With advances in technology, it's become easier than ever to collect, organize, and analyze large amounts of data. Businesses, in particular, can benefit from the value of data, using it for everything from improving risk management to better meeting customer needs. Some experts even refer to data as the "most valuable commodity" that a business can have. However, if you're new to data analytics, you may not know how to make the most of it. Don't stress. This guide explains some of the ways you can leverage data analytics to improve your daily business operations.

Learn about your customers

Your customers are what drive your business success. The more you know about them, the better you can cater to their needs, and ideally, boost your profits. The CX Lead provides tips for collecting customer data while remaining compliant with the relevant privacy legislation. Options for collecting data include web tracking, social media, transactional data, and surveys.

Finetune your marketing

Once you know more about your customers, you can finetune your marketing. For example, if you cater to Baby Boomers, you might embrace Facebook marketing, but if your audience is Gen Z, TikTok may be better. Consider demographics like age, education, and location. When creating marketing materials with a graphic or web designer, you can simplify the collaboration process by converting PDFs with the marketing graphics you want to use on your website and social media profiles into JPG files. It’s easier to work directly on PDFs since they’re so easy to edit, but JPG files are small and easy to compress, making them simpler to share and print. This site could be helpful in converting PDF files into JPGs.

Improve your product or service offering

You can further cater to your customers' needs and wants by adapting your product or service offering according to their wishes. Good Data explains how customer needs can help inform a data-driven product strategy. They also recommend taking into account UX design or overall user-friendliness. Data can also support smart product development with the help of machine learning. For example, incorporating tools like AI, natural language generation, and predictive analytics into digital tools can make them more practical and efficient.

Minimize business risks

Risk management is a major point of concern for any business owner. Data analytics can help improve risk management and bring you peace of mind. It can also mitigate business interruptions, which cost you time and money, and cause you stress. With real-time data, you can flag risks immediately and avoid repetitive losses. For example, if one of your systems is hacked, an AI tool may recognize this before a human. It's also easier to identify weaknesses in areas like financial health and employee skills and address gaps promptly.

Enhance employee satisfaction

Happy employees tend to be more productive and motivated. They also result in lower turnover rates, helping to keep human resources costs down. Big data can help you ensure that your teams are satisfied and doing their best every day. Spice Works reveals that more than half of all companies are already using data to boost employee retention. You can collect data about metrics like employee performance, task completion time, and sales volume per employee. As with customers, surveys can also prove useful in learning more about employees and their wants and needs, from benefits to holiday time.

Data analytics can improve your business operations in many ways, from improving your marketing efforts to supporting your employees. Before you invest in data collection, make sure you know what you'll use the data for. The above guide has some ideas to help.

Adobe Acrobat is a versatile software suite that offers a wide range of benefits for small and local businesses. From document management to collaboration and security features, Acrobat is an indispensable tool for organizations of all sizes for many reasons:

Efficient Document Management: Acrobat provides robust document management capabilities, allowing businesses to create, edit, organize, and archive documents seamlessly. With features like merging, splitting, and indexing PDFs, businesses can streamline their document workflow and reduce paperwork clutter.

Cost Savings: Acrobat offers cost-effective solutions that eliminate the need for expensive printed materials, courier services, and physical storage space. By going digital with PDF documents, businesses save on printing and shipping costs, reduce paper waste, and lower their overall operational expenses.

Enhanced Collaboration: Collaboration is key in today's business landscape, and Acrobat facilitates this through features like commenting, annotation, and real-time co-editing. Small businesses can collaborate with remote team members, clients, or suppliers, allowing for seamless communication and feedback on documents. This collaborative approach can significantly improve productivity and the speed of decision making.

Professional-Looking Documents: For small and local businesses trying to make a mark in a competitive market, the presentation of documents matters. Acrobat offers a wide range of formatting and styling options to create professional-looking documents. From customizing fonts and colors to adding watermarks and headers, businesses can enhance their brand identity and create visually-appealing materials.

Secure Document Handling: Acrobat provides robust security features, including password protection, encryption, and digital signatures. Small and local businesses can ensure the confidentiality and integrity of their documents, especially when handling sensitive information like customer data and financial information.

Mobile Accessibility: In today's fast-paced business world, being able to work on the go is crucial. Acrobat offers mobile apps that allow small businesses and local businesses to access, edit, and share documents from their smartphones or tablets. This mobility ensures that critical tasks can be addressed promptly, even when employees are not in the office.

Compliance and Legal Benefits: Acrobat helps businesses maintain compliance by providing tools for digital signatures and document tracking. This is especially valuable for businesses that need to meet stringent regulatory standards, like healthcare and financial institutions.

Streamlined Workflows: Acrobat integrates seamlessly with other popular software applications, including Microsoft Office and various cloud storage services. This integration streamlines workflows, making it easier to convert documents to PDF format, collaborate on documents, and access files stored in the cloud. Small and local businesses can save time and reduce errors by using these integrations.

Electronic Forms: Acrobat allows businesses to create interactive electronic forms that can be filled out online, reducing the need for paper forms and manual data entry. This simplifies the customer experience and ensures accurate data collection.

Just take a look at how Acrobat revolutionized the way The J. Morey Company runs its business. As an insurance agency, J. Morey handles a lot of paperwork — all of which was physical documentation until 2015, when president Joshua Morey digitized the firm’s paperwork with Acrobat. Because they no longer rely on wet signatures that have to be scanned into the computer system or sent via snail mail, the process of signing, password protecting, and sending signed documents takes only a minute instead of 20 minutes, freeing up as much as 10 hours a month per employee.

Acrobat’s features and tools allow The J. Morey Company and more than 500,000 other organizations worldwide to reduce costs while scaling their businesses. In fact, when Joshua took over the company in 2015, it had four offices with a total of 18 employees. After just three years of implementing Acrobat into its workflows, the company grew to 150 employees across 11 offices.

As the job market evolves to be more inclusive, employers are learning how crucial it is to welcome and accommodate applicants with disabilities. Experts estimate that one in four US adults copes with some type of disability, so chances are your business could benefit significantly from seeking out and hiring qualified candidates with disabilities.

That said, reaching potential candidates can be a challenge, and many companies don’t know where to start. Here, we will discuss some of the best ways to attract new hires that will take your organization to new heights:

Providing Employer-Assisted Housing

Offering employer-assisted housing for those with disabilities is an excellent way to create a more inclusive, disability-friendly workplace. It not only benefits your team members but can be good for business as well. Providing housing assistance eases the stress for workers who have difficulty finding affordable accommodations.

Moreover, your company can increase its retention rate and reduce absenteeism as employees are more content in their living situation. Some benefits of employer-assisted housing might include assistance with security deposits or waived fees. Many companies purchase accessible housing and rent it out to team members at affordable rates. Providing stipends and paying for moving costs are other ways to help your staff live comfortably.

Creating New Job Descriptions

It’s crucial that your job descriptions are inclusive and accurately reflect the necessary skills, qualifications, and performance expectations of the given job. Employers who offer and promote diverse, inclusive work environments are more attractive to a broad range of individuals, reducing turnover rates while promoting maximum engagement and productivity.

One way to successfully make job postings more inclusive is to avoid ableist language and make clear the required experience and education level for jobs. You’ll also want to include any specific rewards or incentives that come with working for your company. Plan to update your job descriptions regularly so they’re always current.

Accessible Recruitment Practices

To attract new hires with disabilities, business owners should consider creating a recruiting document specifically tailored to new applicants. This document can outline why candidates with disabilities should choose their company, emphasizing the commitment to fostering an inclusive and supportive work culture. This proactive approach not only signals the company's dedication to diversity and equity but also provides candidates with valuable information about the company's values and priorities.

For creating and sharing such recruiting documents, business owners can opt for the convenience of PDF format. If they prefer to use this format, they can leverage online tools that enable easy conversion of files in different formats to PDFs by simply dragging and dropping them into the tool. This ensures that the recruitment material is accessible, professional, and consistent, making it more likely to attract top talent, including individuals with disabilities, who value an inclusive workplace. Click to learn more about Adobe Acrobat’s user-friendly (and free) PDF converter.

Incorporating Reasonable Accommodations

You might assume that certain responsibilities or tasks require a specific level of physical abilities, but you can adapt many commonly performed tasks to meet the needs of a broad range of workers with disabilities. Offering reasonable accommodations like flexible work schedules or specialized equipment will help employees with disabilities be more productive, creative, and happy within the workplace. You can work with occupational therapists or other experts in disability accommodations to identify and implement the necessary office modifications.

Rejuvenating Your Recruitment Process

By revamping your recruitment process to include outreach to diverse communities, you can find new candidates with disabilities that help your business reach new milestones. Setting up a recruitment strategy that targets specifically this community can draw in a wealth of candidates with varied experiences and qualifications. Consider offering internships or volunteering opportunities to attract even more candidates.

Making Your Website More Accessible

One of the simplest ways to attract new hires with disabilities is to make your website accessible to all users — regardless of the type of disability. Many companies are unaware of how to do this and never get around to it. But you can do it in several ways and reap the benefits. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Use website accessibility auditing tools.

• Label images and text.

• Provide clear descriptions of links and page headings.

• Make sure the site has plenty of white space and easy navigation.

Establishing a disability-friendly work environment will help you attract a range of talented applicants, boost retention rates, and attain broader visibility within the community. Implementing the inclusive alterations above will show that your company encourages diversity while creating a more engaged and productive team in the process. Whether it’s employer-assisted housing or making your website more accessible, resolve to make changes that will enhance the richness of your workspace and benefit everyone involved.

The art world is a vast and vibrant expanse, a realm filled with countless talents vying for the spotlight. For creators aspiring to carve out their own niche and start a business based on their artistic endeavors, standing out can be an intimidating challenge. This guide presents an effective path, providing you with pragmatic strategies to amplify your visibility, captivate potential investors, and craft a sustainable artistic business. Armed with these tactics, you can bolster your art's exposure and reach an audience as boundless as your imagination.

Creating Contracts for Your Work

Artists who sell their work need to have clear agreements in place with their clients. These agreements are important because they detail what is expected from both sides and talk about payments and what to do if plans change. To make it easier, you can use this tool that lets creatives and their clients sign contracts online, directly on a PDF, without printing anything. After both sides e-sign, the artist can safely send the completed agreement to the client.

Building a Proper Workspace

If you really want your art to be the best it can be, trying to get by using half a bedroom or a quarter of a garage won’t cut it. Instead, give yourself the proper workspace you need. If that requires some renovation — whether that’s finishing a basement or modifying a garage or guest room — there’s an added bonus. In addition to giving you the space you need to work, these kinds of renovations can also boost your home’s overall property value. Just make sure you keep your receipts and take before and after photos.

Finding Investors

The longevity of your creative business hinges upon a solid financial backbone. Begin by pinpointing potential patrons who harbor an interest in the arts. Art foundations, private collectors, and philanthropists are all promising prospects. Compose persuasive proposals that encapsulate the allure of your artistry and its potential for growth. Be candid about your vision and passion. It's the authenticity in your pitch that can secure the financial endorsement you need.

Assembling a Stand-Out Portfolio

Your portfolio is the kaleidoscope through which viewers glimpse your artistic universe. Handpick your finest works that not only exhibit your skills but also echo your unique artistic voice. Maintain an updated portfolio that is readily accessible digitally and physically. When showcasing your art, infuse it with narratives that deepen its allure and forge an emotional bond with your audience.

Finding Opportunities to Showcase Your Work

Visibility is the stepping-stone to recognition. Utilize local galleries and exhibitions, often welcoming platforms for budding artists. Further, embrace digital platforms — social media, art forums, and online galleries — to project your work to a global audience and establish a formidable presence in the artistic community.

Crafting a Professional Website

A website serves as the beacon that directs viewers to your artistic realm. It should elegantly display your portfolio, narrate your journey, and provide an effortless process for purchasing your work or establishing contact. Make sure your website is aesthetically pleasing, user-friendly, and search engine optimized. Regular updates with new works or event announcements can keep your audience engaged and eager for more.

Reaping the Benefits of Collaboration

Collaboration breeds innovation and growth. Working with fellow creatives can unlock fresh perspectives and open the door to skill enhancement. Collaborative projects not only broaden your professional network but also magnify your reach, setting the stage for new opportunities.

Taking Advantage of Art Festivals

Art festivals are microcosms of the larger art world and offer a platform to interact with the community, attract potential buyers, and obtain immediate feedback. Active involvement in these events can substantially amplify your visibility, fostering opportunities to sell your work.

Using YouTube as an Income Source

YouTube is a treasure trove of opportunities for artists. A dedicated channel can feature your creative process and completed works and even serve as a tutorial hub for aspiring artists. With a strategic approach to content creation and audience engagement, you can monetize your channel, providing an additional revenue stream.

The path to artistic recognition may be intricate and challenging, but with these strategies, artists can navigate this terrain, bolster their visibility, and cultivate a resilient artistic career. Each of these steps — from securing investments and creating fail-proof PDF contracts to capitalizing on digital platforms and collaborations — brings you closer to imprinting your artistry on the global canvas.

Take advantage of the many resources the Lisle Area Chamber of Commerce has to offer, plus, make valuable connections with local entrepreneurs who can help you get your creations in front of the right people!

Paper’s out, people.

Award-winning comedian, writer, and producer Hasan Minhaj has partnered with Adobe Acrobat to celebrate 30 years of PDFs and to promote the power of paperless creativity and collaboration in today's digital age. The partnership highlights the importance of using digital tools to streamline workflows and enhance productivity, especially in the current work-from-home era.

As part of the partnership, Minhaj is featured in a series of videos showcasing how Adobe Acrobat can help professionals across industries to create, edit, and share documents seamlessly — no paper needed. The videos also provide tips and tricks for using Acrobat's features to improve collaboration and communication among team members.

Adobe Acrobat is a leading software solution that enables professionals to create, edit, and sign PDF documents securely and easily. The platform offers a range of features, including the ability to convert documents to PDF format, edit text and images, and add comments and annotations. It also integrates with other Adobe tools, such as Creative Cloud, to provide a seamless workflow for creative professionals.

The partnership between Hasan Minhaj and Adobe Acrobat kicked off with a range of digital and social media activations. Paper’s out, people, so stay tuned for more updates on how Acrobat is empowering creativity and collaboration in today's digital landscape.

Running a business can feel like you’re juggling a hundred balls at once. It can be tough to manage the day-to-day operations while also making moves toward a better future and dealing with any crises that might arise. Luckily, there are many apps available to make running a business much more manageable. Here are some essential apps you should check out that can improve your life today.

Adobe Acrobat’s PDF Merger and Printing Tools

Entrepreneurs and small business owners juggling projects involving multiple contributors understand the challenge of managing an overflow of documents. This is where leveraging a PDF merging tool becomes indispensable. By consolidating various files into one document, entrepreneurs can streamline their workflow and reclaim valuable time previously spent hunting down scattered documents in different formats. With all materials conveniently organized in a single PDF, collaboration among teams becomes more efficient, allowing for smoother project coordination. Plus, the added benefit of easily printing to PDF ensures you can swiftly create hard copies that maintain clean and professional formatting. By employing a PDF merging tool, entrepreneurs can effectively manage document overload, enhance productivity, and seamlessly transition to printing when needed. Then you can print to PDF effortlessly, maintaining consistency and professionalism throughout your project.

Focus To-Do

For productivity and time management, Focus To-Do is an excellent option, with a design based on the Pomodoro Technique, which many experts and business owners point to as a world-famous tactic for effective time management. The app is accessible from anywhere, meaning you can create tasks and update plans on your laptop when you’re at your desk and then seamlessly continue working on items with your phone when you’re on the move. Other features, like the ability to split tasks into subtasks and historical reports, make Focus To-Do a standout among productivity apps.

QuickBooks Online

When it comes to accounting, QuickBooks is the industry standard. Accountants and bookkeepers often prefer it, and its tiered services can scale as your company grows. The QuickBooks Online app allows you to access your company’s QuickBooks data from anywhere, letting you record expenses, create invoices for your customers, enter transactions and handle other essential bookkeeping tasks. You can even create profit and loss reports from the app.

Trello

For project management, Trello is an intuitive and colorful way for teams to work together. With its customizable workflows, task assignment capabilities and productivity metrics, this Kanban-style app is a full-service means of keeping your team on the same page. Its no-code automation robot, aptly named Butler, helps reduce time-consuming, tedious tasks that can eat away at your team’s efficiency and free them up to spend more time on the work that truly matters.

Slack

Establishing clear communication with your employees and recognizing potential issues is key to running your business effectively. Slack allows you to keep in touch with the members of your team through its handy channels function. With Slack channels, you can create workspaces for different groups of users. Channels can be assigned to specific projects, topics or teams, allowing groups to share information and work together in a common area. You also have the option of making channels public or private so sensitive information isn’t out in the open.

Running a business is a lot of work, but technology can make it significantly easier. With the right tools to help you manage your company, you'll be able to relax more and achieve a better work-life balance. Download these helpful apps today and you and your business will both be better for it.

Join the Lisle Area Chamber of Commerce to get the tools and make the connections you need to build a winning business in our community!