Craig Hanson CPA - August 2022

Craig Hanson CPA - August 2022

August 2022

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Take Some Time to Decompress

It Will Benefit You in More Ways Than One

If you’re like me, your career keeps you busy throughout the week and the entire year. It can be challenging to take time for yourself and relax because you may feel like you have so many tasks but not enough time. So, you may multitask to complete all of your work in a timely manner. I recently read an article about how multitasking trains us to be attention deficit. Meaning it’s hard for us to concentrate, control our impulses, and become overly active.

line and spend time by the water, I will. I had the opportunity to fish for the past two weekends, which was so calming. Finally, back in the day, I used to collect stamps. In the past, I haven’t had the chance to return to this hobby, but I am now getting back into stamp collecting, and I forgot how much I enjoyed it. “So let’s all take some time to enjoy the little bit of summer we have left to recharge our batteries. Because let’s be honest, we all deserve a break sometimes.” Finding time to relax and take a moment for yourself has many benefits. It helps you have a calmer and clearer mind, which aids positive thinking, boosts concentration and improves your memory and decision-making. But those are only the mental benefits! Relaxation also has physical rewards such as slowing your heart rate, reducing blood pressure, relieving tension, and increasing blood flow — which gives you more energy. When taking time to decompress and recharge, you will come back to work with a fresh mindset. You may find yourself feeling more motivated to complete your tasks and be productive.

Multitasking is a common tactic people use, but we can find ourselves feeling burnt out and overwhelmed.

August has two stress-free holidays: National Lazy Day and National Relaxation Day. So let’s all take some time to enjoy the little bit of summer we have left to recharge our batteries. Because let’s be honest, we all deserve a break sometimes. Many times throughout the year, I try to find time when I can go off the grid. I won’t check my emails or phone, and I stay away from anything work-related; I even take time away from the office. It’s difficult to do this, but sometimes you must force yourself to slow down and decompress. One helpful thing I do is take off my watch during the weekends and vacations. I tend to check the time a lot to see if I’m on track, but during the days I’m free, I don’t worry about time. Doing this helps me live in the moment and fully enjoy the time I have to relax. I have three hobbies that I like to do in my spare time. First, I enjoy reading whenever I can. I don’t read any business books because it will get me in the mindset to work, but I will read mysteries. It’s my favorite genre, and reading these novels helps me unwind. I can read around a dozen books a year, and it’s one of my favorite activities when I want to relax. Another one of my hobbies is fishing. Any time I have the chance to drop a

So, take some time for yourself this month. No matter what you enjoy doing, do it and notice all the positive impacts it has

on your well-being. If you’re stressing about your taxes and financial situation, allow me to assist you. I will be happy to help and relieve some of that stress off of your shoulders.

–Craig Hanson

Have tax problems? Unsure what to do? Free video reveals what you should and should NOT do when you receive the dreaded letter from the IRS. CraigHansonCPATaxResolution.com

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Here’s How to Keep Them Engaged! ARE YOUR EMPLOYEES BURNT OUT?

In 2021, a study by Indeed found that 52% of employees reported experiencing burnout. This is a considerable spike from the 43% who said they had the same feeling before the COVID-19 pandemic. With hours at work becoming more prolonged due to staff shortages, many workers feel tired, overwhelmed, and stressed. Luckily, you can implement a few strategies to reduce the amount of burnout your employees feel. Improve company culture. Do your employees feel like they can trust their managers and colleagues to help them when they are struggling? Are they afraid to ask for help or voice their concerns and frustrations?

Reward top performances. It can be challenging for employees to come to work every day if there is no long-term future for them at your company. This is where promotional opportunities come into play. If you have employees who go above and beyond each time and exceed expectations, offer them a promotion. This will make them feel valued and appreciated. You can even give quarterly bonuses that are based on performance. This will inspire workers and motivate them to do high-quality work every day. Even a simple shoutout or acknowledgment of their hard work can help. Praises boost confidence and make them feel like they are an essential part of the team. Monitor workloads and scheduling. One of the fastest ways for your employees to feel burnout is if they are overworked. While tasks may vary and spike on certain days, it’s crucial that you monitor your employees’ workload to make sure they aren’t working overtime frequently. Allow them to have free time by providing adequate vacation and sick time. Your employees must have time to enjoy their lives, exercise, positively interact with friends and family, and have a chance to practice self- care. If they are well-rested and have time to do things for themselves, they will be more productive and happy at work. You could even offer flexible schedules that accommodate their personal lives. By showing that you care about them, this will boost employee morale. Fighting burnout can be tough. But with forethought and consideration, you can help reduce this feeling and increase your employees’ satisfaction at work for years to come. With happier and more motivated employees, the productivity of your business will exponentially increase.

These factors play a huge role within work culture and help predict worker satisfaction. If your employees dread going to work because of the treatment and culture of the company, they may not be motivated to do their best and focus on their work. Your staff needs to feel valued, supported, and heard by their colleagues and

managers. Take time to truly understand

and listen to your workers’ concerns and let them know

their voices are heard. If employees feel like their uppers acknowledge them and improve the company culture, their overall satisfaction

at work will increase.

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Should You Use Video-Based Marketing? Yes! Here Are 3 Tips to Get Started

People spend most of their time at home now more than ever. This is one of the reasons why video-based marketing is becoming so popular. It allows your audience to engage with you and influencers and learn about your products, and it will enable customers to shop while watching your videos. Here are ways you can incorporate video- based marketing into your business. 1. Use Your Resources. Before you go live or create a video, you want to ensure that you have proper lighting, good equipment like lights and cameras, and editing software. Even though this may seem like it wouldn’t make that much difference, your video’s quality will influence your customers more than you think. 2. Take Advantage of Social Media. Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok have options where you can share

both pre-recorded and live videos. More and more people spend their time on social media, so meet your customers where they’re at. Create something engaging that complements what you’re trying to sell. Your videos don’t need to be long. However, by making longer live- stream videos, your clientele can post comments while you’re live. You can answer questions and engage more with your audience this way. 3. Tell Stories. Storytelling is one of the key strategies business owners are using to engage and relate to their customers. It helps you build a stronger and more meaningful relationship with your audience and makes them feel valued. So begin brainstorming what stories you would want to tell. Is there a specific reason you created, or are advertising, a particular product? Share these experiences with your

clients. If you’re not selling an item, you can create videos to simply build a connection with your market. This will keep your business at the forefront of your viewers’ minds. These are only a few of the many ways you can begin using video-based marketing within your business plan. It will help you boost your retention rates and allow you to connect with your customers in a way that is the most convenient for them. So, smile for the camera; you’re about to go live!

HAVE A Laugh

Fake News and Clickbait — Forms of Yellow Journalism

They’re everywhere — misleading articles with enticing headlines and exaggerated content. But how did this “clickbait” and “fake news” journalism come to be? It all started in the 1890s with yellow journalism. What is yellow journalism? Yellow journalism is a term for poorly researched or illegitimate news stories. It got the name “yellow” when New York World’s owner, Joseph Pulitzer, hired artist R.F. Outcault to create a “Hogan’s Alley” comic strip featuring The Yellow Kid. How did it gain traction? Pulitzer ran the first color printing of the “Hogan’s Alley” cartoon in New York World in 1895, and it became a huge hit. Then, William Randolph Hearst entered the picture. He acquired the New York Journal and competed relentlessly with New York World. Hearst exaggerated his reporter’s headlines and created misleading stories to grab attention and gain profit.

Today, Hearst and Pulitzer are credited with spawning yellow journalism. Who knew?

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PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

905 James Ave. NE • Jamestown, ND 58401 (701) 252-6190 • CraigHansonCPA.com Inside This Edition

Have tax problems? Unsure what to do? Free video reveals what you should and should NOT do when you receive the dreaded letter from the IRS. CraigHansonCPATaxResolution.com

1.

Sometimes You Must Force Yourself to Relax

2.

3 Strategies to Reduce Employee Burnout

3.

Meet Your Customers Where They’re At

It All Happened Because of a Cartoon

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This Marketing Strategy Helps Build Stronger Relationships

AND HOW CAN YOU IMPLEMENT IT IN YOUR BUSINESS? WHAT IS SOCIAL SELLING MARKETING?

Today, more and more people search for products online and use social media to find new trends and products. Now is the time to meet your customers where they are — with social selling marketing. What is social selling marketing? Social selling is the art of forming relationships with current and future customers to generate sales. Building these relationships makes people more likely to use your products. Instead of telling them to buy right now, you’re ingraining in their minds that you’re always there. This method can help

to reach your audience easier if you use the platforms they are most frequently on. If you’re trying to find prospects, research people who are interacting with products that are similar to yours . Find people who bought from your competitors but didn’t have a great experience. This gives you a chance to offer them a better alternative. One of the most effective ways to sell your brand in social marketing is by answering questions and responding to users . For example, if someone were to complain on Twitter about an item from a company, that business could create a team that checks social media for these types of issues. Then, the business can respond to the user and help resolve the problem. This shows customers that you care about them and their experience, which will influence them to continue to buy from you. Excellent customer service and problem-solving skills can do wonders for your brand. Sales have always been about building relationships and establishing credibility. Social selling is just like that, except you’re using the power of social media as leverage. So take advantage of it! Meet your customers and potential customers where they are, and watch your relationships and profits soar.

boost sales, give you a competitive edge, strengthen your brand’s reputation, and is more effective than cold-calling.

How do you sell socially? First, you must know your

audience . What do they need, and what do they want? Next, find out which social media platforms they are most likely to use . Do they use Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or TikTok? This will allow you

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