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Most Effective Side Business Ideas Online

The popularity of working on the internet has grown a lot recently. If some years ago it was normal practice to save up money and only then buy something you really want or need in life – a new car, new furniture, the newest tv, or pretty much anything, people used to save up money and only then make a purchase.

Now the times have changed. More and more people, especially the young ones, do not want to wait until they are 40 years old to start really living. So many prefer to take a lease which can become very stressful if your life suddenly changes and you lose your job. Now there is a smarter way to get that thing you want faster – by taking a side job.

Taking a side job is extremely easy now, the variety of the things you could do is incredible: from driving an Uber to creating a blog and monetizing it. But how do you choose the one that is best for you? To help you pick a side job that is beneficial, we are going to share the most effective online side business ideas with you.


Try a Print on Demand Service

If you have ever wanted to learn how to print on demand and make good money out of it, we are going to explain it in more detail for you. Some may say that print on demand is dead, but it is truly not. The most often mistake that people who say print on demand does not work does is not creating a proper strategy and not investing in a proper advertisement. If you work on it, there is nothing that can stop your business from being successful.

So first of all, you will have to decide which product to sell. Here are a few most popular products to sell by using a print on demand service: phone cases, art prints, t-shirts, hoodies, and mugs. Just browse the lists, and you will find even more. When you pick a product, you will need to choose a design for it. You can either create it yourself or use some templates.

The best thing about print on demand based businesses is that you do not have to invest a bunch of money. How it works is that your client places an order that is transferred to the print on demand platform, the service produces your product and delivers it straight to your customer. Therefore you also do not need to worry about finding a storage place for these items.

Become a Freelance Graphic Designer

A graphic designer is a professional that is highly needed by many different companies and projects. This is because we live in a very visual world of social media; therefore, a brand cannot afford itself to advertise without proper visual content. So the demand is there, and if you have some great graphic design skills, you just need to figure out where to find clients and how to promote yourself.

First of all, you need to make yourself visible so that people would hear from you and would be able to contact you easily. So first of all, you should buy a domain, pick a website template, and create a portfolio. Then, you should not miss out on creating an account and sharing your work on such popular websites like Dribbble and Behance. And of course, always make sure you have active profiles on social media and engage with your followers.

To find you some clients, you can register on specialized websites for freelancers like Upwork and Fiverr. Also, we strongly recommend that you participate in logo creation contests on websites like 48hourslogo or LogoContest. This way, you will be able to find some clients, and if they appreciate your work, they might even offer to work for you long-term.


Become a Freelance Copywriter

If writing is more of your thing, then this is the job for you. If you enjoy writing, and you write click-worthy content, you can easily find clients and start working on different projects. And the best part is that the only thing you need is your computer. Therefore, you can travel all over the world and work at the same time.

To find you some projects to work on, you should create a portfolio first. Because no matter where you will find your clients from, they will want to see examples of your work, and it might become kind of tiring always to send your work examples by email. Besides, a portfolio looks more professional and trustworthy.

Start looking for clients in freelance websites that we have mentioned before. Also, another channel to find projects to work on is by searching for specialized Facebook groups for freelancers. There you will find many interesting and very different projects that need a good copywriter. 

Tips to Writing Click-Worthy Cold Email Subject Lines

Write emails that improve click-through rates and land more sales.

Subject lines are the first thing a reader sees and can be the deciding factor on whether they choose to open an email or delete it. That’s why it’s so important to spend time perfecting your email subject line writing — especially when you’re talking about cold emails. 

If you’ve ever written a cold email, the subject line can often be the toughest part. But the subject line of a cold email is one of the most important parts to get right. If you don’t make a good first impression, you could lose that business forever. 

Luckily, writing your cold email subject lines doesn’t have to be a painstaking process. With just a few tips, you can be headed in the right direction. 

In this article, we’ll take a look at 5 tips to help you write click-worthy cold email subject lines that convert.

Here’s a quick look at the tips we’ll discuss: 

  • Keep it short
  • Add personalization
  • Lead with value
  • Keep your tone conversational
  • Be genuine 


5 Tips to Writing Cold Email Subject Lines 

Improving your cold email subject lines doesn’t mean you have to change everything you’re already doing. There are a number of simple things you can do to improve your messaging and increased click-through and conversion rates. 

Let’s take a look at 5 tips to help you improve your cold email subject lines.

Keep your subject lines short and sweet. Just like this message, four words is the best practice for writing emails that are most likely to get clicked and convert leads. Image courtesy of Pixabay.

Tip 1: Keep it Short

When it comes to writing subject lines, the shorter the better. 

We’ve all received an email with a long-winded subject line that gets cut off by the email browser. These emails just don’t work. On top of that, readers are missing a big chunk of valuable information. 

You don’t want this to be the case when writing the subject lines for your cold emails. In most cases, you’ve only got a few chances to get the message across, meaning you need to make a good first impression. Sending emails with long, unreadable subject lines won’t help you see an increase in conversions. 

Generally, subject lines with 4 words or less perform best

When writing your subject lines, don’t forget to consider that a large majority of your customers will read the email on their mobile device. This means that the viewing screen will be even more limited and the message could easily be lost if the subject line is too lengthy. 

Long story short, it’s always best practice to keep your cold email subject lines concise and to the point. 

Each of your customers is unique and you need to take that into consideration when reaching out to them. Spend time getting to know them and then add personalization to our emails for better results. Image courtesy of Pexels.

Tip 2: Add Personalization

Personalization is an important factor when writing your cold email subject lines, in fact, it’s actually becoming a necessity.

A successful cold email requires a bit of pre-work. You should take time to learn about your prospect and find ways to make your communication with them more personal — especially the subject line. 

While using their name in the subject line is a great start, to make a bigger impact you can search for additional connections and common interests. 

To do this, you’ll want to take the time to learn more about your prospect. Learn more about their position, the company they work for, the college they attended, or even common professional connections that you share. 

Adding these types of personal elements to your subject lines will help your message stand out from the sea of other emails in their inbox. These types of personalization tidbits can also make you seem more familiar and less like a stranger. 

However, you choose to go about it, adding personalization to your cold email subject lines will make a big impact on your click rates. 

Tell your customers what value you have to offer them. Don’t waste their time with subject lines that trick them into clicking but don’t provide them with what they need. Image courtesy of Pexels.

Tip 3: Lead With Value

Never trick prospects into opening your emails with clickbait content. While you might see an increase in open rates, your conversion rates will not follow. In fact, you’ll likely find your emails are quickly finding their way to the spam folder. 

You’ll want to write your subject lines with the value you have to offer front and center. Tell your prospect exactly what they have to gain by opening and reading your message. 

Don’t waste their time on gimmicks or misleading messages. Doing this will only result in you wasting your own time and losing the trust of the prospective customers you were hoping to impress. 

They call them first impressions for a reason — if you choose to take the clickbait route, you may never get another chance to get in front of that person again. Make the most out of every interaction by leading with the value you have to offer.

Keep your tone conversational when writing your cold email subject lines. It should feel like you’re a friend or colleague reaching out, not a total stranger. Image courtesy of Pexels.


Tip 4: Keep Your Tone Conversational 

Cold email subject lines don’t have to be boring and professionally structured. You know the kind. The emails that are so obviously marketing or sales messages. The ones that don’t excite you and your eyes skim right past. 

The good news, your subject lines don’t have to be like these yawn-inducing messages. In fact, it’s actually a best practice to keep your messages informal and conversational. 

Keeping things conversational will help your messages stand out from the crowd and pique the interest of the reader. This is one of those areas that might take time to perfect, but the more subject lines you write, the better you’ll get at it. 

So when you sit down to write your next cold email, try using a more conversational tone, drop all the capitalized words, and don’t think too much into it. You’ll find that when you get out of your own head, these types of subject lines are easier to write than you’ve ever imagined. 

Be genuine in your communication. Building trust is very important when it comes to landing sales with cold emails. Image courtesy of Pexels.

Tip 5: Be Genuine

It’s so important to be genuine when reaching out to prospects via cold emails. This starts with the subject line but must be present throughout the entire email. 

Being genuine in your messages goes back to the idea of skipping the clickbait and one-liners designed to trick readers into opening an email. It’s all about building trust and giving your prospects with the content you promised. 

Once you’ve lost the trust of your customers, you’ve most likely lost their business. It’s hard to win them back after they feel like they’ve been tricked into opening an email that presented them with no benefit. 

It’s best to just avoid this from the start and write your subject lines and email copy with truly genuine intent. 

Start Seeing Higher Click-Through and Conversion Rates With Cold Emails

Writing cold emails that convert doesn’t have to be rocket science. It all starts with the perfect subject line that is written with the needs of your prospect in mind. Be direct, conversational, add personalization, and lead with the value you have to offer for the best results. When done right, cold emails can result in higher conversion rates and help you continue to grow your business.

22BET UK Overview: Betting Service, Promotions and More

22BET is the UK licensed online betting site and casino provider founded in 2018. They also have a Curaçao licence, which allows them to have a worldwide presence with operations in countries like Canada, Brazil and Germany, just to name a few ones. In this article we will only analyse their UK market and will walk new players through their website, sign up offers and special promotions.

22BET Welcome Offers 

Their new clients are given the choice of receiving either a sport or a casino welcome offer. By inserting code 50SPORT, new players will grab a 100% first deposit bonus up to £50 on any sport events of their choice, as long as they bet in markets with 1.65 minimum odds. Punters will be able to use their sports welcome bonus on pre-match as well as live betting events and they are offered an astonishing variety of worldwide sport happenings. Click here to view 22BET sports welcome offer and detailed Terms and Conditions.


For those who are more slot or casino lovers, 22BET offers again a 100% first deposit bonus but this time up to £100, players will just have to insert the code CASINO to be able to claim it. On top of the welcome bonus, first-time depositors will receive 22 free spins on the following NetEnt slots: Starburst, Spinata Grande, Jumanji, Witchcraft, Academy and Hotline. Click here to view 22BET casino welcome offer and detailed Terms and Conditions. 

22BET Ongoing Promotions

Although they don’t currently have a VIP Programme, 22BET is known for their ongoing weekly promotions as well as ad hoc offers. The operator’s most recent one started this July and it will be a long-term partnership with casino software provider Pragmatic Play. It will be a weekly and a daily slot tournament called “Drops and Wins” with a pool prize of £ 2,000,000 where participants will have to wager on some of the most popular and fun Pragmatic slots like Fruit Party, Wolf Gold, Chilli Heat, Sweet Bonanza and Mustang Gold. 

Furthermore, they have a promotion that runs every Thursday for both new and existing players. It is another casino offer called “Hot Days”, this time in conjunction with renowned gaming provider NetEnt, where players can win 50 free spins on the Twin Spin slot. To take part in the offer, users are required to deposit at least £50 within a week.


Payment and Withdrawals Methods

22BET offers a variety of popular and safe payment and withdrawal methods such as Skrill, Neteller, Paysafecard, Ecopayz, Visa and MasterCard. 

22BET Website

The UK operator’s website is extremely easy to surf, users can find all they need about sport events, slots, online casino and live table games in the top menu. The footer has information about the gambling operator, more details about the products they offer and their contact details, including an email address and a telephone number.

What Is the Deal With the Latest Tech Trends?

Living in this modern world of technological advances is definitely a blessing. There are so many things that have been improved with the implementation of technology in every possible aspect of our lives. People nowadays are so used to dealing with different types of technologies in both their professional lives and their personal lives so that if you ask them to imagine living for a day without all of the technological devices they own, they would be scared. This is probably the result of the basic significance of technology, which is to make our lives easy and so much better than they were before. 


Keeping all of this in mind the rise of popularity in the latest technological trends is inevitable. This is only possible with the increased interest that people express into all of these trends that are happening quite often in recent years. If you make a comparison between now and last year, you can notice a huge difference, especially, in the field of technological devices and gadgets. So, continue reading and you will find out what is the deal with the latest tech trends.

Online Approach to Gaming

One of the greatest technological innovations, the internet, is really shaping our lives, especially, when it comes to the entertainment aspect of it. This implies that even though this is not the newest innovation in the world of technologies, but instead it is the foundation where every other innovation takes place. 

There is an abundance of advances that the online world is offering to you, but let’s stray focused on this rather popular segment of online gaming. If you want to experience this for yourself you should visit casino.netbet.com and explore the world of impressive opportunities. 

This is probably one of the most appreciated tech trends that have happened in recent years, as many players are enjoying their time playing the digitalized versions of their favourite games. The accessibility is a part of this popular trend as it allows you to enjoy a round of your favourite games at sport.netbet.com no matter where you are and what device you have. This popular trend of digitalization is really helping the online world of possibilities as it offers so many interesting things that people can search for in their free time. In order to enjoy this tech trend, you will need to establish a secure internet connection and own a compatible device which can be a laptop, PC, or smartphone. 

What Can You Expect?

Seeing the rapid speed technologies are moving through these modern times people can only get even more excited to see in which direction it will take them. There are so many interesting devices you should take a look at so that you can incorporate them into your particular lifestyle. 


All of these changes can only add to the whole modern experience that we are part of right now. So make sure you are informed enough before making any rash decision. You will be constantly hearing and reading about the latest technological trends but you should always have it at the back of your mind the real purpose of them. 

To put this in other words, you will have to make sure that you are completely benefiting from these technological innovations and see what you can do to modify them if they are fit to your particular needs and preferences. Only this way you will understand the true and real purpose of technology. When you finally make it all the way through the latest technological trends, there will be another one after that, and then another one after that. 

Simply put, the deal with the latest technological trends are only interesting if you allow them to be by personalizing them to fit your personality. 

Photo by Ales Nesetril

How to Bet On International Lotteries from Your Mobile Phone

In essence, while laptop and desktop remain the popular option when playing lottery games online owing to the ease of navigation, convenient screen size, and reliable connection. 

But imagine basking on a bus, traveling to work or school, and checking your phone to find that you are the lucky winner of the weekly jackpot! Unbelievable, right?

It’s a totally new world with an entirely new level of spontaneity. Over the years, the usage of smartphones has been surging. Unlike before, you can now perform nearly all your daily tasks from your phone.

Besides helping us accomplish many of our daily tasks, people across the globe are now even using smartphones to play lotteries online. 

With this remarkable technology, the art of betting on international lotteries has now become easier. You can now bet on your favorite lotteries by visiting the lottery betting sites websites on your mobile or finding the lottery apps on your phone. 

Ideally, it is much more convenient than traveling to a physical lottery store to purchase tickets, and you can play your favorite lottery games even when on the move. So how do you bet on international lotteries from your smartphone? Let’s find out…

Betting From Your Mobile Phone through Websites and Mobile Apps:

With mobile phones, you have access to international lottery mobile websites and mobile apps which usher you into a realm of endless possibilities and without geographical restrictions.

Mobile apps and international lottery mobile websites offer fast connectivity, ease of use, and the ability to grab big jackpots wherever and whenever. 

However, to enjoy these amazing perks and successfully bet on international lotteries from your mobile phone, you need to register your betting account and start playing. Here is a guide on how to do it. 


Step By Step Guide On Betting On International Lotteries from Your Smartphone

Betting on lotteries on your smartphone is not only more convenient but also a safer way to play lotteries online. When it comes to betting on international lotteries on your phone, the process is not any difficult. All you need is to follow a few simple steps: 

1. Choose a Lotto Betting Company 

There is a myriad of online lotto firms that provide mobile phone gambling. Each company offers different provisions and features which makes it necessary that you pick one that best suits your taste. 

Start by evaluating the features each international lottery company offers and pick the one that you like and start from there. 

2. Register/Login to a Betting Account

After finding the ideal online international lotto company, the next step is to sign up-usually for free! As a new player, signing up is as easy as it gets and only takes about a minute to complete. 

Visit the lottery company website page and fill in the necessary details, including your name, address, and email address, among other details, and click on the ‘Create New Account’ option.

Contrastingly, if you already have a betting account, all you need to do is log in to your betting account. 

3. Deposit Money to Your Betting Account: 

For many of us, betting on international lotteries means a chance to play for real money online. As such, after creating your betting account, you need to deposit funds into the account using the various available payment options. 

When you visit your international betting account after you sign up, you will be directed to a dashboard dubbed ‘My Account’ and then click the ‘Add Funds’ option. 

With Lottoland online lottery and other major international lotteries, you will have the option to choose from multiple payment methods for deposit and withdrawals. 

4. Choose your Games 

Ideally, most international lotteries offer a wide array of lottery games for gamblers to choose from. Usually, the lottery companies offer these games on their main menu, and you must select and click on a specific lottery, browse its page, and play your preferred game.

5. Fill in your Tickets

Once you open a lottery ticket page on a website, you will be directed into the main ticket section that boasts a grid-like arrangement. 

While on this website page, you can choose your ticket numbers to match the numbers on the ticket. Contrastingly, you can request a ticket number to be generated automatically. 

Similarly, some betting firm boasts special features that allow you to choose more numbers for your ticket. Essentially, this boosts your odds of hitting the jackpot, although at a fairly higher price.

6. Submit The Ticket and Wait! 

When you choose your preferred ticket numbers, follow it by clicking the ‘Submit’ button, and this will direct you to a ‘Shopping cart’ web page that will allow you to edit, validate, or even delete your chosen ticket.

Afterward, you need to click on the ‘View’ button to verify your ticket and if you are sure you have the right selection, proceed to hit the ‘Submit’ button to complete the process, and then you can wait for the results. 

The international lottery company will send you a notification for all the bets you stake. After the purchase notification, you will also get the notifications on the draw as well as a win. 

In the event you win, you can subsequently withdraw your money or use the funds to stake on another game. 


Conclusion

In the end, it is easy to say that smartphones have transformed into a personal companion for us. Now, you can link with your family, friends, and workmates through social networking apps on your mobile. 

Smartphones are ideally the favored option for millennials who prefer to play online as they travel. It offers you easy access to a myriad of thrilling games, many more than those available offline. 

Also, most online international casinos are building their mobile dashboards to allow everyone to play their lottery games with convenience and ease easily.

Good Luck! 

The Benefits of Investing in an Email Marketing Platform and 12 Platforms You Should Consider

With the help of the right platform, you can simplify your email marketing efforts and improve your customer experience.

Are you looking for ways to automate your email marketing? Or maybe you’re looking to improve personalization to improve the overall customer experience. No matter the case, you’re in need of an email marketing platform. 

When you first start out, deciding on a platform can be a little overwhelming. There’s tons of companies out there that provide a similar service — how do you know which is the best fit for your needs? 

The first step is to understand some of the benefits that come with an email marketing platform. From there, you can identify exactly what you’re looking to improve and find a platform designed to help you grow. 

In this article, we’ll take a look at a few of the benefits you can expect to gain from an email marketing platform and review 12 platforms you should consider.

Here’s a quick look ahead at the platforms we’ll discuss: 

  • Listrak
  • Hubspot
  • Mailchimp
  • Constant Contact
  • ActiveCampaign
  • Omnisend
  • SendinBlue
  • Benchmark
  • Campaign Monitor
  • Rejoiner
  • Drip
  • GetResponse

The Benefits of Investing in an Email Marketing Platform

When it comes to email marketing automation, there are a number of benefits you can expect to see. From improving personalization to saving time and money, the right platform will help you make the most out of your email marketing efforts. 

While there are plenty of benefits that come with email marketing automation, let’s take a look at just a few of the benefits you can expect to see when investing in a new platform. 

Improve Personalization

Email marketing platforms offer a variety of ways to improve personalization. From better list segmentation, personalized tokens, and predictive analytics you can take email personalization to the next level. 

Why is that so important? Because adding personalization can have a big impact on your email performance. In fact, even simple personalization steps such as adding personal touches to subject lines or body copy can make a big difference in both open and click rates.

The more you personalize your emails, the more likely it is that your customers will open and click your messages. Image courtesy of Statista

With the right email marketing platform, you can easily integrate personalized touches based on customer engagement and behaviors. Many platforms use advanced technology such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and predictive analytics to identify, learn, and predict future customer wants and needs. 

Increase Sales 

Email marketing is a great way to increase sales and revenue. In fact, when you compare the ROI of email compared to any other marketing tactic, it comes out as the clear winner.

Email marketing provides you with the biggest bang for your buck. Compared to nearly every other marketing tactic, email provides you with almost double the return on investment. Image courtesy of Smart Insights

Email works well for increasing sales because it can lead customers directly to your estore. When you consider that the majority of your subscribers now check their emails on the mobile devices, you can reach them at all times of the day, no matter where they are.

There are a number of ways that email marketing can help increase sales including: 

  • Providing product recommendations based on previous browsing or shopping behaviors
  • Using predictive analytics to gain an understanding of what your customers will want or need in the near future
  • Optimize email send times to ensure messages land in your subscribers inbox at the right time
  • Send discounts and coupons to customers who have proven to need a little extra push to complete a sale

When you invest in an email marketing platform, you’re investing in your business. You’ll quickly see that by taking the right steps and choosing a platform that has the capabilities you need, you’ll improve your bottom line.

Build a Loyal Customer Base

Having a loyal customer base is very important to growing your business. In fact, it’s more cost-effective to retain current customers than it is to acquire new.

A loyal customer base is worth more than you realize. In fact, increasing customer retention can increase profits and decrease costs in the long run. Image courtesy of Business2Community

Sending nurturing campaigns can help you engage customers and build a more loyal customer base. An email marketing platform will allow you to quickly and easily create automated workflows that appeal to audiences based on their specific wants, needs, and journey stages.

As you continue to grow a more loyal customer base, not only will they continue to interact and make purchases from your estore, they will also tell their friends and family about their positive experiences. That means that they will spread positive messages about your brand and help new customers learn about your services. 

Save Time and Money

An email marketing platform will help save you time and money in a number of ways. You no longer have to waste your time sorting through data to identify customer segments or spending time each day to manage and send emails — it’s all done for you. 

Marketing automation will help you drive traffic and reduce marketing overhead — a win, win when looking to cut costs and increase revenue. Image courtesy of Salesforce.  

Here are just a few ways that email marketing platforms can save you time: 

  • Schedule trigger emails to be sent based on specific triggers such as abandoned carts, purchases, or browse behaviors
  • Cut design time in half by creating emails in easy to use, drag and drop template programs
  • Improve segmentation to serve customers with the most relevant content to their needs
  • Stop wasting time mining through mass amounts of data to understand your customers and let the platform do it for you
  • Automate your testing and reporting data to provide daily, weekly, or monthly metric report outs

While it may initially be a big investment, it will pay off in the long run. You will no longer have to spend hours mining through data, developing reports, or trying to determine what segment your customers fit into. 

Now that you’re more familiar with a few of the benefits you can expect to see, let’s dive into a few that you should consider when on the market for a new platform. 

12 Email Marketing Platforms

When it’s time to start considering email marketing platforms, there are a lot of things to take into consideration. You’ll want to take a number of things into consideration to ensure you’re choosing the right partner for your business needs. 

In this section, we’ll take a look at 12 different email marketing platforms and highlight a few details of each. As you read through the details of each platform, take notes to identify which might be the best solution for you. 

EngageBay

EngageBay email marketing platform is a great solution with powerful features for small businesses and start-ups. Run comprehensive email marketing campaigns for best-in-class engagement and boost retention and conversions.

EngageBay allows you to choose from several pre-designed email templates or create your own. Moreover, you can personalize every part of the email and send it in a click. Finally, it also allows you to track and analyze your results. Image courtesy of EngageBay.

For those solopreneurs or businesses that are looking for a way to powerfully automate and take your email marketing to the next level, EngageBay is your go-to tool. Seamlessly automate your current email campaigns and make the most of their affordable technology to optimize your email marketing efforts.

Choose from a wide array of email marketing templates to suit your business needs, create email templates with their simple drag and drop email builder interface, segment and target your subscriber lists like a pro, personalize your emails, and fine-tune them with rich formatting options, and finally, track and optimize your campaigns to assess the larger picture.

Platform capability highlights:

Easily create attractive and responsive email campaigns with an intuitive drag-and-drop email builder.

Identify and act upon customer behavior to send targeted emails based on each customer’s stage in their buying journey.

Create emails triggered on specific events to remind users of abandoned carts, newsletter signups, and more.

Use predictive analytics to provide customers with the most relevant content, product recommendations, and optimize email send times.

Important considerations:

This platform is a great solution for small and mid-sized businesses

Pricing is affordable for all plans as compared to their competitors

Both Free, as well as Freemium plans, are available

EngageBay allows you can manage multiple marketing channels including SMS messages, telephony, social media, and more through its integrated platform.

What makes this platform stand out? The availability of power-packed features at highly competitive price points and 24/7/365 prompt and friendly support.

Listrak

The Listrak email marketing platform is a great tool if you’re looking to create data-driven, technology-backed email marketing campaigns to increase engagement and revenue.

Listrak allows you to easily create, manage, and improve your customer experience with artificial intelligence and predictive analytics. Image courtesy of Listrak

If you’re looking for a way to automate and take your email marketing to the next level, you’ll definitely want to check out Listrak. You can easily automate your current process and take advantage of their advanced technology to send your email marketing into overdrive. 

Use your current customer data to provide the most relevant content, optimize email send times, automate testing, and so much more. The best part is as your customers change, the platform will identify this to continue providing only the most relevant content. 

Platform capability highlights: 

  • Quickly and easily create responsive email campaigns with an intuitive drag-and-drop email editor
  • Use customer behavior to send targeted emails based on each customer’s stage in their buying journey 
  • Create triggered emails to remind users of abandoned carts, increase retention, and more
  • Use predictive analytics to provide customers with the most relevant content, product recommendations, and optimize email send times

Important considerations: 

  • This platform is a great solution for companies of all sizes
  • Pricing is dependant on specific business needs
  • Listrak allows you can manage multiple marketing channels including SMS messages, social media, and more through the platform

What makes this platform stand out? The ability to use artificial intelligence, machine learning, and predictive analytics to take your email marketing to the next level. 

Hubspot

The Hubspot email marketing platform allows you to easily create, track, and test your emails in one central location. 

View all your pertinent information in one centralized dashboard to know exactly how well your marketing efforts are performing. Image courtesy of HubSpot.

Hubspot is a good tool for companies that are looking for an easy to use automation platform that allows them to expand their efforts in the future. While it may not be the most cost-effective solution, it allows you to expand your plan beyond just your email marketing. 

Platform capability highlights:

  • Easily create personalized emails with simple editing and ready to use templates 
  • Use A/B testing to identify what is working and what isn’t working 
  • Create workflows to automate campaigns based on user interactions
  • Connect your account with your CRM to manage customer engagement across channels

Important considerations: 

  • This platform is a great solution for mid to large-sized companies and works well for B2B business models
  • There are multiple plans available: the Starter plan is $40 per month, the Professional plan is $800 per month, and the Enterprise is $3,200 per month. There are also options to add additional capabilities to each plan
  • Hubspot allows you to manage multiple marketing efforts including managing contacts, blogging, social media, and more through the platform

What makes this platform stand out? Hubspot allows you to easily automate your email marketing efforts and provides resources to expand all of your inbound marketing efforts. 

Mailchimp

Mailchimp is one of the most widely known email marketing platforms and offers a free resource that is great for small businesses.

Know exactly how your email marketing campaigns are performing with easy to use analytics. Image courtesy of Mailchimp

With Mailchimp, you can easily create professional emails that appeal to all of your customers. From real-time analytics to transactional emails, Mailchimp has everything you need to make the most out of your email automation with any budget. 

Platform capability highlights:

  • Easily create emails with a drag-and-drop builder 
  • Utilize premade email automation triggers or create your own to improve the customer experience
  • Send transactional emails to let customers know about order confirmations, shipping details, and more
  • Track and manage email performance with real-time analytics

Important considerations: 

  • This platform is a good solution for all company sizes but is a great solution for small businesses 
  • There is a free version that will work well for small businesses. If you’re looking for something a little extra, there are multiple plans to consider: Essential $9.99 per month, Standard $14.99 per month, Premium $299 per month — upgrades and additional capabilities can be added
  • Mailchimp has grown into a full marketing platform and allows you to manage email, contacts and leads, social media, and more 

What makes this platform stand out? With a free option that provides all the basics needed, this is a perfect platform for small businesses that are looking to expand their email marketing.

Constant Contact

The Constant Contact email marketing platform is a great resource for small businesses that are looking to take their email marketing to the next level. 

Track campaign progress and stay ahead of your analytics with an easy to use dashboard. Image courtesy of Constant Contact.

Constant Contact is a great option for businesses looking to simplify and automate their email marketing experience. With this platform, you can improve communication with your customers and start building a more engaged subscriber list. 

Platform capability highlights:

  • Quickly create emails with templates that are easy-to-use and mobile-friendly
  • Send trigger emails to customers based on their interactions and behaviors
  • Segment your subscriber list based on interests and shopping history
  • Increase your reach by using list-building tools

Important considerations: 

  • This platform is a great solution for small businesses 
  • There are two plans you can choose from: Email starts at $20 per month and Email PLUS starts at $45 per month
  • Constant Contact allows you to automate additional marketing channels including social media, Google ads, eCommerce, and more

What makes this platform stand out? Constant Contact was created with small businesses in mind and can help take their email marketing efforts to the next level.

ActiveCampaign

ActiveCampaign is a great platform for improving the customer experience through improved segmentation and dynamic content.

Make email automation simple with easy to use workflows that can be created based on real-time user behaviors. Image courtesy of ActiveCampaign.

ActiveCampaign provides you with an easy-to-use platform that will help you improve your customer experience with a more personalized email marketing experience. With ActiveCampaign, you can integrate all of your platforms to provide a more comprehensive portfolio.

Platform capability highlights:

  • Easily create tigger and autoresponder emails based on user interaction and behavior
  • Automate emails to help move users down the sales funnel and increase revenue
  • Schedule messages ahead of time and never miss a big event
  • Serve each customer the most relevant information with dynamic content

Important considerations: 

  • This platform works well for businesses of all sizes
  • Pricing varies based on the number of contacts you have and there are multiple plan options that can start at $9 per month (with minimal contacts) and range to custom plans
  • ActiveCampaign allows you to automate multiple marketing efforts including lead management, site tracking, and more

What makes this platform stand out? The ability to use segmentation and dynamic content to provide customers with the most relevant experience.

Omnisend

Omnisend is designed for ecommerce focused businesses that are looking to turn visitors into customers through email marketing.

Omnisend allows you to identify customer behavior and send the right message at the right time to convert them into a purchasing customer. Image courtesy of Omnisend

If your main goal is to convert users into purchasing customers, Omnisend is a great tool to consider. Developed with this business model in mind, you can easily identify user behaviors to send emails that will help move users down the sales funnel. 

Platform capability highlights:

  • Target the right customers with improved segmentation efforts
  • Automate emails to send to customers the right message, at the right time 
  • Quickly create emails with a simple to use drag-and-drop composer
  • Track and report your email marketing metrics to see progress and make adjustments when needed

Important considerations: 

  • This platform is designed for companies that focus on ecommerce 
  • Pricing varies based on the number of contacts you have in your subscriber list. There is a free option and the paid plans start at $16 a month to customized plans
  • Omnisend allows you to integrate and automate other marketing channels including SMS, mobile push, and more

What makes this platform stand out? The focus on increasing revenue and growing sales through marketing automation. 

SendinBlue

The SendinBlue email marketing platform allows you to manage large subscriber lists more cost-effectively than ever before. 

Cut your design time in half and create perfectly designed emails with a simple to use drag and drop editor.  Image courtesy of SendinBlue

Developing the perfect emails doesn’t have to take hours or include difficult coding. With the SendinBlue platform, you can easily create professional emails that appeal to all your customers. Include personalization and send at the right time with machine learning technology.

Platform capability highlights:

  • Easily add a personal touch with dynamic content or take it to the next level by using their advanced personalization options
  • Don’t be limited to a specific number of subscribers or segmentation lists — make as many as you need
  • A/B test emails to learn what works and what doesn’t work to help improve your future campaigns
  • Create beautifully designed emails in less time with a simple email editor

Important considerations: 

  • This platform has available options for all business sizes and types
  • There are multiple pricing options including the Free plan, the Lite plan for $25 per month, the Essential plan for $39 per month, the Premium plan for $66 per month, and the Enterprise plan that is custom built
  • SendinBlue allows you to incorporate your other marketing efforts including SMS, lead management, and more

What makes this platform stand out? You have no limit or additional costs based on the number of contacts and associated attributes.

Benchmark

Benchmark allows you not only automate your email marketing, but also customize your templates from editing photos, adjusting colors, and more all without leaving the platform.

Benchmark allows you to take your email template creation to the next level. Add HTML, edit photos, adjust coloring, and more right within the platform. Image courtesy of Benchmark

Benchmark is a great tool for anyone looking to improve and customize email templates. Use the drag and drop builder or create something a little more custom, then test out what works with robust A/B testing capabilities.

Platform capability highlights:

  • Use the drag and drop email builder or create something more customizable with their HTML editor 
  • Use A/B testing to test things like subject lines, call to actions, and more to learn what customers are engaging with most
  • Preview emails in multiple browsers before sending to ensure a good experience for all customers

Important considerations: 

  • This platform is a good solution for companies of all sizes
  • There are multiple pricing options including a free plan, a Pro plan starting at $11.99 per month, and an Enterprise plan that is priced based on business needs
  • Benchmark allows you to automate various other marketing efforts including lead generation, landing page management, and more

What makes this platform stand out? You can easily create and edit your email templates — no matter your design skill level. 

Campaign Monitor

The Campaign Monitor email marketing platform can help take your emails to the next level with simple automation, smart segmentation, and transactional emails.

Stay on top of your email marketing campaigns with real-time insights on engagement, segmentation, and more. Image courtesy of Campaign Monitor

If you’re looking for a platform to simply automate your email marketing efforts, Campaign Monitor is a great tool. You can focus on improving campaigns, transactional emails, segmentation, and much more. 

Platform capability highlights:

  • Easily create emails with a drag and drop email editor that ensures your emails are always responsive on mobile devices
  • Use automation to create personalized customer journeys based on user interactions and engagement
  • Create smart segments to send customers the most relevant content that appeals to their personal interests
  • Grow your subscriber list to drive more traffic and increase sales

Important considerations: 

  • This platform is a good solution for companies of all sizes 
  • There are three price plan options including the Basic plan that starts at $9 per month, the Unlimited plan that starts at $29 per month, and the Premier plan that starts at $149 per month
  • Campaign Monitor is focused on email automation but does integrate well with other programs and platforms 

What makes this platform stand out? Campaign Monitor allows you to focus on automating your email marketing efforts to create an unforgettable email experience. 

Rejoiner

The Rejoiner email marketing platform is a great solution for companies looking for a little outside help on all things email.

Rejoiner can create workflows that are triggered based on customer interaction and engagement. Image courtesy of Rejoiner

Take advantage of all things email marketing automation and more with Rejoiner. Whether you’re just looking for a platform to manage your email efforts or a partner who can help you develop strategy, design, and write emails — Rejoiner is a must see. 

Platform capability highlights:

  • Stop wasting time and money on inactive customers and develop a plan to remove these subscribers from your email list
  • Create a complete profile for every subscriber based on historical and real-time shopping and engagement data
  • Schedule emails to send to customers and never miss another opportunity
  • Get monthly performance reporting to know when you are or aren’t meeting your goals

Important considerations: 

  • This platform is a good solution for companies of all sizes looking for extra email marketing assistance
  • Pricing is based on the number of contacts you have and starts at $95 per month
  • Rejoiner is focused on email marketing but provides additional hands-on resources 

What makes this platform stand out? Rejoiner not only allows you to automate your current process, but can also help with strategy and managing and creating your emails. 

Drip

Drip is an email marketing platform that allows you to provide customers with a personalized experience and move subscribers through the sales funnel based on their specific journey.

Create emails, test variations, implement workflows, and much more with the Drip email marketing platform. Image courtesy of Drip

Drip is a great email marketing platform for ecommerce focused businesses that need a program that integrates with an existing estore. From there, you can create email campaigns around customer needs to help move them through the sales funnel and increase revenue.

Platform capability highlights:

  • Understand your customers on a more personalized level and provide them with the right content at the right time with custom fields
  • Improve segmentation with specific tags, events, and custom fields based on how customers are interacting with your estore
  • Create a seamless customer journey across multiple platforms including social media and other third party platforms
  • Use split testing to identify what experiences have the biggest impact on your customers. 

Important considerations: 

  • This platform is a good tool for ecommerce companies of all sizes
  • Pricing is dependant on the number of subscribers you have and can start at $19 per month and range to custom plans based on your business needs
  • Drip is mainly an email marketing automation but does integrate with social media and third-party programs

What makes this platform stand out? The ability to create a seamless customer journey that will take customers from new subscribers to purchasing customers. 

  1. GetResponse

With the GetResponse email marketing platform, you can manage all of your email needs in one location and make reaching your customers easier than ever before.

Make your email marketing easier than ever before. With a simple email editor and clear call to actions, you can quickly see increased engagement and revenue numbers. Image courtesy of GetResponse

Whether you’re looking to automate your emails, easily create monthly newsletters, or improve segmentation, GetResponse is a great tool. Integrate the platform with programs you’re already using to take your business to the next level. 

Platform capability highlights:

  • Send newsletter to let your customer know about recent news and upcoming events
  • Make sure emails are sent to your customers at the most optimal time to increase open rates
  • Automate emails including post-purchase notifications, abandoned cart messages, website visits, and more
  • Create automated follow-up emails to nurture subscribers and lead them down the path towards converting

Important considerations: 

  • This platform is a good solution for small to mid-sized businesses
  • Pricing is based on list size, but there are three plan options available including the Basic plan starting at $15 per month, the Plus plan starting at $49 per month, and the Professional plan starting at $99 per month
  • GetResponse allows you to automate multiple marketing efforts including list management, sales funnel conversions, landing pages, and more

What makes this platform stand out? Manage all your email marketing needs in one location and improve conversions by pushing customers down the sales funnel. 

Find the Perfect Email Marketing Platform For You

Finding the perfect email marketing platform will take time. It’s a big investment that can ultimately help you save time, money, and reach more customers in a more effective manner. 

You need to learn more about each company and understand exactly what they have to offer you. So take all the time you need to learn more and request demos of the platforms that pique your interests. Making the right decision on what platform to move forward with will make a big impact on your email marketing performance.

Photo by Carlos Muza

How Playing Games Can Make You Sharper & More Alert

From the jump, we humans have invented hobbies and games to blow off some steam and keep ourselves entertained. But our favorite pastimes also provide genuine cognitive nutrition. Whatever the platform — video games, board games, or sports — the act of play is a brilliant brain-training tool.

Games keep our reactions sharp and mind alert. And much of the skills we learn from mastering our favorites can be applied to real life. They prepare us for the day, allowing us to adapt to whatever the world throws our way. 

Read on to learn more about how our favorite pastimes, keep us ahead of the game. 


Playing poker teaches patience

The game of poker teaches you to cope when things inevitably don’t go our way, and to wait for an opportune moment to take a risk. It inspires patience, teaching us to not make rash decisions and to hold back once in a while. Like the skill itself, poker takes time to master. Anyone can play, but not everyone can play well. 

On the face of it, poker is merely a game of luck. Yet, scratch below the surface and you reveal an intricate puzzle to be solved. Taking time to read the room is vital. And striking a royal flush guarantees nothing — unlikely as it is. It’s possible to take home the chips with an offsuit 2 and 7. Outsmarting your opponents is where it all counts. Poker rewards those who pick their battles, you go big on every round and you’re sure to go bust. Patience (and the game) is mastered when you learn: When to bluff, when to fold, and when to bet. 

If you’re interested in training the art of patience, consider joining an online casino like 32 Red Casino, where you can jump into a game of poker whenever you want. 32 Red Casino also has an array of Texas Holdem games to take advantage of. Better yet, many free to play and bonus versions are also available. So, you can sharpen the mind without wagering unnecessary cash. Remember, patience is primarily about control. Breaking the bank to win a couple of hands is counterproductive. 

Playing chess develops winning tactics

Chess is a game stereotypically reserved for brainiacs. But I don’t agree with such a  passing judgment. The classic matchup of wit is something anyone can learn. However, where the label does ring true, is the games’ inherent ability to teach logical thinking with a degree of foresight. A successful player will approach the board with a set of tactics, yet ready to pivot as they adapt to meet the opponent’s own moves. 

The aim is to stay one step ahead of your challenger at all times. To do so, you have to plot a course of action. Coming in with a gameplan is a good starting point; winging it and reacting to moves puts you on the back foot right away. Long term students of the game are known to recall winning maneuvers, and replicate them to gain an automatic edge. 

While planning is all well and good — much like real life — your opponent is bound to throw out some curveballs. And unexpected moves are hard to plan for, adapting to the game is key. You must observe the game and have the foresight to dance around another player. 

Has chess piqued your interest? There are many places on the web where you can challenge other enthusiasts. If you are a novice, try sites like Chess24. It has tonnes of great reading material to brush up on tips and tricks. Chess24 also gives you the option to challenge other players or practice on a computerized opponent. 


Basketball instills a competitive spirit

Whether its football, baseball, or hockey: any team sport is mentally taxing. But basketball, in particular, has a competitive edge, which makes sure you’re always on the ball. Its fast tempo has you performing mental gymnastics up and down the court. 

From the perspective of defense, you have to fight and claw to stop the bucket. While offensively speaking, players need to innovate and invent new ways to hit the mark. And when competing in a full game, you must replicate the same dogged intensity over and over for 48 minutes. In that lies the basic human instinct for competition. Every tactic, every shot, and every block is done so your team can win the game. 

While competition can put undue stress on the brain, it can also benefit you in the right environment. Whether it’s a tricky assignment at work or preparation for a marathon. The instinctive desire to overcome keeps you alert and inspires a higher level of effort. 

Basketball is more popular than ever before. Finding a team to play for at any level shouldn’t be hard. Google your local area and see what is available to you. Alternatively, videogames like NBA 2K20 offer the closest thing to a simulated experience. You can spend hours drawing up plays and competing against fantasy lineups of all-time greats. 

Recommended reading: Understanding the Complexities of the Brain

Playing games of all sorts is a brilliant way to stay sharp and more alert. After all, they are a reflection of us and what keeps us stimulated. Gives these games a try and you’ll be training your brain and having fun in no time. 

Thanks to Glenn Carstens-Peters

Most Popular Amazon Devices

There are numerous streaming devices available on the market and even when considering just the Amazon made devices the choice can be pretty overwhelming.

The two best sellers of Amazon streaming devices are undoubtedly the FireStick and the newly released FireCube.

Both of these streaming devices offer similar features and functionality but differ in some key areas, not least the areas of design and price.

I thought it would make for an interesting and helpful exercise if I was to compare the two products, their features, and functionality, their overall design as well as their price and value for money.

For those looking to purchase an Amazon streaming device, I have written the below comparison piece to help you decide which Amazon device is right for your individual needs and requirements.


Design

The most obvious and significant difference between the FireStick and FireCube is in their design and style.

The FireStick is a slick, slimline device that is as inconspicuous as it is functional.

The FireCube on the other hand is much more of a statement piece, a 3.4-inch box that requires more space is slightly more attention-drawing and has a bigger impact on your overall room aesthetic.

The FireCube does boast a fashionable and stylish look and will certainly fit in with the look of most modern living areas, but it will require more space to set up and function correctly and safely.

In reality, if you have limited space around your TV, the FireCube is probably not the Amazon product for you and the FireStick is therefore the most appropriate choice.

Features and Functionality 

As previously stated in terms of major functionality differences between the FireStick and FireCube they are few and far between.

The FireCube does support 4K resolutions and HDR protocol and the FireStick does not, if your TV is limited at 1080p the FireStick will have the capacity you are looking for, however, if your TV exceeds 1080p then you will probably be wanting a FireCube.

Both of these products have full Alexa intervention as well as a voice remote controller, meaning you can easily check traffic, the weather or ask to access your music using your voice.

The FireCube is probably slightly better at this though as with the FireStick you will still be required to hold down the microphone button first so that your commands can register.

If voice-controlled gadgetry is something that appeals you can also control lighting and heating via the FireCube and although you can do this via the FireStick, you will be required to make the additional purchase and setup of an Amazon Echo speaker.


Portability 

Both the FireCube and FireStick are lightweight and portable, able to be reinstalled quickly and easily to any TV you want.

However, being a slightly larger item the FireCube is slightly heavier and of course, to be set up and work safely and correctly requires additional space when compared to the FireStick.

Although this is a relatively minor feature and one would imagine not something that most users need to consider, if you do move your devices to different places inside your property or to other properties this is something you should think about.

Also, remember of course that the portability of an Amazon device (or lack thereof) can be easily overcome by purchasing additional Amazon Echo speakers, so you can have the premium AnaOn functionality you have come to expect anywhere you wish.

Price

The price and therefore value for money of these products is potentially one of the biggest deciding factors in choosing which item suits you best.

The Amazon FireStick is currently being sold at an exceptional price of just $40, whereas the Amazon FireCube is significantly more at $120.

This price differential is mostly based upon the  FireCubes capacity to act as an Amazon Echo and this voice control functionality is something that comes at a significant extra cost.

For individuals not needing this functionality but still wanting all the other features of an Amazon streaming device, the FireStick is undoubtedly the less expensive and more appropriate product.

If however, money is of no object or you really desire the premium features and functionality of the FireCube, then perhaps this product would offer you the greatest value for money.

In conclusion, both the Amazon Fire Stick and Amazon FireCube offer amazing streaming functionality and features but can be easily differentiated by their price.

Choosing the most suitable and appropriate streaming product for your personal circumstances will depend upon both your specific needs and your individual budget.

For anyone looking to purchase an Amazon streaming device for the first time I would suggest that the FireStick offers you an excellent opportunity to use and get familiar with the exceptional functionality of an Amazon device.

If however you are looking for a more all-encompassing product or are looking to upgrade from your current streaming device then the FireCube would probably be your best bet.

How To Improve Rapid Software Program Development Procedures

There are several comprehensive strategies to improve rapid software program development procedures. As with any software development department, the ultimate goals are to increase productivity without sacrificing efficiency. Consumers growing demand for advanced technical products has created the need for rapidly planned, developed, and deployed software programs. Whether you are planning rapid software deployment due to time constraints, handling deadline stress, or last-minute alterations, there are several ways to improve your efficiency. If you are interested in how to streamline your performance while simultaneously meeting time demands, read on to learn about how to improve rapid software program development procedures.


Optimize Your Code

The first step to configure high-quality, rapid software programs is to select and optimize a widely accessible and flexible digital coding language. Research the most in demand coding languages and ensure you select a popular, easy to use programing tool. Go through written code and look to correct potential errors and identify the function of each piece. Understanding this, you can add minor adjustments or remove unnecessary code. When your code is properly configured like this, you can ensure its comprehensive usability, readability, and maintainability over time. As your code gets lengthy, name variables so that other developers can easily understand your written code too. Before you can launch rapid software programs, you need to first read, evaluate, and optimize your code.

Utilize A Centralized Repository

Before rapid software applications can be launched, organize your program modules in a centralized repository. Developers building programs in advanced programming languages like Google’s Golang, you can access a number of advanced packages, scripts, and modules across centralized repositories. With applications like App Engine, you can upgrade apps to flexible environments, support your runtime, and provide APIs across your GoProxy Net. The applications allow you to update import paths, restructure code, and enable key conversion. Before efficient, rapid programs can be launched, you should leverage package available using a centralized repository.

Expand Your Technical Knowledge

To effectively build high-quality rapid software programs, it is essential to constantly expand your technical knowledge. For developers to remain successful in the software market, it is essential to remain up to date on recent technical advancements and innovations. Several modern advancements, innovations, and technologies may just change the world. Following software advancements, you can remain aware of new development resources, industry trends, and how other developers are remaining competitive. Staying constantly up to date with these changes ensures that you can make the most advanced improvements, quick adjustments, and seamless integrations throughout your rapid software development process. As you configure highly-efficient software programs, look to consistently expand your technical knowledge.

Consider Alternate Development Methods

To properly configure highly-efficient software programs rapidly, it is essential to consider all the development methods available. Some of the most popular software development methods are the waterfall and traditional methodology. While highly efficient, many software engineers have experienced higher rates of success using more modern methodologies like agile development. The agile methodology provides a comprehensive, lightweight framework to organize development procedures. Using this method, software engineers can streamline productivity, maintain focus, and create an advanced digital landscape. Through strategically refined strategies, many software development teams can even introduce waterfall principles back into agile workflows. Before you deploy rapid development software applications, you need to consider your productivity using alternate methodologies.


Test & Monitor Completed Programs For Deployment

The final step for rapid software program development is to test and monitor completed programs for deployment. Before you deploy a rapidly developed software program, you need to subject it to thorough testing and monitoring. The various contents of your software program must be tested for functionality, performance, usability, and efficiency. When many software programs operate on different operating systems, responsive settings, or during update periods, their performance can potentially be compromised. To ensure adequate performance, your rapidly developed software programs must be testing using rigorous standards.

There are several comprehensive strategies to optimize your rapid software development procedures. One of the most essential first steps is to organize your code’s readability, transferability, and maintainability. Utilize an organized, central module repository in order to organize and store your packages. At the same time, you need to expand your technical knowledge to meet changing consumer demands. Consider alternate development methods to effectively streamline your program efficiency. Furthermore, be sure to test and monitor your completed programs to prepare for software deployment. Consider the points mentioned above to learn about how to improve rapid software program development procedures.

Photo by Fotis Fotopoulos