Leaders have a difficult job because they not only have to manage the company as a whole, but they also have to keep their emotions in check. So, if you are a business leader and are wondering what negative patterns to avoid as a leader, Spotlight Business Solutions L.L.C. outlines some helpful pointers on what to do (and what not to do) to be even more effective in your position.
 
Paying attention to the broader pictureAs a business owner, you will need to pay attention to the finer details and the bigger picture if you are to get around to everything as far as meeting your legal requirements goes. Failure to do so could result in severe ramifications for your business, which you could avoid by enlisting the necessary help to ensure everything is on track from a legal perspective. For example, Achieva notes that you could use a formation service when it comes to registering your business. Moreover, an online service can help you expedite the registration process, especially where time is of the essence and you need to get things done quickly. Furthermore, you may choose to enlist the help of administrative consultants to help you iron out any administrative issues.
 
A lack of self-development As a leader, you should continually hone your skills for your professional growth and your business's benefit. Moreover, leaders should be making the time to invest in themselves due to the speed at which companies are evolving; hence, why enrolling in a bachelor’s of business program could be the perfect solution to this dilemma. With an available bachelor's degree in business, you get to not only learn about business-related subjects such as management, strategy, and leadership, but you also get a chance to work on those soft skills that help to develop your self-awareness through self-assessments.
 
Getting to grip with your business financesYou'll also need to stay on top of your business’s finances. For example, you’ll need an invoicing system that works smoothly without hiccups, so you don't have to worry about being paid on time. With a free invoice template, you can create a customized invoice that aligns with your brand by inserting your logo, brand colors, and other important information, such as your payment terms, to prevent any ambiguity on this matter.
 
Communicate your goals clearlyCommunicating your goals clearly and regularly with everyone in the organization will ensure that everyone remains on the same page as far as reaching your company objectives goes. Furthermore, staff tend to feel more valued and appreciated when they are recognized and included in an organization's mission.
 
Not delegating enoughNot everyone can be everything to everyone. The same applies to leaders who can't possibly be directly involved in every decision-making process, especially the smaller ones that occur on a day-to-day basis. AXDRAFT points out that this is where delegation comes into play to help spread the responsibility, in a sense. Where tasks can be handed over to those you've entrusted in a managerial position, this must be done to help mitigate those risks associated with poor decision-making or decision-making on the fly, which doesn't always pan out well due to a lack of planning.
 
Indeed, leaders are put in that position because they know what they're doing. However, it's important to remember that all leaders have weaknesses. And it is in acknowledging these 'blind spots’ that good leaders become excellent leaders.
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Thank you to this month's guest blogger Patrick Young with ABLE USA. To find out more please visit ​ABLE USA.

For small businesses looking for the best medium to promote their products in 2023, video marketing will certainly rank at the top of the list. In addition to helping you garner greater reach than text/image-based promotions, video marketing is cost-efficient as well. In this article by Spotlight Biz Solutions, we’ll explore the best strategies small businesses should implement to be successful in their video promotional activities and outperform competitors.
 
Best Types of Videos to Create
 
For businesses just starting with their video marketing activities, here’s a list of the go-to formats to consider:
 

• Brand Story Videos: As the name suggests, these videos are focused on communicating your brand story with customers. This will include your mission, motivations for starting the business, and brand promises customers can expect you to uphold. A brand story video is a great way to educate customers about your brand and develop a strong connection from the get-go.

 

• Product Offering Videos: Whether you sell products or services, create videos describing their best features and, more importantly, how they’ll help customers overcome their pain points. The goal of these videos is to communicate the value of your products to customers rather than simply advertising its features and pricing.

 

• Social Proof Videos: 84% of Gen Z customers purchase products based on suggestions from their favorite influencers, as reported by Cision. Hence, social proof videos — i.e., videos in which influencers/customers compliment and recommend your products will be the driving force for promotions in 2023.

 
Keep Video Production Costs in Check
 
While video marketing provides the benefit of higher content penetration on social media and customer engagement, it does come at a cost. As reported by Business.com, hiring a professional video marketing team can cost at least a few thousand dollars. Additionally, you’ll need to spend money on video promotions.
 
But there’s no need to fret, as here are a few ways you can drastically reduce video production costs:
 

• Royalty-free Videos: Shooting all shots from scratch can be costly. Video stock footage can help. You can find thousands of hours of free videos shot in HD quality with a simple online search. Additionally, you always have the option to pay for a subscription to access niche videos in line with your brand and industry.

 

• Shoot Videos on Mobile: Most new mobile phones have great cameras that are perfect for creating in-house video content. For instance, if you want to shoot a product unboxing video, all you need is a room with great lighting, a phone stand, and pressing record on your phone. New iPhones and other brands provide users the option to download a video in 1080p or even higher, which is ideal for sharing videos on social media, blogs, and websites.

 
By shooting organic videos, not only will you save thousands of dollars a year, but in time become proficient in video marketing. Rather than focusing on making each video perfect, the key will be to be consistent in your uploads and reach as many customers as possible daily.
 
Create Trackable Metrics for Campaigns
 
The only way to truly understand whether your business is reaping the benefits of video marketing is to establish trackable metrics, such as:
 

• Views: This metric tracks the number of times a video has been watched. Be mindful of separating unique (views from a new user) from repeat views (the same user watching the video multiple times).

 

• Engagement Rate: Liking the video, sharing, and leaving a comment are common engagement actions to track on all social media platforms. Your goal should be to generate as many of these metrics as possible, as it helps to organically promote the video and garner more eyeballs at zero cost.

 
Video marketing is an essential component for any small business looking to grow its brand awareness online. Now that you understand the best types of videos to create and how to keep costs in check, all that's left is consistently creating and publishing content across your socials and watching your brand grow.
 
Thank you to this month's guest blogger Patrick Young with ABLE USA. To find out more please visit ​ABLE USA. ​