411 Locals: An Internal Team Coaching Program for Better Team Performance

A study provided by the International Federation of Coaches shows that an internal live coaching program can improve the productivity and performance of the team at any company. The survey was conducted among 150 enterprises across the globe that are already running an internal live coaching program. All of them reported the internal coaching managed to increase the employee performance with 10% to 30 %and to lower the level of work-related stress with 15 to 22 points. 

Initially, the coaching was offered only to senior managers or individuals at specific grades - middle-level manager or employee with high potential. Nowadays, in most companies, including 411 Locals, the internal live coaching is delivered to all employees. An investment of such rank is quite reasonable as it offers high return on investment. 

External or Internal Coach? Which one is better?

411 Locals knows well, that both approaches have their supporters, so there is no right and wrong answer to that question. It is believed that the main advantages of the external coach are the experience with leadership and multiple tasks that were performed previously in different organizations. External coaches are supposed to have better training and tend to have the higher level of accreditation compared to internal coaches. However, the main drawback of hiring an external coach is not only the higher cost but the lack of understanding of the company’s internal structure and culture.
Internal coaches are considered to have a better internal understanding of the company processes and structure. Also, they are familiar with the company culture and are seen as an accessible and free resource within the organization. 

Internal coaching program for better team performance 

Employees and teams are the engine that drives most companies or organizations. The levels of efficiency, the work done, and the delivered outcomes are the results of how the team works together. 411 Locals reminds, that Indicators such as performance and productivity could suffer when the team members are lacking the knowledge how to work together. A crisis such as conflicts, hostility, or unclear expectations could lead to poor results and ineffective handling of the internal resources. Starting an Internal coaching program can prevent such undesirable events and harmful effects of unhealthy teams.

Understand and accept the team dynamics and establish behavior expectations 

According to 411 Locals, A great place to start an internal team coaching program is by understanding what is the role of the employees within the team and if they work well together. It is about different styles of working and interpreting the information, as well as verbal and nonverbal skills. Reaction on one and the same stimulus could be totally different. No matter the difference between the team members and their unique features, the team has to be synchronized. Some personal assessment tools can be of a great use to determine and uncover individual patterns - communication approach, conflict resolution, a capability of multitasking, and problem-solving. The main role of the Internal team coaching program will be bringing the team members together and finding a way to improve their performance. The coaching tools and mastermind groups are a great way to understand others people point of view. Once the point of view is clarified, is time for setting up internal rules, acceptable for all team members. Maybe, most important aspect of the internal team coaching is to develop a clear set of communication and behavior expectations. Using a team charter can easily formalize and visualize all expectations and agreements. 

Evaluate the achievements and set up a proper reward system

In general, people have different values and these create a dominant obstacle to team effectiveness and unification. To overcome this the Organization or the Company should set up a rewarding system, evaluating both individual and team contribution. Here steps in the team coaching once again. With group and role play games, the rewards expected by every team member can be clarified and then the expectations evaluated. It is important the coach to find overlapping between expectations, reality, and the company values. Next is to find goals that both individuals and the team share. Great tool for achieving that could be mastermind sessions focused on the team and individual values. 

What works well for one particular team, may not necessarily work for another department or team. One of the goals of the internal coaching is to create effective relationships between team members. However, the effective work relationships are build by revealing employee’s needs, style of work, and preferences. An internal coach can easily use them to identify the differences between team members and then to focus their attention on overcoming them and bettering the performance of the team.

411 Locals Is Starting An International SEO Training Academy

411 Locals, one of the Leading Local SEO companies in the US, is starting an International SEO Training Academy. The innovative courses will be taught jointly with Varna Technical University in Varna, Bulgaria.

“Search engine optimization (SEO) is widely used as a marketing and lead generation tool. However, it is still not a part of the education system. We decided to start an international training project in order to face the challenges of the constantly changing online industry”, says Roumen Todorov, Business Consultant of 411 Locals. Up to 500 students will join the courses. The main focus of the program is to prepare students for further education and career in the field of SEO and Internet marketing.

The participants will be trained by widely-recognized SEO professionals from all over the world, including top performing employees of 411 Locals and professors from the Technical University. Teachers and trainers will share their theoretical and core practical experience with the students.

The company is continuously investing in education and in continuous SEO and online advertising training. Many of the employees of 411 Locals are certified by Google and accredited by Bing ads. Their skills set and know-how are up to date with the latest SEO progress and changes, as developing people is one of the core values of the company. Keeping abreast of the latest developments in the online marketing industry is essential to every online marketing business and to every one of their clients.

411 Locals

Thanks to our policy of constant improvement and continuous technological and marketing training, the company has so far served more than 38,000 local business, ensuring that they reach the first position in Google search results.

About Our Company

411 Locals is an Internet advertising agency based in Las Vegas, Nevada. Established as a local business 9 years ago, today 411 Locals is an international company with offices in USA, Europe, and Asia.

More than 400 employees meet the client’s needs and requirements. 411 Locals has an A+ rating from Better Business Bureau and is a Google Partner. The main services of 411 Locals are website design and local search optimization for small and medium-sized businesses.

411 Locals 6 Steps to Configure a Cross Functional Team

411 Locals, as an international company, would like to advice you that a project usually requires commitment from employees or professionals from different functions or department that are already existing in the organization. Such a team is called cross-functional team.

This type of team can be in great help for any company and they are very useful when you need to fix an existing problem or to find a new solution. They are just assigned to a specific assignment. Just for example, a company might set up a cross-functional team from software specialist, hardware specialist, people from customer service department, procurement. All of them will be “loaned” full or part time from their existing team temporarily, till the job is done. After finishing the project the cross-functional team will be dismissed. 

However, to finish the project on time and to reach all goals, the cross-functional team first have to be set up properly. 411 Locals would like to introduce 6 steps that might help any company to configure a cost-effective cross-functional team with great productivity 

1. Clear objectives. You need to set a clear objective or objectives

Layout a clear objective or target. Make sure you clarify what kind of outcomes are expected from the team. Make sure those objective are purified, identify the resources that the team can rely on and create a team charter. 

2. Determine the team roles and select the virtuous team members

After you already have the idea what is expected, you have to define the roles and then to attract the proper team members. First, you need to think about the technical competences and skills each different cross team member have to have. Consider that putting together people from different and eventually opposing departments might lead to communication issues between the members. To cope with that assign at least some people with great communication and decision-making skills. 

3. Set a budget and resources

No matter the newly formed cross-functional team is from employees, it will need resources to function and to work on the task. For example, it could be free office space, access to a conference room. Furthermore, the cross-functional team might need new software and / or hardware to finish the task. 

4. Initiate and Institute the ways of team functioning

Establish the way the newly developed cross function team will operate. 411 Locals practice advice you to start a project with clear and understandable rules. Before the real work is starting organize a meeting with the team and check for any questions and possible improvements. The main issues with any new team is that you cannot make upfront any precise presumptions how it will work together. However, you can ensure rules, communication channels, decision-making process, resources, time for feedback and training. 

5. Appoint the right for the team leadership style 

A manager can use in his daily routine one main leadership style. Within a cross-function teams, things are different.Usually, the members are equal so the Autocratic style might not me the proper choice. The Democratic style might lead to team spoiling and delay. For sure the balance between equals has to be kept, no matter that the team will quickly appoint a nonformal leader. Several group coaching sessions conducted in the beginning of the project might help the team to clarify the roles and appoint the most suitable nonformal leader

6. Communicate with the team 

During the work process, conflicts between the different cross function team members will arise naturally. To reduce the negative effect or even to avoid it, you have to communicate regularly with the team. Showing a weekly interest on the progress and meeting with the team could be a good idea. Use simple words and a lot of visuals. 411 Locals practice shows that you just need to just make the thing smooth and easier for the team. Pay attention to the team members and listen what they have to say or state. It could take you some time but when created, a receptive atmosphere will boost the productivity of your cross-functional team. 

Once you are ready with your team, you just will have wait about 1 - 2 weeks for the first results. The practice shows that this is a crucial period for the cross-functional team . The things might not start smooth between the team participants - do not forget they have different education, background, specialization. To glue them, use friendly jokes, avoid any kind of mumbling or blaming. Cross-functional teams are known also as a cross-department teams. Regardless of the name and you internal company structure, those team could be a great asset for your company.

Make Sure You Are Seen By Potential Customers

Plumbing is one of the most common jobs in the States. Everyone needs their help and appreciates their work, which is why the competition is so high in this industry. If you too specialize in this field and you wish to appeal to your potential customers, having a visible online presence that is on the first page of Google’s search results is a great way to outshine your competition. 411 Locals is here to get your listing to the first page, which will allow customers to see you, even if they are not looking for you specifically. This will generate you more calls and ultimately increase your revenue substantially.

With 411 Locals, you will also get an optimized website for your business as well as social media channels and a persuasive marketing video hosted on YouTube. Whether you specialize in sewer and drain cleaning, plumbing or septic systems, you will quickly get to the first page of local searches targeted towards your business type. This is equally valid for water and fire damage restoration companies, well-drilling experts, and any other business types. Simply turn to us, and we will make sure you get those extra calls that you need to keep you busy from month to month!

411Locals is a company that has been helping businesses throughout the country with proper internet advertising since 2007. Our dedicated experts will make sure to get you the online presence that you need to be visible to anyone who needs your expertise. Give us a call, and we will elevate your business where everyone will be able to find you!

Here are some of the business types we have served over the years:

• Plumbers
• Water Damage Restoration Experts
• Septic System Contractors
• Well Drilling Contractor
• Fire Damage Restoration Specialists
• Drilling Contractor
• Sewer and Drain Cleaners
• And More…!

Why Online Presence Is Good For Your Business

• A New Market
• Higher Sales
• Improve Your Visibility
• Return on Investment (ROI)
• Minimal Start Up Time & Investment
• More Exposure For Your Services and Products
• Advertise Your Business 24/7
• Low Start-Up Costs
• More Access to Your Business
• Increase Brand Awareness

4 Mistakes That Make Your WordPress SEO Inefficient

You're convinced that your writing talent and impeccable design skills will make your WP blog the next big thing? You think that covering viral topics, finding awesome images and using the social media to spread the word is all that it takes?

Running a blog like 411Locals takes more than the aforementioned efforts. Small WordPress details can cast a big shadow – you can boost the rankings of your posts or on the contrary, lose the advantage and remain unnoticed. More often than not, it is all about ignoring opportunities. Here are the WP features that you shouldn't miss:

Ignoring XML Sitemap

As Google clearly indicates, sitemaps are telling the search engine which pages to crawl. Moreover, not using a sitemap means that some of your site's pages can remain undiscovered. Sitemap's features allow you as a webmaster to point out how often you update your pages. This works well for relatively new sites and ones with too few backlinks pointing towards them. Building and updating a sitemap is quick and automated. The usual options are those two plugins: Google XML Sitemaps and WordPress Seo by Yoast.

Ignoring Categories And Tags

Categories and tags are usually referred to as taxonomies. Their role is to increase engagement and traffic. The wrong use of taxonomies makes your WP site less user-friendly. The cause is that basically a site category works as a table of content and tags are the site's index. Taxonomies also give a good impression of the keywords that are important to your site.

Ignoring Canonical URL Defining

Instead of awaiting Google to determine which version of your page is meant to index and rank, you can deal with this problem by setting a canonical URL. It is a simple process that requires three steps: telling WP what URL represents your site; setting the URL as you want it in the options of Google Search Console; use WordPress Seo by Yoast to set each and every canonical URL of your site;

Ignoring The CTR Features Of Your Posts

To make sure that users see where your post is only half the job done. The rest is to suggest what they are going to see by telling Google how to describe it. You can optimize the latter easily by using a plugin like Add Meta Tags or the well-known WordPress SEO by Yoast. Those plugins give you control of the content that appears on the results page. It is all about the titles and the description of your page. Creating a custom meta title will put a text that will be displayed on the SERPs in place of any headline you choose for the post onsite. In addition, making your description more than a random combination of sentences will lead to a better click-through rate.

Make Your HVAC & Appliance Company Known

Everyone enjoys the convenience that comes with a proper HVAC system. Air conditioning and heating systems are everywhere – in shops, offices, our homes, and restaurants. We are dependent on the work they do for us, which is why HVAC contractors are necessities. If you specialize in this field of work, you should know how tough the competition can be. This is exactly why you need to make your business as known and visible as possible. 411 Locals is here to offer you this opportunity. With our Internet advertising, you will get more calls than you have hoped for.

Those who underestimate online presence and the importance of getting results on the first page of the most common searches miss out on potential calls from paying customers. People would use the Internet to find anything, whether it is appliance repair experts, duct cleaners, or air conditioning specialists. And since the competition is so strong, getting on the first page seems unrealistic to many. However, with 411Locals by your side, your business will be shown on the first pages of local search results, and you will notice the progress almost immediately. Suddenly, you will find yourself receiving more calls, and that will notably increase your revenue.

411 Locals is a company that strives to give its clients the exposure they need to remain competitive and successful in any field. We will create for you a listing, website, social media profiles, and a persuasive YouTube marketing video. All in the effort to make your business the one that gets calls from potential customers who are looking for you online. Whether you offer a professional refrigeration repair or you specialize in the installation and maintenance of HVAC systems, you can get on the first page of any Google search and attract clients that might have not known about you. Call us and allow us to make money for you!

Brands Are Clearer And More Responsive to Twitter Now

Twitter has turned into something far more complex than its early days of microblogging and bandwagoning. Now the social media platform gets more responsive to businesses. It is the new “Most responsive” feature that is now visible on some accounts. Basically, it tells you the hours when your business is most responsive? But how to make it useful for theTwitter account of your business? Is it just a test and do the retailers have any control over it? /see the original article at promotionworld.com

It is clear that businesses that need constant feedback from clients are going to need this feature. That's the case with industries like retail, tech and automotive, indeed. The certain time frame will give guiding light to those customers who expect immediate response. While the medium expectation for response can be easily beaten by socially active brands or reduced to epic fail by seemingly responsive businesses, the “most responsive” feature will be a kickstart for a change.

Picking Tweets With Higher Engagement Clearly a test, “Featured Tweets” is a tab that picks from those with higher engagement. In fact, it was a long-expected change for Twitter and it's definitely one that mirrors the “featured pics” on Facebook. As far as the business accounts in Twitter are concerned, this new feature would bring benefits as long as the account owners are authorized to create the lists of featured tweets along with the option to emphasize specific detail and features on them – such as logos, campaigns, special offers, seasonal deals and other elements like these.