Business Adviser Issue No. 8 by CODESM

Issue 8 COMPLIMENTARY COPY

PLAYING GOLF

Can Make Careers and Businesses Grow

The Power of TEAM DYNAMICS is Enormous BEWARE OF SKIMMING AND STOLEN CREDIT CARD DATA

Reasons Your Best Employees Quit You

Content Marketing Mistakes To Avoid

Our Team

Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Letter

STAFF

EMPOWERING SMALL BUSINESS

Andrew Yoo Maggie Yoo Oriol Zertuche John Amour

ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS John Amour David Armstrong Alonzo Cantu Alfonso Cavazos Janet Cavazos Enrique Garza Marco Garza Albert Lopez Dr. Arturo Lopez Shavi Mahtani George Myers Dr. Teofilo Ozuna Carol Schmitt Danny Smith Andrew Yoo Maggie Yoo

CONTACT US In print, online, and in person, nobody connects the people, issues and ideas within valley business owners like Business Adviser.

First let me thank you for your continued support, we hope to establish Business Adviser Magazine as the single most important resource for business owners in the Rio Grande Valley. Our vision is to create a brand that would stand for everything business and support business owners with everything they require outside of their core disciplines. This magazine is the result of an ongoing demand for a reputable, responsible source for business knowledge and advise. The business world can be a scary place, with tough decisions to make and a tough road to success. We plan to ease these situations by providing an online and offline publication that will guide business owners of every level in their ventures. Our team consists of knowledgable entrepreneurs that eat, breathe and live business. With a dedicated panel of industry experts and a hands-on approach to answering business related questions, Business Adviser Magazine helps business owners stay ahead of the competition and empower them into success. Our mission is to inspire the entrepreneurial spirit and foster business growth by providing the resources needed for business owners to prosper. I personally invite you to join Business Adviser Magazine. We are sure that your business will benefit greatly from the exposure generated in this publication, building brand equity and establishing you as an industry authority. Sincerely,

The Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce is a contributing member of Business Adviser Magazine.

Andrew Yoo, CEO & President andrew@businessadvisermagazine.com

In This Issue

6 14 22 24 27 34 36 38 40 42 44

4 REASONS YOUR BUSINESS SHOULD HAVE A BLOG WHY BEING A GENERALIST IS BETTER THAN BEING A SPECIALIST

THE POWER OF TEAM DYNAMICS IS ENORMOUS

MAJOR FAUX PAS YOU NEED TO AVOID IN SOCIAL MEDIA

UNSPOKEN RULES OF A GOOD WEBSITE

RENTING VS BUYING A HOUSE

TOP 7 REASONS TO IMPLEMENT RESPONSIVE WEB DESIGN

BEWARE OF SKIMMING AND STOLEN CREDIT CARD DATA

2ND ANNUAL “ALL-IN FOR EDUCATION” POKER TOURNAMENT HOW TO KEEP YOUR EMPLOYEES FROM QUITTING YOU DON’T LEARN SAFETY BY ACCIDENT RIBBON CUTTINGS

3 FACTORS THAT CAN MAKE OR BREAK YOUR CREDIBILITY

DRESS TO IMPRESS!

SAFEGUARD THE FUTURE OF YOUR BUSINESS REGISTER FOR A TRADEMARK TODAY

CONTENT MARKETING UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANT DO’S AND DON’TS

PLAYING GOLF CAN MAKE CAREERS AND BUSINESSES GROW

SAMUEL TIJERINA NEW GENERAL MANAGER

MARKETING

Reasons Your Business Should Have a Blog The rise of Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ has hit the blogging world hard. Fewer companies are blogging now than before

nly 33 percent of Fortune 500 firms still blog; yet, those who do attract 55 percent more visitors to their websites. Search engines index their websites four times as much. This shows up in the return-on-investment (ROI) on blogging. The ROI of blogging is impressive. 9 out of every 10 companies that blog, see their sales increase within the first seven months. This demonstrates that blogging has not lost its relevance in the age of social media. It matters still.

Therefore, more businesses ought to have a blog. This article suggests four top reasons on why you should create and maintain a blog for your business. Deeper user engagement - You can engage with your customers on a more intimate level if you blog. This engagement happens from both directions. You share helpful tips, information on new products, and other useful information on your blog. Your customers react to that information in the form of comments. Blogs allow customers a convenient way to engage in a productive way and pro-

vide detailed feedback and reviews. Google loves you - There are over a billion websites in the world. Google does not love them all. It likes to show those websites on top that update their content regularly. There is content on website that is not updated very often, and there is little you can do about it. You cannot update the owners’ biography, street address, or the history of the company every week, or month, or even year. But you can create a section for a blog and update it regularly. Frequent updates and quality content will make your website a Google’s darling. You will have more visitors, and consequently, more sales. Lesser help calls - Did it ever occur to you that you can save money on help calls with a blog? Yes, it is possible. Let’s say you own a computer store. You can create a series of blog posts on common technical issues and their solutions. Many users will love to help themselves through those posts, than call you. More exposure - A blog gives you more exposure on the internet. You do not have to stick to your business. Your writing can be creative, yet professional. Let’s say you own a jewelry store. You can write on some of the most credible jewelry stores in your area; or the most weird jewelry designs available in your city. This will give you more exposure as people looking for answers to those questions will find your website.

Blogs allow customers a convenient way to engage in a productive way and provide detailed feedback and reviews. 6

The popularity of social media websites has created an illusion that blogs belong to a bygone era. This is not true. Blogs matter still. In fact, they can be the strongest pillar of your social media strategy. They can make your website more Google friendly, bring in more consumers through exposure and save you money on help calls. Therefore, it is a smart idea to maintain a blog for your business website.

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INVESTMENTS

INVESTMENTS MANAGEMENT

THE POWER OF TEAM DYNAMICS IS ENORMOUS HERE’S HOW TO TAP IT AND MAKE THE MOST OUT OF IT

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MANAGEMENT INVESTMENTS

At the core or at the backstage of all successful corporate houses and booming businesses, stands the driving force of their organizations, which is team dynamics.

nique product? New technology? Exclusive marketing strategies creating brands? These factors are in play on stage, but in the real sense, there’s a team at work. So? Every company has a team! Yes, but what are the dynamics which lay the foundation for good teamwork, turning each member into strong, supporting pillars and keeping teammates bonded with a business’ goals and vision? In a bad team, there are heroes to save the day. And the moment these heroes are unavailable or occupied, the rest of the team members

are like those extras hired only to fill the screen space. However, in a good team there are synchronized and process driven teammates working to achieve their daily targets to excel in annual performance. So what makes these two teams what they are?

CULTURE, ENVIRONMENT, AND APPROACH It’s all about culture, environment, and approach to form professional teams at any workplace. Goals for employees, as individuals and as teams, need to be clearly specified and documented.

Issues such as disputes must be handled delicately and tactfully. There should be a decent level of transparency and the communication gap between decision makers and executioners should be very, very narrow. Good teams require healthy environment, and healthy environment cannot exist without trust. And this cannot be achieved in a specific timeframe; it’s an evolving process. A culture needs to be formed and bred with conscious and regular efforts. Once a culture is established, the teamwork needs less supervision and more roadmaps. They interact, bond, and execute operations being well-synchronized. Big corporate houses regularly hire consultants and organize events which educate employees on teamwork dynamics.

SETTING GOALS Big goals should be divided and assigned in forms of tasks. Each individual and each team should be provided clear instructions of the end-results and the execution plan. These tasks must not be dumped on teams; rather they should be handled by encouraging active participation and initiatives. Listening to feedback plays a vital role. Experienced CEOs and directors know the value of setting goals in the right manner. Allowing participation itself is a disguised form of incentive. Nurturing the emotional needs of a team is crucial for elegant teamwork.

Companies will set independent goals but their teams should work on their goals with interdependence. Clear and well defined goals make teamwork appear like clockwork; different machineries performing different tasks and yet the end result is accurate projection of time.

CRISES… THE MIRROR Performance reports reflect a business’s productivity and profitability. A good report shows the strength of a company’s teamwork. But most of the times these ‘good’ reports come forward when the company is sailing on favorable water conditions. The true strength and brilliance of professional teamwork is seen during the times of crises. Every business has its ups and downs. Progress is about how high a company manages to go when it’s at its ups and how long it holds itself during its downs. During crises company heads get to tap into their team’s leadership skills and innovative aspects. These are the times when the investment of culture, environment and approach pays up. Crises are often the best learning curves for teams to make the best out of favorable market conditions and reach the pinnacle of their industry. For many rising companies, the crises are often the stepping stone of opportunity to fine tune their teamwork and excel, but once the phase of growth comes in, companies often neglect the basics and dynamics of teamwork.

MARKETING

MAJOR FAUX PAS YOU NEED TO AVOID IN SOCIAL MEDIA

ocial media can help you gain followers, generate leads, and grow your business. However, you have to approach the platform in the right way. There are some social media faux pas that you need to avoid. Some of these were once considered as best practices. In this article, we will take a look at some ‘social’ blunders that can damage the reputation and credibility of your brand.

SENDING TWITTER AUTOMATED MESSAGES While the Twitter’s automated messages are a harmless way to connect, they are abused ad nauseam. Sending an automated message when someone follows you on Twitter is overkill. It doesn’t sound genuine. At some point this was considered a best practice, but it has long lost its appeal. If you really want to greet your followers, send them a personal message. If you have a large number of followers, this is nearly impossible. However, even if that is the case, there is no point in sending automated messages. If your brand is serious about establishing personal connections with potential consumers, you should not put them off with automated messages. Remember that there is no such thing as an automated, personal response. A robotic personal message is neither personal nor genuine.

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USE AND ABUSE OF HASHTAGS If you add too many hash tags, your tweets become difficult to read. Your tweets have to be as concise as possible. This will ensure that there is more room for RTs. If your message is short, you don’t have to fill the space with too many hashtags. Also un-researched or unfocused hashtags can make your tweets look silly. A hashtag is a clickable item and allows users to take part in the extended conversation happening around that particular term. If there are no other discussions, there is no point in using a hashtag. It simply gives the impression that you don’t know what you are doing. That is not a problem if you are a new user who is simply testing the platform. But if you represent a brand and you are trying to present yourself as an authority on social media, adding irrelevant hashtags to your tweets can make you look unprofessional.

FAKE FOLLOWERS Some people buy fake social media followers. They believe that having a large number of followers will make them look more important. It probably does. Influential people tend to have several followers. But just because you have followers, you won’t be considered influential if a majority of them are fake followers. People who are new to social media will probably not be able to see through fake profiles, but experienced users are capable of doing that. The huge disparity between the number of followers and the number of follows is a red signal. By simply

running a profile through TwitterAudit, you can see how many fake followers they have. Bogus followers will ruin your credibility. When people realize that you bought followers to inflate your popularity, it will erode their trust in you. Even if other information in your profile is correct, how can anyone trust you? If you are a big brand or a celebrity, it may be possible for your “follower to following ratio” to be abnormal, but for the rest of us, it is not possible. Also, people can quickly spot this.

FUNNELING CONTENT THROUGH AN ADDITIONAL PLATFORM This is a relatively new technique. While this can happen with various social media platforms, let’s see how this happens on Google+. Your posts on Google+ have their own URLs. So when you post some content there, you get a URL. You can share that URL with people. While there is nothing wrong with this practice, some people use this as a technique to increase their Google+ engagement. They will post a link to one of their articles on Google+ and then share the URL of that Google+ post with their followers. When the followers click on that link, they will be taken to their Google+ page. They will have to click on that link on the Google+ page to be taken to the article. As a result, they will get an additional click on Google+. They also get an opportunity to introduce people to their Google+ page. This will probably increase their chances of connecting with them. While this cannot be considered a faux pas, it makes the process of sharing a bit too complex. Additional click-through may benefit the person who shares the

content; however, It is annoying for the audience. Unless, there is a valid reason to funnel your content through another platform, you should simply give your followers the direct link to your content. They will appreciate it.

LINKING FACEBOOK AND TWITTER ACCOUNTS Most online marketers have accounts on both platforms; however, this doesn’t mean that they have to connect the two. The rules for content formatting are different on Facebook and Twitter. The use of the hashtag is also different. Facebook allows you to remove a URL. Also on Facebook, you can write longer posts. There is absolutely no point in having your tweets coming up on your Facebook newsfeeds. There may be a few occasions when this works; however, in most cases, it doesn’t. Your audiences on both platforms are different. Their preferences may be different. If you want to make best use of these two platforms, you have to post separately to each of them.

THE BOTTOM LINE The social media platform keeps changing. What was considered best practice one or two months ago, may be frowned upon today. It is important that you change your strategies when you are required to. This will allow you to represent your brand in the best possible way on these platforms. When used properly, social media will help you build your brand and increase the list of your subscribers/ followers. When you adopt bad practices, it will seriously affect your credibility. So keep yourself abreast of the developments. See how other people are using these platforms and master the rules of the game.

LIFESTYLE

DRESS TO IMPRESS 12

Importance of Building a Business Wardrobe

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LIFESTYLE formal clothes while being at home is a bad idea. Of course you don’t need to wear a sleek business suit when somebody comes to meet you in your house, but you can’t look sloppy and untidy either. You need to maintain a good impression of yourself, irrespective of the fact that you are meeting your clients at your home.

MAINTAIN A PROFESSIONAL IMAGE

ow important is dressing up for the occasion when it comes to attending an official meeting in an exceedingly corporate environment? Believe it or not, it’s very important! When you step outside of your home into a more corporate office environment, you need to look sharp and smart. Dressing-up appropriately not only creates a good ‘first impression’ for your potential clients, but it also boosts your confidence since you feel great about yourself. As a result, you’ll be better equipped to handle tricky situations and negotiations.

WHEN YOU WORK FROM HOME Soloists, especially those who work from their home environments, assume that since they are working from the comfort of their own house, do not need to dress smartly when a client comes to meet them. Assuming that your client will understand that people do not usually wear crisp

Dressing up nicely is really important, but along with that, you also need to make sure that you are comfortable in whatever you are wearing. The ultimate aim of dressing up is to portray a professional image of yourself, which is highly influenced by what you wear, how convincingly you carry it off, the way you talk, and the way you react to different situations. People get an idea of who you are, by judging these elements along with many other ingredients of your personality. Your dressing sense shows how passionate you are about your work. This notion is especially true in corporate environment. Imagine that

Your dressing sense shows how passionate you are about your work.

you walk into a bank and see an official is wearing sagged jeans with a torn T-shirt. What would be your reaction? How would you perceive his character? Will you trust him with your hard-earned cash? Probably not, since he comes across as a lazy, carefree person who is not really interested in what he is doing. The same applies to your working environment. You need to look sharp in order to represent yourself as a dedicated, attentive professional.

HOW TO PICK THE RIGHT CLOTHES The clothes best suited for your work environment largely depend on what kind of industry you are working in. However, these are some of the most basic points which you need to take care ofPick clothes that fit you well. Avoid anything that’s too loose or too tight. Also, make sure the clothes you are buying are comfortable enough. Avoid too much show of skin. Leave those skimpy skirts and hot pants in the wardrobe, else you can end up creating a wrong picture of yourself. Pick the right colors and textures. Avoid shades of gold, silver, and all kinds of neon colors. Also, do not pick anything scruffy, patchy or transparent. So the next time you meet your client, make sure you are dressed to impress!

STRATEGY

WHY BEING A GENERALIST IS BETTER THAN BEING A SPECIALIST The demand of generalists is rapidly rising in corporate scenarios.

he competition in every industry is soaring towards the sky with each passing day, and in order to make your mark, you need to highlight your strongest points. That’s why people introduce themselves as specialists or ‘domain experts’. In today’s scenario, the world is overflowing with specialists in every possible field one can imagine. People think that acquiring the ‘specialist’ tag ensures success, but that’s not true for every scenario. You may find it hard to believe, but being a generalist instead of an expert can be a really smart move. In fact the demand of generalists is rapidly rising in corporate scenarios. Why is that? When you have an office full of specialists and no generalist at all, the work flow suffers. It’s like having an assembly of specialists studying a sample of rock. They will analyze even the minutest detail of the rock, its color, texture, source of formation, density, and water content; but very few will be able to identify that the rock is actually a piece of coal and they will need a generalist to 14

understand that coal is a fuel, which is used by people in all parts of the world!

ally superior and they always try to find universal solutions to their problems.

WHAT EXACTLY GENERALISTS DO

WHY THE FUTURE BELONGS TO THE GENERALISTS

If you want to call yourself a generalist, the first quality you need to acquire is to develop a keenness for learning new things. A generalist should be able to adapt quickly according to the demands of the circumstances he’s facing at that particular moment. There are many instances when generalists are asked to act like specialists in order to achieve certain goals. Specialists show stringency in their thought process. They are usually not capable of visualizing the big picture since their focus is to grow in only their own field of expertise, which can make them less of a team player. Generalists on the other hand can handle different situations and circumstances at the same time. Their decision making power is usu-

their core area of expertise but may affect them in several other ways.

There are several reasons why generalists will soon be considered as an integral part of the corporate worldRISE OF GLOBAL PLATFORMS – The world is now interconnected like never before and in such a scenario, only the generalists can help a corporation understand developments which may not be directly related to

Their decision making power is usually superior and they always try to find universal solutions to their problems.

LESS WASTAGE OF TIME – While a specialist would like to solve a problem by applying a more mechanical solution to it, a generalist could solve it in a much smaller timeframe by offering a diversified opinion. BETTER UTILIZATION OF RESOURCES – Since generalists are skilled at adapting to different environments, they can ensure better utilization of resources. They do not have a restricted mindset which helps them in discovering alternative resources at any given point of time. TEAM PLAYERS – Generalists have the talent of juggling several sets of teams at the same time and a generalist manager can bring a strong sense of team spirit in a corporate environment. So what would it be for you? Do you want to be a generalist or a specialist?

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FINANCE

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INVESTMENTS FINANCE

Stealing account data from a credit card and duplicating the information into another card for fraudulent purposes is called ‘skimming.

mall business owners need to be cautious of something called credit card ‘skimming’. It affects credit card holders, business owners, and merchants as well. It is very important to understand how ‘skimming’ works. First, let’s find out what exactly this skimming activity is all about. Stealing account data from a credit card and duplicating the information into another card for fraudulent purposes is called ‘skimming.’ During active and legit transactions, card holders (and most of the times retailers too) are completely unaware that the card’s data is being stolen. A consumer walks into an ATM or a gas station and uses their credit card for withdrawal or for making a payment. And while a transaction is in process, all data (including account number) is transmitted electronically to another card reader. These tricky card readers are often carefully hidden and attached to the POS (pointof-sale) devices. Data from a legit credit card is mapped to another card, and soon that counterfeit card is prepared to be used anywhere in the world. Affected cardholders receive updates after the damage has occurred. This is a grim scenario.

HOW IS CREDIT CARD SKIMMING DONE? Unauthorized card readers are attached in front of actual card reading slots of ATMs and other POS devices, at places like gas pumps or wherever credit card transactions are done. Credit card information is captured by these card readers as cardholders attempt to use the machines in front of them. There have been instances where skimming devices were found on the doorframe slots of ATM vestibules. Unsuspecting consumers dip their card into such rigged doorframe

slots to open the door, and within a few seconds, their card information and account details get stolen. Many times, the skimming devices capture information from ATMs while legit transactions are in progress. These devices can also be placed in the pinholes set for video cameras in ATM machines. And, at times, fraudsters can even use a secondary keyboard laid over the original keyboard to capture the card’s PIN (personal identification number). Card skimmers either work alone or in groups. They usually befriend corrupt employees working in cafés, restaurants, and bars, etc.; or sometimes take a temp job at such places. Who will suspect a legit employee at these places while handing their credit card! The technique and strategy works well and has been successful for a long time. Skimmers shrewdly conceal their skimming devices within or close to the POS equipment, and collate data as much as possible. There are handheld skimming devices too, which can be easily hidden in a pocket. Then, certain ‘gifted’ fraudsters are known to use sleight of hand for skillfully swiping a credit card, right under the nose of its cardholder. Skimmers use all sorts of ways to strip data from the magnetic stripes set behind

In the U.S. alone, credit card skimming causes losses of up to $8B annually! 80% of the frauds are conducted using ATMs

credit cards. The stolen data opens door for illegitimate purchases which can be done online or in-person. Often, such fraudulent transactions go undetected for a long while. Usually, cardholders realize the problem once they get their card’s monthly statement. Those consumers who don’t bother to regularly check the monthly statements find their cards utilized up to the worst limits. This is the reason why banks emphasize on reviewing credit card statements on a monthly basis, and ask for immediate reporting of suspicious transactions.

HOW FAR HAS THE SKIMMING ‘BUSINESS’ GONE? According to a report pulled up in 2010, credit card skimming causes losses in the billions. In the U.S. alone, the approximate loss comes up to $8B annually! 80% of the frauds are conducted using ATMs. Banks, merchants and government agencies have adopted many security policies and techniques to fight skimming. Still, a most recent report shows the loss of $2B due to financial data breaches – money stolen through credit and debit cards. Keep in mind that this figure does not include the losses borne by merchants. This amount is for cardholders only. If merchant losses are to be included, then the figure would shoot up to tens of billions… and that too in a year! According to a research, data theft of credit cards in the U.S. is mostly perpetrated by organized gangs belonging to various countries. The research also mentioned that Eastern Europe seems to be a thriving market (black market) dealing in skimming equipment. And not just equipment; but of late, even financial data is brought and sold on a regular basis. Agencies, responsible for apprehending skimmers, say that most of the times it becomes difficult for them to authenticate fraudulent transactions since many financial institutions maintain a discreet position when asked for an assessment. According to the concerned agencies, skimmers have also started strongly focusing on debit cards – a faster way to get hands on cash.

FINANCE Frauds through debit cards (using PINs) have quintupled, given the banking industry data. Crooks are successfully managing to acquire debit card PINs through skimming and data-recording via ATMs.

WAYS TO PROTECT SMALL BUSINESSES FROM THE CLUTCHES OF SKIMMING Many businesses have fallen prey to skimmers. Despite the measures you take, there are chances of your business becoming a victim of skimming. In such situations, there are security programs to safeguard your business from the disastrous impact of data breaches (physical and virtual). These security programs are designed to help businesses handle the expenses occurring due to actual and suspected breaches. No matter what your business’s PCI compliance status is, expenses associated with data breach will be taken care of (as long as there’s no evidence of your involvement in the breach).

Usually, financial damages for small business incurred from data breaches escalates to the range of $25,000 to $50,000 Usually, financial damages for small business incurred from data breaches escalates to the range of $25,000 to $50,000. In some situations, the damages can even exceed this range. Such losses can easily lead most small businesses to a permanent shutdown. But these disasters can be avoided by opting for data breach coverage tools, which are not only comprehensive but affordable too. Most security programs cover credit monitoring, card replacement costs and other rel-

evant expenses. Many merchants are now shifting to EMV enabled billing instead of magnetic strips. EMV is much safer than magnetic strips, and can prevent huge losses. Customers also prefer EMV cards these days as they offer a safe transaction. Don’t let issues like credit card skimming and data breaches affect your valuable business. Take the right and required measures as soon as you can.

Business Payment Systems (956) 232-8164 info@bpsmerchant.com bpsmerchant.com 3900 N. JACKSON ROAD PHARR, TX 78577

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INVESTMENTS

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INVESTMENTS

A web designer’s job is no different than an artist’s. But then there are amateurs and there are true artists. It’s stating the obvious, but a much ignored fact is that the whole purpose of a website is to appeal to its viewer and benefit to its owner. Keep reading to find out if you are not missing anything.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS – THE MAKEUP

You never get a second chance to make a first impression.

There’s a saying, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. How true, especially for today’s consumers. With more and more products and sites out there, consumers’ attention span seems to be getting shorter by the day. They reach your site, take a look and if they are not comfortable, they just move on. So the first and foremost aspect is to keep your visitor hooked on to the site. Easy said, but what exactly to work upon.

Placing of web parts: Your web pages shouldn’t be too cluttered. We are aware that site owners demand to utilize all the space visible to them. But space is not about showing the white background, it’s about how you place your components such as your navigation panels, your search boxes and images. If you have a lot of text content, maintain a uniform look throughout. The spaces between your texts and the structure of the content needs to be even. If you have images – they need to be organized in flow of strips. Also, if you want to spotlight a particular block of text or image, surround them with empty spaces. This would make them appear larger and add focus towards them. Buttons: They should not be too flashy and distracting, but at the same time they should be recognized for what they are – buttons. The shape of buttons, the color theme, the effects to display ‘clicked’ from static and the

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INVESTMENTS

font size of its labels needs to be consistent across your web pages. Keep it simple and do not confuse the users. Storytelling pictures: Whatever your product is, there should be a decent collection of pictures/images to greet the visitors. These pictures should give a good idea about the brand and its products and services. Popular brands hire photographers and even illustrators to develop catchy and message-bound pictures.

THEY LIKE YOU. SO NOW GET ON TO BUSINESS. Once the visitor stops at your site and stays, the next thing they look out for is information to do business with the site owner. So let’s take a look at the core elements which lead an interested visitor to turn into a potential customer.

You do not want to bore them, but you also want them to know the good stuff about the company.

About us: Consumers often want to know whom they are dealing with. So once they are interested in the services and products at a particular site, most of them click on the “About us” page. Now, bigger and popular brands might not pay much attention to this page (though they do), small time businesses need to be extremely focused on the information on this page. But while providing information, avoid getting too wordy. You do not want to bore them, but you also want them to know the good

stuff about the company. You can share some information about the people associated with the company, like their photos, their professional details, and the company’s achievements. Contact information: Nothing much to say here as everyone avoids mistakes with this part. But ensure that this vital information is not only on the Contact Us page but also on the header of the main pages and also near the navigation links. It’s a common practice.

Search: The search boxes should always be placed at the top section of the pages. At times, revisiting users want to check up information on an earlier product. Or while navigating, new users might just want to type and search for specific items. Keep it handy for them and design the boxes to accept a variety of queries. Signups: Once the consumers are interested in dealing with the site, they opt for signing up. This is the site and its contents taking care of itself. But as a designer you have to place options for the site to make attempts for a sale. If a visitor has accessed the site and is about to leave, a signup page should make an appearance highlighting the USPs of the site and provide quick signup options. If you have come across something new here, make sure you use them while designing your website. Else, if you are aware of all the points mentioned by us, do not fail to make a small checklist and verify if your site isn’t missing out on things discussed here. Address: 3900 N. Jackson Road Pharr, TX 78539 Phone: +956 240 2771 Email: info@codesm.com website: codesm.com

FINANCE

Renting Vs Buying

a House

Most of my clients, often ask me what will be better, to rent or to buy a house? The answer is not too easy. Buying and renting it’s not comparing apples to apples. There are a lot of factors that need to be taking in consideration. Let’s analyze the two options. RENTING A HOUSE: When you rent, your family is living in a rented house on a temporary basis. Renters should keep in mind that they cannot control their housing destiny. Often when you rent you do not get to pick the location of the house, nor the size or the quality of their home. If the property-owner decides to sell the house, renters will be looking for a new home. The landlord can also increase the rent at the end of the lease/rental agreement, which it will make a dent on your financials. Also take in consideration the fact that you are throwing your money away, every month. Rent is a good solution for clients that are in the process of working on their credit or they are barely starting on their credit. Rent should be consider as a temporally solution to your housing needs.

BUYING A HOUSE: Owning a home can and will give you a sense of security that you cannot find in a rental unit. Home owners can tailor their home to their individual needs, as opposed to rental units, where their options are more limited. Home owners have the sense of permanence and

the feeling of being part of a community when they own a home. Interest on a home mortgages is a tax deductible, as well as your home taxes. Another benefit is that owning a house give’s you the ability to do with it what you want (subject to neighborhood rules, of course). Aside from the tax benefits and the feeling of security; buying a house is everyone’s biggest investment. Home buying it’s a great investment in good times because it is usually leveraged to a great degree.

In conclusion, renting or buying a house it totally depends on every single client, and everybody is not the same. So, consult with your mortgage banker, explore your options, and check if you are eligible for any Down Payment As-

sistance, this assistance can help you minimize the cost of purchasing your home. Make sure you ask as many questions as you may have. For a free consultation and/ or credit analysis, feel free to contact me.

Edgar J Hernandez Branch Manager-PRMI RGV NMLS# 226169

O: 956-616-4926 Fax 1.800.519.7915 www.PRMIUSA.COM

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INVESTMENTS

Advantages of Implementing

Responsive Web Design

esponsive design is essentially a web design technique that creates websites that respond to the screen size of the user’s device. The popularity of mobile devices like tablets and smartphones is the driving force behind the ever growing demand for responsive design. These devices have smaller screens compared to regular desktops or laptops. This presents many challenges. When people view a website optimized for large screens on a smaller screen, the experience is not pleasant. This forced several companies to launch a mobile version of their site. While this solved part of the problem, it was not the best solution. When your website has a responsive design, you do not have to redirect your visitors to the mobile version of the site. Here are the top 7 reasons to implement responsive design.

1. IMPROVED USER EXPERIENCE Websites that get a sizable traffic from mobile devices can improve their user experience and revenues by simply implementing the responsive design. This will automatically adjust the content on the site to fit the size of the screen. The result is an enhanced user experience and happy customers.

2. INCREASED SALES AND REVENUE Responsive design eliminates the need to create a mobile

friendly version of the site. It also eliminates the need for redirection. Since it uses Standardized Style Sheets (CSS) it creates an appearance that looks and feels consistent across devices. Consistent user experience is known to increase your conversion rates.

3. ELIMINATES THE NEED TO ANALYZE MULTIPLE ANALYTICS REPORTING When you have multiple versions of the same site, you will have to track your visitors, conversions, and sales funnels across them. This is quite time consuming. Analytics tools such as Google Analytics can handle responsive reporting and multiple devices. So you will only have to analyze a single condensed report. This enables faster monitoring.

ing your site. Since responsive design makes it possible to serve the same site across different devices, you need to maintain only a single set of URLs. This strengthens your SEO campaigns and improves your visibility in SERPs.

5. YOU CAN STOP WORRYING ABOUT DUPLICATE CONTENT When you have multiple versions of the same site, Google will treat it as duplicate content. This will seriously reduce your search rankings. Since responsive design eliminates the need to run a mobile version of the site, you do not have to worry about duplicate content. Google has also confirmed that responsive sites optimized for mobile devices tend to perform much better in localized search results.

4. INCREASED VISIBILITY IN GOOGLE

6. YOU CAN SAVE MONEY ON MOBILE DEVELOPMENT

When your site has a responsive design, you will have to spend less time on maintain-

Implementing a responsive design is faster and easier than building a mobile ver-

sion of the site. Also managing a single site is easier than managing multiple sites.

7. IMPROVES OFFLINE BROWSING EXPERIENCE HTML5 comes with offline browsing capabilities. This allows users to easily access web content ‘on the go’. Since most tablets and smartphones are HTLM5 enabled, this is becoming extremely important. Users, for example, can read email newsletters in an HTML5 enabled browser even when they don’t have an internet connection. As the popularity of tablets and smartphones increases, building websites with a responsive design will become imperative. If your content isn’t optimized for mobile devices, you will lose a large number of visitors who access your site on their tablets and mobile phones. Isn’t that a reason enough to implement a responsive design?

E C K AR A M

PLAY

G IN

INESSES

One thing which sets golf apart from other popular sports is that only the ‘elite’ can afford to play it.

ifferent kinds of sports attract different kinds of crowds. The crowd at Flamingo Bowl is way different than the one at a golf course. One thing which sets golf apart from other popular sports is that only the ‘elite’ can afford to play it. The cost of the sport sets an economical barrier which only successful business owners, affluent managers, and well-off executives and professionals can afford to get through.

AND US

RS • EE

• CA N

INVESTMENTS STRATEGY

THE CONNECTION BETWEEN GOLF AND BUSINESS WORLD Usually, a group of four players pair up for a game. And these four players often share similar backgrounds; for instance, all four could be successful entrepreneurs, or executives. One round of golf is known to last for 4 hours. This gives enough time for the players to exchange long conversations and to get acquainted with each other well enough. So if you intend to build a network with these influential people,

getting into golf would be a brilliant move. The more you play, the more time you get to spend with them. You listen to their ideas and thought-processes, and you share your innovative mind, while enjoying a strategic game.

OPPORTUNITIES It’s highly impossible that four business people spend 4 hours together and do

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INVESTMENTS STRATEGY

not discuss business related things. Being around, you might pick up opportunities just by listening to them. Someone might be concerned with finding ways to save on merchant services, while another teammate might be on the lookout for innovative marketing ideas. Here’s where you can step forward and offer solutions (framed as suggestions). As a group member, you’d receive some good level of trust and you’ll have the chance to speak more openly. Meeting a person in an outdoor environment rather than an office place makes a lot of difference. During these game sessions, you also get to hear some of the ‘inside stories’ about certain corporate houses or government policies. Also, things like upcoming business models or products in development phase get discussed too.

BECOMING A FAMILIAR FACE Playing golf can also be fruitful if you want to become a known face to your company’s CEO or a big corporate

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INVESTMENTS STRATEGY

So if you intend to build a network with these influential people, getting into golf would be a brilliant move.

client. On the golf field during a game, every participant is merely a player, regardless of their social status in the outside world. Imagine what spending 4 hours with your top boss can do for you. Chances are that you might get more recognition in the office than compared to your other buddies who spend their leisure time by going for bowling.

EASY WAYS TO BLEND IN

KEEP YOUR HEAD IN THE GAME TOO

Ask about the different stances or positions required for hitting certain kind of shots. But do your own homework on understanding the various clubs – woods, irons, wedges, and putters – and other basics of the game. You are not their student. You’re expected to be a golf enthusiast, who is on the field to enjoy the game and improve performance. This is the kind of image you need to build, maintain, and carry.

Building relations with the top brass through golf is brilliant; but make sure to remember who you’re dealing with. You have to show interest in the game and play it with the required golfer’s spirit. Playing golf is fun, so it won’t take much effort. Paying attention to the sport will automatically blend you in with the other players. If they find that you’re less interested in the clubs and the ball compared to chatting with them, they would start maintaining distance from you. But if your mind is in the game, then the pace of your ‘chit-chat’ will appear completely natural. And you’ll be counted as one of them.

One of the best ways to get oriented with the game is to ask for tips and ideas for the game. Your elite teammates will be willing to share their knowledge with a newcomer, which would make them appear as professionals. Who wouldn’t like the feeling of that! Let them have their ‘moment’ while you learn the game.

Another good technique is to get acquainted with the terms/ jargons related to golf. Learn the language. Every sport has its language. Develop the ears and the tongue required for it. Picture yourself in a meeting with your colleagues and the

CEO (or your client), who’s also your golf buddy. Now during the meeting, some problem or idea is brought up by one of the participants. In that instance, you translate it into your golf language and blurt it out. What will happen? There are high chances that you and the CEO (or client) would share an instant smile, because you two would be the only two people to understand it. A connection gets built! These are small things, but they contribute in the creation of long term relationships. In your spare time, instead of sticking to the regular habit of checking social networking sites, go through online content on golf. Knowing the name ‘Tiger Woods’ isn’t enough. Watch a few games and get acquainted with related events and news. With little effort and interest, you’ll soon find yourself turning into a natural golfer.

for a long time have created alliances and started business ventures. Then, there are scenarios wherein business leaders start a game by bringing up some half-baked business strategy and by the end of that game, they have a full-fledged strategy ready for execution. With one game – one strategy is ready with everyone on board. The benefits of this kind of discussion are numerous: People speak freely to each other, listen more attentively to the other person, everyone’s highly energetic, and even the weakest of ideas which can cause embarrassments in conference rooms are blown off with laughter in the open fields. Due to golf, business ideas, relations, and alliances get developed without adding stress. What can be more beneficial than doing your usual business networking out in the open fields while playing a good game of golf ?

OTHER BENEFITS There are instances where a group of executives who have played golf with each other

INVESTMENTS

SAMUEL TIJERINA NEW GENERAL MANAGER

Samuel Tijerina has been working as a General Sales Manager at Mercedes-Benz of San Juan since September 2010. During his stint at Mercedes, he has won several accolades. 32

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COVER STORY

e was one among the top three New Cars Sales Managers in the region. He is also a distinguished member of Mercedes-Benz Century Club and the National Lineset Committee. The 33 year old Samuel Clark Tijerina was born in Edinburg, Texas. He went to McAllen public school and graduated from Memorial High School in 1999. After he completed his graduation, he went to Texas University in San Antonio. While pursuing higher education, he also held a job at Ken Batchelor Cadillac. In 2003, Tijerina graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration in management with a minor in finance. As an academically brilliant student, he topped his class. Tijerina started working when he was nine. After university, he moved to Austin, Texas with the sole objective of becoming a successful automobile salesman. His first job outside college was at Maxwell Chrysler South. During his tenure at Maxwell Chrysler South, Tijerina won the 'Salesman of the Month' award. He then quit that job to join his family business - Spikes Ford - at Mission in Texas. After contributing to his family business for some time, he decided to launch his own business. He started his first venture South Texas Leasing in Sharyland. The financial recession that hit the US and several other countries impacted his business as well. In order to tide over the crisis, Tijerina took up a job as a used car manager with Bert Ogden. Shortly after, Tijerina became the General Sales Manager at Bert Ogden GMC. A meeting with Alfonso Cavazos, who is a managing partner at Mercedes, encouraged him to join their team. Tijerina was one of the top three New Car Sales Managers in the area in 2011. He is also a member of the National Lineset Committee, which helps in manufacturing cars for the factory. Recently Mercedes won 'Best of the Best' for the second time in three years. A skilled leader, Tijerina enjoys meeting and interacting with people and helping them make the right choices. He is task oriented and ambitious, and possesses a strong desire to learn and master new skills. In this interview, Tijerina talks to us about his new job, his role at Mercedes, and the things he learned after occupying this position.

executive at Spikes Ford. I held that job until I graduated from college. While pursuing my higher studies at Texas University, I took up a job as a service representative at Ken Batchelor Cadillac. After graduation, I joined Maxwell South and sold cars for almost 2 years. In 2005, I got an opportunity to come back to Spikes Ford. I started as a salesman and in just 3 years became the general sales manager. When the company that owned Spikes Ford bought another Ford store at La Porte, Texas, I joined the new firm as a General Manager. I worked with them for about two years and then went to the Rio Grande Valley to start my own used car dealership. I worked in South Texas Leasing for well over a year. While running my own car lot, I also worked as a Finance Manager at Frank Smith Toyota. I accepted a job at the Bert Ogden Group in 2009 and went on to become their General Sales Manager.

Us: Tell us something about your early career. How did you get into this business? Samuel: At 15, I started my career as a sales

Us: What do you need to work with the employees of Mercedes Benz? How do you handle criticism?

Us: What caught your interest in Mercedes Benz? Samuel: I always wanted to work with a luxury brand because I love the high level of service that we are able to give to our customers. We are empowered to do this because it is what truly separates us from non-luxury counterparts. Us: So was it a dream opportunity when this managerial position came along? Samuel: I am a true believer of the saying that when one door closes, another one opens. Obviously, it has been a dream of mine to be a general manager, and one a day an owner/operator of a dealership. Since the time I sold my very first car, I have always had this position as the light at the end of the tunnel. Us: Give us an idea of your input and approach at Mercedes-Benz. Samuel: I try and put myself in the customer’s shoes in any situation to empathize how they are feeling. Every situation might possibly need another but similar approach for handling the matter. Us: What challenges do you face as a manager? Samuel: Every day we face new challenges, such as handling the parking situation with the overflow of cars. No opportunity is too big or too small to be involved with.

Samuel: I handle criticism very well. I especially welcome constructive criticism because if we or I didn’t know what we were doing wrong, then we/I would never know what to do to change for the better. Us: What makes you a good fit for the company? Samuel: Mercedes-Benz of San Juan instills some of the same core values that directly reflect my personal life. Mercedes truly cares in making a difference in people’s lives. Not just customers, but also our employees are what make Mercedes a great company to work for. Us: How much does it mean to you to be managing at Mercedes Benz? Samuel: It means the world to me to be able to manage and work with the best team in the world in this industry. I truly regained my passion for this business in which I had lost since leaving Spikes Ford. Every day I come in to work with the same positive outlook on life and it only gets better every day. Us: All through your career, what would you call your key learning? Samuel: My key learning came from my many years at Spikes Ford. My grandfather, Clark Spikes Jr., taught me a lot about what it was to be successful in this business – to take care of people as if they were family and to always know where you came from. He proudly says, “I hope and wish, one day I can be just like my father. He is truly a Renaissance man and a great contributor to the community.”

INVESTMENTS

2 Annual “All-in for Education” nd

Poker Tournament The continued growth and economic stability of this region depends upon ensuring educational opportunities for new generations of students. The Mission Chamber, along with our event sponsors, is pleased to contribute and be a part of that promising future. By Jose S. De Leon III

he stakes for local college scholarships were raised July 19 as the Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce held the second annual All-in for Education poker tournament fundraiser. The event was presented and held at McAllen’s Desperado Harley-Davidson, located at 1201 S. Bentsen road.

Over 100 players participated in the tournament, which raised scholarships for Mission students Juan Garcia, Karen A. Munoz and Aileen Hernandez. They all graduated from their respective high schools this past spring and are set to begin their first semester in college this coming fall.

The fundraiser, free for spectators, featured a Deep-Stack No-Limit Texas Hold ‘Em Tournament where tickets for each players cost $175. Players enjoyed complimentary appetizers sponsored by Ace’s Bar-B-Q , Buck’s Pizza, Budweiser, Chili’s, Molcas, Russo’s New York Pizzeria, Wings and Flats and Sweet Deals Bakery as well as an open bar.

“The continued growth and economic stability of this region depends upon ensuring educational opportunities for new generations of students. The Mission Chamber, along with our event sponsors, is pleased to contribute and be a part of that promising future by supporting our youth through these types of scholarships”, said George Myers, President/CEO of the Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce.

Prizes for the top seven players were awarded as well, with the grand prize winner going home with a 2015 Harley-Davidson Street 750. Other prizes included a diamond ring sponsored by Portillo Jewelers.

Eric Sternberg, the chief operating officer of McAllen’s Harley Davidson, remarked on how the event was a reflection of the hard work and generos-

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COMMUNITY

a great opportunity for all of us to meet new people as we support these students in their future endeavors.” Other sponsors included Magic Valley Electric Cooperative, Spikes Ford, Aaron’s Furniture Store and Amartec Web Design and Development in McAllen. Cassandra Contreras, owner of Sweet Deals Bakery at 1004 Kika de La Garza in Mission, agreed with Sternberg’s statement on community engagement.

ity of Harley Davidson and The Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce. “We’re always looking to help the community and this is for a good cause,” the 57-year-old New Jersey native said. “Since this is the second year, there’s more awareness about the event and it’s

We’re always looking to help the community and this is for a good cause

“[All-in] is a great idea because it has everyone in the community interacting with each other and doing something fun for education,” the Mission resident said. “It just reflects how great this community can be.” After another successful fundraiser, expect the Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce to continue hosting other events that support the community and its citizens

MANAGEMENT

How to Keep Your

Employees from

Quitting You Market gurus say that most often when people resign, they don’t quit their jobs or workplaces, they quit their bosses.

s a company manager, you put a lot of money in attracting and hiring new talent to join your team; but what about the employees who have worked with you for quite a while, and are now ‘assets’ for your business? Market gurus say that most often when people resign, they don’t quit their jobs or workplaces, their quit their bosses. It’s not always but money, not everyone jumps for it. You might disagree, but do a little research on the net and you’ll find the primary reasons are quite different. Let us save some

of your time by sharing the most common reasons for employees to quit their jobs.

THE FEELING OF BEING A HIRED HELP RATHER THAN BEING PART OF A WORKFORCE Employees like to be treated as a workforce- they like to be a part of something bigger than just their daily work activities. As a boss and as a manager, you need to involve them in your business vision. Show them the roadmap leading to that vision. Explain them how their daily contributions add up to a big step or a

leap for getting closer to the overall goals and objectives. They just can’t do things because ‘you said so’. Give them a well-defined purpose and you’ll see them finding their own dedication. For skilled and ambitious people, doing meaningful tasks is a big deal. They consider clarity as an opportunity. So, go ahead and give them this ‘opportunity’.

LACK OF EMPATHY

Employees expect two things from their bosses: 1) Guidance and 2) Empathy. These two factors mean a great deal. As managers or business owners, we often receive a lot of training and understanding of the ‘guidance’ aspect, but ‘empathy’ is derived from genuine interest and participation. Your employees need to accept you as a part of

their team rather than think of you as an emotionless taskmaster. A simple gesture of patiently listening to an individual team member’s concerns can add a lot to your management skills. Remember, not all employees are cribbers. Most of the times, they have reasonable concerns which need to be dealt with. And the best first-action is to keep an empathetic approach. Also, when there’s a concern or a situation for which no solution can be provided, then at least provide logical explanations and reasons. You don’t have to agree with everything they say, but you can give them the comfort of being heard.

LOW SCOPE OF CAREER GROWTH

Today, employees are highly focused on career advancements. They need movement, growth – vertically or horizontally. They avoid sticking to just one single department and same job profile for too long. You need to work on carving career paths for people working under you, and share the structure with them. They have to know

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MANAGEMENT there’s a business expansion is near future, let your employees know the scope of it. Of course, not all employees are equal. And setting a career path for all employees might not always be practical, but it’s worth the effort of retaining resourceful employees.

4 your set expectations for gaining a certain promotion, or the qualities they need to work on for lateral growth, by working in different departments. Whichever way it is, growth is necessary. And maintaining transparency, by explaining the rules, gives them hope. If they miss a promotion, they must be provided valid reasons. Sometimes people just migrate to other organizations, assuming there aren’t enough growth opportunities in their existing company. Corporate houses keep publishing news related to their future projects. Make sure your people know that even their company is working on the same lines. There should be timely announcements and circulations about the projects in the pipeline and other relevant updates. If

TEDIOUS ENVIRONMENT

More and more research studies show that taking quick breaks improves productivity. Many companies allow access to social websites and other entertainment sites for their employees. The idea is to provide them an outlet to exert the work pressure and work in a comfortable environment. In today’s fast paced and

interconnected world, adding restriction ends up in frustrating people. We have to try new means and methods to keep employees engaged and energetic. Traditional working methods, such as gluing a person to the desk for 8-9 hours, aren’t helpful anymore. Certain corporate houses even dedicate space for leisure purposes, like a small area for games and relaxing. When the workplace is comfortable, and there’s freedom and space for doing quality work, people willingly put more effort (and time too) to meet the targets set by their bosses. It’s a give-and-take relationship. You’ve to get work done,

but at the same time, you don’t want to exhaust them. A comfortable environment can help relieve a good amount of work pressure. This is not just a theory. If you check the net, you will come across many companies who invest time and money to make their workplace as friendly and flexible as possible.

POOR REWARDS AND COMPENSATIONS

Rewards and recognition programs are great ways of showing your appreciation and rewarding efforts. But often these programs are organized to fulfill some

mandatory ritual which doesn’t carry much importance. The gift items offered in these programs need to convey your genuine appreciation. There are many companies which specialize in such products. They can arrange for cost-effective gift items customized as per your requirements. Use these modern, innovative methods to boost your employees’ spirits. These were the top reasons why most employees abandon their current company. Giving some thought to these issues can help you retain valuable human resources. An existing employee (a

good one) is someone who has spent sufficient time in your organization, and has a lot of understanding of your ways of working and your business culture. Losing this kind of employee to your competitors, for issues which you can easily take care of, is not a wise thing to do. Also, by neglecting these concerns you not only lose the existing skilled people, but you also breed an environment which will most likely suffocate the new batch of the workforce which you’re hiring.

MANAGEMENT

Don’t Learn Safety by Accident

ou work in a refinery, which provides safety equipment: hardhat, FRs (flame-resistant clothing), and safety goggles. Since it’s so hot, you don’t always wear your goggles. When there’s a flare-up, some shrapnel hits your eye. The doctor says you will never see out of that eye again. You have an accident plan that pays you thousands of dollars for the loss of your eye. That helps, but you’ve still lost the use of your eye. Could this have been prevented? Some facts about accidents (The National Safety Council, 2012): • Every hour there are 15 accidental deaths and 4,440 disabling injuries. • Accidents are the leading cause of death among all persons up to age 42.

• Each year, at least 1 in 8 persons seeks medical attention for an injury. • 9 out of 10 accidental deaths occur off the job. • Nearly three-fourths of disabling injuries occur in the home. • The average economic impact of an accident is $5,900 per household. Some of the most common accidents: • Sleep-deprived drivers causing traffic accidents • Drivers using cell phones to talk, text, or navigate causing traffic accidents • Slipping, tripping, or falling • Being struck by objects • Injury caused by using poor lifting techniques Clearly, accidental injuries are NOT limited to the workplace. They can easily occur at home or out in your

community. So a supplemental accident plan that pays benefits directly to you is generally a good idea, for your whole family, no matter where you work. And if you could get a plan that’s going to refund your premium after a certain amount of time, why wouldn’t you? If you work in the oilfields, you may have to move heavy machinery. Most workplaces require a partner for moving items over 50 pounds, to prevent injury. Sometimes you just want to move it yourself, rather than wait for help. But which makes more sense, getting the job done quickly, by yourself, and risking injury that could have you on your back for weeks, or getting it done correctly and safely? If you work in an air-conditioned office, the risk of injury may be a bit lower. But

you and your son are building a treehouse in the back yard. Your 8-year-old isn’t strong enough to spot your ladder, or help you lift things to the height you need. It makes sense to ask your brother to help out, to assure safety in lifting, climbing the ladder, and other potential hazards. It takes longer that way, but it’s definitely safer. Your accident policy is a safety net, to help you to get through a tough time financially, after an unexpected injury. Your Family Heritage InjurCare plan pays benefits for emergency treatment, imaging, ambulance, fractures, hospitalization, physical therapy, and other medical issues around accidents. There are even benefits for dismemberment or accidental death. But make no mistake; having an accidental injury plan is NO SUBSTITUTE for taking precautionary measures to ensure your safety, on the job or off. When it comes to safety, it’s always better to err on the side of caution. Maybe you already have an accidental injury policy. That’s great! Maybe you don’t have a policy yet. Either way, it makes sense to learn more about what’s available now. Contact your Family Heritage representative today, and find out how easily you can enroll yourself and your family in an accidental injury plan. You’ll be glad you did.

Jose Orona (210) 823-1744 8000 IH W STE 600 San Antonio, TX 78230

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COMMUNITY

RIBBON CUTTINGS JUNE 25, 2014 TEXAS REGIONAL BANK

JUNE 27, 2014 RANCH HOUSE BURGERS II

The Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce welcomed Texas Regional Bank to the Mission Chamber family. The event took place at 2308 East Griffin Parkway, Mission, Texas.

The Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce welcomed Ranch House Burgers II to the Mission Chamber family. The event took place at 208 North La Homa Road, Palmview, Texas.

JULY 28, 2014 RODIZIO GRILL

JUNE 26, 2014 ALEJANDRO’S MEXICAN RESTAURANT The Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce welcomed Alejandro’s Mexican Restaurant to the Mission Chamber family. The event took place at 302 West Griffin Parkway, Mission, Texas.

The event took place at 4013 West Exp. Way 83 in McAllen.Rodizio Grill, The Brazilian Steakhouse, offers over a dozen rotisserie grilled meats, perfectly seasoned and carved tableside by Rodizio Gauchos. Their grilling process is traditional to the Southern part of Brazil, specifically in Sao Paulo. The Rodizio Gaucho, in dress and in carving method, is what you would find if you were dining in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Everything at Rodizio Grill, the Brazilian Steakhouse, is the Brazilian way! Rodizio Grill is proud to offer 100% gluten-free grilled items.

JULY 25, 2014 EXOTIC BERRY FROZEN YOGURT

JULY 11, 2014 HEB RE-GRAND OPENING The Greater Mission Chamber of commerce joined HEB-Plus on Shary on the re-grand opening

The Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce welcomed Exotic Berry Frozen Yogurt to the Mission Chamber family. The event took place at 5025 W. Expressway 83 Suite 160, McAllen Texas.

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AUGUST 6, 2014 ASADERO LOS CABRITOS The event will take place at 1512 E Expressway 83 Suite 104 in Mission. Asadero Los Cabritos is your answer to the REAL taste of cabrito! From your traditional Mexican dishes such as panchos, tacos, sincronizadas and parilladas to exotic and unique delicacies such as whole and half cabritos, Asadero Los Cabritos will satisfy the entire family. Present your GoMission Value Card to receive an EXCLUSIVE offer of 10% off your entire ticket!

AUGUST 1, 2014 GODDESS FASHION The event took place at 3009 North Inspiration Road Suite A, in Mission. For the sophisticated fashionista in us all, Goddess Fashion brings you high quality clothing, shoes and accessories. Whether you are shopping for bold statement jewelry, show stopping shoes, or everyone’s favorite little black dress, Goddess Fashion is your one stop shop for all things glamorous. Present your GoMission Value Card for an exclusive 15% off discount!

AUGUST 7, 2014 BODY BRITE The event took place at 4900 W. Expressway 83 Suite 180 in McAllen. BodyBrite is a global leader in the beauty industry. Services include hair removal, skin rejuvenation, oxygen treatments, teeth whitening and skin assessment.

STARTUP

Check the 3 factors shared by some of the reputed personality development experts to help you maintain healthy credibility.

FACTORS THAT CAN MAKE OR BREAK

YOUR CREDIBILITY 42

hen we converse with people, we only pay attention to our words. But we almost forget to focus on the things which we say through our body language, our eye movements, and the pattern of our speech. Sometimes, you might be just explaining your problem to someone; but to the other person, it might come across as complaining, or even worst â&#x20AC;&#x201C; accusing. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just one example. Apart from the way of speaking, the way you meet people and the way you conduct a meeting or participate in it matters a lot. Check the 3 factors shared by some of the reputed personality development experts to help you maintain healthy credibility.

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STARTUP

If you pay attention to the pace of your speech and speak in a comfortable state of mind, you will appear as someone in authoritysomeone responsible.

1. CONTROL YOUR VOICE ‘It’s not what you say- it’s how you say it’. Yes, the ‘how’ matters. Along with your words, your tone, and your voice – they all count. To add impact to their conversation, people often raise their voice while discussing important things. It might be a good idea, but while doing so, the person should be careful with the pace. Trying to say too many things too fast can make the voice abruptly fluctuate from high to low and vice-versa. You should be vocal, but also relaxed while discussing important matters. Those of us who have a strong voice or that ‘gifted’ baritone are frequently mistaken to be dominating. If you pay attention to the pace of your speech and speak in a comfortable state of mind, you will

but our body has its own way of expressing our mind. Here’s one common mistake we all make: when we aren’t much interested, we mostly lean back. We simply rest our back, distancing ourselves from the discussion. appear as someone in authoritysomeone responsible. A lot of corporate houses groom their high-profile executives to speak with a ‘leadership voice’. People with stronger voice can easily adapt this skill.

2. YOUR POSTURE DURING CONVERSATIONS Experienced clients and bosses can tell whether you’re interested or bored during a conversation, just by observing the way you sit. We might keep a light smile on our face and nod from time to time,

At times, we even sit a bit sideways with our legs facing the door. This gives the impression that we want to get out of the room as quickly as we can. The best thing to do in such scenario is to take an instant break by reaching for a glass of water, or asking some questions to get back on track.

3. DO NOT GO ON RAMBLING Let’s say you are conducting a presentation for which you weren’t well-prepared. In such situations, we gener-

ally speak whatever we can remember or recollect. And when we find ourselves losing the topic, to save face, we keep on talking just to show that we are still in control. But for the listeners, it’s pure rambling. They can easily gauge that you’ve lost track. Once in a while, you might be excused, but in the long run people stop taking you seriously. So, always prepare well for meetings. And the ideal thing to do in such situations is to keep small notes handy for quick reference. In your workplace, while discussing business, always speak after organizing your thoughts well. Maintain an erect posture and regularly make eye contact.

LEGAL

SAFEGUARD THE FUTURE OF YOUR BUSINESS REGISTER FOR A TRADEMARK TODAY

hen you’ve worked diligently to formulate an inspiring business concept or a creatitve product design, you must get copyrights for it. Why? Because crooks can steal that well-thought concept of yours and all your hard work can go in vain. People spend years drafting that one perfect business strategy or product design that’ll change their lives forever. Now, imagine how you’ll feel if someone steals your ingenious concept and starts using it in their name. A patent is basically a license that you obtain in order to establish yourself as the sole producer, user and distributor of your invention or business plan. When you register, you get the exclusive rights of using or selling your intellectual property, however, you cannot obtain a patent for ordinary items which we use on an everyday basis.

TELL ME ABOUT THE TRADEMARK REGISTERING PROCESS In order to obtain copyrights, you need to visit the IPO (Intellectual Property Office) of the country you are residing in. By registering your intellectual property you are safeguarding a future revenue source for yourself. Once you get the copyrights, only you can use your design/ concept for the first five years, which means you’ll be the

sole manufacturer of your product design/invention and no one else can sell an edition of your design in the market during this time period. And after five years, you again need to attain a license from the IPO stating that others can use your design to create their own products but they have to reimburse you for this. When someone uses your original ideas, they can’t create products which are exactly like yours. They can only use your design/ idea to create their own products which are not carbon copies of your original product. For instance, there are tons of products on the market

or your organization has the legal rights for using your company’s registered name, logo, etc. It basically prevents other organizations or individuals from using your brand’s identity to promote their products or services. You can also put a TM (trademark) symbol with the name of your products or services, but that doesn’t really give you any legal authority or any exclusivity of any kind. You need to register for trademark rights if you want some concrete safety measures for your brand’s identity. But before jumping at the prospect of getting a trademark, make sure you

By registering your intellectual property you are safeguarding a future revenue source for yourself. which are compatible with iPhone, but they are not created by Apple. Apple can’t stop companies from creating these applications or devices unless they breach any of the copyrights held by Apple.

HOW TO REGISTER FOR A TRADEMARK How can you tell whether a product has already been trademarked or not? You will see the alphabet R in a circle on top right corner of its name. This R is the ‘registered trademark symbol’ which signifies that only you

are actually going to use that name/company logo or else you’ll lose all trademark rights associated with it. For example, Gucci lost all trademark rights for using their GG logo since they had not used it for a long time. There are a lot of things you need to understand before trademarking your intellectual property. Sometimes even tech giants like Apple fail to prevent companies from using a brand name or logo which is very similar to their trademark. For example, when a German café

chose to trademark its logo Apfelkind, which means ‘apple’s child’, Apple initially objected. But in the end, Apple had no choice but to withdraw the objections. In another instance, Apple locked horns with a record company Apple Corps (The Beatles’ record company) and it was a 30 year long legal battle. As a result, Apple Corps agreed to stay out of the computer industry while Apple promised to stay out of the music industry. But in 2003 when Apple launched iTunes, Apple Corps was unable to sue the tech giant successfully. These instances are perfect examples of how important it is to properly trademark your brand’s identity.

HOW TO SUSTAIN YOUR TRADEMARK ON AN INTERNATIONAL LEVEL When the internet was not so popular, trademarking your brand on an international level wasn’t so important, but in today’s scenario, it certainly is. If the internet was not around, what difference it would have made if your company’s name is being used by fifteen other companies in different parts of the world? But since we are living in an age of globalization, you just can’t afford something like this to happen. Even if you are selling cars and some other organization with the same name is selling dolls, you’ve got a sort of a competitor for yourself.

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LEGAL Top level Domains). Registering with CTLDs like .au or .uk helps you in protecting your trademark rights in other nations.

COMMON MISTAKES PEOPLE FACE WHILE FILING FOR TRADEMARKS

DO YOU REALLY NEED TO REGISTER INTERNATIONALLY? Trade-marking is often associated with brand equity. Yes, trade-marking your brand certainly brings along some amount of commercial value, but how to determine whether you need to enforce trade-marking on an international level or not? It’s simple. If your brand has an international market, which means there are consumers or potential consumers of your products and services in other countries as well, then you need to think about trademarking on a global scale. With the ever growing potential of social media and e-commerce, you might be able to expand your business to other parts of the world in the coming future. So do give safeguarding your brand’s future a serious thought. It’s a little complex to understand the rules and regulations associated with trade-marking. What makes it even more difficult is the fact that different nations follow different sets of regulations; however, it is beneficial in the long run. According to the US laws, if you’ve acquired trademark rights for a logo but

you aren’t using that logo, your rights can be revoked or you might have to face a trial against a company who wants to use that logo for their brand. Trademark rights in most of the countries are quite different from the US version.

HOW TO ACQUIRE TRADEMARK RIGHT IN OTHER COUNTRIES If you feel that your business has the competence of capturing overseas markets, register for trademark rights in all those countries where your prospective customers reside. In order to do that, first register your brand in your own country and then you’ll be able to register internationally. There are two ways of registering globally – through your country’s PTO (Patent and Trademark Office) or you can take assistance from a third party facilitator (for example, an attorney from another country). There are a few ways to acquire trademark rights in multiple countries in one go – THE MADRID PROTOCOL – Register through Madrid Protocol and you’ll be able to acquire trademark rights in

86 countries including a majority of ‘industrial nations’ across the globe. COMMUNITY TRADEMARK – CTM allows you to enforce trademark rights all over the European Union. You can register with CTM by filing a single application and by paying a one time fee, instead of applying separately for each nation.

THINGS TO DO BEFORE TRADEMARKING OVERSEAS Before filing for a trademark, you need to conduct a clearance test, in order to determine if any other company has already acquired trademark rights for the name/ logo which you want to use for your venture. If you’ve found identical brand names or company logos as yours and still choose to file for a trademark, you can end up facing legal troubles. When registering for a trademark in a foreign land, speak with the locals about your trademark. Make sure it doesn’t sound like slang or foul words in their language. Also, you need to protect your brand’s identity on the internet from cyber-squatters by registering a domain name with CTLDs (Country

One of the most frequent mistakes people make while registering their trademarks internationally is that they don’t verify if any other company has already registered for a very similar or exactly the same trademark as theirs. Another important aspect you need to think about before applying is your brand strategy. Before filing for a brand name, envision how you are going to use it in the future and for what. For instance, if you currently have a brand of ice cream parlors, but in the future, you are also planning to introduce chocolates, you need to pick a general name that would suit both ice creams and chocolates. Another common slip-up relates to geography. Your brand name should not be geographically misleading. For example, if you are an Australia based winemaking company, you can’t export your wine to France with the name “champagne” since in France, champagne has to be made within the boundaries of a particular geographic area. Your brand name and logo should be distinguishable and should represent your brand values. Consumers should be able to identify your brand by just looking at it. So, it’s advisable to avoid common names and generic logo designs. It is highly recommended that you take the assistance of a trademark attorney before starting with the entire process.

MARKETING

Our marketing analysts have provided some core insights on content marketing strategies for you to make the best out of it.

ontent marketing strategies are hot in online marketing today. With the growing competition, as more and more businesses are opting for it, the strategies constantly go under tweaks and changes. There are many experts, consultants, and specialists offering ‘latest’ solutions and suggestions. But what are the key factors you need to pay attention to for knowing if you are on the right track or not? Our marketing analysts have provided some core insights on content marketing strategies for you to make the best out of it.

UNDERSTAND YOUR AUDIENCE Content marketing strategists keeping trying new techniques to outwit one another. But in this race, to be ahead, they often compromise on their audiences’ perspective for creating the ‘happening’ content. Maybe they can afford mistakes and carry on, but can a business owner afford to pay the cost of such mistakes? To understand what grabs your audience’s attention, view your content as an audience. No matter how much effort and time is spent behind creating the content, if as an end-user it doesn’t appeal to you, then what’s the point in presenting it to the actual users? Secondly, if the content is appealing, find out how long the information it carries stays with you. Consumers have to be attracted and educated on your products and services. Any strategy or stream which

Content Marketin important Do’s an manages to do it is an efficient and result-oriented strategy. The key focus should be on ‘what’s in it for you (user)’ rather than ‘how good my offer is’.

ensure that the content delivers the right message to your target audience.

DO THE NECESSARY HOMEWORK

One of the common mistakes, while developing content, is forgetting a good content’s prime aspect: Advertisement should blend in with the content, and not vice-versa. People read or view the content to get information and entertainment. The sponsoring products and services need to be present to get noticed and not to distract the audience. Spreading the product all over the content is only going to annoy them. While going through the content, check whether the presence of the product is too evident or not. If it is, then instead of convincing yourself that the audience won’t bother much, better start rectifying it.

While preparing the content, it’s extremely necessary to pay attention to the materials which you are adding to it. Presentation is important, no doubt. But the content needs to have substance in it. Your audience will pay attention to the presentation, but they will remember only the substance. Your blogs, your videos, and others need to be clear, concise, and impressive. Often these things require research, so do not neglect the required homework for building strong content. There’s no harm in dedicating reasonable time to

GET THE STRUCTURE AND BLEND RIGHT

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INVESTMENTS of your company. This is one of the best SEO (search engine optimized) techniques and it’s quite helpful. We earlier discussed that how viewer’s queries get neglected due to bulk responses to posts. Leaving information for them to directly get in touch with you is a great way to avoid that problem. Also, information such as your location (for businesses like real estate) improves the chances of your content’s ranking on the search results of popular search engines. But again, weave these pieces of information very carefully – the best approach is to include it towards the end portion of the content. This way the viewers don’t get distracted while going through the content and at the same time they don’t miss your contact information.

USE A VARIETY OF FORMATS

ng Understand the nd Don’ts MONITORING COMMENTS… AND RESPONDING TOO Once people start to view and like your creative content, they usually have queries. Often these queries are left in the comments section and they get neglected. At times, this happens because some posts receive comments in bulk, and in most occasions it’s not practically possible to respond to every comment, which is fine. But ‘queries’ have to be answered. Monitoring your audience’s comments is vital. Try checking some of the posts written by popular brands. You’d find that the makers/owners are actively present in the comments section – not only queries, but you’d see them responding to some of the appreciative comments and few of the criticisms, too. Responding to com-

ments might appear to be a minor deal, but it isn’t. It might be hard to believe, but because of this participation and connection building, you will receive a good amount of suggestions from your viewers– telling you what kind of posts they would want to see next. Getting a peek inside your audiences’ minds… what more can any creative marketing strategist ask for! Responding more and more to viewer’s comments and queries will not only help you closely promote your products, but it will also help with ideas and concepts for the next set of contents to be made.

INFORMATION ABOUT YOU One of the best things to do is to embed your company’s contact and other relevant information with your contents– like, the location

Depending on the types of content you create, it’s a good idea to keep presenting your ideas in different formats. Videos, podcasts, articles, cartoon strips, and slideshows – use the format that suits the content’s matter the most. If you have the content that carries lots of images and a few words, it’s a good idea to caption the words with relevant images and presenting them as a slideshow. Slideshows also have background music. So if slideshows suit the content, use them. Podcasts are effective as well. It all depends on what goes the best with a particular post. But using a variety of formats is one of the ways to keep your presentations fresh. Remember, content marketing is an on-going process. Your marketing strategies and approach needs to evolve with every post that you produce. Learning and experimenting is required. Consumers never stick to one thing – they have the tendency to keep on checking for new stuff. Study the presentation and structuring techniques which make the contents appear new and fresh. Staying focused on what to do is as important as paying attention to what NOT to do.