Category: Contributed Posts

Reasons Why Customers Don’t Trust Your Business

Two of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. Trust in business in key, especially the trust between you and your customers. Building your customers’ trust can be the difference between your business thriving or struggling which is why it’s critical that you maintain it. The following contributed post is entitled, Reasons Why Customers Don’t Trust Your Business.

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Being liked is important in the business world, but it is trust that will secure long-term loyalty. People are much more likely to buy from a brand that they trust, even if they don’t like them, than a brand that they like, but aren’t sure that they can trust. All companies strive to make a good first and lasting impression. The trouble is, good intentions don’t always work out the way that you planned. With that in mind, here are six reasons why customers don’t trust your business.

Products Differ From Descriptions
When marketing materials mislead consumers, whether it be intentionally or not, it can cause a lot of problems. After all, customers will have bought your products because of the promises that you made about them. If none of those promises can be kept, then a lot of people will have spent their money for nothing. Only promising what you’re sure you can deliver will prevent this issue.

Return Policies Are Complicated
Although purchasing a product that you don’t need isn’t an ideal situation, it is one that can be easily solved by a simple and prompt return policy. If a customer tries to return a product to you for a refund, and they find it to be a difficult process, it will result in a lack of trust. It may seem like a counterintuitive solution, but making it easy for customers to get their money back is helpful.

Only Cash Is Accepting
Making payments using a credit card offers a lot more protection than paying cash. This is why many consumers prefer it. Unless you’re a very small business, no customer is going to understand why they can’t pay with their card. Because of this, you should invest in credit card processing. This will make payments quicker and easier, as well as safer for everyone.

Extra Fees Sneak Up
Charging a late payment fee is an effective way to ensure that consumers make payments on time. That being said, this will only work if you warn customers about the charge. Although these fees might mean more money in your pocket, they will damage the relationships that you’ve built with your customers. Warning them about the fees, however, will show you care about them.

Lack Of Customer Reviews
A customer will always trust another more than they do you. This is why many people read reviews before they decide to make purchases. If you’re missing reviews on many of your products, it can put customers off from buying them. Providing an incentive, like a discount code or free gift, should be enough to convince buyers to leave reviews after making their purchase.

Complaints Are Always Ignored
Having no reviews can often be worse than receiving bad ones. After all, when you get bad feedback, you’re given an opportunity to respond to it. In this response, you can tell customers exactly how you intend to improve. The problem is, many businesses don’t bother to do this. Rather than ignoring your customers, you should talk to them, especially on social media.

Building trust with customers can be difficult, but breaking it is very easy. To avoid doing so, ensure that you don’t make any of the mistakes listed above.

3 Tips For Your Online Business

Three of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money, Business/Entrepreneurship and Technology. Most business is conducted online today. You online business strategy is there are part of your business that you have to keep sharp. The following contributed post is entitled, 3 Tips For Your Online Business.

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Whether you are just looking into starting up your online business, or you have been established for some time, these tips will stand you in good stead to make some savings both in terms of costs and time, and help to ensure that your business continues to thrive.

Image Pixabay

Make the best use of technology

There are IT solutions to cover pretty much every conceivable area of your business nowadays, so do ensure that you make good use of them all.

As your business is run wholly online, this is an area that you simply have to invest in, and it might be worth getting an IT consultant involved. You need to maintain the highest levels of security and ensure that there is minimal downtime.

It is then worth using technology to assist you with the administration side of your business. Rather than having to run things manually or employ someone in-house to take tasks on, you will find you can get accounting software, payroll services such as CloudPay and bookkeeping apps that can take care of everything for you. These options will not only be speedy, but also highly effective, freeing you up to focus on your business.

Maximise your traffic from every source

Many an online business has been built on one primary source of traffic, and then has sadly crumbled as that source dried up.

Take the recent Instagram changes, where business profiles receive less exposure as an example. Businesses that gained most of their traffic and promotion via this social media channel have suffered significantly and are now scrambling to gain traction on other platforms or elsewhere.

As such, you need to be ensuring that you are covering as many bases as you possibly can with your marketing and lead generation. Online businesses can do very well from social media, but spread those efforts out more evenly. Utilise Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter equally and closely monitor all content to understand what you are best sharing.

You should also always work to maximise your SEO, as if done correctly, this can be relied upon to deliver long term traffic to your website. This will not rise and fall on current trends and you need not be reliant on social media platforms changing their algorithms.

Build a strong brand and reputation

You are battling amongst thousands, hundreds of thousands, of other online businesses within your sector. In order to succeed you have to stand out.

You need to focus on your branding and ensure that you are conveying all that you are about within your design, website and logos. People need to land on your website and instantly understand your product offering, and they need to recognise you when they stumble across you elsewhere on the internet. Strive for something unique and something that says what it is that you do.

You will then have to monitor what people are saying about your business online. Your business needs to have a good reputation so you will be seeking to receive excellent reviews and to be responding to any online feedback. Set up Google Alerts so that you are always aware of any fresh content written about you.

What You Should Keep in Your Car

The principle of my blog is Creating Ecosystems of Success. A key focus is Health/Wellness. Regardless of where you’re driving, there are a few select items that you always want to keep in your car. Doing so will assure yours and your passengers’ safety under most circumstances. The following contributed post is entitled, What You Should Keep in Your Car.

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Is your car filled with old receipts, dirty jumpers, empty drinks bottles, and food packaging that should have been in the bin a long time ago? Or, are you a super tidy car owner? Do you clean your car out every time you get home, and take it to be washed and vacuumed every few weeks? Most of us fall into one of these two camps. Your car is either very messy, so that you are ashamed to offer anyone a lift, or always clean and tidy and ready for guests. But, whichever camp you fall into, chances are your car is missing a few of the things that you should always have with you.

There are a few things that you should have with you in your car at all times. Things that could keep you safe in an accident, help you out if you get lost, or even save your life if you end up stuck somewhere. Let’s take a look at some of the things that you should always have in your car.

Credit – https://unsplash.com/photos/IAc1x02D9K0

Contact Numbers

Do you know What happens in a hit and run? Would you know who to call if you broke down? Or if you were involved in another accident? Have contact numbers like your breakdown service in your phone all the time in case you need them quickly.

A Map

You might use your phone or a satellite navigation system. These are great and exceptionally useful. But, they’re not always accurate, and cell signal still isn’t 100%. It’s a good idea to carry a map too, especially if you are traveling to somewhere new.

A Phone Charger

Your contact numbers are in your phone. Your map is on your phone. There’s a torch on your phone. If you have an accident, you might use your phone to photograph the damage. You might even use it to play music. What if your battery died? Take a car charger wherever you go, and you’ll never need to worry.

Water

If you breakdown or find yourself stuck waiting to be rescued, you can manage without most things. But not water. Take a bottle of water on all long journeys. Snacks and spare clothes are a good idea too, but at least take water.

A Basic Tool Kit

You’d be amazed at how much you can repair, or patch up enough to get to a garage yourself by the side of the road with just a basic tool kit and some car repair videos on YouTube. A first aid kit might come in handy too.

A Spare Tire

You should always have a spare tire, that’s pumped up and in good condition, or if you drive a newer car, an emergency repair kit, just in case. A jack can also be handy in case you need to change it yourself by the side of the road. It can also be a good idea to carry an air pump and pressure gauge. Sometimes just adding a little air is all that you need to be able to drive it to a garage, which can be a lot easier than trying to change it yourself.

3 Home Improvements The 21st-Century Landlord Should Make

Two of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. Real Estate is a major wealth-building tool. Landlords who own property must understand how to maintain and even upgrade their residential home properties in order to keep them up to code and also compete with other landlords. The following contributed post is entitled, 3 Home Improvements The 21st-Century Landlord Should Make.

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Nowadays, first-time homeowners are more likely to be in their 30s and sometimes even their 40s. Compared to our parents and grandparents, it makes no doubt that the real estate market has evolved dramatically. The price tag has increased tremendously, making it more challenging for buyers to secure the deposit and find an affordable mortgage. As a direct consequence, buy-to-let landlords find that their tenants are more likely to be interested in mid- to long-term tenancy agreements.

Indeed, the difficulty to enter the property market presents a valuable opportunity for landlords. As most tenants are keen to stay for several years, they also seek modern days comfort and facilities in their rented property. The shoe-box, dark property with a low rent doesn’t run the rental market anymore. Tenants want to feel at home, and they expect landlords to create a space that is fit for purpose.

Concrete floor

No tenant wants to look after the garden

The idyllic suburban house with a little garden is a home cliché that nobody cares about anymore. The truth is that your tenants work hard during the week to pay the bills and save money ahead of a deposit. They don’t have any time or interest in maintaining the garden. From lawn mowing to watering, a pretty garden requires a lot of effort – without mentioning money. Your tenants don’t want to spend their weekends clearing the lawn. They want to relax, and therefore, they prefer a front yard that is easy to manage. Consequently, it’s a good idea to work closely with concrete paving contractors to transform your yard into a smooth surface that can act as a cozy patio in summer. Additionally paving slabs are perfect as an impromptu parking space when your tenants receive guests.

Help your tenants save money on energy bills

Windows that let the cold air in and inadequate attic insulation have earned a place in the top ten worst rentals in history, but they are nothing modern tenants are ready to compromise. Indeed, your tenants have no desire of being cold in winter. Many know exactly what to check when they visit a property, and therefore, no landlord can afford to run rentals that waste energy. As most tenants will pay close attention to your windows, your heaters, and the overall temperature in the property, they will quickly spot any issue. But you can also provide additional support towards energy bill management by installing smart technology, which tenants can control with an app. Smart appliances and systems offer a compelling control argument for budget-focused tenants. If it seems as though this would be hard to take care of and that a lot could go wrong, you can hire property managers to deal with any potential issues for you, and you can just concentrate on keeping your tenants as happy as possible.

Give your tenants control

Switch the carpet for eco-friendly and easy-care solutions

What is the most common flooring solution? If you’re still thinking in terms of costs, you’re approaching the problem from the wrong angle. As a landlord, you need to consider flooring solutions that are easy to maintain – and therefore don’t require replacing each time you put your property back on the market. Concrete floors can be not only elegant, but they are durable, easy to clean, and non-traditional. Wood carpets share the same qualities and can be used for centuries!

Making your rental property appealing is all about putting your tenants’ needs first. Something else to consider that was not mentioned in this post is Attic Cleanup. Making sure the attic is suitable is another important aspect prospective tenants will ponder before moving into your property. Your tenants want something that is easy to manage, that provides great cost control, and that is durable – therefore, they don’t need to worry about it. From your curb appeal to your flooring solutions, it’s time to transform your rental.

Five No-nonsense Habits to Prevent Football Injuries

The first principle of my blog is Creating Ecosystems of Success and a key focus is Athletics/Sports. While “American Football” is king in the United States, the top sport in the rest of the world is “Football” also known as “Soccer”. Soccer requires a high level of fitness for the massive amounts of running needed to play the sport. As such, it’s important to know how to prevent common injuries. The following contributed post is entitled, Five No-nonsense Habits to Prevent Football Injuries.

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From pulled hamstrings to twisted ankles, sports injuries are a fact of life if you play football. Or are they? These tips will help you avoid minor niggles that take you out of the game for weeks at a time, as well as the more serious injuries that can put you on the bench for life.

Photo by Ben Weber on Unsplash

Get Checked Over By a Pro

If there’s an imbalance in your body—perhaps one of your hammies is tighter than the other, or you have more strength in one of your quads—you might be the last to know. We get so used to how it feels to be us that it can be difficult to identify imbalances in your own physique. A physiotherapy session at the start of the season is a great way to anticipate injuries you may be at risk of. Your physio will give you a program of exercises and practices designed to help you take steps to prevent what needn’t be inevitable.

Strreeeeaatch!

This is not a drill: a proper stretch after your game or training session is essential to preventing painful injuries. Everything from your tendons, to your muscles and ligaments, are susceptible to wear and tear. The more you stretch, the more flexible you become, the more likely you are to avoid sustaining serious injury when you change direction quickly or load weight on your joints.

Image Source: Pexels

Strength Training

Strength training—surprise, surprise—makes you stronger, which gives you finer muscular control. You’ll also find it easier to balance and feel more agile, both of which are crucial to preventing injury. Football is a fast-paced, contact sport which can be extremely taxing on the body. Strength conditioning is a great way to prepare the body for the demands of the game by building strength and agility.

Stay Fit

Don’t fall into the trap of letting yourself off the hook during the off-season. Ideally, you should try to stay in top shape throughout the year, but this may not be reasonable for everyone. The important thing is not to let your fitness drop to a point where you’ll need a boot-camp to whip you back into shape at the start of the season. The offseason is a good time to tend to any minor injuries you may have sustained over the last few months. Now that the pressure is off, you can invest time in rest (or doing those physio exercises you’ve been putting off all season).

Don’t Play Injured

This is a tough one for many footie enthusiasts. Who wants to sit a game out because of a twinging ankle or a slightly tender calf muscle? While it might be tempting to ignore a minor injury, you could do yourself way more damage by carelessly taking to the field. Be patient. Do what your physio has instructed you to do. You’ll thank yourself in a few weeks’ time when you’re running back on, injury-free.

Whether you’re a top-flight player or a five-a-sider, injury can ruin the fun. These tips will help you prevent minor and major injuries during the season and beyond.

Nine Ways Office Décor Can Make You More Productive

The first principle of my blog is Creating Ecosystems of Success, and two key focuses are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. No matter which sector you’re in, the décor of your office can impact the productivity of your staff. This is often overlooked by ownership and management. The following contributed post is entitled, Nine Ways Office Décor Can Make You More Productive.

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Did you know that the way you decorate your office can have an impact on your productivity? The way you decorate can encourage better work and minimize distractions. What are the best ways to decorate your office to help you work the best way you can.

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  1. Light it up. A properly lit office is very important. Being in a well lit environment boosts your energy, and it reduces eye strain. If you’re using a computer all day, make sure your workspace is well lit to protect your eyes. Add more light with lamps, or light window treatments to let in more natural light. Move your desk next to a window to make the most of the daylight.
  2. Choose the right furniture. Make sure your desk is the right height for you to work comfortably, and choose a desk chair that offers good support for your back. Adjust your chair to match your desk height. If you’re furnishing a large office, find the best options by using a service known for connecting global buyers and furniture manufacturers to get the best deals.
  3. Declutter. A tidy workspace can help you to focus. Clear anything you don’t need off your desk, and invest in a set of desk drawers to store everything out of sight instead.
  4. Paint the walls the right color. Did you know, color can have a big impact on your mood? Blues are shown to stimulate the mind, while yellow can increase creativity. To make your office more relaxing, choose green.
  5. Engage your senses. Some people find that scents can help them concentrate too. Experiment with scented candles, reed diffusers or scented oils in your work space and see if it works for you. Peppermint is often used to energise, and citrus is great to reduce stress. If you work in a communal office, make sure your neighbours don’t mind you adding strong smells.
  6. Add plants. Plants make a work space feel more homey, especially if you don’t have much chance to get outside in your work day. Adding plants also boosts the oxygen in your office, which aids your ability to concentrate.
  7. Get motivated. Feel inspired by motivational messages? Add some to your work space. Buy posters or postcards to pin up around you with messages that you find inspiring. You could make your own messages too by using scrabble tiles, letters cut from magazines or with letter board.
  8. Add storage. Being able to quickly and easily find important documents will make your work day go more smoothly. Invest in some practical, but visually pleasing, storage. Store away paperwork, stationery and other desk clutter to keep your desk clear and save you time hunting for things.
  9. Try a standing desk. Sitting all day won’t do much for your energy levels, and many find they get more done while using a standing desk. If you don’t get on with standing to work, make sure you get up and move around often to get the blood flowing again. Whether you just take a walk to the office kitchen and back, or spend five minutes dancing around your home office, taking time to move will help you.

Thoughts On An Effective Healthcare Space

Two of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. While the healthcare administered is the most important aspect of any healthcare facility, the appearance plays a key role too. The right space will make your patients feel comfortable will likely encourage them to return. The following contributed post is entitled, Thoughts On An Effective Healthcare Space.

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Martha Dominguez de Gouveia

Taking care of our health is very important, but can be intimidating and unwelcoming at times. Whilst being looked after in the comfort of your own home can be a better compromise, healthcare practices are often seen as drab spaces with fluorescent light and cold tiled floors. However, an increasing number of practices are shifting towards producing warm and relaxing surroundings which make patients feel at home and comfortable. Regardless of who you are and in what point you’re at in your own life, walking right into a clinic that provides you with a sense of comfort, security and enjoyment will always elicit a favorable response compared to entering a clinical and cold area in which you feel dread and anxiety. This is the reason why it’s critical to make patients feel at ease.

The layout and design of any office are very important for productivity, efficiency, and comfort for the occupants. Fantastic design can play a critical role in the medical business, particularly when accuracy, professionalism and anxiety management are regarded as crucial elements for any clinic. Health practices are a place to be appreciated, somewhere individuals are going to want to return to and also a favorable location for employees. Straightforward design variables such as a splash of color and furniture changes may alter a practice’s dynamic. Significant elements of a thriving clinic comprise an aesthetic layout and excellent decor which will endure the test of practicality and time. The layout should make the lives of both patients and staff simpler. First impressions are also very important to any company.

Strategies for space and growth of future services have to be considered in as much detail because of the positioning of the lighting and doors. Not allowing enough layout time can be detrimental, which will not promote effective decision making for many parties involved, causing the finished product to be jeopardized for quality & decent design.

Creating flow and associations between design elements, while at precisely the same time being aware of visual focus is paramount for great designers. Throw in the additional components of organic light and compliance with statutory construction code requirements and you’ve got the raw ingredients for the perfect practice.

So why is the design of healthcare practice significant? When we come into a practice to wait for therapy, or work in a clinic, this has a significant impact on our emotional and physiological reaction. It’s the aesthetics which could tell individual and the team just how much the professionals care in their job and therefore are an imperative function which predetermines a patients expectations and expertise.

The most significant marketing components to any health clinic are the surroundings and the men and women working inside it. The way a patient feels in the start, during and following a consultation period is paramount to the company’ marketing efforts. It’s similar to a website that’s simple to navigate and is informative. A well-designed health practice functions in precisely the exact same manner. When the workflow is great and the practice is nicely put together, you’re more inclined to return there.

So You Want To Minimize Your Footprint?

The first principle of my blog is Creating Ecosystems of Success. While vast, the world is a small place. As we all share this world, we can all play a major part in making it better. It’s the only world we have, and there are numerous ways we can do that. The following contributed post is entitled, So You Want To Minimize Your Footprint?

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In this day and age, we all know enough of what goes on in the world to care about being more responsible. You just cannot avoid it. The news is very much reporting of all of what goes on, and sustainability is finally on the rise. However, there are just too many people that then go on to assume they just cannot contribute. That their small efforts don’t make a difference. But they do. And so, let’s take a look at what you can do to minimize your footprint.

Avoid Waste

This first one is an easy one. Because it’s safe to say that we’re all wasting far too much in the world right now. We throw things away like it’s nobody’s business, and it’s time to change that. But how? If you can only consume what you need, and look to reduce your consumption altogether, it can really help. The less that you send to landfill, the better. So really try to recycle what you can.

Lend A Hand

But then also, you might want to physically get as involved as you can. When this is the case, you may find that helping out in community projects, or leading the way with big local initiates really helps you. So don’t be afraid to be a part of something bigger.

Get Smart
Also, you need to get smart about the recourses that you’re using. Use less, and know what you’re using. The infographic below can help you here.


Infographic Design By University of California – Riverside

3 Ways To Keep Your Fleet Drivers Safe On The Road

Two of the principles of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. Trucking businesses can be very lucrative if run the properly. A key aspect is keeping your fleet drivers safety. The following contributed post is entitled, 3 Ways To Keep Your Fleet Drivers Safe On The Road.

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(image credit)

As a business owner, safety needs to be your number one concern, especially when it comes to protecting your employees. An accident and an injury at work could prove costly for your business, not only from compensation claims sought by your employee but by the level of productivity that will be cut if you are consequently short-staffed because the injury has resulted in an employee absence. Your reputation might also take a hit if you are seen to show negligence as an employer, and that could have a knock-on effect on your profits.

Now, health and safety dangers are not only found on site. As many business owners are reliant on company cars, vans, lorries, etc. for business meetings and cargo purposes, there are all of the expected risks that can be found on today’s roads. According to Automotive Fleet, the annual accident rate for commercial fleets has risen to 20%. Sadly, many of these have resulted in fatalities, and so, if you do have employees working on the roads, you need to focus on their safety to ensure they don’t become yet another statistic.

So, what can you do about it? You can’t be with them on the roads, so you might think the situation is out of your hands. Not so, as there are a number of things you can do.

1. Make sure the vehicles are safe to drive

It is important to inspect your company’s vehicles regularly, and while both you and your drivers should take steps to know what danger signs to look out for, you should also seek the assistance of a qualified mechanic periodically. If there are any problems, you should deal with them immediately, and that means booking in your vehicles at your local garage, or looking for specialist service support if specific parts are needed, such as those Sprinter Fleet companies who have the relevant Sprinter van accessories and parts to maintain your vehicle.

2. Ensure your drivers are trained to drive the vehicles in your care

While you know your drivers need to be trained and licensed to drive your company vehicles, you should still invest in extra training to ensure their safety on the roads. This includes specific ‘behind the wheel’ training courses for vehicles they may or may not have had the relevant experience in before, as well as e-learning courses that might focus on particular aspects of road safety. With prices starting at around $85 with courses provided by Skills Driving, you don’t have a lot to pay, although even if at premium rates, you should never let a price tag get in the way of your employee’s safety.

3. Install a camera system in your fleet vehicles

In some instances, your driver will not be to blame for any accidents that might occur on the road. However, there are other instances when they might be, perhaps because they have tried to pull off risky driving maneuvers, or maybe because they have become distracted and taken their eyes off the road. A fleet vehicle camera system will let you see everything, and while the driver might resent being checked up on, you should remind them that you are doing it for their safety. You can then bring up any mistakes or bad driver behavior with them should you notice them, although, in theory, the driver will probably drive more safely knowing that their actions are being monitored.

Finally

There is much you can do to protect your driver’s on the road, so follow our suggestions if you are reliant on a business fleet. Let us know if you have any ideas too, especially if you’re an employer where day-to-day driving is a necessity for your employees.

Why A Graduate Degree Is A Good Idea

The first principle of my blog is Creating Ecosystems of Success, and two key focuses are a Career Discussions and General Education. Depending up your career aspirations, a Graduate Degree may be a logical move. The pursuit of higher degrees should be carefully calculated out. The following contributed post is entitled, Why A Graduate Degree Is A Good Idea.

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Thinking about going to graduate school or studying online? Debating an MBA? It’s a great idea for a range of reasons. And here’s why.

Boost Your Knowledge

First of all, a huge selling point for a lot of people, is that you are going to learn a lot more. Maybe you want to go into academia, or you don’t feel as if your education journey is quite over? Or maybe you want to progress in your career, and going back to school to get your MBA can help you to do that? If so, it’s a great idea.

Keep Your Options Open

The next thing reason why going on to graduate school after you get your bachelor’s degree, is so that you can keep your options open. Maybe you don’t know what you want to do for a career right now? Then going on an getting a MBA allows you to learn more and it bides you some time while you figure things out too.

Earn More

You’ll often find that with the right degree, you can also earn more too. Lots of graduate degrees lead to higher positions and higher-earning roles. Not only that, but you may find that you’re able to get a promotion, or you’re offered a higher tiered salary right off the bat. So if you want to progress in your career, getting a graduate degree like an MBA can help.

For more information on the benefits of graduate programs, particularly the online MBA, take a look at the infographic below.


Infographic Design By Northeastern University