Tag Archives: Ella Mason

Top 3 Advantages of Metal Finishing for Your Business

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Now, before you start reading this in the interest that you’ll find out how metal finishing can add value to your marketing, HR or IT business, I want to quickly confess that I’m only reaching out to those fellows predominantly involved with the construction and engineering trade.

For those of you who work in these industries, you’ll know that the heavy-duty tools, machinery and appliances you use to carry out vital day-to-day jobs need to be able to stand the test of time. Repairs can be a costly band-aid, and if structure failure as a result of cheaper material choices occurs, this poses a public safety risk, not to mention a risk to the safety of your workers. With online OSHA 10 and key occupational training, and the adoption of solid metal finishing for your project, you ensure your project uses the safest industry-standard materials on the market.

Metal finishing relates to the process of deposition, application or treatment of a metallic coating onto a product in order to enhance its appearance, function or performance. Due to its ability to be applied to a wide range of surfaces including steel, aluminium, copper and crass, metal finishing holds the ability to add value to any construction business.

How, exactly? Well, here a 3 top reasons why metal finishing could help to benefit your business:

1. Improve Appearances

Metal finishing can be accomplished through a variety of techniques; powder coating, silk screening, anodizing, e-coating and plating are just to name a few. However, whichever way your finish is achieved, you can be assured that the most notable advantage it’ll provide to your product is the improvement to its overall aesthetics.

It can help to remove sharp edges, smooth surfaces and clean the surface to produce a textured, matte or glossy finish. Aside from also contributing to removing burrs and other surface flaws that may be present on the surface of your product, it can modify decorative options such as the application of colour, metal polishing, glass beading and custom metal plating.

By doing so, you can ensure you’re providing your customers and clients with the highest quality products, should they demand those with greater decorative appearance.

2. Greater Resistance

By overlaying your products in a protected metal finish, the most notable advantage of the process is its ability to make them last a lot longer. If left untreated, metals can wear and disintegrate much quicker than those that are treated.

The metal finishing coating system offers a low coefficient of friction with great abrasion resistance and durability towards corrosion, chemical and tarnish wear. So whether your business uses hardwearing operative machinery, or whether you manufacture building materials for consumers, you can ensure your product will last whatever it’s purpose, as well as however and wherever it’s used.

3. Ease of Cleaning

Part of preserving a well-utilised product/machine/tool lies in the maintenance and cleaning of it.

Metal finishing significantly reduces product contamination and adhesion due to the microscopic smoothness when applied to the surface. This finish also ensures the surface is well maintained and protected.

On the other hand, metal finishing a product can also significantly reduce the time spent cleaning it. On previously non-coated materials, considerable time and care has to be spent to ensure chemicals and procedures don’t contribute to the wearing and rusting of the product. However, with metal finishing, items can be power-washed or hydro-blasted with ease. Companies that have already adopted the use of metal finishing have reported a reduction in cleaning time of more than 50%; meaning that your workforce can spend that previously used time on more vital and beneficial tasks for your business…

This article was written by Ella Mason, an experienced freelance writer. Ella specialises in providing informative and engaging advice to businesses.

How To Deal With The Boss From Hell

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It’s the nightmare scenario. You love the job, you love the company, you love the people, but you have the boss from the hell.

Someone who delights in making your life difficult, and who is unpredictable, moody and generally ranges being from a tyrant to a terrorist, depending on what day it is.

You don’t want to leave and the prospect of a transfer is as remote as this character becoming an angel overnight.

Well, don’t despair because there are things you can do to turn some of this to your advantage.  As long as you keep your cool and pick your approach carefully.

It’s Not a Boss, It’s a Baby

Seeing things in a new light is a good way to preserve your sanity and can often be quite funny if you can develop the right language in your head.

Revisualise your boss as a child with a rather large nappy and a toothache.  Because in reality, that’s what they may be.

Angry or aggressive people are mostly insecure because they are not doing something to their own satisfaction, like growing up.  So if you can see this person as a rather irritable toddler, the chances are you’ll start managing the irritation with soothing tolerance and compassion.

And the success with all howling children, distraction is often the key. This may perplex your boss when they realise their tantrums are effectively being turned against them, especially if you can pull it off with a sweet smile and a bar of chocolate or a new toy.

See It Coming

The calmest people know how to manage the angriest bear because they can see the signs a day before it happens.

Terrible bosses are usually quite predictable, in that they have their drama moments set out in their head, often without realising. These are usually excuses that they program themselves with, so get to know them. It may be that the start of the week sets your boss off, or having to present some numbers that turns them into a raving lunatic.

Throw Water On Them

Please note, I don’t mean literally.

Bad bosses often like to exercise control in front of an audience.

So it can often leave them speechless if you can calmly and unexpectedly walk away when they get the megaphone or sarcasm gun out.

Just walk away, closing the door behind you to let them stew.

Feed Their Anger

In other words, play the distraction game.  When you can feel the balloon about to burst, give the devil a cup of tea, or even better, a sandwich. It’s hard to be angry when you’re eating something nice.

Write The Wrongs

Make a list of the all the things your boss does that drives you bananas. Then schedule a meeting.

Be calm, but definitely be prepared for a meltdown. Show him how many of them were shouted, were sarcastic or just rude.  And then let them know that this note just may find its way unto hands of someone higher up the food chain if the hell continues.

Find An Escape Route

If all of the above fail, it may be time to consider that Plan B. After all, no one deserves to be in workplace where they feel like they’re treading on eggshells.

Ending the work torment can be a lot easier than you think, and you can find a workplace where you are appreciated – believe it or not, there are nicer bosses out there!

By searching by location on local job boards, for example, ‘jobs in Peterborough’, allows you to find a comprehensive list of the many different jobs available within your area, which can all be refined by keyword and position-type.

Who knows, you may find a better job, better pay AND  a better boss all in one go.
This article was written by Ella Mason, an experienced careers writer. Ella specialises in providing job and money advice for individuals.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Promotional Gifts: Giving Your Business Great Rewards

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We’ve all received one at some point; that free branded pen, the pad of paper that you jot down all of you meeting notes onto and not to forget, that free mug you make your first coffee of the day in.

But have you ever stopped to think about the purpose behind that free promotional gift you’ve been given?

For businesses, promotional giveaways are an important part of the promotional mix, acting as extremely effective marketing tools.

Extremely versatile, they can be given to all types of customers, from clients and media contacts, to even a company’s own employees.

From items such as pens, calculators, calendars, mouse mats and pencils, these promotional mechanisms aim to create a lasting positive image of the brand or company for the recipient, in return, create lasting financial rewards for the business.

Still not entirely convinced? Well, here are 5 reasons why promotional gifts can help to boost your business.

1. Increase Brand Awareness

Promotional gifts can help to significantly increase brand awareness, if of course, you get them right.

For this reason, it’s vital that promotional items are of high quality, durable and useful, in order to keep the brand message at the forefront of your customers minds. After all, the more someone sees a brand message, the more it sticks in their mind, therefore the more likely they’ll continue to investing time (and money!) into it.

The most successful promotional gifts support your company where other mediums can’t reach, such as the office. Think stationary, or choose items available from Ideas By Net that are commonly seen throughout the workplace, such as mugs, coasters and USB flash-drives. This will ensure your message remains a prominent feature of your customer’s desk for months, if not years.

However, get it wrong and your gift could backfire, leaving a lasting image for all the wrong reasons. Think carefully about how your chosen item portrays your business. Stay away from the more ‘tacky’ items when wanting to impress an important client.

2. Increase Sales and Influence Purchases

Add increased brand awareness together with a bit of gifted goodwill and naturally, you’re bound to start seeing an overall increase in your sales and profits.

Promotional giveaways are a powerful form of ‘added value’. Generally, customers who feel that a company is giving more value for money are more likely to spend more.

They also hold the ability to generate future leads and curiosity. For new customers, promotional gifts act as incentives in wanting to find out more about a company they’ve seen a lot of, and help to direct people to a website who are keen to discover what available products a company has to offer.

For existing customers, it is common for people to become more receptive to a company that offers a gift as a small ‘thank you’ for their custom. Tactics such as these help to encourage repeat business and help to see an overall improvement in long-term sales.

3. Save Money

Believe it or not, investing a little time and money into promotional gifting can in fact help your business to save money. Why? Because they help to promote your company at a much lower cost than traditional advertising techniques.

As the British Promotional Merchandise Association has found, ‘promotional merchandise can deliver a higher return on investment. The cost per impression for a mug is £0.001, a mid-range pen £0.001, a calendar £0.004, a USB stick £0.005 and an umbrella £0.003. With an average cost per impression of £0.003, these figures compare extremely favourably with the cost per impression of other media.’

4. Improve Image and Perception

Promotional gifts also act as a powerful driving force in influencing perceptions. In every day-to-day life, all over the world, presenting someone with a gift or present is seen as an act of goodwill, kindness and generosity. By also adopting this into your business strategy, you too can make your customers feel valued, creating positive perceptions of your company.

5. Improve Company Morale

Promotional gifts have also been proven to enhance the morale of a company’s employees, thus helping to increase employee productivity.

By providing gifts on events such a company’s anniversary or by giving them as symbols of appreciation, employees will instantly feel like they are a key part of the organisation.

When a company strives to take that extra step to include employees in the marketing plan, it benefits the company in the long term by ensuring positive perceptions of the company start from within.

This article was written by Ella Mason, an experienced freelance writer. Ella specialises in writing about money-making schemes, for both businesses and individuals. 

 

 

Using Cash Rewards to Find the Best Gifts

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Millions of people across the world are looking for ways to earn a little extra income. Offering services to others, working extra shifts, or taking on the responsibilities of second or third jobs can become time consuming and exhausting. Plus, this takes away from time spent with family and other loved ones. However, with costs rising on necessary items, purchasing extras such as gifts becomes nearly impossible.

Rewards Websites

Many people are learning the advantages of earning money from home. While some companies might be scams, those that are willing to put in a little time will reap the benefits offered by legitimate websites. Many sites offer rewards for customers who shop online. These sites typically have links to popular online retailers, and any purchase that you make through one of these links results in a percentage of the purchase back in cash. For those who enjoy online shopping, this is a foolproof way to make money on necessary purchases. There is more information on the RewardIt store about these types of rewards and information about how to get started.

 Online Survey Companies

Taking surveys online is another great way to make a little extra money on the side. Signing up with multiple survey companies is helpful, since you never know how often a new survey will be available. Each company usually offers slightly different rewards programs. Some offer gift cards, some provide an entry into a sweepstakes drawing for each completed survey, and others offer cash back when a participant completes a certain number of surveys.

 Check Past Giveaways

When you’re deciding which online moneymaking opportunities you want to be part of, you may want to look at past sweepstakes results for companies that offer this as the reward. This helps you to see what types of prizes are offered on the site, as well as how frequently the prizes are given. Before signing up for any company, it is important to do a little research and make sure no money is required up front to participate. Most survey companies offer compensation to participants because big businesses need feedback in order to perfect their products, so they are willing to pay for opinions.

Purchasing Gifts for Others

Using the cash rewards from taking surveys or shopping online is very helpful when purchasing gifts for loved ones. When the holidays come around, many people are already struggling to pay for necessary expenses such as a mortgage or rent, groceries, utilities, and other living costs. Adding expensive gifts to the budget might seem impossible. Using extra money from these rewards is a great way to enjoy the fun of giving gifts without adding extra financial strain.

This article was written by a Ella Mason, an experienced freelance writer. Ella specializes in money-making schemes specific to the internet. Ella also often enjoys regularly entering fun sweepstakes, competitions and entries for the chance to win prizes and cash!