Customer service is vital to any organization, and investing in it can make all the difference in attracting and retaining clients. But the true return on those customer service investments—whether you're hiring and training staff or increasing your support channels—can be hard to quantify with a single number. While data isn’t everything, you’ll need some figures to determine the success of your investment and the next steps to take. Below, the members of Young Entrepreneur Council share 10 wa

Content marketing is one of the most widely-used marketing tactics. It encompasses almost everything under the gamut of digital marketing as content Content marketing is one of the most widely-used marketing tactics. It encompasses almost everything under the gamut of digital marketing as content is the basis of all forms of marketing. It is not a new technique. It has been in the picture for a long time and will remain for the foreseeable future. And yet, despite its widespread use and long

Social media has become a primary customer service channel for many businesses. Instead of waiting on hold on the phone or hoping an email reaches a live human being, customers will often ask questions or share their thoughts with a company via a social media post, comment or direct message. Business leaders must have a plan in place for managing customer service messages that come in through their social channels. To help you, we asked the members of Young Entrepreneur Council how businesses c

In the digital age, content marketing has become a particularly effective way to catch the attention of potential consumers. But if you’re new to content marketing, there are some common missteps that entrepreneurs often make while creating articles and posts. To help you avoid these mistakes, we asked a panel of Young Entrepreneur Council members this question: What is one misstep small businesses should watch out for when they’re first getting involved with content marketing? What should they

A great digital marketing strategy can drive potential customers to your website. But high traffic doesn't always translate into revenue. Once you get people on your site, you need to ensure they have a reason to follow through on their purchase. To help you do this, we asked members of Young Entrepreneur Council how they optimize and convert web traffic into real dollars. Their best tips and insights are below. Once you have the traffic on your website, you want to be able to continually comm

Being successful doesn’t mean that you have to be constantly developing new ideas, solving problems and getting things done. Taking a step back periodically can be remarkably important and rewarding. By recharging over the weekend, you’ll be better prepared to perform during the week. So what are some good habits to cultivate? To find out, we asked members of the Young Entrepreneur Council to share some of the things they do on the weekends, and why those activities help them to be successful.

You’ve probably heard that WordPress is open source software, and may know that it’s created and run by volunteers. Enthusiasts share many examples of how WordPress has changed people’s lives for the better. In this monthly series, we share some of those lesser-known, amazing stories. Mario has been hooked on computers ever since he got his first one in 1996. He started with digging into MS-DOS and Windows 3.1 first and learned tons by trial and error. Following that adventure, Mario built his

“Entrepreneurship is living a few years of your life like most people won’t so that you can spend the rest of your life like most people can’t.” At MalCare, we focused on contributing to the WordPress community in many different ways. We strive to be a source of valuable information for WordPress users looking to learn more about web security. However, there are times when we like to zoom out a little bit and discuss topics relating to the WordPress community in general. Today we had the oppor

And while running your own business is exhilarating at first, only half of businesses that employ staff survive the first five years, according to Small Business Administration data. The struggle of successfully running your company while maintaining a regular stream of leads, managing finances and handling emergencies is a heavy burden -- and new entrepreneurs should be prepared for unexpected surprises. Here are five of the most common myths about entrepreneurship that startup founders discov

Hiring a new employee is a huge commitment, especially if you’re a small to mid-sized business with a tight budget. Before you invest time, energy, and resources into a new team member, you’ll want to make absolutely certain they are truly a good fit. Implementing a trial period can be a great strategy for confirming your hiring decision. To find out more, we asked Young Entrepreneur Council members the following question: Q. There is always a worry that a new hire won’t work out as well as yo

Every modern business uses social media to reach its audience. But using social media today goes far beyond simply touting what your company does or offers. The brands with the most successful digital presence use social media to improve brand communication and transparency with its stakeholders and customers. Not sure where to begin? To find out what works best, we asked a panel of Young Entrepreneur Council members the following: What is one way brands can use social media to increase transp

When a potential customer comes across your website, social media channels, or newsletter, you have to be sure to capture their attention. If the content is uninspiring or feels like it’s generic or disingenuous, users will move on. But creating truly engaging content on a regular basis is easier said than done. To help you get inspired, we asked members of Young Entrepreneur Council the following question: Q. What is the best way to make sure your customer-facing content is consistent, engagi

When you’re hiring for a senior leadership position, you’re most likely looking for a long-term addition to your team. A values-fit candidate is more likely to stick through the ups and downs of business because of their belief in your principles, work ethic, and motives. Your values provide a larger purpose for this person to connect with, and that will decrease turnover rates and conflicts. A strong company culture can be a big draw for many of your employees. Company culture is developed and

As a leader, it’s important to understand the goals and vision of your company. It’s arguably even more important to convey that information to your employees, who play a huge role in turning those goals and vision into reality. Strong lines of communication ensure everyone is on the same page, leading to greater growth for your business. To help you do this, we asked Young Entrepreneur Council members the following question: Q. What is your preferred method for communicating company goals and

Regardless of what industry you're in and how much effort you put in to doing everything right, the truth is you cannot possibly satisfy all of your customers all the time, and it's likely you'll end up dealing with an angry customer or two. However, whether it's a quality issue, a delay in a delivery or something else that may not even be under your control, knowing how to assuage an upset customer before the situation escalates is key for any organization. These six entrepreneurs share some o

Reading is one of the most effective ways of learning from others. Mentors write books to offer their life experiences to others, and gaining that knowledge can help you tremendously: Knowing that others have faced challenges similar to your own can help you gain a better perspective on what’s going on in your business. A book that teaches you to become a better leader and entrepreneur is a valuable resource, so we asked 15 members of YEC which books they would recommend to people wanting to fi

This year, media organizations doubled down on their efforts to convert readers into paying customers — and they used technology to do so. From online subscriptions and micropayments to digital advertising and user experience, Publishing Executive's media tech coverage in 2019 reflected the range of business priorities among today's publishers. Here’s a look at the top 12 technology posts we published in 2019, selected based on a combination of total visitors and audience engagement. • 8 Ways t

For many new business owners, one of the biggest challenges is determining a fair price for their products or services. You don’t want to charge so much that people will choose your competitors, but you also don’t want to lowball your prices and fail to make a profit. To help you make this important decision, we asked a panel of Young Entrepreneur Council members to weigh in on the following question: “When you were first starting out, what process did you use to determine the price of your pro

Time. It’s something that we all take for granted. But, as a business owner, it’s your greatest resource. Without enough time, you’re less likely to achieve your goals. You won’t be able to focus on what’s really important. Less time — adds stress to your already hectic life. And, you can kiss a healthy work-life balance goodbye without it. Here are the time management skills a successful business owner must have. For the business owner — here are the essential time management skills that you w

It doesn’t matter that we got the world’s mixed up. What matters is that these superheroes have defined and kept these universes alive and our interests hooked for many decades. Without these names, both these legendary media franchises are nothing, and similar is the case for something as vastly different as WordPress. While WordPress on the surface may not be as interesting as Superman and Hulk going at each other, it does power more than 34% of the internet, and that’s something. But this po