al Boum Photo’s victory in 2019 was the trainer’s first triumph in the Gold Cup. Last year, the horse’s connections were made to sweat as Santini pushed Al Boum Photo all the way to the line. There are concerns surrounding the dual winners’ fitness levels, but if he doesn’t run in this year’s showpiece, then not to worry as you can get your Gold Cup non runner money back.

Monkfish’s odds for Cheltenham Festival Novices’ Chase slashed after emphatic win at Leopardstown

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Monkfish’s careerwas somewhat slow out of the blocks, especially for a horse from Willie Mullins’ top-class yard. He won just one of his first four races despite often being lined up for starter’s orders as the market favourite. However, after an emphatic 11-length victory at Fairyhouse in December 2019, his career has taken off and jockey Paul Townend and Mullins have never looked back.

That impressive Maiden Hurdle victory at Fairyhouse was topped by a 20-length triumph in a Novice Hurdle at Thurles in January of last year, which prepped Monkfish perfectly for the Cheltenham Festival. The seven-year-old was the 5/1 joint-second favourite for the Spa Novices’ Hurdle on the final day of the meeting. However, he went on to win the race, pipping Latest Exhibition over the line by a neck. That was the start of a fierce rivalry, but the Paul Nolan-trained horse is often left in awe of Monkfish.

Since the narrow victory at last year’s Festival, Monkfish has gotten back to going about his business with ease. A victory in the Racecourse Services Beginners Chase marked another comfortable win at Fairyhouse, whilst Latest Exhibition then fell afoul of dual victories for the Mullins-trained house at Leopardstown.

The first of which was in the Grade 1 Novice Chase at the end of December. Latest Exhibition was pushing Monkfish along as the duo approached the last fence. However, the latter was ridden clear as the finish line approached, and some three lengths separated the foes as they romped home.

It was arguably Monkfish’s most recent victory at the course in the suburbs of Dublin that will have trainer Nolan scratching his head and wondering if Latest Exhibition will ever get the better of Monkfish. The seven-year-old raced 11-lengths clear of the eight-year-old in the Grade 1 Novice Chase, in what was perhaps his most dominant showing to date.

Townend and Monkfish set the pace for much of the race, and under little pressure, the seven-year-old was able to display his fine jumping ability, which is arguably the best of any novice. There was a hint of threat from Latest Exhibition around two fences out. However, a slight change in gear from the jockey resulted in Monkfish storming clear and there was nothing jockey Bryan Cooper could do about it as he once again watched on ruing the fact that the Mullins-trained horse beat him and Latest Exhibition over the line again.

“Today I was more impressed than any day. It looks like he might be getting better with each run, it was the ease with which he did it,” Mullins said after the victory earlier this month. “Everything is just so effortless. He just goes down, jumps, gallops. He seems to always be in the right position, he has huge scope – no matter where he is he gets his shoulders off the ground and bends his back.”

Now, as the Festival approaches once again, Monkfish’s latest victories have resulted in his chances of winning the Festival Novices’ Chase in the Cheltenham day 2 odds being slashed. In December, the seven-year-old was fancied at around 9/4. However, he is now the 5/6 odds-on favourite, and not even the unbeaten Envoi Allen, who is the second favourite at 8/1,can get close to him in the market.

Fellow Rich Ricci-owned horse Royale Pagaille, who has found a bit of form of late, is also 8/1, but given that Ricci may not want him to clash with Monkfish, he could be diverted to the Gold Cup, while Eklat De Rire and Latest Exhibition are further out at 14/1.

The Race to Cheltenham is well and truly on, but one of the biggest questions ahead of this year’s festival has to be: can anybody stop the mighty Monkfish?

8 Strategies You Can Use for Reopening Your Business After COVID-19

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A marketer’s job is to predict and assess how consumers’ needs, expectations, wants, and purchasing behaviors may change in response to certain factors. In light of the pandemic and its ripple effects in business and the socio-economic landscape, marketing just became more challenging.

Businesses and customers alike don’t know how long the crisis will last and how massive the impacts may be. Government regulations are being revised and updated daily, and everyday life is affected. It will take time to adjust to the new normal fully. But then, marketers will need to be agile in creating solutions to relaunch a brand. Don’t wait for more problems to come up or for a clear direction to appear before acting and making decisions about your business.

Suppose your business is currently undergoing extreme changes or under pause because of the pandemic. In that case, you’ll need to curate a plan to relaunch once things start getting better and some of the limitations and regulations are lifted.

Let’s look at some of the strategies you can use to reopen your business in a post-Covid world and beyond.

1.   Audit your current marketing strategies.

Most consumers are stuck at home and have turned to online shopping to buy products and services they need. Before the pandemic, people had started shopping online, and some even reported having a better shopping experience. A few months into the outbreak, the number of people who were shopping online increased, and even when the pandemic is over, it seems that the trend of buying things online will continue.

That’s why there’s no better chance than today to adjust your marketing goals to reopen your business to be relevant to your consumers and assure your customers of their safety. Before you change, you’ll need to know what you’re currently doing and what’s working. This is where the marketing audit comes in, where you’ll review all your existing tactics and strategies, and then check if they are essential and relevant.

Part of this strategy means that you should do the customers’ journey mapping, or analyze if your customers’ journey with your brand may have changed since the coronavirus outbreak. Using the right insights from new consumer data, you can better focus on concerns and understand how your customers experience your business.

When you’re planning to improve your customer experience with your brand, your strategy should answer the following questions:

  1. What problems and motivations are experienced by your customers?
  2. Can your business realign to take advantage of customers’ issues and address their problems?
  3. How can you make your customers’ journey easier and more accessible?
  4. How can you improve customer conversions?

2.   Reconnect with your customers.

Most of your customers are at home, and during this journey of waiting in a socially isolated period, your business should try and understand what your consumers are going through. Place their experiences and needs at the center of your marketing strategies.

Most people are scared of the uncertainty, and so are your customers. Ensure that you create authentic and personal experiences for them through your brand. They are looking for stability during the pandemic, so as a brand, you need to be more like a friend than a brand looking to make money.

With your marketing strategy, you can create new ways to make meaningful connections with customers through virtual conferences. You can collaborate with other brands that provide health, self-care, or financial services and create timely, relevant, and compassionate content together.

3.   Win back your customers’ trust.

Even before the Covid-19 outbreak, consumers became better-informed and distrusted big brands. When they start going out more, most people will be vigilant about their health and safety when interacting with businesses. A practical way to rebuild trust among your consumers is to let them know that your business follows all the laid-down safety regulations and applies rigorous sanitation standards. This shows that you value your customers’ experiences, and are willing to put their safety and needs first.

You can also communicate the measures your business is implementing to ensure quality and safe health standards for products or services. Other than social distancing practices, businesses should set up hand sanitizing stations and promote contactless payments. Ensure that you don’t over-promise and under-deliver. Be honest about what your brand can realistically offer in the short-term and long-term run.

4.   Humanize your brand.

Empathy should be one of the driving forces when you’re setting up your marketing campaign. It’s essential to understand your consumers’ sentiments and how they see your brand. People want to see and connect with other people, so a cold corporate persona won’t do your business any good in this uncertain situation.

Humanizing your brand involves creating relevant and better content to improve customer engagement and eventually increase conversions. Show people the people behind your brand; it could be your hard-working staff or team who provide the best services.

You can create an iconic brand voice and online persona through your social media pages and website, which shows your brand interacting and engaging with consumers to discuss current situations or offering any needed help. It’s also useful to collaborate with influencers who may have a wider reach and more loyal and more engaging followers. Choose influencers who are best suited for your brand, and implement a people-focused campaign together.

5.   Let your customers know you’re open for business.

If you have plans to reopen your business, it’s essential to let your customers know you’re open for business. Once you’ve made sure all the safety protocols are taken care of, and that your customers will be safe doing business with you, it’s time to do some advertising.

The message you send out to customers should be relevant, considerate, and empathetic to your customers’ needs and problems. You can start by updating your website, telling people about your reopening plans, and ensuring that all the safety protocols are in place. Create a series of posts throughout your social media channels.

The business pre-launch strategy tip is obvious, but the most important highlight is that you need everyone to know once your doors are open. You can put banners and signs outside your business that clearly say, “We are back in business” or “We are open.” You can go to have your banners or posters printed at  https://www.craftsmenind.com/large-format-printing to get your message out clearly. You can also run a direct mail campaign with small and affordable promotional items like business magnets, which mention reopening your doors for business.

6.   Adjust your business model.

Since people are advised to stay home to decrease contact with others, it’s no surprise that restaurants are among the most affected businesses. Local food businesses are looking for ways to add delivery to restaurants, as consumers are ready to support local businesses like restaurants by ordering takeout and delivery.

Besides click-and-collect and delivery services, restaurants can also offer customized meal kits, complete with ingredients and instructions for the DIY-obsessed people stuck at home. On social media, the restaurants can also share recipes, preparation tips, and classes using their meal kits.

Other industries are also not spared from the effects of the pandemic. For example, gyms may need to switch models from being places where people gather to work out. They can sell gym equipment and encourage people to work out from home, while offering support through virtual classes. You can take ideas from how other businesses are pivoting, and find ways to meet your customers’ needs even in a new climate.

7.   Increase your customer support.

During these times of uncertainty, effective and efficient customer support is vital for your business. Customers prefer to call support when they have issues with your products or services, and how you handle them will determine if they will continue to do business with you in the future.

To improve customer support, you should ensure that your staff is fully equipped to work remotely. Provide them with the necessary infrastructure to deliver top support. You can take advantage of virtual agents to enhance your current workforce and address any concerns your customers may have about Covid-19.

8.   You can invest in marketing automation tools.

Working from home is part of the adjustments most companies have had to implement after the outbreak. This means that you don’t get to interact with your consumers physically if they may have any questions or issues.

Interactions with consumers and clients will be mostly digital. Marketing automation tools can make the customer experience faster and easier, saving your business time and resources. If your business targets the customers nearby you, might as well consider the local marketing automation which emphasizes the local campaigns of your business.

Consider investing in artificial intelligence and other tools like social media chatbots to manage your users’ interactions and analyze their behaviors. Which touchpoints lead them to your business? How many times do they usually engage with your brand before they convert? Powerful AI marketing tools can provide your brand these insights, which you can use to improve your customer experience.

5 Essential Aspects of Setting up a Successful Accounting Firm

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The quality of an accounting firm often outlives its experience, skills, employees, and even the clientele. Therefore, if you plan to set up an accounting firm, it becomes essential to concentrate on its functioning more than anything else. Besides, with a majority of businesses gravitating toward credible accounting firms, you and your team must operate at maximum efficiency.

Here are five of the most critical aspects relevant to some of the most productive accounting firms across the globe:

Cloud technologies

While every successful accounting firm is expected to shun on-premise solutions for catering to a global clientele, nothing works better than having software systems with cloud-based proximity. As opposed to conventional desktop software modules, cloud software improves accessibility and allows the firm to connect with the business, regardless of the device-centric constraints. Cloud accounting software such as QuickBooks Online also provide airtight security for your business records and transactions.

Not just that, migrating to the cloud also improves customer experience as modern-day businesses are more accustomed to using off-premise solutions like Google Maps, which are easy to update.

Selective automation

In case you have a penchant for automation, you must implement the same to follow-ups as a time-saving measure. The likes of bulk messaging, emailing, and successful accounting firms usually follow other services to save time.

In addition to the mentioned strategies, a credible accounting firm must have a dedicated tax planning and preparatory segment for businesses. However, suppose you want to outsource tax-based services to concentrate the in-house workforce toward conventional financial management. In that case, you can reap the flexibilities offered by https://taxfyle.com/tax-preparation-outsourcing, which comes forth as a reliable coordinator for businesses with tax-based liabilities. Tax-based services are a colossal worry for accounting firms and their clients, especially during the tax-filing season. Majorly, outsourced tax preparation services can be a good solution for accounting firms that aren’t tax-specialized.

Despite the contrasts between conventional financial management and tax-based services, businesses can reap the flexibilities offered by Taxfyle and focus the in-house workforce toward traditional financial management.

Consolidated solutions

Consolidated solutions or end-to-end packages of services are indispensable in several scenarios, especially for companies that offer accounting and finance solutions. When it comes to providing full auditing services, this type of package is beneficial. Such services include, but aren’t limited to the following:

  • Audit and review of financial statements (internal and external)
  • Internal control procedures: preparation, maintenance, and reporting
  • Internal audit solution design
  • Internal audit review methods (i.e., performance audit, compliance audit, special project)
  • Detailed analysis of client’s internal control procedures

Attribute to the fact that financial software solutions involve a degree of complexity and expertise required to master these systems, many companies prefer implementing consolidated solutions as they are sparing and don’t require complex integrations, thanks to their one-stop service approach.

Client portals

If you want to grow as an accounting firm in 2021 and beyond, client portals come across as necessary additions. This platform will help you connect better with the clients, even during the odd hours.

Workflows

As an outsourced accounting firm, it’s your responsibility to manage workflows for your clients based on priority, budget, and other metrics. Therefore, you need to invest in relevant workflow optimization tools to manage processes better.

Common Eye Conditions in The UK

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When it comes to eye health, it’s good to be aware of common eye conditions so you can identify the changes in your vision and seek help before it’s too late.

Eye conditions in the UK are extremely common. Almost 2 million people in the UK have lost their sight and 360,000 people are suffering from partial blindness.

Apart from cataracts, age-related macular degeneration and glaucoma, there are other vision conditions that can ruin your optic health. While some of them can be corrected with prescription glasses, severe conditions will require an eye surgery to root out completely.

Here are some common eye conditions prevailing in the UK.

Myopia

Myopia or nearsightedness is a common refractive error which occurs when your eyes bend the light rays in front of the retina. When this happens, your eyes are unable to see distant objects clearly but your near vision remains unchanged.

Hyperopia

Contrary to myopia, hyperopia or farsightedness occurs when the light rays are bent behind the retina. As a result, you can see distant objects in fine details but don’t get the same clarity when looking at objects up close.

Presbyopia

Common in people in their 40s, presbyopia is a natural vision problem due to ageing. As you get older, your eyes become less flexible and you may not get the same near vision as you had before. This problem can be taken care of by wearing reading glasses to see small prints in better clarity.

Astigmatism

It is generally regarded as an imperfect shape of the eyeballs and cornea that leads to blurred nera or distant vision. The light is focused either in front or behind your retina. Like myopia or hyperopia, this condition is also treatable.

People who have both presbyopia and astigmatism need varifocal glasses to see clearly at all distances. Varifocals are quite costly but if you wish to buy cheap glasses with multifocal lenses, you can get them online.

Cataracts

Often found in ageing eyes, cataract occurs when you start to develop cloudy spots on your eye lens. It can happen in one or both the eyes leading to blurry vision and formation of halos around light sources. People with cataracts often have a poor night vision.

Macular degeneration

Being the most prominent cause of vision loss in adults over 60, macular degeneration is related to a loss of central vision due to declining retinal health. People with macular degeneration often look sideways to see clearly as their central vision is poor.

Conjunctivitis

Pink eye or conjunctivitis is the result of the inflammation of the tiny blood vessels in the conjunctiva. When this happens, the white part of your eyes start to appear pinkish or red. It causes a burning sensation in your eyes and often happens due to eye infections.

Computer Vision syndrome

Our digital screens emit high-energy blue light that affects our retinal cells causing problems such as headaches, blurry vision, eye fatigue and neck or shoulder pain. These discomforts are known as computer vision syndrome. However, you can get blue light glasses in the UK to reduce the effect of this light and bring relief from the symptoms of CVS.

Diabetic retinopathy

It is an eye disorder found in diabetic patients. It causes your central vision to become blurred making it difficult to read or drive. If left untreated, this condition can lead to a complete vision loss. 40% of Type 1 diabetic patients and 20% with Type 2 diabetes develop this eye disorder.

Dry eye syndrome

It is linked with the inability of the eyes to produce enough tears to lubricate the eyes. This makes your eyes feel dry and they become more prone to infections and eye irritation. In severe cases, it can also lead to scarring of the cornea.

Double vision

It happens when you look at an object and you see two images and hence the name ‘double vision’. If you have to partially close or squint your eyes, this could mean that you have started to develop double vision. If it only happens in one eye, it is termed as ‘monocular’. But if it affects both the eyes, it is called ‘binocular’.

Glaucoma

It is a common eye condition wherein the optic nerve connecting your eyes and the brain gets damaged. It is generally triggered by the increasing eye pressure and if not treated on time, it can hamper your vision for life.

Floaters

It is an age-related condition in older people whereby your eyes see dark spots in the vision line. It happens when the jelly-like fluids filled in your eyes start to become more mild. The microscopic fibres start to cluster together casting shadow on your retina.

Retinal detachment

It occurs when the thin layer on your retina containing tiny blood vessels comes loose causing detached retina. Diabetic retinopathy is one of the leading factors behind the development of retina detachment.

Colour blindness

It is a genetic condition where the light-sensitive cells in your retina become indifferent towards certain colours. This is why people with colour blindness have trouble differentiating between certain colours. This condition varies from person to person.

Why is an eye test important?

Changes to your vision are so subtle that you might not be able to spot them. Annual eye exam is mandatory if you want to keep your optic health in check and make sure you don’t have to deal with early development of any of these conditions.

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