Rather than leaving photos stored in boxes to be damaged by water, mold, rodents, and sunlight, digitizing them protects our memories for generations.
Whether to scan or photograph is a question that depends on your goals and budget. If quality is a priority, scanning will provide you with the best results.
Preparation
For many of us, our old photos represent decades of sentimental memories. They are often a focal point in our decor and may be found tucked away in albums for display on coffee tables. However, for others, these precious memories are in the form of boxes of prints that gather dust and fade over time.
This is why it’s important to take the steps needed to organize and preserve these old photographs. One of the best ways to do so is by digitizing them. This process converts your physical photos into digital copies that can be stored on a computer, external hard drive, the cloud, or even a USB stick. Once digitized, they can be safely stored in one place and will not be susceptible to water damage, fire, humidity, mold, or the natural degradation that comes with age. This is of course also applicable for something like a convert vhs to digital service.
The first step in preparing your old photos for scanning is to remove them from their frames or plastic coverings. This will make them easier to handle and scan. Also, it will help you eliminate duplicates and low-quality images that aren’t worth keeping.
After your photos have been scanned, it’s time to clean and restore them. Depending on your preference, you can do this manually or with software programs such as Photoshop or Lightroom. Some of these programs have cloning tools that can make it easy to remove scratches and other blemishes from your photos. They can also help adjust the colors of your photos to look as vibrant as possible.
Once your photos have been cleaned and restored, they are ready to be archived and shared for generations to come. Before you do, though, it’s a good idea to review and consider their context and significance. Doing so will help ensure that future generations understand the history behind your family photos.
To do this, you’ll want to document key details such as the date and location, names of people in the photo, and any other relevant information. This can be done through text, video, or audio, and will help to bring your old photos to life for the next generation.
Scanner
A quality scanner is a must-have tool for any aspiring photo historian. You’ll need one with a high resolution that can capture each image at its highest possible clarity to prevent any future deterioration or loss of quality. A good scanner can also be used to edit and restore old photos before preserving them digitally, which can remove any scratches or blemishes and improve the color balance of each photograph.
When scanning your photos, be sure to choose a DPI (dots per inch) that’s appropriate for your needs. If you plan to print your scans at a larger size, you’ll want to use a higher resolution such as 300 DPI or above. You’ll also want to make sure your scanner settings are adjusted correctly to avoid any unnecessary noise or artifacts in the scanned images.
If you’re not comfortable using a scanner yourself, many professional photo services have top-of-the-line scanners that can create beautiful and accurate scans of your photos. This option is usually more expensive but can save you a lot of time and stress if you’re short on time.
Once you’ve scanned your old photos, you’ll need to crop the new digital files so they only contain the images and not any white space or border. You’ll also need to rename the files according to a system you’ve determined in advance, such as by date, location or subject. This will help you locate them easily when you need to refer back to a particular file in the future.
Once your photos are digitized, you’ll have many more options for sharing and displaying them. You can post them on social media, create digital albums, or even share them with family members in a more permanent format that won’t suffer from fading or wear over time. In addition, you’ll be able to safely store them away, freeing up valuable physical storage space. So if you’re ready to stop having your old photos sitting in boxes or stacks in closets, it’s time to digitize them for the benefit of future generations! It’s a small investment that will keep your cherished memories safe for years to come.
Camera App
Photo scanning services use a professional-grade camera and software to capture high-quality digital copies of your old photos. Then, they provide you with the digital files so that you can store them safely on your computer or cloud storage service. This way, your photos can’t be damaged by water, fire or humidity. Plus, they’re accessible from anywhere you have an internet connection.
If you’d rather not invest in a scanner, there are several apps available that will allow you to scan your old photos with your smartphone. This is a bit more time-consuming, but it’s still a good option if you don’t have access to a scanner or if your photos are too large for a traditional scanner. Some apps even let you edit the images after scanning. For example, you can remove device exif metadata (which contains information about the camera’s settings), adjust brightness and contrast levels, retouch blemishes or add a blur effect to reduce photo grain.
Once your photos are scanned and stored digitally, it’s important to organize them. Create a folder structure for easy sorting and give your photos descriptive file names. This will help you find the right photo when you’re looking back at your family history. For example, naming photos with the date is a common convention, but you can also name them by location or subject to make it easier for your family members to find what they’re looking for.
Another benefit of digitizing your old photos is that you can share them more easily with your family and friends. This is especially helpful if your relatives live far away. Plus, if your physical copies are ever lost or damaged, you’ll have backup digital copies to fall back on.
Digitizing your old photos is an incredibly important task, and one that should be taken seriously. It’s the only way to ensure that your precious memories are preserved for future generations. By preserving your photos in a digital format, you’ll be able to share them with your family and friends, create backups, and display them on your television or computer screen.
Storage
The best way to preserve your old photos is to scan them. This ensures they’re digitally preserved, preventing physical loss and allowing for easy sharing. You can use a scanner at home, a mobile phone (our recommendation), or a professional scanning service.
Before you begin, make sure the photos are clean and free of dust or scratches. Then, choose a scanner that has automatic color correction. This will adjust the color of each photo based on its age and condition, making them look as good as new.
After a few minutes of work, you’ll have a batch of beautiful, restored photos ready to share with family and friends online. To avoid losing your photos in the future, be sure to back them up on a external hard drive or cloud storage solution.
While you’re working, make sure to label each file with descriptive names that can help you identify the photos later. For example, you might use a name like “grandparents’ birthday” or “wedding anniversary.” Then, once you have all the photos scanned, delete any duplicates or low-quality images to free up space.
Once your old photos are digitized, you can easily store them in a folder on your computer or in an online storage app. If you want to keep your originals, consider getting a storage box that’s acid-free and archival. This way, you can enjoy them for years to come without worrying about fading or damage.
Preserving old photos is essential for preserving personal and family legacies. While physical prints are susceptible to deterioration from environmental factors, digitizing them prevents loss and makes them accessible for generations to come. Whether you’re an amateur photographer or a seasoned archivist, capturing your memories is a worthwhile endeavor that can save your family history for the next generation.
Sometimes even quality content can lose its ranking momentum and slip down the SERPs. It might be due to an algorithm update or your content not matching search intent.
Alternatively, it could be technical issues like page speed or mobile-friendliness, improvements competitors made, invasive interstitials, or even a Google penalty.
Site Structure
When you have a lot of content on your website, it’s important to order it logically. It’ll make it easier for visitors to find what they want and for search engines to crawl it and understand its relevance. The site structure of your content impacts SEO more than most people realise.
Site structure refers to the organisation of pages and the hierarchy between them. It includes things like taxonomies (categories and tags), internal links, navigation menus, breadcrumbs, and URLs. The human brain craves cognitive equilibrium, so having an orderly and easy-to-navigate site structure will be cognitively satisfying to your visitors and search engines alike.
A website with a clear and logical hierarchy will rank higher in search engine results because it shows that the content is organised and relevant. A messy site structure will confuse the algorithms of the search engines and result in lower rankings.
Having a clear site structure will also help you tell the search engines which pages are most important. You can do this by creating a content clusters or topical hub that contains all the related blog posts and pages on one theme. This way, you can focus on optimising the most important pages first and then fill in the gaps.
There are different types of site structures that you can use, but the most popular is a hierarchical structure where the homepage is at the top followed by categories and then individual pages. This type of site structure is good for SEO because it allows you to ‘tell’ the search engines which pages are most important and which ones should rank higher.
Another site structure is a database-style structure, which is good for sites with a large amount of data. This type of structure uses a set of standardized page elements that are repeated across many pages and stored in a single file on the server. This means that if you change the code of a standard page element, it will update on all the other pages that have that component. This is useful for websites with many pages that are similar, such as e-commerces or other sites that include a lot of product pages.
On-Page Optimization
The content on a website is the key to its success or failure. In fact, it can have a greater impact on search engine results than off-site factors such as links and backlinks. For this reason, it’s important to make sure that your on-page SEO is up to date and on point.
This is a set of techniques used by SEO experts to ensure that each page on a site is optimized for its targeted keywords and search intent. This is done by creating content that is both relevant and useful, with an understanding of the keywords and topics that will be searched for by users.
Some of the most important on-page optimization techniques include meta titles and descriptions, internal linking, image alt text, page load speed, and keyword research. Each of these can have a significant impact on search engine rankings.
Title tags are a critical component of on-page SEO because they provide the first impression to Google and can influence CTR (click through rates) in the search engine result pages. They should be descriptive, concise and contain the target keyword or phrases.
Meta description tags are another vital on-page optimization technique because they are a key factor in determining what search engines display for a particular query in the search engine results pages. They can also influence the click-through rate for a search result and need to be written in a way that encourages users to click through.
Image alt text is an important on-page optimization technique because it allows you to add a keyword within the context of a visual element. This is a great way to increase the relevancy of your on-page content without impacting user experience.
Each time there is a new algorithm update, it affects how different elements of on-page optimization play out. With that in mind, you should always be working to update your old content to ensure that it follows the latest best practices and has a high chance of ranking well. Once you’ve updated your content, re-publish and re-promote it to spread the word.
Off-Page Optimization
Off-page optimization techniques focus on marketing your content through external channels and establishing your brand’s authority. These methods include link building, content marketing, social media marketing, and generating online reviews. While this approach may take more time and effort, it is an effective way to reach your target audience.
The most common off-page optimization technique is building links from other websites to yours. Search engines consider these backlinks as “citations” and a vote of confidence in your content. This is why creating shareable content that is worth linking to is a top priority for SEO experts.
Another way to improve your off-page optimization is to optimize your local SEO listings and business pages. This includes your Google My Business page, Yelp profile, and other local listings. By optimizing these listings, you can increase your local visibility and help search engines identify and rank your content based on relevance and trustworthiness, similar to the over-all gist of Rank Revival.
Press releases are also an effective off-page SEO technique. By releasing news articles about your products and services, you can attract new customers and build brand awareness. Additionally, these articles can earn you high-quality links from authoritative sites.
It is important to note that off-page optimization should be used in conjunction with on-page optimization. Many SEOs advise getting your on-page ducks in a row before focusing too much on off-page optimization. However, you should be aware that some off-page optimization methods can take months or even years to show results.
Off-page optimization is an essential part of any SEO strategy. By implementing these techniques, you can create an effective digital footprint that proves why you deserve to be surfaced by search engines and chosen by the searching public. The most popular off-page optimization technique is link building, but there are several other ways to promote your content and get it in front of the right people. With so many different off-page optimization strategies available, it is important to choose the ones that are best suited for your unique goals and objectives. With careful consideration, you can develop a holistic off-page optimization plan that will deliver the best results for your business.
Link Building
Backlinks are one of the most important factors in search engine rankings. They show that other websites believe your content is valuable and worthy of linking to. This gives you authority and visibility, which in turn can lead to more sales or leads. In order to get those backlinks, you must use a variety of link building techniques. These comprehensive ebooks will teach you what those techniques are, when to use them, and how to execute them effectively.
This is a technique that involves finding and reaching out to other websites who have links to the page you want to rank for. It’s important that you only try this on high-quality websites with similar content to yours, otherwise it can be seen as spammy and result in a penalty from Google.
A good way to find these websites is by using Ahrefs’ Content Explorer, which will show you the pages that have links pointing to them. From there, you can reach out to those websites and ask them if they would be willing to replace their broken link with yours. This is a great way to build quality backlinks, and it’s often easy to do.
Another great strategy is to find related pages and create links to them. This can be done by searching for relevant keywords in your industry. Once you have a list of results, look at the pages that are ranking for those keywords. Notice what kind of content they have, and then create something of your own that is better or more informative. This will attract the attention of people who are already looking for this kind of information, and it will also help your own page to rank.
Lastly, you can use social media to find other website owners who are willing to link to your content. This can be done through forums and social networks like Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook. There are also services like HARO that can connect you with journalists who need expert sources.
Whatever link-building method you choose, it should always feel natural and follow the guidelines set out by Google. Avoid “black hat” tactics, which are ways to get links that violate the guidelines. These include buying links, selling links, acquiring links from low-quality sites, and sharing links with competitors.
If your doctor is recommending that you undergo an MRI scan, then it is crucial to find the right imaging center for your needs. This can help reduce stress and anxiety, as well as ensure that you get the accurate results you need.
A good MRI facility will be familiar with a wide range of insurance policies and provide transparent pricing. This way, you can avoid any surprises when it comes to billing.
Reputation
MRIs are an integral part of modern medical diagnostics and can detect a variety of structural or disease-related health issues. They’re a top choice for physicians who want to diagnose conditions such as tumors, aneurysms, blood vessel blockages and more with clarity. To ensure that patients receive the best possible diagnostics, it’s essential to choose an imaging center with a strong reputation for excellent service and patient satisfaction.
A great way to establish an MRI center’s credibility is to use digital marketing strategies to increase brand awareness and target the right audience. Optimize your website with keywords related to MRIs in your local area and create targeted Facebook and Instagram ads that link to your website. This will help your MRI center show up in search results for relevant queries like “open MRI near me” and encourage potential patients to contact you for more information.
Another important aspect of selecting an MRI center is to find out whether they’re accredited by relevant authorities. You should also ask about the qualifications and areas of specialty for their radiologists, as this can affect the quality of your MRI scans.
In addition, look for a facility with flexible scheduling and convenient opening hours. This will make it easier for you to attend your appointments and avoid missing them due to work or family commitments. A welcoming, accessible facility also sends the message that patient comfort is a top priority, which can encourage physician referrals and direct bookings.
Lastly, make sure that the MRI center you choose has clear pricing policies and doesn’t hide any fees. This will help you plan your budget ahead of time and eliminate any surprises during the procedure.
Location
Getting an MRI scan is one of the first steps in your health care journey, but it can also be a costly affair. Today’s health insurance consumers are required to pay high deductibles and copays before their coverage kicks in, so finding an affordable MRI center is more important than ever.
The best diagnostic imaging centers focus on providing services to their patients while limiting overhead expenses. This allows them to provide the same specialized diagnostic testing as hospitals at much more reasonable rates. According to data from healthcare data analytics company Amino, MRIs at a hospital cost almost twice as much as an MRI at a standalone diagnostic testing center.
When choosing an MRI center, you want to make sure that the facility is located in a convenient and accessible location. This will help to minimize travel-related stress and ensure that you can attend your appointments on time. Look for a facility that has plenty of free parking right by the building as well as wheelchair access and other accessibility features.
You should also find out more about the center’s MRI equipment and procedures. Make sure that their radiologists are board-certified and have experience in the area of diagnosis. In addition, you should look for a center that has stringent privacy protocols to protect your personal and medical information.
Finally, check for a facility that offers a range of patient amenities like open MRI machines for those who suffer from claustrophobia and language interpretation services for those with limited English fluency. These features will ensure that you are comfortable during the procedure and get the results you need sooner rather than later. The quicker you receive your results, the faster your physician can start your treatment plan.
Convenience
When you are diagnosed with a health condition that requires an imaging test, such as an MRI, it’s important to consider the location of the imaging center. It’s also important to choose an MRI center that is affordable. With today’s high deductible and co-pay health insurance policies, it is important to find a standalone imaging center that offers affordable services, without compromising quality of care.
When choosing a diagnostic imaging center, look for a location that is close to home or work. This will help you avoid unnecessary travel costs and scheduling hassles. It’s also important to choose a center that has flexible hours, so you can visit during your busy schedule.
Another factor to consider is whether the MRI center accepts your insurance plan. It is best to choose a facility that accepts most major health insurance plans. This will make it easier for you to afford the cost of the test. You should also ensure that the facility is familiar with your specific health insurance policy and can answer any questions you may have.
Finally, when choosing an MRI center, make sure that it has board-certified radiologists on staff. This will ensure that you receive an accurate and timely diagnosis. You should also inquire about the areas of specialty of the radiologists so that you can be sure they have the expertise you require.
Finally, you should also look for an MRI center that is dedicated to the welfare of patients. This means that they should offer accommodations for claustrophobic and deaf patients, as well as language interpretation services. They should also conduct regular machine safety checks to prevent any issues. These factors will ensure that you are comfortable throughout your MRI scan.
Pricing
The cost of an MRI is one of the biggest concerns for patients who are seeking this diagnostic procedure. The good news is that many patients can obtain affordable MRIs at freestanding imaging centers. These facilities often offer lower prices because they do not have the overhead that hospitals do. This means they can pass these savings on to their customers.
Health insurance also plays a role in how much you pay for an MRI. You will need to check your insurance policy before scheduling an appointment. Some insurance companies will require a deductible or coinsurance before the coverage kicks in. Then, you will need to determine if the MRI center is in your network to reduce your out-of-pocket costs.
You should also make sure the MRI facility you are choosing offers a variety of services. For example, some clinics have open MRI equipment for people with claustrophobia. Others offer flexible hours to accommodate busy schedules. And, some MRI centers provide results quickly, which will allow your physician to start treatment as soon as possible.
Finally, you should look for an MRI center that is dedicated to meeting the needs of all patients. This can include accommodations such as open MRI equipment for those with claustrophobia and language interpretation services. This will ensure a comfortable and respectful diagnostic experience for everyone.
It is important to choose a reputable and accredited MRI center in order to get the best possible outcomes from your scans. To avoid wasting money, you should always read reviews and ask friends and family for recommendations. These tips will help you find the perfect MRI center for your medical needs.
Experience
When it comes to getting diagnostic imaging services, the quality of the facility can make a big difference. That’s why it’s important to research options carefully before choosing a clinic. Look for accreditation, expertise, location and insurance coverage to find the best MRI center for your needs.
The quality of the radiologist is also a crucial factor to consider. Make sure that the radiologist is board-certified and has extensive experience in interpreting MRI scans, especially if for an MRI for dense breast tissue. Ideally, the radiologists at an MRI center should also do what’s called peer review—a process where colleagues double-check their work—to ensure consistency and accuracy.
Additionally, look for a clinic that has convenient hours. This is especially important if you live far away or have other commitments on the day of your test. Lastly, be sure to bring something to read or do on the day of your MRI to pass the time. Whether you choose to listen to music or watch a movie, having something to keep you occupied will help you feel more relaxed and calm.
If you are claustrophobic or have any other physical limitations, look for an MRI center that understands your unique needs and offers accommodations like open MRI machines. This way, you can be assured of a safe and comfortable scanning experience.
Lastly, check out the pricing of the MRI services at each clinic you’re considering. Ideally, you should find one that provides clear, transparent pricing for its services so that you can plan financially ahead of time. If you have insurance, it’s also a good idea to find out if the clinic is familiar with your policy and can handle any billing issues promptly.
Using feedback to close the loop with customers fosters loyalty and builds brand value. Choosing the right tools and systems to manage feedback data is essential.
Using multiple methods for collecting feedback gives you a more holistic picture of customer experience. This helps ensure that your team is aware of the roadblocks that are causing low satisfaction ratings.
Surveys
When used correctly, surveys are one of the most effective tools for collecting good business service feedback. They allow you to measure customer satisfaction and understand how customers interact with your product. Taking action on this feedback will improve the customer experience, reduce churn and boost loyalty, all while supporting business growth.
Before starting a survey, make sure you have a clear goal in mind and have a plan for how you will use the results. Otherwise, the time you spend creating and distributing your survey will be wasted.
The type of questions you ask in a survey will also have an impact on the quality of your results. It is important to keep your questions short and focused. Adding too many questions can confuse your respondents and increase the likelihood that they will abandon the survey. You should also avoid using open-ended questions. These are more time consuming for your team to analyze and can lead to unhelpful responses.
Test your survey before you start distributing it to ensure that your question wordings are clear and easy to understand. Also, be sure to test how long it takes a respondent to complete your survey and check that the process of tabulating and analyzing the data is straightforward.
Once you have a solid strategy for how you will use the feedback you receive, share the results with all of your stakeholders. This will help them to see the value of your survey and the impact that it can have on their jobs and the company as a whole, essentially resulting in an unbiased look as well.
Depending on the results of your survey, you may want to go deeper in your analysis by running regression models or other advanced statistical techniques. There are many software programs that can help you with this, from free programs like SurveyKing and Alchemer to enterprise-level solutions like Qualtrics Stats iQ. With this data, you will be in a much better position to make informed strategic decisions that deliver greater value for your customers. For example, if you have consistently received negative feedback about a certain feature or service, you can consider changing the way that this service is delivered or discontinuing it altogether.
Email is a popular way to collect customer feedback. It allows you to target a specific audience and offer an incentive to encourage them to participate. A few key points to keep in mind when sending emails for feedback:
Make it clear why you want their feedback. This will help your customers understand what kind of information you’re looking for and will prevent them from ignoring or dismissing your requests. Keeping your survey questions short and simple is also important. Long, complex surveys may discourage your audience from participating.
Ensure your email address is valid and easy to find. Don’t use generic “no-reply” addresses, which can send messages to an empty inbox or be marked as spam. Make it easy for your audience to share their feedback by including a link to a simple, web-based form. This type of email is less time-consuming than a traditional survey and may be more effective in collecting feedback.
Create a system for categorizing and organizing feedback responses. This will make it easier to analyze the data and act on it. For example, you might separate feedback on product design from customer service or website design. Using this strategy will allow you to focus on making improvements in the areas where your customers need them.
Respond to feedback quickly. This will show your customers that you care about their concerns. It will also build customer loyalty, especially if you follow up with them after addressing their concerns.
Consider implementing a “contact us” form on your website to collect feedback from visitors who encounter errors or glitches. This can help you identify and fix problems that your website testing team might not have caught.
By listening to your customers, you can improve your products and services, increase customer satisfaction and retention, and foster a positive brand image. Feedback is the backbone of your business, so don’t be afraid to use it!
Telephone
Phone conversations allow customers to speak their minds freely and can be used to ask more open-ended questions. While it takes longer to collect feedback this way, telephone can provide valuable insights that you can’t get from surveys alone. By listening to their tone and asking follow-up questions, you’ll get a better sense of what your customers are looking for and how well your business is meeting those needs.
You can also gather feedback with a call to action button on your website, an automated survey after a customer service call, or a live chat feature that lets customers speak directly to representatives. Using multiple methods will ensure that you have enough data to make an informed decision about what steps your company should take next.
Be sure to pass all feedback along promptly to team members who can act on it, and be ready for a negative response that may hurt your bottom line in the short term. By listening to your customers, taking their concerns into consideration, and making changes that improve your services, you can build long-term loyalty and success.
Face-to-Face
The most personal method of collecting business service feedback is face to face communication. It allows both parties to read non-verbal cues, such as body language, tone of voice and emotion. It also gives people the opportunity to communicate questions and concerns directly to one another. It’s important to note that the benefits of face-to-face interaction don’t necessarily have to occur in the same physical space; many times, a video conference call or a phone chat will suffice.
Face-to-face conversations can help your employees build a stronger connection to their leaders and create trust in the workplace. This type of interaction can also be used to address difficult topics and ensure that all parties are clear on their understanding of the situation. It’s a great way to foster a sense of loyalty in your customers, as they will feel heard and that their opinions are valued.
Using multiple methods to collect customer feedback will give you the best picture of your customers’ needs and desires. This will allow you to quickly identify any issues and make changes in your business model before they become widespread problems. By using all four strategies mentioned in this article, you will be able to identify and address any shortcomings or inefficiencies in your business model, making sure that your customers continue to enjoy their interactions with your company.
In the past, face-to-face communication was often referred to as the “gold standard” of communications. However, as our world becomes increasingly virtual, many people are losing the ability to meet face to face in a meaningful and productive manner. This is why it’s so important to utilize all possible communication channels and to encourage face-to-face meetings whenever possible, especially when dealing with difficult topics or addressing sensitive employee concerns. It is in these moments when a leader’s authenticity and humanity can be reflected back to the team they are leading. It is also an opportunity for them to demonstrate their commitment to the success of their teams. This will help to build trust and foster a strong sense of connection that will ultimately drive results.
If you find yourself working with a broker who regularly brushes you off or refuses to spend quality time with you, it might be time to look elsewhere. Find a broker who will treat you with the respect you deserve.
It’s legal for brokers and builders to make lofty promises, but you need to see those claims in writing. Some of the most common misrepresentations include:
They Make Claims without Documentation
Brokers can mislead in a variety of ways. Some are obvious, like lying or misrepresenting a property, but other forms of broker misconduct are more subtle and can still lead to financial loss for their clients. If you suspect that your broker has breached trust, there are several routes you can take to seek redress.
For example, if you are looking at properties for sale and a broker claims that the property is in good condition but later discovers it has significant structural issues or a mold problem that could pose health risks to occupants, this may constitute a violation of real estate laws. In this case, you would be able to sue the broker for damages.
Another common type of broker misconduct is when a brokerage fails to disclose important information about a property before the sale. For example, if you are considering buying a home with a known termite infestation, your broker should inform you that it is a serious risk and recommend you have an inspector inspect the property before closing. This is an essential part of the due diligence process that brokers must perform, and it’s a violation of law if they don’t do so.
A broker may also conceal information to benefit themselves. For example, if you are looking at homes for sale and notice that the listing agent works at a discount brokerage and that their commission is lower than the typical cooperating fee paid to buyer’s agents, they may not tell you about the listing because they will lose out on the potential commission. This is an unethical practice that can be reported to your state or provincial securities commission.
While everybody has to make a living, brokers who try to mislead their clients are likely to face legal action in the future. Thanks to RERA, home buyers will now be able to find quick legal redress in the event that they are harmed by the faulty business practices of their broker. The law will ensure that home buyers don’t fall victim to the tricks of unscrupulous brokers, and will protect them from uninformed or biased decisions.
They Represent Both Buyers and Sellers
A broker can only represent one side of the transaction in a given case, but brokers may mislead buyers into believing they are being represented by an agent that does not exist. This type of double agency is illegal in many states and erodes the trust between a buyer and their broker.
A common way that brokers can commit this type of misrepresentation is by listing an apartment as “limited availability” or “one-of-a-kind.” These types of terms create the false impression that the apartment is highly sought after and therefore not available to other renters, and thus it must be acted upon immediately. Brokers can also mislead clients by telling them that they have a good connection to a seller and that this connection will lead to a faster closing.
Another way that brokers can mislead homebuyers is by representing both the buyer and seller in a single transaction. This practice, known as dual agency, is not always clearly defined, and it can lead to misunderstandings and conflict of interest. In the worst cases, this arrangement can lead to a lack of representation for a buyer.
Dual agency can also be dangerous for sellers who are approached by a buyer’s agent at an open house. These agents are focusing on selling the property to the buyer and not looking out for the seller’s best interests. Finally, dual agency reduces your legal options in the event of a dispute because only the brokerage’s insurance company will be responsible for paying any damages.
When interviewing brokers, be sure to ask about the broker’s policies on dual agency. If the broker does not have a clear policy on how they handle dual agency, you should move on to another candidate.
Finally, be sure to ask a broker about the fees they charge for their services. Brokerage fees can include desk fees, transaction fees, copies, insurance, and more. Some of these fees are standard and apply no matter which brokerage you work with, but others are specific to the broker’s office. Be sure to find out exactly what each broker charges so that you can compare apples to apples.
They Don’t Provide You with All the Information You Need
When brokers provide their clients with information, they must be honest and accurate. For example, they must disclose the amount of commission that will be paid to the broker and the agent on the transaction. Brokers should also give their clients the information they need to make informed decisions about buying or selling a property. This includes detailed descriptions of homes, the history of home prices in an area, the number of comparable properties available for sale or purchase, and a clear explanation of the various financing options available.
Brokers are also responsible for teaching their agents everything they need to know about the real estate market and industry practices. They should also be available to answer questions when needed, especially about regulatory compliance, contracts and disclosures. If a broker is not responsive or knowledgeable, this can be a red flag.
A good broker will have a well-developed office manual and onboarding process that sets clear standards for their office and the behavior they expect from their agents. Ask to see the manual before you sign on with a firm to get a sense of their culture and how they work together.
In addition to the broker’s manual, you should also ask about the brokerage’s reputation and what they stand for as a firm. Find out how long the brokerage has been around and check out their online reviews to make sure they are legitimate. You should also find out about the fees that they charge for desk fees, copies, transaction fees and insurance. These fees can add up to a significant sum.
If a broker’s offices are full of disorganized chaos and people running in and out all the time, this may be a sign that the firm isn’t very organized or structured. It’s important to work in a well-run and professional environment.
Finally, be sure to ask about the brokerage’s compliance procedures and how they handle conflicts of interest. For example, how do they handle complaints and allegations of misrepresentation or fraud? Ask about the broker’s record of handling such issues in the past.
They Mislead You About the Market
Broker misconduct can have serious financial repercussions for investors. Unauthorized trading, fraud, misrepresentation and breaches of fiduciary duty all undermine the trust that clients place in their brokers and brokerage firms, leading to losses that can be difficult to recover from. Brokers and brokerage firms must exercise heightened diligence in hiring, training, supervising and monitoring their brokers to ensure that these misconduct types do not occur. Unfortunately, many brokers engage in misconduct that puts their own interests ahead of those of their clients, resulting in devastating losses.
For example, some brokers try to trick their clients into buying properties that they know are not worth the price by using misleading tactics. They may tell a client that the home is in a desirable neighborhood, when it is not or they may fail to disclose a property’s history of water damage. These misrepresentations can lead to costly repairs and significant financial loss for the buyer.
In addition, some brokers attempt to swindle renters by over-committing them to apartments they know they can’t afford. This type of behavior is especially common in NYC, where brokers have a tendency to push their clients past their intended rental budget. In order to avoid this type of swindling, it is essential to be very clear about your rental criteria and stick to it.
Brokers also have a tendency to take advantage of the informational asymmetry that exists between buyers and sellers by concealing commission rates from prospective buyers. For example, some brokers may hide the fact that a listing they are representing is being offered at a discount brokerage that pays a lower commission than the typical cooperating fee. This practice is illegal and can have serious repercussions for a homebuyer.
The good news is that it is possible to sue a broker for negligence or breach of fiduciary duty. However, it is important to understand that a successful lawsuit against a broker can be expensive and time-consuming. In addition, brokers often have deep pockets and can hire attorneys to defend them against claims of misconduct. For this reason, it is critical to carefully investigate the background of any broker you consider working with to ensure that they have the legal and financial resources to effectively represent your interests in a lawsuit.
Whether you’re remodeling your home, going between leases, moving across the country or caring for a loved one in a nursing facility, local storage can be a convenient solution. But how do you determine what storage size and features are best for your needs? Start by identifying the items that need to be stored.
Convenience
Whether it’s to declutter their home or make room for a hobby, people rent self-storage spaces for many reasons. The convenience of having access to their belongings when needed is one of the main draws. Many facilities offer boxes, locks and packing supplies for sale to help with the storage process, as well as truck rentals (for an additional cost) or free use of their own trucks (depending on location).
Most storage units have 24/7 availability so that tenants can come and go as they please. They also have flexible lease periods, ranging from month-to-month to several years. The facility itself will usually be located on a secure property with access controlled by either a key pad or personalized PIN. Guests may have access to their individual unit via an outside drive-up or by entering the building itself.
One of the most popular reasons people rent a storage space is for a move. It’s a great way to reduce stress and expense when preparing to move to a new house. It’s also a great solution if your move-in and move-out dates don’t quite match up, or if you’re downsizing from a larger house to a smaller apartment or condo.
Another reason homeowners may use storage is for seasonal items, such as boats, RVs or motorcycles. Keeping these vehicles out of the elements when not in use can make them easier to maintain and more enjoyable to use. Similarly, homeowners who are in the middle of a renovation project may store their tools and other equipment in a storage unit until the work is completed. This can save them the expense of renting a moving truck or paying for contractors to come in and clear out the area.
Security
Many self storage facilities feature advanced security measures to prevent unauthorized access. They may include gated access, video surveillance, and individual unit alarms. In addition, most of these facilities provide insurance options for their customers, which can protect against theft and other risks.
If you’re planning a home renovation or remodeling project, it might be necessary to move furniture and other items to temporary locations. If this is the case, a self storage rental can be a convenient and affordable solution. It can also help to free up space for contractors and keep your personal belongings safe from damage.
Another reason for utilizing a storage facility is to get rid of clutter and unwanted items that have overtaken your personal and professional spaces. If your home or office is stuffed full of old boxes, holiday decorations, kids’ toys, seasonal clothing, and other items, you can move them to a storage space until they are needed again. This will allow you to give a room, basement, or attic a new purpose.
Finally, a self storage space can be a good option for transitional situations such as downsizing for retirement, caring for an aging parent, or relocating to a different city for work. It can also be used by students living in temporary housing or on a relocating student program – click here to see some additional information as well.
Most residential and commercial storage rental agreements are month-to-month, which gives you the flexibility to upgrade or downsize your rental based on your needs. Many facilities offer online tools or a web app that can help you determine the size of storage unit you need, and they often offer optional services like climate control. If you’re unsure whether self storage is right for you, talk to the professionals at your local facility for more information.
Insurance
Many homeowners are unaware that the storage lease they sign with a facility also acts as an insurance policy that can cover property damage from fire or floods. Some storage companies will offer the coverage to their tenants for a fee or may even sell it as an add-on to your existing homeowner’s policy. Similarly, self storage facilities themselves have commercial property and general liability insurance that protects them against loss or damage to the items they store for their customers. This type of insurance is available for both big and small businesses, including contractors, retailers, manufacturing companies and professional offices.
Flexibility
Self storage offers individuals a place to store personal belongings for extended or temporary periods of time. Individuals can rent space in the garage style units you see lining highways or indoor spaces that are climate controlled. Individuals can access their storage during business hours and can pack up items at any time and make changes to the space whenever they choose.
Whether you are moving to a new house, renovating your home or dealing with an unexpected event like divorce or the death of a family member, life events often require short-term storage. Many homeowners use storage to get their homes ready to sell, while others may need a place to store things while remodeling, downsizing in a retirement community or caring for an elderly parent.
Seasonal storage is common with people storing lawn equipment, winter clothing and holiday decorations when they are not in use. Renovating a home can create clutter and if you don’t have enough space in your garage to keep all of the tools and materials needed to do the job, storage is an affordable option.
In addition, a lot of homeowners have vehicles that aren’t used every day such as a car or truck, and storage is an inexpensive way to keep them safe until they need them again. Some people even store boats, RVs and other recreational vehicles in self storage when they are not in use.
Most residential storage facilities have month-to-month leases and many offer boxes, locks, packing supplies and truck rentals for the convenience of their tenants. The cost of renting a space is also significantly less than if you were to rent an apartment, office building or shopping center and it takes much less time to ready the space for the next tenant.
Space
Whether you need space to store your car, tools and equipment for work or items you’ll be moving from your home, self storage has plenty of room. Some self storage facilities even offer boxes, locks and packaging supplies for sale to help make your transition smoother. Additionally, some stores may even rent trucks to help you move your belongings to and from the facility.
Many families use self storage for various reasons, including remodeling a house or business, downsizing for retirement or caring for an elderly family member. Some businesses also utilize self storage to accommodate their growing inventory or archived records. Self storage also can be helpful for students in college, who often find their dorm rooms aren’t large enough to fit all of their furniture and belongings.
When choosing a storage unit, it’s important to estimate how much space you need. One way to do this is by stacking your belongings in a way similar to how they would be stored in a storage unit and then using a tape measurer or your vehicle’s dimensions to compare that to available storage sizes. You can also check out this size guide to get an idea of what fits where.
While lagers, beers and cocktails tend to take center stage at the bar, pub drinks are a lot more diverse than you may think. Step out of your comfort zone with these 5 best pub drinks you need to try.
A classic rum drink, a daiquiri is a simple yet tasty drink. You can even swap out the rum for gin or vodka for something different.
Daiquiri
The Daiquiri is one of the most popular cocktails in the world. Whether you prefer it frozen or on the rocks, there is no wrong way to enjoy this refreshing drink. Its popularity has made it a staple at bars and restaurants, but the recipe is simple enough that home bartenders can easily make them. Many variations exist, though, and bartenders are very opinionated about their version.
The story of the daiquiri is murky, but most agree that it was developed in the late 1800s in Cuba. Its name, supposedly, comes from the town of Daiquiri near Santiago. Jennings Cox, an American mining engineer who worked in the area, is generally credited with creating it. He was trying to protect his workers from yellow fever by mixing lime and rum in an effort to ward off the disease. Other stories claim that Cox was simply out of whiskey or gin and decided to doctor up some local rum instead.
Its popularity skyrocketed during WWII, when rationing of other spirits made them harder to find. Also, President Roosevelt’s Good Neighbor policy opened up trade and travel with Latin America, making rum more readily available.
The classic recipe calls for light rum, lime juice, and sugar. You can add a splash of maraschino liqueur or grapefruit juice, if you like. The Hemingway daiquiri, which adds grapefruit and a dash of maraschino, is a delicious variation. The drink is easy to make, and it’s a perfect pick-me-up after a long day at work. You can even turn it into a float by adding heaps of vanilla ice cream. That makes it a perfect drink to share with friends at a pub, especially on a sunny day.
Cosmo
The Cosmopolitan is a pink drink that revivifies and refreshes. It sits alongside margaritas and sidecars as the bright pink sibling of classic cocktail cocktails.
The drink is typically a blend of vodka, an orange-flavored liqueur like curacao or triple sec and cranberry juice. The mix is shaken and strained over ice, garnished with a thin, twisted lime peel. The resulting pink drink is sweet, tart, citrusy and bright. It’s a perfect choice for an early night drink at the bar.
While a Cosmopolitan might be too strong for beginner drinkers, there are plenty of spots that offer a refreshing take on the classic cocktail. At Antique, a chic and cozy spot in downtown Los Angeles, guests can enjoy a well-crafted pink beverage made with Belvedere Vodka, Cointreau, lime juice and cranberry. Alternatively, you can try a spritz with vodka, soda water and fruity flavors, such as the Lemon Drop or Fresh Cut.
Unlike many other cocktails, the Cosmopolitan is typically served in a martini glass. But it can be made with other types of glasses as well, including highball glasses. The higherball glass allows more space for the mixture of ice and liquid, creating a lighter and more bubbly drink.
A cosmopolitan should be balanced between sweet and tart, with the sweetness coming from the fruity cranberry. Ideally, you should be able to taste all the citrus flavors and only a hint of cranberry. This is why it’s best to use a premium vodka, such as Stolichnaya Lemon, which is typically more flavorful than your standard cheap vodkas.
The cosmopolitan is one of the most iconic cocktail drinks in Boston.
Gin & Tonic
If you’re looking for a refreshing and simple drink, the gin & tonic is the perfect choice. This highball cocktail is easy to make, and it’s sure to quench your thirst. You can use a wide variety of gins, premium tonic water, and garnish it with whatever you’d like. Depending on your taste, you can add lemon or lime to the mix. We recommend using a gin with a citrus flavor that complements your preferred tonic water, such as Hendrick’s Gin or Bombay Sapphire. To get the best gin & tonic experience, you should always choose quality ingredients. Buy your gin and tonic water from a reputable store so you can ensure that they’re fresh and have plenty of carbonation.
The gin and tonic is one of the most popular drinks in the world, and it has an interesting backstory. It was actually created to help British soldiers combat malaria and scurvy in tropical climates. Quinine is an extraordinarily bitter compound, but the British found that adding gin made it more palatable. This combination became the gin and tonic, and it’s still a favorite today.
To prepare a gin and tonic, fill a highball glass with ice cubes. Pour the gin over the ice, and slowly and gently pour in the tonic water. Stir well, and garnish with a lime wedge. It’s important to pour the tonic water slowly so that it doesn’t lose its carbonation. Some people also add whole spices to the drink, such as juniper berries, peppercorns, star anise, or cardamom pods. These flavors can compliment the botanicals in gin, and they are often pressed or bruised with the flat end of a spoon to release their aroma.
Gin & Ginger
This refreshing cocktail is the perfect choice for anyone who loves a light and bubbly drink. It’s also a great option for those who aren’t fans of the bitterness of tonic water. Using ginger ale instead means you get to enjoy all the ginger flavour without any of the quinine (which is actually used as medicine to treat malaria, mind you).
To make this cocktail, simply muddle a handful of mint leaves in your glass. Add 50ml of Sing Gin, ice and 15ml of sugar syrup. Shake and fine strain into a rocks glass. Top with 25ml of ginger beer and garnish with a lime wedge, cheers!
Many of the best pub drinks are easy to prepare, and this is no exception. With just two ingredients, the gin and ginger is the ultimate highball cocktail to serve at happy hour, or whenever you’re having friends over for drinks! If you want to switch things up, you can use lemon juice instead of lime. This will give the drink a more tart and refreshing flavour, making it the ideal gin cocktail for summer.
Another fun way to serve the gin and ginger is in a tall glass with ice, then topped with lemonade. This is a fun and colourful drink that’s sure to be a hit at your next house party or barbecue.
For a more sophisticated variation on the gin and ginger, you can use ginger beer with a twist of fresh lime juice to create a gin fizz. This is a classic drink that’s perfect for any occasion, and will impress your guests with how fancy it looks! If you’re feeling really adventurous, you can even try grating some fresh ginger into your gin and ginger for an extra kick of flavour – At the The Dolly Blue Bar Newby Bridge, you can get a variety of drinks, so make sure to see their full list.
Gin & Mint
The classic gin and mint cocktail is an excellent choice for any pub, especially if they have a nice selection of gins. It’s easy to make, and it can help to mask any gins that aren’t as flavorful as others. It’s also a good option to try out new gins, as most bars will carry the most popular brands.
You can add a little bit of extra oomph to this drink by shaking it without ice (dry shake) first. Then, top up with ice, and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint, and enjoy!
The South Side is a refreshing, herbaceous gin drink that can be enjoyed at any time of the year. It combines cucumber, lime juice, and dry gin into one harmonious drink that is lightly sweetened with simple syrup. You can adjust the amount of ingredients based on how many servings you want to make.
While the Irish may have an image for themselves as drunken slackers, the truth is that drinking is still a huge part of Irish culture. You’ll find that most pubs have a variety of beers, wines, and spirits to choose from. If you’re looking for something unique, be sure to ask the bartender if they have any specialty cocktails that they would recommend trying. You never know – you might just discover your new favorite drink!
Obtaining an LEI is a vital step for any legal entity participating in the financial system. It helps to meet regulatory requirements, enhance transparency and improve efficiency in global markets.
LEI registration is an easy process and can be completed by any representative of the company. The cost of an LEI is worth the instant credibility boost and improved identity security.
Legal Entity Identifiers
The Legal Entity Identifier is an internationally recognized code that uniquely identifies legal entities. It is used to provide reliable reference data for all participants in global financial transactions, facilitating regulatory compliance and improving transparency in the markets. The LEI can be obtained by legal entities such as companies, funds and trusts. It can also be acquired by regulated businesses who need to comply with Know Your Customer (KYC) and other regulatory requirements. The process of obtaining an LEI is straightforward and can be completed online.
Until recently, there was no standard method to identify a legal entity across global jurisdictions. This lack of transparency increased transaction costs and slowed business deals. To address this issue, the Global Legal Entity Identifier System was established by the Global Financial Stability Board (FSB). This system assigns 20-digit LEI codes to legal entities that participate in financial transactions. The code is unique and can be retrieved from the FSB’s database through accredited issuers such as Bloomberg Finance LP.
To obtain an LEI, a legal entity must first submit its details to an accredited LEI issuer. This is typically a financial exchange or data vendor. The information is then validated and published to the GLEIS. Once the process is complete, a new LEI number will be issued to the legal entity. The code can then be shared with other parties for use in financial transactions.
When a company or fund registers for an LEI, it must submit its name, director, address and other key details. The information must be valid and up-to-date to receive a successful registration. If the information is not up-to-date, the company must update it before applying for a new LEI.
A legal entity’s LEI record will display basic ‘business card’-type information, which is referred to as Level 1 data. The record will also contain any parent company information, which is known as Level 2 data. This enables users to understand the structure of an entity’s ownership, answering the question ‘who owns whom?’
A company can choose to register for a one-year LEI, or for multiple years. Those who register for multiple years will be offered a discount for each subsequent year that they renew their LEI.
Legal Entity Identifier Registration
Obtaining an LEI is one of the easiest ways to improve your business’s credibility and increase its global reach. It also helps ensure compliance with many regulatory requirements and reduces risks of fraud, financial crime and misreporting.
The LEI system was developed in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis to help identify all parties on either side of a financial transaction. Since its launch, it has become a key component of the global financial system. Although LEIs are not mandatory for all companies, the number is becoming increasingly recognized as a key piece of information for businesses and regulators.
In order to get an LEI, a company must submit an application to an LOU (Local Operating Unit) and pay an initial registration fee. Once the LEI has been issued, the entity must pay an annual maintenance fee to keep it active. A portion of these fees is donated to the Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF) to cover the costs of maintaining the LEI system.
When submitting an LEI application, the company will need to provide its name, address, and authorized signatory. The data is validated against the local companies registry and once all is in order, an LEI can be issued within 15 minutes.
The company will then be provided with a choice of packages for the duration they wish their LEI to remain valid, including options for 1, 3 and 5 years. Payment can be made by credit card or invoice, with the option to split the payments into multiple instalments.
Once an LEI has been issued, it can be used by any LOU to identify the legal entity irrespective of its jurisdiction. This allows for more efficient reporting and reduces the time it takes to conduct due diligence.
The LEI can also be used to validate other identifiers that are provided by third parties, such as a VAT number or an EIN. This new use case has further demonstrated the adaptability and versatility of the LEI code. If you’re interested in learning more about the benefits of an LEI, or how to register for one, please get in touch with us today!
Legal Entity Identifier Providers
The LEI is a unique alpha-numeric code that contains basic business information. The first four characters are a prefix that uniquely identifies the Local Operating Unit (LOU) that issued the code, whereas the rest of the code is the unique identification number for the legal entity. The LOU is responsible for maintaining the reference data associated with each LEI, and that data is available to anyone who has a copy of the Global Directory.
Financial institutions and their regulators use the LEI to precisely identify all parties on either side of a financial transaction. This helps to track connections across the financial system, reducing risk exposures. The LEI is also useful for tracking changes to a company’s structure and its activities. Using LEIs can also help streamline internal reporting, risk management, and data collection, as well as easing regulatory compliance requirements.
Historically, it has been very difficult to find out information about counterparties in the financial markets. During the 2008 market crash this issue was highlighted, with thousands of funds and companies being unidentifiable. The LEI is designed to remedy this issue by creating a single global standard for identifying market participants, as shown in this article about LEI (Legal Entity Identifier).
A number of major companies have already adopted the use of the LEI. It is estimated that the tool could save banks up to 2-4 billion dollars annually in KYC processes. Aside from that, the LEI can be used to speed up onboarding and make operations more efficient.
For example, a bank can use the LEI to automatically populate forms with key details of their client, simplifying the process of gathering required information. This means less paperwork for both the bank and their customers. The LEI can also be used to reduce the risk of fraud by helping to verify the identity of entities.
Getting an LEI is simple enough. There are numerous service providers, such as LEI Register, that offer a fast and convenient registration process. They can even handle the yearly renewal for you. In addition to that, they will ensure that the information you provide is up to date and accurate.
Legal Entity Identifier Costs
The costs associated with obtaining an LEI can vary depending on the provider, but they generally include a fee to register the code, a one-time fee for ID verification and a fee for annual renewal. These fees are intended to cover the cost of administering the system, ensuring that it remains open and available for use by financial firms. The LEI is a global number that identifies legal entities across borders and provides transparency in the financial markets. As such, it is used in a number of regulatory processes and compliance activities including KYC, AML, client onboarding, and transaction reporting.
The LEI is a unique 20-character alpha-numeric reference code that meets the ISO 17442-1:2020 standards set by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). The code is assigned to legal entities by local operating units (LOUs), which charge an initial issuance fee and an ongoing maintenance fee. These fees support the operation of the Global LEI System and are used to encourage competition between LOUs.
There are a variety of reasons to obtain an LEI, but the most important reason is that it helps to improve the quality of data that can be collected and exchanged in the financial market. It also makes it easier to identify and verify the identity of the counterparty when conducting a regulated transaction.
In addition, the use of an LEI is required by a number of regulations in the European Union and United States, such as EMIR, MiFIR, MIFID II, SFTR, and CSDR. The LEI is a requirement for companies that wish to engage in trading activity in these markets.
If you are considering applying for an LEI, it is important to choose a reputable and reliable provider that offers competitive pricing. When comparing providers, be sure to take into account their reputation and reliability, as well as the level of customer service they provide. You can also expect to be charged for additional services, such as providing documentation and ID verification, if necessary. It is also worth checking that the provider does not have hidden charges or fees in their pricing.
Drone footage can be a powerful tool for filmmakers. It can add drama and emotion to a video. However, getting cinematic drone shots isn’t as easy as it seems.
The key is to keep it smooth and slow. Going too fast can lead to unusable footage or even a crash.
Tracking Shot
Tracking shots are a great way to add movement and dimension to your footage. They are also a staple of cinematic filmmaking and are an easy technique to learn for beginner drone filmmakers. Tracking shots can be captured using a variety of tools, including dollys and cranes, but drones offer a much more affordable option.
The first step to creating a tracking shot is finding a suitable location and choosing an interesting subject. Next, it’s important to plan out the shot in advance, and make sure everyone involved is on the same page. This will help ensure that the shot is completed smoothly and accurately, and it will make it easier to edit later on.
When planning a tracking shot, it’s important to consider the composition of the scene as well as the location and subject. Try to use leading lines and natural frames, and consider shooting at a higher frame rate (like 24fps) for a more cinematic look. Additionally, it’s often helpful to use ND filters when filming outdoors during the day to reduce the amount of light entering the lens and prevent overexposure.
Once you have a plan for your shot, practice your movements before the actual shoot. This will help you to get a feel for how the drone will move and give you confidence that your shot will come out looking perfect. Additionally, it’s a good idea to practice with your subject so that you can see how they react to the camera movement and adjust your technique accordingly.
Lastly, be sure to use drone stabilization features when shooting your tracking shot. This will ensure that the camera stays stable throughout the shot and avoid any unwanted movements. Also, be sure to check the weather forecast before your shoot and be prepared for rain or windy conditions. If it’s too windy to fly safely, it may be best to reschedule your shoot for another day.
There are a number of ways to create a cinematic drone shot, but the most important factor is understanding your audience and what emotion or idea you want to convey. By practicing these basic techniques, you can create powerful and impactful footage that will wow your viewers.
Pull-Away Shot
One of the most cinematic drone shots is the pull-away shot. It’s a great way to show off your subject or location and it can also be used as an establishing shot. To capture this shot, fly your drone above your subject and slowly tilt up until you’ve covered the entire subject. This trick looks really cool, but it can be difficult to get right and it’s easy to end up with footage that looks nauseating when played back.
For the best results, always film in 4K and try to shoot at 60fps or above, as this will allow you to slow down your footage without introducing judder. It’s also a good idea to use a neutral density filter on your drone as this will help regulate light and make it easier to achieve slower shutter speeds.
Another important factor when shooting cinematic drone footage is the quality of your audio. Using high-quality audio will add a layer of professionalism to your video and it will also make your viewer feel more connected to the scene. When recording, be sure to use a boom microphone to pick up any ambient noise that might be present and to avoid any unwanted echoes.
It’s also important to practice your drone movements before you begin shooting any scenes. Large, fast movements can be very nauseating for viewers and they can also cause your drone to drift out of position. When practicing, try to keep your movements as smooth as possible and stay away from physical obstacles until you’re confident that you can fly around them safely.
Once you’ve got the hang of the more basic moves, it’s time to start experimenting with more cinematic drone shots. With a little bit of practice, you can soon be creating beautiful aerial sequences that will elevate your content to the next level. Just remember to always be safe and have fun!
Flying Backward
With drones, an example being a M30T Drone at Steel City Drones, becoming increasingly cheaper and more user-friendly, it has never been easier for amateur filmmakers to start capturing cinematic footage. But achieving those beautiful aerial sequences that you see in movies and TV shows isn’t as easy as just firing up your drone and hitting record. There are a few key techniques you need to master in order to create truly cinematic drone footage.
For starters, you need to pay attention to the movement of your drone. Smooth and gradual movements will look much more professional than quick jerks and dips in the camera. This is especially important when it comes to moving shots that combine ground and aerial footage. The best way to achieve this is by matching the color grading and composition between the two shots.
Another technique is to use a panning shot. This is similar to a tracking shot, but instead of moving the camera, you move your drone while sliding it left or right. This is a great way to add movement to an establishing shot or to show off a landscape in all its glory.
Finally, you can also try a top down shot. This is when you fly your drone downwards to reveal a view that would normally be blocked by an object in the foreground, such as a tree or house. This is a great way to create a sense of drama and tension in your footage.
Once you’ve mastered these basic movements, it’s time to start getting more creative with your drone footage. A popular shot is the flying backwards shot. This is a simple but effective shot that can really make your drone footage stand out from the crowd. To pull this shot off, you need to make sure that your drone can fly backwards and that the camera is positioned correctly.
If you want to create a more dramatic effect, try using a slow shutter speed on your drone camera. This will give your footage a more filmic quality and help to emulate the style of Hollywood blockbusters. You should also remember to practice your shots before you head out on the big shoot. Trying to execute complicated moves without adequate practice can result in unusable footage and even crashes. So be patient and keep practicing until you’ve mastered these cinematic drone shots!
Sound Effects

In the filmmaking sphere, drones are revolutionizing the way movies are shot. They offer a unique perspective and an aerial view that simply can’t be achieved with a traditional camera. This gives filmmakers the opportunity to create more dynamic and cinematic footage. But, to truly take your drone footage to the next level, you need to back it with a great soundtrack. At Epidemic Sound, we have an entire catalog of drone music that will give your videos the perfect background for dramatic or scenic shots.
Drones are making the world of cinematography more accessible to the average content creator and even big-budget Hollywood productions. However, shooting sweeping landscapes or foreboding action scenes that are as powerful as the opening shot of The Shining requires more than just muscle memory. You need to master certain shots and movements that set professional-grade drone footage apart from amateur videography.
Whether you’re a seasoned filmmaker looking to up your game or a beginner drone operator, knowing these eight essential drone movements will help you elevate your drone footage and take your films to the next level. From pushing in and pulling out to tracking shots and descending and ascending movements, these drone moves will give your videos a more dramatic and cinematic flair.
While some drones come equipped with built-in microphones, the hum of propellers can drown out natural ambient sounds. To capture the best sound for your drone footage, it’s important to use a portable, high-quality microphone and mount it to your gimbal or camera.
The best drones for cinematography also come with ND filters that reduce the amount of light entering the lens and cause a color shift in the image. This is an essential tool for creating cinematic footage because it allows you to shoot in bright conditions without overexposing your images.
Lastly, when shooting drone footage, it’s essential to use a tripod to stabilize your camera. This will prevent it from shaking or causing blurry footage. You should also consider using a remote-controlled controller with a wrist strap to prevent your hands from getting tired while operating the drone. If you’re planning on monetizing your drone footage, be sure to follow the FAA’s rules for commercial drone flying and register your drone before taking off.
Cold email marketing has become an essential tool for businesses looking to expand their reach and connect with potential customers. While it can be a highly effective way to generate leads and drive sales, it requires careful planning and execution to achieve the desired results. Fortunately, there are many tools available to help streamline and optimize the cold email process, from email automation software to lead generation platforms and more.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at some of the top free alternatives for running effective cold email campaigns. We’ll explore the key features and benefits of each option, as well as some tips and best practices for getting the most out of your outreach efforts.
Email Automation Software
One of the most popular tools, i.e a free instantly alternative, for cold email outreach is email automation software. These platforms allow you to create and send personalized emails to a large number of recipients at once, track opens and clicks, and set up automated follow-up sequences based on recipient actions.
Some key features to look for in email automation software include:
- Personalization options: The ability to insert recipient names, company names, and other custom fields into your emails can help increase engagement and response rates.
- A/B testing: Testing different subject lines, email content, and sending times can help you optimize your campaigns for better performance.
- CRM integration: Integrating your email automation tool with your CRM or other sales tools can help streamline your workflow and keep all your prospect data in one place.
- Analytics and reporting: Detailed analytics and reporting features can help you track your campaign performance, identify areas for improvement, and measure your ROI.
While some email automation tools can be quite expensive, there are several free or low-cost options available that offer robust features and integrations. For example, some open-source marketing automation platforms provide a wide range of features for email marketing, lead management, and more, all for free. There are also several freemium email outreach tools that offer limited sending limits or features for free, with the option to upgrade for more advanced functionality.
Email Verification Tools
Another important aspect of effective cold email outreach is ensuring that your emails are reaching valid, active email addresses. Sending emails to invalid or inactive addresses can harm your sender reputation and increase your chances of being marked as spam, which can negatively impact your deliverability and overall campaign performance.
Email verification tools can help mitigate this risk by allowing you to check the validity of email addresses before sending your campaigns. These tools can identify invalid, disposable, or role-based email addresses (such as info@ or sales@), as well as catch common typos and syntax errors that could cause your emails to bounce.
Some advanced email verification tools can even check the deliverability of an email address by simulating an actual email send, giving you a more accurate picture of whether your emails are likely to reach the inbox.
Using an email verification tool can help you maintain a clean and accurate email list, reduce your bounce rates, and improve your overall deliverability. Many email verification services offer free plans or credits for verifying a limited number of emails, making them accessible for businesses of all sizes.
Lead Generation Platforms

Finding the right prospects to target with your cold email campaigns is crucial for success. While you can manually research and build your own prospect lists, this can be a time-consuming and inefficient process, especially if you’re targeting a large number of potential customers.
Lead generation platforms offer a more streamlined and data-driven approach to finding and qualifying potential leads. These platforms typically provide access to large databases of business contacts, along with advanced search and filtering options to help you find the most relevant leads for your business.
Some common search criteria you can use to find leads on these platforms include job title, industry, company size, location, and technology stack. This allows you to create highly targeted prospect lists based on your ideal customer profile, increasing the likelihood of generating qualified leads and closing deals.
In addition to lead search and filtering, some lead generation platforms also offer additional features such as lead scoring, email verification, and CRM integrations. Lead scoring can help you prioritize your outreach efforts based on the likelihood of a lead converting, while email verification ensures that you’re only reaching out to valid email addresses.
While many lead generation platforms are geared towards enterprise customers with high monthly costs, there are some affordable options available for small businesses and individuals. These may offer limited credits or contacts per month, or provide access to a smaller database, but can still be a valuable resource for finding and connecting with potential customers.
Sales Engagement Platforms
For businesses looking for a more comprehensive solution to their cold outreach needs, sales engagement platforms offer a range of tools and features beyond just email automation. These platforms are designed to streamline and optimize the entire sales process, from prospecting and outreach to closing deals and managing customer relationships.
Some key features of sales engagement platforms include:
- Multichannel communication: In addition to email, these platforms often support outreach through phone, social media, SMS, and other channels, allowing you to connect with prospects in the way that works best for them.
- Personalized messaging: Sales engagement platforms use prospect data and behavior to provide personalized messaging and content recommendations, helping you create more targeted and effective outreach.
- Sales automation: Automated workflows and sequences allow you to nurture leads over time, with triggered follow-ups and notifications based on prospect engagement.
- Real-time alerts: Get notified in real-time when prospects engage with your outreach, so you can follow up at the right time and move deals forward.
- Analytics and reporting: Detailed analytics and reporting features help you track team performance, identify top-performing campaigns and reps, and optimize your sales strategies over time.
- CRM integration: Native integrations with popular CRMs and other sales tools allow you to sync prospect data and activity, streamlining your workflow and providing a more complete view of your sales pipeline.
While sales engagement platforms are typically geared towards larger sales teams and organizations, with pricing starting at several hundred dollars per month, there are some more affordable options available for small businesses and startups. These may offer basic email automation and CRM integration features, allowing you to get started with sales engagement without breaking the bank.
Conclusion
Cold email outreach can be a highly effective way to generate leads, build relationships, and drive revenue for your business. By leveraging the right tools and strategies, you can create personalized, targeted campaigns that resonate with your audience and achieve your desired results.
Whether you choose an email automation tool, lead generation platform, sales engagement platform, or a combination of these solutions, the key is to focus on providing value to your recipients and building genuine connections over time. This means taking the time to research and understand your target audience, crafting compelling and relevant messaging, and being persistent and consistent in your outreach efforts.
By continually testing and optimizing your campaigns, staying up-to-date with best practices and industry trends, and prioritizing the needs and preferences of your prospects, you can maximize the impact of your cold email outreach and achieve long-term success for your business.