Articles Archives - Page 10 of 17

Are Apps and Websites the Flip Sides of a Coin? A Report (Rank Princess – SEO)

When technology has been progressing in leaps and bounds, the above-posed question in the title is bound to surface for most digital marketing agencies. And it does take more than an insight to determine the validity and extent of such concerns.

Being on Top of the Game:

One thing cannot be denied, the presence of digital marketing agencies in the virtual world have been increasing on a continuous basis, making the existing competition between them tougher.

Thus, to make a mark concerning ingenious web solutions like a responsive website or a user-friendly app, for example, web designing and development companies are going to great lengths to have their clients make the most out of the digital world.

The Question of Choosing Wisely:

Yes, it is always about choosing the best possible platform for the client for a web designing and development agency. The platform which can be from an extremely appealing mobile app to that of a very informative website happens to trigger some decisive factors. These can be;

The expected budget. Mobile apps tend to be built at a much higher cost than the very basic and simplest form of available websites.
Aiming for the target audience. Websites have a definitive edge over most apps by being available to a greater number of users.
Users or clients that have the requirement of knowing the location of their end user customers along with the provision of navigation can aim for app development.
Apps are also suitable for the real-time deliverance of information.
Compatibility is another requirement that should also be of consideration. Mobile apps are nowadays readily made for application platforms like Androids.

Money is Not a Constraint:

What if we have a situation where the client is willing to spend a good amount of money for effective digital presence? It is there that follows the feasibility of both app and website development.

A client can very well vouch to develop an informative website with the right content as well as delightful mobile apps suited to every available platform of handheld devices. With the existence of such a ground, a company can be largely successful by being accessible to all.

The Rising cost of Mobile Apps:

You might be wondering as a reader of this piece as to why mobile based apps tend to be much costlier than the good old websites? The answer mostly lies in the fancy features of the app which can be understood going by its intended use.

No to Websites:

It is this standpoint that most business organisations should be observing if they are to have a complex representation of data such as financial reports. It would be a nightmare if, in place of a dedicated mobile app, a website is accessed through mobile devices for viewing such data.

Easy Updating Procedure:

When it comes to informative websites, they are much more suitable to be updated on a timely basis than apps. This is the same reason why hybrid apps exist that are web based as websites undergo frequent updating procedure.

LSI Keywords: Responsive Website, User-Friendly App, Mobile Apps, Informative website, Delightful Mobile Apps, Dedicated Mobile App, Hybrid Apps.

Apps V/S Websites- 7 Questions to Ponder On Before Deciding What Fits Best (Rank Princess – SEO)

If you are an entrepreneur looking to make a mark in your chosen domain, making your presence felt in the digital world is the sine qua non for success. This essential condition leads to an inevitable dilemma – What should you Build- An App or A Website?

Mobile websites are websites which are designed to be accessed via smartphones and are hence adaptable to smaller screens and the touch screen interface. Apps are downloaded and installed on your mobile device rather than being accessed through the browser. The App may access data using the Internet or may download the content so that it may be used offline.

Mobile websites and apps look deceptively similar, and it’s difficult to predict the outcome of this war of technologies. However, you must answer these following questions to understand which side of the war you must ally with.

Do You Want To Widen Your Audience?

If you want to expand your user base, then a mobile website will be of better help to you than a mobile application. This is because a mobile website is accessible to anyone with a mobile browser across a range of devices such as iPhone, Android, Blackberry, etc. as well as search engines and can be easily shared amongst users. Apps, on the other hand, have to be downloaded and installed from the device specific app portals such as Apple’s iStore, Android Market or Blackberry App World so that they are compatible with the user’s operating system. This can act as a significant barrier to the initial engagement of the user and the subsequent conversion.

How Interactive Is Your Idea?

If your idea or product is such that the user has to use it more than five times a day, then it’s a good idea to develop a mobile application versus a mobile website. This is apparent for products like games, email, social media, notes, reminders and so on- they are utilised via an app because they provide a user experience through interactivity and personalisation. Also, via the app, they are faster and easier to access.

Do You Need To Use The Native Features Of The Phone?

While responsive mobile web browsers are becoming savvier when accessing the mobile specific features such as the SMS, GPS and so on, an app is a step ahead in making use of your smartphone’s camera, sensors and most importantly, processing power.

Does Your User Need Your Product Offline?

Mobile websites cannot be accessed without the internet as they source their data on a real time basis and while apps have the ability to store the user data locally on the mobile phone. Forests, Caves, Basements, and Trains, etc. are places where one very often does not have access to the internet -which points towards the need to have complementary location-dependent apps such as Google Maps which allows one to download the map and use it with navigation offline! If your solution is such, that the users may require to use it under offline conditions, a mobile app is what you should be looking at.

How Complex Is Your Product?

If your product involves complicated calculations and reports, a dedicated app is a prudent choice to make. The scrolling, editing, reviewing, calculations and recalculations will be nightmarish using the mobile websites and easier using the optimised user interface of a native app.

How Often Will You Be Updating Your Product?

A mobile website affords more flexibility in updating content when compared to a mobile application. If the mobile website has to be edited or upgraded, the changes can be easily incorporated and published. In the case of a mobile application, the process is much more tedious since the updates have to be pushed to the users who have to download and install them. Besides, different versions of the apps on different platforms have to be upgraded separately.

What Is Your Budget?

With a veritable app rush, many entrepreneurs and businesses rush into developing an app. An app may seem to be the snazziest new way to connect to your users, but you should invest in one only after calculating your returns realistically because the development cost of an app is sizable and such expense is pointless if you can achieve your target using a mobile website. Also, multiple versions of the application have to be developed for compatibility with multiple platforms if the application has to be present on the App Stores of all the devices.

Development of a mobile website is considerably more efficient in terms of time and money when compared to the development of an application. Moreover, after the initial investment and launch, support and maintenance are much more expensive and time consuming for a mobile application when compared to a mobile website.

The app versus website dilemma will intensify as organisations seek to establish a mobile presence in a more and more smartphone friendly audience. In this dynamic scenario, it is simply a question of tradeoffs, and at the end of the day, it is about choosing what is right for your business.

LSI Keywords:

Apps vs. Websites

Mobile apps vs. mobile websites

Native apps

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What is a mobile app

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Wedding Gifting Trends for 2017 (Rank Princess – SEO)

Weddings are the grandest platform of pomp and show. The delicious food, people dressed their best, and of course, the wedding gifts add the charm to the wedding. Gifts are an expression of joy and gratitude.

They are an integral part of a wedding ceremony. Here are the best gifting trends of this season for weddings:

Gift Vouchers – There is no better gift than the gift of choice. This gifting trend is raging these days. With online shopping on the rise, you can gift the newlywed couple a gift voucher from Amazon, Flipkart, etc. they can select any gift they want and be satisfied with it because it was their choice. You can gift them gift vouchers from trendy lifestyle stores like Shoppers Stop, Lifestyle, etc. These stores stock up a wide variety of clothes, perfumes, watches, etc. Your gift will be appreciated.

Honeymoon or Holiday Package – What could a newlywed couple want more than an all-expense paid trip to a serene and exotic land. Gift the newlyweds a romantic holiday, and they are sure to appreciate the gesture. Both domestic and international packages are available at travel agencies.

If you’re looking for a domestic package, you can gift them a trip to Goa or Kashmir. These are best honeymoon spots in India. If you’re feeling more generous, you can gift them a trip to Mauritius or Bali. A romantic getaway every couple desires and this could be the best possible gift you could give to your loved ones.

Spa Treatment – Their wedding day is the happiest day of their lives, but the preparations and all the festivities leave the couple exhausted. Give the newlyweds a chance to rejuvenate after the wedding by gifting them a post-wedding spa session at a renowned spa. The relaxing Jacuzzi and the refreshing aromatherapy sessions are something they would be longing for, and you could gift them the perfect opportunity to pamper themselves.

Cash – It is one of the smartest and easiest gifts. Instead of wasting your time looking for the perfect gift, you could save yourself the effort and simply gift the newly married couple cash. Not only can they buy a gift of their choice, but it also takes the pressure off of your shoulders.

For two people who are about to embark upon a new journey in their lives, cash can surely come in handy. All you have to do is buy a nicely decorated envelope and put a decent amount in it and voila! Your gift is ready.

Customized Decorative Things– If you are close to the couple getting married, you could gift them customized gifts which are available at every gift shop these days. Not only do they add a personal touch to gifts, but they are also very affordable. From photo collages to customized wall clocks to personalized wall hangings, there is a wide variety to choose from.

A gift done right is a relation done right. Choosing the perfect gift for the happy couple can be quite a task. In a wedding, either you are from the groom’s side or the bride’s side. But it is always a smart idea to gift something that encompasses them as a couple.

LSI Keywords: Wedding Gifting Trends, romantic getaway, Customized Decorative Things, post-wedding spa session, personalized wall hangings

The Very Essential Project Management Tools Now a Click Away (Rank Princess – SEO)

Ever wondered how cool it might have looked if the software you use for managing those projects had a feel of an intergalactic experience, complete with aliens?

Innovative Ideas:

Such has been the demand to develop some of the trendiest and easiest to handle project management tools from various organisations that software developing companies are leaving no stones unturned to come up with some mind-boggling solutions.

A Common Goal:

Organisations thrive due to the efficient teamwork of its employees. This teamwork gains manifold strength when a common work platform is maintained through the application of project management tools aimed at simplifying undertaken assignments.

Trust Worthy:

Software development companies consider the making of project management tools as one of their best practices because that in itself gives their clients the essential characteristics of credibility and trust.

Just as the various client testimonials suggest, present on the sites of software development firms like Nostromo, with the use of project management tools, there is no more need for clarifying the status of a project as it is very much left for all to see.

The transparency that the project management tools offer enables companies to;

Keep pushing on with their work and acquire more projects in the course of business.
A whole team can plan their work and execute the project and then report back with the obtained result all in the comfort of one single application base thus increasing the work focus within an organisation.
The organisations that are spread spanning continents too can work on projects without any difficulties.

A Fast Spreading Base:

Since companies of every sphere and size are increasingly dependent now as the users of various project management tools, the tool developers have their clients across the globe. It is this inter-dependency of clients and tool developer companies that have resulted in a healthy relationship with more technological user-friendly advancements on the way.

Pulling in:

Various tool developer companies are also allowing interested parties to start their user experience for free. This shows the increasing competition between companies which are into similar development business.

The Latest of developments is evident from features like UI and UX that adds to the design and appeal, a glimpse of an example was discussed at the very start of this piece.

The Advantages of Using Tools:

The chief advantage invariably points out to the time that is saved while using the tools. Normally the time spent on every project by organisations can be put into built-in slots of time sheets.
Easy layout and organisation of tasks along team based communication.
The management of an organisation can figure out the time spent on every project and the hours logged in for the employees with one swift glance.
Clear out work as project management tools help choose and mark assignments in terms of priority.
A whole glimpse of the work with the easy manoeuvring of finished tasks for implementation.
Key data are also just mouse clicks away which are highly important for every organisation’s record.

Project management tools from the best of software development companies help bring about a radical change in the way of work for any companies with heightened productivity and the minimal of employee discomfort.

LSI Keywords: Project Management Tools, tool developer companies, software development companies, Nostromo

Best Practices in Project Management (Rank Princess – SEO)

If a project manager has twenty resources at five different locations for project duration of two months, how would the project function without coordination?

It would be chaos!

Coordination is key to a successful business. It can solve many, if not all problems. Earlier, this task was difficult as there was a lot of crucial information that was lost in translation and paperwork. But thanks to technology, a force to reckon with, project management has become efficient as seamless.

It is always a good habit to check out the best practices followed for efficient project management.

Selecting the Right Resources

When adhering to good software development practices, one should always keep the overall outcome in mind. For this reason, the primary step that will ensure success is selecting the right candidate for the project.

If a project manager is simultaneously handling multiple projects, he/she would have to shift and reassign resources. Here, Nostromo comes in handy as it allows the project manager to add team members.

Defining Roles

Projects often get misguided and botched due to vague role descriptions. To avoid this, it is important that each individual knows their capacities and responsibilities at hand. This will give clarity on who functions as what and when in the project. For project managers, it will also help to get updates about the project progress.

Documenting Every Project Movement

One of the best practices for software development projects is documenting every strategy and production process. This is not only useful when tracking progress; it also comes handy if the organisation wants to patent processes and products.

Defining Quality

In IT project management best practices, it is vital to define the optimum quality of output. Be it the production line or the quality checks.

Making Estimations

Clearly, oversized budgets are never favoured, but that doesn’t mean that undersized budgets are appreciated. Hence it is always a good practice to make assumptions that are as real as possible. This will keep the project going and keep room for improvement.

Defining Goals

When defining goals, it is important to map smaller milestones of the project along with the larger ones. It gives a heads-up to everyone involved in the project. Also, it is important to keep a software development best practices checklist.

Mock Prototypes

It is important to create mock prototypes before working on the actual project. This saves time and energy and potential failure. Nostromo has an efficient system in creating mock project designs for reference

Project Reviews

Reviewing the project’s key turns is vital. It will give inputs on whether the process is on the right path to progress or if it needs improvement.

Support and Maintenance

Providing support and maintenance is elementary as it takes care of after service. Another lesser known addition is that if the organisation decides to build a new prototype. This information will serve as a basis for inputs in the new product or service.

There are tools like Nostromo that make project management easy. Such tools help individuals, teams, managers, and all those who are responsible for the project to communicate and clock in data accurately.

LSI Keywords

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software development best practices checklist

best practices for software development projects

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Importance Of Lead Qualification (Rank Princess – SEO)

So what is a lead? A lead defined by Wikipedia is “The identification of a person or entity that has the interest and authority to purchase a product or service.” Leads nowadays usually refers to potential customers or entities that are interested in buying a product or service, and this usually means filling out a form online, or even a straight up physical DM form that can be filled out by hand!

But regardless of the entity the lead takes on, it is important that lead consists of the person’s contact details (Or the company’s contact information) so that the firm pursuing the lead will have the right information to target the required demographic, translating into potential sales. A qualified lead is, however, much different from just a “lead.”

What Is A Qualified Lead?

A qualified lead contains more than just information about the person or entity (Company) that is interested in your product. It contains the “Qualification” that company has towards buying your product.

This is done using the BANT approach which stands for Budget, Authority, Need, and Timescale.

By “Budget,” it means to analyse if the company has enough finance to purchase the product.
“Authority” refers to the decision of making the purchase.
“Need” means to analyse whether or not the service or product they are willing to buy can be of any use to them, and

Time usually refers to whether or not they want to make the purchase within a particular time frame.

With this newfound information, the company issuing the lead can now analyse and determine which leads can turn into potential sales, and which cannot. These leads that can turn into potential sales are called as qualifying leads.

To learn more about Qualified Leads click here.

Leads Classified As Levels

Now there are certain “Levels” within which you may rank a lead into:

Level 1: Any contact is a lead, even if it is the most basic of information.

Level 2: At this stage, it is important to know the position of the person in a company or the company’s data and stocks.

Level 3: It is important to acknowledge the leads at this point, whether or not the company in pursuit of the leads can issue the product.

Level 4: The Company needs to be clear on the requirements from the lead’s side.

If not it is important to hold back the lead until the prospect’s requirements are cleared.

Level 5: The firm pursuing the lead would issue the BANT at this point. It is important to hold off any progress until all the requirements for fulfilling BANT have been ticked off.

A “Sales Ready” lead is often more than not a very difficult thing to pull off. It requires the right judgment and the proper marketing to translate into a successful sale.

By following the steps that have been played out for the lead qualification such as BANT etc., a company can take advantage of its comprehensive marketing capabilities to find the right “Qualified Leads” that would translate into potential sales.

References

www.fullcontact.com

www.dwsassociates.com/marketing

www.inflexion-point.com/blog

LSI Keywords

Lead qualification importance

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BANT approach lead qualification

Determining leads into potential sales

Leads classification by levels

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Steps for lead qualification

Requirements from leads in marketing

#StartInCollege- Before It Is Too Late (Rank Princess)

Breaking the Stereotype

We have lived and still live in a society where the only two career options given to students are either engineering or medicine. Some of the best minds invest years of their college life behind books only to ultimately work for other people.

Our country has some of the best engineering colleges with some of the brightest minds taking admission every year. No matter how good the curriculum design might be, only theory is not enough for the holistic growth and development of any student.

Practical knowledge and skill development is an integral part of any learning process. One needs to gain some hands-on experience and industry exposure to become industry ready.

Widen Your Horizons with Startup Village

How about you get the opportunity to get practical exposure before you get recruited? What if you get the chance to incubate your idea and nourish it further? What if you also get the opportunity to get your investors to bring your idea to life?

And, what if you get them all in one package?

We use the internet for a lot of reasons. We socialise, we network, we entertain ourselves, but we hardly devote time to studying online. What we only do is look for information on Google.

Have you ever considered studying dedicatedly online?

Startup Village is here to provide you opportunities like never before. If you have a hidden entrepreneur inside you, if you have revolutionary start-up ideas, Startup Village will provide you with the right platform for learning and cultivate it further.

You are admitted for a six months course on start-up that will entirely take place online. They have the best learning module designed for you, taking online learning to a whole new level. You do not need to appear for any admission test. Your abilities are judged on the product you build.

The Process Of Learning At SV

Join as a team leader, and then create your team further. You build your product decks and learn coding to build real products. Then you start talking to real customers and find your investors. Finally, the best part- you get to experience the Silicon Valley before you even finish college.

All of this is offered to you in a matter of six months. It is the best place for ambitious, innovative students, who want to explore beyond the classroom. It will most certainly give wings to your ideas and help you learn about the nitty-gritty of building your start-up from scratch.

What Are You Waiting For?

Books are good, but learning beyond books has become the need of the hour. So you think you have it in you to pursue an extensive course and see your idea grow? Apply to Startup Village right away and imbibe all that is there on offer.

Are you still not sure? Want more details? Look up the site SV.co.

You can also witness stories of the ones who have already tasted success. View the success stories here.

You will find engineers by the dozen. All of them flock to work for renowned companies. Very few get the opportunity to grow from small start-ups to well-known companies. Here is your chance. Do not miss it!

Five People You Would Meet In A Founding Startup Team (Rank Princess – SEO)

You can take it for granted that in the stormy startup world, there are bound to be instances where everything goes wrong. Only exceptional founding teams can stand through competition, funding issues, market fluctuations, staff departures, etc. and steer the boat to the safety of the shore.

So how you set up your founding team, more or less, decides the trajectory of your business.

A stellar founding team would incorporate a bouquet of personalities, each with a unique talent. So here is a list of the only five people you would need in your founding team to make it rock!

The Prima Donna Leader

He is the Danny Ocean here, leading the pack of 11, or 5 in this case! He is usually seen as the honest, insightful, suave genius who would be manning the wheel through thick and thin.

He challenges the rest of the team, asking for things that everyone is unsure of. Filled with passion and authority to take a decision during conflicts or controversies, he is clearly the nucleus of the cell.

The Veteran Designer

Although start-ups are usually formed around exciting new ideas, it helps to have someone who knows the direction of currents in the industry. The veteran is the person who has an understanding of the competitive landscape, PR campaigns and the design of the project.

He can identify customer needs to add all the relevant characteristics of the product. If you notice a dreamy professor in the group, with a ruffled hairstyle and sparkling eyes buzzing with ideas, he is the one!

The Tech-Savvy Programmer

He is the geek, the nerve centre of the team, the member who puts together various technologies to build the product or service. He knows how to leverage technology to create a sustainable business model.

You can spot him wearing a crown, as he is simply indispensable. We like to call him the rainmaker who can load clouds with water crystals at the click of a button!

The Lion of Sales

Startups with blazing ideas should not forget that someone should be at the helm, selling them. Enter the lion of sales. He is a customer champion who purely focuses on consumer needs and pitches the product in an intuitive, crisp and clear manner.

He understands the benefits of attuning to user feedback and is incessantly in the pursuit of finding more customers. You can recognise him easily, as he is the aggressive one in the pack with a blazing mane.

The All-Rounder of Operations

He understands the burn rate, the viability and profitability of the business and he fine tunes the day-to-day operations of the startup, based on these calculations. Aggregating resources and raw materials and keeping track of their usage, all come under his umbrella. You can recognise him as the bespectacled youngster with an attitude that trumps it all!

On a final note, it is mandatory to collate great skills and varying personalities in the founding team. This is like an insurance policy that protects the boat during hard times. Pick people with similar beliefs on how they run their life, as this could come in handy in the long run.

LSI Keywords: Founding Startup Team, founding teams, Prima Donna Leader, Veteran Designer, Tech-Savvy Programmer, Lion of Sales, All-Rounder of Operations

References

https://www.fastcompany.com/3032548/hit-the-ground-running/the-only-6-people-you-need-on-your-founding-startup-team

https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-perfect-startup-team

https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/238883

http://tech.co/how-to-build-a-startup-team-2010-08

https://bothsidesofthetable.com/how-to-configure-your-startup-team-3fb25f7281b0#.vg7gufwh8

https://medium.com/startups-and-investment/the-importance-of-the-founding-team-82fdf7121a27#.4z5uvdwqr

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-important-startups-founding-team-who-should-included-alibhai

https://www.cta.tech/News/Blog/Articles/2014/March/What-Makes-for-a-Successful-Startup-Founding-Team.aspx

Ace That GMAT- How To Improve Your Reading Speed (Rank Princess – SEO)

With graduation on the minds of a lot of MBA students, the much-feared GMAT is on the tip of everyone’s tongue. This test is considered to be extremely challenging, and with its importance in a student’s career, the stress is even more. It is imperative for MBA students to get a decent score to qualify for a reputed university of their choice.

GMAT stands for Graduate Management Admission Test. It currently stands as a significant barrier to getting into 2,100 schools and 5900 programs all over the world.

With the challenging verbal section testing comprehensions and sentences with challenging grammar, learning the rules of the language becomes a necessity to solve the test under the time limit.

The average reading speed of a human varies from 200 to 250 words per minute, while it is easy to reach a reading speed of 500 words per minute by proper instruction and practice. This means that you can outdo your competition by improving your reading speed and thereby get better Gmat scores.

Keeping the needs of GMAT takers in mind, here are some extremely handy tips to improve your reading speed–

Let Go of Poor Reading Habits- There are some common reading habits that readers invariably practice on a day to day basis. Once we are aware of what practices cause our reading to become slower, working towards eliminating such habits can help us double our reading speed. Some of these habits are:

–Sub-vocalisation: Sub-vocalisation is the habit of pronouncing every word in the head as you read it. This habit is very common in speakers coming from a non-native English speaking background. However, one must try to eliminate this habit as one can understand the meaning of a word way faster than one can pronounce it.

–Word-by-word reading: This is another slow reading habit that should’ve been done away with in primary school. If you still carry this habit, try improving your general English proficiency, so you do not need to read the ‘expected’ verbs and pronouns between the inevitable nouns and adjectives.

–Regression and Lack of Concentration: These two habits, along with bad reading go hand in hand.

Regression is the habit of re-reading already read material. This problem arises when you do not concentrate enough on what you’re reading.

In a fast paced GMAT exam, regression is a strict no-no. To avoid regression, you can inculcate the habit of running a pen or a pointer against the sentence you’re reading.

In the long run, you need to eliminate concentration issues. There is a whole list of tactics that you can utilise to improve your general concentration levels.

Practice Makes Perfect-This famous one-liner holds perfectly in the case of improving your reading speed. Try to read everything you can get your hands on. Start your day by reading your newspaper. Read books and novels in your free time.

Practice from famous grammar books such as Wren And Martin. Read signboards, leaflets, questionnaires – essentially anything you can get hold of.

Here’s food for thought- An average graduate student only reads 5 to 6 books in their entire lifetime! More reading will surely result in better marks!

Choose Easy Material to Start With- While reading Shakespeare will help at some point in time, starting with complex material is a bad idea. Try to read the works of local authors (who write in a simpler language) and work your way upwards. Also, do not limit yourself to a single author as you might get too acquainted with one writing style.

Professionals recommend the works of R.K Narayan, Sidney Sheldon, and Paulo Coelho.

Learn to Skim Read- Skim reading is jumping over words yet still deriving complete meaning from the material at hand. In a study by useit.com, it has been found that one can derive the same level of understanding of an article by reading only 18{ed162fdde9fdc472551df9f31f04601345edf7e4eff6ea93114402690d8fa616} of it.

Once your reading skills improve, GMAT becomes half the threat that it once was considered to be. Besides helping you to ace GMAT, quick reading skills are something you’ll cherish for your entire life.

LSI Keywords- How to improve reading comprehension for GRE, GRE reading comprehension practice, GRE reading comprehension tips and tricks

Reference Links-

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graduate_Management_Admission_Test

http://www.gmac.com/gmat.aspx

http://outbeat-the-gmat.blogspot.in/2008/02/gmat-reading-comprehension-tips-tricks.html

http://gmatclub.com/forum/how-to-improve-my-rc-accuracy-117195.html

https://www.mindtools.com/speedrd.html

Ace That GMAT- How To Improve Your Reading Speed (Rank Princess – SEO)

With graduation upon the heads of a lot of MBA students, the next step is quite worrisome- GMAT. This test has stood iron hard against students with its difficulty and importance. It is imperative for MBA students to get a decent score to qualify for a good university of their choice.

GMAT stands for Graduate Management Admission Test. It currently stands as the barrier to get into 2,100 schools and 5900 programs all over the world.

With the verbal section filled with comprehensions and English sentences with twisted grammar, learning to read quickly becomes a necessity to solve the test under the time limit.

The average reading speed of a human varies from 200 to 250 words per minute while it is easy to reach a reading speed of 500 words per minute by proper instruction and practice. This means that you can outdo your competition by simply improving your reading speed and get better Gmat scores.

Keeping the needs of GMAT takers in mind, here are some extremely handy tips to improve your reading speed–

Let Go Of Poor Reading Habits- There are some common reading habits that readers practice invariably. Once we are aware of what practices cause our reading to become slower, working towards eliminating such habits can help us double our reading speed. Some of these habits are-

–Sub-vocalisation- Sub-vocalisation is the habit of pronouncing every word in the head as you read it. This habit is very common in speakers coming from a non-native English speaking background. However, one must try to eliminate this habit as one can understand the meaning of a word way faster than he can pronounce it.

–Word-by-word reading- This is another slow reading habit that should’ve died with primary school. If you still carry this habit, try improving your general English proficiency, so you do not need to read the ‘expected’ verbs, pronouns, etc. between the inevitable nouns and adjectives.

–Regression And Lack Of Concentration- These two habits attached with bad reading go hand in hand.

Regression is the habit of re-reading already read material. This problem arises when you do not concentrate enough on what you’re reading.

In a fast paced GMAT exam, regression is a strict no-no. To avoid regression, you can inculcate the habit of running a pen or a pointer against the sentence you’re reading.

In the long run, you need to eliminate concentration issues. There is a whole list of tactics to use and foods to eat for concentration, but that is a topic for another day.

Practice Makes Perfect-This famous one-liner holds perfectly in case of improving reading speed. Try to read everything you can get your hands on. Start your day by reading your newspaper. Read books and novels in your free time.

Practice from famous grammar books such as Wren And Martin. Read signboards, leaflets, questionnaires, anything you can get your eyes on.

Here’s food for thought- An average graduate student only reads 5 to 6 books in his entire lifetime! More reading ushers in better marks.

Choose Easy Material To Start With- While reading Shakespeare will help at some point in time, starting with complex booksis a bad idea. Try to read the works of local authors (who write in a simpler language) and work your way upwards. Also, do not limit yourself to a single author as you might get too acquainted with one particular writing style.

Professionals recommend the works of R.K Narayan, Sidney Sheldon, and Paulo Coelho.

Learn To Skim Read- Skim reading is jumping over words yet still deriving complete meaning from the context at hand. In a study by useit.com, it has been found that one can derive the same level of understanding of an article by reading only 18{ed162fdde9fdc472551df9f31f04601345edf7e4eff6ea93114402690d8fa616} of it.

Once your reading skills improve, GMAT becomes half the threat that it once was. Besides helping you to ace GMAT, quick reading skills are something you’ll cherish for your whole life.

LSI Keywords- How to improve reading comprehension for GRE, GRE reading comprehension practice, GRE reading comprehension tips and tricks

Reference Links-

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graduate_Management_Admission_Test

http://www.gmac.com/gmat.aspx

http://outbeat-the-gmat.blogspot.in/2008/02/gmat-reading-comprehension-tips-tricks.html

http://gmatclub.com/forum/how-to-improve-my-rc-accuracy-117195.html

https://www.mindtools.com/speedrd.html