Integrated Marketing

When it comes to high volume email marketing, we tend to focus more on the content than how we present it most often. What needs to be considered is the fact that your email marketing campaigns are just one of the many elements in your marketing & communications mix and needs to be treated with the same professionalism that every other medium is treated.

For instance, have you considered integrating all your key messages and visual elements into your email campaign? With all other mediums of communication, you have a core brand identity, tone of voice, visual calling cards etc., so why not do this with your high volume email marketing campaigns as well?

The concept of integration is a vital concept in marketing and essentially means that you need to have a cohesive message across all your mediums and channels of communication, be in mainstream media, outdoor advertising or digital communication platforms. If you are telling your consumer the same thing and in the same way every time they encounter you, then chances are they will start to take you seriously and also remember your message, because they are engaging with it across the board.

World renowned marketing guru and author of multiple books and publications on Phillip Kotler defines integrated marketing as “a concept of marketing communications planning that recognizes the added value of a comprehensive plan that evaluates the strategic roles of a variety of communication disciplines-for example, general advertising, direct response, sales promotion, and public relations-and combines these disciplines to provide clarity, consistency, and maximum communications impact.”

This means you need to understand the role your high volume email marketing campaigns play in the bigger picture of your communications proposition. While you have one core message to give out, each specific medium needs to play separate roles in bringing the message to life. While a press ad will focus on saying very little, an email can be used to give all the finer details of the message and also help recipients visit your website and other pertinent messaging online. An email is also the easiest way to get a consumer to respond to a call to action since all they need to do is click on something you’ve added to your message.

Look at your marketing communications plan with bigger eyes and don’t ignore the power of email, and how it can contribute value to a cohesive, integrated marketing message. Ensure that the visual calling cards of your brand such as logos, mnemonics, colour palettes are maintained across the board – a solution like Maxmail for instance gives you simple drag and drop features that will bring your content to life and make it truly yours.

How to create a Winning Text Message

While there is no doubt that SMS marketing is one of the simplest, fastest and easiest tools to get messages across to various target audiences, it is also essential to know how to write one that will definitely get read. While the SMS marketing apps ensure that your message gets delivered, it is your skill that ensures the message is read.

Keep it Short

To begin, it’s essential to remember the core of what an SMS is all about – it’s a SHORT message, a concise & quick read unlike an email that has more comprehensive information. This means with an SMS, there is no room for unnecessary fluff. You have time and room to get ONE message across. Be simple, short & precise – you only have 160 characters. 

Make it Personal

The next thing to take note of – the words you use. If you want your text to be read, you need to ensure that you don’t sound like a marketing text. Avoid the obvious words like AMAZING or FREE that automatically tell the reader you are trying to sell them something. Don’t sound promotional, instead sound personal.

Avoid Texting Language

To ensure that your message is professional while being personal it’s essential to never use texting abbreviations such as CLD, WLD, U etc., unless you are specifically addressing an early or pre-teen audience. If you don’t adhere to this rule, chances are your audience will be irritated and confused, losing the entire purpose of the text message in the first place.

Add Some Value

If your text is not coming in from a friend, loved one or business associate and you still want your text message to be read, you need to ensure that each text has some level of value addition.  The best option is to ask for an immediate call to action –let them know what you want them to do and what they will ultimately get out of it.

Do It Now

Text message marketing works best if you are letting your readers know about something happening immediately – whether it is a sale in your store near them or a call back to win an instant prize. Keeping this real-time-reaction element to your texts will ensure action instead of being read and deleted.

Texting is personal, immediate and on-the-go, so try and fit all these basic principles into your next text marketing campaign and for very different results in no time. 

4 ways to make your home winter ready

Before the winter comes it is always good to check your home and fix things before it gets worse overtime. No matter whether you stay at home for the winter or go away for a sunny holiday, your home must be prepared to weather the winter. If your home is made according to the best home building tips maybe your living space is ready for the winter but unfortunately most of the time it is not the case. 

Some small fixings can go a long way and at the same time will make you and your family members warm and comfortable during the cold months.

1) Check the heating systems

Before things get worse at the last moment, have your whole household thoroughly examined by a heating professional. Try your best to get this done before the winter starts.  If you wait until the winter you will find it very difficult to get hold of a heating expert. And there are little things you can do yourself too. Vacuum the vents and other components to allow easy access for the heat. When you replace the furnace filter, do not forget to have  spare filter in hand. 

2) Seal all the cracks

Cracks in windows and doors are massively overlooked when you prepare your home for the winter. There is a tremendous amount of heat escaped through these cracks. Carefully check all the weather stripping of the house and replace where it is needed. After sealing all the cracks you will see a noticeable decrease in  your heating expenses. If you got a basement, do not forget to check the basement windows. If they are unsealed properly it is another area where heat can escape. 

3) Check the Roof

Are your roof shingles in place? If not get them fixed by a handyman. If the flashing around the chimney or vent pipes are not watertight he will fix them too. A leaking roof is the last thing you need during the winter. Also check the gutters and clean them. If there are tree limbs over your roof, trim them as well before the winter.

4) Winterise plumbing

Frozen water pipes can cause a disaster and also it will be a very expensive one. You can control the situation by using the heat tape to keep the pipes warm. Prepare all the outdoor faucets for the winter. Before the winter comes, drain water from the outdoor faucets and sprinklers.

The best way to prepare for the winter is to take the steps long before the winter starts. That way you will have enough time to prepare and it will be easy to find a handy man to get things fixed. 

Why hire a rubbish removal service?

Removing rubbish is a process that have to be handled with care. You cannot just take all your junk to a landfill and get rid of them. There are rules and regulations in place and you have to follow them when you dispose your rubbish. If you have a huge pile of rubbish you have accumulated overtime, do not worry. There are companies that handle rubbishremoval in Auckland who can help you. They are fully aware about the regulations as well as how to dispose respective category of rubbish in an environmentally friendly way.

Convenience

When you hire the services of a company they know exactly how to dispose each category of rubbish in an eco friendly and safe way. And they are well aware about the required regulations and the standards to be met. If you try to do it yourself it will be tedious and time consuming. You cannot just take all your rubbish to a landfill. You have to dispose different categories of rubbish accordingly.

Safety

Some waste items could be hazardous and have to be handled with care and disposed properly not to harm the environment. Especially items such as old lead paint, chemicals and other hazards need special care when removing. You cannot simply get rid of them. They have to be cleaned up before disposing them to the environment. When hiring a professional service you can be sure that your waste are disposed responsibly according to the environmental safety standards.

Moving home

When you are planning to move to a new home and start packing you will end up with a substantial amount of unwanted belongings that had piled up over the years. It could be damaged furniture, kitchen appliances, faulty toys and electronic items, broken figurines, books, magazines and the list goes on. Moving really gives you a chance to re-evaluate your belongings and separate the goods that are essential and useful. When you hire a removal service they will separate all your stuff to various categories and dispose them in a very environmentally friendly way.

No need to hassle with your rubbish when you can make your life much easier by hiring a professional rubbish removal service. Also you get the complete assurance that your items  will be either recycled or disposed in an eco friendly way. 

The right way to Text Marketing

With new and innovative mediums of advertising taking over the world, one advertising tool stands out as one of the most effective and efficient ways to get your message across. Text Marketing. It’s affordable, time saving and anyone can do it!

The only catch? You have to do it the RIGHT way! Over time, Text Marketing campaigns that have been conducted in an appropriate manner have resulted in high revenues, higher brand recognition and customer base. So keep reading for the do’s and don’ts of text marketing.

Get their consent

This is one of the most important things when it comes to text marketing. You must ensure that you have the consent of your customer before you send adverts to them.

Give your customers a way out

We all receive text messages advertising promotions, discounts offers etc. that interest us, but what if it didn’t? This is where the unsubscribe option comes to play. You MUST give your customers an easy opt out option so that they aren’t forced to receive messages they don’t want.

Tell them who you are

Make sure you include the complete return address for your company so that your customers know who you are.

Respect them

You know that company that keeps constantly texting you? Don’t be that guy. Make sure you don’t send out text messages too frequently as this will annoy your customers. Also remember to keep your messages short and concise and refrain from using lengthy paragraphs

Have a good Reason

Customers are most likely to react positively to text marketing messages if the message content contains a personal message or a practical benefit.

So there you have it. Seems simple enough right?

Get the best out of your e-mail marketing campaign

We all know it. E-mail marketing is here to stay. It’s fast, cost effective and lets you reach your customers within a few seconds. What’s not to like about it? I almost forgot, how about the high revenues, increased brand awareness and a high customer base.

So you brainstorm, think collectively and come up with an awesome campaign that will most definitely work on e-mail advertising. What’s the next step? Get your message across!

As with anything though, there are a few do’s and don’t’s you must adhere to when it comes to e-mail marketing. Failure to do so might result in your company reputation being damaged, a loss of revenue, fines and even jail terms. So how can one advertise in a legal and ethical manner you might ask? Keep reading.

The simple stuff

Do not use deceptive headlines. Headlines are the first thing a customer notices and if he/she opens up an e-mail based on a misleading headline that doesn’t relate to the content of the message the chances of them marking your e-mails as spam are higher. Instead, why not try using a subject that is accurate to the content of your e-mail?

Do not send sexual content in any of your e-mail adverts. This is a big NO.

E-mail advertising is favored by customers because they have the option of unsubscribing if they wish to. Please ensure that you don’t send out email content to the customers who have opted to unsubscribe from your mailing list.

The serious stuff

When it comes to e-mail marketing it is quite important to ensure that you get the consent of your customer or client. The three types of consent include explicit content, deemed consent and inferred consent. Research on what each type of consent represents before you begin your e-mail campaign.

Once you get the consent of your customer, you are good to go. Just remember to adhere to the rest of the rules and regulations of e-mail marketing and voila! You have an effective and efficient e-mail campaign.

New Subdivisions in Auckland

The opportunities and the limitations.

Property Subdivision in a nut shell is the process of dividing land or sections of it into smaller parts that make them easier to sell or carryout development work on. The land thus divided and worked upon is more often called a development, or project or sometimes even a gated community with a charming name. They are all subdivisions none the less.

Subdividing land works at various levels. A private land owner could decide that his or her land is big enough to be parcelled into smaller bits. The said land owner could then sell part or parts of it, build new premises on it or divide it up among the kids. Such New Home Subdivisions then become separate entities with their own title, address, unique access point, utility services and taxes.

Subdivisions happen on a far grander scale too. The Auckland Council’s recent report on available land for residential purposes states that there are just about 1900 vacant plots of land already subdivided and ready for building on right now. Subdividing can only take place when the city council has provided bulk utility supplies (clean water, waste water) to the border of the land. To develop the land the investor must have a subdivision plan that includes infrastructure development like roads, and water supply to individual lots. The Auckland Council reckons that it has enough Greenfield land ready to be subdivided into 15,000 new dwelling plots.

http://www.dbh.govt.nz/UserFiles/File/Publications/Sector/pdf/residential-land-available-in-auckland-report.pdf

For a city that foresees a need for 400,000 new dwellings over the next 30 years, these figures don’t add up. And for land owners this is indeed a great opportunity with demand set to sore to dizzy heights. However, what owners can do with their land will come under various restrictions depending on Auckland’s strict zoning parameters as well as the Auckland Council’s Unitary Plan.

Among Auckland’s various zoning restrictions is the Metropolitan Urban Limit (MUL). It defines the border between urban and rural Auckland. By some estimates, land just within the MUL is up to 10 times more expensive than just outside it (Grimes and Liang 2009). The Current price for the most desirable sized plots (350-650m2) within the established urban limit has more than tripled during the decade ending in 2012, A typical plot would go for something like NZ$ 325,000 or so. Land now accounts for around 60% of the cost of an Auckland house, compared to 40% in the rest of the country.

(http://www.productivity.govt.nz/sites/default/files/research-note-mar-13-auckland-mul.pdf)

Even a relatively small plot of land can be subdivided for a healthy sum. Enlist the services of a property subdivision company to find out if your land is feasible.

The rural zones of Auckland come with building restrictions too. New subdivisions in Auckland, especially in the rural regions, will have to comply with the Auckland Council’s Unitary Plan. The restrictions are basically about what kind of dwelling, how many, their size, height and intended population density. Rural Auckland is zoned into five distinct categories.

Rural Production Zone.

Most of Auckland’s rural production and industry is within this zone. With the focus on maintaining this productive capacity, the rural production zone will be the principal zone for donor and receiver sites for transferable rural site subdivisions. Together with boundary adjustments and relocations, this will form the basis of methods to be employed in rural subdivision.

Mixed Rural Zone

Similar to Rural Production Zones, Mixed Rural Zones are however smaller and more contained. These zones are expected to foster rural lifestyle, tourism and production practices on a small scale. Subdivision activities in these areas should focus on widening the diversity of rural uses.

Rural Coastal Zones

For their value to ecology and the beauty of the landscape, the Rural Coastal Zones will have certain restrictions on further development. However the opportunities lay in supporting the coastal environment through recreational activities. Appropriate rural activities are encouraged throughout this zone.

Countryside Living Zone

The principal receiver zone for transferable rural site subdivisions and the only receiving area for transfers created by the protection of ecologically significant or environmentally sensitive areas. Countryside living zones present rural residential lifestyle development opportunities and are typically situated close to urban Auckland or rural and coastal towns. The subdivision process may prove complicated in these areas because of the variety in topography, landscape character and the size of the sites.

Rural Conservation Zone

While this zone will encourage established rural activities, new developments are unlikely to find any support. These zones have been designed and designated to protect and maintain the unique characteristics of rural life. Land owners in these areas will find the scope for subdivision to be narrow and painful.
Apart from these restrictions, land owners would also want to consider limits to the type of activities permitted and building restrictions both for the number of dwelling per site as well as their size.

Refer http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/EN/planspoliciesprojects/plansstrategies/unitaryplan/Documents/Key%20topics%20in%20detail/upkeytopicsrurallanduses.PDF  for the complete list.

Herein lie the opportunities as well as the limits. However it is plain that the property market in Auckland will maintain a healthy state of demand over the coming years. For people with land, a trip to the property subdivider’s office is well worth the trip.

The Trials of Leaky Homes

Jane decided that she would move out of her house. After living in the same roof as her family for twenty years, she decided it was time to leave the nest and learn to soar. She spent months sifting through newspaper after newspaper trying to find a small house that was not too far away from the city hub and was big enough for her. She also wanted to find a house that had a good bathroom because a clean and working bathroom was very important to her.

One day, after two months of searching with no luck whatsoever, her friend, Gene asked if she could come and spend some time with her. Gene talked about a friend of hers who is also living alone in a two bedroom house and asked if she would like to go and take a look at it. Jane who was finding it hard to stay so optimistic all this time suddenly beamed and wanted to go and see how it would work out. So they both went together and met the girl who was living there. Her name was Soraya. Soraya’s house was just perfect. It had a small room that was just right for Jane and a bathroom that was in good working order.

Jane discussed the idea of moving into Soraya’s house. It went well because it was easier to split the cost for the house if Jane moved in. By the next few weeks Jane said adios to her family and was settling in quite comfortably at her new place. Living in a house with another person was a lot of fun for Jane. They shared most things and split certain duties like cooking, washing dishes and cleaning between each other. It was a pretty stable relationship. A couple of months later, as Jane and Soraya were sitting down to have some lunch, they heard loud thumping noises up in the ceiling. It sounded bigger than rats.

A few days later they found out that a cat and a litter of kittens were living inside the ceiling. They had no way of moving the kittens so they just let them be. However, all the movement and thumping inside the ceiling caused a very big leak inside the walls. The wall of Soraya’s room was coming apart. Having a leaky home was not beneficial. Having a leaky home during heavy monsoon season was even worse. The ceiling had cracks on them and each time it rained, Jane thought the house would fall apart. The water would collect and seep into the walls and make its way into Soraya’s room. During particularly heavy rain, the ceilings would drip too. It was the leakiest of leaky homes.

The two housemates called a renovations company and asked them to come take a look. However, they couldn’t do anything about their leaky home until the rains eased away. By this time, mould had begun to grow on the walls. It was so visible and disgusting, that it scared Soraya out of her room for a little while. They began to spray alcohol water at the mould hoping that they could control the mould population. This was working for a while, but the leaky home didn’t let them taste victory for long.

A month passed and the rain began to cease. The leaky home they were living in, was barely getting by. The mould had spread to cover the entire wall and the leak was getting worse and worse. Jane and Soraya decided they would move out for a little while because living in a mouldy house was bad for their allergies and overall health. As soon as the rains began to die down however, they called the company again and told them to come fix the problem. The very next day they were there, doing some heavy duty repairing on a very leaky home.

Optimisation and Popularity

Back in the 1990’s when websites were just becoming popular, there wasn’t a lot of creativity involved with web design. Any at all for that matter. Websites back then were called static html’s. These were highly organised layouts hand coded by specialists that understood the complexities of this new technology. Not anybody could do this. Therefore, the website wasn’t updated on a regular basis and had a fixed layout and information system.

Fast forward to present day. Everything has changed about the internet. Its the most accessible tool available to mankind. Anybody can be a website designer or anything they wish to be. But are we really taking advantage of this fact? Web space has developed to a point were there are thousands and millions of websites available for your viewing pleasure. Sites that contain information, sites with breathtaking photography/illustrations, social media sites and sites that cater only for various businesses/companies.

It seems that quantity gives way to poor quality. This has become the case with web development. Companies haven’t yet realised that everybody else is doing the same thing they are. Every company is paying top dollar and buying ready made web templates and adding random text containing information that isn’t eye catching and simple enough for the viewer to understand.

Yes, it may be easier than hiring a web designer and learning how to update your site from time to time. But is it worth losing potential customers over? Come out of the box for a little while. Ask yourself, what would interest the customer? What makes the customer want to stay on one particular website and look through the entire thing? How can you convey a message? And how do you go about making your site popular?

Being a website designer is one of the most creative of professions. So why not take advantage of this? People gobble up simple but unique and extraordinary things faster than gossip these days. Therefore being different is the new in thing to do. And there are so many ways of doing that. Find a simple message that your company embodies (slogan) and promote it in on your website. Cut down the information contained on your website because sometimes it can be too technical for a potential customer.

Often times a customer clicks on your url and is bombarded with a slew of information that can’t be processed fast enough. Pick out the really important details and word it in a clear and simple method. The only thing you, as the company, should worry about is to make sure the website designer/s you hire doesn't get too carried away. Make sure the layout is as simple and interesting as possible. Use current information. Check that the ‘call to action’ button is on the homepage in an eye-catching position and organise a lot of SEO work.

The layout and content is going to be what makes the viewer decide whether to stay or move on. Make it interesting enough that they stay and read through what you can offer them. Tell them why your company is the one for them. Feed them information on what your job is about and how you go about doing it. Help them understand you. And make regular updates to your website. Making your website popular depends on how well you get your SEO work done.

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimisation. All search engines (Yahoo, Google, Bing) have this system in place. It is a system that ranks a website on search results depending on certain keywords. Imagine you type in ‘web design Auckland’ to a google search engine. Google will then show you a list of websites that have been ranked on how many times the website has input these keywords.

Another way of getting your company ‘out there’ is the use of Adwords. Adwords is marketing tool that was created by google. Google advertises your product/company on its site and affiliate sites depending on the amount of keywords you use in that advertisement. This is called a sponsored link and runs on a ‘pay per click’ routine.

Keep in mind that your web site is like a twenty four hour pass into your company. A customer can really evaluate whether you product is worth the money or not even worth the time. Make sure that you use wording and layouts that are eye catching and easy to understand and communicate your product and mission indisputably.

The leaky home process

Do you own a leaky home in the North Shore or Auckland suburbs?

If you are an owner of a leaky home in the North Shore and Auckland area we can help you repair and restore your home to liveable conditions once again.

Our experienced Auckland based home renovation contractors will repair and restore your cladding at the highest quality, whether you just want to remove stigma of plaster or monolithic claddings we can guide you through the technical processes and give you that new look you desire.

The leaky home process can be confusing and quite painful when you are trying to find out how to repair and reclad your home. We know this is not a nice situation for anyone to be in so we try to make the process as easy as possible.

Worried about the health and safety of your family when moisture and mold builds up?

Being an owner of a leaky home is a very serious problem as it not only affects the owner but also their family members who live within the property.  Not only do leaky homes affect your family’s health but also the major structural reliability of the building, where eventually you will need to cough up big money to get it all repaired.

It is recommended that you fix your leaky home as soon as possible to save you money and severe headaches with our expert and professional builders.

How can you help us with this stressful and confusing issue?

Our experienced builders and project manager will offer you the finest options on how best to navigate your way through your leaky home process, where we take a detailed assessment of your home and the extent of the damages done to your home.

We have an extensive knowledge on how to deal with this confusing process and work closely with you.  Clear and concise communication is vital to us so we always keep you updated at every single stage of your recladding renovation.

We will take the complications out of the recladding process and make your home more liveable once again, and most importantly water tight.  This eliminates issues such as respiratory, skin problems and further future damages to your home.

What You Need to Know about Subdividing Land and putting it on the Market

Owning a large land has many benefits. One of them is the option of subdividing the land and putting it on the market. Subdividing a large land is no easy task. It's a process that often requires the assistance of various professionals.

The very first step of subdividing a land is to review your property. Analyse your property appraisal documents to determine the size, location and classification of your property. The next task is to determine if your land can actually be subdivided. Certain areas have various limitations on the size, nature and type of property that can be subdivided. What most property owners do at this stage is to select a consultant to help with the entire process.

As mentioned earlier, the process of subdividing a land is not an easy one. However, if you manage the task successfully, you will be able to raise a considerable sum off your property. There are certain complications and limitations attached to the process as well. For instance, some states have rules for selling properties adjacent to specific natural formations such as marshlands, flood zones or man-made structures such as highways or certain types of buildings. With the assistance of a professional in land subdivision, you will be able to determine whether your land is actually eligible to be subdivided.

If you have determined that your land can actually can be subdivided the next step is to find a real estate agent to put the property on the market. While selling the subdivided land itself is adequate to fetch a good value, developing the land will further increase its value. If you are considering subdividing and developing your land, seeking out a property developer with plenty of experience with similar projects.

Whether you are selling the land developed or not, a good property marketing plan is necessary to attract the right kind of buyer and to make a successful sale. If you are new to selling properties, once again, it is advised that you select a capable professional to guide you along the process. The property sales person or company will do the necessary analysis and create a solid marketing plan for you.

5 Things to Keep in Mind on your House Move

Moving houses is considered to be one of the most stressful tasks of all time. Whether you are moving to another country or a few streets up the neighbourhood, the process is pretty much the same and you will still have to pack up an entire house and carry it to the new location. Most people end up with damaged belongings, forgotten packages and assembling nightmares after a move. Bear in mind that as you pack to move your house, you have to consider making unpacking easier as well. Here's 5 things to remember if you are to avoid a disaster on your house move,

1. Find the right mover as early as possible

When it comes to moving houses, especially if you live on an apartment, finding the right movers is the very first step. This is extremely important because not all movers are equipped with the equipment and skills to handle every moving project. If you start searching early, you will have plenty of time to pick a mover with the ability to handle whatever complications your specific situation may bring forth.

2. Make a checklist

Leaving things behind can be expensive if your new house is located far away from your current residence. This is why making lists is highly important. Many things can be mixed up and forgotten during a move. Making a checklist and looking it up regularly will prevent anything from being overlooked.

3. Find proper packaging

Most often, your movers will help you with the packaging. However, some items may be of extra value or they may be extra fragile. Packing is not a one day task especially if you have a family. Being prepared with a few rolls of bubblewrap and cardboard boxes will help make things easier and save a great deal of time as well.

4. Start packing early

You don't have to wait until the last possible moment to start packing up your house. If you wish for a smooth and hassle free move, starting to pack early is the only way. Start with items that get rarely used and work your way to regularly used items as the moving day gets closer. Last minute rushing about and dropping everything within reach into random boxes will lead to a mess while unpacking.

5. Label all boxes

Labelling is important. If you are packing up several rooms, the boxes need to be labelled accordingly to let you know which items are from which room and save a lot of time while unpacking.

Tips to Save Money on Your Next Renovation

When you picture a new paint job or a completely redone bathroom, it's hard to resist the temptation to start work just to make your vision a reality. However, in reality, renovation projects are just as complicated as they are essential. If you are thinking of updating the appearance of your house or a part of it, there are a few things that ought to be considered if you are to save money.

1. Do your research

For every expensive renovation idea, there's always a low budget option. While the low budget option is not exactly poor in quality, you may not think of it unless you do some research. The internet is a great source of information and ideas on affordable renovation and remodelling ideas. Websites such as Pinterest is teeming with pictures, DIY guides and low cost ideas on transforming spaces into stylish interiors. With plenty of information to back you up, you can plan your own project easily.

2. Finding the right contractors

It is highly unlikely that you will stumble into the right contractors just by chance. This is why it is important to seek out and shortlist a few contractors and get quotes from everyone. Consulting multiple contractors will leave you with several options and ideas on the feasibility of your project, thus saving time and money.

3. Buy your own supplies

Most contractors will purchase the supplies themselves as they are often affiliated with suppliers. While the contractors may get a discount for loyalty, it's most likely that they will keep a commission for themselves. However, you too can find cheap suppliers from your end. If you are consulting a designer, they will be able to guide you towards cheap suppliers. If not, a bit of research will point you in the right direction.

4. DIY whenever possible

Not all renovation projects need to be handled by professionals. If you have the time to spare, you can save a great deal by completing parts of the project yourself. For instance, tasks such as painting can be done without the assistance of a professional. If you have the help of friends or family members, DIY tasks will save a considerable portion of the total project sum.

5. Be flexible on the time frame not the budget

When you set your budget, be extremely careful and discuss every minor detail with your contractor and designer to make sure that you do not exceed it. As for the time frame, make sure to not select a busy time for home renovations as rates will be quite high during certain parts of the year. If you can settle for a time of the year when work is slow for contractors, you will be able to save more.

5 Mistakes eCommerce websites make and how to avoid them

Not all websites are perfect, but website users demand nothing but perfection. As a user, there are many things wrong with websites; this can cause frustration and even result in avoiding particular websites altogether. As an owner of an eCommerce website, there are several grave errors of which you might be guilty.

1. Slow website

This is something that frustrates online customers to no end. It is important to make sure that you keep a close watch on the loading speed of your website. Issues with your hosting, certain elements on your website and third party plugins can cause your website to slow down. Therefore, it is extremely important that you pay close attention to what you add to your website as page speed has a massive effect on your sales.

2. Incompatibility with certain browsers

A website, especially an eCommerce website, has to be built in such a way that it is visible on any web browser. There is no way to predict what browser your users may choose to visit your website on, so make sure to check that your site is compatible with all browsers and correct any errors as early on as possible.

3. Complicated credit card entry systems

Credit card entry fields are particularly frustrating when they disappear and your page refreshes due to a missed answer. The last thing a customer would want to do is to enter their details all over again. In addition, it is also important to make sure that you don't tamper with the order of the form's fields. If the standard sequence is altered, people may make mistakes and therefore, it is advisable to stick to industry standards.

4. Broken links and dead-ends

Let's say that you have removed a product from your listings but did not remove the internal links on the page. This results in the dreaded 404 errors that can be both frustrating for users and disliked by search engines. In the case of removed products, it's best to remove the internal links and to continue to keep the page with a notice about how the product is no longer listed on your website. In addition, images that don't open can also cause serious damage. Make sure to test out your website on various devices and browsers to ensure that the images are working on all of them.

5. Hidden charges

While this is not necessarily a website error, failing to inform your customers on the exact shipping charges for their purchases can once again, be damaging to your sales and reputation. It is advisable that you always let your customers know about all charges prior to payment.