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Day: April 20, 2023

Tips to Make a Career in Investment Banking

Posted on by Imarticus Learning

Investment banks provide financial services to individuals, large corporations, and public sector enterprises. Some of the services include the issuance of IPO, underwriting functions, securing loans, business prediction and correction, fund management, and helping in capital raising, merger and acquisition processes. Currently, more than 300 investment banks are operating in India.

 

Investment Banking course with placement

High growth trajectory and financial gratification make a career in investment banking a lucrative option. An investment banker helps clients raise capital to fund their ventures, offers investment-related advice, and ensures financial stability. Good mathematical, analytical, interpersonal, and communication skills are necessary for aspirants wishing to make it big in this financial sector. 

Read on to learn how to make a successful career in investment banking.

Tips to Make a Career in Investment Banking

To be an investment banker, a prospective candidate needs to be focused and methodical. Listed below are a few tips to make a successful career as an investment banker – 

Selecting the right subject combination

Considering the qualities desired in an investment banker, a prospective candidate must choose the right combination of subjects from the beginning. Having subjects like mathematics, computer science, statistics, economics, and accountancy in high school is desirable.

In undergraduate courses, they may continue with a similar combination. A bachelor’s in commerce with accountancy as the core subject and/or a bachelor’s in science with economics make the base for a perfect candidate. Besides, an MBA in financial management can open multiple avenues in investment banking. 

Derivatives markets, corporate finance, trade life cycle, economics, foreign exchange, equity investment, financial reporting, and analysis are some of the core areas an investment banker must be proficient in. 

Pursue a relevant internship

Consider joining internship programmes in investment banks after graduation. It gives exposure and hands-on experience to build the requisite skill set. Exemplary performance as an intern can lead to a permanent position in the organisation. Aspirants can avail these opportunities through well-reputed job portals and campus placement.  

Networking

It is a great way to secure meaningful interviews. It could benefit your professional life later on. A few time-tested modes of networking are as follows – 

  • Attending recruitment events is one of the easiest ways to build your network. 
  • Leveraging LinkedIn contacts can connect you to professionals who can guide you on industry-related topics and interview-related queries.
  • Consulting a career centre can help connect a prospective investment banker to recruiters. 
  • Connect with a member of the local CFA society, who may support with relevant contacts.

Understanding interview sequence

Limited vacancies and a huge number of aspirants give rise to fierce competition in the finance industry. Investment banking interviews are systematically structured into multiple rounds differing from bank to bank. The first round tests the candidate’s problem-solving skills, technical aptitude and overall personality. 

The final round of interviews is more intense and demands the best use of one’s analytical prowess. Young recruiters are more prone to ask technical questions, while senior ones test the behavioural aptitude of aspirants. Renowned study centres help the candidates tackle probable or model questions typically asked in these interviews. 

Commanding soft skills

Attributes like analytical, interpersonal communication and behavioural skills are essential to become a good investment banker as they have to deal with a wide range of clients of varying sensibilities.

Good CV

A well-written CV gives a peek into the candidate and highlights his/her skills. The resume should be compact and concise. It saves time for the recruiter and creates a positive impression.

Acts of active social engagement and involvement in sports, athletics, co-curricular activities etc., are also appreciated as they reflect a prospective candidate’s overall personality.

Commanding technical skills

Technical skills form the backbone of the banking industry. In-depth knowledge of mathematics, statistics, accountancy, valuation, financial modelling, and Excel are a must for those seeking to build a career in investment banking. Keeping up with emerging technologies and trends is a prerequisite to standing out. Fundamental knowledge of APIs and blockchain is also highly appreciated.

Conclusion

The role of an investment banker demands a lot of hard work besides technical and soft skills. A thirst for learning new skills and expertise would help boost your career in finance. Fierce competition rules this professional domain. 

Enrolling in the Certified Investment Banking Operations Professional course at Imarticus can give your dream the right direction. With guaranteed job interviews support, hands-on training, real-world projects and an internationally-recognised certificate, you are bound to make a mark in investment banking.

A Definite Guide to Data-driven Marketing

Posted on by Imarticus Learning

The world of marketing has changed its way of functioning over time. Marketing has seen different phases where the old ways of marketing are very different from the new approaches. In today’s sphere of marketing, there is no space for walking on assumptions as everything is based on data and statistics. 

Important aspects of marketing are carried out based on thorough marketing research by the marketing professionals in every company. The most famous marketing approaches in recent years are driven by data. Unfortunately, there remains some gap to fill when working with the data-driven marketing approach. 

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Marketing professionals sometimes struggle to find the relevant data, make forecasts based on those data, preserve and extract data and so on. An online CMO programme with good insights can help one understand the approach of data-driven marketing and how to work with it. Read on to understand the concept of data-driven marketing and its importance in making precise marketing decisions.

What is Data-driven Marketing?

Data-driven marketing may at first seem scary and confusing. But if one does away with all the technical jargon, many of its tactics and methods ought to be instantly recognisable. Data-driven marketing is a marketing approach where the marketing unit of a company comes up with new strategies and methods on the basis of big data analysis. The thorough analysis helps in identifying customer preferences and recent trends that can result in the success of a marketing campaign.

A data-driven marketing approach is completely based on the large pool of information that businesses have access to. The marketing units of organisations use multiple applications and websites to collect data and understand the taste and preferences of customers which helps in planning better marketing campaigns. In this way, it is easier for marketing teams to determine which marketing step has generated more engagement and which method fetched the most return on investments. On the basis of the evaluations, companies can fine-tune their efforts to guarantee the best client experiences and the highest return on marketing expenditures.

Benefits of Data-driven Marketing

The modern approach of data-driven marketing is completely based on recent trends and customer tastes. Intriguing marketing campaigns are more likely to achieve success as potential customers tend to click on those ads and make purchases. Data-driven strategies help to identify the target audience and enhance customer experience with brand perception. 

Data-driven marketing approach provides numerous advantages to companies that are enumerated as follows:

Improve customer experience

Better customer experience is the driving force of digital marketing and it is done by marketing professionals with in-depth customer profiles. It is essential as customers tend to leave a website if they do not like the brand’s response. 

Data-driven marketing approach provides enhanced personalisation that fosters a pleasant customer experience and also establishes the trust of the consumers in the brand. It has been seen that personalising customer experience is a great way of increasing the return on investments. The better the brand’s response will be, the more customers it can attract.

Enhance attribution for spend optimisation

A very common hindrance for companies is to identify the area where the marketing investments are going to waste. With the help of data-driven marketing and the various analytical tools it offers, it is easier for marketing units to identify the fraction of the marketing spend that is not yielding desired results. The analytical tools allow marketing professionals to determine what is creating brand awareness and increasing engagement rates and what is not working in their favour.

Evaluating the journey of customers by using multiple attribution models is the best way of doing it. It generates a comprehensive list of the purchases made by consumers and designs marketing campaigns accordingly.

Generate relevant information

The marketing team can gain insights into the taste in preferences of the customers, what they frequently purchase, what areas they like to explore and so on by analysing consumer data. Once the relevant information and data are analysed by the marketing teams, it is easier for them to send relevant messages and ads to the consumers at the right time. This is a value-added method of converting one-time customers into frequent buyers. 

Unfortunately, not all marketers are equipped with the ability to collect the relevant information only. Hence, some marketers face a lot of trouble in matching their content with that of the interest of the potential buyers. In such a scenario, it is best to select only the information that can align with the interest of the buyers.

Better decision making

The data-driven approach of marketing allows marketing professionals to make more informed decisions that are not based on assumptions but on facts and information. The approach is not based on theories and works based on real-world use cases. 

However, data-driven marketing also takes into consideration the emotional factors that influence the choices and preferences of the buyers when making a purchase. That is why marketing professionals build strategies that value both the rational and emotional aspects of marketing by evaluating multiple frameworks.

Creating a Data-based Marketing Strategy

Marketing professionals can design a marketing strategy that is based on data by following the below-mentioned steps:

  • Step 1- Setting clear objectives for the data: before collecting data, the marketing team must be clear about what the focus point of the data should be. Identifying clear goals for the data helps in retrieving better insights. 
  • Step 2- Gathering relevant data: The data must be collected in accordance with the objectives. Only that data should be gathered that helps in forming better strategies for marketing campaigns. 
  • Step 3- Organising the collected data: The gathered data is to be organised on a compatible data platform. It also helps to determine the sources of data. 
  • Step 4- Building a dedicated team: For the purpose of analysing the data, a company has to prepare a dedicated team of marketing individuals. 
  • Step 5- Getting specific permissions: Designing campaign-specific marketing strategies may require seeking the permissions of the stakeholders. 
  • Step 6- Monitoring and tracking progress: A marketing team must come up with a strategy to constantly measure and track the progress of the campaign. It improves the analysis and helps to regulate day-to-day reports to the stakeholders

Conclusion

As the marketing world is constantly changing, obsolete marketing strategies will not yield suitable results. If you are a marketing professional and want to make it big, the Executive Marketing Programme for Strategic Chief Marketing Officers by Imarticus can assist you in achieving your target. Become a CMO of the future with the best knowledge and abilities to make marketing decisions.

Today data-driven marketing is a necessity to meet consumer expectations and make prudent marketing decisions. As there are numerous applications, websites and channels of promotions, analytical tools function better when coupled with data. Increase your chances of becoming a CMO by learning all about the data-driven marketing approach.

Angular Vs. React for Frontend Development

Posted on by Imarticus Learning

Front-end development has revolutionised the way we approach web development, causing a paradigm shift in the dynamic of this field. By leveraging cutting-edge web technologies, front-end development has become much more than just a method to design web pages. It now encompasses a wide range of disciplines, from user experience design to performance optimization, accessibility, and responsive design.

The shift to client-side processing is one of the most major changes front-end development has made to web development. With each page request in the early days of the web, the entire page would refresh since server-side processing was the norm.

However, with the emergence of front-end frameworks like React, Vue.js, and Angular, a full stack developer can now build highly interactive web applications that function like desktop applications. This, in turn, has led to a marked improvement in the user experience of web applications.

Angular and React are the two most widely used UI frameworks in the domain of front-end development. Read on to know more about what these frameworks are and how they differ.

What is Angular?

Angular is a TypeScript-based open-source front-end web application framework developed by Google. Angular offers a variety of tools and features that make it uncomplicated to write scalable, manageable, and testable code, enabling developers to construct sophisticated online apps.

Features of Angular

  • TypeScript: Angular is built with TypeScript. TypeScript adds features like static typing, classes, and interfaces, making it easier to build deployable applications. 
  • Two-way data binding: Two-way data binding is a programming concept that allows changes made to a data model to automatically update the view or user interface, and vice versa. In other words, when a user modifies a value in the user interface (UI), the associated data in the model is changed, and the UI is updated to reflect the changes in the model data. 
  • Templating: Angular’s templating capability enables developers to specify the structure and content of the user interface of a web application using HTML and Angular-specific syntax. 

Features of React

  • Virtual DOM: React controls the state of a web application via a virtual DOM (Document Object Model). The virtual DOM is a lightweight approximation of the actual DOM that effectively changes the view without compromising application performance. 
  • JSX: React makes use of JSX, a JavaScript syntax extension that allows developers to write HTML-like code within their JavaScript files, making it easier to construct and maintain UI components. 
  • Unidirectional Data Flow: The unidirectional data flow design pattern in React stresses the movement of data in just one way, from parent to child components. In other words, data in a React application flows from top to bottom of the component hierarchy. In this pattern, the top-level component, or “parent,” sends data to its child components via “props” (short for “properties”). This data is sent to child components via properties and may be used to render their own UI.

Angular vs React

Although both Angular and React are used for front-end development, there are unique features to both these frameworks that make use in different scenarios. Down below are listed the aforementioned:

Architecture

Angular follows a Model-View-Controller (MVC) architecture. An Angular application is divided into three interrelated components: the model, the view, and the controller.

The model component is in charge of the application’s data, which is carried out via services that deliver data to components. Services may be injected into other components, allowing for scalable and maintainable systems that keep data and business logic separate from the user interface.

The view component is in charge of user interface rendering, which is accomplished using components, which are reusable building pieces that encapsulate a portion of the user interface.

The component class, sometimes known as the controller component, processes user input and supports communication with other components and services. It is in charge of creating the component’s logic, which includes event handlers, data retrieval, and manipulation.

React, on the other hand, follows a component-based architecture. This makes it easy to create reusable building blocks for the user interface. Each component has its unique set of properties and a state that can be used to render the output.

React uses a syntax extension called JSX as mentioned before, which enables developers to write HTML-like code in their JavaScript files. This property of React makes it easy to create and manage user interfaces using familiar syntax.

Despite the fact that it is not part of the React design, many React apps employ the Flux architectural pattern to handle data. The Flux pattern divides data into stores and modifies the data using actions. Components can monitor store changes and adjust the user interface accordingly. This pattern helps to organise the flow of data through an application and makes complicated data structures less difficult to maintain.

Learning Curve

Angular’s learning curve is higher than React’s. Because of its complexity, Angular is a full-fledged framework with a high learning curve, whereas React is a library that is easy to learn and use.

Performance

React is quicker and more effective than Angular thanks to its virtual DOM. Because Angular uses a real DOM, performance issues might arise when working with huge apps.

Conclusion

Ultimately, the choice between Angular and React is determined by project needs, development team expertise, and personal preference. While each framework has benefits and drawbacks, they are both viable solutions for front-end development. Developers may select the framework that best meets their needs to construct dynamic and interactive online apps, thanks to Angular’s extensive set of tools and capabilities and React’s simplicity and scalability.

If you are contemplating becoming a full-stack developer, you have to master an array of skills, front-end development, back-end development, DevOps development, test-driven development and more. The materials to develop these skills are vast and the learning path might seem overwhelming. This is why Imarticus Learning is offering the Full Stack Developer Pro programme.

This all-in-one programme will teach you everything you need to excel in the field of full stack development. 

And that’s not all, Imarticus Learning offers you a guaranteed job assurance upon completing this programme. So what are you waiting for? Click here and enrol now! 

Capital Markets and Globalization: Trends and Insights

Posted on by Imarticus Learning

Globalization has significantly impacted the landscape of capital markets, which is continually changing. Global market interconnection has created new opportunities and challenges in adopting capital markets technology for enterprises and investors.

This blog will examine some of the most recent trends in capital market and globalization thoughts. We’ll explore various subjects influencing business, from geopolitical events’ effects to the importance of capital markets technology.

Exploring Recent Trends in Capital Market

This post will provide global investment trends and insights, whether you’re an experienced investor or brand new to the world of financial markets. Along with learning about the most recent trends in capital market and advances in the market, you’ll also have a deeper knowledge of the opportunities and threats that globalization presents.

So sit back and join us as we examine the trends and ideas influencing the future of globalization and the intriguing world of financial markets.

What are capital markets, and why do they matter?

Savings and investments are transferred between providers and those needing capital markets. Suppliers, who can lend money or make investments, often comprise banks and investors. Corporations, governments, and people are looking for funds in this market. 

Capital markets are made up of primary and secondary markets. 

The two most well-liked capital markets are the stock and bond markets. They hope to improve transactional efficiency by bringing buyers and sellers together and providing a platform where they may exchange securities.

The phrase “capital market” generally refers to physical and virtual locations where diverse entities exchange various financial products. 

Financial items like stocks and debt securities are sold on the capital markets. “Stocks,” or “equities,” are ownership interests in a firm. Bonds and other debt securities are interest-bearing IOUs.

There are distinct groups into which these marketplaces fall:

  • Primary marketplaces where investors may purchase fresh equity stock and bond offerings
  • Secondary marketplaces for existing securities trading

Analyzing the relationship between globalization and financial markets

The process of increased interconnection and integration across nations, regions, and populations is known as globalization. 

It has a variety of effects on capital markets, including:

Expanding the scope and range of the capital markets. The recent trends in capital market also enable more people to access international capital markets; there are greater options to raise and invest funds. Additionally, it broadens the range of financial products and services readily available on the market, meeting various demands and preferences. 

Improving the capital markets’ efficiency and liquidity. The financial markets have become more effective and liquid due to improved information flow and lower transaction costs brought about by globalization. Additionally, recent trends in capital market make hedging and risk diversification tactics possible, which can lower volatility and boost profits.  

Introducing further dangers and difficulties for the capital markets. Additionally, due to globalization, capital markets are exposed to other sources of unpredictability and volatility, including changes in exchange rates, financial crises, regulatory inconsistencies, geopolitical conflicts, and challenges in adopting capital markets technology. These elements may impact the efficiency and stability of the capital markets, necessitating greater coordination and collaboration between regulators and market players.

investment banking and capital markets course

What are some recent trends in capital market and insights?

In the area of financial markets and globalization, we find the following patterns and findings to be particularly fascinating in the top capital market trends:

The expansion of developing markets. Emerging markets are nations with both tremendous potential for growth and considerable risk. They now command greater attention from investors and issuers due to their increased prominence in the global economy and recent trends in capital market. Urbanization, technical advancement, institutional reforms, and demographic changes are a few of the reasons that contribute to their rise. 

The effects of the digital revolution. The use of digital technology to develop new or improve already existing corporate processes, goods, or services is known as “digital transformation.” It significantly influences capital markets and globalization by allowing new methods of generating and investing money like crowdfunding, peer-to-peer lending, robo-advisors, cryptocurrencies, and blockchain. It also questions current banking industry business structures, rules, and conventions. 

Sustainability’s Role. The ability to satisfy current demands without compromising the capacity of future generations to satisfy their wants is known as sustainable finance. Given how it influences financial activity’s environmental, social, and governance (ESG) facets, it has emerged as a major problem for capital markets and globalization. More investors and issuers are including ESG considerations. 

Geopolitics: Global commerce, especially supply chains and financial networks, will continue to be impacted by the world’s growing multipolarity and the ascendance of new actors. This might alter the present international system and, more broadly, globalization. Resolutions to these adjustments must be mutually agreeable. A new set of difficulties for policymakers in various sectors, including taxes, regulation, the supply of services, and market power, is anticipated to arise due to the progress in the number of major international firms. 

Structural transformation: The epidemic has sparked technical advancement, automation, and supply-chain reallocation. This shift presents both possibilities and significant problems. Disruptions to supply and chaotic labor displacement are key dangers.

The Final words

The recent trends in capital market are transforming and adjusting continually to the shifting global environment. The observations covered in this blog post emphasize how crucial it is to comprehend top capital market trends, how globalization has affected capital markets, and how crucial it is for companies to adapt to these changes to stay competitive. 

A few major factors influencing the future of capital markets are the expansion of developing economies, the importance of capital markets technology, and more regulation. Businesses may position themselves for success in the global economy by being educated and adopting a proactive attitude towards these recent trends in capital market.

Imarticus Learning Executive Programme in Investment Banking and Capital Markets was created with the esteemed IIM Calcutta. Students will graduate from this extensive one-year investment banking course and capital market certification course with a fundamental and advanced grasp of global capital markets and investment banking.

PowerBI for CFOs and Stakeholders

Posted on by Imarticus Learning

CFOs are endowed with the responsibility of taking critical financial as well as business decisions. Most of them invest their trust in analytics and consolidated data for taking better decisions. However, accomplishing the daunting task of forecasting, data reporting and data-driven financial decision-making is quite challenging. 

For leveraging real-time data and streamlining the workload, CFOs are working towards developing their technical skills by utilising AI and automation. Along with learning new-generation technology for growth and financial leadership, almost all CFOs now use one software platform – Power BI. 

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With Microsoft Power BI, CFOs and stakeholders can improve their data reporting and facilitate suitable integration with other Microsoft products. Before making the final call to switch, CFOs must know the importance of Power BI for data analytics. Read on to know how Power BI is beneficial for CFOs and stakeholders. 

What Is Power BI?

Microsoft Power Business Intelligence (BI) is a comprehensive and robust business analytics tool. The tool provides business intelligence capabilities and interactive data visualisations. The user-friendly interface of the software is great for creating dashboards and reports.

Finance professionals including stakeholders use this business intelligence platform for aggregating, analysing, visualising and sharing data within the business organisation. The Power BI interface has great similarities with MS Excel and offers a great user experience. 

Power BI offers excellent insights from the business data for creating clear data models with charts and graphs for presentations and visual representations. This helps key stakeholders and CFOs in setting actionable goals for the business. 

Benefits That CFOs Reap from Power BI And Similar Tools

Along with data-driven financial decision-making and honing skills for financial leadership, there are many other benefits of Power BI and similar tools for CFOs and stakeholders. Let us look at some of the benefits:

  • Helps in assimilating data into a single system

CFOs can gather a huge range and volume of data into one system with the help of any business intelligent platform like Power BI. Power BI provides useful insights into non-financial and financial data. With a robust data system in place, CFOs can implement various forward-thinking strategies in real time. They can also provide real-time reactions to events.

  • Plays a role in impartial information collection

Business intelligence platforms including Power BI collect and analyse data impartially. Generally, finance professionals are biased towards any set of data. By using Power BI, CFOs ensure that the information is completely impartial and only fact-based before it is imputed into the BI ecosystem. 

  • Helps in supporting informed decision making

Authentic CFO courses mention that data is mandatory for CFOs for making any kind of business decision. Business intelligence has developed as a prerequisite for data-focused work culture, where every decision should be backed up with substantial and valuable data. 

Power BI provides data context for CFOs for informed decision-making. It also helps in making more accurate data analyses for CEOs. business strategies without foolproof data can bring dire financial consequences. 

  • Helps in defining data clearly

It is a general tendency for data to become complicated and puzzling when it goes through various technological systems. Business intelligence makes sure that all data is documented and quantified so that it can be used effectively and accurately throughout different departments in the business organisation. 

Power BI helps in positively impacting decision-making among the various departments as there is a single database to be defined and gathered. 

  • Helps in predicting consumer and market trends

CFOs not only get a deep look into their business organisation with Power BI but the analytics tool also provides ways of monitoring consumer behaviour and market developments. 

Business intelligence like Power BI uses data and complex methodologies for understanding potential market conditions and predicting trends. With this tool, CFOs can identify opportunities for boosting market share. They can also bring changes to their business strategies for exploring more profitable options. 

  • Helps in identifying the weak links in the business organisation

Every business organisation has some weak links which should be fixed as soon as possible. With business intelligence, CFOs can have a new approach to a problem. The tool provides better ideas and insights on how problems can be solved successfully. 

Power BI sheds light on these potential problems and weak links and also brings to notice incomplete and inconsistent data. Once the weak links and errors are identified, CFOs can suggest implementing mitigating strategies for overcoming the issues. 

Reasons Why Power BI Has Become Popular with CFOs

Extremely user-friendly with low technology skill threshold, Power BI has become a coveted business intelligence platform. The platform offers integration with the Microsoft ecosystem and other applications which the majority of financial professionals use. 

Implementing Power BI in the company’s workflow helps CFOs in developing a suite of analytical tools for monitoring business success, sharing valuable insights, analysing data in real time and getting instant answers to various business-related queries. 

Here are some reasons why Power BI has become so popular with CFOs:

  • Offers holistic data analysis, which is flexible and accurate along with offering access to practically all data sources. 
  • Power BI develops engaging and interesting visuals for elevating presentations to showcase data. 
  • All Microsoft applications, including Power BI, offer 24/7 access from all corners of the world. CFOs can access information from different devices in real time, including at off-site locations. 
  • One of the most fascinating features of Power BI is the interactive dashboard, where you will find the most relevant data about the business, thus helping in accelerating the decision-making process. 
  • Power BI comes with excellent customisation scopes with different features so that CFOs can import new tools, change the appearance and choose reporting tools that are most useful. 
  • Power BI has the Cortana integration feature along with easy mobile and app integration facilities. 

Conclusion

CFOs are using Power BI extensively for value addition to their business organisation by leveraging real-time data for understanding the exact market and financial position. Along with offering financial leadership, the analytics tool also plays a pivotal role in data-driven financial decision-making in the business organisation. 

Emerging CFOs need to be well-trained and well-informed to become successful in their careers. Imarticus Learning offers a CFO course in the form of a Postgraduate Certificate Programme for Emerging CFOs in collaboration with IIM Indore. 

The 12-month course is a specialised finance programme offering a comprehensive understanding of financial management and financial services. The course helps in developing analytical, strategic and tech-focussed skills. The main subjects in the course include financial technology, business valuation, risk management, strategic thinking, etc. 

Visiting Imarticus Learning to know more about similar courses and study programmes. 

What is Affiliate Marketing and What Kinds of Businesses Can it Help?

Posted on by Imarticus Learning

In today’s highly digitised world, an opportunity of making money anytime anywhere with zero investment cannot be turned down. Affiliates can promote products and services to earn a commission through affiliate marketing. The affiliate chooses a product or a service of their niche and promotes it on different platforms to get a share of the revenue earned through the transaction.

digital marketing course

The sales in affiliate marketing are observed from one website to another via affiliate connections and links. It is a very impressive way of facilitating sales and generating income through online marketing platforms. One can effectively learn the concept of affiliate marketing with the help of a MarTech course that walks one through the whole procedure of affiliate marketing.

Read on and understand the step-by-step guide to affiliate marketing to fetch a better understanding of how it can benefit businesses. 

What is Affiliate Marketing?

Affiliate marketing is the practice of earning money online. It works effectively on a pay-per-recommendation basis which means an affiliate will earn a commission every time a customer makes a purchase using the link or coupon code. It is basically concerned with recommendations and the purchases that have been made on those recommendations. An affiliate marketer also assists the business and works inherently to increase sales as a part of the sales strategy.

However, the affiliate marketer earns through the sales of the product which has been influenced by his recommendation. Here, the idea is to refer to a product or a service through various means of social media platforms and websites like blog posts, Instagram posts etc. Every time a consumer makes a purchase using the special referral link or code linked to their recommendation, the affiliate gets paid a commission. 

In the age of social media, affiliate marketing is a great opportunity, especially for the young generations. It is completely a performance-based opportunity and if it is done properly it results in the effective generation of income and aids profit for the affiliate. It also helps to diversify the revenue sources of the already existing organisation. 

What Kinds of Businesses can Benefit from Affiliate Marketing?

Affiliate links are adaptable enough as all kinds of businesses can use them to their advantage. This approach functions by sharing the referral links and codes with popular individuals and social media influencers in exchange for compensation for promoting their company. 

However, small businesses and startups are the best kind of business as they can benefit the most from affiliate marketing. This is because such businesses cannot invest a huge amount of funds in marketing and advertisement. So affiliate marketing proves to be a great option for them. 

Here is a list of the kinds of businesses that can use affiliate marketing and that can prosper by extracting benefits from it:

E-Commerce companies

This is a very popular form of business in today’s world. Affiliate marketing structure is mostly used by e-commerce websites like Amazon, Myntra, Flipkart etc. It helps such businesses to promote their products and services absolutely free of cost and they also become successful in attracting a large pool of customers. 

This approach saves the time and money that the company puts into planning advertisement strategies and funding them. Just the suggestions of the affiliate marketers are enough to convince potential customers to avail the products and services of The E-Commerce companies.

Consumer goods 

Businesses that deal with consumer goods such as electronic items, fashion clothes, home appliances and so on also benefit a lot from this mode of marketing. It helps the business dealing in consumer goods to sell the physical products in a more viable way. It saves such companies a lot of money that they put into advertising and paid campaigns. 

Promoting consumer goods with paid campaigns and advertisements involves a large amount of money. Affiliate marketing is a great approach if a company does not have a large number of funds to market its products in front of a huge pool of audience.

Travel companies 

Affiliate marketing is a strategy used by many travel agencies, hotels, and airlines to market their products and services. The affiliate makes it very easy for the brands to reach out to a dynamic variety of audiences. Travel and hotel business is all about gathering consumers and affiliate marketing is one of the best ways of doing that.

As more people will become aware of travel agencies, airline companies and hotel brands they will think of availing of their services. This will automatically be the result of the recommendations of the affiliate marketers. Hence, the companies get the desired results without investing a single penny.

Finance Companies 

Various financial institutions also need some kind of promotion to reach out to people. The most common financial institutions that use affiliate marketing strategies are private-sector banks and institutions that provide consultancy services. It saves the funds that they put into advertising their services.

Financial institutions have grown very popular as people are indulging more in making investments. In such a scenario the common people need good financial advisors. To increase the popularity of Financial institutions, affiliate marketers promote their services so that they can effectively reach out to the audience at large.

Digital products

Organisations that carry out the business of digital products such as software, online courses, music applications, e-books etc use the strategy of affiliate marketing. It enormously lowers their marketing cost and tends to bring a large pool of consumers.

When everything is getting digitised, the best way to market digital products is to use a new form of marketing rather than sticking to the traditional advertising mode.  Advertising as a means of marketing is a fruitful affair but it is somewhat costly. On the contrary, affiliate marketers make the job of the marketing team of the company slightly easy as they do not have to strategise and invest more into marketing.

Conclusion

Affiliate marketing is an incredibly simple procedure that can be carried out through product reviews, blog posts, connecting to social media, conducting webinars, and referral links on websites and many other platforms. It is a new marketing frontier that is just waiting to be explored. If you want to become a marketing expert and join the exploration then sign up for the Advanced Certification In Digital Marketing And MarTech, IIT Roorkee by Imarticus.

The digital marketing IIT Roorkee certification course can be your best pick for learning the core concept of marketing. It will benefit you a lot to get a stronghold in the comparative marketing world.

Why do Businesses Fail Due to Cash Flow Problems?

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Cash flows and valuation problems are common issues that businesses face, and there can be many factors in a business’s failure. Cash flow refers to the amount of cash that a business has on hand to cover its expenses and pay its bills. 

When a business experiences cash flow problems, it means that it doesn’t have enough cash to meet its financial obligations, which can lead to a host of problems, including missed payments, defaulted loans, and ultimately, business failure. In this article, we will explore various reasons why businesses may fail due to cash flow problems and discuss strategies that businesses can use to avoid this outcome.

Importance of Cash Flow in an Organisation

Cash flow is an essential aspect of any organisation’s financial health, as it reflects the amount of cash that is generated and spent during a particular period. Businesses need to maintain positive cash flow because it enables them to cover their expenses, pay off their debts, and invest in growth opportunities. These are some important cash flows in an organisation:

Meeting Expenses: Cash flow is critical for meeting the day-to-day expenses of the organisation, such as salaries, rent, utilities, and inventory. Without adequate cash flow, businesses may struggle to pay their bills and may need to rely on short-term loans or credit to cover their expenses. 

Managing Debt: Cash flow is also important for managing debt. If a business has a negative cash flow, it may struggle to make loan payments, which can lead to missed payments, penalties, and damage to the business’s credit rating. 

Investing in Growth Opportunities: Positive cash flow allows businesses to invest in growth opportunities, such as expanding their product lines or entering new markets. These investments can help to increase revenue and profits over time. 

Forecasting Future Financial Needs: By tracking their cash flow, businesses can forecast their future financial needs, which can help them plan for upcoming expenses and avoid cash flow problems. 

Attracting Investors: Positive cash flow is also attractive to investors, as it signals that the business is financially stable and has a solid foundation for growth. 

Overall, cash flow is essential for the day-to-day operations and long-term success of any organisation. Maintaining positive cash flow allows businesses to meet their financial obligations, manage debt, invest in growth opportunities, and attract investors.

Consequences of Cash Flows and Valuation Problems

Cash flows and valuation problems can have serious consequences for businesses. Negative cash flow can lead to missed payments, defaulted loans, and ultimately, bankruptcy. 

Additionally, reduced or inaccurate valuations can make it difficult for businesses to attract investors or obtain financing. A business’s valuation is based on a range of factors, including its revenue, profits, and cash flow.

If a business experiences cash flow problems, its Organizational Behaviour Management in valuation may decline, as investors and potential buyers will be less willing to pay a premium for a business that is struggling financially. Businesses need to maintain positive cash flow and accurately reflect their financial health to avoid these consequences and maintain a strong valuation.

Strategies to Avoid Cash Flow Problems

Cash flow problems can be a major challenge for businesses of all sizes, but some strategies can be implemented to avoid or mitigate them. Some effective strategies to avoid cash flow 

problems in a business are:

Create a cash flow forecast: Developing a cash flow forecast is an essential part of cash flow management. It allows businesses to understand their projected cash inflows and outflows, identify potential shortfalls, and take necessary steps to address them.

Reduce payment terms: Shortening payment terms for customers can improve cash flow by speeding up cash inflows. Businesses can consider offering early payment discounts or incentives to encourage customers to pay their bills sooner.

Monitor expenses: Monitoring expenses is critical to maintaining positive cash flow. Businesses should regularly review their expenses and identify areas where they can cut costs without compromising the quality of their products or services.

Implement cash flow management tools: Utilising cash flow management tools can help businesses manage their cash flow effectively. There are several tools available, such as cash flow forecasting software and cloud-based accounting systems that can help businesses track their cash flow in real-time. 

Diversify revenue streams: Relying on a single product or service can be risky. Businesses should explore diversifying their revenue streams to reduce their dependence on a single source of income.

Consider debt financing alternatives: Over-Reliance on debt financing can lead to cash flow problems. Businesses should consider alternative financing options, such as equity financing or crowdfunding, to avoid taking on too much debt. 

Negotiate payment terms with vendors: Negotiating payment terms with vendors can help businesses manage their cash flow by delaying cash outflows. Businesses can explore options such as extended payment terms or instalment payments to help manage their cash flow.

By implementing these strategies, businesses can avoid or mitigate cash flow problems and maintain a healthy cash flow. It is important for businesses to regularly review and assess their cash flow management practices to ensure they remain effective and sustainable.

Conclusion

We have established that a business cannot function without proper cash flow. Aspirants with good knowledge of managing cash flow have a bright future awaiting them, and in their luck, Imarticus has partnered with the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Lucknow to offer its students a Global Senior Leadership Programme of 11 months that will teach them all about cash flow, Organizational Behavior Management (OBM) and much more.

What is Performance Analytics? How does it help businesses?

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All industries big or small, largely focus on analysing their performance to drive better business outcomes and accelerate growth through a method called performance analytics. Business performance evaluation involves assessing a company’s ability to achieve its goals and generate profits from the resources it utilises.

 

The evaluation of business performance is crucial for companies to remain competitive and successful. By regularly monitoring and analysing KPIs, businesses can identify potential issues before they become major problems and take corrective actions to improve their performance. Performance analytics is thus an integral part of business management and students who take up a BBA in Business Analytics have a thorough understanding of it.

There are various tools that professionals use to do performance analysis of businesses. One can seek employment in several capacities such as a business analyst, data analyst, or information security analyst if one wants to take up performance analytics. 

What is Performance Analytics?

All businesses must analyse the performance of their companies, whether it is positive or negative. This analysis is usually done by taking into account some indicators. Decision-makers, with the help of these indicators, are able to identify areas of deficiency in performance and make informed decisions on how to enhance those specific areas.

One of the key benefits of performance analytics is that it enables businesses to focus on the things that matter most. By providing insights into the most critical KPIs, businesses can prioritise their efforts and resources toward achieving their goals. Performance analytics also connects people across different departments and levels of the organisation and enables them to work together towards a common objective.

How Does Performance Analytics Help Businesses?

There are numerous ways performance analytics helps in business management. Here is how:

  • Businesses can improve their operations by using performance metrics to identify areas where they are not meeting their desired performance levels. After identifying such gaps they design better ways to address those problems that keep them from achieving the desired results.

  • Through performance analytics, businesses can detect bottlenecks in their processes and streamline their operations, improving efficiency.

  • Organisational growth is powered by HR and performance metrics, as structured HR data and analytical reports facilitate data-driven decision-making that informs future growth strategies. By leveraging project-wise performance analytics, businesses can identify their talent strength across projects and develop plans for the future and allocate responsibilities accordingly.

  • By analysing the market and consumer behaviour over time, businesses can determine if their product is meeting consumer demands and identify new opportunities for growth. It is important to track all the changes that have made an impact on the consumer base, economic conditions, market demand or supply adjustments, and any modifications made to the marketing plan.

  • By analysing performance metrics, businesses can identify areas where resources are being underutilised or over-utilised and adjust accordingly, leading to better resource allocation and cost savings.

What are the types of performance analytics?

There are mainly 5 types of performance analytics methods that are usually used by businesses. Here is a brief account of each of them:

Prescriptive Analysis

Prescriptive analysis is a kind of analytics that makes use of machine learning techniques, statistical algorithms and data to provide recommendations on what actions should be taken to achieve a specific outcome.  

Prescriptive analytics not only predicts what is likely to happen but also suggests specific actions to optimise the outcome. This type of analysis is particularly useful in complex business scenarios where there are many variables and also numerous possible outcomes. 

Diagnostic Analysis 

Diagnostic analysis is a type of analytics that aims at diagnosing the root cause of a problem. It involves examining data and analysing it to uncover the reasons behind a particular trend or behaviour. 

By utilising techniques such as drill-downs, data mining, data discovery, and correlations, businesses can gain a better understanding of the factors that are driving a particular trend or behaviour.

Companies often use diagnostic analysis in quality control and risk management so as to maintain high standards and prevent errors or failures.

Predictive Analysis

Predictive analytical tools aid in making future predictions by utilising historical data to identify patterns and assess their likelihood of recurring. The process typically involves gathering and analysing large datasets, developing predictive models, and using those models to make informed predictions about future events or behaviours.

Predictive analysis is used in a variety of fields, including business, healthcare, finance, and marketing, to forecast customer behaviour, identify potential risks or opportunities, and optimise decision-making. 

Cognitive Analysis

A cognitive analysis is a process of using artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques to simulate human thought processes and understand complex data. It involves using natural language processing, image recognition, and other AI technologies to analyse unstructured data. 

Cognitive analytics can help anticipate potential outcomes and suggest ways to manage them if conditions change. This can aid in decision-making and enable businesses to be better prepared for various scenarios. 

Descriptive analysis

Descriptive analysis is a statistical analysis technique that involves the summarisation and description of the characteristics of a dataset. Descriptive analysis can identify patterns and trends in the data, which can help to uncover insights and inform decision-making.

Conclusion

If you want to set your foot in the field of Business Analytics, you should consider taking up the BBA in Business Analytics program by Imarticus Learning. The BBA in Business Analytics is an ideal program for individuals who wish to develop a comprehensive understanding of the practical application of analytics in developing effective business strategies. 

This course is designed to equip students with the necessary skills and knowledge to excel in the contemporary data-driven business landscape. It focuses on enabling students to leverage the right combination of data analytics, insights, and strategies to achieve superior business outcomes.

Importance of Blockchain Technologies in the Financial Sector

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Blockchain technology is a distributed, decentralised digital ledger that offers a safe, transparent method of keeping track of transactions. Blockchain technology is being utilised in the financial industry to provide a more effective and reliable system for managing financial transactions, such as payments, remittances, and settlements. 

Financial organisations may use blockchain to lower transaction costs, improve transparency, and reduce the chance of fraud and mistakes. Additionally, peer-to-peer transactions are made possible by blockchain-based cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, providing an alternative to fiat money.

Benefits of Blockchain Technology in Finance

The financial sector may benefit from blockchain technology in several ways, namely:

The fact that all transactions are recorded in a decentralised, immutable ledger, first provides improved security and transparency. This lowers the possibility of fraud and fosters greater party confidence. 

Second, by doing away with middlemen and lowering transaction costs, blockchain technology makes cross-border payments and settlements quicker and more affordable. 

Third, it streamlines back-office operations and lessens the need for manual processes, resulting in better efficiency and automation. 

Fourth, the development of new financial instruments and the democratisation of access to financial services are made possible by blockchain technology. 

Finally, blockchain-based cryptocurrencies provide consumers with a better way to manage their money and a safer means to hold and transfer value than conventional currencies.

Challenges of Blockchain Technology in the Financial Sector

The following are some of the common challenges that blockchain technology in the finance sector is facing:

  • Regulatory uncertainty- Financial institutions confront regulatory concerns and compliance difficulties since the regulatory environment for blockchain-based financial products and services is still developing.
  • Interoperability- The inability of various blockchain networks and platforms to communicate with one another can lead to inefficiencies and reduce the potential advantages of the technology.
  • Scalability- Blockchain networks may have trouble processing big numbers of transactions, which leads to longer processing times and more expensive fees.
  • Security issues-Cyber threats and hacking are still concerns, even if blockchain is thought to be more secure than the conventional system.
  • Governance- To guarantee that all users adhere to the network’s rules and standards, decentralised blockchain networks need strong governance structures.
  • Integration- Integrating blockchain technology with legacy systems: Integrating blockchain technology with current legacy systems can be difficult and expensive.
  • Energy consumption-  The proof-of-work consensus algorithm employed by many blockchain networks consumes much energy and may harm the environment. 

Application of Blockchain in Finance

Blockchain technology has numerous applications in the financial sector, including:

  • Payments and remittances- It can facilitate faster and cheaper cross-border payments and remittances by eliminating intermediaries and reducing transaction costs.
  • Smart contracts- These contracts are automatic self-executing contracts that ensure that the terms of an agreement are enforced. Blockchain technology can enable the creation of secure and transparent smart contracts that can streamline the execution of financial agreements.
  • Identity verification- It can enable secure and decentralised identity verification, which can help prevent fraud and reduce compliance costs.
  • Trade finance- It can enable the digitization of trade finance processes, such as letters of credit and bills of lading, which can reduce processing times and costs.
  • Asset management- It can enable the creation of secure and transparent digital asset management systems, which can reduce the risk of fraud and increase efficiency.
  • Know Your Customer (KYC)- It can enable secure and decentralised KYC processes, which can help financial institutions comply with regulatory requirements while reducing costs and improving customer experience.
  • Cryptocurrencies and digital assets- It is the backbone of cryptocurrencies and digital assets, which offer an alternative to traditional currencies and financial assets.

Real-World Examples of Blockchain in Finance

Here are some real-world examples of blockchain technology being used in the financial sector:

  • Ripple- Ripple is a blockchain-based payment protocol that enables real-time, cross-border payments. It is used by some financial institutions, including Standard Chartered.
  • JPMorgan Chase- JPMorgan Chase has developed its blockchain platform, Quorum, which is being used to streamline back-office processes and improve settlement times.
  • Mastercard- Mastercard has developed a blockchain-based platform for processing payments between merchants and their customers, which is being used by some major retailers.
  • Nasdaq- Nasdaq has developed a blockchain-based platform for trading shares in private companies, which enables faster and more efficient trading and settlement.
  • HSBC- Using a single blockchain platform, HSBC has used blockchain technology to complete the first-ever trade finance transaction single blockchain platform. 
  • Visa- Visa has partnered with blockchain startup Chain to develop a blockchain-based platform for processing cross-border payments. The platform is being used by some financial institutions, including Fidelity Investments.

Future of Blockchain in Finance

Blockchain technology has a very bright future in the world of finance. Blockchain is anticipated to be widely used by financial institutions in the years to come given its promise to improve efficiency, security, and transparency.

Enhanced automation, increased security, the rise of digital assets, interoperability and standardisation, legal clarity, and the development of decentralised finance will be characteristics of the financial applications of blockchain in the future. Blockchain technology can revolutionise the financial industry and open new avenues for safe, efficient, and transparent financial innovation.

Blockchain Technology in India

The Indian banking sector is becoming more and more interested in and using blockchain technology. Due to the potential for money laundering and security threats, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has forbidden banks and other regulated companies from conducting business with cryptocurrencies. The government has been looking at the possibility of blockchain technology for additional applications, including supply chain management, identity management, and land registry.

Axis Bank’s cooperation with Ripple and the trade finance platform from ICICI Bank are just two examples of how big Indian banks have used blockchain technology. Blockchain technology is also being investigated for use in insurance, supply chain management, and peer-to-peer lending, in addition to banking. We may expect to see more general acceptance and innovation as technology continues to advance.

Conclusion

Blockchain technology has the potential to revolutionise the financial industry by boosting security, efficiency, and transparency. Many financial organisations are investigating and deploying blockchain technologies despite difficulties. 

The MBA in Fintech programme offered by Imarticus Learning can give students a thorough grasp of how technology and finance interact. Through a blended learning approach of projects and case studies that are pertinent to the business, students of MBA in Fintech will get hands-on experience with cutting-edge fintech technologies and skills needed to succeed in the financial industry!

What is Material Procurement and Why is it One of the Most Important Aspects of SCM?

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Supply Chain Management (SCM) is a critical component of any business, as it affects everything from production and manufacturing to delivery and customer satisfaction.

Material procurement is one of the most noteworthy aspects of supply chain management strategy, as it directly affects a company’s ability to meet customer demand and maintain a competitive advantage in the market.

In this blog, we will explore why material procurement is so important and what businesses need to know in order to ensure the success of their procurement process management. 

What is Material Procurement?

global chief supply chain management course

Material procurement refers to the process of acquiring raw materials, supplies, and components needed for production and manufacturing.

 It’s a critical function that ensures that a business has the resources it needs to operate efficiently and effectively. In this blog, we’ll discuss the various stages involved in material procurement and what businesses need to know to get the best results from their procurement processes.

 The first stage of material procurement is the identification of the raw materials, supplies, and components required for production.

 This stage involves determining the quantity, quality, and specifications of the materials needed, as well as the time frame for delivery. It is crucial to consider the long-term demand for the materials, as well as the potential for fluctuations in the market.

 The second stage of material procurement is the sourcing of the materials. Procurement process management involves researching potential suppliers, evaluating their offers, and selecting the best option based on a number of factors, such as price, quality, delivery time, and reliability.

 Businesses can choose to source materials directly from suppliers or through intermediaries such as wholesalers or distributors. In some cases, businesses may even choose to produce the materials in-house.

 The third stage of material procurement is the negotiation of the terms and conditions of the agreement with the supplier.

 This stage involves establishing the price, delivery terms, payment terms, and any other relevant conditions.

It’s important to ensure that the agreement is legally binding and that all parties understand the terms of the agreement.

 The fourth stage of material procurement is the placement of the order and the delivery of the materials.

 This stage involves communicating the order to the supplier, arranging for the delivery of the materials, and receiving and storing the materials in a secure and controlled manner.

 It’s important to have a system in place for tracking the delivery of materials, as well as for tracking the inventory of materials once they have been received.

 One of the key factors in successful material procurement process management is having accurate and up-to-date information about the materials being procured.

 This includes information about the materials themselves, such as their specifications and quality, as well as information about the suppliers, such as their financial stability and delivery times.

 Having access to this information allows businesses to make informed decisions about which materials to purchase and from whom.

 Another important factor in material procurement has a system in place for tracking and managing the procurement process.

 This can include using software or other technology to manage the process, as well as having clear procedures and processes in place for tracking and monitoring the delivery of materials and the payment of suppliers.

 This can help to ensure that the procurement process runs smoothly and that the materials are delivered on time and within budget. 

Why is Material Procurement one of the most important aspects of SCM?

Supply chain management strategy is important for businesses to have a reliable and efficient procurement process in place in order to ensure that they have access to the required materials when they need them.

 Without effective material procurement, a business may face challenges such as stock shortages, production disruptions, and late deliveries, all of which can negatively impact the company’s bottom line.

 One of the key reasons why material procurement is so important is that it directly affects a company’s ability to meet customer demand. If a company is unable to secure the materials it needs to produce its products, it will not be able to meet customer demand and may lose market share to its competitors.

 Additionally, if the procurement process is not efficient and well-organised, the company may struggle to keep up with customer demand, leading to long lead times and frustrated customers.

 Another reason why material procurement is so important is that it affects the cost of production. The cost of raw materials can have a significant impact on a company’s overall production costs and, therefore, its profitability. By optimising the procurement process and securing the best possible prices for raw materials, companies can reduce their production costs and improve their bottom line.

 Additionally, by having a well-managed procurement process in place, businesses can avoid overstocking or understocking materials, both of which can be costly and disruptive.

 Material procurement also plays a key role in risk management. The procurement process involves sourcing materials from suppliers, and it is essential for businesses to choose suppliers that are reliable and financially stable.

 If a supplier goes bankrupt or experiences financial difficulties, it can impact the delivery of materials and disrupt the production process. By carefully selecting suppliers and regularly monitoring their financial stability, businesses can minimise the risk of supply chain disruptions and ensure that they have access to the materials they need to meet customer demand.

Conclusion

In conclusion, material procurement is a critical function for businesses in a variety of industries. It involves several stages, including the identification of materials, sourcing, negotiation, and delivery.

To be successful, businesses need to have a supply chain management strategy which holds accurate information about the materials being procured, a system for tracking and managing the procurement process, and an awareness of the environmental and social implications of the procurement process.

By taking these factors into account, if your ambition is to become a chief supply chain officer, you can opt for Imarticus’ IIM supply chain management course. This programme offers all the resources that you need to learn to operate effectively and efficiently and to contribute to a sustainable future.