الجمعة، 3 أغسطس 2018
These Insider Inc. Internships Could Help You Launch Your Writing Career
This may be your chance to get your foot inside the door.
Insider Inc., a digital media website based in New York City, has internships across all of its platforms.
You could be the next lifestyle intern and write about celebrities, select the “deal of the day” as the Insider Picks commerce intern or be the video writing intern about pets.
What You Need to Know About Insider Internships
Pay
Less than half of the internships list “paid” in their job description.
However, the opportunities listed as paid include food and travel writing intern, finance editorial intern, social media intern and sports editorial internship.
Keep in mind that you do have rights and unpaid internships may be illegal.
Location
It’s the Big Apple or bust for all but two of these internships.
You can skip the skyscrapers and opt for the California coast instead as a tech editorial intern in San Francisco or as an evening news intern in Los Angeles.
Commitment
The majority of the internships run for six months with a preferred 40-hour workweek commitment.
Start and end dates are not specified.
Deadline to Apply
No deadlines are listed. But as with anything, the sooner the better. So if you’re interested, apply now.
Skills
Unlike some entry-level internships, most of these opportunities require experience, degrees and specific skills.
Prior experience and knowledge of the beat, as well as a strong portfolio will boost your application.
Opportunity
Insider Inc. says many of its writers and editors started out as interns, so this could really be your big break.
Get ready to hustle and be a cog that turns the media machine.
These gigs are fast-paced, and interns don’t get coffee, file or make copies. Instead, they’re expected to collaborate, generate content and get their hands dirty in meaningful work, according to the postings.
Tips When Applying for Internships
The best way to get an internship is to give potential employers everything they need up front.
Make sure your resume includes all relevant work experience and always include a cover letter.
During my interview at The Penny Hoarder, I was told my quirky cover letter piqued the editor’s interest. Cover letters will get you everywhere, so do not skip them.
Any story or blog links and portfolios of your relevant work give you credibility and help you stand out.
Include references, as some employers go full steam ahead and may contact references before they even call you.
Read the job description carefully and include every requested detail.
Remember, applying for an internship can’t hurt and if you don’t get it this time, you can always try again.
Stephanie Bolling is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder. She prefers the Sunshine State to the Big Apple.
This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.
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How to Design a Checkout Process That Generates High Conversion Rates
Ecommerce websites live and die by their conversions.
For those of you who have a high volume of traffic to your website, that’s great news. But traffic alone doesn’t generate sales.
Is your website traffic translating to conversions?
There are certain metrics you can use to measure this. Look at your bounce rates. Analyze your shopping cart abandonment rates.
If your website visitors aren’t converting, your ecommerce site won’t make money.
Don’t get me wrong: the products you’re selling might be amazing. That’s not necessarily the issue here.
The design of your website and the checkout process might be what’s hurting you.
For the most part, simple website designs have higher conversion rates. This same concept needs to be applied to your checkout process.
The information in this guide will help you identify any flaws with your checkout procedure that could be hindering your conversions.
If you have just launched a startup company and are in the process of designing your website for the first time, these useful tips and best practices will help you as well.
Here’s what you need to do to design a checkout process that converts.
Add multiple checkout buttons
For website visitors to make a purchase, they need to be able to navigate to your checkout page.
Once someone decides to buy, they’ll add the items they want to their shopping cart. In a perfect world, you want them to continue shopping so they spend more money.
But if the checkout buttons aren’t clearly labeled, the customer may ultimately leave the items in the cart without buying them.
This could be why your shopping cart abandonment rates are so high. Instead, include checkout buttons on both the top and bottom of the screen.
Check out this example from the Champs Sports website:
Positioning the checkout buttons in two places ensures the visitor will see and have access to both buttons.
The word “checkout” will stay in their line of vision, regardless of where they’re looking on the screen.
I also want you to notice that the location of the shopping cart on the right side of the screen allows the customer to continue shopping on the left.
This increases the likelihood that the average order amount will be higher and conversion rates remain high as well.
You can implement the same strategy on your ecommerce page to drive sales.
Secure the checkout process
Security needs to be a top priority for your ecommerce site. If your pages appear untrustworthy, people won’t want to buy anything.
In the past five years alone, 46% of people in the United States have been affected by credit card fraud.
There’s a high probability that nearly half of your website visitors have experienced this. Even if they haven’t personally fallen victims to fraud, I’m sure they know at least one person who has.
This puts people on high alert.
If your checkout process isn’t secure, people won’t feel safe entering their credit card information, which is ultimately what you need to make money.
You must understand and implement the top elements that add credibility to your website.
All pages of the checkout process must be secure. It’s also in your best interest to include security badges, such as Norton, McAfee, or whatever else you’re using to protect your customers.
Eliminate shipping costs
Here’s a common mentality I see from ecommerce sites all the time. If it costs you money to ship your products, that means you should charge your customers for shipping, right?
Wrong.
While this may sound like a reasonable justification to you, your customers don’t see it that way.
In fact, shipping costs play a major role in why shopping carts are abandoned in the United States:
Do not charge your customers for shipping.
But you still need to make sure you’re turning a profit, even if you’re offering free shipping.
You’re better off raising the prices of your items so that the shipping costs are built into the base prices. Psychologically, this won’t impact your conversions.
That’s because customers won’t be surprised when they see additional charges when they check out. If your product is listed for $50 on the site, that’s what they expect to pay. But if the costs add up to $70 with taxes and shipping, it’ll hurt your conversions.
I’m not expecting you to be unrealistic here. Don’t ship your customers a piano overnight for free.
All I’m saying is you shouldn’t charge for standard ground shipping. If a customer wants the delivery to be expedited, you can let them pay an additional charge.
Reduce the number of form fields
A website visitor is ready to buy something. They’ve already made up their mind.
Don’t give them a chance to change their mind and abandon the cart. If your checkout process is long and complicated, you won’t have high conversion rates.
But if you can simplify the process by eliminating unneeded steps, you’ll make more money.
Ask yourself what information you really need from the customer to complete the purchase. Do you need the customer’s name?
Yes, but you don’t have to ask for it several times.
If a name is required to process the payment method or shipping information, don’t make them type those details twice.
Research shows that websites with fewer form fields have a higher performance rate during checkout:
Only ask for information required to complete the transaction.
If the customer’s shipping and billing addresses are the same, they should be able to check off a box indicating that—instead of having to type their address twice, for shipping and billing.
That alone shaves an extra step off the process and significantly reduces the number of form fields.
Offer a guest checkout option
I get it. You want to learn as much information about your customers as possible.
In a perfect world, everyone who visits your site will create a customer profile. This allows you to monitor their browsing behavior and suggest items to them based on this behavior and their purchase history.
Customer profiles allow you to segment your audience based on the customers’ locations and make it easier for you to add subscribers to your ecommerce email list.
When a customer is browsing from their customer profile, they can also place repeat orders with just a couple of clicks.
Customers can save their payment information to their accounts, which reduces the number of steps in the checkout process and makes it easier for them to convert.
If you’re encouraging customers to create a profile, I’m all for it.
But there is a big difference between encouraging and forcing. Does a website visitor need to have a customer profile to convert? Absolutely not.
Forcing people to create a profile could be hurting your conversions.
People want to buy something. Let them give you their money.
Don’t prioritize your content marketing strategy over actual sales. Here’s an example of how a global giant Walmart implemented this strategy:
It’s always a good idea to follow the lead of the companies that have had major success in a particular space.
Offering a guest checkout is also reduces unnecessary steps, which I discussed earlier. Creating a customer profile is not necessary to complete a purchase, so don’t make it so. Otherwise it will turn some customers away.
Make it easy to shop from mobile devices
It’s no secret that we’re living in a mobile world. Ecommerce brands need to recognize this if they want to succeed.
In fact, 62% of people who own a smartphone used their devices to make purchases online within the last six months alone.
It’s estimated that in the next three years, mobile retail sales will control 54% of the ecommerce market share in the United States.
Why is this the case?
It’s because technology has made it more convenient to shop from mobile devices.
People aren’t walking around with laptops in their pockets all day. But phones are seemingly always within an arm’s reach, if they’re not already glued to the consumers’ hands.
If someone visits your ecommerce site from a mobile phone, they need to have a great experience.
If your site isn’t optimized for mobile devices, there’s a slim chance you’ll be able to generate conversions.
Just look at these numbers.
The design of your mobile site can be the difference between customers buying something or bouncing and buying from your competitors instead.
But 74% of mobile users are more likely to revisit websites that are mobile-friendly.
If your site is properly optimized, it will increase the chances of your website visitors not only converting but also coming back and buying again in the future.
A/B test the elements of your checkout process
You can never truly be sure your checkout process is designed for the maximum number of conversions unless you put your theory to the test.
The best way to determine which elements are driving the highest conversions is through A/B testing.
If you’ve never run an A/B test before, the concept is very simple. You start by identifying one element of the page you want to test.
Then 50% of your site traffic will see version A, while the other 50% will see version B. Compare the conversion rates between the two variations to see which one yielded the best results.
When testing the checkout page, it makes sense to start with the “purchase/buy now” button, or whatever your final CTA button is that completes the transaction.
There are lots of potential tests you can run on this button:
- size
- color
- placement
- wording
Test only one element at a time.
For example, let’s say you test the conversion button at the bottom right side of the screen compared to the bottom left side of the screen.
Once you have conclusive results, you can implement that change and then move on to testing the wording of the button, e.g., “purchase” versus “buy.”
Accept alternative forms of payment
Ultimately, the most important aspect of a checkout procedure is the payment step.
Without the payment step, transactions can’t happen.
From your perspective, you may think it’s in your best interest to accept only certain credit cards. I know you pay higher transaction fees for some cards compared to others.
That said, you need to accept as many payment methods as possible, including alternative forms of payment:
Let’s not get carried away here. In 2018, it’s probably not necessary to accept Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.
But in addition to all major credit cards, you need to accept alternatives such as Apple Pay and PayPal.
You don’t want your customers to leave your site without buying anything because you don’t accept the payment method they want to use.
Even if they have the options you accept, they still may go to one of your competitors instead so they can use their favorite method of payment.
The days of accepting only Visa and Mastercard are over. It’s time for you to adapt and add these other payment options to your checkout process.
Conclusion
If you’re driving lots of traffic to your ecommerce site but those visitors aren’t converting, you need to analyze the design of your checkout process.
Add multiple checkout buttons to different areas of the page.
Customers care about security, so the entire checkout procedure needs to be safe and secure.
Do not charge for shipping. Eliminate unnecessary steps, and reduce the number of form fields required to make a purchase.
Don’t force your site visitors to create customer profiles. Have a guest checkout option.
Optimize your ecommerce site for mobile devices.
Use A/B tests to see which design elements maximize your conversion rates.
And accept as many forms of payment as possible.
If you follow these best practices, your ecommerce checkout process will yield high conversions and, ultimately, increase your profits.
What elements of your checkout process do you need to change to drive higher ecommerce conversions?
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The Magic System for Getting Out of Debt and Building Wealth Quickly!
Whenever I’m on a road trip and I don’t happen to have an audiobook or a podcast available, I’ll spin the radio dial and listen for something interesting. I actually really like local radio shows that cover things that are actually going on in that area, so I’m usually seeking out things like that.
One thing I often hear as I’m spinning the radio dial are advertisements for all kinds of things: local restaurants and car dealerships and so on. I usually keep turning the dial, but for some reason, I always stop on the ads talking about people’s money.
You’ve heard them – they’re the kinds of ads that talk about getting out of debt really quickly or building wealth quickly or things like actually turning your debt into wealth.
I’m always amazed at the incredible claims that these programs make. They really do make it sound like all you have to do is sign up for this program or go to this seminar and suddenly all of your financial problems are solved.
The thing is, all of them are usually selling some minor variation on the same plan. It’s a super simple financial plan that I absolutely guarantee will get you out of debt really quickly and help you start building wealth faster than you know it. All you have to do is start following the plan.
Here it is – the core secret behind all of those “get out of debt quick” and “get rich quick” plans that sound enticing on the radio. Are you ready?
Spend less than you earn, make that gap as big as you can, and do something smart with that gap.
That’s it. That’s what every single one of those programs boils down to, with the “do something smart” varying a little bit but usually starting with “paying off your debts as fast as humanly possible starting with your highest interest debts.”
The truth is that this basic advice is also at the backbone of virtually every personal finance book you’ll check out at the library, too. Sure, they might vary a little in terms of what “do something smart” actually means, but the overall framework of spending way less than you earn and doing something smart with the difference is the key to all of it.
So, how do you make the magic happen?
You start by cutting your spending hard. That’s what all of these plans will end up suggesting to you, whether they do it subtly and lightly or they push it hard.
As I mentioned earlier, almost all financial plans you read or hear about or watch boil down to you having some freed-up resources to get rid of your debt and start saving for the future. How do you get those freed-up resources? There are two routes – earning more or spending less – and only one of them is immediately available to most people. You can always choose to spend less because that’s a choice you control, whereas your income is usually at least partially out of your control. Thus, cutting your spending is usually the first step, as you have to have some resources to start with.
Don’t get me wrong, there’s no question that earning more is a good thing when it comes to building lasting financial success, but you can’t just flip it on and off like a switch. If you could, everyone would be earning a mint… but that’s obviously not the case. Keep working toward improving your career and your earnings, but don’t use dreams of a big salary in the future as a justification to spend money today. If you want quick results, you’ve got to start with what you have, and what you have is the ability to cut back on your spending.
There are a lot of ways to do this. Switch to buying all store brand items when you go grocery shopping. Start shopping at a discount grocery store. Cut your cable and go with Netflix. Cut your landline. Switch cell phone carriers. Shop around for better insurance. Eat at home more often. The number of things that a person can do in their life to cut spending is practically infinite. You just need to find the things that you can cut hard that have a minimal impact on your life.
If you do that seriously, you’re going to suddenly have plenty of money to stop living paycheck to paycheck and start knocking down those debts rapidly and then, when the debts are gone, start building wealth.
The key to all of this is in the word “seriously.” If your “cuts” add up to stopping at Starbucks one less time this month, you’re not going to see any change in your life for a very long time. You have to cut and cut hard.
Every time you see a little extra in your checking account from those cuts, start paying down a debt. Start making extra payments on your highest interest rate credit card, as big as you can make them. When that’s gone, move on to the next one. When they’re all gone, celebrate… but keep going, because now you have the opportunity to build wealth. Start throwing a lot of money into your 401(k) or your Roth IRA. Start saving for a home. Start saving for whatever your goals are.
It is that simple. It’s kind of like magic. Just get a grip on your spending today and keep that grip and you’ll be in far, far better financial shape down the road.
If you’re sitting there thinking to yourself that this is obvious, you’re right. That doesn’t change the fact that 78% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck and much of the remaining 22% have some form of debt.
It might seem “obvious” and “simple,” but if that’s true, why isn’t everyone doing it?
It’s because although the strategy is “obvious” and “simple,” it’s hard to actually execute. It’s easy to talk the talk. It’s much harder to walk the walk.
If you can just start doing it, though, your life will change. If you can manage to spend less than you earn paycheck after paycheck, month after month, year after year, you will see profound changes in your financial life. Your debts will melt away like ice cream on a hot summer day. Your account coffers will start growing like a hungry twelve year old.
All it takes is spending a little less and sticking with that change, and then, maybe later, earning a little more. Then, take that money you’re not spending and that extra money you’re now earning and do something smart with it. Be patient and keep doing that and your life will change.
It’s amazing how something so simple, something that virtually anyone can do, can have such profound results, but that’s exactly how it works.
I should know. Several years ago, I was in debt up to my eyeballs, living in a tiny apartment, with tens of thousands of dollars in student loans, two car loans, and three maxed out credit cards. Today, I own my own home and have zero debt. The first step I took – and the only change I made in the first couple of years when I was making the debt vanish – was to simply cut back on my spending, cut back seriously, and stick with the cutbacks. That’s it. Eventually, I figured out how to improve my earnings a little, but by then, the snowball was already rolling down the mountain.
See? It’s magic. And you can do it, too. All you have to do is move from thinking about it to doing it.
Good luck!
Related Articles:
- How to Save Money: 100 Great Tips to Get You Started
- The Upside Down Reason So Many Americans Are Broke
- How Do I Even Start With Saving for Retirement?
The post The Magic System for Getting Out of Debt and Building Wealth Quickly! appeared first on The Simple Dollar.
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I’m Stressing Over My $40K Credit Card Debt and I’m Running Out of Options
It’s time to call in some backup and talk with a credit counselor. Not one of those credit repair scams you’ve probably seen or heard ads for — I’m talking about a reputable, nonprofit debt management agency.
After an initial call or visit, a credit counselor can assist you in disputing negative items on your report or help you manage your debt through a payoff plan. A legitimate debt management plan shouldn’t charge more than $50 per month.
The most nerve-wracking part is making the first appointment. I did this a few years ago when I was feeling crushed by my credit card, student loan and small-business debt.
My counselor asked me a ton of questions about my debt. Balances, interest rates, minimum payments. She asked about my checking and savings account balances, and what I was paying in estimated taxes each quarter because I was self-employed. She asked about my rent costs. My utilities. If I hadn’t signed up for this, I would have thought it was invasive.
She crunched some numbers and sighed a little. “You just need to keep going,” she said, explaining that my credit was good, my payment history was solid and my interest rates were fairly low. The best course of action would be to stay the course and keep making whatever payments I could.
This might be the same news you’ll get if you call a credit counselor. But you’ve likely been looking at this debt so much that you need an impartial third party to review your situation.
It was hard to accept that a debt management plan couldn’t help me then. Like you, I wanted a plan. An answer. Any answer.
The reality was that I had to form a plan on my own. I tackled small balances first to clear them away, and then moved on to debt that had higher interest rates. But the real key was to stay motivated. It’s going to be a long road out from under this debt, whether you work with a credit counselor or on your own. As you rebuild your payment history, your score will go up. The zero interest transfer offers will return. You can keep transferring the balance and throwing money at your debt for as long as you have to.
And for the next few years, that’s going to have to be OK. Because even if it takes years, there will be an end to that journey. If you can stay motivated, you’ll be well on your way to freedom from debt.
This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.
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