This is an older sample of a fake yellow page directory invoice. Domain and hosting invoices look very real and have fooled a lot of business owners.
The people we work with are receiving more fake bills than ever before. We're getting copies from clients, we're seeing them in the mail and in email - and they are looking like real invoices.
We have many smart business owners who we work with. I am surprised monthly by how many of these owners or managers have paid fake invoices. To their credit, these invoices look real. But read the documents carefully and MOST say that they are not an invoice, but an offer of services. Services you already have with another vendor. So please be wary when seeing a new bill for your domain name, hosting or email.
Currently we are seeing fake invoices for domain name or web hosting. Bills come in saying you owe them $250 for your domain name for the next year and say that you are in danger of losing your domain name. Realize a domain with us is not only safe, it will rarely be more than $25 per year. We've seen fake hosting bills for as high as $800 per year. Our hosting is right around $270 per year.
We recommend you keep your domain name, hosting and email with ONE trusted source. Then, you know at all times where your important web assets are, and it's much easier to make changes and update your website when your data is all in one place.
Unfortunately, we are also starting to see fake medical bills and attorney bills. Most of these scams are targeting older people, who diligently pay bills as soon as they are received. A unique target has been people starting a trust. There are public notices announcing the trust, and unscrupulous people see the notices and send invoices hoping for payment without providing any services. These companies are not related to the legal firm you've used. This scam preys on a person's lack of knowledge of process and these invoices are frequently paid. So KNOW who you are working with. Don't pay bills you don't recognize. If in doubt share them with your medical provider, attorney or agency.
As a free service, you are welcome to bring in any invoice that you suspect is not real. We can quickly look at it and tell you if it is an honest invoice or a fake. Send an email scan or photo to info@poolecommunications.com, send us a fax copy at 573-221-5161, or just come on by for a quick visit. We'll get right back to you and let you know what is real and what is fake.
We're here to help. Let us know how we can help your business.
© 2024 Poole Communications
“Never let a good crisis go to waste.” – Sir Winston Churchill
The COVID crisis will position every business for the "Next Normal". Will the position be positive, status quo, or negative? Visionary companies will use specific strategies to use any crisis to their advantage. According to research by global leaders like IBM, Deloitte, and McKinsey & Company, businesses that turn COVID into a (non-virus) positive will approach the future in these five ways:
1. Purposefully
A crisis is a magnifying glass. The people, products, processes, and relationships that are essential come into sharp focus. So do gaps in service and opportunities that may have been overlooked before. Businesses should enhance and elevate the “essentials” and find ways to:
2. Virtually
It’s no secret that COVID has accelerated the use of digital or virtual channels and products. Companies positioned to advance will expand these opportunities, specifically after reviewing data on how and when they can increase efficiency and links to customers. This analysis, combined with anecdotal feedback will determine when to dial back on digital expediency and when to tune in to more authentic, in-person methods.
KEY FINDING
Finding a balance between virtual and in-person operations may be the biggest way to succeed in the long term. According to April 2021 business findings by McKinsey Management company, 60% of companies said that remote sales operations were 30% more effective than traditional face-to-face methods.
3. Urgently
Companies that waste a crisis will slowly return to the status quo when it comes to operational pace and job descriptions. Businesses that refuse to return to life before COVID will:
McKinsey found that many leaders will check in more often with their teams to learn what is working and what is not. In a matter of hours, they will solve problems, pivot, and create new ways to deliver better service and more valuable products.
4. Nimbly
Many traditional processes and organizational charts are far from nimble. Even how companies match talent with tasks should shift to ensure a competitive advantage in the future. Deloitte, a global consulting group, shared that organizations are learning to connect the right employees to the toughest challenges, regardless of where they fall on the employee chart. According to both McKinsey and Deloitte research, successful leaders will:
5. With a Distinct Human Touch
If COVID taught us anything it is that we need thoughtful human connection. McKinsey and Deloitte share that progressive companies will use this lesson to focus on employees and customers. They will take the time to ask, consider, and review how employees perform best. In fact, 61 percent of CEOs in a 2021 Deloitte survey said they will re-imagine how employees work compared to just 29 percent the year before. People-centered companies will:
KEY FINDING
An IBM study showed that 80% of CEOs and 46% of employees shared that supporting the emotional and physical health of the workforce was important.
KEY FINDING
74% of leaders indicated to the IBM Institute for Business Value that they will invest in employees to help them learn the skills needed for the future of work.
To stay on the positive side of any crisis into the "Next Normal", it all comes down to perspective. Approaching the future in the five ways listed above will help any business turn any unforeseen circumstance into far-reaching and creative opportunities.
Need help planning for your future? Give Poole Communications a call. For less than 1 full time employee, we can handle all of your marketing needs. Let us be your Marketing Department and grow your business to the next level.
©2021 PooleCommunications.com
This past week Ray Harvey, muralist and owner of Ray Harvey Art in St. Louis got started working on his latest mural on the building just North of our office at 108 N 3rd Street in Hannibal. Ray is one of the artists who has been painting murals all around Hannibal. You can pick out his bold colorful style when you drive around town to visit some of these pieces of art.
His closest mural to this new project is the mural located on the East side of Hannibal's city hall. Ray Harvey did his first ever Go Fund Me page to fully fund the mural project through donations. It was amazing to see the people from all over the country who donated to the mural. No city funds were used to create or fund the project.
This project will honor all the people who immigrated to Hannibal to work at Continental Cement. We all love Hannibal and how it has been a place of inclusion and acceptance.
The next photo is of the mural close to being finalized. Ray has been a delight to be around. Look for him in your neighborhood and offer him a cup of coffee or lunch. He is good company and a talented artist making a living at something he loves. Look for the dedication and unveiling coming soon.
©2021 Poole Communications.
First, According to 2020 data from SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Businesses), companies with above-average diversity earned 45% of revenue from innovation. Those that had diverse management teams achieved 19% higher revenue based on their progressive leadership.
Because diverse teams focus on facts, SCORE’s data found that such teams make decisions twice as fast in half the number of meetings. Plus, the decisions made in those meetings deliver 60% better results.
Second, the size of a company or its location may appear to be a roadblock to achieving a diverse workforce. However, planting the seed of creative thinking can yield new options, products, and results long term.
An article by Takeflyte.com asks businesses to consider age, race and ethnicity to encourage diversity. It also challenges companies to widen the definition to realize that existing differences among employees can bring value to the organization.
Consider the following ideas from Thrive Global and Takeflyte.com to open the doors of diversity for your business:
Third, many small businesses may not be able to hire a more diverse workforce right away. However
It’s the wild west out there. Semi-closed to the public, small businesspeople everywhere find themselves in a new frontier. Today, we're marketing in COVID territory. Saddled up in their horse and wagon, otherwise known as the internet and delivery, options seem slim and consistent revenue streams a distant mirage.
The challenges are there, but so are the opportunities.
Here are some ways for marketing trail blazers to land the loyalty of current customers and stake claim on new ones in COVID territory.
By showing you care and thinking ahead, your business will be ready to claim success when we make this virus wave the white flag of surrender. Do it right when marketing in COVID territory!
The 3 Levels of GOOD Employees:
You do what you are asked to do. You take orders and do what you are told with a good attitude.
Level 1 + You think ahead and solve problems before they happen. You are always future oriented and thinking about how things could go wrong to plan for potential issues and problems. Then you are not at all rattled when things do occasionally go wrong because you have a plan and are ready to implement it.
Level 2 + You proactively look for areas of opportunity and growth in the business, and figure out how to tap into them. Not only do you plan for potential problems, you are always aware of opportunities to grow the company and do better work for the clients you work with. You find pain points and solve them. Then you leverage what you've learned with other clients.
Here are the the 3 Levels of GOOD Employees. Get thinking and purposely working at Level 3 all the time.
Visit our Insights and pick up some quick tips for your business. Subscribe to our newsletter to be sent regular tools and tips.
Source: James Clear and his book Atomic Habits.
Here is an example of my video conferencing set up at my office.
Download a printable copy here: PCZoomWhitePaper
When you're done go to our Insights and pick up some quick tips for your business. Subscribe to our newsletter to be sent regular tools and tips.
© 2020 Poole Communications
Just when you think you have the current social media scene figured out, a new platform, updated feature and enhanced algorithm makes you feel like you are in the dark again. Instead of searching around the social world with two hands and a flashlight, try using five W’s and an H. Find out the Who, What, Why, When and Where of each of the six significant social channels’ key audiences and How you can create content to make an impact with them. Search no more. Here’s the current social media scene.
Who: Two billion users are active on the platform each month, with Generation X and Millennials leading the way according to the Spredfast Social Media Audience Guide.
What: According to the same research, Facebook is the best platform to grow a small business and is most useful to retail, media, financial services, and healthcare industries.
Why: The audiences on Facebook go there to discover new products. In fact, 30% of retail shoppers who recently made a purchase discovered a new product on Facebook.
When: On average, the Spredfast guide says that users hang out on Facebook 35 minutes per day and Sprout Social shared that by far Wednesday is the best day to post on the platform. Specifically, businesses should make their move at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on hump day.
Where: More Facebook users view content on mobile devices than they do a desktop.
How: Based on Spredfast and Sprout Social research on the 5 W’s covered above, businesses can reach Facebook’s key audience base by launching new products on the site through images, videos, concise descriptions and links to buy within the same post.
Who: Of the 800 million monthly active users on the platform, ladies and teens comprise the majority of the Instagram crowd according to Spredfast’s research. Females between the ages of 18 to 29 make up the largest demographic and 53 percent of teens use the platform to learn about new products.
What: Retail, sports and automotive businesses can find their niche with Instagram.
When: According to Sprout Social, the best times to post on Instagram are Wednesday at 11 a.m. and Friday between 10 and 11 a.m.
Where: Most users view Instagram on mobile devices.
Why: This highly visual platform is the place audiences look to learn about new products, follow brands, and check in with influencers to see what they are saying, learning, doing, wearing and buying.
How: Announce new products, show influential people in your industry and community using and talking about those products. Better yet, become an influencer in your industry by sharing how your products and services make their lives better.
Who: There are 317 million active users tweeting, and the majority of them are men.
What: Best platform for sports, media, financial services and healthcare industries, but not the place for retail.
When: Businesses will have the best results by tweeting on Wednesdays and Fridays at 9 a.m. according to Sprout Social.
Where: Contrasting with its social cousins Facebook and Instagram, Twitter faithful tend to check the site on desktop devices more than they do on mobile screens.
Why: Audiences head to the platform to get scores, news, reviews, deals and ideas.
How: Post coupons and news about your business and link to your website. When they have more time, they may switch to your Instagram and Facebook feeds to buy your products
Who: LinkedIn is the place to reach other businesses, business owners and professionals. The largest demographic on the platform is between the ages of 25 to 34.
What: A key industry served well by this professional platform is financial services. It’s also the place for business to business marketing and not so much for retail traffic.
When: According to Sprout Social, the best times to post are Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to10 a.m. and at 12 p.m.
Where: Given its professional niche, more users check the platform at home or work, which means their use is on desktop rather than a mobile device.
Why: The audience links in to make job searches, research companies and network.
How: Connect with this platform’s users by posting open positions and sharing research on your product or service. While you are at it, link up with like-minded businesses or research your competition.
Who: This is the space to connect with the guys. Males between the ages of 35 to 44 are the largest user group. Another fun fact Spredfast found is that YouTube’s channels reach more 18-49 year olds than any cable network in the United States. YouTube is second only to Facebook in monthly active users boasting a healthy 1 billion each month.
What: Industries related to media, sports and automotive sectors are served well by this platform.
When: YouTube’s myriad channels draw in users an average of 40 minutes a day.
Where: People are tuning into watch on mobile devices more than desktop computers.
Why: Tubers hang out on the site to interact with brands and follow content creators.
How: Businesses can publish video content showing the benefits and uses of products and services to directly engage with audiences and push them to a website to convert into sales.
Who: The ladies love Snapchat.
What: Retail, media, and sports sectors should snap away with this platform’s audiences.
When: The ladies (and others) open the app 25 times each day.
Where: Snapchat only lives on mobile devices.
Why: Snappers use the platform for its privacy - they control how long and who sees their posts - and of course for the pretty filters and lenses.
How: Use filters for your business and create quick and fun content that is lighthearted and hip. If you want more tips, follow Snoop Dog and Spencer Pratt, they seem to have it all figured out and have the largest following.
Need more help with the current social media scene? Need a strategy or ideas for posts? Give Poole Communications a call. We can help. 800-900-3635.
Sources:
https://assets.khoros.com/content/tipsheets/2018-Social-Media-Demographics-Spredfast.pdf
https://sproutsocial.com/insights/best-times-to-post-on-social-media/#times-fb
When you're done go to our Insights and pick up some quick tips for your business. Subscribe to our newsletter to be sent regular tools and tips.
© 2019 Poole Communications
Lots of social media buzz but still no business? Everyone’s talking about your latest ad campaign. They’d better, you spent a lot of time, money, and energy creating it. You agonized over every word. Sorted through dozens of visuals. Finally, it all came together perfectly and now your biz has the buzz of your dreams.
But now the buzz is fizzling out and all the hype didn’t translate into actual biz.
Instead of asking WTF (Why the Fizzle?), you should be thinking CTA (Call-To-Action).
Unless you are content with the warm and fizzles, insert a specific call-to-action on every ad within a campaign regardless of marketing channel.
CTAs compel the customer to do something that indicates their interest or need. Ask them to click, download, subscribe, like, take the quiz, share, learn more, get started, and then provide meaningful content when they answer the call to take action.
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And, most importantly CTAs are EXPECTED. Consumers are barraged by hundreds of ads a day. Everyone loves a good cat video, but at the end of the day people have less time and more choices.
Educate them on how to make the best choice by offering ideas, tips, discounts, solutions, and ways to make life easier.
The CTA game takes thought, trial and error, and a healthy dose of patience. It is not enough to add an arrow and “click here” to visit your website. (P.S. They need to know what to do when they get there!)
Think about the buyer’s journey and create links to content for each stage of the process – from awareness and research to prioritizing and purchasing.
Finally, businesses who develop CTAs that connect and communicate value will convert customers and confirm that all the buzz will translate into real biz.
Lots of social media buzz but still no business? Need some help, give us a call at 800-900-3635 and we'll turn your fizz into biz.
When you're done go to our Insights and pick up some quick tips for your business. Subscribe to our newsletter to be sent regular tools and tips.
© 2019 Poole Communications
