search for recent posts how to think of digital marketing in 2016 best ways to get a handle on your money important health tips as we age traits that prevent people being in control of their finances how much should you spend on a car archives october 2016 september 2016 august 2016 july 2016 june 2016 may 2016 april 2016 march 2016 february 2016 january 2016 december 2015 november 2015 october 2015 september 2015 august 2015 july 2015 june 2015 may 2015 april 2015 march 2015 february 2015 january 2015 categories business finance home tech uncategorised how to think of digital marketing in 2016 we ve come a long way since almost every business began putting themselves online . however this also means we ve had to alter how we market ourselves . it s no longer merely a matter of flashy tv adverts or full page newspaper material . these days fewer people encounter such media since they get their news and entertainment entirely online . we should therefore consider what are some important modern strategies for marketing . the power of video while it s true fewer people are watching tv these days that doesn t mean the visual medium of film has stopped . youtube has rapidly risen in popularity allowing anyone to film record and share their videos . the types of videos range from high quality short films starring famous celebs to low quality snowboarding videos . all of it however finds an audience with some going inexplicably viral . some companies have used virality as a powerful way to market themselves . for example coca cola used a hidden camera style sequence for their happiness machine . combining joy and surprise the video was lovingly shared by millions . flipping this on its head lenovo india decided to analyse viral videos with a comedian . this let them use other viral videos in order to showcase their own brand . with a likeable host and knowing we ll find a fun video lenovo cleverly spun the viral nature on its head . virality then has a kind of trick down effect . social media more businesses are recognising the importance of social media . as mobile marketing watch reports a recent study found that 92 percent of retailers surveyed are investing in social media marketing to some degree this year second only to email 94 percent . social media is not only a cost effective tool for many retailers but it is also driving revenue . for businesses this is a free platform where they can demonstrate their products and work . they can reach potential customers and clients and engage meaningfully with those enquiring . of course social media flops cost jobs and clients too but that is the risk we take when trying something new on r any sort of marketing platform . physical of course just because there is a heavy focus on digital doesn t mean we should ignore physical angles . for example it s still advisable to use a video wall controller if we have the right environment . digital signage today recommends hotel lobbies for example since people are often standing in line and are curious about the local surroundings since there s a high chance that someone checking into a hotel is a tourist . this makes it ideal for new business . these are just some ways to use modern tech to aid us in advertising our business . picture credit kvrkchowdari pixabay posted on 4th october 20164th october 2016categories business finance tech best ways to get a handle on your money today most people are aware about how volatile the markets are . everyone is concerned about what could next bring the markets to a halt collapsing years of financial investment and careful planning . of course even the smartest economists and finance experts in the world could not have seen the dramatic events of the last few years . all we can do as individuals is manage our own money in smart ways . with modern technology this has proven easier than ever before . create a budget the most important first step to any engagement with finances is budgeting . this involves knowing how much we re earning versus how much we re spending . as the balance notes in their guide to making a budget if you spend less in one area you can spend more in another or choose to save that money for a larger future purchase building a rainy day fund or even for retirement . budgeting is primarily about control . if we don t have control then we can t know the best action . track spending with today s technology it s easier than ever to track how we re spending money . most major banks have official apps that automatically send out notifications for when we make purchases or money is deducted from our account . when making a budget plan a month where we track every expense we re notified of . then start calculating . consider investments another advantage to better technology is having a handle on our investments . from being able to more easily compile fund fact sheets to informing us in real time about changes in the market tech has become more precise and faster recently . this shouldn t stop us speaking to our brokers and experts of course . just because we can get the information more easily and faster doesn t mean we know what to do with it . get rid of luxuries none of us want to be too puritanical and conservative in what we spend our hard earned money on . but in this difficult climate it might be wise to take a harder look at what we re purchasing and why . we need to be harder on ourselves and really question if we need something or whether we just want it . with modern tech we can easily find price comparisons whether this item is really necessary or if there aren t alternatives and so on . with a quick google search for example all our questions can be answered helping us curb our buying something immediately . this can help us make better judgements and stop frivolous purchases . image credit tech in asia flickr posted on 28th september 2016categories business finance home techtags finance saving tech important health tips as we age there s no getting around the fact that we ll age . every birthday is a reminder we re adding another year to our lives and that means our bodies alter too . we can t help but age since we are part of the natural world . that doesn t mean we re completely vulnerable though . it s important for us to know how to help ourselves in terms of aging so we don t succumb entirely to this process . this matters to our lives our ability to work and so on . stay active these days with the massive amount of incredible technology it s easy to work from the comfort of a desk and chair . indeed we can run an entire office have meetings and complete complicated tasks all without leaving our homes . this does not encourage movement or activity though . due to workload we often think we have no time for activity . we work a whole day come home and have to prepare for the evening . parents in particular have to add in the additional attention required to look after their children . this however should not be an excuse to ignore our health and fitness concerns . at the office we can take a few minutes every hour to walk around if we re lucky we can have a room to ourselves to do simple quick exercises like push ups . if possible bring weights and when we re not using our hands do some exercises with at least one arm . time magazine has a list of what it calls deskercises which are designed to be workouts performed at the desk . eat properly what we put into our body is just as important as how we exercise it . every person has individual requirements but there are overarching foods we should stay away from or at the very least cut down on . sugar for example is of major concern to many health professionals . as eat this notes although it s impossible to stop the aging process it s possible to keep your youthful complexion later into life by cutting back on sugar a nutrient that s been shown to accelerate wrinkling and sagging . they provide an excellent list of what to avoid showing precisely why such food stuffs only exacerbate the aging process . think about the future though we may not want to we must start thinking about topics like retirement and medical aid schemes for pensioners . we will eventually reach these stages and we must have a foundation on which to create security . a secure foundation now means a better future later . most of us think we might live forever but this is obviously not true . and this mindset prevents proper preparation meaning our later selves lose out . it s time we start preparing now and take a proper response to the reality of ageing . image credit decor8 holly flickr posted on 28th september 2016categories hometags health life tips traits that prevent people being in control of their finances most of us would love to have perfected ways to not mess up our finances . yet given how complex managing money is it s no wonder we re not always the best . but aside from studying for years to become experts at financial management we should consider the link between the growing field of behavioural finance and wealth management . first we should figure out what behavioural finance is and then see how it applies . behavioural finance defined as investopedia summarises behavioral finance is a relatively new field that seeks to combine behavioral and cognitive psychological theory with conventional economics and finance to provide explanations for why people make irrational financial decisions . the importance of it is that it refocuses people as not being entirely rational acting and behaving because of factors beyond their control . these often lead to bad financial decisions and terrible management of wealth . bad traits to avoid the royal society for the encouragement of arts manufactures and commerce or the rsa compiled a recent list of the traits hindering people s ability to manage their finances . their report showed that particular bad beliefs shaped behaviours in unhelpful ways . these are the six they noted . cognitive overload when we have too much to worry about or on our minds we make bad decisions . this often happens during times of financial distress meaning we end up making matters worse . to counter this we should seek professional financial help and try separate our knee jerk responses . empathy gaps this is when we purchase based on an inability to put ourselves into different stages of time . for example we ll buy food on an empty stomach but not when we re full this might be a bad choice for various reasons buying while hungry could be cognitive overload while full means we don t save for later . this applies to bigger financial choices too . the solution again is to be as neutral as possible when acting and acting sooner rather than later . optimism and overconfidence having unrealistic expectations drenched in optimism means we make bad decisions . we should operate on facts not fantasy . instant gratification instead of saving for the long term and making our money grow we buy instantly . it feels better .