What Makes a Content Strategy?

Most companies need help to grow successfully with content marketing. But that’s not because content marketing won’t work. Instead, many need a sustainable content strategy. Only about 8 to 16 percent of companies – depending on whether you look at B2C or B2B companies – devote more than 30 percent of their marketing budget to content marketing. A survey by Statista shows this. However, more than two-thirds of companies publish new content every week. The numbers show that content and content marketing still need to be in proportion in many places.
A content strategy can help. It ensures that content ends up appropriately on the website or social networks. Instead, as part of the marketing concept, it enables cross-channel and cross-departmental work. The content strategy allows content to be coordinated with one another so that it unfolds its full effect. This is what makes content marketing successful.

Requirements For Your Content Strategy

Before you get started, you need to meet a few requirements. These requirements are already part of your content strategy but are always upstream. They will help you later in the development of your content.

Set Goals

The first primary requirement for a content strategy is, of course, a goal. In most cases, this should be the strengthening of the brand or image. Statista states this is precisely the primary goal for 88 percent of companies. New customer acquisition (84 percent) and customer retention (74 percent) take second and third place.

The goal often goes hand in hand with the big company goal but can also differ. Especially for niche, still relatively unknown topics, it is worth formulating the goal of drawing attention to your content. On the other hand, many companies need to remember that content can also perform. Content can also be used to win leads and customers.

Target Audience and Channels

In addition to the goal, you must know which target group you want to reach via which channels. Why is that important? It has implications for the type of content you create later in your content strategy. You will likely attract a young target group via short videos on TikTok. In contrast, older target groups can be easily reached via SEO and informative texts on the website or even in magazines. Therefore, You should determine the target group and the channels before the content strategy.

Here We Go! The Most Critical Steps of The Content Strategy

Are the conditions in place? This lays the foundation for your content strategy. This consists of a content audit at the beginning, the definition of the content formats, the preparation of the content in terms of the content experience, and, finally, the automation. The last step depends on your goal. If you want to collect leads or win customers in particular, this point is essential and can ultimately determine the success or failure of the strategy.

Conduct a content audit.

A content audit ensures the analysis of the status quo and keyword research for the comparison. Why is that important? Before you start creating new content, you need to get this overview. What has worked well so far? Can I possibly recycle existing content and embed it in the new content strategy?

The best way to do this is to collect the interaction data from Google Analytics and the Search Console, as well as other metrics such as visibility, word length, media type, and age of the content. You use keyword research for the comparison. See if the existing content is helpful for your most important keywords – you should keep this content.

Identify content formats

The next step is to think about suitable formats. As a rule, you can distinguish between four types of content:

• Informative content
• Product-oriented content
• Social Content
• Other Content

It is best to assign your formats to precisely these types – this way, everything remains transparent. Incidentally, it doesn’t matter what content you will later write specifically. In this content strategy step, you only think about what is possible and what you want. Do you want more informative content because you have much in-house knowledge? Or do you want to reach out on social media through creative and viral content?

The decision-making process could look like this: Do you want to publish informative content to improve your expert status? Appropriate formats would be guidebooks, how-to videos, eBooks, and studies. On the other hand, is it important to you to write content related to your products because you keep getting customer feedback that the products could be easier to understand? Then you think about formats such as product demos, FAQs, and use cases for your products.

Also Read: Telecommuting – Metrics And Analytics

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Project Management In Transition – The Challenges of Complex Projects

Projects are becoming increasingly complex – this affects the industry in particular and many other areas. The reasons for this are primarily the following three:

• Product development is confronted with new customer requirements due to advances in software and technology.
• The product development times have to get shorter and shorter due to international competitive pressure.
• The project members have to work together across borders, coordinate tasks and coordinate in a targeted manner.

The last point, in particular, is an important key factor for the project’s success. If interdisciplinary cooperation does not function smoothly and unforeseen problems arise. As a result, this can lead to considerable delays in the project process and sometimes to major economic damage – as the airport in Berlin has shown, for example.

To make matters worse, the need for more skilled workers can also severely hamper the implementation of large-scale projects. In this case, the main reasons are:

• The necessary qualifications need to be included.

• The positions are often held for up to five years.

• Mental illnesses in the form of overwork or burnout are increasing.

Rigidity Was Yesterday – More Agility Instead of Strict Planning is Required.

The challenges mentioned inevitably mean that the path leads from classic, planning-oriented project management to agile approaches. Inertia and inflexibility due to rigid processes are the killer argument for many companies today.

With agile project management approaches like Scrum, companies can control their processes more dynamically and flexibly. This is because an agile approach entails less planning effort, less management pressure, and faster product cycles and requires it. This means that sudden changes and customer requests can be reacted to much more quickly.

Scrum In Practice – The Rugby Method In Agile Project Management

Among the many agile project management methods, one has emerged in recent years and has become the standard for managing complex products and projects – the so-called Scrum.
Scrum comes from rugby sport, which means “orderly scrum.” The term comes from the fact that at the beginning of each period of play, the rugby team rearranges, puts their heads together, and attacks together.
And that can be perfectly transferred to project management. Scrum also aims to tackle a complex project together, to play flexibly, and to master the challenge as a team. Teamwork mode instead of lone fighter mode is announced.
The agile method was originally designed for software development. However, Scrum has also gained importance in physical product development in recent years.

Goals And Advantages – That’s Behind The Scrum Method.

Scrum primarily relies on the self-organization of the project team. Values ​​such as openness, respect, and trust are emphasized. This fulfills two important requirements for Scrum: Direct communication with each other and short feedback loops on the status quo of the project.

The Primary Goals of Scrum Are, Therefore:

• The ability to react quickly to changing customer requirements

• The short time-to-market of the new product to be developed

• The higher quality and, thus also, customer satisfaction

• The optimized interfaces to specialist departments, such as purchasing or production

• Recognizing possible undesirable developments at an early stage and reducing costs

In short, this means: With Scrum, you develop something, analyze the errors in the product and process and then improve the specifications to iron out the errors found.

Also Read: Decision-Making Tools In Project Management

Knowing How – This Is How Scrum Works In Practice.

Successful project management requires flexible and agile work. There are defined rules, roles, and meetings for working according to the Scrum method to ensure maximum transparency and the most efficient work possible. The roles and tasks in a Scrum Team must be clearly defined, and processes must be adhered to. There are usually three important roles in a classic Scrum team, which we will explain in more detail below.

There Are Three Roles To Fill.

Product Owner

The Product Owner is a single person who defines and prioritizes the project’s technical requirements. Its primary purpose is to maximize the business value of the implemented software. He is in contact with the customer and, in regular exchanges, clarifies his requirements for the product. The product owner must have a good overview and decide where the greatest added value for his customer lies. He represents the customers’ interests and has a very clear vision of the final product. The product owner writes down the tasks to be completed and prioritizes them.

Scrum Master

The title “Scrum Master” may give the impression that he is at the top of the hierarchy. The Scrum Master acts more as a process manager who optimizes the Scrum process. As a servant leader, he coaches his team members and has to convince them that his ideas make sense. He clears away obstacles in a team to enable undisturbed work. The Scrum Master supports the product owner and acts as a moderator who controls the communication between the product owner and the development team.

Development team

The development team usually consists of 3-9 people with the same function. The team implements the requirements in the product backlog and works through tasks in weekly sprints. The team organizes itself and decides how they want to implement the requirements.

Keep In Mind – 8 Things You Should Remember About Scrum.

Nothing works without a good Scrum Master – because this one:

• Ensures that all project members follow the rules
• Does not tolerate any deviations from the plan during a project phase
• Makes sure that set deadlines are met
• He makes his team’s job easier by keeping problems away.
• He does not allow his team to be distracted or encouraged to multitask
• Acts as a protector for his team
• He is always the first point of contact for his project team.
• Obtain the required or missing resources.

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Centralizing Customer Data

Midsize companies often store customer information in different systems or platforms, making it difficult to manage and analyze this data. A CRM system can help collect and organize customer information in one central location, making retrieving and analyzing relevant information easier. This can help to understand customer needs and preferences better and to develop targeted marketing campaigns and sales activities.

Better Customer Interactions

Another important benefit of a CRM system is that it can help companies achieve better customer interactions. An effective customer relationship is based on a company’s ability to understand and respond to customer needs. A CRM system can help track customer inquiries and complaints and store customer histories and preferences for more personalized customer care.

Improved Team Communication

CRM systems enable companies to share and exchange information and data between departments. This allows employees to work together better and process customer requirements faster and more effectively. A CRM system can also ensure that everyone in a company is on the same page, making it easier to serve customers and achieve business goals.

Increasing Sales Effectiveness

Another important benefit of a CRM system is that it can help companies increase their sales effectiveness. A CRM system can help track and optimize sales processes and activities to capitalize on potential sales opportunities better. A CRM system can also help businesses prioritize sales opportunities and forecast sales by analyzing sales data.

Customer Feedback Management

A CRM system can also help to manage and leverage customer feedback. Businesses can collect and analyze customer feedback to improve products and services and increase customer satisfaction. By tracking customer feedback, a CRM system can help better understand customer needs and preferences and develop targeted marketing campaigns.

Also Read: The Infinite Possibilities of The Metaverse Worlds

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To achieve the desired objectives as a company or entrepreneurship, it is essential to have a comprehensive vision that allows us to understand the needs, aspirations, and opinions of the target audience and a capacity to anticipate and adapt to unforeseen situations. Having clear objectives, researching the market, knowing the product, understanding the dimension of the competition and knowing how to communicate with the different types of clients are critical steps to making a realistic and achievable business projection.

In principle, it is essential to understand that commercial management is not a particular job but the collaboration of several sales teams with a common goal: customer satisfaction. For management to be effective and successfully sustained over time, it is essential to consider market research, product promotion, distribution channels, sales channels, the marketing plan, and knowledge of the competition. The link with the client and the tone and voice of the message, among other factors that generate trust when positioning the product or service.

Although making a successful sale is essential, the effort of commercial management does not end there. But it is necessary to have an after-sales team responsible for retaining customers so that they comment and recommend the product or service. Commercial management is not just about making a sale but about being aware of the entire business process, from planning and forecasting to negotiation, including internal team communication and clarity about the company’s values.

In a company, commercial management is central since it determines clear strategies, facilitates the fulfillment of financial objectives, structures production processes, increases competitiveness and establishes a healthy relationship with the client. Therefore, following a series of steps can help achieve business efficiency. You can achieve effective business management through seven simple tips that allow you to consolidate a business and move towards projected business progress.

Set Clear Goals

The first step to effective business management is setting clear goals. No plan can be carried out if you do not know where you want to go. For that, it is also essential to know where you start. Therefore, the objectives must be measurable, achievable, realistic, and cover a specific period. Clear goals help unify perspectives and clarify company values ​​from the start. In addition, they define the necessary resources for business projections, allowing an accurate view of whether a goal is attainable. Clear objectives reduce uncertainty in the work environment, allowing the sales team to work more safely and focused, knowing the path to take. Finally, a company with clear objectives is viewed favorably since it shows its ability to investigate, evaluate, project and plan its starting point and future.

Do a Market Study

Doing a market study is essential to meet the objectives set in the business projection. Knowing who the different types of customers and potential customers are, understanding how the competition works, being aware of how distributors and suppliers operate, learning the various aspects of the target audience and the ways to communicate with it through tone and a determined voice are some critical steps to move forward on the path of successful business management.

Suppose there is no market study before projecting itself as a company. In that case, the estimates may be wrong, and there is a risk of ignoring the needs of the target audience and the dimension of the competition. A good market study avoids excessive projections and helps to understand customers’ behavior, the relationship of forces with the competition and the scope that the product or service may have. Through surveys, focus groups, meetings and interviews with professionals in the sector, it is possible to have a comprehensive vision of the company’s possibilities to finally achieve effective commercial management that allows the company to be positioned and competitive.

Know The Product

Knowing the product you want to sell implies knowing what its properties, characteristics, and functionalities are and being clear about why that product is the best option for the actual or potential customer. When someone buys a consequence, he does not accept the product itself but everything that it represents or means for the person making the purchase. The advantages, solutions, and benefits that the product or service brings to improve the client’s quality of life. The buyer seeks to satisfy a specific need. Therefore, it is essential to know, listen and interview the different types of customers to have a clear idea of ​​what they are looking for when choosing that product or service. With a comprehensive vision of the target audience’s expectations, it is possible to work on each aspect of the product offered. In this way, establishing a personal relationship with the target audience will be an accomplished goal that will help the company’s commercial management effectiveness.

Also Read: ERP – The Advantages Of ERP In Business Management

Have a Better Marketing Plan

In the era of social networks, online commerce and internet shopping, the marketing strategy is key to positioning a product or service and generating the attention of actual and potential customers. A good marketing strategy allows the company to use available resources to increase sales effectively. The information, communication and advertising of the product or service must be part of a plan with clear sales objectives and knowledge of what is to be sold. Without a clear strategy, getting the message across and reaching new customers isn’t easy. In this sense, defining the brand, the identity, the tone, and the voice of the product or service is essential to trace a stable and coherent path in the product’s sales.

A coherent marketing strategy is essential to achieve the expected commercial management from the creative to the financial aspect. Content marketing, email marketing, social media marketing, and storytelling are examples of business strategies that attract, question, and seduce the target audience.

Being Part of The Internet

More than a tool, the internet has become an unavoidable place when thinking about selling a product or service. Potential customers browse the web looking for offers of various kinds and depend on the company’s strategies to capture their attention. Nowadays, it is not simply a question of having a website or an online presence on social networks but of applying online marketing techniques such as SEO copywriting, SEM, creating an exclusive online channel for sales, designing an attractive site that is easy to visit, not invading the user with unwanted advertising, maintaining a balance between commercial language and familiar language, and knowing how to question emotionally from the visual plane so that the potential customer wants to visit the channel or the virtual store again.

When it comes to positioning the presence of a business on the internet, design is not the only thing that matters. To establish a fluid dynamic, it is essential to consider the tools and resources of UX design and writing. The UX (User Experience) or User Experience is the set of elements related to the user’s interaction with the environment. This experience can be positive or negative, depending on the design and language that the web device displays and its ease of access, simplicity and attractiveness. It is essential to have professionals in the field of UX when designing a website since their function is to facilitate the interaction of the user (potential client) with the site where the product or service is displayed. Effective business management.

Satisfy The Customer

Customer satisfaction is the central objective of business management. Marketing strategies must lead the customer to feel satisfied with the product or service and retain it in his memory, recommend it to other potential customers, and incorporate it as part of his life. To achieve this goal, it is essential to know the different opinions of the target audience in depth. A vital resource for gathering customer feedback on the product is reviews or opinions on the web. When criticism or negative observation is repeated, it is essential to look for ways to improve the product and reformulate what is necessary. On the contrary, when the customer experience is positive, we must tend to deepen what stands out in the product.

Suppose the needs, desires and aspirations of the various customers are not considered. In that case, it will be challenging to offer a quality product or service that lives up to their expectations. Finally, the quality of a business is subject to the vision of the actual or potential client. Having a satisfied customer is just as important as having a good marketing strategy. More than the product itself, the customer is looking for a solution or benefit to improve their quality of life. Therefore, it is vital to listen to everything the client has to say to achieve practical commercial management.

Get Paid on Time

Specifying the payment of a sale is crucial for commercial management to be successful. Although this seems obvious, marketing strategies often work until it is time to collect a deal. A pronounced and sustained lack of payment over time can lead to the failure of a business and even the closure of a business venture. Therefore, it is essential to make the terms and conditions of the company clear before you start negotiating. Requiring a portion of the payment before embarking on a project is a common way to cover costs and ensure a healthy bond with the client or prospect.

In this sense, it is essential to offer different customer means of payment and to have a simple interface such as accounts payable tools that allows, in the case of online sales, to pay quickly. UX writing is essential for smooth customer interaction with the call to action or sale buttons. Just as knowing the product offered and the different needs of the target audience are necessary to make a sale, monitoring and controlling payments contributes to the effectiveness of commercial management.

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But, just as the customer experience is a clear objective of organizations, we must not lose sight of the knowledge of the employees (EX). In the current context where, in one way or another, organizations are addressing transformation processes, we must be aware of the role that people play as a lever for said transformation and that they are the ones who can lead it to success and settle it, make it sustainable and evolve it.

These times, our mouths are filled with concepts such as collaboration, the culture of continuous improvement, and agility… all this would be impossible without keeping in mind and working focused on enhancing the employee experience.

They are the people who can make an organization truly agile, collaborative and focused on continuous improvement. But for this, you have to empower the teams, take care of their feedback and achieve the employees‘ commitment.

We present some of the techniques that can help us to know the experience of our employees to improve it:

Skill Matrix: a technique used to find out a team’s capacity in skills and knowledge. It is not just about detecting the gaps in knowledge or skills of the teams, but rather using it as a source to find out what the employees want to learn. We seek a balance between our group’s interests and the organization’s objectives.

Moving motivators technique that will allow knowing the motivations of people. With this dynamic, we will discover what drives our employees when making decisions and what moves them to behave in a certain way, two key points of the employee’s experience in their day-to-day life in the organization.

Reskilling in this method, two very important elements converge, the need to recycle the knowledge and skills that come with moments of transformation and the opportunities for evolution and professional growth for employees. Combining the organization’s needs to follow the path marked out at a strategic level with the interests and desires of each of our collaborators is vital to ensure employee experience in the medium/long term that we are looking for.

There are a lot of talks these days about retaining talent; Using these techniques will allow managing the motivations, interests and, ultimately, the “engagement” of the people in the organization. With continuous training and the improvement of their day-to-day activities, employees perceive that the organization is investing in them. This improves their professional profile and directly impacts the organization’s reputation.

Also Read: Four Types Of Employees In Every Office

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Determine Customer Requirements

A successful sale starts with setting customer expectations. For this, it is best to avoid telephone exchanges. The conversation risks being cut short by various constraints (time, space, technique). Better to meet them. Upstream, conduct some research on the specialty of the company. The goal is to develop specific skills in the sector that interests buyers and prepare relevant answers to their questions. Gather all the data about your prospects before approaching them. The goal is to arm yourself well in the face of their possible refusals and convince them to buy.

Defining the potential expectations and gaps to be filled is an advantageous approach. Thanks to it, it becomes easier to stand out from others and determine the possibilities of producing values. Once you master these two elements, you can adapt your skills to customer requirements. Finally, learn about competitors’ advantages, i.e. you need to find out what interests prospects about them and their offers.

Offer a Flash Promotion.

Some people buy quickly when faced with a promotional offer. Thus, it would help if you offered them an advantageous proposition, but of short duration. You can, for example, tell them about a discount valid for a week. You can suggest they sign the contract before a predefined date to get freebies. If possible, the validity period of the promotion should not exceed a few days. The goal is to encourage customers to buy immediately or at least as soon as possible. It is also essential to make positive proposals.

Don’t fall for the threat of the type: “Once this deadline is exceeded, this offer becomes more expensive. You may regret your refusal. By using this tone, you are putting your sale at risk. Feeling their stress and their blockage increase, you risk being refused. Are you not good at this type of strategy? It is possible to change tactics.

Act As If The Deals Are Already Done

Keep a positive mind every time you talk to your client. Does he tell you that your product is too expensive or that he is not the decision-maker? Ask him what he would do if his budget were sufficient or if he were in the manager’s shoes. If necessary, ask him a question like: “If you had the power, would you be interested in our solution?”.”

He can give you two answers. Either he tells you he would be ready to buy, or he sticks to his position. In the first case, convince him by reasoning as if the contract has already been signed. He will surely be hesitant, but if you offer him some advantages, he may be interested in your offer. Suggest a discount or a fast delivery, for example. As soon as he starts going your way, continue the conversation as if the deal was already done. In the second case, restart the negotiations and use his requests to influence him.

React Positively To Rejection

Customers sometimes react negatively when faced with a product they do not know. They show reluctance and hesitation. However, even rejections can turn into strengths. When they express their disagreement, they inform you of their expectations.

Instead of giving up, it is better to ask them questions about the reasons for their decision. Ask them to expand on their answer, e.g., record their information in a notebook as they talk. Then you recap the most important points to clear everything up. Once this step is completed, you can more easily discuss a solution meeting their expectations. Then you can offer them an offer that suits them. Being interested in customers’ needs is a way of showing a willingness to collaborate. Sometimes, the feedback obtained helps improve the product or solution for sale.

Listen To Customers

Along the same lines, you need to listen to your customers. Avoid one-sided discussions and let them flow. You need as much information as possible to determine their true motivations. Study non-verbal cues like intonation or facial expressions. To do this, encourage them to talk and confide in you. Thus, it would help if you led the conversation, and your words must show your confidence. It is essential for clients to feel that they are dealing with a credible expert who can help them.

When you control your exchanges, you forge the perception of your interlocutor. However, do not confuse control with dominance. Sometimes you need to stop talking and allow him to describe the solutions that interest him. Thus, you can offer him a few product choices. When he has several answers, the prospect can easily accept your offer and feels free to make his own decision.

Highlight The Benefits of The Product

Does your product have advantages that may interest your customer? Highlight them to close the deal quickly. Even if they don’t fully meet their expectations, show them that this is an innovative solution that can be useful to them. Use clear arguments and positive vocabulary.

Also Read: Digital Accessibility Of Customers – This Is How You Do It Better

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We encounter projects everywhere: house cleaning, garden party, relocation, or a wedding – depending on the complexity, we sometimes have to organize and coordinate more, sometimes less. And now let’s imagine putting on a festival for several thousand people or building a skyscraper. Phew!
“A little organization” is no longer enough here because a failure can also have serious (financial) consequences. Organizing the whole project is extremely important. In this context, the term project management comes into play.

The following article will show you the essential topics from this broad area in a compact project management guide.

The Nine Areas of Project Management

But take it slow. As already briefly mentioned, the tasks in project management go quite far. For this reason, the Project Management Institute has divided the term into nine sub-disciplines. It is an extensive topic, from the project management basics to the details.

Integration Management

This sub-area is primarily about defining suitable processes necessary for good coordination and integration of the project. Specifically, one deals with the project plan development and implementation and possible changes in this area.

Scope Management

“Is the project going in the right direction?” This is the central question in this sub-discipline. Accordingly, the performance progress must be consistently checked and controlled. This includes project initiation, definition, verification, and monitoring of performance.

Time Management

Time – is always an essential factor. Especially when it’s tight, time management must keep an eye on the time, i.e., all-time restrictions and deadlines of the project. This area belongs to the schedule, the determination of process sequences, process duration estimation, schedule development, and monitoring. Schedule templates are helpful here, as they save time, especially in recurring projects.

Cost Management

Of course, finances also play an essential role in a large project, and these resources should be used as efficiently as possible. Maximum effectiveness with minimum effort – that is the goal. Accordingly, resources must be planned, costs estimated, the budget distributed, and finally, the use of financial resources in project management must be monitored.

Quality Management

In projects, there is usually a customer with specific requirements for his product. And even if it doesn’t, a house shouldn’t crack after ten years. There are various quality requirements that quality management must take care of, and it deals with quality planning, assurance, and control.

Human Resources Management

In addition to time resources, capacity planning in project management also deals with human resources – i.e., the employees.

• Who does which tasks?
• How long does it take him?
• Can he complete the job in the given time and with his existing skills?
• Who should/must he work with?
• Do we have enough staff for the project?

In project organization, personnel acquisition, and team development, personnel management faces these questions.

Team development and the topic of team building are critical points.

Communication Management

This sub-area is about project communication – whether with employees, project managers, or people outside the company. Communication management collects, defines, and disseminates all information related to the project.

Risk Management

A complex project always involves risks. If a delivery is delayed, production is delayed, and deadlines cannot be met, which has further consequences. For this reason, risk management deals with risk identification and assessment and the development of measures to track and assess risks.

Procurement Management

One cannot work without specific means. Therefore, procurement management provides all the goods and services required by making preparations for purchasing, obtaining offers, selecting suppliers, and being responsible for drawing up contracts and ensuring fulfillment.

The Five Phases Of a Project

Another essential part of project management basics is the phases that a project goes through. A project can generally be divided into five project management phases with different tasks – the stages are visualized in the project phase model.

Start Phase

At the start of the project (also: preparation ), all the basics of the project are clarified: e.g., framework conditions, content, duration, costs, and effort.

No concrete decisions have yet been made regarding implementation. Primary concrete goals should always be right initially, and an exact formulation of goals is fundamental. The project plan, project profile, project environment analysis, and SWOT analysis are helpful here.

Planning

It becomes concrete in the planning. Depending on the nature of the project – own, commissioned, everyday, innovative – the analysis plays an essential role in this phase. Here it is also important to distribute tasks, create a schedule, and decide which project organization – such as the matrix organization – the work will take place. The essential data are noted in the project order.

Execution

The implementation then involves the performance of the planning in concrete measures, the processing of the tasks, and the cooperation of the project team.

Steering

This is followed by project control in the fourth phase, control. This includes, among other things, the TARGET-ACTUAL comparison, the overview of project progress and status, as well as problem identification. Transparent and regular communication is essential here to evaluate all information and data.

Diploma

In the end, there is a summary, evaluation, and learning: How did the project go? What went well? What can we do better next time? If necessary, the results can also be compared with similar projects.

Also Read: Understand What Is Involved In Construction Project Management

Common Project Management Methods

But how exactly do you approach a project like this? In addition to the project management basics, various procedures and methods can be found in practice. If you look at the nine sub-disciplines again, project management is a cross-sectional task. For this reason, methods from different areas are used to help.

Project Management Combines Many Disciplines.

Project management requires a sum of disciplines and tasks from other, specific areas. These include

• Analyze and develop ideas
• Plan and calculate
• Control and steer
• Lead employees and teams
• reporting and documenting
• develop strategies

Roles In Project Management

A project is always teamwork and is, therefore (almost) never carried out by a single person. “Inside” and “outside” projects different roles with different functions taking their place.

• Client/customer: Initiator and supreme decision-making authority
• Project Manager: Expert in planning and organization, has overall responsibility
• Project manager: Head of the project team, coordinates team members and is involved in content
• Project staff: Do technical work
• Stakeholders: people/groups affected by or interested in the project

Necessary Skills In Leadership

People carry out management in the sense of corporate governance. These – often referred to as project managers or project managers – should have specific skills to manage a project optimally. In addition to professional and methodical skills, social and personal skills are required, as in any other management profession :

• Communicative Skills
• problem-solving orientation
• leadership skills
• initiative
• Entrepreneurial thinking
• teamwork
• empathy
• critical ability
• willingness to perform
• flexibility

Of course, these skills are not quite enough, and it would help if you also had a project manager.

Success Factors – That Is What Matters.

Berlin Airport BER, Stuttgart 21, Practice shows: that the rate of failed projects should not be underestimated. Since 1994, the Standish Group has examined not only a “failure” rate with its CHAOS Report but also success and failure factors in project management.

Goal Setting

Every project should have a clear goal that, when achieved, also has added value for the company. It is also essential that the goal is set from the beginning and, if so, then not changed too often. SMART goals help with a precise formulation.

Definition of Critical Values

Milestones are essential in order not to lose sight of the big goal. Clear deadlines and budgets, for example, help to stay on schedule and counteract obstacles and minimize the risk of an overall project failure.

Management Level

The support of the company management is necessary for a project. In general, all important people and groups should be behind the project.

Infrastructure

In connection with the support of the management, a project needs good infrastructure. Relevant resources, equipment, and premises are required to use the potential of those involved and complete the project.

Of course, many other factors can determine the success or failure of a project. But the most crucial thing is structured management. If this is in place, you can react to problems much more controlled. The risk of failure is minimized. This brings us to another criterion: the human success factor.

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WHAT ARE THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF CORPORATE MANAGEMENT?

If you are still a beginner when it comes to corporate management, you must understand that your company can only optimally implement its tasks and goals if you coordinate people and their actions accordingly . In this context, you as a decision-maker have a great responsibility:

• You have to align your teams towards a common goal – the success of your company.
• Successful corporate management means guiding your employees across departments in such a way that their work efficiently serves all processes in the company.
• This implies that they coordinate their decisions in order to perform the range of tasks of your company holistically.

You see, running a company means giving importance to all aspects of coordination. Tips for corporate management therefore often provide for delegating coordination tasks to other people in the company. Together with you, they form the management of the company as an institution . A distinction must be made between the activities that your teams carry out in practice – they describe the functions of corporate management. In addition, the question of “How is it managed?” also plays a role. The latter focuses on process optimization in the company.

Modern Corporate Management Acts Strategically

If you are looking for a clear definition of the term corporate management within business administration, you will quickly find that there is not just “one” approach. Leading your company builds above all on skills, strategies and, last but not least, on your willingness to flexibly integrate changes in the market into your own management . If you implement the basics of modern corporate management, then you lay the foundation for a successful company with which you not only make profits, but also secure your future in the long term. You will acquire knowledge about strategic corporate management in specialist books, guidebooks and business dictionaries.

Main Tasks of a Company Management

In business jargon, the terms management and corporate governance are often used synonymously . In any case, this means the management of business organizations, primarily of companies. As you have already read, you have to differentiate between the questions “Who is leading?”, “How is leadership?” and “What is leadership used for?” Here is a small overview for you:

Who Leads?

In addition to the owner of the company, it is the managers who take on management tasks as the company grows.

What is led by?

This is about goal-oriented decisions that are important for production, sales, investment and financing. They influence the existence and future of your company and combine resources, personnel and responsibility for third parties.

How is it managed?

Today it’s not just about knowledge of economic theory, but also about luck and intuition when you or your team plan or implement decisions. Behavioral concepts therefore also play a role, since according to experts it is not just about “doing the right things, but doing things right!”

Agile Management: Old Methods Rediscovered

Agility is not a new topic. It was developed by sociologists in the 1950s and has regained immense importance through digitization and the effects of globalization . According to scientific opinion, agility as a concept can be applied to all organizational systems. In the practice of companies like yours, the following four aspects are emphasized for agility:

• Speed ​​with which companies react to change
• Adaptability to accommodate change
• Customer centricity to increase customer satisfaction
• Attitude to introduce new behaviors internally

You can also read many synonyms for “agile” in the specialist literature: e.g. B. flexible, proactive or proactive . It’s always about adapting to change , which in terms of corporate management and control means being several steps ahead of the competition if possible. Agile corporate management encourages your employees to continuously learn, think creatively and share knowledge.

RELY ON KEY FIGURES IN CORPORATE MANAGEMENT

Proponents of agile management have therefore learned to understand corporate management not only in the context of controlling and key figures, even though the latter are essential instruments of corporate management .

Incidentally, their principle is easy to understand: Key figures, also known as KPI (Key Performance Indicators), measure success factors or show weak points in your company. If they are positive, you can maintain your functional management strategies. If they turn out badly, you should counteract them with new decisions. Therefore learn for your company management: For example, use KPIs in your accounting or marketing department or in your production. With their help you can identify and measure the following characteristics:

• customer satisfaction

• employee satisfaction

• productivity and innovation

• process quality

• industry comparison

• level of liquidity

It is worthwhile for you to keep an eye on your key figures, after all they enable you to take timely measures to achieve value-oriented corporate management. If you are a founder, you will initially not be able to afford a controlling department with specialist staff. That’s why you have to deal with the key figures of your company independently . An example is the personnel cost ratio, which shows your personnel expenses in relation to sales. Therefore, introduce at least a few key figures as an indicator of your success.

HOW DOES OPERATIONAL MANAGEMENT SUCCEED?

If you run a company, then you coordinate all the storylines of your company and take care of the short-term core business or all ongoing business activities . The operational business as a planning module is usually designed for one year. You must keep it strictly separate from alternative side businesses. This is relevant to accounting, which records everything that amounts to either a profit or a loss. In this way, your operating result is determined , which consists exclusively of processes from the operational business.

Founders like you face a lot of challenges in everyday life. Therefore, it is immensely important to structure your thoughts and actions in order to plan in the short term and in a process-oriented manner. In order for your operational management to be successful, you must set detailed targets with your management team and monitor their implementation . This is the only way to succeed in corporate management and services or production and all necessary organizational work run smoothly. Managing your employees is also part of the operative business . Operational management is responsible – i.e. you and the managers at the lower hierarchical levels.

IMPORTANCE OF STRATEGY AND TACTICS TO YOUR BUSINESS

In the theory of operational management, the terms strategy and tactics play an important role, because all planning levels are interdependent. It actually goes without saying that successful corporate management must have medium-term and long-term plans for business activities and processes at hand. After all, they determine the day-to-day business. In this context, the focus is on your company departments or product groups. The tactical alignment within your company is therefore also about your medium-term financial planning and budgeting . Both are based on the results of day-to-day operations.

As a strategist who wants to steer your company through all the ups and downs, you have certainly already defined big goals . They feed on your company principles and always have a long-term effect. For example, if you enter into a cooperation or plan to expand your production facilities, these are measures that will only have a delayed impact on you and your company’s success. Sometimes the goals are not specifically formulated because you still need space to develop them. No matter what strategies you will come up with for the next five to ten years, you as the company leader are responsible for them. In the following, the core statements are summarized for you :

• ‍Operational management always lasts one year. It includes planning, monitoring and controlling your goals for the current core business. ‍
• Operational planning is process-oriented action planning and a component of your holistic corporate planning .
• Operational planning and strategic planning are interdependent . Because operational planning results from the strategic orientation of your company.

Conclusion: Prerequisites For Successful Corporate Management

Managing a company means mastering complex challenges. You have to assume that being an entrepreneur will not always be easy. It is therefore important that you do not “go under” in the operative core business, but take care of the management of your company in an efficient and success-oriented way. Business management is a long-term task, the basics of which you should internalize. Because the market and competitors will always challenge you. You have to do the balancing act between profit-oriented corporate strategies and a leadership culture that keeps your employees happy and your customers happy. The following goals must be on your agenda if you want to survive on the market as an agile start-up talent:

• Clear corporate strategies

• Strong corporate philosophy

• Value-oriented corporate culture

• Modern digital marketing measures

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This implies getting to know a consumer with very different expectations and understanding the context in which they move, dominated by social networks, more to provide interactive experiences that generate engagement than to offer you products and services. Many organizations are already doing this with greater or lesser success. Meanwhile, those ignoring the so-called centennials run the risk of missing out on future opportunities.

Who are the young people of generation Z ? What characterizes them? What do they expect from brands, and how should companies approach them? These are the questions that we will try to answer briefly below.

Who Makes Up Generation Z?

There was no consensus on when those who make up Generation Z were born. A generalized criterion establishes this period from 1997 to 2015. The age range would be between children of seven years old to adults of 25; however, other organizations and publications like the US Census Bureau. Well-known Time magazine defines Z as those born after 2001. Furthermore, in marketing and sales strategies, an age range between 18 and 23 years is handled. Students and young people who access their first jobs coincide in this group. Some have already graduated, but overall most still live with their parents. 

Their income and spending patterns fluctuate, and this will continue to happen for years to come as circumstances allow them to be more independent and confident in their decisions. 

The Genesis of Generation Z

Perhaps it doesn’t make as much sense to take an in-depth look at the current buying behaviors of the Zs, but they do study the environment in which they grew up. This aspect has impacted his way of being and will have it in his future life.

The generation we refer to grew up and was formed in a context of economic crisis. The Great Recession stemming from the housing bubble may have directly or indirectly affected your family’s finances. Likewise, the wave of global protests generated for this or other reasons and the measures taken by governments to confront them could help forge their non-conformist character. To all this, we must add the terrorist attacks such as those in Madrid (2004) and London (2005) that showed part of society’s threats. 

Of course, we cannot ignore the significant influence of the advances of the Internet and IT. One of its consequences was the development of social networks, which have helped shape the preferred way of interaction of the Zs. All of this allows us to understand the complexity of tomorrow’s majority consumers broadly.

Some Features of Generation Z

Now, it is essential to assess what some research reveals about generation Z. For example, software platform Marketo found that 60% of Zs want to make a positive difference in the world. Along the same lines, 76% claim to be concerned about the impact of human activities on the planet’s conservation.

These examples highlight the difference between millennials and millennials: Millennials are more prone to causes; the second is to the purposes. Therefore, the next step for brands and organizations is to balance corporate objectives and a genuine and practical concept of social responsibility.

What are The Z’s like, And How Are They Different From Millennials?

So far, we’ve said little about millennials born between 1981 and 1996, thus predating Generation Z. The comparison will help us understand both, but more to centennials.

Millennial Idealism vs. Pragmatism Z

Millennials are more idealistic and tend to be more optimistic because they grew up in a time of economic boom and got support from their parents. On the contrary, centennials are very pragmatic since their parents’ financial difficulties marked their lives. This explains why the most effective marketing for them is the one that promotes long-term value, savings, and wise investments.

Generation Z Wants More Innovation.

Research from Salesforce showed that 55% of Zs want new products, more than 46% of millennials. Both audiences almost agree in expecting brands to transform their products and services into digital experiences (76% centennials and 73% millennials). Understandably, the generation we are dealing with wants more innovation, having grown up in a time of vertiginous technological advances.

Less Emotional Connection With Brands

Generation Z is less emotionally connected to brands than its predecessors. Growing up, millennials raved about name-brand clothing and footwear, and their preference has changed little as adults. Stereotypes of physical beauty, elegance, and purchasing power supported this trend, unlike centennials, who are more attached to messages that promote authenticity, personal freedom, and diversity. An example of this is the successful Dove campaigns. Go! Let’s get ahead with a marketing tip.

The RRSS Are Instruments To Build Community, And They Are Not Transmission Platforms. 

For previous generations, the emergence of social networks meant incorporating new channels to transmit messages. Immediately, many businesses shared content on Facebook using the same criteria as traditional print and billboard marketing. And they failed! They did not understand from the beginning the true purpose of social platforms: to connect people and build communities. 

On the other hand, the Z public does have it more transparent since it grew up with social networks. Part of his friendships was made through these platforms. Before spreading a message, a centennial intends to contribute to that online community in a relevant way. There are no catchy slogans or promises, and it is also not designed to get people to buy what it is recommending. Therefore, it is not surprising that 76% of Zs feel that they can turn their foray into the RRSS into a profession. For them, being an ‘influencer’ is as realistic a career as any you study at university and play in a company.

Also Read: Keys To Attracting And Retaining Talent From Generation Z

How Could Your Brand Reach Generation Z?

The following are just a few suggestions that you could apply in a marketing strategy for your brand to audience Z :

• Due to the context in which they grew up, generation Z tends to make purchases that optimize the value of each euro they invest. Marketing strategies aimed at this audience should focus on attractive but accurate offers and bonuses such as free shipping and gift cards. In other cases, also secure high-quality investments.
• As we anticipated above, authenticity is essential in marketing communication for Zs. It vindicates their individuality, strengthens the validity of being what they want to be, and discards stereotypes.
• Share relevant content on social networks and motivate interaction through these channels creatively. Use one or several influencers whose audience matches your public in tastes, interests, and needs. This strategy must be planned and coherent and be aligned with the values ​​of your brand and your products.
• Young Z can distinguish between brands that support causes to improve their image and those that do so out of conviction and as part of their values. Show that your social responsibility efforts are sincere and that you are irrevocably committed to those purposes.

Don’t Forget The Research.

Finally, it would help to assume the investigation as a continuous and fundamental activity. In parallel to the demand for greater relevance and authenticity by generation Z, brands must incorporate new criteria and tools to investigate their consumers in general. Big Data and social listening resources, real-time interaction tracking, and proper qualitative understanding will help align your strategy with Z audience expectations.

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The world is currently going through a new industrial revolution, led by digitization and technology, and one of the main elements that feed them is information. Virtually any interaction in the digital world leaves a trace, a mark that can be traced and that, once analyzed, is an invaluable input to know a specific individual.

This is where Big Data comes in. One way to define it is to manage and analyze vast amounts of information or data that conventional software systems cannot process because the volume of data exceeds its algorithmic processing capacity. In other words, specific plans must be created to be able to process all this information.

The origin of this data can range from simple information such as form data, through emails, audio files, digital images, camera sensors, and survey data, to name a few sources. The objective of Big Data is to transform this entire set of data, which may or may not be structured, into accessible and valuable information for decision-makers.

And although large companies had been handling large volumes of information for a long time, the evolution of technology gave access to a more significant amount of data, so they were forced to create tools to analyze it.

Today, Big Data plays a fundamental role in different business aspects, including knowing people’s purchasing habits, needs, characteristics, and other data to optimize a business, including its electronic commerce.

And although Big Data can be used for dozens of disciplines or business areas, which can range from medicine, automotive, architecture, engineering, and security, among many others, electronic commerce is one of the branches in which it is most beneficial. Can draw, even for small businesses.

Why Is Big Data Important?

Thanks to all the information on the network about each individual, with a robust Big Data system, a company can structure the profile with the purchasing habits of its customers, with simple data such as demographics, even those that give more detail about each one as the average value of each purchase, its geographical location, the time at which it connects to visit the electronic commerce, the display time of each product, cart abandonment, the means of payment used, estimate the other individuals who interact with the subject at home, among many other data.

For example, there are marketplaces that, with the information mentioned and additional data, configure a client’s profile in such a detailed way as to create a credit risk profile and know if said person is an excellent subject to receive a line of credit, by the marketplace.

Below are four elements that detail the importance of Big Data for e-commerce:

Competitive Advantages

Electronic commerce has become a necessity in business to the extent that Internet access has been growing, coupled with other factors such as the pandemic. The vast majority of companies know it; the competition is high.

Through Big Data, a competitive advantage can be gained by defining the most appropriate sales strategies for the business that target the right target audience. Systems that can also be customized which has become essential in ecommerce. You can also know how the competition acts to differentiate yourself positively and your consumers’ expectations.

Also Read: Big Data, Cybersecurity And Cloud Systems, The Disciplines Where There Is Employment

Track The High Volume of Data

To say that infinity increases sound redundant, but with the amount of information available on the Internet today, it is as close to reality as possible. Every day there are more devices capable of providing information that determines people’s behavior.

The next step in the available data revolution is with the arrival of 5G networks and the Internet of Things (IoT). 5G networks allow data transmission between 10 and 20 times faster than 4G networks and allow the connection of more devices; therefore, there will be greater access to information.

When an element such as a refrigerator to generate data is added to the transmission speed, it is possible to know how often a person replenishes the ketchup in his house.

With Big Data, all this data, which continues to emerge, can be tracked, accounted for, and used to make strategic decisions within the business. Without a doubt, those companies that know how to follow all the traces that their clients, and potential clients, leave in cyberspace are the ones that will be one step ahead on the constant path to success.

Accurate Consumer Tracking

A person’s behavior today may differ from six months ago, and the same goes for their buying habits. The digital transformation also influences the behavior of consumers, who every day have access to more information, ideas, and all elements that can affect their decisions.

Also, every day the interaction between companies and their customers is more significant, so the possibility of being aware of changes in their behavior is more accessible. Using Big Data tools, this monitoring can be done to determine if there are changes in customer preferences and predict behaviors that can directly impact the business.

Upgrade Points

Thanks to Big Data, you can get to know what people think about each business and how they react to the actions taken within it. One of the tasks of Big Data is precisely to offer accurate data on the interactions that consumers have with the business platform to find out the areas for improvement.

Information has always been a valuable asset for business, and today it is imperative that complex data support decisions.

Pillars of Big Data

Big Data was initially considered to have three fundamental pillars, its three V’s: volume, variety, and speed. But over the years, two more elements have been added: integrity and value of the data. In other words, today, we can talk about five pillars that make up Big Data.

• Volume: Given the speed with which information evolves in the digital world, the concept of data volume does too. However, in this case, the large volumes of information can refer to hundreds or thousands of Terabytes or Petabytes (1,000 terabytes), that is, much more than the thousands of Gigabytes that an ordinary computer is used to processing.
• Variety: refers to the types of data that the software receives and can be of three types. It is structured, semi-structured, or unstructured.
• Speed is the speed with which the data in question is received, processed, and analyzed to make decisions. Although it may be more complex, the idea is that the results are returned in real-time, especially if you want to provide a personalized experience during a purchase in e-commerce.
• Veracity: it is the confidence that can be had in the processed information, that it is of quality, and that it can evolve and add other elements such as time and the economy’s behavior.
• Value: refers to the importance of the information being analyzed for the business. A pre-selection of the fundamental data must be made, with which the processing process becomes faster and more precise.

Advantages Of Electronic Commerce

Two words that can encompass the advantages of Big Data within electronic commerce are optimization and personalization. The detailed knowledge that makes it possible to have all business areas, including the client, is a tool that allows you to stay ahead of your competitors.

Here are seven advantages that Big Data brings to e-commerce:

• Improve the user experience: UX is increasingly valued by customers; not only does the quality of the product and its value matter, but also what was experienced during its acquisition. Problems in the usability of the ecommerce platform can result in a bad experience and make the customer not return. With all the available information, you can provide a personalized experience based on purchasing habits and send interactive content of interest or ads based on your profile analysis. Likewise, it can be determined if all the web page elements yield the desired result or if any of them require attention according to the response obtained from the public.
• Predict demand: thanks to existing information and the patterns adopted by customers, through Big Data, it is possible to try to predict future demand for a particular good and consumption trends. With these elements in hand, a business can anticipate its competition’s marketing campaigns and gain positioning with its target audience. You can even tailor products based on that prediction of your customers’ preferences.
• Online positioning: if you want to have a successful digital marketing strategy, Big Data is essential since all the available data allows you to be more segmented, assertive, oriented, and consequently more efficient. Among the marketing tools that can be used through Big Data are voice commerce, the use of voice within the online purchasing process; social commerce, which is not only limited to sales through social networks, but also other activities such as the search for opinions from other clients, and reviews about the product, to name a few; Finally, the use of search engines or SEO is essential to position yourself better on the Internet, and in the case of virtual stores, the process must be a little more technical because it is necessary to “show” the search engines the specific characteristics of the products that stand out on the Internet. The competition.
• Storage and distribution optimization: when it comes to e-commerce, probably few things generate a more negative user experience than misinformation about the stock of a product or that it is not delivered within the promised period. To avoid these inconveniences, Big Data is essential to: know in which period a product is most in-demand, reduce delivery times by generating more efficient delivery routes or processes, and automate product data such as available sizes, colors, quantities, etc. to create positive user experiences.
• Personalized attention: Personalization helps create more personal, human, and close interactions, and the data generated with Big Data allows this personalization to be completed. The digitization of commerce has brought companies closer to customers, which opens the door to offering new recommendations and experiences that translate into sales and boost brand loyalty.
• Understand the gaps in the purchase process: in electronic commerce with Big Data, not only can you encourage purchases, but you also know in detail the consumer’s behavior throughout the purchase process, which allows you to identify if there is any obstruction to its subsequent improvement.
• Find the exact moment: with the knowledge of purchasing habits and other Big Data tools, businesses can determine the most appropriate moment to approach the customer so that the approach is seen as a solution to a specific need and not as one more sale that the person faces. In addition, with this information, it is possible to guarantee that the approach is made to clients who are interested in the product or potential clients.

Big Data in Logistics

As has already been reiterated, Big Data is the processing of a lot of information put at the business service, and the logistics link does not escape it. Thousands of data can be collected to make the logistics process more efficient and provide a better user experience.

Among the five aspects in which Big Data can be applied within logistics are:

• Last-mile: more problems usually occur at the moment and where there is generally more loss within electronic commerce. With the IoT, real-time data transmission, and Big Data, some risks can be neutralized at this stage of the purchase process, such as traffic, the location of the cargo, the risk areas it can cross, and availability. The customer to receive the product.
• Fraud control: With real-time supervision of cargo and vehicles, postures that compromise productivity and efficiency in the delivery process can be avoided.
• Routing: the information is vast, so much more efficient routes and schedules can be drawn up to improve the logistics process. Accident rates, environmental or social risk areas, and traffic, among other variables, are data that can be analyzed within Big Data. 
• Reliability: Just as Big Data is used in internal business processes, it can also be available to customers or suppliers. In this case, the transparency generated by real-time data updates works as a driver for external reliability. That is, the market can consider the level of reliability of the company.
• Warehouses and stocks: automation in inventory processes and more innovative warehouses are other applications of Big Data to the logistics process, in this case, supported by the IoT, to optimize electronic commerce.

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