6 Steps to Starting an Online Car Rental Business

Since the success of Uber, the market has become aware of the fact that porting the transportation industry in an online environment is a very lucrative idea. This is not only about the availability of online taxi services to passengers but also about the massive growth of opportunities for a single business entity due to the accessible nature of the internet and smartphones. Two decades ago, no one could have imagined that a US-based taxi company (Uber) would operate successfully in more than 190 countries.

Another part of the transportation industry is car rental. A business, like a taxi service, was in the offline market before online car rental became a thing Uber’s success has inspired dozens of inventors to port the traditional car rental business online, and it’s been a great success so far.

According to a report by Allied Market Research, the overall global car rental market was বড় 79,648 million in 2015 alone. From 2016-2022, with a CAGR of over 11.6%, this will exceed $ 164,335 million by 2022.

It’s huge!

Honestly, online competitors share a significant proportion of this market value, but most of this segment is still waiting for online options to explore. By 2020, online car rental will be prominent in only a few regions of North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA. Specifically, more than a dozen online transportation companies are sharing this huge market value, with a few working in online car rental niches.

The online car rental market is still in its infancy and there are more than enough opportunities for innovative business models. If you think you can crack the code to get a share from this billion-dollar pie, then this article will guide you through the basic steps to do so.

Is this niche right for you?

Renting a car is a complex business concept. This is not something you can manage from your garage. A simple systematic guide on how to start a car rental business is not enough to enter this market. You need some pre-requisite skills, knowledge of traditional markets, potential to grow your target market and many B2B introductions.

For example, the choice of car in your fleet. This is a clever decision, as there is no demand for all types of vehicles in all other regions. Depending on the area of ​​your operation, you will need a variety of vehicles to deal with the exact pain points. Open Jeep Wranglers can get good rents, including adventure markets in beach towns and tropical regions, while people prefer luxury cars to business cities or romantic destinations. The locals have a need for different types of vehicles for daily commute, where tourists can look for a completely different part of the vehicle.

This is about your knowledge of traditional markets in the target region, which you need to carefully analyze before you can port to an online platform. This is a segment where consumer behavior may change when moving from traditional to online options, but not the actual demand. If there is no demand for car rental in the conventional model market, then it is more likely that there will not be much in the online market in the same market. It’s simple math.

If you think you have enough experience to understand the complex nature and how to use it to your advantage, you can follow the steps below to jump directly into the online car rental market.

Step 1 – Plan your business

At first glance, this may seem like a simple step you can take in every other guide. However, this is not a generic but the most important step for any type of enterprise. You need to create and document a clear roadmap, which will not only help you plan your strategies carefully but will ultimately help you track your progress.

  • Target Market: Analyze and identify your target market with all the opportunities and studies of current consumer behavior. If you are going to make a difference, you must know your target market form from the inside out.
  • Branding: Plan how you are going to brand yourself as a trusted entity in the target market: how long it will take to plan, launch your business, research the competition, and formulate your marketing strategies.
  • Cost: Last but not least, you need to analyze your financial balance sheet. Costs for upward, technology, infrastructure development, vehicles, employee salaries, B2B services, overhead, maintenance, and profit margins in the near future from venture capital.

Step 2 – Select a business model

This step itself comes under the plan. However, since this is extremely important, we are discussing it in a dedicated section. Car rental in the traditional market consists of simple business models: go to a car rental office, complete the paperwork, deposit some security amount, take a car, complete your trip and make the final payment when returning it. However, a single business structure cannot run the entire online car rental business. Let’s examine it in detail:

Business Model: Currently, the two main models directly manage the entire online car rental market for consumers:

  • Inventory Model (B2C): The car rental company arranges its own fleet of cars and leases directly to customers under its brand. The company may jump into certain agreements with individuals or businesses to purchase its fleet or supply fleet. Still, customers see the brand as a face and contact at the same time for any kind of support.
  • Marketplace Model (C2C): Car rental companies do not operate their own fleet but allow individuals and other businesses to offer their vehicles on their platforms. Both the customer and the car owner are customers in the rental market. Just like Airbnb. The platform serves as a means of communication between car owners and customers. Here, car owners are responsible for the maintenance of their vehicle, providing some form of insurance or loss protection to encourage car owners to join the platform, excluding the marketplace.

Rental models: Online car rental companies use a hybrid of different rental models. It also depends on the business model, as explained in the section above. The companies can give-

  • Long term rent: Customers take the car for a long time. Contracts are usually for a week, a month or more. It can also be renewed as per demand. It’s more like a subscription.
  • Short Term Rent: This is similar to daily rent but under a short term contract. For example, take a car for a day or two and return it on time.
  • Trip fare: The fare does not depend on the time but on a trip. They work like cabs. Customers can take the car for a few hours or even days, depending on the nature of the trip.

Charge model: The charge may depend on the nature of the business model and the rental model. You can choose to charge based on the distance traveled, the duration of the fare, or a combination of both. In addition, it is important to consider the model you are going to adopt for fuel. Also, car owners’ maintenance and commission costs are important when determining your price point.

Step 3 – Complete all legal formalities

Car rental is not purely online. The physical environment will have most of your resources and business activities. That’s why it’s important to cover your business from all sides by completing every major legal formality.

Legal Entity: Form a legal entity by registering your company under an appropriate law. For example, LLC, Pvt. Ltd., Inc. etc. Registration will help you to easily get financial investment and stay loyal.

Tax Files: Register your business for all types of state and federal tax structures. Depending on your area of ​​operation, you may need to apply for VAT, EIN or GST numbers

Permits and licenses: It is important to comply with local business and civil laws. Depending on the region, you may need to apply for different permits and licenses to work. Failure to do so may result in closure of your business.

Service Agreement: Depending on your business model, you will work with different B2B services and individuals. It is important to formalize these relationships by entering into service-level agreements. Prepare legal documentation for everything from vehicle leases to property, maintenance services, insurance, or any seller service.

# Tip: Hire a business lawyer to get expert help and advice through the whole process. This is a non-negotiable part of your business activities and you should not do any exercise in this regard.

Step 4 – Set up the financial aspects

Money is the building block of any business activity. It is essential that you keep your personal and business finances separate In addition, you should apply for appropriate insurance and protection plans to protect your business.

Business Account: Get a business bank account to manage all transactions. Separate your personal assets from brand assets. In addition to easy access to various business credit systems, having a business account will make tax filing easier.

Business Insurance: As with any knowledgeable person, it is important that you protect your assets through the right insurance plan. This may seem like an overhead expense, but it is not. Insurance is a mandatory requirement in most areas. There are several levels of business insurance plans and you may need to buy most of them. Such as car insurance, employee health insurance etc.

# Tip: It is wise to consult an experienced financial advisor to help you with this step.

Step 5 – Establish your online presence

Since you are about to start an online car rental business, you need to build your online presence. Depending on your business model, you will need different features and solutions for your overall platform.

For example, to work in the Marketplace model, you will need Rental Marketplace software, which will provide useful features for customers, car owners, administrators, commission management, payouts and others. In addition, car owners will need your customized interface to sign up for your car rental in your marketplace.

Fortunately, turnkey solutions are available in the market for both rental market models and inventory-based models. Depending on your business model, you can search for such solutions using keywords like Airbnb Clone Script, Uber Clone Script, Turro Clone Script, B2C Rental Script, C2C Rental Script, etc. These solutions come with built-in websites and mobile applications For your needs.

Step 6 – Continuous marketing and maintenance

Once you launch your website and a mobile application, everything else is about sophisticated marketing and brand promotion to gain market share. Suggest that marketing strategies vary according to your business model. For example, for the inventory model you need to market to customers, while the marketplace model demands an equal level of representation for both the customer and the car owner. If necessary, seek the help of marketing and SEO experts and formulate your strategy.

Author

Jessica Bruce is a professional blogger, guest writer, influential and an ecommerce expert. Currently associated with ShopyGen as a content marketing strategist. He also reports on the latest developments and trends in the ecommerce industry.

Follow me on Twitter Jessicabruc (https://twitter.com/Jessicabruc)

Trudeau’s cabinet seeks to focus on domestic agenda in case of unforeseen emergency

Winnipeg – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his cabinet ministers are trying to focus on the Liberal government’s domestic agenda and how it will work in a minority parliament – but the unexpected state of emergency continues to demand their urgent attention.

The monstrous storm that pounded Newfoundland and the east of Labrador and the crash of a Ukrainian passenger jet raised questions among trauma ministers as they arrived on Sunday, the day the three-day cabinet retreat began.

But even as those events continue to dominate beyond retreat, the interior ministers turned their attention to more secular issues: Preparations for the resumption of parliament on January 27 for the first extended session since the October 21 election turned the Liberals into a minority.

Finance Minister Bill Morneau and newly appointed middle-class prosperity minister Mona Fortier have updated their colleagues that they are conducting cross-country consultations ahead of the upcoming budget.

“This morning we had a chance to talk about the economy, to reflect on how well middle-class Canadians have done in the last four years but to think about what we still need to do,” Morneau said.

“It was an important start to our day.”

But Foreign Minister Franোয়াois-Philippe Champagne began his day before the cabinet retreat, sending a message to his Iranian counterpart stressing that Canada expects Ukrainian Airlines Flight PS752 flight data recorders to be analyzed by Ukrainian experts. Or France.

His message came amid signs that Iran – which accidentally shot down a passenger plane, killing 176 people, including 57 Canadians – may backtrack on its earlier promise to share damaged black boxes with outside experts.

The airliner was shot down on January 8, and the tragedy has kept the government busy ever since. Trudeau, who wanted to take a lower profile during his second order, has held four press conferences on the subject, met with the families of the victims and visited the memorial.

Trudeau made no comment on Sunday because he came from a retreat.

Towards the end of the day, various diplomats around the world gave ministers a rundown on the international scene.

Among them is Dominic Burton, Canada’s ambassador to China, where two Canadians have been jailed for more than a year at the behest of the United States in retaliation for the arrest of Meng Wanzhou, a Huawei executive.

To summarize the world situation painted by the diplomats, Champagne said: “This is a complex world. This is a world that is less predictable. This is definitely not the world of our parents. “

That unpredictability is not limited to the international level.

The other three ministers – Public Safety Minister Bill Blair, Defense Minister Harjeet Sajjan and Natural Resources Minister Seamus O’Regan – did at least part of the retreat to deal with the federal response to the storm that devastated Newfoundland and Labrador on Friday and Saturday.

“We have good, close coordination to make sure they get the resources they need.” Tell me.

The gentleman said that by the end of the day 150 to 200 troops would be on the ground in the province, with another 150 ready to go if needed.

Climate scientist Katherine Heho, one of about a dozen experts, spoke to ministers on Sunday about various issues, later saying the storm was an example of how warming climates are exacerbating extreme weather events.

The ministers also heard from economists about the state of the economy and the government’s efforts to strengthen the middle class.

Morneau later declined to elaborate on how budget preparations in the minority parliament differed from those made during the Liberals’ first majority mandate. He acknowledged that consultations with opposition parties – at least one of which would have to support the budget if the government survived – would be “stronger this year”.

The cabinet retreat outside Ottawa is part of Trudeau’s approach to regional propaganda, with Winnipeg chosen for the special visit to acknowledge that the Liberals were defeated in the October 21 election in Prairie – primarily because of environmental policies that were perceived as hostile to power. Art

They are completely off Alberta and Saskatchewan and lose three of Manitoba’s seven seats.

Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson has reiterated that he is open to advising liberals on improving climate change policy. But he made it clear that any change in the imposition of a national carbon tax is unlikely to be involved, noting that two-thirds of Canadians voted in favor of the approach in climate policy.

On the other hand, the ministers also received an update on the construction of the Trans Mountain Pipeline extension, which is intended to carry mixed bitumen from Alberta oil sand to the BC coast for export abroad.

Construction has begun and Ian Anderson, CEO of Trans Mountain Corporation, said the project is expected to be completed by mid-2022.

O’Regan said he hoped it would help “change the temperature” in the prairies, especially in Alberta, where there has been a lot of talk of secession and isolation since the election.

This report was first published in the Canadian Press on January 19, 2020.

Joan Bryden, Canadian Press

Things to consider when throwing a big event

Your big event is fast approaching. And in all the excitement of how it’s going to go, there’s also some crippling uncertainty about how you’re going to successfully shut it down. Don’t be afraid, when throwing a big event here are some key points to consider so that you can make sure that you have considered every aspect of the event.

The bathroom

This aspect of many events is often overlooked and not well thought out. But if you’re going to have a ton of people at an event, you need to make sure you have enough bathrooms for people to use. If your event space doesn’t seem to be adequately stocked with lounges, or there is a problem with most restrooms being too far away from the event space, consider bringing in a service such as renting a bathroom for the concert. Bathrooms are something you can’t afford to have at a big event, so make sure you carefully consider whether they will be in adequate supply before your event arrives here.

Food and drink

The important food and drink that you will serve to your guests at your big event. If guests are present at your event, you want to make sure that they are not thinking about something like being happy and not having enough food which could potentially ruin their opinion about the event. Get an estimate of how many people will be attending your event the week before the event so you can give the caterer or food service provider enough time to decide how much food and drink is best served. It’s an aspect of an event that you can’t afford enough.

Tables and chairs

When you have a lot of people in an event space, you want to make sure that those who want to sit down or eat are able to do so. Taking stock of how many tables and chairs you need before the event starts is also something you want to do well so that it stays out of your mind and there is nothing to worry about on the day of the event.

Bathrooms, food and drinks and tables and chairs are all aspects of a big event that you want to make sure a few weeks before the start of an event. If you do, you’ll be on your way to a successful event.

Trudeau’s cabinet seeks to focus on domestic agenda in case of unforeseen emergency

Winnipeg – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his cabinet ministers are trying to focus on the Liberal government’s domestic agenda and how it will work in a minority parliament – but the unforeseen emergency continues to demand their urgent attention.

The monstrous storm that pounded Newfoundland and the east of Labrador and the crash of a Ukrainian passenger jet raised questions among trauma ministers as they arrived on Sunday, the day the three-day cabinet retreat began.

But even as those events continue to dominate beyond retreat, the interior ministers turned their attention to more secular issues: Preparations for the resumption of parliament on January 27 for the first extended session since the October 21 election turned the Liberals into a minority.

Finance Minister Bill Morneau and newly appointed middle-class prosperity minister Mona Fortier have updated their colleagues that they are conducting cross-country consultations ahead of the upcoming budget.

“This morning we had a chance to talk about the economy, to reflect on how well middle-class Canadians have done in the last four years but to think about what we still need to do,” Morneau said.

“It was an important start to our day.”

But Foreign Minister Franোয়াois-Philippe Champagne began his day before the cabinet retreat, sending a message to his Iranian counterpart stressing that Canada expects Ukrainian Airlines Flight PS752 flight data recorders to be analyzed by Ukrainian experts. Or France.

His message came amid signs that Iran – which accidentally shot down a passenger plane, killing 176 people, including 57 Canadians – may backtrack on its earlier promise to share damaged black boxes with outside experts.

The airliner was shot down on January 8, and the tragedy has kept the government busy ever since. Trudeau, who wanted to take a lower profile during his second order, has held four press conferences on the subject, met with the families of the victims and visited the memorial.

Trudeau made no comment on Sunday because he came from a retreat.

Towards the end of the day, various diplomats around the world gave ministers a rundown on the international scene.

Among them is Dominic Burton, Canada’s ambassador to China, where two Canadians have been jailed for more than a year at the behest of the United States in retaliation for the arrest of Meng Wanzhou, a Huawei executive.

To summarize the world situation painted by the diplomats, Champagne said: “This is a complex world. This is a world that is less predictable. This is definitely not the world of our parents. “

That unpredictability is not limited to the international level.

The other three ministers – Public Safety Minister Bill Blair, Defense Minister Harjeet Sajjan and Natural Resources Minister Seamus O’Regan – did at least part of the retreat to deal with the federal response to the storm that devastated Newfoundland and Labrador on Friday and Saturday.

“We have good, close coordination to make sure they get the resources they need.” Tell me.

The gentleman said that by the end of the day 150 to 200 troops would be on the ground in the province, with another 150 ready to go if needed.

Climate scientist Katherine Heho, one of about a dozen experts, spoke to ministers on Sunday about various issues, later saying the storm was an example of how warming climates are exacerbating extreme weather events.

The ministers also heard from economists about the state of the economy and the government’s efforts to strengthen the middle class.

Morneau later declined to elaborate on how budget preparations in the minority parliament differed from those made during the Liberals’ first majority mandate. He acknowledged that consultations with opposition parties – at least one of which would have to support the budget if the government survived – would be “stronger this year”.

The cabinet retreat outside Ottawa is part of Trudeau’s approach to regional propaganda, with Winnipeg chosen for the special visit to acknowledge that the Liberals were defeated in the October 21 election in Prairie – primarily because of environmental policies that were perceived as hostile to power. Art

They are completely off Alberta and Saskatchewan and lose three of Manitoba’s seven seats.

Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson has reiterated that he is open to advising liberals on improving climate change policy. But he made it clear that any change in the imposition of a national carbon tax is unlikely to be involved, noting that two-thirds of Canadians voted in favor of the approach in climate policy.

On the other hand, the ministers also received an update on the construction of the Trans Mountain Pipeline extension, which is intended to carry mixed bitumen from Alberta oil sand to the BC coast for export abroad.

Construction has begun and Ian Anderson, CEO of Trans Mountain Corporation, said the project is expected to be completed by mid-2022.

O’Regan said he hoped it would help “change the temperature” in the prairies, especially in Alberta, where there has been a lot of talk of secession and isolation since the election.

This report was first published in the Canadian Press on January 19, 2020.

Joan Bryden, Canadian Press

IVS has announced exciting new features for inspection devices

A leading manufacturer of inspection technology, Industrial Vision System (Limited) has unveiled its latest developments in the medical, pharmaceuticals, automotive, food manufacturing and electronics sectors. IVS – which has built world-famous inspection devices since 2000 – has announced that it has upgraded many of the features available with its state-of-the-art inspection products, as well as incorporating their functions in innovative ways.

Announcement highlights include new multi-language support and updated inspection functions, two without names. This move will enable manufacturers to use their inspection technology to enable longer warranty protection. It is also expected that their systems will be further integrated into production environments where they have not been used before.

IVS says its product range inspection capabilities will be effective immediately. There was an advanced verification for color matching between these arrangements. In addition, the Oxfordshire-based company says it will now be able to offer more powerful feature extraction functionality. This will be especially useful in work environments where there may be uneven illumination or when things may be partially obscured. Thanks to the advanced geometric contour inspection technology now available, any business using automation for robotic positioning, part recognition or pattern detection will now be able to take advantage of these improvements.

The newly introduced multilingual support means that real-time process information can be more easily visualized. Supported languages ​​now include Chinese, Czech, French, English, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian and Spanish. To comply with specific EU regulations, users will now be able to switch between the different languages ​​offered, even when their devices are in their operational mode.

Another measure announced by IVS is that it has improved the range of devices it can now handle data. As a result of new features related to data management, huge datasets of inspection information – including images – can now be more fully imagined. This includes live updates of data that can be registered through a machine interface, for example. Basically, this means that faster information helps to ensure approved feedback, greater quality assurance and production control. Quality managers should now be better informed about their control system and have data to back up their claims.

Earl Yardley, director of industrial vision systems, said: “We continue to innovate and improve our product offerings. Innovation is in our DNA. These additional features will benefit our customers by increasing productivity and allow our Vision system solutions to assist in automated visual inspection worldwide. “

Over the past two decades, IVS has become one of the leading brands in Europe in the field of vision inspection machines, machine vision products, smart camera systems and specialist inspection equipment.

IVS complies with the Good Automated Manufacturing Practice (GAMP) guidelines and exports to countries around the world.

IVS launched a program in 2019 to roll out these upgrades and features, and it will continue throughout 2020.

Malaysia sends back trash, says world will not be a waste bin

PENANG, Malaysia – Malaysia has returned 150 containers of plastic waste to 13 major rich countries since the third quarter of last year, with the environment minister warning on Monday that those who want to turn the country into the world’s garbage can “dream.”

Unauthorized waste shipments have been sent to Southeast Asia since China banned plastic waste imports in 2018, but Malaysia and other developing countries are fighting back.

Environment Minister Yeo Bei Yin said 110 more containers are expected to be returned by the middle of this year.

Yao said the successful repatriation of a total of 3,737 metric tons (4,120 US tons) of waste came after strict enforcement to stop waste smuggling to Malaysia’s main ports and close more than 200 illegal plastic recycling factories.

Of the 150 containers, 43 were returned to France, 42 to the United Kingdom, 16 to the United States, 11 to Canada, 10 to Spain and the rest to Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, Portugal, China, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Lithuania, his ministry said.

He said the shipping liners and the companies responsible for importing and exporting waste were fully borne by the Malaysian government.

Yeo said talks are under way with U.S. authorities to recall another 60 containers this year. He said there were 15 more containers in Canada, 14 in Japan, nine in the United Kingdom and eight out of 110 more containers in Belgium and eight in Malaysian ports.

“If people want to see our world as a pile of rubbish, you dream,” Yeo told reporters during a visit to a port in the northern state of Penang.

Yeo says the government will launch an action plan next month on illegal plastic imports that will help various agencies. Adjustment Accelerate the process of application and waste return.

“Our position is very strong. We just want to send (the waste) back and we just want to send a message that Malaysia is not a dumping site in the world, “he added.

The Associated Press

How To Build A Small Business Website (In 2020) – Free Beginner’s Guide

For any small business, the amount of people you reach determines the overall success of the company. A website for your small business is the best way to reach the maximum number of potential clients. In today’s world of automation can be a daunting task. Whether your company’s business is done online, a website will allow you to advertise and let customers search for you more easily. Basically, your website is your online business card with all the information your customers need to know about your company and its services.

You can create your own business website without having to hire a web developer. Creating a website for your business has never been easier. Let’s take a look at how you can create your own business website.

Before creating a website

No need to hire an expensive web-developer or have any coding experience. Creating your own website is as easy as following our step-by-step guide.

What will you learn?

  • How to choose a domain name that matches your business
  • How To Buy Website Hosting
  • How to install WordPress
  • How to design and structure your website
  • What content should your website include?
  • How to use add-ons and extensions to add features to your website

WordPress is a program that helps millions of small businesses build their websites. In fact, WordPress is responsible for getting 32% of all websites online.

In the past, coding skills were required to be able to design and create a custom website. WordPress ignores the need for coding by offering a variety of pre-made templates as well as extensions and add-ons.

The following step-by-step instructions will show you how easy it is to set up your small business website with WordPress.

Step 1: What you will need

Before creating your small business website, you will need both a domain name and website hosting. Domain name is the name of your website such as yourcompanyname.com. Website hosting means where all your online files will be.

Now that you have domain name and website hosting, let’s move on.

Step 2: Set up your website

You need to buy your domain name and hosting. Setting up a website for a new company can seem a bit expensive. Typically, a domain name costs 14.99 per year and hosting costs about $ 7.99 per month.

Since WordPress has two different forms, you need to decide which form is right for you. WordPress.com is a hosted solution when WordPress.org is self-hosted.

It is recommended that you use WordPress.org as it will give you instant access to all the features.

Bluehost is the official hosting partner of WordPress and we recommend using it to set up your website. Bluehost is offering our users a great deal. The offer includes a free domain name, free SSl and 60% discount on hosting. This means you can set up and run your website for as low as 3.95 per month.

This is when you buy your domain name and hosting.

Step 3: Select a domain name

A domain name adds credibility to your business and can make a memorable domain name different. Take some time to come up with a suitable domain name that is relevant to your business. Now that you have your domain name, here are some tips and tricks to move you forward:

  • Visit the Bluehost website and click “Start Now”
  • You will then be asked to choose your pricing plan

  • After selecting your plan, click “Select”. On the next page, enter your domain name

We’ve also included some helpful tips to help you choose the perfect domain name:

  • An .com website is easy for customers to remember
  • Your domain name should be linked to your business, using either your company name or trade
  • If the first domain name you choose is not available, you may end up trying to add a location or geographic area. This increases the chances of getting local business.
  • Make sure it’s simple, easy to remember and easy to pronounce

Step 4: Install WordPress

Once your domain name is selected, you will enter account information such as business name, address and contact information.

You will be presented with additional options that you can purchase if you wish. However, we do not need them now and if you want to add them, they will be available later

You will then be asked for your payment information and after receiving your payment you will receive a confirmation email explaining how to login to your web hosting control panel.

WordPress will be installed for you through Bluehost. Hosting Dashboard is where you can login directly to your WordPress website.

The WordPress admin area is where you manage your website and change settings as well as add new content. The admin area is presented after you login.

Step 5: Create your content layout

You need to come up with a simple design that is easy to navigate. Successful small business websites follow an ideal format. You can choose your layout by clicking “Pages” and then “Add New Page”.

Remember to keep it simple at first. Our goal is to build a foundation for the growth of our site. Start with a title and a few words about the company. Add a few pictures but you don’t want your website to look crowded or cluttered. As your website grows you can always add more.

Below is a basic list of the most common pages used in a small business layout:

  • Homepage – This is where you get to know the company and attract customers. You may want to provide a summary of your services and give potential clients a call to action such as “call us” or “send us an email”.
  • About Us – This is where your clients really get to know you and the company. You can include things like how you got started, company values ​​and goals to serve your clients.
  • Products or Services – Here you will find a list of the services or products you provide with a brief description of each. Each listing should have its own title with a price or a call to action to ask for a quote.
  • Contact Us – This way your clients will know where to reach you. The page should be dedicated to listing your business address, phone number and email address.

Other pages may be added as needed, but be sure to keep them relevant to your company. Review pages and pages are common to each individual service.

Step 6: Choose a design

Your website needs to have some flare. While WordPress has its own simple templates that you can use, there are thousands of other pre-made templates from which you can choose to give your website the right look.

We recommend keeping it simple. A confusing background can be confusing and difficult to navigate.

Most business websites use a design that has a navigation menu at the top and a brief welcome at the bottom. Here you can use a call to action such as “Keep reading to learn more” or “Click on the About Us page to meet our team!”

Once you’ve installed the perfect design for your website, you’ll be able to customize it with a variety of settings that change the look. To play with these features, click “Display” in the WordPress admin area and then “Customize”.

Customizing your website lets you change background colors, add menus, move sections, and more. When you have finished customizing your layout, you need to click “Publish”. Otherwise, the page will not be saved.

WordPress has over 50,000 free plugins that allow you to advertise new features like contact forms and Google Analytics. With over 50,000 plugins available, we’re sure you’ll find everything you need for your website

Creating a website for your small business can be a daunting task. Remember to focus on your content without being too irrational. Simplicity is the key to creating a successful business website. We hope we’ve been able to provide you with helpful information that makes you feel excited about creating your own website. We wish your new website and small business success for next year!

This week: Netflix makes money, sells US homes, and Southwest makes money

Here’s a look at some of the key business events and economic indicators this week:

Streaming war

Netflix served its fourth-quarter results on Tuesday.

Financial analysts predict that Video Streaming Pioneer will report that its revenue and revenue have increased in the final quarter of 2019. Investors will listen for an update on Netflix’s subscriber base as it faces a wave of competition from Disney, Apple and other newcomers to the streaming service.

Eyes on housing

Economists project that sales of previously occupied U.S. homes rose in December compared to a month earlier.

The National Association of Realtors is expected to report on Wednesday that sales accelerated to a seasonally consistent annual rate of 5.43 million last month. After sales slowed in November, this would represent a comeback due to rising prices and a shortage of homes in the market.

Existing home sales, millions, seasonally consistent annual rate:

July 5.42

5.50 August

5.36 September

5.44 October

November 5.35

December (estimated) 5.43

Source: Factset

Mixed results?

Wall Street expects Southwest Airlines’ latest quarterly report card to show mixed results.

Analysts predict that the company’s revenue will decline in the last three months of 2019 from a year earlier, despite higher revenue. Strong travel demand and rising ticket prices have helped drive revenue for the Southwest, but the company’s bottom line has taken a hit from the grounding costs of its Boeing 737 Max jets.

The Associated Press

3 Reasons to Use a Business Consultant

Business can be complicated when it comes to managing employees, assets and revenue. Most companies need some help to navigate the twists and turns that the business must bring. Here are a few reasons why hiring a business consultant is a good idea.

External perspective

Declan Kelly of Teneo says that for many CEOs, it’s easy to get so caught up in what’s around you that it can be difficult to take the necessary steps to find additional ways to grow. This is very similar to when a friend or family member is working on a problem in their life and may come back to you to get your outlook.

A business consultant can help fulfill this role of bringing a new perspective to the situation and help you see in some new ways that you may not have thought of before.

Special skills

Many CEOs make the mistake of thinking that they know everything, when it is impossible for anyone to achieve it. Just as Declan Kelly specializes in working with CEOs, a business consultant usually specializes in a specific area of ​​the business.

This means that you can hire a business consultant who is a business expert with whom you may not be very familiar to get some very good and experienced advice. Many companies swear by it because it can provide solutions that weren’t even thought of before additional help arrived.

Safe strategy

Whenever a business is going down an unknown road, it can be very expensive if not navigated properly. Having a business consultant who is knowledgeable and experienced in the area you are not in can provide you with a much more conservative and safe strategy to follow, thus minimizing and minimizing potential future losses.

As you can see, hiring a business consultant is a good idea for any business development.

Abe says the new unit will protect Japan from the threat of space technology

TOKYO – Japan’s prime minister said Monday that his country would form a spacecraft Defense Rivals The unit and the new unit will work closely with the American rival, recently introduced by President Donald Trump, to protect themselves from potential threats posed by the development of missiles and other technologies.

The space domain mission unit will launch in April as part of Japan’s Air Shelf.Defense Force, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in a policy speech at the beginning of the year’s parliamentary session.

He said Japan also needs to protect itself from cyberspace threats and electromagnetic interference against Japanese satellites. Concerns are growing that China and Russia are looking for ways to interfere, deactivate or destroy satellites.

“We will greatly strengthen capacity and systems to secure excellence in those areas,” Abe said.

The space unit will be attached to an existing air base in Fuchs, a suburb west of Tokyo, where about 20 people will be deployed before a full launch in 2022. The role of the space unit is to manage satellite-based navigation and communications. For other soldiers on the field, not on the ground.

Aber’s cabinet approved a budget of 50.6 billion yen ($ 460 million) in December for space-related projects, awaiting parliamentary approval.

The unit will To cooperate With the U.S. Space Command, which Trump founded in August, as well as Japan’s space exploration agency, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.

Abe pushes for Japan’s self-Defense Force him to expand his international role and capabilities Collaboration And weapons alignment with the United States, because it increasingly works alongside American troops, and it becomes concerned about the growing capabilities of China and North Korea.

On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the signing of the Japan-US Security Agreement, Abe pledged to increase Japan’s capabilities. Collaboration With the United States, including the areas of space and cyber security.

As a sign of Japan’s recent strained relations with South Korea, Abe said he had planned To cooperate The country and the United States are working closely together to address the harsh security environment in Northeast Asia.

He called South Korea “the most important thing” in his country NeighborHe used a paradigm shift until their relationship deteriorated rapidly over the past two years due to wartime history and trade disputes.

Abe, however, reiterated his demand on Monday that South Korea resolve the issue of Korean compensation Workers Japan during the colonial rule of 1910-1945.

Relations between Seoul and Tokyo soured in late 2018 after a South Korean court ordered some Japanese companies to compensate Koreans. Workers For their brutal behavior before and during World War II. Japan maintains that all compensation issues were settled under a 1965 agreement that normalized relations.

Abe has said he is determined to end Japan’s “unfortunate past” with North Korea, as he hopes to “summarize” his country’s post-war legacy before his term expires.

He reiterated his intention to negotiate with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un without conditions demanded in the past – to resolve the decades-old problem of nuclear disarmament on the Korean Peninsula and the abduction of Japanese citizens by North Korea.

While in office, Aber plans to achieve his long-cherished goal of amending Japan’s draft US constitution, which prohibits the use of force in international disputes. Despite Abe’s pressure, the lack of public interest and opposition’s attention to other controversial issues, such as Japan’s recent deployment of troops to the Middle East and dubious public record-keeping at Abe’s annual Cherry Blossom-philosophy party, are fading. .

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The story has been revised to show that the full launch of the space unit will take place in 2022, not 2020.

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Marie Yamaguchi, Associated Press