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How To Appear More Professional At Work

The truth is, no one is perfect! There will be days when you feel consumed by the weight of your work. In the fast-paced Lion City, there are several reasons why you may feel dragged. Perhaps you lack confidence on the management or you are too tired from yesterday’s night shift. Similar events can take a toll on your performance.

Fortunately for you, there are several steps to boost your professional image. You read that right! You can appear confident and motivated in the workplace, regardless of how you feel on the inside.

STEP 1: WEAR SHARP CLOTHES

A night before you go to the office, the first step is to ensure that you wear an appropriate attire. Portraying a professional exterior is not limited to following the strict dress code. Your choice of clothing conveys your approach to work. If you want people to take you seriously, steer away from baggy pants or indiscreet dresses. These ill-fitting articles of clothing may convey the wrong impression to your employer and your clients. Opt for tailored pieces instead.

A sharp look can only be achieved if you pull it all together. This is why you must pay attention to minor details such as the wrinkles on your top or the loose threads on your trousers. Noticing these small details shows that you are likely to see the bigger picture when faced with certain situations at the workplace.

STEP 2: ARRIVE ON TIME

As Don Marquis, an American novelist and poet, once said: “Punctuality is one of the cardinal business virtue s.” He believed that punctuality must always be insisted on one’s subordinates. I cannot agree more! It is a virtue that exudes your respect towards the people around you.

If you are expected to be in the office by 9 am, arrive before 8:50 am. If your lunch break is at noon, ensure that you will be back by 1 pm. Punctuality manifests that you are motivated to accomplish your tasks. Make it a habit to be on time!

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STEP 3: END ON A TOP NOTE

Adding an email signature is the quickest way to show that you are communicating on a professional level. I am referring to the salutations that dictate your departure. It not only provides information for future reference, but it also differentiates your message from the spams.

A simple format includes your full name, your position, your contact number, and the company you work for. You may choose to make your email signature using inexpensive generators like NEWOLDSTAMP and HubSpot.

STEP 4: DE-CLUTTER YOUR DESK

As your employer makes his rounds, he will notice the assembly of your desk. Scattered rubbish and excess litter can make your employer feel that you are distracted. It is best to keep things tidy! Start by organizing the items on your desk. Then, put the important papers in the labeled drawers or in the computer’s folders. Doing so will help you to stay on top of your projects or tasks.

Having a neat desk may seem like you have everything under control, even if you do not.

STEP 5: ASK FOR CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK

Seeking constructive feedback from your superior and your co-workers is the last step. The mere act of being critique sounds scary. However, it will help your performance in the long run. Getting feedback demonstrates that you care about your job and you desire to succeed in it.

Instead of focusing on what you did wrong, focus on your strengths and the areas that you can improve on.

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Professionalism refers to having the skills and the competence expected from an employee like you. The way you present yourself influences the level of professionalism that you exude. It is challenging to remain professional every minute of the day, but it gets easier when you make it a habit. Start with the relatively significant changes mentioned above.

Sources: 1 & 2

8 Marketing Emails That You Need To Encounter

Are you doing everything you can to maximize the benefits of your email campaigns? Consider sending out these types of emails.

1. WARM GREETINGS

Upon signing up to the mailing list, it is advised to send out an automated “welcome” email. Most clients are keen to open this type of email the most. So, ensure that you create a good first impression to enhance the image of the company.

2. RECURRING SUBSCRIPTION

Enclosing a newsletter in an email can help your clients understand your latest products and other offerings. It must be sent out in regular intervals in order to build a loyal subscribers and to exude reliability.

3. SPECIAL SHOWCASE

An event invitation email is a good tool to promote an upcoming or ongoing event that the company is hosting. Motivate your clients to register by highlighting the reasons why the event is worth their time. Do so by adding quality visuals or illustrations.

4. SHARING STATUS

For companies thriving in the e-commerce scene, sending order status emails is important to keep the clients in the loop. This type of email includes significant details such as confirmation, shipment updates, tracking number, and delivery date. Sending these nurtures trustworthiness.

5. THOUGHTFUL MESSAGES

Connect with your clients on a deeper level by greeting them during special days. Often dubbed as anniversary emails, this type covers the anniversary of the company, the client’s birthday, and the public holidays. Combine these emails with promotions, promo codes, or a one-time deal to increase engagement.

6. REWARDING PARTNERSHIP

A co-marketing email is sent out when 2 or more companies work together to fulfill a mutual event, task, or promotions. Its bottom-line is to use the existing clientage of one company to widen the reach of the other.

7. CLIENT CONVERTER

To blast a content that aims to turn your existing subscribers into established clients, you may use a “lead nurturing email“. A series of interconnected emails with useful content makes up a lead nurturing email. This type may be time-consuming, but it is highly rewarding.

8. DEDICATED SEND

As the name suggests, dedicated emails focus on a singular topic (e.g., a product or an announcement). It marries the best email marketing techniques – an opportunity to be highly shareable, personable, and potent.

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In most cases, the most efficient email marketing strategy includes the mixture of all these types. Make the most impact by allowing the client to choose which emails he or she can receive.

Sources: 1 & 2

Are You Cut Out To Be A Landlord In Singapore?

While looking out for a flat seems like an easy task, hard work needs to be poured behind the scenes. Ensure that you are prepared to be a landlord by analyzing some of the initial factors:

Are you familiar with the legal regulations?

Much like the systems imposed in many institutions in Singapore, rental property owners need to follow a set of regulations as mandated by the Law. Facets include leases, licenses, security deposits, maximum number of tenants, and eviction matters. These facets are examined by attorneys and other authorities in order to protect the interest of the landlords and the tenants.

It is important to be specific when it comes to written documents in order to have a strong support to your case, shall a dispute arise. Acknowledge the landlord-tenant rights as well as the eligibility standards for renting out a flat in Singapore. For starters, you have to be a Singaporean Citizen who has met the Minimum Occupation Period (MOP) to rent out an HDB flat.

Can you afford to become a landlord in Singapore?

Since your first property is the flat that you are occupying at the present, your investment will be considered as a “second property”. Just because you have a sufficient amount of money saved up for down-payment does not necessarily entail that you can afford to purchase a second property! Remember that you are living in Singapore – one of the most expensive cities in the world.

It will become your responsible to keep up with the ownership fees, maintenance costs, and mortgage. Familiarize yourself with these expenses before taking the significant plunge.

Do you consider yourself as a “people person”?

The media has portrayed landlords as people who exude unpleasant characteristics such as being slow in tenant assistance. If you really want to break this stereotype, you must determine if you are a genuine people person.

A “people person” finds delight when interacting with other people. Some landlords are naturally born with this trait. However, others have to bring extra effort when socializing. Ask yourself these questions:

a. Do you have the capacity to understand the tenants’ needs?
b. Are you willing to actively listen to your tenants’ concerns?
c. Will you tend to the property matters immediately?
d. Are you willing to make upgrades on your property regularly?

Answering these questions will help you determine if becoming a landlord is right for you. I cannot deny the fact that having good communication and interaction skills can help you to attract more tenants!

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Rental property ownership is one of the most profitable investments for your retirement portfolio. It is also an excellent source of passive income. To know whether you are cut out for the job or not, you must initially analyze the factors above.

Sources: 1 & 2

How To Handle The Toughest Online Complaints

Supporting your customers does not always make you right, but it is about making things right. You are more likely to keep your customer if your resolved a situation fully. Deal with the toughest online complaints by following these tips:

Keep It Subjective

In my experience as an Administrative Officer, email scripts were extremely helpful. I answered queries and complaints with ease as we had several fixed templates in our repertoire. However, customers get frustrated after opening a generic email where some questions were left unanswered. This is why your reply must be tailored to the problem of your customer.

A good trick to try is to “copy and paste” the entire content of your customer’s email. Break it up into workable chunks in order to address every issue. This way you will be able to ensure that you respond appropriately to every paragraph.

Not Too Late To Say Sorry

No business is spotless or perfect. Instead of concealing your flaws, it is best to own up to them. Acknowledge your mistakes and think of the potential solutions. Perhaps, you can offer a voucher or discount as compensation.

Post a sincere apology as people will be quick to realize if your apology is scripted. Show your humane side by seeking a natural tone. Translate this tone as you type your message.

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Provide Peace Offering/s

As I said above, you may provide applicable compensation. It may be in the form of discounts, vouchers, coupons, refunds, free merchandise, and free classes. Do not hesitate to shower your customer with compensation after a failure in product or service.

A research showed that 58% of complaining customers who received a gift in the mail were delighted. This goes to show that your efforts will be rewarded with increased customer confidence and satisfaction.

Conversations Must Extend Offline

Polarization, the emergence of two views that drive groups apart, occur when conflicts are stirred in public. All communications on social media platforms are in the public eye. Instead of allowing negative comments to flood, deal with the issue offline. Directly communicate with the significant person face-to-face.

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Doing so will prevent the situation from escalating. Stay calm, firm, and polite during the encounter.

Sources: 1 & 2

How To Create A Healthy Workplace

A healthy workplace allows its employees to focus on producing quality products and services. This type of organization leads the key-players to work on development and growth.

On that note, here are 3 ways to build a healthy workplace:

Attach Positive Meaning To The Tasks

Experts in Employee Motivation have been following the framework of the “Job Characteristics Theory“. The theory, developed by Hackman and Oldham, included task significance. Task significance adds meaning to the assignments or projects in order to increase the employee’s efficiency. It highlights how one contributes to a wider scope beyond himself. For instance, the employee will be motivated more if the compensation scheme benefits everyone in the firm.

Studies by Social Science Professor Adam Grant found that telesales teams who were exposed to positive testimonials before their shifts performed significantly better than the control group (i.e., group without intervention). Giving meaning to the tasks improved the employees’ effectiveness.

Make The Space Vibrant And Stimulating

Decorating the dull office with colorful walls can freshen the minds and stimulate thoughts. Paint the walls orange to induce happiness and warmth. It can also increase the employees’ energy levels. Paint the walls blue to induce intelligence and mental calmness. Research has shown that people who are inside the blue rooms are more productive.

Conducive lighting must also be considered in order to take care of the employees’ health.

Offer More Flexibility And Freedom

As a member of the Millennials club, I can attest that many of us dislike structural tasks. Lack of opportunities for development and growth is a part of the reasons why Millennials quickly file their resignations. This why it is easy to gravitate towards jobs that integrate flexibility and freedom. Just observe how common freelancing is right now.

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People who are given reasonable freedom to shape their own roles lead to increased engagement, according to a study. Consider providing this luxury to your employees.

Sources: 1 , 2, & 3

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