Category: Business

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Restaurant Space

How Restaurant Space Landlords Can Be Successful

If you have a rental company and specialize in restaurant space, you should know there are certain pitfalls you’ll want to avoid. You can also take specific steps to ensure you have the best success opportunity. There is an art to setting up a rental space and coming up with a contract that your tenant will love. We’ll take a few moments to break down your best moves if you want to get tenants for each of your properties that will stay with you year after year. Figure Out Which Restaurants Tenants Stay with You Longest The first rule of restaurant property development is to figure out what works in a particular locale. For instance, you’ll want to think about: What other cuisines have worked in your city Whether there will be any call for that food type in the space you have available This step will require research. Look at your neighborhood and see which cuisines and restaurant types have found prior success. If what the tenant is proposing to you sounds like too much of a departure from what has worked previously, you might give the space to a more promising candidate. Offer a Lower Rate for the First 3-5 Years When a restaurant first starts out will be the most challenging time for them. That’s because: No one knows about them yet They might not have the money for an aggressive marketing campaign You should keep this in mind when you talk to a potential candidate. You might offer them a multiple-year contract, but you can tell them you’ll keep the rate lower for the first 3-5 years. After that, if they catch on, they should have no problem paying more. After five years, a restaurant will either be a neighborhood fixture, or it will fold, and the owner will try their luck elsewhere. Consider Whether the Property is Liquor License-Ready Most restaurants want to serve alcohol because if people order it, it drives up their bills. Dining establishments can also mark up alcohol prices considerably, and people seldom have any problem paying for it. However, getting a liquor license can sometimes be tricky. If you know for a fact that you have a rental property that is liquor license-ready, that will appeal to many potential restaurant candidates. They will be fighting with each other to get that space if they know there’s a license waiting for them. Look into Laundry and Other Nearby Services A restaurant owner or operator will also probably look favorably on a space that has additional amenities nearby or onsite. For instance, if laundry services are in the same building or right next door, they can wash their employee uniforms there. The owner or operator might also look for things like on-site employee parking. They might look for public transportation that drops their employees off right in front of the property. They may like it if the space is right by an expressway for their employees who drive to work. At the same time, if there are diverse properties nearby, that will work in their favor. For instance, if there are office buildings or similar establishments across the street, the workers will probably come over frequently for meals. Provide Restaurant Exclusivity You might also have a restaurant space that’s part of a larger property. If so, you’ll know your restaurant tenant will have to share the space with other entities. They should have no problems with that, except if you let other restaurants move in. It’s not helpful if they have to compete with other food-preparing establishments in the same building. You can promise them exclusivity. You can agree in writing that as long as they are in that space, you will not allow any other restaurants to move in. That should make the owner happy. Consider Lease Flexibility Options You can also make the tough financial market into account. With the pandemic wreaking havoc on the restaurant industry over the past year, you might have some potential tenants who are leery about moving in and committing to a multiple-year lease. You can put language in the contract stipulating that you will not evict them if they can’t pay the rent for one month, or even two, provided they pay within a designated period after that. You can’t let it go forever, but a restaurant owner will like to know that if their sales tank for a few weeks, you will not immediately change the locks on them. Read Also:  Online Ordering Systems Setting the Trend for Restaurants 3 Best Seafood Restaurants in Patchogue, New York The Best Restaurants To Visit In Newark NJ 7 Restaurants You Must Experience in Melbourne 6 Tips to Maximize Refrigerator Use in Your Restaurant

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Energy Provider

How to Choose a Clean Energy Provider for Your Texas Home or Business

Keeping Texas clean is a priority for most Texans. Clean energy is one way to do that. Choosing clean energy helps lower carbon emissions, which helps to slow climate change. It also lowers overall energy costs and helps create a steady energy supply in the future. It can be cumbersome to sort through all the information on the internet to find an energy provider who uses renewable sources. Having a general idea of where to start and what you are looking for can really help you figure out what energy company to go with as you try to use clean energy in your home or business. You can find cheap energy companies in Texas and compare energy rates by making good use of energy comparison websites. Understand Clean Energy Clean energy, also called renewable energy, is generated from naturally replenished sources. These sources include solar energy, wind, water, nuclear, bioenergy, and geothermal sources. All of these energy sources are practically limitless instead of fossil fuels, which can take billions of years to renew. When looking for a clean energy provider, it is good to start by looking at their energy sources. If they mention a specific kind of renewable source, it is safe to go with that option. You must be sure where your energy is coming from if clean energy is essential to you. Make sure you don’t just take them for their word if they use buzzwords like “clean energy” in their marketing materials. Companies may get a small amount of their energy from renewable sources so that they can make that claim. However, it would be best if you went for a company that gets at least 50 percent of its energy from renewable sources if you want your energy source choice to make a meaningful impact on the environment. Find Providers Near You When searching for a clean energy provider, the first step is to determine what companies provide energy services for your area. Unfortunately, some more rural areas may not have the option to choose a clean energy provider. For locations with that option, search for "clean power companies in Texas,” like Chariot Energy or a comparable source to power your home or business. With any power company you find, make sure that they are rated for both business and residential areas. Investigate Your Options Find out what companies provide energy services for your area. Look for their story and see how long they have been working in clean energy. Look for businesses they work with and investors or politicians they have ties to. Their associations can tell you a lot about how serious the company is about clean energy. You should also look up independent sources to get ratings on their clean energy track record. Search for individual companies on independent review websites and the Better Business Bureau to get an accurate idea of what they truly stand for. You also want to make sure they have an excellent customer service track record. Compare Offers and Plans Once you have decided on the power company you want to use, you will have to compare its plans. Some companies offer “green pricing,” which allows customers to pay a premium to use only clean energy. This premium helps companies with the added costs of switching to green energy and with the addition of other clean energy sources to their mix. Suppose you can’t find a company that offers clean energy, or you want to give a little extra help to the industry as a whole. In that case, you can also purchase green certificates, which help companies around the country transition to clean energy. The Texas Choice Deciding to move to clean energy is good for the environment and good for Texas. It can be confusing to sort through all the information out there, but if you stay organized and sort through the data in smaller chunks, you can find the right energy company. It can save you money and save the wide-open spaces of Texas in the process. Read Also: The Dallas Texas Resource for Metal Conex Boxes What You Should Know About Solar Energy for Schools Benefits

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Market a Small Business

How to Market a Small Business in a Big City?

Big cities tend to have a highly competitive market base. As such, small businesses based in large cities like New York might find themselves at a loss when trying to develop a marketing strategy to engage a large audience with a relatively unknown brand. Market a Small Business in a large city like NYC requires a multi-faceted approach, and your plan should not merely emulate that of larger brands that may have much larger budgets. There are plenty of effective marketing strategies available for every budget. Working with a professional digital marketing agency will give you an excellent return on your investment if you have a limited budget. If your business is based in the Big Apple, you may want to consider having a New York digital marketing company help you perfect these strategies as they know how to serve the market best. 1. Research Conducting thorough and comprehensive market research services in Singapore should be the first step in your marketing campaign. The data you collect reveals vital information about your potential consumer base as well as your competitors. You can then use this information to tailor your marketing strategies to reach your audience best and stand out amongst the crowd. Singapore is a global business hub known for its pro-business environment, making it an ideal destination for entrepreneurs. If you're wondering how to set up a business in this city-state, the process is straightforward, with efficient registration procedures and minimal bureaucracy. With its strategic location, robust infrastructure, and favorable tax policies, Singapore provides a strong foundation for both local and international businesses to thrive. So, research more! Here are some of the objectives that market research aims to achieve: Know Your Audience This involves general information about your target audience—their demographic information, location, what they do, what they like, how they act, etc. Identify Your Competitors Knowing who your competitors are is vital to building brand awareness. Knowing your competitors means knowing what products/services they sell, their marketing strategies, and what kind of audience they target. Spot Emerging Market Trends Stay up-to-date about your target consumer base’s latest developments and mold your marketing campaign to remain on-track with those developments. 2. Create Quality Content Content marketing is the strategic use of high-quality, relevant, and on-brand content like blogs, videos, or articles to market your brand or a product to a well-defined audience. Typical content marketing strategies include, but are not limited to: Social Media Content Marketing  This involves the consistent uploading of a relevant content on various social media platforms. This content can include images, videos, animations, stories, or even live customer service videos. Blogs  Blogs are one of the easiest and cheapest ways to produce content on the web. It is essential that your blogs are creative, engaging, and contain original copy, not plagiarized from other websites. They should be well-researched and tailored to the specific audience that your brand is targeting. Paid Advertisements Sponsored ads require financial investment, but they can be a great way to reach a broader audience and ensure that your brand remains visible and relevant on the web. Content marketing is an excellent way for small businesses to market their brand or product with a minimal investment. 3. Leverage SEO Search Engine Optimization(SEO) is another vital aspect to consider when developing your digital marketing strategy. SEO involves curating your website and its content to rank higher in a search page result. With more and more businesses developing a web presence, having good SEO scores should be high on your marketing strategy’s priority list. SEO isn’t always cost-prohibitive; the price for SEO implementation depends on who is setting it up and working on it. The initial investment can range from cheap to spendy, depending on what level of ranking you desire for your site. If you decide to do SEO yourself, start by researching relevant terms and keywords for your industry. You can then add internal links and secure backlinks (another facet of content marketing), produce quality, highly-legible copy, write blog posts with numbered lists, and add relevant keywords throughout your website. Properly implementing SEO will establish your site as an authority and drive more traffic directly to you. 4. Have a Strong Digital Presence When digital ads account for half of all ad spend, developing and maintaining a strong web presence is imperative for any serious small business. A robust online footprint includes both your business website as well as social media pages. It is a cost-effective way of building brand awareness in your target market base. Developing and maintaining a business website should always be one of the top priorities of your marketing campaign. Your site will serve as the primary representation for your brand on the internet, which is crucial in building consumer loyalty and brand reputation. For top-notch website creation, there are several options for you to consider. The first one is using CMS like WordPress. The second one is custom web development. For this, you can hire RoR developers, a UX/UI designer, and a project manager. Additionally, social media can serve as an excellent digital marketing tool to reach a broader or more specific target audience. Social media serves as the vehicle to transport your brand to the masses and increase its visibility. 5. Generate Leads When your marketing campaign loses its potency on a specific target audience, you’ll need to generate new leads that you can then use to either find a new audience or expand the one that you’re already targeting. Here are some ways to generate new leads: Optimizing Your Landing Page  Use landing page strategies like implementing Call-To-Actions and write compelling headlines to improve your website’s traffic and conversion rates. Lead Generation Software  As the name suggests, this software identifies and collects new leads from multiple sources. With the right software, you can generate quality leads that significantly boost your conversion rates and sales. Data Validation Software  This is similar to lead generation software, but instead of crawling the internet for leads, it validates the information you already have. It works in one of two ways; it can either complete a batch validation analysis of a lead data spreadsheet or live as an API on your site’s contact forms and checks the data’s accuracy in real-time as forms are submitted. This can save time and effort when pursuing new leads. Email Marketing  Email marketing remains one of the most cost-effective ways to generate brand awareness and boost sales. These include implementing newsletters, sign-me-up forms, or generating automated email ads for specific audiences. Budget As a Tool, Not a Barrier Small businesses should develop a very different marketing strategy than large corporations in a big city like NYC. Approaching marketing from a small business perspective is the best way to ensure the most effective use of limited budgets and resources. Your finances should never be a hindrance to achieving your marketing goals. With proper strategies and a bit of creativity, your marketing campaign can be just as impactful as your competitors'. Read Also: Optimize Your Small Business Revenue by Taking These Steps Basic Small Business Tips for Noobs Who Want to Start a Venture in 2020 How to Empower Your Small Business through Digital Marketing?

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Cabover Trucks

The Main Reasons Why Cabover Trucks Are Less Common Than Long Hood Rigs

If you’re not familiar with the term cabover trucks, perhaps you will recognize these trucks by their full name, cabin over engine trucks. Or perhaps you don’t know much about them at all. No wonder, seeing how they’ve become far less common after 1976 after some regulatory changes made longer trucks an option. We reached to a reliable truck manufacturer that was around to see these trucks come and go, to tell us more about this truck type, its advantages and disadvantages, and why it is no longer as popular. Why They Were Popular In the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, the length regulations for the trucks dictated the maximum length of 65 feet (both truck and trailer). In 1976, as 75 feet became the norm, these trucks were gradually phased out by long hood trucks. Keep in mind that this trend is only present in North America, as Europe largely still uses cabover trucks for several reasons, with maneuverability being one of the most important ones. Elegant car seat pillow to keep you cool even on hot summer days. Maneuverability Due to the shorter axis distance, these trucks are a lot simpler and easier to maneuver. Backing up in narrow loading docks and changing lanes in heavy traffic is a lot simpler. The position of the driver at the very front of the vehicle also facilitates maneuverability as it gives the driver better visibility. As both roads and streets in Europe tend to be smaller and narrower, trucking companies there still prefer this type of truck. In fact, in some European countries which are more flat and open, like the Netherlands, long hood trucks can also be found. Fuel Efficiency Even though most people think that the more aerodynamic shape of the long hood trucks makes them more efficient, the simple truth is that European trucks are smaller and more efficient. In addition, more stringent emissions regulations in the European Union has forced manufacturers to make trucks more fuel-efficient compared to the US and Canada. In this case, it is not the shape of the truck, but the region where they are prevalent that led to the increased fuel efficiency. Lacking Safety Even though there are some clear advantages of having the driver in the very front of the vehicle, there are also some disadvantages. One of the clearest faults of a cabover is that the driver is far more vulnerable in case of an accident – there’s less truck between the driver and the impact. Despite the fact that modern cabovers have numerous protection advancements compared to the older models, they still fall flat compared to the long hood trucks. Lack of Comfort during Long Rides Another big disadvantage of a cabover, especially for the long haul is the less comfortable ride compared to the competitors. The shorter wheelbase is typically cited as the main reason why the ride is not as cushy as in a long hood. However, there is another important reason – in a cabover, your driver’s seat is directly on top of a wheel, making all the bumps much more visceral. There was an attempt by the manufacturers to resolve this problem, but it resulted in more expensive vehicles – just one more reason why they were gradually replaced by the long hoods. Which Are Better, Then? It is really difficult to pick one over the other – different businesses may prefer different trucks, preferring the fuel economy and maneuverability of a cabover or the safety and comfort of a long hood truck. It is always best to choose the truck based on your needs and your business model, which is why both types of trucks still exist and are available for purchase. Read Also: What to Consider When Buying Heavy Duty Truck Alignment Equipment How Crane Trucks Can Drastically Improve Project Efficiency 7 Ways Truck Accidents Differ from the Regular Car Crashes

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Professional Services

Launching a Business? Hire These 5 Professional Services for Help

Starting a business can be expensive. You want to be mindful of where every cent is going. While a frugal approach to business expenditure is encouraged, there are some services you need to invest in to take your business to the next level. Failure to get  Professional Services help with cash flow and computer systems management may result in unwanted issues in your business. Let’s go over some of the recommended professional services to spend on: 1. Lawyers Your business will have to comply with several federal and local government regulations that you may be unaware existed. An accomplished attorney will expose any legal loopholes that you might run into as you launch your startup. Since it is their field, they will be abreast of any changes that may affect these laws and advise you on how to conform. Being compliant from the get-go can save you substantial litigation costs down the road. It will also lessen the possibility of being shut down for non-compliance. Many business owners think that they would be able to do without a lawyer if there are no on-the-horizon legal issues. However, if you need a general counsel attorney you will be able to enjoy many of the legal services that can help you grow the business. For example, a trained legal counsel can show you ways and means of minimizing risks, ensuring coverage, and making sure all your paperwork is always in order. 2. Accountants While their work may seem lackluster, accountants are the beating heart of any profit-seeking venture. Trained in using standardized tools and techniques, they help businesses keep track of their cash inflows and outflows, assets, and liabilities. The reports they produce periodically will give you a clear indication of whether your business is currently on the right side of the profit-loss divide and whether its future is healthy. When you hire an accountant for a startup business, you also improve your chances of staying on the Internal Revenue Service's good side. The last thing any fledgling venture needs is to be liable for hefty fines when revenue streams are yet to stabilize. Savvy Certified Public Accountants will help you discover and take advantage of all the tax breaks for which you qualify. 3. Web Developers Operating any modern business without an online presence is equivalent to conducting your business in a cocoon. Close to 60 percent of the global population uses the Internet actively. First impressions are everything. To make the right one, you need to have a reputable web developer team on your side. Your web developer will be responsible for designing and hosting your site. They will ensure that it has all the functionalities you require and offer support when you suffer downtime or external attacks. 4. Content Creators and Marketers Having a functional website is only half the equation. Content creators and marketers will provide you with a means of reaching out to your clientele, both through your website and your social media handles. They will come up with creative on-brand messages that they will broadcast through these channels to capture the hearts and minds of your target audience. Having digital marketers as part of your team will not only help you reach your potential customers where they are. It will save plenty of cash you would have spent on advertising through traditional media. Digital content creators have a finger on the pulse of current trends and will have the know-how to make your products or services a part of what is trending. 5. IT Experts IT experts are needed to manage your business' devices and hardware, along with the front and back-office software systems. Your tech consultants will help you put these systems in place as well as keep them running smoothly. If you have an online presence or any functions that rely on the Internet, you need to invest in these systems’ security. Contrary to what many small business owners think, they do occasionally get targeted by hackers. With a proactive team of IT experts well versed with the latest cybersecurity threats on your side, you won't have to spend sleepless nights wondering if your site will be next. Two Heads Are Better Than One It is tempting for small business owners to try to be a jack of all trades. You would rather juggle your own books, fix your own networks, and manage your own social media to avoid spending too much on outsourced expertise. While conducting some of these services yourself can save money and grant more control over your operations, you can achieve better results by hiring help. Besides exposing your business to diverse financial and operational risks, you will become an impediment to its growth if you adopt the one-man-army approach. Read Also: 5 Tips For Transport & Logistics Business Owners Before Investing In Insurance Startup Business Management: How to Effectively Incorporate Use of SEO Top 5 Types of Startup Business Loans Best Server Management Tips for Startups

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Business Hack

Alex Dee Discusses How to Scale Your Business Hack

This works for all businesses! If you're in Marketing, consulting, or coaching, this applies even more to your field! What Got you Off the Island is Not What this is Keeps You Growing Hack Ryan Holiday What shifts you have to make as an entrepreneur when you scale: The best way I can describe it is a baseball analogy. In the Dominican Republic, there is a saying in the baseball league that you can’t walk off the island, which means you have to hit your way off in the baseball league. The players that make it off the island are usually some of the best hitters. But once they get into the major league, it becomes different, because it’s about bat discipline and talent is very different. So, what got you there to get off the island is not going to be what allows you to maintain your success because you’re in a whole different league. That is what it’s like when you are scaling your company. What got you there is not going to be exactly what allows you to scale to another level! Be ready to shift and pivot and learn in order to grow! Not the How, But the Who Hack – Dan Sullivan: As you scale, there are going to be all areas in your company that is going to require your attention, from sales to marketing, to operations. So how do you take all of this on and still manage to scale? There’s a great hack for it! It’s called not the how but the who rules! Once you figure out what you need to scale (process, sales, marketing, etc.), don’t ask yourself WHAT do I need to learn? Ask WHO is the best at that and get them on board! This will allow you to scale quickly vs. having to go learn another skillset now vs. staying in the lane where your talents are best served! So, to scale, instead of just figuring out the what, you need to figure out The Who, so you can do it faster! Be Cautious and Bold Hack - Mindset for scaling: you Must exercise your caution in laying out your plans but be bold in carrying them out. A man who is all cautious will never dare to take hold and be successful, and a man who is all bold is merely reckless, and must eventually fail. You must have both the caution and the boldness, to ensure success. How to Keep from Falling When you’re Experiencing Success Hack  David Metzer: I think the biggest thing that led to my downfall was losing my values. There are really only a few things I use now to play the top of my game and stay there. Number one gratitude; just being grateful for whatever you have, no matter how big or small. Number two is Empathy for others. As I got into this competitive world, I became an asshole. I was more worried about taking rather than giving that I really didn’t focus on anyone else and I went straight to blame and shame and justification, as I was Midas! Meaning I turned everything into Gold, right? So, it had to be everyone else’s fault. Number three is accountability. There are two parts to this one: what was as my part that the thing that went wrong, and what lesson did I learn so I don’t go thru this again. The fourth is effective communication. What I mean by that is not just being a team leader and effectively communicating with everyone on your team on what you want and how to run a company. Rather, what I mean is that I had lost my ability to effectively communicate what inspired me! When I was making money and I got done with spending it, it took me a while to learn that I need to give back and be of service. I wish I would’ve done it when I had the money instead of having to lose it and build it back up again. But that’s part of lesson learning that I have here, so I can inspire others so they can avoid the same mistakes. 7 Growth Hacking Ideas that will Boost your Startup 7 Expert Hacks for Downsizing to a Smaller Apartment

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Buy to let mortgage

Buy to Let Mortgage Explained

A buy to let mortgage differs from a regular mortgage since it is for investors or landlords who buy property to rent out to tenants; not for their residential purposes.  The essential differences that an investor should be aware of can be provided through professional and experienced advice from mortgage brokers in the UK. Some issues linked to the subject are listed below: Buy to Let mortgage in the UK is available to individuals as well as to corporates and companies. However, a BTL mortgage for a company will have to be through a lender who accepts investment through limited companies. Maximum limit:  The amount that can be borrowed is linked to the expected rental income.  Lenders usually require the rental income to be 25-30% higher than the mortgage payment. Deposit: A deposit will be required to be paid to the lender; it is usually 25% of the value of the property (though this can escalate to about 40%). Repayments:  The two ways of paying back the mortgage are explained below: Interest-only mortgage: is self-explanatory and, every month, only the interest on the loan is paid back. This means lower monthly payments, but the loan will have to be paid at the end of the mortgage period. Repayment mortgage: is when both the interest as well as some portion of the loan itself are paid back.  A higher monthly payment will be required, but the advantage is that by the time the mortgage term matures, in all probability, the entire loan would be repaid. Depending on the investor’s capital and budget, advice will be required on the Repayment issue since lenders vary on the repayment requirements. Taxes:  Both Capital Gains Tax and Income Tax are payable on buy to let properties. Capital Gains Tax: The rate is payable dependent on the income bracket of the investor. By adjusting property purchase fees (or even losses from another BTL property), this tax can be reduced. Income Tax: Landlords will not be able to deduct the mortgage interest from rental income.  Instead, the total mortgage interest payment will receive a 20% tax relief.  Fees like council tax or property maintenance charges can be offset if the annual income allowable is exceeded. BTL remortgage: By switching to another deal once the current mortgage is over, a BTL remortgage can sometimes be advantageous as the interest rate can be lower. If a remortgage is required earlier, lenders usually require a minimum time of 6 months after the title deeds are transferred before they will consider this.  However, arrangement fees for BTL are high so remortgaging can be expensive and, since interest rates can fluctuate, the pros and cons will need to be carefully reviewed. Regulation of Buy to let mortgage:  Most of these mortgages are not regulated by the FCA as they are treated as business borrowing. However, Consumer BTL mortgages are handled in the same way as residential mortgages by the FCA, protecting the investor from fraud or incorrect advice.  This type of mortgage is for “accidental landlords” - it is defined as ‘a buy-to-let mortgage contract which is not entered into by the borrower wholly or predominantly for the purposes of a business carried on, or intended to be carried on, by the borrower.’  For example, if the property is bought for relatives to live in, it would be considered as a Consumer BTL mortgage. Legislation:  Investors need a tenancy agreement, outlining the terms and responsibilities of both parties.   The rented property should be kept safe with a fire alarm and all gas and electrical equipment maintained in good condition.  An energy performance certificate should be provided to the tenant.  The tenant’s right to rent should be checked.  The deposit should be protected in a Government-backed scheme. Conclusion:  As in every critical decision, the pros and cons need to be weighed.  In the case of a Buy to Let mortgage, some of them are: Advantages: Demand: With the demand exceeding supply, the rental market is suitable for investors. Capital gain: Although there is a risk with the value of property fluctuating, “brick-and-mortar” has usually survived and increased in value. Income: With the rental trend increasing, the revenue should be an asset. Disadvantages: High fees: Fees, deposits, and admin/legal costs can be increased. Rental voids: There is the risk of having no tenant or a tenant who is problematic with payments. Legal: Keeping in line with the legal requirements can be a big responsibility. Should a BTL mortgage be decided on, just keep in mind that the stamp duty holiday is till 31 March 2021 and so all necessary documentation should be completed well in time if this benefit is to be availed! Read Also: Federal Government and the Subprime Mortgage Crisis They Created 7 Expert Tips In Finding The Best Mortgage Broker In Vancouver Finding the Best Mortgage Lenders to Buy Your Dream House

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Business Credit Report

Why Would I Need A Business Credit Report?

While individual credit reports assess the creditworthiness of consumers, a business credit report can show you how your business is creditworthy. In this post, I'll explain how Experian and similar services calculate a business loan and guide you through the process of developing it. A corporate credit report is similar to a personal credit report in that it contains information about the company's credit history, credit history, and other important information. However, each credit reference agency can be different in how it looks and what makes good business people. In many cases, the people who issue you loans will use your business credit report to decide whether you want to lend to you and, if so, how much credit you will grant to you. How to Apply and Get a Business Credit Report? If you want to get a business credit report directly from the source, you can go to Experian or Equifax, two of the largest credit reporting agencies in the US. You can purchase a single report including your business and credit ratings for $49.95 from Experian's, which has the business Credit report for both companies. To get a report on Equifax corporate loans, you must visit its website and buy the individual reports for $99 to $95. Get registered as a member of your Business Credit Reporting Program (BCP). While the amount you pay will depend on the plan you choose, Experian lets you check your credit rating and credit rating for free. If the big agencies don't have a credit report for your business, you'll have to check it with one of the other big credit reference agencies, such as Equifax or Experian's. You should review the business credit report at least once a year from all three major companies - credit bureaus. Even if your Business Credit Report Program (BCP) is working, your Business Credit Program may not be set up if you do not have the credit reports. Similar to Experian's report, Equifax's business credit report will be correct, but it will give you your true score. Similar to the Experian's report, the Equifax report, and the Experian's annual report, both will be true values and represent the true credit standing of your company, not just the credit standing of the company you work for. And, much like testimonials, Equifax business reports and testimonials will be correct, and both will give you true scores. You don't have access to Equifax's business credit report and Experian's free version of the annual report, but if you do, you'll be doing a lot more than the Experian's report, and even better than the annual report. Is Getting Access to a Business Credit Report Easy? Getting access to a business credit report is not as easy as getting your personal credit reports, but it's worth it nonetheless. Just as you can get personal credit reporting free of charge, so can corporate credit reporting. The corporate credit reports are the data that credit agencies have to work with, not just the annual report and the personal report. Business credit ratings are based on the information in your business credit report and measure the creditworthiness of your company. While most credit bureaus give you a single score of 1a100, the Equifax corporate credit report provides a variety of different scores, such as 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10. It has the added advantage of providing more information than what you get from any of the other credit institutions, and it provides more data than most of their personal credit reports. Equifax, like the other credit reporting agencies, uses data from the US Department of Justice and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York to produce its credit report. Like your personal credit score, your business credit report gives you an idea of how your business is, and it can also be created by the same credit institution that offers you a personal credit report score. Equifax provides a website where you can check your credit rating and other information such as income, employment history, tax returns, and other personal information. What are some Important Details you should cross-check on the Credit Report? Before you receive your business credit report, it is important that you review all of this information in detail, including your name, address, telephone number, email address, and other personal information. It gives you a set of tools that will help you learn how to create business loans, as well as access information about your credit history and creditworthiness. The reason you want an Equifax business credit report is the same as the reason you want it: to gain a better understanding of your company's financial health. It will help you understand and improve the credit standing of the company, which is as important to the financial health of a company as it is to its financial performance. Another provider on the market is Reporting Accounts, they offer free and paid reports which is a good way to get some initial free information before deciding if you want to dig deeper into a company’s financial position. Read Also: 5 Smart Ways to Boost your Credit Score 7 TIPS TO REDUCE CREDIT CARD BILLS

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Video Marketing

Guaranteed Ways Video Marketing Will Help Your Business Grow

Unless you have been living under a rock or a remote island, you will know that video marketing is an important part of every modern business. So, it shouldn’t be shocking that video marketing has become a rage in the market.  You should expect that online users will cross the 2 billion marks in the next few months.  Did you know that YouTube hosts 1 billion unique visitors every month. This means the popularity of video marketing is not hidden from anyone in the world.   With several social networks having launched the video ads, the responses have compelled other business owners to join the bandwagon. It is expected that more than 75% of internet traffic will be filled with videos in the next year.  As a modern business owner, if you haven’t adhered to the idea of relying on video marketing, you’re not modern and certainly not going in the right direction. Here, we will guide you through a few ways video marketing can expand your business audience:  1. Present Your Product Make a concise video to let your audience know about the product or service you have to offer. Just like there is a difference between reading a science chapter and attending it in class, the audience develops a better understanding of the product when they have somebody tell them about it.   Make sure to educate them about the benefits of your product or service. If you make a good quality video with information about the audience’s interest, you will quickly witness an increase in the number of visitors.   We suggest you use a teleprompter, which will make your video more professional. Furthermore, as they flock to your website, most of them might convert into customers quickly. 2. Offer Instructions In today’s time, customers love to sift through video tutorials because they guide them in detail about using the product. For example, If you debut with “How to use this shampoo” or ‘How to unbox this phone,” customers will quickly get inclined towards viewing it. This way, you will not only win the customer’s trust but will also satisfy them quickly.   Not to mention, customer loyalty is a very important factor in today’s world, so you must strive for it.  3. Explain Why You Stand Out Let’s take a simple example to elaborate on this concept. If your company is about to launch a new shampoo, you should know that there are hundreds of shampoo options out there already.   To impress the customers, you will have to tell them about how your offering is different from the other. Unless you don’t have something valuable to offer, customers will not trust your brand.   Visit Soflostudio.com to get a professionally developed video for your video tutorial. Only a top-notch video shooting firm will sift you through the right way to promote your product. 4. Equipping the Video with Special Content is a Good Idea A modern customer is not only concerned about the core product but also expects the company to value them.   So, do you have anything else valuable for the new clients? Adding plenty of informational articles on the main website is not going to have a strong impact as strong impact as a video message will.   For instance, if you want the customers to know about what goes on behind the scenes in the manufacturing of your product, you can shoot a 3-minute video and give them short glimpses.  5. Explain Your Story Instead of filling the landing page of your website with an abundance of content, it is best to let the customers know about it through a video message.   In fact, most people ignore the “About Us” section because it is too dull. Record a video with the chairman of the company, and don’t forget to include glimpses of the journeys of veteran employees in the company.   Explaining the founding story of the company will have a strong impact on the minds of the customers.  6. Explain the Vision and Mission of the Company Every stakeholder of the business is interested in knowing about the short-term and long-term goals of the business. This is because stakeholders must stay in touch with the company for a certain time.   Only if they are in coherence with the goals of your firm will they decide to stick to it. This is why explaining the vision and mission of the company through a short video can make a difference to the reputation of your company.  7. Video Marketing is the Need of the Hour In simple words, video marketing is not an option but the need of the hour. As soon as a new product or service is launched in the market, customers flock to YouTube, and the social media pages of the business to find video messages.   If you don’t rely on video marketing, your competitors will stand out to the customers. Secondly, you need to realize that video marketing is cheap and can save on the costs of traditional advertising. Starting your Digital Marketing Journey? Why you Should Focus on Digital Marketing  Digital marketing is not a fad. It’s the new spine of business success in this era and beyond. If you’re wondering where to begin, here’s your cue. Billions of users are online daily, and you shouldn’t just want to create an online space; you need engagement for your business.   Here’s why digital marketing should be your first focus as you launch out. 1. Reach a Wider Audience The internet is global, and so is your audience. Unlike traditional marketing, which often limits you geographically, digital marketing allows you to reach people anywhere in the world. Whether it’s through social media, search engines, or email marketing, the potential for audience growth is massive. Think of your product getting discovered by someone on the other side of the globe; that’s digital marketing. 2. Cost-Effective Advertising Traditional marketing methods like TV commercials or print ads can be expensive, especially for small businesses. Digital marketing, on the other hand, offers a variety of affordable options. With tools like social media advertising and pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns, you can reach thousands of potential customers without spending a fortune. Plus, you can set your budget and adjust it as needed so you don’t overspend. 3. Measurable Results Digital marketing is probably the most measurable form of marketing. We can see, in real-time, what is working and what isn’t, and we can refine our strategies accordingly.  How many people are visiting your site? Did you make sales this week?  How long do they stay on your site? What were the reasons people returned a product?  With online analytics, you can even measure specific goals you want to achieve for your website or blog (i.e., analyze conversions using built-in tools on platforms like Facebook Ad Manager or Google Analytics).  In other words, digital marketing will help you understand how your potential buyer base behaves and uses technology to make informed decisions.  Final Thoughts  The world of digital marketing may seem daunting, but the reality is that digital marketing is an essential component of any successful business in today’s world. You don’t have to do everything at once. Start with a few key tactics and build from there.   The most important thing is to begin.  Your future customers are already looking for your product or service online. The question is, will they be able to find you?  Read Also: Movavi Video Suite Review: A Comprehensive Tool to Create Videos 8 Powerful Reasons You Need To Use Video Marketing Top Ways Video Marketing Will Help Your Business Grow How To Execute An Effective Video Marketing Campaign

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Corporate Conference

How To Select The Best Catering Service For Your Next Corporate Conference Event?

Have you been given the responsibility of planning the next corporate conference or event for your company? Do you know how you can choose the best catering service that will win over your co-workers, bosses, and industry colleagues? Are you looking for some tips and tricks, which can help you zero down on the best caterers for your next event? Corporate Conferences and events can be important milestones for a company’s future. It can be your Annual General Meeting or a Shareholders Meeting, or even something like a Retirement Party for a dear colleague. However, the important thing to note is that the food should be top-notch at all times. Everyone who attends the conference or the event should leave satisfied after tasting the food being served. This is why it is so important that you hire the right catering services for your next corporate event. Hire the best one and you are looking at creating a memorable experience for everyone to remember. Hire the wrong one, and your office colleagues will make sure to keep discussing the ‘what went wrongs’ for a very long time! List of 5 Easy Steps to help you select the best Catering Service for Corporate Conferences 1. Start with In-depth Research and Planning- When it comes to any corporate event planning, catering is right up there in the first or second positions. It is important to understand the budget, get a sense of what the higher management feels, and then start with finding the right caterers. During the shortlisting stage, look for small details like the promptness of the catering company when responding to your requests of quotations, sample requests, and references. This will give you a better idea about their professionalism and help in the selection process. 2. Be Sure about the Food from the Start- Everything that the prospective caterer offers you in terms of food is going to increase the confusion in your head. This is why it is important that you have a set idea of the food, which you can then take to the catering service. You also need to understand that caterers will suggest food options, which are cost-effective for them, but not for you. It is also important to see whether the caterer is taking interest in knowing about your company, its culture, and then making suggestions. 3. Food, Beverage Options, and Service- We often have this misconception about catering being all about the food. What we tend to forget is that it also involves beverages and the overall service experience. This means that the choice of beverages, how good they are or not also matters when choosing the right caterer. Corporate event catering should always take into account the level of service, which is being offered. Smartly dressed catering professionals, polite behavior, and a calm demeanor are what you should look at. Trust us, these things make a lot of difference. 4. The Experience of the Catering Company- When it comes to corporate catering, the experience matters a lot. This is because the inherent nature of the catering experience in a corporate setting is radically different from the one at a wedding, or a birthday party. It is important that you see the number of years of experience the catering service has. You can also ask them specifically for the kind of corporate events they have serviced to. This will help you get a better idea about whether they will be the right fit or not for your conference. 5. Look for Flexibility in the Catering Service- There might be times when things do not go according to plan. For example, an announced client walks in with his entourage of five people as the event is going on. If you are seriously sticking to headcounts, this can cause some problems. This is where a good caterer will be able to help you out. This is what is meant by flexibility in the catering service. These kinds of situations will arise from time to time and you need to be prepared for them. Asking the catering service about such issues in advance will help them and you prepare better for such contingencies. The Final Word It is important that you start planning in advance for your next corporate event. The success of the same will depend in a major way on whether or not you have been able to hire the right catering services for the same. By paying attention to the points in the article, you can ensure that you at least have all the boxes checked to help you narrow down your selections for the best catering services. Read Also: 3 Reasons Why your Corporate Event Entertainment is Important Components of a Successful Business Function

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Real Estate

Videos for Real Estate Leads on Social Media with Minimal Effort

Being a real estate agent is already a tough job. With so many agents in the market, competition is fierce. Agents must do their best to win market share. However, in today’s market, traditional direct marketing strategies are less effective. Hard-earned cash is spent on Facebook and Google ads, yielding little return. The ROI of direct marketing strategies is increasingly unsatisfactory. This decline doesn’t appear to be a one-time issue. A meaningful trend seems to be emerging: the audience is overwhelmed with too many marketing messages. They’ve started ignoring repetitive, uninspiring ads. It’s frustrating, especially for new agents lacking the advantages of word-of-mouth and referrals. Yet, repeating old strategies won’t fix the problem. To turn this around, agents should think from the audience’s perspective. The Root of the Problem: Bad Content Real estate, like any business, is flooded with repetitive marketing messages. Most agents claim to be the best but offer the same content.   A quick glance at social media and Google ads reveals most ads focus on agents themselves. Few consider what clients truly need.  In 1996, Bill Gates said, "Content is king." He saw the internet’s potential early on, predicting content would be its foundation. Today, content indeed reigns. Audiences are tired of ads offering nothing new. Content is the key to standing out. But creating content isn’t enough creating great content is what matters.  What is great content? Simply put, it’s what your audience is searching for. It addresses their needs and concerns.   Real estate can be complex for homebuyers and sellers. They have questions and want expert guidance. Agents who address these concerns become the trusted go-to experts.  Videos, Videos, Videos We can’t stress this enough. Watching videos is easier than ever thanks to faster internet speeds. Millions of videos are shared daily across platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. YouTube, the largest video platform, makes watching content effortlessly. But creating videos is harder than watching them. The valuable content mentioned earlier is best delivered in video form. Is a bad video better than none?  Absolutely not. In real estate, reputation and brand image are delicate. Poor-quality videos can do more harm than good.  roomvu market update videos Since video production is challenging, many agents avoid it altogether. But this means missing out on significant benefits.   With a little research, agents can find tips for creating their own videos or ideas for content. Hiring a professional real estate video creator is another option. Though it may seem like an extra expense, the ROI is worth every penny.  roomvu neighborhood bio videos Social Media, Automated Social media is one of the best channels for generating real estate leads. Features like Instagram Live help agents connect with larger audiences.   If you have the time, skill, and patience to manage several social media accounts, then go for it. But most agents, with their busy schedules, struggle to do so.  Success on social media requires consistency and engaging in valuable content. Many agents shy away from it due to a lack of time, skills, or content.   Yet, they can still reap the benefits by using automation tools. Platforms like Roomvu offer social media automation services, including content creation and scheduling.  Roomvu’s service does all the heavy lifting, even providing a free content calendar. Agents simply connect their accounts, choose the right content from Roomvu’s content factory, and let the automation handle the rest.  roomvu social media calendar Get Creative with Your Marketing Content  Marketing in real estate doesn’t have to be boring or repetitive. Instead of focusing on your achievements and credentials, dive into content that matters to your audience.  Share tips for first-time homebuyers, discuss market trends or answer common questions people have.   Clients aren’t looking for just another agent—they’re looking for a guide they can trust.  Agents who focus on educational content become resources clients naturally turn to.   When you regularly offer valuable insights, clients see you as more than a salesperson—they see you as a trusted advisor.  A key tip here is to mix up your content style. Don't just rely on blogs or posts; experiment with infographics, podcasts, and especially videos.  Build Relationships, Not Just Sales Pitches Social media is a fantastic tool for connecting with potential clients. But it's not about blasting listings or boasting about recent sales. It's about engagement as well!  Whenever you get time, reply to comments, answer questions in DMs, and participate in discussions. After all, the goal is to build relationships, not just push sales.  Automation tools can help keep your content consistent, but don’t let them make your approach robotic.  Take time to interact personally whenever possible. Even if it’s just a quick response to a comment, it shows you’re approachable and genuine. People want to work with agents who care, not those who just see them as numbers.  The Power of Consistency and Patience  Real estate success rarely happens overnight. Building a brand, growing a following, and gaining trust takes time.  Consistency is everything. Keep posting, keep sharing values, and keep interacting with your audience. Don’t get discouraged if the results aren’t immediate. The key is to stay persistent.  Creating great content regularly might feel overwhelming, but it’s worth the effort. The agents who succeed are the ones who stick with it, even when it feels like no one’s paying attention.  Final Words Agents can’t afford to stick to outdated methods. Traditional direct marketing strategies are failing because they lack value. People no longer click on ads that only make empty claims. The problem isn’t advertising itself—it’s the lack of valuable content. Agents should adopt a fresh approach to marketing. Focus on being a helpful expert who shares useful information. Address your audience’s needs and concerns with insightful, valuable content, preferably in video form. This strategy requires patience and consistency, as building a community takes time.  Success in real estate’s competitive market comes from putting customers first. Understand their needs and concerns rather than just promoting yourself as the best agent.  Read Also: Best Transaction Management Software for Your Real Estate Business 8 Social Media Tips for Your Business How to Start Social Media Agency in India 5 Easy Estate Planning Tips to Help You Plan for the Future

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Zoho Alternative

Top 10 Zoho Alternatives in 2020 For Your Business To Adopt

Zoho is as yet one of the most unmistakable CRM platforms out there, however that doesn't imply that it's consistently the most ideal alternative for client relations executives. While it's viewed as truly outstanding and most moderate choices by many, there are still a lot of reasons you may need or need a decent Zoho alternative, particularly as your business keeps on developing and you need more refined features with regards to contract layouts or invoice formats. These choices are intended to be anything but difficult to utilize, available, and work for a wide scope of various business and pioneering styles. Thus, regardless of whether you're searching for a substitution for your current record or are searching for a Zoho choice to kick you off, these are probably the most ideal choices. Let’s look at some of the best alternatives to Zoho. 1. Bonsai Bonsai is the best in general Zoho alternative in case you're searching for something to supplant a current record or have assessed Zoho and chosen it's not for you. The 14-day free preliminary is more than sufficiently long to get a feeling of whether the platform accommodates your style, and whether the instruments merit the spending of $19/mo to have. Bonsai has the upside of offering boundless customers and activities, which lets it scale with your business for more powerful administration. It additionally gives you admittance to agreements and recommendations the executives apparatus that makes it easy to make clear desires for each task you choose to take on. Time tracking software and the board make it easy to keep steady over what you're doing during that time and to discover better approaches to improve your work process. 2. ProofHub Proofhub offers two distinctive membership levels, yet the most moderate variant of this software comes to $45 every month, bills yearly. This is an incredible community-oriented platform for your group, regardless of whether you're all working in a similar office or are spread the nation over. It incorporates significant programming like time tracking and verification and endorsement frameworks that help clarify where your consideration is required, and when. Undertaking the executive's devices join with a schedule and simple talk features to make it easy to connect and make fixed basic task objectives are met on schedule. 3 Moon Invoice Moon Invoice is right there on top of the list of being the top alternative to Zoho. Moon Invoice has been developed to fill the gap of invoicing in every possible sense. Invoicing can take a huge chunk of your time and Moon Invoice understands it perfectly. Best for small businesses to large scale businesses, Moon Invoice doesn’t shy away from delivering elusive features to manage your finances, accounting, reports, keeping time logs, and everything in just one platform. Moon Invoice has different subscription plans for your business requirements. Various plans that come with significantly better results and lesser cost marks as one of the finest invoicing solutions.   The score is a decent alternative for moderate-sized groups who need a shared climate that assists with smoothing out errands the board and undertaking arranging. The framework scales in cost, so the more features and progressed programming you need, the pricier it can turn into. The 5 colleague least additionally implies that Scoro is definitely not a decent choice for solopreneurs and little group organizations, and the cost can swell at the opposite finish of the range also. It's likewise important that a few features have their own expense, additionally determined per-client, which can expand the general cost of the stage. That membership style likewise makes it less difficult to add extra instruments and access just to the colleagues who need it, however, which can reduce expenses. All things considered, features like the undertaking load up, organizer, and schedule welcomes make cooperation straightforward, particularly in case you're working with a period of separation hindrance between colleagues. Score additionally assists with overseeing bills and funds, with even the most minimal membership levels giving important money-related trackers and bits of knowledge to make business arranging simpler. 5. Insightly Like a few of the projects on this rundown, Insightly comes at a few diverse membership levels, permitting you to scale the features and usefulness of the software to meet the needs of your business as it develops and grows. It's cross-platform viable, even at the most minimal membership level, which implies that you can get to your Insightly instruments on a more extensive scope of gadgets, making it simpler to keep an eye on things when you're in a hurry. High membership levels take Insightly past an essential CRM, giving you admittance to extra devices to help drive and track deals, just as experiences into what is driving changes for your business. 6. Clarizen In case you're searching for a big business class venture the board devices, Clarizen is one of the better alternatives out there. The multi-day preliminary on this instrument, similar to different platforms that offer a more extended preliminary attempt, truly encourages you to become more acquainted with the benefits of this device. The incorporated framework makes it simpler to get to and compose a few unique tasks immediately, all inside one shared group climate. You can likewise assign separate zones for various groups and tasks. Add to that the capacity to organize and sort out basic assignments, and even entire ventures and portfolios, and this makes managing bigger associations a lot less complex. In any case, that per-client cost implies that the expense can swell after some time, particularly at higher membership levels and with enormous groups. 7. Copper Copper has three distinctive membership levels, and you can buy in with month to month or yearly billing. However, taking into account that even their base level membership accompanies boundless clients and boundless undertakings, this is a shockingly reasonable Zoho alternative. The greatest impediment of the base membership is that you just get 10Gb free extra room. The instrument permits you to bring together the entirety of your task archives just as demonstrating a communitarian climate that makes it essentially simpler to monitor various individuals and groups inside your association. The intuitive schedule is moderately simple to utilize, while errands and clock capacities help to keep everybody on target and composed. It additionally makes it simpler to consider your group responsible for their advancement toward basic task objectives. Sadly, the base membership rate doesn't give you admittance to Copper Project's telephone support, yet the mid-level membership does, alongside a few extra apparatuses, and added stockpiling in the Cloud. 8. Celoxis There are two unique approaches to buy into Celoxis, a Cloud form (cited above) with month to month and yearly membership styles, and an on-premise rendition where the software is introduced straightforwardly on your own workers. The on-premise alternative is a one time $450 expense, yet there are extra costs you might need to buy in to, such as progressing support and investigating from the organization. 9. ActiveCollab ActiveCollab is an intriguing stage with regards to that it interfaces with Quickbooks, giving you some extra usefulness on the off chance that you decide to utilize it. ActiveCollab is likewise extraordinary in that as opposed to offering a few genuinely unmistakable membership levels, it has a base member with a $4 every month extra membership you can add when you need it. You can't get the extra membership without the base bundle, yet you additionally don't need to stress over losing significant features or capacities simultaneously. 10. Bitrix24 Bitrix24 is an entirely versatile software that begins by offering a completely free form for private ventures and solopreneurs, however, that can develop to help boundless clients and undertaking estimated groups. Bitrix 24 offers a wide scope of various features, including on the web-store support, differing levels of free cloud-based capacity, and CRM advertising solutions. The specific features you get, and how helpful they can become, relies generally upon which membership level you pick. Bitrix24 is so feature-rich that it can on occasion be a drawback of this stage, just because it has a precarious expectation to absorb information and takes a decent cycle of involvement to figure out how to use all the software's features viably. Conclusion While we remain by each stage in this rundown similar to an extraordinary choice, and an incredible Zoho alternative, these are the best choices. Simple to utilize invoices, managing your finances in one place, all of these can be done easily. Choose from one of these invoicing solutions for your business and start invoicing. Read Also: 9apps – An Alternative Other Than Google Playstore

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