The Definitive Guide To Cryptocurrencies: How Many Are There in 2022?

Sharon Anderson
-
0
The Definitive Guide To Cryptocurrencies: How Many Are There in 2022?

If you’ve been following the cryptocurrency markets lately, you’ve probably noticed that new coins are popping up all over the place. New cryptocurrencies are being released faster than ever before. 

Today, there are over 20,000 different cryptocurrencies listed on CoinMarketCap, and that number is growing every day! Why? Some say it’s because cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin have gained mainstream exposure and investors want their piece of the pie. 

Some of the known cryptocurrencies are BTC, ETH, XLM, XRP, SOL, LTC, DASH, TRX, XCP, LINK, ADA, BTS, LUNA and many more are all on https://immediateluminary.com/. 

Whatever the reason may be, there are more coins than ever before. But how many exactly? It can be hard to keep track of all these different cryptocurrencies – after all, there’s so much drama in the crypto space! We’ve decided to take a closer look and share what we found with our readers.

What Makes Cryptocurrency Different?

Cryptocurrency isn’t tied to any country or central bank, but instead operates on a peer-to-peer network. While transactions are recorded in a public ledger called the blockchain, personal information about the users involved in transactions remain anonymous—the blockchain only shows their cryptocurrency addresses.

Cryptocurrency is also decentralized, so there’s no third party like a bank that can block or freeze payments if the system doesn’t work. It’s also pretty fast; while credit cards can take days to process payments and charge high fees, Bitcoin can be used internationally with most purchases confirmed in less than 10 minutes and fees as low as 0%!

The Growth Of Cryptocurrency Over Time

Cryptocurrencies have been growing quickly since their inception in 2008. There are a lot of different ones, and it can be hard to keep up with how they’ve been changing over time. The two most popular, Bitcoin and Ethereum, have had some dramatic swings in recent years. 

 The first cryptocurrency was Bitcoin in 2009, which was created by a developer named Satoshi Nakamoto (note: the true identity of Satoshi Nakamoto is still unknown). Since then, there have been over 900 cryptocurrencies, with more being created every year.

In 2009, one Bitcoin was worth less than a penny. In February 2011, it broke the $1 barrier. In November 2013, it hit $1000. Then in December 2017, it hit $19000 and left everyone wondering what will happen next.

Bitcoin’s value increased nearly 10-fold from the beginning of 2015 to the end of 2017, peaking at around $20,000 per coin (it has since fallen back to about $8,500). Ethereum has seen an even more meteoric rise: it began 2017 at just $8 per coin and saw a huge spike in May, hitting a peak of $400 before returning to around $150 in early October. 

Both cryptocurrencies have had their share of falls as well—Bitcoin fell nearly 30% due to the “hard fork” that split it into two coins (Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash) in August 2017; Ethereum dropped by 80% after its own hard fork on July 20th of this year.

XLM is an alt coin that has recently been gaining a lot of attention. The XLM price may also be rising because of all of the other alt coins in the red, and XLM is one of the few in the green right now.

What Contributes To The Fast Growth Of Crypto?

Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum are growing in popularity. Millions of people use them to buy things, send money, and more. But what are the reasons behind their rapid growth?

Cryptocurrency was created as a way to separate the control of money from governments, banks, and other financial institutions. It uses a decentralized network of computers to track transactions, instead of using a central authority like American Express or PayPal. 

This means that there is no one person or group who can control or manipulate the currency—anyone with access to the internet can use it, buy things with it, or sell things for it.

Some experts say that this free-for-all attitude towards cryptocurrency is the reason for its recent growth in popularity. The digital nature of cryptocurrencies means that they are less vulnerable to government regulation than regular currencies. 

According to its supporters, this makes them an ideal choice for people who want to avoid taxation, controls on how they spend money, and crackdowns on businesses who accept cryptocurrencies.

But while some people use cryptocurrency because they don’t trust big financial institutions, others have come to rely on crypto for another reason: security.

More people want to own them and use them, which drives up demand and raises their value. It’s supply and demand at its finest. The supply also matters because cryptocurrencies have a set limit of coins that will be made (just like with any other currency) and since that number is finite, as demand for it increases, so does the price. 

As long as people keep buying into it because they believe that the price will go up in the future (and all the signs say that this will be true), the demand for it won’t diminish.

The Importance of Crypto

Crypto is important because it will make the world more equal. Some people in this world have a lot of money, while others have very little money. Crypto is a way to change that by allowing everyone to participate in the financial system and earn some money. 

Crypto is also good for the environment because you don’t need banks or other intermediaries to send money. It’s all done peer-to-peer so you can save on all that time and money wasted on those middlemen. 

And, as an added bonus, when everyone uses crypto, the governments can’t just print more money whenever they need more. That keeps inflation down and makes sure your money has value. 

A Man’s Guide to Designing an Engagement Ring

Sharon Anderson
-
0
A Man’s Guide to Designing an Engagement Ring

When you are planning a proposal, one of the most important decisions you will have to make is choosing an engagement ring. This is one purchase that your future wife will hold against you for the rest of your life! If you are planning to surprise your beloved with a stunning ring on proposal day, you will need to do your research and design a ring that you are sure she will love. This can be hard, especially since you will not get her feedback during the design process.

From the right setting for a ring to the type of band, here are some tips to help you come up with the perfect engagement ring for the woman that you love.

Find the correct band size

This is pretty basic but extremely hard to get right. Make sure that you measure your fiancée’s finger accurately before you start designing the ring. This will allow you to avoid the awkward situation of having to get the ring resized before she can start wearing it. The tricky part here is how you can measure her ring size without arousing suspicion. One option is to borrow a ring that she already owns and have that ring sized—make sure it is a ring that she wears on her ring finger. If your beloved sleeps soundly, you can even try to measure her finger with a length of string in the middle of the night!

Choose a precious metal

Traditional engagement rings are often made from precious metals such as platinum or gold. These metals have a classic look that will withstand the test of time. However, they are also quite costly so consider other metals if you have a limited budget. Look at the rings that your fiancée wears to get an idea of the type and color of metal she likes. If she has a mixture of gold and silver jewelry, you can design a mixed-metal band so that her ring will go with all the other pieces that she wears.

Choose a stone

The most important part of an engagement ring is the gemstone. The type of stone that you choose will depend on the type of setting you plan to have as well as your budget. Diamonds are the most popular type of engagement stone due to their classic appearance and durability. If you find diamonds boring, remember that they do not have to be the conventional clear color. Diamonds can come in blue, pink, green, and even black! Should you want to be a little different, choose another type of precious stone such as sapphires or rubies instead.

Choose how many stones

Aside from the type of stone, you can also choose how many stones you want in your engagement ring. The simplest type of ring features only one center stone. However, you can add smaller stones alongside the main stone or design a ring that features several stones of the same size. You can even have tiny stones set into the band for the ultimate shimmer effect. A single, large solitaire stone often costs more than several smaller stones, so your budget will also affect your decision. If your fiancée loves color, having multiple stones is also a good way to incorporate different gems.

Consider the setting

The way the precious stone is set into the ring has a huge impact on the overall look of the ring. Traditionally, engagement rings are set in a solitaire style that focuses on the beauty of the center stone. For a more dramatic look, consider having a halo of diamonds surrounding the center stone; this works well for smaller center stones. Even between these two choices, there are a variety of ways to customize the ring to make it unique. The variety of choices can be overwhelming so take some time to think about it and discuss your options thoroughly with your jeweler.

Consider her lifestyle

One factor that will influence the design of the ring is the type of lifestyle that your fiancée leads. The last thing you want is for your future wife not to be able to wear her ring when she is doing the things that she loves. If she is active and enjoys working with her hands, choose a low-profile setting that can withstand wear and tear and will not easily snag on objects. Similarly, if she works in a non-profit organization or a place of worship, she might prefer a more understated ring. However, if your fiancée is a high-flying corporate executive, an expensive and elaborate ring may be just want she wants.

Get expert advice

When in doubt, talk to her friends and family. You should also work with a trusted jeweler that will provide you with ample advice. An experienced jeweler will be able to guide you through the pros and cons of each choice and help you to select the ideal ring for your fiancée. If you cannot find the perfect ring at a local jewelry store, you can order a custom engagement ring from an expert ring maker. With the intricate touch of a skilled jeweler, you can create a truly unique engagement ring that your fiancée will love to wear everyday for the rest of her life.

How to become a professional streamer?

Sharon Anderson
-
0
How to become a professional streamer?

Have you ever imagined becoming a professional streamer? You might think that you won’t be able to make enough money or be worried that you’re not good enough to make it pro. Here we run through exactly how you can become a professional gamer.

What exactly is a professional gamer?

A professional gamer is a competitive player who gets paid for playing video games full-time. Increasing in its popularity with the increased costs of living around the word and more people than ever looking to find ways to save money in the winter, becoming a professional can help earn the money you need. Professional players usually get paid by teams or sponsors and compete in esports tournaments worldwide. Many of these tournaments give winners substantial cash rewards, which make up a significant part of an experienced gamer’s earnings.

What is a professional streamer?

There are a few differences between a gamer and a streamer. A streamer live streams gameplay content online and primarily makes money from donations, content members and paid adverts. 

Twitch.tv and Mixer.tv are examples of online streaming platforms that enable players to stream live gameplay to viewers worldwide. They allow the audiences to interact in real-time with the streamer and support the player through donations. 

What skills do you need to be a professional gamer/streamer?

To become a gamer, there are specific skills you’ll need to have. These include skilled hand-eye coordination and sharp reflexes, and extensive knowledge of the game you play. 

How to improve your skills

You can sharpen these skills by training rigorously and practising every day, but you must be motivated!

If you’re reading this, you’re probably considering the possibility of becoming a pro gamer. But thinking about it casually is not enough; you have to make sure you are motivated enough to put in the work! Most professional gamers spend around 12 hours per day practicing and improving their gaming skills.

Why to become a professional gamer

Make sure you want to go pro for the right reasons. A love of the game, competition, and the satisfaction of improving are all solid reasons to play.

You shouldn’t be motivated solely by money or fame. Truly loving the game will make it easier to keep up daily practice and commitment. 

How to pick your game

The next step is to decide on your game. There may be a lot of games that you enjoy but make sure to choose one that you’re ready to spend a lot of time with! You should try several different games and choose the one you love the most. 

You might also consider whether the game is well-established and already has infrastructure and resources in place to support a pro gaming career. Well-established have more opportunities for sponsored tournaments where you may be able to win lucrative prizes.

On the other hand, an up-and-coming game may have more room for newcomers to thrive. 

What equipment do you need?

If you want to go pro, be sure you’re playing on the right equipment. Start with a good gaming mouse and mechanical keyboard. There are many possibilities for peripherals ranging in size, form factor, and sensitivity. But remember to be consistent with the equipment and hardware that you practice with. Also, you should avoid getting into debt to pay for your streaming equipment. Rather, save up and then buy what you need.

How to join the gamer community

Gaming culture is just as important as your skill when it comes to becoming a pro gamer. Engaging in a game’s scene is necessary to advance your career. Forums are one helpful place where players meet. Check out discussions on message boards, forums, and YouTube channels and stay active on Discord servers, subreddits, and Steam groups. The community can also be a solid motivation to stay invested in a game.

Networking and making connections will help get you noticed in the professional community. Building relationships with more skilled players can get you invites to private Discord channels, where you might get seen by a pro organisation. If you’re good enough, a team will probably find you! But, you can also try out for teams. 

Perfect Long-Distance Gift Ideas

Sharon Anderson
-
0
Perfect Long-Distance Gift Ideas

If you are like most people today, you have family and friends who live far away from you. Sometimes it’s easy to neglect gifts for these people because they’re not close by. Other times we want to send presents but aren’t sure of the best long-distance gift ideas. And finally, it can be hard to know which gifts will be most meaningful and show our loved ones that we are thinking of them. If you are looking for some special, personal, and thoughtful gift ideas for people who are far away, here are ten things to consider.

Flowers

Flowers are always a popular and welcomed gift idea and have been used for long-distance giving for years. Whether you send a Hawaiian flower lei, a potted plant, or a traditional bouquet of roses, flowers are a visual reminder of your thoughts and love.

Digital Picture Frame

A digital picture frame is one of the best gifts you could give a distant family member. Especially appreciated by distant grandparents, these frames offer more than digital slideshows. If you choose a wifi-connected frame, you can share pictures directly to the frame from anywhere you might be- on vacation, a school play, or your living room on Christmas morning. You can send photos from your phone or computer, and they will automatically download on your family member’s frame, bringing them surprise updates throughout the year.

Matching Mugs

Matching mugs or other drinkware can be a great “you and me” gift for family members or friends who live far away.  Whether it’s his and hers coffee mugs, best friend wine glasses, or custom water bottles for the whole family, this is a fun, practical, non-nonsense gift that will be appreciated and used. You can buy any number of pre-made drinkware sets or get creative and design your own. 

Family Finger Sign

Have you ever seen those fun finger signs that point to distant towns and tell how far away they are? You can purchase a similar sign for your family, but instead of different towns the fingers point to various family members and tells how far away they live. You can buy a signpost for a yard or garden or buy a smaller wall-hanging version. This gift is perfect for parents or grandparents whose children and grandchildren are scattered across the country. It might also work for close-knit friend groups.

Touch Bracelets

Touch bracelets are a fun gift if you are looking for something simple that focuses on your connection with the recipient. Touch bracelets come as a set, and they communicate with each other. Each time you think of the other person, you simply touch your bracelet, and its partner bracelet lights up, vibrates, or sends a little message via flashes or other code. Touch bracelets are perfect for long-distance intimate relationships or even close parent-child bonds.

DNA Ancestry Kit

A DNA kit makes a fun gift for distant family members and friends. It’s especially fun when family members do the kit together and learn about their mutual heritage. Some people have even found long-lost or unknown cousins and other family members in this way. 

Letter Book Set

You can purchase memory books with letter prompts, special cards and memories to fill out, and scrapbook-type items that you and another person, usually a parent, grandparent, child, or spouse, can work on together. Over time, you both will add material, writing, pictures, and letters to the book until you have created a one-of-a-kind work of art.

Photo Items

A perennial favorite gift, custom photo items make special presents for people who are far away from each other. Gifts such as blankets with grandchildren’s photos, mugs with a special vacation picture, or a yearly calendar with special memories are cherished and useful gifts. Any photo gift will bring you and your distant family members closer and keep cherished memories alive.

Video Greeting Card

If you can’t think of anything to give that special person who already has everything, consider a video greeting card. While many companies help you make a digital video, you might not know that you can also design and send a physical greeting card with a small video screen inside. These greeting cards can be recharged and played as many times as the receiver wants. This fun and simple gift brings a personal and loving message to distant friends, family members, or special someone.

Dual Time Clock

A dual time clock is a great gift for a distant family member who wants to keep you in their thoughts all the time, such as a child or spouse. It’s also a good gift for long-distance intimate relationships. If you live in different countries or are very far from each other, it will be especially appreciated. This kind of clock has two faces which are set to your time and the recipient’s time. Every time your loved one checks the time, they will get reminded of you and of what time it is at your location, as well. 

Distance error costs the Commonwealth champion a European record in Glasgow

Sharon Anderson
-
0
Distance error costs the Commonwealth champion a European record in Glasgow

Sports fans across the United Kingdom celebrated the Great Scottish Run as an incredible success. It was an event with everything far surpassing the expectations and even the hopes of organisers, volunteers, athletes, fans and officials. It’s been a difficult few years for Scottish sport. The various lockdowns imposed by a trigger-happy government in Edinburgh cost millions of pounds worth of damage to the industry and potentially harmed the nation’s top runners. So, everyone agreed that it was good to be back.

The race weekend in Glasgow had everything fans of distance running could have asked for. The jewel in the crown – certainly in the eyes of the natives who turned out in force to cheer on their favourite – was the return of Eilish McColgan. The popular Scot has spent the year cleaning up at major events, and her performance at the Commonwealth Games in England made her the poster girl for sports north of the border. 

Team Scotland performed well in Birmingham, posting their best effort since hosting the Commonwealths in 2014. But there was no denying who the star of the show was after McColgan won to upset traders working at the best online betting sites. The firms that had been stung by her heroics south of the border weren’t in a rush to oppose her this time. Having had their fingers burnt, they knew to afford the Dundee lass more respect.

The 31-year-old McColgan from Dundee confirmed her attendance in the Great Scottish Run 10k, much to the delight of the public. During her preparation, there were rumours Eilish was showing some of the best form of her career, and a homecoming race would fall at exactly the right time. Few expected her to lose the 10k race, with those close to the star suggesting a new record could be in the making. And they were correct. Well, almost. 

Google Images Creative Commons Licences

Delight turns to disaster

The Great Scottish Run in Glasgow was everything we had hoped for – and then some. McColgan did as expected, putting on a show to the delight of her hardy band of followers who had come out in support, facing the harsh Autumn weather in Scotland’s largest city. And they got their rewards, with Eilish winning the 10k in the kind of fearless fashion we have come to expect from her in the big events.

She was the pre-race favourite to win the race and managed it without encountering too many distractions. She had set herself the challenge of beating her 10k record and achieved it with a time of 30 minutes and 18 seconds. That’s a whole second off her previous record. Beating the British and European records is one thing, but beating her times in the process, securing her dominance over her rivals, was the icing on the cake. But then Glasgow’s delight turned to distance running’s disaster.

News broke this week that there had been a blunder in the distance of the races, including that 10k. The course was confirmed as being 150 metres short, confirming the suspicions of some eagled-eyed spectators and rule-makers. That sucked the enthusiasm out of those who had offered their congratulations to Eilish, including the world’s media. Much discussion followed the findings with talk of what would become of the race’s results and, of course, that stunning record-breaking time.

Officials do the right thing

Race officials and organisers had no choice but to scrap the results, making the race times null and void, much to the despair of Eilish, who had worked so hard. Would she have still broken the record if the 150 metres had been added as it was supposed to? We’ll never get an answer to that, unfortunately. It’s the one that got away for McColgan, but her character and determination will ensure she’ll be back stronger, faster and more determined next year.

What does it mean for the Great Scottish Run? It could have done without the bad press ruining what had been such a spectacular and enjoyable event. But they deserve credit for doing the right thing, flagging their concerns to the official bodies and going through the proper channels to put a line through the record. Sometimes, being right comes at the expense of being popular.

Is North Carolina a Good Place to Live?

Steve
-
0
Is North Carolina a Good Place to Live?

Mountains and beaches are indeed a deadly blend, for they can make any recluse sink in boundless love—no wonder the state of North Carolina pops into the most scenic and livable places on Earth. From the golden beaches spanning 300 miles to the mighty Appalachian Mountains, North Carolina has kept in its bureau what every eye on Earth would yearn to behold. Home to a plethora of cultural and artistic history, this southeastern state in the USA has everything and much more for both visitors and dwellers.

Have you ever considered moving somewhere tranquil where you can listen to your thoughts? Have you considered the USA a possible migration option for its sheer number of opportunities? Have you ever given thought to which US state you should live in? If the answers are a consistent yes, come read about North Carolina, where both the landscapes and the community radiate beauty alike. 

North Carolina: An overview

Located in the southeastern United States, North Carolina has a rich history. Renowned as the ninth most populous state in the country, the Atlantic Ocean lines the eastern border of the state. The highlights of the extensively different landscapes of North Carolina are the Appalachian Mountains, the Atlantic coast, and the Piedmont plateau region. Due to the state’s widely varying elevations and geographical terrains, the climate varies from marine to subtropical.

Home to countless waterfalls, rivers, mountains, flora, and fauna, North Carolina features 14 acclaimed national parks. The availability of water makes it a hub of hydroelectric power production. It is also famous for its iconic tobacco farms and sweet potato farms. The tourist-friendly policies of North Carolina officials and community members attract millions of visitors every year to the state. The city of Charlotte and the Appalachian mountain range are the two popular destinations for visitors.

Is North Carolina a good place to live?

Home to the second largest banking center in the country and ranked seventh in the national education sector, North Carolina is everything and much more than anyone would ideally look for in their abode. But it is essential to trace both the positives and negatives of a place before making up the mind to move in there, and the following sections explore the good, bad, and ugly of North Carolina.

North Carolina: The Sunny Side

Low Living Cost

The estimated house prices in North Carolina are about 19% less than the country average. When it comes to rental places also, the rent is almost 10% lesser than the country’s average. The average cost of living is comparatively more affordable in North Carolina than in the rest of the country. Daily essentials, from groceries to fuel, only demand lower prices.

Inclusive Community

Regional uprisings against immigrants are common in many places globally, but not in North Carolina. The inclusive and welcoming community of North Carolina is home to people of numerous origins, races, and backgrounds. Despite having a population of more than 60% of whites, the state has a significant representation of Asian, African, and Hispanic communities. This co-existence of various ethnicities, races, and cultures contributes to North Carolina’s popularity as one of the safest and kind neighborhoods in the country.

Higher Education and Job Opportunities

The state of North Carolina is a hub of higher education centers like premium universities that offer quality education. Some of the most popular universities in North Carolina are the North Carolina State University, the University of North Carolina, and Duke University. High-quality education couples with an excellent job market in the state. Due to the multi-faceted developmental schemes present in the state, the number of job opportunities is some of the highest in the country. As a result, the state’s unemployment rate is also significantly lower- only 5% of the labor population is unemployed.

Historical Significance

North Carolina has one of the richest histories in the USA. The rich and varied heritage of the state began hundreds of years ago when it was part of the original thirteen colonies of the USA. The state held close the history of civil wars and numerous other battles. The state features many museums and places of historical significance to commemorate the walks of history forever.

Impressive Healthcare

Health, especially in the current scenario, is one of the significant concerns when someone moves to a new place. In North Carolina, medical expenses are comparatively less due to the welfare-oriented health policies and the presence of various university medical centers and hospitals like Duke University Hospital.

Scenic Landscapes

Thanks to the Appalachian Mountains and Atlantic sea shore, North Carolina hosts some of the most picturesque trails, like the Appalachian Trail and the Rainbow falls trail. Popular for both mountains and sea, North Carolina has to its credit more than 120 species of trees, over 300 miles of beach, 41 state parks, etc. 

Ideal Weather

North Carolina has a mixed or mild-range climate that does not cause harsh winters. Even in the time of winter, the temperature rarely drops below 35°F. The absence of solid winters lets people not worry about possible snowstorms or snowfalls. The difference in climate experienced in different parts of the state contributes significantly to the scenic beauty of the state. 

Best of both worlds

North Carolina offers its inhabitants the best of both urban and rural culture through its thriving cities and serene hamlets. Thus, the dwellers get to take the best out of both worlds or adopt any favorable lifestyle. The state features a booming young population keen on the bigger cities. At the same time, it also sports a massive population of senior citizens who intend to spend their retirement life in the serene foothills of North Carolina. 

North Carolina: The Shady Side

Frequent Hurricanes

Although the state of North Carolina provides mild and comfortable weather throughout the year, recurring hurricanes are an exception. Every year from June to November. The state stands the risk of repeated hurricanes. The state offers robust warning systems and remedial measures to manage hurricanes. The people living inland need not worry much about these natural forces. 

Pricey Tax Slabs

North Carolina appears in the 20th place among the states with high taxes in the USA. The income tax rate in North Carolina per annum is around 9.8%. Regarding sales tax, almost all goods come with an extra 6.9% sales tax on their net price. But the corporate and property taxes are minimum, at 2.5% and 0.85%, respectively.

High Poverty Rates

Despite providing high-quality education and low unemployment rates, much of the North Carolina population still lives in poverty. According to recent statistics, around 14% of the total population faces the wrath of poverty. This high poverty rate also leads to increased drug usage and resultant crimes.

How to Acquire B2B Customers: Proven Strategies

Sharon Anderson
-
0
How to Acquire B2B Customers: Proven Strategies

Whether you’ve just created your startup and are looking for ways to find and entice first customers, or you own a scaling product whose growth seems to have stalled at some point — in this article you’ll find some proven ways of unlocking your growth & drive in thousands of prospects. You’ll learn how to combine powerful prospecting strategies with marketing tips and yield great results. 

1. Reinforce your content strategy 

In this day and age, it’s essential that you work on your own skills first, trying to accomplish as many personal and business goals, and then distill what you’ve learned into short-form content. It’s great if you can do this effortlessly – it’s the correct way to do it – when it’s effortless. When you focus on your own growth, you create content as a result of your transformations. You don’t force content to come out of you, it happens on its own. 

The second important thing to pay attention to is shifting your focus to not only short-form content (short articles, blog posts), but also improve your visuals. Visuals can be a great way to support your writing. Video content is also amazing and definitely worth trying. Videos are a great way to build trust with your audience – you have the chance to speak and transmit your ideas. Videos help to establish more trusting relationships, that will help channel prospects to your website or social media. 

It’s also important that you don’t try to teach people — you simply suggest your own vision and let them decide if there is anything for them in your content.

The takeaway:

  • Work on your own skills first, set bigger goals, accomplish them and share what you’ve learned, as opposite to trying to force the content out of you 
  • Make your visuals support your wording 
  • Try live webinars or video blogging. This is an exquisite way to increase your brand exposure because people tend to lean toward live communication, person-to-person. 
  • Try video marketing – how-to videos, and tutorials. 94% of marketers told that video helped their audience better understand their product or service. You don’t need much to start out: begin using the equipment and tools you can easily set up: iPhone, sound-proof room, video scripts. 

It’s very unlikely that content will disappear from the marketing stage. It’s still one of the most amazing ways to drive in potential customers. Only by sharing your own insights, as a result of your constant self-improvement, you can draw that very audience that your business will benefit from right to your LinkedIn profile, website or Youtube channel.

2. Delegate all the prospecting routine to the tools

B2B customers are acquired, mostly, through marketing and prospecting. The latter is the process of reaching out to those who you consider is your high-quality prospects. By high-quality we mean those who are most likely to get drawn to your product or service. 

When it comes to B2B prospecting, it’s usually thought of Email and LinkedIn as two channels that are directly associated with business, relationships, and selling. 

It’s probably because LinkedIn has established this reputation as a go-to platform for social selling. There you can stumble upon that very decision-maker, share business insights, and reach out to potential customers. You’ll have more chances of being welcomed on LinkedIn with your business offer, than on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

Emails are classic ways to reach out to people. These two channels combined can produce great results. However, it’s better to know the pitfalls to avoid struggling with your prospecting message sequences, and not getting lost among thousands of potential customers. 

So, how to organise your work?

Here is where routine automation tools come in handy. A routine automation tool is a special software that combines CRM features (customer relationship management) and prospecting automation. 

Such tools allow you to set up multiple message sequences (for LinkedIn and Email) and let them be sent on autopilot in the timeframe that you’ve set up. 

What does this all mean?

It means that today you can completely eliminate manual work, like searching for prospects, sending messages, tracking the progress of prospecting, managing prospects and conversations. Everything, from the initial step (finding prospects) to sending messages and tracking results, can be done for you by software.

Let me show you how it’s done in the tool. Let’s take Closely, for example. Closely is a lead engagement and routine automation tool that has all the mentioned features in it (B2B lead database). Setting up automated prospecting campaigns, and tracking the progress of campaigns — all can be done here. 

What do I do?

  1. First, I define my audience on LinkedIn (for example, CMOs in the US). I go on LinkedIn or Sales Navigator and filter out possible connections.

I’m a user of Closely, that’s why there is an extension running in my LinkedIn (you can see the purple button – it’s Closely Surfer). When I click at it, I can download the result of my search in a CSV file. Let’s do this.

2. I define how many people should be exported and click “Export CSV”.

When the file is saved on my computer, I go to closelyhq.com, log in to my account and go to Campaigns > Create New Campaign.

3. Here I decide which type of a campaign I want to create. Cold prospecting means I’ll have to request new people to join my network. That’s why I select “Connection request + follow-up messages”. 

Then I decide on the audience for my future campaign. I can simply upload the file I’ve acquired with the help of Closely Surfer.

So I click on browse files, select the one that I need in downloads on my computer and proceed to the campaign creation.

4. In the next step I can write my connection request message (that’s usually sent to LinkedIn members requesting them to connect) and add any number of follow-up messages. In follow-ups I can add content, ask whether they want to learn more about the product or service I sell, etc.

5. Then I start this campaign. It will be running on autopilot since this moment. I can check in further to see how it’s doing.

There is an option to run multiple campaigns at a time. 

Here is how it’s done. This way, you can focus on actually writing good messages or communicating with prospects in Inbox, instead of doing repetitive tasks that can be done by a tool.

Such tools also help with keeping your Inbox in order. Instead of having to deal with numerous messages on LinkedIn and creating tables, you can simply manage conversations in your advanced Inbox in your routine automation tool.

It’s much easier to sell when you have all your contacts and conversations, gathered in one place in order. Use tags and notes to help you navigate through conversations and access needed information in a matter of seconds.

Routine automation tools are there to ease your work significantly and rid you of all the manual tasks that eat up your time. 

The same works for email prospecting. Consider snov.io to automate your email outreach. 

Takeaway:

  • All the routine work of B2B salespeople can be now delegated to a tool. Routine automation tools are special software which combines CRM and automation features. Such a tool can find prospects on LinkedIn or find emails for you and then automate the whole process of prospecting: from sending messages to monitoring the progress). Make use of such tools to save a wealth of your time and money.

Conclusion

There are some ways to gear up your B2B business and drive in prospects. Usually, B2B prospects are acquired through email and LinkedIn, through prospecting (sending messages) or marketing. In this article, we’ve highlighted important things to pay attention to that will let you build strong content marketing, and also some very easy ways to turn your prospecting into a fully automated and joyful process. The truth is, prospects can be generated on autopilot. Some very easy tools can completely transform your sales game. We’ve listed some of those tools. They’re a good asset for B2B salespeople. 

Florida Man Buys 45 Acre “Once-in-a-Generation Development Opportunity” in Charlotte’s LoSo

Charlotte Stories
-
0
Florida Man Buys 45 Acre “Once-in-a-Generation Development Opportunity” in Charlotte’s LoSo

A Florida man and his firm, Ram Realty Advisors, have just announced the purchase of a 45.7 acre “once-in-a-generation development opportunity” in Charlotte’s rapidly growing LoSo area.

The property includes a total of 14 buildings with a combined 377,152 square feet running along Clanton Road between I-77 and South Tryon.

According to a press release from the Florida firm, they’re filing a petition with the city to rezone the property from ‘Office’ to ‘Transit-Oriented Development’.

If approved, they plan on developing the site into a massive mixed-use project with office, hotel, residential, retail, and green spaces within walking distance to the light rail (the rezoning would allow for buildings up to 100 feet tall).

What do you think about the new project?

New Research Shows North Carolina is One of the Best States to Work with Animals

Steve
-
0
New Research Shows North Carolina is One of the Best States to Work with Animals

New research has revealed the best states to work with animals, with Maine coming out on top.

Personal finance experts at DollarGeek analysed several factors for working with animals in each state. These factors included the salaries for caretakers, vets, and trainers, the average employment in these jobs and the number of job listings.

The study found that Maine is the best state to work with animals. The state scored well on its average salary of $53,748, with only 19.49% of this going on rent. There was a relatively high number of animal job listings, roughly 93 per 10,000. A high location quotient of 1.59 also indicates many more people currently working with animals in the state compared to the national average.

New Hampshire comes in second place, with the New England state scoring 92.40 out of 100 in the study. It has a good balance of factors to give it the second spot, such as an average working with animals salary of $53,818, with only 25.53% of it going towards rent. There are also 111 animal-related job listings per 10,000 total, and the state also has a location quotient of 1.35.

Coming in third place is Kentucky. Despite the state having the second lowest average salary out of the top ten with $46,980, only 20% of it goes towards rent, and this, combined with the state’s location quotient of 1.59, it achieves a score of 90.85 out of 100 in the study.

Rank State Average working with animals salary Average location quotient % of salary spent on rent Number of animal job listings per 10,000 jobs Working with animals score /100
1 Maine $53,748 1.59 19.49% 93 100
2 New Hampshire $53,818 1.35 25.53% 111 92.40
3 Kentucky $46,980 1.59 20.00% 67 90.85
4 Oregon $54,148 1.37 26.00% 105 90.22
5 North Carolina $52,215 1.11 21.42% 100 87.59
6 Montana $43,335 1.39 23.15% 84 87.29
7 Colorado $49,885 1.17 32.11% 122 86.20
8 Connecticut $60,403 1.15 23.86% 101 85.910
9 Delaware $55,560 1.24 24.84% 98 85.909
10 Florida $51,273 1.25 28.51% 106 85.55

 

Fourth place goes to Oregon, receiving a score of 90.22 out of 100. This is due to a high average salary of $54,148, with 26% of it going towards rent, a location quotient of 1.37 and 105 animal job listings per 10,000 total listings.

Rounding out the top five is North Carolina, with a score of 87.59 out of 100 due to factors like a low 21.42% of salary going towards rent, a location quotient of 1.11 and 100 animal job listings per 10,000 total listings.

How to Support Survivors of Abuse During the Holidays

Sharon Anderson
-
0
How to Support Survivors of Abuse During the Holidays

Whether you have a loved one who is an adult or child survivor, whether that person has faced physical violence, psychological abuse, or sexual abuse, and whether that person is still experiencing abuse or is in the process of recovery, it is important that you support the individual as best as you can.

It is especially important that you provide support during the holiday season, as many survivors of abuse find the period from Thanksgiving to the new year one of the most difficult times of the year to cope. 

Listen to the Survivor

You may feel as though you want to give advice to the person who is a survivor of abuse, but you should refrain from doing that and instead ensure you simply listen to the needs of the survivor.

Sure, if you get into a conversation about the abuse, it can be helpful to mention how there are professional services that can help.

You might even want to tell the survivor how he or she can get assistance from an attorney and point him or her in the direction of a trusted local lawyer who has experience in handling things like sexual abuse cases.

For example, if he or she lives in Pennsylvania, you could put the survivor in touch with a trustworthy Philadelphia sexual abuse lawyer.

But do not force what you see as help onto the survivor. It is much more important to simply be there for the survivor and listen to what he or she has to say.

The holiday period is likely to bring up all kinds of unexpected emotions in the survivor, so be respectful of what the person needs and ask how you can best support him or her.

And remember: each survivor is unique and will be facing unique challenges.

Create a Safe Space

The holiday season is a time when families and friends get together. But it can be challenging for some survivors to attend parties and go to different houses as things like certain sounds, smells, and other sensory experiences can trigger painful emotions and memories.

When a survivor is in an unfamiliar setting, it is important that you create a safe space for the person. The best way of doing that is to ask the survivor what you can do to make a space safe and comfortable, and then take the appropriate steps.

It could also be a good idea to come up with a safe word that the survivor can use during a get-together to let you know that he or she requires additional support.

Keep a Watchful Eye on the Survivor and Be Ready to Step In

During holiday parties and get-togethers, make sure you keep a watchful eye on the survivor.

By knowing how to gauge when the person is feeling overly emotional, uncomfortable, or distressed, such as monitoring the person’s body language and facial expressions, you can step in and do things like changing the conversation to a more lighthearted and non-triggering topic, take the person away from the crowd to give him or her space, go for a walk with the survivor, and listen to the survivor’s concerns and problems.

At the end of the day, simply make sure you are there for your loved one when he or she needs your support.

Educate Yourself More About Abuse and How to Help Survivors

To ensure you support a survivor of abuse in the best possible ways during the holidays and beyond, you should learn more about the right ways to assist people who have experienced abuse from professional organizations and charities that provide education in such matters.

After all, we can only cover so much in this article.

By increasing your knowledge of abuse and trauma, you can create more opportunities to support the survivor.

1...473474475...1,318Page 474 of 1,318