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|In: Fintech|Last Updated: | 0 Comments

Millennipreneurs are basically the generation of young entrepreneurs that are born in the year 1980~1995.  According to the statistics, most of them came from a family with a background in business where they probably get their capital finance.  At least 78% of the Millennipreneurs have ‘baby boomer’ parents who run a successful venture.  This means that they basically grew up in the kind of environment that is designed for this industry. The success that most Millennipreneurs enjoy at their young age is undeniable. Based on the gross profit, the millennial entrepreneurs’ target is around 32.6% compared to the baby boomers that is just 27.5%.  This means that the millennials are now outperforming their parents.

How Business Loans Can Support the Millennipreneurs on the Business Venture

It may be true that more than 70% of the millennial entrepreneurs have background in the business.  But it does not instantly mean that they have a starting capital for start-up.  In addition, in order to support the growing demand and expansion of their business, they will also require additional funding. Most of them start in the SME industry that generates the average amount of profit.  In India, at least 12.5% of them are in the retail industry, 8.5% are offering their professional expertise and only 7.3% in the IT industry. To help them propel their business into new heights, MSME Loans can definitely help them.

When choosing a platform that can support the Millennipreneurs in expanding their reach, there are different companies in the industry that are offering business loans.  However, not all of them will provide you with a fair agreement, competitive bid, great loan structure, and fast approval.  These factors are all essential for the millennial entrepreneurs.  They love opening new businesses, and they want a platform that can support them quickly.  At least 60% of them decided to open new business since there are not enough jobs available.   Millennipreneurs who are looking for those desirable attributes may find Loan Frame as a worthy candidate.

Quick Approval

Most of the Millennipreneurs started at their young age.  They do not necessarily have the right amount of resources to support their start-up.  Though most of them grew up in the business environment, the only thing that they can expect would be business advice from their parents and other corporate professionals.  This generation is eager to start their venture, and they want a financing option that can provide them support in an instant.  With Loan Frame, they can check your eligibility in applying for business loans for as little as 60 seconds.  It also does not involve a lot of paper works.

A Loan Option That Focus on the Core of Your Business

Instead of managing their wealth, most of the Millennipreneurs in India are also focusing on the core of their business, and they also want a partner who looks at their business the same way they do.  According to the recent survey, at least 20% of their resources are being invested on the original core of their business.  Loan Frame will offer you business loans that will match the nature of your business and will provide you with a huge selection of loans that will match your business needs.

Millennipreneurs managed to crack the purchasing habit of the millennials. They hold a significant influence in this business.  To help them advance their business and conquer new heights, business loans offered by Loan Frame is designed to address their needs.

Further, given the general under-penetration of banking services in India, it is no surprise that Alternative Lending channels are making inroads. This has been further given push through various initiatives of the government increase financial inclusion and financial penetration.

The Indian landscape is ripe for Alternative Lending to thrive in all its forms including online NBFCs, Loan Marketplaces, P2P platforms, and others. Consider the numbers placed before Rajya Sabha, RBI had informed that gross outstanding credit for top ten corporate groups is Rs 5,73,682 crore as on March 2016. This compares with the total credit to the MSME segment of Rs 11,10,000 crores spread across 2.06 crore loan accounts as on March 2016.

This is all that formal banking channels have on offer for 5.1 crore enterprises providing employment to 11.71 crore persons and contributing 37.5% of India’s GDP! Moreover, the 4th All India survey of MSMEs states that close to 90% of MSMEs are dependent on informal sources, which are mostly in the form of unsecured loans and are at higher cost.

Following are a few benefits you reap by approaching an Alternative Lending source

The Loan Buffett vs. The Fixed Menu

Everyone is familiar with the plain vanilla loans available from banks viz business loans, loan against property, secured project loans. Banks also have a defined policy for calculating eligibility a well as setting the interest rates for the loans. With the advent of technology, , alternative lending options are also available for small business owners. This includes e-commerce Merchant Cash Advances, Unsecured Business Loans, Seasonal Working Capital Financing, Various Forms of Short-Term Funding, Equipment Loans and Business Line of Credit. Loan Frame, for example, has more than 50 products in its marketplace suite. This wide range also goes well beyond being just an eye-pleasing variety. A small business can choose the specific loan based on the desired utilization objective, thus increasing chances of approval and also giving an optimum rate of interest suiting the requirements.

Tailored Approach vs. Off-the-shelf Loans

Traditional banks follow strict & inflexible credit policies that are replicated across products and borrowers. More often than not, these are relevant for larger, more established borrowers and end up complicating the applications by smaller businesses. The SME owner comes across redundant documentation requirements, unreal covenant expectations and needless scrutiny that invariably leads to either rejection or a higher interest rate, both of which are indeed not desirable.

Alternative Lending is more customer-centric and focused on creating value for the borrowers.. Documentation and compliance requirements are adjusted based on the type of loan product.

Beyond Just Lending

Borrowers are used to approaching banks and picking from the 2-3 off-the-shelf products that come closest to meeting their requirements. Many Alternative Lending channels such as Loan Frame provide value added advice to the borrower as to which loan product will be more appropriate, leading to more efficient and effective borrowing. There is also significant assistance provided in drafting the loan application and ensuring complete documentation.

Debt Consolidation

Alternative Lending channels make it possible for a borrower with a variety of facilities across lenders to consolidate debt under one lender. This is facilitated by multiple factors such as a common platform, deep lender relationships, a variety of loan products and a better understanding of the borrower’s requirement.

Read how debt consolidation can help improve credit standing and lower borrowing costs.

The Sheer Convenience of It All

Alternative Lending channels save you a lot of time and effort. You get to be evaluated against various options online and can spend your energy with the best one rather than waste energy in approaching various banks. This helps you to focus more on what you are good at and interested in – running the business – rather than on just arranging finances for it.

Leveraging Technology

The traditional lending process involves lots of paperwork and physical visits, which lead to delays in the approval and funding process. On the other hand, Alternative Lending channels leverage technology to save on both time and effort. Firstly, proprietary algorithms check for your loan eligibility within few seconds even as they incorporate many aspects beyond just the credit score. These include financials, business profile, promoter’s credit history and other business-specific data. In short, you have a more detailed assessment done in a shorter time leading to faster credit approvals and swift credit disbursal. It’s no wonder that the rise of the tech-based Alternative Lending channel has coincided with the widespread adoption of initiatives such as eKYC, Aadhaar, and UPI.

In this way, Alternative Lending helps solve not just the funding availability problem but also addresses the vexing problem of unduly high-interest rates for small businesses. As Narayana Murthy says,

If you cultivate inexpensive habits, you will not become a victim of money in later years. And, you will not fall into the trap of greed which leads you to do things that you will later regret.

This applies in equal measure to personal habits and business expenses, including what you pay on your borrowings. A better credit appraisal leads to a more appropriate interest rate for your business loan.

Some of the NPA-laden and capital-starved banks are either unable or unwilling to step in and plug the big funding gap that exists for MSME borrowers. Alternative Lending is a viable alternative for such borrowers. Furthermore, loan marketplaces like Loan Frame have several banks on their platform, therefore effectively serving as a bridge between the traditional and the alternative lending options.

About the author

This article is contributed by Neha Nayyar who works with Loan Frame. Loan Frame is one of the leading players in SME finance space and is backed by marquee investors.

|In: Fintech|Last Updated: | 1 Comment

Jeet Suri does not own a credit card. He does, however own an apartment in Bangalore. It is almost bare, save for his furnished bedroom and modular kitchen. Considering the hefty furniture costs, he knows that he will need to avail of a personal loan to get his apartment fully furnished. But this is easier said than done! As a 24-year-old IT professional in a medium-sized IT firm, he has been denied personal loans twice in the past for not having the requisite Credit [or CIBIL] Score.

Image Source – Alternate Lending

Jeet has now made the decision to apply for a loan from one of the new Fintech startups that specialize in giving quick personal loans to salaried people. He applies, gets his approval within 2 hours and funds reach his account in 48 hours! Jeet himself is surprised at the smooth and quick process. And this is exactly what attracted numerous alternative lenders in the country to start online lending platforms, albeit at somewhat higher interest rates.

The Indian Banking Sector has quite a history of bad loans and non-performing properties that has made lenders [particularly public sector ones] more cautious and conventional. There are more than 1.5 million companies in the country, but banks tend to focus on lending to only to those salaried applicants working for less than 50,000 companies which are listed in their target databases. So where do the rest go for loans? This explains the rise of close to 100 alternate lenders in India in the last two years alone [India has the 3rd largest number of personal lending startups in the world, after China and the USA!].

This new breed of lenders can be broadly categorized as follows

Aggregators or Lead-Generators

Aggregators are solely responsible for generating a lead and passing it on to one, or more, banks. This is a commission-based task and they earn a fee per lead, regardless of whether the loan is approved [and eventually funded] or not. The decision to lend lies with the bank or the non-bank lender, who makes the final credit decision on the case. BankBazaar and PaisaBazaar are two notable names in this niche.

Direct Selling Agents [or DSAs]

DSAs do everything the aggregators do and some more. Aside from lead generation, they take care of the entire documentation process too, hereby assisting you in ensuring that your loan is approved. Here, too, the credit decision lies with the ultimate lender [a bank or a non-bank lender]. DSAs charge a fee to the lender, which typically ranges from ranging from 1.5 to 3 percent of the loan amount.  Finance Buddha and Finwizz are two notable names.

Infographic Courtesy – Qbera

Consumer Durable Financing Marketplaces

Increased income, soaring consumer aspirations and easy cash access have prompted a sturdy growth in big-ticket purchases like electronics goods and furniture. Of the numerous schemes that have developed to fund these acquisitions, zero-interest EMIs and cardless EMIs are the most common. Astonishingly, in India, more than half of such purchases are made possible using small ticket loans from non-bank lenders! Here too, the lenders make the ultimate decision on the customer, and the platforms typically earn a commission or some sort of revenue share.

Business Correspondents

Business Correspondents take ownership of the entire life-cycle of the loan, from acquiring the customer, underwriting the loan, documentation, verification and ensuring the final loan is disbursed. The loans are funded by one of more lending partners and, uniquely, the platform plays a role in making the credit decision. They are not middleman, as they usually share risk [as well as revenues] with the bank or non-bank lending partner. Qbera is one such startup that is operating on this model

Summing it up

The online lending landscape in India is evolving rapidly. New-age online lenders are giving the incumbents a run for their money, as they partner with a variety of capital providers to test segments which have previously been untapped.  Added to this, they provide a superior customer experience, which includes more transparency, a better approval rate, a convenient process and lower turn-around times. However, time will tell how many of these new-age lenders will be able to target new, profitable segments, whilst scaling their businesses with low(er)-cost capital, and do all this while maintaining the quality of their portfolio.

About the author

Nidaa Chakkittammal is a Proud feminist, former journalist, certified mountaineer and currently Content Manager at Qbera. She believes self-discovery is an eternal journey. When she isn’t drafting finance articles and blogs by the dozen for Qbera & other similar platforms, she is busy reading romantic poetry and fiction, rollerskating, participating in marathons, cycling, chilling with friends and trekking. You can find more about her on her LinkedIn profile page.

|In: Digital|Last Updated: | 0 Comments

The battle between traditional and digital marketing has been going on for over 20 years. Two decades ago, we didn’t have the technological tools we have today to conduct a productive campaign in the online environment. With the advent of the internet, the marketing industry is changing. People use social media and smart devices to buy things and hire services. Very few still do it with the help of a newspaper. That being said, it’s only natural to believe that traditional marketing is dead. However, the average client can be attracted to a product or service with a conventional method, such as direct mail for example. The best approach is to consider a mix of strategies in an attempt to create a seamless experience.

Traditional marketing is here to stay

Why do people still market their products offline? The answer is quite simple: we still need conventional marketing because prospects need to be convinced with physical samples. Let’s assume that you’ve just a beauty brand. You’ve made the website, linked to social media, and so on. But in order to compel people to buy your latest wrinkle cream, you have to let the people try your product. This is traditional marketing. You set up a campaign and invite prospects to test it.

Then you give them samples in the hopes that they’ll share their opinions with friends and family. Last but not least, they’ll check you out online and probably give you a review. As you see, the model we’ve presented is not merely dependent on traditional marketing. It’s a seamless blend of tactics that combines both online and offline advertising.

Digital marketing – an industry that grows little by little with every year that goes by

Digital marketing is an industry that has taken the internet by storm. Twenty years ago we didn’t have websites to recommend us products or Facebook pages from where you can shop with just a click of a button. In the online environment, the goal of a company is to raise awareness and broaden its audience. Offline, the goal is to compel the people and wait for them to share the amazing experience they had with you with their loved ones.

Sadly, these days if you’re not active online you’re almost invisible offline too. What’s the point of a huge billboard in the heart of a city with hundreds of thousands of people, if nobody can find the product you’re selling anywhere online?

Digital marketing vs. traditional marketing

Today’s savviest marketers know that a complete advertising campaign needs both traditional and digital marketing. Most people use smart devices to buy things they haven’t had the chance to see in real life. However, there are prospects that don’t believe that what they see is what they get. This means you need brick and mortar stores and samples to prove that your product is of the highest quality. Back in the day we used newspapers to look for products. But all ads had physical addresses at the end, as well as an invite to come check out those products. There are online stores that don’t advertise offline. The internet is packed with stores that only sell via a website. Can you afford to take that risk?

A core drawback of traditional marketing is the lack of utensils to balance results. In the online environment we have metrics and analytics programs that we can use to help us measure results and check whether our campaign appeals to the people or not. Thanks to review websites and social media platforms, marketers can interact with their prospects, assess the feedback received, and make modifications in an attempt to correct glitches. Offline, if you made a mistake and the wrong message got out; there was nothing that you could do to fix things.

Why should we choose between digital and traditional marketing when we can use both to compose a brilliant campaign? Blending social media, direct mail London, email marketing, and conventional advertising helps people understand a brand a lot better. Offering prospects is a seamless experience when introducing them to a product is the best way to prove them that what we advertise is exactly what they get when they hit the “Buy” button.

This is a guest article by Denny Averill

|In: Finance|Last Updated: | 2 Comments

There are various ways in which you can trade in the stock market and one goal that most of the trader’s eye for is the method of trading where they can make some long term investments that prove to be profitable. Although every trader works through their sets of rules and it is possible that an idea or tip works for someone and falls stall for the others, there are a few general things that you can take a note of to keep your long term investments profitable. Check out some of such aspects in the sentences that follow.

Image Source – Stock Market

Investing in the known names

For all those investors who want to place safe bets, the first thing to do is understand which share is reliable and which is not. If you are going to put in your money in something, it is quite obvious that you won’t invest a small amount. So since the amount of money is huge, it is important to understand that you put the money only in those companies that are known names and popular for performing in a great way even when the market is unstable of affected by certain conditions. Sure there will be cases when the shares would dip, but considering the brand value, the prices would only stay up.

Don’t always follow the hot tips

There are many stock advisors who’d tell you the shares you should invest in and the once that are great for the long term. There are chances that whatever they say might be true, but there are possibilities when nothing of that sort happens. So instead of trusting the hot tips blindly, do some research of your own? As an investor, you should know that any investment that you have kept untouched for over 3 years is considered long term. So pick out on a few shortlisted options and then sit down to research upon their previous performances of 3-5 years. Studying their graph would tell you what you need to do.

Avoid cheap stocks

Try to avoid buying shares that are cheaply priced as the amount of fluctuation in them would be low. Also, no matter if the quantities are high; the brokerage would also be high on your trades thus keeping the profits low. One should always understand that a company whose stock is cheaply priced would always be exposed to a lot higher amount of risk in comparison to the expensive stocks.

Stick to your strategies

If you have picked up a certain investment strategy, trust it and stick with it. It makes no point jumping from one idea or strategy to another just because you don’t trust the initial ones enough. One strategy can be judged only when you have allowed it to stick around for some time so that you can at least monitor its result.

Since patience is the key to long term investments, you’d earn great profits only if you allow your stocks to grow and nurture without being disturbed.

About the author

Vijayalakshmi is a Consultant at Alice Blue Securities Pvt Ltd, which is enabling young and new traders to enter the Indian stock market. Alice Blue offers a host of services to both young and seasoned traders to trade in the stock market, commodity market and the forex market.

|In: Guest Blogging|Last Updated: | 0 Comments

The shops are getting busy, and, depending on which hemisphere you live in, it’s either time to turn on the central heating or break out the shorts and shades. But it’s also time to look ahead to 2017 and wonder what it might have in store for us.

Image Source – Tech Trends

On a global level the world is going through turbulent times, with conflicts, political uncertainty, an ongoing refugee crisis and a somewhat fragile economic recovery from the most recent financial downturn. At the same time, technological developments continue unabated, with high-speed networks, big data and deep learning moving beyond that initial phase of just being marketing buzz words to enabling new and improved security offerings. Similarly, we expect the so-called Internet of Things to be much less of a novelty and more of the fabric of our daily lives. However, that means manufacturers of internet-enabled devices will have to step up and take much more responsibility for the level of default security they ship with. All of these factors are likely to fuel demand for increased security, both physical and online.

PS – We in the article refers to Axis Communications

Security as a Service

As many other technologies have done, we expect customers will stop looking at physical security as simply being a collection of hardware and software connected to a network. Instead, we think they will start to see their security as a service-remote and professionally hosting and monitoring of video transmitted from the customer’s premise.

Whether by themselves, or more likely by sector-specific specialists who can not only take away the burden of managing the complex systems involved, but also reduce the costs of keeping those systems up to date and secure. This will not only free up internal resources which could be better focused elsewhere, but also improve the service level of the security system, enable better device management, and strengthen cyber security processes.

On the topic of cyber-security, we see an increased use of tools and practices that make network video a less vulnerable to attacks. In general, wider use of pre- and post-installation tools [such as Axis Site Designer, for example] will help in on-going monitoring and maintenance of systems.

Integrated Solutions

The security industry will continue its trends of offering more specific solutions to particular problems, rather than one-size fits all hardware/software. In the end, customers aren’t looking to buy a camera, or a video management system [VMS]-what they really want is to reduce shoplifting, or make sure only certain people can access the cash office, or keep track of potential threats in an airport. Although the word ‘solutions’ gets bandied around by technology companies a lot, for once this really is the most apt term.

The convergence of hardware and software as well as pre-installation and post installation tools as mentioned above, into end-to-end solutions will be able to address specific security problems. They will consist of high-performance cameras, storage and access controls tightly integrated with video management and analytics tools. This approach will be easier for customers to purchase, install and implement, while offering a great return on their investment.

Expanded Use of Analytics

As part of this, we see that while high quality video footage is a core feature of modern security cameras, ultimately that information needs to be assessed and analyzed before a decision can be made to respond to its content. The recent advances in camera technologies, such as thermal imaging and enhanced low-light capabilities have been significant steps forward. But in the end, they just generate more footage that needs to be watched/reviewed.

So, much like how tools have been developed to sift through the huge pools of numerical/text data that is being captured every day, the security industry has been working hard on video analytics software that can work in real time to help professionals make informed decisions. We expect to see 2017 as the year when these new camera capabilities are combined with real-time analytics to address several security challenges, including facial recognition, forensic analysis and perimeter protection.

Deep Learning

With all this data being gathered, we are seeing deep learning technologies coming to the fore. These use pattern recognition software to ‘learn’ about different kinds of behaviours as seen through the multitude of security cameras installed around the world. Techniques involving deep learning and artificial intelligence will see broader utilization within the security industry.

The benefits are that although all customers are different, the environments and locations they are based in tend to fall into the same general categories, with people exhibiting the same general behaviours. Once those behaviours have been ‘learned’ the patterns that underlie them can be shared, enabling the system to flag up when something unexpected occurs. We see this as only the beginning and a very exciting space to keep an eye on.

Beyond Video

However, we know that physical security doesn’t just involve surveillance of people/places/objects. It is also about physical access control, one & two-way communication and managing emergency situations-and often managing this from a significant distance. So, to extend the concept of integration even further, 2017 should be the year when security cameras work hand in glove with intelligent doors, intercoms and speakers, both locally and remotely. That means one simple system that can manage them all, in real time-enabling customers to see, hear and talk to the people in/near their buildings.

Cybersecurity

As mentioned above ‘The Internet of Things’ has evolved from buzzword status to mainstream reality, but not without its challenges. While we still think the idea of millions of IP-enabled devices is an exciting prospect for the future, 2016 gave us a sobering reminder of the pitfalls of not properly securing all those internet-connected fridges, DVRs and unfortunately security cameras. Given that most of those devices are just plugged in and switched on by customers, it is down to manufacturers to take responsibility to ensure they are secure out of the box.

Axis has always taken its customers’ security seriously, but we will hopefully see 2017 as the year when all manufacturers make this a priority. We will continue to strengthen our existing offerings and make it easier for our customers to keep their networks and devices secure.

We think the Internet of Things should be about better security, and more efficient businesses, organizations and cities thanks to “smart” cameras, door stations and audio equipment with network connectivity. 2017 will add more ‘smarts’ to those devices, while also enabling customers to focus on what they do best and allowing security specialists to improve the services they provide.

|In: Guest Blogging|Last Updated: | 0 Comments

The online version of Indian rummy has changed the perception of playing traditional way of rummy cards games. The game which existed inside the family & was played during the festive seasons has broken the boundaries and come out as an open space environment where players can play with other players anytime anywhere.

Image Source - Rummy
Image Source – Rummy

With the availability of online rummy card games, players do not have to worry about the shuffling, holding, sorting and distribution of the cards. With a simple click, everything is accessible and so the online rummy is.

The Online Indian Gaming Industry

Applications providing a mobile pleasing experience to its customer leads to traffic generation, revenue growth and its popularity. Today, a number of users play games on their mobile phones compared to PC & tablets and hence to reach the target audience, the App should be well designed to provide a mobile satisfactory gaming experience. This is largely due to the falling data rates, rise of 4G and increased smart-phone penetration.

  • India is considered as the strong revenue market for the gaming industry and it is estimated that mobile gaming revenues are $150 million across all the revenue models.
  • There is a massive increase in smartphone & tablets users thus giving them the power to compute games with a single click.
  • Most of the people are indulge in playing western games and the idea of online rummy emerged to connect the common man with the Indian traditional games.

As the large part of the user spends their leisure time in playing games, mobile rummy gained its popularity and helped players to enjoy Rummy on the Go! The App have been designed in such a way that the website version of rummy can adapt to any mobile devices irrespective of the screen size. The mobile App works seamlessly and thus provides a world class gaming experience to the users.

Interface, Features & Quality of Mobile Rummy Games

Apart from mobile browser compatibility, the interface design, sound features, user interaction & all the other functions work smoothly without any glitch. Log in to this Amazing website, Ace2Three – The oldest, largest and the most trustworthy online rummy portal in India & feel like playing at home. The platform designed is 100% safe, secure and legal to play.

The desktop rummy and the mobile App have been integrated with the latest software and technology thus eliminating any chance of obstacles while playing 13 card games online. Bringing real players across the country and moulding them towards the perfection of online rummy games is what Ace2Three is designed for. A choice of more than 7 million players who are actively playing their favourite games from the comfort of their home.

2 Players, 6 Players games with a variety of rummy variants and tournaments will give you full session of entertainment and enjoyment.

Summary

Any gaming portal with rich rewards and prizes attracts a number of gamers. Discounts, Deals, and Bonuses act as a lure to bring more players to the website and the engaging features make them visit the site again and again. Gaming portals with lesser number of button, icons, and pop-ups make it more interactive while exploring the website.

The idea of digitizing traditional rummy to online brought the millions of players on a platform where they share a common interest and interact socially.  Few of the benefits of playing rummy games online are

  • Its refreshes your mind with the ultimate fun & thrill
  • Games are available 24*7 online
  • Auto Play option in case of any disconnection
  • Acts as an antidote for the boredom.
  • Exhilarating gaming experience with the real players

 

Isn’t it worth playing the game? So, Why Waiting? Choose Your Game Type, Join a Table & Enjoy To the Fullest!

Note – This is a guest article by Swati Gupta from Ace2Three

|In: CloudComputing|Last Updated: | 0 Comments

The best cloud storage providers simplify our digital lives. They make it easy to share files and photos and provide a secure place to back up our most important memories. We love the cloud and made it our mission to find the best cloud storage provider.

Note* : This article was previously featured on Reviews.com and content is reproduced here with author’s consent.

After exploring over 45 different options, interviewing power users across the nation, and personally testing 26 different apps, we are confident that DropBox, Google Drive, OneDrive, and Box are the best, most reliable cloud storage providers on the market today.

Image Source - Cloud Storage
Image Source* – Cloud Storage

All four of our top picks will provide you with roughly the same lineu of features and each has a freemium version, letting you take advantage of the cloud without paying a dime. So, picking your favorite cloud storage option will be a matter of how much space you need, how much you’re ready to pay, and which one is the easiest for you to use.

How We Found the Best Cloud Storage

We started by compiling a list of 45 different cloud-based software solutions and then we hit the books (well, the internet, that is). We read reviews from the top technology blogs, dissected user guides, toyed with a bunch of settings, and narrowed our list down to our top four recommendations using these five criteria:

1. We removed services that are focused primarily on media- and OS-level backups.

Of the active users we surveyed, 53 percent primarily use cloud storage for media and file sharing, so our best picks had to be well-rounded, and not focused on automated, system-level backups.

2. We removed services that are just for business and have no personal option.

Enterprise cloud solutions are technical, and include a plethora of features that most people either don’t need, or would find confusing, such as task management and user comments.

3. We cut all services without extensive support for OS X, Windows, Android, and iOS.

A huge benefit of cloud storage is that it bridges the gap between operating systems. We only passed services that support all of the most common desktop and mobile operating systems.

4. We cut any cloud storage services that did not offer a freemium version.

Offering a freemium version is obviously a great way for companies to win new users, but it’s also part of being the best cloud storage service. Not everyone is a power user, after all. And why pay when you don’t have to?

5. We cut any contenders that didn’t have an average of 3.5 stars or higher from the App Store, Google Play Store, and Windows Store.

If there’s one thing that should be indicative of cloud storage, it’s mobility. Filtering out low-rated mobile apps was a great way to find out which companies really catered to their users. Of course, app scores change with every update and release, but as of our latest update all of our top contenders had high marks.

Cloud Storage Reviews and Testing

After narrowing down the cloud storage contenders to our top recommendations, we spent a week testing them all on four different operating systems (OS X Yosemite, Windows 10, iOS 9.1, Android Lollipop 5.1.1) and on seven different devices. We updated files, shared a ton of pictures (maybe one or two selfies), and installed a bunch of apps. We even used Google Drive to write and edit this review.

We also tested the transfer speeds for each contender by uploading a leisurely afternoon’s worth of iPhone photos (about 30) from three different locations. As you can see below, Microsoft OneDrive consistently logged the fastest times, while Box and Dropbox duked it out for last place.

Speed Test : Save a Few Seconds on Every Upload

Packet Size: 393.6Mb (Note: Lower score is better)
Packet Size: 393.6Mb (Note: Lower score is better)

|In: Guest Blogging|Last Updated: | 0 Comments

Marketing is an essential part of any new start-up or business. To succeed in whatever domain you’re targeting, you need to pay more attention to direct mail marketing as it is still a fundamental marketing tool. Without it, you won’t be able to diversify your customer base. Today’s competitive business environment makes it hard for companies to stand out. And yet, it’s not something impossible to achieve. In spite of the fact that many have ditched email in favour of social media, email marketing remains one of the most productive ways to win over customers. Here are some guidelines to help you leverage your power and grow your business using direct mail marketing.

Augmented reality

Direct mail is probably one of the oldest (but also most effective) forms of marketing a business. In the last couple of years, advanced technology and social media has made this strategy go extinct. Believe it or not, very few companies still use emails to appeal to customers; and that’s because many rely on sponsored Facebook ads and tweets. The good news is there’s still great power in direct mail; you just have to learn how to use it and make it work for your business goals. For your business to stand out and make itself different from all other emails people get in their inboxes, you need to blend email marketing with augmented reality apps, thus bring your products and services to life. There are sensible ways companies can use to integrate technology into their marketing campaign and win over valuable customers.

Incentives

People love getting stuff for free, whether we’re talking about discounts, vouchers, or any other freebies. Truth be told, you can’t get your product out there without offering some free samples to people; because free samples might be exactly what people need to buy, and even spread the word. However, you shouldn’t just send emails with subject lines titled “Click here to get X for free” because nobody will want it. You have to be creative and craft a message that sounds interesting and attention-grabbing. To appeal to your customers, you have to stand out from your competition.

Put some thought into your emails

Believe it or not, some of the world’s biggest brands make one huge mistake when sending emails to customers – they don’t put enough thought into the creation of their message. Whether you want to offer something to customers for free or invite them to read your latest post, it is important to make sure your email sounds well – it has to be both structurally and grammatically correct. If you’re not the most experienced writer, hire someone to handle the copy-writing. Innovative engaging and creative emails work the best

Be different

The power of direct mail marketing can be outstanding. To make your emails stand out, you have to be different. Your approach has to be unique and ingenious for people to want to know more. Direct mail might be one of the oldest and most used marketing forms out there, but for an email to be memorable it has to engage. Think outside the box for once, and dare to come up with the most out of the ordinary subject lines. Make your emails persuasive and you’ll be able to appeal to a wider audience. Don’t rely solely on social media, as social media is no personal and it doesn’t make customers feel special and appreciated.

Combined campaigns

The finest companies out there abide by more than one technique to market their business. Direct mail marketing can work miracles; however it must be integrated into additional campaigns to provide you with the best results. Email marketing doesn’t work alone; it has to be used together with direct mail and social media to boost your company’s bottom line and yield dividends.

Whatever business objectives you might have for this 2016, make sure to implement the best strategies. Increase brand awareness with social media, but make your potential customers feel that you can about them with email and direct mail marketing. Have a target audience in mind before getting started, and focus on a group of people that might actually have an interest to buy whatever you’re selling.

This is a guest article by Denny Averill & Romax.co.uk