The holiday season can be stressful for businesses, with increased customer demands, tighter deadlines, and often a surge in workload. This is where “virtual staffing solutions” come into play. In this article, we’ll explore how virtual staffing and ou …
remote workforce Posts
The adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in the legal sector has surged, doubling to 47% in just the past year, according to the 2024 State of AI in Legal Report. This shift has positioned AI as a game-changer, especially when it comes to routine, …
The holiday season is crucial for businesses to capture customer attention and drive sales. While it might seem daunting for small businesses to compete with large corporations, the right strategy can level the playing field. With the right approach, y …
Parole in Place (PIP) is an immigration provision for certain family members of U.S. citizens, offering a pathway to lawful permanent residence without leaving the country. For immigration attorneys, understanding the latest updates on PIP is crucial. …
Busy seasons in law firms bring a surge in workload and a need for additional support. Many firms are turning to law firm outsourcing to manage these periods efficiently. This article discusses the benefits of virtual staffing, including back-office su …
Sales are the lifeblood of your business. Despite news of a strong economy, many companies are grappling with declining sales. You’re not alone if you ask, “Why are my sales down?”. It’s time to stop worrying and start diagnosing. This article will gui …
The rise of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) offers attorneys more efficient ways to resolve disputes. This article discusses the benefits of ADR and highlights how virtual paralegals can assist in the process. The Growing Popularity of ADR ADR is …
Seeing your organic traffic go down can be frustrating and worrying as a business owner. Knowing why your organic traffic is decreasing is crucial for addressing the issue and restoring your site’s performance. This article will help you identify the c …
Artificial intelligence is a hot topic in the outsourcing industry, known for its complexity and potential to transform business operations. However, much remains unknown, and many challenges exist for business owners looking to incorporate AI. One of …
Building a strong brand is crucial for solo practitioners. Effective marketing is key to attracting new clients and building credibility and trust. However, attorneys often neglect marketing because of heavy caseloads and administrative duties. This ar …
Ensuring patients receive care outside regular hours, during holidays, and in different languages is a significant challenge for medical practices. We recently helped a busy oncology practice struggling with 24/7 calls and bilingual patient needs. Desp …
How do you create a business plan? As a business owner or entrepreneur, knowing how to create a business plan is essential for success. A solid business plan serves as a roadmap for your venture and helps attract investors and secure funding. Unfortuna …
Tech startups often face a surge in demand after launching a new product or feature. This surge can trigger sharp increases in customer inquiries, support calls, and marketing needs. One of our clients recently encountered these challenges, which strai …
Whether you run a small startup or a large corporation, your business probably needs diverse support services such as administrative assistance, marketing support, and call management. In this article, we’ll show you how virtual teams can meet these ne …
Our team recently assisted a well-established trusts and estates law firm. Despite their excellent reputation and wealth of expertise, they faced a significant challenge: standing out in a crowded market dominated by larger firms. The firm recognized t …
Managing the operations of a property management group, particularly with ongoing demands and limited resources, can be difficult. We recently assisted a property management group struggling to manage administrative tasks effectively while also aiming …
Are you feeling overwhelmed by the complexities of online sales? Still, trying to figure out where to even begin? Fear not – we’re here to help you navigate through it all! Dive into the world of multi-platform sales and unleash your brand’s full poten …
Whether you’re leading a startup or a seasoned corporation, scaling your business demands efficient communication and operational strategies. In this article, we explore how virtual receptionists can streamline your scalability efforts while enhancing …
We recently assisted a new eco-friendly lifestyle products business dedicated to sustainable and cruelty-free alternatives in transforming its online presence. Like many small enterprises, this startup faced the challenge of establishing a robust onlin …
Running a successful business requires more than a great product or service—it demands a strong online presence. One key element to achieving this is mastering the art of Search Engine Optimization (SEO). However, the world of SEO can be complex, …
Equivity is a longstanding leader in the virtual paralegal industry and, because we were founded by an attorney, we have a deep understanding of the ongoing need for increased efficiency in law offices. We’ve recently partnered with Clio, a leading clo …
Running a successful law practice involves navigating a range of challenges, from managing emotional strain to addressing high-conflict situations and complex legal and financial issues. Virtual paralegals offer a cost-effective solution to these chall …
Addressing the administrative needs of a nonprofit organization, mainly when resources are limited, poses a significant challenge. We recently assisted a nonprofit dedicated to animal welfare that was struggling to manage its administrative tasks effic …
As a business owner or entrepreneur, you know that time is your most valuable resource. Juggling multiple hats, from strategic planning to client interactions, can leave you stretched thin. Thankfully, there’s an easy solution. Outsourcing routine admi …
Over the past few years, the economy has seen a consistent increase in labor costs, posing a substantial challenge for businesses of all sizes. Coping with these growing expenses has become a significant burden. Consequently, business owners find thems …
Choosing the right digital marketing strategy can be daunting for any business owner. Whether you’re considering traditional methods like radio ads or exploring digital options like social media campaigns, the key is finding what works best for your go …
Managing a successful law firm can be challenging, from dealing with tough competition to balancing the significant time and financial resources needed for effective case management. To navigate these challenges attorneys frequently explore innovative …
Starting and managing a business is an adventure full of exciting opportunities and challenges. However, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that about 20% of new businesses fail within the first two years, 45% within the first five years, and …
As the year ends, now is an excellent time to analyze and plan for potential challenges in the coming year. Use this Year-End Resilience Checklist to ensure your organization’s resilience improves in the coming year. Financial Planning: Begin by assess …
As the year ends, it’s time to celebrate the wins and learn from the challenges your business experienced this year. Now is the perfect time to set empowering resolutions to drive your organization to greater success in the upcoming year. To help you, …
The holiday season brings joy, celebration, and a surge in business opportunities. However, increased demand and competition can challenge managing your marketing efforts. Virtual marketing specialists offer a powerful solution to help your business sh …
Meetings are essential for collaboration and decision-making, but they can become counterproductive if not well-organized. Whether virtual or in-person, a well-planned meeting can save time, enhance productivity, and lead to effective outcomes. Follow …
If you’re running a business, you know how powerful a strong email campaign can be for communicating with and engaging customers. However, randomly sending emails without a plan falls short. To fully tap into the potential of email marketing, you must …
Social media is a powerful tool for connecting with audiences and showcasing your brand’s identity. But crafting social media content that hits the spot, builds trust, and excites people? Even for pros, it’s not always a walk in the park. That’s why we …
Your law firm’s success depends on many things, including the efficiency of your operations. Outsourcing, including virtual paralegals services, is a smart way to make things run smoothly and use resources more effectively. However, choosing the right …
Social media is integral to every successful business’s marketing strategy. But with so many platforms, picking the right ones for your business can be overwhelming. Let’s explore how to choose the best social media channels for your business. Understa …
Managing incoming calls, scheduling appointments, and handling administrative tasks can take time, distracting you from your core business activities. Here are several ways that answering services can improve communication, provide your company scalabi …
For today’s business owner, providing outstanding customer service and maintaining effective communication is essential. Answering service services are a cost-effective solution to handle incoming calls, manage appointments, and improve your profession …
Visual content marketing is connecting with, entertaining, and educating your target audience using images, videos, infographics, and other visuals. A well-planned visual content marketing strategy aims to increase engagement and make your content easi …
What if you could unlock a world of possibilities and maximize your social media impact like never before? With the power of artificial intelligence (AI) by your side, you can do just that. From supercharging efficiency and personalization to gaining r …
Immigration attorneys are often tasked with a large workload and sometimes need assistance to manage their cases efficiently. Experienced virtual paralegals can provide your firm with the assistance it needs to streamline your practice and cut costs. H …
As a personal injury attorney, you understand how important it is to provide your clients with the best legal representation possible. Unfortunately, many law firms need more resources to manage their caseloads successfully and maintain high client ser …
Traditionally, in-house receptionists were the go-to option. However, with advancements in technology, virtual receptionists have become a compelling alternative. Here are some crucial factors to consider when comparing the two, including cost, flexibi …
From organizational leadership to administrative work, effective practice management is essential to a law firm’s profitability and growth. If you’re an attorney who finds themselves spending too many hours and resources on non-billable tas …
Famous attorney (and even more famous president) Abraham Lincoln once stated that “a lawyer’s time and advice are his stock in trade.” That’s as true now as it was in 1836. Unfortunately, time is a commodity that is running in s …
Litigation is unpredictable, making it difficult to obtain the paralegal assistance your firm needs. You may need a great deal of help drafting and filing initial pleadings, requesting and responding to discovery documents, obtaining and analyzing impo …
Google reviews, whether we love them or hate them, play a crucial role in consumer research. A bunch of glowing reviews can skyrocket a business, but a single bad review? Ouch, it can wreak havoc on your reputation. We often receive inquiries from clie …
Consumers today have high expectations. They expect brand interactions to be quick, immersive, simple, and intuitive. As a result, businesses are constantly challenged to find new ways to engage audiences and exceed their expectations. If your company …
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is an important factor in consumer purchasing decisions, particularly among younger consumers. Here’s how you can use your brand’s social responsibility and values to broaden its appeal, boost engagement, and promo …
If you’re an attorney looking to improve your firm’s efficiency and reduce the time and resources spent on non-billable tasks, consider the benefits of choosing Equvity Clio-certified paralegals. Our certified paralegals can help you effectively manage …
The lockdowns of the past few years have driven many law firms to adopt technology to enable remote work at unprecedented levels. As clients have similarly adapted to working remotely, they are now expecting that law firms will make interactions more …
As an estate planning attorney, you know how important it is to have the right team to properly manage your firm and ensure that all your client’s legal needs are met. A virtual paralegal can be an invaluable asset to your estate planning firm, p …
With the fast-paced nature of the legal industry, it is important to have someone available who can handle time-sensitive tasks quickly and cost-effectively. A virtual paralegal can be an ideal solution if you’re a family law practitioner looking …
Today’s consumer expects quick access to the products and services they want and to do business with brands that provide an engaging experience and share their values. Developing a solid online presence through social media, search engine optimiz …
In today’s digital landscape, content writing is vital for businesses that want to grab their audience’s attention online. Everyone wants top-notch content, so we need quick and effective ways to write it. That’s where artificial intelligence (AI) come …
As a corporate attorney, you’re constantly looking for ways to improve efficiency and boost productivity as you manage the various aspects of your practice, from drafting contracts to handling corporate filings to creating corporate governance document …
As a bankruptcy attorney, it is essential that you have the right team in place to ensure your firm’s success. Building a reliable and knowledgeable team of individuals who can effectively manage your practice and provide quality legal services to your …
Artificial intelligence (AI) has become a powerful tool to help marketers create more effective campaigns and strategies. With the right AI strategy, businesses can gain valuable insights into customer behavior and preferences that can be used to incre …
Sadly, misinformation and questionable marketing tactics are increasing consumer skepticism. Customers are now looking for more reliable sources to recommend goods and services. To stay competitive, brands need to develop fresh approaches for engagemen …
The power of social media to instantly make or break your brand is growing as more and more customers rely on it to inform their purchasing decisions. As a result, influencer marketing, an industry expected to reach $7.14 billion in total revenue by 20 …
Starting a business can be an exhilarating yet daunting endeavor. As a business owner, setting goals to grow and succeed is essential. Goal setting requires thought, planning, and organization; however, when you are just starting out, this process can …
The customer journey is a map of all interactions a customer has with your brand, including using your website, talking to your staff, and receiving the products or services they ordered. Customer experience refers to a customer’s overall perception of …
Today’s clients demand that you anticipate their needs and solve their issues. How can marketers accomplish this? By utilizing AI and machine learning marketing platforms. AI and machine learning marketing platforms can predict user behavior in real-ti …
Email marketing ROI (return on investment) is impressive. According to Marketing Evolution, for every $1 spent on email marketing, the sender gets $42 back. With a click-through rate 50 to 100 times higher than popular social channels, it is no wonder …
This is the second half of our two-part series on developing a brand. Part 1 of this series covered the steps involved in developing a brand, as well as its components and best practices. Read part 1 of this series here if you missed it. Now that we ha …
There are over 500,000 brands worldwide, covering more than 2,000 product categories. So how do you create a brand that is unique to you? How do you build a successful brand that sets you apart? A brand that positively impacts the lives of those who ex …
Virtual marketing teams can be a powerful, efficient, cost-effective way to leverage support for you and your business. But many business owners have questions about how best to integrate a virtual marketing assistant or team into their business. Here …
Attorneys who have not evaluated Google Ads as an advertising tool are at a disadvantage. Potential clients now look for attorneys the way they look for everything else – by Googling them. Google Ads should be an important part of your law firm marketi …
It can be challenging to run a real estate business. There are simply not enough hours in the day to complete everything that needs to be done, like managing clients, scheduling appointments, answering calls and emails, updating listings, completing ma …
A well-designed website showcases your products and services, attracting new customers, increasing credibility, and building brand awareness. Every detail makes an impression: the colors you choose, the photos you share, and the product descriptions th …
When you are a business owner, you are responsible for overseeing every part of your operation. While the workload can be overwhelming at times, one of the keys to business success is simply staying organized. Use this weekly check list to analyze your …
As technology and the remote work movement continues to influence the practice of law, those in the legal profession are discovering the need to become more tech-savvy. From maintaining case files to assembling copies of briefs to preparing binders for …
Brands employ affiliate marketing programs to gain exposure, awareness, and revenue. They use this performance-driven tool to connect with influencers, paying only when the consumer follows through on the desired action, typically a sale. Affiliate mar …
You are well into a marketing campaign. Your team is frantically writing content and posting it on social channels, and you’ve even taken out a few ads. All hands are on deck, chasing after the latest hot marketing trend. However, you don’t see results …
What is a Marketing Campaign? Every successful marketing campaign has one thing in common – extensive planning. Just as your marketing strategy and plan require detailed planning and documentation, so does each marketing campaign. Before we dive into t …
The customer journey and marketing funnel are critical marketing processes that add structure to your marketing activities. When used together, these complementary tools maximize your marketing initiatives. While it’s essential to understand the differ …
With over 57% of the world’s population using the internet, the digital landscape provides abundant opportunities for businesses to reach potential customers. It’s tempting to dive into creating a beautifully designed website and targeted social advert …
Are we talking about content marketing again? Yes, and we want to let you in on a little secret… content marketing is a big deal! When you browse online or at your favorite store, you have probably noticed that you’re continually being shown new prod …
Social media marketing on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Tik Tok, is one of the most powerful marketing tools in existence, offering you a free opportunity to expand the reach of your business, easily connect with your targe …
If you spend your workdays continually accepting random Zoom meetings, checking emails every time you get a notification, and chaotically moving from one unfinished task to the next, your calendar is probably out of control. But with just a little time …
In the current marketing landscape, many executives and professionals seek to establish their influence on social media. Why? According to Global WebIndex, 57.6% of the world’s population uses social media and the average daily usage is 2 hours and 27 …
Throughout 2021, our virtual marketing assistants helped businesses and organizations adapt their SEO strategies to over a dozen updates that Google rolled out throughout the year. Two of these updates, MUM and Page Experience/Core Web Vitals, are expe …
With digital ad spend worldwide in 2021 reaching $389B, 14.6% more than 2020, businesses need to be prepared in 2022 to take advantage of the evolving digital marketing technologies. Here are five digital marketing trends the savviest business marketer …
Real estate has become a highly competitive field and carving out a successful career is a challenge for realtors, regardless of their experience. With over 1.4 million realtors working in the United States, it can be a struggle to stand out to clients …
If you’re an attorney who has embraced the work-from-home lifestyle, you’re not alone. Many attorneys have found that they are just as efficient working from home and that they are able to reduce expenses associated with maintaining an office. One of o …
While online presence has become more and more important in a world where clients find and vet attorneys on the web, many smaller law firms are lagging in adopting best practices. Unfortunately, many firms have little more than an outdated and generic …
Social media marketing should be a key part of every coach’s business strategy. Whether your focus is on your clients’ professional or personal lives, social media allows you to share your ideas with existing and potential clients . However, coaches of …
Remote work is on the rise and employers of all sizes are turning to virtual assistant services. A virtual assistant for your business can save you time, money, and headaches. Many businesses are finding it easier to rely on virtual assistant businesse …
Email campaigns provide one of the most cost effective marketing strategies during the holidays. Especially with the rising costs of digital advertising and social media ads during the holiday season, an effective email campaign could get you the best …
It’s hard to believe but Thanksgiving is less than 4 months away. As much as we love the idea of the holidays, sometimes we forget how quickly that time of the year arrives. One minute we are celebrating Independence Day and the next we are carving pum …
If your business derives most of its revenue from holiday sales, you should already be implementing your marketing strategy to catch the eyes of clients, both new and old. Because approximately 56% of people complete their holiday purchases before the …
Have you ever wondered whether a virtual assistant could help your non-profit better achieve its goals and make your organization run more efficiently? To successfully grow your organization and fulfill your mission, you need the right people in your c …
When we think of online search, most of us reflexively think of Google, and when we think of online advertising, we automatically think of Google Ads. But have you considered Microsoft Ads? It might surprise you to find out that when it comes to flexib …
Virtual paralegals can be a profit center for your law practice by allowing you to bill out your paralegal’s time at a profit while freeing up attorney time that can be billed at a higher rate. First things first: Can you bill a virtual paralegal’s tim …
As social media platforms constantly change their algorithms, brands are forced to become social media experts. Creating exciting content takes time, so it’s understandable that companies want to see a return on these efforts. If your social media isn’ …
Far too many law firms and legal teams are still running their entire practice with some combination of these three methods: A massive collection of spreadsheets; Multiple software tools that each do one specific thing; or Piles and piles of manila fol …
Online learning and training have become not just a critical marketing channel for executives and professionals, but another avenue for generating revenue that compliments core service offerings. The e-learning market is expected to exceed $300 billion …
Have you ever seen a professional football team go out onto the field without learning the playbook? Or a conductor leading an orchestra without a score? Well, that’s what operating a small business without an employee handbook looks like. Disorganized …
Keeping an eye on the performance of your email campaigns is crucial for maintaining your brand and getting good deliverability and conversion rates. When your campaign isn’t bringing in the results you’d hoped for, it might be time for an email market …
The best PowerPoint presentations shouldn’t be remembered. Instead, they should fall into the background to support you and the message you’re trying to get across. What does stand out is a bad PowerPoint presentation. Whether it’s too many lines of te …
A content calendar is a way to plan the written content that you will be sharing on social media, email, or your website over the next week, month, or year. The calendar allows you to visualize what content will be distributed when and allows you to co …
Operating your law office remotely means thinking about more than just the nuts and bolts of Zoom calls and document sharing. It also means managing a team remotely. Being able to ensure you’re your team is completing work according to instructions a …
As businesses have increasingly migrated their operations from the office to remote working arrangements, while simultaneously coping with a challenging economic environment, many are shifting business functions outside of the organization. While many …
With more people working remotely, either temporarily or for the long-term, more businesses are considering outsourcing operations and bringing on a virtual assistant. When exploring options, most businesses are immediately confronted with the question …
In an increasingly digital world, one way to distinguish yourself is refreshingly old-school: publishing your own book. A book is an instant reputation-builder: It conveys expertise in a subject matter, provides a platform for your ideas, and serves …
Even as we move toward the end of 2020, the physical offices of many law firms are still closed with no plans to reopen anytime soon. As remote legal practices remain the norm, the task of keeping client files and other proprietary information safe is …
When much of the country went on lockdown in March 2020 given fears of the coronavirus pandemic sweeping the nation, many industries had to quickly pivot. The real estate industry is just one of the many that thrive on personal connection—from home sho …
From a business perspective, coronavirus has rendered the future almost impossible to predict. The plan was that shutdowns in March would be followed by a gradual relaxation of restrictions and the ramp up of businesses. It hasn’t turned out that way …
It all started on May 4, 2020, and according to Google, its new Core Update completed about two weeks later. Shortly thereafter businesses began raising concerns over this so-called “pandemic update” and how it impacted their customers’ ability to find …
Let’s face it – few business owners perk up when told that new features have been added to their bookkeeping software. However, while such announcements may not get your heart racing, they can offer opportunities to streamline your operations and save …
As many companies have transitioned to remote working, recruiting has typically not been a priority. But as social distancing measures remain in place, more organizations will need to bring on talent without ever meeting them face-to-face. One sign …
The lending process involved in getting a small business loan can often be frustrating and complicated for those who aren’t experienced in the realm of finances. The stress associated with finding a small business loan is particularly acute in light of …
Coronavirus has turned many people into telecommuters. Adapting to working from home, however, isn’t easy, particularly if you have a spouse who is also working from home and children who are transitioning to a remote learning environment. Everybody w …
With many of us forced to work from home in the wake of the Coronavirus epidemic, you may still be trying to figure out how to set yourself up so that you can be productive and try to keep some divide between your work space and living space. Here are …
These are uncertain times, especially for the self-employed and small business owners. Routines have been disrupted, contact with others is limited, and lives have been impacted beyond what we could have thought possible just a couple of weeks ago. …
In the face of the Coronavirus epidemic, many law firms have been forced to go virtual as attorneys and paralegals work from home, increasingly relying on the cloud to get work done. While many legal organizations have employees who work remo …
The Coronavirus pandemic has impacted every industry, including real estate agents and brokers. As part of our series on COVID-19, today we’re going to explore how real estate agents and brokers can face the challenge raised by the pandemic. Gover …
The Coronavirus pandemic has impacted our lives in many ways, including the disruption of our daily routines and businesses. However, uncertainty and disruption do not render us powerless. Over the next few days, we are going to be releasin …
Coronavirus (COVID-19) is changing the way companies are working. In order to prevent the potential spread of the virus, for which there is no known vaccine, companies are expanding their remote working policies. This includes not only workers who ha …
Any business owner will tell you, luck can take strange and complicated forms — only in hindsight do we connect the dots and see things for what they are. Tanya Nebo, founder of Nebo Law, has run the legal gamut — from part-time legal work to rep …
Many attorneys work in law offices that have become at least partially virtual without their knowing it. How so? By working remotely, attorneys and staff have transformed how law firms operate. Teams collaborate from home, client off …
“Set it and forget it” can apply to many things, but not your website. As an extension of your business, your website is often the first impression you make on a potential client. Prospects and c …
Dreams of founding the next multi-million dollar company have gripped the imagination of entrepreneurs around the world. However, building a profitable business from the ground up requires much more than a good idea, catchy name, and some sweat eq …
Why do people come to you for marketing assistance? Maybe it’s because you have unique ideas for getting their message out. Maybe it’s a creative turn for marketing. Maybe it’s the level of understanding you have for their business. Whatever the a …
One of the most popular practice management systems for modern law firms is Clio, a web-based software designed to streamline administrative, billing, and project management processes. Clio helps attorneys stay focused on revenue and business-generatin …
Managing a team is a balancing act. A good manager knows how to provide proper supervision while granting her team members the discretion to exercise their own judgment. When you’re running a department or business that includes outsourced workers, the …
Between managing clients, responding to leads, listing and marketing homes, completing deals, and returning correspondence, being a real estate agent can feel more like a juggling act than an entrepreneurial endeavor. What’s more, online resources have …
Many attorneys cut their teeth during an era where paralegals were inextricably bound to the office, among the paper files and desktops of the law firm. But as firms migrate their systems to the cloud, paralegals can access data from anywhere. The mi …
Whether you are an established business advertising a new service or product, or a startup that has yet to go live, developing a pre-launch marketing strategy can help effectively spread the word and draw in new customers. But why is pre-launch marketi …
Video, video, video. Wherever you look on the internet, the message is the same. Video is where it’s at in 2019. And that’s true — to an extent. Though video may have killed the radio star, podcasting has brought audio-only content back with a vengean …
Artificial Intelligence (or AI) is a buzzword that gets thrown around in many different fields. Marketing and advertising are two of the latest to be innovated with new AI technology, and much of it is reshaping the way marketers examine and reach ever …
Did you know that businesses with a blog generate 126% more leads than companies without one? How about the fact that organizations that regularly publish original content receive 8x more traffic, reduce their overall marketing spend by over 60% and re …
It’s no surprise that coworking spaces are on the rise. With high-speed wifi, free coffee, cleaning and more taken care of for one monthly rate, more and more businesses are recognizing the benefits and joining spaces in every city across the globe. Co …
Some companies are built in a garage, but Alana Rivera cooked hers up in her Haight Ashbury kitchen. Taking inspiration from a passion for food made from organic ingredients, Alana transformed her favorite organic recipes into delicious smelling soaps …
When it comes to closing real estate deals, attorneys often find themselves juggling multiple tasks at one time. Handling sensitive information in a time-sensitive process can be daunting. Keeping the cost of a closing low is crucial to staying competi …
Imagine this: It’s 8 am, you’re on your way to grab your favorite morning joe when you see that a different coffee house has posted a link to a free-coffee coupon on Facebook. Sweet! When you arrive at the store, you click the link on Facebook and reve …
Google Ads (formally AdWords) is a staple of many digital marketing campaigns. The search engine giant consistently releases new updates to its advertising platform, often adding innovative features to guide their users toward better results. While an …
As 2018 comes to an end, business owners are turning their attention to 2019, likely with a focus on growth. Growth is dependent on a number of factors, some manageable, others not. One factor that leaders have the most control over is marketing. When …
You’ve done it. You’ve launched your marketing campaign. You took the time to research your target audience, decide on the channels to reach out to them and committed to addressing their needs. But those leads you expected to roll in, they have yet to …
Recruiting quality employees is a big win, bigger still is retaining them for the long haul. Studies have shown that a significant number of employees put a high importance on being respected, and having their voices heard. Updating your performance ma …
As a small business owner or entrepreneur in 2018, you understand that we live in a different world than what existed thirty years ago. Large corporations and startups are offering their employees innovative (but costly) perks to attract employees. In …
From senior marketing professionals to tech journalists to social media enthusiasts, the feeling is near unanimous — video is poised to be the most impactful marketing and sales tool in 2018. In fact, 53% of consumers want to see more video content, …
Staying relevant in today’s market is a tough job for any employer, and now that employees are being offered flexible and remote work options, gym memberships, snack machines and yoga classes on-site, how do small business owners keep up? How can you a …
The success of your small business is heavily reliant on how effective your marketing is. Marketing to the wrong audience, for example, can be just as lethal to a growing business as making no effort to market your business. And while creating a market …
Last November we detailed all the upcoming AdWords changes that were expected in 2017. With 2018 right around the corner, we wanted to offer a recap of the AdWords changes that took place in late 2017 as well as explore the updates anticipated for the …
Google’s latest algorithm update, named “Hawk,” released on August 22, 2017. The update, which specifically affects local SEO, has the potential to be quite a game changer for many small businesses. What is Google Hawk? In short, the Hawk update affect …
When my co-founder Eric and I started Equivity in 2014, we were still formulating an idea of what we wanted our business to be. We knew we wanted to help busy professionals and small businesses by providing both personal assistant and administrative as …
We’ve all heard the phrase, “content is king.” The lessons of this simple adage are easily seen in the digital space as Netflix and Amazon (amongst others) have started creating original programming content to drive viewers to their sites and services. …
If you manage a property or have investments in a property that you lease to tenants, your day can be swamped with responsibilities. Between scheduling a property assessor, keeping track of tenants late on their rent, and making sure your newest proper …
Many attorneys have built their practices on referrals. If you are one of those attorneys, you may not see the relevance of building and maintaining your firm’s online presence, especially when you are presented daily with the many other responsibiliti …
Stress management is probably one of the most important yet least discussed topics of being a small business owner. It often feels like stress is an unavoidable part of being an entrepreneur. If business is booming, you experience stress taking orders, …
Having an online presence in the form of social media and a website is an invaluable asset to both large and small business marketing. A website that lacks strong landing pages, however, will find it particularly difficult to convert their website visi …
In the right hands, a virtual assistant can be like a genie granting wishes to your small business – you send out your difficult projects to your VA and you receive the completed work correctly done and on time. But getting started with your VA is not …
Marketing a small business is an exciting and daunting task. There are countless choices as to how you spend your marketing budget online, and campaigns that were effective several months ago may suddenly lose their potency. A strategy that worked for …
There are few rewards to be reaped without taking risks, and building a startup or small business is no different. Starting a small business is scary, nerve-wracking, and uncertain. While being an entrepreneur is never a cakewalk, it gets easier once y …
Any marketing expert can tell you the value of a social media influencer – a highly followed user of a social media platform who blogs, tweets, or otherwise posts on a topic related to your business. Marketers attempt to win over these influencers as a …
Work-life balance is a hot topic these days. Many working individuals claim it is one of their highest motivating factors for choosing a profession or a company to work for; other hard working professionals claim it is a myth and we shouldn’t be adding …
One of the most important components to being a mobile-ready business is being accessible; you want your customers to be able to easily find your small business online and interact with you in streamlined manner. Without mobile marketing integrated int …
Did you know that small businesses with blogs generate 126% more leads than companies without one? Blogs tend to be one of the easier and more cost-effective ways to generate not only interest but actual sales and revenue. Why? Consumers tend to regula …
Whether you are a small business or a Fortune 500 corporation, when it comes to email marketing, one metric stands out above the others: click rate. A click rate, which is literally the rate at which the people you are sending emails to are clicking on …
Small businesses do not have the same resources to invest in technology as large enterprises. Often, there are higher priorities for spending resources than upgrading legacy accounting systems or deploying state-of-the-art servers to host your data. So …
However ubiquitous the internet is, people still enjoy going to their local stores. Maybe it’s the local comic book store that serves as the nexus of a graphic novel-oriented subculture. Maybe it’s a boutique clothing store that mothers have been takin …
One of the most challenging hurdles for many small businesses and startups is increasing visibility and getting found by new customers. Being present and prolific on social media is a smart placeto start, but won’t necessarily guarantee potential clien …
Brilliant ideas don’t always have grand beginnings. In fact, there are several visionaries who were known for scribbling the first iterations of their genius in notepads or on cocktail napkins and Post-It notes. Robert Metcalfe, who co-invented Etherne …
The new year is when gym memberships are purchased, sweets and carbs are forsworn, and we strive to reinvent ourselves and redouble our efforts to reach personal goals. Many entrepreneurs and small business owners have similar goals for their business. …
Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is I don’t know which half. -John Wanamaker The 2011 film “Moneyball”, dramatizes the story of how Billy Beane, General Manager of the Oakland Athletics, got a step ahead of his competitors i …
Even in the digital age, business is still fundamentally about personal relationships. Many businesses still rely on word-of-mouth and customer referrals to grow their business. While the need to develop personal relationships cannot be ignored, neithe …
Moms—whether they are stay-at-home parents, self-employed, business owners, or corporate executives—are entrepreneurs by nature. From chef to chauffer and storyteller to nurse, moms must wear many hats and fill many roles on a daily basis. Mompreneurs, …
In 2015, 1.4 million businesses and non-profits benefitted from using Google’s advertising tools nationwide AdWords and AdSense, Google’s advertising programs allow businesses to show ads based on keywords that a Google user inputs into the search engi …
Even though entrepreneurs and small business owners are their own bosses, the jobs rarely come without their fair share of stress and hard work. As any startup or small business owner can tell you, working hard, staying motivated, and succeeding in you …
This is the third blog in our series on Influencer Marketing. In our previous blog we discussed the value of influencer marketing and how it can be applied to your business. In today’s blog we will discuss the difference between paid and earned influen …
In the 2008 film “Yes Man,” Jim Carrey’s character finds himself withdrawn and cynical after a recent divorce. Eventually, he is convinced to attend a motivational seminar where he agrees to seize every opportunity presented to him by responding with “ …
This is the second blog in our series on Influencer Marketing. In our previous blog we discussed what influencer marketing is and how it can be beneficial to your business. In today’s blog we will discuss how Influencer Marketing can help get your busi …
Conventional lines of thought often declare that the best entrepreneurs are highly extroverted, social people. Not all successful entrepreneurs, however, are big and commanding personalities. Some of the greatest entrepreneurs are, in fact, introverts …
As more and more people turn to online reviews, videos, and blogs to help them make purchasing decisions, influencer marketing has been on the rise. Influencer marketing is a relatively easy way to extend your brand’s reach, disseminate information, an …
The use of virtual assistants has been on an uptick in recent years among entrepreneurs, startups, and small and large business owners. But many busy professionals who are eager to outsource projects have a difficult time figuring out how best to work …
Just about every employer wants workers who take initiative, responsibility, and can do their job without constant supervision. Very few employers, however, actually employ workforces where these types of workers predominate. What is the cause of the d …
Over the past several years, coworking spaces have exploded in popularity, peppering cities like New York, Detroit, London, San Francisco, Hong Kong, Berlin, Cleveland, and more. Their increasing popularity is due to their ability to help people save m …
Coming up with and executing content marketing ideas doesn’t have to be a long, grueling, or expensive process. When creating a content marketing strategy, you should plan on creating marketing collateral that aligns with your company goals. While ther …
We’ve all heard the saying, “I survived another meeting that should have been an email.” While not all meetings are unnecessary, many of them suck up participants‘ time that could have been better spent elsewhere. In particular, as organizations increa …
There are few things more frustrating than spending time on a blog, social media post, or email marketing campaign and having the content become obsolete as quickly as last month’s most tweeted meme. While frequently creating new content allows for mor …
The problem with getting marketing help, is not knowing where to go, but knowing when you’ve come to the right place. Aside from perusing resumes and profiles or speaking to a candidate about their job history and expertise, how can you know you’re fin …
As an entrepreneur, you can’t afford to try out every newly touted business service that is supposed to make you more productive. Your money may be limited, and your time certainly is. Finding services to improve your productivity is about finding the …
I once had a summer job at a law firm in D.C. The firm was located right on the shores of the Potomac and most offices had a view of the river as it lazily flowed on toward the Watergate Hotel, past Kennedy Center, and the Lincoln Memorial. Below the o …
We all have hacks or shortcuts we use to make our lives easier, both professionally and personally. Quickly looking for a quality olive oil to include in a dinner you’re planning on cooking to impress your mother-in-law? You grab the expensive stuff. L …
You have a presentation to give at work tomorrow morning, an important meeting to set up with a client at the end of the week, and your son needs help building a diorama for his Monday science class on top of a number of other deadlines you have to jug …
While cooking offers opportunities for experimentation and leeway for correcting slightly disappointing dishes, (Chili too watery? Add a teaspoon of flour. Chicken slightly undercooked? Throw it back on the grill for a few minutes.) baking requires str …
Every episode of a police procedural features a scene in which detectives look into an interrogation room at a suspect through a one-way mirror. The suspect knows that he is being watched, but he can’t see what the police are doing. The one-way mirror …
Do you ever get that sinking feeling when you open your email application on Monday morning after a weekend away from your computer, or when you return after an extended vacation? There’s nothing that causes such a strong desire to trash your laptop an …
“Only connect.”– E.M. Forster, Howard’s End We live in the most connected of times and yet our ability to communicate meaningful ideas seems to be at an all-time low. Nowhere is this truer than the workplace. There exist a plethora of media to communi …
Some of us are just not morning people. Are you one of us? You know who you are.You are a snooze-button hitter, shower prolonger, sock mismatcher, subway dozer, dazed looker, and double espresso drinker. In the mornings, you are there, but you are not …
What is your business’ value proposition? Why do your customers buy what you sell? What can your clients get from your business that they can get nowhere else? These seemingly simple questions are devilishly hard to answer and, as your business grows, …
“Management” – a word often used and a skill rarely taught. In so many organizations, management positions are doled out to those that perform well in their company or department’s specialty. A sales team is led by the best salesman, a litigation depar …
There is a difference between being busy and being productive. “Busy” describes high energy flitting from one task to the next. There is a reason that the term “busy as a bee” is a sticky idiom: it provides a clear image of busy-ness. We can see the be …
When did calling a simple team meeting become an exercise in cat herding? When everybody wore hats and ties, drove to work in a yacht-sized car, and called it a day at 5 PM, gathering your team into a conference room in the late afternoon wasn’t a big …
Social media occupies a paradoxical position in the lives of many small business owners. On one hand, your personal account is a tar pit that envelops your time. On the other hand, your business account is almost completely neglected. Many is the small …
Ugh, another business trip. Waking up before dawn to go to the airport, squeezing into a coach seat, running into a business meeting, going back to the hotel, grabbing a quick bite of bad food, working until midnight to prepare for the next day’s meeti …
Many busy professionals dream about one day having the perfect digital assistant; a hand-held version of the computer on Star Trek’s Enterprise, complete with artificial intelligence, voice recognition, conversational skills, a perfect understanding of …
If you’re a small business owner or entrepreneur you’re constantly busy trying balance running your business, growing your business, and balancing your business with life. You’ve heard a virtual assistant can really save you time, but you have doubts a …
Let’s be honest: We all feel a tinge of envy when we learn about the new state-of-the-art campus that a tech giant has built in the heart of Silicon Valley. Google’s headquarters includes coffee bars, Lego play areas, and a dog friendly work environmen …
How to Manage Social Media Risk (or, Don’t put a disgruntled intern in charge of your Twitter page).
Imagine waking up one morning to find that you’ve been attacked as a tyrant over your own company’s Twitter feed. That’s what happened to Robert Duffy, COO of Marc Jacobs, when an intern that was handling the fashion house’s Twitter feed, went on an on …
When it comes to innovative tools to help entrepreneurs and businesses build and operate their company, there is an embarrassment of riches that we can take advantage of. I wrote earlier in the year about tools you can use when starting up your own bus …
The Parent Trap: The Challenge of Balancing Work and Home, and how Family-Oriented Benefits Can Help
Paul Ryan, recently elected Speaker of the House, unexpectedly turned media attention to the issue of balancing work and family life. Reluctant to take the post due to the fundraising and travel time associated with the position, Ryan insisted on being …
We already know this much about this year’s World Series champion – it will be an underdog. The American League Championship Series features the Toronto Blue Jays, whose appearance in the post-season ended a 20+ year drought, and the Kansas City Royals …
Technology does not impact our lives immediately, but in stages. The internal combustion engine-powered automobile was invented in the late 19th Century, but it wasn’t until the 1950s that the proliferation of automobile ownership resulted in droves of …
By now it is commonly known that people learn and understand information in different ways. Many people identify with the “visual learner” category (including this author) and according to research 65% of the population are visual learners. Fortunately …
Living the cosmopolitan lifestyle is not as easy as it looks. There’s hardly enough time to get ready in the morning or watch Last Week with John Oliver, let alone go to all the restaurants, bars, concerts, museums, and baseball games that you had plan …
Anybody that has participated in job interviews, either as the interviewer or the interviewee, knows that they are of limited utility. From the perspective of the interviewer, job interviews can certainly raise red flags that warn you off hiring somebo …
Much has been written about the benefits of telecommuting for both employers and employees. Allowing employees to work remotely helps recruit and retain top talent, increases productivity for those that work better alone, and helps efforts to combat gl …
Technology is finally dragging the legal world into the 21st Century. Despite some courts’ continued insistence on receiving paper, you can e-file most of your briefs. Slowly, a jurisprudence of electronic discovery is starting to solidify through amen …
Here in San Francisco, Earth Day comes at a particularly sensitive time. California is enduring a multi-year drought and the typical winter rainy season has brought virtually no snow to the Sierras or water to reservoirs. The state is drafting water re …
Old habits die hard. While we live in the Internet Age, many businesses continue to operate as they did in past decades. Employees commute into work, handouts are distributed at meetings in a conference room, workstations are installed with software an …
It’s a great job market out there in many industries, particularly the tech industry, and with that comes the fierce race to attract and retain employees with competitive benefits packages and perks. Not since the dot com era have we seen companies off …
The beauty of having a virtual assistant is that you can get off your plate those tasks that you don’t want or don’t have time to do. There is an art to delegating. It’s not a complicated art, like jazz improvisation, but it does have this in common wi …
There once was a time when we conceived of technology primarily as a way of simplifying our lives. You can think of this as the Jetsons version of the future or the sort of future folks envisioned when they would visit the World’s Fair. We were going t …
When we think of disasters that could interrupt the day-to-day function of business, earthquakes, floods, pandemics and cyber attacks commonly come to mind. However there is one business risk that is often overlooked, the Zombie Apocalypse. The risk th …
Fred Snodgrass was a success. He was born in Ventura, California in 1887 and attended college in Los Angeles. He became a successful banker and served for three terms on the city council for Oxnard, California, then served as mayor for a little less th …
Your friends had told you about the restaurant. “Try the pan-seared, macadamia-encrusted tuna,” they said. “It’s to die for.” Well, it looks like you may die before ever tasting that tuna. You and your date have just ordered two more glasses of white w …
For most of us, Independence Day has two-fold significance. First, it brings to mind vacation: crowded beaches, the smell of burning charcoal, the loud pop of fireworks, the taste of chocolate ice cream on a waffle cone. Second, we think of the histori …
Imagine that you are Director of Human Resources at a small cupcake baking company, Volcano Cupcakes. The company specializes in molten cupcakes – flourless cupcakes that have a reservoir of molten chocolate inside along with a rich topping of icing. Y …
I confess that the welter of apps available often makes me want to turn ostrich and break out my flip phone or, better yet, invest in something with a rotary dial in a periwinkle hue. But the truth of the matter is that the right apps can make you fast …
Mothers Day is right around the corner and if you’re like a lot of people, you’ve not quite gotten around to getting Mom that perfect gift. The one to express your undying love and appreciation, all wrapped up in attractive packaging and a little bow. …
I often dream of recapturing the feeling that I used to have on the last day of the school year. The elation of school being at an end. The long, warm days suddenly free to be filled with anything my newly idle mind could imagine. Summer stretched out …
I’m going to let my dork flag fly. I have been waiting for this weekend to come for months now. As the date gets closer, I hear the theme music in my head, increasing in urgency and volume. I troll the internet searching for newly released trailers lik …
The ugly necktie. The stereotype of awful Father’s Day gifts. In this case, the stereotype contains a hidden truth: it’s really hard to buy gifts for men with children. Sure, there’s the odd piece of electronics and I suppose some fathers who are actua …
More than ever before, baseball and business are intertwined, and fans are acutely aware of the economics of the game. They debate the merits of locking up a young player with a long-term contract, worry about whether the unbundling of cable subscripti …
You had a great idea, you took the leap, and now you’re ready to start your own business. The prospect of starting a business from scratch can be both exciting and overwhelming. Take a deep breath, get organized, and relax –there are lots of great tool …
Maybe you’ve just come home after a late night at the office…Or you’ve just returned from a week-long business trip. Maybe you’ve finally put the kids to bed after being on your feet since the early morning. You probably don’t have the time or energy …