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The dos and don’ts of small team management

As a new entrepreneur, you might be feeling a little overwhelmed. After all, there are a lot of new things to learn, and managing a small team is one of them.

But don’t worry, we’re here to help! In this post, we will share with you the basics of small team management. First, we will talk about the dos. Then, we will mention a few things you should avoid if you want to be an effective small team manager.

Give clear instructions

Don’t expect your team members to read your mind—they need specific instructions to do their job properly. Be sure to take the time to explain what you want them to do, and be as specific as possible. When you take the time to give clear instructions, your team will be able to hit the ground running and meet your expectations more quickly.

Build a positive team culture

When you’re first starting, it can be tempting to just hire whoever you can find and call it a day. But don’t do that! You need to take the time to build a positive team culture–creating an environment where your team feels supported and appreciated.

Some ways to do this include holding team-building activities, setting clear goals and expectations, and providing regular feedback. When your team feels valued, they’re going to be more motivated to do their best work.

Do give feedback and recognize achievements

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When it comes to giving feedback, always try to be constructive. Let your team member know what they did well and offer suggestions on how they could improve. And don’t forget to recognize their achievements! A little recognition can go a long way in motivating team members and keeping them focused on their goals.

Don’t micromanage

Micromanaging can be frustrating for your employees and will only slow down the work process. Trust them to do their job and give them the freedom to work without constantly looking over their shoulder.

This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be checking in on their progress from time to time, but make sure you’re giving them the space they need to work effectively. And if there are any problems, address them directly rather than eyeing your team’s every move.

Don’t try to do everything yourself

Trying to do everything yourself is a big mistake, and it’s one that a lot of new entrepreneurs make. When you’re wearing all of the hats, it’s tough to be effective in any of them. You need to be able to delegate tasks and trust your team members to get the job done.

But don’t just delegate tasks blindly. Make sure you’re giving your team members the appropriate level of authority and providing them with all the information they need to succeed. And be sure to check in periodically to make sure things are running smoothly.

When it comes to managing a small team, there are certain things you should and shouldn’t do as we’ve mentioned in this post. As a bonus tip before we close, be patient and understanding with your team members. Everyone makes mistakes sometimes, so it’s good to be forgiving. Wishing you all the best in creating a successful small team that is productive and effective in bringing your business to greater heights!

Questions to ask yourself before you hire your first employee

You’re ready to take the plunge and hire your first employee. Congratulations! This is a big step for the future of your business.

But before you go ahead and post that job ad, there are a few questions you need to ask yourself. What kind of company culture do you want to create? How will this person contribute to the growth of your business? What are the specific skills and qualifications you’re looking for in your ideal candidate?

Allow us to help you answer these questions and more, so that you can find the perfect fit for your team.

What is your budget for this role?

You need to be realistic about what you can afford, and it’s crucial to know what the salary range should be for the position you’re filling.

Various factors go into determining an appropriate salary range, such as the skills required for the job, the location, and more. But a good rule of thumb is to make sure that the salary you’re offering is in line with what other companies are paying for similar positions.

If you’re not sure where to start, there are a lot of great online resources that can help you come up with a fair salary range for your position. So take some time to do your research before putting together a job offer that will attract the best candidates.

What are the key performance indicators for this role?

What are the specific tasks and responsibilities that this person will be responsible for? To get a better idea of what you’re looking for, start by making a list of the essential skills and qualities that are required for the position.

Think about the specific goals you have for your business and how this new employee can help you achieve them. Define what success looks like in terms of their performance, and measure it against these key performance indicators.

What qualities are essential for the role you’re hiring for?

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Start by thinking about the qualities that are essential for the role you’re hiring for. For example, if you’re hiring a salesperson, you will probably want someone outgoing and aggressive. If you’re hiring a copywriter, you will want someone knowledgeable in writing persuasive content.

Once you have a good idea of what qualities are essential for the role you’re hiring for, start thinking about candidates who fit that description. Narrow it down to five or six candidates and then do some more research on them. Check their references and see if they would be a good cultural fit for your team. Only when you’re sure that you’ve found the perfect candidate should you extend an offer.

What kind of training and development will this employee need?

Will they require on-the-job training, or will they need to be signed up for extra courses? Will they need to be certified in a certain area? And don’t forget about ongoing development.

You will want to create a plan for both initial and ongoing training and development. This will help keep your new employee up-to-date on the latest trends and developments in their field, and it will also help them grow and develop as a professional.

How will you know if the person is a good fit for your company culture?

After all, you want to make sure that the person is a good fit for both the job and the team. You don’t want someone who is going to be a disruptive force or who is going to clash with the rest of the team.

So how do you go about assessing company culture fit? First, take a look at your core values and see if they match up with those of the candidate. Second, ask how the candidate has handled conflicts in the past. And finally, take a look at the references they provide and see what others have had to say about them.

As we close, what is the role you’re looking to fill? What are the qualifications for the position? How much will this employee be paid? How much work are you willing to put into training this individual? Do you have a solid onboarding process in place? These are just a few of the questions you will need to answer before bringing someone on board. By taking the time to ask yourself these questions, you will set yourself up for success and avoid many common hiring pitfalls.

How to handle unfriendly rivalry between employees

So you have an employee who just can’t seem to get along with anyone else on the team?

They always seem to be caught up in some kind of power struggle, and it’s affecting their productivity and the morale of the rest of the staff. What can you do?

In this article, we will give you a few tips on how to handle unfriendly rivalry between employees. It’s not always easy, but with a bit of patience and some clear boundaries, you can hopefully nip the problem in the bud.

Acknowledge the problem

You’ve probably heard the saying “there’s no room for two tigers in the same jungle.” Well, the same thing applies to the workplace.

If you have two employees who are constantly butting heads, it’s going to create an unpleasant environment for everyone. The first step is acknowledging that there is a problem. Don’t try to sweep it under the rug, because it will only get worse if you do. Address the issue head-on, and be clear about what you expect from both employees.

Talk to each employee separately first

When you have employees who are unfriendly with each other, the best thing to do is talk to them separately first. This will help you get a better understanding of what’s going on and why they’re acting this way.

It’s also a good way to find out if there’s any truth to the rumors you’ve been hearing. By having a one-on-one conversation, you’re showing your employees that you’re interested in resolving the situation. And this sends a message that you don’t tolerate any type of hostility in the workplace.

Of course, it’s not always comfortable to have such conversations. They may feel like it’s a personal attack, but remember that you’re just trying to get to the bottom of things. Stay calm, be professional, and take notes so you can reference them later on.

Facilitate a meeting between the involved parties

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You should facilitate a meeting between the involved parties. This will give them a chance to air their grievances and explain their side of the story. It will also allow you to get an overall understanding of the situation.

By mediating the meeting, you can ensure that it stays productive and doesn’t turn into a shouting match. You may need to play referee from time to time, but that’s okay. It’s your responsibility to make sure that the meeting stays on track.

The employees may not be happy with each other, but at least they will have an opportunity to resolve their differences under your watchful eye.

Set clear expectations and encourage positive competition

So what can you do as a boss to encourage positive competition among your employees?

First, set clear expectations. Make it apparent that you want them to support each other, not compete against each other. And let them know that you will be keeping an eye on the situation. Second, praise them when they work well together. This will help motivate them to continue working positively together.

Finally, be sure to address any negative behavior immediately. If any backstabbing or bullying is going on, it needs to stop right away. It will only create further tension and conflict in the workplace, and nobody wants that.

When you’re the boss, it can be tough to know how to handle unfriendly rivalry between employees. On one hand, you don’t want to seem like you’re taking sides. On the other hand, you want to make sure that everyone is getting along and working towards the same goal. Make it obvious that you don’t tolerate any kind of bullying or harassment and encourage employees to communicate with each other if they have any problems.

How to choose between a copywriter and a content writer

You’re probably familiar with the term “copywriter.” They’re the people who help businesses create compelling advertising and marketing materials.

But what about “content writers”? What do they do, and is it something you need for your business? The short answer is that it depends. Both copywriters and content writers can help you create great content for your website and social media pages, but the two positions have rather dissimilar focuses.

Allow us to break down the distinctions between copywriters and content writers so you can decide which position is right for your business.

Defining the terms

When it comes to content, there are two main positions you can hire: a copywriter or a content writer. So, what’s the difference?

A copywriter is someone who writes persuasive sales copy. They create catchy headlines and use persuasive language to get people to buy a product or service. A content writer, on the other hand, is responsible for creating informative, value-driven content. This might be in the form of articles, ebooks, or blog posts.

The main difference between the two is that copywriters are focused on selling, while content writers are focused on informing. If you’re not sure which position you need, consider what kind of content you want to create and what your company goals are.

What does a copywriter do?

Copywriters understand the art of persuasion. They know how to write persuasive content that will make people want to buy what you’re selling. They can also help you create website content, email marketing campaigns, and even social media posts.

They typically have a background in marketing, journalism, or creative writing. They understand the basics of persuasion and know how to craft powerful content that will convince people to take action.

What does a content writer do?

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Well, a content writer is responsible for creating and publishing content across a variety of channels, including your blog, website, and social media pages. They help you to develop a content strategy and create engaging and informative copy that will resonate with your audience.

A good content writer understands the needs of their client and the target audience and knows how to create content that is both relevant and compelling. They also know how to use keywords and other SEO techniques to improve your search engine ranking.

When should you hire a copywriter?

You should consider hiring a copywriter when you need help with ad copy, slogans, or email marketing. A copywriter can also help you create a brand voice and style guide.

They’re typically skilled in persuasive writing techniques, so they can help you create content that markets your products or services. Copywriters are also great at creating catchy headlines and coming up with interesting ideas for blog posts and social media content.

When should you hire a content writer?

Given that you’re reading this, we are going to assume you’re at a point where you need help creating content. And that’s where a content writer comes in.

A content writer can help you with everything from developing a content strategy to creating blog posts, landing pages, and even long-form articles to rank on Google. Basically, they take care of all the nitty-gritty details so you can focus on what’s important—running your business.

But when should you hire a content writer? The answer is simple: when you need help creating content that’s engaging, informative, and accurately reflects your brand.

How to choose the right copywriter or content writer for your business

When it comes to content writing, there are a lot of options out there. You could hire a copywriter, a content writer, or even a combo of the two. So how do you know which one is right for your business?

Here are a few tips to help you make the right decision:

Define your needs. What kind of content do you need? What’s your budget? How often do you need new content?
Do your research. Check out different writers’ websites, portfolios, and blog posts to get a sense of their style capabilities.
Interview writers. This is a great way to get to know them better and see if their style and tone align with what you’re looking for.
Make a decision. After considering all the factors, make a decision and go with it. You can always change your mind later if it’s not working out, but it’s best to start with a hiring plan and stick to it.

In a nutshell, when it comes to content creation, there are two main positions you can hire: a copywriter or a content writer. So, which one should you choose? It depends on your needs. If you need someone to help with marketing materials, go with a copywriter. If you need someone to help with the overall strategy and organization of your content, go with a content writer.

You Should Use Twitter for Business Marketing — 5 Reasons to Go For It (And 3 Things to Avoid)

At this point, you’d be forgiven for imagining that Twitter’s sole claim to fame is Tesla CEO’s fixation on buying the company.

The Musk-Twitter saga has become a meta-story that overshadows the platform’s very real possibilities for business marketers. Even before it began, the marketing community was often quick to dismiss Twitter as obsolete, inadequate, low-potential.

But those who dismiss Twitter get ahead of themselves. Despite the so-called “bot problem,” Twitter has hundreds of millions of active users across the world, including the Asia-Pacific region. And its medium is particularly well-suited to short, punchy marketing messages.

Why Twitter Is Great for Business Marketing

So it’s time to give Twitter another look. Here’s why it deserves a place in your business marketing toolkit.

1. It’s a High-Visibility Piece of Your Digital Presence (Without Much Work)

Creating a Twitter presence is worth it even if you don’t do much with it.

Why? Because Twitter is a high-authority, high-traffic website that search engines like Google absolutely love. No matter how many followers you have, your Twitter profile is likely to be one of the first results people see when searching your firm’s name. And because you control your Twitter handle, that’s almost certain to be a good thing for your company’s reputation.

That’s certainly the case for Asiaciti Trust, a fiduciary services firm with a presence in multiple jurisdictions. Asiaciti Trust’s Twitter presence is active, engaging, and a positive for its image.

2. It Lets You Speak Directly to Your Audience

Twitter makes it easy to connect with high-value segments of the public — current and prospective customers, potential strategic partners, investors, employees, and on and on.

To see how this works in the real world, look at how Singapore-based DBS Bank uses Twitter. DBS clearly knows its audience — consumers and SMBs in Singapore — and relentlessly tailors its Twitter content accordingly. Followers know what they’re getting from DBS.

3. It’s Great for Thought Leadership

Twitter is a fantastic platform for businesses looking to cultivate thought leadership — that is, to position themselves as experts in their niche and stand out from less insightful competitors.

As we’ll see, it’s important to be seen as a thought leader without coming off as a know-it-all. Doing this effectively means using Twitter to share original content that’s self-evidently the product of thought leadership, rather than sharing mega-thread after mega-thread highlighting your audience’s ignorance.

4. It Helps You Cultivate a “Student” Audience (That Wants to Convert)

If you can effectively use Twitter to demonstrate thought leadership, you’ll attract followers who look up to you — who read your tweets because they want to learn something. That, in turn, sharpens your reputation as a thought leader and creates network effects that drive media coverage and widen the top of your sales funnel.

5. It Doubles as a Customer Service Platform

Have you ever tagged a brand’s Twitter handle in a complaint about their products or service? If so, did they respond and apologize for your experience?

Hopefully you won’t have to do too much customer service cleanup on Twitter. But it’s nice to know that the medium is built for it.

Twitter No-Nos: 3 Things to Avoid

Twitter isn’t all good. In fact, it’s a bit of a minefield for business and personal users, as anyone who has been on the wrong side of a digital pile-on can attest.

Here’s what not to do as you develop your Twitter marketing presence.

1. Get Into Arguments With Competitors (Or Random Users)

This might as well be the Golden Rule of Twitter. As a brand or its representative, there’s simply never a good reason to get into a public disagreement with anyone on Twitter — even your fiercest business competitor. It’s a bad look.

2. Post in Spurts

On Twitter, slow and steady really does win the race. Set a realistic engagement schedule that you can stick two, whether it’s two posts per week or 10 a day. Posting in spurts — hourly for two weeks, then nothing for a month — isn’t conducive to building a Twitter following.

3. Pretend You Have All the Answers

You can be a thought leader without being a know-it-all. Position yourself as an expert on the topics you’re actually an expert on; defer to the real experts on everything else.

Make Twitter Work for You

Twitter is an intimidating place for those not familiar with the platform. It takes some time to get used to its quirks.

It’s also one of the most underappreciated social media marketing tools for small and midsize businesses in the Asia-Pacific region. If it’s been some time since you’ve used Twitter in your own marketing efforts, or you’ve steered clear of the platform entirely up until now, give it a second look. You might be surprised by what you find.