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Practical Ways to Prevent Injury at Your Workplace

Sam Allcock
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Practical Ways to Prevent Injury at Your Workplace

Unfortunately, injuries in the workplace are fairly common, and in order to protect both your employees and your business, it’s important to have measures in place to prevent them…

Minimising the risk of injury in the workplace will make your employees feel safer in their work environment. On top of this, it will prevent things like a public injury claim or a lawsuit which would not only carry a heavy financial burden but will also be damaging to your business image.

It is your responsibility to consider different safety measures and how to implement them. With this in mind, here are a few ways you can prevent injury at your workplace…

Education

One of the most effective ways to reduce injuries in the workplace is through education.  Both workers and management should receive thorough training regarding safety measures across the workplace.

Educating both workers and management across the workplace should be constant. Having routine training will help staff stay up to date on safety measures if for example new equipment is introduced to the space or if there are any other changes.

In addition to this, new employees should receive appropriate training as soon as possible. Handbooks, safety protocols and safety information should also be available to anyone who needs a refresher.

Don’t Take Shortcuts

It is surprising how often a workplace injury occurs due to a shortcut taken by either management or a worker.

Having clear instructions for employees to follow will help to discourage them from taking shortcuts when working. This can help minimise the chance of a mistake being made which could cause a workplace injury.

On top of this, there should be no shortcuts when it comes to maintaining equipment, buying safety equipment etc.

Consider Who You Are Hiring

Carefully considering who you are hiring is essential. Underqualified individuals are more likely to make a mistake that will lead to an injury in the future.

In order to do this, ensure that you are screening the employee during the hiring process. Ensure that any references provided are checked and their qualifications are valid. Doing so will protect both your current and future employees from avoidable accidents.

In addition to making sure your employees are qualified, it’s important that there are enough for the job. Understaffing can be a massive risk and cause countless injuries if there are simply not enough people to safely do the job.

Having enough people can also prevent your current employees from becoming burnt out or overly stressed. This may be particularly important if the workload increases at any point, for example during a busy season. In this instance hiring part-time staff can help prevent injuries from occurring.

Have High-Quality Personal Protective Equipment

One of the most obvious ways to protect workers is with the proper protective equipment. This may include things like…

  • Safety helmets
  • High visibility clothing
  • Ear protection
  • Safety footwear like steal toes boots
  • Waterproof clothing
  • A masks

Every employee should receive the corrent personal protection equipment (PPE) for their position. Training should be provided so that they know how to effectively use this equipment and there should be regular maintenance tests to ensure the equipment is up to standard.

Regular Equipment Maintenance

As well as maintaining PPE it’s also important to regularly perform equipment maintenance. Many work accidents occur due to faulty or damaged equipment, so this is important in order to prevent these accidents from occurring.

The employee needs to be able to report any faults with the equipment quickly and easily and anything that is not performing needs to be serviced or replaced immediately.

Safety Inspections

There are many potential dangers throughout the workplace, and these can include things as small as a puddle of water or as dangerous as an exposed electric wire.

It’s important that all the equipment being used is maintained but performing safety inspections on the environment can prevent just as many workplace injuries.

Again, employees should be able to raise concerns about their work environment easily and there should be safeguards in place to ensure the safety standards are upheld. In order to encourage this, it may be beneficial to offer a form of incentive to look out for safety issues.

Keep the Workplace Clean

A fairly straightforward way to prevent injuries is to ensure the workplace is always clean. There should be no clutter or debris where people will be working to prevent tripping hazards.

Additionally, environments that deal with chemicals. liquids or even a large amount of dust should be kept as clean as possible to minimise the risk of slipping, lung damage or other issues.

Preventing Accidents in the Workplace

Just one workplace accident has the potential to seriously impact your business. There can be a number of consequences including…

  • Having to pay for compensation claims and legal fees
  • Damaging the business reputation
  • Harming workers morale
  • Losing productivity

These are just a few of the results of a workplace injury so it’s important that you put property protection measures in place. Remember to provide PPE, training, and conduct regular safety checks and maintenance.

Please be advised that this article is for general informational purposes only. Be sure to consult a legal advisor if you need advice on public injury compensation claims or safety in the workplace. We are not liable for risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.

The Pros and Cons of Employee Share Schemes Within a Business

Sam Allcock
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The Pros and Cons of Employee Share Schemes Within a Business

Wondering if setting up employee share schemes in your business is right for you? We explore the pros and cons in this article…

In a post-Covid world, businesses are having to make their companies ever more appealing to workers who now have far more opportunity than ever before. These days, if you don’t offer cash incentives and benefits, like employee share schemes, you may now be at a loss.

As a business owner, it certainly might seem as though workers are all take, take, take, with little reward for yourself. However, the truth is that many employees simply want to be valued and take pride in what they do. Heeding this call can have amazing benefits for your business.

This is why it’s important to know how different employee benefits can actually improve things for you – the business owner. After all, a happy workforce is proven to be more efficient and productive! So, perhaps employee share schemes are a potential employee benefit for you to explore. To find out if it may be, we’ll delve more into the pros and cons, here…

What is an Employee Share Scheme?

According to vestd, an employee share scheme is “a way of sharing company ownership with your team. You can reward one or more key people with equity, or all of your employees… You can also distribute shares to non-employees, such as consultants and advisors.”

The UK government website shows the various different ways you can set up employee share schemes within your business. They are as follows:

  • Share Incentive Plans (SIPs): where the shares are held in a trust and, if they are held for over five years, are tax-free.
  • Save As You Earn (SAYE): where you can buy shares for a fixed price, save up to £500 a month and, at the end of your savings contract (3 or 5 years), use these savings to buy more shares.
  • Company Share Option Plan: where you can buy up £30,000 of company shares, at a price that is no less than the market value at that time.
  • Enterprise Management Incentives (EMIs): if the company is worth £30 million or less, your company can grant you share options up to £250,000 of value in a 3-year period, with no tax unless you are offered a discount on the market price.

Because your employees become shareholder, this means they have the ability to join in on overarching decisions for the company. For more information on what each of the above options entails, you can find a breakdown of them all using the above GOV.UK link.

The Pros of Employee Share Schemes

There are various pros to implementing employee share schemes into your business. Some of these are as follows:

Attracting and Retaining Talent

As we mentioned previously, the job market is very much an employee’s market at the moment, which means businesses must do everything they can to make themselves attractive to top talent.

In June 2022, there were just 1,030 employee owned companies in the UK. This just goes to show that any companies who adopt this way of doing things will no doubt be set apart from the rest.

Not only will this help to attract amazing potential employees, but it’ll also encourage current talent to remain with you.

Tax Benefits

As we’ve seen above, employee share schemes have tax benefits for both the employee and employer. For example, if you want to set up an employee ownership trust, no capital gains tax is required to be paid if the majority of shares in the company are sold to the EOT.

Once this is the case, employees can earn up to £3,600 in bonuses, free from income tax. These benefits act as an incentive to get on board.

Improve Productivity

All of the above has numerous monetary benefits for employees, but what about your company? Well, getting your employees involved in something like this means that, not only do they feel valued, but they truly feel like part of something that they have control over. In fact, the work that they do every day has an actual impact on the money they can earn.

By incentivising employees through these monetary means, as well as a collective goal, productivity will no doubt soar. The stats speak for themselves.

The Cons of Employee Share Schemes

In order for us to take a balanced view of the argument, let’s also take a look at some of the cons of employee ownership. Take a look…

Expensive to Set Up

Although less expensive than they used to be to set up – thanks to government tax incentives – they still bear an extra cost for companies at the start. Of course, these costs are only short-term, and it is likely to pay you back in kind in future.

That said, if you aren’t able to sacrifice these costs now, it may be best to seek the advice of a Financial Advisor to see if it’s worth trying.

Losing Control

As a business owner, you’ll no doubt want to maintain control of the business you worked so hard to build. With employee share schemes – or any shareholder schemes for that matter – if you no longer own majority voting shares of the company, then you will lose an element of ownership and control over it.

For some, this is not something that appeals to them. In this case, employee ownership may be an option for your retirement; selling your shares to your employees as your final goodbye.

Uncertainty

The truth is that, if you company doesn’t profit, then your employees won’t reap the rewards of this scheme, and therefore may leave because of it. If they are promised something they don’t actually receive, this could have detrimental effects on the business.

One plus side is that most employee ownership schemes are protected in that, if prices of the shares drop, employee shares won’t drop. However, they won’t increase either.

Is Employee Ownership for You?

As you can see, there are various pros and cons of employee share schemes to know about. It’s important that you do your research before diving into something like this. Seeking the advice of a Financial Advisor or specialist employee ownership expert is a good place to start.

What do you think of employee ownership for businesses?

Please be advised that this article is for general informational purposes only, and should not be used as a substitute for advice from a trained employee ownership professional. Be sure to consult an employee ownership professional if you’re seeking advice about implementing an employee share scheme in your business. We are not liable for risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.

How to Protect Your Finances During a Divorce

Sam Allcock
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How to Protect Your Finances During a Divorce

In this article we’ll discuss ways of protecting your finances throughout your divorce.

When getting a divorce many people are concerned about their finances and are looking for ways to protect them. When you have a long and complex financial history with someone however, it can be daunting to try and figure out what you should be entitled to.

In order to protect your finances, it’s important that you take steps to do so as early as possible, even if this is before the divorce application. This gives you the opportunity to better understand your financial situation and consider different options for example, a pre-nuptial agreement, spousal maintenance payments and seeking the assistance of a solicitor.

There are a number of ways to protect your finances during a divorce, and some things to avoid entirely. Learn more below…

Contact Your Bank and Any Loan Providers

It’s wise to contact your bank and loan providers when you are getting a divorce. Speaking to a professional regarding a joint account or joint loan can help you to take action as early as possible.

For example, you may need to freeze a joint account so that everything in it is protected until it can be fairly divided between you and your spouse.

Pre-Nuptial and Post-Nuptial Agreements

If possible, getting a prenup (before marriage) or a postnup (after marriage) agreement can help you to protect your assets in the event of a divorce.

Having a pre-nuptial agreement may not be an option if you are already married however having one would allow you to specify what will happen to your assets in the event of a divorce. This can include finances, pensions, businesses, etc.

A post-nuptial agreement can be made after you are married. This will help you to make choices regarding what will happen to your finances during a divorce. Allowing you to protect your financial assets.

Is it Possible to Hide Finances During a Divorce?

Some people attempt to hide their financial assets during a divorcee as a way of protecting them. However, in the UK not disclosing all of your financial assets within a divorce can result in penalties.

In most cases a family solicitor will be able to easily identify finances that an individual may be trying to hide. If this happens, it’s possible that the court will order you to pay your spouse’s legal fees or give them more of your assets during the divorce.

Because of this, it’s important to always be upfront and honest about all of your finances, even if you are trying to protect them.

Can You Transfer Money Before a Divorce

Transferring money before a divorce may sound like a good way to protect your finances but this can do more harm than good.

If you are transferring money before you divorce, it’s important to think about whether it may be considered trying to hide your financial assets. If the court thinks you are trying to stop your finances from being taken into account during a financial agreement between you and your ex-spouse, you may face financial penalties.

Before transferring money before a divorce, we recommend speaking to a divorce lawyer to find your best options moving forward.

It can however be beneficial to transfer money between you and your spouse in anticipation of a divorce, though again you should discuss the implications of this with your lawyer.

Protecting Your Pension

Your pension can be a significant financial asset and as such it’s important to protect it throughout a divorce.

Depending on the value of your pension and the amount accumulated before the marriage you may be able to use negotiation and mediation to protect it by excluding it from financial agreements during a divorce.

If you are unsure how to protect your pension during a divorce, we recommend speaking to a PODE or Pensions on Divorce Expert or other professional in order to assess your options.

Protecting Finances with a Trust

A trust can sometimes be used to protect financial assets during a divorce, however if the court believes a trust was created with the sole purpose of protecting finance in a divorce the have the power to remove it.

A trust that has been made transparently and for the correct reasons can be easily justified to the court. Speak to a professional if you are concerned about finances placed in a trust.

Protecting Finances During a Divorce

When protecting your finances during a divorce its important to do so fairly. If the court believes you are trying to exclude large chunks of your finances in things like trusts and transfers, they will retaliate.

The best way to protect your financial assets is to always speak to a professional before making a significant financial decision that could be seen as hiding your assets. Other methods such as negotiation and mediation are great ways to fairly protect your finances whilst still splitting finances reasonably during a divorce.

Please be advised that this article is for general informational purposes only. Be sure to consult a family las solicitor if you want to protect your financial assets in a divorce. We are not liable for risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.

SEO Tips for Ranking and Remaining High on Results Pages

Sam Allcock
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SEO Tips for Ranking and Remaining High on Results Pages

SEO, or search engine optimisation, is all about getting your website and specific pages within it to appear as high as possible on search engines, namely Google. There are several ways this can be done, but generally speaking, it’s a mixture of lots of different tactics that work in tandem together.

SEO is a long game which means you don’t tend to see results straight away. It can take a long time to get your website to rank for high volume keywords, especially in the top three or four positions on the first page. If you want to capture site traffic, this is where you need to be, but it’s highly competitive. Getting there is tricky and staying there is even harder, but there are some ways you can please the algorithm and keep your seat at the top of the table, so to speak.

Continually add content to your site

Adding content to your site shows Google that you’re still relevant. If you haven’t added any new content to your website in weeks, months, or even years, there’s a good chance that what’s on there is outdated, and Google will pick this up. Search engines favour fresh, relevant, and new content. Even if your product offerings don’t change, you can add content via a blog to show that your site isn’t stagnant and there are people behind the scenes working to ensure users find the most helpful and up-to-date content.

New content also gives you the chance to target more keywords. The more keywords you target, the more rankings you can get. On top of this, the more frequently you target certain keywords, the better your chances of ranking for them and retaining those rankings.

Update existing content regularly

As well as adding new content, it’s a good idea to routinely update existing content. By optimising content you already have, you can further show Google that you’re relevant. If your existing pages already rank pretty well, updating and optimising them every now and then is useful for helping to maintain positions.

Strategically place keywords

Google and other search engines dislike keyword stuffing and have a heavy emphasis on writing human-led content rather than content that is written to rank, but if you don’t insert some keywords here and there, you won’t rank. It’s a convoluted battle but one that can be easily won if you are strategic with keyword placement.

Secure one or two keywords per piece of content and weave them into the URL, meta title, meta description, and a heading. It might not seem like much, but this is a tried and tested method of getting your content to rank for keywords without being penalised for keyword stuffing or spam.

Have a good link strategy

An often overlooked part of SEO is linking. In order to prove to Google that your site is genuine and authoritative, you need to get third-party websites to link to your site. You need to be careful in the sites you choose, making sure to secure backlinks from sites with a good domain authority and trust flow. Working on this with an SEO specialist will help your own website domain authority and trust flow, and this will have an impact on your rankings in SERPs.

Don’t forget to link internally, too. Ideally, every page should have a CTA with a relevant link to the next step (e.g. contact page), but if you reference another aspect of your site and service offering, link to it to help build authority to those pages.

Check your website health often

Many people forget that technical SEO plays a role in rankings. If you see a sudden drop in rankings, it could be because there is an issue with your site such as slow load speeds leading to a high bounce rate. Keeping your site free of bugs, 404 errors, broken links, and slow loading issues will improve the user experience, and this, in turn, will have an effect on your rankings and help you stay at the top.

Summary

SEO is an ongoing, never-ending process. Lots of things can affect rankings, including the issues stated above, but another aspect is algorithm changes. Google regularly updates its algorithm which can see sites lose a lot of their rankings because they no longer conform with the algorithm preferences. Getting a digital marketing agency on board can help to mitigate algorithm risk factors because their SEO experts will be able to anticipate what’s changing and prepare your site for it.

With this in mind, it’s a good idea to have an agency on side if you notice a sudden drop in rankings, or if you’re struggling to get rankings at all.

Must-Do’s While Viewing a Property

Sam Allcock
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Must-Do’s While Viewing a Property

Buying a house is a huge decision. Whenever a potential property buyer views a property, whether before a property auction in London or on their own, it is important to consider a few things. The points listed below can possibly reduce the risk of living in a home bought on impulse and regretting it for the duration of your property ownership. While some buyers rely on the gut feeling they get when they enter a house, checking for the following can help foolproof your next home.

Building Structure: 

Dampness and Cracks

First is dampness. A vital sign of the building’s structure and ventilation, how musty the room is, is a giveaway to the kind of potential issues that a home has and dampness can lead to multiple health problems. A few signs of moisture being present are its unique mouldy scent, watermarked walls and flaky paintwork. It could also be possible that the house has been repainted to cover this up.

As much as dampness is an indicator of the structure of the building, so are more obvious signs such as big cracks that could be across walls. This may indicate that the building is falling apart and is potentially unsafe. This can be tackled by hiring a surveyor to check the risks associated with the building.  

Electricity and Energy Efficiency: 

Another crucial factor to consider when viewing a property is energy efficiency and electricity. Since rewiring a house can incur the buyer high costs, it is often useful to check small things such as the plug sockets and if all the electrical switches work. Also making a note of the number of plug points and the type of sockets provided can make the move easier, with the increasing number of devices we own nowadays. A property buyer can also save on energy bills if the property offers cleaner energy alternatives such as wind turbines and solar panels. 

Plumbing and Insulation:

Furthermore, it helps to confirm if the plumbing of the property is up to mark. This is easily done by running all taps and flushing toilets to confirm adequate water pressure and that there are no underlying issues. Asking the seller questions, such as whether the pipes are insulated, can help clarify how effective the heating systems are. This can be particularly helpful in combatting London winters. 

Storage Space:

When you are considering potential properties to buy, storage space is an important but frequently disregarded asset. This is especially taking into consideration the scarcity of storage space in London and the rise in the demand and prices of storage units. Sufficient storage systems ensure a hassle-free environment which makes it easier to keep organised. From space for your brooms to spare guest linen, adequate storage can make day-to-day living much easier and more efficient. 

Security:

Though London is the fourteenth safest city in the world, it can only help assess the property’s security while viewing it. Apart from scanning the neighbourhood, it is also advisable to check how high the surrounding walls are and how open the house is. Some walls may have footholds making it easier for intruders to enter. Ideally, you would want to avoid these types of properties. The surrounding shrubbery can also add to the safety measures of the house. 

House Staging:

Sometimes, it is very easy to get fooled by the house if it is staged correctly. Many rooms may contain smaller-sized furniture giving the illusion that the house is bigger than it actually is. Strategically freshly painted houses, the smell of a batch of freshly baked cookies and perfect lighting can persuade a property buyer to commit to the property before questioning any suspicious signs.

Other small things to consider: 

Another smart move for a potential property buyer to make is to ask the previous owner why they are moving. This conversation can bring up key risks associated with the property, and you can make a much more informed purchase. If there is an unusual patch of fresh paint, it helps to cross-check what is being covered up by it. What side does the house face? During London summers, this makes all the difference between a well-lit bright and warm house versus a poorly lit one. For these reasons, actually visiting the home is a preferable option to a virtual viewing. 

All in all, taking these factors into consideration will make your viewing of the property a much more productive use of your time as it will lead to more informed decision-making.

Is it worth having a hpi check done on a used car?

Sam Allcock
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Is it worth having a hpi check done on a used car?

There are so many issues to consider when buying a used car – but will a HPI check be among them?

Across the UK approximately 7.5 million people buy used cars every year, therefore it is essential to carry out a car history check to uncover any issues with the car. Sellers will not always be open and honest about what the vehicle has been through, so as a buyer you need to carry out your own checks.

A hpi check is used to find out information about a vehicle’s past, it is comprised of different pieces of information to create a detailed report on the vehicle. This data often includes the mileage, MOT history, BHP, make, model, stolen check, outstanding finance checks, written off checks and much more.

Some cars have unpaid finance amongst other hidden issues such as mileage issues on the car or the car being in a previous accident that the seller did not mention. Therefore it is essential to carry out a history check on the car.

The HPI car check will reveal important information, such as:

Outstanding finance

If the previous owner has borrowed money to buy the car, it means it will still be owned by the finance firm. The finance will then be transferred onto you and you will be liable for paying it off

Stolen

The police have the power to reclaim stolen vehicles and return them to the rightful owner or insurer, and it’s likely you won’t be compensated.

Written off

If it has been badly damaged, and an insurance claim has been made, there will be a record of it.

VIN check

The vehicle identification number – or the VIN or chassis number – is recorded by the DVLA which can be confirmed with the HPI check.

Other issues

The HPI check will also reveal the records of previous owners and any registration plate transfers made during the lifetime of the vehicle. It will also include records salvage history, scrapped, plate changes, colour changes & more.

You can reveal the MOT history by checking the DVSA site. However, only a car history check will also let you know if the car has been written off or in any accidents which is a good indicator of how well the car has been taken care of.

In the big scheme of things, the £8.99 cost of the HPI check is a small price to pay for confirmation that that you car is a legal one.

The number of trading pairs has increased on the WhiteBIT crypto exchange and the possibility of withdrawing dollars and euros to a bank card has appeared

Sam Allcock
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0
The number of trading pairs has increased on the WhiteBIT crypto exchange and the possibility of withdrawing dollars and euros to a bank card has appeared

The largest cryptocurrency exchange in Europe of Ukrainian origin WhiteBIT continues to expand the functionality and capabilities of its services. From now on, WhiteBIT users can withdraw dollars (USD) and euros (EUR) to a Visa/Mastercard bank card, as well as hryvnia (UAH) to an international bank account number – IBAN. That is, now users no longer need additional services or intermediaries to carry out these operations – it can be done from their WhiteBIT account in the mobile application or on the website of the cryptocurrency exchange.

In addition, WhiteBIT has increased the variety of trading opportunities by adding new trading pairs: WBT/BTC and WBT/UAH. WBT token can now be purchased not only for USDT, but also for bitcoins and hryvnias, and vice versa, to exchange the token for the mentioned currencies.

Increasing the capabilities and functionality for users is the next stage in the development of WhiteBIT and the realization of the company’s main goal – the massive introduction of blockchain technology in the world. 

«Our goal is quite simple. We proceed from the fact that by entering the WhiteBIT exchange, the user should receive the full range of possible cryptocurrency services and even a little more. This is our philosophy. Therefore, WhiteBIT constantly, systematically and consistently improves both the quality of services and their functionality. We are confident that this approach will contribute to the growth of the cryptocurrency community and encourage more and more people to plunge into the world of blockchain technology, which is already shaping our future», — said WhiteBIT CEO Volodymyr Nosov.

He also announced that WhiteBIT users will receive good news in the near future, without disclosing details. Reference: WhiteBIT is the largest cryptocurrency exchange in Europe. It meets all KYC and AML requirements. It is among the top 2 exchanges in the world for security based on an independent audit by Hacken and has an AAA rating. WhiteBIT team unites 500+ participants.

Can I Handwrite My Own Homemade Will?

Sam Allcock
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Can I Handwrite My Own Homemade Will?

Have you written a will? If not, it may surprise you how many other people are like you. Research shows that up to 68% of Americans do not have this relevant document. The law refers to this as intestate or dying without having left behind a legal will. Your family or anyone who wants a share of your property must wait for the probate court decision.

Court administrators will compile your assets. They will then take care of any liabilities or debts you have left behind. Only after this do the beneficiaries receive the rest of the assets.

A question that may arise for some people is whether you must hire wills lawyers. Can’t you just handwrite your own will?

Is A Handwritten Homemade Will Valid?

To answer the handwritten will question above, the answer is yes. It is possible to handwrite your own will at home.

Under the law, there is a provision for holographic wills. This refers to an unattested will that is in the testator’s handwriting. No one witnesses or notarizes the holographic will. Any typewritten words on the holographic mustn’t interfere with the handwritten meaning.

The holographic will is valid even if found amongst the deceased’s personal effects. They could have also given it to someone for safe custody. It could also be with a corporation or firm that the testator trusted to safeguard the will.

Should I Forgo Hiring A Wills Lawyer By Writing My Own Will?

At this point, it may sound like a pretty easy and convenient option to take. You can jot down your list of assets, share them amongst your beneficiaries and sign the document. We don’t disagree with the veracity of the thinking. But, we do advise against taking this path of least resistance.

Writing your last testament is not that simple. If you do not follow legal requirements, it could result in an invalid will. The best people to approach for help are expert last wills lawyers. They will ensure proper drafting and execution of the document.

The Wills Act of 1837 lays down some rules for writing holographic wills.

  • There should be two witnesses who, in the presence of the testator, sign the will.
  • The testator must sign the will. Otherwise, it points to an error in execution, rendering it invalid.
  • Changes to the law allow for remote witnessing via video conferencing tools.
  • There must also be proof of intention. The testator may have simply been jotting down thoughts on how to divide his property. There must be a fixed and final deliberate expression of intent about the property disposal.
  • The exclusion of some assets can confuse the beneficiaries.
  • The testator must have ‘testamentary capacity’. That means full knowledge of what they were doing and the attendant implications. The person writing the will must be above 18 years with full mental acuity. Someone could challenge the will if there is any doubt about that capacity.
  • There should be no ambiguity. The language must be clear with the correct use of terminology. Take the example of writing ‘I leave all my assets to my wife.” Now, let’s say you were previously married, but you got separated. But, you did not go through a divorce, meaning you are still legally married.

In the meantime, you found another lady and made her your wife. You did this without full disclosure of the existing previous relationship. Legally, the law would not recognize a second marriage. At your death, the first wife returns and demands a share of the property.

Since there was a lack of clarity on which wife you were referring to, she could win the case. Your ignorance of legal language thus becomes an issue. You should have put the second wife’s name in full.

We go back to our point of hiring wills lawyers. They can clear up such ambiguities. It will help guard against future misinterpretation of the testator’s true intentions.

State Specific Laws on Holographic Wills

Before writing your holographic will, find out if your state allows it. You can handwrite your own will in Alaska, Arkansas, Michigan, Maine, Mississippi, North Dakota, Nebraska, and Nevada. New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wyoming are other places.

The states that do not accept handwritten wills are Alabama, Kansas, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin. The others are Georgia, Illinois, Delaware, Missouri, Vermont, and Iowa.

Please note the lists are not exhaustive. So, take time to find out what applies in your state. The wills lawyer can also advise you on the same.

The challenge of an invalid will is that it can result in lengthy court cases if there is a dispute. Indeed such battles can drag on for years. In the end, what remains of the estate will have significantly lost value.

Under Which Conditions Is It Alright To Write A Holographic Will?

Let us start by being clear on our stand. It is never a good idea to pen your own will without help from an estate planning or will lawyer. The repercussions of a poorly executed will are many. Confusion, legal battles, and lengthy and expensive court cases are some unpleasant consequences.

But, you can write your will under the following conditions.

  • Where the assets are pretty clear to see and do not have any complications around them
  • If you are leaving everything to one beneficiary, say your spouse or children
  • If all your assets are local, meaning there is none abroad. And that includes foreign bank accounts or investments
  • If the assets are not business related. Leaving a company to a beneficiary, for example, comes with many complexities. In that case, a wills lawyer would be the best option for handling the drafting of the will
  • If you don’t have other dependents apart from your family

Please make sure you destroy any wills you may have previously written. If there is any doubt about the validity of your handwritten will, the court will revert to the previous one.

Final Thoughts

Do not leave your beneficiaries squabbling about your property when you pass on. Writing a will provides a fantastic solution to asset distribution. While holographic wills are an option in some states, they may not be the best option.

We have shared why in our article above. Even if you decide to go that route, let a wills lawyer go through the document on your behalf. It could save everyone so much heartache in the future.

5 Must-Have Features in a WordPress E-Commerce Website in 2023

Sam Allcock
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0
5 Must-Have Features in a WordPress E-Commerce Website in 2023

The global e-commerce market is set to reach a value of $5.55 trillion by the end of 2022. In 2020, around 18% of global sales came from online purchases. By 2022, that number is likely to reach 21%. Thus, it is evident that the e-commerce market is growing fast.

The world of e-commerce is constantly changing. China dominates this sector, with over 50% of retail sales via e-commerce worldwide. The United States comes second, followed by the United Kingdom, Japan, and South Korea. However, as trends keep changing, so will the positions of these countries.

New trends emerge all the time, and as an e-commerce developer or marketer, you’re probably always on the lookout for ways to improve your platform. 

In this article, we’ll cover five must-have features that will make your website stand out in 2023.

#1 Instant Product Search

Product search is the most crucial feature of an e-commerce website. It’s the primary way your customers will find what they want and convert them into buyers. Several factors can increase conversion rate, but the most prominent among them is product search. 

A user who finds what they’re looking for in no time at all is much more likely to make a purchase than one who has to spend too much time searching through endless pages of products. 

To make your WordPress e-commerce website even more efficient at driving sales, you need a good product search engine that can index all of your products quickly and accurately. The most efficient way to do so is through the content management system (CMS) keyword setup option.

Not all web development companies will provide you with CMS packages, especially if they’re not well-versed in backend development. Some companies will fail to provide proper management tools for content and keywords along with their CMS package.

You can also specify the various tags and keywords associated with each product. That way, your customers will always find the right product using related terms and keywords whenever they’re searching for it.

#2 Dynamic Homepage with Featured Products Carousel

The home page is one of the most important pages in an e-commerce website. It’s where you should showcase your best products so potential customers can get a feel for what you offer.

You may be tempted to add a static carousel of products on your homepage and call it a day, but that would be a disservice. Instead, use this as an opportunity to show off some of your best offerings in an engaging way that makes visitors want more from you.

For example, if you run a clothing store, maybe you want to put new arrivals front and centre. Perhaps you could highlight some items from your sale section or show off popular items from past seasons. Use the carousel to your advantage to promote the products that you think will grab the most attention and get you more sales.

#3 Live Chat Customer Service

Live chat is another great way to increase sales and earn more money. Live chat features allow customers to contact you for support, product recommendations, and other enquiries. If you want to make sure your website visitors are getting the best possible experience on it, live chat is a must-have tool.

You can also use live chat as a customer service tool so that consumers can get help with their questions in real time. Live chat has already proven itself as one of the most effective tools in e-commerce today, and you should definitely give it a try.

#4 Mobile-Friendly E-Commerce Websites

Mobile-friendly websites are always more user-friendly than non-mobile-friendly ones. Almost 77% of today’s mobile phone users are smartphone users. The more people use smartphones to shop online, the more essential it becomes for you to have a mobile website. 

A quality e-commerce platform will have the option of creating a responsive design that automatically adapts to whichever device your visitors are using. This means it responds to screen size and orientation changes, so your content is formatted appropriately for each visitor based on how they’re viewing it (landscape vs portrait).

Mobile-friendliness also affects customer satisfaction and conversion rate because it makes browsing easier for users on their devices. This can be particularly crucial for those who might not want all of the bells and whistles that come with having access from a desktop computer (especially if they’re shopping from another location).

Don’t forget that mobile-friendly content is also a top ranking factor for Google when you are considering your SEO. This SEO company in Bristol can offer specialist help and advice if you are looking to get your e-commerce website to rank higher in Google.

#5 Social Media Integration for Product Reviews

Social media integration is a must-have feature to have in an e-commerce website. This feature helps you with product reviews and social proof, which in turn can help you increase sales and conversions.

Social media integration can be used for many purposes, including:

  • Product Reviews: You can ask your customers to review their purchases on Facebook, Twitter, or any other social media platform. This helps build trust between the consumer and your brand.
  • Social Proof: The reviews will also show potential customers that others have bought similar products from you before, so they are more likely to do the same too.
  • Buyer Research: Customers interested in buying something specific may search for it on Google or other search engines alongside keywords like “best place buy” or “where should I buy,” etc. This could lead them to your online store if they find what they need there.

E-commerce businesses need to keep up with the times. The e-commerce industry is growing rapidly, and consumers have more options than ever before. That means you have to offer a website that’s easy to use and provides a unique experience for shoppers who want something different from what they usually see. Come 2023, ensuring these standards should be your priority. 

Why is PR important to your business?

Sam Allcock
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0
Why is PR important to your business?

Everyone knows that good communication is a key component to commercial success – but not all communications are “good”. How can you be sure your PR gets it right?

Julie Fuge, Director at PR Agency Polymedia PR tells us ‘Good communication is effective communication. It’s clear and targeted, delivered with impact – critically designed to meet a set of commercial objectives. A PR strategy should be driven by what you want to achieve as a business or organisation – a response to your business plan’.

So, PR and comms might be important for your business to:

  • Sell – generate sales, enquiries, new clients or customers
  • Position – establishing your brand firmly in influential arenas
  • Engage – brand is all about connection and engagement
  • Influence – anything from securing a town planning decision or financial investment to objecting to proposed legislation or non-sustainable practices
  • Retain – existing clients or customers – as important as bringing in new ones
  • Manage – handling of change, restructuring, merger and relocation require careful communications management
  • Mitigate damage crisis and issues planning and management
  • Recruit – people make or break a business and attracting and retaining quality applications is key
  • Promote – raise awareness of your brand and all it stands
  • Include a combination of these or a host of others

Armed with your commercial objectives, a PR agency will consider:

  • the audiences that we need to engage with.
  • the bespoke messaging for each audience. They will all be different – an investor will need a different approach from an employee and a political stakeholder, different from a customer.
  • How to reach these audiences. Through your website, SEO, through influential media, via digital marketing, at events, through partnerships and relationships, or on social media.

Then they will plan the tactics that put these all together – who you want to talk to and with, what you want to say to them, and how those conversations can be instigated. All PR activity can be evaluated to a greater or lesser extent – so the impact on your business is transparent and accountable.

Quality engagement with audiences is massively powerful. It’s key to organisations of all shapes and sizes, from entrepreneurial start-ups, to charities and PLCs – but that engagement has to be authentic and genuine.

Strategic PR consultancy helps you determine and distil exactly who you are, what your brand values are, what your brand stands for and believes in.

How does that relate to the people who are important to you?

In today’s multi-media world the lines between PR, marketing, brand strategy, web development, digital and traditional advertising have all blurred and we have found more of a focus on digital PR. The most important thing to remember is who do you want to talk with, what do you want to say to each and how can you reach them.

The PR tactical toolbox is massive

Depending on the message and the audience, it might include:

  • Web development – for most organisations the website is your core piece of collateral. The enquiry generator and conversion tool. It has to be spot on with a design which reflects your brand, well messaged with logical SEO, engaging, responsive, functional and effective.

It’s likely that all other tactics are designed to feed into the website.

  • Media relations
  • Social media
  • Influencer marketing
  • Digital marketing
  • Content marketing, blogs and re-purposed content
  • Thought leadership
  • Exhibitions and events
  • Design and creative ideas

This whole toolbox has to be seen as part of a bigger picture – planned so the engagement with audiences is strategic, regular, consistent, designed well, high impact, effective – and as pain-free to deliver as possible. PR is all about delivering results through communications – and it’s important to every business.

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