Great Ways You Can Enhance Your Business

Julie Starr • September 28, 2021



When you run a business it can be hard to reach your goals and get to the success that you want your business to be. It is also hard to change the way you run your business especially if you are set in your ways but the only way to start reaching your goals is to make changes along the way, the big task is knowing what changes you need to make in your business, so these few tips will give you some ideas of what you can do to help enhance your business.

Assess your marketing strategy

When trying to grow a business, the way you market it is very important. When marketing you are trying to reach your target audience, but it is very easy to sink money into marketing and not get the results you are looking for because you are not marketing in the right places. You need to research your customer base and make sure that you are marketing in the places where you are going to reach your target audience so you are not pumping money and getting small results.  However, if you feel like you don’t have the time or knowledge to do this yourself, feel free to get in contact with managed marketing services to take care of this aspect of your business for you! Loads of companies outsource their marketing departments, and this allows you to focus on the tasks that require your attention most, while your marketing efforts are being optimized by professionals!

Try to boost your online presence

Having an online presence is really important for businesses in these modern days because most of the time potential customers are going to look your business up before looking to make a decision on using it. Therefore if you have a poor online presence they are not likely to come and use your business, you can grow your online presence by building a great captivating site that customers can get updates on and see what your business is all about. Also engaging on social media with existing and potential customers is a great way to have an increased online presence and also help with customer satisfaction as they have a place to reach you on and react with the business.

How to Develop a Strong Local Digital Presence

A ‘local’ digital presence is something that many small businesses have never considered, but it is increasingly critical in today’s hyper-connected world. The local digital company that offers Digital Health Services helps you create a footprint on the web for your business with search engine optimization (SEO) and social media marketing. This improves your online visibility and can drive more traffic to your business website, blog, or social pages. It also helps customers find you when they search for specific services in their local community.

Try adding in software

Software has grown so much in this technological age so using it for your business can really help to increase growth. For example, if you were to run a physio center you could get physio practice management software , that will allow you to manage all appointments and clients so everything is all in one easy to access place. This will streamline your business and make sure that you are not wasting valuable time going from system to system in order to complete an appointment or transaction for your client.

Become more sustainable

In this modern time sustainability has become a massive thing so being able to go greener and use more sustainable resources you are going to do your part to help the planet while also growing and saving money for your business. More customers look to sustainable and eco friendly businesses for their purchases so this can give you an edge on the competition when it comes to customer retention and getting new customers in.

If you are struggling to get your business where you want it to be then it may be that you need to make a few decisions and changes within your business to help it grow to where you need it to be. These tips in the guide should be able to help you get started on making those changes and enhancing your business to where you want it.

5 Everyday Items That Can Quietly Boost Your Brand

By Julie Starr • July 17, 2025
The best branding doesn’t always come from big campaigns or expensive graphics. Sometimes it’s the smaller stuff that leaves the biggest impression. Things people actually use, touch, or carry with them. That’s where your brand can quietly make its mark without needing to shout about it. If you’re only focusing on social media and business cards, you’re leaving a lot on the table. Here are five overlooked ways to get your name out there that feel natural, useful, and more personal. Thank-you slips If you’re already sending out orders, there’s no reason not to include a short thank-you slip. You can easily get these made through any decent online print shop , and they’re usually pretty cheap to run off in small batches. Just a simple note that says thanks, maybe with a reminder to follow you online or a cheeky discount code for next time. It’s quick, thoughtful, and makes the whole order feel more finished. Customers notice that kind of detail, especially when everything else they buy online comes with zero personality. You don’t need a complicated design either. Just something clean with your logo, a message that sounds like you, and maybe a social handle. The point is to give them a reason to come back or remember your name without it feeling forced. Branded zip pouches If you sell physical products, offer services, or run events, small zip pouches are surprisingly effective. Think of the kind you’d use for stationery, receipts, or travel bits. You can get your brand printed on the side and hand them out with purchases or include them in welcome packs. People keep them because they’re actually useful. They get tossed in handbags, school bags, or glove boxes and your logo just keeps turning up. Cleaning cloths for glasses or screens This one works brilliantly if you’re in tech, health, beauty, or anything involving screens or eyewear. A simple microfibre cloth with your branding on it can go a long way. Everyone needs one. Whether they use it for glasses, a phone screen, or their laptop, it’s something they hang onto. It’s not the kind of thing people throw away, and that means your name sticks around too. Receipt envelopes You might already use little envelopes to hand over receipts or business cards. Branding those envelopes is a small change that makes a big difference. Instead of someone getting a scruffy bit of paper in a plain sleeve, they’re handed something that feels a bit more finished. You can even add a message inside. Doesn’t need to be anything dramatic. A simple “thanks for visiting” or “see you next time” is enough to add a personal touch. Wet wipes or mini hand gels If your business is in hospitality, food, or anything hands-on, branded wet wipes or pocket-sized hand gels are surprisingly popular. People actually use them, especially at festivals, food stalls, pop-ups, or kids’ events. They end up in handbags or cars and stick around longer than you think. They don’t scream “marketing” either. They’re practical, and when done right, they make your business feel thoughtful. That’s what good branding does, it shows you’ve thought ahead.

How Student-Led ‘Energy Audits’ Are Cutting School Costs (and Lighting the Way Forward)

By Julie Starr • July 14, 2025
What happens when students stop waiting for adults to fix things and start conducting their own energy audits? Money gets saved. The lights get switched off. Data gets analyzed. And a quiet revolution in sustainability begins—inside schools that once overlooked their own inefficiencies. Across the globe, student-led energy audits are proving that change doesn't always need to come from a policy shift or a major capital budget. Sometimes, it begins with a clipboard, a spreadsheet, and a group of curious minds asking: Why are the hallway lights on at noon when sunlight floods the building? The Energy Detectives These audits aren’t science fair projects. They’re rigorous investigations, often done in collaboration with facilities staff, local environmental nonprofits, or even engineering mentors. Students go from classroom to classroom measuring electricity usage, checking for phantom loads , and identifying where heat is escaping in winter or air conditioning is leaking in summer. One high school in Ontario saved over $12,000 a year after its Grade 11 physics students ran an energy audit and suggested simple changes—LED upgrades, motion sensors in bathrooms, and smarter heating schedules. They didn’t just propose ideas. They pitched them with spreadsheets, thermal images, and payback timelines. It worked. Learning That Pays Off—Literally Unlike textbook learning, these audits blend real-world math, environmental science, economics, and persuasive communication. Students aren’t just learning about sustainability. They’re doing it. And the savings add up. From dimming overlit hallways to reprogramming HVAC systems that run all weekend for empty buildings, students are surfacing blind spots that administrators often overlook. In some districts, their findings are influencing energy policy. Elsewhere, the audits have inspired school boards to hire sustainability coordinators—often alumni of the student programs themselves. There’s something poetic about a school funding new books or laptops from money saved by students who found out the vending machines didn’t need to be plugged in 24/7. Why This Matters More Than Ever With education budgets tightening and utility costs rising, every dollar saved is a dollar that can go back into classrooms. And here’s where it gets interesting from a family finance perspective, too. If you’re a parent setting aside money for post-secondary savings, every bit of school efficiency helps. Fewer energy costs might mean more programming, better STEM facilities, or even bursaries. That raises a broader point: when families save for their children’s future, they often look into RESPs (Registered Education Savings Plans). And many wonder—is a RESP deduction available on my taxes? While contributions themselves aren’t deductible, the gains grow tax-free, and students often pay little to no tax when they withdraw the funds during school. A Movement Worth Replicating These audits aren’t just an exercise in environmentalism. They’re leadership labs. Students learn how to spot inefficiencies, speak up in board meetings, and make a business case for change. They don’t just flip switches—they shift mindsets. And they carry these habits into adulthood. The result? A generation growing up not only with climate anxiety, but also with tools to tackle it.