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Boost Your Productivity: 15 Essential Tech Tools for Efficiency, Organization, Collaboration, and Ease

Posted on by Melissa Brown

When you’re running your own business, it’s tempting to believe you’re the only one capable of handling all the tasks required to keep operations going. But let’s face it, that approach is neither effective nor sustainable. This is where time management and prioritization come into play. By allocating your time and resources wisely, you can optimize your workflow and focus on the tasks that truly drive your business forward.

Productive Workflows
The first step towards effective time management and prioritization is creating a clear schedule. Tools like Trello, Asana, and Slack can be your secret weapons here. Trello helps you organize projects and tasks effortlessly, while Asana provides a centralized hub for team collaboration. And when it comes to real-time messaging and file sharing among teams, Slack has got your back.

Stay Organized & Efficient
Once you’ve got your schedule in place, it’s crucial to stay focused on the task at hand. Tools like Doist’s and Evernote can be your trusty companions, helping you prioritize and categorize your tasks efficiently. And to save time and boost productivity, LastPass securely stores your passwords and sensitive data in one convenient location.

Marketing Shortcuts
We all know that social media management can eat up a significant chunk of your time. Thankfully, tools like Hootsuite and Buffer allow you to schedule your posts in advance, freeing up valuable time for other important tasks. Plus, Flodesk and HubSpot can lend a helping hand with email marketing, while Google Analytics offers invaluable insights into website traffic and user behavior.

Optimize Your Processes
Effective communication and file sharing are also key to managing your time effectively. Dropbox makes it a breeze to store, share, and access files from anywhere. And if you want to take your communication skills up a notch, Grammarly is here to help with suggestions for writing style, tone, and grammar. Lastly, automatic time tracking software like Toggl and IFTTT can work wonders by keeping track of billable hours and automating repetitive tasks, saving you valuable time to focus on other essential endeavors.

Run Your Business like a Boss
Mastering time management and prioritization is the secret ingredient to running a successful small business or being a thriving entrepreneur. By embracing time-saving and productivity boosting tech tools, you can supercharge your workflow, stay productive, and tackle tasks that truly propel your business forward. With these tools in your arsenal, you’ll be equipped to navigate the daily challenges of small business ownership or entrepreneurship with much more ease, allowing you to focus more of your time and energy on vision, innovation, and growth.

The Chamber of Business and Industry of Centre County is a private non-profit organization that aims to support the growth and development of local businesses and our regional economy. We strive to create content that not only educates but also fosters a sense of connection and collaboration among our readers. Join us as we explore topics such as economic development, networking opportunities, upcoming events, and success stories from our vibrant community. Our resources provide insights, advice, and news that are relevant to business owners, entrepreneurs, and community members alike. The Chamber has been granted license to publish this content provided by Chamber Today, a service of ChamberThink Strategies LLC.

Kissinger Bigatel & Brower REALTORS turns 90!!

Posted on by Melissa Brown

State College-based and locally-owned real estate firm Kissinger Bigatel & Brower REALTORS is proud to celebrate their 90th year of serving the real estate needs of central Pennsylvania.

Kissinger Bigatel & Brower REALTORS opened for business as The Gordon Kissinger Agency in a one-room office on the second floor above The Corner Room in 1933 – the same year in which the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers were founded.

In 1983, the firm merged with Ralph F. Brower and Associates, and then in 1993 with Associated Realty (Mark Bigatel), taking on its current name, Kissinger Bigatel & Brower REALTORS — often referred to simply as KBB. The company currently resides at 2300 South Atherton Street in State College and can be found online at 1kbb.com.

Over the years, the ownership of the firm has had a great impact on the local landscape. Some of the developments that the company has had a hand in developing include Park Hills, Dalevue, Centre Hills, West Park Hills and The Gates, to name a few. The firm is comprised of over 50 full-time brokers and over 50 support staff.

KBB services the residential, commercial, industrial, farm and land needs of the community. While real estate is becoming more regional in nature, most of the company’s activity is in Centre County. Year in and year out, KBB agents represent approximately 50 percent of the local market activity (Source: Bright MLS).

KBB agents are members of the Centre County, Pennsylvania and National Association of Realtors. The firm now has a broad-based ownership and is led by Managing Broker and Partner Liz Piazza. KBB has been recognized as the Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year.

The KBB agents take great pride in impacting their community. All agents donate into a pool that supports local charities through monthly contributions. Just some of the organizations the effort, referred to as KBB Cares, has supported are The United Way, Youth Service Bureau, Housing Transitions, Out of the Cold, THON, Salvation Army and Toys for Tots.

KBB feels so fortunate to be in the business of making dreams come true in one of the most wonderful communities in the world to live, work and play. They look forward to the next 90!!

Ignite and Empower Your Team with Verbal Feedback

Posted on by Melissa Brown

Verbal feedback is a great way for bosses and team leaders to demonstrate their appreciation and encourage their employees. When used correctly, this kind of feedback not only boosts morale but also creates an atmosphere where employees feel valued, respected, and encouraged. If using words to affirm your employees does not come naturally to you, you are not alone. The good news is that giving verbal feedback is a skill you can develop over time that will benefit you as a leader and everyone around you. Read on to learn more about when to give positive feedback and what to say to open hearts and minds.

Praise Achievements
Everyone appreciates recognition for a job well done, and your employees are no different. If someone has done an outstanding job on a project, acknowledge their effort and outcome. Praise is especially meaningful when workers have encountered unforeseen obstacles, difficult clients, or delays. When it comes to what to say, be specific. Inc. contributor and founder of Leadership from the Core, Marcel Schwantes provides these inspirational examples:

“I understand that analyzing the vast amount of data for our presentation was a difficult and time-consuming task. You did a remarkable job interpreting the results in a way everyone could comprehend.”

“I cannot express how much your extra mentoring efforts for the new employees have impacted the entire team. They were able to hit the ground running quickly due to your help during their crucial first three months with the company. The whole team has exceeded its productivity as a result.”

Commend the Person, not Just the Performance
An exciting aspect of positive feedback is that it motivates individuals differently.

According to Harvard Business Review, recognition should go beyond performance and extend into appreciation, which acknowledges a person not just for what they have done but for who they are. When giving verbal appreciation, focus on comments that encompass an employee’s special traits and talents, such as dedication, collaboration, and leadership. Schwantes provides these examples when it comes to providing praise based on leadership qualities:

“Your positive and optimistic attitude on Monday mornings has significantly impacted the team. They eagerly anticipate Mondays and feed off your positive energy throughout the week. This has spread to other teams as well.”

“How you handled last week’s crisis with your calm, composed, and self-assured demeanor was a game changer. Instead of people panicking and blaming each other, your attitude helped the team focus on finding solutions for the client and fixing the process to prevent similar issues in the future. You were instrumental in saving the company from losing one of its best clients.”

Schwantes also recommends that leaders use their words of encouragement to help workers feel secure. Job security is always a top concern for employees. When leaders affirm an individual’s place and future in the company, they offer more than compliments but peace of mind.

The Takeaway: Notice & Take Action
Giving praise that encompasses performance, personality, and someone’s place in the company are all great ways to practice words of affirmation. Take inspiration from Schwantes and customize his ideas to fit your observations and employees. And remember: a thoughtful email or note from a boss will go a long way in making someone feel seen, recognized, and appreciated.

The Chamber of Business and Industry of Centre County is a private non-profit organization that aims to support the growth and development of local businesses and our regional economy. We strive to create content that not only educates but also fosters a sense of connection and collaboration among our readers. Join us as we explore topics such as economic development, networking opportunities, upcoming events, and success stories from our vibrant community. Our resources provide insights, advice, and news that are relevant to business owners, entrepreneurs, and community members alike. The Chamber has been granted license to publish this content provided by Chamber Today, a service of ChamberThink Strategies LLC.

Boost Your Business: 3 Powerful Marketing Strategies for Small Business

Posted on by Melissa Brown

As a small business owner, you may often juggle the demands of running your business and effectively marketing it. But attracting new customers, nurturing existing relationships, and building loyalty doesn’t have to be overwhelming. In this article, we will explore three powerful marketing strategies that can boost your business while keeping your sanity and budget intact.

Understand Your Customer
Before developing any marketing plan, it is crucial to understand your target audience. The better you know your customer, the better you can tailor your messaging and offerings to meet their needs. Use these simple questions to help form a customer profile.

Who is your ideal customer?
What motivates them?
What pain points are they trying to solve?
To gain this understanding, you can use your experience as the business owner. However, if you want more precise data, market research tools can help. For example, you can survey your existing customers to learn more about their behaviors, preferences, and satisfaction levels. Pay special attention to how they discovered your business and whether they are local or come from a farther distance. This data can help you target your marketing geographically, in addition to understanding the impact of advertising versus customer word-of-mouth.

Conducting competitor analysis is another way of learning more about what offers are working or what services might be missing for your prospective customer base. Hubspot offers a helpful guide to small business owners looking to learn more about their competition. Lastly, make sure you have completed a free business profile with Google, so you are able to monitor online metrics like website traffic and customer behavior through Google Analytics. With this information, you can develop a customer persona that will help guide your marketing efforts.

Partner with Other Businesses
Collaborating with other businesses that share your values and target audience can be an excellent way to reach new customers. For example, you can team up with a complimentary business to host an event or create a joint promotion. This can help to amplify your message and attract new customers who have yet to discover your business.

If your business has a physical location, consider collaborating with other businesses on the block. In a small shopping district in Portland, Oregon, businesses collaborate during the holiday season with a ‘golden ticket’ promotion. The concept rewards customers by giving them a golden ticket that can be used at partner stores in the shopping district. By gamifying holiday shopping and role modeling reciprocity, the business community has tapped into some known consumer behaviors: customers like to have fun and feel good about their purchases.

Offer Incentives and Rewards
People love rewards and incentives, as seen in the golden ticket example. Offering a discount or loyalty program can be an effective way to encourage repeat business. Additionally, if you have a referral program, you can encourage your satisfied customers to spread the word about your business to their friends and family. If starting a loyalty program feels daunting, check out Indeed’s framework that includes five steps to help create your own loyalty or referral program.

Long-term programs are great, but don’t miss the opportunity to wow first time customers who may be exploring your business or comparing you to a customer. Offer tantalizing promotions, discounts, or bonus items for minimum purchases. And remember: it’s great to be generous, but make sure the math works out in your favor. NerdWallet advises weighing specific risks and benefits of your promotion in order to prioritize profitability.

Keep it Simple
You don’t have to do everything at once. Simply try one strategy at a time and see what works. As you learn more about your customer, partner with compatriot businesses, and offer strategic incentives and rewards, you will be on your way to building a loyal base of customers.

The Chamber of Business and Industry of Centre County is a private non-profit organization that aims to support the growth and development of local businesses and our regional economy. We strive to create content that not only educates but also fosters a sense of connection and collaboration among our readers. Join us as we explore topics such as economic development, networking opportunities, upcoming events, and success stories from our vibrant community. Our resources provide insights, advice, and news that are relevant to business owners, entrepreneurs, and community members alike. The Chamber has been granted license to publish this content provided by Chamber Today, a service of ChamberThink Strategies LLC.

Kish for the Cure Online Auction Fundraiser to Begin November 8

Posted on by Melissa Brown
Kish for the Cure Logo

STATE COLLEGE, PA – November 7, 2023 – Kish Bank invites the public to join in the fight against cancer through its Kish for the Cure Online Auction fundraiser supporting local cancer-related nonprofits, taking place November 8–17. Bidders can support an important cause while bidding on great items that include premium baskets, experiences, collector memorabilia, and more!

Kish for the Cure is an annual grassroots fundraising effort led by Kish employees that benefits local cancer-related nonprofits the Bob Perks Cancer Assistance Fund, PA Pink Zone, and Relay For Life of Mifflin/Juniata. These organizations make a major difference in the central PA region by funding cancer awareness, research, treatment programs at area hospitals, and financial support for local individuals and families facing cancer, and Kish is proud to support their efforts. With help from customers, local businesses, and friends, Kish has raised over $460,000 for these organizations since 2012.

To browse or bid in the Online Auction, visit handbid.app.link/kftc23. The auction opens for bidding Wednesday, November 8 at 9:00 a.m. and closes Friday, November 17 at 5:00 p.m. Monetary donations are also welcome and can be made online at handbid.app.link/kftc-donate or in person at any Kish Bank branch. For more information, please visit MyKish.com/cure.