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Newbie content creator? Here’s an 8-step guide on how to find your audience

Whether you’ve taken on content creation as a job or you’re doing it as a hobby, you definitely need to figure out which group of people you will be creating content for: your audience.

Identifying an audience is one of the most important steps for a newbie content creator. Without a clear understanding of who your audience is, it can be difficult to create content that resonates with them. You want to be able to tap into their goals, wants and pain points to be able to craft the kind of content that can effectively impart information they need to inspire them to take action.

Here is a comprehensive guide on how to identify your audience as a newbie content creator:

Step 1: Define Your Niche

The first step is to define your niche. What is the topic or area you want to create content about? This could be anything from fitness to cooking to personal finance. Defining your niche will help you create content that is focused and relevant to your audience.

Being a multi-passionate person myself – with a lot of opinions or factual tidbits to share on a myriad of topics – I chose to streamline my content to those relating to food, travel and the urban lifestyle.

Which particular niches would you like to focus on?

Step 2: Research Your Competitors

Researching your competitors can provide valuable insights into your target audience. Look at other content creators in your niche and see who their audience is. Analyze their content and engagement metrics to understand what kind of content resonates with their audience.

In due course, you might want to evolve your view of your fellow content creators from being your competitors into being your partners and co-creators.

Some of my best work have been the product of collaborations, shared experiences or shared knowledge among fellow content creators.

Step 3: Define Your Target Demographic

Once you have a clear understanding of your niche and competitors, you can define your target demographic. This includes factors such as age, gender, location, interests, and behaviors. Understanding these demographic factors will help you create content that appeals to your audience.

Given my topics and interests, I have determined my audience demographic to be mostly urban and suburban GenX and Elder Millennial working women who are interested in food and travel and who already have their own home. I believe that I have some insights on what their concerns and interests are and can produce content that can appeal and resonate with them.

Step 4: Conduct Market Research

Conducting market research can help you gain a deeper understanding of your audience’s needs and preferences. Use online surveys or focus groups to collect data on what your audience is looking for, what challenges they face, and how you can provide value to them.

You can also join Facebook Groups related to your chosen niche (eg. foodies, travelers, homebodies, etc) and take note of the discussions and comments posted there.

Step 5: Analyze Your Social Media Analytics

If you already have a social media presence, analyzing your analytics can provide insights into your audience. Look at metrics such as engagement, reach, and demographics to understand who is interacting with your content.

Step 6: Engage with Your Audience

Engaging with your audience can provide valuable feedback on your content and help you build relationships with your followers. Respond to comments, ask for feedback, and encourage discussion to better understand your audience’s needs.

Step 7: Use Keyword Research

Keyword research can help you understand what your audience is searching for and what topics are most relevant to them. Use tools such as Google Keyword Planner or Ahrefs to find relevant keywords and phrases that you can use in your content.

Step 8: Stay Flexible and Adapt

Finally, stay flexible and adapt as your audience evolves. As you create more content and engage with your audience, you may discover new trends or interests that you can incorporate into your content. Be open to feedback and adjust your strategy accordingly.

Additional Resources

Want more in-depth resources on building your audience as a content creator? Check out this books available on Amazon.com:

Content Inc.: Start a Content-First Business, Build a Massive Audience and Become Radically Successful (with Little to No Money) by Joe Pulizzi

This book teaches how to create a content marketing strategy that builds a loyal audience and generates revenue, covering topics such as identifying your niche, creating valuable content, and promoting your brand.

How To Build An Online Audience: The step-by-step guide to getting more social media followers, bigger email lists and more traffic to your website by Patric Morgan

The book covers various strategies and tools that content creators can use to increase their visibility, attract more followers, and ultimately monetize their online presence.

Known: The Handbook for Building and Unleashing Your Personal Brand in the Digital Age by Mark Schaefer

This book focuses on building a personal brand and developing a loyal audience, with tips on creating valuable content, leveraging social media, and standing out in a crowded online world.

Identifying your audience is a crucial step for any newbie content creator. By defining your niche, researching your competitors, conducting market research, analyzing your analytics, engaging with your audience, using keyword research, and staying flexible, you can create content that resonates with your target audience and build a loyal following.

Make money off your content today!

Want to monetize your content? Sign up for an Intellifluence account now!

Intellifluence is an influencer marketing service that helps brands and influencers collaborate to achieve their respective goals. Simply create your free account, fill out your profile, apply for projects and complete your deliverables, then receive your payments.

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Header image by Lifestylememory on Freepik

This post contains affiliate links.

Check out my previous posts about Influencer Marketing:

Take a sneak peek into the beginnings of your favorite influencers with LikeToKnow.It

How small businesses can tap the power of micro-influencers

From Hobby to Career: 8 factors to consider in making content creation your livelihood

Do you like taking pictures and videos and sharing them on social media? Do write well and publish your thoughts and views online?

Then, you might have wondered about making a living out of creating content.

Content creation has become a popular way to make a living in recent years. Whether you’re a writer, blogger, photographer, or social media influencer, there are many opportunities to turn your passion for creating content into a lucrative career.

However, before jumping into this field, there are several factors to consider. Here, we will explore eight things to keep in mind when making content creation your livelihood.

1. Your niche

One of the first things to consider when making content creation your career is identifying your niche. There are many topics to create content about, and many groups of people who follow specific interests. It’s essential to find a niche that you are passionate about and can specialize in, as well as one that has an engaged audience that can become your followers.

For example, if you’re interested in photography, you could specialize in wedding photography, product photography, or fashion photography to cater to the need of its audiences for information and inspiration.

Personally, I’ve always seen myself as a city girl so my content covers things to do, food to eat and places to see in the city. I want to show fellow urbanites the sheer number of possibilities that city living has to offer. This way, my topics are easily accessible to me, in line with my interests and can resonate with my audience.

Finding your niche can help you stand out from the competition and attract clients who are looking for your specific expertise or tap into your audience.

2. Your portfolio

Once you’ve identified your niche, building a portfolio is essential. A portfolio showcases your best work and helps potential clients understand your style and expertise. You can create a portfolio website (in my case, this blog serves as my portfolio) or use social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest to showcase your work. When building your portfolio, ensure that you include a diverse range of projects that showcase your skills and expertise.

3. Your rates

Setting your rates can be challenging, especially when you’re just starting. To establish your pricing, you can research the rates for content creation in your niche and location among your fellow content creators. Some content creators charge hourly rates, while others charge per project. When setting your rates, keep in mind your experience, the type of content you create, and your target audience. Crafting a rate card with these information will be helpful when pitching your services to potential clients or when responding to inquiries from those who want to hire you.

4. Your network

Establishing a career on content creation relies heavily on tour reputation and connections. Networking with other content creators, potential clients, and industry professionals is essential for finding work and building a a name for yourself in the industry. Attend events, join online communities related to your niche, and connect with others through social media.

You can also reach out to local businesses or brands and offer your services. Some of my most memorable and rewarding projects were with brands that I’ve reached out to.

5. Your time and finances

Content creation can be time-consuming and unpredictable, so it’s essential to manage your time effectively and plan for the ups and downs of freelancing. You would need to have a system in place to manage your projects (especially in meeting your deadlines and producing your deliverables), as well as your resources.

Your work might require you to invest in equipment or travel so you need to factor those into your expenses. You would also need to have a good understanding of the financial side of things, including taxes, invoicing, and budgeting.

6. Your skills

It’s important to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and techniques in your field as the world of content creation is constant changing. Invest in your skills by taking courses or attending workshops to stay relevant and competitive. You can also read blogs, listen to podcasts, or watch tutorials to learn from other content creators.

7. Your business plan

To make a living out of content creation, it should be treated as a business. Creating a business plan can help you stay focused and achieve your goals. A business plan should include your financial goals, target audience, marketing strategy, and growth plan. Check out business plan templates available online to get started.

Your business plan may not be set in stone; it may need to adapt to changing situations. However, having one helps you stay within your means while keeping your eye on your future as a content creator.

8. Your unique voice

Finally, it’s essential to find your unique voice as a content creator. Your voice is what sets you apart from others and makes your content unique. When creating content, think about your brand voice, tone, and style that’s true to who you are and that your audience can relate to. You may take a funny or irreverent tone or a more formal approach when writing your copy or delivering your lines. For my own posts, I usually take a casual and friendly tone as it’s the one I’m most comfortable with and one I think my audience will appreciate.

Experiment with different formats – such long-form content such as e-books, online courses and white papers, or short-form content such as blogs and social media posts – to find what works best for you and your audience.

While making a living from creating content can be a rewarding and fulfilling career path, it does require careful planning, hard work, and dedication. By taking these eight factors into consideration, you can increase your chances of success as a content creator and achieve your financial goals.

Excited to begin your career as a content creator? Check out these five recent books on on Amazon.com to help you get started:

The Content Fuel Framework: How to Generate Unlimited Story Ideas by Melanie Deziel

Follow a step-by-step process for generating unlimited story ideas to help you overcome writer’s block and consistently create high-quality content.

Content Inc., Second Edition: Start a Content-First Business, Build a Massive Audience and Become Radically Successful by Joe Pulizzi

Learn from a detailed guide for building a content-first business that can help you build a massive audience and achieve success.

The Art of Content Marketing: Develop Your Content Strategy, Find Your Audience and Grow Your Business by Malcolm Dewey

Learn how to develop a marketing system for long term business success by developing your strategy, creating compelling visual and written content, distributing the content and measuring results.

The Freelance Content Marketing Writer: Find Your Perfect Clients, Make Tons of Money and Build a Business You Love by Jennifer Goforth Gregory

Learn how to find clients, charge what you’re worth, and build a profitable content creation business.

Master Content Marketing: A Simple Strategy to Cure the Blank Page Blues and Attract a Profitable Audience by Pamela Wilson

Overcome writer’s block and attract a profitable audience through effective content marketing techniques.

These books on content creation should provide you with valuable insights and strategies to build a successful career in this field.

Want to monetize your content already? Sign up for an Intellifluence account today!

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Photo Credit: Header image by Ivan Samkov on Pexels

This post contains affiliate links.

Check out my previous posts about Influencer Marketing:

SKY Fiber brings faster and improved speeds just in time for the holidays

In the spirit of giving, home internet service provider SKY Fiber boosts the speed promos of select Super Speed Plans while keeping the same monthly subscription fee so that new and existing subscribers can instantly enjoy faster and seamless connection during the holiday festivities this December until May 31, 2023.

Starting December 9, customers can avail the 50Mbps Plan priced at P1,699 per month and get up to 150Mbps speed for free. This is an increase of more than 70% from the previous speed boost promo of only up to 85Mbps.

Moreover, the 30Mbps Plan for P1,299 a month can now provide up to 45Mbps speed while the 100Mbps Plan for P2,299 a month provides up to 200Mbps within the promo period.

With such high-speed connectivity, families can conveniently stream shows together, connect with their loved ones through video calls, or join in virtual Christmas parties without interruption.

Further elevate the yuletide fun at home by getting a SKY Fiber Unli Broadband + HD Cable TV Plan. Aside from faster speed boosts, these plans can provide access to over 190 cable channels and hundreds of apps and games via the SKY Evo digibox included in the bundle.

The 40Mbps Unli Broadband + HD Cable TV Plan which costs P1,699 per month can now give up to 100Mbps speed compared to the 80Mbps free speed boost before. The 80Mbps cable-bundled plan priced at P2,499 per month also treats subscribers with speeds up to 170Mbps versus the former offer of up to 135Mbps only.

This December is the perfect time to switch to SKY Fiber because new subscribers of select plans who submit their application online can get an added treat of up to P400 free Jollibee e-GCs until December 31.

You can subscribe online via the official website (mysky.com.ph/skyfiber) or through SKY’s 24/7 assistant KYLA on the website, Viber, or Messenger.

Follow SKY on Facebook (fb.com/myskyupdates), Twitter (@myskyupdates), and Instagram (@myskyupdates) for further news and promotional updates.

Product details provided in a recent press release.

Disclosure: I work for SKY and part of my job is promoting its products and services, especially the content it provides to its subscribers. I consider being able to share my love for TV shows and movies and the experience of watching and talking about them online with like-minded people as some of the biggest perks of my job.

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Hosting on Airbnb gains momentum in the Philippines amidst growing appetite for travel

As the holiday season awaits and the travel rebound continues to unfold, more Filipino travelers are embracing flexible travel while more homeowners turn to hosting on Airbnb for additional income. A new survey commissioned by Airbnb* reveals that over half of Filipinos polled expressed interest in becoming Airbnb Hosts to take advantage of the new appetite for travel.

Around the world, Airbnb has seen strong growth rates of new Hosts, especially in countries with high inflation rates. Notably, 77 percent of Filipinos polled said they were looking for ways to offset rising costs of living. The survey also shows that desire for travel remains high, with over a quarter of respondents saying that they will continue to find ways to travel even if general costs of living rise.

In a trend that started since the pandemic, millions are now enjoying their newfound freedom to live and work anywhere. Notably, 65 percent of Filipinos polled said that they are now more flexible in terms of their type of holidays and time of travel. Notably, of those who plan to travel within the next year, 1 in 4 Filipinos said they plan to travel without set dates.

This new approach to travel and living continues to shape the choice of accommodation among Filipino travellers. When asked about factors that influence when and how they travel:

Almost half indicated they are likely to travel if they can find accommodation that makes longer stays easy and comfortable
35% pointed to destinations offering unique styles of accommodations
25% prioritised access to amenities that make it easy to combine remote work with travel, such as a dedicated workspace and a fast, reliable internet connection

This growing appetite for travel among Filipinos puts homeowners in a unique position to take advantage of the Airbnb Setup, the all-new easy way to Airbnb one’s home which was announced early this month. In Q3, Pasay ranked as the #1 trending domestic destination for Filipino guests on Airbnb, followed by El Nido, Cebu City, Paranaque, and Iloilo City.**

Amanpreet Bajaj, Airbnb’s General Manager for Southeast Asia, India, Hong Kong and Taiwan, said the fundamental shifts towards long-term stays and flexible travel point to the increasingly important role that short-term accommodations (STRA) like Airbnb play in the new era of travel.

“This growing appetite for travel is a positive sign as tourism recovery gathers pace. More keenly, this is an opportune moment for aspiring Filipino entrepreneurs to Airbnb their homes and earn additional income to mitigate rising living costs or support their travels,” he added.

* Online survey of 1063 respondents in the Philippines commissioned by Airbnb and conducted by YouGov between 6-12 October 2022

** Based on increase in searches of destinations (minimum 1,000) in Q3 2021

About Airbnb

Airbnb was born in 2007 when two Hosts welcomed three guests to their San Francisco home, and has since grown to over 4 million Hosts who have welcomed more than 1 billion guest arrivals in almost every country across the globe. Every day, Hosts offer unique stays and experiences that make it possible for guests to connect with communities in a more authentic way.

The 2022 Winter Release: Introducing Airbnb Setup, the all-new easy way to Airbnb your home

In May, Airbnb introduced Airbnb Categories so that millions of people could discover homes they never knew existed. Today, Airbnb is introducing Airbnb Setup to make it easy for millions of people to Airbnb their home. Airbnb is also providing even more AirCover for Hosts and adding six new Airbnb Categories.

Introducing Airbnb Setup – The all-new, super easy way to Airbnb one’s home, with free one-to-one guidance from a Superhost.
Even more AirCover for Hosts – Now featuring even more top-to-bottom protection, with guest identity verification, reservation screening, and $3M damage protection, including coverage for cars, boats, art and valuables.
New Airbnb Categories – Adding six new categories of homes, as well as improving the way Airbnb Categories are displayed.

“Airbnb was born during a recession. Joe and I couldn’t afford to pay our rent, so we inflated three air mattresses and created an AirBed & Breakfast. Soon, people all around the world joined us,” said Brian Chesky, CEO and Co-Founder of Airbnb. “Today, just like during the Great Recession in 2008, people are especially interested in earning extra income through hosting. That’s why we’re introducing an easy way for millions of people to Airbnb their homes. With Airbnb Setup, every new Host can get free, one-to-one guidance from a Superhost from their first question through their first reservation. And with even more AirCover for Hosts, now is the perfect time to put your place on Airbnb.”

New homes on Airbnb are getting booked almost immediately. Half of listings that were activated and booked in Q3 2022 received their first reservation within three days. Airbnb also saw strong growth rates of new Hosts, especially in certain countries with high inflation rates.

Introducing Airbnb Setup

Over the past year, more than 30 million people have visited Airbnb to learn about hosting. Today, Airbnb is making it easier for millions of people to get started. Introducing Airbnb Setup, the all-new, super easy way to Airbnb one’s home. Airbnb Setup includes:

One-to-one guidance from a Superhost – When a host begins Airbnb Setup, Airbnb will match them with a Superhost for free one-to-one guidance from their first question through their first guest. New Hosts can chat with their Superhost over audio, video, or messaging. Airbnb is launching with 1,500 Superhosts in over 80 countries who are dedicated to helping new Hosts get started.
An experienced guest for your first booking – For a new Host’s first booking, they can choose to welcome an experienced guest who has at least three stays and a good track record on Airbnb.
Specialized support from Airbnb – As a new Host, they get one-tap access to a specially-trained team of Community Support agents. They can help with everything from account issues to getting paid and are available via phone, messaging, or email in over 42 languages.

Even more AirCover for Hosts

Last November, Airbnb introduced AirCover to provide unmatched, top-to-bottom protection for every Host on Airbnb. Today, Airbnb is making major upgrades to AirCover for Hosts:

AirCover for Hosts - 2022 Winter Release

Airbnb Setup Match with a Superhost - 2022 Winter Release

Guest identity verification – Airbnb is expanding identity verification to all booking guests traveling to the top 35 countries and regions on Airbnb—representing 90% of all reservations. Airbnb will expand guest identity verification worldwide in Spring 2023.
Reservation screening technology – Airbnb is launching its proprietary reservation screening technology in the US and Canada, which helps reduce the chance of disruptive parties. Airbnb will expand its reservation screening technology worldwide in Spring 2023.
$3M damage protection – Airbnb is tripling damage protection from $1 million to $3 million – covering both Hosts’ homes and its contents.
Auto & boat protection – Airbnb now provides damage protection for cars, boats, and other watercraft that Hosts park or store at their properties.
Art & valuables protection – A wider range of fine art, jewelry, and collectibles will now be repaired or replaced at appraised value.
Easier to file a claim – Hosts can now file a claim for damage protection in a few simple steps and easily track its progress from submission through payout.

New Airbnb Categories

In May, Airbnb introduced a new way to search designed around Airbnb Categories. Today, Airbnb is introducing six new categories:

Listing Highlights - Adapted Top of the World and Play Category - 2022 Winter Release

New Categories - Adapted - Canada - 2022 Winter Release

New – Homes added to Airbnb within the past 10 weeks.
Top of the world – Homes around 10,000 feet above sea level, often with stunning views.
Trending – Highly-rated homes that received more listing views compared to the previous week.
Adapted – Homes adapted for wheelchair access, with verified step-free paths into the home, bedroom and bathroom.
Play – Homes with basketball courts, game rooms, miniature golf, water slides and more.
Hanoks – Traditional Korean homes constructed of natural materials.

Airbnb is also improving what categories it shows guests. For example, when you launch the app, you’ll find the Vineyards category if you recently searched for homes in Napa. In addition, more details will be presented in search results when viewing categories. For example, homes with amazing views will list the type of view, and homes near national parks will show the distance to the park entrance.

New Categories - Top of the World and Hanoks - 2022 Winter Release

New Categories - Top of the World listing - 2022 Winter Release

Worldwide rollout starting today

Airbnb Setup, upgrades to AirCover for Hosts, and new Airbnb Categories will begin rolling out worldwide this week.

About Airbnb

Airbnb was born in 2007 when two Hosts welcomed three guests to their San Francisco home, and has since grown to 4 million Hosts who have welcomed more than 1 billion guest arrivals across over 220 countries and regions. Every day, Hosts offer unique stays and one-of-a-kind activities that make it possible for guests to experience the world in a more authentic, connected way. As the only platform offering hosted travel and the ability to live anywhere on a global scale, Airbnb has become a noun and a verb and most traffic to our platform remains organic. We will continue to invest in innovations that expand the travel market and lead the way in turning travel into a way of life.

Scan on the Go With Portable Scanners

Scanners are one of the most important devices when it comes to transferring physical information to digital information. The value of a scanner depends upon the job that it is trying to accomplish and whether or not it was designed to handle that particular task. For instance, you wouldn’t use a scanner designed to process and replicate beautiful art and photography in an industrial setting that needs to process tens of thousands of scans in a given day. While the high-volume scanner will perform the task, it is not designed to replicate the nuance and color depth of a professional photo scanner.

What Is a Portable Scanner?

Portable scanners are small, electronic devices that allow documents or images to be captured and converted quickly and efficiently to digital format. They are designed to be light and small so that they can more easily be transported from place to place.

The small size and light weight of the portable scanner are as valuable as its ability to process the physical into the digital. They’re small enough to bring on the road. Indeed, some are small enough to put in your pocket.

A Minimalist’s Guide To Scanning

Portable pen scanners are slightly larger than your average fountain pen and can scan the text of a document line by line. Users simply pass the scanner over the text of letters, memos, brochures, magazines or newspapers, at which point it is uploaded immediately and turned into digital data.

Other portable scanners are as wide as a page and roll quickly down the page, capturing the data. Some models will read the text back, which is convenient for users with vision or reading challenges.

While portable scanners are ideal for many purposes, they aren’t meant to capture data in high resolution. This means that they aren’t suitable for scanning photographs or other applications in which a high-quality result is desired.

True Mobility

There are many scenarios in which a portable scanner is an important tool to have on the scene. Consider a drive-through flu and COVID booster shot station, in which the medical staff still needs signed permission to administer the shots. With a page-sized portable scanner, each of those critical signatures is digitized, probably to a cloud-based database, and secured immediately.

If a library was having an event that brought its borrowables to remote locations, a portable barcode scanner and a laptop can effectively create a circulation desk on the spot. As each book is assigned a particular bar code, inventory can be tracked precisely and efficiently, whether books are being checked out or returned.

Portable scanners can be the difference between clean, efficient and timely data entry and a process that entails other steps that could compromise that data. They are as easy to travel with as popping one into your backpack, briefcase or pocket. They also effectively help create a functioning office space wherever you have the internet as you can immediately begin to process your uploads. Visit an office supply website today and check out the newest portable printers so that you can expand your printing options from anywhere.

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AIA Philippines empowers PH businesses with comprehensive health benefits

Employees are the backbone of any organization and as such, companies must take good care of them. Happy employees mean a motivated workforce with higher productivity, and lower turnover, which can be very expensive in the long run.

Businesses who don’t prioritize employee welfare may end up losing over $1 trillion because of high employee turnover rates. And with the benefits package one of the most critical elements considered by employees when deciding to stay in their current jobs, it’s an important aspect of human resource management.

AIA Philippines Comprehensive Health Benefits

For those who are not aware of the ideal basic benefits they should receive, these should include group life insurance, total and permanent disability compensation, accidental hospital reimbursement, hospital income benefit, and critical illness benefits. These benefits are provided to employees and some even extend it to their families as well.

Investing in these protection and health-related benefits for employees is a must, and companies must find an insurance provider with the strength and stability to deliver on its promises. Fortunately, AIA Philippines, the country’s premier life insurance company, has all these protection and health benefits covered—and more!—to empower more businesses in providing the most important benefits to their people.

AIA Philippines recognizes that the growing small to medium enterprise business owners are eager to keep their employees satisfied and cared for, which is why it developed packaged yet flexible solutions to cater to organizations’ specific needs, with comprehensive solutions against death and sickness.

Moreover, AIA Philippines is equipped with ready rates for ease of premium computation, as well as mental and social wellness programs as added value offerings on top of the packaged solutions offered. The life insurer is even extending these healthcare benefits to employees who travel across southeast Asia.

The Regional Passport is a program that connects beneficiaries to select quality providers in key healthcare hubs within the ASEAN region for easy cashless access to treatment. This program’s benefits include elective in-patient hospitalization, preferential rates on medical services, and seamless coordination with healthcare providers.

AIA Philippines’ benefits go beyond the physical wellness of its customers. It supports organizations’ efforts to care for their people holistically through the Think Well program. This initiative grants employees access to benefits for behavioral health, emotional support, and legal guidance. By availing of this premium service, employers can safeguard the entire workforce’s well-being.

To help employees make better financial decisions, AIA Philippines has partnered with the Praxis Company through a comprehensive program called Financial Literacy Gameplay. This premium benefit educates employees on responsible finances through fun games. By signing up to this benefit, more employees can make better financial decisions to attain their goals and help them live better.

“An organization is only as strong as its employees, and that’s why we at AIA Philippines are empowering more companies to provide its people with the most holistic benefits,” Andy Rubio AIA Philippines Associate Director for Corporate Solutions Sales said. “By developing flexible protection and wellness solutions to our corporate partners, we are able to make protection and quality healthcare more accessible to more Filipinos, allowing us to bring to life our purpose of helping them live healthier, longer, better lives.”
Click here for more information about AIA Philippines, or here to visit the AIA Philippines Facebook page, email customerservice.ph@aia.com or call (02) 8528-2000 to know more.

Details and images provided in a recent press release.

#TwitterForAgency: How businesses can leverage the Twitter advantage

Twitter has been around for sixteen years and, in the tech industry, that is quite a remarkable case of longevity.

As a micro-blogging facility where, through short and mostly text-based posts called “tweets,” Twitter has become the venue for news to erupt and go viral and for movements to take root and spread.

While other social media platforms may dominate, in terms of user base or ability to create curated content, Twitter, with a global audience of 237.8 million users as of Q2 2022, has owned the space for “what is happening and what people are talking about right now.” Twitter is where people go to get the on-dits on sports, music, entertainment, technology, gaming, business and cultural changes, among others.

This presents various possibilities that brands can leverage to boost their digital presence and drive their businesses.

Recently, representatives from Twitter’s Asia-Pacific offices and its exclusive Philippine reseller Entravision MediaDonuts gathered its clientele and agency partners for its first in-person event after more than two years.

Held at the Enderrun Tent last September 29, the event titled “#TwitterforAgency” gave the attendees a sneak peek into what’s next for Twitter: from its product roadmap focusing on solutions that drive purchase, emerging trends and conversations that can shape the future for this platform as well as creative executions that can tap communities and conversations to grow their business.

Together with my marketing teammates from SKY, I attended this event to gain some insights on how to leverage Twitter for our company and the brands we carry.

Some of my key takeaways from this learning session include:

Twitter is the platform to launch something new and connect with what’s happening. Given its unique position to capture what is current and what drives conversations, Twitter’s audiences are likely among the first to try out new products.
People visit other social media platforms for who they know, people visit Twitter for what they care and are passionate about. On this platform, people are leaning into their passions: they buy, try and share their experiences in real-time.

Twitter audiences are seen to be broad – have diverse interests, affluent – have significant purchasing power, and growing – mostly young (72% between the ages of 16 and 34) with more joining the platform everyday.
To succeed on Twitter, you must harness the influence of communities. Communities form public and real-time conversations about topics that people are passionate about. Some of the fast-growing communities on Twitter include gaming, food, music, beauty and finance. Users in these communities tweet at least three times more than the average Twitter user, driving a lot of the conversations. Brands are also seen as part of these communities and of users’ enjoyment of the platform.

Wondering what people on Twitter are talking about and how you can ride on these conversations? Here are today’s Twitter trends that can become tomorrow’s big movements:

The Great Restoration which encompasses a heightened focus on one’s well-being as well as a growing appreciation for the environment. Rewilding or “getting back to nature” is seen as a way of coping with anxieties from external factors such as politics and the global healthcare crisis. People are looking for changes in their home and community environments sparking demand for livable cities where there are green spaces and where people can rebuild lost connections and feel at peace with nature. Conversations are also seen to be leading towards topics involving self-reflection, mutual support, green spaces, outdoor exercise, nature photography and forest bathing.
The Force of Fandoms which shows how pop culture topics drive conversations among passionate fans of music, TV and movie personalities, who are no longer content sitting on the sidelines but are actively finding their tribes online for support and friendship.
Finance Goes Social which is marked by the democratization of finance-related conversations, among both finance experts and non-professionals. More people are talking about money: how to make it and spend it.

Global leading PR firm Ogilvy & Mather stated “With over 500 million tweets a day, Twitter is the world’s largest focused group.”

By listening, learning from and joining Twitter conversations, brands can bring their attributes to light and get people to talk about them.

Many thanks to Entravision MediaDonuts and Twitter for this very enlightening learning session.

TuneCore expands in PH to offer new payment options for local music creators

Leading independent DIY digital music distributor TuneCore, a division of global digital music company Paris-based Believe, expands its payment methods in the Philippines and Southeast Asia to better serve their growing artist base in the region. The first of its kind global agreement affirms the company’s commitment to providing the best user experience for independent artists in the Philippines and the SEA region where alternative payments options are more popular than credit cards.

TuneCore, whose international presence has more than doubled over the last 18 months, has partnered with global financial technology platform Adyen. The company has launched localized payment methods in the Philippines through Gcash. Others include Indonesia through Dana (GoPay coming soon), Vietnam through MoMo, and Global (Non-US countries) through China Union Pay.

Andreea Gleeson, CEO of TuneCore, emphasizes: “As TuneCore continues to expand, we not only offer best in class services on a worldwide level, the company also brings that same mindset to our local markets. For TuneCore artists, we not only want to support their artistry but we want to make it easy for them to distribute their music. Last year we launched the New Artist plan, which enables creators to release their music to social platforms for no upfront fee. Now with the launch of our expanded payment services, creators can access full distribution services seamlessly.”

Cyrus Chen, Head of TuneCore Southeast Asia, adds: “In Indonesia, Philippines and Vietnam, card penetration remains low while e-wallets usage is quickly becoming ubiquitous among the population in recent years. By prioritizing our payments infrastructure to include local payment options that our artists prefer, demonstrates our commitment to the region’s growth. This is part of TuneCore’s hyper-localization efforts to ensure the most positive user experience for our Southeast Asian artists.”

In the coming months, TuneCore will push the program out to other countries and regions. Earlier this year, TuneCore launched its revolutionary new pricing program which allows artists at any stage of their careers to distribute their music. The program allows music creators to release tracks and albums on an unlimited basis via plans ranging from free/no upfront cost (new artist), $14.99 (rising artist), $29.99 (breakout artist) to $49.99 (professional).

Faryal Khan-Thompson, Vice President, International, TuneCore, shares: “Southeast Asia is an important market for TuneCore as there is an abundance of talent and growth in the region. Our partnership with Adyen simplifies and streamlines payments, giving access to music creators who previously would not have been able to distribute.”

About TuneCore 

TuneCore is the global platform for independent musicians to build audiences and careers – with technology and services across distribution, publishing administration and a range of promotional services. TuneCore Music Distribution services help artists, labels and managers sell their music through Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Deezer, TikTok, Tencent and more than 150 download and streaming stores worldwide, while retaining 100 percent of their sales revenue and rights for a low annual flat fee. TuneCore Music Publishing Administration assists songwriters by administering their compositions through licensing, registration, worldwide royalty collections, and placement opportunities in film, TV, commercials, video games and more. The TuneCore Artist Services portal offers a suite of tools and services that enable artists to promote their craft, connect with fans, and get their music heard. TuneCore, part of Believe, is headquartered in Brooklyn, NY, with offices in Los Angeles, Nashville, Atlanta, and Austin, and operates globally through local teams based in the UK, Germany, France, Belgium, Italy, Brazil, Mexico, Nigeria, South Africa, India, Japan and Singapore across 5 continents. www.tunecore.com

 About Believe

Believe is one of the world’s leading digital music companies. Believe’s mission is to develop artists and labels in the digital world by providing them the solutions they need to grow their audience at each stage of their career and development. Believe’s passionate team of digital music experts around the world leverages the Group’s global technology platform to advise artists and labels, distribute and promote their music. Its 1,565 employees in more than 50 countries aim to support independent artists and labels with a unique digital expertise, respect, fairness and transparency. Believe offers its various solutions through a portfolio of brands including TuneCore, Nuclear Blast, Naïve. Groove Attack and AllPoints. Believe is listed on compartment A of the regulated market of Euronext Paris (Ticker: BLV. ISIN: FR0014003FE9).

Image by tirachardz on Freepik

Know how intentional cable-cutting disrupts your life

Intentional cable cutting and theft have been a rampant issue nationwide affecting thousands of Filipino households, depriving them of internet service, cable TV connection, , and at times, power supply.

With households affected from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, this malicious crime has been a major concern of telco and power utilities providers and the LGUs, that jeopardize customers’ access to news, information and entertainment crucial for their day-to-day activities.

Among its effects is how it disrupts the steady and seamless internet connection very much needed by professionals with remote set-up or online business owners. With disruptions affecting their connection, productivity halts, and attending to urgent tasks and clientele are disturbed.

Apart from the adverse impact to work, disruptions caused by illegal cable cutting can take a toll on the academic performance of students in hybrid learning set-up as they rely heavily on stable and reliable internet connectivity for timely submission of school work, taking online quizzes and examinations, and attending day-to-day classes. When the disruptions continue due to these illegal acts, this may lead to students having poor performance in school.

Intentional cable cuts also disrupt TV reception, which is still vital in getting the latest news and information, and providing quality bonding moments for the whole family in watching entertaining shows and movies in the comfort of their homes.

Aside from TV and internet disruption, illegal cable cutting puts the safety of individuals and the environment at risk. There have been reports that perpetrators have been electrocuted trying to cut live wirings that also resulted in fire in the neighborhood. Sometimes perpetrators also burn the non-profitable stolen wires producing harmful gas that pollute the environment and affects the health of individuals when inhaled.

In an effort to address these malicious acts and hold violators accountable by legal action, SKY partnered with other telcos and cable operators, power utilities providers, and more local government units in the country to strengthen its Oplan Kontra Putol initiative.

Oplan Kontra Putol takes prompt action to restore affected lines, to continuously monitor the situation by working closely with local authorities, and to observe the strict implementation of RA 10515, also known as the Cable Theft Law.

Those found guilty of violating the Cable Theft Law may face imprisonment from two to five years or pay hefty fines imposed by the court.

With the help of corresponding telco partners, barangay units, and local officials, SKY has filed legal charges against various perpetrators involved.

Through Oplan Kontra Putol, SKY continues to heed the call for immediate action and urges the public to join the nationwide initiative by being more alert as well as reporting related incidents to SKY’s official hotlines and their respective local authorities.

Concerned citizens can report suspected illegal cable cutting activities through http://www.mysky.com.ph/kontraputol, via Security Hotline number 34499111 (for Metro Manila, Rizal, Cavite, Laguna and Bulacan only), or by messaging SKY’s 24/7 messaging platform KYLA on Viber, Facebook Messenger, and SKY’s official website.

For updates regarding SKY’s efforts to restore services in areas affected by cable cutting, subscribers can check mysky.com.ph/help-service-advisories. They may also follow SKY’s social media accounts on Facebook or Twitter.

Disclosure: I work for SKY and part of my job is promoting its initiatives to improve services to its subscribers.

Pinoy hosts recognized among top Airbnb Hosts under 30 across Asia Pacific

While Airbnb Hosts span the age spectrum, Airbnb is celebrating International Youth Day (12 August) this year by shining a light on its most successful, innovative and tenacious Airbnb Hosts in Asia Pacific under 30.

Airbnb is recognizing twelve outstanding young Airbnb Hosts across the APAC region* with an average rating of 4.9 and over 4,300 guest check-ins collectively, including two Hosts from the Philippines – Dwyane Yra Dinglasan, 23, and Deo Dia, 26.

“A new world of opportunities has been unlocked for the younger generation through their access to and adeptness with modern technology. We are seeing more young Filipinos discovering Airbnb and sharing about it with their families and friends. They are not only traveling with us domestically and overseas but also becoming tourism entrepreneurs by helping their families generate new streams of income through hosting,” shared Amanpreet Bajaj, Airbnb’s General Manager for Southeast Asia, India, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

More Hosts under 30 like Dwayne and Deo are now helping their families unlock new economic opportunities while spreading the Philippines’ tuloy ka hospitality with their guests and contributing to the tourism economy. As these two Hosts show, age is truly just a number.

A standout Spanish-style summer home in Batangas

Airbnb hosts under 30 — Image from Airbnb

At the young age of 23, Host Dwyane has been hosting her family’s vacation home in Nasugbu Tali Vacation Home on Airbnb for nearly four years.

“I realized there was an interest in beach home vacations, and in 2018, my family and I decided to open up our vacation home on Airbnb for extra income,” Dwayne said. The property, a Spanish colonial summer home, sits in Batangas and is well loved by guests for its amenities and seaside and sunset views. Dwayne found their home’s unique architecture to be a compelling reason to entice guests to book a stay. “There weren’t many homes in the area with the same architectural style and I figured it would be a great way to stand out,” she shared.

When asked what tips she would provide aspiring Hosts, Dwayne shared, “Have a niche! It’s important to research the other properties in the same market so you can stand out. Do not be afraid to be different in your taste and style.”

A home away from home in Tagaytay

Also situated in South Luzon is a home away from home that has welcomed many travellers, hosted by another young Pinoy. Deo Dia, 26, is the owner of Spacious house near Breakfast at Antonio’s guest house in Tagaytay that boasts a 4.93 overall rating.

Deo, a businessman, shared that through his local and international travels, he learned about Airbnb and the opportunity it provided for economic empowerment and guests who seek alternative accommodation. This led to him listing his vacation home on the platform.

“When my dad passed away, he left me with a vacation house which I barely got to use. To help me financially with its recurring maintenance costs, I decided to share this special place with others through the help of Airbnb,” shared Deo. “Today, I continue to host because of the joy and fulfillment it brings. I didn’t expect to enjoy hosting as I actually do — connecting with others, doing the little things to ensure a relaxing stay, and most of all, being a part of their precious moments.”

To learn more about hosting on Airbnb, visit airbnb.com/host.

* According to internal Airbnb data of Hosts under 30 in APAC with the best percentage of five-star reviews for Cleanliness, Communication and Check-in.

About Airbnb

Airbnb was born in 2007 when two Hosts welcomed three guests to their San Francisco home, and has since grown to 4 million Hosts who have welcomed more than 1 billion guest arrivals in almost every country across the globe. Every day, Hosts offer one-of-a-kind stays and unique Experiences that make it possible for guests to experience the world in a more authentic, connected way.

How small businesses can tap the power of micro-influencers

So now you’ve launched your own business, congratulations!

I’m sure you’re all excited to bring your particular brand of products and services to customers who need it.

The challenge is how to let them know that it exists, right?

As a small business owner, you might already find your hands full handling the day-to-day operations of your enterprise as well as coming up with long-term strategies to grow your business.

Promoting your business consistently and effectively may be quite beyond your bandwidth at the moment.

Also, while the proliferation of various social media platforms may provide a myriad of possibilities in increasing your business’ visibility, mastering how to use these digital outlets will entail a lot of time and effort that might be better used for your core business.

Why not secure the help of people who are already adept at using these platforms?

Tapping top-tier social media influencers to promote your brand may not be within your budget, but take heart: you can opt to partner with a category of social media mavens who can bring the most bang for your bucks.

I’m referring to, of course, micro-influencers.

A 2021 Forbes article by Kelly Ehlers posits that brands who want to work with any level of influencers should consider several factors which include the following:

Cost. Influencers with high follower counts command hefty fees which may limit the actual output that can be negotiated with them but the number of followers who actually make purchase decisions based on their recommendations may not be as high as expected. This would bring your brand’s return on investment (ROI) into question when working with macro-influencers. In contrast, micro-influencers with a smaller follower base may be more affordable for brands to tap and may tend to bring more into the collaboration in terms of additional posts or other services as a way of building a long-term partnership.
Authenticity. Social media users follow influencers because the lifestyle and views depicted in the influencers’ content resonate with them. A seemingly off-brand collaboration may prove to be off-putting, not just to the influencers’ followers, but also to the brands’ existing customers. Micro-influencers, on the other hand, often reach out to brands that they actually love and want to support, or brands that they feel can resonate with their audience.
Reach. While an individual micro-influencer’s follower count may limit the reach of a single sponsored post, working with various micro-influencers of varying ages, geographic locations and other demographics can allow you to expand your brand’s reach across different market segments. Furthermore, micro-influencers also have the potential to engage with niche audiences, especially if they specialize in a particular topic or interest.

So are you now ready to work with micro-influencers to grow your business?

The next challenge is how to go about finding and engaging them.

Intellifluence is an influencer marketing service that helps brands and influencers collaborate to achieve their respective goals.

Its roster of influencers include celebrities, niche authorities as well as peer-level micro-influencers which can be tapped for campaigns aimed at increasing social sales, pre-launch product testing, branding, amplification of communications and search engine optimization (SEO). Its covered platforms run the gamut of popular social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, Tiktok, Twitter and LinkedIn, as well as custom marketplaces, Amazon, and blogs.

Photo credits: Header and in-article photos by freepik on Freepik

DTI-CITEM’s Creative Futures 2022 to present what’s next for the Philippine creative economy

CREATEPhilippines once again gathers local and international creatives to discuss the future of the Philippine creative economy via the digital conference Creative Futures 2022. On its second run, the conference, to be staged using digital platform Hopin from July 28 to 29, 2022, includes an expo, knowledge sharing sessions, and business development and networking opportunities among creative professionals, policymakers, business leaders, and potential clients.

CREATEPhilippines, run by DTI’s export promotions agency Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM), is the country’s flagship trade promotions program that champions the Philippines’ creative industries as a high-potential export sector and driver of economic growth.

In 2021, the program first staged Creative Futures and launched CREATEPhilippines.com, the country’s first government-led digital content and community platform for Filipino creatives. The site features a directory where local talents can upload their portfolios for a global audience.

This year, Creative Futures will highlight the immediate future of local creative industries. “Our lineup of speakers, resource persons, and partners will present what tomorrow could look like for the Filipino creative. The event is all about possibilities, not in the distant future, but now, like in the next 5 minutes,” said Erwin Romulo, CREATEPhilippines creative director, and Creative Futures Program Director.

The theme of this year’s Creative Futures is “Tomorrow” and will include discussions on current developments and industry trends as well as projections for the creative sectors.

The two-day conference will include presentations on Creative Governance, Gastronomy, Advertising, Design, Film, Tourism, Dance, Game Development, Fashion, and Communication Design.

“Creative Futures 2022 is particularly designed to take advantage of the latest opportunities brought about by recent developments in the local creative landscape, particularly the Congress approval of the consolidated version of Senate Bill 2455 and House Bill 10107, or the Creative Industries Development Act. To support the country’s thrust toward a robust creative economy, we’re putting forward practices, strategies, and programs that creatives can immediately capitalize on and incorporate into their respective fields in order to become more globally competitive,” said CITEM Executive Director Pauline Suaco-Juan.

Creative governance at the forefront

Creative Futures puts the spotlight on creative governance after the pandemic hastened the need to institutionalize protection in the creative sectors.

“CITEM consistently advocates for institutional support which we believe is crucial to the growth of our local talents and the creative economy at large. Through efforts like Creative Futures, under our signature program CREATEPhilippines, we aim to foster an environment where creatives can thrive, taking us closer to our vision of the Philippines as the leading creative hub in the ASEAN region,” added Suaco-Juan.

Returning as a guest speaker is Hon. Christopher “Toff” De Venecia, principal author of the House version of the Creative Industries Act, who will discuss the immediate impact of the law in a presentation.

Creative Industries Act proponents and policymakers are also expected to attend. DTI Secretary Alfredo Pascual and DTI-Trade Promotions Group Officer-in-Charge Glenn Peñaranda will discuss the role of the public sector in the advancement of the Philippine creative economy.

Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto and US-based design firm Alao Design will present a vision of how design can renew public spaces. Arch. Aya Maceda and designers Kristian Henson and Monica Ramos will discuss their design process, doing historical research, on-ground mapping, and immersion, and how they collaborated with the Pasig City LGU.

No creative left behind

A new documentary by Martika Ramirez Escobar will premiere at the event. A live Q & A with the director of Sundance-winning feature film Leonor Will Never Die will follow the screening.

A new P-pop web series featuring Mon Abrea, Chairman and Chief Tax Advisor of Asian Consulting Group, is also set to premiere at Creative Futures 2022. Written and directed by Joel Ferrer, it stars Kat Galang and Jal Galang as local creatives dealing with life, love, and their taxes. In a related session, the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) will tackle copyright and other intellectual property rights-related issues in a presentation.

The conference also has on-demand sessions streamed throughout the two days, including the Department of Tourism’s ASMR series featuring spots from across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao and the 360-degree interactive video series Across the Archipelago along the Pan-Philippine Highway. There will also be replays of the different presentations and sessions following the event.

To learn more about Creative Future’s growing list of presentations, including advertising and communication design, visit our registration page.

Digital expo of Philippine creatives and FAME+ e-tailers

Another key event component is the expo, which will showcase creatives from the CREATEPhilippines directory. Participants can also discover and shop Filipino home, fashion, and lifestyle products by e-tailers from digital sourcing and storytelling platform FAME+.

Creative Futures 2022 is organized by DTI-CITEM in partnership with the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB), an attached agency of the Department of Tourism.

Register at: https://hopin.com/events/creative-futures-2022/registration and take part in shaping the Philippine creative economy. To learn more about CREATEPhilippines, visit https://createphilippines.com/. Follow us on our social media platforms to get updates on Creative Futures 2022 and know the latest trends and news about local creative sectors.

About CITEM

The Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) is the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) export promotions arm committed to nurturing the global competitiveness of Philippine micro, small, and medium scale enterprises (MSMEs), exporters, designers, and manufacturers. The agency aspires toward the highest standards of creativity and innovation, spanning industries including home, fashion, lifestyle, food, and creative sectors.

About CREATE Philippines

CREATEPhilippines is the country’s flagship trade promotions program that showcases the Philippines’ creative industries as a high-potential export sector and driver of economic growth.

It brings together the creative industries and champions local talent by organizing events that provide opportunities to learn, network, and seize opportunities in the Philippines and beyond.

As a content and community platform, it houses stories that promote Filipino creatives and offers a directory to help them expand their online presence and share their portfolio to a global audience.

CREATEPhilippines is led by the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM).

Design studio photo created by DCStudio – www.freepik.com

13 Business books to fire up your inner spark at work

The first half of the year is already done, and if you’re doubting your effectiveness at your job or your impact to your work, maybe you should set aside some time for reading and re-motivating yourself.

Check out these books that will provide you with fresh knowledge and insights to get you all fired up and raring to work!

Developing the Leader Within You 2.0 by John C. Maxwell

Much of any business’ success depend upon its leaders. By outlining the principles for empowered and empowering leadership, John C. Maxwell’s book has changed the way leaders see themselves.

This thoroughly revised and updated edition packs in new leadership insights and best practices that he has gathered since the first edition was published in 1993 to help guide and inspire a new generation of leaders on their challenging but ultimately rewarding journey.

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What Are Your Blind Spots? by Jim Haudan and Rich Berens

Even the most well-intentioned and competent leaders can be led astray by seemingly benign assumptions that can ultimately harm or derail the enterprise.

Authors Jim Haudan and Rich Berens refer to these old ways of thinking as “blind spots.” By identifying and overcoming blind spots identified in the book, leaders can learn to welcome and adopt new and forward-thinking practices that will propel their organizations towards growth.

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Growing Influence by Ron Price and Stacey Ennis

This is a how-to book disguised as a fable.

In a series of transformative meetings between a career-driven young woman and her wise respectable mentor, mirroring and building on the interactions between the co-authors Ron Price and Stacey Ennis, arise lessons on cultivating influence fed by both character and competence.

Interestingly, the fable also tackles gender dynamics in the workplace.

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Iterate by Ed Muzio

To keep up with today’s fast-changing and fast-charging world, companies must learn and adapt fast.

Central to this agile quality is the ability, whenever faced with a problem, to make the next most reasonable step from there, i.e, to iterate.

Author Ed Muzio lays down a research-based guide to help leaders equip their teams to do just that.

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The Innovation Navigator by Tucker J. Marion and Sebastian Fixson

Business leaders agree that innovation is the key to survival and further growth and in many companies, it is a top strategic priority.

Tucker J. Marion and Sebastian Fixson showcases the different modes that innovation can take and guides readers on how to take advantage of each mode’s inherent pros and cons. The book also walks through ways to effectively shift between modes or employ multi-mode strategies to foster innovation.

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Your Invisible Toolbox by Rowena Crosbie and Deborah Rinner

According to authors Rowena Crosbie and Deborah Rinner, we all have two sets of the tools: while the first toolbox contains the technical skills, devices and equipment necessary to perform our roles, the second one – the invisible toolbox – contains the tools necessary for human interactions.

The contents of the second toolbox figure prominently in many workplaces, especially now that the business environment is not only a global one, but a multi-generational one as well.

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B State by Mark Samuel

Oftentimes, in business, the path from Point A to Point B is not as simple or straightforward as we would like.

To be able to move forward, Mark Samuel encourages readers to engage themselves in a true transformation, removing old mindsets and replacing inefficient behaviors with new ways of thinking and more desirable habits to bring about a highly productive culture that breeds business success.

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Leading Loyalty by Sandy Rogers, Leena Rinne and Shawn Moone

Customer loyalty does oftentimes seem like an unreachable dream given today’s volatile market situation.

Authors Sandy Rogers, Leena Rinne and Shawn Moone dove into the results of the Franklin Covey studies that show how “campfire stores” achieve revenue and profitability goals thanks to fiercely loyal customers and the employees that prioritize the happiness of those customers.

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Wise Guy by Guy Kawasaki

Technopreneur Guy Kawasaki reflects upon his life and his many adventures (or misadventures) in the a series of vignettes.

Some may be light-hearted, others may recall actions with lasting consequences, but all served to inspire and build him up to the person that he is today.

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Scramble by Marty Neumeier

Marty Neumeier tells the story of a young CEO as he is faced with the demand to turn the company around, otherwise he loses his job.

As the story progresses, his journey illustrates the principles of agile strategy, a way of building business that is more collaborative and produces quicker results.

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Built to Suck by Joseph Jaffe

We see it more and more often: large companies – behemoth enterprises – are crumbling to the ground in light of declining revenues and business growth.

In this book, Joseph Jaffe outlines the four key pillars that will transform ailing companies from ailing to thriving, from obsolescence to relevance.

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The Art of Preventing Stupid by Matthew Neill Davis

Matthew Neill Davis’ Preventing Stupid Method is all about solving common problems before they become insurmountable roadblocks.

By quickly identifying, categorizing and prioritizing the business’ threats and weaknesses – forward-thinking risk management – business leaders can devote more energy towards maximizing opportunities as they appear.

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Sticks and Stones by Nick Powills

Author Nick Powills showcases how his childhood experiences of struggling with his weight and getting bullied by his peers all propelled him towards being a successful entrepreneur later in life.

While the old wisdom is to keep personal and professional lives separate, the author instead proposes transforming painful memories, harsh lessons and old disappointment into motivation, coupled with the strong foundation of family and friends, into the strength and courage to pursue business success and personal fulfillment.

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Enjoy reading with Kindle

With a wealth of enriching and informative books waiting for you, I’m sure you’re raring to get into reading them. However, if you are concerned about the space you will need to store your growing library, or being able to bring your books wherever you go, getting a Kindle just may be the perfect solution for you.

Kindle is a line of portable and wireless electronic reading devices (e-readers) produced by online retailer Amazon.com. They make use of a display technology called electronic paper which produces a sharp screen image that resembles text printed on paper, ensuring an easy and comfortable read.

It is advisable to have a Kindle, specifically for reading, instead of relying on your other personal mobile devices because:

It is purpose-built for reading with a glare-free display that reads real paper, even in direct sunlight. You can also adjust its brightness to let you read comfortably – indoors and outdoors, day and night.

A single battery charge lasts weeks, not hours.

You get less distractions as you can highlight passages, look up definitions, translate words, and adjust text size—without ever leaving the page.

Ready to get this new nifty reading device for yourself? Check out your various options below!

Take advantage of Amazon Prime Day deals

Ready to shop for your books and Kindle devices? The good news is that you can enjoy great discounts on your Amazon.com purchases during Amazon Prime Day!

On July 12 and 13, 2022, Amazon.com will hold a mega summer sale offering lots of deals on its myriad of products, exclusively to Amazon Prime members.

To take advantage of the awesome deals that await you during Amazon Prime Day, you need to be an Amazon Prime member.

You can also enjoy these exclusive benefits:

Fast and free delivery. Get two-day, next-day or same-day delivery to a US address for millions of items.
Prime Video. Get access to fresh movies releases and original award-winning Amazon productions.
Prime Reading. Get access to a rotating catalogue of e-books and audio books including one free pre-release book every month from editor’s picks.
and more!

Try Amazon Prime 30-Day FREE Trial

Header photo by cottonbro on Pexels

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers Level C Media, Penguin Group Portfolio, Harper Collins, Business Publications Corporation, Inc., Ideapress Publishing, Greenleaf Book Group, University of Toronto Press and McGraw Hill Education for the advanced copies of the books mentioned here.

This post contains affiliate links.

Working your way to a better posture is easy with Curble Chair

Back pain does have a way of preventing you from getting up and about, as well as derailing your activities for the day, right?

While back pain my be caused by sports injuries, accidents, hormonal imbalances, or congenital conditions, oftentimes, back pains are the result of our day-to-day actions. Repetitive activities such as sitting all day in front of the computer, slouching as you drive your car and hunching over as you use your mobile phone may produce tightness and tension in your back muscles which result to backaches.

One way to prevent this kind of back pain is to improve your posture, making sure that the bones of your spine are correctly aligned and the spinal curves are balanced as you perform your daily tasks.

Maintaining a good posture requires less effort from your body than maintaining a bad one but, especially for those working with computers, you might still need some help correcting what years of getting used to the wrong posture has done.

Fortunately, there’s Curble Chair.

Did you know that sitting puts more pressure on our spine than any other action, and having a bad posture further exacerbates this effect?

While ergonomic and posture-correcting furniture have been around for quite some time, they do tend to be pricey, way beyond the means of typical office workers and stufents.

Not so with Curble Chair. This nifty posture-correcting support helps you maintain correct posture while sitting through the leverage effect of its backrest naturally pushing against your back as your weight pushes its bottom surface downward. Its design helps create a hip rise and distributes the pressure on the waist, thereby preventing strain on the rest of the body. Its air hallway system and fabric pattern also helps to disperse body heat so that you can stay cool as you use it.

Check out various Curble Chair models and see which one suits you best.

Curble Chair is recommended for the following:

those with little flexibility due to lack of exercise
office workers and students who spend most of their day sitting at a desk with few breaks
those who play computer games for long periods of time while in an incorrect posture
those who enjoy reading or meditating while sitting
patients who need to correct their posture because they are experiencing signs of herniated cervical or lumbar disc
those who want to maintain their corrected posture after receiving spinal manipulation

You will find many uses for your Curble Chair as it’s quite handy and portable so it helps you correct your sitting posture when you are:

at your desk, studying, working in front of your computer or doing arts and crafts
in the living room, whether you’re on the couch watching TV or on the floor while meditating
in your car while driving or riding as a passenger
outdoors while camping, watching sports events or on picnics

Grab your Curble Chair at its kiosk at 2nd Floor, Main Building, SM North EDSA, North Avenue corner EDSA, Quezon City or order online at The Laptop Lifestyle (use my code JELLYB to get 5% off upon checkout).

Disclosure: A product sample was provided to facilitate this feature.

Step 1: Define Your Niche

Step 2: Research Your Competitors

Step 3: Define Your Target Demographic

Step 4: Conduct Market Research

Step 5: Analyze Your Social Media Analytics

Step 6: Engage with Your Audience

Step 7: Use Keyword Research

Step 8: Stay Flexible and Adapt

Additional Resources

Make money off your content today!

1. Your niche

2. Your portfolio

3. Your rates

4. Your network

5. Your time and finances

6. Your skills

7. Your business plan

8. Your unique voice

What Is a Portable Scanner?

A Minimalist’s Guide To Scanning

True Mobility

Developing the Leader Within You 2.0 by John C. Maxwell

What Are Your Blind Spots? by Jim Haudan and Rich Berens

Growing Influence by Ron Price and Stacey Ennis

Iterate by Ed Muzio

The Innovation Navigator by Tucker J. Marion and Sebastian Fixson

Your Invisible Toolbox by Rowena Crosbie and Deborah Rinner

B State by Mark Samuel

Leading Loyalty by Sandy Rogers, Leena Rinne and Shawn Moone

Wise Guy by Guy Kawasaki

Scramble by Marty Neumeier

Built to Suck by Joseph Jaffe

The Art of Preventing Stupid by Matthew Neill Davis

Sticks and Stones by Nick Powills

Enjoy reading with Kindle

Kindle

Kindle Paperwhite

Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition

Kindle Oasis

Take advantage of Amazon Prime Day deals