Posts

In today’s fast-paced business environment, effective communication is more important than ever. As a business owner, you need to ensure that your message is being conveyed clearly and efficiently to your target audience. One way to achieve this is by embracing the latest innovations in visual communication technology. In this article, we will explore some of the most cutting-edge display solutions that can help you stay ahead of the competition and make a lasting impression on your customers.

1. Digital Signage

Digital signage has come a long way in recent years, with advancements in technology making it more versatile, affordable, and user-friendly than ever before. This powerful communication tool allows you to display dynamic content such as images, videos, and text on a variety of screen types, including LED, LCD, and projection screens. Digital signage can be used for a wide range of applications, from advertising and promotions to wayfinding and information displays.

One of the key benefits of digital signage is its ability to deliver targeted, real-time content that can be easily updated and customized to suit your specific needs. This makes it an ideal solution for businesses looking to engage their audience and drive sales. For example, retailers can use digital signage to showcase their latest products and promotions, while restaurants can display mouth-watering images of their dishes alongside up-to-date menu information.

In addition to its commercial applications, digital signage is also making waves in the education sector. Schools and universities are increasingly turning to this technology to enhance the learning experience and improve communication with students. Education digital signage can be used to display important announcements, event schedules, and even interactive learning content, helping to create a more engaging and connected campus environment.

2. Interactive Displays

Interactive displays are another exciting development in the world of visual communication. These innovative solutions combine the power of digital signage with touch screen technology, allowing users to interact with the content on the screen. This can help to create a more immersive and engaging experience for your audience, as well as providing valuable data on user behavior and preferences.

Interactive displays can be used in a variety of settings, from retail stores and restaurants to corporate offices and trade shows. For example, a clothing store could use an interactive display to allow customers to virtually “try on” different outfits, while a restaurant could offer a touch screen menu that allows diners to customize their meal and place their order directly from the table.

3. Augmented Reality (AR)

Augmented reality is another emerging technology that has the potential to revolutionize the way we communicate and interact with the world around us. AR involves overlaying digital content onto the physical environment, creating a seamless blend of the real and virtual worlds. This can be achieved using a range of devices, from smartphones and tablets to wearable technology such as smart glasses.

There are countless applications for AR in the business world, from product demonstrations and virtual tours to interactive training and customer support. For example, a furniture retailer could use AR to allow customers to visualize how a particular item would look in their home, while a car dealership could offer a virtual test drive experience that showcases the features and performance of a new vehicle.

4. Video Walls

Video walls are another powerful display solution that can help you make a big impact on your audience. These large-scale installations consist of multiple screens arranged in a grid or mosaic pattern, creating a single, cohesive display that can be used to showcase high-resolution images, videos, and other content.

Video walls can be used in a variety of settings, from corporate lobbies and conference rooms to retail stores and entertainment venues. They are particularly effective for creating a “wow” factor and capturing the attention of passers-by, making them an ideal choice for businesses looking to make a bold statement and stand out from the crowd.

College. I’m sure if you’re reading this, you most likely have experienced some time here at Ohio State and have recognized the fact that it can be difficult to take care of yourself. It’s okay, a majority of college students feel the same way. I have gone through my own situations where I wasn’t taking care of myself as well as I should have been. However, I believe taking care of yourself is a process. For processes, it’s more beneficial to have a plan. You can’t just wake up one morning and decide that you want to take care of yourself better then have it immediately happen, unfortunately. That’s why I’m here to hopefully give you some insight on how to start this process; it all starts with taking care of the basics of making sure you’re healthy.

Sleep

College. I’m sure if you’re reading this, you most likely have experienced a night with like…somewhere between 5-6 hours of sleep. Maybe (hopefully not) less. Those coffees and Monsters on campus can only help so much.

Many resources state that for us adults, 7-9 hours is a healthy amount of sleep per night. If you make getting less a routine, you may start feeling lack-of-rest effects like a loss in alertness, a loss in ability to remember/process info, an increase in moodiness, and of course a decrease in energy.

Sleep, like classes or that meeting for the group you’re in, can simply be a scheduled time block. Fitting sleep into your routines/calendars and then working out your plans for studying and socializing around it will hold you accountable and hopefully keep you on track.

As for naps, if that’s something you can fit into your schedule, it’s best to avoid naps over 60-90 minutes to avoid sleep inertia (grogginess), while still gaining the rejuvenation effects. The optimal time is midday between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., so that way your night schedule isn’t messed up!

Diet

College. I’m sure if you’re reading this, you most likely have experienced a questionable diet choice at some point. Whether it was forgetting to eat for 14 hours or downing 3-4 Buckeye Donuts, most of us students have done something that probably wasn’t for the better.

Diets are tricky…unlike sleep, there is no magic diet that everyone should follow because everyone is built differently, has different needs, and different goals/values. However there are a few “avoidables” that can benefit everyone’s physical health:

• Greasy/Fried foods
• Excessively sugary foods or drinks (there IS a difference between natural sugars and added sugars)
• Excessively salty foods
• Highly-processed foods

Honestly, I could go into way more depth and detail with this section, but to keep you from getting bored, I’m going to stop it there. Basically, it is pretty much known if something is unhealthy. Slight substitutions will go a long way towards benefiting your physical health and energy. Have any questions about on-campus food or want some more info? Visit the University Dining website or contact someone within the Student Wellness Center (they do a lot with nutrition/diet counseling and education – it’s free, too!)

Other basics tips?

• Try to eat until you’re satisfied, rather than full.
• Eat a variety of healthy foods, which provides you with a broader intake of nutrients and keeps you from getting bored!
• DRINK WATER. It is essential. The benefits would be a whole other section. There are a bunch of different recommendations as to how much you should be drinking, but I’ll let you research that on your own (everyone is different, like I said). Although I do recommend a glass of water every morning to kick-start your day.
• If you’re struggling to find time to eat, do the same thing as sleep and establish time blocks within your schedule!
• Add some vegetables.

Exercise

College. I’m sure if you’re reading this, you know of the large campus we have here at Ohio State and all its gyms it has to offer. Have you taken advantage?

Like diets, everyone’s needs are a little bit different, especially with regards to goals. The general “rule” is that it’s considered healthy to partake in moderate physical activity for at least 30 minutes a day. As students, it’s almost easy to have exercise take a backseat in priorities. Most of our time with academics is spent sitting in classrooms and then sitting or laying down to study.. then, to add to it, when we’re finished up, we just want to relax.

However, by incorporating physical activity into our routine (whether that be aerobic activity or strength training) we can combat the negative health effects of all of our sitting.

Exercise, along with all of its benefits, will boost your moods and energy overall while reducing health risks. As a student, we need as much of those benefits as we can get. The good thing about exercise is that there are so many different types and opportunities on campus. The gyms here also have very broad hours, meaning you can incorporate a full workout or a quick sweat almost anytime during the day! Check out the times (and more) at https://recsports.osu.edu/facilities.

It all starts with…

This article was by no means professional advice, but rather general advice from a fellow college student. I’m not an expert in sleep, diets, or exercise. I also want you to know that I sometimes fall short of taking care of myself in these three basic areas. There have been times where I’ve gone to classes with 5 hours of sleep. There have been times where I have eaten 2 Mirror Lake meals. There have been times where I decided to play 2K instead of going to hit back/bicep day. I am in no way asking you to get 9 hours of sleep a night, skip out on every Snickers bar, or go deadlift 500 pounds. I am simply just trying to get you thinking about bettering yourself – these pillars are crucial for that.

The thing is, it all starts with you. Building goals and then proceeding to build commitment to those. Self-responsibility and motivation are key, but practicing consistency in these areas is almost even more important and will benefit you more in the long run.

Oh yeah, and make your bed every morning. I have to work on that too.

Employees’ onboarding refers to the processes in which new hires are integrated into the organization. It includes all activities that allow new employees to complete an initial new-hire orientation process. In this case, the new employees learn about the company’s structure, culture, mission, vision, and values.

The most important thing in this process is learning their primary responsibilities. Improving the employees’ onboarding process leads to increased productivity and efficiency of the employees. Here are the new trends in onboarding new employees.

Automation

This is a key priority used by many companies to improve their onboarding efficiencies and accelerate the new hire’s productivity. Research shows that companies that automate their activities have greater achievements for most of their performance goals. Technologies used in the onboarding process are becoming more flexible and easier to use with time.

With a well-designed system, organizations can streamline their paperwork, simplify labor-intensive processes and integrate training in the onboarding process. Greetly’s visitor sign in system can offer an efficient sign-in experience for the new hires. You can use this application to track new hires who signed in and out. It’s a great award-winning sign-in application that works on iPads and Android tablets.  

Personalization

Personalization involves more than mere training. It is all about making the new hires feel like their expertise, interests, and preferences are considered. It enforces discipline and self-drive. That’s, you do not have to remind the workers that they should always be on time or do particular tasks. There are various ways to achieve personalization in your onboarding process easily.

You can provide only the relevant paperwork that captures all the details of the new hire with a welcome message designed specifically for them and the position. Train the employees and allow them to execute whatever they have learned on their own as this builds their confidence. Still, you can carefully select mentors and buddies that are a good fit for the new hire.

Data-driven improvements

Thanks to the rapidly growing technology. Built-in survey tools and other integrated performance management processes can produce qualitative and quantitative data. With these data, employers can track the performance trends of the new employees against their engagement levels.

They can easily pinpoint specific aspects that need to be improved for the onboarding program to be effective. Still, they can easily predict the outcomes of the process depending on the measures they have put in place. This way, the company can enforce data-driven improvements without risking its resources.

Cultural assimilation

Sometimes back, culture was a big issue in the onboarding process. Cultural assimilation is more than mission, values, and the strategy used in the onboarding process. It’s all about designing activities and interventions so that the new hires will easily find out what it’s like to work in the organization.

Cultural assimilation can be supported through buddy systems and mentoring programs so that the employees won’t come to grips with the company’s unique features. These may be unwritten rules and other unique expectations not stated clearly during the orientation process. It’s through this that the employees will understand how to react when faced with a challenge and the best language they should mostly use.

Social networking

Social networking makes the new workers learn about the values and practices of the company fast. That’s why most companies are giving their digital savvy recruits social intranet access as soon as the onboarding process starts.

Social enterprise network opens up more opportunities for the new hires to connect with the company’s staff members. Here, they learn more about the business through the pictures, videos, or any other post uploaded on the platform. When implemented effectively, the social intranets boost the participation rates of new hires easily.

Online businesses offer unique expansion capabilities that are unparalleled to companies with a single base of operations. The global expansion brings explosive growth to companies with the resources and market to expand in this manner. 

The opportunities are endless. Business owners can have sales streaming in from all four corners worldwide. Global expansion requires extensive planning and business relationship building but it has gotten easier over the years. Here are some tips for exploring a new international market to grow your business.

Carefully plan marketing efforts

Marketing success runs in parallel with high sales volumes. Carefully planning marketing efforts to the target countries or regions translates to consistent revenue flow. As a business owner, you need to be certain that the operations won’t be dead in the water after expanding to a different country. 

Remember, conducting SEO in China is different from what is done in the U.S. Keyword research and other SEO elements need to be localized, and getting a guide on how to successfully market a business is part of any effective marketing plan. Wenomad Marketing also helps with budgeting the investment that might need to be poured into marketing efforts in the chosen target countries.

Plan logistics

A Baidu SEO agency can deliver remarkable results in sales. The responsibility lies with the business to meet the demand. Business owners looking to expand to a different country must meticulously plan logistics such as shipping and freight forwarding. Logistical planning entails establishing business relations with shipping companies servicing the target countries. 

Negotiating prices can reasonably reduce high shipping charges to affordable cost estimates. In addition to building relations with shipping companies, business owners must understand import regulations. Any costs that emanate from import duties must be factored into product pricing. Some international companies prefer calculating these costs separately with each order. How you cover shipping and import costs is left to your discretion.

Conduct due diligence

Before getting the ball rolling on global expansion, conducting due diligence is an important step. The due diligence that must be conducted includes competitor research and even the old-fashioned SWOT analysis. Some questions that must be answered are:

• Is there a demand for your products in the target countries? 
• Are locals prone to buy from a company based in a different country? 
• What is the financial risk-reward ratio related to this global expansion? 

Depending on your industry, there might be other critical questions that must be answered before expanding. Objectively conducting due diligence has the potential of saving business owners major financial loss and preventing a tarnished reputation should the expansion not go as planned.

Establish executive governance

If the expansion is financially viable and warranted by the results of the research conducted, you should set up a team to spearhead the project in-country. Recruiting talent and training any new executives takes time and could impede growth. Therefore, instead of establishing new executive management in-country, consider using senior managers already part of the company. 

Executives already part of the company understand the corporate culture that needs to be implemented. At the same time, they understand the business’s brand voice and messaging. As time goes by, existing senior managers can help establish executive governance using local talent once the business operations are properly established.

Work on product readiness

Just as marketing efforts are important, product readiness also plays a critical role when expanding globally. Ensure the product is ready to be exported and imported easily across the respective borders. Research if all product offerings being provided to other countries are easily marketable. 

That might require hiring localization experts to ensure that the product is ready for those new markets. Some product names or marketing phrases might not be suitable in other countries. Localizing all marketing copy and product names will contribute to a higher success rate.

The truth is that school shootings are an epidemic in the United States of America. Why do these school shootings happen with such frequency? In most of the school shootings, there are other people who had knowledge of the attacker’s plans and yet still failed to report it. The most recent school shooting took place in Michigan when a 15-year-old killed four students, injuring several others as well as a teacher.

Cruel environments

Schools can be cruel environments, even in primary school. If you have a disability or you aren’t attractive, you can be bullied and taunted. Sometimes you expect this type of behavior to disappear in adulthood but it doesn’t. It’s why youth counselling becomes so important to young people. It stops this negativity before it becomes a lifelong noose around your neck, destroying your own life and others.

Bullying in schools is becoming an epidemic. Harassment, discrimination, and violence are all behaviors that contribute to negative social situations at school. Interactive Counselling helps students to be brave, to speak out if they are a victim and to stand up for what’s right, and to raise awareness of bullying with a teacher.

Easy access to firearms in the USA

It doesn’t matter who you are because there is easy access to firearms in the United States. Even dangerous people can get hold of a gun with no obstacles. In fact, if you’ve been cited for domestic violence, it’s still open for you to buy a gun. It is amazing to know that collectively, Americans own more guns than there are citizens.

The Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution allows Americans to own a gun and about a third of Americans do own several. But President Biden has also proposed a new restriction on firearm access, so this very easy access for firearms is tightening.

Concern for the gun industry

Guns just happen to be ingrained into American society, and the truth is that many people care more about the wellbeing of the gun industry than the safety of citizens. The profits of the gun industry are way too important – more important than a school shooting.

Many concerned citizens believe that the profits of the gun industry are put ahead of the safety of children in schools. It seems that politicians are slow to do anything too meaningful about gun sales, lest the gun industry be up in arms about their loss of sales.

Mental health issues don’t get enough attention

America is known for its gun-related violence in schools and school shootings have occurred even as far back as 1764. School violence has been steadily increasing and more so in the 21st century. It is thought that mental health issues aren’t being sufficiently addressed in schools. School teachers need to be trained to look out for troubled students and schools should have psychologists working around the clock.

They need to recognize the weird and unique characteristics of some students and investigate the students in an unobtrusive way. School counselors have to be far more proactive in identifying students who seem to have mental issues. The school needs to adopt an open, caring, listening policy where students are made to understand that there is always a place they can go to for counseling.

Availability of drugs

Many people blame the availability of drugs on school shootings. The availability of drugs is high and often, students in high schools have been on some or other drugs. They have no inhibitions when it comes to opening fire on their fellow students. Schools need to be doing more to check on what students are carrying on them when they enter the school premises.

In terms of illicit drugs, high school kids make use of marijuana the most, and in fact, it has been legalized in many states and is available to high school students. There are just so many reasons why teens use drugs, from unbearable peer pressure and bullying to wanting to be more popular to wanting to numb themselves from hurtful comments from other school kids.