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Recent Media Coverage
Back To The Office – Or Not?
Remote work offers big bottom-line savings, but it's not for every business. Some questions to ask before giving up bricks and mortar.
Dropshipping: An easy path to riches or just the latest fad?
The idea of doing five hours' work a week for a six-figure salary is tempting for anyone settling back into work after the summer break. But how does dropshipping actually work? And could you do it, too?
Three Leaders, Three Lessons: Growing a Startup
“Regardless of what phase of business you’re in, it’s important to be reminded that success is possible. That truth is evidenced by these three startup founders, who grew their businesses rapidly. Here, they share the keys to their growth.”
Answer These 5 Questions for Setting Business Goals in 2018
There is no shortage of advice on how to go about setting and achieving your goals, but identifying your goals can be a challenge, too. These questions will help you outline exactly what you want your company to achieve in the coming year.
“How extremely busy executives make time to be great parents” with Simon Slade of Affilorama
“As a part of my series about “How extremely busy executives make time to be great parents” I had the pleasure to interview Simon Slade...”
If you’ve never experience failure, you’re not taking enough risks
Today’s entrepreneurial world moves far too quickly for a business owner to remain stagnant and still be successful. Risk-taking is essential to discovering your industry’s next big innovation.
Here’s Why Customer Service is the Heart of E-Commerce
Without excellent customer service, it will be impossible for your online business to thrive. Customer service is the heart that keeps blood pumping through your business.
3 Ways to Take Your E-Commerce Store from Good to Great
As the e-commerce industry grows, so does a wealth of opportunity for revolutionizing your marketing, operations and productivity. Here are three ways to step up your e-commerce game, no matter where you are in your entrepreneurial journey.
The Dark Side of Online Store Ownership
If you’re just starting out in the world of online stores, here are some common traps and ways to protect yourself from them.
The Rulebook for Crafting a Response to Negative Comments on Social Media
Your response to negative comments on social media, if handled with the proper care and technique, can actually leave your business’s reputation shinier than before. Here’s how.
Balancing Employee Time-Off During the Holidays
The holidays can be a difficult time of balance for business owners, no matter how large or small your company. Here are some tips for navigating vacation time for all employees while keeping your customers happy.
Favorite Business Books Series - Part G
“Lean Analytics: Use Data to Build a Better Startup Faster (Lean Series), by Alistair Croll, is one of my all-time favorite business books. The authors discuss the importance of collecting the right data at the right time, and much more.” — Simon Slade, CEO and Co-founder of SaleHoo
How to Set and Achieve Effective Business Goals
To understand how to set the right goals, you have to understand why this process is important and how to avoid bad goal-setting habits.
Your Business Failed, What Next?
Failure is not fun, but it’s also an important part of life as an entrepreneur. Here are some tips for getting back on your feet after a business idea flops.
How to Provide Effective Feedback for Remote Employees
Providing constructive criticism can be challenging. And it becomes even more difficult when you are expected to provide that criticism to a remote employee.
5 Reasons Your Startup Might Fail
One of the best ways to protect a new business from failure is to know exactly what might cause failure and defend your business against it.
How to Make the Most of One-on-One Meetings
Simon Slade shares five tips for making the most of one-on-one meetings without rushing or dominating them.
How to Overcome 4 Big Challenges When Starting a Remote Company
“Entrepreneur Simon Slade manages a predominantly remote staff for Doubledot Media Limited and its affiliate products. He claims that onboarding new team members has proven a consistent challenge because ‘there is no ‘hands-on’ training with a remote workforce, despite the fact that it’s often the best way to learn.’”
Five Ways Your Company is Chasing Away New Talent
Having a hard time attracting the best talent to your business? Part of the problem may be your fault, says Doubledot Media CEO Simon Slade.
The Pros and Cons of Dropshipping
Dropshipping can be a very efficient strategy for online retailers, but there are also complications to consider when setting up a dropshipping arrangement for your business. Weigh these pros and cons to decide whether this model is for you.
How to Set Annual Business Goals Your Startup Can Achieve
Here’s how business owners and CEOs can set perfectly balanced goals that will propel their company into success.
How to Know if Your Content Is Actually Useful (And What To Do if It’s Not)
Often, content creators have trouble identifying whether their content serves their audiences or if they’ve gone off on an irrelevant, self-serving tangent. Answering these questions will help you find out if your content works and what to do if it doesn’t.
Choosing a Great Domain Name for Your Business
“When selecting a domain name, first and foremost, never include a trademarked name, such as sellyouriPhone.com.” — Simon Slade, Doubledot Media
5 Easy Ways to Improve Your Content Marketing Strategy
A poorly executed content marketing strategy is actually worse than none at all. Here are five ways to immediately improve your content marketing strategy.
Technology Continues to Transform the Modern Office
Simon Slade, chief executive of Doubledot Media, also predicts the demise of private work spaces in favour of more open-plan systems.“Cubicles are becoming a thing of the past, if they haven’t already.”
What to Look for in a Remote Hire
It’s important that business owners recognize the hiring process for remote workers is entirely different from that of in-office employees. By becoming a more discerning employer, you will have a more successful remote staff and the company will thrive as a result.
Tips for Successful Remote Hiring
When hiring remotely, you broaden your talent pool in a way that can be hugely beneficial for your company, but you are also required to be much more selective and careful in the hiring process.
5 Ways to Increase Your Influence
You should constantly strive to achieve thought leadership because of the many benefits. Here are five steps to take in your pursuit of influence.
Creative Ways to Increase Staff Satisfaction
Staff satisfaction is an integral part of any business’s success because there is a direct correlation between happy employees and happy customers. Here are some creative ways to increase staff satisfaction at your company.
Why I Let My Employees Set Their Own Hours
Nothing telegraphs how much you trust your employees than the freedom to set their own hours. And that's exactly what I do in my own company.
5 Traits That Would Make this CEO Hire You
There are a few qualities and behaviors that are major sellers for me and many other business owners. Read on to find out what would make me – and probably most other CEOs – hire you.
5 Steps for Better Keyword Research
Just a few tips and tools can make your keyword research process more effective and ensure you get the best return on your investment.
5 Rules for Retaining Your Email Subscribers
Sometimes, the easiest part of email marketing is getting the subscribers on your list. But what happens next?
Web Optimization: 3 Tips for Link Building
You want your website to have good rankings and authority, and the way to get it is by creating backlinks. These three tips for link building will help you get the best backlinks for your site while staying on Google’s good side.
8 Simple Rules for Web Design
These eight tips will help your website appear professional, inside and out.
10 Free Tools to Streamline Your Internet Marketing Efforts
These tools can help you simplify and organize your internet marketing strategies, so use the resources available to you to improve your campaigns and get better results.
7 Ways to Inspire Content for Your Blog or Website
There is nothing worse than knowing you have to create content to be successful, but having zero inspiration. These tips will help you avoid that by stimulating new ideas for your online content and offering some alternative solutions to the content creation grind.
Time Management for Business Owners: 4 Simple Tips
No one is perfect. But if you struggle with managing your time as a business owner, these tips will get you closer to perfection than you are now.
4 Steps to Creating a Killer Content Marketing Strategy
It’s hard to come up with consistently great ideas and see them through. One thing that makes it much easier? A content marketing strategy.
Video Marketing for Beginners in 5 Easy Steps
Looking to tap into the video marketing realm, but not sure where to start? This guide is for you.
Your 6-Step Guide to Successful Outsourcing
The process of finding, hiring and training an independent contractor can seem daunting, but it can also be hugely rewarding. Follow these 6 steps to make sure you get it right the first time.
22 Experts Share the Best Tips and Strategies for Reducing Inventory Costs
“One of the best and most effective ways to lower inventory costs is though dropshipping, which eliminates the hassle of maintaining an inventory, packaging the item and shipping it.”
— Simon Slade, CEO and Co-founder of Doubledot Media
Is a Remote Workforce Good for Your Business?
Shaping a remote workforce to meet your business’s needs will take time and effort, but it’s possible.
How to Create More Quality Content in Less Time
There are resources that can help you reclaim your time. If you need help creating solid, error-free content that doesn’t take all day, these tools are for you.
The power of outsourcing: Why, when and how?
Identifying a good time to outsource and implementing the strategy effectively can be a challenge, especially for new business owners and entrepreneurs. Read on to make sure it’s the right choice for you and learn how to do it right.
15 Entrepreneurs Discuss Why They Love Their Business
“I love that my businesses, Affilorama, SaleHoo and Doubledot Media Limited, help others to find their own career independence through e-commerce pursuits. Everyone deserves to love their job.”
— Simon Slade, Doubledot Media Limited
4 Strategies for Effective Digital Marketing
Digital marketing is ever-changing and quickly adapts itself to new technology, new attitudes and new behaviours. Here are four digital marketing strategies to keep you relevant.
How to Nurture a Positive Company Culture with Remote Workers
With 24 of my 29 staff working remotely from all over the world, I’ve worked hard to create a virtual office we can all appreciate. Here are my tips for creating a company culture that extends across oceans.
6 Tips for Creating an Expert Website
It’s not enough to just have an online presence – that presence has to be recognized as an authority in your field. Here are some tips to help you along.
17 Creative Ways to Kill Boredom in the Office
It’s awfully easy to get bored when the work gets mundane and you’ve got no friends around to break up the monotony. Doubledot Media CEO Simon Slade has the cure.
Work-at-Home Success Expert Help
“People who will succeed in a work-from-home environment are people who are naturally self-disciplined.” — Simon Slade, Doubledot Media
How to Make Your Telecommuting Resume Stand Out
“The best resumes for telecommuters have demonstrated work-from-home success. Even if you’ve never been a formal telecommuter, identify a time when you were efficient and productive in a non-office setting, like out of town or home with a sick child.” — Simon Slade, Doubledot Media
5 Ways Ecommerce Businesses Can Improve Customer Service
5. Live chat. “The standards for customer service in the ecommerce business are higher now,” says Simon Slade, cofounder and CEO, Doubledot Media. “People expect immediate help, and it’s our job to give it to them. We do that by using chat software that allows the customer to immediately connect with a customer service representative. [It’s] instant, personalized, online communication.”
4 Mistakes for Startups to Avoid (from a 3-time CEO)
The conception and growth of my three businesses — SaleHoo, Affilorama and Doubledot Media Limited — has not been without its speed bumps. Use what I’ve learned to help you move forward by avoiding these four mistakes.
Get That Email Opened: The Dos and Don’ts of Email Subject Lines
The right subject line will get more of your emails opened and read. More emails opened and read will lead to more conversions for you.
Owner of Three Successful Businesses Shares Insight in Exclusive Interview
Doubledot Media is all about helping people achieve occupational freedom by building successful online businesses, including retail and marketing websites. There’s something for everyone, whether you’re just starting out and want to make some passive income from the comfort of your own home, or you’re looking to take your online business to the next level.
15 Proven Ways to Eliminate Frustrations and Be More Productive
"I schedule meetings first thing in the morning or straight after lunch to minimize time spent stopping and resuming a task. You'll be surprised how much frustration you avoid by saving yourself the hassle of finding the precise point you left off on a task and acquiring the same mindset as when you left the project."
— Simon Slade, Doubledot Media
7 Social Media Pros on What They Love (and Hate) About Their Jobs
“What I love most about managing social media is the opportunity to use my noggin. I once labeled animal-antibiotic syringes in a lab — this is significantly more enjoyable than that! Creating a mixture of actionable tips and fun things like humor is what gives me a kick.”
30+ Founders Share Their Best Career Advice for Millennials
“When considering a job offer, don’t focus too much on the salary and benefits package. Place greater consideration on the company and your potential coworkers, which are integral to your professional development and gaining industry knowledge.”
Seven Biggest Start-up Myths
Simon Slade, chief executive and co-founder of SaleHoo, says loads of start-up bosses believe that you must be based in the U.S. to succeed in its saturated market. "Granted, it depends on how you define 'success', but I don't think this statement is completely true," Slade says.
Seven Biggest Start-up Myths
"Modern technology nearly eliminates geographic barriers, and if you're targeting the U.S., market proximity can help but it's not essential." Slade points out that many successful companies excel in that market without basing operations in the U.S.
How Do You Create a Strong Global Marketing Campaign?
“Because cultures, languages and advertising laws differ so greatly from one country to the next, applying a single global marketing campaign worldwide would never be effective. Instead, marketers must customize the campaign for each country. They should aim to make at least one facet of the campaign noticeably catered to the location.”
Popular SEO Software Solutions of 2015
AffiloTools is a fantastic research tool for monitoring and improving your SEO. It tracks your search engine rankings and those of your competitors', so you can gauge your performance and standings within the industry.
Simon Slade, CEO & Co-Founder, Doubledot Media - Shares Insights
Doubledot Media serves as the umbrella company for any new e-commerce products or services we decide to pursue. Technology and e-commerce are always changing, so it excites me to be part of a company that’s committed to staying ahead of the industry and to offering new products as the industry demands.
The Demise of Facebook “Like Gates” and Alternative Marketing Strategies
Facebook would love for you to buy advertising and exposure now that Like Gating isn’t an option, but first consider the other more cost-effective alternatives: Although you can’t mandate users like your Facebook page in exchange for an incentive anymore, you can still require them to join your mailing list in order to access the incentive.
10 Flexible Side Gigs to Bring in Extra Income
"When people think of making money on eBay, they usually think about selling the junk in their garage and basement, which of course offer limited products," says Nisa Schmitz, media relations manager at Doubledot Media, which offers drop-shipping on eBay.
SEOlympics: Top Marketing Blogs of the Philippines
Jason Acidre is a Manila-based SEO strategist who has contributed for the likes of Moz, Search Engine Land, Intuit, Bloomberg Businessweek, Technorati, and AdAge. Jason also co-founded the online marketing agency Xight Interactive in 2011 and worked as a search marketing consultant for Doubledot Media Ltd.
Is the Hard Sell Dead?
"While overusing the hard sell can alienate prospective customers because of its commanding overtones, used strategically, it can be quite advantageous."
7 Ways to Get Your First Freelance Client
“Although my master’s degree and six years’ experience likely helped land me the job at Doubledot Media, I think ranking in the top five percent of Elance’s relevant skills tests set me apart from the competition. Employers appreciate seeing measurable statistics that corroborate the skills you claim to have, so take advantage of these opportunities on the freelance websites you may be using. “
Sell Online to Achieve Financial Independence
Many think selling on eBay means selling the junk in their basement and garage. Although people do sell these items, your house offers a finite supply of items and minimal profits. But by working with suppliers, sellers open the floodgates to high-income potential.
How to Create Affiliate Marketing Websites that Run on Autopilot
“Autopilot” sounds incredibly enticing, and it’s true your affiliate marketing websites can earn tremendous income without your assistance. But you must first invest the time, effort and money to successfully establish these profit-making powerhouses.
5 Myths About Learning to Code You'd Be Better Off Ignoring
“Developing definitely involves solving problems, but I liken it more to building something out of Legos,” explains Paul Webster, horticulture laborer turned web developer for Doubledot Media Limited. “You can try different pieces until the right one fits, and at the end, you’ve built something that is actually in most senses a ‘creation.’ As such, I find you do get a significant amount of creative fulfillment.”
11 Startups Share Their Friday Rituals
“Every Friday, Doubledot Media has a barbecue, come rain or shine. Each staff member takes a turn cooking. We have fun, but it also helps us work better together as a team.”
— Simon Slade, CEO and cofounder of Doubledot Media
10 Flexible Side Gigs to Bring in Extra Income
“When people think of making money on eBay, they usually think about selling the junk in their garage and basement, which of course offer limited products,” says Nisa Schmitz, media relations manager at Doubledot Media, which offers drop-shipping on eBay.
10 Flexible Side Gigs to Bring in Extra Income
“When people think of making money on eBay, they usually think about selling the junk in their garage and basement, which of course offer limited products,” says Nisa Schmitz, media relations manager at Doubledot Media, which offers drop-shipping on eBay.
5 Signs You Need to Improve Your Coding Skills
“If a developer is constantly taking significantly longer, this is an indication he or she may need more help. This, along with peer code reviews, help identify areas of weakness, and we can then offer targeted training and development by senior developers as needed,” Simon Slade of Doubledot Media...
10 Email Marketing Essentials: How To Get That Mail Opened
Your marketing strategy may include social media, traditional advertising, media exposure, affiliate marketing, event marketing and celebrity endorsement, but the only essential method it must include is email marketing...
9 Ways to Improve Employee and Customer Communication
“Employee communication is a challenge at Doubledot Media because we literally have employees all over the world,” says Simon Slade, CEO, Doubledot Media. “To bring everyone together, I created a Skype virtual watercooler…”
5 Steps to Improve Conversion Rates
Driving all the website traffic in the world to your website means nothing for profits if no one is buying, which is why maximizing conversion rates is paramount. Follow these five crucial steps to increase conversions while leaving nothing to chance..
5 Essential Inbound Marketing Tactics – How many do you do?
Optimizing your website for search engines is just one way to drive traffic. Don’t forget these under-utilized inbound marketing methods because if you leave these platforms untouched, their users will leave your website untouched...
Simon Says “Rinse and Repeat”
Ask Simon Slade why he has had such quick success in the web app development market and he’ll recite his tried-and-true motto. It goes like this: “Build it, test it, learn from it, fix it. Then rinse and repeat as fast as possible!”
5 Steps to Creating a Content Strategy
For each of your medium selected, decide how frequently and when you will contribute content. Be specific and plan the article title if possible, but if not, select the type of content for each contribution. How-to articles, like this one, provide step-by-step instructions...
Staying Connected with Simon Slade
“My goal is to empower, teach and provide the resources to help others be successful online. Whether they want to earn enough money to quit their current job or just earn some extra spending cash, SaleHoo can help them sell better online and h, Affilorama can teach them to affiliate market. Helping others achieve financial freedom is an extremely rewarding profession...”
Simon Slade Cofounder of SaleHoo: Wholesale Suppliers Directory
“Success is exceeding your own expectations. For one person that might be selling enough online to afford that extra vacation, but for another, that might be earning six figures through affiliate marketing and covering the cost to quit your full-time job and pay off your debt…”
10 Questions with Simon Slade
“Mark Ling and I each contributed $500 to a company bank account to start SaleHoo. The majority of our initial expenses, including Web hosting, office space, Internet fees, etc. - we either begged, borrowed the money or promised an “IOU.”
Simon Slade-Who You Know or What You Know in Sales?
That same year, Deloitte Technology recognized Doubledot Media, the parent company of SaleHoo, as one of the 500 fastest growing companies in Asia Pacific, as well as the 23rd fastest growing company in New Zealand...
“Entrepreneur Helps People Kick the 40-Hour/Week Grind”
From there, we launched Doubledot Media Limited, which is now the parent company of both SaleHoo and Affilorama, an affiliate marketing training portal with free video lessons and paid premium products...
“Simon Slade – CEO of Doubledot Media Limited”
Doubledot Media offers seven different training and software applications designed to help customers develop successful retail and marketing websites, without requiring any technical knowledge. Doubledot Media’s flagship products include Affilorama, an affiliate marketing training portal with free video lessons and paid premium products, and SaleHoo...