Marketing and Sales Archives - Smallbiztechnology.com https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/category/get-customers/ Small Business Technology Fri, 26 Jul 2024 18:57:18 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.2.6 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/cropped-smallbiz-technology-1-32x32.png Marketing and Sales Archives - Smallbiztechnology.com https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/category/get-customers/ 32 32 47051669 What Digital Marketing Strategies Boost Business Growth? https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2024/07/what-digital-marketing-strategies-boost-business-growth.html/ Fri, 26 Jul 2024 18:57:18 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=67002 What Digital Marketing Strategies Boost Business Growth? In a digital landscape where change is the only constant, staying ahead means adapting and innovating. To uncover the secrets behind exponential business growth, we turned to twenty-six industry veterans—digital marketing directors and marketing strategists—who have mastered the art of online engagement. We’ve distilled their expertise into actionable […]

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What Digital Marketing Strategies Boost Business Growth?

In a digital landscape where change is the only constant, staying ahead means adapting and innovating. To uncover the secrets behind exponential business growth, we turned to twenty-six industry veterans—digital marketing directors and marketing strategists—who have mastered the art of online engagement.

We’ve distilled their expertise into actionable strategies that you can implement right away, providing you with the tools to elevate your digital marketing game. Whether you’re looking to enhance your brand’s visibility, foster deeper customer relationships, or drive measurable growth, these proven tactics are your blueprint for success.

  • Harness Email Marketing Campaigns
  • Optimize Local SEO Tactics
  • Collaborate with Aligned Influencers
  • Engage in Reddit and Quora
  • Generate Backlinks with Digital PR
  • Create Personalized Video Content
  • Offer AI-Powered Virtual Tours
  • Establish Authority with Content Marketing
  • Anticipate Demand with Strategic Assets
  • Nurture Leads with Email Marketing
  • Build Credibility with Client Testimonials
  • Double Business with Humorous Ads
  • Increase Engagement with Social Proof
  • Manage Your Google Business Profile
  • Drive Engagement with Content Repurposing
  • Boost Leads with LinkedIn Paid Media
  • Grow Through Authentic Storytelling
  • Attract Leads with SEO-Optimized Videos
  • Improve UX with Heat Mapping Insights
  • Promote Growth with Multifaceted Marketing
  • Drive Sales with Personalized Emails
  • Boost Engagement with AI Personalization
  • Segment Audiences for Email Success
  • Rank Higher with One-Page SEO
  • Target Ads for Real Estate Growth
  • Engage Parents with Social Content

Harness Email Marketing Campaigns

Email marketing is still alive and well! It’s the best way to keep your brand at the top of mind for prospects because they’ve already indicated an interest in something you have to offer by opting into your email list. However, there’s a right way and a wrong way to launch an email marketing campaign: you’ve got to be committed to list segmentation, creation of engaging content, and funnel stage alignment.

When you’re thinking about a new email marketing campaign, remember that specificity sells—so segment your recipient list to a single buyer persona or use case and use everything you know about that reader to craft an email that will add value to their day. You want to send the right message at the right time. Consider: How does this specific segment of your audience make decisions? What time of day do they check their inbox? What do they want from your brand—special offers, interesting insights, limited-time deals, or something else?

Whatever content your buyer persona is looking for, make sure you’re focusing on making it engaging! Deliver the kind of content they’re expecting from you, and use compelling CTAs to entice clicks. Calls-to-action like “Learn more,” “See more,” or “Read more” don’t work. Instead, use a CTA that tells the reader exactly what will happen when they click. Think action words like “Download the Guide,” “Get Your Coupon Code,” or “Build Your Package.”

Last but not least, make sure your email marketing messages are meeting prospects where they are in the funnel. Using insights from a CRM like HubSpot, you’ll be able to determine whether your prospects are in the top, middle, or bottom of your funnel. Make sure that your content and offers are aligned with the funnel stage your prospects are in. For example, even a financial incentive, like a 50% discount, will fall on deaf ears if most of your prospects are still at the top of your funnel where they’re just becoming aware that they have a problem.

Madonna Kilpatrick, Digital Marketing Director, Peer Sales Agency


Optimize Local SEO Tactics

Local SEO was a real game-changer for us. I remember working with this small Italian restaurant that was getting buried in search results. We started by optimizing their Google My Business listing—added mouth-watering food photos, updated their menu, and encouraged customer reviews.

The turning point came when we created location-specific landing pages. We targeted neighboring areas, not just their city. It was a bit of a chance, but it paid off big. Their organic traffic increased by 70% in just three months.

We also got them to partner with local food bloggers for some authentic backlinks. It wasn’t easy convincing the owner at first, but seeing those referral traffic numbers changed his mind quickly.

This strategy worked so effectively that we’ve reproduced it for other local businesses. It’s not always easy, but when it works, the consequences are fantastic.

Jitender Nunia, Digital Marketing Specialist, Gowide Solutions


Collaborate with Aligned Influencers

One digital marketing strategy that has really boosted business growth for my clients is influencer marketing. The truth is, I partner with influencers whose values and audience align with the brand (my client’s brand). Most of the time, we are able to tap into the trust of their followers and credibility to promote products or services authentically.

This strategy has helped increase brand awareness, drive website traffic, and generate leads through targeted influencer collaborations. The personalized content created by influencers has greatly resonated with their audience, and this has resulted in higher engagement rates and conversion rates for the brand. In the end, leveraging influencer marketing as a digital strategy has proven to be highly effective in expanding brand reach and driving business growth.

Kartik Ahuja, Digital Marketer, kartikahuja.com


Engage in Reddit and Quora

We’ve seen that Google prioritizes sites like Reddit and Quora on the first page, so we’ve allocated more resources to be active in those conversations.

Roxana Motoc, Head of Marketing, SocialBee


Generate Backlinks with Digital PR

One digital marketing strategy that has notably boosted business growth for my agency is using digital PR by creating and promoting a survey on how people search for lawyers. This approach generated valuable insights and led to significant engagement and numerous backlinks.

We designed a comprehensive survey to understand the behaviors and preferences of individuals searching for legal services. The survey covered various aspects, including popular search methods, key decision-making factors, and common pain points. Once we gathered the data, we transformed it into an engaging and informative report.

We then crafted a compelling narrative around the survey findings, emphasizing the new, original findings of the data. This approach piqued the interest of legal professionals and potential clients, making the report more than just a presentation of statistics. We pitched this unique story to relevant online publications, legal blogs, and industry influencers, further enhancing its appeal.

The campaign’s success was evident in the substantial media coverage it received. Prominent legal blogs and news sites picked up the story, intrigued by the fresh data and its implications for the industry. Each feature included backlinks to our website, significantly boosting our domain authority and driving a surge in traffic.

Additionally, the survey report served as a practical and valuable resource for our audience. Legal professionals used it to refine their marketing strategies, while potential clients found the insights helpful in their search for legal services. This dual appeal ensured the content was widely shared and discussed, further amplifying its reach and empowering the audience with actionable information.

Digital PR also facilitated targeted audience engagement in an interactive manner. We reached a highly relevant audience by promoting the survey findings on legal-specific forums and social media groups. The feedback and discussions generated additional content opportunities, creating a cycle of engagement and visibility that made the audience feel actively involved.

Leveraging digital PR through creating and promoting a survey on how people search for lawyers was a game-changer. It provided valuable insights, established our authority, enhanced SEO, and drove targeted traffic, ultimately leading to significant business growth.

Chris Rossi, Digital Marketing Consultant, Attorney Sluice


Create Personalized Video Content

One digital marketing strategy that has significantly boosted our business growth is leveraging personalized video content. By creating customized videos tailored to our target audience’s interests and pain points, we’ve seen a remarkable increase in engagement and conversions. Personalized videos foster a deeper connection with viewers, making our brand more relatable and trustworthy. This approach has not only enhanced our customer experience but also driven higher retention rates and word-of-mouth referrals.

Mike Vannelli, Creative Director, Envy Creative


Offer AI-Powered Virtual Tours

One digital marketing strategy that has helped boost enrollment at Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) over the past few years is our personalized virtual campus tour. Using advanced AI, we tailored the tour to match prospective students’ interests, highlighting programs that align with their passions.

Through the virtual tour, the BMCC campus comes alive with 360-degree panoramic images and videos showcasing academic and support service locations, state-of-the-art facilities, and success stories from students and faculty. Accessible on all devices, viewers can navigate the streets of downtown Manhattan and explore campus buildings interactively. An audio “tour guide” shares engaging anecdotes and commentary about each location.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the virtual tour became an invaluable tool, allowing us to reach potential students when in-person visits were impossible. It provided immediate engagement and made BMCC more appealing and accessible to prospective students, both local and international, without requiring time, money, or travel. The tour also helped new students and staff acclimate to the college, despite the limitations imposed by the pandemic.

Rosslynn Pieters, Marketing Director, Borough of Manhattan Community College


Establish Authority with Content Marketing

One digital marketing strategy that has significantly boosted our business growth is leveraging content marketing through high-quality blog posts and resource guides. By consistently creating valuable, informative content tailored to our target audience, we have improved our search engine rankings, attracted more organic traffic, and established ourselves as industry experts. This approach has not only increased our website visitors but also converted them into leads and customers, driving substantial business growth.

Arslan Abdul Rehman, Digital Marketer & SEO Expert, Siznam.co


Anticipate Demand with Strategic Assets

Demand anticipation has been a game-changer for our marketing agency. We realized its value during COVID-19 when we knew our clients’ businesses would be severely impacted. To counter this, we proposed a strategy to forecast demand for new services and products during and post-COVID-19. We worked with clients to create future-ready marketing assets, which proved successful once things normalized.

For example, we helped a healthcare client predict long-term health trends and developed content around them. This foresight not only restored but doubled their traffic within three months of normalization. The new pages we added drove over 40% of their website traffic for a long time. Demand anticipation has consistently delivered results, securing long-term client relationships and boosting our business growth. We certainly vouch for this as a game-changing strategy for our business.

Pratyush Ranjan, Digital Marketing Manager


Nurture Leads with Email Marketing

Email marketing is one digital marketing strategy that I’ve seen boost my business growth!

I first attract people to join my email list by inviting them to sign up for my lead magnet. (I share about my lead magnet on social media, Pinterest, and my website.)

Then, my email marketing strategy comes into play! I use it to nurture my email list by sending out weekly emails that provide 100% value for them. Oftentimes, I share a “one-minute marketing tip” and what I would tell them if I were their CMO. I also incorporate a fun story from my week or a lesson I’ve learned, or even what I’m currently loving, so they can get to know me better. I’ve seen firsthand how these types of emails help build a relationship with potential clients.

At the end of every email, I ask for some type of action. Most of the time, I invite them to reply to the email with a word in exchange for how I can further help them. This opens up the door to potential clients and allows me to personalize my approach to them.

Sometimes, people do unsubscribe from the list, but that’s okay! They weren’t my ideal clients and wouldn’t have gained anything valuable from what I was sharing. It allows me to focus on the people who are my ideal clients and give them as much value as possible!

Email marketing is such an important digital marketing strategy that has helped my business to grow, and I recommend it for every business!

Madelyn Furlong, Marketing Strategist, Madelyn Victoria Co


Build Credibility with Client Testimonials

One digital marketing strategy that has significantly boosted our business growth at SmartSites is our focus on testimonials. As a top agency on Clutch for 2024, we have amassed hundreds of reviews and case studies on our website. This strategy works exceptionally well because testimonials provide social proof, building trust and credibility with potential clients.

When prospective clients see positive feedback from satisfied customers, it reassures them about the quality and reliability of our services. These testimonials serve as powerful endorsements, showcasing real-world success stories and the tangible benefits of partnering with us. Additionally, being highly rated on a reputable platform like Clutch enhances our visibility and reputation in the industry, making us a go-to choice for businesses seeking top-tier digital marketing services.

Our extensive collection of reviews and detailed case studies also helps in demonstrating our expertise across various industries and project types. This not only attracts new clients but also aids in converting leads by providing them with compelling evidence of our capabilities and the results we have delivered for other businesses. Overall, leveraging testimonials has been a cornerstone of our digital marketing strategy, driving sustained growth and establishing us as a trusted leader in the market.

Michael Melen, Co-Founder, SmartSites


Double Business with Humorous Ads

When I was running my last SaaS business, I really wanted to figure out Facebook ads. But because of my background in filmmaking, I decided to shoot two commercials that would emphasize the pain points my software solved in a really humorous way. We ran the two commercials as Facebook ads and then ran normal retargeting ads after they had watched the commercials. These specialized ads had a massive impact, essentially causing the business to double in size in less than six months, and the business was acquired shortly thereafter.

Adam White, SaaS Growth Consultant, Landing Page Whisperer


Increase Engagement with Social Proof

As people become inundated with ads and content in their feeds, social proof (likes, shares, comments) becomes ever more important for your product to stand out. People want to know that what they are looking at is not only popular but also valuable. Whether it’s a trusted service provider or a high-quality product, no one is looking to be scammed or feel like they made a poor investment. Social proof is one of the best ways to prove the value of your offer.

By adding Engagement Campaigns as part of your evergreen strategy, you are able to build up those actions on your ad at a very low cost. We have seen ads that previously underperformed become top drivers for consultations and sales after running in engagement campaigns.

Bonus tip: increase positive social proof on ads by targeting first-party lists in your engagement campaigns to reach current/past customers who already love your brand.

Amber Krigbaum, Director – Paid Social, collystring


Manage Your Google Business Profile

As a marketing expert, one digital marketing strategy that consistently delivers the highest ROI for our clients with minimal effort is keeping your free Google Business Profile up to date and actively managed.

Google aims to provide the best search experience for its users. If they fail, people will turn to other platforms. That’s why Google offers straightforward advice on managing your listing. It’s how Google learns about local businesses and how local businesses can stand out in search results. By actively managing your Google Business Profile, you can capture attention and drive more customers to your business.

All you really need to do is complete all the available fields with your essential contact information, continuously gather more reviews, and keep adding photos showcasing your work. This is true whether you’re just getting started with local marketing or have been around for years. Managing this free listing is the easiest way to attract customers.

If you can use social media, you can manage your Google Business Profile. It’s just as simple. So, invest a little time in maintaining your profile, and you’ll see significant returns.

Joe Darragh, CEO, Pillar Digital Marketing Agency


Drive Engagement with Content Repurposing

Repurposing content is an excellent way to leverage multiple areas of digital marketing to boost the growth of your business. If you are spending the time and money to develop a piece of content, it’s essential to see how you can leverage it across multiple platforms and channels to drive engagement.

As an example, we have a client that creates several e-books each year. Of course, it’s important to promote the e-book as a standalone content piece for lead generation and re-engagement, but you can also promote the e-book in a variety of other ways to drive engagement, including:

  • Blogs: Take segments of the content from the e-book to create new blog content. This will boost organic traffic and email engagement if you send your blogs to subscribers by email.
  • Video: Have a subject matter expert at your company take snippets from the e-book to create short videos. You can use these on social media and on your website to promote the new content.
  • Email and Social: Share your e-book with your audience by email, organic, and paid social to engage your followers.

As you can see, there are many ways to repurpose your content as a digital marketing strategy across platforms to drive business growth and continued engagement.

Elyse Flynn Meyer, Owner & Founder, Prism Global Marketing Solutions


Boost Leads with LinkedIn Paid Media

One digital marketing strategy that significantly boosts business growth is leveraging paid media campaigns on LinkedIn.

We begin by creating multiple target audiences on LinkedIn based on our offering, each with assets explicitly designed for the audience. This tailored approach ensures that each segment and job seniority feels understood, leading to a 70% increase in ad engagement and a 67% boost in lead generation.

This targeted approach not only enhanced brand visibility but also led to a substantial increase in followers and qualified inbound leads. Its overall performance led to a 10x ROAS over a three-month campaign, reassuring us of its effectiveness.

LinkedIn paid media has proved to be a powerful tool for connecting with the right audience and driving business growth for our business and many clients. This is evidenced by the 10x ROAS we achieved over a three-month campaign.

Tom Edwards, Founder, Bit Quirky Consulting


Grow Through Authentic Storytelling

Millions of posts are flooding our feeds daily, so how can you stand out and grow as a business? It’s simple: be authentic and tell your story. Whether it’s sharing the journey behind your brand, highlighting customer success stories, or showcasing behind-the-scenes moments.

When done effectively, storytelling can drive significant growth for businesses. By creating compelling content that resonates with their audience, brands can attract new followers, increase engagement, build brand loyalty, and ultimately, drive conversions.

How to approach storytelling as a marketing strategy? There are three ways to do that: interactive storytelling, segmented documentary storytelling, and telling your brand story.

Katharina Garmon, CEO & Founder of Socialkind Studio, Socialkind Studio LLC


Attract Leads with SEO-Optimized Videos

One digital marketing strategy that significantly boosted our business growth at Breadnbeyond is content marketing with a strong focus on SEO, link-building efforts, and optimized animated videos. We create valuable blog posts, guides, and engaging videos that showcase our expertise in explainer videos.

By optimizing this content with relevant keywords and implementing effective link-building strategies, we attract organic traffic and establish ourselves as industry leaders. This approach not only enhances visibility but also educates our audience, builds trust, and drives qualified leads, contributing to substantial business growth and a robust online presence.

Andre Oentoro, Founder/CEO, Breadnbeyond


Improve UX with Heat Mapping Insights

We tried heat mapping last year to boost our digital marketing efforts—essentially, it shows areas that visitors click or view and also highlights elements that are not capturing their attention. With heatmaps, we were able to identify patterns in user behavior that we hadn’t noticed before.

I can say that the insights provided by the heat mapping tool proved invaluable to us as they guided us on our on-page digital marketing initiatives. For instance, we observed a number of visitors neglecting to click on our call-to-action buttons, which were originally positioned at the bottom of our page. With this information, we opted to relocate the call-to-action buttons to a spot above the page fold and picked a more prominent color that would not go unnoticed.

This small adjustment resulted in an uptick in user engagement and conversion rates. With this, I can say that because we are leveraging data-driven insights from heat mapping tools, we were able to make choices that improved user experience and optimized our digital marketing efforts.

Vikrant Bhalodia, Head of Marketing & People Ops, WeblineIndia


Promote Growth with Multifaceted Marketing

A thorough digital marketing plan uses a variety of platforms and techniques to promote business expansion. Content marketing is the first step in the process. This involves producing high-quality content, such as blog posts, videos, and e-books, that speaks to the needs of the target audience and is shared via email, social media, and the company website. Researching keywords, optimizing pages for search engines, constructing backlinks, and making technical advancements are all essential components of search engine optimization (SEO). To increase efficacy, email marketing should combine segmentation and personalization with automation and A/B testing.

Social media marketing calls for picking the appropriate channels, interacting with followers, and using sponsored advertisements to reach a specific audience. PPC, display ads, retargeting, and larger ad networks are examples of advertising. Effective marketing communications depend on multichannel communication, consistent branding, and crisis management. Account-based marketing focuses on high-value accounts, while influencer marketing and website optimization expand reach and improve user experience.

Optimization requires regular reviews, well-defined KPIs, and data analysis. SMART goals, thorough buyer personas, and engaging social media content all help to match efforts with corporate goals. Precise targeting, interesting ads, cautious budgeting, and ongoing optimization are all necessary for paid advertising. Growth and visibility are aided by backlink tactics, brand alliances, and blogging. Analyzing data and gathering feedback from customers allows businesses to better target their efforts and enhance the customer experience. All things considered, a successful strategy necessitates ongoing data-driven optimization, a multifaceted approach, and a thorough understanding of the target audience.

Brainerhub Solutions, SEO Executive, Brainerhub Solutions


Drive Sales with Personalized Emails

We had a client, a mid-sized e-commerce store, struggling with low engagement and flat sales. They had a good customer base but couldn’t connect effectively with them. Our goal was to revamp their email marketing and drive growth.

We started by segmenting their email list based on customer behavior, purchase history, and demographics. This allowed us to send personalized and relevant emails. We then created a welcome email series for new subscribers, introducing the brand and offering a discount on the first purchase. This series included engaging content about the brand’s story, best-selling products, and customer testimonials.

Next, we designed visually appealing newsletters highlighting new products, special promotions, and industry news. Each newsletter had a clear call to action, encouraging readers to visit the website. To recover lost sales, we set up abandoned-cart emails. These emails reminded customers of the items they left behind and offered a small incentive to complete the purchase.

Using customer data, we sent personalized product recommendations based on past purchases and browsing behavior. This made the emails more relevant and increased the chances of conversions. We also sent surveys to gather feedback and understand customer preferences, helping us improve our email content and overall customer experience.

The results were impressive. Segmenting the email list and personalizing content led to a 25% increase in open rates. Engaging content and clear CTAs boosted click-through rates by 30%. Abandoned-cart emails recovered 20% of lost sales, significantly increasing revenue. Regular, relevant communication built stronger relationships with customers, leading to a 15% increase in repeat purchases. Surveys and feedback provided valuable insights, allowing us to tailor future campaigns even more effectively.

Through this experience, we learned some key lessons about email marketing. Personalization is important! Tailoring emails to individual preferences boosts engagement and conversions. Consistency matters. Regular communication keeps your brand top of mind and builds lasting relationships. Testing and optimizing different elements of your emails (subject lines, CTAs, etc.) helps identify what works best. Listening to customers by gathering feedback and acting on it is essential for continuous improvement.

Tim Jones, Founder, TKX Media


Boost Engagement with AI Personalization

Marketing experts, you ask for one digital marketing strategy that has boosted our business growth? Buckle up, because here’s a juicy tidbit from our playbook: leveraging AI-powered personalization.

You see, once upon a time, in the not-so-distant past, we were like everyone else—throwing generic content into the digital abyss, hoping for a nibble. Then we had an epiphany: what if we used AI to actually understand our audience and tailor our messages?

We started using AI to analyze customer behavior, preferences, and interaction history. With this data, we crafted hyper-personalized content and offers. It was like moving from shouting in a crowded room to having a cozy one-on-one chat. Suddenly, engagement rates soared, and our conversion rates followed suit.

But the real magic happened when we combined this personalization with a well-timed email campaign. Picture this: a customer browses our site but leaves without buying. Thanks to our AI overlord, they receive a friendly email shortly after, featuring exactly the product they were eyeing, with a discount to sweeten the deal. It’s almost spooky how effective it is—but in a good, non-creepy way.

In essence, using AI to deliver personalized experiences has been a game-changer. Not only does it make our customers feel valued, but it also drives significant growth. Plus, it gives us a break from the soul-crushing task of churning out generic content. Win-win!

Francisco Gonzalez, CTO, Le Website Tech


Segment Audiences for Email Success

Over the years, I have found that leveraging personalized email marketing has been a game-changer in my digital marketing arsenal. Early in my career, while heading sports marketing at Reebok, I implemented a targeted email campaign during the launch of a new running shoe line. We segmented our customer base into different personas based on their purchase history, engagement levels, and preferences. Each segment received bespoke content that spoke directly to their interests and needs.

One particular incident stands out where we identified a group of avid runners who had previously bought our running gear (shorts and vests) but had not yet tried our latest shoe. We crafted a series of emails that highlighted the new shoe’s technical superiority and included testimonials from renowned athletes, personalized discount codes, and invitations to exclusive virtual events where these customers could interact with our product designers and professional runners/marathoners.

The response was overwhelming. Not only did we see a significant increase in sales, but the campaign also boosted our engagement metrics, with open and click-through rates far exceeding industry averages. More importantly, it fostered a deeper connection with our customers, as they felt valued and understood. This personalized approach has since become a cornerstone of my digital marketing strategy, demonstrating the power of understanding and catering to individual customer needs.

Priyanshu Pande, Managing Partner, Purple Patch Management


Rank Higher with One-Page SEO

One digital marketing strategy that has significantly boosted business growth is the “one-page, one-keyword” philosophy, which comes from SEO. Now, this must be understood very carefully because web pages can and should rank for many keywords. However, those keywords should be closely related variations on the target, primary term. Each page should have a unique keyword focus. No single page should try to rank for two different primary keywords, and no two pages should have the same keyword focus.

For example, many site owners think that since they use all of their service keywords on their home page, they can rank for every term. In most cases, they’ll rank, but not well. The home page will typically represent brand queries as well as your business category, and a dedicated page for every service will give Google the uniquely focused content it needs to rank you higher. Dedicated pages also tend to get more links.

Think of it this way: if someone wants to link to information on your site about one of your services, what is better—linking to a home page where users will have to find the part of the page being referred to, or a dedicated page where the only content is what the site linked to?

Overall, knowing what keywords you want to rank for and ensuring you have a dedicated page for each is an exercise many site owners forget to do, but it is one of the most important and most beneficial to your growth as a business.

Sarah Kuchar, Creative Director, Kuchar


Target Ads for Real Estate Growth

The use of targeted ads on social media platforms like Instagram is one of the most effective digital marketing strategies that has helped us boost the growth of our real estate business. We clearly define our target audience segments according to their demographics, buyer behavior, interests, etc., and leverage these ads to reach prospective homebuyers and investors efficiently.

Moreover, we incorporate engaging visuals (photos or videos) as well as attention-grabbing ad copies in these posts to increase engagement and generate more high-quality leads. In order to achieve a greater number of conversions, we utilize retargeting campaigns to re-engage users who have shown interest in our properties earlier.

With this strategy, we have been able to drive more traffic to our website, increasing the number of inquiries we receive and accomplishing more closed deals due to the improved conversion rate.

Sultan Saleh, SEO, K Raheja


Engage Parents with Social Content

One digital marketing strategy that has boosted our growth at Explorers Playgroup is creating engaging social media content. We post fun and educational content for kids on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. By sharing these regularly, we keep parents and children excited about our edutainment programming and services.

We’ve also run targeted ads on social media to reach local parents. Personalized email campaigns keep our current members informed and engaged. We’ve optimized our website with SEO to attract more organic traffic. Lastly, encouraging reviews and testimonials from satisfied parents has helped build our online reputation.

Brandi K, Founder and Program Director, Explorers Playgroup, LLC.


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67002
Best CRM for Small Business (A 2024 Guide) https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2024/03/best-crm-for-small-business.html/ Tue, 19 Mar 2024 17:44:22 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=65902 With business landscapes becoming increasingly competitive, small enterprises require strategic tools to facilitate customer interactions, manage data, and optimize business processes. One such critical tool is a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system. This article delves into the realm of CRM, highlighting the best CRM for small businesses in 2024. Best CRM for Small Businesses: Our […]

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With business landscapes becoming increasingly competitive, small enterprises require strategic tools to facilitate customer interactions, manage data, and optimize business processes. One such critical tool is a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system. This article delves into the realm of CRM, highlighting the best CRM for small businesses in 2024.

Best CRM for Small Businesses: Our Top Picks

shallow focus photo of thank you for shopping signage

After extensive research, we have compiled a list of top CRM systems that cater specifically to small businesses‘ needs.

Monday Sales CRM

Monday Sales CRM is a comprehensive solution with features such as contact management, deal tracking, pipeline management, email integration, and basic reporting capabilities. It offers a visually pleasing interface on its ‘boards’, akin to Kanban-style digital whiteboards.

HubSpot CRM

HubSpot CRM is an all-in-one solution integrating sales, marketing, customer service, content management, and operations. It offers a free plan, making it easier for SMBs to test its capabilities without a large upfront commitment.

Zoho CRM

Zoho CRM is an affordable solution that offers basic CRM features within your Gmail account. The platform is user-friendly and provides essential features for small businesses.

Freshsales CRM

Freshsales CRM by Freshworks is a powerful CRM that leverages AI to automate tasks and forecast trends and behavior patterns. It offers a competitive edge by enabling businesses to retain customers cost-effectively.

Salesforce CRM

Salesforce CRM is a comprehensive and reliable CRM solution with multiple plans to choose from. It offers sophisticated customization and analytics, making it ideal for businesses looking to professionalize their sales teams.

Zendesk Sell

Zendesk Sell offers a robust CRM with an excellent mobile app. It provides all communication history in one place, ensuring high-quality responses to queries, leading to better customer satisfaction.

Pipedrive CRM

Pipedrive CRM is a straightforward, sales-focused CRM, ideal for beginners. It offers 24/7 support for all plan holders, making it a user-friendly option for small businesses.

Insightly CRM

Insightly CRM offers robust customization options. It has a higher starting price than many other options, but it tops out at a reasonable price per enterprise user.

Less Annoying CRM (LACRM)

Less Annoying CRM offers a single tier and no add-ons. It is user-friendly and has the highest customer review score.

CRM Software: An Overview

CRM software is a technology suite designed to streamline and analyze customer interactions and data throughout the customer lifecycle. It centralizes crucial data such as contact information, communication history, and purchasing behaviors, offering businesses the means to enhance customer service, drive sales, and manage data effectively.

Why Adopt CRM?

two women near tables

Implementing a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system can have profound benefits for small businesses, enabling them to streamline operations, enhance customer interactions, and drive growth. Here’s why adopting CRM is essential for small business success:

  1. Automation of Repetitive Tasks: CRM software automates routine tasks such as data entry, email communications, and appointment scheduling. By eliminating manual processes, small businesses can save valuable time and resources, allowing employees to focus on more strategic tasks like sales, marketing, and customer service. Automation also reduces the risk of errors and ensures consistency in customer interactions, leading to increased efficiency and productivity.
  2. Streamlined Customer Interactions: CRM systems centralize customer data, providing a comprehensive view of each customer’s history, preferences, and interactions with the business. This centralized database allows small businesses to deliver personalized experiences tailored to individual customer needs and preferences. With access to detailed customer profiles, employees can anticipate customer needs, resolve inquiries promptly, and provide proactive support, ultimately enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty.
  3. Enhanced Communication and Collaboration: CRM platforms facilitate seamless communication and collaboration among team members by providing a centralized platform for sharing information, tracking activities, and collaborating on projects. With features like shared calendars, task management tools, and real-time messaging, small business teams can coordinate efforts more effectively, ensuring everyone is aligned and working towards common goals. Improved communication leads to better coordination, faster decision-making, and a more cohesive team dynamic.
  4. Data-Driven Insights and Reporting: CRM systems capture valuable data on customer interactions, sales performance, marketing campaigns, and more. By leveraging this data, small businesses can gain actionable insights into customer behavior, market trends, and business performance. Advanced reporting and analytics tools allow businesses to track key metrics, identify areas for improvement, and make data-driven decisions to drive growth and profitability. With access to real-time dashboards and performance reports, small business owners can monitor progress, identify opportunities, and optimize strategies for success.
  5. Scalability and Growth: As small businesses expand and acquire new customers, CRM systems provide scalability to accommodate growth. Whether adding new users, scaling up operations, or entering new markets, CRM platforms can adapt to evolving business needs and requirements. By providing a flexible and scalable infrastructure, CRM enables small businesses to manage growth effectively, maintain customer satisfaction, and capitalize on new opportunities for expansion.

In summary, adopting a CRM system is essential for small businesses looking to streamline operations, improve customer relationships, and drive growth. From automating repetitive tasks to providing data-driven insights, CRM software offers a range of benefits that empower small businesses to succeed in today’s competitive market landscape. By investing in CRM, small business owners can unlock the full potential of their business and achieve long-term success.

When Does Your Business Require CRM?

woman in white shirt using smartphone

Recognizing the need for a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system is pivotal for small businesses seeking operational efficiency and improved customer relationships. Here are some key indicators that suggest your business could benefit from adopting a CRM solution:

Fragmented Communication Channels: If your business grapples with scattered communication channels, where team members rely on disparate tools like emails, spreadsheets, and messaging apps to interact with customers, it may signal the need for CRM integration. A CRM platform centralizes communication, providing a unified hub for managing customer interactions, inquiries, and feedback. By consolidating communication channels, CRM promotes collaboration, expedites response times, and ensures consistency in customer engagement.

Disjointed Customer Data: Managing customer data across various sources, including spreadsheets, email threads, and paper records, can lead to inefficiencies and inaccuracies. A CRM solution centralizes and organizes customer information within a single database, facilitating real-time updates and access. By establishing a unified repository for customer data, CRM minimizes duplication, mitigates errors, and fosters data consistency across the organization.

Manual Data Entry and Administrative Tasks: Excessive time spent on manual data entry and administrative tasks can hamper productivity and impede business growth. CRM systems automate routine processes such as data entry, lead capture, and follow-up communications, enabling employees to focus on value-added activities like sales, customer service, and strategic planning. By automating repetitive tasks, CRM enhances efficiency, streamlines workflows, and boosts employee morale.

Inefficient Sales and Marketing Processes: Inefficient sales and marketing processes, characterized by disjointed lead management, pipeline tracking, and campaign management, can hinder business performance. CRM platforms offer features such as lead scoring, pipeline management, and campaign tracking, empowering businesses to optimize their sales and marketing efforts. By providing visibility into the sales funnel, CRM identifies bottlenecks, prioritizes leads, and improves conversion rates.

Lack of Customer Insights and Analytics: Without access to comprehensive customer insights and analytics, businesses may struggle to make informed decisions and drive growth. CRM systems deliver robust reporting and analytics capabilities, allowing businesses to track key metrics, monitor customer engagement, and measure the effectiveness of marketing initiatives. By harnessing data-driven insights, businesses can identify opportunities for improvement, optimize strategies, and enhance overall performance.

In summary, if your business contends with fragmented communication channels, disjointed customer data, manual data entry, inefficient sales and marketing processes, or a lack of customer insights, it may be time to explore CRM solutions. By addressing these challenges, CRM empowers small businesses to streamline operations, nurture customer relationships, and achieve sustainable growth in today’s competitive landscape.

Selecting the Right CRM: Key Considerations

Choosing the right Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system is a critical decision that can significantly impact your business’s efficiency, productivity, and bottom line. To ensure you select a CRM solution that aligns with your business objectives and operational requirements, it’s essential to carefully evaluate several key considerations:

  1. Understand Your Business Needs: Begin by identifying your business needs and objectives. Consider factors such as the size of your business, the industry you operate in, and the specific challenges you’re looking to address with a CRM solution. Determine whether you require basic contact management, sales automation, marketing automation, customer service functionalities, or a comprehensive CRM suite that integrates multiple business functions.
  2. User Adoption and Team Requirements: Assess the needs and preferences of the teams that will be using the CRM system. Involve key stakeholders from sales, marketing, customer service, and other relevant departments in the selection process to ensure their buy-in and alignment with the chosen solution. Consider factors such as user interface intuitiveness, mobile accessibility, and integration with existing tools and workflows to facilitate seamless adoption and user satisfaction.
  3. Identify Pain Points and Must-Have Features: Identify the specific pain points and challenges your business is facing that necessitate a CRM solution. Whether it’s improving lead management, enhancing customer communication, or streamlining sales processes, prioritize the features and functionalities that are essential for addressing these pain points. Common CRM features include contact management, lead scoring, sales pipeline management, email automation, reporting and analytics, and customer support ticketing.
  4. Scalability and Flexibility: Evaluate the scalability and flexibility of the CRM solution to accommodate your business’s growth and evolving needs. Consider whether the CRM can scale with your business expansion, accommodate increasing data volumes and user numbers, and support customization and integration capabilities to adapt to changing requirements over time.
  5. Budget Constraints and Total Cost of Ownership (TCO): Establish a clear budget for CRM implementation and ongoing maintenance, taking into account upfront costs, subscription fees, customization expenses, training costs, and any additional charges for add-on features or modules. Compare pricing plans offered by different CRM vendors and assess the total cost of ownership (TCO) over the long term to ensure affordability and cost-effectiveness.
  6. Industry-Specific Regulations and Compliance: If your business operates in a regulated industry such as healthcare, finance, or legal services, consider industry-specific regulations and compliance requirements when selecting a CRM solution. Ensure that the chosen CRM platform complies with relevant data protection laws (e.g., GDPR, CCPA), industry standards, and security certifications to safeguard sensitive customer information and maintain regulatory compliance.

By carefully considering these key factors, you can effectively evaluate CRM solutions and choose the one that best meets your business needs, drives user adoption, and delivers tangible value and ROI in the long run. Remember to prioritize usability, functionality, scalability, and affordability when making your selection to maximize the benefits of CRM adoption for your small business.

Notable CRM Software Trends in 2024

1. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Automation

In 2024, AI-powered capabilities are increasingly integrated into CRM systems to automate repetitive tasks, analyze customer data, and deliver personalized experiences at scale. Machine learning algorithms enable predictive analytics, lead scoring, and dynamic content recommendations, allowing businesses to anticipate customer needs and provide proactive support.

2. Omni-Channel Integration

With customers interacting across multiple channels and devices, CRM systems are focusing on seamless omni-channel integration to ensure a consistent and cohesive experience across all touchpoints. Integrated communication channels such as email, phone, social media, chat, and SMS enable businesses to engage with customers wherever they are, fostering deeper relationships and improving customer satisfaction.

3. Emergence of Customer Data Platforms (CDPs)

CDPs are gaining prominence as a central hub for collecting, unifying, and activating customer data from various sources in real-time. These platforms enable businesses to create a comprehensive view of each customer by aggregating data from CRM systems, marketing automation tools, e-commerce platforms, and other sources, facilitating more targeted and personalized marketing campaigns and customer interactions.

4. Emphasis on First-Party Data

With increasing privacy regulations and restrictions on third-party cookies, there’s a growing emphasis on collecting and leveraging first-party data obtained directly from customers. CRM systems play a crucial role in capturing and analyzing first-party data, including customer preferences, behaviors, and interactions, to drive more effective marketing strategies and personalized experiences while respecting user privacy preferences.

5. Voice-Enabled CRM

The adoption of voice-enabled technology is transforming how users interact with CRM systems, enabling hands-free operation and voice-controlled commands for tasks such as data entry, scheduling appointments, and retrieving information. Voice-enabled CRM capabilities enhance user productivity, streamline workflows, and offer greater accessibility for users on the go.

6. Adoption of Blockchain Technology for Data Security

Blockchain technology is increasingly being explored as a solution for enhancing data security and integrity in CRM systems. By leveraging blockchain’s decentralized and immutable ledger, businesses can ensure the integrity and authenticity of customer data, protect against unauthorized access and tampering, and enhance trust and transparency in customer interactions.

7. Focus on Hyper-Personalized Customer Experiences

Personalization continues to be a key focus for CRM systems, with businesses leveraging advanced analytics and AI-driven insights to deliver hyper-personalized customer experiences. By tailoring content, offers, and recommendations based on individual preferences, behaviors, and past interactions, businesses can increase customer engagement, loyalty, and lifetime value.

These trends underscore the ongoing evolution of CRM software and its growing importance in enabling small businesses to build stronger customer relationships, drive revenue growth, and stay ahead in today’s competitive market landscape. By embracing these trends and leveraging the latest CRM technologies, small businesses can position themselves for success and deliver exceptional customer experiences in 2024 and beyond.

Final Thoughts

Choosing the best CRM for your small business can be overwhelming due to the numerous options available. However, by carefully considering your business needs and evaluating different CRM systems based on their features, scalability, and pricing, you can find a solution that aligns with your objectives and enhances your business operations.

Remember, the best CRM system for your business is the one that meets your specific needs and fits within your budget. Therefore, take the time to understand your requirements and evaluate different systems before making a decision.

When utilized effectively, CRM software can immensely contribute to the success of your small business, fostering customer loyalty, enhancing operational efficiency, and driving business growth. Thus, investing in a robust CRM system can be a game-changing decision for small businesses looking to thrive in today’s competitive business landscape.

Best CRM for Small Business FAQs

Does Google have a free CRM?

Google offers a CRM platform called Google Workspace that includes tools like Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Drive, and Google Meet. While it’s not a dedicated CRM, businesses can utilize these tools for basic CRM functionalities. However, for more robust CRM features, businesses may consider integrating third-party CRM solutions with Google Workspace.

Which CRM is best for my business?

The best CRM for your business depends on your specific needs, budget, and industry. Popular CRM options include Salesforce, HubSpot, Zoho CRM, and Pipedrive, each offering unique features and pricing plans tailored to different business sizes and requirements.

Is there a free CRM for small businesses?

Yes, several CRM platforms offer free plans specifically designed for small businesses. Examples include HubSpot CRM, Zoho CRM Free Edition, and Freshsales Free Plan. These free versions typically offer basic CRM functionalities and limited features, making them suitable for startups and small businesses with minimal requirements.

Is CRM suitable for small businesses?

Yes, CRM (Customer Relationship Management) systems are beneficial for small businesses as they help streamline customer interactions, improve communication, and enhance sales and marketing efforts. By centralizing customer data and automating tasks, CRM software enables small businesses to efficiently manage customer relationships and drive growth.

Is there a 100% free CRM?

While some CRM platforms offer free plans, it’s essential to note that these free versions often come with limitations in terms of features, user capacity, and storage. While they provide basic CRM functionalities, businesses may need to upgrade to paid plans for advanced features and scalability.

Does Google have a CRM?

Google does not have a standalone CRM product. However, businesses can utilize Google Workspace tools such as Gmail, Google Contacts, and Google Sheets for basic CRM functionalities. Additionally, Google offers integrations with various third-party CRM platforms to enhance CRM capabilities within its ecosystem.

Is HubSpot actually free?

Yes, HubSpot offers a free CRM platform known as HubSpot CRM. The free version includes core CRM features such as contact management, email tracking, and deal management. While additional HubSpot tools and features are available through paid plans, the CRM itself remains free to use indefinitely.

What is the easiest CRM tool?

The ease of use of CRM tools varies depending on user preferences and requirements. However, some CRM platforms are known for their user-friendly interfaces and intuitive features. HubSpot CRM, Zoho CRM, and Freshsales are often praised for their simplicity and ease of adoption.

Is Zoho completely free?

Zoho offers a free edition of its CRM platform, aptly named Zoho CRM Free Edition. While this version provides basic CRM functionalities, Zoho also offers various paid plans with additional features and capabilities tailored to different business needs and budgets.

Featured Image Credit: Photo by Gabriel Benois; Unsplash – Thank you!

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The Future of BCAA Supplements: Exploring Private Label Manufacturing https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2023/12/the-future-of-bcaa-supplements-exploring-private-label-manufacturing.html/ Mon, 11 Dec 2023 23:44:30 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=64632 The popularity of the healthy lifestyle concept is gaining momentum, attracting an increasing number of enthusiasts. Maintaining health and appearance is not as challenging as it may seem at first glance. In stores and on the internet, you can find a large variety of sports nutrition and various supplements to more carefully take care of […]

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The popularity of the healthy lifestyle concept is gaining momentum, attracting an increasing number of enthusiasts. Maintaining health and appearance is not as challenging as it may seem at first glance. In stores and on the internet, you can find a large variety of sports nutrition and various supplements to more carefully take care of the body’s health and nourish it with essential micronutrients.

BCAA amino acids are considered one of the most common types of sports nutrition. The synthesis of complex proteins and protein depends on amino acids, which are essential not only for athletes but also for ordinary people. Unfortunately, the human body does not produce BCAA on its own, and it can only be obtained from food. It is important to understand that if the diet is inadequate or a person follows a specific diet, it is necessary to take dietary supplements to replenish the deficiency.

Private label BCAA manufacturing is a profitable solution for the sports nutrition business. The popularity of amino acids is growing every year, increasing the demand for the product.

What is private label manufacturing?

Private label manufacturing dietary supplements is an opportunity to have a stable income, improve reputation, and increase the popularity of your products. Often, many entrepreneurs in the health food industry are hesitant to create their own brand due to a lack of knowledge in marketing and technologies.

Contract manufacturing services are an excellent solution for:

  • People who want to establish a successful business in the field of dietary supplements.
  • Entrepreneurs who want to improve and increase consumer demand by expanding the range of sports nutrition and dietary supplements.
  • Those working in the sports industry who wish to introduce their own product to the market.

The Science Behind BCAA Supplements

BCAA dietary supplements are a blend of branched-chain amino acids, primarily consisting of valine, isoleucine, and leucine. Typically, athletes use the supplement to enhance endurance and increase muscle growth rate. Amino acids also contribute to reducing fatigue during prolonged workouts and aid in weight reduction. BCAA contains substances that serve as building blocks, without which protein generation would be impossible. The supplement is one of the most essential for humans because the amino acids in its composition cannot be produced independently by the body.

The breakdown of BCAA occurs not in the liver, as with similar micronutrients, but in muscle tissues. Thanks to this, branched-chain amino acids provide the opportunity to generate additional energy during physical activity. In addition to this, BCAA performs functions in the body such as:

  • Regulation of blood sugar levels and its use for energy production.
  • Generation of protein and building blocks for muscle mass growth.
  • Reduction of fatigue during physical activity by reducing serotonin production in the brain.

Leucine, according to medical research, has the most significant impact on the generation of building blocks and protein, while valine and isoleucine affect energy production and blood sugar control.

BCAA supplements help:

  • Reduce fatigue. Regular intake of amino acids will help reduce physical and mental fatigue. Scientists have found that this applies not only to people professionally engaged in sports.
  • Reduce muscle pain levels. Pain sensations after dynamic workouts will be less noticeable when taking supplements. It is worth noting that the effectiveness of reducing muscle pain also depends on the individual’s gender and daily protein intake.
  • Increase muscle mass. Amino acids allow activating the production of an enzyme responsible for gaining muscle mass.
  • Lower blood sugar levels. Leucine and isoleucine influence the reduction of blood sugar by increasing insulin production and using more blood sugar for energy generation.
  • Reduce body weight. The branched-chain amino acid network helps prevent weight gain and accelerates the process of losing fat tissues.
  • Reduce the risk of complications in liver diseases. Studies have shown that BCAA amino acids help normalize sleep, reduce fatigue, and eliminate muscle spasms in people with liver diseases.

Advantages of Private Label BCAA Manufacturing

Awareness of the benefits of a healthy lifestyle has led to a significant increase in demand for various dietary supplements. Private label BCAA manufacturing offers businesses the opportunity to create a product without the hassle of production.

The main advantages of creating a private label supplement include:

  • Quality Supplements: Adherence to strict standards and modern equipment ensures the production of high-quality products.
  • Cost-Effectiveness: Entrepreneurs can save a substantial amount compared to establishing their own facility. There is no need to invest in equipment, manage production, or study all technological processes.
  • Quick Turnaround: Developing a batch takes an average of one month, allowing for the efficient and rapid release of your own dietary supplements.
  • Flexibility: Contract manufacturing services include product development and packaging tailored to the customer’s requests.
  • Compliance with Standards: All supplements are produced in accordance with international norms. An expert team closely monitors safety and stays informed about all requirements for product creation.

The Process of Private Label Manufacturing

Small and medium-sized companies often use contract manufacturing of dietary supplements to create private label products. Creating a production line is a complex and costly process, which is not always advantageous for entrepreneurs. Therefore, expanding the product range and creating new products is possible through contract manufacturing.

The process of creating products involves several important stages:

  1. Selecting a Suitable Manufacturer: After choosing a suitable manufacturer, the client creates a technical specification containing all the necessary information for the experts to work with.
  1. Developing Supplement Formulas: Creating a new product according to the client’s request.
  1. Obtaining Approved Raw Materials: Working with trusted suppliers allows for quick changes and improvements to formulas without stopping the technological process.
  1. Creating and Testing Prototypes: It is essential to test the developed product and ensure its safety and effectiveness.
  1. Developing Packaging for the Supplement: Visual appeal is crucial for customers when first encountering a product, and packaging plays a significant role in their decision to purchase.
  1. Preparing Technical Documentation and Gathering Necessary Documents: The product must obtain all required quality certificates.

Choosing the Right Private Label BCAA Manufacturer

Selecting a reliable BCAA manufacturing partner is one of the most crucial stages for an entrepreneur. It is essential to consider factors that will help make the right choice:

  • Production Capabilities: Modern factory equipment allows for the rapid and high-quality production of the required quantity of developed products.
  • Certifications and Compliance with Regulatory Requirements: Confidence in the supplement’s quality comes with having all necessary documents confirming the product’s safety and effectiveness.
  • Raw Materials: Only high-quality materials from reliable suppliers can guarantee the creation of a supplement that will be in demand in the market.
  • Professionalism of Experts: The skills and knowledge of specialists directly influence the development of unique product formulas that will stand out from competitors and guarantee their effectiveness.

Conclusion

Private label BCAA manufacturing is an excellent solution for small and medium-sized businesses. It helps expand potential and create a product that will meet demand. The contract manufacturing team of professionals can develop a unique supplement formula in a short time, adhering to all quality standards.

Designers create packaging based on customer preferences and global trends. Technologists not only develop the supplement formula but also control the production process. All processes for creating the product are under the observation of specialists familiar with the intricacies of production. By collaborating with a reliable contract manufacturer, you can be confident that the final product will meet all stated requirements.

 

Featured image provided by Nataliya Vaitkevich; Pexels; Thanks!

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Taylor Swift Explodes UMG’s Revenue https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2023/10/taylor-swift-explodes-umgs-revenue.html/ Thu, 26 Oct 2023 18:47:16 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=64480 The third quarter of this year saw a significant increase in revenue for Universal Music Group thanks to the phenomenon that is Taylor Swift. Swift’s latest album, “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version),” not only smashed sales records, but also created new milestones in the history of recorded music. In this article, we’ll look at how Swift’s […]

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The third quarter of this year saw a significant increase in revenue for Universal Music Group thanks to the phenomenon that is Taylor Swift. Swift’s latest album, “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version),” not only smashed sales records, but also created new milestones in the history of recorded music. In this article, we’ll look at how Swift’s fame has affected Universal Music Group’s bottom line, as well as how the label is using artificial intelligence (AI) and other technologies to improve the streaming economy for musicians.

Swift’s Explosive Popularity

The success, fame, and rise to fame of Taylor Swift have been nothing short of phenomenal. Swift made history when she released “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version),” making her the first female artist to simultaneously have four albums in the Top 10 of the Billboard 200. This feat hasn’t been accomplished since the Beatles had three albums with songs in the Top 10 at the same time. During an investor call, Lucian Grainge, chairman and chief executive officer of Universal Music, praised Swift for the significant impact she has had on the music business.

Swift’s “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” will be released on Friday, and it’s expected to continue her run of success. The release of this album is sure to boost sales for Universal Music Group. Swift’s longevity and ability to captivate listeners have made her a priceless asset to the record company.

Increasing Streaming’s Financial Viability

In addition to cashing in on Swift’s popularity, Universal Music Group is working to enhance the streaming industry’s economics. The company’s goal is to develop a strategy that is more artist-centric, guaranteeing that creators will be compensated fairly for their efforts. This was made possible through a ground-breaking agreement between Universal Music and the French music streaming service Deezer. The aim of this agreement is to reduce the influence of “noise” on royalty distribution while rewarding artists who successfully attract and engage with fans through increased song streams.

Universal Music Group is leading the way in the music industry’s adoption of technology by working closely with YouTube. The company is investigating the potential of artificial intelligence to boost musical creativity by teaming up with YouTube on a Music AI Incubator. Universal Music Group is working closely with YouTube to create opportunities and solutions that prioritize artists’ rights and compensation, in contrast to previous instances where the music community had to navigate the release of new technologies without a clear business model.

Economic Results

The success of Taylor Swift and the company’s strategic initiatives paid off for Universal Music Group in the third quarter. There was a 3.3% increase in quarterly revenue to $2.75 billion ($2.9 billion) from the previous year. The company’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) increased by 5.1% to a total of 581 million euros.

Universal Music Group’s quarterly revenue increased by nearly 10% in constant currency, and the company’s adjusted EBITDA increased by 11.3%. However, EBITDA for the quarter dropped by 11.3% to 478 million Euros due primarily to 103 million Euros in non-cash share-based compensation expenses.

The Revenue Pie Chart

Consider the following segmentation of Universal Music Group’s revenue:

Commercial Disc Sales

Total sales of recorded music, including both physical and digital formats, amounted to 2 billion Euros during the period. This is a drop of 1.1% from last year, but it’s important to remember that the streaming industry still managed to post impressive growth. In the most recent quarter, subscription revenue grew by 6.7% to more than 1 billion Euros. But because of the soft advertising market, the income from free streaming services that rely on advertisements fell by 1.4%.

Putting Out Music

The music publishing industry saw a substantial revenue increase of 17.5%, to 491 million euros. The increasing need for music licensing and the catalog’s enduring appeal have contributed to this growth for Universal Music Group.

Product Sales

The increase in revenue at Universal Music Group was driven in part by a 20.1% surge in merchandise sales to 227 million euros. This growth is likely attributable to the popularity of artists like Taylor Swift, who enjoy devoted fan bases that are eager to spend money on their merch.

Popular Items

The wide variety of UMG’s signed artists is largely responsible for the label’s success. Taylor Swift, Seventeen, Morgan Wallen, Olivia Rodrigo, and King & Prince were among the best-selling artists in the third quarter. These musicians are well-liked because of their consistent, high-quality output that appeals to listeners all over the world.

See first source: Reuters

FAQ

1. How has Taylor Swift’s latest album, “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version),” impacted Universal Music Group’s revenue?

Taylor Swift’s album “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)” significantly boosted Universal Music Group’s revenue in the third quarter. Her success has played a pivotal role in the label’s financial performance.

2. What notable achievement did Taylor Swift accomplish with her album “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)”?

Taylor Swift made history by becoming the first female artist to simultaneously have four albums in the Top 10 of the Billboard 200. This achievement hasn’t been seen since the Beatles had three albums with songs in the Top 10 at the same time.

3. How is Universal Music Group working to improve the streaming industry’s economics?

Universal Music Group is striving to create a more artist-centric streaming industry, ensuring fair compensation for creators. They have entered into an agreement with Deezer to reduce the influence of “noise” on royalty distribution and reward artists who engage with fans through increased song streams.

4. How is Universal Music Group collaborating with YouTube to advance the music industry’s technology adoption?

Universal Music Group is working closely with YouTube on a Music AI Incubator, exploring the potential of artificial intelligence to enhance musical creativity. They aim to prioritize artists’ rights and compensation, unlike previous instances where new technologies lacked a clear business model.

5. What were the economic results for Universal Music Group in the third quarter?

In the third quarter, Universal Music Group reported a 3.3% increase in revenue to $2.75 billion. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) also increased by 5.1% to 581 million euros.

6. Who were some of the best-selling artists for Universal Music Group in the third quarter?

Some of the best-selling artists for Universal Music Group in the third quarter included Taylor Swift, Seventeen, Morgan Wallen, Olivia Rodrigo, and King & Prince. These artists have gained popularity due to their consistent, high-quality music that resonates with audiences worldwide.

Featured Image Credit: Raphael Lovaski; Unsplash – Thank you!

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McDonald’s: No More Self-Serve Soft Drinks https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2023/09/mcdonalds-no-more-self-serve-soft-drinks.html/ Thu, 14 Sep 2023 18:32:38 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=64341 In a recent announcement, McDonald’s, the Chicago-based fast food chain, revealed plans to eliminate self-service soda stations at all its restaurants in the United States by 2032. This decision comes as part of McDonald’s efforts to enhance customer experience and ensure consistency across its various offerings, including in-person dining, online delivery, and drive-thru options. While […]

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In a recent announcement, McDonald’s, the Chicago-based fast food chain, revealed plans to eliminate self-service soda stations at all its restaurants in the United States by 2032. This decision comes as part of McDonald’s efforts to enhance customer experience and ensure consistency across its various offerings, including in-person dining, online delivery, and drive-thru options. While the company has not specified whether this change will extend to its locations outside the U.S., it marks a significant shift in how customers will access their beverages at McDonald’s.

McDonald’s Plans to Eliminate Self-Service Soda Stations

The Decision and Its Implications

McDonald’s USA confirmed its intention to remove self-service soda machines in an email to The Associated Press. By doing so, the company aims to create a standardized experience for customers and crew members across its entire chain. This move is part of McDonald’s broader strategy to streamline operations and ensure consistency in its service offerings.

Consistency for Customers and Crew Members

By eliminating self-service soda stations, McDonald’s seeks to provide a more uniform experience for customers, regardless of the location they visit. This change will help maintain brand standards and ensure that patrons receive the same level of service and quality at any McDonald’s restaurant they choose.

Transitioning to Behind-the-Counter Soda Machines

While self-service soda machines have been a staple at McDonald’s for years, the company plans to replace them with behind-the-counter soda machines. This shift is already underway in select McDonald’s locations across the country. Behind-the-counter machines are not new to the fast food industry, as other chains have already adopted this setup.

Factors Influencing the Decision

McDonald’s has not explicitly stated the factors that influenced its decision to eliminate self-service soda stations. However, it is likely that several considerations played a role, including financial considerations, sanitation concerns, and the need to adapt to changing consumer preferences.

Changing Consumer Behavior

Over the years, consumer behavior has evolved, with a notable acceleration during the COVID-19 pandemic. More customers are opting for digital and online delivery sales, leading fast food chains to adapt their operations accordingly. McDonald’s decision to eliminate self-service soda stations aligns with these shifting preferences and the company’s focus on enhancing its drive-thru and delivery capabilities.

McDonald’s Digital Sales Surge

McDonald’s has experienced a surge in digital sales, comprising app, delivery, and kiosk purchases. These digital sales accounted for nearly 40% of the chain’s systemwide sales during the second quarter of 2023. The company’s revenue rose by 14% to $6.5 billion during this period, exceeding analysts’ expectations. McDonald’s success in the digital space reflects its ability to meet changing consumer demands and leverage technology to drive sales.

Phasing Out Self-Service Soda: A Closer Look

Locations in Illinois Leading the Transition

According to The State Journal-Register, McDonald’s locations in Illinois have already begun phasing out self-service soda stations. This strategic move serves as a testing ground for the company’s broader plan to transition away from self-service machines. By piloting the change in specific locations, McDonald’s can gather valuable insights and make any necessary adjustments before implementing the new system nationwide.

Other Fast Food Chains Already Utilizing Behind-the-Counter Machines

While McDonald’s is known for its self-service soda stations, other fast food chains have already embraced behind-the-counter soda machines. These machines, operated by crew members, provide customers with their preferred beverages without the need for self-service. McDonald’s decision to adopt this approach aligns the company with industry trends and fosters consistency within the fast food landscape.

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Uptick in Digital and Online Delivery Sales

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted consumer behavior, accelerating the adoption of digital and online delivery sales. As customers sought contactless options and convenience, fast food chains like McDonald’s had to adapt their operations to meet these shifting demands. The decision to eliminate self-service soda stations reflects McDonald’s commitment to staying relevant and catering to evolving customer preferences.

Enhancing Drive-Thrus and Strengthening Delivery Partnerships

To meet the increased demand for drive-thru and delivery services, McDonald’s and other fast food chains have invested in enhancing their drive-thru capabilities and strengthening partnerships with food delivery apps. By prioritizing these channels, McDonald’s can provide customers with a seamless and convenient experience, ensuring they can access their favorite McDonald’s meals with ease.

McDonald’s Financial Performance

Digital Sales Contribution

McDonald’s digital sales, including app, delivery, and kiosk purchases, have played a significant role in the company’s financial performance. During the second quarter of 2023, these digital sales accounted for nearly 40% of McDonald’s systemwide sales. This success demonstrates the effectiveness of McDonald’s digital strategy and its ability to adapt to changing consumer preferences.

Revenue Growth and Exceeding Expectations

McDonald’s reported a 14% increase in revenue, reaching $6.5 billion during the second quarter of 2023. This growth surpassed analysts’ expectations, showcasing the company’s resilience and ability to navigate challenging market conditions. The strong financial performance reflects the positive reception and adoption of McDonald’s digital initiatives, including its focus on drive-thru and delivery services.

Moderating Price Increases in the Future

While McDonald’s has benefited from price increases in recent quarters, the company expects these increases to moderate as inflation rates stabilize. During McDonald’s Q2 earnings call, Chief Financial Officer Ian Borden highlighted the potential future moderation of price increases. This projection indicates that McDonald’s will continue to focus on maintaining affordability for its customers while navigating market dynamics.

See first source: NBC

FAQ

1. Why is McDonald’s planning to eliminate self-service soda stations?

McDonald’s aims to eliminate self-service soda stations to create a standardized and consistent experience for customers and crew members across all its locations in the United States. This move is part of McDonald’s broader strategy to streamline operations and ensure consistency in its service offerings.

2. How will McDonald’s replace self-service soda stations?

McDonald’s plans to replace self-service soda stations with behind-the-counter soda machines. This transition is already underway in select McDonald’s locations across the country.

3. What factors influenced McDonald’s decision to eliminate self-service soda stations?

While McDonald’s has not explicitly stated the factors behind its decision, it is likely influenced by financial considerations, sanitation concerns, and the need to adapt to changing consumer preferences.

4. How does this decision align with changing consumer behavior?

The decision aligns with changing consumer behavior, particularly the increased preference for digital and online delivery sales. McDonald’s is focusing on enhancing its drive-thru and delivery capabilities to cater to these shifting preferences.

5. What percentage of McDonald’s systemwide sales do digital sales account for, and how has this impacted the company’s financial performance?

During the second quarter of 2023, digital sales, including app, delivery, and kiosk purchases, accounted for nearly 40% of McDonald’s systemwide sales. This contributed to a 14% increase in revenue, reaching $6.5 billion, surpassing analysts’ expectations, and showcasing the company’s ability to adapt to changing consumer demands.

6. How are McDonald’s locations in Illinois involved in this transition?

McDonald’s locations in Illinois are leading the transition away from self-service soda stations, serving as a testing ground for the broader plan to implement behind-the-counter soda machines nationwide. This allows McDonald’s to gather insights and make necessary adjustments.

7. What other fast food chains have already adopted behind-the-counter soda machines?

Several other fast food chains have already embraced behind-the-counter soda machines. These machines, operated by crew members, provide customers with their preferred beverages without self-service. McDonald’s decision aligns with industry trends and fosters consistency in the fast food landscape.

8. How did the COVID-19 pandemic impact McDonald’s and its decision to eliminate self-service soda stations?

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of digital and online delivery sales as customers sought contactless and convenient options. McDonald’s and other fast food chains adapted their operations to meet these shifting demands, making the decision to eliminate self-service soda stations in line with evolving customer preferences.

9. What steps has McDonald’s taken to enhance its drive-thru and delivery services?

McDonald’s has invested in enhancing its drive-thru capabilities and strengthening partnerships with food delivery apps to meet the increased demand for drive-thru and delivery services. These efforts aim to provide customers with a seamless and convenient experience.

10. How does McDonald’s plan to handle price increases in the future?

McDonald’s expects that price increases will moderate as inflation rates stabilize. The company aims to maintain affordability for its customers while navigating market dynamics and changes in pricing.

Featured Image Credit: Visual Karsa; Unsplash – Thank you!

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An Entrepreneur’s Elevator Pitch: Four Awesome Examples https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2023/06/an-entrepreneurs-elevator-pitch-four-awesome-examples.html/ Tue, 13 Jun 2023 19:52:59 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=62854 An elevator pitch serves as a poignant and succinct sales bite that is pitched to a client. Short sales – could be done in an elevator. They are warm, to the point, and largely introductory. Think about this as an entrepreneurial sales pitch: Introduce Yourself Get Across Two Points Make a Connection So, let’s break […]

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An elevator pitch serves as a poignant and succinct sales bite that is pitched to a client. Short sales – could be done in an elevator. They are warm, to the point, and largely introductory. Think about this as an entrepreneurial sales pitch:

  • Introduce Yourself
  • Get Across Two Points
  • Make a Connection

So, let’s break down the most effective way to do this for your time, assuming you only have half a minute to get this done.

Starting the Elevator Pitch: Introduce Yourself

To begin, this is where it gets big. Think Sun Tzu, win it before you start. This is done with “the intangibles.” Additionally, think about how you dress, and how you approach the meeting – your voice, and your body language. These are all defining things that will speak volumes without taking any of the floor time. For that reason, when you are dealing with limited stimulus you have no room for nuance. Even the best elevator pitch will leave them feeling you have the same nuance as Wile E. Coyote. It’s too short.

So, introduce yourself with everything you are bringing to the table; good clothes, well-kept, professional mannerisms, a great tone, a bright smile, and a winning attitude. Demeanor can be picked up instantly.

Get Two Points Across

I switched it there, did you notice? The same number of words. The same exact words, a slightly different feel. These are basically reductionist points to the core of what you’re there to do. You are there to make a connection. So, this is just the formality on the page so that they have a reason to meet you, a reason to listen to what you have to say.

Likewise, keep it to the point, but opt for a presentation that lets you show those secret, deeper, more lasting qualities that you want to get across. People won’t remember what you say, but they will remember how you made them feel. Remember that – that’s something you should remember what is said.

Make a Connection

This is the point of the elevator pitch. It’s a segway to a better pitch. But right now you don’t have the benefit to show that. Your job is to be likable and sell them on yourself, via the approach to your chosen points. By making that connection you’ll have an opportunity to either meet or reach out later and seal that connection for future more nuanced opportunities.

If you are in the market for a quick set of ideas, I would look here. However, beyond that, I have opted for what are four ideas for successful elevator pitches you can use.

The Question

Ask the question. Also, qualify the question. Answer the question.

Question:

  • Are you overwhelmed by elevator pitches?

Qualify:

  • You have to convey your message quickly.

Answer:

  • It also means you get to focus on your number one selling point. Know it best, focus on it and you leave little room to go awry.

Include a Shocking Statistic in Your Elevator Pitch

Present an insane statistic. Subvert its necessity. Illuminate.

Insane Statistic:

  • The average person spends 2 hours on a single elevator pitch.

Subvert necessity:

  • The average pitch lasts only about 30 seconds.

Illuminate:

  • It’s better to understand the single point clearly unsteady of overcomplicating an essentially simple thing.

Make Your Elevator Pitch to the Point

Likewise, don’t waste any spare time. Get to the point.

Value:

  • Elevator pitches succinctly put forward your value proposition.

Advantage:

  • This saves time and keeps things efficient.

Feature:

  • You don’t waste time with people who have no interest.

Elevator Pitch Credibility

Put forward your experience. Put forward why you prefer what you do. Why it works.

Experience:

  • I have written a lot of professional pitches and documents.

Preference:

  • You waste a lot of time writing unnecessary words that don’t move the conversation forward.

Why it Works:

  • You’re going to be saving a lot of time, highlighting and improving the fewer lines you have. What you are left with will be better and receive less divided attention.

To conclude, the elevator pitch is a good way of boiling down a factor to its pure essence. Avoiding all the long-winded jargon and unnecessary formalities to get to the point of the pitch and the outcome sooner.

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How to Grow as an E-Commerce Business https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2023/05/how-to-grow-as-an-e-commerce-business.html/ Wed, 24 May 2023 10:00:45 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=63998 The e-commerce world has come a long way since consumers considered it a novelty to order books online. Now, shoppers have everything from mugs to mattresses at their fingertips. So, for the retailers on the other end, the possibilities are similarly limitless. E-commerce did away with the expense of operating a physical location, greatly reducing […]

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The e-commerce world has come a long way since consumers considered it a novelty to order books online. Now, shoppers have everything from mugs to mattresses at their fingertips. So, for the retailers on the other end, the possibilities are similarly limitless. E-commerce did away with the expense of operating a physical location, greatly reducing the barriers to business entry. Anyone with a great idea stands a chance of — eventually — achieving online retail success.

Just as with any other business model, growth is the ultimate goal when it comes to e-commerce. Yet it can often be a challenging and complex process to achieve it. Too few visitors to a website may result in lower-than-projected sales, or perhaps it’s the lack of credibility-boosting customer testimonials that are dampening conversion rates.

Luckily, online retailers can implement multiple strategies to help overcome these challenges and grow their companies steadily over time. If you’re looking to jumpstart the growth of your e-commerce business, here are some tips to get you there:

1. Beef Up Your Online Presence

Almost by definition, an e-commerce business requires a compelling online presence in order to succeed. If yours is falling short, you’ll need to improve your online presence in ways that grab your target audience’s attention. Your website needs to be user-friendly, easy to navigate, and responsive to keep your customers engaged when browsing through your online store.

Having a well-designed website that is visually appealing and consistent with your brand image is an important step in forming a good first impression with potential customers. Additionally, your website should be optimized for search engines by using relevant keywords in your content, meta tags, and descriptions. Following SEO best practices will help your e-commerce store rank higher in search engine results pages so your target customers can find you.

Another powerful tool that can be used to boost online presence is social media. Consistent posting on platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Twitter lets you build brand awareness. It also engages with your target audience and promotes your products.  To further enhance your efforts and ensure your offerings meet customer needs, implementing product market fit strategies can significantly refine how you align your products with market demand, optimizing both reach and impact.

2. Leverage the Power of Customer Reviews

Customer reviews are a powerful marketing tool that can be used to grow your e-commerce business organically. Positive reviews from other consumers can increase your credibility and encourage prospective customers to buy products from your business.

To make those reviews more visible, you can feature your customer reviews and testimonials directly on your website and social media accounts. You’ll also attract consumers who see rave reviews of your business on third-party review sites. These can include sites such as Google, Trustpilot, and Yelp.

To encourage your customers to write reviews for your business, you can offer incentives such as discounts or free products in exchange for a review. Or you can ask satisfied customers to write testimonials that you post on your website.

3. Find the Right Partner

There are many different aspects of running an e-commerce business, such as web design, content creation, digital marketing, fulfillment, and customer support. It’s difficult, if not impossible, to do everything all by yourself — especially if you want each of these tasks to be done well. That’s when it’s important to look for a partner.

If you’re in the direct-to-consumer product space, a DTC accelerator like Boomn is one strategic partner option. The company has a proven process that can help your business scale, from customer acquisition modeling to inventory forecasting and management. Rather than outsourcing various business tasks piecemeal, you gain comprehensive support that will spur the growth of your e-commerce business.

4. Use Paid Advertising Strategically

An attractive, easy-to-use website loaded with relevant content and customer testimonials will help draw organic traffic. Sometimes, however, those efforts will need a boost. Paid advertising can be an effective strategy to help drive traffic to your website and increase your sales. However, you need to use it strategically to get the best results possible for your business.

Tailor your ads to your ideal customer demographic, using relevant keywords to attract your target audience. It’s also important to test out different ad formats, such as text ads, display ads, and video ads to see which ones perform best with your desired customer base. Keep track of your ad performance over time and adjust your strategy based on your clickthrough rates, impressions, and conversion rates.

5. Focus on Customer Experience

Once you’ve attracted online shoppers, managing the customer experience aspect of your business is a critical step to take to promote the success of your venture. You need to make sure that your customers are satisfied with their purchase and that their overall experience with your business is a positive one.

Customer service software platforms like Help Scout can streamline your communications with your customers, whether they contact you via email, live chat, or text. Such tools will ensure you’re able to provide purchasers with the proper customer support in a timely and seamless fashion. You can also enhance your customer experience by sending personalized emails, creating a loyalty program, and offering customized recommendations for products or services that complement your customer’s initial purchase.

6. Monitor Your Website Metrics

Monitoring your website performance is essential to understanding the health of your e-commerce business. Tools such as Google Analytics and Kissmetrics will help you keep track of your metrics, revealing things like the number of users, average order value, bounce rate, and customer lifetime value.

By analyzing these metrics, you can gain a better understanding of where your business is performing well and identify areas that need improvement. For example, say you discover that one of your product landing pages has a high bounce rate. You can modify the content and use A/B testing to see whether the changes improve your conversion rate. With the insights you gain by tracking your website metrics, you can optimize your growth strategy accordingly.

Get Going on Growth

While there’s no “one size fits all” solution that will guarantee the growth of your business, these strategies will help you focus on the aspects of your e-commerce business where you may be lacking. By adjusting your strategy based on what you learn, you’ll achieve better business results over time.

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5 Lucrative Ways to Promote Your New Product https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2023/03/5-lucrative-ways-to-promote-your-new-product.html/ Tue, 07 Mar 2023 17:51:40 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=63391 Coming up with a new idea for a product is challenging. Perhaps even more so, however, is thinking of an effective way to promote it. This way, it reaches the pool of customers you intended it to reach. Your new product or service could be the best around, but if you don’t promote it and […]

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Coming up with a new idea for a product is challenging. Perhaps even more so, however, is thinking of an effective way to promote it. This way, it reaches the pool of customers you intended it to reach. Your new product or service could be the best around, but if you don’t promote it and market it effectively, your business is not going to be as efficient and your product is never going to reach its full potential. Outlined below are 5 unique ways to promote your product to ensure it stands out from the crowd.

Introductory offers

Don’t simply announce your product as it is; give it a special introductory offer. This could take many forms such as initial discounted pricing, a buy one get one free deal, or a reduced rate when it comes with a bundle or package. The key here, however, is to emphasize to the customer that this is a limited-time offer; it will instill in them a sense of necessity to buy the product.

Showcase your product through webinars

Many companies will ask:

What is a webinar, and how can we utilize them to promote a product?”

A webinar is an exclusively virtual event where companies can showcase and promote their product while interacting with their customers in real time. They are a great way to show off your expertise and promote your product efficiently to a global audience.

Social media contests

Run a social media contest on Facebook or Instagram which will allow some of your followers to be the first to get their hands on your exciting new product. This is a great way to engage with your audience and keep them hooked on your products.

Market your business in general

A great way to promote your new product is to showcase your business as a whole. Share your previous customer reviews, and essentially allow your customers to promote your products for you. You can also ask them to write an online review of the new product or provide material for a testimonial – more positive reviews will attract more customers.

Social media advertising

With platforms often having up to 1 billion daily active users, social media is a great way to reach potential customers all across the globe.

This form of advertising allows you to target an incredibly specific type of individual based on factors like their interests. This means you can guarantee you’ll be reaching the sort of consumer who will more than likely purchase your product.

Effective product promotion

The most effective way to promote your new product or service will be entirely contingent on what channels your audience frequents and what their online behaviors are. Despite this, you should utilize a variety of platforms, promoting your product across all of these.

This can ensure that your brand and product reach not just as many people as possible, but also the consumers who are likely to want to purchase your product, whom you can convert into customers. Utilize the methods above in order to do this. Interact with your audience in such a way that convinces them your product or service is worth their time and money.

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Five Reasons Your First, Entry Level Job Should Be in Sales https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2023/02/five-reasons-your-first-entry-level-job-should-be-in-sales.html/ Fri, 17 Feb 2023 20:19:50 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=62926 For the recent graduate just coming out of college, one of the biggest stressors is finding a job in the career field they want and find interesting. Many times, an entry level job gives you a foot in the door to something bigger at a company. Other times, it is a stepping stone on your […]

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For the recent graduate just coming out of college, one of the biggest stressors is finding a job in the career field they want and find interesting. Many times, an entry level job gives you a foot in the door to something bigger at a company. Other times, it is a stepping stone on your career journey. Whether you’re interested in sales, or just looking for a job to tie you over until you can find your dream job, there are many reasons why you should consider an entry level sales job when job hunting.

Reasons for Entry Level Jobs in Sales

1. Universal Skillset

Regardless of where you wind up, selling is universal. Even think about the interview process. Where else can you get a job that pays you to prepare for your next job? Even if that is in a completely different industry. Sales is essentially the art of targeted communication – clear and concise, etc.

These are skills that you can take to any event at any level. Communication is quite literally the most universal skill. And command over communication is one of the most universally priceable skills. While salesmanship is largely rooted in a deep understanding of the product, the product of the sale is rarely the product. The product of the sale is the subject of the sale. The human you are selling to.

If sales are the communication then the words are the topic and the person is the page, read and rewritten. Selling is a skill set that can have any of your future efforts or endeavors sublimated upon it and it will continue to serve you. Like marketing it is a set of skills that function regardless of medium. That makes it a great place to start.

2. Low Barrier of Entry

Sales are often seen as fast-moving, high-stress positions. While there are elements of this that are true, it would be more apt to deem that sales are a metric-driven position that come into focus based on their achievement. This means that it comes down to one simple thing: can you do the job?

If you can, you’re in. Forget the degree. Forget the experience. This gives people who took a path that offered them little money or are not fortunate to have come from the abundant opportunity to work and create abundance for themselves.

It should be noted, however, that this makes the application process far more rigorous as many applicants apply for these roles. Starting in a lower-tier cold-calling position can open this up. Additionally, the interview process is additionally very rigorous and serves as a very, very critical point. Meaning that it can make or break the applicant’s good or bad application.

3. High Ceiling

Sales offer one thing that a lot of jobs do not: a near-limitless ceiling. Sales positions are skill sets like any other, however, in a more juvenile metaphor they are a technique of coloring, not a particular medium of coloring. This means you can throw off the skin of an insurance salesman, and move to software, and eventually, high-grade medical equipment. Sales positions offer ample height in their cash ceiling. And offer work in multiple industries across the marketplace.

Sales also serve as the bedfellow of business operations. That means that if you ever wanted to truly remove your ceiling altogether you can take those skills there. And if you do in fact prove more apt at selling than you are at management or business strategy there is always a slot for you to return to… and likely beat out a sales rep hopeful that did not jump into the field earlier.

4. Teaching Motivation and Self-Starting

Sales teams are ultimately their own island. To keep the poor metaphors rolling. Sales would have you as an island in an archipelago. An island, – but not really. What sales positions do relay to the individual is a staunch appreciation for driving their own schedule and meeting their own metrics.

This confers responsibility and internal motivation. Additionally, learning skills of how to take rejection in stride and keep rolling along. These are elements of individual character that like sales training, can be carried through life. Incidentally making the approach to proper sales an approach to best living a healthy life.

5. No Loss From Experience

Sales skills are universal. There is a low barrier to entry. They can be taken to any industry. The skills can help you with elements of selling yourself in life. They have an insanely high monetary ceiling. They can impart deep life lessons. Many companies are hiring for these positions right now – even in the worst of economic times.

There is not any recognizable loss from the experience of entry level sales jobs- save if you were to spend that time learning one of the other three metrics of economics – either advertisement or production. Both are diametric to sales, with even advertisements sharing much crossover. Regardless, sales stand as one of the three pillars that drive any economy and are necessary for any individual looking to make themselves a fully realized person and an unadulterated master of business.

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10 Habits of Top Sales Performers https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2023/01/10-habits-of-top-sales-performers.html/ Tue, 31 Jan 2023 21:15:53 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=62871 Selling is the act of exchange. And like the product itself, the act of selling is what drives the economy. Without the transactions, sales propel the economy would fall apart. Think of the disaster of the COVID-19 pandemic. People were not able to work or buy. Everything screeched to a halt and the world came […]

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Selling is the act of exchange. And like the product itself, the act of selling is what drives the economy. Without the transactions, sales propel the economy would fall apart. Think of the disaster of the COVID-19 pandemic. People were not able to work or buy. Everything screeched to a halt and the world came apart at the seams. Sometimes in sales, you need extra assurance to make sure you’re on the right track. In this article, we will discuss 10 habits of top sales performers. We will look at this and find any undercurrents that are all harnessed and commanded by the world’s best sales performers.

Staying Motivated

This could go for any top performer in any field. It’s an underpinning of success and necessary for any objective completion. Action completes tasks and motivation is the ability to rev up the engine.

Motivation on a goal-oriented mindset allows for the top salesperson to focus-in on the task’s achievement and level up their game accordingly. Served as “the desire to act in service of a goal,” being motivated translates into often relentless action (given the degree of motivation) towards the ascertainment of a given outcome. Being able to stay in this state is what allows for greater completion and thus more tasks being completed over time.

Being Goal-Oriented

If motivation is the hypothetical ability to drive forward, being goal oriented would seat itself as the destination to where you are heading. Motivation is the drive, but that in and of itself will not complete the puzzle. The capability to move does not mean productivity.

The top salespeople set lofty metrics, often both in terms of results and of expectations. Think I will make thirty calls in the next hour, or I will close three deals this week. Regardless of the particular metric in which they work the top sales individual focuses in on mapping a high objective and then working relentlessly toward it.

It is often better to fail at greatness than achieve at middling mediocrity.

Stay Focused

Top sales performers need to hone in on their objective, then be willing to work toward it. If both of these are achievable then the premiere salesperson will need to stay on track until the objective is met.

Focus is the ability to tailor your course to your goal and then shrug off distraction and detraction until the objective is achieved. It can help to take time to break down the bigger goals into readily available and achievable milestones. The point is to find whatever beats you as a salesperson require to stay involved.

Time Management

Another top habit of sales performers is time management, as everything you do in life will require time to complete. Everything. Making your bed, brushing your teeth, and reaching your goal. Feeling existential yet? Not to worry. While each task that is undertaken will require a specified amount of time this also means that the salesperson can allot the time needed to accomplish the task. Likewise, remaining time conscious allows the top salesperson to keep the objective in mind and be mentally available toward its completion.

Surround Yourself with Better Salespeople

Networking is huge. Via the top salesperson’s network, there are mentors, competitors, and potential clients that can all add benefit and status to the aspiring salesperson. Regardless of what the developing individual needs to up their sales acumen, it can be found in the network.

Sales mentors can offer advice. Competitors can push the salesman to dominate the market. Clients offer the saleswoman a chance at honing the craft and potentially closing the sale. Networking is huge for salesmen of all levels. Learning to properly network can be what even land you the deal in the first place.

Reading and Listening

The top salespeople are always concerned with how much information they know. Specifically, in what ways they know can help present them with the information or opportunity to lock in a deal. Listening and reading help the top salespeople know what to do, in potentially pivotal situations before they ever occur.

Many sales professionals have either spoken or written at length about their process, perspective, and nuances that have appeared to them over their tenure in sales. The shrewd sales-minded individual recognizes this and pulls from that pool of knowledge.

Remain Consistent

Often starting something off is deemed the hardest part. This typically holds true for sales. Yet, there is the discipline required to keep production high even after sales numbers begin to take off. The top salespeople are able to maintain a high level of action, motivation, and performance throughout their careers through focus and dedication. Keeping an eye on the level of production is a tip many salespeople advise. This is especially imperative as the sales novice starts down the road to becoming a veteran.

Knowing the Product

One of the top habits of sales performers is also the best advice. What the salesperson is selling can vary greatly, and while there are many philosophical outtakes to help a general sell-all mentality there is no makeup for knowing the thing that is being sold. The top salespeople on any given product need to have a thorough enough grasp on the thing and system in which they are selling to answer whatever questions a potential buyer may address.

Understanding the common thoughts, typical questions, and their frequency as well as the common woes of the individual on the opposite end of the sale allows for great closing rates among the top sales professionals. This also can offer insight into what areas of the product they should understand most thoroughly.

Persistence

In essence, persistence combines motivation, focus, consistency, and passion. There is no remedy for persistence. Passion is persistence’s best bedfellow. Passion and persistence make sales.

Persistence will often close whatever deal the top salesperson is facing largely off the point that no is not an operable answer until it is the only answer. Not conceding until necessary is an often unbecoming aspect of the typical salesman, but absolutely critical to a goal-oriented, top sales focus.

Mentality

Finally, the last top habit of sales performers is perspective. The lens through which you see the circumstances inform how you may address the world. By tailoring sales to produce agency, the top salesperson can put him or herself in a place where they are ready to look on to the next sale. Whether previously met with triumph or defeat, a strong mind creates the top salesperson’s most versatile weapon.

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Conversation Starters That The Best Sales Teams Use https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2023/01/conversation-starters-that-the-best-sales-teams-use.html/ Fri, 13 Jan 2023 18:38:05 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=62850 We all appreciate sales. Sales are what drive the economy and push the economy forward. Most often the act of selling is as pivotal to the sale as the product itself, and in a highly competitive market, a good salesperson can make all the difference. Conversation starters in sales and overall starting that conversation is […]

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We all appreciate sales. Sales are what drive the economy and push the economy forward. Most often the act of selling is as pivotal to the sale as the product itself, and in a highly competitive market, a good salesperson can make all the difference. Conversation starters in sales and overall starting that conversation is the hardest part.

First impressions can color the rest of the relationship between individuals, companies, or even more transiently, experiences. The best sales teams are often the ones that feature the best opener. Let’s look at some of the best conversation starters in sales and break down exactly what makes them so solid.

“What motivated you to meet with us?”

Get to the point. Keep sales short and sweet. Figure out why they are there and what they are looking for. In the sales world, there is this idea that you are trying to convince someone of something they don’t want to do. Or rather that you are manipulating them into acquiring something they either don’t want or don’t need.

By informing the prospect of what your position is upfront you establish the baseline. Ask them what they are looking for. More often than not it isn’t that the prospect will not buy, but rather that you have them on the wrong product. You will wind up wasting time and energy on someone who is not in the market for what you have to offer. This works in relationships, in business, and in recreational or committee meetings.

By establishing what you are and being steadfast and concrete in that, you earn the respect of being honest, upfront, straightforward and fair. It makes the prospect feel like they can trust you. After all, they are looking to buy something. They are in the market talking to you already. Your job is to figure out why they’re there and to do that, you need to keep them talking.

“What are we trying to accomplish here today?”

Again you need to establish the baseline. Being a smart salesman involves the mindset of getting to the goal, but more so eliciting that out of who you are talking to. You need to have all the ideas of what you want to sell them, created remotely in their own head. Do not hit them with overuse of data or analytics. This is good in reputing yourself as an expert, but if you are already understood to be one you need to keep it moving toward a point of being goal driven based on their predilections and their individual needs.

“Where do you want to be?”

Whatever you have you need to be able to convince your client or customer that what you have; either abilities or products can take them from where they are today. A state of duress, anger, and opportunity-driven immobilization, to one that they picture themselves. You do not give them the vision. The smart customer views that as selling and being sold makes them weary. Trust that they already have a vision in their head that is far closer to where they want to be – one vision that you could never know and all you have to do is get them thinking about that. Get them thinking, and keep them talking.

“Where are those problems for you?”

One of the great conversation starters in sales is asking what spurs someone to action. What could motivate someone to leave a state of rest and venture out into an arduous risky landscape? The presence of a problem. What makes relationships dissolve? The presence of a problem. What gets someone willing to part ways with their valuable assets? The removal of a problem. This presents an opportunity.

Your job is to sell the alleviation to that problem by having the remedy you create value. And by creating value you are worthy of doing business with. This is where capability comes into play. By being an expert or coming off as so, you can secure a lot of that efficacy with mannerisms and professionalism. This is Sun Tzu’s “winning the battle before it begins.” The appearance of expertise is a good way to guarantee trust of capability. This is a really good idea for an article in the future. 😉

“If this meeting could accomplish everything you wanted and needed, what would it look like?”

Sales are all about making the deal work. Using this you get to outline what exactly is going on in the client’s mind and get them to sell themselves an image. And you are the first point of contact and the perceived ticket and alleviation toward that vision. They will tell you.

It gets hard outlines from the client and they will give you clear instructions on how to reach them. You need to have them tell you what they need because that is what they will be paying you for. The most powerful thing any salesman can do is get the client or prospect to sell themselves. After that, it is about being present. As said by many professionals, you need to get the individual talking. Letting them talk, allows them to get comfortable and allows you time to assess and use your brain to acquire information and fetter out what they really want. Then be clear and concise and use that time you aren’t speaking to create a plan for them to reach their goals.

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5 Examples of Creative Small Business Packaging Ideas to Inspire You https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2022/12/5-examples-of-creative-small-business-packaging-ideas-to-inspire-you.html/ Thu, 29 Dec 2022 11:00:02 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=62828 In this market, advertising, as well as position, have become paramount. In some ways, what you sell is not as important as how you sell it, which is why we’re here with some small business packaging ideas. This is the purpose of branding is to create that necessary distinction between you and the person working […]

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In this market, advertising, as well as position, have become paramount. In some ways, what you sell is not as important as how you sell it, which is why we’re here with some small business packaging ideas.

This is the purpose of branding is to create that necessary distinction between you and the person working for that same industry dominance. The brand isn’t what you sell or what service you’re offering. Branding is how you sell it. The nature behind that comes to embody the idea of the company itself.

For a small business however intent on saving money and time, using creativity within the packaging itself is a surefire way to distinguish your identity. There are five ideas a small business can use in its packaging that can give them the edge.

Branded Box

Technically a branded box can be as simple as a logo, stamped on its side. Simple but necessary. This is “the box.” It is the first physical interaction your customer will have with your brand. It captures and notes the pedigree and offers waves in the total product experience.

While the customer orders the product and has some general idea of what to expect the customer rarely has a clue about what to expect with the packaging. By getting this right, the brand itself is taking one last chance to affect the customer’s expectations before the final point of product acquisition. This is very powerful stuff.

Thank You Note / Custom Internal Packaging

While the box’s outside offers a formal introduction to the brand and product, the inside is the point and purpose of the purchase. By branding the internal packaging/tissue, you are offered an opportunity to once again separate your brand.

A thank you note sent with a product offers grounds for a more intimate experience personal to your brand. By presenting what is there as higher, greater, and better. You can often have your product deemed as such. This assists with your product’s merit. When your product is as much your brand as anything else it’s key to keep in mind: packing peanuts are dead.

How the Box is Packed

This offers an entirely different dimension the brand interaction. This is experiential and very low cost. While it may not equate under the “one-size-fits-all” mentality, it offers an edge to the meticulous side of the growing small business.

Just based on how a box is organized, can create an opportunity for an experience for the buyer. It’s the “a-ha moment.” The big reveal. It’s Hitchcock’s bomb under the table. In essence, it’s the first impression after a long point of anticipation. All that build-up hinging on a split-second reveal. The highest and most critical single point in deciding a customer’s feelings on your brand.

This is clear from all the numerous “unboxing videos” brimming across YouTube. Turn the mandatory waiting period from shipping into a weapon at your disposal. Play off of your buyer’s anticipation and excitement and you have an opportunity to turn an impressionable moment into a lifetime of support.

Freebies

A little extra. The transaction is in essence the mobility of value from one entity to another. This is an opportunity to give them that little extra value prematurely. It shows good faith, and if it’s branded properly can serve as a self-contained advertisement put straight into the hands of someone who enjoys your brand. Here are some common freebie ideas:

  • Stickers
  • Magnets
  • Shirts
  • Tote Bag

They all come on their own scale and level, obviously tied to their own cost and presumed benefits. Regardless this offers a guaranteed through line for whatever is decided to be put in that box. The closer it is tied to your brand the more clever, and often more well-received it is.

Fully Custom Packaging

This is it. The full amalgamation of everything. Besides the layout of how the box is organized, this is the only other way to truly craft an experience for your customer. Especially when considering that this is an opportunity that can raise brand standing. Essentially, this is the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. By means of what the box has printed, the materials it is made out of, how it’s laid out for the merchandise to be removed, and so on. Here are several examples a company can play out in fully custom packaging.

  • Brand Colors
  • Packaging Material
  • Packaging Shape
  • Product Layout (which will be removed first)
  • Notes/Freebies/Asides
  • How the Box Opens

And the list goes on for small business packaging ideas. Just as each website has a generally similar design, but remains completely unique in its forte and experience, so is your brand’s packaging. It is an opportunity to play with brand expectations and product and use the presentation to become more in the eyes of your customer than they were expecting possible. All with the built anticipation and elements of subversion and surprise.

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How to Reclaim Revenue by Reducing Customer Cart Abandonment https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2022/12/customer-cart-abandonment.html/ Mon, 19 Dec 2022 11:20:11 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=63008 There are many ways a company can bleed money. From poor customer retention to wasted paper clips, many of the daily activities in the workplace can involve inefficiencies that result in lost revenue. One of the quietest killers of potential profit is an item that often sits, out of sight and out of mind, on […]

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There are many ways a company can bleed money. From poor customer retention to wasted paper clips, many of the daily activities in the workplace can involve inefficiencies that result in lost revenue. One of the quietest killers of potential profit is an item that often sits, out of sight and out of mind, on your e-commerce site. We’re talking about the infamous practice of customer cart abandonment.

How Abandoned Carts Undermine Potential Revenue

Abandoned carts are precisely what they sound like.

They’re the digital equivalent of filling your cart with items at a store, changing your mind about buying your cart’s contents, and walking out without making a purchase.

It’s worth pointing out that, in this case, it’s even worse. It’s much easier to add items to a digital cart, close out a window, and never look back.

It should come as no surprise that abandoned carts are a common issue for online retailers. This is easiest to explain via a retailer’s “abandonment rate.”

Customer Cart Abandonment Rate in Simple Terms

Your abandonment rate reflects the number of carts visitors generate on your site. The abandonment rate compares that to the number of purchases they complete.

For instance, consider if 100 people visit your Etsy site on a given day and create a shopping cart. If 36 of those people complete their purchases, your abandonment rate is 100 – 36 = 64%.

That number may sound high, but Baymard Institute begs to differ. The research organization reports that the average documented abandonment rate for online shopping carts as of August 2022 was 69.99%.

Steering Clear of Making Hasty Assumptions

The good news is that this number doesn’t represent potential customers who have definitively decided not to patronize your brand. On the contrary, there are many reasons for people to abandon carts while online shopping.

Statista lists things like slow delivery, excessive extra costs (like shipping), and the need to create an account as the primary reasons people didn’t cash out in 2022. It isn’t until the fourth reason on the list (just 18% didn’t trust a site with their credit card information) that the issue becomes more connected to specific failures on the part of the retailer.

In other words, in most cases an abandoned cart isn’t a burned bridge. It’s simply a failure to complete a purchase. This naturally implies that, if handled correctly, following up on abandoned carts can be a legitimate (and profitable) source of revenue for an e-commerce company. The question is, how?

Reclaiming Cart Abandonment Income

With so many abandoned carts out there, it’s important to consider multiple ways to reclaim that unrealized cash. Here are some different strategies to consider heading into 2023.

Send abandoned cart emails.

This is one of the most tried and true ways to follow up on an abandoned cart. If a potential customer gives you enough information (including an email address), you can send them an email reminding them about an abandoned cart.

When a shopper is a repeat buyer or an older customer with an account or purchase history with your brand, you can even personalize the message.

Retention.com points out that there are also ways to engage with anonymous cart abandoners. On-site software can collect first-party cookies, allowing you to reach out to unknown website visitors who filled a cart and left it behind.

Fire off a text message.

E-commerce website giant Shopify reports that nearly a third of all U.S. internet users used mobile devices to purchase something every week in 2021. The significant number of mobile shoppers makes text messages a solid alternative to an abandoned cart email.

When a mobile shopper leaves items in their cart in your app or mobile site, sending an SMS notification can be a perfect way to draw them back in. These are quick, subtle messages — and they aren’t seen as spam, either.

Try exit popups.

Abandoned carts are a time-sensitive issue. If someone leaves your site, there’s a good chance that they’re still shopping and want to find a better deal or an easier checkout process. This sense of urgency means the sooner you connect with a customer after they leave a cart, the better.

Exit intent popups allow you to do exactly that — before they even leave your site. These popups trigger when a user is about to leave a website. Hubspot explains that these should include offers or information that can draw potential customers back to their carts, such as a discount or free shipping.

Reclaiming Abandoned Cart Revenue in 2023

Customer cart abandonment revenue should never be an afterthought. It’s a significant source of potential revenue growth for most businesses.

Remember, a consumer who has gone as far as putting an item in a cart is close to being sold. They are much closer to the point of purchase than a new lead. They are far closer even than someone at the beginning of the customer journey.

Make sure to keep this dormant income in mind. Leverage it as you create and adjust your e-commerce strategies for the year ahead.

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Building Your First Sales Team? Here Are Five Things You Need to Know https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2022/12/building-your-first-sales-team-here-are-five-things-you-need-to-know.html/ Tue, 13 Dec 2022 11:00:20 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=62906 Congratulations you made it. You’re a manager now and you need to draft your first team of sales representatives. It’s your first time building a sales team. You put up a job posting and the application’s come in. One candidate is a seasoned Sales Development Representative that has worked a year in this field before. […]

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Congratulations you made it. You’re a manager now and you need to draft your first team of sales representatives. It’s your first time building a sales team. You put up a job posting and the application’s come in. One candidate is a seasoned Sales Development Representative that has worked a year in this field before. However, the details of his leaving that company raise several questions and the hair on the back of your neck. Alternatively, you have a fresh-eyed novice straight out of college with presumed eagerness and ambition, but lacks the field testing in both actionable ability and prolonged persistence in such a role.

How do you do it? Where do you start? What qualities should you look for? What does any of this mean? Oh, man. Don’t worry. Building your first sales team. Here are five things you need to know.

Know Your Goal

This is everything. A team, while it is composed of sentient and autonomous people, it ultimately does serve as an instrument with which a goal may be accomplished. Remember your team can appear for a multitude of reasons; they like the work, they like the company, and they share in your vision. Whatever. Regardless of whatever it may be, they’re going to expect money in their account on a semi-weekly basis.

If your employees don’t care about getting paid then what you might have is a cult and you may be working in the wrong industry. But, if your team is like what I can only hopefully imagine is 99.99% of the rest of the world, they will want money.

This is where you need to keep them to the goal. By knowing what that goal is, you can set up a team that is both passionate about it, and work toward it with some degree of autonomy. Finding people who are passionate about their work is always a good rule of thumb.

Beyond this make sure that they are willing to ascribe to the vision or goal. As well as your individual take and approach to it. Whether that is through their appreciation for the work, pride in the job they do, money that you are paying them, or loyalty you have instilled inside them.

Culture First

This is mapping out one of the intangibles. Company culture precedes any of the work that you will be doing. Anything that comes out of the company will start within that company be it a product, or a service. This is the mentality of the company, and now with a team of your own, you can decide the nature of that team. 

Culture is what will govern your team when you are unable to. You are one person, and at a specific point, your team will begin to drive and furthermore business than you. By hiring based on the culture you can effectively pre-co-sign the decisions of the company. Think about the story of the Three Little Piggies. What you chose to build your house with will in turn have an effect on the ability of that house to reach its specific goal.

Find people that share a common outlook and will easily adopt your goals. By setting the stage with a similar culture and emotional baseline, you can confidently begin to extrapolate to strategy.

Find the Right People

The best part about a sales team and position in the modern age is that they are largely geo-independent. With commonplace technologies of our time salespeople are free to work remotely and more importantly come from anywhere.

As the team builder, this allows you to remove location as a barrier and thus put greater emphasis on elements that are harder to find and target in a team. Attitude, opinions, demeanor. All the little things that go into a culture. You can coach strategy. You cannot coach attitude. Do not be afraid, based on your company’s barriers to reach into unconventional areas to find the team that best suits your company’s lifestyle and demeanor.

This is informed by the goal, which shapes the culture, and the culture ultimately helps set the prerequisite criteria for the qualities and attitude of your team. Look for the things that are the hardest to instill in your community and then partner and cross that with the traits that are the most necessary and most valuable.

Understand Your Hiring Priorities

Your team is an instrument, intended to be set toward a task that it must complete. This means you as the team lead, get to place priorities on making your hire. If you are in a big company there is likely some level of involvement coming down from the top, however, it is your team at the end of the day.

Know what you seek to have around you and work with on a daily basis. For this reason, many people hire for culture over even attitude and attitude over skills. However, if you are in desperate need of action maybe skills take precedence given the time of training and gamble of unclear on the untested’s industry mettle. 

Regardless, having your situation and circumstances clear and your priorities recognized, will better align you with the appropriate people. Whether that be on the basis of culture, outlook, skills, or coachability.

Know the Industry’s Climate

The world is always changing, and always growing. A new piece of technology can revolutionize and change an industry. Likewise, the often subsequent “spiritual death” of another medium can once again, albeit less often, change an industry. In sales understanding, the current market informs how you can best organize your sales team. Sales are about understanding and communicating. Additionally, connecting with people. Specifically the right people in the right way. Your team should be able to understand where the world is at and have a thorough enough understanding of the product and the climate to reach out and connect with the individuals you want to buy into your product. 

Find the right team that can become an inverse mirror of your client. The one that understands and reflects the pain. Yet the team that offers the solution. Find people on your team that are distinct enough in their talents and lifestyle and approach that the team can balance itself out fully and also be enough in tune with each other that they always agree on the baseline and don’t eat each other alive.

The main aspect of recruiting is perspective. Find and connect with people who all agree on what needs to be done but are unique and distinguished enough in their ways they can all bring new solutions to the table to accomplish that.

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What Is Lead Generation Process ? https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2022/12/what-is-lead-generation-process.html/ Thu, 01 Dec 2022 17:19:16 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=62937 It takes every blade of grass to make the meadow green. After all, a company is only as good as its qualified leads, and we’d love to have enough of them. I mean, how can these leads materialize out of thin air? By using a technique known as “lead generation.” But what, exactly, is lead […]

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It takes every blade of grass to make the meadow green. After all, a company is only as good as its qualified leads, and we’d love to have enough of them. I mean, how can these leads materialize out of thin air? By using a technique known as “lead generation.” But what, exactly, is lead generation? As the first and most crucial step in creating a client, we will explain how it is done.

Get ready to learn about the importance of lead generation and process.

What is Lead Generation in Marketing?

Generating leads is the first step in turning potential customers into paying customers by piquing their interest in your product or service. Lead generation involves collecting prospective customers’ contact details (leads) via various means, such as online forums on landing sites.

B2B lead generation is the first step in the sales process for many businesses.

Leads are prospective consumers who have provided contact information to learn more about your business’s offerings via business-to-business marketing. By creating them, B2B companies may better target their marketing efforts and move potential buyers down the sales funnel.

Why is Lead Generation Important?

Every company’s expansion depends on its ability to generate new leads. Focusing on lead quality ensures that your sales teams have access to potential customers that fit your desired customer profile. As a result, conversion-based income rises.

Lead generation is crucial for increasing brand awareness and credibility within your target demographic. A B2B marketing funnel may help you convert casual browsers into serious buyers by guiding them through the stages of the buying process, from awareness to consideration to purchase.

In other words, when it comes time to complete the purchase, they will be more receptive to your sales team’s overtures.

What Does the Lead Generation Process Look Like?

There is more to fixing your issues than just turning to the lead-generating process. It’s structured with an introduction, body, and conclusion. It would help if you did produce not only leads but also make effective use of them. No worries, we’ve got you covered in every way possible.

Identifying a Buyer Persona

It would help if you had a clear picture of your ideal customer before you can begin gathering information for a lead generation campaign. Identifying your ideal customer is the first step in selling a product.

Developing a Lead Generation Medium

Finding your target demographic is the first step in selecting a suitable lead magnet. You may accomplish this goal via the use of several marketing strategies, including but not limited to content, social media, and interactive formats.

Developing a Lead Generation Database

If you don’t know how to follow up on those leads, all you do is pointless. The best way to analyze, sort, and prioritize your leads is to compile all this information in a database.

Qualifying and Scoring Leads

It’s impossible to handle every lead the same. Your leads still need to be qualified and scored, even after you’ve identified your ideal customer. Depending on your situation, you may need to provide more attention to a select few leads. You’ll have more options for reaching out to them this way.

Creating Lead-Ready Channels

To maximize the effectiveness of your marketing initiatives, you must first capture leads via efficient channels. Marketing techniques such as social media (advertising and other lead magnets), landing sites, and so on are all examples of channels to consider.

Invest in an Analytics Engine

You’ll need an analytics engine to keep track of your conversions, so you don’t have to. Identifying the moments in your cycle when you lose the most leads is crucial, even if many of these contacts will not turn into customers.

If you find that a large percentage of your leads are abandoning the sign-up process on your lead form, you may want to try making the form easier to fill out by lowering the number of required fields or adding some interactive elements.

Final Thoughts

Gaining a large number of leads is beneficial, but only high-quality prospects, who are more likely to become paying customers, should be prioritized.

A lot of legwork is involved in evaluating your quality leads, but the payoff is well worth it. Make sure you foster connections with the high-quality leads you’ve found. They will be your clients in the future.

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Why Every Department In Your Organization Needs To Be Customer-Centric https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2022/10/why-every-department-in-your-organization-needs-to-be-customer-centric.html/ Tue, 11 Oct 2022 19:28:08 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=62762 Customer experience expectations keep rising, and consumers have more choices online than ever. Two-thirds of consumers worldwide told one global survey recently that “they’re likely to switch companies for a better digital experience”. That willingness to switch shows that eCommerce and omnichannel retailers need to get CX right, consistently. This way they build customer loyalty […]

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Customer experience expectations keep rising, and consumers have more choices online than ever. Two-thirds of consumers worldwide told one global survey recently that “they’re likely to switch companies for a better digital experience”. That willingness to switch shows that eCommerce and omnichannel retailers need to get CX right, consistently. This way they build customer loyalty and customer-centric practices, and prevent churn.

Because the customer journey now has so many potential touchpoints, having a siloed CX team is no longer enough. Now, the customer experience needs to be a top priority across the organization — not just in the marketing department. Here’s what to consider as you make your company more customer-centric.

Product Teams Need Clarity on What Customers Want

Among the 71% of consumers who switched brands last year. 58% did so for better product quality, per Salesforce’s 2022 State of the Connected Consumer report. Customer centricity starts with knowing what your customers want, why they want it, and how they will use it. Even if the product team has access to the same customer persona data as the marketing team (and if they don’t, they should), deciding what products to build or source is a continual challenge that’s shaped by consumer trends, economic forces, and the quality of the supply chain.

Customer data can help inform product decisions if it’s granular and comprehensive enough. For example, in addition to knowing which existing products have sold well, the product team can use the voice of customer data from product reviews, social media conversations, and customer-service feedback to identify the features customers like and use and those they don’t.

AI-powered demand forecasting tools can help product teams see the details that can separate a winning product from a dud. One demand forecaster recommends testing products that include “20 or 30 customer-centric attributes” as opposed to a handful of merchant-focused attributes, then evaluating their appeal and forecasting demand with an algorithm that identifies the most important attributes to customers. That data can then go back into the algorithm along with the next season’s sales data. It creates more precise product selection and development over time.

Service Teams Need to See Complete Customer Histories

Customer service teams can reduce customer churn, increase loyalty, and even drive revenue. But only if they have the insights they need to deliver the kind of customer-centric service experience consumers expect. The proportion of consumers who say that the experience a company delivers matters as much as the products and services have risen from 80% in 2020 to 88% now, according to Salesforce. When it comes to contacting customer service, that survey found that 83% of customers expect to reach a person immediately. The same number expect one customer service person to solve their complex problems.

When customer service agents have the customer’s purchase and customer-service contact histories available, they can understand the issue faster and save the customer time and frustration explaining that issue. If agents also have support from CS solutions that can analyze that customer data along with product data, they can lead the customers through remote troubleshooting. Or suggest the next steps for resolving the problem without transferring the customer to another person or making them wait on hold. Automated, personalized CS tools can also suggest related products that the agent can offer as upsell or cross-sell options. And the data from each customer service engagement can help those AI/ML tools become increasingly accurate.

UX, Commerce, and Fraud Teams Need Unified Visitor Insights

Understanding what customers do when they visit your website or app is critical to improving CX. There are a number of UX elements to consider. This includes from accessibility and ease of navigation to localization for different markets and personalization for each customer. Two critical areas to focus on are customer recognition and cart abandonment.

Customer recognition is the key to displaying personalized product recommendations and other content. It’s also one of the keys to avoiding false declines during the checkout process. However, the data that supports personalization and the data that drives fraud control aren’t always unified. That can lead to order rejections that undermine the customer’s feeling of being recognized. Ultimately, it can push them to switch companies. For example, in ClearSale’s State of Consumer Attitudes on Ecommerce, Fraud & CX 2021 report, 40% of online shoppers in the U.S., U.K., Mexico, Canada, and Australia said they’d boycott an eCommerce retailer after a false decline. More than a third also said they would complain about the site on social media.

Unifying those data sets, with proper permission, can reduce false declines and improve CX. So it can carefully analyze how customers behave during checkout. Complicated or slow checkout processes pushed 35% of the consumers in the same survey to abandon checkout at least once within the past year. If those shoppers found a competitor with an easier checkout, it’s unlikely they came back to the store with a frustrating checkout experience.

Final Thoughts

Unifying data and making it visible across the organization is important. But making your entire organization more customer-centric requires more than sharing data and insights. There also needs to be a top-down commitment to change. This can include a chief experience officer or similar leader, One who can own the process and connect with different departments and rethink siloed processes and technologies. It’s a long-term process. But, with customer experience expectations and consumers’ willingness to switch companies continuing to rise, it’s an important process to begin now.

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How to Target the Right Audience for Your Baby Clothes Website https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2022/09/how-to-target-the-right-audience-for-your-baby-clothes-website.html/ Mon, 26 Sep 2022 16:22:22 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=62692 Having quality baby clothes and a great, user-friendly website is not enough to start generating revenue. First of all, there needs to be a need for the items you’re selling. Then, you need to employ the right strategies to reach your target audience. So, you need to both have potential buyers and know how to […]

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Having quality baby clothes and a great, user-friendly website is not enough to start generating revenue. First of all, there needs to be a need for the items you’re selling. Then, you need to employ the right strategies to reach your target audience. So, you need to both have potential buyers and know how to appeal to them. If you have a baby clothes website and you are not satisfied with your current strategy to reach new customers, keep reading to learn about how to target the right audience with these simple steps.

First of all, you need to have the right audience in mind. Who is your target audience, what is their age range, and what jobs do they do – these are just some questions you should be asking yourself. Then, the next step is about choosing suitable platforms and social media where you will reach those people. Meanwhile, you should start compiling your keyword list. They will help you in creating ad copy. Additionally, it would be great to set up your budget for advertising. 

  • Start with choosing the right audience

Even though choosing the right target audience might seem like an easy thing to do, it is in fact not so easy. It goes further than just noting that the right target audience is parents. You need to dig a bit deeper. Consider what type of parents are you targeting: new parents, moms, dads, and single parents. This is important for every type of parent to look for different types of baby clothes. 

For instance, consider this. New parents would probably focus on safety, while parents with at least one more child will want items that make their life easier. A good strategy to start with is to make a list of products and note down a list of features for each one. You should have your one unique selling point feature. Then, consider who would need that type of product, and voila – you have your target audience for that particular product.

  • Choose suitable platforms and social media

The next step refers to choosing suitable platforms and social media channels. Not all platforms and social media channels are suitable for all types of products, that’s why you should be careful and considerate when choosing them. It’s not the point to create profiles across all social media channels. You should start small, with one or two most significant ones at a time. For instance, Facebook and Instagram offer you the possibility to highly customize your audience according to several factors such as their location, age, occupation, interests, and others.

On the other hand, Pinterest is great for creating different looks that can appeal to your audience. So, for example, if you’re selling baby knitwear, you could create cute looks and post them on Pinterest, which parents (most often moms) can save to their collections and perhaps decide to purchase the items they saw.

  • Come up with a plausible keywords list

Keywords are the way to help people find you more easily. They are essential for advertising. Keywords refer to the most popular words and phrases people type in Google when searching for a particular product. How do you start? For each product that you sell, you should create a list of generic keywords.

When you have that finished, you should go to Google and run a search for those keywords. You can use different strategies here to check which keywords work best for you. You can use Google Keyword Planner, Moz, Ahrefs, and a simple Google search and “people always ask” and “searches related” sections. When looking for keywords to use in your copy and website, focus on search volume, cost per click, and difficulty for each keyword.

  • Create ad copy

After you have finished all the previously mentioned steps, it’s time you moved to create ad copy. The right ad copy will attract the target audience you desire. How you phrase your ad copy highly affects whether potential customers will purchase the product. As you’re selling baby clothes, your ad copy should always focus on what would prompt a parent to buy that particular product. There are several great strategies for writing ad copy that will get you revenue. First of all, you should answer parents’ questions and concerns. Then, you should add your unique selling proposition. And of course, high-quality images of the product with a genuine description. 

  • Set up a budget for advertising

It’s also key to set up a budget for advertising. Your budget shouldn’t be too little or too much. Every business is different so there isn’t a right amount that will work for every business. When determining your budget, there are several factors you should be mindful of. Consider how competitive your business is. The more competitive, the more ad money you need to invest. Moreover, you should also consider your conversation rate goals. Also, consider whether you want to rank first on Google, where you’re targeting your ads, and whether you’re outsourcing them. 

Coming up with the right target audience for a baby clothes website is not an easy thing to do, there are several important aspects to consider. You should go step by step in order to create a plausible marketing strategy that will bring you more revenue.

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How to Begin Securing and Optimizing Small Business Technology https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2022/09/optimize-small-business-technology.html/ Wed, 21 Sep 2022 10:10:33 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=62703 Every business depends on tech these days. The number of third-party SaaS solutions out there has made cutting-edge technology easily accessible even for the small business startup. As entrepreneurs build their tech stacks, though, they need to be aware of a couple of potential issues. The first is security. Cybercrime continues to be a legitimate […]

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Every business depends on tech these days. The number of third-party SaaS solutions out there has made cutting-edge technology easily accessible even for the small business startup.

As entrepreneurs build their tech stacks, though, they need to be aware of a couple of potential issues. The first is security. Cybercrime continues to be a legitimate concern for anyone online. Businesses should take necessary measures to improve and maintain cybersecurity.

Second, owners must make sure that they’re optimizing their small business technology. With so many options available, it’s easy to become buried under an avalanche of 21st-century solutions. This is true even if they aren’t all benefitting you the way they should.

Here are a few suggestions for ways small businesses can both optimize and secure their digital activity to ensure that they’re getting the most out of their tech.

Start with your Wi-Fi.

Your Wi-Fi is the digital gate to your company. In a tech-heavy world, this makes it the main entrance to your tech stack, your files, your data, and your business as a whole. If you want to optimize how your small business works, you need to start by setting the stage with a quality Wi-Fi solution.

The Wi-Fi experts at Plume point out that this obviously includes the need for a strong and dependable wireless signal, but it shouldn’t stop there. As is the case with the company’s small business-focused WorkPass Wi-Fi solution, a good Wi-Fi network should also be safe, easy to use, and intimately woven into the fabric of your business.

By using a quality small business Wi-Fi solution, you can simultaneously tap into the simplicity and ease of residential routers as well as the firepower of an enterprise-level internet connection.

Small business Wi-Fi has the potential to double as a business intelligence (BI) platform that collects and turns data into actionable insights. This can help you manage your workforce and communicate with guest users. It can also keep your entire team engaged with adaptive connectivity that is fast, reliable, and ultra-secure.

If you want your small business to be productive and secure at the same time, make sure to start by using a reputable and capable small business Wi-Fi solution.

Establish solid cybersecurity.

Cybersecurity can be intimidating. The need to keep your technology safe and secure from outside threats is an ever-present concern. Many solutions can also be prohibitively expensive — but not all of them.

There are many small-yet-effective ways that you can secure sensitive data while optimizing your small business technology. Intel suggests half a dozen ways to do this, such as:

  • establishing a solid private Wi-Fi setup (see the previous step) that doesn’t require logging in on any public Wi-Fi connections;
  • keeping hardware upgraded at all times — and, of course, making sure your team installs all software patches and updates in a timely manner;
  • using strong passwords and implementing MFA (multi-factor authentication) whenever possible;
  • utilizing apps like Windows 10 Pro security and Norton Antivirus to block unwanted malware; and
  • teaching your staff to use proper digital hygiene (maintaining strong passwords, installing updates, etc.) at all times when using office tech.

If you feel like overseeing all of these steps is too much, consider using a Device as a Service (DaaS) solution to increase security. This is a new kind of service that bundles the distribution, management, and IT support for a business’s tech. These are then overseen by a third-party provider, taking the perpetual responsibility off of your plate.

Manage your marketing.

Marketing is one of the easiest areas to bleed cash and ooze inefficiency. This is partly due to the subtle and intangible results that marketing can generate.

If you have a sales team, you can measure their success in dollars and cents. You can apply the same simple math to other areas. These include manufacturing, paying an accountant, or shipping and handling costs.

When it comes to marketing, though, it’s easy to pour endless money into things like content creation and brand awareness without really knowing how effective they are.

If you want to optimize your marketing activity, the first thing you need to do is set up analytics tools to track your results. There are many ways to do this, including free tools, like Facebook Pixel and Google Analytics. In addition, many tools, like Shopify or Mail Chimp, come with built-in data collection dashboards.

The top companies in IT are often admired for their innovative products, cutting-edge technology, and forward-thinking leadership. These companies not only shape the future of the tech industry but also have a significant impact on the global economy.

Of course, tracking data in a dozen or more applications is challenging. That’s why you may want to consider an additional third-party tool to unify your analytical marketing data. AI-powered solutions like Hawke.ai can bring all of your marketing results into a single dashboard where you can find insights to help you make informed, optimized decisions.

Optimizing and Securing a Small Business (Without Panicking)

There are many factors that go into keeping a business both efficient and safe. For small businesses, this task can feel time-consuming and expensive.

However, if you approach things with a strategy in place, you can manage both concerns without too much trouble. Start by putting things like a solid Wi-Fi solution in place and establishing key cybersecurity protocols. From there, focus on conducting ongoing digital hygiene training. Use the tools available to gather data and turn it into actionable and efficient business strategies, too.

Optimizing small business technology is an assumed aspect of any startup venture at this point. The critical factor is making sure that your tech stack is helping, not hindering, your small business.

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How to Advertise Your Fashion Business in the Right Way https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2022/08/how-to-advertise-your-fashion-business-in-the-right-way.html/ Thu, 11 Aug 2022 15:21:41 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=62572 When it comes to fashion businesses, the competition is fierce nowadays. To stand out from the crowd, you should employ the right advertising strategies. That is, of course along with offering quality products and services. Marketing is the key to getting more revenue – it’s always been so. The only difference is the emergence of […]

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When it comes to fashion businesses, the competition is fierce nowadays. To stand out from the crowd, you should employ the right advertising strategies. That is, of course along with offering quality products and services. Marketing is the key to getting more revenue – it’s always been so. The only difference is the emergence of digital marketing. There are several plausible things you can do to increase your revenue. The first and most important thing is to advertise in the right way. Keep reading to learn more about how you can advertise your fashion business to increase revenue.

Create a website

First things first, start a website if you don’t already have it. If you don’t have a website nowadays, it’s like you don’t exist at all. Then, adapt it for smartphones as many people use their phones for browsing and making purchases. Moreover, you should also be mindful of how you present your merchandise. You should collaborate with prominent influencers, to boost your online presence as well as sales. And finally, another crucial thing you can do is start a blog – more on its importance later.  

As we already mentioned, having a website for your fashion business is the first and utmost important step in advertising. It is the base. The pandemic outbreak has brought upon us a specific situation. Namely, physical stores have been closing, while the revenue in the fashion business has been increasing. That means that many people have moved their business online, which puts the focus on websites.

Your website should be appealing in a few aspects. It should look nice, modern, and suitable for the niche. It should also be highly responsive and user-friendly. Customers should be able to navigate it easily and find the necessary information quickly. Remember to include all the important pieces of information.

Adapt it for smartphones

When you have finished setting up your website, you should also make sure it is suitable for smartphones. Nowadays, people around the world use their phones for almost the same things as their computers. The only difference is the fact that we always have our phone on our hands and we can use it for shopping, ordering things, paying bills, and so on. We use them while waiting for the train, bus, or subway to finish these little things.

So, one of the great ways to get more customers is to offer them either a smartphone-friendly website or a smartphone app. In this way, you can make sure that your customers can always access your website and order things, wherever they are and regardless of whether they’re using a phone or a computer.

Present your merchandise in the right way

After you finish with the technicalities, you should work on presenting your merchandise in the right way. Start with getting quality fashion wholesale from reliable vendors. It is essential to have quality things to present to your customers. When it comes to the fashion industry and presenting merchandise, it is an industry that is highly visual.

So, you can do several things. First of all, you should get quality photos. You should present your fashion items genuinely, as realistically as possible. Make sure to use flattering lighting and take photos from various angles. Also, you can even make a catwalk video – it would mean a lot to potential customers. It is a great way to boost online sales.

Collaborate with influencers

Besides having a website that is suitable for phones, you should also work on your social media presence. That means being active across various social media channels, such as Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, among others.

Many of these campaigns involve working with an influencer. So, it is something you should consider as it has been proven highly successful. You should find prominent influencers and collaborate with them. There are different influencers based on the number of people that are following them, so that affects their pricing.

Start a blog

People sometimes overlook the importance of having a blog. Blogs are an essential part of every business as they keep the customers engaged. Writing blog posts for a fashion business is creative and fun as it could be about anything related to fashion. You could write about the newest fashion trends, style guides, how to take care of specific types of clothes and so on. These could be things people come back for.

Also, it’s a good way to build internal and external links, which boost your SEO. In turn, a great SEO strategy can bring your website to top search results. And that would mean, higher revenue for you.

Final thoughts

Being in the fashion industry and having such a business is creative, insightful, and amusing if approached in the right way. Hopefully, these practical tips and tricks can help you in boosting your online presence and advertise your fashion business.

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How to Implement the Framing Effect in Marketing Campaigns https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2022/08/how-to-implement-the-framing-effect-in-marketing-campaigns.html/ Mon, 01 Aug 2022 17:14:38 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=62563 The idea behind the framing effect is that how something is presented to the audience affects individuals’ choices. The framing effect is initiated when marketers present data in a manner that would appeal to their audience. A typical example of a framing strategy used by business owners and marketers is reframing negative information about their […]

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The idea behind the framing effect is that how something is presented to the audience affects individuals’ choices. The framing effect is initiated when marketers present data in a manner that would appeal to their audience.

A typical example of a framing strategy used by business owners and marketers is reframing negative information about their product more favorably. Alternatively, you could focus on the negative aspects of your competitor’s strengths. Both of these examples reframe the data to present more persuasively.

If a product or service’s information is presented and framed effectively, it can impact sales positively. The following are some ideas for using the framing effect in marketing.

It’s How You Frame It

With the framing effect, marketers can sway customers’ choices and, ultimately, their spending habits. The framing effect means a cognitive bias in which a person’s brain makes judgments regarding information based on how that information presents. It uses the fact that people tend to react differently to the same data depending on whether it is presented in a positive or negative light.

How a sales pitch is constructed and posed is critical. Various things come into play when framing something, from wording to images. For example, instead of saying, “We are the third best-seller in the market,” why not say, “Our product is one of the top three best sellers in the market?”

In addition, people are far more likely to engage with information portrayed visually as opposed to information presented only in text form. Therefore, when delivering your product, it is essential that you include clear photographs, diagrams, and other forms of visual content and that you keep the number of words you use to a minimum.

An Appealing Picture

You have to frame your products and services marketing and promotions in a style that appeals to potential customers. You can accomplish this by following the tips below.

A Unique Experience

Consumers like products that have the power to appeal to their desires and interests. You can elicit desirability by rewarding loyal consumers with freebies or gifts. It’s a natural human instinct to want to repay the favors given. However, the gift should be as unique as possible. 

It’s essential to frame your gift to make the recipient feel unique and special. For example, when a consumer buys something from you, you can give them a personalized cup. As a result, consumers repay your kindness by returning to your store and making another purchase.

Know Your Consumers

Marketing a product to a specific demographic requires taking their preferences into account. Several factors influence an individual’s preferences, such as their tastes, preferences, and predispositions. Therefore, ensure your product frames your customers’ preferences.

Learn what a customer likes and doesn’t like about a product or service you’re offering. Try to focus on the features of your item that are most appealing to them. For instance, they found that your product was more affordable than similar ones offered by competitors. 

Therefore, you need to ensure that your advertisements frame in a way to convey the message that your items offer better value for the money.

Associate Products With a Lifestyle

Lifestyle marketing may be highly beneficial to a wide range of businesses. However, you must first know the values and goals of your customers to market your business to them effectively. The purpose of lifestyle companies is to inspire, guide, and motivate customers in their pursuit of a better way of life. 

The desire of consumers to feel as though they are a part of a particular social group is something that lifestyle companies capitalize on. People become attached to brands when they have an emotional bond with them. For instance, Coca-Cola frames its advertising to promote its product’s happy image to consumers.

Product Value

Consider charging customers based on the product’s value rather than its cost. Value-based pricing is based on the strength of the advantages you can demonstrate to clients. For example, you can frame your marketing campaign in such a manner as to indicate that your product has a better value. Even though it is initially more expensive because the after-sales service that you provide is more extensive.

Framing is Essential

How you frame and present your product will influence whether or not you successfully make the sale. This is because every product has both good and bad characteristics. Your goal is to make them believe that your product offers the best value when compared to those provided by your competitors. 

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5 Advantages of Having a Social Media Marketing Strategy for Small Businesses https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2022/07/social-media-marketing-strategy.html/ Thu, 21 Jul 2022 20:05:32 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=62384 Marketing is a broad term, and there are numerous ways for a small start-up business to promote its products or services. Having an effective and relevant marketing plan makes it much easier to grow your business. The ideal social media marketing strategy will help you fulfill the demands of your target audience and develop a […]

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Marketing is a broad term, and there are numerous ways for a small start-up business to promote its products or services. Having an effective and relevant marketing plan makes it much easier to grow your business. The ideal social media marketing strategy will help you fulfill the demands of your target audience and develop a trustworthy brand identity. 

Increased Brand Awareness

Implementing a social media plan will significantly boost brand recognition. Encourage workers, partners, and sponsors to “like” and “share” your page. Each shared post will introduce you to a new network of people. It might also produce a large audience for your business if used regularly.

You can include your brand in images to help increase the visibility of your logo or name. A strong visual can help you achieve high brand recognition. You can also use gifs or memes to respond to comments or spice up your feed.

Increase Website Traffic

Posts on social media and advertisements are effective ways to generate website visitors. Sharing high-quality material from your blog or website on social media is a terrific method to gain newcomers.

One of the most effective ways for increasing website traffic is optimization. Social media profiles, like your website, should be thoroughly optimized as it is excellent SEO practice.

Make sure you include relevant keywords in your social media bios.

Instagram’s massive reach makes it a perfect platform for marketing your business or website. The platform provides a variety of advertising possibilities, and its highly visual nature makes content creation easy.

Every Instagram user can post a link in their bio. This is the only area on your profile where you can directly add a link, so be sure to use it.

Your Instagram bio should always include a link to the website you want users to visit. Instead, consider connecting to a specific page or product on your website. Including terms like “link in our bio” in your posts is an excellent way to increase the number of people who click on them and help your social media marketing strategy.

Generate Leads

Use social media to connect with potential customers and generate leads. By producing relevant and informative material, you may attract new visitors seeking information about your products or services. This will improve the ranking and exposure of your website, as well as stimulate interest in your products and services.

Allowing potential leads to view customer testimonials helps boost your brand’s reputation and gives potential clients the extra nudge down through your sales funnel.

Also, social media is an excellent place for displaying customer testimonials. Take the opportunity to demonstrate how each happy customer has benefitted from your business, as well as how you’ve helped them in overcoming common consumer issues.

Running social media ads includes collecting essential data, analyzing it, then using it to more efficiently find your target audience. Ultimately, the goal is to minimize the cost of acquiring a lead. For some industries, this can be a very effective way to generate more leads.

The most popular social media platform for lead generation is Facebook. One of the reasons many businesses use it to market their products is because it offers the lowest CPC rates. Businesses can set up their own Facebook page, and the people who like the page are potential leads.

Go Viral

Going viral is not an easy task, but it would be nearly impossible without social media. Your content travels over the Internet when individuals share it with their networks, and their networks do the same.

Viral marketing is a combination of strategy and chance. The brilliance of this method is that posts frequently become viral by accident. When the post contains a product, it is common for the product to sell out for months at a time. TikTok is an example of a viral marketing hub. All types of content have the potential to go viral. If a product is mentioned in a post, expect it to sell out quickly!

Since viral material is shared by users, it does not require a large advertising budget. Small businesses can increase their lifetime orders because of a viral TikTok video. Rapid growth like this brings rapid lead generation and sales.

Featured items find their way into the media when posts go viral. This leads to a significant increase in exposure and brand recognition. 

Customer and Audience Engagement

Social media engagement is a broad term that involves a range of metrics used to determine how many people interact with your business across various social media platforms. On the surface, this can include your posts’ comments, likes, and shares.

Identifying your target demographic and consumers will enable you to better appeal to them. Indeed, the language, tone, and visual content used will depend on their age, gender, and interests.

Also, don’t be afraid to show your business’s personal and human side. This will make your brand more appealing and relatable to customers and help your social media marketing strategy. 

Keeping up with current events and conversations will keep your content relevant. This could include hot topics in pop culture, holidays, athletic events, and memes.

The best way to keep in touch with your customers is through a social media community. When you interact with your social followers in their preferred manner, you boost your exposure and reach. Having a community of loyal customers can help you stay relevant in the market for a long time.

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How To Write An SEO-Friendly Blog Post  https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2022/07/how-to-write-an-seo-friendly-blog-post.html/ Tue, 05 Jul 2022 16:25:45 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=62391 Do you want to know how to write an SEO-friendly blog post? For a blog post to have any traction, it needs to be interesting and fun for the reader. You want them to share it with their circles, which will raise your rankings. An SEO-friendly blog post with the right content always takes the […]

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Do you want to know how to write an SEO-friendly blog post? For a blog post to have any traction, it needs to be interesting and fun for the reader. You want them to share it with their circles, which will raise your rankings. An SEO-friendly blog post with the right content always takes the crown.

Bringing these two aspects together isn’t always easy, but you can learn how in this article. You aim to please both your readers and Google. Find a good balance between the two, watch your content rank higher, and rake in more website visits.

There’s a sort of formula used to achieve this. A cheat sheet if you will. Let’s dive in and examine how to get the most out of your writing.

Important Pointer: Keyword Research

Keywords are the reason for your writing. Okay, your audience is, but you must adapt your content to what your audience looks for online. That’s the first way to ensure someone will read your blog posts. 

Keyword research will tell you what topics to focus on and the keywords to include in your writing. Choose wisely what you focus on! It will guide where the meat of your text goes and should be as extensive as possible.

So now you know what to write about and should get to the actual writing. Let’s see. What should it look like?

Here are 9 steps to an SEO-friendly blog post.

9 Tips on How to Write an SEO-Friendly Blog Post

Here you’ll learn how to churn out great content.

1. Think It Through

Stop! Don’t just dive in without direction!

What do you want to say? What angle would you like your post to take? Maybe there’s a question you would like to answer? Is there something specific you would like your readers to have achieved after reading your post? 

Some writers want their audience to complete a certain action at the end, so the writing must be compelling and convincing. 

Use your search terms or keywords to find the best possible direction for this. You can look at it as letting your readers guide you.

2. Structure Your Post

Order is essential in a blog post. A basic structure comprises:

  • the introduction, where you introduce your topic and give a little teaser to your readers
  • the body, where the main story goes
  • The conclusion, where you draw a conclusion or give a short post recap.

Figure out what you want to say in every part and write it down briefly. It’ll help guide your train of thought along the way. You want your ideas to flow naturally into each other so your audience can easily follow.

3. Break It Down

Have you ever looked at prose that has no breaks? Or the opposite: content that is in single sentences like a kindergarten storybook. It can be annoying and tiring to read.

Paragraphs help to organize content neatly. Use a different paragraph for every idea, and always summarize your point. Lengthy paragraphs are quite the eyesore and could make your reader skim over your work instead of properly reading it.

Headings add to the structure of an article and will guide readers on what to expect next. Subheadings also add to your SEO ranking. Throw in a keyword in one or two, and it gets even better.

4. Utilize Related Keywords

Utilizing semantic keywords is the best tip on how to write an SEO-friendly blog post. Keywords are great, but using them too many times in a single post makes your work look unnatural. It’s known as keyword stuffing and could make your rankings tank. 

Instead, use synonyms and alternative related words. Google will analyze your content for these, thus understanding your subject matter better. It’s getting smarter and wants readers to enjoy their reading.   

5. Use Transitional Words and Phrases

These show a relationship between different sentences and paragraphs. Phrases like ‘read on’ tell them there’s more to expect. ‘In short’ or ‘in a nutshell’ tells the reader a conclusion is coming. 

Transitional words will help your audience scan through your content since they add structure.

how to write an seo friendly blog post

6. Add Links To Existing Content

Have you written on the subject on your website before? Let people know by linking to those other posts. 

You want your audience to focus on you and your work. It makes you look like an authority on the subject and improves rankings. Link to other authority sites, but be sure not to link to your competition.

7. Mind the Length

Google prefers you do lengthy articles, but what do your readers think? Depending on your subject of choice, writing skills, and audience, try to make your posts at least 300 words.

Whether long or short, remember to ensure it’s an SEO-friendly blog post.

8. Utilize SEO Tools

SEO analysis can be tricky but is necessary for this domain. You want your content to have a high chance of ranking well for your chosen keywords.

This is where SEO tools and plugins come in. What difference will they make?

  • SEO tools suggest related key phrases. 
  • These tools tell you how many times you should add your keywords and where to add them.
  • They check your text for readability.
  • You can check for both internal and external links in your content.
  • They tell you whether you’ve used the keyword on another page so that you don’t compete with yourself for ranking.

All these aspects improve the quality of content you’re putting out. Isn’t that what you’re ultimately aiming for?

How To Write An SEO-Friendly Blog Post 

9. Put Fresh Eyes on It

Sometimes we write and some mistakes make it past. If you have someone who can look at your work before publishing it, that’s a great asset. They may notice something you missed and improve the whole article. Getting an expert on the subject matter is a plus since they can help refine the content.

Communicating your message to your audience is a necessity in this business. Otherwise, why would you write? Look for opinions on readability and whether the message hits home.

Conclusion

Now you have what you need to create amazing articles for your website. Go ahead and publish as often as possible so that Google knows your website is alive and should rank you higher. Take it a notch higher and use it for business! 

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10 Advanced Ways To Level-Up Your Online Marketing in 2022 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2022/06/level-up-your-online-marketing.html/ Mon, 27 Jun 2022 17:38:26 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=62442  The majority of the CMOs worldwide think it is a good practice to re-strategize their marketing processes since the marketing landscape is ever-shifting, and to stay ahead of the curve you need to keep upgrading. In this blog, we have listed out 10 advanced marketing points that’ll help you optimize, streamline, pivot, and level-up your […]

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 The majority of the CMOs worldwide think it is a good practice to re-strategize their marketing processes since the marketing landscape is ever-shifting, and to stay ahead of the curve you need to keep upgrading. In this blog, we have listed out 10 advanced marketing points that’ll help you optimize, streamline, pivot, and level-up your online marketing endeavors. Interestingly, best WordPress hosting practices and customer experience have also made a list.

1. Buyer Persona

 Even though creating a buyer persona is the most common thing you do in the beginning of the campaigns –  it is crucial to give it a look across multiple stages of your online marketing. More so, if your business has seen any of the following changes:

  • Introduced new products or services
  • Modified the existing ones
  • Scaled your business (either up or down)

You can conduct research, surveys, and interviews; look at your customer feedback and customer satisfaction metrics to help you frame a more precise buyer persona for the future. 

2. Audit Your 2021 KPIs

In businesses, what you can’t see doesn’t exist. To level-up your online marketing in 2022, it’s important to see how you did this past year, which will help you pivot, optimize, or re-strategize whenever needed.

  • Conversion Rates: how many people convert from visitors to customers?
  • Customer Loyalty: count your repeat customers.
  • Social Media Reach and Engagement: what are the number of likes, comments, subscribers, etc.?
  • Inbound Link Building: how many people are linking to your website?

Tools to track your past year’s KPIs:

Google Analytics: view all important KPIs like bounce rate and traffic in one place

Twitter Analytics: to track people’s engagement there

Social Sprout:  a social media enabling and social listening tool (more on this later)

Ahrefs and Semrush: measure inbound links

Funnelytics: to visualize the performance of your customer journeys

Hotjar: Data-driven user insights and more

3. Social Listening Tools

Social media listening is important because it offers direct windows to what your customer thinks about your business at a ground level.

It is also something you need to do constantly as customers’ expectations of your business and how they feel about your business are dynamic.

Moreover, these tools analyze all your brand mentions in the form of comments, tags, etc and tell you if they’re positive, negative, or neutral – offering you highly valuable insights to tailor your online marketing endeavors.

Here are some good social media listening tools:

 4. Automation

Did you know that 63% of companies using marketing automation outperformed competitors? (Moosend)

Automation in digital marketing can help you:

  • Mitigate human error and lags
  • Takes away simple, high-frequency tasks from your people, freeing them for complex tasks
  • Make customers happy

Additionally, here are ways to automate online marketing processes:

  • Social media: Buffer and HootSuite helps you automatically post on social media after you’ve scheduled the posts.
  • Ticketing software: Zendesk helps you send tickets after a customer or visitor reaches out to you, reducing FRTs.
  • Conversational Chatbots: ManyChat and Tidio use AI and ML to answer customers’ and visitors’ basic FAQs.
  • Emails: Mailchimp helps you send automated and personalized emails.

5. Watch Trends

Watching trends will help you stay up to date with all that’s happening in online marketing. Here’s how to do it:

6. Personalize

Customers crave a personalized experience. Here are some numbers to support that.

71% of consumers get frustrated when a shopping experience is impersonal. (Segment)

80% of consumers are more likely to make a purchase from a brand that provides personalized experiences. (Epsilon)

80% of frequent shoppers only shop with brands that personalize the experience. (SmarterHQ)

Some tips for personalized online marketing:

  • Collect and leverage customer data
  • Make conversations human even when online through live chats
  • Send personalized emails and texts
  • Send special coupons and discount offers (especially on birthdays)

 7. Revamp Website

The goal of all digital marketing efforts is to bring customers to our website and convert them. Therefore, it is important to keep websites up to date in terms of speed, aesthetics, and even safety.

For example, here are some ways how:

Improve Hosting: makes websites fast and safe. Here’s how to choose the best hosting for WordPress websites. 

Attractive Landing Pages and CTAs: this directly helps in lead generation.

Overall branding: Logaster, a brand-building company, offers solutions from business name generation to business card designers and offers a wide variety of digital branding tools.

8. Focus on CX

The merrier your customers, the better your ROI. So, make customers feel good across the journey, from connecting with them through live chat to sending them personalized offers and targeting them with tailored marketing messages. 

9. Optimize for Voice 

Have a list of conversational keywords that prospects might use to search for your business. Adding those to your on-site content can help it become conversational and also make voice search keywords detectable. Hopefully, this video by Neil Patel, the world’s top digital marketer, will help optimize for voice and level-up your online marketing strategy.

10. Investigate Your Competitors

The first thing to do to optimize digital marketing is to see what your competitors are doing to increase their presence online.

Here’s how to do a quick competition analysis:

  • Ahrefs, to know the competition’s search results rankings
  • SEMrush, for insights on their paid ads
  • GeoRanker, for researching your competition’s local directory profiles

So, to see their email marketing campaigns, just sign into one. We guarantee this will yield highly valuable insights.

Cheers to More ROIs

It’s easy to level-up your online marketing. So, we hope this article gives you actionable insights that you can take to your desks and start getting the ROIs on your digital marketing campaigns that you’ve always desired.

The post 10 Advanced Ways To Level-Up Your Online Marketing in 2022 appeared first on SmallBizTechnology.

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How To Get Quality Traffic To Your Website in 90 Days or Less https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2022/06/quality-traffic-to-your-website.html/ Thu, 16 Jun 2022 15:09:31 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=62319 Do you want to get quality traffic to your website? Well, you’re in the right place. Startup websites and blogs make several mistakes in their marketing plan. You see, a blog is just one of the client acquisition sources. Based on the Agora Model, clients move from social sites to blogs. Then they may download a […]

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Do you want to get quality traffic to your website? Well, you’re in the right place. Startup websites and blogs make several mistakes in their marketing plan. You see, a blog is just one of the client acquisition sources.

cheapest way to drive traffic

Based on the Agora Model, clients move from social sites to blogs. Then they may download a valuable resource to become a qualified lead.

This means you have to focus on marketing your blog to social sites! Yes, that’s how to grow to the first 1K visits a month.

Blog Traffic Killers

You know that the cheapest way to increase traffic to a website is to use free social channels. Here are some blog traffic killers.

Fewer Views on YouTube

YouTube is the second largest search engine after Google. And in fact, Video marketing outperforms text, audio, and slides by far. So, you need a small community on YouTube. If you publish the content customers want consistently, you will soon refer YouTube traffic to your blog.

Low Engagement on Facebook

Facebook is still a good marketing channel for B2C and D2C businesses. Consumer businesses like eCommerce, Amazon FBA, Dropshipping, and some coaching programs ought to produce valuable videos for their community. You can create a Facebook group, which serves the interests of your target clients. To keep users engaged and make emotional rather than logical posts.

Low Twitter Engagement

Omni-channel marketers should also have a Twitter account. First, for omnipresence, and secondly, for listening to consumer feedback. A good Twitter marketing plan can make your product trend for specific hashtags and locations. To get engagement, get followers manually and create valuable Twitter threads. If you ever want to boost responses, you’ll also need influencer marketing as your Twitter marketing plan.

Hidden Gems on Homepage

Most businesses have case studies, irrevocable proof, and success stories of their product. Others have utility tools, eBooks, calculators, and white papers, posted on their blog page. It’s common sense to bring focus to this valuable content on your homepage so it sends traffic to your blog. But very few people do it. If you have a video tutorial, for example, place it on the hero section, rather than near the CTA.

Weak Value Proposition

If you’re an AWS partner, you know the main problems customers want to be solved are reducing cloud costs and improving security. These keywords will bring you the most traffic compared to getting compliant. Use tools like AnswerThePublic to get main keywords and related keywords for your blog. These will be more meritorious than a press release of a recent hire who is ‘supposed to grow your blog.

Blog Traffic Boosters

The cheapest way to drive quality traffic to a website is to use one of these traffic boosters.

Boost Your Domain Authority to 40 and Outrank Competition

Begin by identifying SEO Competitors you’d want to outrank. Check their domain authority using the Moz SEO tool. If you’re in a specialized niche, chances are most or all of your competitor page authorities will be below 40. This could mean they have a low number of backlinks from highly authoritative sites. You can use freelance content writers to help with blog outreach and link building. In 6-12 months, you’ll start to see your articles’ rankings. And as they rank, your blog traffic will increase.

SEO COMPETITORS DOMAIN AUTHORITY
CloudZero

33

Microtica 27
Cloudforecast 29
nOps.io 18
Cloudwiry 12

Increase Page Speed on Mobile

Take the Google Page speed insights test. You may notice that your website loads faster on desktop than mobile. However, more traffic is now on mobile. Optimize for mobile using the AMP plugin for WordPress. Also, minimize code and image sizes.

While doing your content optimization efforts, ensure you do not affect User Experience. Indeed, SEO is all about writing for humans. As you write for humans, you optimize for search engines.

If your article goes live, ensure that all share buttons, links, and images are working on both mobile and desktop. Don’t hit publish.

How to Get Quality Traffic to Your Website

Increasing conversion rates is the hardest part. Getting traffic is the easiest part. There are a lot of job seekers and active Internet surfers. At a cheap price, you can use tools and bots to spam your article on almost every social media platform. This will get you temporary spikes as well. However, it’s what’s called weak traffic.

To get quality traffic, you have to do thorough research about your customers. You have to write about what your customers want. Also, you have to solve real problems, and even get permission to share the article. Your article has to be unique, based on real-life experience, not something found on typical Internet advice.

Everyone is looking for the cheapest way to drive traffic. And that’s the process we use. It almost always yields traffic with high intent. Certainly, some people ask: “Is Facebook good for B2B Marketing?” Even on Facebook, you can get traffic that’s likely to reap your recurring revenue for years.

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Starting a Company: Tools for Advertising and Communication https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2022/06/starting-a-company.html/ Thu, 09 Jun 2022 14:49:48 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=62316 Starting a company is hard. This is especially true when there is a lot at stake and you feel overwhelmed with all the new information and things you need to learn in order to succeed. If you are a small business you are, in addition, limited with the tight budget and perhaps, with not so […]

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Starting a company is hard. This is especially true when there is a lot at stake and you feel overwhelmed with all the new information and things you need to learn in order to succeed. If you are a small business you are, in addition, limited with the tight budget and perhaps, with not so many clients. So how do you make that one step forward that gets you closer to your business goals?

If you stick with us, we are about to show you some useful advertising tips that you can start implementing right away. And guess what: the ones we will cover here today are free, and if not completely free, then budget-friendly. 

Let’s start with the tools you can use to advertise your business.

Cost-free Tools

In a nutshell, the common denominator for the majority of cost-free tools is content. You’ve probably heard the expression: “ Content is the king”. Good content is an absolute necessity. Why? Well, it helps you stand out among your competitors and it emphasizes your value proposition even more. Also, it makes you more visible.

Engage on Social Media

Speaking of free advertising, what better than social media. The major mistake people make is that they don’t engage with their audience or with other potential partners or influencers. Speak up, share your opinion on relevant matters and draw attention when starting a company. 

Promote your blogs, follow other influential people, take part in online conferences, and create polls. Regularly posting quality content, content that your audience will benefit from, is one of the best advertising strategies you can do. And it’s free. In reality, you can hardly make a mistake here. The only mistake you can make is being dormant and just lingering on social media without providing value for your business.

Email Campaigns

Although some people may complain that there are too many emails nowadays, the fact remains that most business communications come from emails themselves. With the help of email automation tools (many of them, like AWeber offer automation in their free plans), you can really keep your clients engaged by creating welcome emails, thank you emails, email newsletters. You just schedule them according to your business priorities and they pretty much do the work for you. They are a great time saver.

Blogging

The power of words, be it spoken or written is undeniable. It’s the strongest “weapon” because it hits directly into the heart. What better way to advertise starting a company than to write blogs? Use your expertise and make a blog easy to read. Make it entertaining while shedding some light on the hottest topics from your industry. 

Blogs are a great way to show your knowledge, engage with your audience and also do some networking. You can present your business, show what sets you apart from your competitors and where your value lies. There are educational platforms for entrepreneurs that post blogs and other educational material. These platforms could be a great place to share your wisdom and attract new customers or build powerful business relationships. 

Word-of-Mouth Advertising

It goes without saying that we live in a digital age, but word-of-mouth advertising should definitely not be underestimated. Why? The answer is very simple: people buy from companies they trust. You know yourself that trust is one of the most difficult things to build because it takes lots of time and patience. 

However, with word-of-mouth advertising that process goes much faster. Your loyal customers will spread the word to their friends, families, and colleagues. Those people would be more inclined to buy from you because someone they trust recommended you. You don’t need to go through hoops to earn their trust. 

You already got yourself a nice foundation on which you can continue to build your business relations. And although it isn’t directly linked to advertising, don’t forget to reward your loyal customers. Show them how much you appreciate them.

Partnership and Branding

When you are a small business, partnering with other respectable brands can make you more visible and attract more leads. At the same time, don’t forget about your own brand. Your brand is your ambassador. Thus, it needs to be in line with your business mission and value proposition. The key is consistency so that people can start connecting the brand with you. Consistency in this case equals trust and a sense of security. 

Moreover, it makes your business more memorable. In order to achieve consistency, make sure to use the same “voice,” the same visual branding across all social media channels. Emphasize your (key) value proposition so that the next time somebody sees your logo, for example, they immediately recognize it and know what to expect.

Internal Communication

All the advertising tools that we presented in the lines above are there to help you grow your business and connect more with your target audience. However, you should bear in mind that all these tools can’t compensate for the lack of internal communication in your company/team. It is essential that you nurture this type of communication in order to really create a high-quality working environment. 

This environment will further impact the work processes, and ultimately, the way you deliver your product. To think that the relations within the company/team don’t affect the relations with your customers would be a huge mistake. 

The statistics clearly show how important this aspect is and how often we neglect it. If you are unsure where to start from, check these internal communication examples from companies like Amazon, Netflix, Starbucks, etc. You can also check the statistics while you are at it. It will give you a great(er) insight into the importance of internal communication.

Try implementing some of these advertising tips for small businesses. They can set you apart from the competition without blowing your budget or your time.

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Debit Card: Why Your Business Needs to Go Virtual https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2022/05/virtual-debit-card.html/ Tue, 24 May 2022 13:43:32 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=62295 Today’s world is increasingly becoming digital in every aspect. This includes the payment of goods and services through the use of virtual debit cards. These virtual payment cards have transformed how companies manage and make payments. Therefore, this has helped save businesses excessive fees and valuable hours spent doing admin tasks.  As a business owner, […]

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Today’s world is increasingly becoming digital in every aspect. This includes the payment of goods and services through the use of virtual debit cards. These virtual payment cards have transformed how companies manage and make payments. Therefore, this has helped save businesses excessive fees and valuable hours spent doing admin tasks. 

As a business owner, you might be wondering whether getting a virtual debit card would be of any use to your company, or streamline your finances even as you expand your operations. With this in mind, below are reasons why you should consider getting a virtual debit card for your business. But first, you need to know what a virtual debit card is. 

What’s a Virtual Debit Card?

A virtual debit card is a digital version of the physical debit card linked to your underlying debit card. Besides being virtual, it includes all other aspects of the physical debit card, such as debit card number, cardholder name, card verification value (CVV) code, and expiration date. It also has a 16-digit randomly-generated number.  

You can quickly and easily make payments over your phone or online payments using the virtual debit card. However, you can’t use this card to withdraw money from your account. 

Reasons to Get a Virtual Debit Card

Using a virtual debit card service will provide you with a couple of benefits. These include: 

1. Reduced Number of Payment Fraud Incidents

Traditional physical cards create an easy target for theft, either by getting cloned or being stolen. But when using a virtual debit card to do your business transactions, you enjoy greater security from fraud and theft. This is because you can easily deactivate your virtual debit card in minutes. You also don’t share bank account numbers. Thus, you can enjoy greater peace of mind when making online payments.

In addition, they don’t have visible card numbers and magnetic strips present on physical cards. Hence, it becomes harder for unauthorized individuals to hack into your account. Some virtual cards also require face scans or PIN details before accessing your account. 

You can also set your virtual debit card to be single-use and expire immediately after using it. This offers you further protection by ensuring your card is not used by unscrupulous dealers. Nonetheless, make sure to use a virtual debit card issued by a trustworthy provider. This way, you can be certain that their card network boasts excellent security features and extensive fraud checks.

2. Improved Oversight And Accountability

In business, you need to be accountable for every penny you spend or you risk experiencing cash flow problems or suffering considerable losses. This is where using a virtual debit card comes in handy, as it allows you to have excellent oversight and accountability for all your business transactions. 

With the virtual debit card, you’ll be able to determine how and where all your money is going as each transaction is automatically recorded in the card management system. This saves your accounts department the hassle of manually checking the expense receipts to validate each transaction, which is often time-consuming. So, you can easily and effectively monitor and control as you can easily know how every penny is spent. 

The card also comes in handy if different employees use the same virtual card to make different transactions. You can also set limits each of your staff can spend to further boost transparency and prevent any violation. This allows you, as the business owner, greater control of uses in company finances and ensures increased accountability.  

3. Convenience For E-Commerce Activities

Running a business is highly engaging and requires you, as the entrepreneur, to be fully committed to the daily operations of your enterprise. Using the virtual debit card offers you this freedom because you don’t need to physically go to the bank to complete a transaction. Additionally, you can do the transactions 24/7, unlike a physical bank operating at certain hours. 

Getting a virtual debit card also doesn’t require you to file a lot of paperwork. Along with taking a lot of time, paperwork increases the chances of making a mistake. Also, you can start right away instead of waiting 7 to 14 days for your account to start running. This is because you can handle everything conveniently and quickly using your computer. As a result, you can shift your focus to other vital matters relating to running your business. 

4. Promotes Teamwork

Another advantage of virtual debit cards is that it promotes teamwork among the employees within your business. This is because your staff will constantly need to communicate with each other when keeping track of their spending. Doing this helps to inspire collaboration within them, and they’ll find ways how they can reduce their spending. This will help the team come up with a fixed budget they can use to guide them for quarterly campaigns. 

5. Saves Your Organization Time And Money

Time and money are two precious assets you don’t want to waste in business. Utilizing a virtual debit card ensures that wasting time and money doesn’t happen because you can quickly get one at the click of a button, unlike physical cards that require manual work for making payments. You can start using virtual debit cards to do transactions, which in business is vital considering every minute counts if you want to remain competitive.

The use of these cards saves you money because digital transactions are faster and cheaper. This is because regular admin tasks are cheaper when making digital transactions. 

6. Helps You Take Back Power From Vendors

Once a vendor has your card information, they can charge you each time they want. Because of this, you might find your subscription lasting longer than you wish. Using a virtual debit card account, you can prevent this as it offers you greater control over all your online subscriptions. Accordingly, prevention allows unnecessary payments from being charged to your account if an employee forgot to cancel a subscription. 

Takeaway

Virtual debit cards are the go-to option nowadays among many businesses for both online and offline transactions. This especially comes in handy as a business owner because you’ll need to make a lot of business-to-business (B2B) transactions to pay buyers or suppliers, and you don’t want to waste precious time physically lining up at your local bank. Detailed in this post is an outline of why getting a virtual debit card can be a wise move for your business in case you have even the slightest reservations. 

 

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Looking to Increase Conversion Rate 1.51X? Use a Credibility Checklist. https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2022/05/increase-conversion-rate.html/ Mon, 16 May 2022 19:00:15 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=62244 We all know copywriters and conversion rate optimization specialists can help us increase conversion rates. But not all small businesses can afford to hire these specialists. The good news is, that you can easily increase the conversion rates of your campaigns without spending any extra money on specialists. The facts are, that there are many […]

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We all know copywriters and conversion rate optimization specialists can help us increase conversion rates.

But not all small businesses can afford to hire these specialists.

The good news is, that you can easily increase the conversion rates of your campaigns without spending any extra money on specialists.

The facts are, that there are many factors that make a potential customer take an action. If you tweak any of these factors, chances are, you’ll increase conversion rates.

What does ‘increase conversion rate’ mean?

In internet marketing, increasing conversion rates involves optimizing a page for higher response. If you run Facebook Ads, you want more clicks. Entrepreneurs using landing pages want more sales. You may want more subscribers to your email list, more clicks for your emails, or maybe even more sales for your Shopify store.

If you have low conversion rates, you have erratic sales and if you have erratic sales, you have no business. For startups, increasing conversion rates should be the main business.

Web traffic is a vanity metric, while conversion rates are a true metric directly tied to sales. Unless you’re a mainstream publication relying on sponsored ads for revenue, your focus should be on getting conversions.

web traffic decline

How do you boost conversions on low-traffic websites?

The best way to increase conversion rates on new sites is to write a sales page around specific long-tail transactional keywords.

I consult with small tech businesses a lot because my goal is to apply the skills I’ve learned, from leading marketing agencies to small startups.

Most small businesses have good products. Some run ads and get significant traffic, but no sales. They often think they need more traffic so they can get more paid customers.

Not so. The truth is if you can’t get one out of 100 people to take an action, you can’t get 10 out of 1,000 people to take action.

For this reason, most startups misfire their marketing efforts. They get little to no results, end up discouraged and finally give up.

But with good conversion rates, even a low-traffic website is a goldmine.

As a freelancer, I can honestly say that 8 people out of 100 people who visited my site downloaded my free eBook.

Eight is a low number for a free eBook download. But in comparison with other B2B sites that get 0.01% conversion rates, I’m 800 times ahead. It may not bring a direct income since the eBook is free, but the conversion rate acts as a vote of confidence to scale my marketing efforts with a larger budget.

Because small businesses often rely on social media, you have to increase conversion rates at all stages of your funnel.

  • If you increase conversion rates on your Ads by 1.4X (40% more), and on your landing page by 1.10X (10% more) — that’s a 1.51X increase in conversion rate and sales.

Checklist: Increase your conversion rate by 1.4X on Google Ads.

Whether you run ads on Google, Instagram, or YouTube, chances are, your ad will be ignored. Why? Well, customers are actually looking for information and people, not ads.

So the best use of search engines such as Google is to make your ad mimic an informational piece, a.k.a. an advertorial. For YouTube, use infomercials and influencer partnerships. This is known as social search. For Facebook, use infomercials and viral-type ads. And if you’re advertising in an official-like trade publication, use a corporate style.

The secret is to blend with the platform so you get their attention. You are there to seek attention, you should not be ignored.

The small business product for this demo is CRM software.

  • Did I use an advertorial style…instead of typical ads?
  • Does my headline appeal to self-interest rather than general appeals?
    • Can you be a better email marketer rather than the best CRM software for email marketers?
  • Do I add some curiosity to my headline?
    • Lessons from Hilary Clinton: Use emails to make you a better email marketer.
    • Look to Quora headlines to get a sense of curiosity.
  • For social ads, do my ads invite a conversation?
    • The goal is to engage. Filter top posts on Reddit or any platform…that’s how your advertorial should look.
  • Do you push your ads organically?
    • If you have the best product, you will want to do everything to ensure it reaches everyone.
  • Is your product unique?
    • This “wow factor” causes products to trend (and even go viral).
  • Did you add some urgency?
    • Why should people click now? Limited availability, limited editions?

Checklist: Designing websites that convert.

So which methods can you use to increase conversion rates on low-traffic and new sites?

  • Messaging: Does my landing page stick to the principle of copy focus…or are ideas all over the place?
  • Do my hero area and headline solve an urgent problem, call out a target customer, and continue the conversation from the advertorial?
  • Does my product/service have credibility and proof elements, education, statistics, examples, case studies, track record, and demonstrations to back up my claims?
  • Do I make a big, believable, unique promise?
    • This is the only way to move a saturated market.
  • Do I have a clear call to action, and an irresistible offer someone would be dumb to ignore? A.K.A. “value.”

You’d be surprised at how many websites fail at each of these.

spin wheel gamification increases conversion rates

eCommerce: How to Increase Your Conversion Rates

Unlike B2B businesses, eCommerce drop shippers could be D2C and B2C businesses. As a result, their product pages require less copy and should be more graphic-rich. The aim of every graphic is to increase sales.

  • Do I use direct response design tips?
  • Do my images show the fulfillment of the promise rather than a problem, i.e. show glowing radiant skin rather than acne skin?
  • UX: Is my website loading fast, with 99% uptime, with 1-3 clicks to checkout?
  • Do I practice up-selling — recommending higher-priced packages, down-selling for abandoned carts, and cross-selling — recommending similar packages?
  • Does my ordering system use notifications?
  • Do I use countdown timers and scarcity plugins?
  • Do I use customization? Am I calling visitors by name, location, using gamification techniques?

Unlike SEO, conversion rate optimization doesn’t change. These timeless principles remain evergreen.

People buy because they have a problem. All you have to do is to present a solution, like a caring friend, with utmost trust and clarity.

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eCommerce Shopping Experience Enhancements https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2022/05/ecommerce-shopping-experience.html/ Mon, 16 May 2022 12:00:40 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=62214 Over 90% of all online purchases will be conducted on a mobile device, according to estimates. An internet buyer’s typical attention span is roughly 3-4 seconds. Therefore, your shopping cart should be easily visible so that the buyer understands how to purchase the item. Your customer’s eCommerce shopping experience will determine whether or not they […]

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Over 90% of all online purchases will be conducted on a mobile device, according to estimates. An internet buyer’s typical attention span is roughly 3-4 seconds. Therefore, your shopping cart should be easily visible so that the buyer understands how to purchase the item. Your customer’s eCommerce shopping experience will determine whether or not they will purchase something at all.

In comparison to brick-and-mortar establishments, an eCommerce firm is more reliant on the goodwill of its customers. It’s actually quite straightforward. When a customer enters a typical physical store, they are more likely to make a purchase. After all, they went through the trouble of visiting the store. Furthermore, they are looking at the merchandise with the intent to purchase something. Therefore, few consumers leave a real store without purchasing something.

An eCommerce business, on the other hand, does not have this advantage. Since they are not actually ‘in’ the store, the customer can just close the link. Moving on to another site, the customer leaves no trace.

Here are some things you can do to make sure this doesn’t happen in your eCommerce store.

1. Downtime for eCommerce means off time.

One of the best aspects of an eCommerce site is that it is constantly open, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Therefore, you can take advantage of the fact that more and more people are using the internet to purchase goods and services. As a result, you can be selling your wares even while you are asleep.

That won’t happen, though, if your site crashes on a regular basis. If your site is unavailable, your target audience will most likely move on to another site rather than wait. Therefore, do everything you can to make sure that your site is stable and secure.

2. Customers don’t flock to slow-loading eCommerce websites.

An internet buyer’s typical attention span is roughly 3-4 seconds. Therefore, if your site does not load quickly enough, your clients will most likely leave. They will go elsewhere for another solution. After all, why shouldn’t they? There are millions of other online eCommerce stores to choose from. Therefore, make sure your site is as fast as possible if you want your customer to stay with you.

3. Make sure that the CTA is clear and in plain sight.

Why should your clients choose you above your competitors? It’s because of your call to action. This is the thing that leads people down the web marketing rabbit hole. You will lose a lot of clients if this call to action is not easy to see or not there in the first place. In addition, your shopping cart should be easy to find so that the customer understands how to purchase the items.

4. Get rid of things that aren’t selling well.

There are things that sell quickly and there are those that do not sell. This happens in every store. Therefore, concentrate on the former. Furthermore, removing the latter from your store is a great way to clean up your website and make it look and feel better. Dead products can halt your cash flow and, over time, bring your business to a halt.

Of course, you don’t have to throw them out. Instead, you could have a real sale. This is, of course, not a fake sale where retailers inflate prices, then cut them down to give an impression that they are on sale. Customers will buy your slower-moving products once they perceive that you are offering an opportunity to provide real value at discount prices.  You’ll also be able to get your cash flow rolling this way.

5. Check to see if your website is mobile-friendly.

The number of individuals engaging in eCommerce shopping on their cellphones has risen considerably in recent years. Furthermore, there are no signs that this trend will slow down anytime soon. This means that a website that isn’t mobile-friendly will miss out on the entire market. Therefore, it is critical that your website become more mobile-friendly. That way it will be easily viewable even on a small screen.

Apart from that, you should improve your SEO tactics. This will help your site appear in organic search results.

6. Include a live chat feature on your eCommerce site.

By answering all of your consumers’ inquiries, live chats will help to gently encourage them towards making a purchase choice. It’s an excellent approach to increase conversion rates and keep your target market happy. Even if they don’t buy the product, they’ll return back because of the timeliness and quality of your response. They will, at the absolute least, bookmark your website.

7. Use residential proxies to help you improve your business’s eCommerce shopping experience.

You can use residential proxies for market research to gain valuable data on your target audience’s purchasing behavior. At the same time, they’ll keep your identity hidden.

If you truly want to increase sales and improve your business’s eCommerce shopping experience, you must ensure that your site is free of latency and downtime. Furthermore, you should employ residential proxies to assist you in conducting market research on your target audience.

Image Credit: Pixabay; Pexels; Thank you!

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6 Ways to Help Your Team Improve on Their Customer Service https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2022/05/customer-service-tips.html/ Thu, 12 May 2022 12:00:50 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=62207 What is the most critical thing you can do to improve client relations? The answer is simple and obvious: improve customer service. These customer service tips will help you do that. No matter how good your product or how good your team is, your customers are going to remember your direct relationship with them. Therefore, […]

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What is the most critical thing you can do to improve client relations? The answer is simple and obvious: improve customer service. These customer service tips will help you do that. No matter how good your product or how good your team is, your customers are going to remember your direct relationship with them. Therefore, it pays to train your employees to have a positive impact on each customer.

In the end, your customer service personnel is the face of your organization, and their skills and quality will define their experiences. A powerful company already has amazing customers. Good customer service is about being attentive to your clients’  needs and wants. Furthermore, your connections will stagnate if you don’t always look for ways to improve customer service.

Here are some customer service tips to help your team improve:

Tip #1. Improve customer service abilities.

First, make sure your customer care crew has the capabilities to handle consumer requests. No amount of CRM software can make up for this. But what abilities should a customer service rep have?

  • A sense of humor. Customers may be enraged. Others will be perplexed. Others will simply chatter. Your team must be able to handle them all and deliver the same level of service.
  • Adaptability. Every consumer is unique, and some appear to change from week to week. Therefore, you should be able to handle the unexpected and adjust to the customer’s mood. Good customer service requires a constant learning process.
  • Excellent Communication Skills Make sure you say exactly what you mean. No one wants to think they’re getting 50% off when they’re actually getting 50% more merchandise. Furthermore, never finish a conversation without confirming that the customer is satisfied.
  • Work Ethic. Customers appreciate a rep that will follow up on their issue. At the same time, you must be able to manage your time well and not waste it on one customer while others wait. Therefore, focus is necessary in order to strike the correct balance.
  • Knowledge. In the end, your customers rely on your product knowledge. Therefore, know enough to answer most questions and know where to go if the questions are too difficult or technical. However, don’t be afraid to say that you don’t know. Your customers will appreciate both your diligence and your candor.
  • Thick Skin. Accepting blame or negative feedback is vital. Customer satisfaction is paramount, whether your team interacts directly with clients or solicits input via social media.

2. Examine each touchpoint.

A poor customer experience at any point in the lifecycle of your relationship can be damaging. Therefore, you must have the right skills available at the right time. In addition, focus on critical touchpoints. However, also ensure that you have a complete picture of the client experience in order to avoid costly service gaps.

3. Improve customer interactions.

It helps if your personnel has the right skills. However, they must still relate to your customers. Here are some customer service tips for providing the best service:

  • Ask salespeople to find common ground with the people they assist. This knowledge helps resolve conflicts by humanizing the relationship and endears clients to your rep and ultimately to your company.
  • Actively listen to your customers. Ask questions to clarify and restate what customers say. Encourage them by saying things such as, “I understand how you feel” or “I understand your frustration.”
  • Admit your faults, even if you find them first. This restores confidence and trust.
    It also allows you to regain control of the situation and fix the issue.
  • After-problem follow-up. Make sure there is resolution and that your consumers are happy. Sending a follow-up email or feedback survey shows the customer you are still on their side.

4. Expand your customer service strategy.

Your employees may be able to interact with your clients. However, how do you please customers as an organization? Therefore, make your customers happy with you before they have a chance to complain. How do you do this?

  • Be Persuasive. Your customers want to talk to real people, not bots or FAQs.
    Therefore, make use of social media and make comments to your consumers’ posts. In addition, publish images and bios online. This demonstrates to your clients that you are human.
  • Show up. Providing a personal touch includes being accessible. Always be flexible, especially if your clients are in different time zones.
  • Cater to your clients. Ensure you thoroughly satisfy your customers. Therefore, consider assigning salespeople to individual clients to foster relationships. In addition, show your appreciation by giving your finest customers VIP treatment.
  • Form groups. Treat your consumers like valuable members of a community. You can connect customers via webinars, social media, interactive websites, trade exhibits, or conferences.

5. Reps who are engaged are more effective.

The best customer service skills and training in the world won’t matter if your reps are less than enthusiastic. Improving employee engagement also benefits customers. Employees that are unhappy are unlikely to speak up. Therefore, consider an anonymous tip box or an employee engagement survey.

A supportive staff is one of the best customer service tips. Sometimes that means huddling up and encouraging yourselves before a long day of work.

6. Allow customers to submit feedback.

No matter how proactive you are, you can never anticipate every client’s concerns. Therefore, create an easy mechanism for customers to provide feedback. That way, you can learn about their experiences.

Furthermore, having a way for customers to provide feedback makes it easier to learn what needs improving. Additionally, it keeps angry consumers from venting on public forums like your social media platforms. Your customers will always notice your commitment to offering top-notch, proactive customer service.

Image Credit: Andrea Piacquadio; Pexels; Thank you!

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5 Proven e-Commerce Strategies https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2022/05/e-commerce-strategies.html/ Wed, 11 May 2022 12:00:58 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=62204 Social proof is a powerful and useful tool in e-commerce. It can help expand your audience, establish your brand as a trustworthy business, and most importantly, increase your conversion rates by influencing customer purchasing decisions. Social Proof: More Vital Than Ever. According to recent research, 98% of shoppers will read product reviews before buying. Also, […]

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Social proof is a powerful and useful tool in e-commerce. It can help expand your audience, establish your brand as a trustworthy business, and most importantly, increase your conversion rates by influencing customer purchasing decisions.

Social Proof: More Vital Than Ever.

According to recent research, 98% of shoppers will read product reviews before buying. Also, 21% of shoppers use the internet daily to research local companies. 35% of buyers did so weekly. In fact, only 1% of buyers never look for social proof while researching local businesses.

While most entrepreneurs recognize the value of social proof, they are often unsure how to apply it in e-commerce. These strategies can help you make consumer feedback a driving factor in your store’s success.

1. Use Visuals to Highlight Customer Reviews

To show client testimonials on your ecommerce website, you must first attract your audience’s attention. And what better method than to use a visual presentation? The human brain can evaluate visuals and assign meaning to them in as little as 13 milliseconds.

Therefore,  if you can show social evidence on your site with screenshots, photographs, or videos, you should.

2. Improve Your Social Proof

Making your ecommerce site’s social proof more engaging is another wonderful method to attract users. Videos are a great way to communicate personal tales. Client-made videos are a great method to demonstrate to potential customers what they can expect from your brand’s offerings.

You can use live updates on Shopify ecommerce sites to spice up social proof.

3. Ask Experts for Advice

Visual presentation and clever methods can help you maximize social proof in e-commerce. However, they won’t always provide you with the advantages you need to stand out. This is especially true in a low-trust industry like fashion or wellness.

Experts in your field may be able to help you persuade potential clients that your company will deliver on its promises. It’s true that some potential customers may be hesitant to try new products. Therefore, it’s wise to use social proof from a recognized professional or influencer.

This is a terrific method to build consumer trust. However, if finding an industry insider to endorse your product isn’t feasible, you can still leverage someone’s authority to generate brand trust. Obtaining third-party ratings and trust badges is a great way to do so.

4. Be open about your customers.

For example, too many online firms have abused client testimonials in the past. Amazon claims to have erased 200 million suspected fraudulent reviews in 2020. The CMA also found over 16,000 Facebook and Instagram groups where marketers paid for false reviews.

If you run an ecommerce business and are still trying to break through in a competitive market, the widespread distrust from phony reviews is a serious issue. After all, how can customers tell if the social evidence on your site is genuine?

There are a few ways to validate the social proof on your homepage. For example, you can identify “verified buyers” in your reviews. This means that each review includes a profile photo, a name, a trust badge, and information about the goods purchased.

5. Increase Social Proof with Marketing Campaigns

Don’t forget that getting folks to leave a comment isn’t always easy. The truth is that less than half of consumers will post a comment. With this in mind, it’s reasonable to infer that getting client testimonials is the first step to fully leveraging their power.

Therefore, create an automatic email campaign to do this. In addition, create a follow-up email asking customers to leave reviews and schedule it to go out a few days after they receive their products.

Further, use social media to engage with existing consumers and urge them to become brand ambassadors. If you sell things that appear excellent in images and videos, you should encourage your customers to submit their own content.

In addition, you can encourage buyers to tag you in social media posts. Create hashtags that users can use on photographs of your merchandise. Additionally, you can hold contests where people must submit a testimonial to win a gift. You make the call. However, rest assured, the outcome will be fantastic.

Conclusions

Using social proof can help your ecommerce business stand out. Just providing reviews or ratings isn’t enough anymore. Therefore, in 2022, to maximize social proof on your distribution channels, remember to:

  • Make your testimonials aesthetically appealing.
  • Use professional advice, third-party endorsements, and media references.
  • Demonstrate that your product reviews are genuine.
  • Encourage customers to become brand ambassadors.

This will not be a quick process. Nor will it, truthfully, ever end. However, you can trust that your efforts will be rewarded. This is especially true now that so many online shoppers read reviews.

Image Credit: Picjumbo.com; Pexels; Thank you!

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5 WhatsApp Marketing Strategies for eCommerce Brands in 2022 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2022/05/whatsapp-marketing-strategies.html/ Mon, 09 May 2022 15:50:51 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=62175 In several areas, WhatsApp has eclipsed Facebook Messenger. WhatsApp began five years ago and now has 700 million active users. Users of WhatsApp can send and receive unlimited text, audio, and video messages. Its free download and promise of ad-free access have made it a social craze. Because there are no ads or media to […]

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In several areas, WhatsApp has eclipsed Facebook Messenger. WhatsApp began five years ago and now has 700 million active users. Users of WhatsApp can send and receive unlimited text, audio, and video messages. Its free download and promise of ad-free access have made it a social craze. Because there are no ads or media to buy, WhatsApp has proved difficult to use for marketing purposes. To increase customer engagement, you must modify your marketing plan to avoid unwanted spam-like messaging.

Leveraging WhatsApp’s Functionality the Right Way to Facilitate Customer Communication

Identification and connection with prospective clients are essential components of effective brand communication.

WhatsApp’s widespread usage among consumers has become a popular platform for businesses to communicate with their customers. Brands can reach out to prospective consumers in a personalized manner and via a channel they are comfortable with. As a result, reducing friction to the greatest extent is feasible.

Market Opportunity for Using WhatsApp for Your Brand

WhatsApp helps communicate with the customers, and the fact that text messages are opened at a rate of 98% makes this even superior.

Additionally, the critical advantage of communicating with consumers using a messaging app like WhatsApp is that they develop a greater sense of confidence in you. For instance, 53% of consumers indicate they would purchase if they could only reach out by text or a chat app.

WhatsApp bridges this chasm by providing a secure, high-speed connection.

Apart from that, the following factors make WhatsApp a valuable tool in the marketing arsenal of profitable businesses.

  • Use of WhatsApp to strengthen customer relationships.
  • Use of instant messaging to accelerate the customer sales cycle.
  • Ability to generate superior sales numbers.

How Can You Develop an Effective WhatsApp Marketing Strategy?

Having a solid marketing plan is critical to getting desired outcomes in the field of marketing. Read these suggestions on WhatsApp marketing strategy to help you prepare ahead of time and make tweaks if something doesn’t work out as planned.

1. Automated Messages

WhatsApp for Business allows businesses to use templates to develop and send customized messages. Users can automate messages based on the specific question a customer is asking, the information they seek, waiting time elapsed, and availability. This feature greatly reduces the burden on staff to respond to every single message. It also assures a timely response even if your support people are overwhelmed with other tasks. Based on a customer profile, your interactions can be personalized to acknowledge wedding anniversaries, birthdays, and other unique milestones. This adds a level of personalization that helps to cement trust and may also provide a CTA to the recipient.

2. Personalize the User Experience

Consumers benefit from two-way interaction between companies and their customers since it allows them to have a more personalized experience. This decreases the likelihood of drop-off, enhances engagement, and piques the customer’s curiosity. Communication through WhatsApp also allows firms to differentiate themselves by providing a unique after-sales experience, including monitoring updates to customer feedback.

3. Cross-Selling

As soon as a direct channel of communication has been established between a business and its customer, WhatsApp can be utilized by the business to offer product upgrades or bundled products in connection with potential or completed purchases. These suggestions might range from advocating more services to recommending alternative things of superior performance or quality than the original item.

4. Make Use of Multimedia and Voice Communication

To assist your consumers, you can use WhatsApp to share geolocations, send purchase confirmations, photos, and audios, and receive videos.

Videos and memes effectively inform customers about future events or new items, leaving a lasting impression on their thoughts. However, memes, videos, and audio snippets should be succinct and to the point. Additionally, you can try using WhatsApp’s new product catalogue feature, which is advantageous if you do not have a website. Create a WhatsApp product catalogue for your consumers to view up to 500 goods. They may contact you with questions about your product. You may also provide a link to the whole product catalogue and additional distribution channels if you choose.

Lastly, implement a WhatsApp video/voice call communication system to enhance engagement with new clients and address customer service issues. When clients communicate with you through video or audio chat, they get a more personalized experience, which boosts the likelihood of upselling. Reap the advantages of WhatsApp by delivering the correct voice messages to the right consumers at the right time, determining which voice campaigns work for you, and optimizing further for a greater customer experience.

5. Segment Your Audience to Provide Them With More Personalized Experiences

Using the WhatsApp Labels feature to segment your audience is a wonderful approach to guarantee that your users have a more personalized experience on your platform. Why? Because there are likely to be varying user demographics, one marketing message may not be as effective as another in reaching them. It is critical to provide the greatest possible user experience!

Final Words

In short, to retain current customers while also extending your customer base, WhatsApp Marketing is a smart method to cut down on acquisition expenditures. Consider taking advantage of this excellent, low-cost platform to improve your sales and income. WhatsApp Business offers exceptional levels of consumer engagement and the fostering of long-term ties with customers. A quick reply can assist in developing confidence and greatly enhance conversions. WhatsApp marketing can be personalized with numerous possibilities for specialized communications such as welcome messages followed by birthday greetings and incentive points.

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Artificial Intelligence Is Transforming eCommerce https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2022/05/artificial-intelligence-ecommerce.html/ Fri, 06 May 2022 11:50:18 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=61408 The advancement of artificial intelligence technology is changing how we interact with the world. eCommerce is especially susceptible. The advancement of technology is changing how we interact with the world. There isn’t a single business globally that hasn’t been impacted by artificial intelligence in some way or another (AI). From virtual reality (VR) gaming systems […]

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The advancement of artificial intelligence technology is changing how we interact with the world. eCommerce is especially susceptible.

The advancement of technology is changing how we interact with the world. There isn’t a single business globally that hasn’t been impacted by artificial intelligence in some way or another (AI). From virtual reality (VR) gaming systems to artificial intelligence (AI) robots in industrial production, technology is advancing exponentially. And that’s not even close to Q Commerce.

However, since learning technologies and algorithms are already transforming the industry, eCommerce is especially susceptible to artificial intelligence (AI) disruption. It could alter the way we buy and sell items on the internet.

Artificial intelligence (AI) can not only do jobs that humans previously performed manually, but it can also optimize the customer experience and give businesses the information they require to make intelligent business decisions.

Here are four ways in which artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the world of e-business.

1. Artificial Intelligence Copywriting

The emergence of automatic copywriting is transforming how brands generate their sales copy and marketing materials.

Writing technologies that use artificial intelligence may generate marketing text in seconds. Instead of engaging copywriters or advertising firms to write headlines, blog introductions, or product descriptions, brands may now use artificial intelligence algorithms to accomplish the task.

These systems, which use advanced artificial intelligence language models, can provide digital ad text, social media material, and other eCommerce copy.

The majority of automated copywriting still requires manual editing. But it is well on its way to becoming a standard feature of eCommerce.

2. Chatbots and virtual assistants are two examples of artificial intelligence.

Shoppers who choose to do their shopping in a physical store benefit from the presence of clerks. An employee or assistant can aid them in navigating the store and locating what they’re looking for.

While eCommerce has always had customer care employees available to provide phone support, it wasn’t until recently that artificial intelligence (AI) could fill in the gaps and give customers more instant assistance. As eCommerce merchants strive to provide 24/7 help to all of their online consumers, chatbots and other virtual service usage is becoming more commonplace.

However, the use of natural language processing (NLP) allows these chatbots to understand and comprehend voice-based interactions with online shoppers, allowing them to provide customized offers. As a result of being programmed with self-learning skills, they are constantly increasing their ability to respond to and satisfy the wants of their customers.

3. Personalization is the next stage.

Therefore, through accurate product suggestions and advertising, AI also gives clients a more personalized experience.

Artificial intelligence algorithms will sift through massive datasets to extract meaningful insights into customer behavior. These insights will allow them to predict better what a client needs when the customer needs it. Their recommendation engine can use the information from your buying history to propose products that are similar to what you’re looking for. These days, you can even use AI scheduling tools to map out your whole day!

To give you an example, if you recently looked for sponges on Amazon, the AI algorithms will propose additional cleaning goods that are similar to sponges on your page.

However, people can also apply this artificial intelligence technology across various platforms, including websites, email, and even mobile applications. AI can assist you in providing a more delightful and simplified experience to your clients. AI can tailor to an audience and increase your productivity.

Personalization is essential for a positive customer journey. So the algorithms of AI are present in a great deal of eCommerce advertising.

4. Inventory control is critical.

For example, inventory management is the second area of eCommerce where artificial intelligence’s predictive analytics is transforming the landscape.

Maintaining current inventory, storing it appropriately, and placing orders well in advance is critical, mainly when predicting client demand.

Storage facilities do not have the capacity or the resources to maintain everything in stock at all times. This is why it is critical to prioritize the things you require and order them in the order in which you need them. Therefore, artificial intelligence uses predictive analysis to generate educated guesses about what the future needs in the market will be like.

With the help of machine learning, artificial intelligence technology is becoming increasingly accurate at anticipating what inventory you will need to order. And how much of it you should keep on hand at any given time. These systems can anticipate rapid changes in demand.

Do preventive maintenance on your technology. Automate key packing activities to boost productivity.

In conclusion, artificial intelligence is becoming increasingly popular among eCommerce companies to improve their analytical insights. It provides a more tailored consumer experience, and raises their competitiveness. As the market for artificial intelligence in eCommerce continues to grow, they can leave you behind.

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Grow Your Business on Facebook in the New Year https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2022/05/grow-your-business-facebook.html/ Tue, 03 May 2022 11:20:23 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=60756 Facebook is a helpful marketing tool for small business owners who don’t often have the time or cash to engage in lengthy digital marketing strategies. With almost 3 billion active members, Facebook is a very popular social platform. When used correctly, Facebook can be used to spread marketing messages for your company without the need […]

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Facebook is a helpful marketing tool for small business owners who don’t often have the time or cash to engage in lengthy digital marketing strategies. With almost 3 billion active members, Facebook is a very popular social platform. When used correctly, Facebook can be used to spread marketing messages for your company without the need for hiring a marketing crew or spending lots of money.

Over half of Facebook users go to a local business’ page weekly, so it’s not surprising that marketing agencies see Facebook as one of the best social media platforms to invest in as a small business.

This platform can help small businesses build brand awareness, attract new customers, retain existing customers, increase sales, and improve customer service.

1. Create a business page.

Is your small business Facebook-ready? A small tea shop, an eCommerce store, or a landscaping company may benefit from Facebook. If you can only concentrate on a couple social media networks, make Facebook your top choice.

How do you find out? Ask your clients whether Facebook is a good way to interact with them. You can send a survey via an email list or through a social media post. Inquire about their preferred platforms and brands.

Getting Started

The Facebook page you create for your business will inform prospective customers about your business, its mission, and what you offer. If you’re nervous about setting up a page, it’s actually quite easy. Facebook provides templates, so you just choose the one that works best for you.

Upload a profile image that includes bright colors and an easy to read logo. Include contact information like a phone number, email address, and website (if you have one). If you serve customers locally, include your location or physical address as well.

The About section will allow you to give background information on your company’s mission, history, and products/services. It’s vital that people know what you do! Tell them what makes your company unique.

A cover picture is your brand’s initial impression. Evoke an emotion or inspire action, like taking advantage of a seasonal sale. Take a snapshot of your product in action, your business, your staff, or your current deal. Be sure to fill in all of the contact info fields.

2. Match your target demographic to Facebook users.

Some social media networks have more active audiences than others. You can match your target audience’s interests, values, beliefs, and personality to the social media platforms you’re considering.

For example, Millennials love Facebook. With over 290,000,000 users, the platform is worth exploring for all age groups. On the other hand, if you want to reach adolescents, try TikTok, where 25% of users are aged 10 to 19.

3. Examine your competitors.

Your target demographic is likely on Facebook if comparable companies have significant followings and get many comments and likes. After all, your competitors’ customers could be yours! Just start posting.

However, if your rivals aren’t on Facebook, it’s probably not for you. On the other hand, if numerous clients say they’ll follow you on Facebook, it means there’s untapped potential in your industry.

4. Customize your CTA button.

At the top of your Facebook page, you can customize the CTA button to encourage your followers to take a specific action. Other CTA considerations include:

  • Vanity URLs: After 25 followers, you may obtain a branded URL, which helps to further brand your business page.
  • Videos: Posts with videos get more attention and interaction than posts with only text. Facebook videos immediately play, making them much more appealing.
  • Text Posts: Utilize text-only postings to poll your followers or create discussions. If you include a link, it will display a sample of the website, grabbing more eyeballs than text-only posts. Use them to promote a bargain or a blog article.
  • Photo Postings: People notice photos on Facebook while looking through their feed. Photos are easier to publish than videos and have a higher possibility of interaction.
  • Phone Videos: These are natural and may help viewers connect. Showcase new items, behind-the-scenes shots, and Q&As through video. Go live to interact with the audience in real-time.
  • Stories: Instead of creating a status update, share a story. Facebook users are more interested in a business or product after seeing it in their stories, according to Facebook. Stories are suitable for informal content. Post exciting questions and polls to keep folks interested.

5. Be human, not pushy.

Your customers come for what you can offer them, but they remain for your human-like interaction with them on social media.

Consider Facebook to be a brand extension. You may still upload promotional material, but it should be mixed in with lots of compelling, non-promotional content to attract Facebook fans. And remember to respect their privacy as much as possible.

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6 Advantages and Disadvantages of Social Media in Business https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2022/04/social-media-in-business.html/ Thu, 28 Apr 2022 15:15:33 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=62072 Social media, like most things, is a double-edged sword. It can help your business tremendously if you know how to use it. But, it could be a waste of time and other resources if you don’t. As nearly 4.5 billion people use social media worldwide, by creating a social media account for your business, you’ll […]

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Social media, like most things, is a double-edged sword. It can help your business tremendously if you know how to use it. But, it could be a waste of time and other resources if you don’t. As nearly 4.5 billion people use social media worldwide, by creating a social media account for your business, you’ll be able to reach clientele you didn’t know you could have.

Still, you should consider carefully before making accounts on several platforms just because you can.

1. Pro: You gain a channel of communication with your customers and leads.

Social media is the easiest way to connect with would-be customers these days. Nearly every customer who has worked with or purchased from you in the past likely has a social media account.

You can reach out to them to tell their friends about your new presence on social media. Also, you should have messages open so people can contact you with offers of collaboration or questions about your products and services. Open yourself up to conversation from people.

Publicly thanking consumers for their praise and admitting shortcomings in response to criticism can be an excellent way to showcase your strengths. It shows that your business listens to and cares about what consumers think of the brand. As 47% of customers find brands more favorable when they answer questions and respond to complaints via social media, you’ll simultaneously be positioning your brand in a more favorable light.

2. Con: You might rely on ads.

Of course, to find those aforementioned would-be customers, you have to grab their eyes on social media.

Word of mouth might be the most popular and effective advertising tool. However, if you can’t reach new groups of people through it, you’ll have to branch out.

Ads on social media often aren’t expensive, and they can draw plenty of people to you via demographic targeting. You may find ads worth the investment. But, if leads start to see your ads too much, it could backfire on your business quickly.

3. Pro: Your page can unite like-minded people.

By running a social media account for your business, you can draw your customers together in one place.

They all have something in common: a love for your business! People may be able to identify a support system full of people who understand their stage of life by simply interacting with them in the comments.

You can bring together new friends and create a community that adores your business and everything you offer.

4. Con: Social media is time-consuming.

There’s a reason why being a social media manager is its own job.

First of all, you have to choose someone who knows how to curate certain content for any kind of audience. You also have to have someone make graphics and content for your page.

You also have to have that person on standby to reply to any questions in the comment sections or direct messages. They should also research the latest trends or changes in the app and algorithms. You should start with one social media platform instead of all of them.

5. Pro: You can answer frequently asked questions.

Having information on your social media accounts can help you answer the hot questions your leads ask without taking it to direct messages right away.

Restaurants and food services can include their menus on their social media pages, thereby answering any questions on what they offer and the exact price a customer should expect to pay.

You can explain more about your business by linking your website to your social media. Highlights on Instagram can be great for FAQs, as you can save a permanent question sticker that allows people to go back and ask questions whenever they feel like it — and you can post the answers to your story when applicable and save them to the FAQ highlight.

Similarly, you can put more information about your company in a lengthy about section on Facebook, which also supports direct menu uploading for any business that provides food or beauty services.

6. Con: Social media requires extensive monitoring.

You shouldn’t allow a conversation in your comments to spiral out of control.

When someone has a legitimate criticism, it’s common for brands to reply to let them know their voice has been heard and thank them for the new perspective they brought.

You’ll also want to monitor the comment section for any arguments that break out. You don’t want to give off the impression that your business tolerates hate speech or other inflammatory and offensive things.

You should have a community moderator keeping an eye on your comment sections — or limit them so that only people who follow your account can make comments.

What’s the verdict?

As a business owner, whether your company chooses to use social media should be your decision alone.

If you decide to create accounts on social media, try to focus on the platforms that give you the most return on your investment rather than spreading yourself thin across multiple platforms.

When choosing the person who will run your social media accounts, make sure to pick someone who knows what they’re doing and understands the algorithms. The more you invest in your social media game, the more payoff you’re likely to see.

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What Is Blockchain’s True Impact on Businesses? https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2022/04/blockchain-true-impact.html/ Mon, 18 Apr 2022 19:50:48 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=61942 Think again if you believe blockchain technology will not influence your organization. This newer tech might total trillions by 2030. From accounting to business operations, industry leaders increasingly unite their beliefs that blockchain will impact every key area of work — and the transition is already underway. According to some estimations, small business blockchain might […]

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Think again if you believe blockchain technology will not influence your organization. This newer tech might total trillions by 2030.

From accounting to business operations, industry leaders increasingly unite their beliefs that blockchain will impact every key area of work — and the transition is already underway. According to some estimations, small business blockchain might contribute $1.77 trillion to the global economy by 2030. The Internet of Things will help see to it.

How does it work?

Blockchain automatically tracks transactions from start to end without requiring a central authority to preserve the trade or encrypt the data without the need for human interaction.

Instead, blockchain or NFT provides transparency into what occurs in the transaction’s history by classifying them. Furthermore, since blockchain is immutable, this information is safe.

This “digital ledger” enables NFT developers and disruptors to rewrite the book on traditional organizational procedures in new and exciting ways.

The technology provides greater transactional security since it is intrinsically transparent, immutable, and decentralized. They use worldly math and software principles to store almost impossible data for adversaries to exploit. Each block adds to the chain has a complex cryptographic reference to the block before it. This reference is a complicated mathematical issue that people must translate for the further following block to the network and chain.

The method creates a digital fingerprint that is uniquely encrypted.

The rising popularity of it may impact experts working in banking, agreements, settlements, or any corporate procedure that involves being a third party to marketing. As the defender of trust, blockchain cryptology replaces third-party intermediaries.

When dealing with assets using mathematics rather than intermediaries, blockchain may assist reduce overhead costs and headaches for businesses or people. If you work in this industry, you should understand how cryptocurrency or NFT assets are produced, exchanged, saved, and verified on the cloud to capitalize on their opportunities.

How is blockchain being used in business?

You now understand how blockchain may change the way organizations run. However, it is essential to reflect on the firms touched by the cloud.

Many people want to know how to use blockchain in business. A detailed understanding of blockchain applications in many sectors may provide the answer. Over time, several organizations embraced it with positive results. Here’s a rundown of some of the other blockchain business ideas altering unique organizations.

The opportunities for blockchain-based firms in the SAP services market are inspiring. For a long time, blockchain and banking have been inextricably linked. By providing secure, digital, and inflexible ledgers, blockchain may perform the very purpose of banks.

As an evolution, blockchain improves the accuracy and flexibility of data exchange in the financial services ecosystem. It can disrupt the banking industry, which has a value of over $4.8 trillion, by dis-intermediating critical services provided by banks, ranging from authorization and payment systems to expenditures.

Credit Suisse is the most visible example of platform use in the banking industry. It collaborated with the New York-based firm Paxos to compensate U.S. stock transactions using blockchain technology. Furthermore, well-known players in the financial services industry have exhibited positive instances of its use in business.

Blockchain is expanding into the finance sector.

Banking institutions and lending companies often provide underwriting for loans based on credit reports.

Clients may be antagonistic to the central credit reporting system. As a result, various systems employing platforms to create cost-effective, secure, and efficient lending and borrowing may significantly simplify the process. Clients may be open to employing loans based on a single worldwide recognition score. But only if cryptographic security and a decentralized database can provide for earlier payments.

Dharma Labs is a noteworthy example of such usage in lending and borrowing instances. It’s a protocol that allows developers to create online debt markets with the necessary instruments and metrics.

Bloom is another example of a technology that influences lending and borrowing. It’s a job right on educating credit scoring on the blockchain, emphasizing the growth of a protocol for managing risk, originality, and distinction scoring using blockchain technology.

The impact of blockchain trends and the possibilities of blockchain giving value in many corporate use cases may allow anybody to begin their blockchain-based experience.

However, it is critical to seek knowledge to properly respond to the wave of “blockchain development.” There are many businesses experiencing disruption due to blockchain companies. Administrators should keep these points in mind.

However, new company setups should focus on the distinctiveness of social purpose as a powerful agent of change. Likewise, the current generation of customers is altering how organizations develop and provide value. As a result, company concepts should emphasize sustainability. Other market participants should be chosen by current clientele.

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Why You Should Prioritize Customer Retention Over Customer Acquisition  https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2022/04/prioritize-customer-retention.html/ Fri, 15 Apr 2022 20:25:33 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=62082 Sales cure all — a classic adage in the world of business. For the most part, it’s still valid. Without sales, there are no new customers. And without customers, there is no business. However, it’s been shown to be more important to prioritize customer retention. However, there is one thing that your sales team alone […]

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Sales cure all — a classic adage in the world of business. For the most part, it’s still valid. Without sales, there are no new customers. And without customers, there is no business. However, it’s been shown to be more important to prioritize customer retention.

However, there is one thing that your sales team alone cannot cure. And that is customer churn. If customers don’t return, no amount of new customers can help achieve a steady growth rate for your business.

Yet many sales and marketing leaders in organizations are always busy looking “out there” for new customers instead of introspecting and improving customer retention. In fact, a paltry 40% of businesses are equally prioritizing both customer retention and acquisition.

Don’t let your company fall into the same trap. You should find ways to delight and generate more revenue from your current customers than relying solely on acquiring new customers. Below, we’ll look at the top reasons why.

Why You Should Prioritize Customer Retention

There are several benefits that make customer retention critical to your company’s bottom line.

Every loyal customer presents an opportunity to develop a brand advocate, get more referrals, and encourage word-of-mouth marketing. Let’s take a closer look at each key advantage, one by one.

Get positive word of mouth.

75% of customers loyal to a brand will refer their friends and family to the same. And this desire to spread the word comes from the customer retention efforts of the brand.

A decision to prioritize customer retention initiatives has the power to convert customers into brand advocates, increasing your likelihood of gaining referrals. A recommendation from a third party can be the final nudge that moves a prospect to action and persuade them to buy from you.

When customers are happy with your brand, you can even launch a referral program to realize their full potential in promoting your business. Ellevest is a great example. The company rewards both the referrer and the referee for each successful transaction.

To launch a similar program, you can use a tool such as Early Parrot. It lets you create referral marketing campaigns. These can seamlessly integrate with any of the major website builders in the market.

However, you can’t expect such an initiative to work without a focus on retaining customers. Disengaged customers are less likely to tell others about you, even if you reward them for doing so.

Boost conversion rates.

A customer who has bought from your business twice is 9 times more likely to purchase again than a new buyer, as per a study by Adobe. In other words, current customers help you get more conversions and make more money.

CVS Pharmacy is great at targeting present customers, for example. The company sends customers personalized email messages with deals and coupons based on what they have purchased before.

An email campaign is not the only way to target current customers. You can also insert Google Ads or Facebook pixels within your website’s code. These snippets can be used to run advertising that targets people who have already visited or purchased from your website.

Since the customers are likely to need similar products again, a retargeting campaign allows the company to bring customers back and sell more in the process.

Increase your customer lifetime value (CLV).

In case you’re unaware, customer lifetime value is the total monetary worth of a customer during the period of their relationship with your business. And it’s an important metric that speaks to the overall financial health of your company.

A recent study suggests that 37% of buyers will shell out more money on a business if they’re loyal to the brand. So repeat customers are not just more likely to buy from you as we discussed above, but they are also inclined to spend more.

The result? High CLV and low cost of marketing, which brings us to the next benefit of prioritizing customer retention.

Reduce marketing expenses.

It is widely agreed that customer acquisition costs more than customer retention.

When you acquire customers, you also get to learn about the best ways to reach them. And you have the contact information to reach them again and again in a cost-effective manner.

Acquiring new customers, on the other hand, requires you to allocate a dedicated budget to sourcing new leads, advertising your website, lead nurturing, and customer onboarding. No matter how careful you are, you are always left with a huge dent in your pocket.

Get predictable revenue.

Running a business is a game of risk and uncertainty. But that doesn’t mean you can overlook ways to minimize them as much as possible. And that’s another aspect where customer retention shines more than customer acquisition.

As we discussed above, happy and satisfied customers will keep buying from you again and again. As a result, your overall revenue is more steady and predictable.

In fact, annual subscriptions — a recent business model that has taken the world by storm — relies solely on a business’s ability to retain customers as the main source of growth.

When a customer pays for the annual subscription, the business has a certain amount of assured income for the whole year. And at the end of 12 months, customers renew their subscription based on their needs and level of satisfaction with the product or service.

The global SaaS market (subscription software) is projected to touch $437 billion in 2025, at a CAGR of 12.5%. So you can imagine the kind of growth possible with retaining customers for the long-term.

By retaining customers, you can say goodbye to your day-to-day sales worries and focus more on the future vision of your brand.

Shield your business from the competition.

The more customers connect with your business, the more habitual they get in terms of preferring your brand. They do not get easily swayed by other brands as long as your product or service is working fine for them. And this is a huge competitive advantage to have in a fickle world.

A brilliant example of a brand that builds customer loyalty with an authentic connection is Bombas. The company openly communicates its philanthropic mission of donating to the needy, which plays a big role in customer retention.

When customers are served with stories that help them connect with a brand’s mission and values, they experience a strong sense of loyalty.

Improve business operations.

82% of consumers agree that they would move to another brand if they experience poor customer service from the brand they were loyal to. As scary as it seems, the truth is that it takes just one bad experience to push buyers away from your business.

That means you must do everything in your power to ensure that your business operations are aligned with customer preferences. And that’s another area where customer retention can help.

Loyal customers give you a valuable source of feedback that helps improve your products, services, and overall customer experience.

Case in point: Southwest Airlines. The company quickly follows up with customers who voice a negative experience or a piece of feedback, even on social media platforms. In doing so, it gets insights straight from the customers instead of relying only on internal research and development.

Wrapping Up

The value of acquiring new customers can’t be denied. However, it’s equally important to level up your customer retention strategy. If you’re focusing only on empowering your sales reps while your customer success team is grasping at straws, then you’re compromising your organization’s potential to succeed.

The solution? Give equal weightage to customer retention. As we discussed above, customer retention is crucial for the long-term sustainability of your business. Moreover, it gives you new opportunities to leverage the trust you have built with current customers to take your business to the next level.

After all, customer retention is what differentiates one-hit wonders from strong and stable brands that dominate their industry for decades.

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6 Types of New Technologies in eCommerce https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2022/04/ecommerce-technologies.html/ Wed, 06 Apr 2022 10:35:32 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=61985 Innovative eCommerce companies that want to remain competitive need to keep a keen eye on new technologies. These emerging eCommerce technologies may help improve efficiency, support growth, and create more streamlined operations. These technologies are more important in 2022 than ever before, especially as the eCommerce industry continues to grow. Most eCommerce businesses need the […]

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Innovative eCommerce companies that want to remain competitive need to keep a keen eye on new technologies. These emerging eCommerce technologies may help improve efficiency, support growth, and create more streamlined operations.

These technologies are more important in 2022 than ever before, especially as the eCommerce industry continues to grow. Most eCommerce businesses need the right tools and technologies to achieve their goals.

So…what should you be investing in?

Take a look at some of the new technologies entering the eCommerce space. Make a decision for yourself that is worthy of investment based on how you operate your business.

1. Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence (AI) is an interesting type of technology when it comes to its place in the eCommerce world.

Once thought of as a solution for high tech, it’s now more readily available than ever. It allows many organizations to adopt it as a way of minimizing costs and enhancing operations.

AI may help to fill in the one gap that consumers have when it comes to making a decision about purchasing online. It creates the opportunity for virtual assistants to work and connect with consumers in a realistic experience.

That can help with improving personalization and customer service. It increases the connection between the company selling the product and the consumer buying it, filling an all-important gap.

2. All-Inclusive Fulfillment Systems

It’s a fact of eCommerce. The faster you can fulfill orders, the more orders you can take. And that means more revenue streaming into your company’s account.

Yet it can be challenging to keep up with all the warehousing, picking, packing, and shipping needs of a growing business. It can also become expensive, bringing down the profits you make on each item you sell.

Newer fulfillment systems that leverage the latest software advancements have been a huge boon. This is especially the case with startups operating on limited capital.

These systems are typically offered on an outsourced basis, as in the case of third-party logistics (3PL) providers. These providers can have technology that can help with warehouse management, order management, and product information management. They can pull it all together in one spot making an eCommerce retailer’s life much easier.

As a complete eCommerce solution, Tradefull points out that automation through those types of tech is making warehousing more efficient. As a result, this is helping retailers get products to customers faster and faster.

3. Hyper-Personalized Experiences

Hyper-personalized experiences piggyback on the use of AI in eCommerce environments.

AI can help to gather information about shoppers during their visits. That data proves valuable because it can then be used to create personalized experiences for customers.

Consumers desire a personalized experience that speaks directly to them and values their time. Likewise, a tailored experience like this also allows companies to present consumers with more of the products they are likely to want, improving sales.

The adoption of hyper-personalized experiences through the use of AI can empower eCommerce brands beyond the competition. As a result, it creates an opportunity for a one-of-a-kind experience that consumers desire.

4. Voice Assistants

There’s no doubt that checking the weather or playing music using a voice assistant like Google or Alexa is the easy way to go.

Voice assistants like this can also directly contribute to the needs of eCommerce businesses. Consumers want to rely on their devices to help them make purchases, especially when buying online.

In an eCommerce environment, consumers want to ask their voice assistant of choice to help them find what they need. That may allow companies to set up tools that also allow repeat purchases.

All the consumer has to do is to ask their voice assistant to purchase a specific product from the store of their choice. Many of these assistants remember past purchases. Additionally, they may even help with marketing products by sending reminders to consumers to buy again.

5. Chatbots

One of the concerns for many organizations in managing their eCommerce operation is being accessible to customers 24 hours a day.

It’s simply impossible to do this without the use of technology. New technology, such as AI chatbots, is working to provide a solution.

These more advanced chatbots allow consumers to type their messages directly to the company. The chatbots respond with reasonable questions and can retrieve customer information, product shipping data, and even product information, answering most of the consumers’ questions.

The benefit here is in improving customer service. Consumers get the information they need whenever they need it, even in the middle of the night. That leads to increased sales.

At the same time, eCommerce companies don’t need to pay the high cost of using people to answer those questions. This type of technology has improved significantly so that it creates a more personalized, realistic experience for the consumer while gathering data and supporting the needs of the company.

6. Augmented Reality

Unlike at a brick-and-mortar store, consumers have no way to look at a product from different angles, handle it, try it on, or otherwise explore it.

Augmented reality (AR) opens the door for this opportunity. While it has a long way to go in terms of texture and truly experiencing what a product is like, consumers can use AR to visualize products more realistically before they make a purchase. They can try on clothing virtually. They may be able to place furniture in their living room to see just how well it would fit.

AR is rapidly changing and morphing into a valuable tool for many eCommerce businesses. It’s also a fantastic tool to embed into social media to help build brand recognition and help encourage sales.

Technology Continues to Improve eCommerce Success

Business owners looking for ways to grow and build their operations may need to pay close attention to new technology like these.

Not only can technology help to create new opportunities for sales and better customer service, but it may also provide opportunities to streamline costs, improve operations, and improve efficiencies throughout the company.

In the growing eCommerce industry, it’s essential to have every possible tool available to ensure the best possible return on every sale made.

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SMBs Make Personal and Business Brands Work https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2022/03/smbs-make-business-brands-work.html/ Thu, 17 Mar 2022 10:50:47 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=61565 Here’s how small business owners can make personal and business brands work together, building a distinctive brand with a strong identity. Building catchy, distinctive business brands is critical for every company. Customers can better grasp who you are, what you do, and why you do it if you have a strong brand identity. However, many […]

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Here’s how small business owners can make personal and business brands work together, building a distinctive brand with a strong identity.

Building catchy, distinctive business brands is critical for every company. Customers can better grasp who you are, what you do, and why you do it if you have a strong brand identity.

However, many entrepreneurs conflate their company’s brand with their personal brand. While combining them may work for a select few, it isn’t the best method for most people. And it can affect worker numbers as well.

Separating your brand from your company enhances your business while also allowing for individual liberty and professional progress. This advice is from experts with experience as a creative brand strategists and coaches for small companies and startups.

If you have a public persona of any kind, experts strongly advocate developing a distinct business brand. Likewise, sharing insights into personal life via a “personal, professional” brand platform.

This is why.

You’ll be able to expand your horizons outside your business.

Many entrepreneurs write a book, become public speakers, or start a new business initiative. Your professional brand is an ideal venue for sharing and promoting this work while keeping the company running smoothly.

You may improve your company’s brand by doing one thing. Separating your professional interests from the core goal of your firm boosts the brand of your organization by making it more focused and deliberate.

You’ll improve your brand’s development potential because you want the company brand to exist on its own, without you, even if you feel like you are your business at first.

Therefore, if you have ambitions of building a team or even being purchased, you want the business brand to stand on its own without you.

However, your professional success should not be contingent on the success of your company.

You are more than a business.

Employers, customers, and partners all want to have a better sense of who you are on a deeper level.

  • What are the issues that you support?
  • Do you belong to other professional organizations?
  • What other creative pursuits or hobbies do you have that help you be who you are?

Convinced? Great. Here’s how to go about it.

Develop your professional identity.

Think of enlarging your professional brand as a Linkedin profile. It’s a professional internet persona that extends beyond your organization or corporation.

People sometimes mistake this with a personal brand. Nevertheless, it’s essential to differentiate them.

Some people have trouble deciding what to keep private and share with the world.

Ask yourself, “How much of myself do I need to be genuine without feeling like the rest of the world knows everything I’m up to?” (The “personal branding” approach to social media that many people take.)

One answer has been to create a “personal professional brand.”

Do you publish causes you believe in? Do you promote initiatives you’re involved in? Are snippets of your daily life on your website and social media?

For instance, images from a recent vacation or a snapshot of the family. This personal, professional brand would assist conveying a more extensive narrative of who I am if I were applying for any form of employment, collaboration, or client transaction.

Are there any exceptions to this rule?

Yes, of course! Having a single brand makes sense if your personal, professional brand is also your business brand — as many writers, lecturers, trainers, and thought leaders do.

Otherwise, keep them apart but point them in the same direction.

Here’s how it might go.

Create a professional personal website.

As a home for your own professional identity, one can suggest obtaining the domain name yourname.com (or something similar). You don’t want to manage a website like this in addition to your company’s website…do you?

Show up on social media, but just where you want people to see you.

As a small business owner (particularly one who reads this site), you’re probably aware of the value of social media.

You’re probably also worried about keeping track of your company and personal accounts on several platforms.

A little remark about LinkedIn while we’re on the subject of social networking.

Many individuals choose “Owner of Company” as their default title. Yet, adding a few more adjectives about who you are and what you excel at is essential.

If someone is looking for an expert or speaker and comes across your profile, they will better know who you are outside of your company.

Develop your thought leadership skills.

Find ways to offer your knowledge. Things like publishing articles or presenting on podcasts are a beautiful approach. It will boost your company’s and personal professional brand’s awareness.

You may and should mention your firm when these possibilities arise. However, you should also discuss your principles and what you stand for as a professional outside of your present position.

There was a recent interview on a podcast where people discussed their brand philosophy. It was said, yes, they do that every day at work.

But it’s also good advice to counsel other businesses or serve on advisory boards. Outside of your business, it’s a part of who you are.

Don’t be afraid to show off your personality.

What makes you a little bit eccentric? Is it simple for others to connect with you, both for companies and individuals?

So, while you build your unique professional brand, don’t be hesitant to show off such qualities!

Do you like ice skating? Do you have a massive Star Wars miniatures collection? Those enjoyable pastimes may not be able to take center stage in your company’s branding.

Still, they will provide a layer of appeal, curiosity, and connection to your professional brand. After all, they’re what distinguishes you from the competition — and that’s what branding is all about.

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The Four S’s of Social Media Success https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2022/03/social-media-success.html/ Mon, 07 Mar 2022 15:20:43 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=61589 Social media success has become one of the most fundamental elements for marketing any digital business. Brands simply cannot put it at the bottom of the pile any longer. Social media has become the need of the hour. Be it the provision of content to an audience or an engagement incremental, social media platforms come […]

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Social media success has become one of the most fundamental elements for marketing any digital business.

Brands simply cannot put it at the bottom of the pile any longer. Social media has become the need of the hour.

Be it the provision of content to an audience or an engagement incremental, social media platforms come in handy. It could ultimately boost the online presence of any business.

Social Media Marketing and Brand Awareness

Social media is all about being loyal and real in your business while presenting your brand in front of an audience. The well-established “captivity” of social media has helped businesses place themselves in the light by which they wish to be seen.

What seemed like a struggling phase without the advantage of social media platforms has become a simplified and smooth process with socializing networks.

And now social media strategies and business marketing plans have become a critical part of digital brands.

When done correctly, your social media campaign can boost brand awareness and recognition globally. It enables your company to receive enhanced digital traffic and social media success.

Most importantly, social media platforms have allowed businesses to interact well with their audience. Brands can use all the various communication mediums to have interactive sessions with their targeted groups.

Below, I’ve jotted down the 4 S’s that can work wonders for your social media success. Use them to craft a flawless social media marketing strategy in the near future. Let’s begin!

1. Setting Goals

Hear me out. Any good marketing plan always begins by establishing goals.

Before designing social media strategy for your business’s growth, you need to understand the objectives of your business. Measure the end results and write down what you want to work for.

Set your goals first. After that, it will be easier to think about a strategic plan. This set of goals and curation of objectives for the core purpose of business helps in inspiring the targeted audience.

Plan to have your social media marketers use the appropriate resources to curate data and publish posts.

Further, social media analytics and tracking tools can be used to measure the performance of the implemented strategies. Key metrics of social media analysis can be used to track your performance so far!

A Few Tips:

The specified data on your posts could also indicate which of your strategies are working and which aren’t. Data must consist of:

  • the popularity of your published posts;
  • engagement of followers on certain posts; and
  • the reactions of your audience.

Creating an objective outline and marking them off after completion would also help you see how far you have come…and what changes you should make now.

The Evaluation Process

Evaluating your goals is also a necessary step in your social media and digital marketing, including SEO, email marketing, blogger outreach, PPC, etc.

You need to stay updated and should make changes depending on your company’s growth. Social media goals further fall into several categories including:

  • increased brand awareness;
  • traffic increment;
  • new leads generation;
  • revenue growth;
  • ideal research of your audience; and
  • more press mentions.

Once the objectives of the brand are identified, it should become easier to achieve them with a strategic plan.

Most of the social media platforms have made it easier to track metrics. And you cannot afford to miss out on this golden opportunity.

By integrating your social media accounts, you can kick start your digital marketing of the business. You can also use the proper analytical tools for impressive growth.

2. Setting Up Profiles

Another important step of social media success includes the setup of profiles and this should be done perfectly.

Take a look and check that each of your information blocks is filled out on your social media profiles and that you have not missed out on any essential points.

Your profile should include the location of your company, contact information, website link, and proper description of your business and services.

With the help of a brief description, you can target your audience. You can provide them with the proper information about your business.

In this way, the targeted group of people can gain valuable insights about the brand impacting their buying decision. Furthermore, this ensures that potential customers would be able to find everything in one place.

Be it the LinkedIn marketing strategy or the Facebook community campaign, you need to set up your profile first to grab the targeted audience.

If you hope to win their trust, your business profile should be set up on each social media platform.

It might be easier for you to present the brand on the local and foreign levels. Once the profiles’ setup is complete, it would be convenient to design their related strategies.

The Benefit of Consistency

At this point, after completing the setup, you also need to make sure that all the information mentioned on the profiles is the same across every platform.

With the absolute same and optimized information across all social media channels, it would also be optimal to measure the SEO performance of your business’s profile and pages throughout the search engines.

Social media profiles can help you to build brand recognition and brand awareness. Keep all the elements the same across the social media platforms including the message and design elements. This would further include the logo, company name, color theme, and profile photo.

When businesses work over their branding techniques, it helps them to build stronger brand recognition in the minds of customers.

3. Strategic Planning

Let’s talk about the third S of social media success and that means strategic planning.

Designing a social media strategy for success is nothing nearly as complex as rocket science as there are several resources that could help you to research and learn from them. Having the right plan in your hand can enable you to maximize your social media efforts, indirectly producing huge efforts.

Be it Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or whatever, businesses have to show up with the strategic planning for their business.

Ensure that all your tactics and tips are simplified and maximized enough for your social media platforms. Reaching out to the audience from the social platforms is easy but keeping them engaged is a bigger problem.

A Few Tips:

First of all, you need to know your targeted audience and should understand what their needs are. Once you know their demands and tailor your business accordingly, it will be easier to come up with a plan.

Also, observe keenly which platforms your audience is spending more time on. Once that platform has been identified, get ready to craft some unique and engaging posts.

It’s quite evident that Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter have become the hot favorite social media channels among iGen. And using them to promote your business is definitely a great idea.

You need to implement the ways in which your brand might gain recognition and worth in the customers’ eyes. Keep publishing the content that could grab the attention of these consumers.

In this way, you should also be able to get in touch with the influencers from your industry. If the influencers would mention you in their posts, your brand would get noticed in amazing ways.

Moreover, take the advantage of social media management tools to track the performance of your business’s social pages. This will also help you to get a bigger picture of how your posts are performing among the audience.

4. Scheduling

The last S in the list is scheduling, which is another most important component to keep your business on track and organized in an effective way.

With the help of a scheduler or scheduling tool, you can post consistently without having to remember to do so. Scheduling is a key factor in social media success. It helps brands to manage their content posting tasks easily.

There are several social media management tools available with the help of which, you can work upon content creation, distribution, and publishing. Schedulers make it easy for business to manage and post their content and social media posts on different platforms.

Be it the LinkedIn, Twitter, or even Instagram hacks of scheduling posts and recycling content, management tools have made it all easy.

Once you understand how social media scheduling tools work, you can easily design and edit the content for future use.

At this point, it is very important to use the right type of social management tool so that nothing could go wrong once you are done with the scheduling of your content.

Once all is done, you can enjoy the perks of sitting back and letting your automated scheduler handle the rest.

A Few Tips:

You can use all-in-one social media management tools such as Social Champ. These can make your life easier like never before. With an internet tool such as this, you are able to upload the content easily and can save the posts for years.

For busy marketers and social media managers, all-in-one automation has been a huge help. These tools also allow you to track the performance of your social media posts.

It’s all good to create a social media calendar and take the help of social platforms management tool. But while mapping out, keep some important tips in your mind. The real key is to share as much as you can rather than promotion.

Don’t forget to link the content to your brand’s website as well. Moreover, check out to post at the best time so the audience’s engagement on your posts is high enough to impress others.

Wrapping Up

Social media success is nothing like rocket science and could be achieved with the above-mentioned 4 S’s of social media.

What you need is a strategic and smart approach towards your business goals. Once everything has been defined, it will become easier for your brand to maintain its reputation in the market of digital businesses.

Consistency is the key to win the audience’s heart and attention, so get the best designers and writers on the board to hit your mark successfully.

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Use an Organizational Chart or QR Codes for Reactions? https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2022/02/organizational-chart-or-qr-codes.html/ Mon, 21 Feb 2022 11:25:18 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=61168 Most big firms, particularly those young and developing, find it challenging to create an organizational chart or use QR codes for feedback. Why spend time on an organizational chart when the world is coming apart? That is an excellent question. Most firms see it as a time-consuming corporate activity. And, in the aftermath of shutdowns […]

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Most big firms, particularly those young and developing, find it challenging to create an organizational chart or use QR codes for feedback.

Why spend time on an organizational chart when the world is coming apart?

That is an excellent question. Most firms see it as a time-consuming corporate activity. And, in the aftermath of shutdowns and a pandemic, it’s more complicated than ever to figure out who is responsible for what.

We all had to make a significant shift in our workplace in 2020, and it seems like everyone has had the same job description since then, namely “additional responsibilities as appropriate.”

Should small companies bother with an org chart in this day and age, when the world and our enterprises are constantly changing? By the way, how’s your tech branding coming along?

Here are several contradictory facts, as well as a preliminary conclusion.

Appropriate business requires reasonable limits. People have seen that clear lines of duty and procedure differentiate the best from the others.

That’s what an effective organizational chart does. Chaos reigns supreme when there are no limits.

Clarity has a nice side to it.

Org charts might be challenging to create, but they give definition and clarity. The loudest voice triumphs when no one understands who reports to whom and who is accountable for what.

And the most pressing need receives attention, even if it is a different voice and a minor requirement.

Is there another advantage? Coworker relationships benefit from clear limits.

How are you navigating The Great Resignation?

And while we navigate the Great Resignation, wise leaders will do everything possible to keep their teams together.

Tight limits result in an inflexible corporation that cannot adapt to changing times and crises. During the chaos of 2020, thousands of firms needed assistance with staffing, payroll, and other pivots.

Agility was a common denominator among the firms that survived (and even thrived) throughout that year. They could all shift, which meant abandoning the formality of “the way we’ve always done things” and the statement “that’s not in my job description.”

The downside of organizational chart technology is that it might make the team excessively inflexible, which doesn’t work in an era when agility and flexibility are becoming more critical.

So, the issue is whether to use an org chart or not. It would be nice to provide a general response because, you know, each team is different.

What works for your team in 2021 may not work in 2022. It’s an art, not a science, to set reasonable limits while avoiding rigidity. And technology can help.

Do employees understand their roles and how the organization runs as a whole?

Is your company’s organizational chart assisting or limiting your ability to complete tasks in a changing environment?

Is it a servant who helps you be more productive or a master who hampers you?

Teams are living entities that evolve throughout the season. Every year, ask yourself these questions.

You’ll figure out the solution and be able to lead your squad to the most excellent decision for the season.

Consider employing QR codes to get feedback from customers.

Almost all customers do internet research before selecting to deal with a company.

An astonishing 79 percent of customers believe internet evaluations of local companies are as trustworthy as personal recommendations from friends or family!

When it comes to a lack of online evaluations for companies, the technology-driven world we live in today provides no room for error.

Getting 72 percent of customers to agree to submit an online review is as easy as asking them and providing a direct link, but how can a company owner be sure that the consumer will follow through? After all, time presses consumers.

QR codes make things easier for everyone.

Convenience is the solution, as it is with almost everything else in the realm of customer service.

No matter how pleased consumers are with the service they received, they are unlikely to look for the company online and submit a review. Some customers may not even know how to use the internet to offer favorable comments.

By using QR codes to collect client feedback, you may prevent these issues from occurring in the first place. Here are three compelling reasons to use QR codes:

  • QR codes may be placed everywhere your consumer could view them. They can scan them quickly and easily.
    • Place a QR code on the front desk if you have a physical location.
    • If not, you may place your review-gathering QR code on the side of business cars, on stickers or magnets, or even as wallpaper on your technicians’ phones so clients can scan it after service.
  • You may customize QR codes to direct people to the relevant website, whether it’s Google, Facebook, or Yelp, depending on where your company would benefit the most from a review.
    • This is also an excellent approach for a company to see which QR codes clients are more likely to scan.
  • QR codes are becoming more popular and helpful.
    • According to a Statista poll conducted in June 2021, 45 percent of U.S. consumers had used a marketing QR code in the last three months.
    • 59 percent expected them to remain permanent.

Why wouldn’t small companies embrace the convenience and accessibility of QR codes to promote good internet reviews?

Who can read QR codes if they don’t have a smartphone?

Even if QR codes get wide use for business and consumer convenience, there will always be a few skeptics.

That’s OK. We all want to make life simpler for our consumers, even those who don’t have smartphones or aren’t acquainted with QR codes.

To avoid any complications, having an employee assist these consumers through discovering your company listing online and getting to the correct page is an intelligent solution.

Using QR codes to generate online reviews is one method to profit from their growing popularity. The fact that 87 percent of customers read evaluations of local companies online should be a primary focus for your small company in 2022.

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SMB Strategy to Survive Disruption: Low Pricing. https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2022/02/low-pricing-smb-survival-strategy.html/ Thu, 17 Feb 2022 11:10:13 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=61244 The following are some strategies for small businesses to succeed during supply chain disruption. Pricing…how low are you willing to go? Supply chain disruption and low pricing are not new phenomena. You don’t have to dig hard to find statistics on it daily. Unluckily, there is no one straightforward answer to the present problems resulting […]

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The following are some strategies for small businesses to succeed during supply chain disruption. Pricing…how low are you willing to go?

Supply chain disruption and low pricing are not new phenomena. You don’t have to dig hard to find statistics on it daily. Unluckily, there is no one straightforward answer to the present problems resulting from a perfect storm of various variables. Overseas manufacturers are still reeling from the epidemic’s effects.

Ports are bursting at the seams, and there aren’t enough trucks to transport the requisite amounts of cargo. This involves some deep technology for small businesses.

This interruption has had a significantly negative impact on small enterprises, which cannot typically store products well before the disruption. And we are well aware that this has directly correlated with a dramatic spike in inflation. With many other disturbances we have seen throughout time, this one also offers an opportunity.

There are several ways to prepare the groundwork for taking advantage of these changes as they present themselves. Things like reexamining price seem to be straightforward solutions, yet there are other levels of intricacy involved. Here are five essential questions to think about.

1. What is the nature of your competitive environment?

The first and most important question is…do you clearly understand your competitive landscape?

What strategies are your rivals employing? Is it true that they’re boosting prices? Is it difficult for them to even meet the needs of their most important customers?

Do they have extensive inventories or large capital reserves that they can use to leverage their position?

Of course, most of this will not be made public, but the word on the street may be pretty effective. Contact people in the business to see if you can get a complete view. This will serve as the lens through which you will view all subsequent decision points.

2. Is raising pricing even a possibility at this point?

In light of the nature of the products and services you supply, do you believe there is a chance to boost your prices?

Price hikes might take months to take effect, depending on your company’s sales cycle. This is particularly true for organizations that have long-term contracts.

Pricing is either limited or mandated to some sectors and organizations that provide services to government consumers, such as those in the healthcare industry. Each company is different in this respect, and there are numerous shades of gray around it, but there are some fundamental issues that we can address.

How much of your cost increases do you think you can avoid? In this case, let’s consider the effect of price rises.

The cost of inputs increases for businesses across the board, affecting everything from labor to raw materials and supplies. The same factors that affect offsets apply when it comes to sales cycles. If the cost of inputs increases, there may be a lag before your pricing adjustments become effective.

Price increases may also need to be phased in over time to minimize your clients’ impact. Understanding the potential net impact of price adjustments can assist you in making decisions about the quantity and timing of price increases in the future.

3. Is it appropriate to increase prices at this time?

A firm may decide that increasing prices is not the best course of action despite the challenges and possible effects on profitability.

Using your knowledge of the market environment, do you think this presents a chance to acquire a market share or strengthen consumer loyalty?

Several companies effectively used this technique during the early stages of the epidemic, allowing them to reinforce their position with their consumer base while simultaneously luring customers away from bigger, slower-moving rivals.

The ability to provide excellent customer service may be a much more effective instrument for increasing the long-term worth of a firm than changing price.

4. How much more are you willing to hike prices?

After going through all of the filters up to this point, the next step is to look at the increases’ structure.

Are the price hikes consistent across the board, or are they product-specific? If there is a staggered approach, are the increases in equal increments, or is there a spike followed by a series of more gradual rises? Is it preferable to raise prices faster than the rate of increase in your expenses to stay ahead of rising costs…or is it better to lag?

5. Examine the surrounding environment.

Do the necessary calculations, and determine the prospective consequences. Pricing may be a valuable tool in the middle of supply chain upheaval, but if utilized incorrectly, it can do long-term harm to your company.

Understand the levers you may use and the locations of the ceilings so that you can thoroughly analyze your alternatives. Although pricing may seem to be the obvious solution, is it the best solution? A thorough examination and a deliberate forward-looking approach may make all the difference.

Keep calm and discount mindfully.

Be prepared for however long it takes. Stay focused and hoard energy for the big push.

Know when to pick your battles. Engaging in a price war might do more harm to your business than good. Play the long game, and keep communication lines open with your customers.

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How To Keep Your Project Pipeline Flowing https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2022/02/keep-project-pipeline-flowing.html/ Tue, 15 Feb 2022 10:25:47 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=60950 It’s that time of year when businesses look ahead to the future. In many businesses, such as construction, there are more projects than ever. The project pipeline is flowing freely in many industries. So, if you’re noticing that some people are getting more work than you are, now is a good time to take charge. […]

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It’s that time of year when businesses look ahead to the future. In many businesses, such as construction, there are more projects than ever. The project pipeline is flowing freely in many industries. So, if you’re noticing that some people are getting more work than you are, now is a good time to take charge.

The top priorities for 2022 are to use new technology, automate drudgery, communicate clearly, stay organized, find your best project match for your pipeline, and actively build your network. Sounds like a great plan, right? Let’s jump in.

Adopt New Technologies

What’s your favorite way to communicate with prospects, clients, subcontractors, and suppliers? In the last year, we’ve all had a crash course in using Zoom, GoToMeeting, or Microsoft Teams to keep in touch.

Technology has evolved and so have expectations. More businesses are now looking at ways to adapt systems, build skills, and increase comfort with using new technology. Technology is a key growth trend that is poised to only increase.

Automate to Thrive

Speaking of stuff you hate, avoid, or procrastinate doing…take a look at automating your workflows. Consider ways to automate tracking construction project leads, invoicing, payroll, insurance, and state-specific requirements.

There’s no need to spend extra hours slaving over the forms, or losing a valuable weekend with your family because you’re stuck at the office doing paperwork.

Communicate to Succeed

Using technology and automating your workflow are key components to success in the New Year. Whether your company is a tiny one-person shop or a multi-state operation, effective communication is key to your success.

As you look for ways to boost communication skills, practice thinking about the person who is receiving the information. Many communication experts suggest that the key is simplicity. Speak in short sentences. Write clear and concise emails. Take the time to ensure that you don’t leave any room for error or misinterpretation.

Whether you are communicating within your office, sharing information with your team, or submitting a proposal, your efforts in communication can make you stand out above the competition.

Stay Organized With Project Pipeline Leads

As demand increases, so do the requirements to stay organized. After all, if you’re managing multiple projects in multiple states, you need to have all your projects, contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers in an up-to-date database.

But what if organization isn’t your thing? The fact is that a lot of business owners need to have the support of administrators, data managers, and analysts to thrive. If you know you are not the right person for the job, hire staff who love to do the stuff you hate.

Find Projects In Your Area

There’s always a toss-up between finding projects and doing projects — especially if you are a solo entrepreneur. Many small business owners find that when business is booming, it’s challenging to actively seek out new projects. You can keep your calendar full of exciting projects by balancing your current workflow with a rigorous approach to finding new projects.

While you’re looking for projects, define your criteria. Start with location, so you can book projects that will support your health, shorten commuting, and enable you to nurture your relationships. Target your main projects to be local within a comfortable commuting distance, so you can maintain a good work-life balance.

Naturally, as you look for projects, consider ones that you are uniquely suited for with your specific expertise and training. Using construction software will help you review project documents online, instead of driving all over the county to talk to construction managers.

Search for the projects that match your specific criteria, such as construction type, project type, and timeline. By focusing your search, you’ll build confidence and strength in finding the opportunities that are genuinely best for you.

As you work to find local projects, use software to stay in touch with other contractors. Streamline your bidding process so you can submit unlimited bids and fill out your calendar with the jobs you want.

Build Your Nationwide Network

As projects become available in diverse areas of the country, it’s essential to build your national network. Many construction managers and subcontractors have relied on a personal network of trusted and vetted peers for out-of-state projects. This may have worked in the past.

However, there are ways to reduce barriers and increase your national network that can help your business grow. For instance, you can consider using computer software built for the construction industry. This technology can help you make important connections, share project opportunities, and stay in touch with the workforce in different locations.

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Three Essentials to Streamline Success in 2022 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2022/02/streamline-success-in-2022.html/ Mon, 14 Feb 2022 15:35:58 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=60947 In today’s world, it’s essential to position your business for your core demographic to streamline success. With the rapidly changing expectations, entrepreneurs and business owners are finding new ways to respond to business trends. To stay in tune with new developments, savvy owners are investing in technology while focusing on proven practices to increase profitability. […]

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In today’s world, it’s essential to position your business for your core demographic to streamline success. With the rapidly changing expectations, entrepreneurs and business owners are finding new ways to respond to business trends.

To stay in tune with new developments, savvy owners are investing in technology while focusing on proven practices to increase profitability. Let’s dive into the three essentials to streamline your success in 2022.

1. Identify your core demographic.

Many businesses, including law firms, are seeing the value of identifying their core demographic. This may require segmenting your business so that your messaging appeals directly to each target audience.

By identifying your core demographic, you can organize everything about your firm to communicate value to your target audience. This creates a positive impact on your branding, marketing, messaging, and services.

For instance, if your firm focuses on commercial real estate law, you’ll have a different branding message than a firm specializing in estate law or family law. Each specific legal specialty inspires different branding, colors, messages, and marketing.

Start with an audit of your current practice. Identify any gaps that may exist between your current approach and your target audience. Use this benchmark to set your priorities and align your approach.

You may find that some aspects of your business are more profitable, creative, and rewarding than others. This can help you define the boundaries of your specialty.

2. Harness the power of customer data.

Customer data is often a term that we think of when it comes to global businesses. However, customer data is vital for small businesses such as accounting firms, law firms, and print shops.

In our current environment, many small businesses are realizing that people are relying on the internet to find local services. This means that prospects, customers, and repeat clients are searching websites, reading reviews, and making evaluations based on their online experience.

At the same time, prospects and customers are filling in forms. These may be forms for getting a white paper, making a query, or booking an appointment. Each of these is a means to gather insight into your prospects and customer priorities.

If you haven’t investigated how customer data could boost your business and streamline success, now is a good time to start.

Without breaking the bank, you can create ways to interact with your prospects and clients. Look at your website to see where you can use customer data to gain insights into buying priorities.

3. Automate documentation.

Have you been creating documents over and over again? Are you frustrated with the hours spent writing, rewriting, amending, and tweaking documents?

If so, resolve to automate this process before another day goes by. By using document automation software, you can take the nightmare out of document creation, editing, and revising.

Imagine, no more lost nights or canceled holidays. No more fights with your partner or spouse about why you stayed late at the office.

By automating documents, you and your staff can achieve a greater work-life balance. At the same time, you can revise and amend documents to personalize your deliverables for each client or customer.

Personalize your approach.

What is it about these three concepts to streamline success that are so powerful?

Each one is about personalization. When it comes to meeting your customer effectively, each concept works in tandem.

By identifying your core demographic, everything about your branding and messaging is in alignment. You are speaking the language of your customer — and it shows on your website, in your brand, and in your messaging.

By harnessing customer data, you will know the exact hopes and problems of your customer. You’ll be able to tailor your offerings to help customers achieve their dreams and solve their issues.

You won’t make the mistake of thinking that you’ve got a great idea. You’ll know for certain because you are analyzing the data.

By automating documentation, you can take care of the repetitive paperwork — and focus on what matters most. You’ll have hours freed up to offer exceptional client experiences and deliver the best services possible.

As we head into 2022, taking a personalized approach is essential. More people are looking for human contact, understanding, and relevance.

Take a look at the specifics of your law practice, accounting firm, or small business. Explore ways to focus on your core demographic. Examine fresh ways to understand how clients are making purchasing decisions.

Take a closer look at ways to automate your workflow. This may be by creating new intake forms on your website, automating contracts, or simplifying e-signatures. With a personalized approach, you’ll streamline success for your business.

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5 Ways Virtual Reality Can Transform Your Real Estate Business https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2022/02/virtual-reality-real-estate.html/ Thu, 10 Feb 2022 15:00:12 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=60916 One of the biggest investments in the current economy is purchasing a nice, well-furnished house. To sell these properties, realtors often have to go above and beyond their regular duties to finalize the deal. Of course, the pandemic has made in-person meetings with prospective buyers highly inconvenient and fraught with health risks. Thankfully, virtual reality […]

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One of the biggest investments in the current economy is purchasing a nice, well-furnished house. To sell these properties, realtors often have to go above and beyond their regular duties to finalize the deal. Of course, the pandemic has made in-person meetings with prospective buyers highly inconvenient and fraught with health risks. Thankfully, virtual reality (VR) real estate helps brokers continue to move properties and keep their clients safe.

What is virtual real estate?

Thanks to the advent of VR technology, the concept of virtual real estate is on the rise. In fact, it can be a major game-changer for the real estate industry in the coming years. Reports suggest that the VR industry is already worth a whopping 15.81 billion as of 2020.

According to a survey, nearly 54 % of potential homeowners search for properties on the internet first before scheduling a meeting. The amalgamation of virtual reality with the online transformation of the real estate sector is bound to deliver amazing results.

To further demonstrate its amazing benefits, here are five ways in which virtual reality can help transform your real estate business.

1. Home Touring and Selling Efficiency

Perhaps the biggest and most significant benefit of VR is the ability to tour properties from the comfort of your home. Prior to VR, a prospective client had to drive or walk around the area and explore the properties in person.

However, many software companies have now created cutting-edge VR software that provides a very realistic, interactive rendering of the property. These VR software packages can help prospective homebuyers and renters alike in virtually gauging the property online.

Furthermore, it offers incredible comfort not just to buyers but realtors as well. They don’t need to travel incessantly to make a sale. Overall, it has led to an exponential increase in property viewings. With VR, selling a home and improving your business is nothing short of a cakewalk.

2. Virtual Staging

Conventional real estate home tours involve walking around empty rooms in a house. As a realtor, it can be a struggle to sell an empty apartment or house to a potential client. The prospective buyers or renters can struggle to visualize a home when they have little to fuel their imagination.

To mitigate this, staging a property with nice furniture and fixtures is much more appealing to a customer. Almost 77 % of active realtors agree that aptly staging a house helps clients feel more connected to the property. The only caveat is that it is quite expensive to stage it physically for each property.

However, virtual staging blows both of these problems right out of the water. Realtors can now showcase their properties through virtual staging and impress potential clients to close the deal.

3. Virtual Commerce

The fantastic benefits of VR technology don’t just end with home tours and virtual staging. It also promotes virtual commerce to a whole new level. You can help the client with ideas to decorate the space by tastefully staging the property with decor and furniture.

One can click on a particular item during a home tour to reveal its price and vendor info. This helps the customer to purchase items for the home online at a moment’s notice. They can also replace a particular product or decor setting with another online purchase that suits their taste.

This offers an incredible level of interaction with the property which might not be possible during a real-time viewing. Overall, it boosts the virtual commerce aspect as well as bolsters the reputation of your business.

4. Architectural Visualization

Virtual staging is a great tool to sell already-built homes. But what about yet-to-be-built properties?

Traditionally, realtors showcase small, layout models of the property and the locality to paint a better picture. For the interiors, however, real estate businesses often create showrooms where they display full-scale models of the property.

This is, of course, not ideal from an economic standpoint.

Thankfully, VR technology has a solution for this problem too. With the help of virtual reality tools, realtors can impress customers with incredible detailing of the property’s interior and exterior.

Thus, architectural visualization through VR can be done at a fraction of the cost of the physical setup. This can ultimately help real estate companies to drum up more business.

5. Improved Client Communication

Finally, with the advent of VR, spotty client communication is a thing of the past.

When it comes to renovation projects, this technology helps in keeping the customer updated about their property. Through a virtual tour, all the concerns regarding the particular property can be addressed with ease. It also helps realtors to convey these problems to contractors and the renovation team with ease.

Sometimes, when a new tenant moves into a property, they can have queries about operating certain appliances or plumbing. This problem is especially common where there is a massive communication gap between the property owner and the tenant. The vacation rental industry has been plagued by issues of flawed communication for years.

This can all be easily mitigated with the help of a virtual tour and an interactive video. The importance of VR in vacation rentals is even more pronounced as these properties have a massive turnover rate. This further emphasizes the role of better communication with tenants.

Concluding Thoughts

These aforementioned five points make a convincing statement regarding the importance of using virtual reality in the real estate sector.

If you’re still on the fence, it might help to remember that VR is still in its infancy. The technology is set to evolve by leaps and bounds in the coming years, potentially impacting all aspects of life. As a result, it’s best to stay ahead of the curve.

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Start an Online eCommerce Business Without a Lot of Cash https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2022/02/online-ecommerce-business.html/ Thu, 10 Feb 2022 10:40:04 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=61181 There’s at least one solid reason why eCommerce businesses are the fastest-expanding segment of the small company online marketing community. Many individuals are thrilled to get their business off the ground, especially with billions of people purchasing online and social media, making it simpler than ever before to reach your target consumer. But, to get […]

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There’s at least one solid reason why eCommerce businesses are the fastest-expanding segment of the small company online marketing community.

Many individuals are thrilled to get their business off the ground, especially with billions of people purchasing online and social media, making it simpler than ever before to reach your target consumer.

But, to get started, do you need a large budget? Is it feasible to establish an e-commerce goods company with no money at all? Or is it impossible? And what about taxes?

Start your eCommerce business as lean as possible.

Starting a company with no money at all is very challenging.

But you may use a variety of strategies to keep your expenses as low as possible during the first stages. In reality, it makes a great deal of sense to keep things as simple as possible as you learn.

You really don’t know many things until you go out there and start selling to your consumers. These range from the most popular products to the prices that your customers are ready to pay for particular items.

Maintaining a lean operation when you first start will allow you to save valuable funds for later. That is to say, a time when you have a better understanding of precisely what you want to accomplish later.

Instead of paying to have your brand designed before you even begin, you could use a free service. One like Canva can help you create the look and feel of your company’s branding before your debut. There are several templates from which to choose to begin started.

Eventually…

Eventually, a website will be required. For now, all you need is an online method of accepting payments (such as PayPal). And a means of connecting with your customers to get started.

It is possible to set up a free email small business marketing account with MailChimp and begin collecting email addresses. The emails will assist you in staying in contact with clients as your business grows, all without having to invest any money upfront.

Make videos and photographs of your items using your smartphone camera. The purpose is to sell them on social media platforms such as Instagram or TikTok…if you have them.

Not sure how to get the most out of your camera’s picture capabilities? Look at sites like Udemy such as low-cost classes on a wide range of topics at your leisure.

Livestream your eCommerce offerings.

Why not examine the possibility of live streaming?

This selling technique is one of the most rapidly expanding segments of the e-commerce industry. It also has the advantage of being very simple to set up, requiring no additional equipment other than a phone, and the desire to interact with your clients live on camera!

Don’t over-commit to a stock purchase.

One of the most common ways to tie up your valuable cash is to purchase an excessive amount of inventory when you are just starting.

Try to spend as little money as possible as you establish your following. Experiment with different products using to see which ones people genuinely want to buy from you.

First, choose a modest number of online things, or even just one item if you prefer. Even while you may continually expand your product line as your business grows.

Keeping your order quantities modest is vitally essential for keeping your expenditures under control at the start of your venture.

One of the most effective strategies to get started on a restricted budget is to keep the number of goods you have under tight control.

To maximize profits from sales of those things, you should reinvest earnings to purchase more shares. Which you may then sell and reinvest the profits from those sales. It is possible to build an increase in your stock holdings over time due to the “snowball effect.”

You can eCommerce it yourself if you prefer.

You won’t have to do everything yourself indefinitely. One day, your primary responsibility will be delegating as much as possible. However, you should spend your first several months learning all you can about operating a product firm.

It may be worthwhile to consider a low-cost alternative, such as joining a membership organization. The membership organization gives you access to expertise, support, and a network of other business owners. This may save you money in the long term by allowing you to avoid making expensive errors as your company grows.

With strict online control over your expenses, you’ll be able to put your goal into action for much less money than you would have originally anticipated. Understanding how to do more with less money is a valuable talent. One that will assist you in building a profitable company from the ground up.

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An Agile Marketing Technology Infrastructure https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2022/02/agile-marketing-technology.html/ Mon, 07 Feb 2022 11:50:23 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=61053 It’s improbable that your marketing strategy’s purpose is to stifle consumer excitement for your brand. So how can an agile tech system help? On the other hand, marketing brands are feeling the pressure to comply in an increasingly competitive marketplace driven by customer expectations. Conformity, by definition, does not foster creativity or innovation. This is […]

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It’s improbable that your marketing strategy’s purpose is to stifle consumer excitement for your brand. So how can an agile tech system help?

On the other hand, marketing brands are feeling the pressure to comply in an increasingly competitive marketplace driven by customer expectations. Conformity, by definition, does not foster creativity or innovation. This is just one of the 2022 trends.

The epidemic jolted the globe out of its stride, hastening the race to digital transformation. Brands that hadn’t already begun experimenting with digital transformation had to race to catch up.

But what if attempting to catch up isn’t the best option?

Brands have long pursued consumer loyalty programs as though they were shiny things. The allure is fading off now that so many small firms have established themselves. Now is the moment to research what other businesses have learned and devise a plan that puts you in charge of your future. To do so, create an architecture that allows you to maximize all possibilities to engage clients and successfully drive sales, putting you ahead of the competition by many stages.

You should avoid FOMO-driven planning.

Recently, in quick-service restaurant (QSR) businesses, particularly in the face of rising customer demand and expectations, their technological choices are causing them pain. Not only are some prepackaged marketing technology solutions failing to deliver on their promises, but they also don’t allow for simple customization.

In other words, these solutions are more about what works best for the partner than what the brand needs or wants. What brought us here?

Part of it is a lack of foresight in creating components that don’t correctly connect data. Leaving organizations with just a partial view of their client journey. Another factor contributing to the current status of brands is a fear of losing out.

Again, it’s apparent that, when done effectively, loyalty programs may help businesses acquire and retain customers. Those advantages, however, will not be realized if your company acts too quickly. And now faces constraints by technological limitations.

You want to get out of a box, want to think, and grow outside it. So, what can you do to avoid stagnating or falling farther behind? Here are a few pointers.

  1. Refuse to accept that high-cost aftermarket modification is the price of doing business your way.
    • Take the time to select a solution tailored to your specific requirements without overloading you with features you won’t utilize.
  2. Find a consultant or a technology partner who has expertise and awareness of the space’s deficiencies.
    • Then collaborate with them to find out how to fill that need while being loyal to your brand and using your resources efficiently.
  3. Adopt a robust, flexible ecosystem with a well-documented API.
    • One that you can readily integrate and share with various partners.
    • Avoid selecting a partner subgroup that vacillates in relevancy to your brand.

Embrace unique marketing.

When it comes to incorporating this new power — this integrated, data-driven enablement — into customer loyalty programs, businesses must think about two things: campaign administration and campaign planning.

Dashboards, data analysis, and connecting everything is part of campaign management. For example, your offers and promotions platform must work with your email marketing, SMS, and other marketing channels.

Then there’s campaign planning, which focuses on creating a consolidated perspective of how all of these initiatives are doing so you can make well-informed judgments.

But it’s not as simple as “set it and forget it.” Technology is the tool, and strategy is the plan for doing the technology work for you, but you want to use this as a supplement to your campaigns.

As a result, we become more creative. You’ve freed up your marketing staff to perform their magic if you have the right technology and plan in place.

Domino’s has a simple points-based program, but its AnyWare network allows consumers to earn points by ordering from their vehicle, television, wristwatch, digital assistant, or social media and messaging applications. Starbucks has incorporated gamification into its reward program, capitalizing on a growing trend. Chipotle has continued to develop new methods to make itself relevant to consumers by utilizing influencers, social media, and the power of partner companies.

Commit to audience marketing.

For both external and internal audiences, maintaining that enthusiasm is vital.

Instead of pandemic pivots forcing people down into regions where they feel secure, look for a higher demand among marketing professionals for experimenting, learning, and moving more swiftly. There’s a desire to go creative and do something different than what they’ve done before, as well as what other businesses are doing. All they need now is the correct basis to give them that freedom.

Good marketing can help.

Our digital and mobile environments are changing at a breakneck pace. Making the financial and time commitment required to construct the appropriate solution rather than the most suitable approach requires patience and fortitude.

4The distance between where your company is now and later? Having a flexible, cutting-edge marketing technology stack, which isn’t as great as it may seem. All you have to do now is identify the necessity to rethink and reorganize your infrastructure to ensure your brand’s long-term viability in the new digital normal. Marketing just might be the answer.

This too shall pass.

Things are in flux. In motion. Stasis is out. Flexibility is in. Can you keep up? Do you even want to?

How much is your brand worth? Take some time to jot down thoughtful answers to these questions. Use those observations to construct an agile marketing plan for your successful future. Leverage newer technology to help you get there.

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Emotions In B2B Technology Marketing https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2022/02/emotions-in-marketing.html/ Fri, 04 Feb 2022 12:10:47 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=61044 Flowers and jewelry are goods that are sold solely to elicit emotional responses. And marketing is 100% feeling, so get choked up about it! They serve no practical use and the firms who offer them prey on our emotions and persuade us to buy them. However, valuable objects may also fulfill emotional demands, such as […]

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Flowers and jewelry are goods that are sold solely to elicit emotional responses. And marketing is 100% feeling, so get choked up about it!

They serve no practical use and the firms who offer them prey on our emotions and persuade us to buy them.

However, valuable objects may also fulfill emotional demands, such as a sense of pride, belonging to a group, imitating trendsetters, or the delight of becoming a trendsetter. For example, consider those who wait in line all night to get the newest smartphone.

They do it for various reasons, one of which is their desire to be ahead of the curve. That isn’t a problem at all. A phone, for example, is a practical object that serves an emotional purpose.

The majority of functional items compete on price and feature trade-offs. Adding an emotional component to a practical product is a terrific approach to set it apart on a whole new level. Many B2C technology products appeal to similar feelings.

Nokia recognized that the mobile phone had evolved into a fashion piece and its communication role when it pioneered color choices for cell phones. The initial Apple Macintosh’s famed “hello” in 1984 established an emotional connection with this humanized new machine. However, many of us work in the IT field on a B2B basis. One would believe that B2B’s decision-making is intellectual and devoid of emotion.

Above all, because B2B decision-makers are people, they may sometimes include emotional impulses into their decision-making process. Job security, technological curiosity, personal motives, and, believe it or not, greed are some of the emotional aspects in technology B2B.

Job security emotions are paramount.

IBM’s marketing slogan back when it was the dominating force in the computer business was “Nobody Ever Got Fired for Buying IBM,” and it worked.

Even when the clone XYZ seemed to be more appealing due to cheaper cost or higher performance/functionality, IT managers were unwilling to give XYZ a chance since their jobs were at stake.

For example, if they choose XYZ they risk losing their job if it fails. Above all, purchasing IBM was a sure bet for job stability.

We can leverage curiosity about emotions technology.

Someone may pick the most up-to-date XYZ technology even though their company doesn’t need it because they want to be current and cutting-edge or because XYZ’s experience will look good on their résumé. But even a small business may find NFT technology useful.

Uncover the personal reasons for doing anything.

One of the most successful product launches lately did a fantastic job with that approach.

R&D engineers working for some B2B clients were the decision-makers for this innovative technology. The warning to these engineers was that if they didn’t learn about the new technology, they might become outdated in a few years.

It was a powerful argument that helped make this product launch a huge success. They didn’t do anything dishonest. They were sure that this new function would become a popular trend in the future, and we were right. The plan was to use personal, professional motivation to kick-start our campaign.

Supplier XYZ provides a professional training session at a five-star resort in Las Vegas or Hawaii, affecting specific B2B decision-makers.

In the B2B technology business, this is standard procedure. Remember to add an emotional perspective while designing a new technological product or marketing campaign.

For example, because many B2B firms don’t do this, this technique is a great way to stand out.

Use emotion to secure referrals.

B2B recommendations account for 78 percent of all client leads.

Referrals are a terrific approach to get people to notice your brand without promoting it to them directly. Incentive programs for current customers are frequent for businesses to generate recommendations.

Whether in the form of a discount on their next purchase or another sort of reward. Therefore these incentives aid in the purchase of goods and services.

The following are some of the reasons why referrals are effective.

  • They allow good word-of-mouth marketing to flourish.
  • This will bring in new consumers.
  • Referrals can increase the number of referrals.
  • They can help you boost your closing rates.

Engage in conversation.

Conversational marketing is a term used to describe a kind of marketing.

Customer communication in real-time is critical for overall engagement. Chatbots or live chats provide communication gateways at their fingertips. In other words, it is particularly important given the worldwide pandemic of the last several years.

90% of consumers prefer texting over filling out a form because it is faster and more genuine discussions. Because people are answering fewer phone calls as a means to manage their emotions. Therefore, texting is less emotional as well, which is an important way to provide that customized experience in 2022.

ABM stands for Account-Based Marketing.

Account-based marketing consists of personalized, planned programs that target specific accounts.

ABM delivers the following benefits to sales and emotion marketing teams:

  • optimized performance;
  • improved reporting;
  • increased participation; and
  • a higher return on investment.

We use cookies as part of a successful ABM approach to determine where consumers spend their time. Online businesses may use cookies in retargeting to find new consumers based on their previous emotion online activity.

However, using ABM tactics like cookies to retarget clients is becoming more challenging. Third-party cookies will be phased out beginning in 2022, forcing B2B marketers to rethink their approach to ABM.

Finally…

It’s critical to generate leads as a B2B marketer.

However, generating the right leads is critical. Supported by good strategies and methods, a marketing strategy serves as a template for creating initiatives with lasting effects. These marketing tactics are some of the most successful B2B marketing methods.

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How Small Businesses Can Use Google Analytics to Increase Sales https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2022/02/google-analytics-small-businesses.html/ Wed, 02 Feb 2022 17:16:29 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=61184 Small businesses have to use all the resources at their disposal to keep pace with the “big guys” of their respective industries. One of these valuable resources that many small businesses find especially valuable is called Google Analytics. Read on for more about how Google Analytics can help your small business run more effectively and […]

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Small businesses have to use all the resources at their disposal to keep pace with the “big guys” of their respective industries. One of these valuable resources that many small businesses find especially valuable is called Google Analytics.

Read on for more about how Google Analytics can help your small business run more effectively and increase your online sales.

Segment your audience more accurately.

For any type of small business, Google Analytics can give invaluable insights into customers’ online behavior.

If you keep track of your website’s analytics long enough, you’ll start to notice different demographics engage in different browsing patterns as a result.

Particularly, here are some metrics you should look for to identify these patterns.

  • Interactions per Visit: How many web pages a user visits in one session.
  • Return Visitor Conversion: How many users return to the site a second time.
  • Bounce Rate: The rate at which users leave the website without completing any actions.
  • Conversion Rate: The rate at which users complete an action on the website.
  • Pageviews: How many users visit a webpage.
  • Average Session Duration: How long users stay on a page.

Users of different ages and backgrounds will interact with your site a little differently.

So, the more information you have about their behavior, the more accurately you can segment them. Then, you can create more individualized marketing campaigns and get higher conversion rates.

Along with Google Analytics, any small business owner should use a customer data platform (CDP) to track and archive consumer data. It’s important to have easy access to all relevant data to make informed business decisions about your marketing efforts.

Create a more personalized user experience.

With clearly defined audience groups comes a more personalized user experience for each segment. This is extremely important for different age groups, as their tools and technical skills can vary.

For example, younger generations use mobile devices for most of their browsing. So, your online content and marketing campaign must be mobile-optimized to fit their habits.

Personalization is important. But, all of your content still needs to work together to attract as large an audience as possible. For example, Millennials (people aged 23-38 as of 2019) now make up the largest portion of the United States workforce. Thus, most of your online content should have conversational language and a lot of graphics to appeal to them.

You can easily personalize standard marketing tactics, like social media posts and emails, to appeal to a group’s needs and habits.

To do this, include videos, images, language, and pop-culture references that resonate with your target audience. You can also use analytics to:

  • identify unusual browsing patterns;
  • determine what kind of people participate in those patterns; and
  • tailor your content directly to that audience.

Predict future market trends.

Google Analytics lets you monitor trends in your website’s traffic, no matter how small your business and its traffic may be.

Over time, you’ll gain a better understanding of what your customers want, when they want it, and how they want to obtain it. Every business experiences these patterns, no matter their product or service.

For example, your website’s traffic might spike around a specific season or holiday. Google Analytics gives you the information to foresee the spike in plenty of time to prepare your small business with an effective marketing plan.

Cut costs and increase revenue.

With a narrower target audience, more personalized content, and a look at future market trends, you can accomplish two tasks at once.

  • Cut costs.
    • First, Google Analytics helps identify content that’s too expensive or unnecessary.
    • Thus, you can remove anything that isn’t pulling its weight to cut costs and streamline your business model.
  • Increase revenue.
    • Also, Google Analytics gives you the data to make the right changes to your marketing strategy, encourage sales, and thus increase revenue.

By properly using analytics, businesses have seen a 10% decrease in total costs and an 8% increase in profits on average. Clearly, planning and executing your business plan becomes much more straightforward when you can see real numbers showing your customers’ behaviors.

Support your team.

Analytics also gives you helpful information about your employees’ performance.

You can see which people generate the most traffic and revenue, and which are lagging behind. This data lets you allocate your resources and help struggling employees pick up the slack.

Over time, you should see more consistent productivity across the board and a more supportive work environment.

Optimize your small business with Google Analytics.

Google Analytics gives you raw data about your small business and its relationship with your customers. And with the right information, you can identify unique market segments, create more personalized content to improve the user experience, anticipate market changes, and thus increase sales.

There’s no better time to start optimizing your small business with Google Analytics!

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Retail Industry Tech Trends to Watch This Year https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2022/02/retail-industry-tech-trends.html/ Tue, 01 Feb 2022 12:10:35 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=60972 Out-of-touch is entirely in and robots are balancing novelty and value. This is retail innovation in 2022, and the retail industry is all in. Retail technology industry funding hit a new high of $29 billion in the first quarter of 2021. In other words, retailers and tech firms tried to merge online. Likewise, in-store experiences, […]

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Out-of-touch is entirely in and robots are balancing novelty and value. This is retail innovation in 2022, and the retail industry is all in.

Retail technology industry funding hit a new high of $29 billion in the first quarter of 2021. In other words, retailers and tech firms tried to merge online. Likewise, in-store experiences, customized interactions at every touchpoint, and speeded up delivery operations had their influence.

And boy, did the industry smack the ball in 2021! Can small businesses keep up?

Yay for Tech!

We’d be writing and reading till 2023 if we analyzed every retail innovation that took place in 2021. After all, some failed.

It’s easy to choose the few technologies where merchants will likely spend more this year.

“Untouchable” invention. The industry expects touchless technology to grow from $6.8 billion in 2020 to $15.3 billion in 2025. The projection may be an overstatement due to pandemic-related safety precautions. By 2020, 67% of merchants would accept no-touch payments, such as tap-and-go credit cards and mobile wallets.

According to Raydiant, a producer of in-store digital signage, by spring 2021, 72 percent of customers were utilizing contactless payments. Expect more frictionless options, like Amazon Go cashier-less stores. Step 2: Software that can read hand signals and other motions.

Niche Industry Quick-Replies

QR codes seemed consigned to the “Island of Lost Tech” for a while. Therefore, the pandemic has altered that by driving demand for touchless technologies QR codes.

The projection, according to Juniper Research, consumers will redeem 5.3 billion QR-coded coupons by mobile in 2022. Starbucks and 7-Eleven feature QR codes in their payment applications. Like Lacoste and Zara, merchants utilize QR codes to deliver customized smartphone offers in-store, advertise goods in windows.

Likewise, connect to web purchasing. And luxury companies have found them helpful in preventing product counterfeiting, a rising concern.

Always-On Cybersecurity

All online shopper data is as essential to fraudsters as to retailers. Corporate and government data breaches increased 17% a year until September 2021, surpassing 2020.

In 2021, the average retail data breach cost $3.27 million, up from $2 million in 2020.

Because hackers are growing more intelligent, merchants must invest in proven, faster-detecting solutions. They must also utilize these services more wisely, gathering the data required to achieve specific objectives. Securing it like Fort Knox…and then destroying it as carefully as plutonium.

Streaming Industry Upstream

Another popular activity for consumers is celebrity-hosted internet sales events.

Some say they will gain popularity in 2022. Experts warn merchants not to anticipate a boom yet — and therein lies the opportunity.

According to Coresight Research, the U.S. live streaming industry will hit $11 billion in 2021. A considerable increase to $35 billion by 2024, but still just 3.3 percent of anticipated U.S. eCommerce, according to Coresight.

You should thoroughly test themes, product mixtures, and marketing. A broadcast might remind viewers of a hard-sell QVC pitch, so be careful with your content.

Dark Shops That Shine

Demand for speedy delivery has put new technologies to the test in the last 24 months. Converting out-of-business shops into fulfillment centers has become common.

Online research shows retail online purchases as of 2021, about 21% of all retail purchases (and hence fulfilled). Compelling fulfillment centers will demand more precision technology as the worldwide same-day delivery business grows. Experts project going from $8.4 billion in 2021 to $10.2 billion in 2022.

Good start! However, many dark businesses now provide curbside and in-store pickup in addition to delivery. For example, these consumer-centric technologies position dark shops to dominate the industry in eCommerce growth until 2022.

Vaimo says that global eCommerce sales will hit $6.5 trillion by 2023.

Two Wait-and-See Technologies

With trillions at stake, merchants should take a chance on tech. But even those that merchants may offer in 2022 are bold and maybe ahead of their time.

Virtual Fitting Rooms

Virtual fitting rooms make the cut.

Just as merchants needed time to discover the proper match for QR codes, it may take another year or two for virtual fitting rooms to establish themselves in shops.

Levi’s introduced its “Virtual Stylist” in 2017, while Gucci and Macy’s have lately experimented with the technology.

A virtual fitting room requires excellent product images and augmented reality to create a 3-D illusion. Also, the customer’s technology (for example) will influence the experience. You will remember 2022 being the Year of Lost Tech for these reasons.

Shopbots

Until proven otherwise, the in-store robot’s utility and profitability place it in the “cute gimmick” category.

Meanwhile, an app is likely cheaper to locate things on the shelf or order out-of-stock items, and it is more convenient for consumers.

However, robots can also clean floors, check stock levels, and transport merchandise at a reasonable cost.

Encouraging shoppers to buy something is one thing, but blocking their way is another. Walmart has been trying robot-enabled last-mile deliveries aside from Tiny Mile’s charming self-driving delivery carts. Wal-Mart plans to deploy fully autonomous trucks in late 2022.

Keep Up With Retail Tech Industry

We may be scratching our brains about in-store robotics or the unexpected decrease of live streaming in a year.

Creators of technology and shops prepared to take in a “cute gimmick,” or lost technology are in control of such situations.

Most importantly, for smaller shops and their technology to be successful in the future, customers must be digital. If they don’t, you may forget their ideas in a flash.

Remember, a little plaster can cover a big eyesore.

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A Metaverse-Ready Digital Identity https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2022/01/metaverse-ready-identity.html/ Mon, 24 Jan 2022 10:25:55 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=60911 The Metaverse is a new frontier for privacy, trust, and identification, a permanent virtual world that includes data, money, and profiles. With the advent of the Metaverse, it’s more crucial than ever to have a portable and composable digital identity. One that protects privacy and security in the quickly evolving Web 3.0 environment. One that […]

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The Metaverse is a new frontier for privacy, trust, and identification, a permanent virtual world that includes data, money, and profiles.

With the advent of the Metaverse, it’s more crucial than ever to have a portable and composable digital identity. One that protects privacy and security in the quickly evolving Web 3.0 environment. One that not only verifies your identity and access but also acts as a non-custodial cache for your virtual assets.

A New Paradigm for the Metaverse

Consider this. In the Metaverse, you may pick from an endless number of avatars.

It’s not at all like real life, where your face reveals a lot about you. Instead, you’ll need a more intangible way of establishing who is behind the façade.

This applies to both consumers and suppliers.

The stakes will be considerably more significant in this new digital universe than in present social media venues. Parents, for example, want to know about their kids are playing video games, whether it’s with other youngsters or at least aware if they are.

Why not purchase a virtual property? How can you be sure you’re not dealing with a shady character? Is it money laundering? Or possibly a counterfeiter’s NFT art?

In short, we need to verify that these entities are who they claim to be. Moreover, the Metaverse generates more personal data than ever. Consequently, users will want to know that their data is secure and entirely theirs.

New Models and Technologies

Luckily, Self-Sovereign ID already allows this (SSI). In addition to the trustworthy IDs, installing Zero-Knowledge Proofs and an underlying blockchain make SSI fully enforceable (ZKPs).

Essentially, ZPKs allow one party to check the accuracy of data from another without disclosing personal information. Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs) and encryption protocols allow for the creation of cross-platform SSIs.

Users will need to transact with the digital economy in any online world.

The ability to produce, acquire, and sell from virtually anywhere will be a key element of this new universe. With SSIs, you’ll always have the same consistent, portable identity, no matter where you are. No matter what you’re doing, or who you are.

Web 2.0 is a centralized monopoly of huge tech businesses gathering user data, whereas Web 3.0 flips that concept. Instead, the Metaverse will allow people to claim ownership of digital assets, including personal data and identity.

In the present Web 2 context, you can’t utilize your Google identity in an Apple AAPL 0.0 percent owned service. And vice versa. Users must create separate accounts for each platform they desire to use.

With SSIs and other legitimate company’s use of verified credentials and encrypted communication protocols, you may avoid these vulnerabilities entirely. This eliminates the need to enter personal information to access various areas and services repeatedly. This new paradigm requires confidence in the emerging Metaverse’s various worlds and their inhabitants. This is especially true for startups.

How the Metaverse Looks

The options are endless.

Online games, for example, will no longer be closed environments. An object obtained or manufactured in one planet may be transported to another or sold directly or indirectly off-platform.

You may buy from any merchant with a single click, yet you only need to submit your information once, and it’s completely confidential. You may even show that you have enough money to complete a transaction, like purchasing property, without exposing your balance.

It’s not only about opportunity; it’s about security. All present internet issues will inevitably migrate to the Metaverse, but with far higher stakes.

People wouldn’t believe that an accidental click may take your assets and virtual land on a malicious website. Neither would they believe it for a SIM switch assault.

The new system must be foolproof, such that you cannot even confirm the transaction if the other end is incorrect. It shouldn’t matter whether it’s due to deceit or user mistake.

Always Yours

An individual’s identity links to values such as crypto, in-game goods, and other NFTs. It will be easy to use for physical and digital services, such as Uber UBER +2.6 percent.

In addition, no one will tie it to a specific physical item like a phone. By just being who they are, a user’s biometric data will validate their identity on the blockchain. The data will provide them access to their assets. No one’s property or information is in danger by using any interface for the same goals.

This is good news for small businesses.

We’re talking about a future where your cloud vault is mobile. You will be linked to the Metaverse whether you are “in” it or not. There will undoubtedly be many more virtual solid world possibilities. But now there will be a concrete “link” to where we are today.

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Key Trends: 12 That Will Drive Small Business in 2022 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2022/01/key-trends-small-business.html/ Wed, 19 Jan 2022 11:20:42 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=60846 New business trends are developing as life returns to routine, and recognizing them may help small firms recover their footing. Were you a small business thrown into chaos when the Covid-19 outbreak? If you were hit, you may just now be starting to recover more than a year later. In a post-pandemic environment, small-enterprise owners […]

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New business trends are developing as life returns to routine, and recognizing them may help small firms recover their footing.

Were you a small business thrown into chaos when the Covid-19 outbreak? If you were hit, you may just now be starting to recover more than a year later. In a post-pandemic environment, small-enterprise owners must be aware of the changes and key trends driving business.

1. Empathy and Emotional Intelligence

We cannot overstate the importance of emotional honesty and modeling emotional intelligence.

Empathy is no longer a luxury but rather a valuable tool for coping with life’s and work’s obstacles. You don’t have to know or reveal every detail of an employee’s (or your own) circumstances, but detecting moods or actions and responding with care is appreciated. “If we inquire, ‘How are you doing?’ we genuinely want to know.” Adopt that slogan.

2. Social Media Influencer Marketing

The power of influencer marketing is a key trend that small companies should be aware of if they aren’t already.

Small companies may use online platforms and social media channels such as Instagram and TikTok to communicate their stories and raise awareness and enthusiasm. Influencers of all sizes (even micro-influencers) provide credibility to the article by adding context and endorsements.

3. Large-Scale Business Processes and Systems

Small firms must begin adopting large corporate systems and procedures to succeed in 2022.

What we mean is that small firms should set up toll-free phones, IVR systems, and automation to organize their operations. Act as if they were much more significant than they are. It will be critical to their success if they can do this.

4. Increased Recruitment Efforts

Companies will be able to broaden their recruitment efforts to be more far-reaching than in the past.

As the globe is more linked than ever, more individuals choose remote work locations throughout the world. In a tight labor market, organizations have purposefully established their culture. They are defined purpose, values, and norms will be more effective in recruiting the appropriate personnel.

5. Workplace Values That Put Family First

Over the past year or two, many individuals have reviewed what they value in life, resulting in family-first key trends.

As a result, company owners must establish a workplace that prioritizes people or risk losing their most exemplary employees. Small-business owners must develop a set of workplace principles with their employees and ensure that supervisors, in particular, lead by example.

6. Building Relationships with Business Owners

Don’t miss out on 2022’s hottest key trend: networking!

Small company entrepreneurs may increase their efforts tremendously by networking with other business owners rather than expanding alone. As a result, networking allows you to get business lead referrals and hear new market views. Learn from other people’s experiences, improve your game, and pitch. Team up and establish partnerships that motivate and drive each other’s development.

7. Digital Marketing’s Effectiveness

Digital marketing is here to stay, and small company owners should embrace it.

However, digital marketing may not completely replace in-person profile development. While it did during the epidemic, its cost- and time-saving benefits cannot be overlooked. Consequently, utilize these advantages to reach a large audience constantly.

8. Cloud and Digital Technologies for Business

A robust digital presence is lacking in many small firms.

Your ability to utilize and use today’s digital and cloud technologies will determine much of your success. Similarly, key trends like this bolster your commitment to keeping on top of whatever technology your customers use. That is to say, it will add to your success in the next ten years. It’s Slack, Teams, and Twitter trends these days. Who knows what the situation will be like in three years?

9. Product Development and Agile Service Delivery

The ability to stay flexible in client service delivery and product development will provide you with an edge.

Flexible delivery trends assist in creating a personal brand with a recognized competitive advantage. Likewise, creating a range of solutions and understanding the effect of these solutions on various customers can help your small company stand out. To clarify, your small business can stand out in any market by allowing you to provide variety, creativity, and strategic innovation.

10. Employee Business Coaching and Mentoring

Small firms will need to develop unique, new methods to recruit and retain talent to keep their employees happy and enhance retention.

Trends toward providing coaching or mentoring to workers exist. Consequently, it is considerably more beneficial to a person’s growth than a break room with a ping-pong table!

11. Synchronous and Delayed Video

The use of both synchronous and asynchronous video will be crucial.

The use of video to prospect, sell, service, and meet with people across the world has increased dramatically in the previous 18 months. Everyone has access to a phone, tablet, or laptop, and we are just a click away from engagement. Video is the new “new” thing, and its popularity will only grow. There are several free platforms to choose from. Get started!

12. A Business That Is Both Traditional and Hybrid

As we balance security and insecurity with a healthy home and working environment, we have options for workers.

Having a hybrid workplace where workers may pick their best work schedule will be a key trend for the future. In conclusion, employers must accept multi-generational staff with various value systems and life-learned skill sets.

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Challenges to Small Business Owners in 2022 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2022/01/challenges-small-business.html/ Thu, 13 Jan 2022 11:20:43 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=60793 2021 was a year of successes, rebounds, and comebacks for small companies, and it was an excellent year for many. What challenges are next? Even though small company owners confront great challenges, such as the ongoing supply chain issue, they continue to bounce back. And customers continue to support them. Even though finances can be […]

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2021 was a year of successes, rebounds, and comebacks for small companies, and it was an excellent year for many. What challenges are next?

Even though small company owners confront great challenges, such as the ongoing supply chain issue, they continue to bounce back. And customers continue to support them. Even though finances can be troublesome.

As recently as last month, the National Retail Federation predicted that over 58 million people would shop on Small Business Saturday. Marketers had a chance to recover and reassess how to best serve the rising small company sector during the previous year.

We wanted to discover how small firms were reacting to the present climate, preparing for the future, and encouraging innovation. Recently, Forbes polled 500 small company owners in the United States to provide marketers with the information they required to effectively serve this market.

And, based on the statistics, the mood is upbeat!

Despite the fact that 41% of owners reported low growth last year, over half believe their company emerged stronger than before the pandemic. According to the same study, small company owners will be spending in five areas in the next year. What exactly are they?

Customer Satisfaction Challenges

Customers are at the forefront of small company owners’ digital developments. In the Forbes Small Business Survey, more than 80% of respondents stated they would concentrate on customer experience next year. One-third of respondents responded that the primary purpose of new technology investments is to serve more consumers.

Small company owners want to empower their teams when deciding what technology to invest in. Three out of four aim to improve their workers’ ability to create transformational client experiences.

It’s no surprise that many small company owners are turning to data to improve their client experience and reach a larger audience. According to our poll, 45% of respondents want to acquire consumer analytics software next year.

Initiatives Promoting Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion

Brands will continue to prioritize diversity, equality, and inclusion next year, regardless of their size.

Despite this, 62% of small company owners want to invest in additional DE&I efforts in 2022, according to our poll. While Forbes is not a small business, it’s providing a good example for promoting a diverse, egalitarian, and inclusive workplace while assisting small companies. Forbes EQ is a dedicated area for companies, entrepreneurs, and charitable organizations.

Supporting underrepresented groups to share their experiences and insights with Forbes.com widens its audience through the BrandVoice content marketing platform.

The Challenge of Technology

According to 78% of poll respondents, technology will be a major investment challenge in 2022.

It’s perhaps no surprise that technology would be front and center for small company owners. However, they have no intention of investing in just any technology. Research also revealed that a staggering 80% of companies have invested in the cloud or intend to do so in the next year.

What is the primary goal of all of these investments? To service a more significant number of customers — and to do so successfully.

Workforce and Talent

Small company owners now aim to improve their employee experience, with 73% of owners predicting that personnel would be a major challenge and investment in 2022.

To empower their workers, 36% said they’ll concentrate on enhancing mental health and well-being while 35% said they’d focus on promoting work-life balance.

More than three-quarters of chief experience officers (CxOs) claimed they’ve already enhanced parental leave. CxOs have created clear limits around working hours to recruit and retain female talent. With “The Great Resignation” continuing in full gear, small companies will continue to prioritize talent in 2022.

2022 has arrived, and smaller companies are eagerly embracing it.

As an entrepreneur or small company owner, you need to be a futurist. Think past today. Imagine tomorrow, then act on your intuition, no matter how far-fetched.

Marketers will also need to be futurists in order to target small enterprises. Small businesses faced difficult times as a result of the epidemic. We’ve seen and heard about several firms that found creative methods to adapt and prosper.

Salesforce, the world’s largest cloud-based software firm, saw this coming a long time ago. At the height of the epidemic, Salesforce wanted to encourage small companies. They hoped to encourage them to keep pushing ahead while also recognizing those who had already made significant progress. This key action yielded great results.

So…find your blissful state when it comes to the modest requirements you have. Or, go big if you have the guts for it and are not risk-averse or fearful of challenge. Always remember that the longest journey begins with that single, first step.

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The Best Ways to Enhance Your Pre-Christmas Sales https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2021/12/christmas-sales.html/ Mon, 20 Dec 2021 16:45:37 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=60826 The Christmas season has arrived — but that doesn’t change the fact that most consumers are leaving their holiday shopping until the last minute. While we hope you’re not stressing over fulfilling your own list, all of this last-minute buying boasts a huge opportunity for eCommerce shops hosting Christmas sales. With the right email marketing […]

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The Christmas season has arrived — but that doesn’t change the fact that most consumers are leaving their holiday shopping until the last minute. While we hope you’re not stressing over fulfilling your own list, all of this last-minute buying boasts a huge opportunity for eCommerce shops hosting Christmas sales.

With the right email marketing software and a strategy to win over the hearts (and wallets) of your contacts, you could be raking in some serious cash this holiday season.

How to Boost Your Christmas Sales

Before we officially head into the New Year, we mustn’t gloss over the last major shopping season of the year. Consumers are ready to buy and they’re looking for the best deals on the internet. So how do you get their attention?

1. Shout out your website with a sense of urgency.

With wishes of “Merry Christmas” from family and friends filling up the inbox, there’s even more competition for your subscribers’ attention. For a successful bout of buying from your store, you’ll want to adopt a strong sense of urgency.

With copy that captures the essence of time is running short (but also points to a solution), your target audience will get the picture — your site is the perfect place for fulfilling any last-minute shopping this year.

2. Problem? Solution!

You want to create copy that’s clear and to the point. Keeping your email brief means your contacts are more likely to read it in its entirety and act on a compelling call to action. For the best results, we return to the problem-solution strategy.

The end of the year sets the stage for a major bout of last-minute shopping. The problem is clear…your shoppers are running out of time! Give them quick gift ideas by showcasing your best sellers or outline a current sale with helpful links.

3. Show off your customer knowledge.

It’s time to break out the flattery. With Christmas sale competition eating up valuable inbox space, your email campaigns will need to stand out with a bit of personalization. There are a few ways to go about this.

  • Personalize product recommendations that capture your target audience.
  • Capture cart abandoners with the old “get it before it’s gone” technique.
  • Better yet, encourage would-be customers with a discount on the things they nearly purchased.

Personalized messaging goes a long way in email campaigns as it makes it easy for a customer to feel confident about a buy. Feeling like a company truly understands them takes the guesswork out of finding the perfect product to purchase.

4. Make your campaign website mobile-friendly.

Now more than ever, it’s important that your email message is compatible with multiple devices.

In this day and age, it’s likely that a good portion of your contacts will be shuffling through their inboxes on the go. With visually enticing and clickable CTAs, you invite your clients to swiftly follow through with an effortless click of the thumb.

5. Free shipping = a shopping cart follow-through.

Have you ever wondered why shoppers abandon their carts so frequently? The greatest influence is unexpected shipping costs.

The best way to get customers to complete their purchase this holiday season is clear: offer free shipping.

6. E-gift cards are here to stay (and for good reason).

They’re super convenient and don’t require any shipping wait time! Contacts that are really cutting it close with their last-minute shopping will be hoping for a solution this simple.

Give them a shout-out in your subject line, to the tune of, “We’ve got your last-minute gift right here.” With a clickable link that goes straight to your e-gift card options, consider the sale complete.

7. Go a different email route…with a huge shopping success rate.

SMS campaigns typically host an ultra-high open rate, so if you’ve had the opportunity to collect your contacts’ phone numbers, launching SMS automation might be the thing you’ve been missing when it comes to closing that sale.

Sending an automated text won’t do much good without a clickable link attached, so be sure to include one — and maybe even a photo if your platform allows!

In conclusion, what’s the moral of the story? Christmas isn’t over yet! Your customers still have time to buy! Employ those snappy CTAs. Whip up some attention-grabbing copy. Create clear, concise messages to get your point across. When it comes down to the final hours before Christmas, your contacts will be glad they opened your email.

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5 Growth Business Trends of the New Year https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2021/12/growth-business-trends.html/ Fri, 17 Dec 2021 12:05:15 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=60640 The U.S. business economy is slowly seeing normal. But what exactly is “normal” post-COVID? And which industries are most likely to rebound? Travel, eating, and entertainment businesses have all been negatively affected by the pandemic. And there is plenty of negative reinforcement from social media platforms such as TikTok. Other areas, such as small business […]

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The U.S. business economy is slowly seeing normal. But what exactly is “normal” post-COVID? And which industries are most likely to rebound?

Travel, eating, and entertainment businesses have all been negatively affected by the pandemic. And there is plenty of negative reinforcement from social media platforms such as TikTok.

Other areas, such as small business technology, have had to deal with lockdowns and work-from-home rules. Meanwhile, a lot of people want to learn online.

But, in the New Year, will these trends continue?

According to the SBA’s latest small business profile, the U.S. has approximately 31.7 million firms employing 60.6 million people. More firms are employing in 2022, despite the COVID-19 epidemic decimating small enterprises throughout the nation. The unemployment rate has consistently declined from 13% in the second quarter of 2020 to 5.2 percent presently.

We don’t have a crystal ball to predict the future, but we know which companies individuals will start. So which U.S. small enterprises will thrive in the future? Listed below are the top five business and industry trends for 2022.

Popular Markets Post-Pandemic

A year of lockdowns, distant schooling, and remote work has sparked demand for travel, eating, and entertainment. Vaccines, better medical treatments, a greater knowledge of the coronavirus, or simply population exhaustion have boosted demand for companies and services damaged worst by the epidemic.

The possibility to plan trips, dine out, and seek amusement beyond television programs and movies streamed from home arose naturally once the light at the end of the tunnel was seen. As a result, in the future, the following top 10 small business sectors will experience revenue growth:

  • International Airlines 61.3%
  • Motels and Hotels 57.8%
  • Casino Hotels: 57%
  • Cinemas: 56.3%
  • Operators: 53.3%
  • Aer Lingus 50%
  • Travel Agencies: 48%
  • Concert and Event Marketing: 45.2%
  • Taxi and Limousine: 42.8%
  • Water Parks: 42.1%

It’s apparent that the firms hit the hardest by the epidemic are ready to bounce back.

While the percentage increases indicated above are temporary, they represent the reality confronting this industry and enterprises. Ski resorts, car engine and parts manufacturing, medicinal and recreational marijuana, and real estate sales and brokerage were among the enterprises that enjoyed considerable growth.

Also, CNBC just revealed their ranking of the top states for business. The ranking of states takes into consideration factors including infrastructure, workforce, capital availability, and business costs. Among the best states for business, CNBC lists:

  • Virginia
  • North Carolina
  • Utah
  • Texas
  • Tennessee

Business Ideas, Trends, and Predictions for the New Year

Now that we know what worked in 2020, we can plan for next year. What will be the top five industries in the U.S. in 2022? Where should you focus your business?

Adoption of New Technologies

Who hasn’t utilized Zoom, GoToMeeting, or Microsoft Teams this past year? As a result, new technology has entered millions of homes and companies for work, education, or to keep connected, and the advances are set to continue.

The genie is out. The horse is out of the barn. (Or is the toothpaste gone?) Therefore, people will constantly want faster data and network speeds. Similarly, we will need it to fulfill rising demand, and now is the time to join this digital boom. Some of the top tech occupations in 2022 include:

Web Admins

This position builds the code that powers millions of websites that power global eCommerce. In other words, a web developer’s function might range from client-facing work on-site design and features to back-end work with databases and networks.

Developers

A software developer creates computer programs and millions of mobile applications. Mobile app developers are showing the fastest-growing occupations, with a predicted 22% increase over the next decade.

Analysts (CS)

Computers, processes, and procedures are the emphasis of this function. Accordingly, they depend on IT to handle client demands and guarantee a company’s digital needs are satisfied.

IT Security Analysts

These people defend enterprises against cyberattacks. Above all, they safeguard and monitor a company’s computer network.

Data Managers

This employee organizes data. They ensure database information is safe and efficient.

AI and ML Growth

Smartphones and other smart gadgets are one example of how AI is influencing our lives. Smart automobiles will navigate the streets using AI systems. Whether you work in customer service, human resources, or even AI-powered applications, AI is meant to help. Among the new roles AI will perform in 2022 are:

  • Cybersecurity
  • Trends and Business Forecasting
  • Healthcare Help Desk (Chatbots)
  • Voice Recognition and Search

Entrepreneurs want location independence as digital nomads. As a result, working as a digital nomad was a rising trend in 2019 and will continue in 2022.

According to the Harvard Business Review, there will be 10.9 million digital nomads by 2020. This is a 49% increase and is anticipated higher growth.

Similarly, many businesses, particularly millennials, value flexibility, and geographical freedom. That is to say, these digital nomad enterprises are ideal for knowledge jobs like consulting and freelancing.

As the world shifts away from office occupations, new technological tools such as productivity applications, collaboration software, and communication channels allow knowledge workers to work almost anywhere.

Digital Nomads May Run Numerous Sorts of Businesses

Freelance in coding, programming, writing, graphic design, marketing, and other fields. Likewise, provide personalized knowledge and assistance in areas of extensive experience and understanding. For example, make money from a website or blog through affiliate marketing or advertising. Sell an information product like a course or an ebook using a well-known site like Fiverr, TaskRabbit, Upwork, or Toptal. In conclusion, there literally are no limits as you move into the New Year.

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Three Benefits of Using Managed IT in Your Small Business https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2021/12/three-benefits-of-using-managed-it-in-your-small-business.html/ Thu, 16 Dec 2021 12:00:38 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=60562 Are you struggling to deal with all your internal technology issues and still run your business? Whether you’re a small online business or a mom-and-pop service location, if you’re not up with the latest technology, you could find yourself in a non-stop avalanche of headaches. After the last year, more small and medium business owners […]

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Are you struggling to deal with all your internal technology issues and still run your business? Whether you’re a small online business or a mom-and-pop service location, if you’re not up with the latest technology, you could find yourself in a non-stop avalanche of headaches.

After the last year, more small and medium business owners are realizing that having Managed IT is a way to remove unnecessary headaches, sleepless nights, and lost weekends. Savvy small business owners know that they need to use technology to grow

Switching to a managed service comes down to three core benefits: reduce complexity, boost efficiency, and trim costs. Let’s explore each one and see how this may help you.

Reduce Complexity

Don’t you have enough to do with managing your business, creating innovative strategies, building strong teams, and delivering exceptional customer service? Do you need to spend your spare hours reading a tech manual or learning about network monitoring? 

If you’re in a service business and relying on a physical location, you already have your hands full and your hours accounted for. You know that every minute you’re spending on technical services is time away from the people-centric activities that make your business succeed.

But it doesn’t change the fact that you need to be up to date and at optimal functioning to keep your business state of the art. Reducing complexity is a daily mantra for every small business owner. Especially during the holidays, reducing complexity is the key to coping with stress, pressure, and longer hours. 

Here are four essentials that are likely to elicit a sigh of relief:

  • A 24/7 Help Desk so that every request for help gets a rapid response.
  • Remote Network monitoring so you know everything is functioning perfectly around the clock.
  • Remote and on-site support to solve issues quickly and efficiently.
  • Routine maintenance to make sure technology is up-to-date, secure, and backed up.

If you’ve been struggling to do these basics on your own, with the help of your family and friends, or leaning on a small internal team of tech wizards—you are in for a treat. 

Boost Efficiency

The benefits of managed IT services can go way beyond these critical essentials. It can provide you with peace of mind, improved efficiency, and increased customer satisfaction. If you’re growing into new lines of business or new geographic areas, managed services are the key to unlocking unrestricted expansion. 

You can reduce stress and improve employee morale when you let an outside IT managed services team take the load off of your internal team. You’ll provide your staff with access to expert support, and remove the burden of preventative maintenance. Ask your staff for their input…you’ll find that they are more than happy to let experts do the heavy lifting.

Trim Costs

If you’re a small business owner, you may have been holding back for one big reason: the cost. This reason seems valid until you examine it more closely. It turns out it can be much more expensive to train and support an in-house IT team. You could be looking at thousands of dollars, depending on the size and scope of your operations. 

Alternatively, managed IT services tend to run from $100 to $150 per person per month. This could average out to much less money than you have been spending. Money and time are the ultimate levers of success in a small business, but you still need to factor in the unknowable elements. 

For instance, what is the cost of a technology glitch? What will it cost you in sales, service, or customer loyalty? Ultimately, you’ll save a lot more money by preventing costly downtime or recovery time.

Finding The Best Fit for Your Business

How can you find the best-managed service provider for your business? Start with a core list of your values and needs. Four essentials for selecting a provider you can work with over the long-term include:

  • Communication skills. You want to know that your needs, wants, and issues are being heard and given top priority.
  • Expert skills. Technical expertise and insights into industry trends will keep your company positioned for success.
  • Collaboration skills. Partnering together will help you innovate for current needs and anticipate future developments to stay ahead of your competition.
  • Agile skills. Adapting and staying flexible will help you and your IT partner start, learn, and grow without limiting you to a fixed obligation or operation.

As you explore the next steps in managed IT, keep an open mind and discuss options. You may find that a dedicated team helps you to reduce stress and grow your business.

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Small Business Technology Trends in the New Year https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2021/12/small-business-technology-new-year.html/ Wed, 15 Dec 2021 22:04:40 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=60593 When the Covid-19 epidemic hit, most small businesses experienced chaos. What are they doing to recover? How do they plan to prosper? New business trends are developing as life returns to routine. Recognizing them may help small firms recover their footing. Small company owners must keep abreast of the post-pandemic developments and movements. Listed below […]

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When the Covid-19 epidemic hit, most small businesses experienced chaos. What are they doing to recover? How do they plan to prosper?

New business trends are developing as life returns to routine. Recognizing them may help small firms recover their footing. Small company owners must keep abreast of the post-pandemic developments and movements. Listed below are a few ideas.

Developing EQ and Empathy

Transparency and emotional intelligence modeling are crucial. So many surveys say. As a result, empathy is a valuable tool for coping with life and professional issues. Similarly, recognizing emotions or actions and handling them with attention has tremendous value.

Using Social Media Influencers and Technology

Influencer marketing is a trend that small companies should know about. For example, online platforms such as Instagram and TikTok can help small companies express their stories and generate enthusiasm. Influencers, big and small (micro-influencers), provide significance and endorsements to the content.

Adopting Big Biz Systems and Processes

Small firms must adopt large corporate systems and procedures if they want to succeed in the New Year. That is, tiny firms should put up toll-free phones, IVR systems, and automation and organize themselves as if they were much bigger. Success depends on this.

Enhancing Recruiting

With the globe becoming more connected and individuals opting for remote work locations, organizations will be able to hire more widely than in the past. Above all, companies with a defined purpose, values, and standards will be more effective in recruiting top talent in a tight labor market.

Instituting Workplace Values That Put Family First

People have reevaluated their priorities in the previous year or two, leading to the family-first movement. As a result, business leaders must build a people-first environment or risk losing their finest employees. Small company owners must develop a set of workplace principles with their employees and ensure that managers lead by example.

Increasing Business Owner Networking

Don’t miss the “new” New Year trend: networking! Businesses may develop tremendously by interacting with other businesses instead of growing alone. Assemble a team and establish connections that motivate and drive one other’s progress. Do it in return.

Embracing Digital Marketing’s Efficiency

Digital marketing is here to stay for small businesses. Digital marketing may not completely replace in-person profile development. However, don’t overlook its cost- and time-saving benefits. Use such advantages to reach a large audience.

 Leveraging Digital and Cloud Tech

Many small companies lack a digital presence. If this describes your company, you can (and should) correct this serious oversight quickly and easily. Likewise, your ability to utilize and harness current digital and cloud technologies, as well as your desire to keep up with your customers’ technologies, will determine your future success. Slack, Teams, and Twitter now. Who knows in three years?

 Boosting Agile Service and Product Delivery

Agile service delivery and product development for customers can help you construct a personal brand with a competitive edge. Create a range of solutions and analyze their influence on various customers to help your small company stand out in any industry.

Prioritizing Employee Coaching and Mentoring

To keep a happy staff and enhance retention, small companies will need to think outside the box. The tendency is to give staff coaching or mentorship, which is significantly more important than a ping-pong table.

Adopting Newer Video Technology

On-demand video will be crucial. In other words, video has become more popular for prospecting, selling, serving, and meeting people globally. Today, video is the new “new” thing, and its popularity will only grow. There are several free platforms.

Building Out Hybrid Office Technology

Employees may pick their best work schedule and whether they work remotely or in person, which is a future trend as security and insecurity are balanced with a healthy home and work environment. Similarly, employers must accept multi-generational personnel with diverse values and life experiences.

Stressing Workplace Mental Health

Mental health in the workplace is important, regardless of the size of the workforce. For example, supply chain constraints, labor shortages, remote work, and the blurring of work-life are increasing employee stress. Above all, changing this tendency will promote engagement, minimize attrition, and raise productivity.

Rethinking Inventory Management Strategy

Supply chain shortages will persist. Raw material and product delivery delays will be longer than projected. Work on this today. Likewise, setting goals and changing your inventory management are crucial. The cost of not having a product is greater. If your firm isn’t directly affected, your consumers are.

Maximum Business Google Usage

This coming year, successful companies will use Google to its utmost. That is, this covers Google My Business, local services, advertisements, and SEO. Accordingly, small company entrepreneurs must learn, use, and comprehend Google lead generation. Try branding yourself. So, create a goal. Master personal and company branding. The corporate brand often hides the owner’s identity, allowing them to avoid being vulnerable and human. Change this now. As an entrepreneur, you can only gain loyalty by being yourself, displaying the human aspect of your company, and promoting you and your staff.

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Are You Ready For Growth in the New Year? https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2021/12/ready-growth-new-year.html/ Fri, 10 Dec 2021 21:31:14 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=60550 So…what’s needed for growth in the New Year? Bigger? Better? Badder? Bolder? All of the above? Time will tell. Time…and temperament. What can a small company owner do to prepare for growth in the New Year, given that 99 percent of all U.S. enterprises are tiny, almost 32 million as of March 2021? What kind […]

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So…what’s needed for growth in the New Year? Bigger? Better? Badder? Bolder? All of the above? Time will tell. Time…and temperament.

What can a small company owner do to prepare for growth in the New Year, given that 99 percent of all U.S. enterprises are tiny, almost 32 million as of March 2021?

What kind of small enterprises is growing now? It’s possible that now is the best moment to start a new business. In the New Year, certain services and goods may be in higher demand than ever. This list is by no means exhaustive, but if you work in one of these fields or want to, this may be a good year for you.

  • Physical Therapy
  • Wellness
  • Mechanic
  • Carwashes
  • Curricula
  • MBA Marketing Courses
  • Business Advice and Coaching
  • SM Management
  • A/R (Accounting)

If indeed these careers are now the most successful, it’s clear that customers are intensely focused on self-improvement and business-to-business services.

So, you’ve been bitten by the entrepreneurial bug and are joining the ranks of other business owners who have gone solo. Are there risks to becoming your boss? Sure. You can’t expand without bruising yourself a few times. But do the rewards justify the effort? Ask the almost 32 million small firms that comprise 99 percent of all U.S. businesses.

Where do you expand if you’re new?

Then how do you go about it when you don’t know what you don’t know?

Decide on a business structure.

The importance of choosing the correct sort of company entity cannot be stressed. Consider it to be like cooking. Before you start, decide what you’re going to make and what utensils and supplies you’ll need. Not every tool or instrument will work for you.

Make a stew on a grill to understand.

When beginning a firm, you must explore several business structures and choose which one best suits your needs. Understanding that each entity type has unique legal requirements is critical, not just during the creation phase but also as you develop and expand.

If you’re like most people and motivated more by ambition and caffeine than a solid business strategy, you’ll need to decide if you want to do it alone or with a partner. Whether you need investors. How much ownership do you want to give up in exchange for financial aid?

You must also decide how you will run the company, who will make decisions and over what, and how you will be compensated and share in the profits and losses.

A wise business owner also learns about putting up precautions such as insurance and hiring professionals such as lawyers for contracts, employment difficulties and guidance, and accountants for tax and bookkeeping.

Very often, companies fail to create procedures and processes for handling conflicts, differences in management style, and settling disputes, which harms the business, earnings, and relationships. Every facet of a business is influenced by how it is legally created.

Expand systems to address roadblocks.

Sole proprietorship or joint ownership of a firm involves a shared commitment to doing activities that strengthen the business.

Running a business requires following local, state, and federal regulations. Establishing internal processes that help you succeed.

Consider how you greet customers in person, over the phone, or via email. The information they have access to when considering signing up or buying. Then the policies you create and implement communicate the business’s objectives.

Consider whether you will train employees to deliver the intended customer experience or handle problems that arise. Billing practices complicate things. Also, use the information that appears on a website or social media to showcase and market the business’s strengths. These are all essential touchpoints that may make or kill a business.

These moments also shape its reputational identity, which is how the public and rivals see it. Customers and clients alike expect and require an experience worth their time and money.

Get set…grow!

If you’ve been around the block at least once and can include a successful business among your accomplishments, it’s time to pause and reflect on your past and future growth.

Uncertainty has taught American firms that they are more susceptible than they believed when it comes to the epidemic and all the issues it brings. To prepare for future difficulties, company owners may take action to ensure their workplaces are safe for employees and customers and to comply with local government regulations.

How can an established business owner make up lost ground or stay up with the changing tides long enough to see a better New Year?

Love your squad.

Remember that creating relationships pays off. If you have loyal employees, remind them why they joined in the first place. As things improve, a motivated workforce with high morale is an organization’s most important growth asset.

Everyone will remember that the unit survived difficult circumstances by working together toward a shared objective.

Get assistance where needed.

Our reliance on technology may have made the world smaller due to increased access to information. But be aware that not all information is good information.

Don’t rely on social network pals or generic web forms to inform you what your business contracts state or what standards to follow. Do yourself a great favor and get legal advice that is conversant with the subject and can assist you in avoiding legal growth issues. And, when it comes to taxes, be sure to consult a financial specialist.

“Professional services” are not a misnomer as long as you spend time finding trustworthy assistance.

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Use Technology to Improve Your Small Business https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2021/12/use-technology-small-business.html/ Thu, 09 Dec 2021 20:11:39 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=60542 The world is now seemingly governed by technology. Nothing appears to progress without technology. So…do you hope to change your industry? Change upward will require technology. Using technology strategically will provide you with a competitive advantage. You don’t have to be a scientist to use technology to expand your business. Just spend less time on […]

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The world is now seemingly governed by technology. Nothing appears to progress without technology. So…do you hope to change your industry?

Change upward will require technology. Using technology strategically will provide you with a competitive advantage.

You don’t have to be a scientist to use technology to expand your business. Just spend less time on useless stuff like TV and more time on things that can help your business. The material in this article is meant to help you start using technology to expand your business.

Here are some strategies to use technology to grow your small business.

1. Communication technology can lend a hand.

Communication is one of the numerous advantages of technology. This perk allows you to communicate more readily with potential clients and partners.

For example, you may utilize top email marketing tools to engage potential customers. There’s no need to go when you can call. Technology improves communication. You may use a video call to see the other person from afar.

2. Use technology to boost marketing.

If handled appropriately, technology may increase your marketing efforts. However, conventional marketing methods will never be as effective as technology-based marketing strategies. Like social media marketing.

A camper repair service, for example, may use a strong social media strategy to quickly contact new consumers and drive them to their website. Even if you lack education or experience, technology can help you write a business strategy. You can construct unique websites utilizing technology-based solutions even if you don’t know anything about web design.

3. Social networking will be useful.

Social networking accelerates business growth. It connects you to so many individuals from your home. Digital marketing is one of the best methods to use social media for business success.

Working with a social media marketing agency allows you to promote your products and services without having to advertise physically. The internet touches almost every country. So anything you share on social media is worldwide. Social media marketing also allows you to select your target demographic.

4. Remote employment saves on resources.

As a small business, you must save time, effort, and money. A remote office is one of the finest methods to do this.

It allows workers to work from home and will enable you to communicate with them without having to meet in person. If an employee is unable to report to your physical office, they can interact with you using remote work tools.

5. Create a website.

You will need a website to promote your services. So, if you want to develop your business faster, get a website.

Building a website is not enough; it must be adaptable and appealing to potential clients. An effective, responsive website will provide your company with a digital presence. It will also provide credible information about your company to anyone seeking it online.

To ensure that your website is both visually appealing and functional, consider partnering with a reputable b2b web design agency that can create a custom website tailored to your business needs and target audience.

6. SEO is your lifeblood.

It’s not enough to develop a website; it must be seen. Increased visibility attracts more customers, resulting in quicker brand growth.

This is only achievable if you optimize your online content for search engines. If you lack the necessary understanding, you may need to engage SEO specialists.

7. Protect your assets.

While technology might help you reach a global audience faster than traditional methods, it also has its drawbacks. For one, your website may be hacked, resulting in data loss or theft, as well as financial damage.

Securing a reliable internet company will help. Create active firewalls for your website and use encrypted passwords.

8. Use cloud storage.

Don’t keep everything on your PC; shift some to the cloud. Cloud storage frees up disk space and might even speed up your machine.

It can also make your data and files available if you need to view them outside of your office or at a remote location. This way, you have all the information you need at your fingertips.

9. Provide better client service.

Technology can help you noticeably improve customer service.

This may be done by offering live chat services where existing and future consumers can speak with you and receive rapid responses. You may also provide toll-free calling so that your customers don’t have to pay.

10. Automate mundane duties.

Automating duties can also help your small business. Customer service is one duty that may be automated.

Automated messages can address many of the questions customers ask. You may also schedule social media postings. And therefore focus on other elements of the business.

11. Video marketing always attracts eyeballs.

Another option is video marketing. But make sure the videos you create are linked to your products and services.

Search engines will give your website a higher ranking if you have connected videos. You may also share these films on social media.

Bonus Advice!

Content marketing is a great approach to promote your company online. You can submit SEO-friendly material to major websites like E-zine. You may also develop backlinks to connect with authoritative websites. If this is too technical for you, you can always employ an SEO specialist.

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5 Small Business Ideas for the New Year https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2021/12/small-business-ideas.html/ Mon, 06 Dec 2021 17:39:30 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=60476 All these new businesses around you may motivate you to start your own. But you’re undecided on what it should be. Here are five ideas. Fortunately, this new-normal society ensures enormous earnings from small resources. With everything going online and technology taking over, there are limitless ways to earn. But becoming an entrepreneur requires foresight. […]

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All these new businesses around you may motivate you to start your own. But you’re undecided on what it should be. Here are five ideas.

Fortunately, this new-normal society ensures enormous earnings from small resources.

With everything going online and technology taking over, there are limitless ways to earn. But becoming an entrepreneur requires foresight. While you’re still thinking out what your small business should be, someone else is already generating money and building an empire.

Small Risk, High Return

Are you looking to establish a business now? Consider the changing standards and technology developments. It will assist you in choosing one that will benefit you long-term.

Listed below are five small business/entrepreneur ideas to start in the New Year.

1. Reseller Hosting

Nowadays, reseller hosting is quite popular.

Reseller hosting operates like a rental business. Instead of owning and renting an online residence, you rent web server storage space. This gives users access to all web server resources needed for a website. In addition, reseller hosting is less expensive than buying straight from the central hosting service.

Owners may make a lot of money if they rent the place for a long time.

A simple technical understanding of website hosting and a budget to acquire a reseller plan from the parent provider allows you to customize those packages and sell them.

The definitive guide should be your first stop for learning how to resell hosting. This type of company has a lot of potential as you can offer it alongside web design, development, SEO, and other online services.

2. NFT Collectibles

NFTs are non-fungible art tokens that may be used as blockchain digital assets. The average monthly sales for NFT’s value was calculated at $336.6 million USD. This shows the NFT industry’s potential.

If you like visuals and crypto, you might like the NFT startup business. You don’t need to be an expert in all graphic design tools to start with creativity and fundamental abilities.

The blockchain allows you to mint any sort of abstract item, GIF, photo, song, sketch, or anything else. To mint art, you must first code it for blockchains. It will prevent anyone from copying your art. The most common cryptocurrency for selling NFTs is Ethereum. However, there are others.

3. Sustainable Products eCommerce Business

Starting an eco-friendly eCommerce business might be a terrific solution for you.

People are becoming more aware of the need to conserve the environment. The sustainable goods industry is expected to hit $150 billion USD by year’s end. You may earn your share by opening a modest online store.

Introduce notebooks, stainless steel water bottles, cloth totes, travel mugs, biodegradable cutlery, bowls, plates, reusable food bags, and other recycled plastic items. You may quickly create an eCommerce website or launch your business on Amazon, Etsy, or eBay.

4. Affiliation

Affiliate marketing is also a terrific way to generate money.

Affiliate marketing is online marketing. It’s simply helping others promote and sell their products or services in exchange for a cut of the revenue. You can utilize blogs, YouTube videos, social media, and an email list.

The most popular choice is blogging, which produces long-term effects. A website is all you need to become an affiliate marketer. After that, join an affiliate network such as Amazon Associates. Then choose a hobby and start writing about it to make money.

In other words, affiliate marketing has a high return on investment and may be done as a side hustle. The nicest part is that it can be automated.

5. Online Coaching

This is the new normal. The e-learning industry is expected to reach $336.98 billion USD by 2026. For instance, if you are brilliant at something and know everything about it, share your expertise…and get money.

Virtual classrooms are possible using Google Meet, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams. Also, you can make money by teaching skills relating to your industry via your YouTube channel.

Providing mini-classes in any profession or industry is always a good trend. You can train people online in any field, from manufacturing to digital marketing. You can be a relationship coach, a financial coach, a health coach, etc.

How does that work? It’s simple.

Most small business owners can access in-house or online classes for themselves and for their employees. The cost is nominal. Even free sometimes.

So do yourself a favor. Look into continuing education for yourself. Also for your staff. It will help you expand your horizons. Similarly, your employees will become more efficient and more valuable. And maybe even a bit grateful.

Don’t hesitate to offer tuition reimbursement. This can be a key to better employees. The more you know, the more you contribute.

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Handling Conflicts Between IT and Your Sales Team https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2021/11/it-and-sales-conflicts.html/ Sat, 20 Nov 2021 14:15:14 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=60227 When your IT team and salespeople get along and collaborate effectively, they can often achieve significant growth and revenue generation. However, when these two departments clash, it can cause major issues both inside and outside the company. 1. IT and Sales…oil and water? A major IT and sales divergence has been a “throw it over […]

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When your IT team and salespeople get along and collaborate effectively, they can often achieve significant growth and revenue generation.

However, when these two departments clash, it can cause major issues both inside and outside the company.

1. IT and Sales…oil and water?

A major IT and sales divergence has been a “throw it over the wall” mindset. This is where one group works independently from the other until it’s too late in the process to turn back.

Making sure that each member of these teams is adequately incentivized to work toward a common goal is an effective strategy to combat this. As a result, it’s critical to hire people who are enthusiastic about working toward a common purpose.

2. Battle back against inadequate empathy.

If the problem is a lack of empathy, the solution might be increased visibility.

Look for opportunities to expose the vulnerable side of doing business. How difficult was it to get that deal? How many challenges did you have to overcome to get that new feature up and running?

We’re all working on puzzles. Seeing that someone else is working on similar but unrelated difficulties demonstrates that we’re on the same team. We are far less likely to throw each other under the bus.

3. Root out ineffective communication.

Communication is at the root of most corporate conflicts, whether within or across teams.

Because sales targets are the primary focus, sales teams frequently don’t understand the technology and don’t make time for it. Tech teams, on the other hand, frequently exist in a realm that is too far removed from clients.

In this case, having business plans — rather than personal or departmental agendas — is beneficial.

4. Eliminate IT under-delivery and/or over-selling.

Overselling is risky. It almost always leads to under-delivery.

It’s critical that your sales force is aware of the benefits and drawbacks of your service or product. For every two sales executives, a solutions expert is required to keep them honest. Setting client expectations and presenting the solution’s roadmap is both refreshing and beneficial to a potential client relationship.

5. Is there a lack of clarity on specific issues and use cases?

The most common source of disagreement is when IT teams lack insight on the exact problem, scenarios, or use cases that sales teams are grappling with. Additional tools or technology aren’t always worth it for the sales team, no matter how snazzy.

6. Your sales team lacks the capacity to articulate customer requirements.

When sales teams are unable to communicate exactly what their clients want, this is a recipe for problems. This can also happen when tech teams are not clear about development dates for things that the sales team is attempting to pre-sell. The keys to establishing alignment are open communication and openness.

7. Watch out for sales engineering or proof of concept engineering.

According to the tech world, development protocols are constantly broken while attempting to persuade that quarter-million-dollar deal customer.

8. Are salespeople force-feeding “solutions” rather than addressing a problem to be solved?

The most common disputes occur whenever the sales team gives the tech team the “solution” rather than the “issue” to fix.

Including engineers in the problem-solving process gives them a sense of belonging and importance to the issue. This also brings in a variety of viewpoints that may enable businesses to create better software more quickly.

9. Be aware of any IT desire to provide clients with quicker service.

Sales teams seek to meet their clients’ needs as quickly as possible. IT groups, on the other hand, may take more time to meet the need for delivering quality.

As a tech leader, you should negotiate with the customer for the bare minimum MVP required. Prioritize that outcome with your sales teams. After that, engage with IT to avoid over-architecting the solution. This will result in a win-win situation. As a result, leveraging win-win results leads to long-term success.

10. Different departments work in different ways.

Sales and tech teams operate inherently differently. Sales teams are aggressive…and perhaps oversell. Tech teams operate with prudent restraint. These differences can be beneficial since it drives the teams to be constructive, collaborative, and reach a balance point.

11. Any danger of forgetting what the operational purpose is?

Tech teams are frequently so engrossed in their apps that they fail to recognize the operational purpose of ops requests.

Salespeople are frequently willing to make promises that they suspect they won’t be able to keep.

To close the gap, the IT team should be more involved in understanding their impact on important KPIs. Sales should be mindful that promises take time to fulfill.

12. When should deliverables be expected?

It’s the responsibility of top management to maintain a close eye on sales commitments against development sprint accomplishments.

Scrum masters/project managers on the development side and sales operations leaders on the sales side need to work together like peanut butter and jelly.

13. Has IT been led astray by product specifications?

The majority of the time, sales teams are unaware of where a product is and what it can do. They are frequently tripped up by a product’s specifics.

If the product fails to meet expectations, the momentum is lost not only from a business standpoint but also from the perspective of the sales team’s morale. It’s critical that sales pitches be in sync and that the tech team is involved.

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Business on Black Friday https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2021/11/business-on-black-friday.html/ Fri, 19 Nov 2021 11:25:49 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=60216 40% of shoppers will buy on Black Friday. What does this mean for small businesses? Will they be able to cope with it? Do they even want it? Since its inception in the United States, Black Friday has spread throughout the world with businesses offering a variety of deals and discounts for a limited time. […]

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40% of shoppers will buy on Black Friday. What does this mean for small businesses? Will they be able to cope with it? Do they even want it?

Since its inception in the United States, Black Friday has spread throughout the world with businesses offering a variety of deals and discounts for a limited time. It officially kicks off the holiday shopping season the day following Thanksgiving in the United States.

Is Black Friday really as relevant as it always was, given the massive shifts in how shoppers shop? Will it be a day of “too-good-to-be-true discounts,” which fuels consumerism? Is it still in line with the values of today’s buyers, especially those who want to support local businesses?

Black Friday business is still a staple of the retail calendar.

Despite the retail industry’s rocky last two years, Black Friday remains an important aspect of retailers’ annual sales plans. According to a recent survey, 38.6 percent of customers intend to shop on Black Friday this year.

Another survey says 30 percent of all retail purchases occur from Black Friday through Christmas, which is possibly significant this year due to anticipated delays and shortages.

Small business is where the conscious shopper goes for their deals.

Consumers are increasingly interested in shopping locally, environmentally, and supporting small companies.

Without a doubt, Black Friday is a terrific time for small businesses to sell goods. They’re either early holiday sales or moving stock to make room for more Christmas products. They also build client loyalty.

Smaller merchants might offer incentives such as exclusive products, referral bonuses, free next-day shipping, longer returns, and loyalty advantages in addition to discounts. For many independent stores, a charitable donation speaks directly to their customers’ values. It’s not all about price cuts.

Modest enterprises who want to stay away from Black Friday have options.

Small Business Saturday has grown in popularity in recent years, and Holly Tucker’s “Colour Friday” was recently created as a Black Friday alternative. It was designed to encourage us all to appreciate the color and creativity that small businesses contribute to the UK…before it’s too late.

Smaller firms have a lot of clout in the retail world. A vast majority of the 5.7 million registered firms were small or medium-sized at the start of 2020. So independent retailers shouldn’t be put off by the fact that the major names seem to dominate this event. They’re not thought of as least, since local delivery is a huge benefit for smaller firms in these difficult times.

The internet reigns supreme.

The shift to online shopping represents a significant change in how customers shop. When physical stores were unable to operate due to the pandemic, retailers were forced to adapt quickly to reach their customers.

This year, 84 percent of Black Friday customers will make some purchases online, according to research from shopping comparison site finder.com. As a result, small businesses must ensure that their websites are in tip-top shape, ideally with several payment methods — as recommended by independent retail experts for a successful Christmas.

The business of giving.

Independent retailers participating in Black Friday should focus on creating a warm festive atmosphere for their consumers and displaying their gift items prominently.

Small businesses can capitalize on their USP — thoughtful, local, and ecological gifts — while major stores fight to meet the consumer’s thirst for cheap discounts.

Small business does not need to be small potatoes.

The owners of small enterprises know that technology can be either friend or foe.

Many small business owners have confronted challenges with technology, especially in the last two years. That’s because the pandemic has proven a fertile field for technological innovation. This is true in everything from medicine to education to politics to merchandising.

The business of business has never been made easier than by today’s technology. At the same time trying to navigate innovations such as Zoom has given many owners and entrepreneurs nightmares. Small establishments cannot usually afford a full-time IT person. Yet they cannot get along without full-time help in that area.

What to do? Some small enterprises now offer reimbursement or outright bonuses to employees who take technology and computer courses. Other owners find it more practical, cheaper, and less time-consuming to simply hire a consultant.  The problem with tech consultants in the post-pandemic era is that they are as scarce as feathers on a bowling ball. If you can find one you are likely to pay dearly for their services.

On the other hand, many small business owners find they have a flair for working with technology. Necessity is the mother of invention…and the mother of technology expertise.

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Personal Brand Yourself https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2021/11/personal-brand-yourself.html/ Tue, 16 Nov 2021 15:19:09 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=60170 An online personal brand presence allows a store to expand its services to customers who are unable to visit the store or want to order an item that is out of stock. eCommerce has evolved from a personal brand curiosity to a luxury to a necessity. eCommerce has become a necessity for shoppers. They want […]

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An online personal brand presence allows a store to expand its services to customers who are unable to visit the store or want to order an item that is out of stock.

eCommerce has evolved from a personal brand curiosity to a luxury to a necessity. eCommerce has become a necessity for shoppers. They want to be able to order items from anywhere and get them delivered within 24 hours.

Many store websites feature products that aren’t available in stores and special offers that aren’t available in-store. POS systems from across the country have shown that foot traffic has been steadily declining.

The pandemic only exacerbated the problem. Black Friday was traditionally the busiest day of the holiday season, but foot traffic on Black Friday in 2020 was lower than 52%. eCommerce, however, has seen an explosion. In 2020, more than 2 billion consumers made online purchases. This contributed to an estimated $4.2 trillion in U.S. revenue.

Online shopping is a great option for small- to medium-sized retail businesses. However, they may not know how to get started or whether they have the financial means to make it happen.

Planning

To get into the lucrative online world of eCommerce, you must first create an online business plan. Determine what products you wish to offer online, then determine where to store inventory to allow for online orders.

Next, decide what payment methods you will accept. There are several payment options available: Apple Pay, PayPal, credit cards, and debit cards.

Secure payment methods should be used when setting up payment options. Customers’ personal information will be protected by choosing secure payment methods. This is crucial as hackers can easily access low-grade protection schemes. You’ll then have to deal with angry customers if your website is compromised. Many of them may never shop at your store or site again.

Personal Brand Shipping

Next, you need to make sure that shipping is secure and enough packaging is available to meet your customers’ needs. You’ll need to decide where and how you will fulfill orders.

No matter what you do, make sure you ship products promptly and get them expedited whenever you can. Online shoppers can be very impatient. Many online shoppers expect their items to arrive within a few days, if not a week. Make sure you label all your items with delivery estimates.

Establishing an Online Personal Brand Presence

There are many ways to build a website with a personal brand, even if you don’t have the necessary skills.

Pre-made eCommerce templates are available from many companies. These templates include everything you need to create your website and market it. A web designer can also be hired to create a site for you. Some point-of-sale businesses offer eCommerce features such as apps and websites.

Web search engine optimization (SEO), which helps your website rank high in search engines like Google, is another factor you should consider. If your store isn’t on pages one to five, it will be harder for people to find it. However, consumers will most likely choose websites that are on the first page of search results. To improve your website’s SEO, do your research.

Also, make sure you monitor your website traffic once your eCommerce platform is launched.

Research why your website isn’t receiving as many visitors as you expected. Is your website not being promoted as effectively as possible, online or in-store? Also, make sure to test your website for bugs. It’s not good to have a customer who is unable to access your site but wants it. They will likely move on to another site and never return.

Personal Brand Marketing

The final step is to create an eCommerce personal brand marketing budget. Your website won’t sell itself, even though it is useful to have an online presence.

You can target existing clients by handing out pamphlets at checkout counters. Advertise in periodicals that target your demographic. If your business is in a Spanish-speaking area, you might place ads in Spanish newspapers or other Spanish periodicals.

These steps can be followed carefully and accurately by Mom-and-Pop merchants. This will allow them to generate more revenue and impress customers. It can also help to build positive word of mouth, which can bring in new and existing customers.

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Five Key Ways to Use Data for Business https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2021/11/five-key-ways-to-use-data-for-business.html/ Wed, 10 Nov 2021 11:00:10 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=59967 Data for business is becoming one of the most valuable assets in the world. People joke about it being the “new oil” or the “new gold,” but there is weight in these comparisons. Tech companies like Facebook have built empires on data. While the amount that companies like Facebook make on acquiring your personal data […]

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Data for business is becoming one of the most valuable assets in the world. People joke about it being the “new oil” or the “new gold,” but there is weight in these comparisons. Tech companies like Facebook have built empires on data. While the amount that companies like Facebook make on acquiring your personal data from users is difficult to calculate, there is no question that it is one of the most useful and lucrative resources in the modern world. Whether you want to build a billion-dollar company or simply analyze statistics, utilizing data is key. Below are five ways you can use data analysis.

Marketing

If you are running a business, using data has become essential to modern marketing. Whether you want to find a new target demographic or learn how to better advertise to the type of person who supports your business, data analysis is instrumental to digital marketing tactics. You want to know how to target ads, where to publish ads, and find new ways to market to your company. Data makes this all possible. Whether you have data to work with or need to begin acquiring it, your marketing division will be bolstered by this kind of analysis.

Send Out Press Releases

Data can be pivotal in understanding who is reading and utilizing the press releases you are sending out about your business, events, art, and much more. It doesn’t matter what you are announcing; if you’re using press releases in any way, you should look into an online newsroom platform. These platforms not only connect you with journalists and others who you want to see your press releases, but they will also provide the data and analytics to seewho is viewing them. Prioritize who sees your press release distribution, customize your voice, and analyze the information that is coming back to you.

Find Out Who Views Your Website

Google Analytics and other similar resources can offer you a lot of information about who is searching for your website. Whatever field you are in — whether you’re a painter, a musician, a tech start-up, or a restaurateur — finding out who sees your site, where they live, and any other helpful information can help you grow and thrive. Not only will you discover when the best time to put up blogs, website pages, social media posts, but you’ll also gain a better understanding of how to use those things. You might be surprised about how helpful this information truly is.

Energy-Efficiency

An effective way to use data is to make your home or business more energy-efficient. If you have access to the times of day and days of the week when your energy bill is at its highest, you can avoid using power during those times. Every energy company knows this information because they up the price on purpose. This is typically the peak hours of use, when people come from work. Overall, data can be used by businesses to determine their most efficient energy usage. Whether you’re a company trying to lower your overhead or a family who wants to lower your carbon footprint, data is useful when it comes to energy efficiency.

Health & Wellness

This one might be a surprise, but data analysis is becoming widely used in the fields of health and wellness. There are plenty of wearable products that use modern technology to provide information about your health, vitals, sleep, strain, and more. The more data these technologies have from your body, the better they will be at helping you. With wearable technology, you can determine how many calories to eat, how much to exercise, how much sleep is optimal, and much more at https://medfitnetwork.org/public/ambien-zolpidem-info/.

In the world of the future, data is king. It will be used in so many ways. While the acquisition of data can be dubious, the benefits just may outweigh the disadvantages. With so many opportunities to optimize our businesses, homes, occupations, and our personal lives, the importance of data won’t go away any time soon. 

Not only does data analysis provide more reliable statistics and the ability to predict trends, but this information is also useful for the marketing of our businesses, the efficiency of our energy use, and the health of our bodies. Whether you like it or not, data ownership will continue to be a significant part of our lives. 

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Why Direct Mail Remains an Effective Way to Reach Customers https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2021/11/why-direct-mail-remains-an-effective-way-to-reach-customers.html/ Mon, 08 Nov 2021 14:00:19 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=59933 Did you know that the method you choose to reach your target audience will determine if you meet the goal for which the communication is intended? In this age of the digital revolution, direct emails may seem outdated. After all, most people prefer to stream videos online rather than watch TV. These modern trends have […]

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Did you know that the method you choose to reach your target audience will determine if you meet the goal for which the communication is intended? In this age of the digital revolution, direct emails may seem outdated. After all, most people prefer to stream videos online rather than watch TV. These modern trends have influenced business owners to focus more on online marketing, overlooking the potential benefits of direct emails. While it may seem like direct emails have no place in the modern business environment, experts advise business owners not to write them off just yet, citing that they are still effective in getting customers to respond.

Before we go further, it’s essential to highlight two distinct types of direct mail solutions: solo mail and shared mail. Shared mail involves advertisers coming together in a single piece of mail to reach the same audience. In contrast, solo mail represents a single business entity.

High Return on Investment (ROI)

You probably don’t believe that direct emails can yield a higher ROI than online display and paid search ads. As far-fetched as it may sound, it is true. Statistics indicate that direct mails are almost as effective as social media marketing, with the latter being only a single percentage ahead. This means that a business that uses direct mail alongside other marketing strategies will likely achieve high conversions. One study found that most donations received by non-profit organizations come from direct mails. Research has also established that over 80 percent of millennials love receiving mails and are more likely to respond to direct mails than other generations. Millennials are said to favor physical media over other media channels.

Cost-effectiveness

For-profit businesses are always looking to improve their profit margins by reducing operational costs. Some marketing methods can be very costly. Direct mail is a cost-friendly way of reaching customers. It does not need investment in terms of money, digital infrastructure, and technical knowledge compared to other methods such as paid search. You only need a good copywriter and designer to help craft your emails. Some organizations resort to shared direct mail marketing over solo direct mail marketing to save on costs. This is because the difference between shared and solo mail marketing lies within the costs involved.

Versatility

Direct mails can be sent in different formats. Depending on what you desire to communicate to your customers, you can send direct mails in various forms such as newsletters, magazines, postcards, catalogs, and brochures, among others. It means you have a range of options to choose from for various purposes. For instance, if you want to inform your customers of your new line of products, you can use a brochure to provide your audience with the product specifications. Direct mails in the form of company newsletters effectively establish and maintain long-term relationships with customers and improve their loyalty. Direct mails can also collect vital information from customers through questionnaires and surveys sent to them. The results can be analyzed and measured against targets and goals. Direct mails are perfect for newly set-up businesses hoping to generate quick revenue and capture customers.

Personalization

Personalization is critical in marketing because it boosts customers’ experience. Research shows that customers are more likely to be associated with businesses that provide personalized experiences. Experts also suggest that personalized recommendations attract more conversions than non-personalized offers. Direct-to-consumer mails offer an opportunity for business owners to personalize the messages they send to customers. A well-personalized marketing campaign is likely to spark interest among customers who become more receptive when they feel valued and respected. As a business owner or manager, you must segment your audience and understand each segment to know what content attracts them.

Targeting

Customers have different characteristics. Hence, their needs, expectations, and demands also vary. With direct mail marketing, you can target your audience based on their past purchases, demographics, such as age, income levels, level of education, etc., or psychographics, such as interest, hobbies, and consumption patterns. Good practice within an organization is to keep a list of customers who share some characteristics. It is also crucial to keep a list of customers who have previously responded to marketing messages, such as those who have filled our warranty cards or requested more information. Readers can be targeted through direct mails with messages tailored towards their needs, behavior, and expectations. Because customers have demonstrated willingness to buy products or be associated with your brand, they should be prioritized with direct mails.

Stealth Marketing

As opposed to methods of marketing, direct mail marketing allows business owners to build campaigns without drawing the attention of competitors. Other online marketing methods have loopholes that rivals can ‘spy’ on you, but direct mail is impossible. In contrast, They cannot know the scale of your campaigns, how often you market to customers and the strategies you use. They will not know what your conversions are, so they cannot copy your strategy. This way, you stay ahead of the game in keeping your existing customers and acquiring new ones.

Scalability

You can quickly scale your business through direct mails. This is possible when you continuously test additional lists of prospective customers. Out of these, you find responsive lists to build marketing strategies to grow your business. Hence, as a business owner, you must actively seek new ways to target your prospective lists.

Final Thoughts

The above benefits achieved through direct mail can result in higher leads and sales. The method is quick, easy, cost-effective, and offers a high return on investment. It begins from identifying your audience, strategizing on the process, and hiring a good marketer who understands customer experience dynamics. It is also essential to put in place a system for tracking and measuring the performance of your marketing efforts. In the post-pandemic era, many customers spend more time at home and equally have more time for your direct mails. This is the time to get it right with your direct mail tools. Efforts should be geared towards finding new innovative ways to keep customers engaged and more interested. The goal is to win. In contrast, their loyalty.

 

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Truths About Marketing After the Pandemic https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2021/11/marketing-after-the-pandemic.html/ Sat, 06 Nov 2021 16:00:47 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=60025 The Covid-19 pandemic has thrown everything off in the field of marketing. The rules that are in place no longer function as they once did. It’s safe for us to say that the year 2020 was like none other, and 2021 is also proving special and challenging. As marketers look to build brands, next year […]

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The Covid-19 pandemic has thrown everything off in the field of marketing. The rules that are in place no longer function as they once did.

It’s safe for us to say that the year 2020 was like none other, and 2021 is also proving special and challenging. As marketers look to build brands, next year may be challenging as well. What’s the way that marketing is being reinvented after Covid-19?

The ability to ask and answer these questions is crucial for marketing success throughout the coming months and years. In the past several months, there have been many comparisons. We’ve learned a lot in this one year of massive transformation.

Here are some truths from the past, as well as newer truths that have replaced them.

1. The old saying still goes: Marketing starts by knowing your client. Add in a new reality: Marketing starts with understanding your customer segment.

The Covid-19 pandemic confirmed that marketing must be more customer-specific. It requires a thorough understanding of the reality of the market country by country, state by state, zip code by zip code. For restaurants, banks, or retailers, it could be a matter of tailoring the communications store for each store.

We’ve realized that marketing messages must be personal and relevant, corresponding to the individual’s needs and beliefs. And not the influence of demographics such as gender and age. Making a human, personal connection with any commercial communication requires the definition of consumers as segments.

The EY Future Consumer Index, which has conducted five rounds of research with 14,500 participants across 20 countries since the outbreak of the pandemic, has identified five distinct cohorts of consumers:

  1. First, affordability (32 percent of customers): Living within their budget and means, not focusing on brand names and more on the functionality of their products.
  2. The health first (25 25 %): Protecting their health (especially from the pandemic) as well as that of their families, by choosing items they believe to be secure and minimizing the risk in the way they shop.
  3. Planet First (16 percent): Trying to minimize their impact on the environment, and purchasing brands to reflect their values.
  4. Social first (15 15 percent): Working together to benefit the community purchasing from companies that they consider to be transparent and honest.
  5. The first experience (12 percent): Living in the moment and making the most of every moment and often making them more open to new brands, products, and experiences.

Utilizing personas and segmentation of customers can provide more insight into marketing strategies for media and innovative methods. And even better is that these insights are able to provide the complete customer journey.

2. Older truth: You have to compete with your marketing rivals. The new truth is that you compete with the most positive experience your client ever had.

Consumer expectations were already rising prior to the Covid-19 pandemic. Gen Z was raised with technology that was seamlessly woven into their daily lives. Direct-to-consumer companies (such as Glossier or Parachute) were already conditioning us to expect a level of hyper-personalization as they were particularly adept with our personal data.

However, when the pandemic struck the technological transformation increased exponentially.

This resulted in rising consumer expectations of what businesses could provide them with. The consumer expects more than a simple digital transaction, say marketing experts. With the advent of companies having their customers’ personal information, they are looking for personalized, anticipatory experiences throughout the customer journey.

Companies should implement three steps to ensure their services meet their customers’ ever-growing expectations:

  1. Create brand scores as a crucial KPI for all customers in the company, and ideally use real-time analytics instead of an image looking backward from an earlier date.
  2. Develop the proper information and technology marketing foundation to help support the most critical use cases across your customer’s journey.
  3. Affiliate goals of both individuals and collectives across the entire customer journey. Any gaps in functional silos such as sales, marketing, or customer service are not visible to the end-user.

3. An old truth that is still true: Your customers want to know you’ve got what they want. The new truth for marketing is that customers are expecting you to provide exactly what they need.

If the bar continues climbing, we should strive toward a new customer experience — from both a B2C as well as a B2B context. Today, consumers expect that any experience they have will be seamless, timely, informative, and asynchronous. That is, they’re focused on receiving what they want whenever they want it. They will not let anything distract them.

Companies need to put marketing data and technology at the center of their business.

This could mean incorporating some level of machine learning or artificial intelligence in the mix. Why is that? Because data allows us to provide more relevant experiences that span one or more that comprise the four Cs:

  • Content (that could be delivered via mobile apps or emails);
  • Commerce (such as physical retail, e-commerce, or the hybrid experience);
  • Community (such as gathering B2B buyers in a virtual trade fair or hosting an online webinar on home repair for consumers) as well as
  • Convenience (like giving consumers coupons or other benefits of the loyalty program).

Nowadays, the majority of 4Cs are offered in “one-size-fits-all” strategies. However, consumers demand more personalization. Businesses are required to utilize more data and information to improve their decision-making.

Increase the relevance of your interactions with customers. Build more human connections with their brands.

4. The old adage: Courting customers is similar to dating. The new fact: Customer service is the online world of dating.

For many years, marketing was mostly focused on buying massive coverage or targeted for the highest rates for media and hoping to make money from it. In essence, it was similar to going to every bar or party you could, hoping you’d meet that perfect person. It was a place of serendipity, spontaneity, and, frankly, many meetings with friends.

Start online dating and swiping through apps. Today, finding your ideal person could be less than luck, and more about algorithms and data.

In terms of marketing, we’ve witnessed the shift from branding marketing to expand reach and performance marketing to create leads. The rapid growth of digital channels only amplified the trend. Get ready for this trend to continue and sharpen.

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Blogging Is Big for Small Business https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2021/10/blogging-small-business.html/ Fri, 29 Oct 2021 18:08:13 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=59960 For small business owners, blogging is still one of the least expensive and most effective ways to market your brand, product, and services. Are you blogging tonight? If you are a small business owner, you should be blogging every day or every night. The importance of a blog to your business cannot be exaggerated. Small […]

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For small business owners, blogging is still one of the least expensive and most effective ways to market your brand, product, and services.

Are you blogging tonight?

If you are a small business owner, you should be blogging every day or every night.

The importance of a blog to your business cannot be exaggerated. Small businesses with a blog site are better known and can become more profitable than a small business that doesn’t have their own blog.

The reasons for this should be obvious to anyone with the least amount of social media experience and savvy. Everyone looks at a blog or two each day. Whether it’s about politics, recipes, weather, religion, entertainment, or gardening. Blogs are still considered a valid source of information by many people. And the lack of a blog for your company sends a subtle message to customers and potential customers. And that message is: “We don’t care if you know much about us or not.”

Think about it. When you shop online and run across a small business that has what you want but has no blog or website…do you bother with them or not? If you’re honest with yourself you’ll admit that you don’t bother with that particular business any further. And so they have lost you as a customer. And all because they didn’t take the trouble to create a blog or website.

Which is better, blog or website?

For the purposes of this article, a blog and a website are exactly the same. There are some technical differences between blogs and websites but they are of concern only to tech wonks.

For you, the average small business person, you can call your blog a website with a clear conscience.  That’s because everything you need to do to increase profitability and branding can be done on your blog. Calling it a website just makes it sound more professional. And of course, you can blog all you want for free, while websites can run into money.

So how do I start if I don’t have a site for my small business?

Let’s take the example of a fictional small business called Bob’s Widgets. Now Bob knows how to make good widgets. And he’s got some loyal customers. And word of mouth about his fantastic widgets is spreading.

Bob wants more brand recognition for his widgets but he’s so busy polishing, and oiling, and painting his widgets that he doesn’t have time to invest in doing any social media himself. And he’s certainly in no financial position to hire anyone just to blog about his widgets.

But Bob must blog, or perish.

He’s got to have a social media presence. And since Bob is a smart cookie, he looks around at his staff and finds that Sally in inventory seems to have a lot of time on her hands. Which she uses to text and keep up with her Facebook and Instagram accounts. So canny Bob calls Sally into his office and “promotes” her to his social media manager.

She still has to handle inventory, but now she gets to use her social media skills (or obsession) to create a daily blog for Bob’s Widgets. He gives her general ideas about what to blog each day. She in turn translates these ideas into actual posts. Anyone with WordPress experience knows that a simple blog with graphics can be written and posted in a matter of minutes.

Once it’s up and running he’ll test his blog’s effectiveness from time to time by having Sally post 2-for-1 sales or some other kind of bargain for his customers that is only mentioned on his blog. This way he can track his results from the blog. And the beauty part is that when enough articles have been posted, they can start to be repurposed.

And it’s all free to him. He hasn’t had to spend one extra dime.

Get the customers on your site.

Have you ever been to a store that took your picture and put it up on a bulletin board and captioned it “Customer of the Month?” Or have you had a similar experience online? It’s hokey, sure, but c’mon…you loved seeing it!

With your own blog up and running, you are in a perfect position to post positive customer feedback and recognize customer loyalty by asking for a photo and a comment. And then posting the same.

The fact of the matter is this is a gambit that you cannot overuse. If you make your blog about your customers and the benefits they receive from your product and/or services it will inevitably draw more and more views. Because when Uncle Harry gets his photo and comment posted on your blog he is going to brag about it to his whole family and demand that they take a look at it or face his wrath.

Are you convinced?

I hope so. You should be. To reiterate, a site will increase your presence online, draw in more customers, and give your small business an added cachet of permanence and reliability.

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Core Web Vitals: Optimizing For Google’s New Ranking Criteria https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2021/10/core-web-vitals.html/ Mon, 25 Oct 2021 14:50:55 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=59852 When you’re putting a website together, very often what you write is less important than your core web vitals, i.e. how you display it. Your site needs to be well laid out and simple for users to interact with. No matter how good your content is, if it takes forever to load, ages to interact […]

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When you’re putting a website together, very often what you write is less important than your core web vitals, i.e. how you display it.

Your site needs to be well laid out and simple for users to interact with. No matter how good your content is, if it takes forever to load, ages to interact with — or if the page’s images and paragraphs are jumping around annoyingly — no one’s reading it.

Many CEOs, content creators, and site owners have known this for a while. However, only recently did a Google algorithm update make it official. This update includes a new set of criteria called Core Web Vitals (CWV). These are designed to improve the layout, navigability, and overall user experience (UX) of online content.

Of course, the fact that Google is involved means quite a bit. The extent to which your site meets CWV criteria will have an impact on your rankings.

So what can you do to optimize your site to be more CWV-friendly? What can we learn from the impact CWV has already been having on the world’s websites? And — of course — what are CWV, exactly?

What are Core Web Vitals?

The term Core Web Vitals (CWV) refers to a trio of ranking factors introduced by Google in June 2021.

Released as part of the “Page Experience” ranking signal, CWV — along with existing ranking factors such as mobile-friendliness and site security — are designed to measure how user-centric and accessible your website is. The three CWVs are as follows:

1. Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)

LCP looks at how long your page’s “main” content takes to load. This includes the featured image, text, and/or video that Google deems the central focus of your page.

2. First Input Delay (FID)

FID, on the other hand, assesses the amount of time your page takes to become interactive. How quickly is your user able to click on a link or an ad, for instance? How long to play a video, or scroll down the page for more info?

3. Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)

We’ve all experienced the frustration of trying to click on something on a page, then ending up somewhere entirely different. This happens when page elements “jump” around on us. Unsurprisingly, this kinesis — “the layout shift” — doesn’t constitute a good UX. Google is definitely not a big fan, either.

This third CWV, then, measures the visual stability of your pages. Google quantifies you on CLS with a score between zero and one. A score of zero is best, and one is the worst, that is, the most disruptive to the user. Aim for a score of 0.1 or less and you’ll be on the right track!

What is the Page Experience Ranking Signal?

Remember, it’s not only CWV that you need to monitor. CWV is just one part of a wider set of criteria pertaining to how Google assesses page experience — and ranks those sites accordingly. The other elements include:

  • Mobile-Friendliness. Are your pages easily navigable on smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices?
  • Security. Are you offering your users a secure experience? Are you encrypting their sensitive information, such as credit card details? Does your site utilize an SSL certificate?
  • Intrusive Pop-Ups on Mobile Devices. Bombarding your users with marketing and pop-up ads turns them against you. It’ll irritate Google, too. This means that your content will struggle to rank.

So there’s a whistle-stop tour of what Page Experience and CWV are. But what kind of effect have they already been having on websites at large?

How have Core Web Vitals impacted websites?

Recently, Website Builder Expert tested the performance of over 3,000 sites against Google’s new CWV metrics. The goal was to find out whether some eCommerce platforms — such as Shopify and Wix — perform better than others, and thus represent a better choice when creating your website.

So who came out on top?

Somewhat surprisingly, some of the industry’s biggest names — including Shopify, BigCommerce, and Wix — were outperformed by their less well-known rivals, such as Shift4Shop and Volusion. By and large, this was the case across both desktop and mobile.

The research also indicated that desktop sites outperform mobile ones — without a single exception. In many cases, desktop sites registered an overall performance score of more than double their mobile counterparts. Clearly, there’s a clear gulf here.

In other news, Shopify boasts the fastest server response times — across both desktop and mobile — while Shift4Shop and Squarespace also registered lighting-quick scores here. Less impressively, BigCommerce comes saddled with the slowest response times on desktop. Wix’s snail-like mobile response time constitutes a (quite literal) failure to launch.

How can you test your website for Core Web Vitals?

The easiest way to test how your pages are handling the criteria laid out in the CWV update is to head to PageSpeedInsights. It’s free and super simple to use. This tool will give your page a score of between zero and 100. Here’s a guide to interpreting it:

  • 0 to 49: Poor
  • 50 to 89: Needs Improvement
  • 90 to 100: Good

If you have Google Search Console, you can also get a sense of how your site’s doing by heading to the left-hand sidebar, and selecting Enhancements > Core Web Vitals Report. Handily, the report breaks your site’s performance down by each CWV metric and provides separate graphs for mobile and desktop.

So now you have a broad sense of the impact the Core Web Vitals update has had on sites so far — and you know how to test your site for it.

But what kind of changes will you need to make to guarantee stellar performance in the eyes of Google’s biggest recent algorithm shift? Let’s find out.

How to Optimize Your Website for the New Criteria

Firstly, we should note here that how you optimize your website for CWV success will depend on how you built it. Not all sites are created equal. Some are made with website builders or the eCommerce platforms we discussed above. Some are constructed around content management systems (CMS) while others are built entirely from scratch.

The three tips listed below are aimed mainly at those who’ve created their site with a website builder or a CMS such as WordPress. However, the overarching principles they speak to will be relevant for everyone!

1. Limit your use of apps and plugins.

“Plugins” are third-party applications that you can integrate into your site to provide value-adding features and functionality. While plugins are super handy — they do everything from improving your site’s SEO to helping you build an online store — they should also be approached with a modicum of caution.

These apps add extra “weight” to your site, causing it to load slower and harm your CWV scores. To limit your app and plugin tally, approach it the same way you would a spring cleaning of your wardrobe. Ask yourself which ones you really need and toss (uninstall) everything you don’t.

2. Use simpler templates and be careful with code.

Similarly, templates and code can also load up your website with more weight than it needs.

“Templates,” in this context, are preset design themes around which you can build the look and feel of your new site. This, of course, saves time and effort. But in many ways, you’re also sacrificing substance for style. That’s because the nicest templates also come with the most in-built code attached. Just as too many apps and plugins slow your site down, so too does overindulgence in code stymy your site’s speed.

The solution? Use simpler templates. The more straightforward a template, the less code involved. The less code involved, the faster your site will load.

The same goes for when you’re adding new code to your site. Most website builders create code-heavy sites at the outset. Think twice before adding even more code into the mix.

While website builders don’t give you access to your site’s code, you can reduce the amount of code on the page by choosing a lighter font in the visual editor. More basic fonts — for example, those that don’t need to be pulled from Google Fonts — will help your site load faster and set you in good stead in the eyes of search engines.

3. Optimize your images and lazy load.

It’s a similar story here, too. The bigger and weightier your images on your page are, the longer your site will take to load.

Fortunately, this one’s an easy fix. Simply run your images through an online image compression tool — tiny.png works great — to reduce the sizes of the files. And don’t worry — you won’t have to compromise quality. Image resolution stays the same, and you’ll still benefit from crystal-clear images, just without all the baggage that comes with the unoptimized variety.

We’d also recommend implementing lazy loading. This, essentially, means that images located further down the page won’t load until the user scrolls down to reach them. This preserves page experience without burdening your poor page with the responsibility of having to load everything at once. Your FID score will thank you!

Wrapping Up

Finally, here’s one more unofficial tip: test, test, and then test again.

After all, the only surefire way of knowing how well your efforts to optimize for Google’s Core Web Vitals are going is to keep testing. Remember, you can do this online via the PageSpeedInsights tool, as well as with the excellent reporting function that Google Search Console provides as standard.

Moreover, both these platforms enable you to split out your desktop and mobile site performance. This allows you to get a more granular, 360-degree view of how your site is doing. You also boost mobile-friendliness scores that are so vital for Google’s “Page Experience” ranking signal.

Ultimately, if you take anything away from this article, it should be this — the Core Web Vitals update is a very good thing. Though algorithm tweaks are frequently a headache to deal with, the whole ethos of CWV is to improve the online experience for the user. This helps to make the internet a more intuitive, navigable, and visually consistent place to be…and that’s something we can all enjoy!

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Future-Proof: Expected eCommerce Trends for 2022 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2021/10/expected-ecommerce-trends.html/ Mon, 18 Oct 2021 19:43:14 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=59817 You run a business in the highly competitive eCommerce industry. Your days are spent planning to improve your conversion rate, reach new customers, and adapt to recent eCommerce trends. Evolution is part of any business — what works this year may not be as profitable or as effective in the next. Without riding the coming […]

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You run a business in the highly competitive eCommerce industry. Your days are spent planning to improve your conversion rate, reach new customers, and adapt to recent eCommerce trends.

Evolution is part of any business — what works this year may not be as profitable or as effective in the next. Without riding the coming wave of new trends, you run the real risk of getting left behind. In eCommerce, the industry is far more aggressive. Competition between companies and online merchants is fierce. Trendy products and services — other than essentials such as food and digital products — rarely last for years. Much like everything else on the internet, audience interest and attention are transient.

The entire eCommerce ecosystem became more frenetic in 2020. The global population was forced indoors and adopted social distancing protocols due to the pandemic. There wasn’t much room for in-person dining and shopping. Everyone turned their attention to online services. They utilized online stores to shop for everything from food to personal essentials. People had little choice but to get their needs met online.

As a result, the already saturated eCommerce market grew by up to 44%. It added up to 22% of the world’s total retail sales. But that was only the first stage. Eventually, the dust settled and the eCommerce industry found some footing. This transformation created trends in the products that customers shop for. It affected strategies and campaigns used by online stores and marketplaces.

Now that the market is so broad, customer experience rules the day. Companies now use chat support, eco-friendly packaging, personalized thank you cards, and more. The customer is solidly at the center of the eCommerce shopping experience.

The Purpose and Functions of eCommerce

Our evolution into a user-centric experience in eCommerce wasn’t sudden. It’s been gradual. However, the best practices have trended to revolve increasingly around user comfort and positive experience.

The purpose of successful eCommerce trends is to stimulate site users and visitors into making a purchase. Vendors hope to improve the conversion rate for their business. Moreover, happy buyers become repeat customers. They often encourage other customers to make a purchase. After all, one of eCommerce’s main tasks is to cater to the demand and solve the customer’s problem, satisfying their needs.

Another aim of eCommerce this coming year is to improve communication. Customers enjoy giving feedback. They appreciate the feeling of being heard by companies. Whether they’re happy or unhappy, they’ll let the company know. Today, they expect that their feedback matters.

Stay Ahead of Customer Happiness: Notable eCommerce Trends Projected for 2022

Maintaining and improving your conversion rate in the eCommerce industry is critical. Your business needs to stay on top of incoming eCommerce trends, particularly those that emphasize positive customer experiences. Start implementing them now if possible. Commit to adapt to these trends and you’ll future-proof your business.

Listed below are some of the biggest eCommerce trends that analysts and experts project to take root by 2022.

Prioritize an Omnichannel Strategy

This strategy refers to selling and marketing on multiple platforms. This is increasingly important as diversifying the ways customers can find your products makes you more visible. It also improves your conversion rate and reinforces your authority.

Suppose your name pops up on major selling sites such as Amazon and eBay or other specialty marketplaces that facilitate the distribution of products to your niche. In that case, it gives your business the appearance of size and authority. According to a study, 46.7% of customer searches come from Amazon, eBay, and Etsy. More than half of the units sold via Amazon come from third-party sellers. Visibility in social media is always a plus. Approximately 37% of users research products and brands through social media before making a purchase.

Optimize for Voice Search

In recent years, people have become more accustomed to interacting with voice-operated devices and features. Examples include Google Assistant, Amazon’s Alexa, and Apple’s Siri. Using voice commands makes performing tasks such as searching for businesses, asking for directions, and even online shopping even more convenient.

As such, eCommerce companies should prioritize optimizing their sites and pages to be responsive. The goal is to be compatible with platforms these AI assistants search to improve conversion rates. More and more users will be looking into this technology to make their lives easier when they need information.

This technology isn’t fully developed yet. It continues to release updates to make its functionalities more sophisticated, but it’s already a great feature for users. Your brand needs to be prepared to adapt to it sooner rather than later.

Voice Shopping Will Take Centerstage

Along with voice search comes voice shopping. This has already taken hold within the U.S. in a “smart speaker market share.” The smart speaker market is projected to increase by a whopping 55% by the next year. This proves that customers want to use voice assistants in their homes to do more than just search for answers. One of the most common tasks they want voice assistants to perform is to shop for them.

It’s still complicated. Customers have to describe in detail what they want. They must articulate the product, product packaging, ingredients, and other vital information for the voice assistant to return proper results. Unless they have a device that comes with a screen, there are no visual cues. Vendors must make sure their website is optimized to contain the right indicators that allow people to find your products via voice shopping.

It’s also a priority to make the shopping process friendly to voice commands as well. Your website needs to be able to respond to the automated assistant. Product listings must be able to describe the steps a user must take to confirm.

M-Commerce

As mentioned earlier, mobile commerce is rapidly becoming the norm. Smartphones have become the most active form of internet access today. Mobile users are so numerous that Google’s algorithms have changed their priorities. The algorithm now scans and checks websites with mobile-friendly design and features and puts those at the forefront of SERPs.

M-Commerce has grown just as rapidly, with more customers making their purchases over their smartphones. To improve your conversion rate, adding features that will help mobile shoppers can give you an edge. Using filters as a virtual dressing room, geo-targeted promo codes, mobile GPS pins to the nearest branches, or even something as simple as a mobile payment option gives you a distinct advantage over the competition.

Green Consumerism

Eco-friendly practices have become one of the most critical trends in the past few years. More businesses and consumers are starting to understand how vital it is to use sustainable products and create eco-friendly packaging. One survey found that half of its respondents preferred products made of sustainable materials and companies that use eco-friendly components and packaging. Up to 75% of them wanted to do away with packaging (especially plastic packaging) altogether.

Green consumerism is now a significant focal point for many businesses, even tiny businesses that want to make an impact. Their eco-friendly packaging and other touches — water-activated paper tape, recycled paper package padding, cardboard boxes, biodegradable plastic parts, reusable freebies like metal straws, and more — attract customers who want to do their part to fight waste and non-biodegradable trash.

Drone Delivery

This concept made waves last year when Amazon first debuted it. It has since gained some traction with companies such as FedEx and Alibaba preparing to adopt it. It takes shipping into unheard-of levels and creates a unique service that many customers would be willing to pay for just to see it happen.

Furthermore, it’s another way to enforce contactless payment and delivery. There would be no need for delivery personnel to come to a person’s residence to deliver the package. Better still, drones aren’t restricted to the traffic and roads to which land delivery channels are constrained. They can make same-day deliveries from the nearest distribution or fulfillment center.

While there’s still a long way to go when it comes to nationwide (much less global) implementation — along with specific difficulties along the way concerning a perishable product, packaging that withstands potential drops, and other issues — it’s a promising start. The carbon footprint of drones is a lot smaller compared to freight trucks, vans, and other land-based delivery options.

Augmented and Virtual Reality

Some years ago, the widespread fame of Pokemon Go introduced consumers to the wonders of augmented reality. Now, it’s widely available and viable for commercial purposes. Many businesses have been implementing it for various features.

Adding AR features provides a unique experience for customers. For example, it can give them the utility of “trying” an item on before they make a purchase, the same way they would if they were in a brick-and-mortar store. As such, it improves the conversion rate as it eliminates buyer uncertainties.

Clothing stores have begun using AR to create virtual dressing rooms. Customers can try on clothes before buying them. Some salons offer hair color testing features to see if a particular hairstyle will suit a customer. IKEA uses virtual reality to scan and measure a room. Buyers can see what a piece of furniture would look like in their home before buying it.

As you can imagine, these types of eCommerce trends aren’t just there to dazzle. They also serve an integral purpose to the buyer experience.

Social Media Enters Online Shopping

Social media has become more than just a marketing vehicle for eCommerce. Now it’s a selling platform as well.

Platforms such as Facebook and Instagram now have their shopping features which improve the conversion rate by lessening purchase steps. Customers can see a product getting advertised on a company’s Facebook page. They can then buy them straight away through a Shop Page or Facebook Marketplace.

Similarly, Instagram now has a much-anticipated shopping feature. Users can click on a photo and see tags that indicate the names and prices of the featured products in the photograph. After that, it’s a matter of making the purchase right inside the Instagram app. This cuts out the rest of the steps that typically lead a customer to a company’s page or selling platform and create an account for purchase there.

Headless eCommerce

As part of the movement to improve conversion rates through positive customer experiences, headless eCommerce was designed to give companies more significant control over their site’s front-end design. It also helps create personalized customer experiences. Changes made in the front end of the design don’t affect back-end functionality.

This way, companies can change and adapt the front-end design more efficiently than ever. They can respond to special events or holidays, or revamp website appearance every so often to fit their customer base’s mood and style. They can even transform the design for web, mobile, and tablet displays as needed. Significantly, they can modify the SEO of their pages as well, all without messing with the complex shop functionality in the back end to make it work.

Increased AI Use in Ecommerce

Finally, there is the increased use of artificial intelligence or AI. You might have already seen this done via chatbots installed in a business page’s social media platform messenger or directly on the website. The AI can act as an FAQ or helpdesk for customers with common concerns, removing the need for a human customer service rep.

Another use of AI is to detect and predict user preferences. AI can study your customer’s browsing and buying patterns. It can then make intelligent recommendations of similar products that they might also be interested in. It helps keep customers in the store longer and find what they need on your site.

Final Thoughts

Trends in the eCommerce field continue to grow by the day, month, and year. More eCommerce trends than ever are springing up. With the advent of more technology, there are plenty of opportunities for online businesses to gain an edge over the crowd by hopping onto the forecasted trends right away. This allows them to deliver customer-centered experiences and demonstrate that they are at the cutting edge in their industry.

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Why You Need Website Traffic to Improve Your Business https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2021/09/traffic-to-improve-your-business.html/ Wed, 01 Sep 2021 20:17:08 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=59340 You might think that making adjustments to improve your business would be somewhat easier in our new digital environment. However, the reality is that online marketers are busier than ever as the online marketplace is rife with competition. Literally millions of businesses are all working to attract consumer attention. They hope to get people to […]

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You might think that making adjustments to improve your business would be somewhat easier in our new digital environment. However, the reality is that online marketers are busier than ever as the online marketplace is rife with competition.

Literally millions of businesses are all working to attract consumer attention. They hope to get people to visit their websites and convert them into paying customers. Search engine optimization (SEO) managers are also busy ensuring websites are optimized for search engines. They hope to boost their rankings on search engine results pages (SERPs) and increase site traffic.

What exactly is website traffic?

By definition, website traffic boils down to the number of people who visit a website. Traffic has historically been measured by the number of unique visits. Today, however, many additional parameters are measured. These include the length of a session — one visitor’s time spent viewing the site — and how many visitors stuck around long enough to make a purchase. Businesses also evaluate how much the organization spent to convert a single visitor into a customer.

Why is website traffic relevant to your business?

The more visitors you have accessing your website, the wider the awareness. This may seem obvious, but keep in mind that not all traffic is “good” traffic. What’s essential to your business is to get high-quality website traffic.

It’s possible to get what’s known as “organic” visitors via standard searches that make use of specific keywords. However, most people visiting your site will show up as a result of marketing campaigns. You can gauge the effectiveness of the time and money you spent on marketing and advertising by using specialized URLs, tracking software, and other tools.

Spending to make customers aware of your website is fine, but you won’t know how to tweak future campaigns unless you track your return on investment (ROI). You’ll want to convert those website visitors into customers at some point. Otherwise, you’re wasting time and effort that could easily be better spent elsewhere.

How relevant is website traffic as you seek to improve your business?

While all traffic might be appreciated, qualified website traffic will lead to conversion. Conversion means that your website visitors became sufficiently interested in what you offer to take action. They might have chosen to submit an inquiry, sign up for a newsletter, or even make a purchase. You’ll ultimately wind up with more sales if your website generates more conversions.

So…how do you get website traffic?

Despite what you may have been told, increasing website traffic isn’t nearly as complicated as rocket science. There are three things anyone — even the tech-averse — can do to boost website visits.

1. Start by improving your website’s SEO as part of an overall marketing strategy.

Once you’ve optimized your website to focus on industry-specific terms and keyphrases, you can begin increasing traffic to your site using a range of options. Your overall strategy can include paid advertising, such as from Google AdWords or ads on specific social media channels. You can also use pay-per-click (PPC) ads. Of course, you should continue refining your SEO efforts and thereby improve your organic search results.

2. It’s vital to provide high-quality content for marketing purposes.

Blogs, when consistently updated, can be an excellent source of referrals and links. When you regularly provide content relevant to your industry, business, and products, you become known as an expert. Over time, you establish yourself as a trustworthy source of information. This alone will increase visits to your sites.

3. Create specialized content for selected social media platforms.

When diving into social media, it’s critical to pick platforms that appeal to your target audience. Make sure that you provide complete contact information along with links to your website. Pick specific web pages you want to promote. Leverage different content formats including short video snippets, stories, high-quality images, and product-related activities and event videos. Social media is one of the fastest ways to disseminate information, whether you pay for the announcement or get it for free.

Increasing website traffic to improve your business bottom line is an ongoing process. However, if you don’t have a dedicated team able to handle it, you can work with a third-party provider specializing in online marketing services. With their experience and expertise, they can respond to your organization’s needs quickly and in the most effective and relevant ways.

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The Role of Loyalty Programs in Augmenting the Customer Experience https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2021/08/loyalty-programs-customer-experience.html/ Fri, 27 Aug 2021 14:57:56 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=59314 Loyalty programs are huge for improving the overall customer experience. Were you aware that approximately 65% of a company’s business comes from existing customers? Attracting new customers takes a great deal of time and investment. At the same time, a company can earn more business with its existing base through loyalty programs. The chances of […]

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Loyalty programs are huge for improving the overall customer experience. Were you aware that approximately 65% of a company’s business comes from existing customers? Attracting new customers takes a great deal of time and investment. At the same time, a company can earn more business with its existing base through loyalty programs.

  • The chances of selling products/services to a new customer are only 5-20% whereas the odds of selling additional products/services to an existing customer are approximately 60-70%.

With loyalty program management, companies can retain and make repeat sales to existing customers. Loyalty management is a powerful strategy that uses various tools and tactics. Companies use these tools to gain, engage, and maintain customers. A well-organized and executed loyalty program is beneficial for both companies and customers.

Loyalty programs are often not considered an important part of the overall customer experience. However, they can help build strong relationships and loyalty. According to one report, approximately 75% of adults in the U.S. belong to at least one loyalty program. A survey by KPMG revealed that a loyalty program encourages 80% of millennials to spend more with a brand. Roughly 78% said that they would switch to another brand if they get a better offer. 85% of people loyal to a brand said they would recommend it to their friends and family members.

Well-executed loyalty programs can prevent customers from straying to other brands. They are effective at retaining customers and also augment the lifetime value of your regulars by offering incentives to make more purchases. Loyalty programs provide added recurring revenue to the company and improve overall customer satisfaction through various offers, rewards, and perks, resulting in a superior experience.

Three Ways to Enhance Customer Experience via Loyalty Programs

Listed below are three of the most effective ways to manage a customer loyalty program.

1. Personalization provides the key.

Businesses can use relevant information about their customers in their loyalty programs. This helps deliver personalized experiences throughout the customer journey. Customer details and preferences can help businesses better incentivize their customers. It’s important to note that customers tend to react well to a personalized approach. Personalizing a loyalty program can make it far more powerful.

It’s likely that personalization will make a customer feel more satisfied — about eight times more — with your offer. Tailored products and services enhance business by targeting a customer’s attention. Businesses can provide only the most relevant offers to their customers even if they don’t provide all the details upfront.

Personalization is made possible by tracking order history, search history, location, current service subscriptions, and so forth. Showing customers that their individual preferences and requirements are important to your business can make a big difference. It can enhance the relationship with your company and make your loyalty program successful.

2. Streamline the buying process.

Any effective customer loyalty program must be able to ease the entire buying process. Most loyalty programs collect only essential information, even the payment details. This allows customers to purchase quickly, without a lengthy checkout process.

Nowadays, many businesses use customizable apps to enhance customer experience. These apps allow customers to buy any product and pay immediately without waiting in a queue. Since the system has all the essential details about the customers, it eliminates the obstacles that can slow down a seamless transaction.

3. Implement creative ways to engage and delight customers.

Finding effective ways to engage and delight customers is another important factor in building customer loyalty. Rewards such as free shipping, early access to new products, coupons, discounts, gifts, and added benefits make customers willing to pay extra to be a part of a loyalty program. The rewards or offers should encourage customers to repeat purchases and also make them likely to recommend the product/service to others.

With loyalty program management, companies can engage and delight existing customers. To create customer excitement, brands can make the buying process as well as the contacting process easier for their customers. This can be achieved by paying attention to the devices as well as channels customers use to reach out to a particular brand. Brands can use new tactics as part of their loyalty program to set themselves apart from the competition.

Setting Up a Loyalty Program Is Easier Than Ever Nowadays

Technology has filtered down such that small businesses can set up loyalty programs just as effective as those of large corporations.

Owing to their benefits, more and more companies of all sizes are implementing loyalty programs. When executed carefully, loyalty programs can bring great results for just about any company. They lead to higher sales and improved brand identity. In all, a successful loyalty program can drive significant value and growth for a business.

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9 Must-Have CMS Features Your Small Business Website Needs https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2021/07/must-have-cms-features.html/ Fri, 23 Jul 2021 15:57:48 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=59137 To keep up with the need to regularly publish, small business owners having a CMS that includes various must-have features has become a given. Staying competitive and relevant now requires small businesses to maintain a reliable and strong online presence. IT-savvy leaders across an increasing number of smaller businesses are investing significant resources in the […]

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To keep up with the need to regularly publish, small business owners having a CMS that includes various must-have features has become a given.

Staying competitive and relevant now requires small businesses to maintain a reliable and strong online presence. IT-savvy leaders across an increasing number of smaller businesses are investing significant resources in the latest content management system (CMS) technology. The CMS you select will have a huge impact on your digital experiences and business outcomes.

The ideal CMS ties all the tools together in one tech stack. For instance, a popular CMS such as WordPress offers user engagement tools such as WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editing with drag-and-drop, the ability to create blogs and RSS feeds, forms, KPI reporting, and much more. An API-first CMS is also a great asset when it comes to avoiding/reducing data silos. Such a CMS offers marketers and developers structured data that’s ready to be presented through the framework or language chosen. Your content team needs little support from IT staff to keep the site running smoothly.

If your enterprise considers online channels to be central to business strategy you should consider investing in a suitable CMS.

But how do you decide which one is best for your business? Each of the popular content management systems available today — WordPress, Webflow, Joomla, and Drupal among others — offer useful features. New and smaller businesses often find it challenging to make this decision as they are crunched on budget and have limited resources and skills to manage the platform. Listed below are the top nine features every small business should look for when investing in a CMS.

1. User-Friendliness

Most small businesses lack the technical skills needed to work with open-source platforms. People with little experience with HTML, CSS, or PHP need a platform that helps them easily navigate the backend.

User-friendliness is one of the primary must-have CMS features to be considered. WordPress tops the list when it comes to this feature. The admin interface of this CMS is incredibly user-friendly, even for novices. This makes WordPress a great platform whether it’s for internal use or pitching to enterprise clients.

Though they offer several features, Drupal and Joomla are not as user-friendly as WordPress. For instance, developers often find it challenging to locate extensions and templates from Joomla’s admin area. No wonder most small businesses switch from Joomla or Drupal to WordPress for the latter’s quick editing and plugin compatibility.

Whether you are building a new business website or migrating to another CMS, make sure the platform you opt for is easy to use, accessible to multiple plugins, customizable to your business needs, intuitive, and secure.

2. Scalability

All small businesses and startups need a CMS that can scale with an increase in demand. In other words, another must-have CMS feature is the ability to grow with and support the expansion of your business.

Imagine where your business will be five years from now. Will you be adding multiple product lines? Are there any features or software to integrate? Making a list of all such must-haves will help you choose a suitable platform for your business website.

Your CMS should be built with core web technologies for handling the sudden burst of traffic all SMBs hope to experience. The ideal CMS will be able to manage this spurt without taking your website down.

Whether it’s database tuning, web server optimization, or advanced caching strategies, your CMS should be capable of achieving all of it without you having to reinvent the wheel when operating at an enterprise level.

3. SEO Tools

If you want to improve your brand visibility and generate leads for your business, SEO tools are a must-have CMS feature. Search engine optimization brings qualified leads to your website that can be nurtured and converted into loyal customers.

But SEO isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, especially if you lack the resources in the form of a full-fledged team of search professionals. That being the case, small businesses must typically invest in a CMS that makes on-page SEO easy.

For instance, WordPress’s Yoast SEO plugin makes optimization easy, enabling small business websites to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). Ask these questions to help you make an informed decision.

  • Does the CMS automatically create SEO-friendly URLs?
  • Does it add meta descriptions and alt tags?
  • What are the advanced SEO features it offers?
  • Does it offer recommendations for improving online performance?
  • If these features aren’t built-in, is it compatible with SEO plugins?

4. Multisite and Multilingual Functionality

Choosing a CMS that supports multisite and multilingual functionality means your team will spend less time and resources in managing complex requirements, enabling them to focus on other profit-generating tasks.

The CMS you select should allow you to enable multilingual solutions. With this feature, your team can effortlessly manage every aspect of translating and deploying content. If you do business in other countries, this capability needs to be one of your must-have CMS features.

5. A Wide Selection of Add-Ons and Plugins

A CMS should have plenty of available add-ons and plugins. When you have a plethora of such add-ons at your disposal, it’s much easier to customize your website to your business needs.

Plugins and add-ons help expand the core functionality of the framework, allowing you to create a flexible and awesome website. Choose a platform that offers a robust selection of relevant plugins.

6. Responsive Themes

We live in a world that’s well above the mobile tipping point. Native support for a responsive website design is a must.

Very few content management systems offer a wide variety of responsive themes as WordPress does. The platform’s admin and default themes allow front-end developers to either base their design on these themes or roll their solutions. Be sure to choose a CMS that allows you to apply responsive themes to your website with a few clicks.

Without getting into the technical “nitty gritty,” it’s helpful to know that many developers are now moving over to the PHP 8 programming language, which was officially launched at the end of 2020. PHP 8 is proving to be 18.47% faster than PHP 7.4 and will handle 50% more page requests than its predecessor.

This new iteration is finding praise primarily for its Just-in-time (JIT) compiler, which allows CPU-intensive processes to run much faster, so it would be helpful to choose a CMS that is programmed in PHP 8. Early tests in WordPress, for example, show that JIT-run processes boost overall calculation speed.

7. Social Media Integration

With more than half of the world’s population on social media, no business, small or big, can afford to ignore social channels. Social media is more than a platform for boosting awareness. It helps SMBs connect with and engage their audience.

A CMS with social media integration can empower you to leverage the power of social and know the pulse of your audience. It also ensures that your website and social page work together to create a cohesive experience for all.

When deciding on a CMS, make sure you ask the following questions. This will allow you to check whether the CMS has social media integration.

  • Is the platform optimized for various social channels?
  • Does the CMS allow you to add social media sharing buttons throughout the website?
  • Are you able to schedule social media posts?
  • Does it include social media analytics on the dashboard?
  • If the CMS doesn’t have these features built-in, does it allow you to use a relevant add-on or plugin?

8. Robust Security

The Verizon 2021 Data Breach Investigations Report reveals that 28% of all data breaches in 2020 involved small businesses. Small businesses are often a prime target for hackers as their website or CMS lacks sophisticated cybersecurity. This allows hackers to easily get their hands on sensitive data or financial resources.

As a part of your firm’s security strategy, opt for a CMS that’s equipped with the ability to safeguard your sensitive information. Look for features such as Web Application Firewall, automatic updates, SSL certificate, and content delivery network (CDN). These help in keeping customer data safe and ensure that the website runs smoothly.

9. Customer Support

Finally, an ideal CMS should offer adequate customer support. A few free CMS platforms rely on their huge community for resolving issues. They typically have a huge forum that addresses FAQs and share easy tutorials that answer day-to-day issues.

Though this type of support is a nice-to-have feature, it’s a must-have CMS feature to have an efficient customer support team that can guide you through an emergency like a website crash. Most small businesses do not have a robust in-house IT team. You may not want to wait around for a helpful response from a free support mechanism, either. Pick a CMS that offers live support.

Look Before You Leap: Don’t Compromise on CMS Must-Have Features

An effective CMS enables businesses with little or no coding expertise to create, manage, and edit the content on their website. But with a sea of options available today, choosing a suitable CMS isn’t an easy task. Use the list of must-have features to compare the top platforms and choose a CMS that best suits your business needs and gives you maximum returns.

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4 Simple Steps to Leverage SMS Marketing for Small Business https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2021/07/sms-marketing-small-businesses.html/ Mon, 12 Jul 2021 19:05:28 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=59078 Out with the old and in with the new? Don’t be so quick to disregard the power of SMS marketing, especially when it comes to growing your small business. There are more than 5 billion people worldwide using mobile phones. There’s really nothing stopping SMS marketing from empowering businesses to connect with consumers. Small businesses […]

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Out with the old and in with the new? Don’t be so quick to disregard the power of SMS marketing, especially when it comes to growing your small business.

There are more than 5 billion people worldwide using mobile phones. There’s really nothing stopping SMS marketing from empowering businesses to connect with consumers. Small businesses are adopting a mobile-first strategy to keep up with customers’ ever-changing behavior and demands.

Simply stated, SMS messaging enables businesses to communicate with target audiences and build brand loyalty. Often, this involves sending customer satisfaction surveys, offering discounts, giving the latest on deals and promotions, and even soliciting feedback.

Investing in SMS messaging to boost the growth of your small business is definitely worthwhile as it delivers exceptional results. For one, people aren’t ignoring SMS marketing messages. Statistics show text messages have open rates that can reach as high as 98%.

Additionally, SMS marketing is among the fastest and most cost-effective ways to reach your consumers. It helps get them excited about your products and services. Engagement rates for SMS marketing are about six to eight times higher than that of email marketing.

By integrating SMS marketing with other online channels, you’ll be able to reap positive outcomes for your small business. Startups and small businesses can benefit greatly from SMS broadcast services that enable companies to send messages to thousands of people quickly and easily. Such solutions are great options when it comes to being efficient, since texts can be scheduled or automated for optimal delivery times and they can also be personalized for a deeper connection with clients. You can also develop a strong and stable relationship with your customers. Just like any other marketing platform, SMS messaging requires careful planning for it to perform well.

Is SMS Marketing Right for My Business?

Here are some essential guidelines you’ll want to adopt before taking the big leap into SMS messaging.

Play by the rules.

Among the most important factors to consider when implementing text message marketing is the opt-in requirement. This means that small businesses must first get permission before sending any SMS marketing messages. Unsolicited messages are not allowed. An opt-out option must also be provided.

Transparency is key to ensuring that your SMS messaging campaign gets off to a good start.

Research and become familiar with the regulations and best practices to avoid the risks associated with non-compliance. There are various ways to encourage audiences to opt-in to your SMS marketing messages. You can try using shortcodes or keywords to having them sign up on your website or other online channels. 

Understand your audiences, goals, and key metrics.

Take the time to thoroughly study your target audience’s behavior, desires, expectations, and lifestyles. Find out the products and services they are most interested in. Pick the best time to engage with them through text. This way, you can build a mobile database and grow your subscribers.

You can get more customers to subscribe to your SMS marketing campaign by providing value. Value can be seen as reminders for bookings, updates about events, or discounts and sales.

Keeping consumers engaged and building brand loyalty are your overarching goals. However, you still have to clearly define your objectives and measure the success of your SMS efforts. Key benchmarks may include response rates, order confirmations, list growth rates, and return on marketing spend. 

Choose the right SMS marketing provider.

An effective SMS provider will help you and your small business comply with all the data regulations. They should also provide you with text message analytics. You’ll gain insights and use the relevant information to improve your SMS messaging campaign and conversion rates. Work with an SMS provider that can accommodate your needs and stay on top of creating templates, segmenting audiences and messages, and managing workflows.

Get Started with Your SMS Marketing Campaign Using 4 Easy Guidelines

Here are four simple rules of thumb by which you can begin your winning SMS marketing campaign and grow your customer base.

1. Keep it short and sweet.

You only have 160 characters to work with, so make the most out of your message and keep it concise and compelling. Get to the point by giving the latest and most relevant details that will keep your audiences curious and excited about your products and services.

2. Time your messages carefully.

Timing is everything when it comes to SMS marketing. Study your audiences so you’ll be able to send text messages at a time when they are making important purchasing decisions. Restaurants, for example, should try to send marketing messages about limited menu offers or discount deals two or three times a day — breakfast, lunch, and dinner — when customers are most likely thinking about what they would like to eat.

3. Include a strong call to action.

Catchy, direct, and purposeful call-to-action in your SMS marketing message will encourage your recipients to act on your offer and engage with your business. Use a branded link or a shortened URL to direct your customers to your products and services and promptly let them know what to do next. CTAs will help you develop brand trust and improve click-through rates.

4. Segment your audiences.

Don’t make the mistake of overdoing your SMS marketing campaign and sending loads of messages to your recipients. If you do, you run the risk of recipients unsubscribing to your list. Segment your lists to ensure that you only send them relevant messages that appeal to that niche.

Strategies and Best Practices to Leverage SMS Marketing

Here’s how small businesses can make the most out of SMS marketing and stay on the path to text marketing success in 2021 and beyond. 

Personalize, personalize, personalize your SMS marketing.

Personalizing the SMS marketing experience goes a long way toward connecting to your recipients and raising your chances of converting them into avid customers. Go beyond addressing the recipient by name and maximize other opportunities to increase engagement. Take a deeper look into a particular subscriber’s specific interests and past purchases so you can tailor your messages, content, and promotional materials.

Focus on exclusive deals, promos, and offers.

Nothing can be more enticing than offers, discounts, and deals exclusive to those in your SMS list. Text messaging is one of the best ways to let your customers know about limited-time promotions, flash sales, special menu offers, customized discount coupons, birthday rewards, or special access to events and performances.

Promote new products and services.

Use SMS messages to keep your customers in the loop about your new products, services, and events. Get creative and generate buzz around your new product or service announcements by giving your SMS subscribers access to new offerings, coupons, and sales.

Solicit feedback on your messages to improve customer service.

What better way to learn more about your consumers than to use text messaging to gather feedback. Use polls and surveys to communicate with your audiences personally and ask their opinions about your products and services. You gain valuable insights to help enhance your small business and take customer satisfaction levels to new heights.

Send reminders for appointments.

SMS marketing enables your business to keep cancellation rates low by reminding your consumers of their appointments. It’s best to send a reminder and ask for confirmation a day before the scheduled event, meeting, or service. Not only will you be able to get your consumer’s attention, but you’ll also maintain a good and effective flow of communication with your existing clients.

SMS: Short Messages for Success

Excited to craft an SMS marketing campaign that will win the hearts and minds of your audience? Building high-quality SMS marketing campaigns is no easy feat.

However, when used effectively, SMS marketing will empower you to connect with your consumers on a more intimate level, solidify your brand presence, improve your small business bottom line, and achieve your goals.

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5 Ways Maximize Your Small Business Marketing Efforts https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2021/07/5-ways-maximize-marketing-efforts.html/ Sun, 11 Jul 2021 08:41:20 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=59073 There are plenty of effective ways to maximize your small business marketing efforts for a stronger impact. Marketing is one of the most critical responsibilities when starting or scaling a small business. Business owners are constantly experimenting with new strategies to generate qualified leads, drive conversions, and bolster brand awareness. As the owner of a […]

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There are plenty of effective ways to maximize your small business marketing efforts for a stronger impact. Marketing is one of the most critical responsibilities when starting or scaling a small business. Business owners are constantly experimenting with new strategies to generate qualified leads, drive conversions, and bolster brand awareness. As the owner of a successful small business, these techniques may even help you strengthen your company culture, foster creativity, and improve your company reputation. This way, you can earn trust, maximize sales, and learn the industry. To help you get started, read on to learn about the best ways to maximize your small business inbound marketing efforts. 

Create A Consistent Brand Image

First off, it is important to create and maintain a consistent brand image. Start off by generating a bold, bright, and memorable logo. Your logo should capture the overall feeling and emotion behind your brand. When creating a logo, use an eye-catching color palette, as well as complimentary, readable fonts. This way, you can establish a consistent tone and brand voice that speaks to your audience. Simultaneously, you should implement comprehensive brand guidelines across different platforms. This way, you set a standard expectation from your professional small business image. Of course, this allows you to benefit from increased consumer recognition, loyalty, and business credibility. Certainly, creating a consistent brand image is valuable to maximize your SMB marketing efforts. 

Focus On Your Top Customers

In addition, focus on your small business’s top customer base for growing sales. Prioritize building long-lasting, professional relationships with your most loyal consumers. This encourages them to continue spending money while you nurture your leads. Keep the focus on your top customers, also means to gain financial security which is extremely important for SMBs. Simultaneously, maintain an active presence with these customers on social media. This way, you can continuously grow your community, humanize your brand, and establish yourself as a thought leader. You may even want to experiment with loyalty programs, giveaways, and customer discounts. With these in place, you can increase customer lifetime value (CLV), develop brand advocates, and maximize retention. Surely, focusing on your top customers is a great way to maximize efficiency throughout your offline and online marketing efforts

Integrate A Lead Generation Tool To Your Marketing Efforts

Now, consider implementing a lead generation tool. There are plenty of dependable tools to generate qualified leads for your small business. Though Conversica is a known player in the industry, some of the best Alternatives to Conversica, for example, allow you to automate your lead conversions with AI-powered assistants, website chatbots, and meeting schedulers. This way, you can streamline lead qualification, reactivation, as well as event follow-ups across your pipeline. Of course, this empowers you to reduce acquisition costs, maximize marketing investments, and bolster post-event engagement levels. Leveraging this functionality, you can ensure that your brand never misses a highly-qualified lead again. Absolutely, considering integration of a lead generation tool can be an important step to maximize your small business marketing budget.

Get More Referrals

At this point, try and obtain more referrals for your small business. Consider creating a referral program where you provide shoppers with discounts, commissions, or rewards. In addition, look for alternative ways for consumers to recommend you to their friends, family, and coworkers. Stats show that Referred customers’ LTV is 16% higher when compared to non-referred customers.

At the same time, you should continue to educate your current audience about your mission, products, and services. To maintain professional relationships, be sure to formally thank anybody that sends you a lead. Of course, positive reinforcement greatly improves your brand image and consumer perception. Surely, these tactics will help you avoid the deadly sins of poor company branding. Definitely, obtaining more referrals is incredibly imp ortant to maximize your small business marketing efforts. 

Emphasize Your Business’s Value Proposition

Of course, you should always emphasize your value proposition to potential new customers. Constantly inform your target audience about what makes you different from the competition. Use social media, SMS messaging, and Conversica alternatives to communicate with customers. This way, you can gain market share, better direction, and drive clarity. At the same time, these tactics enable you to promote understanding, engaging, and confidence across your brand. This way, you can improve your operational efficiency, marketing ROI, and prospective lead quality. Indeed, emphasizing your unique selling proposition (USP) is of the utmost importance to enhance your small business marketing efforts. 

There are plenty of highly-effective ways to maximize your small business marketing efforts for a better advertising ROI. First and foremost, create a consistent brand image. This will help you maintain a market competitive edge, easily introduce new products, and bolster business credibility. Now, consider integrating an automated lead generation tool or alternatives to Conversica. At this point, get some more referrals for your growing company. Of course, look for innovative new ways to emphasize your business’s unique value proposition. Follow the points highlighted above to learn about the best ways to maximize your small business marketing efforts.

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How to Develop a Stand-out App for Your Small Business https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2021/07/how-to-develop-a-stand-out-app-for-your-small-business.html/ Sat, 03 Jul 2021 16:47:48 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=49935 Today’s mobile market is booming with over one million apps available at App stores. They are not all for games and social networking either. Businesses have come to realize the power of apps for connecting with customers and boosting profit. In fact, 91 percent of top brands now have an app, and small businesses are […]

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Today’s mobile market is booming with over one million apps available at App stores. They are not all for games and social networking either. Businesses have come to realize the power of apps for connecting with customers and boosting profit. In fact, 91 percent of top brands now have an app, and small businesses are beginning to tap into the mobile market and reap the benefits too.

However, let’s go back to that first number. Over one million apps. That represents some fierce competition! To get users to download and use your app, small business owners must work hard to stand out from the crowd. To do that, they have to work with their app developers to create something worth downloading. Start by working with one of the best PWA app builders and keeping in mind these six things as you are creating your next app.

6 Keys to Developing a Stand-Out App

1. Focus on a Problem

The most successful apps on the market focus on consumer needs and aim to solve their pain points. For example, the Domino’s Pizza app allows you to order from the convenience of your phone, and you will never have to call to ask where your pizza is again because their Tracker follows your order and updates you until it is delivered.

2. Make It Intuitive

Your customers should not need an instruction book to use your app! Make sure it is easy to navigate and provides a good user experience. For example, FastCoDesign named Airbnb’s app one of the most innovative apps of 2016 because of its new simplified interface and search filters that make it easy to find the right accommodations.

3. Don’t Forget Marketing

Make a plan to promote your app before and after launch to get new downloads and encourage usage. For example, Staples promotes its app (and new app features) through videos, press releases, and working with bloggers and reviewers who help spread the message.

4. Make the Most of Distribution

There are dozens of app stores available for distributing your app; choose the channels that will help you reach the right audience. For example, Facebook has certainly made the most of distribution. Their app is available globally except in the ten countries where it is banned.

5. Customer Service Is Important

Offering excellent customer service includes having a FAQ section in your app, and a way for users to contact you with feedback or questions. For example, it is no surprise that the king of customer service, Amazon, built these features into their app, with a Menu tab that includes help topics and a means for contacting the company.

6. Form a Retention Strategy

Once people download your app, you need to keep them coming back for more. Push notifications, regular updates, and offering perks are three things that work. For example, AppMakr named Starbucks’ marketing campaign one of the most successful app campaigns of all time because their clever use of promotions (digital coupons, personalized rewards, etc.) keep users coming back regularly.

Knowing how to create and market a successful app is a valuable skill. With over one million apps on the market, specialized knowledge is the key to creating an app that stands out. While app creation is the norm for big business, soon it will become commonplace for small businesses too.

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Native Ad Networks: Top 9 Services for Advertisers and Publishers https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2021/06/native-ad-networks.html/ Fri, 25 Jun 2021 19:58:05 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=59015 Native ad networks help advertisers and webmasters generate more leads and conversions via their websites. They do this by connecting content creators to publishers boasting massive online traffic who agree to host ads on their platform. The common result is that publishers are able to more quickly monetize their online platforms. Additionally, native advertising platforms support the […]

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Native ad networks help advertisers and webmasters generate more leads and conversions via their websites. They do this by connecting content creators to publishers boasting massive online traffic who agree to host ads on their platform. The common result is that publishers are able to more quickly monetize their online platforms.

Additionally, native advertising platforms support the creation and distribution of ads or paid content that match the form, style, and function of the media in which they appear. By blending into the native content of the target platform, these ads are perceived as being less intrusive and sometimes readers are even unaware of the promotional nature of the post.

Native advertisements are typically presented as in-feed ads that appear in social media, are promoted via search listings, or show up as related content recommendations. They can even be blended into social media platforms, streaming services, and news sites. Oftentimes they get picked up by ad agencies and affiliate marketers.

These types of ads are becoming an increasingly popular format for advertisers. Native advertising can be considered a part of any company’s ad distribution operation. They are often part of a company’s overall content marketing strategy.

The majority of native advertising platforms will offer A/B testing, ad inventory management, affiliate management, AI/machine learning, analytics/ad attribution tracking, audience targeting, automated publishing, behavior analytics, and bidding strategies. Some services offer even more features. It’s worth noting that these types of platforms typically support Cloud, SaaS, and web-based implementations.

Native Ad Networks Can Help Boost Brand Awareness Rapidly

If you’re looking for an effective way to generate increased awareness for your brand, product, or service, native advertising is worth consideration. Native ad networks represent an opportunity that can provide a lot of bang for the buck. Listed below are nine of the top native ad networks.

1. Taboola

Taboola has a global reach of 1.4 billion monthly visitors, approximately 44.5% of the global population of internet users. Roughly 50% of Taboola’s traffic comes from countries such as the United States, UK, France, and Japan. Taboola partners with 10,000+ top websites including Fox Sports, NBC, USA Today, Business Insider, Bloomberg, MSN, CBS News, etc. Their ads are delivered as recommended content and in-feed content across partner platforms.

2. Outbrain

Outbrain ranks among the top three native advertising platforms in the world. It currently boasts a reach of 1.2 billion monthly visitors. The company partners with premium publishers across different countries including the United States and UK, delivering ads in the form of recommended content, in-feed, search, and promoted listings.

3. MGID

MGID has been in the business of native advertising for 12 years. It’s ranked among the top three advertising networks in the world and MGID’s reach equals 850+ million unique monthly visitors from the web. MGID partners with top websites and blogs around the globe.

4. Revcontent

Revcontent delivers native ads in the form of recommended content and in-feed content across premium publishers such as USA Today, Tribune media, Nasdaq, and the like. Their ad inventory encompasses e-commerce, finance, health, beauty, and politics. 50% of the companies’ traffic comes from the United States and UK.

5. Yahoo Gemini

Yahoo Gemini has a reach of over one billion unique monthly visitors, with 50% of their traffic coming from the United States, UK, and France. To begin advertising with Yahoo Gemini, applicants need to have a minimum of $25 deposited in a Yahoo ad account.

6. Admixer

With over 10 years of experience, Admixer is another veteran in the native advertising industry. Their ads are delivered as in-stream, in-article, native display banners across top publishing platforms.

7. Plista

Plista partners with over 1,500 websites around the world. Approximately 80% of their traffic comes from Germany, Poland, Russia, and Australia, so this distribution makes Plista appealing to advertisers who are interested in driving high-quality traffic from these countries. The company charges clients using a cost-per-click billing model.

8. TripleLift

According to their business statement, TripleLift promises to help advertisers generate 3x higher brand awareness and consumer purchase intent. TripleLift targeting is based on country, region, browser, operating system. They partner with top publishers such as USA Today, BuzzFeed, eBay, BBC, and the like.

9. Nativo

Nativo boasts approximately 220 million unique visitors from the United States alone. This makes Nativo one of the top native advertising platforms for targeting audiences in the United States, UK, and Canada. Nativo further targets audiences based on country, device, region, and operating system.

Native Ad Networks Can Help Cut Through the Noise

In today’s media-saturated world, native advertising should be a pivotal part of every successful marketing strategy. Native ads mimic the surroundings in which they appear. This makes sure your message is delivered as discreetly as possible and allows you to catch and hold a user’s attention.

There are many native advertising networks out there, so doing some research is definitely in order. The nine listed above are the top networks you can trust to help you get your brand message in front of your target audience. Depending on your niche, you stand a better chance of converting and generating quality leads when ads are not perceived as interruptions.

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6 Proven Ways to Improve Your Google Analytics Data Analysis https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2021/06/improve-google-analytics-analysis.html/ Fri, 18 Jun 2021 10:00:29 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=58886 Have you really tapped into the power of Google Analytics? More than half of websites worldwide use Google Analytics to collect and analyze their traffic data, but how many of them actually make the most out of this tool? If you feel like you could do more with Google Analytics, this post is for you. […]

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Have you really tapped into the power of Google Analytics?

More than half of websites worldwide use Google Analytics to collect and analyze their traffic data, but how many of them actually make the most out of this tool?

If you feel like you could do more with Google Analytics, this post is for you. Here are 6 tips for improving your Google Analytics data analysis.

Save Your Time with Custom Alerts

Who likes to stare at a bunch of numbers on their screen?

Nobody, but in GA, you simply have to deal with numbers. 

If you don’t have time to dig through your dashboard every time you want to extract specific data, you can set up custom alerts every time a specific goal is triggered. Basically, this feature allows you to receive an email every time there’s an event that you want to be notified about (like a sudden drop in organic visits, 404 page errors, etc.)

Choose the Right View

Certain Google Analytics metrics may be easier to analyze if displayed in different views. Luckily, GA offers tables, pie charts, and more, so you can pick what works for you at the moment. Some of the available views are:

  • Tables (the default view with your data shown in a table)
  • Pie charts (your data displayed in percentages)
  • Horizontal charts (good for analyzing a metric’s performance over time)
  • Comparison charts, and more

Include Site Search in Your Google Analytics Reports

You may know what pages your users have visited, but what exactly were they looking for?

If you remember to track site search too, that can provide you with lots of useful information about what your visitors need. If your website has a search bar, tracking site search is a must – because it’s a simple way to find out, for example, what topics you should write about more.

Set Goals

When you have a correctly configured goal with goal values, it’s easier to understand how the metrics you’re measuring affect your business. You can measure different types of goals in Google Analytics:

  • Duration – how much time a user spent on a page
  • Destination – what pages a user has loaded
  • Pages per session – how many pages a user has loaded in one session
  • Event – an action that a user has taken (video views, “Get Quotes” for comparison shopping, lead magnet download, etc.)

Segment Your Data

If you only track your traffic volume, you can’t learn where it comes from. You won’t be sure what adjustments you should make on your website or in your marketing strategy to improve your site’s performance.

By segmenting your data by different dimensions, devices, traffic sources, etc. you can identify opportunities for successful campaigns or fix any existing problems more easily.

Use Annotations

Have you ever gone back to a spike in user activity on your website, but you had no idea why it happened?

Yes, it’s easy to forget such things, especially if you have to deal with lots of data every day.

But the fix is simple: set up annotations and you’ll exactly know what happened next time you, for example, see a sudden spike in organic traffic.

Simple Steps for Excellent Results

Are you ready to apply these six tips to your data analysis?

If you use Google Analytics, make sure you uncover its full potential by exploring all your options. Simple steps like adding notes, changing the view, or setting goals can have a huge impact on how successfully you interpret your data.

And when you interpret your data accurately, you’ll be able to boost your website’s performance in no time.

About the author: Sara Routhier is an SEO manager with AutoInsurance.org. Her team uses Google Analytics to determine the pages they should target for backlinks.  

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3 Tips for Leveraging Social Media Branding for Your Small Business https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2021/05/social-media-small-business-branding.html/ Thu, 27 May 2021 19:45:15 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=58679 If you aren’t actively leveraging social media branding for your small business, you’re missing out on a lot of growth and revenue, plain and simple. More than 3.5 billion people — approximately half of the entire human population — are active on social media, with an average of three hours being spent per day per […]

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If you aren’t actively leveraging social media branding for your small business, you’re missing out on a lot of growth and revenue, plain and simple.

More than 3.5 billion people — approximately half of the entire human population — are active on social media, with an average of three hours being spent per day per person on social networks. What’s more, 54% of social users use social media to research products and engage with brands.

There’s no shortage of tips and strategies you can use to leverage social media as a branding tool. Listed below are three of the most fundamental yet highly effective social media branding tips that you’ll want to implement as soon as possible.

1. Understand which social platforms you want to target.

First things first. How well do you know your target audience?

Got concrete answers to questions such as how old they are? What do they like/dislike? Which social media platforms do they hang out on most? What types of branded content do they engage with best? What motivates them to make a purchase?

The better you know your audience, the better you’ll know where to focus your efforts. You don’t necessarily need to have a loud presence on every platform for effective branding.

For example, when branding your local boutique, establishing a strong presence on Instagram and Facebook should do the trick. Conversely, as a budding B2B startup, focusing on LinkedIn makes more sense.

Simply put, to get the most audience engagement and ROI for the valuable content you create and post, you must pick the right social platforms.

Take the time to do your research. Survey your existing customers about their social network preferences. Learn what your competitors are doing.

Ultimately, you’ll use all of these facts and pieces of evidence to decide which social platforms are worth your effort.

2. For social media branding, focus on visual content.

At its core, effective branding — especially on social media — is all about the presentation of amazing visuals.

To have a consistent color scheme in all the graphics you create and pictures you post, chalk out a visual style guide that outlines your branded color palette. That way, you’ll make sure you have the same hues and fonts in all of your social content.

Over time, your audience will internalize a visual pattern associated with all of your content. They’ll then link those patterns with your brand without even looking at your social media handle.

Attaining this level of brand recognition is possible if you focus on posting visually strong and consistent content.

In fact, internal data from Twitter — a platform that isn’t usually considered visual-first —  proves that people are three times more likely to engage with Tweets that include visual content such as images, GIFs, and videos.

Huckberry

Source: Huckberry

Visual content such as GIFs and short video clips command audience attention as they scroll through a feed. Visual content encourages more engagement.

What if visual design isn’t an area of strength at my company?

Your content doesn’t always have to be elaborate or even particularly well-planned. For example, you could showcase your business using a behind-the-scenes video or promote company culture with an impromptu team photo or quick vlog-type walkthrough of your workspace. You could also show picture testimonials of happy customers or demonstrate your product in use.

Let’s say you decide to use a new video-creation tool with a ton of features to create professional-grade video content for your company. Your team may find it challenging to fully adopt the new tool and leverage all its advanced capabilities. In this case, consider leveraging a digital adoption platform (DAP). A DAP empowers your team to swiftly learn the new software by providing a comprehensive and interactive walk-through of the tool. With a DAP, you can train your team more effectively. They won’t lose productivity trying to make the most of the new software that’s meant to take your social content to the next level.

Long story short, to effectively leverage any social media platform for branding your small business, maintain a strong focus on visual content that’s consistent and engaging.

3. Effective social media branding requires that you engage with your followers.

The greatest benefit to using social media for branding your small business is that it allows you to show your brand’s “human side.” You can talk to your audience informally.

You accomplish this by publicly replying to comments and concerns on a first-name basis. Feel free to use emojis and slang to speak like an individual with a personality. This will make your brand more approachable and personable.

Spark more two-way engagement with your audience with calls to action. For instance, “Drop your favorite __ in the comments!” or “How do you go about ___?” in captions.

After all, 71% of consumers who have had a positive experience with a brand on social media are likely to recommend that brand to friends and family. Creating positive, branded conversations on social media counts.

Use social media to speak, but also to listen.

In addition, customers are talking about your brand across the social web. This not only includes social media platforms such as Facebook but also Q&A platforms such as Quora. Business review sites such as Yelp and Trustpilot are also a crucial part of this social web conversation. You’ll want to use a brand monitoring tool to track who’s talking about your brand, on which platform, and whether it’s in a positive or negative light.

Apart from praise, you’re sure to receive criticism from time to time. Be proactive. Respond to both types of mentions in a tactful and timely manner. Be frank and friendly, assuring a better experience next time.

Show that you value your customers’ opinions. Use a CRM such as SuperOffice to store all your customer’s feedback and data. This ensures that you truly improve the customer experience moving forward. Knowing your customers as individuals is key to building better relationships.

Time for action!

Now it’s your turn. If you want to grow your customer base, put these three tips into practice to effectively leverage social media for branding your small business. Start small and build over time and, if you found this post useful, be sure to share it with your growing social network.

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How to Win an Enterprise Client to Transform Your Small Business https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2021/05/signing-an-enterprise-client.html/ Wed, 26 May 2021 19:16:53 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=58698 Signing an enterprise client is the holy grail for many small businesses. And for many good reasons. Landing a corporate customer offers a ton of revenue security. Large enterprises are more financially stable than small or midsize businesses. They’re also likely to buy your most elite product or subscribe to your most expensive pricing tier. […]

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Signing an enterprise client is the holy grail for many small businesses. And for many good reasons.

Landing a corporate customer offers a ton of revenue security. Large enterprises are more financially stable than small or midsize businesses. They’re also likely to buy your most elite product or subscribe to your most expensive pricing tier. At the same time, cross-selling to other silos within their organization also becomes a possibility.

Make no mistake, all of these will transform your business. It will benefit your cash flow, your growth prospects, and your ability to attract other high-value customers.

In this article, we’ll take a look at ways you can remove common obstacles many businesses face as they pursue their first enterprise client.

1. To Win an Enterprise Client…Know Their Business

First thing’s first. You must understand your prospect’s business or your pitch has no chance of success. And I’m not talking about just being familiar with their history, their marketing material, and their roadmap.

If you want to show how you’re going to be valuable to an enterprise, you need to have remarkable insight into their operations and strategy. You need to know the objectives that drive them. You need to demonstrate that you understand the mechanisms required to get them there.

Fortunately, publicly traded companies always have highly detailed information available via their investor relations (IR) departments.

Another approach would be to Google the company’s name and look at their News results. Big business makes big news, so there’s likely going to be a wealth of up-to-date information on your prospect.

2. Understand and Articulate How You Can Add Value

Once talks with your prospect start picking up momentum and you get face time with decision-makers, the conversation should not be about you and what your company offers. This is not the time to go through a rehearsed sales pitch where you quote figures and cite case studies.

Yes, there’s a time for this spiel, but once you’re sitting in front of someone working in procurement, that time has gone.

The deeper you get into discussions, the more you need to steer the topic of the conversation toward the specifics of how your product or service will benefit them. At this point, they don’t care that you reduced administrative overhead costs by 15% for one of your other clients.

What they want to know, whether they’ll say this to you or not, is: 

  • How can you make our lives easier?
  • What will you do to you make us more profitable?
  • How will you protect us from the risks that are unique to our industry?

In short, you have to speak their company’s language. To do this, you need to have insight into their world. You’ll also need remarkable knowledge of your product’s capacity to make it better.

Practice these conversations. Meet with your colleagues and other industry specialists. Be ready to preempt every single question they may throw at you. Have smart, insightful, non-generic answers prepared for them.

3. Fine-Tune Your Company Image

Involve a branding specialist to ensure that your company’s public-facing presence is up to standard. This process typically involves a thorough audit of everything “out there” that could shape the public’s perception of your company and its reputation.

There’s a lot to this. There are websites, social media accounts, news mentions, press releases, the tone and content of your blog, even the online profiles of your management team.

In some cases, it might be worth the effort to start positioning your CEO as a thought-leader in your industry. 

Yes, this could take a while. However, the positive reputational impact of speaking at a conference or taking part in a round-table discussion with other experts can be huge.

Even simply building a solid, thought-provoking presence on Twitter will sometimes be enough to make your prospects take your brand a little more seriously. Make no mistake, your company’s leadership will be Googled.

4. Be Prepared for Serious Scrutiny from an Enterprise Client

Large organizations are extremely cautious when integrating their systems with an external party. Corporate governance often dictates that an absurd amount of auditing has to happen before a deal with a vendor is finalized.

This is most keenly visible in the digital security arena. If your company offers a solution that needs to be integrated with your prospect’s technical environment, be prepared to be placed under a very powerful, very intimidating microscope. Onboarding a new technology vendor is a lengthy process that typically kicks off with something called an Enterprise Security Questionnaire.

Don’t be fooled by the term. This is no one-pager with Yes/No answers. Your commitment to cybersecurity will face a level of scrutiny you may not be ready for.

Experts in cybersecurity cite this as the number one reason new customers contact them. Any potential enterprise client will assess your technical environment and, often, a small business is simply not ready for this.

It’s often a good idea to involve a consultant even before the questionnaire hits your CTO’s desk. As negotiations start heading into the closing phases, be proactive. Hop on the phone with a company that knows the questions enterprise clients are going to ask.

5. Understand the Impact a Long Sales Cycle Will Have

This is a biggie. Be prepared for many of your resources to be tied up in negotiations that can go on longer than expected. Much, much longer.

A long sales cycle will affect every company differently. It’s not always possible to preempt how this will impact other areas of your operations. The best approach is to stay aware of the risk and to never base any predictions on having the deal finalized by a specific date.

Also, tread carefully if your company somehow becomes dependent on closing the deal with an enterprise prospect. It’s understandable that this could happen. If it does, do whatever you can to avoid letting your prospect finding out. Desperation is not a good look in the business world. What this scenario says about your company’s ability to plan (amongst other things) isn’t great.

Signing Your First Enterprise-Level Client Will Require Patience

The sales cycle for landing a big fish is lengthy. Things move slowly at big corporations for a variety of reasons that can be both understandable and infuriating.

The truth is that large organizations are immensely risk-averse. They take new partnerships incredibly seriously as accountability is a big deal for them. As a result, the tactics we talk about in this article represent a lot of effort on your part. Get comfortable with this.

To create the optics you need to be taken seriously could take months, if not a year. You might have to make some challenging internal changes to align your operations with your prospect’s regulatory needs.

This is the price smaller businesses have to pay as they start wading toward the deep end of the corporate swimming pool. Know what the sacrifices are and be prepared to make them.

Fortunately, the benefits of succeeding in your pursuit of an enterprise client are immense. There’s no doubt about that.

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Top Instagram Marketing Tools to Supercharge Brand Growth https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2021/05/top-instagram-marketing-tools.html/ Mon, 24 May 2021 16:59:06 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=58700 There’s no denying that Instagram is a powerful marketing tool for businesses of all types and sizes. Accessed by more than one billion people, Instagram is the second-ranked social media network after Facebook. It’s a great way to increase your brand visibility, sell your products, and reach a wider audience. Brands can establish an engaged […]

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There’s no denying that Instagram is a powerful marketing tool for businesses of all types and sizes. Accessed by more than one billion people, Instagram is the second-ranked social media network after Facebook. It’s a great way to increase your brand visibility, sell your products, and reach a wider audience. Brands can establish an engaged user base without spending hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Instagram is primarily a photo-sharing platform packed with features that help businesses sell their products. According to statistics, more than 72% of users purchased a product they saw on Instagram. With the right marketing strategy, any size brand can increase its reach, find new customers, promote products, and generate more sales.

Whether you want to grow followers for your eCommerce brand or earn more clients for another company, there are several Instagram marketing tools that help you promote your products or services and generate more conversions. Here are 11 top picks.

Increase Your Reach With These Instagram Marketing Tools

Awario

Awario is a brand monitoring and social listening tool that serves up instantaneous brand mentions from the web and social media. It helps your company reach new audiences, create relevant content related to your product or service, and participate in discussions. With Awario, you can better understand your prospective customers and create results-oriented Instagram marketing campaigns.

Awario acts as a great Instagram marketing tool for small and mid-size companies to connect with their target audience. It helps you discover prospective customers by allowing you to provide immediate solutions to their problems. Awario also enables you to find industry influencers and develop beneficial relationships to market your products. You can identify industry trends, perform hashtag research, and delve into competitor analysis to create more engaging Instagram content.

Iconosquare

Iconosquare is a social media analytics tool that helps businesses make well-informed and data-backed decisions for Instagram. It helps you increase Instagram engagement by visualizing the important metrics and improving your content marketing strategy.

Iconosquare includes many useful features such as the best time to post, geolocation, user targeting, user tagging, and more. These features help you post content automatically and reach the right audience at the right time. You can also schedule your comment along with hashtags to increase engagement and reach. Iconosquare helps you keep a close eye on your competitors and share your performance report with your social media team.

Sked Social

Sked Social is a great tool for brands, enabling marketers to plan visually engaging posts for an Instagram feed. You create posts for your Instagram feed in advance and see how your feed will look. It lets you automatically publish posts to Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. You can schedule Instagram posts along with relevant hashtags, location tags, and product tags to boost engagement and generate more sales. You can even schedule user-generated content.

Later

Later is an Instagram platform that helps marketers visually plan their posts. The tool allows you to automatically publish content and get useful insights to connect to the right audience. With Later, you can create a visually appealing feed for your Instagram audience using a drag-and-drop interface. Later helps you select the best time to post and also allows marketers to find on-brand content to create more engagement. Its in-depth analytics enable you to track exactly which posts are driving traffic and where your followers are converting.

Agorapulse

Agorapulse is a social media management tool that helps marketers stay organized. From publishing posts to reporting, social monitoring to getting insightful analytics, and team collaboration, Agorapulse is packed with useful tools. You can plan your Instagram feed in advance, giving you the freedom to create better strategies for your business and reach more clients.

Kicksta

Kicksta is a powerful Instagram growth tool that uses artificial intelligence technology to acquire authentic, organic followers. With this tool, you can find your competitors, industry influencers, and complementary brands. Kicksta lets you engage followers who follow profiles similar to yours. It will help you engage with a similar audience and increase the chances that they will follow you back. As a result, Kicksta helps you improve brand awareness and boost your follower growth.

Gleam

Gleam is a powerful tool designed for running Instagram giveaways and contests. It assists you in running campaigns that boost your audience engagement and business growth effortlessly. You can run hassle-free campaigns with features such as automatic entry validation and random or manual winner selection. Gleam also allows you to embed their mobile-friendly widget onto any webpage or create your contest on their free hosted landing pages. With Gleam, you can collect photo and video submissions from Instagram through hashtags, mentions, or manual selection. Additionally, Gleam integrates with all the email marketing tools and social networks you use. With its flexible design, you can drag and drop any of the supported actions into your campaign within seconds.

Picodash

Picodash is an Instagram marketing tool that helps marketers find the right audience and industry influencers for their brand. It provides useful data and helpful analytics to create your social media marketing strategy and outreach more efficiently. Picodash allows you to export your Instagram followers to a spreadsheet to filter for influencers by checking their followers and searching for relevant keywords. You can also filter users based on likes and comments received to find the right audience for your brand.

Hopper

Hopper is a scheduling tool that helps brands plan content for Instagram and drives maximum user engagement. With Hopper, you can create up to 50 posts and upload them with its bulk upload feature. You can then choose your favorite time to publish posts. Hopper’s planning and analytics feature allows you to drag-and-drop posts and create social media calendars. It also enables Instagram video scheduling with Hopper HQ.

Smartly.io

Smartly.io is an Instagram marketing tool that automates social advertising to improve audience reach. It combines media buying and creative automation to help brands succeed. The automation tools and templates help you develop creative copies, plan localized offers, and make different prize and copy variations. Smartly.io allows you to instantly publish ads on your Instagram account and update ads in real-time. It optimizes your targeting, budget, and bidding to make sure you achieve the maximum conversion rate.

Grum

Grum is an Instagram marketing tool that helps marketers schedule posts to automatically go live at the preferred time on multiple Instagram accounts. You can schedule video posts with Grum. One of the best parts about using Grum is that it allows you to upload content from your desktop, ultimately eliminating the need to use your phone to post content to Instagram.

Wordswag

Wordswag is an Instagram marketing tool that allows you to add captions to your posts. Its smart typing engine lets you create custom text layouts for Instagram posts. You can choose from hundreds of quotes, thoughts, and funny text to make your posts more creative and interactive. Wordswag helps Instagrammers create interesting content for their audience. In due time, this increases engagement and creates brand awareness.

All kinds of businesses, ranging from eCommerce brands to media, mobile app development companies to design agencies, healthcare organizations to travel businesses, are harnessing the power of Instagram. Whether your business is working to increase its reach, find new customers, promote products, or generate more sales, it’s the right time to use one or more of these tools to better promote your brand.

The post Top Instagram Marketing Tools to Supercharge Brand Growth appeared first on SmallBizTechnology.

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Sales Automation: Five Pro Tips for Maximizing Your Reach https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2021/05/sales-automation.html/ Tue, 18 May 2021 21:04:43 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=58663 If your business has yet to implement sales automation, it might be time to ask yourself a few pointed questions. How often do you struggle to find new leads for your business? Are you struggling to convert leads into prospects? Have you lost deals simply by not following up on time? If you find yourself […]

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If your business has yet to implement sales automation, it might be time to ask yourself a few pointed questions.

If you find yourself relating to these scenarios, your business badly needs to consider automation. It will help you communicate with clients, nurture relationships, and close more deals. All of this can be done without working 80 hours a week.

Sales automation includes software and tools that help you streamline and automate parts of your selling process. These can include contact management, sales performance analysis, and lead generation. Automation can help with a specific part of the sales process or the entire sales journey.

A few instances where sales automation might be useful include data entry, record creation, activity logging, communication, research, and lead management. Sales automation helps you eliminate repetitive, time-consuming tasks in your sales process. It frees your people up to focus on higher-value tasks such as closing a deal or making a sales pitch.

Here are five ways to boost revenue via sales automation.

1. Prioritize Leads Using a Lead-Scoring System

Every sales lead is not of equal value. Some customers might be interested in buying from you right away. Others may not be interested just yet. It makes sense to go after your most interested leads first to close more deals.

Qualifying each lead manually, or checking which leads may be interested and which ones are not, is time-consuming. A lead-scoring system helps you automate the process.

A system such as this assigns specific scores to each lead in your customer management system based on his/her actions. For instance, when the system recognizes that a lead has engaged with a piece of content, read an email, or interacted with your business in some other way, it assigns a specific number of points to that lead.

These points add up, allowing your sales team to know which leads are closest to purchasing. Leads with high scores or those that have completed certain tasks should be of utmost priority. Those that have been less involved can be pushed further down the list.

You can also place weight on different actions depending on how important they are. For example, a prospect who has engaged with your company at an in-person event should receive more points in comparison to a lead who has only opened an email. Below is an example of a lead-scoring system in action.

Example: Sales Automation Setup Wizard

2. Sales Automation Outreach and Follow up Emails

Approximately 80% of sales require at least five follow-ups. Veteran sales reps know that follow-ups matter, but far too many give up. A shocking 44% of sales reps give up after the first rejection.

When you have dozens of conversations to manage, it’s difficult to keep up. It becomes easier to accept an initial rejection and move on. What’s more, manually sending follow-ups can also be inefficient. Sales reps might accidentally reach out to the wrong person, send the wrong message, or miss a follow-up entirely and lose a sale.

Email marketing tools can help automate email follow-ups and save a good chunk of your sales reps’ time. Through email marketing automation, you can put initial outreaches and follow-up messages on autopilot. You can also set specific guidelines to keep the sequence going, change, or end based on the response of your leads.

Help Put an End to Busywork

3. Automate Administrative Tasks

Apart from qualifying leads and sending emails, sales reps also have several administrative tasks to attend to on an everyday basis. Using sales productivity tools can help automate and simplify these tasks. Now your people can spend more time on high-value activities. Here are a few routine tasks that are prime targets for automation.

Data Entry

Approximately 55% of sales data entry was eliminated in 2020 via automation. A successful CRM system requires an organized collection of data on customers, prospects, accounts, deals, and other related sales activities. However, all of this information still has to be manually entered by your sales rep. By automating CRM data entries, you help save time and increase productivity.

Sales Automation Tools: Freshcaller

Platforms like Freshworks offer an automatic call-logging feature. Your sales reps can crush their daily call quota without worrying about adding calls to the CRM.

Scheduling Meetings and Calls

Scheduling meetings takes time. You suggest a date and time. The prospect comes back suggesting an alternate date and time. By the time the meeting is scheduled, you’ve already lost a week. This delay disturbs the tempo of your prospect’s sales journey. They may begin to lose interest in your business. They might even end up connecting with your competitor while you’re wasting time trying to nail down a meeting.

This hassle can be eliminated by automating your appointments using a scheduling tool like Calendar. This scheduling tool helps you eliminate unnecessary communication just to get a call or meeting set up. Simply send a link with available time slots in your calendar so leads can choose their preferred slot. The tool automatically sends calendar invites to both parties as well as reminder emails before the scheduled time.

Online Signature Maker

Online signature tools make it easy for both parties to quickly sign important documents after closing a deal. This saves a great deal of time as you don’t have to upload a picture of signatures or have both parties sign a physical document. It also eliminates the time and expense of travel or employing couriers.

4. Use Sales Automation to Build a Lead List

You need a strong list of leads to close more sales. But searching all over the internet to find companies or individuals who may be interested in your offerings is no easy task.

Automating this lead list-building process spares you the hard work, giving you and your sales team a targeted list of people to reach out to.

To use an automated lead list-building tool, you’ll need to provide simple criteria such as location, industry, and job title. After that, you’ll be presented with a list of individuals matching those descriptions. For instance, a tool such as LinkedIn Sales Navigator can help you find quality sales leads from LinkedIn by adding specifications for leads you’re looking for.

LinkedIn Sales Navigator

Alternatively, you could buy a list of leads from platforms such as UpLead to supply your reps with prospects to contact.

5. Sales Automation Can Enhance Your Lead-Enrichment Process

For closing a high-quality sale, a lead’s job title and name probably won’t be enough. For making a real connection, you will need much more information including their industry and the reputation of their company. Just like all the other tasks we’ve covered, you could end up spending hours or even days trying to uncover insights about your leads and companies.

Lead enrichment tools use online data sources and help you extract information about your lead and the companies they work for. A quality tool will provide you with complete and accurate information about the individual you’re trying to connect with.

There are dozens of tools available in the market that gather lead enrichment data automatically and sync it with your CRM or other software. One such tool is Lead Boxer. With LeadBoxer, you can identify visitors to your website and then populate their profiles with contact information.

LeadBoxer

Don’t Allow Sales Automation to Eliminate the Personal Touch

Sales automation can be a boon for sales reps, but it still needs to be used with great care.  Mistakes such as using the wrong lead name or sending the wrong follow-up message may negatively affect your credibility.

You also need to make sure you’re not only relying on automation to close deals. While automation can help alleviate your workload and eliminate mundane tasks, you cannot automate building customer relationships. And you wouldn’t want to! Use the time you save via automation to build better relationships with prospects, make better pitches, and help customers see the value of your product.

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Top 9 Sales Funnel Tools https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2021/05/top-9-sales-funnel-tools.html/ Sat, 15 May 2021 12:01:24 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=58654 One of the most important concepts to be understood when running a business is the sales funnel. It is so because every single business in this world, regardless of how small or big it is compulsory, has a sales funnel. Everything begins with the marketing efforts, which involves creating awareness and interests, and this draws […]

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One of the most important concepts to be understood when running a business is the sales funnel.

It is so because every single business in this world, regardless of how small or big it is compulsory, has a sales funnel.

Everything begins with the marketing efforts, which involves creating awareness and interests, and this draws the people’s attention to what you are doing and become leads.

Now the sales department tries to get some of those leads to buy the products. The tips which become closer to the goal become prospects, and eventually, these prospects buy the product.

Hence, this affecting consumer behavior and making them buy your products is called a sales funnel.

Top 9 Best Sales Funnel Software

INSTAPAGE

Instapage gives the ability to create landing pages to the users, it integrates with third party apps. It offers built in A/B testing tools and advanced analytics.

FEATURES

  • This platform enables you to build conversion-ready mobile-optimized landing pages in minutes.
  • No developer is required to review and publish them.
  • Instapage easily integrates with the tools in your marketing stack.
  • It optimizes the landing pages and attributes the performance to suitable campaigns.

PRICING

There are two pricing plans for instapage as mentioned below

  1. The optimizing plan costs $199/month. It has no conversion limits, heatmaps, conversion analytics, zapier integration, SSL encryption, and so on.
  2. Custom Plan. This plan varies in price according to the feature that we require from instapage. It charges separately for every feature. So every user can customize his website with the kind of features he wants.

PROS AND CONS

  • PROS
  1. There are a variety of designs available under all the plans of instapage
  2. The drag and drop feature is usually beneficial.
  3. The feedback system runs very fast and hence is excellent and one of the software’s key features.
  4. The editing part becomes very easy due to this software as it is effortless to be used.
  • CONS
  1. It is a little expensive.
  2. The text font appears to be very dynamic.
  3. The software is not quite flexible because it does not allow manual customization of page sizes and another manual formatting.

THRIVE SUITE

Thrive Suite is a conversion-focused theme and plugin that will allow you to create very High converting landing pages and sales pages. It has tons of plugins and add-ons so that you can create and design inside WordPress.

FEATURES

  • They have a new thrive theme builder. You can edit and organize the website inside this editor without any coding.
  • It gives access to thrive, theme builder, thrive, architect, elementor, and many such plugins. The thrive lead is a superb feature that captures the leads and facilitates the sales funnel process.
  • It has an option of third-party app integration, which links thrive suite with various other platforms.

PRICING

  • It has only a $19/month price plan, which is quite affordable. It has access to all thrive themes plugins, access to thrive theme builder and shapeshift, support included, updates are included, and installing the tools on up to 25 websites. Finally, it also has access to thrive university.

PROS AND CONS

  • PROS
  1. The software is highly responsive. It never faces any significant issues when the users are designing their business model.
  2. It has third-party app integrations which help the users in customizing their website using other tools and features.
  3. It is very easy for beginners. No prior knowledge of any programming language is required.
  4. Access to a thriving university is one of the most highlighting features as it provides training on how to use the software.
  • CONS
  1. The themes provided in thriving only tend to work with WordPress and not other platforms.
  2. The variety of themes available are significantly less.

LEAD PAGES

Leadpages is a landing page builder. It is the actual go-to software for the small businesses worldwide. It build code free website, high converting landing pages, pop ups, alert bars, and everything.

FEATURES

  • They have a wide variety of templates with help you customize the apps and websites and attract leads.
  • The powerful conversion elements like the countdown timers, call-to-action-buttons, and pop-up options, allow you to capture leads from landing pages, blogs, and websites.
  • Leads can also have captured through text messages allowing prospects to opt-in from anywhere using a phone.
  • It integrates with primary services in CRMs from MailChimp to HubSpot.
  • It also works with e-commerce platforms and webinar registrations to manage all the leads and digital campaigns.
  • The A/B testing tools help you analyze the website thoroughly.

PRICING

It has three plans as follows:

  • The pro plan costs $59/month
    • It has access to up to 3 sites, tech support via mail and chat, email trigger links, unlimited a/b testing, and a few more feature than the standard plan.
  • The standard plan costs $27/month and is deemed to be the highly affordable one.
    • It has access to only one site and 40 standard integrations, free hosting, and so on, but many of the features are disabled.
  • The advanced plan costs up to $239/month.
    • It has access to up to 50 sites, landing pages, pop-ups, alert bars, unlimited traffic leads, free custom domains, lead notification, email trigger links, and all such features like these provided by leadpages.

PROS AND CONS

  • PROS
  1. There are many templates to make your website look good.
  2. It provides mobile and tablet preview.
  3. The sub-accounts functions of lead pages duplicate the sales funnel, and two teams can have access.
  4. It integrates with many different software solutions and makes things handy.
  • CONS
  1. Users usually face a few glitches and bugs while they are using the software.
  2. The analytical data is not very informative.
  3. The plans seem to be very uneconomical for small businesses.

LANDINGI

It is a landing page builder that allows the users to create landing pages, pop ups etc. It also has the A/B splitting testing which scans the total website and gives u an analytic report.

FEATURES

  • It has a drag and drops editor, and also we add new fonts to it if the pre-loaded fonts don’t go well.
  • It consolidates all the data into a .csv file which makes it easy for the user to analyze.
  • It has a landing page scheduler that keeps track of the ongoing and upcoming launches.
  • Anti-spams protect them for security.
  • It helps to have landing pages on the user’s social media profiles as tabs.

PRICING

This software provides three pricing plans, as mentioned below.

  1. Create a plan that costs about $55/month
    1. This plan allows 50000 unique visitors per month, there are ten custom domains, unlimited account users, but few features like the smart section, campaign scheduler, and the A/B splitting test are missing.
  2. The automate plan costs about $79/month.
    1. This plan allows 100000 unique visitors per month, and there are 20 custom domains, unlimited account users. It has all the features missing in the create plan, but all the features deemed to be advanced go missing.
  3. The agency plan costs $149/month.
    1. This premium plan includes all the features provided by landingi, including 300000 unique visitors per month, 30 custom domains, and unlimited account users.

PROS AND CONS

  • PROS
  1. The feature wherein the landing pages can be shared with other landing users. It is one of the most important and makes landingi different from its contemporaries.
  2. The customer helpline is very helpful and responsive and responds in relatively less time.
  3. The creation and editing process is super easy and can be easily handled by beginners as well.
  4. Landingi integrates with CRMs like HubSpot, Zoho, and freshwork to manage the leads.
  • CONS
  1. The number of video integrations is negligible
  2. No availability of pop-up functions.
  3. The page faces issues related to speed and hanging often.

WISHPOND

It is a marketing and sales tool  built so that the users can easily scale a business without any extra coding. It helps build professional looking landing pages and also keeps a track of the email leads. This software is a all in one handy package.

FEATURES

  • Wishpond enables you to promote your product through social media and emails by sending automated promotion emails and videos.
  • It integrates with base CRMs, batchbook, campaign monitors, and several such platforms.
  • It also supports online e-commerce marketing, which acts as a catalyst in affecting customer behavior and making them the prospects in no time.
  • The feature of email and mobile preview helps the users to access the lead status anytime and anywhere.

PRICING

Wishpond provides three pricing plans.

  1. The starting plan costs $75/month.
  2. The Everything you need a plan that costs $149 /month, this is the highly preferred plan by the users as it has all the features an ideal software funnel has.
  3. The Rapid growth plan costs $299/month

PROS AND CONS

  • PROS
  1. The tracking done by wishpond is always accurate and hence helps the businesses have closure about their customers.
  2. The customer helpline team is the most supportive and quick at their service.
  3. There are tutorials available on their website about how to use their software, which has proven to be helpful for several users.
  4. It is very user-friendly and easy to handle.
  • CONS
  1. For the basic plan, the integration feature is disabled, which annoys the user at times.
  2. The free version cannot be accessed by phone.
  3. The CSV exports are minimal, which causes hindrance to several users.

GETRESPONSE

Getresponse is an email marketing and online campaign management software that sends product promotion emails to the desired list of customers. It includes good impacting newsletters, various videos, and images. It is a landing page creator and has hundreds of ready-to-use design templates.

 FEATURES

  • There is a Preview option for email. So that you can view how the mail will appear.
  • It has templates for sending mails with ease and also has an auto-response module.
  • It can also import contacts from hard disks and Gmail, and other contact-saving applications.

PRICING

It has four plans

  • The basic plan costs $15/month
  • The plus plan costs $49/month
  • The professional plan costs $99/month

PROS AND CONS

  • PROS
  • Campaign creation with getresponse is straightforward and the most loved feature by its users.
  • The variety of beautiful templates available add on to the list
  • It is considered an excellent sales funnel builder as it navigates the customers most efficiently, leading to meeting the desired goals.
  • The email automation feature is a unique feature of getresponse.
  • CONS
  • Rejections of few commands are for no good reasons.
  • The email templates don’t autosave, and hence once the data is lost, it cannot recover.
  • Few times due to some error or glitch, Scheduled emails are delayed or not delivered.

KARTRA

With kartra you can host online courses, memberships. You can create newsletters and a sales funnel. It is an entirely new software in the market and has few unique features which help you handle the customer journey efficiently.

FEATURES

  • It can function with external software, and it can also integrate an API
  • Lead management, sales funnel, Campaigns, calendar integration, simplifies management.
  • Automated Email/SMS marketing. It helps users have personalized membership portals and has immense options related to embedding videos like autoplay, social sharing, watermark building, and so on.

PRICING

The kartra software has four plans that include

  • The starter plan costs $99/month
  • The silver plan costs $199/month
  • The gold plan costs $299/month
  • The platinum plan costs $499/month

PROS AND CONS

  • PROS
  • The third-party app integrations prove to be very helpful.
  • The analytic data is very detailed and organized
  • The template design is unique.
  • CONS
  • The email editing option doesn’t work well and tends to get hung up quite often.
  • Additional software is required while working along with kartra to get more add ons
  • The customer service is not very helpful and often takes time to respond.

KEAP

With Keap, we can market by smart email marketing and manage our customers’ interactions with minimum confusion. It is mainly focused on providing a marketing platform to the new businesses.

FEATURES

  • It has customer relationship management (CRM), marketing automation, and functions for e-commerce.
  • Provides monthly reports, analyses the real-time traffic on your site, and also email automation.
  • It can make segments for all the different kinds of clients, track customer interactions.
  • It can use from Android and iOS devices as well.

PRICING

It has three plans that include,

  • The lite plan costs $79/month
  • The pro plan costs $149/month
  • The max plan costs $199/month

PROS AND CONS

  • PROS
  1. The creation of campaigns is very easily handled here.
  2. Making it available for Android and iOS makes it handy.
  3. Good navigation for accessing features and applying them.
  • CONS
  1. The user faces difficulties at the start of using the software.
  2. Initial setup is tedious and time-consuming.

CLICKFUNNELS

ClickFunnels is a website marketing funnel that delivers landing page solutions to market, sell and deliver products and services online. It focuses on startups, freelancers, etc.

FEATURES

  • It helps in generating lists out of emails to gain leads on their customers.
  • It lays out funnel templates like tripwires, sales letters.
  • Launches a product, webinar, A/B split tests, custom domains, and related programs.

PRICING

It has two plans,

  • The basic plan costs $97/month
  • The platinum plan costs $297/month

PROS AND CONS

  • PROS
  1. User friendly and robust. And has a community that updates solutions to short-term issues.
  2. It has an extensive library for tutorials which helps in coming out with almost any issue.
  3. Simple to integrate external software along.
  • CONS
  1. It does not offer a shop builder tool.
  2. It cannot access through handsets.
  3. Even though there are a good set of fonts, you cannot add fonts of your own.

CONCLUSION

Hence these were the top 9 sales funnel software which are mostly used by the businesses in the market to maintain their leads.

We hope this article proved to be helpful. Please leave your reviews in the comment box.

FAQS

  • Is clickfunnel good for e-commerce ?

Ans: No, click funnel does not allow any sort of integration with other e-commerce related platforms.

  • Is the linking of softwares with CRMs necessary ?

Ans: It is not compulsory, but it is advisable to do so to maintain a good track about your leads.

  • Why are only these nine softwares considered ideal?

Ans: The above mentioned softwares give you the most affordable plans unlike other softwares that are very expensive.

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4 Key Business Functions You Should Consider Outsourcing https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2021/05/business-functions-outsourcing.html/ Tue, 11 May 2021 12:00:18 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=58628 For small businesses and startups, labor costs are your largest expense by far. Have you considered outsourcing your business functions? After all, you’re not just paying an employee’s salary; you’re also paying employee benefits, unemployment tax, and workers’ compensation. In general, the true cost of an employee is 25-40% more than his or her base […]

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For small businesses and startups, labor costs are your largest expense by far. Have you considered outsourcing your business functions? After all, you’re not just paying an employee’s salary; you’re also paying employee benefits, unemployment tax, and workers’ compensation. In general, the true cost of an employee is 25-40% more than his or her base salary.

This helps explain the growing reliance on outsourcing. In 2019, roughly a third of small businesses already outsourced some business function, and 52% were planning to do so. In 2021, the number of small businesses planning to outsource has shot up to 80%

Outsourcing is perfect for growing companies because it offers extreme flexibility, saves time, and allows you to work with top experts without the hefty price tag. Of course, you should never outsource anything related to your competitive advantage. (If it’s your stellar service that sets you apart, for instance, you would never want to outsource customer support.) 

But there are certain core functions that every company must handle — things like accounting, legal, marketing, and cybersecurity. Certain businesses may also need to deal with shipping and fulfillment or data entry — things that keep your business running but don’t impact your end product or service. 

According to Gregg Landers, director of growth management at CBIZ MHM, there are a few categories of tasks that are ripe for outsourcing: tasks that require a high degree of skill or specialized knowledge and highly repetitive tasks.

Here are four areas you should consider outsourcing to cut costs and see better results:

1. IT Training and Certification

If the pandemic taught us anything, it was the value of a highly competent IT department. With many teams still working remotely, you need to ensure that your IT person or team has the training they need. But trying to do that in-house is simply not cost-effective. According to a survey of learning development professionals, it takes an average of 132 hours to develop a single hour of online learning content. That’s more than three weeks’ worth of work!

This is why it’s better to invest in third-party training and certification programs. Outsourcing your group training to a company such as IBEX Business Experts reduces costs and ensures that your team is consistent and unified. You can choose instructor-led courses or virtual learning so individuals can work at their own pace.

2. Business Accounting

Any business that hopes to stay in business needs the help of a bookkeeper, accountant, or both. You need someone to keep your records up-to-date, track expenses, run payroll, file quarterly reports, and do your end-of-year taxes. Trying to manage all these tasks yourself is a recipe for disaster — or at least an audit. You may also want someone to do an in-depth analysis of your business or help you with financial planning, but that doesn’t mean you should hire a full-time CPA.

In the United States, the average base salary for an accountant is $54,127. That’s not counting bonuses, healthcare, and other costs that come with a salaried employee. Then there are the hidden costs of training and management for an in-house accountant. For most small businesses, it’s much more cost-effective to outsource this role. You can use software like Gusto for payroll and pay a licensed CPA to do your taxes, or you can work with an accounting firm to handle all these tasks.

3. Outbound Sales

If you’re trying to grow your business quickly, you’ll need to scale your sales team. The trouble is that it’s extremely difficult to develop a repeatable sales process, find the right talent, and train them to be effective team members. Hiring aggressively is also risky — especially in sales, which has the highest turnover rate of any sector. It can be devastating (both emotionally and financially) to invest weeks or months in training only to see those people leave.

A more sensible approach for many businesses is to outsource certain sales roles, such as outbound sales or business development. Outbound sales encompasses tactics like cold calling or emailing, attending trade shows, and selling door-to-door. Hiring a third-party company to do this for you will give you a steady influx of new leads while freeing up your in-house reps to do more high-value work. Because they know your company inside and out, they’re best suited to develop those relationships and close deals.

4. Marketing

Marketing is a broad term for a highly specialized and complex industry that changes each and every year. The type of marketing you should be investing in will depend on your business, your budget, and your target market. 

For instance, if you’re an online retailer, you may need to invest in pay-per-click ads, social media, influencer marketing, or all of the above. If you’re a service-based business with a long sales cycle, inbound marketing might be your focus. If you’re a mom-and-pop shop that only serves customers locally, you might focus your attention on search or on traditional media channels.

The kicker here is that your marketing tactics should change if you’re not seeing results. Hiring a full-time marketing person is risky because no marketer is an expert in everything. If you hired someone on the assumption that you’d be creating bus-bench ads and direct-mail pieces, that person is not likely to be as effective if you shift your budget to SEO and paid search. Unless you’re planning to build out an entire in-house marketing team, you’re nearly always better off hiring a firm that specializes in whatever tactics you’re pursuing.

As your business grows, it can be exciting to imagine what you could accomplish if you only had a team member dedicated to X. But outsourcing business functions that aren’t your core competency is almost always a better choice. It allows you to work with the top professionals in the industry — without paying their entire year’s salary. It also means you can invest in talent that can help you grow your business faster.

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8 Tips to Sell Products Online https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2021/05/8-tips-to-sell-products-online.html/ Mon, 03 May 2021 13:37:25 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=58483 During the COVID-19 pandemic, so many people have focused on new ways to make money. People are out of work and frustrated. Perhaps you’re working less and making less money. With so many of us stuck at home throughout the last year, people have come up with new ways to keep the money coming in […]

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During the COVID-19 pandemic, so many people have focused on new ways to make money. People are out of work and frustrated. Perhaps you’re working less and making less money. With so many of us stuck at home throughout the last year, people have come up with new ways to keep the money coming in and cultivating their passion while they’re at it. There are a variety of platforms available to you to sell whatever you’re selling so that you can sell products online. Each has its own benefits and drawbacks, but if you are passionate about your product it will be a lot easier to put in the hard work to start your online store.

What Are You Selling?

Before you get started, you should determine what you are selling, who you are selling to, and how much you are selling it for. Once you have figured out what you are pushing, you will have a better idea where you should sell it. Are you making what you are selling or are you selling a collection that you have? If you are making the item, there are different platforms than if you are selling a collectible or another object.

Decide On the Platform to Sell Products Online

There are a variety of platforms where you can sell what you’re offering. If you are starting your own business, you can look into Shopify. Etsy is a great option if you are selling things you have made like crafts, household items, and other objects that wouldn’t fly on other online platforms.

Woo-commerce is a great platform if you are using WordPress to sell products online. Ebay is a great platform to sell your collectibles and other second-hand items. Finally, selling on Amazon is a great option for a variety of reasons. Not only will you be able to sell pretty much anything, some companies buy Amazon FBA business and take over their inventory for a sum.

Brand Your Store

Even if you are not starting a business, branding your online store is very important. Think about what you are selling and who you want to buy it. Basing your brand on this information will help you market your store later. Then, once you have decided on a name and a branding strategy, you can buy a domain for a website. All of this information should be tied to what you want your potential customers to remember. It’s important to take a cohesive look at how you want your business to be represented.

What Payments Will You Accept?

Deciding on what payments to take is another important process. While it depends on what ecommerce platform you are using to sell products online, working with a payment processor varies. A third party handles the payment transaction when a customer makes a purchase. You can use Square, Stripe, PayPal, or others. These sites employ security measures. If you are using Shopify or another service like it, there will be a payment service tied into it. Of course Amazon provides payment options as well. Is it your goal to have a brick-and-mortar store? When you decide on goals for your shop, you will be able to determine how best to move forward.

How Will You Ship?

Then, once you have determined what you are selling, what platform you are selling it on, how you will brand your store, what payment method you will use, you should determine what you will use for shipping and how much you will charge. Of course it depends on what you are selling and where you’re shipping it, finding the right method to do so can make or break you. While you could go to the post office, there are also options to ship from your home. Amazon makes shipping cheap and easy, but not every other platform can provide that service. It’s important to make shipping affordable for you and your customers.

Create Social Media Accounts

After you have the above details sorted, you should create social media accounts and start posting. Using social media to promote your online store is integral to your success. Most people will encounter the items you are selling online through social media. Use Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, and everything else you can to promote your online store. It doesn’t matter what you are selling, there are plenty of options to promote your small business using social media sites.

Market Your Store to Sell Products Online

It doesn’t matter how ambitious you are, if you want to sell a decent amount of product online you should market your store. Buy ad space and invest in digital marketing. If you pay someone who specializes in SEO, it will make all the difference. Landing on Google is vital to getting the word out. It depends on what you are selling, but if it is a popular item online there will be a lot of online competition. Using SEO digital marketing will help you land on search engine sites and stand out amongst the crowd.

Keep Up with Sales & Grow

Then it will be time to start selling. When you begin selling your product, you should keep up with orders and send them out immediately. When you keep up with sales, you will be able to grow and expand your online store. What are your goals with the online business? How serious do you want to take it? Is it a hobby or a real company you are starting? It doesn’t matter what you’re selling, if you want to take it seriously you can and invest as much as possible to expand.

Starting an online business isn’t easy, but you can get started by doing the initial research and hard work it takes to get going. Whether you are trying to get rich off your business or simply want to sell crafts you make, there are plenty of options to take control of your online store. Work on cultivating your passion by starting to sell online. Once you have determined your goals and what you will sell, you can create accounts with the platforms that are conducive to your store.

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9 Steps to Starting an E-commerce Business https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2021/05/starting-e-commerce-business.html/ Mon, 03 May 2021 13:27:30 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=58477 Starting a business, whether it’s a brick-and-mortar retail shop or an e-commerce store, is never easy, but the online forum has never been more crowded. The vast majority of businesses are starting online these days. If you want to survive in any business, you need to have an online presence. It doesn’t matter what you’re […]

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Starting a business, whether it’s a brick-and-mortar retail shop or an e-commerce store, is never easy, but the online forum has never been more crowded. The vast majority of businesses are starting online these days. If you want to survive in any business, you need to have an online presence. It doesn’t matter what you’re selling, it is crucial to properly market and promote your business digitally.  

Whether you make a product or provide a service, your business should use all of the tools at its disposal to grow and advertise to your target demographic. It doesn’t matter what your goals are, if you can properly market your ecommerce business you will be able to sell products and services to people who want and need what you’re offering. Below are a few steps to start an ecommerce business.

Find Your Market

Before you even get started, you should start by doing the research to find your market and target demographic. It is important to do the necessary research that determines what you should sell and who you should sell it to. When you’re working in the digital space, it’s crucial to figure out how to best sell your product or service.

Where will you source your materials? Who will be interested in what you are doing? Using graphs and spreadsheets to determine your best case scenario will guide you towards growing your business as you get going. Doing your research beforehand will help you lower your overhead and figure out how to increase your bottom line. When you put in the hard work, you will be able to start your ecommerce business off right.

Start Branding

Once you have decided what your business will do and who you will sell to, you can begin branding. With an idea, you can create a name. You should begin by creating the structure of your business. What is your philosophy? What are your goals?

Coming up with a name is a great way to think deeply about how your business will market itself to your customers. Choose a unique name. Check to see if that domain name is available. As you begin creating your digital infrastructure, consistent branding will help you create a cohesive and original platform. Branding is everything, especially when your business exists mainly online. Creating a memorable brand changes the whole game.

Consider the Legal Structure of Your E-Commerce Business

Whatever your business, the legal structure has important implications for your business. Consider your financial and legal operations of your e-commerce business. Decide on a sole proprietorship, general partnership, LLC, or corporation, but pay attention. Go for the structure will help your business thrive. 

Next, you can consult a legal professional for advice to find the best options for your business. A sole proprietorship or general partnership, it won’t be required to register in the state where your business operates. Associating your business under the individual name means that you will be interacting with the government under that name. Branding can also help with your legal engagements.

Employer Identification Number

Then you should apply for an employer identification number (EIN) for your ecommerce business. While every business isn’t required to get one of these numbers, it can help you separate personal and professional finances. If your business is a small online start-up, it is absolutely necessary to allocate funds for the company and separate them from what your salary is. Keeping these finances separate is very helpful.

E-Commerce Permits & Licenses

It depends on what business you’re in, but if you need to obtain a permit or license you should do so immediately. Some common types include professional and trade licenses as well as sales tax, health, safety, environmental, signage, and construction permits. Since your e-commerce business may be based in your home, you won’t need as many permits. There are a lot of moving parts when it comes to an online business, but if you are aware of what aspect of your business will need a permit or license, look into it today.

Start a Website

One of the most important things to do is to create a great website for your ecommerce business. Work with SEO professionals who can help you land your site on Google with keywords, metadata, and blogs to frequently post on your site. A website is often the central switchboard for an online business. Take it seriously by spending the extra time and money to create a great site. Beyond your website, you should make sure to be active on social media.

Choose an E-commerce Platform

Next you will need to choose an e-commerce platform for which you will do business. You’ve probably heard of Shopify and Squarespace. They are user-friendly and accommodating, with specific plans for online businesses. You can use Squarespace to both start the site and as an e-commerce platform. Other platforms like WooCommerce and Magento offer their own benefits and drawbacks. While it depends on who you start your website with, an e-commerce plan platform should work for you and your needs.

Source & Inventory Products

Whatever you’re selling, you should list your product inventory and services. Once you have all of them in the same place, organized and detailed on documents, you will be able to manage your inventory and work towards ecommerce fulfillment. When you have your inventory in line, you will be able to start storing, selling, receiving, packing, and shipping your inventory.

Market your Business

When you have everything else in its right place, you can begin marketing the business. If you’re ready to start increasing sales and growing your company. Marketing is vital in the digital age. Spending the money on advertising and digital marketing will make all the difference. Investing in SEO marketing services will help you stay at the top of search engines and work towards expanding the business.

Getting an ecommerce business started isn’t easy, but there is a clear path towards doing so. If you go through these individual steps and do your due diligence before you start the company, you will be prepared for success.

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3 Simple Steps to Grow Online Sales in 2021 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2021/04/3-simple-steps-to-grow-online-sales-in-2021.html/ Sat, 24 Apr 2021 19:00:39 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=58340 During 2020, when the pandemic triggered lockdowns across the planet, a profusion of global digital companies flourished because the virtual world became the safest place to conduct business. This year, you can continue to ride the wave of digital popularity that your enterprise is enjoying, or you can step it up a notch. Here are […]

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During 2020, when the pandemic triggered lockdowns across the planet, a profusion of global digital companies flourished because the virtual world became the safest place to conduct business. This year, you can continue to ride the wave of digital popularity that your enterprise is enjoying, or you can step it up a notch. Here are 3 suggestions on how to grow online sales this year.

Step #1: Outsource Your Customer Support 

The faster your business grows, the more difficult it becomes to give your customers the personalized support they need to resolve technical problems or after-sales issues, such as delayed or incorrect shipments. 

Alienating your customers by not providing sufficient support is the fastest way to tarnish the value of your brand and destroy your online reputation. But rather than fretting over how you are going to afford the cost of hiring more people, simply outsource your online customer support to a virtual staffing company.  

Your new virtual customer support team will efficiently handle all customer support tickets in any time zone throughout the year, taking care of your customers quickly and courteously over the phone, through live chat, via email, or on social media.  

Step# 2 Streamline Your Productivity 

The better the quality of your hardware and software, the more efficiently your business will run. This is because streamlined business processes built on the backbone of a robust technological system ensure high business productivity.

In the beginning, you’ll probably only need a robust computer system, high-speed Internet access, and all the applications necessary to run your business efficiently. As a small business, you will be able to run an efficient operation without needing to invest in expensive hardware or software.

But, later, as your business grows, the cost of hardware and software, data storage, and security protocols can run high and cut into your profits. At that point, you may want to abandon your legacy computer infrastructure and adopt cloud computing,

Cloud computing offers a plethora of benefits

  • You will reduce all your IT costs, costs related to managing and maintaining your computer infrastructure. 
  • You will be able to scale your business, adapting to seasonal changes in website traffic.
  • You will find it easier to collaborate with freelancers around the world on your projects.  
  • You will ensure business continuity, i.e. protection of all your data should your home office or commercial office be in a place vulnerable to natural disasters, such as hurricanes or flooding. 

Step #3 Optimize Your Marketing 

There are two significant ways you can optimize your marketing: learn from the past and improve the expository and persuasive elements of your website to convince your visitors that you can deliver on your promises.

Here is a breakdown of each of these elements:

Analyze Your Data

If you have a successful business right now, it’s probably because you have a great marketing system in place. Since you have gathered plenty of marketing data over 2020, now would be a good time to analyze last year’s marketing strategies to get an understanding of what worked better than you hoped and what did not work out as well as you expected.

Since you’ve tested out many marketing strategies and tactics in 2020, now, during the early months of 2021, would be a good time to figure out the ones that worked best for your business. 

Here are two aspects of your marketing data to review: 

  • Review your Google Analytics or other analytics tools to get an in-depth understanding of the results you got from your campaign launches. 
  • Review the performance of your different marketing channels, such as email marketing, YouTube videos, blog posts, and PPC advertising. 

Once you’ve reviewed this data, try to fit it into the framework of the Pareto principle. If you remember, Pareto’s principle states that 80% of your results come from only 20% of the things you do. So, after your analysis, double down on the 20% of the marketing activities that brought in the highest profits and drop the 80% of moderate to low-performing activities. 

Improve Website Copy

It’s curious how a simple thing as a change in a few words in your headlines or body copy can make the difference between high and low sales.

While you need good content, of course, to engage your readers and establish yourself as an expert in your niche, you also need specific calls to action throughout your copy. 

For example, how well you word your opt-in offer determines how many people subscribe to your email list; how clearly you describe your brand’s origin story on your about page determines how many people consider you a trustworthy website; and how succinctly you outline the benefits of your products and services on your sales page determines how many people buy from you.    

One of the biggest mistakes small business owners make is to write their own copy when they have not been trained in the art of expository writing or the psychology of persuasion in print. The result is often one boring content page after another.

But, worse still, is one sales page after another inflated with hyperbole. If you try to use hyperbole to persuade, then hypersensitive consumers, wary of online scams, will instantly distrust your brand, considering your business dishonest. Instead of impressing them with your long list of business accomplishments and incredulous promises, you’ll frighten them away.  

Hire content writers to create entertaining and informative content that engages people. Also, hire copywriters to create persuasive content to drive sales. When you can convince website visitors that you can deliver on your promises, then you’ll have the Midas touch.

Make 2021 Your Favorite Business Year

As the government spends trillions to jumpstart the U.S. economy, now would be a great year to grow your online sales to do your part in rebuilding the economy. It’s your time to flourish.

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Benefits of SEO For Growing Businesses https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2021/04/seo-for-growing-businesses.html/ Thu, 01 Apr 2021 20:52:09 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=58233 Marketing is an important aspect of every business because it determines how successful it is going to be. There are different forms of marketing, and it is important for businesses to choose the right one. There is no need to invest a lot of time and effort in something that is not going to give […]

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Marketing is an important aspect of every business because it determines how successful it is going to be. There are different forms of marketing, and it is important for businesses to choose the right one. There is no need to invest a lot of time and effort in something that is not going to give you good results. Marketing online with SEO has become a must because more and more people are accessing the internet. This gives businesses the chance of reaching prospective customers more easily without having to spend a lot.

There are different marketing options online, but one that has become a must for growing businesses is SEO. Search Engine Optimization is one of the most effective forms of marketing because you’re targeting people already interested in your offering. Your work is to show them that you are the right option.

Ranking at the top of the search engine results page is going to make you more trustworthy and credible. While the results of SEO are not overnight, you will start to see some results after a couple of weeks. With the right SEO agency by your side, you are going to get great results from your SEO campaign. What are the benefits of SEO for growing businesses?

The primary source of website traffic

Organic search is important to a website’s performance. It is a great tool for completing a conversion or engagement. Many people will go to search engines any time they are looking for something. Ranking at the top makes things easier because they can easily find your business. Being trusted by Google and other search engines is a good thing for your brand. A high-quality website and quality SEO is going to help you get there. If you do it right, you will see an improvement with time. It is a good idea to hire an experienced SEO agency because it plays a big part in the results you get.

SEO Builds Trust and Credibility

As per SEO experts, SEO will involve establishing a strong foundation with a good website with a clean, effective user experience. This is important because it makes the site easily discoverable. There are many elements that are used when establishing authority on Google. Search engines have tools that help them know the quality of the site. Some of the elements include positive user behaviour, quality backlink profiles, optimize on-page elements and content.

It is a good idea to establish authority because it is going to do a lot for your site. One thing you need to keep in mind is that it is almost impossible to do it overnight; you have to earn and build it over time. It will take effort, patience, and commitment before you establish your brand as an authority, especially for a growing business. Your focus should be on providing valuable, quality products or services that are going to make customers trust your brand.

Better User Experience

Every business wants maximum visibility and to be at the top of the search engine results pages. One thing they don’t realize is user experience is an important aspect of getting there. Google has its own tools to determine the user experience. This has made it an important part of all SEO campaigns.

Google wants to provide their users with the best possible results. A positive user experience is going to benefit your marketing campaign a lot.

Impact the buying cycle

Customers will always do a little research before they buy something. The internet has made this process easy for buyers. You can take advantage of this by using SEO to relay your messaging for groundbreaking products, good deals, and dependability. When done right, you can impact the buying cycle.

You don’t need to pay for ads

Rankings on the search engine results page is determined by an algorithm. The goal of search engine companies is to provide users with the best results. There are some factors search engine companies use when ranking the pages. If you manage to rank at the top, you are going to get traffic months or even years after publishing.

You need to invest in creating quality content. This can be through time if you are the one creating content or money if you are hiring a digital marketing agency to do it for you. Once you make this initial investment, you don’t have to spend anything else for the content to attract traffic.

Depending on the nature of the topic, you might need to update the page every couple of months. You also need to improve and add to it if your competition is targeting the same keywords. The bottom line is you don’t have to pay anything for the valuable spot in the search results.

SEO Yields a High return on investment

SEO has one of the highest returns on investment because you are targeting people already interested in your products. You don’t have to convince them that they need the product or service, all you do is let them know why you are the right business to get it from. SEO has tracking tools that will help you know whether something is working or not. You have the chance of focusing more on what works and less on what doesn’t. This saves you a lot of money.

Search engine optimization is a good marketing tool that a growing business can use because they don’t have to invest a lot to get started. You can start by investing a small amount then increase it when you start to see results. It is a good idea to hire an SEO agency because they know how to do it right. Learning as you go can be expensive, and you can easily end up achieving the opposite. Take your time to hire an SEO agency that is going to deliver great results without using black-hat techniques.

SEO is a must if you want to grow your business today. Try it out, your competitors are already benefitting from it.

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4 Key Elements of a Cross-Selling and Upselling Strategy for B2B https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2021/03/cross-selling-and-upselling-strategy.html/ Wed, 03 Mar 2021 13:00:09 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=58104 B2B marketing is not what it used to be. It requires such a cutting edge understanding of your customer base that you’ll probably have more success if you hire one of the many cutting-edge B2B market research companies out there. Furthermore, it has undergone a sea-change in the past 5 years in terms of thinking […]

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B2B marketing is not what it used to be. It requires such a cutting edge understanding of your customer base that you’ll probably have more success if you hire one of the many cutting-edge B2B market research companies out there. Furthermore, it has undergone a sea-change in the past 5 years in terms of thinking about cross-selling and upselling. Today’s B2B buyers resort to online search and other marketing channels to make a purchase.

In fact, studies suggest that they conduct at least 12 online searches before making a purchase. They move in and out of the sales funnel before making the final purchase. Cross-sell and upsell are two methods that help B2B marketers sell more than what they intend to.

What is cross-selling?

Cross-selling is a selling technique where customers buy a product that is related to an already bought or soon-to-be bought product. Example: Selling earphones along with a smartphone or a keyboard or mouse with a laptop.

What is upselling?

Upselling is a selling technique where the seller tries to sell an upgraded or premium version of a product that the customer is considering purchasing. Example: Selling a higher version of a smartphone that has more RAM, storage specs, or camera capabilities. 

How do cross-selling and upselling differ from each other?

Cross-selling and upselling differ from each other in several aspects. The very purpose for which it is done, the objective, the elements involved in the transaction, the end result, and so on. 

Here is a snapshot that explains the key differences between cross-selling and upselling. 

Factor Cross-selling Upselling
Meaning Selling a complementary product Selling a higher version or an upgraded version of the product
Objective Tries to increase the sale transaction value Tries to generate more revenue from the customer on a transactional basis or a recurring basis
Elements involved An additional product other than the original product A higher version of the product replaces the original product considered for purchase
End result Increases the average bill value Increases transaction value and possibly increases recurring revenue from the customer

Importance Of Cross-selling And Upselling In A B2B Scenario

B2B selling is not easy. The sheer involvement of too many decision-makers elongates the purchase. This makes it super important for businesses to focus on existing customers and to squeeze maximum revenue from them. In fact, studies show that the probability of selling something extra to a customer is 60% to 70% higher than selling one item to a new customer, the probability of which is 5% to 20%. 

So, what makes cross-selling and upselling possible?

There are a few elements in every B2B transaction that makes them possible. They are discussed in detail below.

1. Knowledge of customer journey

Cross-selling and upselling cannot be carried out at random junctures of the customer journey. It must be properly planned for. This calls for a thorough understanding of the customer journey. 

When do they move past the awareness stage onto the interest and decision stage? Also, when in the decision stage, what kind of questions race through their minds? When would it be appropriate to suggest a cross-sell offer or an upsell offer?

Suggesting an upsell offer when a cross-sell offer is appropriate might actually backfire and cause the customer to churn. Such situations can be avoided only if the customer journey is understood in detail. 

2. Real-time support

eMarketer found that more than 80% of millennials have made an impulse purchase. Most millennials do not plan for too long to make a purchase. What makes them impulsive shoppers is also the fact that online stores have made it extremely convenient to make a purchase without taking too long. 

However, the case is different with B2B companies. In B2B eCommerce, the decision is taken after due consideration by many stakeholders. They also look at every possible information before arriving at a conclusion.

Hence, the need to offer real-time support. In a website that provides B2B-targeted products and services, it is best done with the help of live chat software. Why? In addition to providing real-time support, it can also give deep insights into what customers are looking for. This can further fine-tune the business offerings to customers, just like how HLC improved its digital customer support with its live chat software. 

3. Deep Product Knowledge of Support and Sales Team

End of the day, it is the customer-facing personnel who can put cross-sell or upselling into place. Also, they need to have deep product knowledge so that they can help the customer with the right product or service, be it a cross-sell or an upsell based on their needs.

The purpose of cross-selling or upsell is not to make an additional sale, but also to provide the customer with the right product that solves their problem or a combination of products that will deliver a better customer experience collectively.

4. Personalized Content Strategy For Every Stage Of The User Journey

Like mentioned earlier, B2B selling is a convoluted process. It also requires that the buyers be best informed about the product, its pros and cons, and also what makes it unique compared to competitors. 

In the past, traditional marketing communication like brochures helped with this. Today, product literature and also marketing content is best created and published digitally. A proper content strategy ensures that customers are empowered and educated to make a well-informed decision. Also, the content strategy cannot be a cookie-cutter one. 

Instead, it must appeal to customers who are traversing through various stages of the user journey. There must be a proper blend of awareness content, problem-solving content, and also decision-making content. 

Bringing it all together

Cross-selling and upselling are not new-age marketing strategies. They have been around since the beginning of B2B marketing. Today, they are carried out in a different mode. Website, social, email, and chat help B2B marketers sell more products to an already existing customer. 

In fact, selling to an existing customer is easier than selling to a new customer. The probability of the customer purchasing is also higher than a new customer making a purchase. The key is in knowing the various elements of the content strategy and in using them to your advantage. 

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4 Ways for B2B Sales Teams to Get More Bottom-Funnel Conversions https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2021/03/increase-b2b-funnel-conversions.html/ Mon, 01 Mar 2021 13:02:12 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=57922 There are no unimportant leads. You need to stay attentive to your leads regardless of what stage of the sales funnel they are currently in. But it’s difficult to argue with the fact that the bottom-funnel conversions are the key to your bottom line.  Indeed, unless you manage to nudge your leads towards making the […]

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There are no unimportant leads. You need to stay attentive to your leads regardless of what stage of the sales funnel they are currently in. But it’s difficult to argue with the fact that the bottom-funnel conversions are the key to your bottom line. 

Indeed, unless you manage to nudge your leads towards making the final purchasing decision, it doesn’t matter how well you’ve been converting them before. 

Why is it so Hard to Get Bottom-Funnel Conversions?

The ones who’ve already signed up for your product — hand-raisers, your trial-period users, your last-stage leads — all of them comprise the bottom of your sales funnel, BOFU. These conversions should be a piece of cake. They’ve already travelled from the top of the sales funnel, which means they’ve shortlisted you. It shouldn’t be difficult to make the last final step towards a commitment, should it? Unfortunately, it’s the commitment that is the problem. 

Customers are always afraid of making a wrong choice, specially when they’re B2B customers with more than just their money at stake. They’ll keep looking for the best option available for them, fearing to settle for anything less than that. That’s why they’re such a challenge to deal with. Sales reps need to convince their BOFU leads that the search is over and the solution in front of them is the right one.

The Best Practices to Increase Your Bottom-Funnel Conversions

1. Don’t Dive Straight Into the Selling Process 

We get it. You’ve already been waiting for long enough for your leads to reach the bottom of the funnel, and you want them to make a purchase as soon as possible. But put yourself into their shoes. They’re on the verge of making an extremely responsible decision that will have an immense impact on their business. Hesitation is natural. They need to be 100% sure that the product they’re about to invest in is worthy before they wire the money. 

Fear of commitment is exactly the reason why it’s so challenging to get the BOFU leads to convert. As a B2B sales rep, it’s your job to do your homework and conduct thorough research on the leads at the funnel’s bottom. You need to know exactly who you’re trying to convert to succeed at doing it. The secret to selling isn’t so secret after all. You just need to be able to address your customer’s pain points and challenges. Find insights and context on needs and challenges they face at the moment to personalize your nurturing emails and demo call at max.

Certain pre-sales activities can drastically increase your chances of winning the deal. After a lead pops into your CRM system, qualify and inspect them to find out the things that can help you build your further communication around the potential buyer. Even before the first interaction with your BOFU lead, you need to learn as much about them as you can. Find out everything about their business workflows, current tech stack, team composition and other relevant details. 

Based on your findings, you can map out your customer success strategy and better prepare for the demo call. Knowing their current situation, problems they are dealing with and which other options they’re considering, helps you show them how your product can fit right into their processes and help to accelerate their growth. 

2. Start Small, Be Specific and Don’t Overwhelm Your Leads

Once you’re done with your research, you should know exactly what your BOFU leads are after. Make sure you put that knowledge to good use. Instead of trying to sell your product A to Z, focus on the features that fit your leads’ needs the most. 

Of course, it can be extremely tempting to present your product in all its glory straightaway. You want to brag about it to your potential customer because it will surely convince them to make an instant purchase. The problem is – it probably won’t. 

The difference between you and your lead is that you’ve spent ages working on your product. Thus, it’s easy for you to navigate through the endless list of its marvelous features. On the other hand, your lead is only now getting to know your product. Too much information can be overwhelming. When you talk too much, nothing stands out. Which is why you should only briefly mention your product’s main features, and focus on describing the functionality that is particularly relevant to the lead. 

Talk about how they can benefit from adopting your solution, explain its advantages, and save the rest for later.

3. Understand Your Prospect’s Real Concerns

I don’t know if we can afford your solution at the moment, sorry.

No matter how affordable your product is, you must have heard this phrase from your bottom of the funnel leads at least once. The product’s price is never an issue. The real issue is it not matching the product’s value. 

When your leads are 100% confident that your product will solve their problems and help their business prosper, they won’t care how much they have to pay for that. However, if they’re not, they’ll keep looking for excuses to postpone the purchase.

It’s essential to identify your potential customers’ real concerns regarding the offer and work through them, if you want to prompt bottom-funnel conversions. Instead of ignoring the concerns your leads voice, try to uncover the underlying problem and the reasons behind it. This way, you could negotiate more effectively.

Let’s go back to the initial example. Whenever a lead says they aren’t ready to make a purchase because the price is ‘too high’, they just don’t see the value in your product. Therefore, you need to find out what would help them to justify paying more and show them you can deliver on that. 

To convey your value proposition, you can try out the following tactics:

  • Showing side-to-side comparisons of how using your product brings positive results (before and afters);
  • Discussing implementation plans;
  • Providing social proof from clients with similar use-cases. 

4. Make Sales Enablement Your Kingpin

If you want those bottom of the funnel leads to finally make a purchase, it’s absolutely essential for you to marry your marketing and sales departments. Creating proper sales enablements to support your selling points that will appeal to the potential buyers’ pain points and challenges will help you close the deal. 

There are lots of different types of content that you can create and promote to your potential customers. Just make sure that you personalize it well and target the right segments of BOFU leads. For instance, you could produce a unique and helpful blog post, presentation, or a YouTube video. Include some elements of pre-boarding to reflect on the issues your lead is dealing with at the moment. Alternatively, you could create an in-depth comparison of your product and your competitors’ products to highlight the value you offer to your customers. 

Finally, you could create and disseminate a case-study with a current client. The one that runs a business in the same industry, faced the same challenges and had the same pain points. In order to do that, though, you need to make sure that you use a CRM tool to track your interactions with different customers and effectively segment them into relevant categories. 

Just remember! When it comes to sales enablement materials, consistency of communication throughout the whole customer journey is your best friend. You need to eliminate the human factor out of the equation and make sure you don’t miss a single follow-up! The best way to do this is to automate the sales process by setting up a drip campaign. 

BOFU is only challenging when you don’t know how to approach it. Increasing the bottom-funnel conversions is easy when you have a clear plan of action:

  • Learn everything there is to know about your lead’s pain points
  • Identify and address their concerns
  • Create added value to justify the price
  • Strengthen your value proposition with social proof
  • Convert through using sales enablements.

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Here’s How To Build a Brand Community https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2021/02/how-to-build-a-brand-community.html/ Mon, 08 Feb 2021 11:00:18 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=57799 A brand community is a group of like-minded customers who invest in a brand beyond what is being sold ordinarily. These people have a strong emotional connection with the brand, which helps attract and retain more brand loyal customers. Brand loyal customers are the real asset of a company. Businesses across the globe are investing […]

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A brand community is a group of like-minded customers who invest in a brand beyond what is being sold ordinarily. These people have a strong emotional connection with the brand, which helps attract and retain more brand loyal customers.

Brand loyal customers are the real asset of a company. Businesses across the globe are investing good capital in building a brand loyal customer base. In fact, the brand community is a great way to attract, nurture, and increase brand loyal customers for a business.

Use these brand community groups made up of your most influential customers to boost your overall marketing strategy. The community will help you to retain your best customers and attract new ones via word-of-mouth and other essential data. And, that’s why more and more businesses are identifying the most interesting ways to build brand communities and attract consumers.

How do you build a brand community?

If you are struggling around the concept of brand loyalty and how to build one, we’ve got you covered. Building a brand community should be a systematic, strategic approach for successful outcomes.

This article focuses on the top five ways to build a brand community and why it is essential. 

#1. Target special interest of customers

When you are building a brand community, it is essential to foster the particular interest of customers. For instance, identify your business’s most popular product and allow members to access the product with certain points. Many loyalty management platforms offer reward points to access special products and meet people with similar interests. 

When you cater to the customers on the products of their interest, they feel more valued and are willing to engage with others. Hence, identify the special interest of the customer and group them together and encourage them to interact and build a positive brand image. 

#2. Create and foster online spaces

In today’s digital time, there are multiple platforms available to connect with brand loyal customers and build a community of the customers. For example, you can use social media channels to build a group of customers who make frequent purchases with your business. 

The digital space allows many opportunities for the group members to meet, communicate, and share thoughts about the brand. As the brand loyal customers engage with each other and with your business, they will provide helpful information about enhancing and improving your business.

#3. Promote content

This is one of the great ways to build a brand community and keep the customers engaged with your business. When you give valuable and informative information to the customers, they find another reason to stay connected.

You can publish the content through a blog or email and let the customers communicate with each other. For this, you can invite customers to contribute their thoughts via informative content.

#4. Cultivate a value-driven presence on social platforms.

Social media platforms help you engage with brand-loyal customers. Here you can easily group them and create a group of members to foster brand community. Also, you can share content and encourage the customers to interact with the posts.

In simple terms, social media increases the possibility to expand an online business presence while building a community around your company.

#5. Offer a Chat Group for specific members.

A members-only chat group allows members an opportunity to discuss new products, give reviews, and share industry secrets. Here, you can also label each customer’s membership and engagement level within their profile. A loyalty management platform like LoyaltyXpert is the best way to profile customers. It will help you to track and monitor real-time user preferences, trends, and behaviors.

If you introduce a loyalty program, it will also help in getting brand loyal customers. And, you can encourage them to participate in community groups and strengthen the brand community. Building brand community is essential for businesses that want to retain more brand loyal customers.

Why is building a brand community important?

A brand community is essential to gather the brand advocates and strengthen the loyal customer base. The members of the group communicate with each other by sharing the reviews and experiences of a product or service to create a positive brand image. The communication in the community group helps in attracting new customers as well. More precisely, here are some important reasons that insist upon building brand community;

  • Brand community boosts loyalty programs where the members earn and burn rewards.
  • Members of your exclusive community will motivate others to engage with your business offerings.
  • Exclusive brand communities ease influencers and build relationships with each other.
  • Selective brand communities help you accumulate vital data.
  • Membership programs like customer loyalty can deepen customer relationships.
  • Increase the efficiency of your other marketing initiatives.

All in all, building a brand community is imperative for businesses that want to sustain market competition by acquiring a large base of brand-loyal customers. Undoubtedly, brand communities will be helpful if they have built the right ways. Depend on the industry you serve and the requirements of your business, and you should select the ways smartly. However, selecting the above mentioned ways are all-time preferred. You can also link a loyalty program with one or more ways of building community and encourage your potential customers to enjoy value added perks along with the purchase.

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7 Ways to Boost Your Affiliate Marketing Strategy https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2021/02/7-ways-to-boost-your-affiliate-marketing-strategy.html/ Mon, 01 Feb 2021 15:22:49 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=57772 Affiliate marketing has been around for a long time, and it’s still one of the best ways for publishers and bloggers to leverage income.

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Affiliate marketing has been around for a long time, and it’s still one of the best ways for publishers and bloggers to leverage income. Below are seven lucrative strategies for those who want to get into affiliate marketing.

1. Build and grow your community

Your website is a source of income and a perfect platform for creating a community. Building your users’ database is one of the most used affiliate marketing tools. Use your website traffic to grow your loyal society on other channels constantly:

–   Social media accounts. Redirect the audience from your website to your Facebook, Instagram and Twitter by placing a “Follow us” widget or social media icons on the main page. It will help you increase your presence on social media and build a stronger relationship with your audience.

–   Newsletter. Email marketing is free advertising. Create a captivating signup form on your website and place it in a visible position. You can acquire contacts directly through lead generation (a form on your landing page, Facebook group, and so on). Offer incentives like a free product or trial in exchange for a subscription (guide, checklists, gift cards, etc.) to raise attention and stimulate people to leave their contacts. 

–   Blog. Fill your blog with valuable content to generate readers’ interest. Post the links to your blog articles on your website and social media channels. Use eye-catching headlines for your posts. We live in the click-bait era, so it’s important to attract users’ attention in this initial stage. 

Soon you will be able to monetize each platform individually. If you are not using your website to grow followers on other marketing platforms yet, start now.

2. Use affiliate links

A basic tool in partner marketing, beginners often miss affiliate links on their websites. Affiliate links connect websites and help generate income.

When choosing over a wide variety of affiliate marketing tools such as widgets and search forms, always use links. More familiar to website visitors, the link is perceived as a recommendation or call-to-action (CTA)

In contrast, widgets require more time for users to understand all the details, while banners could be considered ads. Internet users often ignore web page zones likely to contain display ads (sometimes called “banner blindness”).

The link should be inspiring. That’s why it’s important to add a motivational call-to-action anchor to it. For example, you can use CTAs such as “learn more about car rentals,” “generate higher income with these tips,” etc.

3. Keep your audience

 Use retargeting campaigns to reach users who have interacted with your website in the past. It turns out that 97% of people who visit your site for the first time leave without buying anything. However, you can bring them back and raise your total income. 

Check out Google Ads, Facebook retargeting, and LinkedIn Ads for building retargeting campaigns. Although this form of online targeting advertising requires skills, you will be able to remind your website visitors of your products and services after they leave without buying once you have learned it. 

4. Even if you found the best, always try new

 Having tried a great number of affiliate networks, you probably chose a few that work the best. However, that does not necessarily mean you should stop. The key is to always keep it under the radar. Keep trying new affiliate platforms and tools, even though you are satisfied with current partners and total income. 

During the pandemic, travel advertisers are changing or even closing their affiliate programs. Now is a good time to review your offers and check out alternative programs on the market or more lucrative niches that you can join. 

The constant search for the best practices will keep you on board, help to know what is trending and always earn on affiliate marketing. Choosing the right affiliate program will allow you to hit the nail on the head in affiliate business from the start. 

Therefore, diversify your income sources, find advertisers with higher commissions on products you already promote and explore other niches. For example, you can apply your knowledge to parts of the travel, software, or finance industries that seem lucrative.

5. Mix the topics and niches

You can always find other related niches and earn from them. Let’s say your website is focused only on travel, but your audience might need more services. For instance, travelers from Europe to the U.S. will need an adapter for charging their devices as the outlet is different. Think ahead and offer your audience such products.

During the pandemic, many affiliates rushed to other niches that offered more views and better conversion. Online entertainment, food delivery, finances, e-commerce and healthcare are among them. While the whole economy seems to be in depression, some niches have experienced an uptick and, in all likelihood, will continue on this path, including:

  • Finance and Remote Work
  • Health, Fitness, and Well Being
  • Household Staples and Meals
  • Entertainment
  • Communication Software.

Switching to a new niche or combining different ones, you can use the same platform you used to run your affiliate campaigns but broadening the scope of topics and promoting offers in a different niche. For example, you don’t have to become a food blogger to start promoting grocery and meal delivery affiliate programs in the current situation. You can simply tell your audience about your social distancing experience and share how you have coped with the problems everyone is facing. For example, food delivery service reviews may be quite valuable to your audience.

The same is true about other niches. Thus, to promote finance-related offers, you don’t necessarily need to create a content-related website and limit yourself to this niche. This is because financial well-being is one of the most topical issues and almost everyone seems interested in it, especially now.

Remember that part of your audience needs extra services and goods besides your main offers. It could be an extra source of income for you.

6. Grow your brand

You will be able to increase your income faster if you build a brand. You can use PR and get your company or yourself featured in well known publications and develop a content plan for your social media platforms. This will reduce the cost of attracting visitors. If you can keep the audience on your website rather than switch them to other platforms – go for it. Use White Label solutions or work through API. In this scenario, a user will buy a service on your platform and more likely to be back in the future. 

However, keeping users on your website is not always beneficial. In some cases sending users to advertisers’ websites could bring more sales. For example, when the purchase is expensive or your affiliate partner has a well-known and more trusted brand.

7. Think about your income in advance

When deciding which content to post on your website, choose the one you can monetize. It is clear that everything isn’t about income. However, monetization will lead you to more results than increasing traffic. You might have hundreds of visitors coming to your website every day, but traffic won’t convert into sales without the right placement of tools and links. To earn money, you need to give preference to the content you can implement to affiliate links and cause the intent to buy something. Writing itself won’t bring income unless you monetize the website with affiliate marketing or by selling your product. 

Think in advance about what you can sell through your content. Pick a product or service you want to recommend and include an affiliate link to it on your website. A commission will be paid upon a successful deal: namely, your visitor purchases the promoted product/service via your link. For example, such stories as “How to book a bus ticket in New York City” will be harder to monetize through affiliate transfer programs than “How to get to downtown from the airport.” 

Any website can make you a profit if you know how to monetize it. But don’t focus just on a high income; instead, focus on the quality of your website and use monetization methods smartly. Traffic, type of promoted product/service, and placement of the affiliate link increase monetization. 

Summary

There are many ways to boost your affiliate marketing strategy, and to increase your exposure as best you can try to combine various methods.

Always experiment, look for different options and pick the ones that work better for your audience. Try to involve versatile channels, such as social media, email marketing, webinars and others, to gain and engage with your audience. 

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8 Reasons Why Email Marketing Is Better Than Social Media https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2021/01/8-reasons-why-email-marketing-is-better-than-social-media.html/ Mon, 25 Jan 2021 11:00:00 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=57714 The effecvtiveness of email marketing is often ignored by marketers. However, email marketing can produce instant results for your business.

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Email users across the globe are expected to grow over 4.48 billion by 2024. This statistic indicates that email marketing will be a powerful tool to reach a wider range of audiences.

Currently, this marketing method is shaded by social media dominance. The capability of this type of marketing campaign is often ignored by marketers. Of course, social media can boost your marketing strategies and give the results you wanted. However, marketing via email can produce instant results for your business in comparison to the social networks.

Want to know how? Check out these eight reasons why marketing through email is better than social media:

1. Personalization for improved outcomes

Email messages can be personalized more than a social media post. They allow you to easily segment audiences and send them personalized messages with more specific outcomes with CTAs.

2. Segments messages to boost conversions

You can easily slice and dice your mailing list per your strategic actions based on their prior actions. Details about the emails open and links they click let you use that behavior in segmenting the audience further. This should lead to better conversion rates.

On the other hand, social media will only give you some control in demographic targeting. It’s also troublesome to track at the individual level. Even though some social media channels allow demographic segmentation, none will work like email marketing.

3. Email builds relationships and credibility

People wish to do business with those they know, admire and trust. Email offers a direct connection to the customer, making it more personal rather than social media marketing. Customers can also quickly connect with you in case of questions or concerns via email.

Also, the personal appreciation messages you send will strengthen customer relationships and open the doorways for more future business.

4. Customers favor email for promotional messages

You can send promotional offers via email based on customers’ shopping patterns with this type of marketing. Rather than just sending a generalized promotional offer, you can embrace that opportunity to send special offers for the products and services customers are interested in. Besides, you can run a permission-based promotional campaign to improve sales and keep the customers attracted to your business.

5. Email reaches more mobile consumers

Undoubtedly, the number of smartphone users increases daily. Many of them check and respond to email on their phone. Unlike building an app or SMS marketing, email marketing does not require small businesses to invest a significant amount in new technology or various software.

6. Email is more cost-efficient

Email is an inexpensive way to reach people interested in hearing from you and regularly communicate with them. Plus, whether you want to run a marketing campaign or send promotional offers, it’s relatively cheaper than advertising on social media platforms. If you can get better results at an affordable price with email, why would you spend more?

7. Seamless integration with other marketing tactics

Another top advantage of marketing through email for small businesses is that it blends well with other marketing tools. Companies can craft emails to reach a variety of goals and promote a number of other campaigns.

For instance, you can combine email marketing with a CRM system. If you are running a precise campaign and want to measure analytics, marketing through email works. On the contrary, you have to be dependent on the network you choose for social media and the facility they provide.

8. Own your email list

With your own email list, you have a direct route to potential customers and interact with them. Also, everything you communicate with them is under your control, unlike other platforms. More specifically, you need to make communications with the target audience as per the social media network’s rules, regulations, and features they provide.

Reasons to make email part of your marketing strategy include:

  • Email efficiently drives more traffic to your company website

  • Email helps in generating higher ROI

  • It can be an effective tool to generate brand awareness

  • Emails improve customers’ engagement easily and quickly

  • Marketing via email is useful for testing the various strategies

If you make email part of your marketing strategy, you will have a lot more benefits than choosing social media. The most common advantages of marketing through email include owning an email list, most personalized and one-to-one communication, inexpensive, audience segmentation, and much more.

Whether to choose marketing through social media or email, it should be your decision. Nonetheless, when you want to increase brand awareness, boost sales, or retain brand-loyal customers, the power of marketing through email should not be overlooked.

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Ecommerce 2021: COVID, Mobile and New Tech https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2021/01/ecommerce-2021-covid-mobile-and-new-tech.html/ Mon, 18 Jan 2021 10:00:25 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=57651 For small business owners, the increasing digital and ecommerce demand can be overwhelming, but it’s also a massive opportunity for growth.

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62% of American consumers are shopping online more now than they did before the pandemic. For small businesses, that means ecommerce has never presented such a rich opportunity for sales. 

But how can small business owners prepare for this influx of online shoppers? And how have both mobile and new tech become increasingly popular ecommerce tools in recent months?  

Preparing for the Rise of Ecommerce

Shoppers around the world drove a 75% growth in ecommerce in Q2 2020 over Q2 2019, and also outperformed the 2019 holiday shopping season – which was already considered a peak sales season compared with recent years. That growth is expected to continue in 2021. It’s predicted that over 2.14 billion people worldwide will buy goods and services online this year. 

In short, businesses should expect larger numbers of website visitors looking to purchase online in 2021, especially because we’re still living with the coronavirus pandemic that has accelerated ecommerce growth

Prepare for an Influx of Visitors

Preparing your website for an influx of visitors is important. If your site is unable to cope with increased traffic, then it will load more slowly for your customers. This will heavily affect conversions. In fact, even just a one second delay in site speed will reduce conversions by 7%.

There are easy tweaks you can make to reduce your site’s load time for visitors. One quick and effective fix is to compress images. This means striking a balance between the smallest file size and the highest quality for each image. This might sound technical or complicated, but a quick Google search will turn up a number of free image compressing tools to do it for you.

If you’re running a larger online store, or your website is seriously exceeding your traffic expectations, then you might need to think a little bigger. Consider upgrading your web hosting plan to one that offers more bandwidth. Bandwidth is the amount of data – such as media and content – you can transfer from your web server to your users. It’s usually capped at a monthly limit. The more visitors your site has, the more data you’ll need to be able to transfer. 

Optimize for Mobile Viewing

You’ll also want to double-check that your site’s design is responsive on mobile devices, which plays a huge part in the customer journey. While it’s true that more sales are made on desktops, more traffic actually comes from mobile devices. The pandemic has also increased the popularity of mobile browsing. Essentially, 45% of consumers say they’ve been using their phone more as a shopping channel since the COVID-19 outbreak. 

Ecommerce in 2021: The Rise of Mobile 

These days, it’s very easy to create a website that looks good and works well on both desktops and smartphones. In fact, if you’re using a website builder, chances are it’s already been taken care of for you.

Even before the coronavirus pandemic, mobile purchases were predicted to make up 72.9% of total global ecommerce spend by 2021. This would be worth $3.56 trillion. In Q1 of 2020 alone, ecommerce traffic on mobile devices grew by 25% across all industries. Seventy-one percent of traffic came from mobile phones, as did 56% of order share. 

As I mentioned earlier, desktop devices lead in sales. But the high numbers of mobile traffic we’re seeing this year is so important. It means that mobile devices are starting more customer journeys than ever. 

In fact, mobile devices play an important role in every stage of the customer journey including during it. Additionally, 58% of multi-device purchases utilise mobile as a transitional touchpoint. Mobile traffic also consistently remains higher than desktop traffic at both the start and end of the customer journey. 

The two biggest ecommerce markets in the world – China and the U.S. – conduct 59% and 39% of their ecommerce shopping on mobile devices, respectively. 

Ecommerce in 2021: The Rise of New Tech 

New technology trends like voice shopping and chatbots are also shaping the customer experience into something new this year. These innovations are making browsing more convenient for customers, and they’re important new channels for merchants to watch. 

Voice shopping

Voice control devices, like Amazon Alexa and Google Home, are rapidly changing the way many people shop. One in five smart speaker owners are already using voice commerce – and that’s a lot of people, considering that roughly a quarter of US adults have a smart speaker in their home. 

It looks like the pandemic has accelerated the popularity of voice assistants, with 52% of users saying they use the technology “several times a day or nearly every day.” That’s up from 46% before COVID-19 hit.

Chatbots

Google search volume for “chatbots” has increased 19 times in the last five years. Consequently, more than half of customers say that they’re more likely to shop with a business that they can connect with over chat. But this new technology isn’t just convenient for customers. By using chatbots, merchants can save up to 30% on customer service spending.

And while customer service is the area most likely to benefit from chatbots (95%), other areas will benefit too. This includes sales and marketing (55%) and order processing (48%). 

Final Thoughts

Retail is moving more and more online all the time. For small business owners, the increasing digital and ecommerce demand can be overwhelming, but it’s also a massive opportunity for growth. Set up a website that can handle online shoppers. Then, keep an eye on rising trends in mobile and new tech. Lastly, reap the rewards.

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6 Areas Besides Sales and Marketing Where Automation Wins https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2020/12/6-areas-besides-sales-and-marketing-where-automation-wins.html/ Thu, 10 Dec 2020 13:00:24 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=57528 Automatic sales and marketing campaigns free up a lot of time and resources for content creation and other internal departments.

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Automation is the future. Companies that implement it are more profitable, efficient, and stable. This makes automation a no-brainer for any company looking to get ahead, or to bolster its organization after being shaken up by COVID-19.

Until now, most companies have only relied on automation for sales and marketing. Automatic sales and marketing campaigns free up a lot of time and resources for content creation and other internal departments.

With that said, automation can do so much for your business. Just take a look at this list:

Integrations

In the digital age, your business likely uses a number of programs and online tools, not to mention the list of automation that you might be implementing soon after reading this. Wouldn’t it be great if all of those tools were built into one? While there’s no one-tool-fits-all, you can use automation to put your programs in better sync together.

Companies can use an iPaaS, or Integration Platform as a Service, to build integrations between their programs. For example, you can set up your team’s communication software to automatically upload shared files and images to your email. 

Simple steps like these save a lot of time in the long run, and can be completely customized to fit your company’s needs. Start with a few integrations and then build up as you get the hang of the process. The more tasks that can be automated, the more focus that can be diverted to larger and more complicated projects.

Payments

Humans have to keep track of a lot of bills, payments, and card information. Miss a payment because of the complicated mess of finances, and an unfortunate penalty will ensue. Automation not only makes it easier for businesses to receive payments, but for customers to keep their finances in check.

Automated payment software takes recurring payments as they are due. This is helpful for companies that work off of subscriptions, or those that provide monthly services, such as utilities for house cleaning. As long as there are sufficient funds in the account for withdrawal, the process is as simple as can be for both parties. 

More complicated payments can be automated as well. A company that uses contracts to bind sales can use digital signatures to automatically gather commitments from customers online. Set up an entire sales system this way, and deals can be signed, sealed, and delivered in no time. 

Hiring and Recruiting

The recruiting process is long and expensive. Choosing a candidate from a pool of hundreds is a daunting undertaking. Luckily for HR managers and recruiters, automation can improve this process as well.

Algorithms can scan resumes, picking out keywords, alma maters, and work history in seconds. This organizes candidates quickly and effectively, allowing recruiters to narrow down their selections as soon as resumes are submitted.

The one drawback to automatic resume scanning is that some programs rely too heavily on keywords. You could overlook an incredible candidate who simply doesn’t have the experience of your other applicants — but does have the soft skills needed to develop quickly and remain loyal to the organization. With this automation, be sure to give outputs a second glance.

Analytics

If your business isn’t incorporating data into its strategy, you’re already a step behind the competition. Data is gold in today’s business landscape, providing insights that can transform your organization into an efficiency powerhouse.

The amount of data your business produces each day is astounding. In fact, it’s practically impossible to scour through it by hand and pick out anything you can use. To take advantage of your data, you need automated tools.

Automations such as ETL tools extract data automatically. They use triggers to transform and load the information into storage systems for your viewing pleasure. Use this data to define target audiences, tweak supply chains, and even alter product prices.

Customer Service

Seventy percent of customers will stop doing business with a company due to a poor service experience. With that in mind, your customer service strategy should be important to you. The better you care for your customers, the higher your retention rates and the more referrals you’ll get.

Some large corporations run an entire office of customer service agents who field calls and messages all day. Small businesses typically can’t afford that. They can only answer questions in person or when someone is available to respond.

For companies large and small, automation can bridge the gap. Setting up a customer service bot on your website is simple. This bot can answer frequently asked questions and direct customers to the products and pages they’re looking for. This simple addition will boost your customer service around the clock.

Data Security

Bank robberies are so 1800s. Today, you need to be on the lookout for hackers and pirates that try to attack you from the inside. Digital information is extremely valuable and much easier to swipe.

Even with a dedicated IT team, your security posture could benefit from any help it can get. Automations like firewalls thwart attacks around the clock. Breach notifications can point out problems the moment they occur. 

Are you sold on automation yet? Give it a try. Start with iPaas to streamline your workflow. Then, try out automations that can revamp your strategy and security. You won’t be sorry.

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Safeguarding Your Network in Preparation for Small Business Saturday https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2020/11/safeguarding-your-network-in-preparation-for-small-business-saturday.html/ Wed, 25 Nov 2020 11:00:02 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=57468 Small Business Saturday is a great way to encourage people to shop locally, especially this year as small businesses with the pandemic.

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Small Business Saturday is the perfect opportunity for customers to explore local or regional small businesses, support their local economy, and get to know the businesses within their community. 

Right after Thanksgiving, Small Business Saturday kicks off the busiest shopping season of the year. As the shopping holiday rapidly approaches, businesses everywhere are doing everything they can to prepare for and contend with the ongoing challenges brought on by the pandemic.

This year, Small Business Saturday is a chance to support and champion businesses hit hardest during 2020. Brick-and-mortar small businesses rely on foot traffic and in-person customer interactions. This year, they have already had to pivot, change, and transform their business models to meet customers where they are now — at home. Small businesses have increased their website capabilities, adopted curb-side pick ups, or partnered with larger delivery services to connect to their customers. 

As these new business avenues have been adopted, additional marketing and customer engagement programs have been set in motion. Local shops have expanded their online presence with email marketing campaigns, created larger online presences and experimented with increased digital advertising. With these adaptations, there are also greater risks for being a cyber crime target. For a smart small business, preparing for the holiday shopping season also means reassessing and reaffirming cybersecurity posture

Phishing scams during the holiday shopping season are almost a given. Phishing emails can range from a fraudulent email sent by a business owner to an employee asking for personal data verification or a malicious email disguised as a promotional offer to customers. These emails often include small clues like misspelled email addresses or mismatching url destinations. 

While it can be tempting to look at cyber crime as a distant problem or one that is more likely to happen to a larger enterprise, the reality is that small businesses are as frequently the target of cyber crime. This can wreak havoc in a number of ways from leaking customer data and damaging customer trust to even debilitating critical business operations. Phishing attacks are just one of the most common and simple ways that a potential bad actor could cripple an otherwise healthy business.

Phishing attacks can generally be spotted with some fundamental “basics” on what to look out for that can significantly help businesses, their employees, and their customers identify fake emails and questionable notices in their inbox. Businesses should always be encouraging a security-oriented workforce, but for employees in customer-facing roles during the busiest time of year, it can pay to be especially vigilant. Some of the most important clues to watch out for are:  

  • Email address comes from a “trustworthy” source: Phishing emails often appeal to a sense of authority. These emails can often attempt to trick small business owners by imitating the address of a government agency or financial service, but can even imitate common companies, most especially Google and Amazon.

  • Makes an urgent appeal: Does the email make reference to an emergency? Does it call for immediate, quick action or a set of tasks? Demanding requests are created to distract the reader. Making the task seem necessary is designed to cast doubt for preoccupied readers who may have otherwise noticed the signs of a false email.
  • Uncommon internal requests: Is this email coming from someone you do not normally work with, especially an executive? Employees should be trained to be vigilant for emails like this, which can imitate the business owner to hide the email’s true intentions and make an employee reluctant to refuse to comply. Small businesses can alleviate this by making clear to their employees the usual chain of command in everyday operations.
  • Random misspellings of common words: One subtle sign of a suspicious email is the tendency to use words which are commonly misspelled, to give the phishing email a human touch.

Small Business Saturday is a great way to encourage communities to shop locally or with specialized online retailers, especially this year as small businesses have been hit the hardest with the coronavirus pandemic. As small businesses are working to meet the demands of their customers, and reach new customers with online advertising and partnerships, they must be aware of cyber criminals lurking in the dark. Preparing employees to quickly identify and report suspicious emails can go a long way to support other network security policies in place. 

With the proper tools in place to defend the network and a strong culture of cybersecurity at the individual employee level, small businesses can drastically reduce their risk of attack and be better prepared to expand their online operations for a healthy and secure holiday season. 

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4 Types of Sales Tech You Shouldn’t Sleep On https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2020/11/4-types-of-sales-tech-you-shouldnt-sleep-on.html/ Wed, 18 Nov 2020 10:00:01 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=57442 Sales will always be about relationships, and tech can help you finally have the time to build connections. So why wait?

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If you’re in the selling business, you’re always itching for an edge. That means you need to avail yourself of the smartest, most efficient methods to get clients from “I don’t know…” to “Sold!” 

To be sure, you don’t have to rise to the fame of a Mary Kay Ash or Zig Ziglar to be a sales phenom. Plenty of salespeople across the world land tons of deals, build loyal connections with customers, and solve buyers’ biggest conundrums. You may not know their names, but that doesn’t mean they’re any less successful. 

Here’s the dirty little secret, though: The majority of sales folks aren’t utilizing all the tech at their fingertips. As a result, statistics culled by Forbes suggest that most sales experts sell only 35.2% of the time. The rest of the time, they’re pushing papers, engaged in redundant activities, and not bringing in revenue. 

The bottom line is that even the most prolific seller probably has room for improvement. And there’s no shame in wanting to get better. So why not embrace the technology that can help you rev up your conversations? Or reduce the risk of being ghosted by a top prospect?

Below are four tech stack must-tries to impress your boss and win over resistant buyers.

1. Close deals seamlessly with virtual proposals.

Remember the days of sending your client a proposal, waiting for the client to make adjustments, and going through the process ad infinitum? (Those days might have been as recently as this week, to be honest.) Every time you make your prospect jump through a hoop, no matter how minuscule, you risk losing momentum.

What’s the way to close this gap for good? Leverage proposal and contract processes that automate the system on one platform. PandaDoc, an all-in-one document automation software, notes that requesting proposals the old-fashioned way needlessly extends your close rate. In other words, you waste precious days and weeks trying to get the final go-ahead. Plus, once you’ve built a proposal on paper, how easy is it to change on the fly? In most cases, it’s not easy at all.

The way to fix this issue is to find a software-as-a-service (SaaS) provider like PandaDoc that offers the ability to manage your proposals and eventual contracts in one location. Having documents available to everyone who needs to know—and make changes effortlessly—transforms the proposal experience. It also shortens the sales cycle by reducing buyer barriers to acceptance.

2. Add robust templates to your tech stack.

Have you ever found yourself writing the same email again and again? Sure, you might change a word or two here and there. But the gist and tone remain similar. These are documents and correspondence that you could automate with software.

What’s the value of having dozens of templates? With the right system, you can deploy your templates quickly across omni-channels. Have a prospect who prefers text? No problem. Your template can be revamped to look great on a phone. Dealing with someone who’s a social media user? Send DMs and get noticed.

Not sure you want to invest in more tech software? Even if you just keep a catalog of templates on your centralized knowledge system, you’ll be ahead of the game. As a side note, you don’t have to lose the individual touch. In fact, you should focus on personalization because it’s what 80% of participants in an Epsilon buyer study said they want. Templates can be constructed with “holes.” Fill those “holes” with customized messages and foster connections without losing precious hours re-typing content.

3. Invest in a truly modern customer relationship management (CRM) system.

Why do so many salespeople rave about CRMs like HubSpot and Salesforce? The companies have made it their business to lead the CRM industry. They’re continuously adding new solutions to their platforms, including AI-driven tools.

Feel as if your outdated legacy CRM gets the job done? That may be true. However, it’s worth investigating state-of-the-art CRMs. Sure, it’s understandable to want to hold onto your CRM because you know it. No one likes change. Still, it might not be the right answer anymore.

Newer CRM platforms aren’t just clearinghouses to hold prospect and client information, either. The top ones allow you to analyze customer behaviors, set up regular messaging based on where a customer is in the sales funnel, and perhaps listen socially. Unless you’re 100% sure you have a CRM that truly links your organization’s marketing, communications, service, and sales teams, you’d be wise to investigate what’s on the market.

4. Increase your sales prospecting IQ.

The more intelligent your sales prospecting, the less arduous it is to uncover truly qualified potential clients. AI has helped sales technology become savvier, moving way beyond just grabbing prospects’ personal and business information from the web.

How does sales intelligence work when buoyed by technology like AI and machine learning? For one, sales software can crawl the Internet, looking for potential prospects based on your company’s past purchases and historical information. The software can then deliver target personas to specific sales team members. Even if the sales team has to evaluate the information by hand, everyone will save time.

Sales prospecting software can also help you scrub and update information, much of which will be outdated in about a year’s time. Remember: These are processes you would have to do yourself or ask someone else to do on your behalf. If a program can do it just as well, why not let it?

Prospect.io even suggests that sales prospecting should include a deep dive into data about the sales that turned you down. This way you can get a better understanding of why, and what to do better next time. 

Sales will always be about relationships, and tech can help you finally have the time to build connections. So why wait? Stop spinning your wheels and start generating long-term ties.

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Why You Should Be Using Facebook To Advertise https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2020/09/why-you-should-be-using-facebook-to-advertise.html/ Fri, 11 Sep 2020 09:00:28 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=57202 Are Facebook Ads the right investment for you? Here are some benefits to advertising on the world’s biggest social media platform.

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It’s no secret that Facebook is the king of social media platforms. With over 2.6 billion active users, Facebook is a daily part of the average adult’s life.

However, Facebook is also one of the biggest advertising opportunities for businesses today. More than 1 billion of its users log in daily, making Facebook too big for businesses to ignore. And as organic reach — posting updates on a group/page — reaches its success limit, more and more businesses are turning to Facebook ads to increase their exposure and traffic.

But are Facebook ads the right investment for you? Here are some benefits to advertising on the world’s biggest social media platform.

1. Your audience is on Facebook

As mentioned, more than 2 billion people actively use Facebook. Using Facebook ads allows you to not only reach current customers, but new customers whose interests or beliefs align closely with your brand.

The audience present on Facebook also spans across many demographics. Users aged 18-34 take up a bulk of the audience, at 56%. However, older audiences are quickly increasing with almost half (46%) of 65+ year olds using the platform. No matter who your target audience is, you should be able to find them on Facebook.

2. Access to fine-tuned targeting tools

Facebook ads use a variety of advanced targeting tools to reach your audience. They factor in the basics, such as age, gender, and location, but they also look at lifestyle characteristics such as interests, hobbies, and even recent buying behavior to expand your potential customers. Such targeted forms of advertising are hugely beneficial to any business.

One tool that Facebook provides is the ability to reach Lookalike Audiences: people similar to those that already engage with your company. This tool is just one of many that can increase your reach, and ultimately, your brand success. Facebook shows your ads to the people who are most likely to buy, providing the best results for your campaign. 

 3. Budget-friendly advertising 

A big budget isn’t necessary for a big outcome. Using Facebook ads is one of the cheapest methods of advertising in today’s marketplace. 

Other forms of advertising that were more popular in the past, such as radio ads, commercials, and billboards, are far more costly than Facebook Ads, and the same desired results are achievable.

Less than $10 in Facebook ads can easily lead to a reach of 1000+ people if you strategize and plan well.  And you can even set daily or lifetime budget limits — that you can change at any time — to ensure that you’re only spending as much as you want or can on your advertising. 

4. Ease of use

You don’t need to be an expert to figure out how to use Facebook advertising to your business’ benefit. With easily customizable ads that allow you to choose your type of ad, your target audience, and your budget, Facebook ads are for any business owner — tech-wizard or not.

Marketing goals are also easily factored in. Do you want to increase brand awareness? Post engagement? Likes or clicks on your page? Reach a wider audience? From sponsored stories to video ads to carousel ads, Facebook ads will have a way to get the results you want for your company.

5. Free analytics 

Building on its budget-friendly rep, Facebook ads also provide free analytics for your campaign. You’ll get real-time results to see what is and isn’t working. This allows you to easily adjust your ads to increase their performance.

Facebook provides reports with metrics such as weekly reach, page likes, and engagement. You can easily see which posts are effective and which aren’t doing so well, then fine-tune your ads in a way that makes them more successful. Such flexibility isn’t possible with forms of traditional marketing. 

With an ad such as a tv commercial, it’s difficult to measure effectiveness while the commercial is still being run. Usually, a business has to wait for reactions from the public, or movement towards or against their marketing goals to gauge the success of the commercial. Facebook, on the other hand, provides reports for your campaign as soon as possible, giving you the best results for your investment.

6. Remarketing

Remarketing is an advertising approach that Facebook makes easy. Say someone visits your website but does not make a purchase. Facebook is able to track this visitor and show them an ad for your company at a future time, while they’re scrolling through their feed. Re-engaging customers this way can lead to more website visits and better conversions.

This tactic can also be used to drive repeat business: purchases by customers who have bought from you in the past. You can directly import past customer emails into your Facebook ad campaign. This means your ads will be shown to people who are already engaged and are willing to buy.

7. Referrals

When you advertise on Facebook, your audience can help you expand your reach. Customers that are already engaged with your brand can easily tag their own friends and family on your ads. And because they have a connection with the people they are tagging, those people are more likely to trust the quality of your product or service.

Plus, there’s always the potential to go viral on a social media platform. Take Squatty Potty for example. They posted a video ad in 2015 that went viral with over 1 million shares and thousands of comments. Users tagged friends and family with comments like “You need this!”. One ad led to a massive increase in brand awareness, website visits, and sales. 

8. Facebook is mobile 

Almost 80% of Facebook users only view the platform on their phone. During their work breaks, while traveling to and from work, or when bored, people are likely to use their phone and browse through Facebook. Using Facebook ads allows you to catch these people during their down time, when they may be more likely to buy.

9. Facebook is fast

Facebook gives you the option to add a call-to-action (CTA) to your ad. This is a button that gives the customer a direct action. It might be downloading your app, subscribing to your emails, or booking an appointment. This provides a sense of urgency for the ad viewer and encourages them to click on your ad. With this method, you’ll reach your marketing goals fast.

Using Facebook ads has countless benefits for any brand. Strategizing, knowing your audience and recognizing your company’s goals are all you need to get started. For more information on advertising with Facebook, you can also check out their Business Centre.

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Shopping Cart Software for Multi-Vendor Ecommerce Marketplaces https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2020/09/shopping-cart-software-for-multi-vendor-ecommerce-marketplaces.html/ Fri, 04 Sep 2020 11:00:03 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=57140 To set up an online marketplace, you need software that is designed to have control over the B2C relationship as it is the key to a success.

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To set up an online marketplace, you need multi-vendor ecommerce software that is designed to have full control over the administration vendor relationship as it is the key to a successful marketplace platform.

These are the essential features a marketplace script should have:

  • Customization options
  • Scalability
  • User experience
  • Affordability and
  • Mobile accessibility 

Top Marketplace Platforms

1. BigCommerce

Most suitable for small-to-medium sized businesses, BigCommerce’s dashboard is very straightforward and user friendly.

Pros:

  • Fully hosted
  • Easily accessible
  • Unlimited product listings
  • Unlimited bandwidth & file 
  • Integrations with shipping and POS software
  • No transaction fees

Cons:

  • You have to pay for 24/7 customer service.
  • They are expensive compared to competitors. 
  • Customer orders don’t come with tracking information.

2. Shopify

Offering the widest range of apps, add-ons, and plugins for small, medium, and large marketplace platforms, The Top Shopify Developer NZ are always ready to help to build an online store providing  Shopify provides tons of readymade templates for personalization.

Pros:

  • A ready to use ecommerce store with cloud hosting
  • Access to hundreds of themes and plugins
  • Hundreds of templates for selling any type of products
  • Built-in payment gateways
  • Highly customizable and scalable
  • Compatibility with popular third-party integrations

Cons:

  • Month-to-month pricing
  • Limited customization options
  • High price for the enterprise level plans
  • Complicated migration

3. Shopygen

Supporting different types of marketplace platforms like B2C and C2C, Shopygen provides turnkey solutions for marketplaces like Uber, Airbnb, and Instacart. They also provide services for customized plugins and themes for other eCommerce software developing platforms like Mgento, Shopify, WooCommerce etc. 

Pros:

  • Created using NodeJS technology
  • Highly customizable
  • No recurring fee
  • Cost effective in comparison to its competitors

Cons:

  • You will need to get your own hosting and security maintenance.
  • If customization is required, the development time is longer than usual.
  • It requires an upfront cost. 

4. Magento

Magento’s platform helps to empower retailers and brands with flexible cloud solutions to help companies scale up their business. Magento’s wide range of customizable options makes it a  great platform for merchants who want to innovate and grow with technology.

Pros:

  • Integrated checkout, payment and shipping
  • Mobile-optimized shopping
  • Catalog management
  • Instant purchase
  • Customization options available

Cons:

  • Long development time 
  • Higher budget than most of its contemporaries
  • Doesn’t have a lot of content creation options
  • Magento Commerce support comes with a hefty price

5. WooCommerce

WooCommerce is a free, open-source wordpress shopping cart plugin. It is one of the most chosen eCommerce platforms in the market and runs on about 30% of all stores.

Pros:

  • Regularly updated and totally secure
  • Highly customizable
  • Integrates with many other ecommerce platforms and payment gateways
  • Complete support

Cons:

  • Not all of the features come with the basic plan
  • Expensive external themes, plugins, and hosting
  • You are on your own with regards to maintaining hosting to security and backups.

There are many eCommerce softwares available in the market; don’t just limit your choices to SaaS. Of course, managing a self-hosted site is not as easy as a SaaS platform, but you get the complete control when you own the code of your site which is incomparable. Ultimately it depends on your requirements, budget, and how you are going to manage your website.

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5 Business Essentials That Every Business Owner Needs https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2020/08/5-business-essentials-that-every-business-owner-needs.html/ Mon, 31 Aug 2020 11:00:58 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=57082 Savvy business leaders know that the success of their organization depends on a few key elements that work together to deliver a winning product or service.

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Savvy business leaders know that the success of their organization depends on business communications and a few key elements that work together to deliver a winning product or service. Here are five essentials that every business needs in order to find success. The nominee director singapore support you to focus and scaling and growing your business.

1. Strong Human Resources Management Team

The core of a successful business plan is the people that you surround yourself with. You cannot expect to have success without a high-quality staff. And you cannot expect to work with the best people without a competent human resources management team. As a team you should choose a good program like VoIP for Business for business strategies and communication.

As part of your human resources team, you need to have a professional who is trained to find and hire the best talent to keep your business moving forward. This person will be the face of your company as you bring new people into the fold. A good human resources manager will also be able to effectively craft your company culture so that you retain quality employees. Increasing employee satisfaction will go a long way in supporting success for your organization,
making it important that you have human resources staff in place to make this happen. you can focus on scaling and growing your business by the help of singapore nominee director.

2. Cash Management System

You are only as strong as your cash management. Most businesses that go bankrupt do so simply because they run out of cash and not because they are not equipped to be profitable. There are a number of factors that you need to consider when designing and implementing your cash flow system. How much cash do you need to have on hand? How do you collect payments from clients? How much inventory do you need on hand to operate with a comfortable margin?

How much capital do you need at your disposal in order to grow your business and how will you balance this with your debt? All of these questions need to have an answer if you want to avoid having cash flow issues.

3. Marketing Plan Focused on ROI

Marketing is a critical piece of any business plan. When crafting your general marketing or franchise marketing and promotional initiatives, it is important that you devise a plan that is focused on your return on investment. The last thing that you want to be doing is dumping your money into initiatives that do not pay off for your bottom line. One of the best places to start your analysis of your marketing ROI is through your own company website. Through your site, you can use Google Analytics to learn how people find your business, where they come from, and how much they are willing to engage with what you have to offer. From here, you can craft your marketing plan to reach the right audience while responding to their specific needs.

4. Solid IT Infrastructure

In today’s modern business world, it is imperative that you leverage technology to your full advantage. This means that you cannot slack on putting all of your IT infrastructure in place. Without a solid IT foundation, your business will not be able to keep pace with the competition in a fluid marketplace.

If you do not have the ability and staff to run your technology systems in-house, you can look into contracting out for managed IT services. This will take a significant amount of work and worry off of your plate so that you can focus on the meat of your business. With a managed service, you can take advantage of a staffed IT desk and proactive monitoring of all of your most vital technological systems.

5. Business Plan

The cornerstone of your success lies with your business plan. This formal document serves as a guide as you make tough decisions about your organization. You can customize your plan to meet your specific business needs. Most plans include an executive summary, a list of high-level staffing positions, financial data, marketing initiatives, and more. Not only will this serve as a reminder to you, but it is also a useful piece of information for potential investors.

These five elements will combine to ensure that your business is put in the position to succeed both in the short-term and in the long-term. With all five of these essentials, you will be able to weather a variety of issues and come out on top.

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How to Use Paid Ads to Generate Leads: 6 Essential Tips for SMBs https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2020/08/paid-ads-to-generate-leads.html/ Tue, 25 Aug 2020 08:02:03 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=57060 In the right hands, paid ads are like dynamite. A well-structured ad campaign can help you with your lead generation plan. And despite rising PPC costs, many businesses, both large and small, drive a significant return-on-investment from paid ads. But getting started can feel overwhelming. And you likely have a lot of questions. Which platforms […]

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In the right hands, paid ads are like dynamite. A well-structured ad campaign can help you with your lead generation plan. And despite rising PPC costs, many businesses, both large and small, drive a significant return-on-investment from paid ads.

But getting started can feel overwhelming. And you likely have a lot of questions. Which platforms should you begin with, for example? How do you implement a rigorous analytics infrastructure so you can measure results? Are elements of your broader ad funnel, including landing pages and email sequences, up to scratch?

If you feel confused, don’t worry. In this post, we’re going to outline six tips that will help you plan and implement your first successful campaign.

1.  Consider an Agency

Before you dive into the process of building an in-house team and implementing your own campaigns, it’s worth considering an agency. Outsourcing your PPC campaigns may prove far more cost-effective in the long-run than handling everything yourself, especially if you don’t already employ people with the relevant skill-sets and experience. What’s more, good agencies with expertise that’s specific to your industry are easy to find.

Agencies tend to fall into one of two categories. General agencies will handle wide-ranging campaigns over multiple platforms. Alternatively, bespoke services, like Facebook ads agencies, tend to focus on a smaller number of platforms and areas of expertise. It’s worth considering both types. Research your options thoroughly and make sure you ask about past experience with companies similar to your own.

2.  Focus on One Platform Initially

There are lots of platforms to choose from: Facebook, Google Adwords, Instagram, LinkedIn, Bing Ads, to name just a few. Deciding which one to start with can be difficult. Often, companies will opt for newer platforms in the belief that ad prices will be cheaper. Or they may go with a bigger alternative like Facebook because it offers a wider reach. Both of these approaches essentially involve taking a stab in the dark.

Your decision about which ad platform to use should be guided by data. In particular, you should gather demographic and psychographic information about a site or network’s users and see how closely they match your own customers.

3.  Create Compelling Headlines and Graphics

In their eagerness to master the technical aspects of running an ad campaign, many companies forget about the actual ads themselves. It’s common to see well-organized campaigns with uninspiring, poorly-designed visual and textual elements.

You should focus on creating compelling graphics and headlines, based on detailed buyer personas, from the get-go. A variety of inexpensive tools, like Canva and Photoshop, enable you to create professional graphics for a fraction of what a professional will charge.

And if you don’t have the relevant expertise in-house, hire somebody that does. Investing a little now will be far more cost-effective in the long-term than running a campaign with sub-par ads.

4.  Refine Your Whole lead Funnel

Remember that paid ads form just one part of your sales funnel. You might have the most beautifully-designed ads on the planet along with a perfectly-optimized campaign. But if your new leads are landing on poorly-built landing pages or receiving boring follow-up emails, your ad strategy won’t count for much.

Ensure that leads are being nurtured through a tested, well-thought-out funnel that includes dedicated landing pages, email nurturing sequences, free gifts and promotions, phone or in-person follow-up, and retargeting. Many companies become disillusioned after failing to generate results from their ads. But often it’s the surrounding elements, that make up the broader sales funnel, that are at fault.

5.  Test New Platforms

Once you start making headway with a particular platform, whether it’s Facebook, Instagram, Google Adwords, or any other, don’t be afraid to start branching out. Specifically, pay attention to up-and-coming websites and networks, especially social media sites, that present low-cost opportunities. By taking a diverse approach and testing new services, you can leverage untapped markets before your competitors.

While you shouldn’t focus exclusively on these platforms, it’s usually a good idea to allocate at least some of your budget for trying out potentially lucrative opportunities. The same principle also applies to new features and ad formats on networks that you leverage as part of your existing strategy.

6.  Pay Close Attention to Analytics

If you’re going to drive a positive return-on-investment from your ad spend, you need to test. It’s difficult to overstate this point. Paying close attention to your analytics will allow you to build a profitable first campaign and then tweak your future campaigns for even better results.

Determine which metrics you will use to gauge success. For most companies, achieving a positive customer-lifetime-value and cost-per-lead balance will be the aim. Larger companies may opt for less obvious KPIs like overall engagement or reach. Whatever the case, define your core metrics right from the start.

It’s also worth considering advanced analytics tools. Most platforms include their own analytics dashboards which can provide valuable data. With third-party tools, however, it’s possible to take this information and generate actionable insights that wouldn’t otherwise be available.

Conclusion

While setting up your first campaign might feel daunting, don’t be put off. Millions of companies are leveraging paid ads to drive new leads. And with an adaptable approach, you too can find large numbers of new customers. Just remember to start off with a platform that has a user base that matches your target market, pay attention to analytics, and don’t be afraid to outsource.

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Staying Resilient in a Pandemic: Strategies for Digital Agencies https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2020/07/staying-resilient-in-a-pandemic-strategies-for-digital-agencies.html/ Wed, 08 Jul 2020 11:00:02 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=56366 In these unprecedented times, economies are slowing down and digital marketing agencies are feeling the impact. Agencies, small and large, are facing challenges such as lost clients, decreased revenue, and reduced marketing budgets as businesses across most industries tighten their belts. Some agencies are faring better than others. In a recent survey among marketing agencies […]

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In these unprecedented times, economies are slowing down and digital marketing agencies are feeling the impact. Agencies, small and large, are facing challenges such as lost clients, decreased revenue, and reduced marketing budgets as businesses across most industries tighten their belts.

Some agencies are faring better than others. In a recent survey among marketing agencies around the globe, 16% of participants experienced an increase in revenues.

What sets these agencies apart is their ability to adapt to change. For digital marketing agencies to survive, it’s essential to play the long game—especially since it’s not known when the pandemic will end. This includes being creative, adaptive, and being able to craft as well as implement the right strategies. Here are a few tips to help you keep your agency running at its best:

Understand the Pandemic’s Effects on Individual Clients

COVID-19 has impacted all businesses, but some more than others. Certain industries are hard-hit, while others seem to be adapting well to the change wrought by the pandemic.

No matter how many clients you have, it’s good to assess the impact of COVID-19 on each one. By doing so, you can identify which clients in which industries are in danger of jumping ship. Catching warning signs early allows you more time to formulate and implement retention strategies.

Measuring the pandemic’s impact on your clients also allows you to determine which of them is doing well. Focusing your attention on these customers could be even more beneficial than offering incentives to clients who are considering churning. These types of clients may be more receptive to offers of added services and solutions.

Having a better understanding of your clients’ situations is also helpful in improving your relationship with them. Adding value for your clients and going the extra mile for them will go a long way toward making your relationship last beyond these challenging times.

Analyze your Ongoing Burn-Rate in Both Normal and Barebones Scenarios

Many organizations run with too many excesses—however, you don’t have to be one of them. Many expenses are avoidable, so you will want to go over your spending and figure out what’s essential and what you can do away with. Doing so can help you control overspending and get a leg up on the competition.

Identify areas where added effort and time allows you to reduce spending. Tailor your reductions to your business goals. Typically, you won’t be able to optimize your burn rate with just one significant change. Multiple incremental changes across departments can better help you trim low-value activities with minimal organizational disruption. 

Focus on what maximizes the return on money, time, and effort. The goal is to be as efficient and lean as possible without sacrificing the quality of service you provide to your clients. 

In a Changed Business Environment, Dare to Think Out of the Box

Across all industries, businesses are making major changes to the way they do business to survive in the new normal. Some companies are doing more than just survive. One example is Evil Genius, a brewery known for its cleverly named craft beers and popular bar and retail location in Philadelphia.

Having previously relied on sales to bars and restaurants for about two-thirds of their sales, Evil Genius faced a dilemma when these distribution channels closed off due to the lockdown. According to co-founder Hayward, the closure of bars reduced their business by about 60%.

Employing out-of-the-box thinking, Evil Genius focused on offering carry out service at their retail location and taking online orders for pick-up and delivery. They also introduced new products—a risky move that ultimately paid off when one of them, a beer referencing the wildly popular Netflix series Tiger King, became a hit.

A whiz at staying topical, the company also offered a free roll of toilet paper with a purchase of “The Gang Gets Quarantined,” a beer referencing both the lockdown situation and the popular TV show It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

Their unique approach to marketing their products have helped them rise above today’s cluttered advertising environment. Their innovations in marketing helped make Evil Genius an online talking point when the news and social media outlets are heavily saturated with both bad news and a slew of competitors eager to capitalize on the public’s increased social media usage.

Evil Genius is an example of how traditional marketing approaches need to be innovative and adaptive. Creativity has always been the lifeblood of marketing, and it is even more so now. Your clients are facing significant changes in the way they market their products and services, and your success in helping them meet their goals rides on how quickly and creatively you can respond to these changes.

Be Flexible and Open to Adjustments

Small- to medium-sized digital agencies have the advantage of being more flexible than their larger counterparts. Since smaller agencies don’t have substantial overhead costs to worry about, they can typically afford to offer competitive pricing. This is especially true for agencies that work with businesses or organizations that are experiencing layoffs.

While the cost of retaining your services is lower than that of hiring an employee or employing their in-house marketing department, your clients must be fully aware of this fact. You would also want to show your clients that the value you deliver to their business far exceeds the cost of having you onboard.

You can achieve this by being more flexible in terms of pricing. At the same time, lowering your rates is an act that conveys your understanding of the current situation’s difficulties. It shows that you value your relationship and that you have integrity.

Flexibility can mean:

  • Delaying Invoice Scheduling. If you have the financial capacity to do so, delaying invoices can be beneficial to both you and the client. Deferring payments allows your client more time to meet their obligations, and you also get to keep your clients at the same rate they paid pre-lockdown.
  • Restructuring Contracts to Reduce Pricing. According to a survey by Upplers, 58% of agencies became more flexible in client terms, and 28% reduced their fees. The reality of the pandemic situation is that many businesses cannot or will not justify marketing spend in these uncertain times. 

To retain clients, consider restructuring your clients’ contracts to accommodate their needs while reducing their marketing spend. This shows that your relationship with your clients is essential to your agency, and at the same time, it’s a move that drives long-term instead of short-term value.

  • Offering Limited Services. If your client’s marketing budget is tight or if they don’t need as much work done on their account, consider reworking your contract to include limited services. For instance, your client may no longer need assistance with content creation but could use some help in social media. You can rework your contract to include only the services they need and reduce your rates accordingly.

This strategy results in cost savings for them and allows you to retain their business on an as-needed basis until the overall situation improves.

Learn From Your Competition

The pandemic has affected all businesses, but some are doing better than others. Assess your direct and indirect competitors and identify which ones seem to be toughing out the crisis better than most. Knowing your competitors and how they’re positioning themselves for success can help you identify strategies that allow your agency to succeed.

For example, many small to medium-sized agencies are currently outsourcing or planning to in the future. Outsourcing provides agencies with on-demand access to talent at less than the cost of taking on new team members.

You can use knowledge gleaned from observing your competitors to take advantage of their weaknesses. At the same time, you can improve your agency’s performance. Identify which of their strategies seem to be working and apply them, making adjustments to tailor-fit them to your needs and goals. This also positions you well for when the crisis is over, and your agency resumes normal operations.

Leverage Social Media Effectively and Creatively

Consumers are more active on social media than they used to be in pre-lockdown days. More people are at home and rely on social media channels to connect with their loved ones and get news and updates. Agencies that typically focus on other channels can leverage this uptick in social media usage to increase their clients’ reach, boost engagement, and ultimately improve conversion rate.

Doing so requires more than a little bit of creativity. Making memes, videos, contests, and the like a part of your clients’ social media campaigns allow their products or services to stand out. The key is to stay on-trend and keep content engaging and relevant.    

Deliver Added Value to Your Clients

COVID-19 has not only transformed the way that agencies do business with their clients but also the way their clients do business with their customers. Changing attitudes to what’s essential and what’s not can lead to decreased revenue for your clients and, in turn, reduced marketing spending.

One way to keep your clients is to find places where you can add more value, especially for those businesses and organizations that are at high risk of churning. Determine whether there are additional services you can pitch to your clients. For example, you may be skilled at data analytics or content creation. You can offer these services at reduced or zero cost. This allows your clients to obtain services all from one place while minimizing their expenses.

What if you and your team don’t have additional skills that you can turn into add-on services? It’s best to be proactive and identify the areas with which your clients need the most help. Learn and refine skills in these areas to provide more value to your clients even after the crisis is over. 

Assess Your Clients for Opportunities

As previously mentioned, the pandemic has affected different clients in different ways. For example, while clients in industries like tourism and hospitality are among the hardest hit, clients in the medical and personal care sectors are likely experiencing steady or increased volume.

When rebuilding your agency’s client portfolio, target businesses and organizations that are doing well. Even if they’re not usually the type of clients you take on, getting their business can keep your agency afloat.

E-commerce businesses are also faring well. For instance, if you typically handle local companies’ accounts, it may be worth your while to broaden your scope and pitch your services to online businesses.  

Don’t Forego Strategic Planning

This crisis is rapidly evolving—as societal changes and their effects trickle down to marketing, agencies should be well-poised to plan for and adapt to them. This may mean having to re-strategize your accounts.

One strategy is to incorporate COVID-19 messaging in the ad copy. Doing so shows consumers that businesses are aware of the situation and keeps them relevant. It also allows brands to communicate how they’re helping consumers during the crisis.

Some brands are further adjusting their marketing to show messages of support or information on how they’re helping communities during these trying times. As evidenced by a spike in Love reactions on ads posted on Facebook, this is a strategy that seems to be working as far as brand engagement is concerned.

A good relationship with your clients comes in useful here. You can more easily communicate with them why and how any changes need to be made, from minor updates to ad copy to a complete pivot from traditional to social media marketing campaigns.

Plan for You and Your Clients’ Post-Crisis Recovery

While it’s not known when the current crisis will end and its impact further down the line, agencies should plan ahead. This may involve defining best- and worst-case scenarios, listening for changes in consumer attitudes, and adapting marketing plans on an as-needed basis.

While you may not have the expenses that larger agencies have to contend with, it is still wise to cut costs where possible without sacrificing quality. Keep in mind that all agencies, no matter their size, are going through the same major upheaval to their operations, and the key to surviving lies in resilience and your ability to adapt. 

Making no adjustments and simply hoping to ride out the wave of change can result in your agency sinking. Staying afloat requires being open to change and prioritizing innovation to adapt to the new normal. Lastly, employing a COVID 19 Business Sanitization Services will help sanitize every corner of your office, eliminating the risk of catching the virus.

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How Brian Greenberg Made His Competitive Advantage In Getting Reviews https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2020/05/how-brian-greenberg-made-his-competitive-advantage-in-getting-reviews.html/ Wed, 06 May 2020 21:34:04 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=55753 Not so long ago, marketing strategies focused on hardcore selling techniques – pushy salespeople and heavy-handed tactics to railroad consumers down a particular selling funnel. However, one man has made it his mission to change all that. Brian Greenberg, also known as the Salesman Who Doesn’t Sell, has established his own competitive advantage in the […]

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Not so long ago, marketing strategies focused on hardcore selling techniques – pushy salespeople and heavy-handed tactics to railroad consumers down a particular selling funnel. However, one man has made it his mission to change all that. Brian Greenberg, also known as the Salesman Who Doesn’t Sell, has established his own competitive advantage in the online sales arena by harnessing the power of the consumer’s voice. So, how has he proven to be such a success, and how can other businesses profit from his example?

The Power Of The Consumer’s Voice

Over the past two decades, the internet marketplace has changed almost beyond recognition. With more companies than ever before moving online and a highly competitive selling environment, it’s never been clearer that marketing strategies need to change and adapt too. Companies have to work harder than ever before to stand out in the online retail arena.

However, a surprising number of businesses have failed to move with the times. Outdated techniques are still in use and pushy selling tactics can still be seen in operation. Yet, after running successful e-commerce, financial and marketing services business since 2003, Brian Greenberg is paving the way for a new generation of digital marketers, extolling the virtues of gathering reviews and using the customer’s own positive voice as a way of attracting more traffic and raising more revenue.

This is a technique that he has used to his own advantage over the years and that has led him to write a book inspired by his own experience entitled “The Salesman Who Doesn’t Sell”.

The Importance Of Review Gathering

Greenberg, the founder, and president of True Blue Life Insurance, is well-placed to offer expert advice about successful digital marketing, having generated more than $50 million in revenue from his own businesses.

Having discovered the statistic that 90% of consumers read reviews before visiting a company’s website and making a purchase, Greenberg took the idea on board by working on ways to generate more reviews for his businesses and, thus, to leverage those positive testimonials to raise awareness of his companies, to build up trust, increase the conversion rate, and to promote future sales.

The result was incredibly successful. So much so, in fact, that he has collected more than 10 thousand testimonials and customer reviews, and has earned the title of one of the financial service industry’s most creative individuals.

What About Negative Reviews?

It’s fair to say that, no matter how good a business may be and no matter how hard it tries to satisfy its customers, from time to time there will be negative reviews. Greenberg doesn’t necessarily see this as a problem. In fact, he sees it as a useful way to showcase the company’s customer-centric approach.

It’s only natural for would-be customers to read the negative reviews first before they read the positive ones. Therefore, they need to see that the business cares about those negative opinions and have pulled out all the stops to try to appease their dissatisfied clients. It isn’t the negative reviews themselves that are a problem, it’s failing to deal with them properly. 

Greenberg recommends a three-step approach to handling negative reviews: 

  • Apologize – retaliation must be avoided at all costs. Take this chance to say sorry for the mistakes you have made and reinforce your company’s values by offering to put things right immediately.
  • Rectify – once you’ve promised to put things right you have to actually put that into action. 
  • Following up – once you’ve addressed the problem and rectified it, don’t leave it there. Follow up afterward to ensure the customer is now satisfied and ask them to take the negative review down. 

Replying publicly to a negative review also demonstrates to potential customers who read it that you aren’t just a faceless organization but are, instead, a business that cares about its customers and wants to do the right thing.

A negative review can, therefore, even work to your advantage and help show that you’re running a reliable and trustworthy company. Greenberg effectively harnesses this technique to his own advantage in his own business enterprises and extols its virtues to those he advises.

Incentivizing Employees For Getting Reviews

Greenberg places such great importance on customer reviews that he offers incentives to his employees for getting as many reviews as possible. By offering them bonuses based on the reviews they get, he scoops a double win – 5-star reviews that showcase his company in the best possible light, and a team of motivated, hard-working employees who are driven by customer service.

Making It Easy To Leave A Review

To leverage the potential of customer reviews, Greenberg emphasizes the importance of making it as easy as possible to leave reviews. Without facilitating the process of reviewing, customers are unlikely to put any effort into reviewing their experience. The only customers who are likely to do this are those who are extremely unhappy with the service they’ve received.

To this end, he uses an automated process to remind customers to leave a testimonial and includes direct links in the reminder that takes the customer right to the appropriate review page. Eliminating the need for customers to click around and carry out searches to leave their opinion, he simplifies that process and increases the likelihood of a positive review being left exponentially. 

Building Customer Trust – The Key To Selling Success

While Greenberg doesn’t engage in aggressive marketing techniques, he still manages to increase sales and boost profits in an impressive manner. How does he do it? The answer lies in his customer-centric approach.

By focusing on offering outstanding customer service and encouraging the customers themselves to do the selling through their own positive reviews, Greenberg is blazing a trail in the global digital marketplace, showing others how to encourage their customers to leave testimonials and how to use the power of those reviews to strengthen their reputation within their industry, increase their brand awareness, and grow their business exponentially. It’s no wonder that Greenberg has become known as the Salesman Who Doesn’t Sell.

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How to Automate Sales Workflows Without Losing the Personal Touch https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2020/02/how-to-automate-sales-workflows-without-losing-the-personal-touch.html/ Tue, 25 Feb 2020 12:00:47 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=55246 Done well, sales automation benefits everyone; it’s when companies treat it as a replacement for the human touch that nobody wins.

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Take a peek under the hood of pretty much any company, and you’ll find automation. Sales, marketing, HR, and more are tackling routine tasks with the help of AI. 

To a degree greater than other domains, though, sales is about relationships. Should companies really be putting person-to-person work — work that’s responsible for their revenue, no less —  in the hands of algorithms?

The truth is that automation and personalization go hand in hand. Tech can take those tedious, tracking-type tasks off salespeople’s hands, giving them more space to do the relationship-building work they do best.

To automate without losing the personal touch:

1. Start with your customer’s job.

Who really hates performing the same action over and over? Your prospects. Choosing between competing solutions means comparing features, scheduling demos, and haggling over contract details.

Take those tasks off buyers’ shoulders when you can. UX consultancy Nielsen-Norman Group recommends starting with product comparison tables because they create trust and are easy to build. Showing customers exactly how your product stacks up against competitors’ produces a sense of consideration and transparency. 

2. Know which touchpoints not to touch.

Sales communications are trickier to automate than parts of the buyer’s journey that customers manage themselves. Before automating them, talk to your team about “moment of truth” touchpoints. 

Two typical “human required” touchpoints are the first conversation and the contract signature call, but where others lie depends on your product and sales processes. These crucial interactions have a big impact on a buyer’s decision and should be left to the pros (i.e., your sales team).

Touchpoints that are less connected to the customer’s decision are good candidates for automation. Leads don’t care whether you clacked the keys yourself to send that “Checking back in” message. 

3. Personalize automated messages according to funnel position.

With the right software and setup, automation can actually improve personalization rather than impede it. Personalization shows that you understand your prospect and where he is in the buying journey.

CRM tool FullContact uses an identity graph to visually plot how communications should be personalized by funnel progress. For prospects in the consideration stage, for instance, you might use drip emails that describe the results a prospect can expect from the product. After the purchase, though, your email promotions and newsletter should include advocacy suggestions.

4. Watch for ‘human’ signals. 

Don’t just use lead scoring to determine the order in which your sales team should reach out to leads; use it to plan which ones get the most personal attention. 

Job attributes, demographics, and frequency of activity should all go into your lead-scoring model. What should dictate the amount of personal attention you provide, however, is how those people interact with you. Someone who emails the sales team directly expects more human communication than, say, a person who downloads whitepapers or adds something to his cart. 

Set up automatic notifications in your CRM system so the sales team can reach out when a prospect takes a “human” action, like emailing or requesting a callback. The prospect will appreciate that you took his preferences into account.

5. Automate only what you’d want automated.

When workflow automation first gained steam, management consultancy McKinsey & Company warned companies to optimize journeys, not touchpoints. Many salespeople took precisely the wrong message from that statement: They added more touchpoints, assuming it would make prospects feel more “supported.”

The trouble is that adding more touchpoints pressures companies to automate more of them. Journey optimization isn’t about automating more touchpoints, but about automating the right ones. For example, workflow automation can work well for cold outreach. On the other side, an automated email may not be best after an important conversation with a lead. 

Customers can tell when companies try to pass off chatbots as real people and automated emails as personally written ones. Automate touchpoints that prospects expect to be accomplished by an algorithm, such as content suggestions and follow-up messages, not everything from start to sale. 

Whichever processes and touchpoints you choose to automate, make sure prospects can always reach a real person. Provide transparent opt-out opportunities, and respect their communication preferences. Done well, sales automation benefits everyone; it’s when companies treat it as a replacement for the human touch that nobody wins.

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When Shorter Makes Sense: When to Use the 6-Second Video Format and Why https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2019/12/when-shorter-makes-sense-when-to-use-the-6-second-video-format-and-why.html/ Mon, 16 Dec 2019 13:00:01 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=54722 Surely and not so slowly, 30- and even 15-second video ads became too long to the average consumer. Today, videos less than 10 seconds are often preferred.

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Remember when the 30-second Super Bowl spot was the king of video advertisements? Then, YouTube hit. The coveted Super Bowl placement still goes for more than $5 million, but pricing may be plateauing. These days, we’re in the middle of a digital video content explosion, and advertisers seem to be rethinking the value of traditional television’s captive audience.

After YouTube came Snapchat and a general shift to video by all social platforms. Surely and not so slowly, 30- and even 15-second video ads became far too long to the average consumer. Today, videos less than 10 seconds — and the six-second format in particular — are often preferred by advertisers.

Benefits of Short-Form Video

Put simply, short videos from a big video production company appeal to short attention spans. They get to the point and let your audience member get on with their content. Plus, when your key message is boiled down to six seconds, it tends to be more memorable than a message that took 30 seconds to communicate.

Short video is also the most efficient use of resources. For demonstrable bottom-line results, use an agile strategy focused on performance video. Instead of investing a lot in one big, linear video project, you can create several short videos that are hyper-personalized to your target segments. Then, analyze the performance of each video. Which format had the best click-through rate? Which call to action led to the most sales? This approach allows you to tweak your video assets in real time as you learn, generating powerful ROI.

4 Best Times to Use the 6-Second Format

Ready to incorporate short video into the mix, but not sure where to start? Here are four proven tactics to try:

1. Unskippable pre-roll

Using pre-roll video in your advertising program can be a risk. AdWeek reported that more than half of marketers are concerned about annoying consumers with their digital video ads, and an unskippable ad before a main video can be the epitome of annoying. However, pre-roll can be done well. If you’re going to serve your audience an unskippable video ad, make it short and relevant to them. Marketers overwhelming opt for the six-second format for unskippable pre-roll. They also consider them more effective than 15-second pre-roll or any skippable format.

2. Any auto-play video placement

Your design strategy for a 30-second video ad already rests heavily on the first few seconds. If your video is going to auto-play, there’s a good chance that the viewer will scroll by or navigate away long before the video is complete. Therefore, you must make sure it grabs the viewer’s attention and communicates the key message right away. Why not take this approach a step further by cutting the last 20 seconds of the piece, telling the full story in just a few seconds — the amount of time that most viewers will likely see?

3. Your audience’s Twitter feed

Six-second videos are a perfect fit for the fast-paced nature of Twitter. The platform announced that advertisers would be able to bid on six-second spots. Delivering your brand’s video in your audience’s organic Twitter feed can create a more meaningful connection. The content isn’t forced-view, so there’s not as much risk of frustration. Even better, this video placement is also a good bang for your buck: You’ll only pay if a user views the full six seconds.

4. Instagram stories

Did you know that one-third of the most viewed Instagram stories come from businesses? A short and sweet appearance in your consumers’ Instagram story feeds can be a great way to keep your brand top of mind without being intrusive. Here’s an added perk: In a world of auto-muted video ads, about 70% of Instagram stories are viewed with the sound on. Because users are mainly watching content from friends and influencers they care about, you’ll have the chance for your video to be heard, not just seen.

6-Second is the New 30-Second

According to many marketers, six-second video content is the next big thing. Short videos allow you to keep your viewer’s attention for the whole piece without leaving her annoyed — or, worse, making her reconsider choosing your brand at all. By implementing a performance-focused video strategy with multiple short videos, you can continuously improve your advertising efficiency and ROI.

Read to give the six-second format a shot? Try implementing short videos in digital advertising placements that are pre-roll or auto-play. For paid social media placements, start with Twitter and Instagram stories. You know your audience best. Maybe a Facebook story makes more sense for your consumers than Instagram. The bottom line: Six-second videos are an efficient and effective addition to your advertising strategy.

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Want to Improve Your Customer Experience? Start With Your Agent Training https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2019/11/want-to-improve-your-customer-experience-start-with-your-agent-training.html/ Wed, 20 Nov 2019 13:00:39 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=54594 Customers choose companies not for their products, but for how they make them feel, meaning agent training might be your most important CX investment. 

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Just how important is customer experience? According to a survey from contact center software provider Five9, 75% of consumers say they’re unlikely to do business with a company that delivers poor customer service experiences. 

Think about that: Even if everything else goes right with their experience, a misfire on the service side will drive off three-quarters of your customers. In that light, customer service agent training might be the single most important CX investment your company makes. If you want your customers to have a great experience then consider using this voice of customer sentiment analysis

Top-Notch Agent Training

To help your agents deliver a high-level customer experience:

1. Set up a surprise product demo.

Whatever product or service you provide, make sure your agents know it like the back of their hand. An American Express study revealed that 62% of customers see the agent’s knowledge as key to positive service experiences.

Even if your agents are all former product engineers, put on a product demonstration for them. A few days later, without warning, ask each of them to give you a demo. Your goal isn’t to put them on the spot; it’s to identify where their understanding of the product differs from the company’s intent. Create a reference sheet that agents can keep beside their desks for common issues.

2. Get agents more team exposure. 

Too many businesses operate contact centers that are cut off from the rest of the company. Although outsourcing the function can save companies about 50% on their customer service expenses, it has a hidden cost: putting distance between agents and the company’s mission. 

Don’t trade short-term savings for a long-term hit to your customer experience. If possible, keep everyone in the same building. If your agents work remotely, implement processes that require regular contact. Set up once-a-week video lunches. Fly everyone out for quarterly retreats. Encourage banter with tools like Slack. 

3. Take turns playing the customer’s role.

When customer service people spend all day talking to users, they tend to think they’re good at seeing the customer’s side. Put that to the test: Pair agents up, with one playing the rep and the other acting as the customer.

When agents sit on the side of a call they’re not used to, it changes the way they see their role. Take discounts: Reps often receive pressure from above to limit the number of freebies they hand out. But forcing a customer to eat the cost of a defective product is a sure way to destroy his experience. Help agents approach their role with empathy, even if it costs extra.

4. Emphasize relationship-building.

Everyone wants her concerns to be heard by human beings. According to a study done by McKinsey, 70% of the customer experience comes down to how the customer feels she’s treated. Real, human connections make even the most difficult interactions go more smoothly.

Encourage agents to engage with customers on a personal level. Really listen to what they have to say, be sensitive to their emotions, and don’t be afraid to talk briefly about things other than business. Customer service agents are the face of your company, so it’s important that the impression they give off is a human one. 

Customers choose companies not for their products, but for how those companies make them feel. Regardless of why they contacted customer service in the first place, you have a chance to keep — or even upsell — them if you handle it well. Give agents the tools they need to deliver better experiences, and watch your customer experience create lasting relationships.

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6 Essential Tips to Reach Your Sales Goals in 2020 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2019/09/6-essential-tips-to-reach-your-sales-goals-in-2020.html/ Wed, 11 Sep 2019 12:00:08 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=54331 The 2020s will be here before you know it, so don’t waste time on sales tactics that belong in the 2010s. Use this opportunity to evaluate your sales strategy and achieve your sales goals next year.

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Your company is ready to grow — all you need are the sales to prove it. If you have big dreams for 2020 and beyond, check out these six essential tips to ensure the success of your sales team:

1. Focus on your people — all of them.

Do you have a sales superstar who brings in the numbers but doesn’t get along with the team? If so, your reliance on that person could end up costing you more than a headache.

Research published by Harvard Business School found that results achieved by toxic employees don’t offset their negative behavior, even when the toxic employee performs in the top percentile. Your company would sell more if you fired that toxic “best employee” and employed a team of average people who know how to work together.

The longer you let the bad dynamic go unchecked, the more trouble your team will have. “Behavior is contagious … we find that when a toxic person joins a team, others are more likely to behave in a toxic fashion,” says Dr. Michael Housman, co-author of the Harvard study. 

2. Show some love to the marketing team.

The sales team celebrates the final reward, but no sales department lasts long without marketers pulling in qualified leads. Align your sales and marketing teams more closely to ensure both sides do all they can to ensure mutual success.

Get your salespeople to talk to the marketing team about the questions prospects ask most frequently, then make sure the marketers deliver content that matches the need. Build a demand generation strategy that frees up your salespeople to spend more time closing and less time qualifying. When marketers and salespeople work in harmony, good things follow.

Better yet, make use of a sales coaching software to analyze effective strategies, identify areas that need improvement, and monitor progress weekly. This software uses artificial intelligence to listen to your best sales reps, learn from them, and imitate their behavior. You can think of it as a self-service training coach.

3. Appreciate your current customers more.

While nothing beats the thrill of earning a big new account, your current customers deserve love, too. Communicate more frequently with your existing clients to hear about their experiences with your products and find opportunities to upsell.

Even if you only offer one product, don’t sleep on the value of your customers as lead sources. A good relationship with a small customer could lead to a massive partnership with a new client down the road. You never know how social circles connect, but by treating everyone with respect, you can boost your word-of-mouth marketing and up your chances of earning new business.

4. Check out chatbots.

Chatbots allow prospects on your website to ask questions without the pressure of a human salesperson on the other line. Take advantage of this dynamic by using chatbots to qualify leads through your website and on social media. With a little robotic help, customers who were “just browsing” could end up speaking with a salesperson in a matter of hours.

“The decision to deploy virtual agents can be complex,” says P.V. Kannan, co-founder of AI company [24]7.ai. “Even so, we think this sort of conversational interface to companies is destined to displace the current app and web interfaces over the long term, simply because it’s faster and in many cases, better for the customer.”

5. Evaluate your products and markets.

Provide customers with options to deepen their engagement with your company before you lose momentum from your existing line of products. Your niche may be successful for now, but every niche grows more crowded over time. To maintain your position at the front of the market, you must either offer something new or offer the same value to a different group of people.

Look at your current buyer personas to find similar groups who might enjoy your products. Could someone else use your product for a different purpose? With a few small tweaks, you may discover an entirely new marketing opportunity. Regularly evaluate your best markets, and think about how you could provide more value to current and prospective fans.

6. Experiment with email.

Email is a double-edged sword for small companies. Yes, it might be your best lead source — but how many hours a week do you spend in your inbox? Try techniques like time-boxing to keep email from eating up your schedule, but also consider your copy. Could less formal emails take less time to write and boost conversions? 

“Change the length, change the focus, try sounding cheeky instead of polished,” suggests TJ Macke, who handles go-to-market strategy for sales enablement company Regie.io. Although Regie uses AI to recommend copy that’s likely to resonate with your audience, Macke makes it clear that there’s no substitute for manual experimentation.

The 2020s will be here before you know it, so don’t waste time on sales tactics that belong in the 2010s. Use this opportunity to evaluate your sales strategy and achieve your sales goals next year — and the years beyond.

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Growing Your eCommerce Business Through Optimization https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2019/07/growing-your-ecommerce-business-through-optimization.html/ Thu, 11 Jul 2019 18:49:10 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=54247 You have worked hard to build your eCommerce business and it’s now up and running. You’ve optimized your eCommerce site to increase conversion rates, your social media team is executing your marketing strategy and more and more potential customers are turning into brand advocates. Congrats! However, scaling up an eCommerce company isn’t just about bringing […]

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You have worked hard to build your eCommerce business and it’s now up and running. You’ve optimized your eCommerce site to increase conversion rates, your social media team is executing your marketing strategy and more and more potential customers are turning into brand advocates.

Congrats!

However, scaling up an eCommerce company isn’t just about bringing in new business. One of the most challenging aspects of starting a business is setting it up so we highly recommend a very good company formation service in the UK as they take care of most of that hassle, leaving you to focus on the much more important parts. Yes, that’s the foundation of growth, but how you handle that growth is a big determining factor in your online business’ success. You will definitely get succeeded in online business with smart efforts and guides. Your operations are what sets well run businesses apart from those who fail to reach their full potential.

For a small business, managing orders, inventory, and fulfillment manually might have been a reasonable place to start.

As your business scales and becomes more complex to keep up with your customers’ demands, you’ll have to consider many more moving parts to ensure that you’re growing profitably and sustainably.

Nowadays internet is essential for your business to grow, but sometimes running a company is really stressful, then if you are far too busy with your business there are also some great services that can save you a great deal of time and one of those are quality virtual office services where they deal with your business telephone calls and lots more and so take a lot of work away from you which is really useful.

For example, is your backend processes optimized for efficiency so you’re not paying a large overhead on labor-intensive tasks that can easily be automated?

Do you have full visibility into your inventory, so you know exactly what products to stock, when to reorder, and make sure you have a healthy cash flow to support your expansion?

Are you putting the right measures in place to minimize delays, bottlenecks, and errors in your workflows?

If you have worked hard creating the perfect ecommerce website and gone through the maze of PPC, social media advertising and more, then you might be relieved to know there are people are out there who want to help you sell your product. Welcome to the world of affiliate marketing.

Affiliate marketing is well loved by entrepreneurs and small and big businesses around the world because there is simply no risk. Essentially you can have as many sales people as you can find, all working on commission. You don’t pay them a thing until they make a sale, so you just give them a percentage of money you may well have never seen without them.

You can work on a percentage of sales or a commission fee on each sale. The terms and conditions are up to you; just make sure you give the kind of incentive that makes them work hard on your behalf.

Some of the platforms to consider

If you are prepared to part with a substantial amount of your profit and concentrate on volume, then you might want to consider the biggest retailer in the world: Amazon. It’s more of a partnership than a straightforward affiliate deal and Amazon like their pound of flesh, so check the figures carefully before committing to it. For online retailers, though, working with Amazon can be the kickstart you need to take your product into the mainstream and you’ll be amazed at some of the things Amazon sell.
CJ Affiliate is another one to consider and you can sell everything, from information products to real, physical things, through a network of more than 3000 partners. Formerly Commission Junction, CJ Affiliate takes care of all the reporting side and will organise the sales for you.

Rauten Linkshare is another one that is simpler and can be useful for affiliates that want to link to specific products from articles and sales pages.

There are costs with these platforms but, plain and simply, they will be worth it.

Always work on affiliates

affiliate-2

Never stop working on your affiliate marketing programme either. You’ll learn valuable lessons along the way and it’s simple good business to keep speculating and mining new prospects. Adopt the same approach to your affiliate marketing programme as you do chasing new customers yourself. Really treat your affiliates like customers and you will find they will work harder on your behalf. For the best wealthy affiliate review, do visit.

So devote some of your content marketing to searching for new affiliates, make sure you promote your offers hard through the marketing communities and let them find you. Stay active in affiliate marketing groups and forums and you will find a lot of people willing to do the heavy lifting for you. It might feel like you do not have time to truly chase these people when you are doing your own marketing, but you simply have to make the time. If you have an army of people selling for you, then you will enjoy the full benefits of passive income and you can even throttle back on your own efforts. You shouldn’t, but you can. There is a whole industry in affiliate marketing where those who believe they can do a good job of internet marketing, but don’t have a product to sell, sell products and services for other companies. You can make the most of this by assembling an arsenal of sales staff, providing you get the deal right and make your product a strong seller for your affiliates, learn how to easily manage affiliates.

Treat affiliates like customers

However, don’t just search for the right people; make sure that your affiliate programme is set up correctly. If you have a landing page that collects their email address then make sure they receive a professional looking double opt-in confirmation with the help of an email provider like Aweber or Mailchimp. Then send them a welcome email, show them how well your programme works, include testimonials from your leading partners and give them links that show the affiliate programme in action.

Create a marketing funnel, complete with follow-up emails. Affiliate marketers are flighty and their attention span is short, so make sure you keep in touch with them automatically, and make sure you give them every chance and every reason to sign up. Then keep them there with constant communication, success stories from other affiliates and new offers they can push to their crowd.

Be available, too; give your affiliates a phone number they can reach you at, as well as your social media contacts. For one thing it reassures them they are dealing with real people and for another it will allow them to get to you directly and deal with issues without going public and causing you problems.

Here are five key strategies for scaling up your eCommerce company while minimizing the growing pain:

1. Prevent Cash Flow Challenges Caused By Stockouts, Overstocks, And Backorders

Inventory control is often a Goldilocks situation… if you have too much stock, you’re holding up cash flow and limiting your ability to invest in products that sells. On the other hand, if you run out of stock, you’re losing out on sales and missing out on revenues.

To prevent inventory issues, set strict reorder points to indicate the exact moment when you’ll need to order new stock for each item in your eCommerce store.

A reorder point should take into account the typical lead-time for placing an order, processing payments, and have the items ready in the warehouse for fulfillment. Also, set aside an emergency stock to cover sudden changes in demand, which shouldn’t be counted when setting the reorder point.

Good inventory control is the key to healthy cash flow and maximizing sales so you can fuel growth where it matters most. You can use an inventory management software application to get real-time updates into the movement of all your products.

When you have visibility into your stock at all times, you can better control your inventory. For example, you can sell against incoming stock by launching a special eCommerce sales promotion to generate additional cash flow.

An inventory control system can also help you manage multiple online channels for your eCommerce business (e.g., Shopify inventory management, Amazon) so you can coordinate inventory without the risk of running out of stock and missing out on sales.

It can also give you the necessary information to respond to market demand, move stock, and increase cash flow by using merchandising techniques such as bundles, mystery boxes, pre-orders, and loyalty programs.

2. Increase Efficiency, Reduce Delays, And Minimize Errors With Automation

There are many moving parts in the supply chain and as your eCommerce company grows, the complexity of these processes will increase exponentially. Tedious and repetitive tasks that are labor-intensive will become more costly as your business expands.

Handling OMS processes manually (e.g., order splitting, backorder management, order import, and shipping updates) can create bottlenecks and unnecessary delays in the workflows, which could have a domino effect on other aspects of your operation.

Not to mention, many of these tasks are prone to human errors (e.g., re-keying information from one system to another or moving paperwork from one department to the next) and inconsistency can cause delays and confusion.

Consolidating all the processes onto a single platform that handles omnichannel order management and automates the workflows can help you minimize inefficiency, delays, and errors.

Some key automation functions that can help streamline operations and increase efficiencies include order splitting, pre-order or backorder management, returns management, e-invoicing, and order routing.

However, it’s important to keep in mind that automation technology is only as good as the workflow you’re automating. If a workflow isn’t optimized, you’re just making an inefficient process happen faster!

To maximize the ROI on automation, you should first audit your current processes and then optimize and standardize the workflows to make sure that when you scale up, you aren’t multiplying any inefficiency that’s inherent in the processes.

3. Test New Items With Pre-ordering

Scaling up takes some trial-and-error and introducing new products to the market can open up opportunities for growth. Yet, the last thing you want is to stock up on a new item only to find out that it’s not what your customers want.

Not only will you suffer a loss and hold up cash flow, but the excess inventory will also take up resources in other areas such as warehousing.

To minimize risk and plan for inventory, you can explore the market and test out new product ideas by preselling an MVP (minimum viable product.) It’ll help you find out how much inventory you’ll need and get a gauge on future potential sales so you can plan for cash flow.

To make the most of your MVP launch, create a dedicated product page and position the promotion as exclusion access for existing customers or a limited time/quantity offer to generate buzz and build brand awareness.

In addition, you can use the opportunity to test the supply chain and collect data on the various fulfillment and logistics operations so you can optimize the workflow before automating the order management process in the future.

4. Focus On Products With High Margins

As you grow your eCommerce company, you’ll need more stock to fulfill increasing orders. However, that also means the inventory will cost more money, which could put you in a bind if you don’t yet have the cash flow to sustain the volume.

As such, you need to plan your product selection strategically to focus on selling differentiated items that have profit margins instead of commodity products that have low margins. This will allow you to generate more profits, which you can invest in higher inventory levels to scale up.

In today’s competitive market, guesswork is no longer enough. In order to identify the most profitable products to carry, you need to understand the market demand and find out what’s most appealing to your customers.

Then, you can make data-driven decisions based on information from a variety of sources to optimize your profits. However, gathering information from across the organization can be a time-consuming and cumbersome task.

You can use a centralized platform with a robust reporting and analytics feature, which can help you break down silos, minimize bottleneck, and consolidate data from various teams (e.g., accounting, operation, and sales) to make informed decisions.

In addition, it helps you minimize errors caused by importing and exporting files, transferring money, or manually re-keying information. You can bridge knowledge gaps and empower your team to make sound decisions in a timely manner based on real-time analytics and insights. If you ever have trouble transferring money, then consider contacting this money transfer service.

5. Optimize Fulfillment To Improve Customer Experience

Since it costs more to acquire new customers than to retain existing ones, the ability to build a customer base that’d buy from you repeatedly is the key to sustainable and profitable growth.

Besides the many ways to improve the customer experience at the front-end, such as a streamlined checkout process or better customer service, you should also make sure that the backend processes are supporting a great customer experience.

If customers aren’t getting their order fast enough or delivered on time, they’re not going to have a satisfactory experience that’ll keep them coming back.

Therefore, making sure that your fulfillment and logistics operations are as efficient as possible can help delight and retain more loyal customers – giving you a strong foundation to expand your eCommerce company.

Automation can help you streamline time-consuming tasks, such as order splitting, warehouse routing, and shipment updates so you can improve efficiency while making sure that your customers are getting their orders as quickly as possible.

To facilitate shipment and delivery, use an order management platform that gives you full visibility into the fulfillment process and allows you complete control over logistics – even when outsourcing to 3PLs.

With the ability to control when and how orders ship, you can reduce mis-ships and improve delivery times. You can also provide better customer communications and post-sales customer service (e.g., real-time order status) to improve customer experience.

Tools like StichLabs’ fulfillment and logistics solution also enables you to leverage pre-built integrations and 3PL partner network to expand shipping coverage. It allows you to serve more customers without the added overhead so you can scale up more quickly.

Conclusion

As your eCommerce company expands, your inventory and order management system needs to grow in tandem to handle the increasingly complex processes associated with higher volume, wider product selection, and a more complex supply chain.

Consolidating as much as of your operation management onto a single platform and using automation technology to streamline workflows will help you improve efficiency, lower cost, minimize human errors, and improve the customer experience so you can scale up sustainably.

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3 Common Mistakes That Lose The Sale https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2019/05/3-common-mistakes-that-lose-the-sale.html/ Thu, 23 May 2019 16:36:41 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=54188 Customers today have higher expectations than ever. Unfortunately, salespeople don’t seem to be meeting these expectations. According to the Brevet Group, 87% of customers believe salespeople don’t understand their needs. That’s why it’s critical to spend more time understanding the customer than educating them on your product or service. Most customers do their homework, anyway, and […]

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Customers today have higher expectations than ever. Unfortunately, salespeople don’t seem to be meeting these expectations.

According to the Brevet Group, 87% of customers believe salespeople don’t understand their needs. That’s why it’s critical to spend more time understanding the customer than educating them on your product or service. Most customers do their homework, anyway, and won’t even reach out until they’re ready to buy.

In today’s uber-competitive sales landscape, one wrong move can blow a sale. To help you close more deals, we’ve put together a list of three of the biggest sales mistakes.

  1. Not following up

A study by sales training company RAIN Group says it takes an average of eight contacts to get a meeting with a prospect. Every missed follow-up means you are handing sales to the competition.

The key to smart and effective follow-up are to be consistent and relevant.  Keeping up with prospects can be tough, and it is easy to let leads fall through the cracks, but fortunately technology can help. Email-based automation applications like Mixmax help sales teams stay on top of their prospects by using automation to enrich the customer experience, not degrade the customer experience. For example, you can create a series of emails that includes personalized videos and polls (which make it easy for prospects to respond), that make it easy for you to both automate your follow-up process and to personalize your message so you can stay on top of warm leads and make them feel important.

By creating email rules and sequences, email automation can do the bulk of the hard work. For example, you can create a series of emails for new customers that have never heard of your service. Over 3 or 4 short emails, directly state different ways your product helps them. Then, automate! The emails can be automatically sent every 5-7 days and can be automatically synced to your CRM. You can even create rules so if one of those contacts signs up for your services, the emails will automatically stop once the CRM is updated.  You can also pull in fields from your CRM that will populate as variables in your emails. For example you can use variables like first name, company, industry in your email.

 

  2. Being too pushy

While it’s true that following up is necessary, no one likes an aggressive sales person.

Once your customer understands what you have to offer, don’t keep pestering them to make a decision. It’s important to ask for the sale, but a better tactic is to stay in touch and offer valuable free resources.

When you’re dealing with high-dollar products and services, the sales cycle is longer and more people are involved in the decision. According to The Harvard Business Review, over six people are involved in B2B sales decisions. Account-based marketing strategies are a better approach here.

Here are some easy ways to provide value to your prospects through email:

  • Send a whitepaper

  • Invite the prospect to a free webinar (teach them to do something and spend less than five minutes asking for a sale)

  • Provide a link to an article of interest

  3. Talking More Than Listening

A study of 25,537 B2B sales calls conducted by HubSpot revealed that reps that spend less than 40% of a call talking won more deals.

 

Naturally, you’re enthusiastic about what your company has to offer. But not every prospect is a fit. If you charge through a conversation without determining a prospect’s needs, you’ll blow the sale.

  Wrapping it Up

When you’re approaching a potential customer, it’s easy to lose focus on what’s important. Good salespeople understand it’s not about making your quota or the potential revenue you’ll bring to your company.

The easiest way to get a leg up on the competition is to treat each customer like they’re your only customer. Listen first and don’t make assumptions. Ask questions if their needs are unclear. Take the time to build genuine relationships and stop worrying about the sale.

Don’t underestimate the power of personal connection in a sales situation. The best salespeople understand the importance of placing people over profits.

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How Your Business Can Deal with Negative Online Reviews https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2019/03/how-your-business-can-deal-with-negative-online-reviews.html/ Mon, 18 Mar 2019 19:09:27 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=54071 It’s a fact; positive online reviews can boost your business quickly. Studies show brands who have five positive Yelp reviews enjoy an average 10% increase in profit. Conversely, one terrible review can cost you valuable business and damage your brand’s credibility. In light of this, we’ve got some surefire advice on how to handle any […]

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It’s a fact; positive online reviews can boost your business quickly. Studies show brands who have five positive Yelp reviews enjoy an average 10% increase in profit.

Conversely, one terrible review can cost you valuable business and damage your brand’s credibility.

In light of this, we’ve got some surefire advice on how to handle any negative reviews published about your company.

Let’s dive in!

Respond Publicly to Bad Reviews

First and foremost, you need to be monitoring your company online for any reviews that customer publish. Tools like PowerReviews, allow you to automate the monitoring and collecting of your reviews online.

If you receive a poor review, you need to respond publicly.

As you construct a response, ensure you address the issue in a way that remains professional. Ideally, you want to provide a resolution so that other prospects can see how effectively you handle customer complaints. Needless to say, keeping your cool always creates a better impression than losing your temper.

 

If you feel the comment was particularly unjust, take an hour or so to cool off, and then compose a friendly response. Trust us; you’ll be thankful you did. Fighting fire with fire when it comes to customer relations never pays off.

You should also provide an email address or phone number so that if the customer wants to discuss the issue further, they have the option of doing so offline.

Top Tip: Publish your response as quickly as possible- the online world never sleeps, so a quick acknowledgment is expected. Plus, a speedy reply helps to ensure the situation doesn’t spiral as more and more prospects read the unsavory review.

Lastly, if your company was at fault, be sure to apologize. Do NOT shirk responsibility or try and blame the customer. This never comes across well. Instead, show you take responsibility and that you’re keen to make things right. Consumers appreciate this and are far more likely to respect your brand because of it.

If you’re unsure how to respond, here’s a quick template you can edit:

“Hello [insert the name of the customer],

Thank you so much for your feedback. Here at [insert the name of your business], we take customer complaints extremely seriously. We’re sorry about [insert their complaint] To try and make things right we would like to [insert resolution]. Would you mind contacting us on [insert contact details] so we can find out a little more about how things went wrong?

 

Best Wishes,
[Insert the name of your company]”

Make Necessary Improvements

If the same negative comments are surfacing time and again, then you need to make a change.

Go through your reviews and compile a list of all the negative comments you’ve received. Then call a team meeting to discuss how as a brand you can tackle these issues. This is essential for ensuring the same problem doesn’t repeat itself.

Not to mention, when you make the necessary improvements you show customers you care about their concerns and want to provide a premium user experience. This is imperative for rebuilding trust with disgruntled customers.

Follow Up

Now you’ve addressed their complaint; you need to follow up with them and find out whether they’re satisfied with the way things were resolved.

Shoot over a private message, and if possible offer a discount or freebie to try and smooth things over. This highlights that their opinion is valued and that you’ve taken their feedback seriously.

Showing genuine concern in your follow up message increases the likelihood of the customer giving your brand another try. Who knows? Perhaps they’ll even delete or update the negative review they published?

Top Tip: If you’ve apologized and rectified the issue, there’s nothing wrong with asking the customer to erase their negative comments. On the whole, people don’t usually mind doing this once there query is resolved.

Stay Vigilant

The best course of action is to avoid negative reviews in the first place. To do this, businesses need to meet and exceed customer expectations. One of the biggest pet peeves of most customers is when a business doesn’t keep their word.

For a service based business this could be as small as not showing up on time or as big as not living up to the agreed upon work. Whether you’re a web design firm or a home service business, exceeding customer expectations can lead from a first time customers to repeat business and referrals.

To help businesses execute this goal they turn to technology. For example, home service software companies, like ServiceTitan, help create a seamless customer experience by communicating with customers at every step of the process. From automatically rerouting the closest technicians for on-time appointments to texting customers ahead of time with the name, picture and bio of the technician doing the work.

Top Tip: Stay ahead of the online review curve by heading off potentially negative review before they happen. Using your customer service or field representatives as your front lines is a great way to deal with reviews.

Final Thoughts

Receiving negative reviews about your brand can be heartbreaking. It can be tough to handle when you spend so much of your time and effort building growing your business. So much so, that some business owners forget these reviews aren’t personal attacks.

Instead, it’s important to try and see them as opportunities to improve business operations and to learn more about what your customers really want.

If you follow the above advice and respond appropriately by committing to solving the customers’ concerns, there’s a good chance you’ll rekindle the relationship while demonstrating to prospects how professionally you handle customer complaints- win-win!

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Digital Marketing: Local SEO Q&A with Chief Marketing Officer Kristaps Brencans https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2019/03/digital-marketing-local-seo-qa-with-chief-marketing-officer-kristaps-brencans.html/ Fri, 15 Mar 2019 10:00:21 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=54063 Kristaps Brencans is Chief Marketing Officer of On the Map Marketing, an Inc. magazine “5000 Fastest Growing Companies.” He has launched dozens of highly-successful internet marketing campaigns for his company’s clients.  1. What is SEO? The process of how search engines read websites and populate the information that we find in search engine results. Think about […]

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Kristaps Brencans is Chief Marketing Officer of On the Map Marketing, an Inc. magazine “5000 Fastest Growing Companies.” He has launched dozens of highly-successful internet marketing campaigns for his company’s clients.

 1. What is SEO?

The process of how search engines read websites and populate the information that we find in search engine results. Think about how you go on Google and look for information. You type in a phrase, and Google gives you a list of websites. Have you ever wondered why one site comes up on the first result page and some on the second or third? The reason is Google (and other search engines) categorize all websites in their database and serve users like us the most relevant results first.

2. What’s the difference between organic vs. paid results?

Organic results are unpaid natural rankings. If you have a high ranking in the organic results, it means is that the search engine’s algorithm finds your site among the most credible sources to show the end-user for whichever keyword they searched for. While paid results (PPC) allow you to pay to have your website displayed on the first page of the search engine for specific keywords. You will be paying for every click you receive, and once that budget runs out, your site will disappear from the front page.

3. Why is SEO important for small businesses?

It’s equally important for small and large businesses. In other words, it’s important for any business — any information published on the internet can be found online. Google and other search engines are the resources that we turn to when looking up information are. If I typed information on your business, what would I find? Positive reviews? Correct addresses? Mentions of your business on news sites? Your business’s social profiles? There’s a ton of information about any business out there that gets populated in search results. I would start with understanding what information Google is indexing about your business and then start working your way down to find search phrases to associate your website and other web properties with.

4. What’s a good goal to set for your SEO?

I’d say start with a solid website. You can’t have a successful SEO campaign without a well-functioning website. Get familiar with concepts like Google Analytics and Google Webmaster Tools. Even though you are a business owner focused on niche product/service, success will come only if you have educated yourself at a fundamental level.

To sum it up, early goal: solid website + fundamental knowledge of digital marketing. Once those two are in place, you can start evaluating service providers and setting goals for your SEO campaign.

5. What kinds of businesses should use local SEO?

Local businesses thrive on foot traffic and the area demographic customers looking for services. Think about a directories like Yelp. Every service is there and people trust them to find qualified providers. Google is the same, but it functions in a much broader way. 

6. Why does Google My Business matter? What does it have to do with SEO for my website?

Google My Business is the number one step for local SEO. Once Google has verified your business as real, you have the opportunity to appear in what’s called the Google Map results. The respective section in Google populates the nearest search results for a particular service. If you want to get more information on marketing then make sure to visit this website for assistance.

7. Should I hire someone to do my SEO?

I’d start with having someone evaluate your website and then continue the conversation about how an SEO consultant can help you build search presence. 

Published in partnership with On the Map Marketing.

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5 Benefits of Having a High Quality Law Firm Website Design https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2019/03/5-benefits-of-having-a-high-quality-law-firm-website-design.html/ Thu, 14 Mar 2019 16:00:09 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=54061 Once you have your law firm up and running, the next step is to get the attention of clients who need your help. Today technology has advanced incredibly in digital marketing, audience segmentation and  targeting. All these advances are very beneficial for companies, as they allow them to specifically find the client who requires these […]

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Once you have your law firm up and running, the next step is to get the attention of clients who need your help.

Today technology has advanced incredibly in digital marketing, audience segmentation and  targeting. All these advances are very beneficial for companies, as they allow them to specifically find the client who requires these specific services or products.All this information needs to be processed by a scientist, data science expert or machine learning consulting in order to be used by marketers.

The best way of doing that is with a website for your law firm, and the better the website, the better your chances of turning visitors into clients just by using using a membership software to enhance the website view.

A high-quality lawyer website does not need a lot of expensive flashes to attract visitors, but it does require some style, and some substance. You can visit one of the top web site design agency that specializes in high-quality law firm web design. Once that part is taken care of, you can expect to reap these five benefits of having a high-quality and Professional law firm website design. You can also visit On the Map Marketing for another advise.

1. Reach New Customers

Finding new customers is the goal of every business, and your law firm should be no different. A high-quality website is not just one that has substance and style; it is also one that utilizes excellent SEO (search engine optimization) strategies. SEO helps websites to get higher rankings in Google’s SERP (search engine results page). You may also know about Niche Edits, Niche Edit or also known Curated Links are basically a contextual anchor link inserted into a quality aged guest post, blog post or page that already exists which means it has already been indexed by Google.

The goal of SEO is to have the website show up on the first page of search results when a user searches for specific keywords for which a website is optimized. SEO involves various tactics such as increasing the website’s loading speed, keeping it updated with fresh, high-quality content, and more.Check This Out, A website that uses great SEO will expand its reach and be able to attract a more significant number of visitors, who have a high potential of becoming new clients.

2. Building Brand Awareness

What is the goal of your law firm? Are you a Family Solicitors who specializes in divorce cases? Do you mainly help people who have suffered an injury while on the job? Whatever your mission statement may be, you want people to know about it so that you can provide your services to the people who need it the most. That’s why law firms like mazininjurylawyers use a very efficient and engaging website for their brand awareness. You can learn more by checking out their website.

A high-quality website can help get your message across quickly and to a wide swath of people. Being relevant and reaching many people can help to build your reputation and increase the public’s awareness of your law firm. As people begin to know who you are — this is what is known as building brand awareness, and it is highly essential if you want people to know about the areas of the legal profession in which you specialize. Once people have a greater awareness of who you are and what you do, you will start to attract the clients who need the services you provide.

3. You Are Always Available

You need to sleep, but your website never does, which is great because no matter your area of practice, your clients will want to get in touch with you at all hours of the day. There is no way for you to be available 24/7, but fortunately, your website will always be there for your clients. Get started with some free and simple html templates because making your website is never easy the first time. There are various ways that your site can help you keep in touch with your clients even when you cannot.

A live chat feature allows interested visitors to learn more about your firm and your services. Form submissions can enable new clients to supply their information such as a video deposition and make an appointment. Current clients can contact you via e-mail, the address of which will be prominently displayed on your site. Your website guarantees that no hour is too unreasonable for your clients to try and contact you.

4. Stand Out From the Crowd

The legal profession is one of the most competitive fields out there. That means that there are legions of other law firms fighting for customers from the same client base as yours. You need to stand out from the crowd if you want to make a greater impression on this client base than your competitors.

A high-quality website will help to establish your law firm as unique and different from the rest of your challenges. Once people visit your site, they will immediately realize that you are not like the rest if your have good packaging design services. That increases the chance that they will decide to retain the services of the law firm that stands out from the rest.

5. Increase Visitor Engagement

The longer a visitor stays on your website, the higher the chances that they will become a client. A high-quality website has content that is necessary to keep visitors engaged for long periods of time. Furthermore, it will make your content easy to access via excellent web design so make sure to contact the Designful – Web Design team to help you out. Captivating content that is easy to find, in a website that loads quickly and is simple to navigate, is a surefire way to keep visitors engrossed. And an engrossed visitor is more likely to become a potential client.

Do Not Underestimate What a High-Quality Website Can do For Your Law Firm

When you are starting your law firm web design, you should not skimp on the attributes that make a high-quality website. That is because a great site has benefits that are both tangible and intangible. Companies like website design columbia sc can really help your business grow. These benefits will give you advantages in the short term and the long term. So, when the company in charge of your law firm website development starts work, make sure that they don’t miss any details. That website could benefit you for years to come.

 

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How to Use AI To Triple the Efficiency of Your Sales Process https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2019/02/how-to-use-ai-to-triple-the-efficiency-sales-process.html/ Wed, 27 Feb 2019 11:00:59 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=53933 Keeping on top of your calls is key to sales success. While many companies are interacting with their customers via email and live chatbots, the telephone still reigns king in the world of sales: 92 percent of all customer interactions happen over the phone, while only 24 percent of sales emails are opened. If we’re […]

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Keeping on top of your calls is key to sales success. While many companies are interacting with their customers via email and live chatbots, the telephone still reigns king in the world of sales: 92 percent of all customer interactions happen over the phone, while only 24 percent of sales emails are opened.

If we’re aware of the importance of interacting with our customers over the phone to close those all-important deals, why did these studies find that 93 percent of companies don’t respond within the recommended 5 minutes, and 23 percent of companies don’t respond to their leads at all? Clearly, businesses are so slammed that getting back to customers and possible sales leads is proving impossible. And while many are making use of virtual phone systems, often their features aren’t actually that important in helping them make more sales.

Luckily, artificial intelligence can lessen the workload of sales teams and help them to become more efficient. In fact, 55 percent of telecom companies are already using AI. Here are the top ways integrating AI into your phone system can boost your sales performance.

Drive New Business from Call Data Insights

If you were to look into your company’s call data and try to interpret it, you may spend hours diving into the numbers. While reports can be helpful, without AI, there’s a slim chance you’re going to use it.

AI can notice trends from your phone calls and alert you of any opportunities for improvement. For example, the most common cities your calls are coming from could give you insights into potential new markets for your company. It can also pick up on how long it’s taking you to answer calls and alert you to slow response times, which could help you determine when to hire a salesperson who can follow up while you concentrate on your work.

AI can not only tell you what is your busiest time of day, but it can also recommend when you should stop working and return phone calls. And on top of this, it has the power to analyze call transcripts themselves to evaluate and offer suggestions for improvements how your sales team is pitching to leads.

No More Forgotten Leads

When your business receives a lot of calls, it can feel almost impossible to get back to every single one you missed. AI can recognize when you get over your head and suggest ways to increase the number of callbacks. It can alert you about phone calls, and send a reminder to call them back.

This feature is invaluable, especially since research has shown that companies that reach their leads within an hour are seven times more likely to have meaningful conversations with decision makers than those who waited more than 60 minutes. And the more people you get back to quickly, the more likely you are the make the sale and increase revenue.

For when calls don’t need your personal attention, AI bots can take much of this extra workload away. The bot can answer voicemails based on the content of the message transcript, and give information such as hours of operation and directions — so you don’t have to call them back.

AI can Grade You on your Overall Performance

So, you’re utilizing the insights and reminders you’re getting day to day, but what about the value of all of that data taken over an extended period? AI can compile it into a detailed profile, helping you to make sure you’re improving on your stats each month and calling sales leads and customers back quickly. Insights into when and where your calls are coming from mean you’ll be able to identify what marketing strategy is the right one and who are the most important customers to prioritize in order to increase customer retention.

It’s high time companies left behind flashy virtual phone systems that are oversaturated with features they don’t really need. The advent of AI in phone management systems has the power to revolutionize your sales process by giving you true insights into the strategy you should be adopting, and helping you keep up with more leads than would otherwise be possible.

Authored by:

AI, smallbiztechnology.com

Jay Reeder has more than 23 years of experience in the telecommunications industry. He began creating voicemail systems in high school, which led to his first job as a software developer creating voicemail technology. Within the first year, he had completely rewritten the company’s voicemail software platform and at the age of 20 was selected to lead voicemail development for telecommunications giant ITT.

In 1994 Reeder founded his first company, Revox, developing high-end voice platforms for telephone companies. This was followed by Atlanta Voicemail, VoicePlus, Buzzworks and ultimately VoiceNation, a live answering company that has been recognized by PC Magazine, Clutch, and others as an industry leader. His latest product, Ninja Number, is a virtual phone system that helps entrepreneurs increase revenue by improving their communication with customers.

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Using Brick-and-Mortar Analytics to Compete with Amazon https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2019/02/using-brick-and-mortar-analytics-compete-with-amazon.html/ Sun, 24 Feb 2019 11:00:05 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=53913 The business environment in 2019 is one of stiff competition: Amazon and the 2-day shipping promise offered by similar online retail giants has created a game of high-stakes when it comes to commanding consumer market share. For small business owners running brick-and-mortar shops, it can be seemingly impossible to compete with Amazon and the kind […]

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The business environment in 2019 is one of stiff competition: Amazon and the 2-day shipping promise offered by similar online retail giants has created a game of high-stakes when it comes to commanding consumer market share. For small business owners running brick-and-mortar shops, it can be seemingly impossible to compete with Amazon and the kind of convenience and service that many shoppers have grown accustomed to in the age of ecommerce.

However, many of these small business owners are overlooking critical technology tools that online retailers have been taking advantage of for years: analytics. So often entrepreneurs with physical storefronts and no online presence overlook the power of data and analytics, assuming that because they rely on foot traffic patronage, they don’t have access to shopper data that will inform and benefit their future sales. That’s not the case. In fact, brick-and-mortar retailers that use analytics are benefitting from several factors that give them an upper hand in this competitive environment.  

Brick-and-Mortar has the Edge in Sales and Spend

Contrary to common belief, our youngest group of consumers, Generation Z (or Gen-Z), is shopping in-store. Call it a penchant for instant gratification or a desire for an in-store “experience,” but these shoppers have $44 billion in buying power and most are spending in stores rather than online.

According to a study from IBM, 67 percent of Gen-Z shops in a brick-and-mortar store most of the time and an additional 31 percent shop in-store sometimes, meaning that 98 percent of Gen-Z are shopping in physical stores.

That’s a lot of revenue potential for brick-and-mortar stores, but only if they can turn Gen Z prospects into customers and, more importantly, into repeat customers. This generation is known for being made up of “digital natives,” and they are creating data every time they connect to wifi or sign up for your email lists. They may not be your business’ target demographic yet, but they will be someday. Collecting data from your customers and leveraging it to effectively target and serve shoppers can help retail stores capitalize on the active customers they already have.

Not only are shoppers still drawn into stores, they are actually spending more when they shop in-person. Consumers spend an average of $1,700 per month in traditional stores, compared to just $247 per month online, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers.

With sales and spend on their side, brick-and-mortar shops have an opportunity to captivate market share by targeting one-time shoppers with special offers, news and more, simply by collecting contact information or recording purchase histories.

Harnessing Technology to Close the Sale in-Store

While brick-and-mortar shops may find it challenging to compete with the inventory flexibility, low cost margins and single-click ordering convenience offered by Amazon, they can use shoppers’ reliance on technology to get customers in their door.

A survey by mobile loyalty company SessionM found that 90 percent of consumers use their phone while shopping in-store, giving traditional retailers the opportunity to incentivize purchases while customers shop, just like online retailers can. This offers brick-and-mortar businesses a unique opportunity to share promotions and suggestions in real time, which, in turn, helps to provide the personalization customers expect and ultimately drive sales.

It’s clear that implementing analytics can help brick-and-mortar shops improve audience engagement and boost sales, but many retailers aren’t sure how to start. Here are a few quick and easy ways traditional retailers can begin using analytics to help improve their businesses. Remember to check state and federal laws with regard to the collection and use of data and information:

  • In-store Wi-Fi: setting up a network in your store may allow you to begin collecting information from your shoppers, like email addresses, dates visited, time spent in your store and more.  
  • Location data: Being tuned into who is visiting your store and who is visiting your competitors can be a critical measure of your current market share and potential market share.

Contact Information: Make sure you are collecting contact information from your customers when appropriate, so you can maintain contact with them, offering personalized “in-store only” offers and driving repeat transactions.

Authored by:

Amber Colley, Business Credit Expert and Senior Vice President, Dun & Bradstreet

 

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Small Business Growth Advice From Small Biz Owners https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2019/02/small-business-growth-advice.html/ Wed, 20 Feb 2019 19:26:35 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=53948 Facebook Live is the new way to attend all types of events from the comfort of your home, computer, or tablet. Ramon Ray from smallbiztechnology.com held a Facebook Live event from the Zoho offices in Pleasanton, California during their annual event for press and analysts. He had an expert panel join him as well: Brent […]

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Facebook Live is the new way to attend all types of events from the comfort of your home, computer, or tablet. Ramon Ray from smallbiztechnology.com held a Facebook Live event from the Zoho offices in Pleasanton, California during their annual event for press and analysts. He had an expert panel join him as well:

The Path to Small Business Growth

Ramon kicked off the conversation with a key takeaway from a speech from Zoho’s CEO, Sridhar Vembu: Lot of start-ups want to go big, be the next Facebook, Google, etc. But, it’s essential to make sure you:

“Don’t forget the people who made you what you are, and make sure that you always take care of them as well as serving your new customers.”

And what do you say to people who are saying to the start-ups who are like, ‘I need outside VC. I want go big, I want to go large. How do I fund my operations if I don’t have public money? Jeff Bezos did it, why can’t I do it?’  

Anita Campbell believes in,the power of a long-term vision. Having it and sticking with it, and not second guessing yourself. “

Higher Education & How It’s Changing

What’s more important: going to a 4 year university or learning a specific skill to get into the workforce sooner? As mentioned in a previous article, Zoho employees are no strangers to these topics – Zoho houses its’ own University, dubbed, “The Meaningful Alternative to Conventional College Education.” “Earn while you Learn”, is the middle ground that many post high school age kids have been yearning for. Zoho University prepares its’ students for the real world by teaching skills  like other tuition centre that hiring managers find attractive and companies need more of. Plus, students don’t pay any tuition – instead, they receive a stipend and after successful completion of their program, are inducted as an employee into the Zoho Corporation.

In American Society the assumption is usually that it’s necessary to go to a 4-year college to get a worthwhile job. But, is it necessary?

Reiva agreed that people have more options now and can enter the workforce with less debt, due to some of the new options available, especially since it’s not a one size fits all system.

She gave a nod to education in general, saying, “That’s the tea: You need to learn the skills.”

The panel all agreed from their personal experience as past students, and current business owners, that education should help students learn skills to bring into the workforce, making them more attractive to future employers.

Small Business Technology and Finding the Best Solutions

Brent gave us some insight into smaller businesses and their relationship with technology. He explained that there are a lot of smaller applications built specifically for small businesses. But, most of the applications do ONE thing well. Then, you end up needing a number of different applications from different vendors to get everything done. Having so many applications “…adds a layer of complexity. It makes it harder to get things done, it takes longer to get things done.”

Brent explains:

When you have the opportunity to have a platform that has a lot of functions, you don’t have to keep going in and out multiple applications building integration. It makes it easier for you to get the stuff done so that’s where […] the power is. And that is a big thing for a small business.

Words of Advice to Small Business Owners

With 1 month of 2019 already gone,what should small business owners know: Rieva’s advice to small businesses is that “you just need to pay attention.  Are you a local business? Then pay attention in your local market. What do people want? What doesn’t exist? And can you fill that niche if you’re a start-up?

Rieva Lesonsky also went to the idea of a business plan, and how to look at it so it can work better for your business.  

What can I do today to make my business better tomorrow? Think of it like that. And just come up with some action steps that you can do now that don’t freak you out, and then do them. Don’t think about it, don’t stress about it, just actually do them.”

What are 2-3 things that can help a small business, TODAY?

Brent’s advice was focused around your business website and how to easily improve it. He explains,

“Get a tool and do an audit of your website. So there are lots of tools out there, SEMrush is one of them, but there are other ones you can use. And they’re very easy, they’ll do it automated for you. They’ll tell you what you need to fix. And every website needs to fix things.”

Another common business issue? Working on the business instead of it in. Brent Leary explains,

“If you have to think about your business, don’t bury yourself in the details. You’ll get further ahead if you spend that equivalent time thinking about your business and some goal you’ve made. “

Like Rieva said, take action today.

Didn’t catch this Facebook Live? Make sure to follow them on Facebook and set your calendar for the next one.

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Passionate About Process? G Suite May Be Your Soulmate https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2019/02/passionate-process-g-suite-soulmate.html/ Fri, 15 Feb 2019 11:00:05 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=53893 Ramon Ray sat down with Edward Tull of JB Goodwin Realtors to dish about his love of Google’s G Suite and how it’s revolutionizing the way Realtors do business. Edward is the Director of Technology and Process Management at JB Goodwin. He started as a realtor with JB Goodwin back in 2008. Since then, his […]

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Ramon Ray sat down with Edward Tull of JB Goodwin Realtors to dish about his love of Google’s G Suite and how it’s revolutionizing the way Realtors do business. Edward is the Director of Technology and Process Management at JB Goodwin. He started as a realtor with JB Goodwin back in 2008. Since then, his role has evolved. Edward now helps the company improve processes and he reviews and implements tools. This role suits him because as he puts it, he’s “passionate about process”.

JB Goodwin operates in the greater Austin area and San Antonio with 6 offices, 750 agents, 50 executive, and administrative employees. They do both commercial and residential real estate.

In the Beginning

Jb Goodwin operated by sending emails back and forth email. They had a website with a resource cloud where they stored some files and there was a calendar that everyone could view, but not contribute to. “The organization just wasn’t there,” Edward mentioned, “in the beginning, it wasn’t even searchable.” He admits that this resulted in limited collaboration between the agents or the managers.

“Communication was carried out over phone calls, email, or physically driving to different locations to hold meetings.”

Something had to give.

Making Moves

JB Goodwin first moved over to a hybrid system- Microsoft 365 and IMAP email. With 365 “we now had backup, central management, collaboration among the management team such as shared calendars, some shared documents, there was a lot of value to that and we saw that value.” But, Edward continued, “the agents weren’t able to access that and we often had to create separate calendars and they weren’t able to be shared, there was no synching.”

They were moving in the right direction but weren’t quite there yet.

So, Edward starting reviewing Microsoft 365 and G Suite–the two big names that companies, who aren’t building their own in-house, typically consider. “There are a lot of similarities between the two and there were also some glaring differences and that’s sort of what made up our mind,” noted Edward.

Why G Suite?

“Everyone is already used to using it. You can plug outlook in. It’s easy to use. We wanted to have an easy migration” and they didn’t want to make changes that were going to disrupt business.

With the Google Cloud platform and Google Data Studio, Edward saw immense value. It was easy to set their management team up on Google Shared Docs, in fact, most of them had already been using it in some form or another. So the transition actually “sped them up day one” said Edward.

Google Data Studio

Edward said this versatile tool gives their management team the ability to ask any database almost any question. It allows you to customize spreadsheets and reports. You can simply drag and drop filters and search bars. Edward shared that he had an administrative team member approach him, frustrated, with all of the reports she was dealing with.

“In 5 mins I gave her a custom report out of 3 different reports, pulled the info she needed, cut out 20-30 emails she sent a week.”

By doing this, the team member gained back valuable man hours, increased productivity and saved time.

Rocking in Real Estate

While G Suite is a great tool for any small business, it’s especially effective in real estate.  Other businesses record business as it closes but, “were recording business as it’s written. What’s under contract, how much, address, by region, by office, by company, transaction type.” Then, they can pull so much info from that database at any time. It’s 100% customizable. Edward adds that “you don’t have to be someone who nerds out on Google Cloud Platforms.” You can start simply with a spreadsheet. A lot of companies could start using G Suite very easily.

All About Automation

Ramon asked Edward what advice he would give small businesses looking to grow.

His answer:
“Automation is key.

He emphasized that automation is especially important for agents and independent contractors. Their agents don’t have time to do it all.  G Suite is able to be connected to CRM. Connect agent databases to other marketing tools like mail marketing. Facebook. They’re able to tie in build audiences on their databases. They get insights into their database, like who’s ready to buy or sell. They can also tie databases into predictive analytics—who’s likely to buy or sell or who’s likely to downsize or upsize.

“Agents focus on communication, physically being in front of people, handwritten notes. Automation allows them to be in front of their clients on social media, email, postcard mailers.” Edward remarked that they subscribe to the principle of the 7 touches. “Every 30 or 60 days you’re in front of the client 7 times.” G Suite allows agents to blend in-person touches and automated touches. It empowers the agents to get out there and make connections and follow up via technology.

G Suite is easy to use and businesses can start small, focusing on some goals and frustrations that they’re having. It also scales really well and can grow with your business. Edward pointed out that “people will start with G Suite just for email and don’t even realized the capabilities that they’re actually paying for. You have to be tech hopeful–have the willingness to learn.”

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How to Use AI To Triple the Efficiency of Your Sales Process https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2019/02/how-to-use-ai-to-triple-the-efficiency-of-sales-process.html/ Sat, 09 Feb 2019 11:00:24 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=53756 Keeping on top of your calls is key to sales success. While many companies are interacting with their customers via email and live chatbots, the telephone still reigns king in the world of sales: 92 percent of all customer interactions happen over the phone, while only 24 percent of sales emails are opened. If we’re […]

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Keeping on top of your calls is key to sales success. While many companies are interacting with their customers via email and live chatbots, the telephone still reigns king in the world of sales: 92 percent of all customer interactions happen over the phone, while only 24 percent of sales emails are opened.

If we’re aware of the importance of interacting with our customers over the phone to close those all-important deals, why did these studies find that 93 percent of companies don’t respond within the recommended 5 minutes, and 23 percent of companies don’t respond to their leads at all? Clearly, businesses are so slammed that getting back to customers and possible sales leads is proving impossible. And while many are making use of virtual phone systems, often their features aren’t actually that important in helping them make more sales.

Luckily, artificial intelligence can lessen the workload of sales teams and help them to become more efficient. In fact, 55 percent of telecom companies are already using AI. Here are the top ways integrating AI into your phone system can boost your sales performance.

Drive New Business from Call Data Insights

If you were to look into your company’s call data and try to interpret it, you may spend hours diving into the numbers. While reports can be helpful, without AI, there’s a slim chance you’re going to use it.

AI can notice trends from your phone calls and alert you of any opportunities for improvement. For example, the most common cities your calls are coming from could give you insights into potential new markets for your company. It can also pick up on how long it’s taking you to answer calls and alert you to slow response times, which could help you determine when to hire a salesperson who can follow up while you concentrate on your work.

AI can not only tell you what is your busiest time of day, but it can also recommend when you should stop working and return phone calls. And on top of this, it has the power to analyze call transcripts themselves to evaluate and offer suggestions for improvements how your sales team is pitching to leads.

No More Forgotten Leads

When your business receives a lot of calls, it can feel almost impossible to get back to every single one you missed. AI can recognize when you get over your head and suggest ways to increase the number of callbacks. It can alert you about phone calls, and send a reminder to call them back.

This feature is invaluable, especially since research has shown that companies that reach their leads within an hour are seven times more likely to have meaningful conversations with decision makers than those who waited more than 60 minutes. And the more people you get back to quickly, the more likely you are the make the sale and increase revenue.

For when calls don’t need your personal attention, AI bots can take much of this extra workload away. The bot can answer voicemails based on the content of the message transcript, and give information such as hours of operation and directions — so you don’t have to call them back.

AI Can Grade You on Your Overall Performance

So, you’re utilizing the insights and reminders you’re getting day to day, but what about the value of all of that data taken over an extended period? AI can compile it into a detailed profile, helping you to make sure you’re improving on your stats each month and calling sales leads and customers back quickly. Insights into when and where your calls are coming from mean you’ll be able to identify what marketing strategy is the right one and who are the most important customers to prioritize in order to increase customer retention.

It’s high time companies left behind flashy virtual phone systems that are oversaturated with features they don’t really need. The advent of AI in phone management systems has the power to revolutionize your sales process by giving you true insights into the strategy you should be adopting, and helping you keep up with more leads than would otherwise be possible.

Authored by:

AI smallbiztechnology.comJay Reeder has more than 23 years of experience in the telecommunications industry. He began creating voicemail systems in high school, which led to his first job as a software developer creating voicemail technology. Within the first year, he had completely rewritten the company’s voicemail software platform and at the age of 20 was selected to lead voicemail development for telecommunications giant ITT.

In 1994 Reeder founded his first company, Revox, developing high-end voice platforms for telephone companies. This was followed by Atlanta Voicemail, VoicePlus, Buzzworks and ultimately VoiceNation, a live answering company that has been recognized by PC Magazine, Clutch, and others as an industry leader. His latest product, Ninja Number, is a virtual phone system that helps entrepreneurs increase revenue by improving their communication with customers.

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How Google’s Machine Learning Is Impacting Local Store Traffic https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2019/02/googles-machine-learning-impacting-traffic.html/ Mon, 04 Feb 2019 11:00:00 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=53735 Machine learning is predicted to change the world at a similar scale or greater than the industrial revolution in the nineteenth century. While still in its early stages, machine learning has already had a significant impact on different aspects of everyday life. Chances are you’ve already interacted or heard of how machine learning is being […]

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Machine learning is predicted to change the world at a similar scale or greater than the industrial revolution in the nineteenth century.

While still in its early stages, machine learning has already had a significant impact on different aspects of everyday life. Chances are you’ve already interacted or heard of how machine learning is being used today:

  1. Google is using machine learning to train driverless cars, which will change how we move.
  2. The “People You May Know” feature on Facebook, which opens us to a new network of people.
  3. The evolution of semantic-based search results in search engines.

It’s clear how machine learning has the potential to transform everything, from transportation to the way we communicate, and it doesn’t take much imagination to see how machine learning is going to change things for local stores, as well.

Since machine learning algorithms feed off data to create patterns, Google has been in a powerful position to make an impact on everything from online search to local retail. With over 3.5 billion searches a day, and an incomprehensible amount of user data, Google’s machine efforts can and have been making an immediate impact.

Here’s how Google’s machine learning is impacting local stores’ traffic, and what we can expect in the future:

What Is Machine Learning?

 

By definition, machine learning is a type of artificial intelligence that enables computers to learn without further explicit instruction from a programmer. Essentially, machine learning involves finding patterns and adjusting program actions as needed.

Most people are more familiar with machine learning from a non-technical perspective. For example, Netflix’s machine learning capabilities can predict what show you will probably be interested in next based on what you’ve just finished watching. Similarly, Amazon’s machine learning capabilities can make product recommendations based on your viewing and purchasing history.

Machine Learning and Local Store Traffic

The sheer amount of information and analytics available in the world of retail is what is making machine learning a very effective solution for local stores.

If you’ve used Google to find information about a local store, you may have seen a handy little bar graph highlighting the busy times of the store. Google compiles this information by using the mobile phone GPS location signals and Wi-Fi connectivity of those who have enabled Location History/Services to determine where users are.

machine learning smallbiztechnology.com

Once Google has enough data about location times, it can predict the most popular times even if the search isn’t “live.” The implication that this has on store traffic is that traffic which has previously researched the location might be more inclined to visit during a time that is less busy. For example, the above graph describes the traffic at a local Target Supermarket and shows a relatively steady, uniform series of data points.

machine learning smallbiztechnology.com

In contrast, this bar graph describes the traffic of a local restaurant. Based on the information provided, it is a popular lunch spot but isn’t so popular around dinner time, as well being typically empty at 4 p.m., as most restaurants are. If traffic were inclined to visit this restaurant but didn’t want to spend a lot of time in line or waiting to be served, they would likely opt for the less busy times, evening out the distribution.

Tracking your phone’s location to estimate wait times is not a novel idea; it has been used in Google Maps to estimate traffic times for a few years, now.

Machine Learning Can Improve the Shopping Experience

Machine learning’s reach extends far past the distribution of local store traffic. Local stores can tap into big data analytics and machine learning to source products from outside vendors or provide recommendations based on basic things such as the price and quantity, and even the more complex components such as the place the item sits on a shelf and the best marketing channel to reach out to the right customer in a specific area.

Through machine learning, local stores will be able to help the right customer find the right product at the right time. The impact this has on local store traffic could either increase the number of people walking through local stores or decrease the amount of time spent in the store since they are more likely to find the item they are looking for based on machine learning predictive analytics.

The Future of Google’s Machine Learning and Local Store Traffic

Technology has allowed local stores to create an index of virtually every product in existence, and machine learning is going to help them to pair this information with customer shopping habits to provide a convenience that is otherwise more difficult and expensive to do.

Local stores will not only be able to offer customers a much better experience, they will be able to better understand the best landscape to open up new locations based on foot and car traffic patterns. Trained algorithms can predict the popularity of certain locations and take into account everything from competitors to average customer lifetime value in certain areas.

As far as Google’s machine learning goes, it only seems to be continuously advancing and becoming a larger part of everyday life. Google’s CEO, Sundar Pichai, noted that machine learning is becoming an integral part of every component of Google:

“Machine learning is a core, transformative way by which we’re rethinking how we’re doing everything. We are thoughtfully applying it across all our products, be it search, ads, YouTube, or Play. And we’re in early days, but you will see us — in a systematic way — apply machine learning in all these areas.”

As Google’s Machine Learning algorithm advances and Google Shopping updates continue to change the way local stores interact with their shoppers, new strategies will emerge to capitalize on new in-store and online traffic patterns.

Final Thoughts

Artificial intelligence isn’t just a marketing trend, it’s a technological breakthrough that has the potential to completely change the retail game in a short period of time. Machine learning is massively scalable and improves with the amount of information it has to work with.

Complex tasks that were previously only done by humans could soon be transitioned to a tireless, high-quality digital workforce. Machine learning has impacted and will continue to change the landscape of local store traffic, and local stores that figure out a way to best use Google’s machine learning algorithms and local SEO to their benefit will ultimately be able to provide their new traffic a better experience.

Authored by:

Ronald Dod is the Chief Marketing Officer and Co-founder of Visiture an end-to-end eCommerce marketing agency focused on helping online merchants acquire more customers through the use of search engines, social media platforms, marketplaces, and their online storefronts. His passion is helping leading brands use data to make more effective decisions in order to drive new traffic and conversions.

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Small Business Owners Grow Pessimistic: A Rebuttal https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2019/02/small-business-owners-grow-pessimistic-rebuttal.html/ Sat, 02 Feb 2019 11:00:01 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=53721 With the questions about the economy, is now a good time to be a small business owner? For the past three months, the attitudes toward small businesses has been negative. As national media outlets share their pessimism, are people turning away from small businesses? Are there reasons to be optimistic? The answer is yes. There […]

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With the questions about the economy, is now a good time to be a small business owner? For the past three months, the attitudes toward small businesses has been negative. As national media outlets share their pessimism, are people turning away from small businesses? Are there reasons to be optimistic?

The answer is yes. There are always reasons to be optimistic about small businesses and their opportunities for growth. But, in a slow-moving market, the growth might be slow, too.

As I talk to small business owners, I am feeling their confidence. They are fired up about opportunities in 2019. Their enthusiasm is contagious, despite the negative outlook from organizations like the The Wall Street Journal.

So, how do you stay positive when the word on the street is full of negativity? The short answer – you keep doing what you do well. Market your business. Hire good people. Stay involved in your community.

In a slower market, you might have to hustle a little harder. Maybe you make more videos, or you post more on social media. Maybe you get creative with special events. There are plenty of ways to hustle.

You can also look around for good news. Like this good news from the National Federation of Independent Business:

“Small business owners are enthusiastic about the economy and have demonstrated their optimism by raising wages, creating new jobs, and investing in their businesses throughout 2018,” said NFIB President and CEO Juanita D. Duggan. “Overall, small business owners have shown a historic trend in optimism for their businesses and the economy and continue to be the driving force behind economic growth.”

Optimism drives more optimism. Share your successes. What’s going well with your business? Let’s prove the pessimists wrong with our small business successes.

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Visa Launches She’s Next to Support Female Entrepreneurs https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2019/01/visa-launches-shes-next-support-female-entrepreneurs.html/ Thu, 31 Jan 2019 11:00:48 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=53718 In an exciting move to support female entrepreneurs, Visa announced a new program called “She’s Next”. This program is designed to help women who own small businesses grow and strengthen them. All over the world, women-owned businesses are increasing. According to Visa, over 163 million women have opened businesses since 2014 and Visa wants to […]

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In an exciting move to support female entrepreneurs, Visa announced a new program called “She’s Next”. This program is designed to help women who own small businesses grow and strengthen them. All over the world, women-owned businesses are increasing. According to Visa, over 163 million women have opened businesses since 2014 and Visa wants to help them all in unexpected ways.

“As women, we have the power to shape and transform our communities—through our purchasing power and also through the leadership and employment opportunities we offer as business owners. By joining forces with Visa, we will help build awareness of women-owned businesses, provide them with more opportunities and invest in women across the socioeconomic spectrum around the globe.” – Rebecca Minkoff

Training Opportunities for Female Entrepreneurs

“She’s Next” by Visa is offering female entrepreneurs several programs. But, the most exciting is the year-long training opportunities. The opportunities include pop-up events, interactive workshops, and access to experts.

  • The pop-ups will take place all over the world so women can network with and learn from other women entrepreneurs.  
  • The interactive workshops will take place at major events, like the National Retail Federation’s  Big Show in New York, Super Bowl LIII in Atlanta, and the FIFA Women’s World Cup in France.
  • The experts will come from businesses like Yelp and Square, as well as Visa, and they will share their innovative ideas at the pop-up events and the scheduled events.
  • Many of the workshop topics will help women better understand how to use digital marketing to grow their businesses.

The training opportunities were rooted in research. Visa found that women-owned businesses have struggles that businesses owned by men don’t necessarily have. Some of those concerns include:

  • 73% of women struggled to get funding to start their businesses.
  • 61% of women had to fund their own businesses.
  • 43% of women started businesses to get financial independence.

Visa will also begin a marketing campaign called “Money is Changing” that showcases millennial female business owners. The campaign will show how they opened their businesses and challenged stereotypes regarding women and money.

Financial Services that Support Female Entrepreneurs

The “She’s Next” campaign is also supported by the Female Founder Collective (FFC) that was developed in 2018 to support female business owners. The FFC has over 3,000 members who are able to support each other through networking and training opportunities. To further support female entrepreneurs, the Visa Foundation promised $20 million to the Women’s World Banking that promises to help women in several ways including,

  • Learning to develop, scale, and test sustainable products that are innovative.
  • Expand global financial services to underserved populations.
  • Collect and analyze data regarding the impact of financial services for female business owners.
  • Share innovative ideas to support micro enterprises around the world.

 

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Retail Success with Jeff Leitman of Killer Concepts https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2019/01/retail-success-jeff-leitman-killer-concepts.html/ Wed, 30 Jan 2019 11:00:36 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=53684 If you’ve ever watched an episode of Shark Tank, you’ve seen the Sharks give mixed advice about entering the world of retail. Usually, the Sharks will advise against it, but there are the occasional entrepreneurs who have the right product that seems destined to succeed. Jeff Leitman and Killer Concepts Jeff Leitman, CEO, and Founder […]

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If you’ve ever watched an episode of Shark Tank, you’ve seen the Sharks give mixed advice about entering the world of retail. Usually, the Sharks will advise against it, but there are the occasional entrepreneurs who have the right product that seems destined to succeed.

Jeff Leitman and Killer Concepts

Jeff Leitman, CEO, and Founder of Killer Concepts understands the retail world and has built a company that thrives in the tough retail marketplace. His company is on the Inc. 500 list and is continuing to see growth in the world of retail.

Leitman’s start in the retail world began just after he finished college. In the late 90s and early 2000s, he worked as a buyer during the computer boom. Later, he worked in the growing field of retail supply-chain logistics. The experiences in all aspects of the retail world helped him develop his own company, Killer Concepts, in 2011.

How Killer Concepts is “Killing It” in Retail

His company does it all. They design and manufacture their own products which then transport thanks to the cheap and handy used scissor lifts for sale any manufacturer can get online. Then, they move them around the world and sell them. Leitman understands the role of being a buyer and seller and all of the operational and compliance-related steps in between. “We make it, move it, and sell it.” His insider knowledge of retail, inside and out, gives him an advantage over his competitors.

“Know What You Know”

When it comes to entering the retail marketplace, Jeff asserts that the most important thing is to, “Know what you know, and know what you don’t know.” Take advantage of what you already know about the world of business and retail. Secondly, he recommends surrounding yourself with mentors–people who know more and can share their experiences with you.

Leitman says, “the most important thing in understanding retail is to understand the numbers.”

  • Start with developing products around the prices you want consumers to pay
  • Know blind costs–deductions, expenses, supply-chain costs, commissions
  • Know that different channels require different numbers
  • Understand that retail and online channels need consistency

Over the past 16 months, Leitman and his staff have been investing in e-commerce. He is still learning, but he also had tips to share with other small business owners. He shared that everything in business is a growing process,

“You start with making the wrong decisions, and then the next time you get to make that decision, you get to make a better one.”

It’s going to be tough. Jeff shared that they are on their 6th version of their website and are still refining it. You’re also going to have to spend some money to get your product in front of buyers. “Having a higher price point and higher margins means you have to have something different.” It’s going to take some trial and error and Jeff admits, “ultimately, you’ve just got to get your hands dirty.”

As a small business owner, Leitman sees himself as an investor. He recognizes that when something works he tests, learns, scales, and refines. The other part of being a business owner involves building relationships, which brings positive energy to his business and his products. There are so many hats that small business owners need to wear if they plan to be successful.

Jeff’s Guide to Retail

Leitman shared more advice for people who have yet to even build a small business, who may still be at the idea level, looking to get into the retail marketplace. He suggests that people just starting out ask good questions about their potential products. According to Jeff, the first step, “once you have your passion, your vision of your product…you’ve really got to shop the market.” Then, ask, “where are you different, how are you different, and where is the value?”

  • Can you sell your product?
  • Is the thought of a differentiated product realistic?
  • Will buyers give up established relationships with other vendors to sell your product instead?

Leitman explained that business “isn’t always fair. There are politics involved.” So, to stay abreast of retail politics, he constantly hopes for loyalty from buyers. But, that can’t always be the case. Therefore, Jeff is always keeping his eye on the ball and maintains that “positive energy, a good plan, and an understanding of the landscape are critical to succeeding in any business.” Leitman also emphasizes that “retails starts with relationships,” and it’s important to develop good customer service by interacting with the people who are involved in buying and selling your products.

Fulfillment Logistics: To Outsource or Not?

After the idea becomes a product, logistics becomes an issue that needs thoughtful consideration. Products can be sold in brick-and-mortar locations and in the online retail marketplace. Both have pros and cons and the balances are still changing. Whatever you choose, understand that your plan will most likely change.

Jeff understands that most small businesses will use outsourcing for their logistics. Killer Concepts outsources their shipping to transportation companies like FedEx because they do not own their own trucks. But, they do their own supply-chain work and they have their own warehouse.

While Killer Concepts does most of its own logistics work, Jeff knows a few things about outsourcing logistics, because of his experience working with 3PL solutions in his younger years. Third-party logistics supply chains come in all sizes and are all over the country. They can help with:

  • Filling containers when small businesses do not have enough product
  • Supplying warehouse space
  • Taking care of inventory
  • Packing and shipping

Take Charge of Quality Control

Leitman also shared his experience with quality control, which is constantly a struggle. He advises that small business owners constantly stay involved so products are always to your standards. Small business owners need to be clear about standards. “If you can’t do it in-house, at least be very, very engaged…You have to hand-hold to set the standards, otherwise, they won’t know which standards to follow.”

Taking Quality Control into the Hiring Process

Jeff uses his own version of quality control when it comes to hiring new talent. As an executive and CEO, he said that the “happiest day…is when we hire a new person. We love growing, we love hiring new people” and “when you do it right, it’s so rewarding.” He has learned that looking at the character of the candidates he is considering allows them to be themselves. “We give them a good working environment, we trust them, and they flourish.”

What doesn’t work for Leitman is thinking he’s found the right candidate just because the candidate said one little thing that sounded good. That one little thing won’t be enough and the hiring will be disruptive. “When you get it right, it’s liberating and you know that there are people doing things the things you need to do better than you can do it because you’ve made a good hire.”

Getting Eyeballs on Your Products

Marketing is a necessity for businesses that want customer eyeballs on their products. Leitman has had a range of experiences with marketing. The one constant: he never really knows if he’s doing it the best way or not. Marketing is constant trial and throttle in the retail world, but he does understand that an important aspect involves the presentation on the shelves.

Jeff saw 1000s of products when he worked as a buyer, so he is confident that Killer Concepts has festive packaging designs. When it comes to packaging, he also knows that price point involves where the products will be placed in the store. In some cases, Killer Concepts has been lucky with its real estate inside of stores, but no matter what, the best places do come at a price.

Marketing Advice for New Businesses

“You have two decisions: Am I marketing to sell a product to you today? Or I am I marketing to build a brand and build product awareness?” Businesses that are trying to do both have to value both aspects of marketing. There is constant learning happening, especially when it comes to marketing to different price points. A $17 product requires different marketing than a product that costs $50 or $100.

Killer Concepts has outsourced marketing and Leitman always pays attention to what marketers do and say. He looks for patterns and asks questions. He continues to outsource some aspects of marketing but is doing more in-house. The goal is to get the right message on the right vehicle to customers at the right time. His marketers have found the right path with a few products but shared that, “every day is a challenge about what we are doing tomorrow. It’s a brand new challenge.”

Ask Questions and Always Strive to Learn

The biggest takeaway that small business owners can learn from Jeff Leitman is to constantly be a learner. He finds value in not being the smartest in the room. His value comes in asking questions so that he can understand at his level. “The more you can understand, the better decisions you’re going to make.”

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When Is It Time to Raise Your Prices? https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2019/01/when-is-it-time-to-raise-your-prices.html/ Tue, 15 Jan 2019 21:52:19 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=53584 Sometimes when running a small business, we need to remind ourselves: it’s a business, not a charity. If you follow me on social media, you see me talking quite frequently about charity and giving back. I truly believe its an important aspect of life. BUT, when it comes to running a business, you need to focus […]

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Sometimes when running a small business, we need to remind ourselves: it’s a business, not a charity.
If you follow me on social media, you see me talking quite frequently about charity and giving back. I truly believe its an important aspect of life. BUT, when it comes to running a business, you need to focus on the bottom line. Leading me to an important question:

When Is It Time to Raise Your Prices?

Netflix has just raised its prices. Netflix has become ingrained in our culture after rebounding from a troubling past in a BIG way. Now, they steal the stage at award shows, showcase feature films and feature BIG TIME stars. Perhaps the most integral piece of their comeback puzzle has been their meme-ability (cough, cough Bird Box)

So, why now? Well, Netflix has an extremely popular offering and they know that raising their prices $2 here and $3 there won’t lose them many members. They also know this change will bring in big revenue.

To say it plainly: people are hooked on Netflix– and few (if any) will leave just because of a price increase.

So, what’s the lesson?

  • When you offer a GREAT service its OK to raise prices a reasonable rate.
  • Since they have such a strong brand. Customers are less likely to leave.
  • Branding matters, and when done well, a brand can become a part of people’s lives. (think Apple, Google, and more)

Before raising your own prices its important to know: Are your prices set at the right rate?

As Netflix continues to grow their offering and showcasing more branded content, they are able to charge a higher premium.
To decide if your product or service is aptly priced ask yourself these questions:
  • When you think about your ideal customer their budget, how does your product/service work into their life?
  • Do you have a loyal group of followers (either on social or otherwise)?
  • Do your followers recommend your product and feature it on their social services?
  • Are you making a profit from the revenue produces by your product?
  • Are you offering a valuable product or a luxury product?

When your customers pay more for your product or service– they are expecting more. Consider your brand positioning.

Are you Walmart or Mercedes? Do you provide low prices accessible to all, or are you a luxury item accessible to only those with money to spare?
As Seth Godin writes,

The goal, no matter what you sell, is to be seen as irreplaceable, essential and priceless. If you are all three, then you have pricing power. When the price charged is up to you, when you have the power to set the price, there is a line out the door and you can use pricing as a signaling mechanism

Netflix has definitely accomplished this. They are irreplaceable, and essential to many people’s lifestyle.  They have millions and millions wrapped around their finger.

So, do you have an irreplaceable product your users will gladly pay more for? Or is it time to rethink your current pricing?

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The Advantages of Opening a Merchant Account https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2019/01/the-advantages-of-opening-a-merchant-account.html/ Sat, 05 Jan 2019 22:08:38 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=51551 A merchant account represents a payment option that is set up by a business through a local bank. The merchant account allows the payment through debit and credit cards, local and international; this offers the company the opportunity of concluding more transactions, as it widens its payment options and if there are any problems with […]

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A merchant account represents a payment option that is set up by a business through a local bank. The merchant account allows the payment through debit and credit cards, local and international; this offers the company the opportunity of concluding more transactions, as it widens its payment options and if there are any problems with a transaction, then you can get legal help from Corporate transaction attorneys to settle any problems.

Your account can be used by both brick-and-mortar businesses and online businesses; depending on the country in which is set up, the merchant account may not be required for a brick-and-mortar company, but in the case of online stores, this is a necessary aspect, regardless of the jurisdiction, as the customers won’t be able to conclude cash payments.

For example, when setting up a merchant account in Singapore, the company will be able to accept credit and debit cards transactions from approximately 150 countries, one of the advantages being that the merchant account can process payments in well known global currencies, not only in the local currency. Other countries, such as Estonia, accept credit cards from more than 160 jurisdictions.

In other jurisdictions, such as Cyprus, the companies wishing to set up a merchant account that will accept international payments will need to select an international merchant account, especially designed for this purpose (the country provides several types of merchant accounts, depending on the specific activities of a company and the country in which it is incorporated).

If you have an online business in Ireland, another option to explore merchant accounts refers to mobile phone payments, which increased in popularity in the last years, due to the fact that payment itself is processed very fast. Its advantage is given by the flexibility obtained by the customer, who can conclude the purchase at any given time, from any location.

The main advantage of a merchant account is that the customers can conclude a certain purchase regardless of the daily schedule of your business, in safe conditions, as all merchant accounts have to provide a safe gateway payment software.

Besides these advantages, it is important to know that companies can benefit from a simple registration procedure, which requires only several documents, but this can vary depending on the country in which the merchant account is registered. Investors can also conclude this procedure through online applications, in certain investment jurisdictions.

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Are You a Terrible Public Speaker? Here Are 5 Key Tips to Get Better https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2018/12/terrible-public-speaker-5-key-tips-get-better.html/ Thu, 27 Dec 2018 15:00:38 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=52311 Public speaking can be one of the most nerve-wracking experiences. Even the most experienced, and seemingly perfect, public speakers know that good public speaking is an acquired skill that takes practice and preparation and there is always room for improvement. Here are 5 key tips to improve your public speaking skills: 1. Practice Makes Perfect […]

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Public speaking can be one of the most nerve-wracking experiences. Even the most experienced, and seemingly perfect, public speakers know that good public speaking is an acquired skill that takes practice and preparation and there is always room for improvement. Here are 5 key tips to improve your public speaking skills:

1. Practice Makes Perfect

The saying “practice makes perfect” applies to almost anything in life. But, in order to refine your public speaking skills, practice is essential. The more comfortable you are with the material and your delivery, the more comfortable you will be when you are giving your presentation in a boardroom or you’re standing in front of a room full of hundreds of people. Practice in front of the mirror, or practice your speech out loud while you’re driving. Enlist willing (or unwilling) family members or friends to rehearse your presentation to and ask for their feedback. Knowing your material inside and out will help you beat your nerves when they do creep up.

2. Seek Feedback

Speaking of feedback, it’s an extremely effective tool when you are trying to improve your public speaking skills. Feedback from friends and family or a professional mentor can be invaluable for improving your public speaking skills. Another great way to receive feedback is from yourself. You are your own worst critic, so try videoing yourself giving the presentation. You’ll probably cringe when you watch it, so be forewarned. Use this incredibly helpful tool to improve your public speaking skills by looking out for nervous habits like saying “uh,” “like,” and “um.” Observe if you have any nervous tics like wringing your hands, crumpling your notes, or licking your lips. Reviewing a video of yourself can also help you avoid distracting body language during the presentation. Use it to see if you are making eye contact, standing up straight, and smiling.

3. Mind Your Audience

Another form of feedback happens during the presentation or speech and it comes from your audience. Your audience will give you clear cues if they aren’t engaged. Is everyone on their phone or chit-chatting in the back? You may need to adapt your speech or presentation if necessary to get the audience engaged. Ideally, you would want your presentation to be engaging from the get-go, but some audiences are a tough crowd and you might have to reel them back in from time to time. Engage your audience and make it a conversation. If you’re feeling a little nervous, tell them that! They will appreciate your authenticity and honesty. Make it personal, tell some stories, and make it relatable–nothing helps to connect with your audience better.

4. Your Presentation is Powerful

A good, professional presentation can make a huge difference. Use your slides to help you get organized before the presentation and stay on track during it. Great looking slides that clarify and enhance your story can give you a real confidence boost. If you need design help, use a professional platform like Beautiful.ai to create a sleek presentation with ease. However, don’t rely too heavily on technology. You should be able to give your presentation without it. If you get nervous and lose your train of thought, you can look to your slides to jog your memory and seamlessly carry on. Your slides should enhance, not define, your presentation.

5. Be Natural

Don’t script your speech or presentation too much. Experienced speakers, with amazing public speaking skills, always feel like they are having a conversation with the audience. Whatever you do, don’t memorize your speech! The littlest thing could throw you completely off track and you could forget the whole thing. You also don’t want to read your speech. You might as well just send it out in an email at that point. Do whatever you need to do to get organized. If you find you absolutely need notes, make sure they are large enough to read and put together in a way that makes it easy to pick up where you left off by glancing down. Let your delivery be natural. If you’re the one giving this speech or presentation, you are likely the expert, which means you should be able to speak to the topic without having to read word-for-word off the paper. You’re the expert, you know your stuff, and you’ve got this!

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6 Quick Tips to Boost E-Commerce Holiday Sales https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2018/12/6-quick-tips-boost-ecommerce-holiday-sales.html/ Tue, 18 Dec 2018 14:55:44 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=52290 The holiday season is here and that means that potential customers are browsing for the perfect gifts. This year is projected to be another record-breaking holiday season for e-commerce. Preparing for the holidays doesn’t take much of a time investment, but implementing a few key strategies will help you take advantage of the sales opportunities […]

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The holiday season is here and that means that potential customers are browsing for the perfect gifts. This year is projected to be another record-breaking holiday season for e-commerce. Preparing for the holidays doesn’t take much of a time investment, but implementing a few key strategies will help you take advantage of the sales opportunities the holidays will bring to your online store.  Here are some tips to increase holiday sales this year:

1. Customer Experience Matters

According to Salesforce’s “State of the Connected Consumer” report, “Eighty percent of customers say that the experience a company provides is as important as its products or services.”

The report also reveals that 57% of consumers have stopped buying from one company because they had a better experience at another retailer.

As an eCommerce small business, it’s incredibly important to treat each customer as a person rather than a number. It should come as no surprise that people value experiences. Use this principle to gain a leg-up on the competition. For many, holiday shopping brings back feelings of nostalgia. While you can’t recreate The Miracle on 34th Street, you can make your shopping experience unique and enjoyable.

2. Outstanding Customer Service

One thing customers fear losing when shopping online is the warmth and personalization of a brick and mortar store shopping experience. To increase holiday sales, offer unrivaled customer service by:

  • Follow up purchases with a personalized thank you note or email
  • Put the important information at their fingertips. If they can’t find things like shipping information, return policy, sizing guides…etc., right away they will get frustrated and walk away from the sale
  • Because holiday shopping happens in a pretty small timeframe, offer a direct phone number so customers can call with time-sensitive and urgent issues
  • Offer a live-chat feature on your site so customers can get answers to questions immediately
  • Leverage social media support. Although customer complaints will be out there for the world to see, you have an opportunity to prove to new and existing customers that you take customer service seriously and resolve issues in a timely manner. You can really make your business stand out with quality support conversations on social media

3. Seasonal Social Media

The holidays are a great time for seasonal social media content marketing campaigns. It’s important to stay connected with your audience if you hope to increase holiday sales. Be sure to optimize your content for your audience. Tailor your social media campaigns for the holidays to keep your brand relevant. Small changes like a holiday-themed profile picture, holiday messages, or pictures of your products in holiday gift wrap go a long way.

4. Go Local

Even though you may not operate out of a brick and mortar store, you can still capitalize on some of the advantages of local businesses during the holidays. Analyze which areas are your largest markets and run a promotion for that location. Just because you are based out of Maine doesn’t mean you can’t sell swimwear during the holiday months, you just have to target the right demographic such as consumers in Florida or California. 

5. Look at Your Conversion Rate

Use a free tool like Google Analytics to see where you can optimize conversion rates on your website. Track things like your bounce rate. Google Analytics gives insight into how much traffic your site has and how many visitors “bounced” because your site didn’t have what they were looking for. You’ll also be able to see how visitors are getting to your site whether it be a Google search, social media site, or an advertisement. Do you have a high rate of cart abandonment? Go through the checkout process yourself and see if there are any areas for improvement in your check out process.

6. Optimize for Mobile

People spend more time on mobile devices than any other platform. If your online store isn’t optimized for mobile, fix it immediately!

In 2017, 56% of traffic came through mobile devices, but mobile devices only generated 33% of the revenue.

This means that people are using mobile devices to shop, but not purchase, probably due to a messy mobile checkout process. Make it easy for customers to go from seeing your ad on Instagram to buying your product right from their mobile device to increase holiday sales.

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GoDaddy Exec Says It’s Not Too Late For Businesses To Capture Last Minute Holiday Revenue https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2018/12/godaddy-exec-says-its-not-too-late-for-businesses-to-capture-last-minute-holiday-revenue.html/ Mon, 17 Dec 2018 19:38:55 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=52301 Looking for last minute holiday revenue? Stay tuned: In this holiday interview, Ramon Ray discusses some tips business owners can use to capture last minute shopping dollars this holiday season, with GoDaddy VP of Marketing Melissa Schneider. Listen to our interview and read the notes below! It’s Not Too Late to Sell Online Melissa said that there are many last […]

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Looking for last minute holiday revenue? Stay tuned: In this holiday interview, Ramon Ray discusses some tips business owners can use to capture last minute shopping dollars this holiday season, with GoDaddy VP of Marketing Melissa Schneider. Listen to our interview and read the notes below!

It’s Not Too Late to Sell Online

Melissa said that there are many last minute shoppers who are looking for the perfect gift.

As I type this, I still have not bought a gift for my wife!

If you go to any mall you’ll find what looks like a beehive of shoppers who are scrambling to buy, at the last minute. These could be your customers.

It’s so important to remind your current customers that you are there for them and have a solution to their needs. Sure, try to get new customers, but CURRENT customers already know, like and trust you!

Be it via social media, email marketing or otherwise – remind your customers of your solution. Consider making a special “holiday” offer.

Seth Godin talks about “tension” in his latest book, “This is Marketing“. Melissa and I discussed that even though there’s only a few days before Christmas, take advantage (in a good way) of the tension your customers have and you can snag some last minute sales for your business.

Help Your Customers

Don’t have an attitude of “how can I get” from your customers, but instead think, how can you serve them.

You’ll find that most successful marketers put the customer first and convey how their solution can help the customer.

Beyond Online Sales

While it seems that online sales get the lion’s share of media focus, for those of you selling services, you can also participate in holiday sales.

What about a special offer for accounting services, legal services, design services or etc. Maybe the customer can BUY them now and use them in 2019. Or buy them as a gift for another business.

Multiple Touch Points

Don’t put your marketing “eggs” in one basket. Don’t you love cliches?

Leverage the power of multiple touch points to have your message conveyed via email, your website and social media. Your customers might not have received your email of last week, so you might want to get their attention via Twitter. Or maybe they missed your last Instagram post, you can get their attention with a pop-up on your website.

Can They Find You?

Remember to ensure your listing on Google and Yelp are up to date.

The hours you’re open, reviews, menu options and more. Local listings are so important so be sure they’re updated!

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, Melissa says take things one step at a time. Remember, services like GoDaddy have an array of solutions to help you quickly get up to speed on all your digital marketing and fulfillment.

Kudos to Donut Parlor who Melissa says is rocking their digital presence. Their donuts LOOK good and so much more.

It’s not too late – GO make some last minutes sales….tick tock tick tock! Last minute holiday revenue is waiting for you!

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Holiday Gift Ideas for Small Business Owners https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2018/12/holiday-gift-ideas-small-business-owners.html/ Thu, 13 Dec 2018 18:00:24 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=52265 Holiday shopping can be hard. Picking out a gift for small business owners and entrepreneurs can be even harder, but as an option, you can give them corporate chocolate gifts that they will surely love. As with most areas of their lives, they know what they want and they get after it, including buying things […]

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Holiday shopping can be hard. Picking out a gift for small business owners and entrepreneurs can be even harder, but as an option, you can give them corporate chocolate gifts that they will surely love. As with most areas of their lives, they know what they want and they get after it, including buying things for themselves. If that doesn’t describe the small business owner you’re shopping for, they are probably too busy to let you know what they actually want for the holidays. But, don’t be discouraged! There are plenty of gift ideas to help you bless your small business owner friends and family this year. Here are 8 gift ideas for the small business owner or entrepreneur in your life:

A Day Planner

gift for small business owners smallbiztechnologyIn the world of business, organization is directly related to success. But, organization doesn’t come naturally to everyone. Give the gift of organization in the form of a day planner. Even in our digital age, nothing compares to being able to handwrite notes, reminders, and events on paper. The Passion Planner is a gift that keeps on giving all year long. Not only can they use it to keep track of their daily, weekly, and monthly activities, it also has a tool that will help them define short and long-term goals and incorporate them into their day-to-day life.

Moleskin Evernote Smart Notebook

The perfect gift for small business owners who love putting the pen to the paper, but operate their business in the digital world. This notebook uses Evernote’s Page Camera to transform their notes by simply snapping a picture. Each notebook includes a 3-month subscription to Evernote.

Coffee

gift for small business ownersSmall business owners run on dreams and coffee. There are countless ways to give the gift of caffeine this holiday season. Help them support another small business by getting them a gift card to their favorite local coffee shop.

Or, get them a pretty percolator for their office like the Ninja Hot & Cold Brew System that does everything from a simple cup of joe to a nice cuppa tea, to fancy lattes and cappuccinos with its built-in milk frother.

gift for small business owners

 

Something for Their Health

gift for small business owners

Small business owners work so hard! But, if there is one thing they consistently neglect, it’s themselves. A great gift for small business owners is a fitness class, spa package, or a wearable fitness tracker to motivate them to keep moving.

For the small business owner who burns the midnight oil, consider the Philips Somneo Sleep and Wake-Up Light. This light therapy lamp and alarm clock simulate the sunrise to wake them gently and is clinically proven to improve energy, sleep, and general well-being. Sounds like a much less stressful way to start the day than a blaring alarm.

gift for small business owners

A Business Magazine Subscription

gift for small business owners

Most small business owners are on a budget, which means they don’t typically splurge on things like magazine subscriptions. A subscription to a great business-focused magazine, such as Entrepreneur Magazine or Fast Company can be a great gift for small business owners.

Business Card Holder

gift for small business owners

A small, but practical gift. Even if most of their business is conducted online, a business card is still a valuable tool for any small business owner or entrepreneur. Having a professional way to carry and hand out those business cards will make them look like they’ve got it all together and a business card holder is the perfect way to do that.

Meal Box Subscription

gift for small business owners

 

Small business owners are constantly on the go and cooking a healthy meal can sometimes take a back seat to important work tasks. A meal box subscription like Hello Fresh or Blue Apron is the perfect way to make sure the overworked small business owner in your life gets a healthy meal that’s easy to prepare a couple of times a week.

Some Extra Advertising

gift for small business owners

It’s basically cash, but a little more thoughtful. Find out which advertising platform is the best fit for their business and put some money into a Facebook or Google AdWords account. This gift for small business owners in your life will definitely put to good use.

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5 Lessons on Negotiation You Didn’t Learn in School https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2018/12/5-lessons-negotiation-didnt-learn-school.html/ Sun, 09 Dec 2018 15:00:30 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=52207 Today’s schools were designed to churn out cookie-cutter workers and citizens. This is because it’s much easier to manage 500 compliant children, as opposed to a school of 500 individualistic negotiators. Rather than teaching rote learning and compliance, schools should be teaching our children the all-important skill of negotiation. In some ways this model is […]

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Today’s schools were designed to churn out cookie-cutter workers and citizens. This is because it’s much easier to manage 500 compliant children, as opposed to a school of 500 individualistic negotiators. Rather than teaching rote learning and compliance, schools should be teaching our children the all-important skill of negotiation.

In some ways this model is necessary. After all, our economy requires workers of all skill levels to function. But that doesn’t mean you need to fall in line like everyone else. Deep down you know you’re special, and to get everything you want out of life you must reclaim your inborn negotiator, starting with these five lessons.

1. Entitlement is Over: Negotiation is Everything

Like it or not, the post World War II world order has come to an end. America isn’t the best in the world by default in industry, medicine, or education. Globalization and the Internet have shrunk the world and made every industry ultra-competitive. To be competitive for the next 10 or 100 years, we must focus on what makes us truly valuable: our companies, products, and our people. Whether we have the best talent or not we must now negotiate to protect what we currently have, and procure what we need.

2. Learn to Negotiate or Get Taken Advantage Of

Negotiation Smallbiztechnology
There are two types of people in this world: good negotiators, and those who get taken advantage of.

The history of humanity is dark and brutal, ever since stronger caveman beat up their weaker counterparts for their food, shelter, and women. Today you need to know how to negotiate to protect your position in life and business. Many of history’s most successful leaders had little technical knowledge of negotiation. However, they possessed a deep understanding of human nature. In many ways, an understanding of human nature can outweigh all technical skills at the bargaining table.

3. All Is Fair in Love and War

In negotiation, as in war, there are no rules, but there are guidelines to help make order out of the chaos. Throughout history, great generals and leaders, such as Alexander the Great, have understood human nature and, subsequently, how to negotiate. By age thirty, Alexander had conquered the entire known world mostly through negotiation, not bloodshed. Alexander understood the need to cooperate with the lands he brought under his rule. Alexander knew that he could get what he wanted by giving his people what they wanted.

4. Win-Win Negotiation Is Dead

“Win-win” is an idealistic concept of negotiation “in which both sides get what they want. This sounds ideal, but it largely doesn’t exist in reality. You have a position and something you want. In contrast, the other side has a position and something they want. You are not responsible for the other side achieving their goals, only yours. This may sound harsh, but if you don’t focus on yourself and your situation, then no one will.

5. Every Human Interaction Is a Negotiation

Whether it’s asking your boss for a raise or deciding where to eat with your wife, everything boils down to negotiation. In Canada and the United States, we are worried about not offending anyone. Unfortunately, success is directly correlated to the ability to have tough conversations. We must become comfortable with being uncomfortable, and stand firm to get what we want.

If you have trouble asking for what you want, you’ll end up with whatever others happen to give you.

Regardless of profession, career, or business, learning to negotiate is one of the most imperative skills you can develop to succeed in the world today. No one is going to buy phentermine from uk simply hand you everything you want on a silver platter: you must demand it and negotiate your way until you get your desired outcomes. To be a good negotiator you must be defiant and know exactly what you want. This takes a certain amount of risk, but without risk, there is no reward, and without reward, there is no life worth living.

Authored By:

Negotiation Stefano AarnioStefan Aarnio is an award-winning real estate Investor, Entrepreneur, Author and winner of the 2014 Rich Dad International Hall of Fame award. He has been featured in Canadian Real Estate Wealth Magazine and Entrepreneur Magazine named him one of the Top 10 Real Estate Influencers to Follow. Starting with only $1200, Stefan has built a multi-million dollar portfolio for himself and his partners and been recognized on The Self Made List. Let me know if you need anything else- thanks!

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High-End Home Fashion Head Gives Insights on Selling Direct https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2018/11/high-end-home-fashion-head-gives-insights-selling-direct.html/ Thu, 29 Nov 2018 14:00:22 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=52083 Stuart Kiely, VP of Digital Strategy at Matouk shared some insight on how the Salesforce platform helped a company reinvent itself from the ground up. Matouk is a heritage luxury brand, which means they’ve been around for a long time. They make high-quality products right here in the U.S., producing high end, luxurious home textiles […]

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Stuart Kiely, VP of Digital Strategy at Matouk shared some insight on how the Salesforce platform helped a company reinvent itself from the ground up. Matouk is a heritage luxury brand, which means they’ve been around for a long time. They make high-quality products right here in the U.S., producing high end, luxurious home textiles such as bedding, sheeting, duvet covers, shams, pillow cases, and towels.

Stuart joked that their products are so well-made they, “kind of go to sleep for you! The feel of it, the hand of it, it’s really, really exquisite stuff.” One of the benefits of being a domestic manufacturer in the U.S., is that Matouk can personalize their products. Many of their customers are high-profile designers who, “take interior design seriously and they want a look that’s completely their own and we can deliver on that.”

Growing Up at 90

Matouk had been selling wholesale to retailers like Macy’s and other brands for over 90 years. 5 years ago, they faced a new challenge when they decided to start reaching the customer directly. Traditionally they sold wholesale to independent retailers in places like Bloomingdales. But Stuart shared,

“As everybody knows, independent retail is really changing, is going through a sea change right now, the Amazon effect.”

Matouk was charting new territory and had to evolve their business to compete in the new marketplace. So, 5 years ago, when they started selling direct from matouk.com, Stuart admitted they quickly realized that, “for the first time we needed to create a relationship with a customer.” Their formula for building relationships with customers is pretty simple:

  1. Make great products and have a great product experience that’s one of a kind, that can’t be beat
  2. Create great brand experiences
  3. Market to the customer. When they call into our service center we need to know who they are, recognizie what they like, when was the last time they called.

In order to maintain those hard-won relationships, Stuart remarked that Matouk relies on systems, and that’s where the Salesforce platform comes into play.

From Sticky Notes to Salesforce

Stuart emphasized that, “Information is key at all corners of the business, whether you are using it to service your customers, to market to your customers, to run the business better, or to make better decisions.” Prior to implementing Salesforce, Matouk didn’t have the visibility into the information—which meant they couldn’t act on it.

One-Stop Shop

“We not only moved our CRM system up to Salesforce, but we moved our entire operation entity up to Salesforce.” So now, they’ve got all of their data sitting in the same exact place and “it has access to all the technology that surrounds us and it’s in a turn-key way. So, we don’t have to worry about upgrading, or patching, or pulling this in here.”

With Salesforce, they also have access to Einstein. Einstein is Salesforce’s platform for machine learning, AI, and automation. “How many people can say their 90-year-old manufacturing company has access to next-generation Artificial Intelligence?”

Stuart appreciates that one of the beauties of being on the Salesforce platform, is that it can connect a business to everything. He shared that, “it really connects our company to not only the customer and our vendors, but to all the technology teams out there.”

It Scales Well

Matouk is a small business of 150 people based in Fall River, Massachusetts. They’ve chosen to build on the Salesforce platform because they know and understand how it can grow with their business. “It’s going to keep innovating and allow us to keep innovating as well,” adds Stuart.

Tip for Small Businesses to Grow

Stuart has some great advice for businesses looking to grow. He said, “The goal of any business is to think like a startup. You want to create that in your culture. You want your people to think like they can change the world no matter what they’re doing in the business. In order to do that they need the right tools. The benefit of moving to a platform like Salesforce is that it enables everybody to think creatively, like an entrepreneur.”

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Putting the Visitor First: Tips for Consumer-Centric Website Optimization https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2018/11/putting-the-visitor-first-tips-for-consumer-centric-website-optimization.html/ Wed, 28 Nov 2018 16:36:31 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=52125 Online searching and shopping are as second nature to some as shopping in traditional brick and mortar stores. And in today’s world where Google processes over 40,000 search queries every second and 3.5 billion searches per day, consumers are pretty demanding when it comes to their online experience. They expect to find the information, services or […]

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Online searching and shopping are as second nature to some as shopping in traditional brick and mortar stores. And in today’s world where Google processes over 40,000 search queries every second and 3.5 billion searches per day, consumers are pretty demanding when it comes to their online experience. They expect to find the information, services or items for purchase quickly and easily. If they don’t, they simply move on, which can result in lost business opportunities and sales.  

In this environment, it’s no longer enough to simply have a nice-looking website. Small businesses and online retailers need websites that are eye-catching, easy to use and ultimately websites that make it simple for the customer to find what they’re looking for… and fast. Bottom line: they need sites that put the consumer and their online experience first.

When working to optimize their online presence, small businesses need to make sure they’re taking a consumer-centric approach to their website. Below are just a few key factors to consider that influence how visitors will interact with your site and brand:

Honor the Need for Speed

Not only will a quick site help get you found in search results (Google ranks faster pages higher in search results), it is a central factor in determining how visitors engage with your site and whether they stick around at all. More than half of mobile users will leave a site that takes more than three seconds to load, yet many mobile pages take 15 or more seconds to load. If your site is too slow and people leave dissatisfied with their online experience, and sales opportunities go out the window with them.

With Google’s Revenue Impact Calculator, you can see how site speed impacts business results. An e-commerce site that loads in eight seconds, has 500 visitors a month, an average order value of $50 and a conversion rate of two percent could earn $471 more per year by reducing the page load time to four seconds. Another blog that loads in five seconds gets 20,000 monthly visitors, has an average order value of $100 and a conversion rate of 1% could earn $14,721 more per year by dropping the page load time to 2.8 seconds.

So how do you speed up a site? Things like enabling caching, removing plug-ins and add-ons, optimizing image size, minimizing code, and using a CDN all help. Tools like PageSpeed Insights will check your load speed and give you advice on how to lower it. Your hosting software and support teams should also be able to provide customized advice on how to increase the load and processing speed on your particular site. 

Embrace the User Experience

Just like we judge books by their covers, visitors judge websites by their appearance, so a dynamic design and quality visuals matter. There are many sites which provides Free clipart, vectors and images as well which helps to improve user experience. But usability is also key. About half of all online traffic comes from mobile devices so making sure sites look good and function well on mobile devices as well as desktops is no longer optional, it’s essential. Mobile-friendly sites are also boosted in Google searches, so it’s important in more ways than one.

When building a new site or evaluating an existing site, think about the layout from the perspective of a visitor, like how the site looks on a variety of devices, whether the font is readable on all devices, how easy it is to find key elements, and whether clickable elements are large enough to click with a mouse and a finger on a touchscreen. Make sure your online experience visually aligns with the overall look and feel of your brand, from the homepage to all your subpages, so visitors experience the brand consistently at all touchpoints. Additionally, ensure the navigation is intuitive for first-time and frequent visitors alike. Taking a bit of time to research and employ web design best practices can really make a difference.

At the end of the day, it’s not just enough to put your information out on the web. To drive the traffic, engagement and business results you’re looking for, you need a website and online experience that’s optimized for the visitors you’re working to attract. It’s not difficult, it’s just about making smart choices.

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Want to Connect with Other Small Business Owners? Here’s How. https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2018/11/connect-with-other-small-businesses-with-alignable.html/ Wed, 28 Nov 2018 15:34:35 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=52121 Are large social media platforms overwhelming your small business? Do you feel lost on LinkedIn? Would you like to connect with other small business owners? Small business entrepreneur understands the struggle of the small business owner. As the global social media platforms became too big, he decided that small businesses needed a networking site of […]

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Are large social media platforms overwhelming your small business? Do you feel lost on LinkedIn? Would you like to connect with other small business owners?

Small business entrepreneur understands the struggle of the small business owner. As the global social media platforms became too big, he decided that small businesses needed a networking site of their own. So, he developed Alignable.com – just for small businesses and local markets.

Local Networking Through Alignable

His goal was to give small business a place to connect and find referrals for everything from new customers to employees to products to services. And, it’s all free.

One of the best features of Alignable is that it is organized by the city level. So, you can connect not only with like-businesses around the country but with neighbors you didn’t even know you had.

Don’t Neglect The Traditional Social Media Platforms

Of course, the big boys – LinkedIn, Facebook, etc. – also have value for small business owners, simply because there are so many people and organizations that use them. But, when you need a hyperlocal platform that can give you a network within your business’s five-mile radius, Alignable delivers.

Local Social Media Success

One such user is Jenni in North Carolina who owns a marketing business. With Alignable, she is able to share her knowledge about inbound marketing. Fortunately, people need her knowledge and new customers flock to her in droves to see what she knows. Jenni gets 70% of her clientele from Alignable.

Word-of-mouth Successes

There are several ways that small business owners can use Alignable. One is to simply follow and chat with fellow business owners. The other is to actively share what you want fellow business owners to share. Sharing useful content works, but you have to create it.

While the connections made on Alignable are helpful, none are as helpful as that made word-of-mouth. According to Eric Groves, the CEO, and co-founder of Alignable:

“The best source of customers is word-of-mouth referrals. You have to invest time to get into a word-of-mouth network.”

Groves suggests considering mouths as the network and words as the content. To get the mouths sharing, you have to have something to share. And, the best way to do this is to post content regularly. This will keep your business on the minds of those who read your work. When you colleagues on Alignable share your work, that gives you even more exposure through their word-of-mouth networks. Remember, if someone shares your work, you should reciprocate and share theirs.

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An Easy Way to Better Your Sales Process https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2018/11/small-businesses-benefit-using-sales-pipeline-management-software.html/ Tue, 27 Nov 2018 10:00:48 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=52067 Do you know what your business process is? Have you written it down or recorded it somewhere for your sales team to see? If you haven’t, the time to do it is now. What’s your pipeline management process? To be successful, a sales team needs to know their procedures. If you haven’t ever told your […]

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Do you know what your business process is? Have you written it down or recorded it somewhere for your sales team to see? If you haven’t, the time to do it is now.

What’s your pipeline management process?

To be successful, a sales team needs to know their procedures. If you haven’t ever told your sales team the process that they are supposed to follow, how are they to know they are supposed to follow it? What you need is a pipeline management tool, or a customer-relationship management tool.

With a CRM, your sales force knows what to do at every step of the sales process. In most small businesses, a sales process exists. But, in many cases, it exists in the business manager’s or the business owner’s head. If that’s the only place the process is, it does not do anyone any good.

Why a pipeline process works.

When the process is accessible, small businesses have more effective sales conversion. Joe Malcoun with Nutshell knows this to be true. How does he know? He is the CEO of Nutshell, a company that designed software that makes sales automation simple. The qualified appointments, successively assist the corporate in acquiring clients.
Appointment setting agencies concentrate on many techniques of lead generation like social media researching, targeting customers, reaching out through various modes and channels, negotiation, leveraging contacts, network building. The appointment setters are often external agents or in house agents who concentrate on generating contacts and leads and fixing appointments for various initiatives within the company. The revenue model for the appointment setting agencies may be a commission out of the deal or a hard and fast price just in case the appointment is of non-monetary outcome. The appointment setting is a crucial task in many occasions for finalizing deals and speeding the method of business negotiations and interactions.

Get to know Nutshell.

Nutshell has a user-friendly design, so the features are not overwhelming. It makes the sales process easy to archive and automate so employees know who is working, what they are doing, and how they are succeeding. All of the unwanted noise that exists in other CRM tools has disappeared in the Nutshell software.

The Nutshell CRM software is not a one-size-fits-all app. It actually can be adjusted to fit the needs of small businesses. With the intuitive wizard, business owners just have to answer a few questions to get their sales process successfully recorded. Then, the sales force can get busy converting leads into sales, which is what they do best.

What can you do to better your sales process?

Unfortunately, businesses that do not use a CRM are often too busy doing other things instead of focusing on making sales. With Nutshell or another smart CRM, the sales force no longer has to worry about:

  • Scheduling
  • Emails
  • Confusing spreadsheets
  • Time-consuming tasks
  • Learning the sales process
  • Guessing what to do next

When small business owners are ready to invest in a CRM, they should look into it with their sales team. With the sales team, the business owner or sales manager should write down the sales process. Then, the sales team should try different CRM products so they can decide what meets their needs. If the team doesn’t like a program, then it would not be smart to buy it.

 

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What is Small Business Saturday, and Why Does it Matter? https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2018/11/what-is-small-business-saturday-and-why-does-it-matter.html/ Thu, 22 Nov 2018 12:55:54 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=52075 The most exciting day of the year is on the horizon: Small Business Saturday. After the chaos of Black Friday, SBS is the day that consumers take time to enjoy and support the local shops and restaurants in their neighborhoods. What is Small Business Saturday (SBS)? Small Business Saturday (SBS) began on the Saturday after […]

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The most exciting day of the year is on the horizon: Small Business Saturday. After the chaos of Black Friday, SBS is the day that consumers take time to enjoy and support the local shops and restaurants in their neighborhoods.

What is Small Business Saturday (SBS)?

Small Business Saturday (SBS) began on the Saturday after Thanksgiving in 2010, and thanks to American Express, it has become as iconic as Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Unlike the other two shopping events that are solely about finding bargains, SBS is designed to celebrate local communities and the small businesses that decorate them.

How do small businesses affect their communities?

Shopping locally on SBS or any other day of the week benefits more than just the businesses. According to studies compiled by the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, money spent at local businesses stays in the local economy. These studies have repeatedly found that money spent in small local businesses stays in the community at a rate of more than two to one.

For example, a study conducted in Salt Lake City in 2012 found that “the local retailers return a total of 52 percent of their revenue to the local economy, compared to just 14 percent for the national chain retailers.”

Along with keeping money in the local economy, supporting small businesses also helps the community and the local economy. In another study about consumers in West Michigan, researchers found:

if residents … were to redirect 10 percent of their total spending from chains to locally owned businesses, the result would be $140 million in new economic activity for the region, including 1,600 new jobs and $53 million in additional payroll.”

Promoting Your Business on SBS

Small business should take advantage of the hashtag #SmallBusinessSaturday to share their special events for the day. American Express offers free marketing tools for this special day to promote your business and your community.

Whether consumers spend at local shops or they dine at local restaurants, the benefits of this shopping event are numerous. Adding jobs and keeping revenues in local communities are just two of them but, the benefits get even bigger. Supporting small local businesses instead of big-box chains during the busy shopping season:

  • Increases property values
  • Reduces environmental waste
  • Improves local schools
  • Enhances diversity
  • Encourages more local businesses to open
  • Increases tourism
  • Strengthens local communities
  • Develops neighborhood identities

So, Why Does SBS Matter?

Small Business Saturday matters because people matter. Without small businesses, communities would not have their own unique identities. Consider the neighborhoods in the Chicagoland area; they are pleasantly defined by their small businesses and the employees and consumers who frequent them. Communities are embracing small businesses and SBS provides businesses and consumers the opportunity to show appreciation for all they do every day of the year.

Want to make sure your SBS is a surefire success?? Don’t miss this…

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How to Stand Out in the World of Online Selling https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2018/11/how-to-stand-out-in-the-world-of-online-selling.html/ Tue, 20 Nov 2018 14:20:14 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=51986 Scott C. Wilson, Founder at That Software Guy helps growing businesses. He helps businesses sell online using platforms like Zen Cart, which are self-hosted open-source software packages that allow people to see online manage their customer data, manage their inventory, and manage the order flow. Many of businesses able to use black Friday ads which […]

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Scott C. Wilson, Founder at That Software Guy helps growing businesses. He helps businesses sell online using platforms like Zen Cart, which are self-hosted open-source software packages that allow people to see online manage their customer data, manage their inventory, and manage the order flow. Many of businesses able to use black Friday ads which are totally free for increasing online shopping network.

Know Your Strengths

Scott serves a very niche market and has been very successful focusing his efforts on Zen Cart development and customization and on small businesses doing a certain kind of selling who need a professional developer to help them or to support their site. Scott gave an example of how he supports several customers who use a drop shipping model and how with that, “you want a certain level of automation because you don’t want to be handling each of the orders yourself.” Scott has helped his customers by automating the back-end ordering, shipping, and tracking processes for them so their businesses run more smoothly.

Scott helps growing businesses reach a higher level of automation. Scott remarks that as a small business owner, you very well could customize and manage these processes yourself, but “I’m an expert in this and you’re not.” He affirms that it’s better for his customers to spend their time running their businesses and doing the things they love rather than spending time on the things they could be hiring him to do for them.

Salesforce is for the Smallest Businesses

Salesforce Essentials is designed for even the smallest of businesses. The Software Guy is as small as a small business can get. Scott runs the whole show by himself.  He is essentially able to do this by using Salesforce. Although Salesforce is an enterprise solution, they have a scaled-down version called Salesforce Essentials, “which I’m using to keep all my customer data organized.” For years, Scott shared that he used five or six different solutions to keep up with his customers, such as Dropbox, Google Contacts, and spreadsheets, and he “got fed up with it!” He said that by using all kinds of different data repositories for his customer data, he kept losing things. “It’s very hard when all the data is in disparate places, to keep track of things.” So, he adopted Salesforce SMB Essentials in order to streamline his operations. Scott’s words for small business owners who don’t yet employ Salesforce Essentials, “You will be so happy you’ve moved all your data into one place…it’s just such a better way to operate.”

We asked Scott to take off his “tech hat” and talk about how easy Salesforce Essentials is to setup. Even for the small business owners who are not as tech savvy, setting up Essentials is relatively simple. Scott even released an open-source version of the import he did.

Successful Selling Online

Scott advised that small business owners think about how to differentiate yourself and utilize it in order to be successful selling online. If you want to compete, figure out how you can bring value to that market. Whether you’re an expert in that space, you’ve done a lot of reading, you have a lot of contacts, or you have a good buying relationship with a manufacturer, “it’s especially important for small businesses and solo entrepreneurs to differentiate as sharply as possible because there are so many players in the marketplace, and so many vendors providing so many services.”

 

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6 Ways You Can Boost Your Retail Store’s Holiday Sales https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2018/11/brick-mortar-holiday-sales-boost.html/ Tue, 20 Nov 2018 06:35:18 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=52042 As of the beginning of November, an estimated 164.4 million consumers plan to shop during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. Maximizing holiday sales is more important now than ever which can be achieved easily by having the new wax pen in your stock as many buyers are looking for it right now. If you want to […]

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As of the beginning of November, an estimated 164.4 million consumers plan to shop during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. Maximizing holiday sales is more important now than ever which can be achieved easily by having the new wax pen in your stock as many buyers are looking for it right now. If you want to improve the inside of your retail store, then consider getting some Vinyl floor graphics to promote your products.

“Confidence is near an all-time high, unemployment is the lowest we’ve seen in decades and take-home wages are up. All of that is reflected in consumers’ buying plans,” says Matthew Shay, National Retail Foundation (NRF) President and CEO.

Retailers should expect to see strong demand this holiday season, and it’s critical to be prepared. In order to compete with the increasingly popular eCommerce market, brick and mortar stores need to go above and beyond the status quo this holiday season (especially on Small Business Saturday). Here are 6 ways you can increase holiday sales and capitalize on the extra money shoppers are projected to spend this year:

1. Make it an Experience

Going to the mall, or browsing the eclectic storefronts on Main Street, to shop for holiday gifts is a quintessential part of the holiday experience. Feelings of nostalgia come flooding in. In-store holiday shopping captures Christmas magic, as you can see in countless holiday movies. That’s what makes gift buying in stores so special—it’s an experience, not just an event and consumers want a personalized shopping experience that only a visit to the store can provide.

2. Equip Your Employees

One of the best things you can do to enhance the holiday shopping experience for your customers is to have knowledgeable associates. With access to product and competitor information online, many customers will have thoroughly researched what they plan to purchase before they set foot in your store. But, since you are selling the product, they expect you, and your associates, to be experts on your merchandise. Your associates may not have to know all of the tech specs, but they do need to know what you have on hand. Providing a mobile point of sale will equip your employees with the information customers want to know. Does this come in another size or color?

On the topic of employees, consider beefing up your holiday staff. Customers want individual attention and exceptional service and they don’t care about the holiday rush that’s pulling you and your staff in a million directions. Hire enough seasonal employees to help manage the busiest times of the day and days of the week. Train them to pay attention to the customers. Even if they can’t answer every question, they can find someone who does while making the shopper feel they are being taken care of.

3. Offer Small Business Saturday Promotions

Since 2010, American Express has been hosting Small Business Saturday in an effort to get consumers to support small businesses in their communities. Held on the Saturday after Black Friday, Small Business Saturday has been a great tool for SMBs to get more customers in the door during the holiday shopping season. In the years that the Small Business Saturday campaign has officially been going on, an estimated $85 billion has been spent at independent retailers and restaurants on just 8 days over the last 8 years. That’s incredible and a proven way to increase your holiday sales. American Express offers free posters for download as well as free email and social media templates to let shoppers know you are participating this year. If you are going to go through with the idea, then make sure you have enough shipping boxes for those large orders you are going to be getting.

4. Get Active on Social Media

One of the easiest and most cost-effective strategies to get more customers in the door this holiday season is to get active on social media. Post often and consistently to let customers know what exclusive promotions and holiday sales you are offering. Leverage platforms like Instagram to post photos of your merchandise that will inspire customers to buy from you. Appeal to customers who are really into gift giving, event planning, and entertaining on Pinterest. They just overhauled their ad manager, so advertising on Pinterest is easier than ever.

Don’t just share information strictly related to what you are trying to sell. Get creative and try some seasonal social media posts on things like holiday recipes, décor, or a topical series on best gifts for moms, dads, bosses…etc. Run contests. Followers will check back in periodically to see the results or if there is a new contest running. Even better if your contests can get customers in the store to participate.

5. Employ Email

There is no better time than the holidays to put a little extra effort into your email marketing strategy. Send your subscribers exclusive information about your holiday sales and events. Offer a holiday preview sale to your existing customers and encourage them to bring a friend to the event. Offer special discounts if they refer new customers or offer coupons or special discounts strictly for email subscribers. Send out your holiday gift guide to make choosing gifts for friends and family even simpler.

6. Gift Cards are the Way to Go

According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), the number one gift on shoppers’ wish lists this year is gift cards and gift certificates. Since consumers are looking for that personal touch during their holiday shopping experience, they are also likely looking for a gift card to a business that will give their loved one a unique experience when they cash in their gift. Another way to get customers to purchase gift cards from your business is to offer google play gift card bonuses. If a customer buys a $100 gift card for a friend, offer a $10 gift card that they can spend on themselves. The great thing about gift cards is that recipients often spend 20% more in your establishment than the amount of the gift card they received.

 

Make to make Small Business Saturday a Success? Don’t miss this…

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5 Attributes of a Scalable Online Business https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2018/11/5-attributes-scalable-online-business.html/ Fri, 16 Nov 2018 15:00:33 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=51917 Companies that can’t grow with their customer base have an upper limit to the amount of revenue they generate. While those that can adapt to increasing demands are able to reach infinite heights. Whether you’re thinking about launching an online business, or you’re trying to figure out how to take yours to the next level, […]

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Companies that can’t grow with their customer base have an upper limit to the amount of revenue they generate. While those that can adapt to increasing demands are able to reach infinite heights. Whether you’re thinking about launching an online business, or you’re trying to figure out how to take yours to the next level, do a scalability analysis. A scalability analysis will help determine how viable your business model will be in the long run, but if you haven’t started yet, then this is the best online business opportunity you will come across, so consider checking it out. 

Here are five characteristics of a scalable online business.

1. Sound customer-acquisition cost ratio

Every customer you get costs a certain amount to acquire, even if the cost is indirect. For example, you might spend money on online ads to drive new customers to your website. Divide the cost of the campaign by the value of new customers it brings you to get the customer-acquisition cost (CAC).

The ideal CAC ratio is 3:1, meaning that the value of your customers should be three times the expense of acquiring them. If you spend $1 per customer and make only $2 per sale, your profit margins are too slim. To improve the margin, reduce the amount you spend per customer or increase your prices to realize growth. Today, the influence of social media and search marketing has allowed online businesses to bring in customers at lower costs. These kinds of approaches could improve your CAC ratio.

2. Highly automated systems

Technology has the power to reduce expenses, increase productivity, and minimize risk. Whether you automate shipping, banking, social media posts, or sales leads, the move toward automation allows you to save time – and, as they say, time is money. For example, automating lead generation and pushing prospects down a sales funnel, keeps you from wasting energy on leads that are unlikely to purchase. Instead, automation allows you to garner more legitimate customer opportunities.

Automation can come in many forms and can be as simple as choosing a more-automated phone system. Start with the basics, but keep in mind that companies that undergo a full digital transformation are more equipped to grow at faster rates.

3. Business services that can grow with your company

You need a number of services to run your online business, not the least of which are your internet and phone services. Make sure to enagage with imminentbusiness.com, they  can handle the demands of serving customers (and employees) at a higher volume. Reliability and flexibility are paramount to scaling an online business — outages or bandwidth issues translate to lost sales and dissatisfied customers.

4. Loyal customers

Which brings us to our next key factor: your customers. One of the most overlooked yet most powerful aspects of growing a business is customer retention. According to Adobe, a massive 40 percent of an ecommerce store’s revenue is created by only 8 percent of its customers. Upselling is an estimated 20 to 35 percent more cost-effective than finding a new customer. A regular customer that comes back week after week is more valuable than a brand-new customer, with their first-time CACs. If your business has high customer retention, then it can be scaled more easily — you can focus on lead generation with a steady, reliable base to build upon.

5. Adaptability

Let’s face it — small business owners need to be scrappy. You need to stay on your toes and make use of every dollar earned. This means constantly assessing and re-assessing where money is spent, how to cut costs, how to bring in and keep customers, and even which products and services you offer. When you can quickly pivot and respond to the trends in the market, you keep your business in the running. Being locked into a long-term lease or manufacturing contract, for example, could limit your ability to grow.

If your online business has these characteristics, congratulations — you’re well poised to scale your company to widen your reach and achieve new heights! If you struggle with your scalability strategy, work toward these ideals and watch for the results.


Authored By: 

Patrick Hearn SmallbiztechnologyPatrick Hearn is an Atlanta-based tech writer for Comcast Business who also runs his own small business. When not researching the latest business solution, he can be found at the latest coffee shop trying the newest pour-over. 

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Online Shopping: How Different Factors Can Impact Your Small Business https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2018/11/online-shopping-how-different-factors-impact-your-small-business.html/ Mon, 05 Nov 2018 15:00:11 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=51831 In today’s world, more and more people turn to online retailers and websites for all of their shopping needs. From holidays to birthday, big-ticket items to daily household products, people are flocking to the web for everything in sight. In fact, online shopping has gone up from 19% to 30% of consumers ordering online daily. […]

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In today’s world, more and more people turn to online retailers and websites for all of their shopping needs. From holidays to birthday, big-ticket items to daily household products, people are flocking to the web for everything in sight. In fact, online shopping has gone up from 19% to 30% of consumers ordering online daily. With this shift in shopping trends, retailers must shift their marketing for optimization. You can go through Vendel Miniatures for expanding your online shopping business.

Online Retail Implications

With the growth in online retail shopping, more and more small businesses need to concentrate on their online reputation and marketplace. Unless the physical storefront of a small business is extremely successful, the majority of a business’s focus may need to rest in a great online experience. Without a total package to offer, a small business may lose its ground in a quickly changing retail world.

Sometimes the lack of an online storefront, or subpar availability to shop online, can cause problems for a small business. Many times, consumers will check out a small business or a ‘locally owned’ shop online before deciding to make a trip to see the store itself. If the online presence of the company just doesn’t cut it, then consumers may be quick to mark the business off the list.

What all this means is that small businesses are needing to invest more in their online marketability and how they conduct their day to day business. This includes shipping options for those who may not have shipped to the customer before. This could also mean offering preordering options when a business would typically only sell what would be in stock for a physical location. You should considered all of these factors when creating an online presence to keep up with the technical business world.

The Online Shopping Experience

The downside to online shopping is how easily it can make or break a business. For small businesses, this can be incredibly critical for the long-term success of the business. One bad experience can cause a severe blow to one’s reputation, despite having a good repertoire otherwise. Sometimes, a single bad online shopping trip can ruin a business.

With the world living through social media, consumers will rant or rave about a business using social platforms. If they have an easy going and great experience, they may or may not leave a good review. This helps boost your company a little. If someone has a bad experience, they are far more likely to voice this online. This can cause a far larger amount of harm to a business’s reputation.

Post Purchase Issues and How to Address Them

Most online purchases issues come after the purchase is made. Most of the time consumers have no complaints about the process of finding an item they want and buying it. Odds are their problems come the minute after the ‘submit order’ button is pressed. These issues range from untimely delivery, costly shipping, and lost items, to name a few. Small businesses especially have to think ahead to try to navigate around the potential for these problems.

Shipping will likely forever be a sticky subject when it comes to online retailing. Simply put, shipping can be costly. The consumer wants to pay as little to nothing for shipping as they can, and they want their orders to be delivered yesterday. This is just the ugly truth to the mindset today’s consumers have. Many customers can be turned away if they deem shipping costs to be too high. They can also be deterred if the expected turnaround time isn’t short enough for their needs.

In fact, 90% of consumers are likely to change their mind about an online purchase if they feel the shipping options are not cheap or fast enough.  

Subscription Boxes

Contributing to the dissatisfcation with shipping costs and convenience are the well-know subscriptuon boxes. In a Pitney Bowes study on e-commerce, they found,

27% of online shoppers are subscribed to at least one such service, including 51% of millennials and 47% of households with children.”

We all know the boxes, from Birch Box to Bark Box, we can subscribe to anything from clothes, to makeup to dog food. So, how will small businesses cope?

The problem for small businesses lies in capital. As in there may not be enough of it to back the company providing cheap or free shipping options. There has to be a balance for the small businesses to continue to profit and grow from offering an online retail experience. On the other hand, this can sometimes be difficult to find. One possible solution could be to eliminate a physical storefront. If there is a promise for success by switching to an exclusively online business, as long as the kinks are all smoothed out, then it could be wise to lose the overhead costs of a physical store to opt for building up the online experience.

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Audience Engagement: 10 Ways to Connect with Every Audience https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2018/10/audience-engagement-10-ways-to-connect-with-every-audience.html/ Mon, 29 Oct 2018 15:14:05 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=51774 Have you ever been to a conference, presentation, or meeting where you zoned out after the first 30 seconds? I think we all have. The topic is interesting, but the execution of the material is mind-numbingly boring. If you want the people in the room to buy-in to your idea, purchase your product, or even […]

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Have you ever been to a conference, presentation, or meeting where you zoned out after the first 30 seconds? I think we all have. The topic is interesting, but the execution of the material is mind-numbingly boring. If you want the people in the room to buy-in to your idea, purchase your product, or even provide constructive feedback to your proposal, it is essential that you engage your audience.

I’ve started using a brand new tool for all of my presentations, Beautiful.ai. I loved it so much, I’ve partnered with them. Beautiful.ai is easy to use and helps you create bold and beautiful slides, has a built-in library of eye-catching images and templates that will best illustrate your talks. I’m using it, you should too!

Here are 10 easy and helpful ways to boost your audience engagement:

1. Planning Your Presentation

You wouldn’t take a test without studying, so why would you give a presentation without preparing? Take the time to properly research the material you plan to present and become intimately familiar with your subject matter. Then, take the time to lay out and organize your thoughts and ideas.

  • A flowchart or outline will help you get your ideas organized so you can begin to build your presentation.
  • Give your presentation structure. It should follow a logical sequence and not bounce around.
  • Use a tool like Beautiful to make a visually pleasing presentation that’s easy to create.

2. Focus on Your Target Demographic

This is a huge factor when it comes to increasing audience engagement. Tailor your presentation to your audience. Research your audience before your presentation and find out the demographics of the group. Know what company they are from, their position, and how you can help them.

3. Keep Visuals Limited

When you build your presentation, think about what’s going to make an impression on your audience. To keep them focused on your and your talk, limit how much text you put on your slides. If your audience can read your slides to get all of the information, why do they need you? Focus instead on adding striking visuals and speaking about your content rather than simply reading off the slide.

4. Keep it Clear

If your audience is unfamiliar with your idea, product, or industry, don’t use industry-specific jargon, acronyms, and concepts that they won’t understand. Refer to #2 and cater your presentation to your audience. Knowing who you’re speaking to will help you prepare language that is appropriate, and anticipate what questions they might want answered.

5. Be Deliberate in Your Delivery

Practice your presentation! Practice in the mirror at home, to your spouse or coworker, just practice! Also, find balance in your movement–have some energy, but don’t be all over the place. You want your audience focused on your content, not the sweat beads forming at your temples because you’ve walked a quarter-mile across the front of the room.

6. Make it Fun

We’ve all sat in 30-minute meetings that seemed to last an eternity. Audience engagement is the key to avoiding that situation when you are the presenter. Even if the topic is technical and dry, you can still make the presentation fun. Make your presentation memorable by allowing the audience to interact with you. Make them laugh. Tell a story that evokes emotion. Have an icebreaker or small group breakout session if the format allows.

7. Leverage Tech Resources

If you don’t engage your audience, within a couple of minutes everyone is going to be on their smartphones checking emails, playing games, or catching up on social media– pretty much doing anything other than paying attention to you. But, don’t assume that technology is against you. Encourage social media use before, during, and after the event. Create polls and have your audience respond on their smartphones throughout the presentation. Create a unique Twitter, Instagram or Facebook hashtag for your event.

8. Make it Relatable

Don’t get up in front of a room full of people, read off a bunch of facts and technical information, and expect people to be impressed. Make it relatable. Everyone likes to feel like they are part of the story. Tell your audience about your own experience, share something personal, and make your message stick.

9. Set the Room Up for Success

If you have the option, be strategic about setting up your room in a way that encourages audience engagement. Don’t set up 200 chairs for an audience of 50, everyone will sit in the back. Force people to the front. Make them sit next to one another. Get them engaged and talking to each other. Utilize all of the space and don’t confine yourself to the front of the room.

10. Don’t Stop to Let the Audience Read Your Slides

We already covered that you shouldn’t be reading your slides. But it’s also important not to stop in the middle of your presentation to let your audience members read your slides. First, you shouldn’t have so much text on your slides that the audience needs more time than you spend talking about the slide to read it. Keeping text short and to the point will leave more room for visual media that will leave a more lasting impression and increase your audience engagement.

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How to Make The Perfect Sales Pitch (8 Tips) https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2018/10/making-the-perfect-sales-pitch.html/ Mon, 15 Oct 2018 16:54:21 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=51663 When approaching investors or potential clients, your company pitch is crucial to landing the job or getting investment funding. With only an elevator ride time to get the most important points of your business plan across, the perfect sales pitch can seem harrowing or nearly impossible to make. The bad news: Many people struggle with […]

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When approaching investors or potential clients, your company pitch is crucial to landing the job or getting investment funding. With only an elevator ride time to get the most important points of your business plan across, the perfect sales pitch can seem harrowing or nearly impossible to make.

The bad news: Many people struggle with getting a pitch together at all, while others battle with honing their spiel or keeping it audience-relevant.

The good news: Ramon Ray happens to judge spitch competitions from time to time, and has given us his insight into how to formulate the ideal business or sales pitch. Here are the top 8 things to consider so that you can form the perfect pitch:

1. Enter Pitch Competitions

Yes, these are a thing! In pitch competitions, you and other small business owners can toss around your business plans, ideas, and pitches and see if they are caught. Puns aside, these competitions serve as a great opportunity to not only practice telling people about your business, but you have the chance to actually reap the benefits of investment if you win! Pitch competitions include actual potential investors, meaning you could walk in to practice and walk away with funding for your small business.

2. Make Connections

With pitch competitions, you are able to make connections even if you don’t walk away with a win. Even if the judging investors don’t choose you and your sales pitch, there are typically investors present who may take an interest in you and your company. These connections could then lead to investments and funding to get your business off the ground. Aside from investors, you will meet other small business owners and will network with people going through the same things you are in the small business world. You can potentially toss ideas around and brainstorm with others, only improving your business along the way.

3. Personable Pitch

Make sure that you are making connections with your potential investors. If you have rehearsed your spiel so much that you sound robotic, you can’t connect with them and get them to become interested and invested in your company or brand. While you want to know your pitch and know it well, you need to practice comfortably proposing it and making those person to person connections throughout so that you draw interest from the people you are trying to sell.

4. Know your Audience

Depending on the nature of your pitch, you may need to form alternate versions of it. If you are speaking with investors, you’ll need to concentrate on goals for the company and what their contribution would do to help you reach those goals. Make a clear depiction of where their money is going. If you are speaking to potential clients, you are truly trying to sell them on your product or service. Make sure that you are painting a great picture of what you have to offer so that they will ultimately leave with your message in hand and their money in your hand. Being able to have a solid pitch foundation that you can alter for your audience is important and can benefit you greatly.

5. Know the Rules

For a pitch competition, it is important that you understand the guidelines and rules before you enter. This applies to real life investment opportunities as well. You need to know the rules of how the investor operates to adjust your pitch to best appeal to them and what they do. You don’t want to go in blindly pitching for a $100K investment to a company that’s known for only investing $10K towards new clients. Know your audience and do your research to know the rules.

6. Keep Track of Time

Manage the time you have to give your pitch wisely. They don’t fall into the category of an elevator talk for nothing. A sales pitch of any sort is no more than 2-3 minutes long, so you want to hit home the most important and relevant points in that short time span. Don’t get bogged down in the details or you could run the risk of striking out before you even get through your spiel. Take your time, but use it wisely to land the investments!

7. Be Clear in Your Intent

Make sure your pitch is clear and to the point, enough so that it is blatantly obvious what your company does, solves or offers. If your pitch has too much fluff to try to get sales, potential investors or clients won’t be able to clearly tell what you have to offer. Your audience may get lost in the overabundance of detail and get turned off by your company as a result. Remember, you’re trying to grab their interest quickly, and then they can ask follow up questions where you can go into more detail.

8. Provide Examples —

Don’t be afraid to provide an example or two in your pitch. Yes, you are limited on time, but if you strategically place examples you are not only providing proof, but you can also make your points clear. You’re then taking care of two aspects at once, saving time in the long run, and getting the information in there.

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Why I Hired a Sales Coach & Why You Should, Too https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2018/10/why-i-hired-a-sales-coach-why-you-should-too.html/ Thu, 11 Oct 2018 14:43:52 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=51616 Sales isn’t easy and it isn’t hard to find yourself questioning how to meet sales goals, and how to get sales through the roof. More than anything, it’s easy to feel alone and wondering where to go next. There’s no shame in getting a sales coach, whether you’re a beginner or a highly qualified expert. […]

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Sales isn’t easy and it isn’t hard to find yourself questioning how to meet sales goals, and how to get sales through the roof. More than anything, it’s easy to feel alone and wondering where to go next. There’s no shame in getting a sales coach, whether you’re a beginner or a highly qualified expert. Deciding to get a sales coach was one of the best decisions I ever made for my business and my colleagues. Here are 5 reasons that I hired a sales coach to better my business:

Motivation and Accountability –

These go hand in hand, really. A sales coach will be there to push you harder no matter how motivated you think you are–there’s always room to grow. A sales coach is going to find what you need to address the most in your business plan and push you to go above and beyond what you are already doing to get there. It may be your weakest link, but with someone else’s eye, they’ll keep you on the ball at all times to keep things on the up and up. Working with a sales coach will allow you to set these plans into action and then work together to meet the goals along the way.

Fresh Perspective –

Once you get in the groove of things, having a fresh eye can be challenging and those minors details can blur out pretty easily. Even if a sales coach is familiar with your business or similar companies, they will still be addressing your business as a unique setup through a new pair of lenses with a brand new approach. This can lead to introducing new ideas and innovative techniques to grow your business. A sales coach could very well have the knowledge and resources necessary to introduce you to opportunities you never previously considered.

Specified Training –

You and your business will be a unique job for any sales coach. It doesn’t matter if anyone else in your field used this coach before so they have an idea of what your company is about. The unique experience and circumstances surrounding your business will lend to specific training from your coach. You may have some similarities with plans they’ve helped others with, but you are guaranteed to have a unique training experience as no two companies are identical in their strengths and weaknesses and how to get the business off the ground and running. A coach will be able to walk you through the steps you need to take to keep your company unique. You don’t want to be a carbon copy of everyone out there in your field and it is key to develop a differentiating factor to set yourself apart from the rest.

Peace of Mind –

Having a sales coach walk you through the steps of getting started in your business is a huge stress relief. If you’re looking to grow your already successful business, then a sales coach can help relieve some of the burden you’ve put on your shoulders as well. Knowing that you aren’t going at it alone can ease the tension you feel surrounding your startup by leaps and bounds. Less tension and stress means more focus on the important things you need to do to get your business to a successful point. Whether you are just getting started or just looking to grow, the company of a sales coach and knowing you can reach them for any advice makes a big difference in how you face the ups and downs you will inevitably get to.

Bigger Earnings –

This really should go without saying. No matter where you are in your business, hiring a sales coach to take it to the next level will undoubtedly result in making more sales and thus more money in the long term. Sure you are spending money by hiring the sales coach, but it takes money to make money and investing in someone who is going to work to help you build up your business is money well spent. With a coach, you’ll more than make that investment back, and who doesn’t like more money?

It goes without question that there is a lot to learn from a sales coach and there is always room to grow. The takeaway is always that a great business model will utilize whatever resources necessary to get to success. There is no shame in asking for help or even hiring out help. You never know what a fresh pair of eyes can see for your business, so why not seize the opportunity to be held accountable and become more profitable? Trust us, a sales coach is a guardian angel in disguise, there to help you through the tough times when growing your business. You won’t be sorry you made the choice to contact a sales coach, I promise. 

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10 Ways to Drive Holiday Sales on Pinterest https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2018/09/holiday-survival-guide-10-ways-to-reach-more-holiday-shoppers-on-pinterest-tips-from-pinterest.html/ Sat, 15 Sep 2018 14:00:24 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=51404 Stand out from the competition and reach holiday shoppers that are already looking for brands like yours. We’re still at least two months away from peak holiday season—when retailers start blasting their holiday playlists and offering their steepest deals of the year. But on Pinterest, holiday shopping has already begun! That’s right: Christmas-related searches and saves […]

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Stand out from the competition and reach holiday shoppers that are already looking for brands like yours.
We’re still at least two months away from peak holiday season—when retailers start blasting their holiday playlists and offering their steepest deals of the year. But on Pinterest, holiday shopping has already begun! That’s right: Christmas-related searches and saves on Pinterest start ticking upward as early as September, including gifts or decoration like lladro christmas ornaments which are great for this season(two times earlier than when shoppers tend to begin exploring products on other platforms).
So, why does this happen? Because shoppers use Pinterest to help them decide what to buy (finding the perfect holiday gift or tracking down the ingredients for a festive recipe). And here’s the best news: Most of the inspirational ideas that people find on Pinterest actually come from brands—87% of people on Pinterest say brands help them find the right products when planning for the holidays.
So, what’re you waiting for? Here are 10 easy wins to help you reach more holiday shoppers on Pinterest this season.

1. Meet holiday shoppers where they’re at

We’ve identified four main types of holiday shoppers on Pinterest: The time-saver, the gifter, the guest and the planner. Check out our holiday shopper insights to learn who they are, what they care about and how your brand can reach them with tips on relevant messaging and creative.

2. Tune into what your customers really want this holiday season

Log in to our Audience Insights tool (you’ll need to have a business profile) to find out what they’re searching and saving. You’ll also be able to find data on your audience’s age, gender, location and device use to help you decide what products to feature in your ads. You can consider if you’re hoping to do some serious whale watching California, head to one of these California areas. 

3. Like gift shopping, it’s best to start earlier than you think

Since holiday shoppers primarily use Pinterest to discover new ideas, it’s important to launch your holiday campaigns on Pinterest earlier than you might on other platforms. If you can reach people as they start making that list and checking it twice—before they’ve decided on a brand or product—you’re more likely to pop back into their mind when they’re ready to make a purchase. As a general rule of thumb, we recommend starting your campaign 2-3 months prior to the holiday rush.

4. Look outside the gift box and expand your audience

By using expanded targeting, our system is able to find people who may be interested in your ad based on its content and what we already know about our shopper’s taste and style preferences. We’ll automatically show your Pins to relevant people, without you needing to add any additional keywords or interests to your campaigns. For example, people that like evergreen scented candles might also like holiday essential oils.

5. Make your list and check it twice

The holidays can be frantic, with shoppers hopscotching from retailer to retailer before settling on what they want. Reach existing customers with customer list targeting or expand your scope and use audience targeting to find people who may have visited your website or engaged with your content on Pinterest. Additionally, with actalike targeting
you can use your current customer list to help you find other people on Pinterest who resemble your existing customers. Pretty neat, right?

6. Deck your feed with seasonal content

You can make your ads feel more relevant by featuring seasonal content or showing how your product fits into your shopper’s everyday lives during the holiday season. Pins with content related to these moments tend to see a 22% increase in sales. Check out our creative best practices and examples of great holiday Pins to learn how to make an impression on holiday shoppers.

7. Wrap it up with mobile

Our phones have such a stronghold in our lives, so it’s no surprise that 80% of Pinners prefer to use the Pinterest mobile app. When building your holiday creative, keep mobile in mind and tailor your font size to phone rendering to make sure your ad copy is legible on small screens. And remember to design for a vertical aspect ratio—the ideal dimension is 1000 pixels x 1500 pixels or 2:3 aspect ratio—it’ll make for a more holly jolly experience.

8. Trim your Pins with pops of text

Fact: Pins that include descriptive text over an image tend to see a 6% increase in sales over Pins that simply contain a cookie-cutter image. Use text overlay to make it easier for Pinners to understand your product’s unique features this holiday season. You can add headers, subheaders, annotations or take a creative approach to how your type interacts with the image. No matter what you decide, remember to keep text clear, concise and focused.

9. Make it merry, build up customer trust and confidence

The surefire way to make your brand and products sing this season? Feature informational creative. Your images should help people understand why your product or brand is right for them (or for someone on their holiday list)!

10. Use consistency to make your experience sparkle

We’ve found that consistency improves performance: Pins that go to landing pages with similar imagery tend to have 13% higher online sales. Make sure that when people land on your page after clicking on your ad on Pinterest, the look and feel of your website matches that of your Pins. Making your holiday shopper’s experience more consistent and personal will help you gain happier and more loyal customers.

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Shopping on Instagram (and Beyond) – What to Expect https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2018/09/instagram-shopping-app-could-reshape-ecommerce.html/ Wed, 12 Sep 2018 14:00:16 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=51391 Instagram as it stands is crucial to the development of businesses everywhere. Whether it’s paying Instagram influencers to promote brands, managing user-generated content campaigns, or purchasing Instagram ads, Instagram has developed as one of the premiere apps for businesses looking to increase their brand awareness. Since the 2016 launch of the “Instagram Business Profile,” in […]

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Instagram as it stands is crucial to the development of businesses everywhere. Whether it’s paying Instagram influencers to promote brands, managing user-generated content campaigns, or purchasing Instagram ads, Instagram has developed as one of the premiere apps for businesses looking to increase their brand awareness. Since the 2016 launch of the “Instagram Business Profile,” in which Instagram began to offer analytics data and a user-friendly advertisement creation system, the number of businesses marketing on Instagram has risen from 1.6 million in 2016 to 15 million in 2017 to a whopping 25 million today. According to Instagram’s internal data 80% of Instagram users follow business accounts, 71% of businesses in the United States have Instagram accounts.  By reviewing trusy social you will get the brief idea for the services that claim to increase instagram followers. Instagram Business users have been employing tools such as branded hashtags (hashtags increase engagement by at least 12.6%), user-generated content campaigns (users are 4.5% more likely to engage with your brand if you employ influencers), and Instagram analytics and public data that reveals information such as top-performing post-types (tip: photos with faces get 38% more likes) and the 80/20 rule (20% of content should be promotional and 80% should focus on engagement) to gain followers and increase brand awareness (https://sproutsocial.com/insights/instagram-stats/).

Now, Instagram has developed a method to translate that brand awareness directly into sales. According to the best instagram agency Melbourne, Instagram is in the process of developing a tie-in shopping app that allows Instagram users to browse the goods of businesses they follow and directly purchase them. This app intends to make it easier for users to reach and purchase content they already enjoy, and in turn makes it easier for businesses to remind individuals who enjoy their content that they are more than just a page with great content, but a brand with products users can take home.

This app will be particularly helpful in promoting small businesses in the world of online shopping, which attracts 79% of shoppers in America. Online shopping for small businesses has been historically dominated by websites such as Amazon that bring products of all different types together on an accessible platform, but that does not promote individualized content based on brands that users have been shown to enjoy. The new Instagram app will be helpful to small businesses because it will make shopping from their brands accessible like Amazon while simultaneously only advertising to individuals who actually care about the brands they’re purchasing from.

While this app has exciting implications for small businesses, it also means that now, before the app’s launch, is the time to heavily focus on social media. Get those followers and engage those followers, because soon, followers will mean sales.

Authored by: Natalie Lifson, reporter, Smallbiztechnology.com

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Salesforce VP of Investments Shares 6 Mistakes to Avoid When Fundraising https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2018/08/salesforce-vp-of-investments-shares-6-mistakes-to-avoid-when-fundraising.html/ Fri, 24 Aug 2018 14:00:12 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=51207 Fundraising is a crucial & often an essential step to collect the much-needed capital or funds for growing your business. These fundraising rounds are often the key steps towards converting your business idea or prototype to a tangible & fully functional business venture. This is the means by which you can take care of most […]

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Fundraising is a crucial & often an essential step to collect the much-needed capital or funds for growing your business. These fundraising rounds are often the key steps towards converting your business idea or prototype to a tangible & fully functional business venture. This is the means by which you can take care of most of the business operations & scaling-up costs (costs for marketing, operations, salaries of employees & other running expenses) & often run into millions of dollars for high growth companies.

Hence, it is not easy to convince the investors, be it the angels, venture capitalists, banks, government organisations or your own aunt to hand over the funds to you & empower you to run your own show on their funds. While the variety & intensity of challenges in fundraising can be different & that you may have to figure out on the way, here are a list of 6 mistakes to avoid on this journey of fundraising, inspired as shared Meredith Finn Vice President at Salesforce, who leads their investments into other companies.

Failure to adequately touch upon 3 key items in your pitch: Team, Product and Market

Investors generally evaluate these three things (Team, Product and Market) when they take a look into a business idea for investment:

TEAM – Investors consider the Team to be of utmost importance when funding a business because they believe that the Right Team can champion a business to success whereas the Wrong Team can spell disaster! It is extremely important for them to have an idea about “Who is Who” on the team & where each of the team member has his/her expertise on. The team that runs the show is a very important asset for the investors to build trust and hand over their funds to you for running your business. For example, if the team members have awesome industry, technical or domain experience relevant to the business, its easier for the investor to trust that team. Also, whether the team members are collaborative enough and have spent considerable time with each other is an important consideration for the investor to evaluate the investment proposition. For the investors, a strong team is equivalent to a strong business. So, the team composition is crucial to the success of your fundraising efforts.

MARKET – The market that your business will cater to is another HUGE consideration for the investors for evaluating investment options. As a rule of thumb, a multi-billion-dollar market is always the safest bet to net an investment. The benefits of addressing a big market (Read Billion-Dollar) is pretty straightforward: the bigger the market, the bigger is the playing field for you and share with your competitors since monopolies (e.g. Google’s global share of search) are incredibly rare. As a result, everyone gets a pretty good share of the entire pie (market) and be satisfied. If you are able to earn a good revenue and mark up your profits, it will not only benefit you but your investors as well. Remember, the investors need to make money off your business and relish the Return on Investment (ROI) as much as you do. The most important advantage of equity market is the diversification of investment, with the help of clear research and expert guidance investment in equity is safer and easier. The equity cannot be bought unless a company issue shares on public notification. Certain companies issue shares only through broking system. Companies sell its shares through brokerage system to small brokers who then sell their shares to public in trading account. A stock broker is agents between you and stock market. Stock broker play a important role in online trading. They charge brokerage according to the services rendered. Use online compare brokers tool to find the right stock broker for your needs. Trader should concentrate on the facilities and the quality of the services provided by the broker on priority than the price or charges. The charges may differ depending on the service rendered. a stock broker provide assistance by means for trading

PRODUCT – The PRODUCT or SOLUTION that you are offering is expected to solve a PROBLEM that your customers are facing. Your solution must provide a unique solution to the problem & therein lies the value of your innovation. Ask yourself the following questions to evaluate your Solution:

  1. Does your solution have a unique technical or competitive advantage with a clear differentiation from other similar solutions in the market?
  2. Will your solution place you in a dominant position in the target market segment so that you can command a favourable price from the customers?
  3. Do you have any viable evidence to prove the above mentioned technical or competitive advantage?

NOT KNOWING YOUR DATA

Apart from the core revenue and profitability metrics that are absolutely a must to know, it is advisable to stay abreast of the core metrics that drive your business. The investors are experienced in running & overseeing different types of business ventures & so have an all-round exposure to business environment. While they are still deciding whether or not to get into the battle field alongside you, you have an opportunity to impress them by proving that you have a great working knowledge and control of your business. Use a data-driven approach to explain the business proposal to your investors. This will help them to build confidence in you and your business so that they can quickly reach to that important decision of writing THAT cheque for you.

Here is a list of key metrics that you must have a hang on:

  1. Number of Customers: How many customers have you been able to impress currently?
  2. Customer Churn: Percentage of customers who discontinue using your solution within a given time period. For a business to perform well, the New Customer Acquisition Rate must be greater than the Churn Rate.
  3. Average Contract Values: Average Annualised Revenue per Customer Contract
  4. Average upsells: Average annualised value of add-on purchases
  5. Length of Sales Cycle: The process of selling your solution to the customers encompassing all activities associated with closing sales
  6. Quota Achievement of Your Sales Team: Dollar figures (monetary) or number of units (volumetric) actually sold to customers
  7. Customer Satisfaction: Last but not the least, this is a metric that determines the success of any particular product/solution & thereby any business. A quantitative representation of whether your solution was able to exceed your target customers’ expectation can be used to address this key business metric. It can be estimated in terms of “Net Promoter Score”: an index that ranges from -100 to +100 that measures the customers’ willingness to recommend a particular solution to others.

NOT SHARING A BIG ENOUGH VISION

This is an important strategy that you must design in order to communicate well to the investors about your current area of focus as well as your vision to scale up your business in the near future. Investors are interested in the ROI & so before they put their money in your business, they will be curious to know about your future plans so that they can envision their exit from the business & make quick cash. You have to balance your sales pitch to the investors in such a way that it caters to both the points of interest: the short-term goals in which you will be expected to share how you are taking steps to achieve success in the present times as well as how you are preparing to go all out & scale big in the near future. It is important to remember that if the investors are able to believe in your short & long-term goals, they will not hesitate to write that big fat cheque for you.

NOT UNDERSTANDING THE TYPE OF CAPITAL YOU NEED TO RAISE

Although Venture Equity is one of the most celebrated options of fundraising, it usually come with a lot of conditions – equity dilution of the founders and quick and large exits that you are expected to satisfy. So, it is extremely important to understand how & in what way you are going to use the funds that you are raising and accordingly work out a specific estimate for the  amount of funds that you will be asking for. If you are not in for these conditions that Venture Capitalists will channelize you towards, then it is wise to consider other forms of funds that you can raise for growing your business. Some of the top alternate options are venture debts, bank loans, crowd funding. As long as you can manage, bootstrapping is the best option that you need to consider in order to retain 100% equity & control of your business with yourself.

NOT DOING YOUR DUE DILIGENCE ON INVESTORS

You need to carry out the due diligence on the investors that you are planning to approach for fundraising purposes because not all VCs are created equal:

  1. There are investors investing at different points in the lifecycle of businesses – Seed stage, early growth, late stage growth etc.
  2. There are investors with considerable experience in a particular niche & prefer sticking to it: B to B, B to C etc.

Think of investors as partners & not as guys who offer funds for your business. You have to carefully select the investors whom you would like to work with for at least the next 10 years of your business partnership knowing well that they will have a significant amount of influence & control on your business since they will be holding significant proportion of stakes in your business. It is somewhat like “dating before marriage” as Meredith puts it. A right match will go a long way. So, in addition to estimating how much funds you will be raising from a potential investor, you will also have to think about how much value the investor will bring to the table in terms of access to industry know-how, talent & network of key resources. After evaluating all of the investors on your radar individually on all these above terms, select the right candidate for an awesome business exposure & experience.

NOT ALLOCATING ENOUGH TIME OR NOT HAVING A PLAN B / C AND D!

Expect fundraising to be a long process & not an instant fixing hack. You need to give sufficient time to the investors to evaluate not just your business proposition but also yourself. The best way is to keep the channels of communication wide open & keep interacting with them in order to build relationships even in between rounds so that you aren’t crunched with introducing yourself and trying to convince them to give you money in a few weeks.  Manage investor relationships like customer relationships – stay in touch and build them over time.

Last, but not the least, it is important to bear in mind that in spite of doing all the homework in preparing an attractive business proposal to woo the investors, all efforts may fail if the investors are not convinced about the value of your business. Be prepared to fall back on a few backup options under such scenarios. Keep your spirits high!

Keep this list within reach & pull it out every time you need to go for a fundraising round & face the investors & their barrage of questions. Don’t make these 6 mistakes, believe in yourself, prepare in advance & enjoy the fundraising process.

Authored by: Poromita Ghosh, Reporter, SmallBizTechnology.com

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How One Business Gained 30 Percent More Customers by Turning to Subscriptions https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2018/08/how-one-smb-gained-30-percent-more-customers-by-turning-to-subscriptions.html/ Thu, 23 Aug 2018 14:00:46 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=51199 The subscription business model is one of the hottest trends in commerce. Subscription e-commerce has doubled over the past five years, according to a recent report from McKinsey & Company, and roughly half of U.S. consumers have signed up for an online subscription of some nature. For businesses, this rise in popularity of online subscriptions […]

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The subscription business model is one of the hottest trends in commerce. Subscription e-commerce has doubled over the past five years, according to a recent report from McKinsey & Company, and roughly half of U.S. consumers have signed up for an online subscription of some nature.

For businesses, this rise in popularity of online subscriptions presents an opportunity for significant growth. Capitalizing on this very trend has helped Freedom enable users to reclaim 10 million hours of their time from distracting websites.Freedom launched as a tool to block distracting content on desktop computers so internet users could concentrate on the work they set out to accomplish. As more of our work migrated online, we started seeing a significant rise in demand for the product.

The way customers consumed content also began to shift with the increased adoption of mobile and tablet devices. For example, in December 2010, U.S. internet users spent a total of 543 billion minutes online, with 74 percent of that coming from desktop computers. By December 2016, usage skyrocketed to 1.50 trillion minutes, with just 31 percent of that from desktops and the remainder from smartphones and tablets.

These shifts in behavior presented a strong need for us to offer multi-device functionality for customers, which called for a requirement to design pricing that was suitable for device-specific usage. With the growing adoption of subscriptions, we decided to take a plunge and make a shift to a recurring revenue business model so customers could pay us a monthly fee to block websites across multiple devices.

What We Learned: The Need For a Customer-Focused Subscription Solution

One of the earliest lessons we learned after making the shift to subscriptions was that under a subscription model, monthly recurring revenue is directly related to customer retention rather than one-time sales. Every member of our business began to have a role in expanding and retaining our customer base and revenue. Streamlining the subscription experience while making it easy for our team to control customer subscriptions became a priority for us.

The original online payment gateway we selected to manage subscriptions was initially helpful, but we quickly realized we needed a more comprehensive solution that would scale with our expanding business and give customers the options and flexibility they demanded. Managing subscriptions on top of a payment gateway alone fell short of our needs and forced us to compromise on the subscriber experience.

We then switched to Chargebee’s subscription management service, which was a strategic decision that proved beneficial from a business perspective. Chargebee has improved our subscription conversion rate by helping us enhance our product’s capabilities and its overall subscription experience.

How Our Subscription Management Product Drove 30 Percent Growth

Your subscription management product can be an effective lever to accelerate acquisition, monetization and retention. At Freedom, we’ve configured Chargebee to help us move the needle on these three core business levers by focusing on the following strategies:

Multiple Payment Options

Adding diverse payment options has evolved into an important acquisition strategy for us. In today’s growing digital landscape, consumers have vast differences in payment preferences. Some customers prefer to pay with a credit or debit card, while others prefer a web-based payment service such as PayPal or Amazon Pay. By adding multiple payment options, we were able to onboard international customers and scale globally.

Under the subscription model, we also encouraged users to set up backup payment methods for recurring charges. This helps recover revenue that could have otherwise been lost.

Flexible Pricing

Offering discounts is an effective way to drive acquisition for B2C businesses. We extensively used the capabilities of the subscription model’s coupon functionality to test different coupon codes and discounts, such as limited-time access to promotions, or one time, limited validity offers. We also had a giveaway boost through a site called yourdailygiveaway.

We also tested several pricing strategies to help drive monetization and upgrades, and subscription analytics has helped us understand how customers responded to pricing. For instance, we found that some customers prefer paying a monthly fee for our product, even if our annual plan was cheaper in the long run.

Using a subscription management tool for pricing experiments helped us drive revenue from new customers while still honoring existing customers by grandfathering them in on the old price.

Self Management for Subscriptions

Offering customers an easy way to manage their subscriptions can significantly improve user experience. Expecting customers to manually upgrade via customer support teams creates friction in the upgrade experience, causing some of them to drop off or delay their upgrade. Offering a built-in customer portal has helped us empower customers to manage their own subscriptions, while our customer success team is freed up to focus on more strategic initiatives.

Transactional Emails

Transactional emails can be a great way to communicate and engage with customers while helping recover revenue. We use transactional emails to communicate with customers about the details of their transaction and send one-click card update emails, reminding them to update credit card information if their card is about to expire. At Freedom, we’ve used Chargebee’s Engage toolset to drive up-sells, retention and revenue through email.

Optimizing our customer subscription experience and internal subscription management process helped us grow the business by 30 percent. While shifting our business model away from one-off sales and moving to subscriptions has been a key factor in our business growth, creating an enhanced experience with a subscription management system helped us identify areas to further accelerate adoption and retention.

The fundamental nature of the recurring revenue business model creates opportunities for long-term customer relationships, and using a subscription management system has provided us with an added layer of operational efficiency to leverage these opportunities better.

Authored By:

Fred Stutzman, Founder and CEO of Freedom, a platform that enables people to be more productive by managing digital distractions.

Fred Stutzman is founder of Eighty Percent Solutions, a LAUNCH Incubator company which builds the innovative productivity software Freedom and Anti-Social. Previously, he was co-founder of ClaimID.com and technology researcher at UNC-Chapel Hill and Carnegie Mellon University. He holds a Ph.D. in Information Science, a graduate certificate in quantitative research, and a B.A. in Economics. Currently, he is adjunct professor at UNC’s School of Information and Library Science, where he teaches courses about privacy and social media.

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How To Make Sales on Pinterest. Think Like a Pinner. https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2018/08/how-can-smbs-think-like-a-pinner-and-drive-sales-on-pinterest.html/ Wed, 22 Aug 2018 14:00:28 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=51191 Back in 2010, Pinterest was a social media platform replicating the bulletin board of a college or a school, but in 2018 with more than 200 million monthly users, it has quietly risen to success as a powerful search engine and an important shopping platform.  Unlike other social media platforms such as Facebook, which primarily […]

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Back in 2010, Pinterest was a social media platform replicating the bulletin board of a college or a school, but in 2018 with more than 200 million monthly users, it has quietly risen to success as a powerful search engine and an important shopping platform.  Unlike other social media platforms such as Facebook, which primarily drives your selfie habit, Pinterest opens a sea of opportunities for the small business owners. 93% of the Pinners use the platform to plan purchases, and the platform has seen a 40% increase in the number of users over the last two years.

SMBs and Pinterest – A match made in heaven

For SMBs, the platform is a crucial marketing toolbox because it works as a visual discovery engine and helps the customer find what they love. In 2017, 67% of the Pinners discovered new brand or products from business content on Pinterest.  Whether you’re looking to increase the brand awareness,  drive the web traffic to your website, or drive customer engagement – Pinterest in your one-stop-destination.  The social media platform effortlessly makes the promoted content as useful as the organic content.  Furthermore, Pinterest caters to SMBs with tools to optimize results and make the most of marketing budgets.

Let us understand, how the platform is lending a helping hand to the SMBs in their marketing efforts.

1) Chatbooks

The SMB captures memories from social media and brings them to life, recently ran a Promoted

Pin campaign and encouraged Pinners to bring their summer memories to life. The campaign was a massive success because the sales team witnessed up to 3x more clicks on their ads and 15% lower cost per clicks within the first 90 days of launching of their ads.

2) LitJoy Crate

The company which is a monthly book box decided to use Pinterest’s promoted pins to drive acquisition among their audience of women aged 20-35. LitJoy Crate achieved a CPA 70% lower than their average CPA on marketing channels, acquiring new customers for only $3-$5 per customer.

The sky is the limit for business using Pinterest!

How to get started?

The first step in the right direction is always crucial for an SMB. Here are a few tips for the newbies to use the platform to enhance their business growth.

1) Set up a business account

To set up a business account, you need the logo or the visuals of the products (for a profile picture) and a business description containing the link to the website, contact details, and location. For those who already own a personal account, converting to a business account is as simple as waving a magic wand. A business account outperforms a personal account because it comes loaded with additional features such as Pinterest analytics and Pinterest Ads.

2) Claim your website

Claiming your website on the social media platform unlocks an array of features such as Pin stats and Pinterest analytics. Learn more at Pinterest.

3) Set up your boards

If you want to make your board look professional, set up the board and categorize the Pins based on the products, audience segment or the topic.

4) Start Pinning

Don’t forget to create new Pins daily to help the Pinners discover your brand and Pins. Consistent activity on the social media platform is the key to reach the right customers at the right time. Furthermore, link all your Pins to the website as it will help increase the web traffic.

What Next?

Getting started on Pinterest is simple, follow these tips to leverage the maximum benefits from the social media platform.

1) New business profiles

Pinterest is thriving to make life easier for SMBs by helping them connect with their target audience.  Recently, the company launched a new business profile which is empowering the brands to take control of how their brand will appear on Pinterest. The new profile is allowing the companies to highlight the content they deem as necessary for their customers and want them to see first. Furthermore, the new profile offers a dynamic cover image that is helping in capturing the attention of the ideal customers.

2) Key metrics

Running a promoted campaign will never yield the desired results unless the SMBs track the progress of each campaign. A few key metrics will give deep insights into how engaged the Pinners are with the content. It will help the SMBs, tweak changes in their content strategy. To further assist the small businesses, Pinterest allows the companies to access valuable metrics on their Pins to make critical business decisions.

3) Following tab

Staying one step ahead of competitors always work wonders for SMBs and is probably one of the leading ways to discover new ideas and see what other brands are saving to attract their audience. And, for that Pinterest has a following tab – entirely focused on the people and boards you follow on Pinterest.

4) Promoted Pins

To further de-stress the life of small businesses, Pinterest offers the ‘Promote’ button, which helps a brand of any size to promote their Pins. Business can set up a promoted Pin in less than 9 seconds.

Pinterest is the goldmine for your bottom line because it’s a new way of flipping through magazines and scrapbooks, which quickly captures the attention of the customers. As an SMB, never overlook such a big chance to mint money, especially from Pinners who have the biggest spending power on the social media. The household income of 40% of Pinterest users is more than $100K. Don’t miss the golden opportunity!

Authored by:

Lisa Fong, SMB Marketing Lead at Pinterest
Lisa Fong leads the Pinterest SMB Marketing team focused on inspiring and empowering businesses to grow and succeed on Pinterest. She has over 12 years of experience in digital advertising, technology and marketing. Her passion for mobile ads led her career to adtech companies Google, Apple and Sharethrough. She received her MBA from the Kellogg School of Management. – headshot is attached

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Summer is Slowing Down, Your Business Doesn’t Have To https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2018/07/summer-is-slowing-down-your-business-doesnt-have-to-says-ramon-ray-small-business-expert.html/ Wed, 25 Jul 2018 14:00:49 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=51053 Summer has officially reached its peak and many small businesses are beginning to see a slow down in sales. It’s hot and people want to spend more time out with their families. Ramon Ray, founder of SmallBizTechnology and SmartHustle.com, shares his insights about how to keep business flowing during these slow summer months with Casey […]

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Summer has officially reached its peak and many small businesses are beginning to see a slow down in sales. It’s hot and people want to spend more time out with their families. Ramon Ray, founder of SmallBizTechnology and SmartHustle.com, shares his insights about how to keep business flowing during these slow summer months with Casey Messer of Kob 4, Albuquerque, NM in cooperation with American Express.

Since business is relatively slow, summer months are the perfect opportunity to take the time to make sure your business is moving how it should be.

  • In regard to finances, it is important to ensure that every product you put out is bringing in a reasonable profit.
  • Teach your employees how to maintain superior customer service.
  • Customer service is a key component in a business as it determines if they will return to your business.
  • It is also important to make sure your employees/contractors are well taken care of; they are the heartbeat of your business, and the business’s success depends on them.
  • Another thing you can do in this slow season is advance your marketing techniques as it is important to bring in new customers.

As summer sets in and your existing customers are out vacationing, it is essential that you bring in new customers through your door.

This can be done through simple things such as thank-you cards or lowering prices for customers who refer your business. Another thing is to accept a variety of credit cards, including the American Express card. Marketing is a key factor in ensuring that new customers continue to patronize your business.

During these hot, humid, and slow summer months, small business owners can take advantage of any spare time to insure that your business is moving forward. Keep a steady watch of your finances, devise new marketing skills, maintain excellent customer service, and continue to bring in new customers.

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How to Build a Successful E-commerce Website https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2018/07/how-to-build-a-successful-e-commerce-website.html/ Tue, 24 Jul 2018 14:00:17 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=51056 Over the past several years, the number of businesses proliferating their online presence is astonishing. It’s estimated that in the U.S. and Canada alone, there are approximately 1.3 million e-commerce sites. Given the rapid growth of online storefronts, how is someone with no prior experience supposed to create a website that cuts through sales and […]

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Over the past several years, the number of businesses proliferating their online presence is astonishing. It’s estimated that in the U.S. and Canada alone, there are approximately 1.3 million e-commerce sites. Given the rapid growth of online storefronts, how is someone with no prior experience supposed to create a website that cuts through sales and develops a loyal following?

As the backbone of some of the most successful e-commerce sites out there, the Weebly team has prepared a list of best practices that can help any online store drive repeat business.

Create A Unique Design and Layout

The key to starting is shedding the long to-do list and beginning with a solid framework. A creative site domain, an attention-grabbing picture, and “coming soon” text are good starting points to start generating momentum. Once that’s done, find a color palette that reflects the look and feel of your offline brand touchpoints. Your website should have the same look and feel as your Instagram feed, store, packaging, and any place potential customers interact with your brand. When considering site design, less is more. Maintain a clear call to action and direct your visitors to where you want them to go. While you will feel compelled to fit everything on one screen, drop-down menus and white space can be instrumental in designing a beautiful and engaging online platform. Remember that consistency is key: fonts, colors and style should feel the same throughout.

Be a Picture Perfectionist

Once products are available to promote online, it’s critical to integrate product and lifestyle photography that accurately represents products’ features and how they will be used by the people purchasing them. Gifs and video have become increasingly popular, as they are more likely to draw attention. Try adding a video that showcases your best work or a behind-the-scenes tour of your latest photo shoot and creative process.

Another key design component is making sure your products look just as good on mobile devices as they do on a laptop. Close to 60% of all traffic to a Weebly site is coming from smartphones, which is why our sites are optimized for mobile-first, but it’s important to test the checkout process from a phone or tablet to make sure everything looks as it should.

Word-of-Mouth Still Reigns Supreme

Audience growth can happen in a variety of ways, but the most important ones are email marketing, an active social media presence, and a regularly updated blog. Asking visitors if they’d like to sign up for email updates increases your chances of repeat shoppers. Integrating social media with your marketing plan is vital to promoting easy content sharing capabilities that drive additional traffic. Social media can also be used to analyze consumer sentiment, conduct research, and share important moments for your brand. Last but not least, blogging is an effective way to engage with customers and express yourself by establishing a voice for your brand.  Some examples for blog topics include seasonal offerings, new products, and major announcements.

Read Your Online Reviews

Online first-time visitors to your store need encouragement to gain trust in your brand and the quality of what you’re selling. Positive online customer feedback can lead to new sales and hopefully, brand loyalty. According to PeopleClaim, 70% of customers consult reviews or ratings before making a final purchase. Your email marketing platform should automatically prompt customers to leave a review on every purchase is a way that solicits feedback organically. Positive reviews are what help engineer a credible reputation, and even negative reviews can be strategically managed. Replying to unhappy customers with timely and attentive customer service can serve as a strategy that encourages customers to either update their review or remove it altogether.

Be Real

Millennials are the most ethically-conscious generation of consumers, and companies should aim to create a site that doesn’t just sell, but also creates a personality. Bring your business to life by sharing inspiration, stories, and the process of how everything came together. If your product comes from a sustainable resource, shoppers will want to feel a connection to supporting that. A well written “About” page can be just as important as the products.

Be Human

Starting an online store is a combination of excitement, adrenaline, and fear; most new business owners believe it requires a perfect homepage, thousands of social media followers, and professionally curated artwork. However, some of the most important aspects of e-commerce success stem from personal touch, carefully shot photography, and simple mobile integration.

When all is said and done, it’s important to remember that your website visitors are people like you and not Twitter bots. If you were interested in making an online purchase, what would you hope to see, read, and interact with? In the long term, a lasting business can’t be faked – to be authentic compels transparency. If you create captivating stories and look to build a reliable and responsive persona, that’s what will attract customers to invest in you.

Authored By:

Katie Swett, Director of Product at Weebly

Katie Swett Miller is Director of Product at Weebly, an e-commerce and website hosting company recently acquired by Square.  She oversees customer facing Weebly products that help entrepreneurs grow their business through the platform. She spearheaded the creation of Weebly’s email marketing platform,
insights dashboard, and Facebook Ad creator. She also leads the team that builds the core web product and 5-star rated Weebly mobile app. She is passionate about building products that delight customers and allow them to express themselves digitally while
encouraging growth.

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How Animations Can Help Your Business – 7 Ways https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2018/07/how-animations-can-help-your-business-7-ways.html/ Mon, 16 Jul 2018 14:39:08 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=51046 Technology has changed a lot of things. Not only has it transformed the world, it has transformed the fundamental underlying principles of society. One such area where technology’s impact and role can be visibly seen is the business world. Businesses have to come up with innovative and new ways continuously in order to gain and […]

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Technology has changed a lot of things. Not only has it transformed the world, it has transformed the fundamental underlying principles of society. One such area where technology’s impact and role can be visibly seen is the business world. Businesses have to come up with innovative and new ways continuously in order to gain and retain customers. This means that while the customers get to choose which business or brand best suits their needs, the businesses have to come with something new each time they want to keep themselves relevant in the minds of their customers.

This is where animations come in. There are several animation companies offering excellent animation services to businesses online. We are one of the best animation studios in Singapore with over 6 years of experience in explainer videos. Among these, Spiel is one of the leading animation companies that offers such services. However, it is important that businesses understand the importance of animations and how it could prove to be the difference between success and failure for brands.

So, here are the top reasons for businesses to consider animations:

Effective and Efficient Communication

Communication is the tool that determines the eventual success or lack of it for any brand. Animated content such as videos not only allow you to get your point across more effectively but also more efficiently. It converts boring and redundant pieces of data into interesting animations, making them both interesting and engaging. This is a method that can be used to increase the level of engagement with both your customers and other partners.

SEL?

Social and emotional learning (SEL) is the process through which children and adults understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions. https://evpco.com/social-emotional-learning-curriculum can help education personnel make informed decisions about how best to support the social and emotional skills of their youth.

Brand Awareness

When it comes to Brand Awareness, fewer things matter more than an instantly recognizable brand logo or brand mascot. Animated videos are excellent methods of reinforcing that awareness and making your brand a lot more visually appealing. There have been studies done that conclude that visual aesthetics can determine the success or failure of a brand in many ways.

Prospects

There are certain prospects that each business wishes to gain. It contains primarily of shareholders and investors. These are people that a business would want to know about their success. As mentioned earlier, one of the hallmarks of technology has been the ease with which we can look at the success, failures and prospects of any business. An animation is a great and interactive way for businesses to reach out to their potential partners and let them know about their current success and what their plans are for the future.

It is also a primary reason why so many corporations and MNCs have YouTube channels specifically dedicated to ensure that there are animations that explain the success they’ve achieved and what their future goals are. It also serves as a perfect way for them to consolidate their standing in the market and reinforce their brands.

Social Media Engagement

Social Media is another tool that can prove to be incredibly useful for any brand if it is used in the right manner. There have been multiple studies that have confirmed that users on social media respond more positively to images and visuals that are animated. It evokes a sense of imagination as well as engagement that regular text or pictures cannot. This is why businesses use a lot of techniques such as whiteboards, infographic and blackboards to communicate with their potential clients and customers.

Marketing Tool

If you’re a brand that has to compete with competitors who can offer products/services of similar quality then you’ll need to distinguish yourself from them in every way possible. Perhaps more importantly, you need to understand the audience that you’ll be targeting through your marketing endeavors. As mentioned earlier, animations are an effective way to retain the public interest since the use of visuals is more effective in retaining the public’s attention span. Make sure that whatever options and tactics you opt for while making your marketing content utilizes the animation aspect and caters to your core audience.

Emotional Engagement

This is something that every brand craves for. The success or failure of any brand depends on how well it manages to engage the people that it’s supposed to attract. People engage better with brands that offer them something emotional to latch on to. The images they see on their screens, the story they see unfolding before their eyes, the voice that guides them through it all as well as the company that promises to fulfill their need for a particular product/service. Animated videos and content can add the element of persuasiveness in your overall campaign and make your marketing efforts more than just content by adding sentimental value to it.

Conversations

This is why brands are constantly competing to come up with better and more effective ways to communicate with their clients. Conversations in this sense means to have more and more people talking about your brand and what it offers. It also means having multiple people sharing their opinions on what they like and dislike about your content, sharing opinions on what would make it better etc, all such conversations that allow the brand to build up a sense of hype around it. Animations are likely to get you more conversations since you’ll have the benefit of keeping your audiences engaged for a longer period of time.

Published in partnership with Spiel

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14 Cost-Effective Ways to Engage Facebook Followers https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2018/07/14-cost-effective-ways-to-engage-facebook-followers.html/ Fri, 13 Jul 2018 13:00:17 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=50944 With new capabilities and creative ways to reach your audience, increasing your social media engagement doesn’t have to rely on the dollars you spend on sponsored posts. What’s one cost-effective way you have been able to increase your audience’s engagement on Facebook? These answers are provided by Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only organization comprised of […]

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With new capabilities and creative ways to reach your audience, increasing your social media engagement doesn’t have to rely on the dollars you spend on sponsored posts. What’s one cost-effective way you have been able to increase your audience’s engagement on Facebook?

These answers are provided by Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. YEC has also launched BusinessCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses.

1. Guest Post for Others

One of the best ways to build your audience and increase engagement on Facebook is to partner with a complementary brand. Find a noncompeting brand that has an existing audience that overlaps with your ideal target demographic and vice versa. Both brands can mutually benefit from an occasional guest post on each other’s Facebook pages. – Duran Inci, Optimum7

2. Use an Attention-Grabbing Photo

A unique photo placed at the right time boosts engagement. Photos make a much greater impression than status updates and posted links. People are drawn to visuals. They are clear, concise, easy to digest and they only take a second to look at as opposed to reading an update or clicking on a link and reading content. Once you have their attention, research has shown that people are more likely to comment. – Blair Thomas, eMerchantBroker

3. Create Contests and Giveaways 

Contests and giveaways are one of the easiest ways to increase engagement on Facebook. Who doesn’t love to win something? And as a business, it’s a great opportunity to market your products. Create a contest campaign where you partner with other like-minded brands as well, so you are able to cross-promote with their audiences. It creates a win-win for all! – Leila Lewis, Be Inspired PR

4. Share Product Content Pages

As an e-commerce seller, all I have to do is copy the link to any one of my product pages and paste it on my Facebook wall. I can caption it with an incentive to win a free product if they share the page. The cost to get someone to share your post is far cheaper than launching a Facebook campaign. However, your audience reach might be smaller unless it goes viral. – Patrick Barnhill, Specialist ID, Inc.

5. Use Topical Memes and Gifs

One of the best ways to get your followers to engage with your brand is to provide topical gifs to current events. There are amazing gifs and memes that can be slightly altered to seem specific for your industry. Combine this content with targeted ads to your audience and you will see a huge impact on your engagement. – Phil Laboon, WUDN

6. Target Your Sharing

If you want to get people to engage with your posts, why not share them on your posts. This works well with targeting influencers and industry leaders in your niche. By tagging them in posts and asking a question or giving them a shout out, you can start a conversation around your topic. – Kristopher JonesLSEO.com

7. Invite More Fans to ‘Like’ Your Page

Many of us aren’t aware that since the time we’ve created our Facebook business page that we’ve made a considerable amount of friends on our personal page. This is why it’s most beneficial to periodically invite your friends to like your page. You’ll be surprised at how many of your friends have yet to like your business page. – Chris Quiocho, Offland Media

8. Be Active in Groups

As Facebook advertising gets more expensive and the algorithm makes ranking uncertain, groups are a free way to engage with people. You can target a very specific audience in a group. If there’s not an active group that matches your niche, start your own. The key is to be consistent and add value when you post and not be overly promotional. – Shawn Porat, Scorely

9. Create Branded Culture Posts

We have been able to increase our engagement by sharing branded culture posts. Our culture posts include celebrations such as celebrating a team member’s birthday, anniversary or achievement that took place. We have found these posts to be the most engaging and have successfully increased engagement year over year. – Nicole Smartt, Star Staffing

10. Align Consistently with Your Audience

Expectations are everything for why people follow your page and continue to interact with your content. The most important thing you can do for driving organic engagement is to have a plan in place that dictates the tone, type of content, posting consistency, etc. This consistency will keep people interested in your page. – Andy Karuza, FenSens

11. Try Livestreams and Q&As

Organizing regular live streams and Q&A sessions are very cost-effective and can offer incredible results in terms of increased engagement and followers. In addition to offering increased transparency for your customer base, these forms of social media content actively encourage your audience to directly engage, driving up interactions more than simply sharing articles and memes. – Bryce Welker, Crush The LSAT

12. Ask Better Questions

Questions are a great way to get your audience engaged and talking on your Facebook page. Ask them relevant questions specific to your industry that will spark up a conversation. – Syed BalkhiWPBeginner

13. Frame Language Correctly

With all of the new changes that Facebook implements, it’s difficult to keep your followers engaged. However, the one thing that works for us is framing post language in a way that doesn’t sound too promotional or like an advertisement. Crafting compelling one-liners usually generates the highest engagement. – Kristin Marquet, Creative Development Agency, LLC

14. Create Custom Content 

We create custom graphics that provide value and encourage sharing. One example would be a graphic that shows how to save time by creating content blocks of time in your office. Once a month, dedicate specific amounts of time to content creation, then plan out the distribution. Make it into an interactive graphic and share. Simple and effective. If you can make it a video, even better. – Matthew CapalaAlphametic

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Using Reddit In Your Content Strategy https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2018/07/using-reddit-in-your-content-strategy.html/ Sat, 07 Jul 2018 14:00:21 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=50990 What is Reddit? Reddit is a social news and content rating site which receives an incredible 542 million monthly views and is the 6th most visited website in the world (according to alexa.com). One of the Silicon Valley Unicorns, Reddit has a valuation of $1.8 billion and boasts an array of notable investors including Marc […]

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What is Reddit?

Reddit is a social news and content rating site which receives an incredible 542 million monthly views and is the 6th most visited website in the world (according to alexa.com). One of the Silicon Valley Unicorns, Reddit has a valuation of $1.8 billion and boasts an array of notable investors including Marc Andreessen (founder of Netscape), Peter Thiel (first investor of Facebook) and oh, of course, Snoop Dogg!

Founded by college roommates Steve Huffman (CEO) and Alexis Ohanian, Reddit has been proclaimed as the internets “front page” and boast 70+ million content submissions from science, to video games, to fitness business, to books, well … to just about anything you can think of!

How Reddit Works?

Reddit is a very simple concept where it’s users (Redditors) submit content, which could be anything from an image to a blog post and the community of Reddit vote it up or down. The more upvotes, the higher the content appears. Posts that get a lot of upvotes move to the “Hot” page. Reddit is further broken down into “subreddits” which are subsidiary categories and threads within the site.

Ways in which Reddit can be used in your content marketing strategy?

Firstly, why use Reddit in your content marketing strategy?

  1. So 500+ million monthly views to a content platform is kind of a big deal – so as a content marketer Reddit needs to be taken seriously given it is the most influential social news aggregator on the planet.
  1. It’s not Google or Facebook – As Google and Facebook continue to grow their advertising revenues, as a marketer, competition goes up and so does cost. As businesses look to control acquisition costs, diversification of platforms can play a big part.

How to use Reddit in your content marketing strategy?

Content marketers typically will use Reddit for one of two purposes. One is to direct traffic to your own site, and the other is to get eyeballs on your content within the hosted Reddit site. Baring this in mind there are two types of posts on Reddit, links that direct users to another site (i.e. yours) and the other is a text post on Reddit itself.

Then comes the actual content you post. Firstly, you need to know your audience. Luckily with the use of Subreddits, you can pretty quickly identify a super targeted audience or demographic. So if your prospective audience is interested in video games, dating, or playing video games during dates, you will pretty quickly find a strong audience.

Some considerations about your audience is that almost two-thirds of the Reddit users are male and over half the audience is between the ages of 18 and 29.  If that’s not your target audience, don’t let that put you off. Due to the niche topics and vast quantities of users, even if your target audience is not that of the average you will still be amazed at the number of users that do fit your niche.

The number of submissions that Reddit receives daily is massive. Whilst this is a testament to its value proposition this can make your content hard to stand out from the crowd. Because of this, like any good content marketer will know, you need to keep your content unique, relevant and engaging.

And if you’d rather beat off the competition by flexing your financial muscles you can, of course, ensure your posts prominence with the use of Reddit advertising.

What to watch out for?

It is very easy to get banned on Reddit, and they hold no prisoners when there is suspected spam.

Some tips to avoid getting banned

  • Ensure you read and follow the Redditquette https://www.reddit.com/wiki/reddiquette
  • Don’t post too many links (especially to your own site)
  • Don’t create fake accounts to manipulate your posts performance
  • Keep your comments on posts on topic and relevant
  • Don’t ask for upvotes.

Lastly, its important like with many things, that without the investment of time and effort you are not going to get the rewards you are looking for and there are no easy options here. Unless you are going to become a legitimate member of the Reddit community you should really think twice about using Reddit as part of your content strategy. But if you are prepared to do the graft, the potential results are there for the taking.

Authored By:

James Craigmillar writes for Inspiring Interns, which specializes in finding candidates their perfect graduate jobs. To browse our internships London listings, visit our website.

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5 Deadly Sins of Poor Branding – What Not To Do In Your Company Branding https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2018/07/5-deadly-sins-of-poor-branding-what-not-to-do-in-your-company-branding.html/ Wed, 04 Jul 2018 15:30:50 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=50980 We often hear when and how to do branding. It’s crucial to have a unique company identity which will differ the product or service from dozens of similar ones out there. However, we are not told of how and when NOT TO DO branding. It turns out, branding, just like surgery, is driven by a […]

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We often hear when and how to do branding. It’s crucial to have a unique company identity which will differ the product or service from dozens of similar ones out there.

However, we are not told of how and when NOT TO DO branding. It turns out, branding, just like surgery, is driven by a single rule: do no harm. When it comes to creating or changing a company face, you better think twice.

To avoid confusion when building a branding strategy on social media, we found six deadly errors in building company identity. Read and avoid.

Mistake #1 – Branding for branding

Before doing any action, let’s cut right to the chase: why do you need branding? Most importantly, do you need branding at all? With all the madness that has been going around creating an identity, it’s easy to get lost in the hype. If you answer to the ‘why’ question is ‘because everyone else does it,’ perhaps taking a break is a good idea.

Hate to poop in the party, but not every company needs branding that much. Of course, basic identity elements like designing a logo or creating a business are essential for any business. However, when the company page is nothing but logos and advertising materials, it kills the brand spirit instead of creating it, but once you’ve decided on your logo, consider using these cool fonts to attract your customers.

You’ve definitely seen such pages. Cold and useless, they give you nothing but ‘additional information’ about the company with all the logos and brochures. When the branding fashion was just starting, such content really helped to boost the status (not that customers ever loved it though). Now it’s not even new or pretentious. Just very very sad.

A hint: if you got stuck in finding ideas for SMM-strategy, look into narrative essay ideas. From these abstract topics, you can get actual inspiration and look at your product and company on a bigger scale.

Hence, if there is a choice whether to invest in content or in yet another rebranding, really consider the first option.

Mistake #2 – Too many changes

All successful brands do rebranding, it’s true. What happens afterward is history. Some companies become really popular, some – miserably fail. When designers and marketers advise rebranding, they usually talk about companies like Apple, design-driven innovators who put all efforts to create a compelling business identity.

They don’t talk about poor failures when rebranding almost killed the product and cost millions for business owners.

Let’s take Tropicana example.

To make their brand look more natural and modern, Tropicana turned to what first looked like a viable solution. Instead of old-fashion box design, the company went for a bright packaging that depicted a glass of an orange juice and was designed to showcase the product’s freshness and rich taste.

Nothing seemed wrong. However, branding experts started to suspect the possible failure, indicating that the new design although looking visually appealing, led to the complete loss of brand’s face. At first, it seemed like a temporary downside until Tropicana faced the size of the price they had to pay.

After rebranding, company’s sales drop for $137 million in sales between January 1st and February 22nd. And if you add to that the expenses on the failed rebranding (business owners probably called this unfortunate resource waste an investment but who could know?), the losses grow at times.

How to make sure this doesn’t happen? Rule one: don’t hurry with rebranding. Analyze target audience preferences and market specifics. Rule two: if there is no indication you need rebranding, most likely you don’t need it.

Mistake #3  – Forgetting about social media platforms’ specifics

The number of promotional channels is growing, that’s for sure. With such diversity of social media platforms, it’s easy for marketers and business owners to get lost in specifics of each service and post same content everywhere.

If you publish one post on five different platforms with no visual and text changes, you’ll just lose reach on all of them. If maintaining active accounts in 5-6 sites is challenging for your business, pick 1-2 and invest in creating original content.

Why is reposting such a bad idea?

  • Different platforms respond to different user needs. On Twitter, a publication might work out even if it has no pictures. Better use no visual that a bad one. On Instagram, however, visuals respond for 99% of success. Even if you work with a company whose specialization doesn’t seem to be design-driven (let’s say, you do essay writing for money, you can find free online help by https://bid4papers.com/blog/write-my-essay-free with your essay on subjects like English, political treatise, fiction or non-fiction literature, environmental issues, biological ethics, arts, business, or social sciences), yet gather creative ideas – like inspiring quote pictures.
  • On Instagram and Twitter, hashtags work perfectly. On Facebook, they look ridiculous.
  • Different target audience. LinkedIn and Instagram have an extremely different target audience and creating a mediocre content mean losing both.
  • When working on the brand identity, take into account basic requirements like platforms’ requirements for image size and video length.

Mistake #4 – Trying too many options

The usual marketer answer ‘Try different styles and see what works best’ is prohibited. You can experiment with your team and focus group, but as soon as the identity is published, it’s a final choice. The worst thing you can do is publishing a fist made branding kit just to change it in a week.

The key to branding success is its memorability. When there are hundreds of brands out there, carrying your company’s colors and logos in mind is already difficult enough, and with regular changes, it gets totally impossible.

How to pick the best option for brand identity?

Creating a good branding kit is just the half of the road. How about choosing that one style, among five or ten cool options? Use the resources you have at hand, which means:

  • Ask all your employees, family members, friends, and most importantly – previous or current clients who essentially represent your target audience.
  • Make a map with all the options and define advantages and disadvantages of each option. Let the logical step in.
  • Go for a random option. Flip a coin, pick a random number – just choose something.

Mistake #5 – Ignoring goals

We already discussed why doing branding merely for the sake of it is a bad idea. Now let’s talk about how it really should be done.

Branding requires investments, it’s obvious. When it comes to spending any kind of resources, understand your motivations and objectives. Here is a checklist that’ll make it easier:

  1. Have you had a brand identity before?
  2. Have you heard about the necessity of creating/changing branding from clients?
  3. If you had a brand identity before, why change it?
  4. Who is your target audience? What are the traffic acquisition channels?
  5. How is your branding option connected to company’s specialization?
  6. Do you have a positioning for that particular branding? (A hint: branding should clearly represent the unique advantage of your product)
  7. Have you tested the branding kit on a focus group?
  8. What are the main social media platforms for your company?

After you answered these questions, it’s way easier for you to understand in what directions you go and what is it that you’d like to achieve.

Remember that branding is just a way to achieve a goal – not a goal itself. Whether it comes to product packaging or social media promotion, don’t expect a new identity to bring results immediately. It will work only in the mix with smart content strategy and thorough risk assessment.

Published in cooperation with PapersOwl.com

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5 Ways to Get More Customers for Your Business https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2018/06/5-ways-to-get-more-customers-for-your-business.html/ Wed, 27 Jun 2018 21:49:57 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=50955 The success of your business depends on the number of clients you convince to patronise what you offer. With an increase in the number of clients, you will also see an increase in earnings. Getting there is not easy though. There are a lot of things you need to do to succeed. In order to […]

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The success of your business depends on the number of clients you convince to patronise what you offer. With an increase in the number of clients, you will also see an increase in earnings. Getting there is not easy though. There are a lot of things you need to do to succeed.

In order to market your product or service in the best way possible to the target audience, you need to opt for brochure design. A great brochure design in an important component of your marketing plan because it gives an ever lasting impression on the consumers. If you able to present your product or service attractively through a great design then it will be sold in larger quantity than regardless of what price it has.

Moreover, a good brochure design will help you save cost and time in the long run as you will not need to meet consumers personally. A brochure will tell them all that they need to know about your product or service.

If you are not an expert in designing brochure then you should get help from a brochure designer because it is highly important that your design is outstanding. A brochure designer who has a lot of experience in this field will carefully evaluate your business and you target audience, after that then he or she will design the brochure accordingly. A brochure needs to be motivating and exciting. It should contain photos, logos, illustrations or short content so that consumers find it trendy and eye-catching. Click here if you want to know more about the Brochure Design.

Your brochure should not contain low-quality graphics or content that has a lot of grammatical mistakes. All the material it contains should be up-to-date knowledge. It should be what the consumers want to hear. It should reach to their hearts. Most importantly, it should contain your contact numbers, email addresses and office location otherwise the whole purpose of design will go to waste. Most brochure design services do not offer printing services; hence, make sure that you find the right printing company that does not ruin your company brochures.

Specify your target audience

It is not enough to just say you want everyone to be your potential buyers. There are specific groups of people whom you want to target because they are the ones who are more likely to buy your products. You have to identify them and study their behaviour. This is the best way for you to find out what they want and how you can create ads that can convince them that what you have to offer is the best possible choice for them.

Believe in your product

This is the key in advertising. It is difficult to advertise your products and sell them to specific groups of people if you are not convinced that what you have to offer is the best choice for them. You can find the right words to say to market your products, and also tell people exactly what the nature of your business is, and how the products can benefit them.

Have realistic expectations

You can’t expect people to patronise what you offer immediately. There are a lot of things that need to happen first. You should have a clear plan. This also comes with clear expectations. Otherwise, you will feel like a failure and you might not want to proceed with what you have planned. Don’t feel disappointed just because you think your business is not doing well.

Engage with customers more

Set up social media accounts so that you can have direct interactions with your target audience. This allows you to reply to them via emails or chat boxes. If they comment on certain posts, you should also try to respond. Whether it is positive or negative, you should give them something they would appreciate. Besides, the fact that you respond to them will make them feel special.

Work hard on advertising

Advertising is one of the biggest keys to success in any business. It is extremely important for you to think of what type of ads to produce, what words to use, and what images to use. This is true especially if you are using banners and posters. You might find the best banner printers out there, however, if you fail to use the right words or images, people might not be interested at all.

It might take time to see real growth in your business, and that is fine. You just have to keep working. You must not let any obstacle prevent you from convincing people to buy what you offer. Try studying your competition as well, as you can learn how to do well when competing with them, and what you need to improve in your own business.

Published in partnership with Roller Banners UK

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Google Enhances Advertising Solutions for Smaller Businesses – Smart Campaigns https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2018/06/google-enhances-advertising-solutions-for-smaller-businesses-smart-campaigns.html/ Wed, 27 Jun 2018 04:30:16 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=50948 There are billions of users, that’s me and you, using digital media and sing advertising such as the SEG fabric displays. This includes Google, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Snapchat, YouTube and Instagram. Of course it also includes the millions of websites, apps and other “digital” content sources. Announced today, Google is making it even easier for […]

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There are billions of users, that’s me and you, using digital media and sing advertising such as the SEG fabric displays. This includes Google, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Snapchat, YouTube and Instagram. Of course it also includes the millions of websites, apps and other “digital” content sources.

Announced today, Google is making it even easier for smaller businesses to create and serve ads on it’s network with Smart Campaigns.

Supporting much of the content we view for free is advertising.

When you search for something online, most likely using Google or YouTube, you’re going to find an advertisement bought for by a large brand, such as a restaurant like Chick-fil-A, a clothier like Charles Tyrwhitt or any number of other larger brands.

You’re also going to find an advertisement purchased by a local (or regional) business, independently owned – a small business.

Many of these smaller businesses rely on Google Adwords, now called Googld Ads, to put their advertising message in front of the right audience, at the right time, on the right device at the right price.

While for some creating an ad is relatively easy, there’s still a bit of complexity to it. With Smart Campaigns, Google aims to make it even easier for business owners and small agencies to create, purchase and serve ads across Google’s digital platform.

But even before you advertise on Google or anywhere else, CLAIM your free listing on Google with Google with Business

The power of Google, as I discussed with Kim Spalding, General Manager & Product Lead, Small Business Ads, is that Google helps businesses connect with their customers at the moment of intent.

Listen to the full interview with Kim here:

 

See this video about Smart Campaigns results with some independent business owners.

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3 Tips for Spring Cleaning Your Small Business Communications https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2018/06/3-tips-for-spring-cleaning-your-small-business-communications.html/ Mon, 25 Jun 2018 16:00:59 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=50915 In your home, a little spring cleaning can go a long way to freshening up your space. While it’s easy to neglect some of these irregular maintenance tasks, hiring Commercial Building Maintenance Services and commercial power washing services can make sure that things don’t get out of hand. This principle is not limited to your […]

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In your home, a little spring cleaning can go a long way to freshening up your space. While it’s easy to neglect some of these irregular maintenance tasks, hiring Commercial Building Maintenance Services and commercial power washing services can make sure that things don’t get out of hand.

This principle is not limited to your home. Spring cleaning your small business can be an essential way to keep your systems optimized and your processes functioning smoothly. Repairs are an important part of keeping your home and work space functioning properly, this home maintenance company can be of service for anybody who many need help with maintenance.

Want to improve your business communications? These three spring cleaning tips are a great place to start.

  1. Appear Polished and Professional to Phone Callers

Just because you’re running a small business, that doesn’t mean you can’t sound like a big business. We’ve previously explained some ways you can use your CRM to give the appearance that you’re a big deal, but your communications systems need to be on point too.

Whatever unified communications system you use, make sure it’s a reliable service and a high-quality line that provides clear audio for customers.

Next, implement advanced functions such as setting your business hours and holiday hours so that your customers are immediately aware if your business is closed. After all, it would be very unprofessional if customers showed up to your workplace only to find that you were already closed for the day or were on vacation.

Additionally, many phone systems now offer automated answering services included with their business phone service. These virtual receptionist tools can add a personal touch that helps callers connect with the employee that they’re trying to reach. You can also use these systems as messaging machines to provide easy ways for customers to hear about product updates, pop-up events, discounts, and weather closings. With a virtual receptionist, “someone” is there 24/7 to answer your calls and provide helpful information.

  1. Use Advanced Telephone Functions to Help Connect Customers to Employees

We get it: it’s tough to provide the level of customer service that’s necessary for business growth and customer retention. However, in the face of the ongoing challenge of providing top-caliber support with a limited staff, consider how your communications technology can work to your advantage with the use of a  das integrator.

For example, telephone features such as ring groups let you group your employees’ phone numbers together into categories such as sales, accounting, etc. By using the simultaneous ring function, incoming callers can connect with any employee in the accounting department when they want to pay their bill. By reducing a caller’s dependency upon the availability of a single employee, communications processes can be smoother and more efficient.

Ring group functions can also offer a sequential call setting. When using sequential ring groups, incoming callers will be routed through a series of phone numbers until someone picks up. Therefore, if someone on your sales team can’t answer an incoming call, that caller can be seamlessly redirected to the receptionist who can field questions or take a message.

Smart telephone systems can help callers connect with people instead of answering machines. Keep in mind that some telephone services also offer a free calling app with their service so employees have mobility tools to make and receive calls on their work line while they’re out of the office on a sales trip, making a delivery, or working from home.

  1. Assess Your Phone Plan, and Stop Paying for What You Don’t Use

When you signed up for your business phone service, you may have been unsure of how your business would develop or evolve. Thus, you may be paying for add-on features that you don’t really need.

Just as spring cleaning your home would involve cleaning out your closets, a communications audit is a great way to cut costs on extra expenses that you don’t need. Growing your business’ profitability can be challenging and cutting extraneous costs is an easy way to add to your bottom line.

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone plans typically include a wide set of calling features for one low price. Lot of generous carriers offer good deals on VoIP calls in addition to offering Military & Veterans Cell Phone Discounts as their way of saying thanks to the heroes. That way, if you need a conference bridge one month, you won’t end up paying for the add-on feature until you remember to cancel it. With VoIP, it’s easy to get smart about your communications costs.

About Ooma Office

Ooma Office is an affordable way to advance your small business’ phone communications. With 35+ features included, small businesses have access to enterprise-grade phone tools including a virtual receptionist, music on hold, conference bridge, a free calling app, and more.

We think our phone service is pretty great, but don’t just take our word for it. PC Magazine’s Business Choice Awards have named Ooma as the #1 VoIP phone service for businesses, noting its reliability, quality, ease of use, and likelihood of customers to recommend the service.

Want to see if Ooma Office is right for your business? The videos, white papers, and articles on our website explain key points to consider about telephone service.

Ken Narita’s marketing career spans two decades helping businesses large and small grow. Whether it’s been advising emerging startups, guiding clients from the agency side, or currently, leading SMB marketing at Ooma, Ken has always taken an empathetic approach to addressing goals, gaps, and opportunities. Previously at TriNet, from 2011 to 2017, he grew and led the revenue marketing team through a period of rapid change and growth where net service revenue consistently grew in a range of 15-20% per year and reached $650 million at the end of his tenure. Ken has led demand generation, field marketing, customer marketing, and marketing operations teams and enjoys the ability to integrate campaigns across all functions to drive results.

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Play to Your Strengths and Gain the Advantage Over Competitors https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2018/06/play-to-your-strengths-and-gain-the-advantage-over-competitors.html/ Thu, 21 Jun 2018 16:00:18 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=50909 Rudy. Rudy. Rudy. While it’s not always easy being the “little guy,” it does have its advantages. Everyone loves an underdog, and as impossible as it may seem sometimes, the truth is small business owners can play to their strengths and gain the advantage over their larger competitors. With big budgets, glitzy websites, and established […]

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Rudy. Rudy. Rudy.

While it’s not always easy being the “little guy,” it does have its advantages. Everyone loves an underdog, and as impossible as it may seem sometimes, the truth is small business owners can play to their strengths and gain the advantage over their larger competitors. With big budgets, glitzy websites, and established names, large retailers seem to have it all. But what they don’t have is the dedication, personal touch, and ingenuity that today’s entrepreneurs and small business owners exemplify.

That said, retail competition is as fierce as ever, and small business owners have to be ready to adopt new technologies and tools to level the playing field. Following are some things small business owners can do to compete with and even gain an edge over their larger ecommerce counterparts.

The Tools Are There – Use Them

If you haven’t already, you should establish an online presence. Having a website that highlights what’s currently in the store, special promotions, events, collaborations and classes will go far in helping bring customers to your store. A website is often a customer’s first point of contact with your business, so be sure to build a website that showcases what you and your brand are all about.

So many of today’s consumers are using their smartphones to search and shop – whether while just killing time or when searching for a desperately needed product or service. Without an online presence, potential customers will not know about your store, let alone be able to find it. And if they do know about your store but can’t find you online, their impression may be that you lack credibility.

In today’s world, you don’t need to learn coding or spend a fortune to set up a website. Research and explore “website builder” tools online, which can get you started for free and make setting up a basic website easy. As you create your website, make sure to include keywords such as the city and zip code where you are based, along with the products and services you offer. Your store and website should also be listed in the local online business pages to help search engines find and list your store in search results.

Once your basic website is established, you can make the decision to go the extra step and sell your products online. This, too, may not be as complicated as you think. Research your web builder for ecommerce tools, and check with your merchant services provider for ways to accept payments online.

Socialize

As you embark on the journey of owning and operating a website, the next step is to engage. One way to do this is through social media, which can help build your presence online. With pages on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest, small business owners can involve customers in their decisions and interact with them in a more personal way. For example, taking an Instagram poll is a fun way to involve customers. Managing and posting updates to your social pages shouldn’t take a lot of time – simply share what’s new in the store, behind-the-scenes, and any other information your customers may find interesting.

Another good way to interact with customers is through online review sites. Thanks to Amazon, the online review has become one of the biggest influencing factors for consumers – shoppers have even been known to step out of the checkout line after reading bad reviews about a product. Using local review sites such as Yelp and Google Reviews will go a long way toward building your store’s success. Be sure to monitor and address any less-than-flattering reviews, doing so with positivity and invitations to reconnect. When a customer compliments your service, products, or store, encourage them to leave a positive review online – doing so will have a great impact on future customers.

It’s All About the Experience These Days

So all your efforts of building an online presence are paying off and more people are visiting your store. Now what? Getting customers into your store is just the beginning. Consumers want to feel like they are getting something of value by coming into your store versus ordering online. Give it to them by having a friendly, knowledgeable staff that can provide excellent service and personal attention. Your staff should not only have a good understanding of the products they are selling, but they should also be able to connect with customers and anticipate their needs.

Beyond your staff, there are lots of ways you can go above and beyond to make your store a more appealing place. For example, have an area for kids to play or offer a lounge section if space permits. Offer free samples, and of course offer free Wi-Fi. Consider hosting events related to the products or services you provide – cooking classes, yoga, interior decorating, writing workshop, painting, landscaping, personal style, etc. Think outside the box.

The store itself should also be inviting and reflect the feeling you want customers to have when they visit. Make sure customers can easily find what they are looking for, keep the shelves and surface areas organized, and have signs displayed with prices and additional information. Often, soft music or scents from candles and diffusers are good ways to make customers feel at ease. Offer ways for them to experience your products and experience what your store is all about, whether it be through a behind-the-scenes look of how the product is made, tasting a fresh recipe, or trying a shade of lip gloss. Finally, customers love to know where their purchases are coming from, and, when it applies, who is making the product. Providing this kind of detail is a nice touch to personalizing your store.

Closing the Deal and Looking Forward

Considering the level of modern technology available, the checkout process should be the smoothest and easiest part of the customer’s experience. Ensure a fast, secure and hassle-free checkout for customers by accepting all the ways they may want to pay, including EMV credit cards and NFC payments like Apple Pay.

As you look for ways to further your engagement with customers, consider creating a customer loyalty program. Your POS software may already be set up to run a loyalty program. Using customer information and tracking purchases, you can tailor a program that rewards people for coming back to your store. Some POS systems will also send messages to customer smartphones when they are near your store, alerting them of special promotions for insiders.

What it all boils down to is this: embrace your roots and be the best small business you can be, but don’t ignore important online tools that will enable you to level the playing field and meet all of your customers’ distinct needs.  Don’t be intimidated, and remember that there are plenty of simple, inexpensive tools that can get you started on the ecommerce journey. Couple a great online presence with the personalized customer knowledge that only a small business has, and you will have a winning combination that increases customer engagement and interaction, all while maintaining your small, local, underdog identity.

Authored by:

Mark Boeder has more than 20 years of marketing leadership experience, including work for a retail marketing agency serving both big box and independent retailers. He is the current Director of Marketing Strategy for

 

 

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10 Ways to Improve User Experience and Increase User Engagement https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2018/05/10-ways-to-improve-user-experience-and-increase-user-engagement.html/ Fri, 25 May 2018 13:00:16 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=50829 What’s one UX design element you have implemented that has proven to increase user engagement or sales? These answers are provided by Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. YEC has also launched BusinessCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow […]

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What’s one UX design element you have implemented that has proven to increase user engagement or sales?

These answers are provided by Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. YEC has also launched BusinessCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses.

1. Performance Optimization

Although it’s often more of a development change, improving the load speed of your website or app can often have a tremendous impact on customer experience. Consumer attention is fickle, so anything you can do to grab it before it’s gone is essential to driving sales or conversion. Optimize your code to ensure you optimize your sales. – Ross Beyeler, Growth Spark

2. Color Usage

Color is an important design tool that can increase customer engagement, as well as sales. When you use contrasting colors between the background, CTA buttons and text on your site, you are influencing the way a user moves around the page. When color is used appropriately, it can lead a user’s eye to the most important items, such as a click to buy option or a button that allows them to request more information. – Blair Thomas, eMerchantBroker

3. Call Scheduling

The ability to speak with someone over the phone or in person is highly important to most consumers. We added a giant ‘schedule a call’ button right in the middle of our homepage. This has led to hundreds of additional calls in the past couple months compared to when we only had this button on the contact us page of the website. – Mike A. Podesto, Find My Profession

4. Transaction Speed

We’ve changed how our transactions work on our website to speed up how customers experience them. There are fewer abandoned shopping carts and more completed sales due to changing how transactions work, including allowing customers to store their information. – Peter Daisyme, Calendar

5. Mobile Responsiveness

Well, our website is still very important, but our sales funnel is very broad and each level of communication funnels back to our website. For example, we leverage social media to gain new clients, directing them to the ‘link in bio.’ You better make sure your site is mobile friendly. You’re very late if it’s not. – Andrew Namminga, Andesign

6. Simpler Websites

I tend to skew more toward a minimalist web design for both speed and ease of use. Eliminate long scrolls, display a clear CTA and make conversions as easy as one click. Testimonials, case studies and content do help nurture leads, but you don’t need to stuff these on your homepage or landing page. Minimalism appears more natural and professional. Offer clear benefits, but don’t oversell them. – Kristopher Jones, LSEO.com

7. Fewer Steps

The two primary purposes for UX are to make it easy and clear to the user. Having fewer steps allows people to get what they want faster, and making that clear for the users allows them to do that. You should always ask yourself if your design flow and UI is easy and clear for the users to understand. Everything else is more specific and tactical. Your design will stem from that. – Andy Karuza, FenSens

8. Social Proof

We implemented a social proof application that pops up in the corner of the site. It will give the first name and city of someone that has recently purchased the product increasing social validation. You can use apps like Upfunnel or Uptible to implement it. – Chris Christoff, MonsterInsights

9. Chat Options

Our chat receives more engagement than any form on our website. We started using the chat to understand our customer’s goals, but then as we started seeing the same questions over and over again. So we used the chat to have prospects answer questions for us. Once they answered ‘yes’ to three questions, we would have a phone call with them to discuss their goals and evaluate their fit. Use chat; it helps. – Sweta Patel, Silicon Valley Startup Marketing

10. Exit-Intent Pop-Ups

We’ve implemented exit-intent pop-ups that have helped increase subscriber conversions right before the visitor leaves the site. One way we boosted subscription rates was to create lead magnets, basically a free resource in exchange for their email address. – Syed Balkhi, WPBeginner

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Branding Your Business On a Budget https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2018/05/branding-your-business-on-a-budget.html/ Sun, 13 May 2018 23:19:45 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=50818 Every business needs to have an identity, so that customers know and remember what the business is about. The process of creating and communicating this identity is called branding, and it’s key in ensuring a company’s success. Branding your small business is all about creating a recognizable look, and a memorable one, that your customers […]

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Every business needs to have an identity, so that customers know and remember what the business is about. The process of creating and communicating this identity is called branding, and it’s key in ensuring a company’s success. Branding your small business is all about creating a recognizable look, and a memorable one, that your customers can identify with.

This article is published in partnership with DesignBro, the world’s highest quality and affordable design service.

But branding can be costly. There’s a lot that goes into it, from designing a logo to marketing, and when you start adding it all up, you can end up with a six-figure number that can have you squirming in your seat. So, how can you brand on a budget? The key is putting in time, where big businesses put in money, and using the tools you already have.

We’ve compiled some different ways you could work towards branding your business, without blowing your budget.

Before you start

Before getting into the specifics of what you can do, make sure you have a clear message you’re sending, and that you know who you’re sending it to. Do your research, and spend some time in figuring out your story, what your brand is like, and what message you want to transmit.

You might also want to research your target audience. They’re the ones that need to care, so find out what makes them interested in certain things, and what doesn’t catch their eye. This way, you know what to do, and what not to do.

Another good idea is to check up on your competitors and learn a little about your industry. This might give you some ideas as to what you could do, while shedding light on what everyone else should be doing, but isn’t. That way, you can fill in that gap.

You don’t have to spend a lot of money to do this research, just take some time to do it yourself, and look up the best ways to locate this information. The resources online are endless, it’s just a matter of digging in.

Get the right look (logo, brand identity)

Everything associated with your company should be identifiable. This means that people should know when something comes from your company, based solely on how it looks. This is why you need a great logo, and a coherent and consistent brand identity.

There are a lot of different options for getting a logo made. The key is in finding the balance between quality and cost. Free online logo makers are best avoided as often they can lead to copyright issues and lack in quality.

If you know a freelance designer likely to give you great quality for a good deal, that’s probably the direction you should go in. But it might be a risky choice, since you’ll be fully dependent on the individual.

If you don’t know a freelancer, design contest sites offer a cheap, and quality, alternative, when done right. Design contests offer you the opportunity to receive work from designers all around the world, give feedback, receive updated versions, and take home your favorite. Just do your research and make sure you end up with a platform that is sure to give you quality. Consider DesignBro, since they invest considerably in quality control, and maintain the same price as other similar sites.

Remember to take your target audience, your competitors and your brand’s story into consideration when developing, or choosing, a logo. It should communicate your brand’s message effectively to the people you want to pull in.

Once you’ve gotten the right logo for your brand, invest some time in developing brand identity guidelines. Brand identity guidelines are where you set out the requirements for how anything coming from your business should look. In it, you should probably include:

  1. Overview of your brand identity – include a couple of words to describe your brand, and perhaps a philosophy to give employees an idea of what your company stands for. This is where you ensure everyone knows what your brand stands for, and what message should be communicated.
  2. Logo specifics, styles, and practices – when to use which variation of the logo, what size, etc. If you use sites like DesignBro, they can help you determine the different variations of your logos.
  3. Typeface details – which font should you use for what? What should header 1’s look like, versus header 2’s?
  4. Color specifications – what’s your brand’s color palette, and are there any specific times when some colors should be used instead of others?
  5. Image style – what kind of images should be used on the website, or online? Think whether the images should be minimalist and with light colors, or darker and blurred? Consider adding a sort of “mood board” to inspire your employees as to your brand’s overall look.
  6. Consider including corporate stationery, so your employees know when to use which stationery.

After you’ve finished up with your brand identity guidelines, you are ready to get going.

Social Media

We mentioned that the key is putting in time, and using the tools at your disposal. It’s 2018, and luckily a huge tool, social media, is free for your use. All you need to do is put in time. Create content that your target audience would like, and be consistent with your updates. Doing so will allow people to get a better idea of what your company stands for, what makes your brand different, and why they should care. The type of content you post says a lot your brand, so choose wisely. Social media marketing is a great way of getting your name out there, so invest the time and do it well, and it’s likely people will become familiar with your company.

Content Marketing / Blog

While you’re going about using social media, you might want to consider starting your own “blog” section in your website, and writing some relevant content. Write what you think your readers will be interested in, and write well. Content marketing is all about providing useful content for your audience. If it’s done well, it can create a very loyal base for your brand.

It’s also a great way to improve your position in search engines, which is likely to get you pop up on your audience’s screen. It can be time consuming, but it’s free, and if you’re consistent and producing quality content, it’s likely to reap rewards.

Email marketing

Although social media has created a storm of new marketing techniques, going a more traditional route, like email marketing isn’t a bad choice. With email marketing, you’re not subject to the influence of any algorithm, and you speak directly to your customer. Consider a newsletter, or sending articles via email from time to time. You might be surprised with the results.

Ebook

The eBook is a powerful tool in the realm of content marketing. If you combine the most useful content you’ve created, into a sort of guide, your audience is likely to be appreciative. Creating templates or worksheets to help them achieve their goals, is likely to catch their attention. Consider using this to up your email marketing techniques, by having people put in their emails to access the content.

Once again, the eBook can be really effective, and it can be free – as long as you put in the time to make it a reality.

Customer service

Great customer service is often how you keep your customers coming back. If you invest in this wisely, your customers are more likely to help you get the word out about your business by telling their friends, or giving good reviews. Plus, speaking directly with your customers is a great opportunity to better understand where you can, and should, improve and what they especially love about what you’ve created. If you prioritize customer service, you’re likely to be investing in creating the best possible reputation for your brand.

All of these different ways of branding your business were time-consuming, but completely affordable. It’s up to you to decide how you want to invest your time, but make sure you don’t underestimate the power of branding your business.

This article is published in partnership with DesignBro, the world’s highest quality and affordable design service.

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13 UX Elements Your Website Needs to Engage Visitors https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2018/04/13-ux-elements-your-website-needs-to-engage-visitors.html/ Fri, 27 Apr 2018 13:00:15 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=50701 In today’s digitally driven world, where everyone is looking for instantaneity, what’s the most important user experience/user interface (UX/UI) aspect a company’s website should succeed at in order to engage visitors? These answers are provided by Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. YEC has also launched BusinessCollective, a […]

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In today’s digitally driven world, where everyone is looking for instantaneity, what’s the most important user experience/user interface (UX/UI) aspect a company’s website should succeed at in order to engage visitors?

These answers are provided by Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. YEC has also launched BusinessCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses.

1. Accessibility 

Vik PatelIf your website provides a good experience for people with visual impairments and other disabilities, it will almost certainly provide a good experience for everyone else. A focus on accessible navigation, typography, color choices and screen-reader compatibility, will help you create a website that is intuitive and pleasant to use for everyone. – Vik Patel, Future Hosting

2. A Clear, Guided Experience

Michael ClearyEffective user experience needs to evoke a feeling; it needs to guide the user; it needs to communicate. UX/UI have become synonymous because brands need to move, communicate and adapt to the user at all times. Being able to understand what part of the customer journey they’re in and where they need to be guided will yield the best results. – Michael Cleary, Huemor

3. Fast Site Performance

Justin BlanchardEven the best designed and most visually appealing website will fail to engage visitors if it is slow. It should load fast, be responsive to input in fractions of a second, and not leave visitors twiddling their thumbs. With modern web technologies, there is no reason for even a complex site to be slow and unresponsive. – Justin Blanchard, ServerMania Inc.

4. Infinite Scrolling

Bryce WelkerMany websites have adopted this design strategy to great success by putting their own clever twist on it. Something that not everyone realizes with modern web pages is that you essentially have an unlimited amount of vertical space to work with. Using bucket brigades, interactive elements and other engagement strategies, you can keep your viewers scrolling or swiping down as far as you like. – Bryce Welker, CPA Exam Guy

5. Easy Navigation to Your Most Important Pages

Nicole MunozMost websites have one or two main places that the majority of users are driven towards. That space could be the login or it could be the pricing information. Either way, focus on getting people to those places with the least amount of friction possible. – Nicole Munoz, Start Ranking Now

6. Good SEO

Alexander MistakidiSEO is an overlooked aspect when it comes to UX, but it is the most effective way to engage visitors. While SEO isn’t what visitors engage with on your website, it is something that helps you match your visitor’s search intent to your website pages. A successful SEO strategy allows you to direct visitors to the relevant pages they wanted. By doing this, your visitors engage more. – Alexander Mistakidis, Gamelynx

7. An Immediate Understanding of Your Value Proposition

Troy OsinofIf I go to your page, within five seconds I should know exactly what you offer and why I should be here. If not, I’m going somewhere else. Immediately show your value and give visitors a reason to be engaged and interested. Think well-made explainer videos, visually entertaining GIFs or even good old-fashioned bold words. Intrusive popups can have the opposite effect. – Troy Osinoff, JUICE

8. A Clean and Simple Design

Steven FleisherLess is more these days when it comes to UX/UI on websites. The smallest details usually make the biggest differences. In a world of instant gratification, people respond well to information that is familiar. A clean, simple, intuitive design is more likely to resonate with the audience of today. Adding something subtle, visually appealing and novel can also charm the toughest critics. – Steven Fleisher, Two Degrees

9. A Pop-Up Chat Box

Andy KaruzaA pop-up chat box floating on the page that allows customers to chat with you or call a customer service representative is a must. This gives them the instant satisfaction of resolving their problem in real time, which is somewhat expected by customers these days. – Andy Karuza, FenSens

10. A Great FAQ Page

Roger LeeThis is UX/UI in its best form: self-serve, straightforward and expected. Make it easy for your website visitors to get their questions answered immediately without having to send an email or talk to a chatbot. Spend a little extra time testing and developing your FAQ page instead of treating it as a throwaway page and make sure it’s helpful, comprehensive and clear. – Roger Lee, Human Interest

11. Intuitive, Responsive Design

Serenity GibbonsCompanies must determine what device visitors are using and be able to deliver the website that works on that screen quickly so that the user can see everything they want rather than having to struggle. – Serenity GibbonsCalendar

12. A Call to Action

Michael HsuMany websites miss this key element: a call to action. In today’s world where the average user has an attention span of less than five seconds, it’s important to tell users what to do when they are on your site. This is especially true if you plan on acquiring leads or actual business from your site. Displaying powerful calls to action on your site is the best way to engage your users. – Michael Hsu, DeepSky

13. Video Content

Christopher TedderA picture is worth a thousand words. Furthermore, video is worth a thousand pictures. Hi-res photos are able to convey an idea much faster than words. String 30 pictures together every second, accompanied with immersive sound, and you’re on the fast track of information transfer. Put a video library in your website’s menu and add video wherever it’s relevant. Your message will be loud and clear. – Christopher Tedder, Clinger Holsters

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How Big Data and Automation are Giving Marketers Real-Time Solutions https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2018/04/how-big-data-and-automation-are-giving-marketers-real-time-solutions.html/ Wed, 25 Apr 2018 20:22:02 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=50741 Anticipating customer needs is a necessity of today’s marketing plans. It’s not enough to wait for a customer to come to you; the best marketing strategies involve intuitive thinking so that consumers have what they need without having to look for it. Advancements in Big Data – or the analysis of customer behaviors online and […]

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Anticipating customer needs is a necessity of today’s marketing plans. It’s not enough to wait for a customer to come to you; the best marketing strategies involve intuitive thinking so that consumers have what they need without having to look for it.

Advancements in Big Data – or the analysis of customer behaviors online and off – and automation technology are making it easier than ever before for marketers to connect and engage with their audiences. By following the customer journey more closely, and in real-time, marketers can deliver better options that are personalized and relevant. Understand the basics of a customer profile is just the starting point; marketers must understand the nuances of that customer during the buying journey.

To accomplish this, marketing teams need to leverage a variety of technology solutions along with streamlined workflow management. Speed is the name of the game and the strategies below will help you get there.

Chatbots

Offering Insurance Carrier Automation Solutions to customers is important but often costly when it comes to manpower. Using chatbot technology, though, cuts costs while helping customers find quick answers.

Chatbot technology analyzes patterns and word choices of consumers to help find immediate solutions. Chatbots can provide links, give answers to frequently asked questions and even file support tickets if more action is needed. Instead of consumers searching for an email address, then waiting a day or two for a response, chatbots can give immediate answers to common questions.

Consumers like transparency, so when chatbots are implemented, it’s best to let people know that they are interacting with an automated system right off the bat. Chatbot software like SecondEgo communicates with website visitors in real-time. The software uses artificial intelligence to get smarter over time based on data you provide and how people interact with it.

Real-Time Decision Making

Marketers are always looking for ways to speed up the data analysis time so decisions can be made quickly. Data analysis is only part of the picture. Streamlining communication and automating workflows free up team members to focus on optimizing campaigns. The faster marketing teams can make adjustments to campaigns the more revenue they can generate with lower expenses.

Project management solutions like Wrike allow marketing teams to create systematic workflows that speed up communications between team members on specific tasks and create a shared knowledge base for quickly accessing information. Wrike even uses artificial intelligence to automate repeatable tasks that intelligently suggest next steps and notify managers if there’s a possible project delay.

Suggested Items

Having brands suggest items you may like is nothing new – consider the “you may also like” product suggestions that Amazon has been offering post-sale for over a decade. What’s changing is the ability to suggest items across several sites and channels through secure computer software platforms. The right tracking and AI platform can follow customers from one online location to another, and remind them of what they liked on your brand’s site or social media platform. This type of tracking and marketing can also tell you what people are doing after they leave your site, like heading to competitor sites or looking up reviews on your brand.

When marketers better understand consumer behavior, they can better deliver personalized messaging that results in higher return. Big Data and AI benefit both brands and customers by providing custom information.

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Want to Reach New Customers? Try These Inexpensive Tech Hacks https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2018/04/want-to-reach-new-customers-try-these-inexpensive-tech-hacks.html/ Fri, 20 Apr 2018 13:00:11 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=50715 A business’s marketing efforts do not need to cost a fortune in tech to create value. What’s one inexpensive (or free) tech hack that can help you reach new customers? These answers are provided by Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. YEC has also launched BusinessCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and […]

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A business’s marketing efforts do not need to cost a fortune in tech to create value. What’s one inexpensive (or free) tech hack that can help you reach new customers?

These answers are provided by Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. YEC has also launched BusinessCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses.

1. Direct Contact Search Tools 

Michael HsuTools like Hunter.io and PIPL will allow you to find the direct contact information of any prospect for about five cents per contact. Then you can outreach to these prospects via email, phone or social media with a value proposition. We have acquired many clients in this manner. – Michael Hsu, DeepSky

2. Thought Leadership Articles

Serenity GibbonsIt’s more about the time than the cost, but I have found new customers just through the advice I provide in my thought leadership blog posts and articles for various outlets. It builds my credibility with the target audience. – Serenity GibbonsCalendar

3. Answering Questions on Quora

Alex MillerPeople are asking questions on Quora about nearly every market out there. We’ve had great success having an expert consistently answer questions in our industry. Avoid being ‘salesy’ — instead, answer with detail and non-bias. Leaving your website URL at the end of a long, well thought out answer will really resonate well with readers. Do this often to get steady traffic. – Alex MillerUpgraded Points

4. Facebook Ads

Bryce WelkerIn addition to having their own Facebook page, any business should seriously consider investing in some targeted Facebook ads. Not only are they inexpensive, they can offer exposure to a gigantic audience within very specific demographics. Its setup is low risk and high reward and can be easily used to A/B test new marketing strategies. – Bryce Welker, CPA Exam Guy

5. Affiliate and Influencer Marketing

Andy KaruzaAffiliate and influencer marketing typically works by paying out a commission when a sale is made or by donating a product for the influencer to review on sites such as YouTube. Both marketing channels are really inexpensive. In fact, you don’t pay anything with affiliate marketing unless you get a sale. It’s a win-win for content providers and your brand. – Andy Karuza, FenSens

6. Visual Content

Amy BallietGreat marketing is all about strong communication, and no content engages audiences better than visual content. Investing in a few well-designed pieces of content, like a motion graphic, interactive web page or static mini-infographic for social, can be a huge boost for your marketing efforts. Viewers are more likely to buy after they watch a product video. – Amy Balliett, Killer Infographics

7. Consumer Barometer

Codie SanchezYou can never know too much about your potential customers. Consumer Barometer is a tool that provides in-depth insight to customers on a global level. Here, you’ll learn about how consumers shop for products in different countries and which devices are more popular in certain areas. What’s even better is that this is a free tool. – Codie Sanchez, CodieSanchez.com

8. User-Generated Content

Nicole MunozPeople are naturally proud of what they create. Instagram is a perfect example of the power of user-generated content. If you are able to utilize your users as an internal strength by giving them opportunities to create user-generated content, then they can also share that content. – Nicole Munoz, Start Ranking Now

9. B2B LinkedIn Connections

Vince WingerteOne thing that has worked for us is simply connecting to our B2B demographic on LinkedIn. Connect with those who have an obvious interest in your services, with someone who has higher status in the company and is desirable to network with. Finally, have a clear and concise profile that explains what services you or your business provides so a connection can instantly make a decision on request. – Vince Wingerter, 4LegalLeads.com

10. Partnerships with Non-Competing Companies in Your Space

Brandon PinduliPartnerships remain a simple and effective way to earn customers. The reason most companies and small businesses avoid them? They require real work and strategy. You need to find companies and influencers in your space who are also looking to help your audience, rally them together and work with them to put together offers and content that is valuable for your ideal prospects. – Brandon Pindulic, OpGen Media

11. Referral Marketing

Vik PatelThe best free marketing comes from your existing customers. Provide excellent service and give customers an incentive to promote your business to their friends and colleagues. – Vik Patel, Future Hosting

12. Adding Value Through Your Time and Interest

Jeff JahnThe best way to reach customers for free is to give the gifts of time and interest. Find someone in an organization who would be willing to listen to guidance that will help them move forward, something that you know well enough to truly help them. Next invest some time in providing real value to that person and organization, not just surface value. The approach and attitude will pay dividends. – Jeff Jahn, DynamiX

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How the Recent Facebook Algorithm Change May Affect Your Business https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2018/04/how-the-recent-facebook-algorithm-change-may-affect-your-business.html/ Fri, 06 Apr 2018 15:00:31 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=50694 In January of this year, Zuckerberg announced that Facebook would be making significant changes to its News Feed algorithm over the next few months. The new algorithm will prioritise content from friends, family, and groups, at the expense of public content from businesses, brands, and media organisations. Why? Zuckerberg explains that “recently we’ve gotten feedback […]

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In January of this year, Zuckerberg announced that Facebook would be making significant changes to its News Feed algorithm over the next few months. The new algorithm will prioritise content from friends, family, and groups, at the expense of public content from businesses, brands, and media organisations.

Why? Zuckerberg explains that “recently we’ve gotten feedback from our community that public content is crowding out the personal moments that lead us to connect more with each other.” Zuckerberg wants to fight this trend and facilitate more meaningful online interactions. He cites research which suggests that social media is only good for a user’s wellbeing if they use it to connect with the people they care about. This follows a post in November of last year which claimed that too much “passive” social media use, such as watching videos and reading articles, could be harmful.

What does this mean for businesses? At face value, it might seem pretty bad. Businesses have had their organic reach falling for some time now, and it can be tempting to see this algorithm change as the nail in the coffin. This, however, would be too hasty. All the new algorithm really does is weigh posts which generate genuine interactions such as shares and comments (the longer the better!) more heavily than those which generate simple likes and reactions. It is perfectly possible for businesses to keep up a wide organic reach by producing well-timed, engaging, high quality content that encourages their audience to interact. Sound like a challenge? Here are some tips to help get you started:

  1. Know your audience

If you want your audience to engage with your posts, you need to know what makes them tick. Facebook Audience Insights is a tool designed to help marketeers learn more about their target audience, providing aggregated and anonymised data on the age, gender, lifestyle, interests, and educational background of existing and potential customers. Insights also provides information on where, when, and how people access Facebook. Once you know the composition of your audience, you’ll be able to tailor and target your content in order to make it as relevant and engaging as possible – you can even time your posts to coincide when your target audience is most active on Facebook.

  1. Encourage meaningful engagement

You might think that you can get around the new algorithm by simply prompting your audience to comment on your post. However, posts with headlines like ‘Comment if you like chocolate!’ or ‘Tag a friend who would eat this’ hardly promote genuine interactions. In fact, posting this kind of content is known as ‘engagement baiting’ and Facebook has made it clear that they “will continue to demote these posts in News Feeds”.

Fortunately, there are a number of ways you can encourage meaningful engagement. One great way to engage your audience is to ask for their advice and / or stories about the products or services they use. If you’re a delivery company, for example, you could ask for people’s best and worst delivery experiences. If you’re a pet store, you could ask what people do to keep their pets warm in winter.

Another great way to engage people with your content is to have them feature directly in that content. Celebrate your customer’s stories (with their permission, of course) and you’ll find that they not only share your post themselves, but that their friends and family do too. If, for instance, someone’s been coming into your café every week for the last ten years, you can see if they’re up for a photoshoot and telling the world a little bit about why they keep on coming back.

  1. Build a following

After the algorithm change, users will still have the ability to make sure they always see content from their favourite brands by following their page and selecting the ‘See First’ option. You can encourage your customers to follow your own page by keeping it up to date and using it as an exclusive platform for announcing important information such as discounts and sales. The more dedicated followers you have, the wider and more sustainable your reach.

  1. Go Live

Zuckerberg noted in his own announcement that live videos tended to generate far more interaction than pre-recorded footage. As Miguel Lantigua, social media strategist at EMSI Public Relations puts it, “for brands that haven’t done this yet, this is the signal to get on board the live video train.” Some of the most popular live videos go behind the scenes to explore how the product is made or involve demonstrating and launching a new product. Simple Q&A sessions with customers are also a big hit.

  1. Make a group

Facebook have stated explicitly that content from groups will be prioritised, and so it would be foolish not to form your own for your dedicated fanbase. In July of last year, Facebook launched ‘Groups for Pages’, which allows you to link groups to your pages. So, you can form a group, link to your page, and direct your followers to join. Once they’re members, you can interact with them more directly and facilitate discussion between them on a regular basis.

Finally, it’s worth mentioning that Facebook may change their algorithm again, and indeed that any social media site may change their algorithm in the future. You can minimise the impact of these changes by having a strong presence on multiple sites – Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter – but also by having a successful platform that you control. It’s therefore important not to neglect your own website and mailing list. As Aly Jamison, owner of Jamison PR says, “Invest in social media, but know that at any point you could lose that reach and traffic channel.”

Oliver Hurcum writes for Inspiring Interns, which specialises in sourcing candidates for internships and graduate jobs.

 

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Using Videos Effectively in Your Sales Process – A Guide. https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2018/03/using-videos-effectively-in-your-sales-process-a-guide.html/ Mon, 19 Mar 2018 17:37:40 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=50670 If you think that video content should be placed only at the top-of-the-funnel stage you are missing out on a great opportunity. Nowadays, 82% of customers conduct research online prior to making a purchase. It is very important to build a thriving brand presence from the beginning to the end of that process and that’s […]

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If you think that video content should be placed only at the top-of-the-funnel stage you are missing out on a great opportunity.

Nowadays, 82% of customers conduct research online prior to making a purchase. It is very important to build a thriving brand presence from the beginning to the end of that process and that’s where video content could help boost your sales. In fact, 4 in 5 millennials consider video content when researching a purchase decision.

In this article we will help you to plan your video marketing strategy by breaking down the most effective types of videos for each stage of the buyer’s journey.

Let’s start with a quick review of that.

The buyer’s journey

The process that begins with becoming aware of a need and ends in the effective purchase of a product or service that fulfills that need is called the buyer’s journey.

It is a three-step process:

1) Awareness: your prospective clients are aware they have a problem but they don’t thoroughly understand it or know how to fix it.

2) Consideration: the prospect fully understands the problem and is thinking of all the options available in order to solve it.

3) Decision stage: the buyer choses a product/service among many others.

As every stage demands a different kind of information, you should ask yourself what stage your prospective client is in.

What is Inbound marketing?

Inbound marketing focuses on creating high-quality content that your client is looking for in each sales stage. According to Hubspot: “Unlike outbound marketing, inbound marketing does not need to fight for potential customers attention. By creating content designed to address the problems and needs of your ideal customers, you attract qualified prospects and build trust and credibility for your business.”

Check out this video that sums up this process from Yum Yum explainer videos – What is Inbound Marketing?

Each stage of the sales funnel has its own specific set of content type that works the best. That being said, nowadays video is one of the most engaging digital tools. According to Hubspot research, 54% of consumers want to see videos from brands they support in comparison to email newsletters (46%) or social image (41%) based content.

In a nutshell, people crave videos. However, what is the best type of video content for each stage of the sales funnel?

First stage: Awareness

In this stage your prospective client will be looking for information about his/her problem so you want to create a video that fits that search query. For example:

Educational Videos

With this type of video, you provide relevant information that your client is looking for. Try to avoid being too salesy. Check out this video created by a vitamin seller about what exactly a vitamin is. They are giving useful information and, at the same time, talking about their product.

Here’s a video showing an example of this from the Vitamin Shoppe – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7Y9tbs-eKY&t=0s&index=10&list=PLhat-b0QvZABD5JMLSNuWLJhXiLxR1CLs

How-to videos

These kinds of videos are extremely popular. As a business owner, you sure have some hands-on experience that you can share with the viewer. Try to think about your client’s pain point and create a straight-to-the point video explaining the process to solve that problem.

An example of that is here – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFyOznL9UvA

 

Social Media Videos

Social media gives you the opportunity to interact with your audience. There are tons of types of videos that you can create but you need to keep in mind the user’s experience. Your video should be able to stand on their own without sound and you also need to adapt it to the different specs of each platform.

An example of that is here – https://www.facebook.com/Starbucks/videos/413099965814/

Second stage: Consideration

During this stage, buyers have a clear idea about their issue and are determined to solve it. They are evaluating the different solutions available to pursue the goal or solve their challenge. Keep in mind that these types of videos are suitable for this stage:

Explainer videos

Being that Explainer videos are a very popular content nowadays, there is a lot to learn from the experts. There are many types of explainer videos but all are especially recommended to fully explain complex processes in just a few minutes. This video, for example, shows how pharmacy software works, https://www.cdhfinechemical.com/cdh_data/antibiotics-online/ and how it optimizes business’ management.

Product videos

Show how awesome your product is in just a few minutes. Product videos usually feature a well-known character that the audience can relate to. Check out this product video that has gone viral.

Jean Claude van Dam Split with Volvo Trucks – https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=M7FIvfx5J10

If your budget’s limits can’t afford Jean Claude Van Damme, an animated video may be the best option.

Decision stage: from lead to client

In this third stage, you want to push your potential buyer towards a purchase. To accelerate the journey of leads in your funnel, you need to create a strong brand image so that they chose you among other similar companies.

Company culture videos

Build up a close relationship with you prospective client by sharing with him or her what is behind your brand. Try to answer these questions: What’s the story behind your company? Who are the creators that bring life to your brand? What are the values of your company? 

FAQ Videos

Maybe your prospective client still has some doubts about your product. Be prepared to answer them with a quick FAQ video. By clearing up all their questions you will build trust and calm any quibbles before the actual purchase – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiXdxzWbxgw

Customer Testimonial Videos

Is there something more effective than hearing about other client’s happy experiences? This kind of video is a very powerful tool to boost brand trust. Check out this video that features customers with relatable stories. – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xm1Ez5_AnCQ&t=9s

Author

Víctor Blasco is the founder and CEO of the explainer video company Yum Yum Videos.
He is also an audiovisual designer and video marketing expert. Aside from running the
business, he loves studying Chinese philosophy and is a real geek for science fiction
films and comics.

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The Three Most-Overlooked Digital Marketing Hacks Small-Businesses Forget To Utilize https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2018/03/the-three-most-overlooked-digital-marketing-hacks-small-businesses-forget-to-utilize.html/ Sun, 18 Mar 2018 22:00:56 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=50667 Every day I encounter another small-business struggling to gain tracking in the digital world. The frustrating thing is, today, it’s absolutely critical to be present and active in the digital space. To ignore it is to intentionally leave potential new business on the table. Here are three digital marketing tactics that most small-businesses forget to […]

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Every day I encounter another small-business struggling to gain tracking in the digital world. The frustrating thing is, today, it’s absolutely critical to be present and active in the digital space. To ignore it is to intentionally leave potential new business on the table.

Here are three digital marketing tactics that most small-businesses forget to utilize and how you can leverage them to get your business growing again.But before we begin let me tell you that whenever you are making callback to unknown number which was not received by you,You should know about him see this here it will help you.

Display and Social Remarketing

Remarketing efforts are still the number one tactic I see small-businesses leaving on the table. Remarketing is the relatively simple process of tagging site visitors and then remarketing to them based on what pages and content they may have viewed.

The two primary ways to deploy remarketing are Google Remarketing with the Google Remarketing Tag and Facebook Remarketing which utilizes Facebook’s Pixel code. Both allow you to implement better-targeted display ads across Google’s display network and targeted social media posts on Facebook and Instagram.  While the backend coding can be a little intimidating, an effective remarketing campaign, via Google Adwords or Facebook’s ad platforms, is easily managed. If your business is still not taking advantage of this tactic, reach out to an agency or freelance resource.  They can quickly set-up a remarketing plan for you, and it will be the marketing expenditure you make all year.

Three Technology not to overlook if you're a small business SmallBizTechnology

Developing Content That Speak’s To Your Customers

While the site content you’re providing might be helpful to your visitors, often it fails to convert because companies forget to customize their content to match the ultimate intent of your most ideal customers, the ones who are already somewhere in the conversion funnel.

Developing a comprehensive content strategy is more a case of hitting-up the right people with the right message at the right time. Too often, companies post content that is too general, thus failing to be relevant.

Take what you’ve learned about your customers’ various buying personas and figure out what the trigger points were for each.

After that, develop additional content that specifically addresses their needs and intents during the buying process (do they, for instance, need the reassurance of reading customer testimonies, reviewing detailed specifications about your products, or a thought-leadership piece that convinces then you are an active and expert participant in your space).  Through your inbound and outbound data, create some typical buyer personas and then produce content that will be especially attractive to them.

Interactive and Mobile Friendly Email Campaigns

With a growing majority of your customers now accessing your site from mobile devices, it’s essential that one of your most powerful digital marketing tools, your email marketing campaign, is also designed for mobile consumption.  Creating emails goes beyond simple responsive design, though that remains a challenge to many small companies. You must also audit your email campaigns and include more interactive features within them.

The goal is to make the user experience as frictionless as possible.

Now that they’ve opened your email, can it direct them to features or products that are of particular interest to them?  Can they browser your latest product offerings, launch a video, contact customer service and initiate a shopping cart from your email? Regardless of what your email’s original intent was.

Some Final Notes  

Before diving into any of these tactics, small businesses should be ready to commit to the following:

  • Develop and grow your email marketing list. Provide potential customers opportunities to win a service each month in exchange for their contact information, or deploy customer feedback cards with a promise to get specials and discounts.
  • Treat your customers like the fans of your brand you want them to be. Engage with them and encourage them to share content on Instagram and Facebook.
  • Automate, automate, automate. Tools like MailChimp help you to make almost any marketing activity automated. Birthday messages, stop back in reminders, thank you for frequent visits or follow up for a “how are we doing” review.
  • Commit to being consistent and ready to maintain a campaign. You can’t just go hard and heavy for three months and then die off and go silent. Any sound digital marketing campaign requires consistent and constant attention and activity.
  • Organize your website in a way that allows you to identify customer segments easily and to customize the remarketing message. (i.e., If you are a restaurant, split your breakfast, lunch, and dinner messages onto separate pages to quickly identify the visiting intent of a customer. If you are a salon, separate men’s, women’s, and children’s haircut services to speak more to the scheduling and style needs of the customer.)

Christopher Mohs is a digital strategist and founder of Cora+Krist  he has been strategizing and deploying digital marketing initiatives for some of the world’s most well-known brands for over 16 years.

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11 Strategies to Combine Your Offline and Online Marketing Efforts https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2018/03/11-strategies-to-combine-your-offline-and-online-marketing-efforts.html/ Fri, 16 Mar 2018 13:00:12 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=50614 What’s one strategy to connect my offline marketing to my online marketing? These answers are provided by Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. YEC has also launched BusinessCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses. 1. Use Online Incentives […]

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What’s one strategy to connect my offline marketing to my online marketing?

These answers are provided by Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. YEC has also launched BusinessCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses.

1. Use Online Incentives

Codie SanchezIf you’re operating an e-commerce business, this is the smartest way to bridge the gap. If brick-and-mortar shoppers know that they can get a bigger discount of some sort by purchasing your products or services online, they’ll do it!- Codie Sanchez, www.CodieSanchez.com

2. Look for Tactics That Work in Both Areas

Drew HendricksIdentify marketing tactics that involve both channels so you can create content that works in both places or that encourages your audience to visit the other channel. This could be adding social channels to your offline marketing information or hosting an event and asking visitors to share it or check in online. Drew Hendricks, Buttercup

3. Make Sure Your Messaging Is in Alignment

Kevin BretthauerMaking sure your messaging is consistent across your offline and online marketing is extremely important. Your offline and online marketing should be closely aligned in language, target customer, and (as much as possible) call to action. Reaching different customers in different realms will lead to a confusing customer picture and a sales pipeline that is difficult to manage.- Kevin Bretthauer, FuelCloud. If you are looking for new marketing strategies, then consider using a Wide format signage

4. Use Ad Tracking Software

Nicole MunozAside from making sure you maintain brand continuity across your ads, you can also implement analytics tracking measures into your offline ads. Radio ads can have promo codes, brochures can have call tracking numbers on them and depending on your market, you can utilize QR codes, too.- Nicole Munoz, Start Ranking Now

5. Let Customers Do the Work

Blair ThomasOne of the quickest and easiest ways to merge the offline with the online is to host a competition. A good example is to ask customers to take selfies that promote your brand by having them upload their images to your social media accounts using a particular phrase or a unique hashtag. The details about the competition should be outlined on your offline marketing materials, including any products you sell.- Blair Thomas, eMerchantBroker

6. Use Email Marketing

Syed BalkhiEmail marketing is important for both offline and online marketing strategies. Ask your offline customers for their email address in exchange for a coupon, and ask your online customers using opt-in forms on your website. Make sure to keep the email addresses on two separate lists, so you know where the lead came from.- Syed Balkhi, OptinMonster

7. Make Your Brand Searchable

Firas KittanehThese days, new businesses focus too heavily on marketing edgy brand names that are hard to pronounce and spell. When you use a brand name or tagline that is memorable in your offline marketing campaigns, you’ll see a surge in organic search traffic for those terms as customers rediscover your business online.- Firas Kittaneh, Amerisleep

8. Use Branded Merchandise

Kristopher JonesBranded merchandise feels like a forgotten strategy of the marketing world. Whether it’s a customized water bottle or T-shirt, these items serve as a walking advertisement of your products, increasing brand recall and word-of-mouth advertising. Encourage people to show off their flair online through social media. You can even offer free merchandise in exchange for signing up for an email list.- Kristopher Jones, LSEO.com

9. Connect Your Leads List

Andrew NammingaAlthough you found your lead while out on the street, you should still follow up digitally. And vice versa. Because you found your lead online, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give them a call. In any case, going old school and making a call is a great way to break the ice instantly.- Andrew Namminga, Andesign

10. Use Augmented Reality

Justin BlanchardOne of the interesting features of augmented reality is the way it blurs the boundary between offline and online. AR inserts representations of digital entities into the world. Companies like Heineken, Ikea and Visa are using augmented reality to inject digital marketing experiences into the physical environment of users and attracting attention through the innovative use of a new technology.- Justin Blanchard, ServerMania Inc.

11. Get Microinfluencers Shopping Offline

Tolga TanrisevenOne new advertising model we have is allowing microinfluencers within our community to take a $100-$500 coupon and go shop at the advertiser’s brick-and-mortar store. Microinfluencers interested in the vertical of that advertiser get to spend time at the store, take pictures while shopping and then write an online article about the product, the shopping experience, display and potentially other products.- Tolga Tanriseven, GirlsAskGuys

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How To Improve Your Business’ Online Reputation https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2018/03/how-to-improve-your-business-online-reputation.html/ Wed, 14 Mar 2018 16:31:53 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=50646 Your online reputation consists of the exposure your business has on search engines, social media, and online directories. It is imperative that you build an online reputation, not because it is the trendy thing to do, but because it is the smartest move you can make for your business. Why? Because 65% of shoppers do […]

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Your online reputation consists of the exposure your business has on search engines, social media, and online directories. It is imperative that you build an online reputation, not because it is the trendy thing to do, but because it is the smartest move you can make for your business. Why? Because 65% of shoppers do their research online before making a purchase and your business needs to be one of they find when looking online.

In this article, we’ll go over the 5 ways you can improve your business’ reputation online.

1. Create a website with a customseo domain so people can find your business online.

Every business should have their own website. It’s your online calling card and should be the first thing people see when they look you up online. This is especially true for consumer electronics companies, where businesses are competing for a limited number of product categories. You can do so much in one place such as list your products, market them using blogs, and sell them by using a payment gateway.

2. Set up your social media channels.

After setting up your website, the next step should be to create a profile on the appropriate social media channels. You can post photos, announcements, discounts, and sell your products on these channels. Most businesses start with Facebook, but there are other social media platforms that are niche-specific, such as LinkedIn, Angie’s List, Pinterest, etc.

It is important to have a social presence because a huge number of social media users make their purchasing decisions based on what they see on social media. By putting your products and your company where potential customers are searching, you are able to reach a larger audience.

3. Register your website on online business listings

If people want to find a business like yours, they will often go to authority business listing sites like Yelp for Business, Google My Business, Better Business Bureau, etc. Once your business is listed, clients can easily find you and see how you compare to other businesses in the same niche or industry. Users can leave reviews for others to see and rate your company based on their experience. And don’t stop at just one listing. Get multiple listings (also called citations) so that your business exudes more credibility, since they verify businesses before they allow them on their site.

4. Optimize your website for SEO purposes.

Now that you are have your own site and are listed on all relevant third party sites, Auckland SEO agency helps you to optimize your presence online – starting with your website. Conduct basic keyword research to discover what terms people are searching for when looking for your type of product. Then, make sure that your website contains these keywords on the appropriate pages for which SEO agency can help you in a better way.

5. Improve customer service and engagement

The most organic and genuine way to improve your online reputation is to talk to your target audience online, just Achieve your desire ranking results. Try affordable seo services. Don’t spam them with sales emails – learn what their problems are, provide the solution, and continue to build your relationship. Find the ones that have had a positive experience and ask them to review your website on social media, business listings, and other review sites. After that, make sure that they continue to have a positive experience with your business. Your overall reputation is something that your customers will always remember whether they are online or offline.

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4 Webinar Hosting Mistakes that can Ruin You to Oblivion https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2018/02/4-webinar-hosting-mistakes-that-can-ruin-you-to-oblivion.html/ Thu, 22 Feb 2018 14:35:05 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=50560 Webinars will undoubtedly be a great addition to your marketing arsenal. When you think about it, it’s basically like a video on steroids. In addition to engaging your audience through a live feed, you also get to interact with them through polls, chat, and Q&A sessions. But the best part of webinars is how accessible […]

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Webinars will undoubtedly be a great addition to your marketing arsenal.

When you think about it, it’s basically like a video on steroids. In addition to engaging your audience through a live feed, you also get to interact with them through polls, chat, and Q&A sessions.

But the best part of webinars is how accessible they are as marketing tools — even for small businesses on a shoestring budget.

Modern webinar platforms allow you to handle everything in one streamlined dashboard, from managing subscriptions to analytics.

What they can’t do, however, is magically transform you into an effective webinar host.

It doesn’t matter if you pick the most sophisticated webinar platform on the planet — you still need to learn how to host a webinar successfully by yourself.

Of course, what better way to do that than to look at the pitfalls that turn webinars into utter disasters.

In this post, we’ll talk about some of the worst possible mistakes you can do when hosting a webinar.

Let’s dive right in.

1. Not Engaging Your Audience

First of all, mistaking webinars for webcasts is a common rookie mistake.

A webinar, just like traditional seminars, allows the audience to interact with the host. On the other hand, a webcast has a one-way flow of information wherein viewers have no way to communicate back.

It’s a fundamental difference that new webinar hosts tend to overlook. As a result, they end up missing out on the huge benefits of hosting an interactive webinar.

Keep in mind that hosting a webinar is a great way to obtain valuable insights and feedback from your audience.

Having a simple Q&A session also allows you to eliminate every ounce of doubt your audience has regarding your brand. It enables you to prove your expertise and win their vote of confidence — thus, making it easier to turn them into warm leads or even paying customers.

If the thought of talking to dozens, hundreds, or thousands of viewers online sounds too intimidating, consider inviting guest presenters to host the webinar with you. These can be people from the same company or popular influencers in your niche.

Just remember to look for webinar presenters who can add value to the webinar’s theme and subject matter.

For example, if your webinar is about online marketing, you can have individual presenters for specific topics like SEO, social media, and email marketing.

Here are some of the tools that can help you find influencers for your webinar:

  • Followerwonk
  • Kred
  • BuzzSumo
  • Twtrland

2. Shying Away from Pitching Your Products & Services

While some people offer webinars on a paid subscription basis, most use them primarily for brand building and marketing purposes. Whether you like it or not, the audience is already well aware of this.

Everyone knows that you don’t put webinars just for fun. In which case, you might as well be upfront and honest about your marketing objectives.

Remember, as long as you provide value through your webinar; you have every right to endorse your products and services whenever they make sense.

For example, if you hosted a webinar on how to launch an online course from scratch, pitch your web development services only as an add-on that will help them reach their goals faster.

Whatever you do, avoid positioning your product or service as a mandatory purchase. Every bit of information in the webinar must come useful with or without your product — unless, of course, your webinar is a live product demonstration.

Just be sure to express your gratitude in case they do decide to purchase. Say something akin to: “Your purchase would really help us out and would support the creation of more webinars in the future.”

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13 Ways to Increase Your Email Open Rates — and Engagement https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2018/02/13-ways-to-increase-your-email-open-rates-and-engagement.html/ Fri, 16 Feb 2018 14:00:20 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=50503 What are some ways that you can increase your email open rates and gain responses? These answers are provided by Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. YEC has also launched BusinessCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses. 1. Don’t Always […]

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What are some ways that you can increase your email open rates and gain responses?

These answers are provided by Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. YEC has also launched BusinessCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses.

1. Don’t Always Use Your Name

Bryan KeslerDid you know that you can change the “sent from” field in your emails? For example, if your audience loves Jim Carrey references, you could change your name in the “sent from” field to “ALLLLLL” and then the subject line to “Righty Then.” Then the first sentence of your email can be about your product closing down in four hours. This tactic has increased our open rates and click-through rates. – Bryan Kesler, CPA Exam Guide

2. A/B Test Subject Lines

Jayna CookeWith a lot of the email marketing automation software out there, you are able to A/B test subject lines. When sending out an email, send half with one subject line and use a different subject line for the next. It could be as simple as including emojis in one, and not using emojis in the other. See which subject line had the higher open rate, and adjust your email marketing accordingly. – Jayna Cooke, EVENTup

3. Engage and Ask for Responses

Matt WilsonEmail marketing shouldn’t be a one-way, transactional interaction where the sender blindly emails thousands of people without the ability to hear from their audience. Make your emails engaging and ask your readers to reply to you. Give surveys and be friendly. Emails should be from the CEO and should build a relationship with readers. This helps build a community of people who open your email! – Matt Wilson, Under30Experiences

4. Use Questions in the Subject Line

Serenity GibbonsGive them a question and they are more likely to open the email, as they realize you are asking because you want to share your answer with them. If it relates to an identified problem that target audience is having, they are even more likely to open it. – Serenity Gibbons, Calendar.com

5. Have a Catchy Headline

Peter BoydYou need to have a catchy headline that engages your audience. Simply putting in information about your company, yourself and your services is not interesting. Figure out what your clients want to learn about, and write about that in an interesting way. – Peter Boyd, PaperStreet Web Design

6. Remove Spammy Keywords

Solomon ThimothySince people’s inboxes can get flooded with emails everyday, it’s never easy filtering out the good and bad emails. Sometimes you’ll receive an email that gets pushed into the spam folder when it shouldn’t. To avoid this, try to remove specific keywords in the email content that are normally associated with spam. Phrases such as “act now,” “cash bonus” or “earn more money” should get removed. – Solomon Thimothy, OneIMS

7. Optimize Subject Lines for Mobile

Jared AtchisonMost emails are now being opened on mobile devices so it’s important to optimize the subject line with that in mind. Keep your email subject lines brief. We’ve found that what works best for us is keeping our subject lines at six-ten words or 25 characters. You can also use free tools to see what your subject line will look like on mobile before you hit “send.” – Jared Atchison, WPForms

8. Be Less Formal

Tim ChavesI’m seeing a trend of more emojis showing up in the subject line. Sometimes going less formal with your message is just the trick to get across the combination of urgency and personal touch needed to get the harried subscriber to open your email. – Tim Chaves, ZipBooks Accounting Software

9. Just Send It Again

Francois de LameAfter sending an email, wait a week, then resend it to the people who haven’t opened it. If you’re building your list the right way, a simple resend is a great way to make sure people aren’t just missing your email in their crowded inbox. Warning: You’ll probably get slightly more unsubscribers doing this, but the additional opens will outweigh the unsubscribes. – Francois de Lame, Policygenius Inc.

10. Don’t Overdo It

Adrien SchmidtIf you fill up a customer’s inbox with emails, you will soon find yourself in the spam folder. Save your emails for when it really matters. If your customer trusts that you aren’t going to waste their time with nonsense, they will be more prone to read what you have to say. – Adrien Schmidt, OpenBouquet

11. Consider the Time of Day

Kevin ConnerTake into consideration what time of day your audience is most likely to be looking through their email and be interested in a newsletter for reading. They just got to work? Probably not the best time. Waiting in line to pick up the kids from school? Prime time for opens. – Kevin Conner, BroadbandSearch

12. Be Authentic

Michael AvertoI try to avoid hacky tricks but instead tailor my message to my recipient. If you do a little work up front and do some research on the prospect — or even just include one sentence specific to only them when using automated email software — you can see open rates north of 20% (check out LinkedIn for easy, yet specific, info on recipients). – Michael Averto, ChannelApe

13. Tell a Story

Bryce WelkerOut of all the spam that gets sent to my inbox, the messages that I am most likely to read are long-form anecdotes. These remind me of op-eds I would read on news sites. Writing something that looks like a decent amount of thought was put in it will add value in the eyes of recipients. This will increase the likelihood that they not only open your email, but read it too. – Bryce Welker, CPA Exam Guy

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How To Use CRM to Create Positive Customer Experiences https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2018/02/how-to-use-crm-to-create-positive-customer-experiences.html/ Fri, 16 Feb 2018 06:41:28 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=50544 Customers’ are the back bone to run a successful business. They can make or break the business. There are no signs of any business without its customers’. Customers’ are needed to buy company products and services, for word of mouth advertisement, and to bring more business. Further, they also act as brand advocates, referrals to […]

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Customers’ are the back bone to run a successful business. They can make or break the business. There are no signs of any business without its customers’. Customers’ are needed to buy company products and services, for word of mouth advertisement, and to bring more business. Further, they also act as brand advocates, referrals to the friends and family members and write a positive feedback about your business on social media channels as well as on review websites.

But, the main concern lies on how to impress your customers’ for a big time and create positive customer experiences. Follow these simple steps to build positive customer experiences:

Offer Great Customer Service: Customer service is one of the key factors to determine the quality of your business. Generally, customers’ purchase products from your business and if any one of your customer faces issue with the product, then the customer reports the same to the customer service department. If the customer service representative quickly resolves the customer issue, then it creates a positive impression about your company in customer’s mind, builds trust about your brand and happily recommends your business products and services to the friends and family members.

In case, if the customer service representative is not serious in resolving customer issues, then the customer gets irritated and it automatically creates a bad impression about your company in customer’s mind and for the next time, the customer will never buy any products from your business which can ultimately result in the loss of a valuable customer. Therefore, the customer service team needs to be prompt and quick in resolving customer issues, complaints and concerns.

Use CRM for Customer Data Segmentation:
If the incoming lead shows interest in your business in the form of continuous website visits, downloading important PDF files or filling details in the web form which should trigger your business to keep track of lead’s online activities. Try to monitor and record lead’s interactions with the company, social media conversations, browsing history, a number of times the lead has visited your website, what kind of content your lead is interested to share on social media channels and so on. PDF is not the editable documents, but with the software, availability to Convert PDF to Word online makes our takes easier, to make it editable rather than creating the whole document again.

Recording and analyzing of lead’s online activities enables the businesses to segment customers’ into various targeted groups and send them the relevant promotional and marketing content which can evoke the lead’s interest and creates an impression that you take care of your customer needs and preferences and builds a positive impression about your brand.

Provide Value to your Profitable and Loyal Customers: Every day, several customers’ visit your business to buy products and services. But there are only a few customers who are loyal, trust-worthy and stick to your business forever. Despite the odd times, they visit your business store repeatedly to buy new products and services, spread goodness about your business, act as brand advocates, refer your business to friends and family members and create positive vibes about your business on social media channels.

Use CRM software to identify the most profitable customers’ of your business, compile a list of loyal and profitable customer database and send them special personalized thank you messages, discount coupons and reward them for being loyal to your brand for a long period of time.

Generations are changing and nowadays, customers’ are expecting personalized interaction with company. They want the companies to know – who they are, what they have previously purchased, and what are their buying habits, interests, needs and expectations. For businesses to better understand its customers’, it is always important to identify and analyze the customer interactions with company at every stage. Employ the CRM system to have a 360 degree customer view and develop positive and professional in-person customer experiences.

crm - James MaronAuthor Bio: James Maron is an author at SutiCRM. He shares his views on SaaS and Cloud-based business management solutions.

 

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14 Trends B2B Marketers Need to Become Familiar With in 2018 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2018/02/14-trends-b2b-marketers-need-to-become-familiar-with-in-2018.html/ Fri, 09 Feb 2018 12:00:52 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=50517 What’s a trend this that B2B marketers need to understand this year? These answers are provided by Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. YEC has also launched BusinessCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses. 1. Executive Branding Executive branding is […]

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What’s a trend this that B2B marketers need to understand this year?

These answers are provided by Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. YEC has also launched BusinessCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses.

1. Executive Branding

Derek BromanExecutive branding is crucial. That means your personal image on social media as an executive or a professional. It becomes a currency anywhere you go. High-profile marketing accounts are more attractive to employers. It’s only going to become more important. – Derek Broman, Discount Enterprises LLC deguns.net

2. Partner Marketing

jeff epsteinMany B2B marketers overlook the power of leveraging partners to drive new business. Partnerships can be forged with other businesses who sell to similar customer personas, and it is a great way to drive brand awareness and increase leads from a core customer demographic. – Jeff Epstein, Ambassador

3. Mobile Optimization

Blair ThomasB2B marketers should abandon the idea that most business owners conduct research on desktop devices. Business owners are busy and use mobile devices to find solutions anywhere, anytime. To ensure customers have a streamlined process on any device they use, content must be mobile optimized. – Blair Thomas, eMerchantBroker

4. Structured Data

Francois de LameGoogle will be expanding its focus on structured data, featured snippets, the Knowledge Graph and answering voice searches. You should implement structured data wherever you can today so you’re prepared, but also listen closely for any new updates, so you can get there before your competitors. – Francois de Lame, Policygenius Inc.

5. Education Marketing

Todd RichheimerUse education marketing that positions your company as a helpful resource, especially if you’re in an industry (like the legal services industry) that is riddled with unscrupulous vendors. Creating great educational content and sharing it without pushing for the sell positions our company as a partner. – Todd Richheimer, Lawfty, LLC.

6. Social Network Adoption

Sweta PatelMost B2B marketers are focusing on channels such as webinars and events, but the focus needs to be more toward the social networks, because they are equally as powerful when it comes to generating market-qualified leads. If more B2B focus on channels that humanize them, they will be able to win big. Plus social proof is going to be everything — if people don’t know about you online, your business is dead. – Sweta Patel, Silicon Valley Startup Marketing

7. Micro to Macro

Derek RobinsonMicro moments, where customers turn to their devices to look for information, are set to reshape the online B2B marketplace. This is because an increasing number of people now make purchasing decisions after interacting with brands through multiple touch points. B2B marketers will need to anticipate probable points of contact and produce content accordingly. – Derek Robinson, Top Notch Dezigns

8. ABM Targeting

Dan GoldenB2B marketers need to learn how to target their prospects on the same platforms as B2C marketers. B2B marketing is targeting humans, the key is to find those needles in the digital haystack. To get the targeting right and eliminate waste, they’ll need to leverage first- and third-party data to ensure their ads and content are hyper-targeted to B2B buyers. – Dan Golden, BFO (Be Found Online)

9. Artificial Intelligence

Philip MichaelYou’ve got to look at AI. Artificial intelligence is still infiltrating business, so it becomes critical to leverage it in your marketing. Understanding customer behavior, proclivities and what have you, allows marketers to streamline their efforts. Moreover, it allows decision makers to close the gap between insight and execution. – Philip Michael, New York Equity Group (NYEG)

10. 24/7 Live Chat

Jared AtchisonLive chat is no longer a nice-to-have for B2B businesses, it is a must-have. In this highly competitive world, you’ll stand out if you communicate with customers the way that they want to chat. It could be the difference between them purchasing your product or going with the competitor. – Jared Atchison, WPForms

11. Intelligent Analytics

Peter DaisymeIt’s important to understand intelligent analytics and what it can do for the marketing campaigns that a B2B marketer may develop in 2018. It’s there to improve what analytics was trying to do. – Peter Daisyme, Calendar

12. Enhanced B2B Marketing Precision

Shawn PoratThe idea that marketing needs to be targeted and backed by solid data is already popular in B2B marketing, but this is also important. Rather than simply reaching out to businesses in your industry, it’s important to get more precise and seek out the companies (and specific individuals in each company) who are the best prospects for your message. – Shawn Porat, Scorely

13. Focus on a Single Vertical

Piyush JainWhen we started our B2B marketing, we were just reaching out to everyone in the local area, and we did not get very positive results. We realized that customers were looking for industry-specific capabilities, even though we were local. So we changed it this year based upon industry. Showing our customers that we have experience in their industry is providing better results. – Piyush Jain, SIMpalm

14. Amazon Entering Your Space

Diego OrjuelaOne of the top objectives Amazon had in 2017 was to begin expanding into the B2B space. In 2018 we will start seeing Amazon make some significant strides in reaching companies, and those of us who currently sell B2B should start taking notice. Amazon is not currently a threat to our businesses, but in 2018 they will begin to inch into our markets and we must choose to fight or join them. – Diego Orjuela, Cables & Sensors

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12 Tech Trends That Can Drive Small Business Success in 2018 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2018/02/12-tech-trends-that-can-drive-small-business-success-in-2018.html/ Fri, 02 Feb 2018 14:00:16 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=50451 What technology trend should small businesses watch for at the start of 2018? These answers are provided by Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. YEC has also launched BusinessCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses. 1. Mobile Site […]

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What technology trend should small businesses watch for at the start of 2018?

These answers are provided by Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. YEC has also launched BusinessCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses.

1. Mobile Site Performance

Francois de LameSmall businesses must be laser-focused on mobile in 2018. Google will be rolling out the ‘mobile-first index,’ which will introduce another big shakeup in search. If you pick one technology to focus on in 2018, make it mobile site performance and usability. – Francois de Lame, Policygenius Inc.

2. Blockchain

Serenity GibbonsWith the rise and interest in cryptocurrency, which uses blockchain technology, and the emergence of more applications, it’s important to follow this technology to see how you might apply it in your own business. – Serenity Gibbons, Calendar

3. Automation

Baruch LabunskiAutomation is a game changer for small businesses. You can now automate many facets of your business, and that will improve and impact your marketing, project management, finance, human resources — just to name a few! The great thing is that it’s now cost-effective for small businesses to invest in automation, and you’ll see returns within months, not years. – Baruch Labunski, Rank Secure

4. Virtual Reality

Blair ThomasVirtual reality technology is expected to really take off in 2018. Small businesses need to start thinking of creative ways to connect with clients’ senses. By creating 360-degree videos, you can help your customers better explore products before they make purchases or get a taste of an experience or service you offer. – Blair Thomas, eMerchantBroker

5. Artificial Intelligence

Codie SanchezWhether it’s chatbots, data analysis, smart lead gen or a million other uses, artificial intelligence isn’t just for the Googles of the world. It is getting cheaper, easier to integrate and driving actual business results. Winners next year will be those who run where the ball is about to be thrown. Machine learning is also key. – Codie Sanchez, www.CodieSanchez.com

6. Influencer Marketing

jeff epsteinInfluencer marketing is a highly efficient and very effective way to grow awareness and drive more business. We’ll see more and more businesses leveraging the power of word-of-mouth in 2018. – Jeff Epstein, Ambassador

7. Google Attribution

Sam SaxtonGoogle Attribution will help clear the fog around cross-channel and cross-device attribution for marketers, allowing them to more precisely and confidently adjust strategy. – Sam Saxton, Paragon Stairs

8. Chatbot Technology

Kristopher JonesFor a fairly affordable price, any small business can build a chatbot on their website or any landing page they choose. I think it’s perhaps the small businesses’ best bet to keep up with bigger chain businesses who can afford 24/7 support. Of course, always retain that degree of personal service and use chatbots to facilitate online conversions that drive more business to your business. – Kristopher Jones, LSEO.com

9. In-Store Retail Software

Dan SanAs the retail landscape changes, stores are finding new ways to adapt, and the key way they will do so is with software that can track data in stores with sensors and software like never before. We are now becoming able to track impressions, conversions and how long a person looks at products in-store. It’s a game changer because this was only possible online with websites and e-commerce. – Dan San, Meural

10. Video

Solomon ThimothyHow many times do we have to talk about video? Small businesses need to catch up; video is where it’s at! You don’t even need any fancy equipment. Just use what’s in your pocket — your mobile phone! Look at all the food videos on Facebook! Any business can emulate that format to gain views and spread brand awareness. Apps like iMovie, Splice, and Quik let you edit on your device and they’re free. – Solomon Thimothy, OneIMS

11. Instagram Ads

Syed BalkhiFacebook has started rolling out more placements to help marketers reach their audiences on Instagram. Not only can you place an ad in the feed, but you can also place an ad in the form of an Instagram story. I believe this form of ads embedded in Instagram stories is just the beginning and we will see a lot more in 2018. The trick is to be authentic so users get to know your brand in a real way. – Syed Balkhi, OptinMonste

12. Social Payments

Shawn PoratApple just announced the release Apple Pay Cash, a payment system that works through its messaging app. Other companies are also introducing these payment systems. Google and Facebook have their own competing systems. As this type of payment takes off, it will transform e-commerce and other types of business transactions, making it even easier to sell products and services online. – Shawn Porat, Scorely

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Heartwarming Small Business Movie from Intuit Celebrates Small Biz Success https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2018/02/heartwarming-small-business-movie-from-intuit-celebrates-small-biz-success.html/ Fri, 02 Feb 2018 13:30:28 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=50499 Many of us small businesses owners want to grow but we don’t want to hire a lot more staff, get a new building or become a billion dollar giant. What many of us want to do is increase our profits and better support our families and communities. Doing this is not always easy, but one […]

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Many of us small businesses owners want to grow but we don’t want to hire a lot more staff, get a new building or become a billion dollar giant.

What many of us want to do is increase our profits and better support our families and communities.

Doing this is not always easy, but one of the ways smart business owners grow their businesses is by leveraging the power of technology to make smarter decisions, increase efficiencies, collaborate better and focus on serving their customers.

Intuit announced the released of a “mini-movie” which showcases and celebrates how business owners can ease their day to day responsibilities by overall smarter technology.

Check out the movie below or here and explore Intuit’s website to celebrate and provide solutions to growing businesses!

Providing finance related solutions has been a part of Intuit’s DNA for years. With the trifecta of Mint, TurboTax and QuickBooks – Intuit offers personal finance management, tax solutions and of course day to day business financial management.

This blog post has been published in partnership with Intuit.

See more coverage here.

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9 Ways to Apply Analytics to Your Sales Calls and Dramatically Increase Sales https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2018/02/9-ways-to-apply-analytics-to-your-sales-calls-and-dramatically-increase-sales.html/ Thu, 01 Feb 2018 20:07:42 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=50488 Sales calls provide a wealth of data, from call time to conversion rates, that can be analyzed to optimize your agents’ performance. Software tools, like Convirza, can help capture this data for you and others, like Salesforce, can give it context. But regardless of the specific tools you use, applying analytics to your sales calls […]

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Sales calls provide a wealth of data, from call time to conversion rates, that can be analyzed to optimize your agents’ performance. Software tools, like Convirza, can help capture this data for you and others, like Salesforce, can give it context. But regardless of the specific tools you use, applying analytics to your sales calls will lead to more sales.

Here are nine ways to apply data analytics to your calls to help improve sales.

1. Use Conversion Analytics to Qualify Leads in Real-Time

You can increase your sales team’s conversion rate with conversation analytics. The bleeding-edge technology analyzes phone conversations and searches for particular phrases, pitch, volume, context, words, and speech rate. As software like Convirza analyzes data, it generates scores such as lead quality, missed opportunity, sales skills, and conversions in real time. Let’s say a caller uses a phrase like “looking to buy” or “wanting to replace”. The software increases the lead quality score upon recognition of those phrases as it suggests that the caller is almost ready to buy.

With conversation analytics, agents can use the scores generated in real time to come up with the necessary steps to close a sale.  

2. Monitor Connect Rates

By definition, connect rate is the number of  calls that met a specified criterion — for example, appointment scheduled or call duration — divided by the total number of calls. The best phone systems should enable you to see the duration of each sales call and number of calls made by each agent through call logging. These applications let you quickly pull up records so you can analyze your connect rate.  

Tracking and analyzing your connect rate is important as it helps you understand how to improve the performance of your sales team. By listening to the calls of agents with low connect rates, you can quickly identify issues that hold them back, and come up with a tailored coaching plan to help improve their performance. You can even listen to calls of agents with high connect rates, and use their performance as examples. It helps to have some form of contact management to help manage the process.

3. Probe Talk to Listen Ratio

In an ideal world, agents would spend more time listening to customers than selling. The reality, however, is that agents often do more talking than listening. On average, sales agents consume up to 75 percent of their calls talking. This leaves customers very little room to convey their concerns or ask questions.

The top sales performers have a talk to listen ratio that’s closer to 40:60. If you want your agents to close more, start by measuring their talk to listen ratio. Software like Gong offers features that enable you to save calls and monitor the talk to listen ratio of your agents. You can also see individual statistics so you can identify the talk to listen ratio of your star performers. Through data analysis, you can train average performers and under performers to replicate the talk time of your top closers.    

Graph Showing Sales Stats

Talk to listen ratio of agents according to performance

Source: ThinkGrowth

4. Find Your Average Number of Calls to Close a Deal

Sales experts know that it takes more than one call just to get a favorable response. In fact, it takes an average of eight cold calls just to reach a prospect. The number goes higher as you make additional calls to close a deal. That’s why it’s important to keep track of your activities per lead so you can determine how many calls it takes to close a deal.
CRMs like Salesforce allows your agent to record every interaction with a prospect. More importantly, it comes with tools that lets you generate reports based on customized metrics or fields. You can use these tools to get your team’s average number of calls to close a deal. You can use the number as a target to encourage your agents to make more calls.

5. Study Time Spent Selling     

You can improve the efficiency of your agents by learning how they spend their time. If some of your agents are making more calls but are behind in conversions, it is important to identify the types of calls that they make to see which stages in the sales process consume most of their time. For instance, a few of your agents may be underperforming because they’re struggling to find good quality leads. As a result, they spend a lot of time researching and reaching out to people who are not ready to purchase.

You can get this insight by monitoring your agents’ time spent selling. With the help of tools provided by cloud communications providers such as 8×8, you’ll be able to see the amount of time your agents spend at park life every stage of the sales process. You can then identify points of congestion and come up with coaching strategies to improve the performance of your team.

6. Examine Lead Response Time        

You are 100 times more likely get a hold of the lead if you respond to them within five minutes. If you take 24 hours to respond, your chance to close a sale drops by 60 times. This is why it’s essential for your team to reach the prospect as quickly as possible. The longer you respond, the higher the odds that your competitors will close the sale.

To monitor this metric, you need a lead response time tracker tool that you can integrate with your CRM. With this tool, you can see how long it takes for your team to respond to a lead. If it takes your team several hours to return a call, consider reviewing your workflow to prioritize inbound leads. You can also consider hiring more agents as an investment to improve your performance in this metric. Getting your lead response time down can help you generate more sales as your team puts their attention to people who show interest in your product or service.

Image of Time Tracker

Dashboard of a Lead Response Time Tracker

Source: Salesforce

7. Look at Number of Calls Versus Talk Time

Another important metric that you can track to help improve the performance of your sales team is their daily talk time. While your sales agents might be generating more than 100 calls per day, their time and effort may be misplaced. You need to also review their talk time to see whether they’re making the most out of their calls.

You can see agent talk time with the help of analytics tools offered by Nextiva which provide visual data such as number of calls and total talk time for each agent. By measuring their talk time and comparing it with their total daily calls, you can see who’s struggling to reach the right people. For example, an agent recording 80 daily calls but has a talk time of less than two hours may indicate that the person is not logging a lot of minutes per call. This might mean that the agent can’t move past the gatekeepers such as assistants or receptionists. You can use the data to equip the agent with the skills to deal with gatekeepers and reach the decision-makers.

Image of Nextiva's Dashboard

Nextiva’s dashboard

Source: Nextiva

8. Discover the Best Time to Connect

Decision-makers are not the easiest people to reach. They are often on the go or are currently occupied. If your sales team is struggling to get a hold of decision-makers, consider tracking the time of day your agents usually connect with them.

With the help of voice communications platforms such as RingDNA,  you can determine specific hours in the day when your chance of connecting with decision-makers are high. As long as your reps take notes about the outcome of each call, you can use the historical data to create a report and determine the best times of day to connect with decision-makers. Team leaders can use these brief windows to maximize their prospecting efforts.

9. Track Phone Call Lead Source

It’s a dream for many business owners to see which traffic sources are generating inbound sales calls. This dream could be a reality with the help of Infinity Call Tracking and Google Analytics. With Infinity, you can track website visitors as the software assigns a unique phone number to each visitor. Infinity then tracks everything including keywords and traffic sources that led the visitor to your site.

All the data collected is linked to the Google Client ID of the user. When the user calls, Infinity sends all data to Google Analytics so you can see it in real-time. You can use the data to create reports and identify mediums that generated the most number of qualified leads and conversions.

Sample Infinity report generated through Google Analytics

Sample Infinity report generated through Google Analytics

Source: Econsultancy

With call tracking technology, you can analyze which mediums provide the best returns on your investment so you can optimize your campaigns. This can also dramatically improve the performance of your sales team as optimized ad campaigns generate quality leads.

The Bottom Line

With the advent of data analytics, managers and team leaders now have an easier time identifying the metrics that impact the performance of their sales team. By analyzing the behavior of your agents when they are in a call, how fast they respond to inquiries, and which marketing channels generate quality leads, you can improve the performance of your sales team and boost your bottom line.

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12 Technology-Based Tips to Improve Your Business’s Customer Support https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2018/01/12-technology-based-tips-to-improve-your-businesss-customer-support.html/ Fri, 26 Jan 2018 14:00:16 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=50461 In what way is your business using technology to transform customer support?  These answers are provided by Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. YEC has also launched BusinessCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses. 1. Chatbot Automation for Faster Response […]

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In what way is your business using technology to transform customer support? 

These answers are provided by Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. YEC has also launched BusinessCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses.

1. Chatbot Automation for Faster Response

Bryan KeslerCustomer support is a draining resource for any company. To counter the time it takes to help customers, we have compiled a list of the most asked questions and built out a chatbot automation that identifies the customer’s issue and directs them to the answer. Be aware that it’s still important to leave a channel open for them to ask a specific question if the bot can’t solve the issue. Bryan Kesler, CPA Exam Guide

2. Tidio Live Chat for Prompt 24/7 Support

Kevin TaoWe are on call 24/7 for our customers, and our customers are really impressed! Tidio Live Chat is completely free. We installed it on all of our computers and mobile devices so we can provide prompt customer support from anywhere. We were able to have many real conversations which created friendships and business opportunities. Loyal customers make the best business partners. Kevin Tao, NeuEve

3. A More Personal Touch Through Social Media

Ismael WrixenOne unexpected way we’ve transformed our customer support is through social media — specifically. Everyone on our team has access to messages sent through Facebook and we reply to every single one. This is a great tool for service providers who don’t have 24/7 live chat — it emphasizes our approachability and personal touch. Ismael Wrixen, FE International

4. Improved Support With Advanced Help Desk

Serenity GibbonsMore advanced help desk software is now available that can improve how fast and well customer questions and concerns are addressed. It’s much more efficient and makes customers happy who want to find an answer quickly rather than wait for a person to call or email them the next day. Serenity Gibbons, Calendar

5. Ticket Systems and Interactive Feedback

Peter BoydWe develop websites, so technology is injected into our company. The best tools we have for support is our ticket system using HelpSpot and our interactive website feedback tool from BugHerd that helps organize all updates. Peter Boyd, PaperStreet Web Design

6. Direct Review Response in the App Store

- Mark KrassneApple now allows developers to respond directly to reviews in the App Store. When a user rates the app with lower feedback because of a specific issue, we acknowledge their concern and encourage them to follow up with our customer support team. Using this strategy helps users to feel their concerns are understood and addressed and can contribute to higher App Store reviews. Mark Krassner, Expectful

7. Screen Recording for Personalized Video Tutorials

Solomon ThimothyNot every user case can be documented, nor do we always have the time to read lengthy documents. With the help of lightweight screen recording plugins, you can now help someone fix a hurdle much quicker than sending a long form help document. This is how you create remarkable experiences for customers. Solomon Thimothy, OneIMS

8. CRM to Understand Customer Behavior

Kristopher JonesUsing a CRM, businesses can understand the different touchpoints and actions that led customers to your website. Using this information, businesses can serve up content that supports individual consumer needs. With more information on the services and products businesses register for, they can better handle customer support and offer solutions that directly address their personal needs. Kristopher Jones, LSEO.com

9. Polls and Customized Support With the Right Tools

Adelaida Diaz-RoaWe use Hotjar to actively poll users and to receive detailed feedback through screen recordings and their feedback widget. Loom is another great tool to send users how-to videos, product updates or more personalized message replies. We also use Zendesk to keep a knowledge base of all past questions and requests so that users can find what they’re looking for as fast as possible! Adelaida Diaz-Roa, Nomo FOMO

10. Quick Contact via SMS Text Messaging

Jared AtchisonDepending on the business, we’ll sometimes give customers the option to contact us through texting. Customers are always on their phones and why not give them the option to reach out to us in a quick way? Texting customers shouldn’t just be for sending them promotions, it should be a two-way street. Jared Atchison, WPForms

11. Automated Reporting to Improve Retention

Todd RichheimerWe’re streamlining our client reporting process and improving retention by working with our data and engineering teams to have monthly ad performance reports automatically generated for each personal injury firm we work with. This helps us improve working relationships with firms and, by increasing transparency and having a safe environment in the workplace. We always avoid any unnecessary injuries, but nobody is prepared for an unexpected situation, that’s why it’s important for every business to take these workplace injury prevention services.

12. Advanced Package Tracking for Faster Updates

Diego OrjuelaOne of the most important pieces of information a customer needs is their tracking number. Until now, we have been limited to providing a tracking number and letting the customer interact with the carrier for updates. New technologies use webhooks to provide notifications when a new event happens such as a package being delivered, and this creates an advantage for our customer support team. Diego Orjuela, Cables & Sensors

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Integrate Email and Social Media Marketing to 10X Results https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2018/01/integrate-email-and-social-media-marketing-to-10x-results.html/ Fri, 19 Jan 2018 21:25:04 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=50447 The days when marketers could reach customers through a single channel are over. Multi-channel marketing has become the norm in almost every industry. Merging social media and email marketing is one of the best ways to grow your brand. However, marketers are having difficulty integrating their social media and email marketing campaigns. Polls have found […]

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The days when marketers could reach customers through a single channel are over. Multi-channel marketing has become the norm in almost every industry. Merging social media and email marketing is one of the best ways to grow your brand.

However, marketers are having difficulty integrating their social media and email marketing campaigns. Polls have found that 95 percent of marketers recognize the importance of multi-channel marketing, but 51 percent admit they lack the tools and expertise to set up these campaigns.

If you need direction on combining social media and email marketing, you should follow these tips.

Use influencer marketing to earn trust

Email subscriber rates have collapsed in recent years. The biggest reason is that unscrupulous marketers have abused email to spam potential customers. They are very cautious about subscribing to email lists of brands that they do not trust.

Many black hat marketers use spam tactics to try building their email lists with social media. This has hurt the credibility of legitimate marketers trying to earn email subscribers. You need to earn their trust before driving them to your opt-in page.

One of the best ways to gain the trust of potential subscribers is by using social media influencers. Find social media users in your niche that people trust. People will be far more likely to join your email list if you have the endorsement of one of these experts.

Intertwine all channels

The primary focus of many marketers is to use their social media traffic to promote their email lists. Don’t limit yourself this way. Social media doesn’t lose its value as soon as your followers subscribe to your mailing list.

You should also try promoting your social media platforms with your email campaigns. Fruit of the Loom incorporates their major social media profiles into most of their emails, which has helped them expand their reach on social media.

Test both similar and custom opt in pages with your social media traffic

Facebook and other social media platforms offer a wide range of targeting options to reach new audiences. Many marketers have trouble figuring out how do you build their campaign funnels around different audiences.

Should you target eight different types of customers and reach them with the same ads and landing pages? Or should you build custom funnels for each of them? Both approaches have their merits, so you may need to improvise for each campaign.

In some verticals, different demographics respond very differently to certain marketing messages. Marketers in other industries find that there is a little distinction with the demographics that actually convert. Testing different ads and landing pages to optimize your results.

For example, you can create multiple landing pages for each demographic group you are advertising to and A/B test them to find what works best. Landing page software, like Wishpond, makes creating and testing landing pages simple while also integrating with third party email platforms.

Once a social media visitor is converted into a subscriber, use email marketing platforms like Campaign Monitor to create personalized email content based on the landing page message that got them to convert. If the landing page offered an ebook about a specific topic then your email copy should offer additional value on the same topic.

Use multimedia content and pinned posts to reach potential subscribers on Twitter

For many marketers, the term “social media marketing” is synonymous with “Facebook marketing.” Too many marketers overlook the potential of other social media platforms, such as Twitter.

Twitter can be an excellent site to build your email list. However, you need to work hard to make sure that your tweets stand out from all of the noise.

Kajabi has a lot of experience promoting campaigns on Twitter. They have found that using multimedia content and pinned tweet is a great way to build an email list.

Use social data to estimate demand for various lead magnets

Using a lead magnet is one of the most effective ways to build your email list. However, it is easy to invest a lot of time and resources building a lead magnet that appeals to a very small group of people. You must measure interest before investing in it.

You can use social media to identify lead magnet angles that appeal to a large base of potential subscribers. Try tweaking the targeting options with Facebook ads to see the size of different audiences. You probably don’t want to create a product that will resonate with 5000 people on the network.

Twitter doesn’t have the same audience estimates that Facebook does, but there are ways to test engagement for different ideas. Try running sponsored tweets for blog post that will be similar to your lead magnet page. You can use the number of retreats, likes and clicks to gauge interest in a particular topic.

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13 Effective PR Exposure Strategies That Won’t Break the Bank https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2018/01/13-effective-pr-exposure-strategies-that-wont-break-the-bank.html/ Fri, 19 Jan 2018 14:00:37 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=50426 Which one strategy should small business owners adopt to maximize PR exposure without spending a fortune? These answers are provided by Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. YEChas also launched BusinessCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses. 1. Find the Right […]

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Which one strategy should small business owners adopt to maximize PR exposure without spending a fortune?

These answers are provided by Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. YEChas also launched BusinessCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses.

1. Find the Right Influencers 

Duran InciUtilizing social influencers and bloggers can be a cost-effective PR solution. Influencers can be found for nearly any industry. The key is finding the right influencer with a following that aligns with your target market at the best price. Don’t forget to negotiate payment options. Some influencers will even work with you in exchange for some merchandise. – Duran Inci, Optimum7

2. Subscribe to HARO

Emily BernarSign up for Help a Reporter (HARO), a free service where journalists and bloggers source ideas and quotes for upcoming stories. You can respond to inquiries relevant to your business, and it’s also a great way to get a handle on what themes and topics are interesting to the media. – Emily Bernard, PlacePass

3. Cultivate Thought Leadership Through Your Personal Brand

Kristopher JonesSmall businesses live and die by their owners and their reputation. By amplifying the personal brand of the business owner, they can capture more valuable leads by higher-ranking people in the industry. This grants them opportunities for speaking engagements and draws eyeballs back to their business’s website. It’s an inexpensive strategy to augment other PR efforts. – Kristopher Jones, LSEO.com

4. Create Engagement and Distribute Value at Events

Baruch LabunskiUse events to engage with all audiences in your community: employees, recruits, clients, press etc. Creating an event that people want to attend, where they will organically learn about your business, is an authentic and fun way to bring in interest. Relationships progress from there, and getting PR is all about connecting with journalists and showing them that there is a story to share. – Baruch Labunski, Rank Secure

5. Collaborate with Like-Minded Brands

Firas KittanehYour business can partner with non-competing brands in your category to form an alliance in which you share PR contacts and resources. That way, you leverage the connections they’ve developed with journalists and bloggers for free. The only cost is reciprocation whenever you find media opportunities they can benefit from, too. – Firas Kittaneh, Amerisleep

6. Donate To or Volunteer In a Space Relevant to Your Market

Roger LeeWhether it’s pro-bono work, volunteering or donations, take a look at your target market and identify organizations or groups of people that could use a helping hand. You’ll already have some relevant knowledge and experience, so your contribution will go even further, and you’ll get some authentic exposure in a way that feels natural and is low-cost. – Roger Lee, Captain401

7. Focus on Campaigns That Generate an Emotional Response

Liam MartinWhen I look at how to create a PR campaign that has any chance of going viral, I make sure it creates a strong emotional response, even if that emotion is negative. Somebody hating your pitch distributes your message just as well as if they loved it. – Liam Martin, TimeDoctor.com

8. Become an Authority in Your Industry

Shawn SchulzeBecome the ultimate reference for your industry. Scour the industry statistics and trends specific to your business and publish those in a way that beats anything else available. Make the content useful to others in the industry and your customers. The cost is the time spent to research and put the content together, but in addition to building great references, you become more knowledgeable. – Shawn Schulze, AffAction

9. Pitch Freelance Writers Instead of Staff Journalists

Kristin MarqueInstead of pitching staff writers, try seeking out freelance writers. Often times, freelancers don’t have as many deadlines and stories to meet as staff writers, so it’s easier to get a story to run. You can find freelancers in your industry on LinkedIn or the contributor section of a website or magazine. – Kristin Marquet, Creative Development Agency, LLC

10. Take Advantage of LinkedIn

Ben LeeLinkedIn is the hottest social media network right now, and for good reason. If you make a habit of pushing quality, mobile-optimized content on LinkedIn on a consistent basis, you can build a brand for yourself and your company that gets noticed. From that foundation, it’s easier to get press coverage because the outlets see you on LinkedIn, which makes them feel safe writing about you. – Ben Lee, Neon Roots

11. Write Guest Posts

Syed BalkhiFind other companies in your industry that compliment your business and guest post on each other’s blogs. You can also self-publish on platforms such as Medium and LinkedIn, and apply to contribute to others like HuffingtonPost and Entrepreneur. – Syed BalkhiOptinMonster

12. Promote Others First

ross beleyerIt’s amazing how willing people and companies are to help you when you’re helping them. Rather than focusing on maximizing your own PR first, figure out ways that you can promote others that get them excited to promote you along the way. Reviewing other platforms, writing how-to articles of other tech products, and interviewing other founders are all great ways to create co-promotional content. – Ross Beyeler, Growth Spark

13. Join Facebook Groups

Scott KacmarskiFacebook groups are incredible resources to spread your message. Find ones that relate to your business and join them. Then become a regular contributor. Once you have gained credibility, you can start posting your business material, as long as it’s not a straight sales pitch. You will get more traffic from Facebook than any other platform out there, so start using it now. – Scott Kacmarski, Reps Direct

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14 Easy (and Affordable) Ways to Personalize Your Customer Experience https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2018/01/14-easy-and-affordable-ways-to-personalize-your-customer-experience.html/ Fri, 12 Jan 2018 14:00:04 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=50410 Personalization is an important aspect in business today but can be time-consuming. What’s one easy, low-cost way for a small business to personalize the overall customer experience? These answers are provided by Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. YEChas also launched BusinessCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps […]

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Personalization is an important aspect in business today but can be time-consuming. What’s one easy, low-cost way for a small business to personalize the overall customer experience?

These answers are provided by Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. YEChas also launched BusinessCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses.

1. Send Personalized Gifts to Customers

Liam MartinWe send personalized gifts that aren’t that expensive, but customers love them. An example would be sending a customized handwritten note. I suggest something like maillift.com. They have an API so you can do everything programmatically. – Liam Martin, TimeDoctor.com

2. Let Artificial Intelligence Handle Your Grunt Work

Artem MaskovIf you take time to develop a robust AI system to interact with clients at the prospecting stage and upkeep stage of your relationship, then you should be able to invest more of your time to really give personalized attention when it’s needed most. – Artem Maskov, DEVTRIBE INC

3. Survey Your Customers to Help Address Their Needs Better

Bryan KeslerI use quizzes to automate the personalization of our customer experience. Based on the responses to the quiz, we are able to send subscribers emails that specifically answer the issues they are experiencing. This makes it much easier to sell to them, build their trust and help them. – Bryan Kesler, CPA Exam Guide

4. Commit to Personal Check-Ins

Ryan WilsonThe most effective tactics are sometimes the most traditional. Although our accounts team is phenomenal, I still regularly dedicate time to personally connect with clients as much as possible. This opportunity to converse frankly with the top level of leadership, even if brief or intermittent, is clear evidence of our commitment to serving our clients well. – Ryan Wilson, FiveFifty

5. Follow Up After the Purchase

Firas KittanehEvery customer has a unique assortment of products in their shopping cart when they complete checkout. Use that information to customize their post-purchase emails. Send educational product information to help them maximize the utility of their purchase, and help them discover new use cases for the product. – Firas Kittaneh, Amerisleep

6. Make Thoughtful, Genuine Gestures That Put Your Product in Context

Jessica GonzalezWhen people rent cellphone charging stations from us for events, we add hand wipes in case their hands get dirty during assembly. We also line the cases with dryer sheets so when they open the box they get a sense of calm in what is typically a hectic environment. In the past, we have included things like mints, energy candies and other little items that could be useful for surviving an event. – Jessica Gonzalez, InCharged

7. Make Your System-Generated Emails Feel Personal

Diego OrjuelaI am always amazed at how our customers will respond to a system-generated email, thinking that it was actually typed up by a human being. We find great success with our emails because we make them very personal. We avoid sending messages from a standardized email account but instead generate them as if they were coming from a team member. Emails coming from someone is the ultimate personalization. – Diego Orjuela, Cables & Sensors

8. Segment Your Email Lists

Syed BalkhiEmail marketing is most effective when you send targeted emails to your website visitors. You can segment lists based on previous behavior and create buyer personas for your visitors depending on their interaction with your site. This will make it easier for you to understand what your visitors are looking for and deliver emails that are more likely to convert. – Syed BalkhiOptinMonster

9. Serve Automated Recommendations 

Kristopher JonesLead people with recommendations that are related to their purchase. Amazon utilizes this very well to boost its e-commerce sales. Recommendations could be based on similar products or what people searched for after they landed on that given landing page. This strategy could also be followed up in a personal email or invoice sent to the customer after a purchase or abandoning a purchase. – Kristopher Jones, LSEO.com

10. Use the Data You Have

Solomon ThimothyUse the valuable data you already have to learn from your business, consumers and competition. Data can help you learn what’s most effective for your business and how to utilize these insights to effectively customize the customer experience. Your insights provide you a picture of your consumer’s needs and expectations so you can update the areas that need an improved, relevant experience. – Solomon Thimothy, OneIMS

11. Offer Personalized Deals Through a Loyalty Rewards Program

Patrick BarnhillFor digital commerce business that already have a loyalty rewards program, offer your customers a deal that your company has never offered before. Create 48-hour flash sales with incredible deals. Businesses that don’t have a rewards program need to implement one as soon as possible. At the very least, you’ll be able to grow your mailing list. – Patrick Barnhill, Specialist ID, Inc.

12. Send Relevant, Timely Content Via Email

John HallAs long as you’re writing content and keeping a pulse on what is out there in your industry, you can create an email marketing campaign that is pretty cost-effective. Make sure you have a way to capture email addresses of site users and then put them into a drip campaign based on where they are in the buyer’s journey. This will help keep the experience personalized. – John HallInfluence & Co.

13. Emphasize Customer Service

- Mark KrassneThe importance of great customer service is sometimes not given adequate appreciation, although this can be a great channel through which to connect with users. Acknowledging that you understand their concerns and can find a creative solution to their problem, in addition to addressing them by name, can have ripple effects that improve someone’s overall experience and spread to other users. – Mark Krassner, Expectful

14. Incorporate Automation Into Your CRM System

John RamptoMany automated programs are not expensive and do wonders in terms of personalization, especially when it comes through your CRM system. This can give you the ability to send out targeted messages that relate to a special time of year for the recipient, or that generate a personalized discount or promotion. – John RamptonCalendar

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Affordable Yet Powerful Tools for Streamlining Your Small Business https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2017/12/affordable-powerful-tools-for-small-business.html/ Mon, 25 Dec 2017 11:22:11 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=50387 Compared to established companies or large corporations, a common struggle that small businesses often contend with is the fact that their pockets aren’t deep enough. Not only would they lack the funds for product research and development, but they’d also lack the resources to acquire the tools that can help them streamline their business. Are […]

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Compared to established companies or large corporations, a common struggle that small businesses often contend with is the fact that their pockets aren’t deep enough.

Not only would they lack the funds for product research and development, but they’d also lack the resources to acquire the tools that can help them streamline their business.

Are you struggling with the same issue?

Have you been itching to streamline your small business’ operations yet you don’t have the money to acquire the right tools? Harbortouch POS Systems is one of the best point-of-sale systems for small business on the market. Streamline your operations with a solution that is perfect for small restaurants, quick service restaurants (QSR), retail stores, small bars, coffee shops, donut shops, cafes, yogurt shops, concessions stands, food trucks and so much more. Any business that is using a cash register can upgrade to an Echo tablet with ease due to the dual capabilities of this register system.

If you answered with a “yes,” then allow me to share with you three affordable powerful tools that you can use to optimize the way your small business runs.

Let’s get right to it.

1. Use Social Listening Tools

Unlikely large brands who have an established reputation that can “cushion” them from a PR disaster, small businesses are often obliterated beyond repair when faced with the same level of problem.

In such situations, the small business owners are forced to close their stores and are often left with a monstrous debt — let alone an irreparable damage to their personal brand.

And so the question becomes, how do you keep your company from experiencing such a PR disaster?

That’s where social listening comes in.

While it is true that the digital universe is a vast frontier that’s littered with  tech comparison site, you’ll be amazed to know that monitoring your brand mentions isn’t as complicated and time-consuming as you might think.

With the use of social listening tools, you can get notifications straight in your inbox the moment others mention your brand.

Let’s take the SentiOne social listening tool for example.

Once you’ve created a free account and create a new project, you can then enter your brand name or the keyword that you’d like to monitor for mentions all over the internet.

Here’s how the platform looks from the inside.Tools 2As you can see, the platform will be the ones to scour the web to look for the keywords that you’re monitoring. Of course, if your brand was mentioned in a negative light, then you’d be able to address the problem immediately before everything blows up into something that can wreck your business.

What makes the platform even more remarkable is the level of customization that it offers to its users. When setting up your project, you can add several filters to ensure that you’re getting relevant mentions.

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You’ll also be amazed at the amount of data that SentiOne can fetch in a matter of minutes.

With this tool in your arsenal, you’d be able to streamline the way you run your reputation management efforts.

You no longer need to hire several people to do manual searches on Facebook or the other platforms where your audience might be hanging out.

You can just set-up your project once at SentiOne, and be able to sit back and relax, knowing that there’s a powerful tool constantly monitoring the web for mentions about your brand.

The best part is, you can use the platform for as low as 39.20 EUR (net per month). When you consider the level of protection and productivity that the platform can bring to your business, I’m sure you’ll agree that their price is more than reasonable.

2. Use a powerful Point of Sale (POS) system.

With a “good enough” POS, you’d be able to process payments and complete transactions without a hitch. However, with a robust and powerful one, you’d be able to achieve far more.

For example, small business owners using cloud-based POS systems can monitor their operations better — compared to those whose POS systems aren’t cloud-based.

After all, even if they aren’t in their stores, they’d still be able to check their sales and other pertinent data about their business through the internet.

Mobile POS solutions can also do wonders for small businesses. In situations where there is a power outage, the small business owners would still be able to process payments through their mobile devices.

Another advantage of mobile POS solutions that merchants can enjoy is the fact that they can process payments even in informal environments — as long as they have their mobile device and access to the internet.

What’s even better news is there are several POS systems that are free despite having a plethora of features that can help small business streamline their business.

To learn more about what other POS providers are offering and the kind of features that their products have, you may want to read MerchantMaverick’s comprehensive POS software reviews.

3. Use Project Collaboration Tools

One of the things that make running a business challenging is the fact that there are several facets to it that you need to manage.

For one thing, you need to make sure that your product delivery and order fulfillment runs smoothly. There are also clerical and regulatory compliance tasks that you need to contend with. And if that isn’t enough, you also need to monitor how your marketing campaigns are running (among other things).

When you consider all of these, small business owners can’t help but feel overwhelmed when addressing their list of to-dos.

The solution?

Assign your list of to-dos to your team and use a project collaboration tool to monitor the progress of each team member or project.

While there are several project collaboration tools on the internet, we will look into Trello since it is one of the best tools used by businesses online.

Trello is a free project collaboration platform that uses the Kanban relay system where the users can create “Cards” for their tasks and also create several “Lists” where they can pin their cards depending on the status of their tasks.

In the example below, there are four lists: “To Do,” “Doing,” “Done,” and “Suggestions.”

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You can also assign a team member/s to work on a task by clicking “Members,” then selecting the account of the user whom you want to work on the task.

Because the platform is highly visual, the small business owners won’t have a hard time understanding the status of their business. They’d know the status of each task, who is working on a task, even view the roadblocks if there are any, and whether or not the task is within the deadline (among others).

While Trello’s free subscription is good enough for several of its users, you can sign up for a paid account to have access to their paid features. 

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5 Ways to Grow an Email List that Actually Converts https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2017/12/5-ways-to-grow-an-email-list-that-actually-converts.html/ Fri, 22 Dec 2017 21:47:57 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=50383 As a marketer, what do you think is the best method of converting leads into customers? If you’re like most, you probably said something along the lines of building an effective and well-maintained email list. And it’s true – an email list can easily become your best friend when it comes to conversions. It’s an […]

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shutterstock_643459024As a marketer, what do you think is the best method of converting leads into customers?

If you’re like most, you probably said something along the lines of building an effective and well-maintained email list. And it’s true – an email list can easily become your best friend when it comes to conversions.

It’s an avenue that allows frequent and direct communication to keep you top of mind and it can be one of the best ways to direct traffic to new content. In fact, email automation platform Campaign Monitor conducted an annual report for 2016 that shows for every dollar spent on email marketing, you’ll typically earn back $44. That’s some impressive ROI!

But that kind of return is only possible if you’re using your email list wisely. The five tactics outlined below will help you not only grow your email list, but also turn it into a customer converting machine.

1. Strategically Located Opt-Ins

An email list without opt-in forms is like a flower without roots – it won’t last long and it makes you wonder how it came to be in the first place. But it’s where you place these opt-ins that really drives conversions.

In classic newspaper form, above the fold placement on your page is essential. It’s all about being able to spot the opt-in quickly and easily. Draw the eye with some colors and make it especially visually appealing to bring in more subscribers and grow your list a breakneck pace.

2. Take Advantage of Lightbox Popups

The sight of an opt-in may be enough to scare off some prospective leads. That’s why you should also incorporate a different tactic – lightboxes. Think of these as mobile opt-in forms, ones that are activated once a prospect reads a certain post or scrolls through your page enough.

Technically considered popups (which if you’re completely opposed to then checkout tip #5), these nifty features have a clear call to action, catch the eye, and trigger strategically, among their many other benefits.

3. Split Test Like Crazy

This should be a major priority already but just in case it isn’t, split testing is absolutely essential in the marketing game. Color psychology, word connotation, length, and structure all come into play when someone decides whether or not to engage with content.

Thankfully, most email platforms have this capability built right in. Beyond that, there are a host of other software options out there to help you along the way. Happy testing!

4. Encourage Forwarding

Depending on the platform you use, asking your users to forward your emails along to others can be a great way to grow your list without having to put in nearly any time at all.

You’ve heard of the power of asking followers to retweet on Twitter (which can boost these numbers by 23x)? Well the same principle applies to email.

But be sure to check the terms and conditions of your platform first as some may outlaw this technique specifically.

And as with almost any other marketing tactic, be sure to keep the pushiness down to a reasonable level.

5. Forget About Popups

Popups may be the go-to for a lot of marketers these days but for others, they’re the bane of their existence. And while the efficacy of such tactics can certainly be backed up by some impressive numbers, some people are moving away from popups entirely.

Luckily, though, there are a number of other ways you can still drive growth for your email lists without the help of these intrusive ads.

The Best Ways to Grow Your Email Lists

Emails are by far one of the most effective methods for making a connection, staying top of mind, and ushering prospects through your expertly crafted sales funnel. In fact, many marketers turn to email campaigns as their primary source of new customers.

And when you use the tactics above, you can be sure that your list will grow faster than ever!

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3 Creative Ideas to Boost Your Local Marketing Campaigns https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2017/12/3-creative-ideas-to-boost-your-local-marketing-campaigns.html/ Mon, 11 Dec 2017 18:11:25 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=50373 If you own a business that operates across a range of regions, it’s important that you’re in tune with your local markets, the Creative Canvas Website Solutions explain that many business owners make the mistake of approaching business from a macro perspective—it’s much more important to cater to local market segments. Technology has made it […]

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If you own a business that operates across a range of regions, it’s important that you’re in tune with your local markets, the Creative Canvas Website Solutions explain that many business owners make the mistake of approaching business from a macro perspective—it’s much more important to cater to local market segments.

Technology has made it much easier to provide custom marketing materials to different areas. But you still might find it difficult to come up with ideas to target local areas. This post will give you tips that will help you vastly improve your local marketing campaigns.

Create Unique Landing Places for Your Different Markets

Most businesses have a single website for their entire operation. While this seems practical from an organizational standpoint, it creates a series of problems that might be damaging your ability to convert sales or services. Many consumers want to know they are working with a business that are local and understands their specific needs and preferences.

Sending customers to your homepage might impact your ability to convert sales or provide services. Consumers can be skeptical of large businesses, that’s why it’s important to appear to be a local expert in your trade. You don’t want to turn off customers by appearing ‘too big to care.’ Create different landing pages that provide information on your company in a local context.

Register All Your Branches to Google My Business, It’s Free!

Google My Business is one of the most effective ways to get brand recognition online for free. It ensures your business is located in Google’s database and Google Maps. It will also provide your information to anyone who searches locally for your company online. You can input information for a range of different branches and locations easily.

By registering your local branches to Google My Business, you’re allowing local consumers to access your information on the top part of search results. Many consumers look for companies nearest to them, having a local listing with Google can drastically improve the amount of exposure you have to different markets.

Use Different Social Media Ads for Different Target Audience

Social media has become one of the primary ways to target consumers, this is especially true for younger generations. If you own a business, chances are you’ve used social media to search for customers in the past. One of the great benefits of social media advertising is the ability to target different market segments very effectively.

Not only can you target individuals with certain interests and online habits, you can target different people in different areas.

Upfitness, an online personal trainer site, shares, “While many business owners use the same ads across different geographical regions, this is an outdated technique that wastes social media’s capabilities. Make your ads customized towards each different area that you target—it can quickly improve customer engagement.”

It’s All About Connecting to Your Customers

If you want to compete in today’s economy, you have to understand the importance of connecting with consumers. By not having a local connection, you distance yourself from individuals who might be interested in your products or services. Use any of the tips provided in this post to improve your regional appeal.

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Actions Your Business Should Take Incase of Click Fraud https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2017/11/actions-take-click-fraud.html/ Wed, 29 Nov 2017 11:45:48 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=50360 Paid search has indeed opened opportunities for businesses to position their products and services in front of their prospective customers online. There’s no reason why pay per click ads don’t make an attractive choice for advertisers who want to make a quick entry into their industry. But there’s also a growing concern among new business […]

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Paid search has indeed opened opportunities for businesses to position their products and services in front of their prospective customers online. There’s no reason why pay per click ads don’t make an attractive choice for advertisers who want to make a quick entry into their industry.

But there’s also a growing concern among new business owners who are interested in leveraging paid search. This problem that potentially hinders the success of their online campaigns is click fraud.

What Is Click Fraud and Why Is It a Problem?

Click fraud is a bad practice where anonymous webmasters or competitors intentionally inflate the number of clicks on a business’ pay per click ad. Most often than not, these unscrupulous parties use automated robots to perform these clicks.

The result is that advertisers will be shelling out and burning thousands of marketing dollars for clicks that were never sent by real customers. Click fraud as a pressing problem negatively affects a business’ budget.

In fact, recent figures suggest that click fraud is costing advertisers about $16.4 billion in a year. While this continues to be on the rise, you can take several steps to help you approach the problem effectively. That way, you’ll be able to safeguard your business from being put in a bad financial situation and losing customers.

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Keep track of patterns in your pay per click analytics

It’s worth your effort to watch out for unusual changes in your PPC analytics. There’s a reason for you to suspect fraudulent activity if your ads are getting more clicks than usual. At the same time, you notice that you aren’t receiving customer conversions during these increase in your clicks. A bit more diligence such as this goes a long way to avoid payment fraud.

Of course, looking out for unusual patterns requires that you have internal reporting. Collect pieces of information such as the IP address, click timestamp, action timestamp, and user agent. Make sure that you report your findings to search engines so that your account will get credited.

Leverage a software that fights click fraud

The DIY route to preventing and solving cases of click fraud can only go so far. Which is why brands realize that they need to invest in an automated solution. ClickCease is a click-fraud detection software that monitors your campaigns round-the-clock.

As an advertiser, you have the flexibility to decide on a threshold for the clicks that you get. Personalization is a plus factor to consider in Clickcease as you can ensure that you target the right audiences at the best place and time.

Fully automated to scale your PPC efforts, it hides your ads from potential attackers. See all your data at a glance with its intuitive dashboards to show how your campaigns are performing

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Alter your targeting campaign

Sometimes, it will help to change your targeting campaign to do away with those unqualified clicks. For example, ifyou find out that you’re receiving a ton of clicks from a specific country but aren’t getting conversions, you can exclude this location in your AdWords settings.

Usually, click farms are found in poorer countries. In click farms, a click master pays workers for a very low fee to click on paid advertising links. Once the advertising budget of a brand is depleted, competitors will then be able to display their ads at a lower cost.

Better yet, program your AdWords right from the start to eliminate the possibility of click fraud in certain places. You need to remember though that weeding out countries also eliminates the good traffic you will get in those locations.

Run your ads on reputable websites only

Sites that are of low-quality are common places where click fraud occurs. The lower the quality of the website you run your ads on, the higher the risk of fraudulent activity to happen.

Search engines like Google allow you to tweak your ad campaigns so that you limit your ads to trusted websites only. This way, you protect your advertising budget and showing up in front of the wrong audience. Always prioritize websites you know have a huge number of real audiences who are likely to become paying customers.

Advertise on social media instead

Launching ads on social media networks like Twitter and Facebook is another way to prevent and fight click fraud because you do away with third-party platforms. Another benefit of advertising on social media is that you’re able to take advantage of more advanced targeting options.

These targeting capabilities allow you to choose specific demographic criteria and other personal details about your audience which result in more qualified leads. However, choosing social media over search has also a disadvantage. On social media, there is the lack of user intent.

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Consider a remarketing campaign

Last but not the least, a remarketing ad campaign is another solution to stop click fraud. Remarketing is a form of online advertising in which you display your ads to people who’ve visited your website in the past. As they move on to other sites, seeing your ads reminds them of your brand, enticing them to complete an action on your site such as an email sign-up or a purchase.

Since search engines provide you with a tracking code to follow users who’ve interacted with you previously, you can reduce the incidence of fraudulent clicks. Remarketing is also beneficial since it lets you achieve specific goals such as a purchase when users abandon their shopping carts.

In Conclusion

Any business, your business, can be a potential target of click fraud. But you don’t have to eliminate PPC advertising from your marketing arsenal simply because malicious competitors and bots are out to undermine your campaigns.

Using the strategies we have just discussed, you’ll be able to prevent and stop click fraud right in its tracks. To sum them up, make sure that you monitor unusual changes in your analytics and report them, tweak your ad campaign, pick reputable sites to show your ads on, advertise on social media, use an automated software, and consider remarketing.

With consistency and vigilance, you can attract your best customers and enjoy a higher ROI.

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How Email Marketing Platforms Combine with Salesforce to Boost Sales https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2017/11/how-email-marketing-platforms-combine-with-salesforce-to-boost-sales.html/ Tue, 07 Nov 2017 21:37:08 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=50310 Email marketing remains one of the most reliable ways to engage your market and eventually turn recipients into customers. Using an email marketing platform will greatly improve your results, as well. However, more and more organizations are adding Salesforce to their email marketing assets to win far more conversions than with just a single platform. […]

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Email marketing remains one of the most reliable ways to engage your market and eventually turn recipients into customers.

Using an email marketing platform will greatly improve your results, as well. However, more and more organizations are adding Salesforce to their email marketing assets to win far more conversions than with just a single platform.

Using Salesforce to Improve Your Email Marketing Platform’s Results

Email marketing platforms, such as GetResponse, will still be in charge of automating the next email message in a chain, but you can use Forms integrated  to send much more customized emails based on where they are in the sales funnel, information you have about them and actions they’ve taken such as purchase history.

The combination of these platforms will also give your marketing and sales team a far more comprehensive view of how your leads behave. This, too, will make it easier to improve everything from your actual emails to the offers you use to nurture these leads. If you have no experience in marketing then you can contact Conversant Media for professional assistance.

2 Ways to Use Field Change Triggers During Your Email Campaigns

Fortunately, this is actually very easy to do when you use Salesforce. Any time a change is made to a value field on the lead or contact form, you can use automation to begin an email nurturing process that targets recipients based on these changes.

Here are two examples to show you how easy this can be.

1. Bringing Cold Leads Back to Life

Often, a lead will give you every indication that they are on their way to converting and then – all of a sudden – fall off the face of the earth.

Reviving these cold leads is difficult when all you have is your traditional email marketing platform, but when you combine it with Salesforce, you can easily reroute these recipients right back to a “Nurture” status. Then, use the Field Changed trigger to begin nurturing them anew.

Just be sure you give these leads some breathing room before sending them the first email in this new sequence. For example, if they went cold on you right after a trial service offer, give them five days before sending out the email.

Also, that new message should be educational in nature. Even after waiting five days, it is too soon to try again for the conversion if a lead has been unresponsive.

What happens if the lead still is not opening the email?

Do not cut your losses quite yet. Give them about 10 days and then send an email that will reconfirm your mindshare and position as a thought leader. Again, it should be educational, so something about industry trends would be the perfect choice.

You may still not get the conversion, but by reestablishing yourself with the recipient, you will be top-of-mind when they do decide to purchase.

Now, for those leads who do click, send them a nurturing email for a webinar or some other offer that requires a substantial investment of their time. A deeper commitment will bring them closer to converting.

 2. Load an Upsell Campaign for Qualified Customers

Upsells are vital to increasing profitability over time. With Salesforce, you can establish a threshold for when a subscriber becomes a “Power User.” When that happens, an email goes out to your marketing team to let them know about this opportunity.

An upsell email is then sent to this recipient with all the relevant details about this new offer. An account manager is also notified to follow up with this user in the near future over the phone if they do not place an upgraded order.

Getting the Most Out of Your Email Campaigns Is Easy with Salesforce

These are just two examples of how you can use Salesforce as a force multiplier to improve your email marketing campaign. While a high-quality email automation platform is still as important as ever, Salesforce can increase your ROI further by helping you better target your recipients with less work.

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4 Hacks to Manage Growth Like a Pro https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2017/10/4-hacks-to-manage-growth-like-a-pro.html/ Wed, 25 Oct 2017 20:13:02 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=50297 Many view growth as the ideal being chased by every startup in the world, but the cruel fact is that many companies fold because of poorly managed growth as do because of lack of business. Ramping up business means ramp-ups on costs and work, and an unprepared company can crash when new and unexpected bills crush […]

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Many view growth as the ideal being chased by every startup in the world, but the cruel fact is that many companies fold because of poorly managed growth as do because of lack of business. Ramping up business means ramp-ups on costs and work, and an unprepared company can crash when new and unexpected bills crush it. Here are four tips to keep ahead of the curve.

Contractors

A contractor is someone you hire for a specific length of time rather than on a permanent basis or for an unspecified period of time. While contractors are sometimes more expensive than workers in the short term, they come with the advantage of not requiring you to pay them if the work they do slows down or becomes unnecessary. Bringing ir35 contracting for important work projects lets you scale up expertise quickly and without the necessity of a long-term commitment to the employee that can become onerous in later days.

Rentals

Similar to hiring contractors, renting equipment that you will only need temporarily can cut long-term costs by keeping your physical space usage down and keeping capital from getting tied up in heavy machinery. Renting equipment for a project ensures that you have the tools you need for as long as you need them. Of course, in the modern cloud computing environment, increasing numbers of businesses are also outsourcing functions like IT, storage, and other technology issues. Doing so keeps your in-house IT trim and fit and helps businesses that are not primarily IT-driven avoid carrying too many expensive technologies and staffers.

Set Objectives

Growing businesses can too easily lose sight of where they need to be going. Setting a long-term goal is a great way to focus the company on a singular vision, but big-picture goals are often too lofty to guide day-to-day decisions. Instead, try setting up a group of medium-range goals to inform immediate progress. Try to focus on growing a specific product or enhancing one area of the business. If you want to get ambitious, you can set reasonable medium-range goals for each of your departments.

Watch the Customers

Every business in the world has one thing in common, and that is its ultimate dependence on the goodwill of its customers. Businesses deliver products or services to their customers, and these customers either like or dislike what they get. And those customers are often not shy about letting you know where they stand. Sending out customer satisfaction surveys is a reasonable way to gather information, but sending too many or soliciting them too intrusively can make you look pushy. Asking big customers if they have the time for a more personal talk about their experiences is a decent tactic. Moreover, make sure you have a clear route to receive and resolve any complaints.

Growth need not to be a scary thing. A well-prepared company will embrace growth and come out stronger on the other end. Just be sure you have a plan, and things should go seamlessly.

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13 Low-Cost Ways for Small Businesses to Increase Digital Brand Value https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2017/10/13-low-cost-ways-for-small-businesses-to-increase-digital-brand-value.html/ Fri, 13 Oct 2017 13:00:25 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=50259 The Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) is an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, YEC recently launched BusinessCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses. 1. Tell Your Story  If you are just starting out, tell the story of how your company came to […]

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The Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) is an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, YEC recently launched BusinessCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses.

1. Tell Your Story 

Colbey PfundIf you are just starting out, tell the story of how your company came to be and where it is headed next. Regular updates on your progress will cause customers to care more about you and check in more regularly. It gives a company a personality and makes it easy to connect with.

– Colbey PfundLFNT Distribution 

2. Leverage SaaS Tools 

Shilpi SharmaThese days, there are many tools in the price range of $10 to $20 a month, that can help you leverage digital media in a more optimal manner. For example, CrowdfireApp helps brands quickly engage on Twitter and manage the right mix of followers. You can also use design tools like Canva to design branded content. And Google Analytics is a free tool to understand the outcomes of your digital marketing.

– Shilpi SharmaKvantum Inc. 

3. Build an Email List 

Shawn PoratAn email list is a valuable resource that increases your brand’s value over time. Creating a large and responsive one isn’t necessarily easy, but you can do it without investing much. While paid ads help you build a list more quickly, you can also do it cheaply with SEO and social media marketing. Make sure you provide helpful content to your subscribers and your list will keep growing.

– Shawn PoratScorely 

4. Calculate SEO Value of Organic Keywords

Brett FarmiloeEach organic keyword has SEO value. The SEO value is what you would expect to pay Google AdWords if you were paying for each click. By analyzing the collective SEO value of the clicks your website organically brings, you can establish an ROI to SEO efforts and bring a number to your digital brand value. Want to know what your SEO value is now? Check out Spyfu.

– Brett FarmiloeMarkitors – Digital Marketing Company 

5. Hire a Freelancer

jared-brownHiring a freelancer who specializes in digital marketing is a great way to increase your digital brand value. Small-business owners have a lot on their plate, and oftentimes digital takes a back seat. Instead of adding another thing to your long to-do list, hire a digital marketing freelancer who already knows what they’re doing and can increase your digital brand value on their own.

– Jared BrownHubstaff Talent 

6. Live-Stream Content 

Murray NewlandsI think I’m addicted to live-stream. I love the idea of broadcast media and enjoy interviewing and featuring stories, as well as sharing bits of my life and work. It’s engaging for my audience, who love to ask questions. This way, I get to know more of them by speaking directly to them, which also helps to shape the live-video content.

– Murray NewlandsSighted 

7. Appear on Podcasts and Quora 

Brian David CranePodcasts are a great way to get the word out about your company and establish yourself as a thought leader with expertise in your industry. Another low-cost, untapped channel for increasing your digital brand can be Quora. By informatively answering questions that are relevant to your industry, you can not only position yourself as an expert but also drive traffic to your website.

– Brian David CraneCaller Smart Inc. 

8. Create Valuable Content

Vik PatelMost content published by a business is self-promotional and, frankly, not worth reading or watching. Instead of thinking about how content can best serve your business, think about what your audience needs and wants. Focus on creating and promoting content that is truly valuable to customers and leads, not on hacking engagement and traffic metrics.

– Vik PatelFuture Hosting 

9. Improve Your Footprint Through Reviews on Google and Yelp 

Piyush JainYelp and Google Business are the best way for small businesses to create a digital footprint. Small businesses can create a profile on these networks for free and then add tons of content about the business. You can also reach out to your customers to submit reviews about you on these sites. This will create strong brand value when someone searches for you or similar businesses online.

– Piyush JainSIMpalm 

10. Provide Case Studies 

Duran InciHaving well-designed and statistically driven case studies on your website is a low-cost solution for increasing your brand value. Case studies provide verification of your brand’s ability to perform. Simply displaying a list of services and telling your customers what you do is not enough to establish authority. Case studies show customers you can walk the walk and not just talk the talk.

– Duran InciOptimum7 

11. Invest in Instagram Ads 

Leila LewisA lot of people judge digital brand value by social media reach. Instagram ads, especially story ads, are highly effective at bringing more eyeballs and followers to your account.

– Leila LewisBe Inspired PR 

12. Pivot to Video 

Brian LischerOne of the best ways to increase your business’s digital brand value is to stay abreast of digital trends and find low-cost ways to leverage them. Right now, that means video. The “pivot to video” across the social media landscape means new opportunities for this engaging format, including native video. And producing authentic, high-quality video content is not as expensive as you might think.

– Brian LischerIgnyte 

13. Set Design Guidelines

Ben LarsonEstablish your design guidelines so that every post is a consistent embodiment of your brand foundation. Fonts, colors, line weights, logo use, subject and so forth all play into your brand recognition. Before long, a particular look will remind people of your brand instead of being stashed away in the memory bank as a random internet meme.

– Ben LarsonGateway 

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EMV and The 4 Things Every Business Should Worry About https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2017/10/emv-and-the-4-things-every-business-should-worry-about.html/ Mon, 09 Oct 2017 01:48:44 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=50251 EMV (Europay, Mastercard and Visa) chip technology is a powerful step forward in protecting against credit card fraud. Unlike data contained on a magnetic stripe – which, once stolen, can be used over and over – the EMV chip’s unique transaction code for each use makes it highly secure for in-person purchases. But with adoption finally […]

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EMV (Europay, Mastercard and Visa) chip technology is a powerful step forward in protecting against credit card fraud. Unlike data contained on a magnetic stripe – which, once stolen, can be used over and over – the EMV chip’s unique transaction code for each use makes it highly secure for in-person purchases.

But with adoption finally widespread throughout much of the U.S., fraudsters are now employing workarounds. They do this using a variety of ways to access financial card data, from phishing attacks to Wi-Fi spoofing in unprotected public spots. This is why small business owners can get the feeling that they are playing a game of ‘Whac-a-Mole.’  Just when they thwart one attack, another can seemingly pop-up out of nowhere.

Just as the mole’s last hole doesn’t tell you where it will pop up next, fraudsters don’t always employ predictable techniques when attacking a business. Here are some of the ways fraudsters are getting creative in how they hack into payment and financial information systems – and what mallet, or method, business owners can employ to help defend against these attacks.

Point of Sale Fraud                                        

  • Skimming – A skimming device is a card reader which can be disguised to look like part of an ATM or point-of-sale (POS) terminal. As long as EMV chip cards also store data on the magnetic strip, skimming will continue. Today’s fraudsters make sophisticated skimmers using 3-D printers that are virtually indistinguishable from the parts of the terminal to which they are attached.
  • Shimming – As skimming devices aim to steal credit card information via the card-swipe method, “shimming” devices are the next stage in card fraud evolution. Shimmers, which are thin enough to hide inside a card reader, can be used to stage a “man in the middle” attack by making a copy of the data on the EMV chip as it’s transmitted to the compromised machine.

Card-Not-Present Fraud

  • Phishing – An old trick keeps getting more sophisticated. As seen with the recent Gmail scam[1], attackers disguised as a trusted contact are sending authentic-looking emails with seemingly relevant attachments, such as invoices, that can dupe even seasoned security savvy individuals into taking the bait.
  • Spoofing – This is another type of attack that has been around for years – and continues to evolve. Mobile devices are constantly on the hunt for Wi-Fi networks, and most people are happy to join public networks to get a better connection and save on their data usage. Spoof attackers replicate Wi-Fi login screens to look and feel exactly like those used by familiar brands and service providers and steal sensitive data.

Often, criminals harvest payment card data to be sold on the DarkNet, an internet alternative that can be accessed only with specific software, configurations, or authorization, often used to conduct illegal business.

Vigilance and awareness of security practices can help protect you. Here are a few ways you can help ensure your business’ and customers’ vital information doesn’t get into the wrong hands:

Card-present environment

  • Embrace secure technology. Investing in end-to-end encryption and tokenization can help protect data from the entry point through the authentication process and back.
  • Check your hardware regularly. Point-of-sale terminals should be physically inspected for skimmers and shimmers on a regular basis, ideally at the start of each work shift.
    • Here are some things to look for:
      • Check for scratches of sticker residue. Scratches or sticker residue can be tell-tale signs that a terminal has been removed, replaced, or tampered with.
      • Wiggle the terminal. If a skimmer has been placed over your terminal, wiggling the terminal may help loosen the adhesive holding the fraudulent device in place.
      • Press the buttons. If a skimmer has been placed on top of your terminal, the buttons may be harder to press.

Card-not-present environment

  • Choose a payments processor wisely. Merchants should work with payments processor that not only offers end-to-end and point-to-point encryption – but one that stays on top of the rapidly evolving payment security landscape.
  • Scale your fraud protection solution appropriately. Going overboard on security can cause false positives that result in unnecessary card declines and loss of sales. When it comes to security, one size does not fit all. There are a lot of resources and materials out there, so be sure to do your due diligence when it comes to finding the right choice for your business.

If you’re concerned about the integrity of your payment environment, know that you are not alone. If you stay informed, alert and disciplined, your business stands a good chance of beating the odds in the fight against fraudsters.

 

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Don’t Get Trashed – Engage Your Email List! https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2017/10/dont-get-trashed-engage-your-email-list.html/ Mon, 02 Oct 2017 19:02:12 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=50240 Email marketing. When done right, it’s an incredibly powerful tool for moving your business forward. When done wrong, however, it can drive potential customers away for good. So how do you make sure your email list is a powerful marketing tool for your business? It’s all about keeping your email subscribers engaged. And by following […]

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Email marketing.

When done right, it’s an incredibly powerful tool for moving your business forward.

When done wrong, however, it can drive potential customers away for good.

So how do you make sure your email list is a powerful marketing tool for your business?

It’s all about keeping your email subscribers engaged. And by following the strategies outlined below, you can ensure that your list stays engaged for the long haul.

Let’s dive in.

  1. Focus on Personalization

When you’re sending a subscriber an email, it’s important to understand that you’re competing with several other businesses for their attention.

A recent study showed that a typical subscriber receives up to 11 commercial emails every day. So without personalization, your chances of standing out are slim to none.

Most email marketers realize this. In fact, 38% of marketers say that improving email personalization was their #1 goal.

But how exactly do you do it? Here’s a few tips that will help:

  1. Segment Your Email Lists. By segmenting your list, you ensure that your emails are as targeted and personalized as possible.
  2. Personalize Your Subject Lines. If a subscriber isn’t opening your email, it’s impossible to engage them. By focusing on personalization, you can ensure you’re standing out amongst the dozens of other emails they’re getting every day.
  3. Customize the Sender Name. Changing the email sender name to a real person is more effective than emails sent from a company name. You may also want to test combining a name with the company name so the recipient knows who it’s coming from.

Personalization is the future of email marketing. More and more data about consumers is collected every day and marketers are using this data to deliver highly personalized content via email. Email automation platforms, like Campaign Monitor, are leading the charge in this direction. Recently, Campaign Monitor acquired customer data platform, Tagga, with the intention to provide customers with the ability to create individual profiles of their customer’s data.

For example, a travel brand could see customers who have purchased travel packages from them in the past and have searched for a trip to Hawaii within the last 30 days but did not purchase. They could then send them a discount for their next trip to Hawaii if they purchase in the next 10 days.

While focusing on personalization can dramatically help with engagement rates, it isn’t the only strategy at your disposal.

  1. Use Call-to-Actions

Even if your subscribers do open your email and read it, that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re engaged.

Real engagement is about getting them excited about your brand and coercing them to interact with your website. That’s why a call-to-action is so important.

When creating a CTA for your emails, there are a few things you’ll want to focus on. They include:

  1. Placement. Test different options to determine the optimal placement for your CTA (above the fold, middle of email, end of email).
  2. Design. Creating a button with a unique color can help significantly increase conversion rates.
  3. Copy. Having a button that says “Contact Us” isn’t going to cut it. Be relatable and create a short, action-inducing CTA that’s relevant to the recipient.

If engagement is your goal, identifying a high-converting CTA is crucial.

  1. Ask Questions

If you want to be successful with your email marketing campaigns, the content of your emails needs to be audience-centric.

That means it needs to be focused on the audience and what they want (not what your company wants).

So what’s the best way to find out what your list wants? Ask them.

Whether it’s how often they’d like to receive emails, when they’d like to receive them, or what type of content they want when they receive them, asking your subscribers directly is the best way to ensure you’re giving them what they want.

Another great way to learn what your subscribers like and don’t like it to send surveys in your emails. Survey platforms like GetFeedback allow you to embed surveys directly into your email to learn all about each subscriber. This data can then be used to further personalize future communications across all channels.

Go Forth and Engage

While there are many other strategies that you can use to engage your email list, the tactics outlined above offer a great head start.

Go forth and engage your list. Your marketing success depends on it.

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4 Main Reasons Why Your Business Should Use Podcasts https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2017/09/4-main-reasons-why-your-business-should-use-podcasts.html/ Wed, 27 Sep 2017 08:42:49 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=50224 Podcasts are classic workhorses in the digital marketing space. Not only has it helped a good number of webpreneurs or business owners with bringing in more clients, but even the podcast listeners themselves are getting tons of value out of it. This business-building strategy has proven itself to be so effective, that the speed of […]

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Podcasts are classic workhorses in the digital marketing space.

Not only has it helped a good number of webpreneurs or business owners with bringing in more clients, but even the podcast listeners themselves are getting tons of value out of it.

This business-building strategy has proven itself to be so effective, that the speed of which the marketing method is gaining traction is nothing short of a miracle.

If you’re still thinking twice about whether or not you should use podcasts, then you can check out some of the main reasons why businesses should start it.

1. Branding

There are a plethora of ways podcasts can help you with establishing your brand.

For one thing, having a podcast will make you even more accessible to your audience. The fact is, while written content is great, having a podcast has its advantages.

For example, your audience won’t be able to read your articles when they’re driving or going for a jog.

When you have a podcast, on the other hand, they can consume your content even when they’re on the road or while preparing their meals.

Influencers are all too aware of the power of podcasts that several of them are consistently publishing their podcast episodes on iTunes and other platforms. Tai Lopez is one such influencer.

Through his podcasts, he managed to help countless people by helping them better themselves. The messages he shares on his episodes are so powerful, that he’s managed to garner close to a 5-star rating, with over 5,000 people rating his podcasts.

Of course, Tai is just one of the many influencers who is using podcasts to further their business. And you can bet your family jewels that they’re getting amazing results out of their endeavor.

2. Trust

Because podcasters open themselves to a higher level of transparency to their audience — compared to them publishing articles — it becomes easier for them to establish trust.

That right there is crucial. Because when trust is built between business entities and their audience, sales, leads, and business growth (among other things) is bound to happen next.

Riling up audience engagement is also a lot easier to pull off when there is trust between the business owners and their audience.

Because of the trust that’s been built, the audience won’t worry about sharing their struggles; they know all too well that the podcaster won’t judge them.

More than knowing that they won’t be judged, they’re even expecting the podcaster to share their insights on how they can solve their problems. This compels them (and others) to share even more.
The win-win situation is a perfect recipe for business growth.

It breeds trust, a deeper level of relationship, and it makes you — the business owner — the go-to-guy of your audience when they’ll experience challenges.

When you’ve managed to establish a meaningful relationship with your audience, it becomes almost impossible for your competitors to snatch them from you.

What’s even better is your audience will refer you to their circle of influence via word of mouth, which is arguably one of the best marketing methods a business can ever have going for them.

3. It is perfect for networking.

Here’s a question: How would you feel if someone reached out to you then asked if they can feature you in their podcast?

You’d be stoked, wouldn’t you?

And if you’re being honest, you’d probably give the person a big warm hug for the opportunity.

I don’t blame you.

After all, you can use the opportunity as a springboard to grow your business.

Once you’ve been featured, it becomes highly likely that someone from the audience will reach out to you and inquire about your services, or you can use it to establish strategic relationships.

TL;DR: Podcasts are perfect networking tools.

Of course, networking is just the tip of the iceberg.

Once you’ve built a network of like-minded individuals, you’d have access to all sorts of opportunities.

Starting a mentorship business is a good example.

While it is true that starting a mentorship business isn’t exactly easy, there are several action steps or marketing strategies that you can use to help you succeed — of course, having a podcast series is one of those.

The good news is, it’s not even that hard to start one. You just need to make sure that you have the crucial elements in place, and you’d be able to start churning up your podcast episodes.

4. Lead generation

Podcasting and generating leads are a match made in heaven.

Let me explain why I’m saying that…

As I’ve mentioned, when you have a podcast series, it becomes easier for you to establish trust with your audience, right?

Not only that, but you’ll find it a lot easier to network with other influencers since you can feature them in your podcasts.

Now, here’s where podcasts can work its magic when it comes to helping you generate leads…

  • Freebies

You can tell your audience during one of your podcast episodes that you’ll give away a freebie if they’ll sign up to your opt-in form.

  • Access to the beta version of your products for those who will signup

As you run your podcast series like you normally would, you’ll mention several times in your episode that you’re giving away access to the beta version of can you buy real phentermine online your new product to those who will opt into your updates.

  • Influencer marketing

Here’s the deal, should you decide to run your very own podcast series in the future, try to feature influencers (those with a decent number of followers), over those who do not have an established brand visibility.

After all, when you have influencers sharing your content with their audience, or them spreading the news about your business, your likelihood of growing your followers increases because the influencers themselves already have followers (they number by the thousands, in most cases).

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3 Reasons Hosting Matters https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2017/09/3-reasons-hosting-matters.html/ Thu, 21 Sep 2017 23:59:50 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=50218 It’s true that there are various SEO benefits linked to addressing web design issues like mobile friendliness, yet there is also a significant detail many webmasters forget about: hosting. Hosting is often thought about briefly and a decision is made without so much as a glance in the rearview mirror. However, it’s important to remember […]

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It’s true that there are various SEO benefits linked to addressing web design issues like mobile friendliness, yet there is also a significant detail many webmasters forget about: hosting. Hosting is often thought about briefly and a decision is made without so much as a glance in the rearview mirror. However, it’s important to remember that all hosts are not created equal. Take a look at these three reasons hosting matters.

Increase website security

Many small business owners don’t know that a website, no matter how secure it seems, isn’t as secure as you think. The reason why is that when the site is placed on an unsecure server with various websites, there is a chance of one being hacked. It’s frustrating to know that no matter how secure your site is, it’s not fully protected and poor security can destroy your business. A minecraft server hosting will take preventative measures to reduce risks of privacy violations with the help of firewalls and other electric barriers between a site and those trying to access it with malicious intent. If your site is compromised due to a hosting issue with a well-known company and you chose a low tier plan, the chance of a speedy solution is slim. Business owners sometimes fail to realize the importance of knowing the types of web hosting available and choosing the most reputable providers. Both decisions have a direct influence on the success of your business. We are an IT support services company in Houston that constantly strives to provide dynamic, innovative, and practical consultative design and IT services that will save you a lot of time, reduce costs, and improve the key deliverables for all information technology teams. 

Receive better customer service

When your small business site goes down, you’ll get to know the customer service team of your hosting platform. The difference between good and bad hosts is the speed at which the issue is resolved. A good host offers knowledgeable representatives who will assist you with your problems and answer your questions, whether by phone or chat. Clients with a more profitable account will likely take priority and earn immediate attention. If you went cheap on hosting, you’ll probably be faced with longer wait times, less than stellar assistance, and a fix to your issue that won’t last long. Many small business owners wouldn’t associate customer service with a hosting platform, but it is something you need to think about since it actively affects the experience.

Offer your customers reliability

Your business website often makes the first impression – you want to make sure your customers see a website that runs well and best represents your brand. Visitors may not notice that your website is good when they’re browsing around, but they will notice  if your site is consistently down or isn’t user-friendly. There is always a possibility a website will crash, it’s far less likely if you have a good host. Good hosts are consistently backing up data and cloning sites to ensure they can always provide a fast solution to get your website back and running online so you can sell more products. Less expensive hosting often leads to a slow website – a frustration for many users. There is never a guarantee your website will consistently run without a glitch, but better hosts provides better care to their clients and more efficient web speeds with enhanced security. Reliable hosts minimize many risks involved with your site, which means you’ll have less of a headache if the site experiences any problems.

Small business owners don’t always realize how much hosting matters. There are various options available to everyone who launches a website so make sure you educate yourself before you select your host. A reliable host is the key to overall functionality of a website leading to happier customers and more sales.

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Google Posts Give Businesses Free Tool to Reach Local Customers https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2017/09/google-posts-give-businesses-free-tool-to-reach-local-customers.html/ Sat, 16 Sep 2017 22:16:36 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=50213 Every second more than 56,000 searches take place on Google, more than half of them on smartphones. For business owners trying to reach local customers, many of these searches represent an opportunity to reach local customers, but only if they can be found in the results. If you’ve searched by name for a local home […]

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Every second more than 56,000 searches take place on Google, more than half of them on smartphones. For business owners trying to reach local customers, many of these searches represent an opportunity to reach local customers, but only if they can be found in the results.

If you’ve searched by name for a local home goods store, automotive dealer, or a medical practice in recent weeks, you likely noticed special offers or other content on the right side of the first page of results. Curious about what is behind these up-to-date business posts? You’re not alone.

Dubbed Google Posts, this new feature “allows businesses to create content directly on Google, which appears highly ranked in Google search results for their names.” The benefits of Google Posts for consumers are pretty clear: they are receiving fresh and timely content from companies, without having to dig through pages of website content.

But consumers aren’t the only ones benefiting from this new tool. Local small to medium businesses (SMBs) are also getting increased visibility through this free marketing tool, which until recently was only available to an elite few organizations such as celebrities, politicians and large organizations.

And it couldn’t have come at more critical time: With 82 percent of shoppers turning to search engines to find information about local businesses according to Google, it’s critical for SMBs to take control of the content that appears on the first page of search results.

Creating Your First Google Post

Since June, local businesses that claim their location at Google My Business (GMB) can now control the messaging that appears inside their business profile on the first page of search results when people search for their business name. Google My Business users can start by going to the Posts tab in their GMB dashboard.

With the new feature, local businesses can provide details about offers or specials, show off new products, or share helpful how-to information, all in front of an audience that is already interested and searching for this product or service.

First, add a link to your business website containing information about a special offer of sale, complete with a photo of the product or service. Swap it out with a new offer each week, while layering in links to your blog or videos on your business website.

Making the Most of Your Post

Before you post, remember that not all content is created equal. Here are some best practices for creating a winning post:

  • Inspire action with your headline. You have 58 characters for your title, so choose your 4-6 words wisely.
  • Make your post stand out with vibrant images and videos that are well-lit and high-quality. Images should be 720 pixels tall by 720 pixels wide in JPG or PNG format.
  • Make your post brief and only include the necessary details. You have up to 1,500 characters for the details of your post, but the ideal length is between 150-300 characters.
  • Choose a clear call-to-action. Make your CTA a simple instruction for action. Think Buy Now, Learn More, Call, or Visit.

Take Your Google Presence to the Next Level

The Internet provides a promising opportunity to grow your business even bigger. this is often through the assistance of what we call ‘digital marketing,’ which involves the utilization of varied Internet marketing solutions.

When your company decides to take a position in online marketing, there are variety of strategies you’ll try that are proven effective within the past. And, whether your business is local-focus (targeting certain geo-locations) or not, you’ll surely get in touch with SponsoredLinX, which will assist you in putting your plan into action. Such companies can assist you with the following:

Developing an internet site for your business – having an internet site that would best represent your business is important for online marketing. as an example , if the character of your business is to sell products then having an e-commerce site might be an enormous help for more sales. Although this might cost you some amount of cash , it’s vital for the inspiration of the reputation and online presence you’re trying to create .

Working for program optimization – once you’ve got an internet site , you’ll probably work for organic program marketing (SEO). New York SEO involves strategies to extend your website’s presence within the eyes of major search engines (Google, Yahoo, and Bing). When your site is more visible on SERPs (search engine results page) the more visitors your website could receive.

To increase awareness of your local business, you must also understand the words consumers are typing into Google to find your products or services. Google’s Keyword Planner works to find the keywords that are most relevant to your business by showing you how often keywords are searched and how their search volume changes over time. You can then implement these keywords into their messaging, website and paid advertising campaigns – and your Google Posts.

Once you understand your keywords, consider implementing a paid digital marketing strategy to get in front of your customers. For example, tactics such as paid social media advertising alongside search engine marketing can improve business awareness with nearby customers, giving them a digital roadmap to your store.

Using these tools and insights, small businesses must remember to keep their marketing strategy true to their brand. With that in mind, along with a few SEO tips and tricks, local retailers can rise to the top – of the market, and the search engine.

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How to Create an Effective and Cohesive Online and Offline Marketing Strategy with a okr coach https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2017/09/how-to-create-an-effective-and-cohesive-online-and-offline-marketing-strategy.html/ Fri, 15 Sep 2017 17:00:49 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=50191 It is undeniable that the internet has changed everything about how businesses operate. Take for example marketing. Once upon a time, the only marketing option for businesses was print and media – newspapers, billboards, TV ads, and mailing out brochures and sales flyers. Today, the internet provides a whole new avenue for advertising products and […]

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It is undeniable that the internet has changed everything about how businesses operate. Take for example marketing. Once upon a time, the only marketing option for businesses was print and media – newspapers, billboards, TV ads, and mailing out brochures and sales flyers. Today, the internet provides a whole new avenue for advertising products and services, many of which can be free. This is why it’s a good idea to join Instagram as soon as you can. You can start learning these new ropes. Does that mean that traditional marketing, or what is commonly referred to as ‘offline marketing’ should be ignored? No way! Let’s talk about why companies should look at creating effective and cohesive online and offline Telegenic Marketing strategies.

The Great Marketing Divide: Online vs. Offline

Since the inception of the internet and the introduction of social media and a plethora of other tools built to help businesses promote their services online, many companies have abandoned traditional marketing efforts. Price plays a major factor in why many have transitioned solely to online marketing. Yet, another major reason is the reach and sheer volume of people they can get their products in front of.  But as we often know, bigger (reach) is not always better. Nowadays, people are becoming more mobile when they use the internet. Moreover, over 46% of Google searches are location-based. The local community needs to know where they can fulfill their needs. For tourists, it is about them finding your establishment when they arrive, and how to know when you need an SEO company that specializes in local services.

What traditional marketing provides to businesses is a more targeted and localized reach. This is of particular importance for brick-and-mortar brands looking to capture the audience within their community. The power of advertising in local newspapers or magazines and on local radio or television integrates a brand with its local audience. Thus focusing the dollars spent on a higher value target versus casting a wide net, hoping to gain a few ideal customers.

What many savvy businesses are beginning to understand is that integrating the best of traditional marketing methods with the best of online marketing techniques into a cohesive strategy can have tremendous value and ROI.

Creating a Cohesive Online and Offline Marketing Strategy

Businesses looking to maximize their marketing efforts need to develop a cohesive strategy. A strategy that integrates their online and offline efforts to create a seamless brand experience.

According to an article from Marketing Land Notes:

“Marketers can capitalize on that feeling of a seamless brand presence to drive a stronger interaction between online and offline channels. What’s needed is a marketing system that integrates offline display promotions and print advertising with digital marketing such as paid ads, banners, and social media posts.”

It starts with driving offline audiences to online channels and conversely driving online clients to offline outlets to leverage reach and conversion. An example of this would be a radio ad that drives people to a website or a television ad that includes a social media hashtag. This type of cross-channel strategy proves highly effective since it can lead to both offline and online purchases.


How you #smallbiz can maximize its #marketing efforts with a cohesive offline and #online strategy.
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Don’t Forget Marketing 101

One thing that marketers need to keep in mind when looking to develop their online/offline marketing strategy is marketing basics. Or, what we refer to as Marketing 101. No marketing will be successful if you fail to follow simple marketing rules such as:

  • Be relevant
  • Create a customized experience
  • Stay true to your brand
  • Know which outlet works best for each part of your audience and create your ads accordingly

While many marketing basics remain the same, the methods used to promote products and services has changed dramatically. Many colleges and universities have recognized this and have created specialized programs to help educate on the changes and in ways that work for today’s busy professionals.

To find greater marketing success, take a look at your current marketing initiatives. See how you can improve your ROI by integrating your online and offline

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This 3-Step B2B Marketing Plan Can Bring You More Sales https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2017/08/this-3-step-b2b-marketing-plan-can-bring-you-more-sales.html/ Thu, 31 Aug 2017 14:56:43 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=50146 I get it: You’ve probably had your fair share of reading countless articles online about B2B marketing strategies, haven’t you? And if I’m guessing right, most of the write-ups you’ve read are generic — borderline useless — that you can’t even imagine why anyone would take the time to write such a piece. Don’t worry; […]

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I get it: You’ve probably had your fair share of reading countless articles online about B2B marketing strategies, haven’t you?

And if I’m guessing right, most of the write-ups you’ve read are generic — borderline useless — that you can’t even imagine why anyone would take the time to write such a piece.

Don’t worry; this article isn’t one of those.

If you’re sick and tired of reading pointless articles about B2B marketing disguised as “must-read guides,” then you’re in the right place.

B2B Marketing professionals from Novus are going to share with you a 3-step marketing strategy that you can use to grow your customer base. If you take the time to implement/use the steps detailed in this guide, I promise you’ll get positive results out of your marketing endeavors one way or the other.

Let’s hop right in.

Step 1: Scrape data from directory sites to get leads.

The YellowPages is the next best thing since sliced bread for business owners and marketers who are looking for clients in a B2B setting.

Not only does the website have bazillions of people visiting them on a monthly basis (Similarweb says they have about 40.50 million unique monthly visitors), but the platform also houses truckloads of businesses in their database.

Don’t believe me?

Allow me to show you a glimpse of what the platform has to offer.

For the sake of example, I’ll look for  a Marketing Agency to help grow your business in Los Angeles, CA.

I see 3000+ businesses listed.

While I doubt that all of the business listed are real (some of them are probably closed already), I’m sure you’ll agree that a good bit of the businesses listed here are still alive and kicking.

That being said, if you’ll go to YP to scrape the website and contact information of your target business, then you’d be able to come up with a list of people to target real fast.

Once you have the list ready, you can start sending outreach messages to the business owners. Depending on your take on what B2B selling is all about, this might or might not be a good tactic for you to try. If you’re more comfortable with pure inbound marketing, as opposed to inbound mixed with outbound, then scraping the YellowPages and then reaching out cold is probably not a good fit for you.

Just remember, there is more to scraping data from the internet than just using it to come up with a list of people to reach out to. The benefits of web scraping are far overreaching. Not only can you use web scraping to find leads, but you can also use it to study your competitors’ marketing strategies, get better insights on how your target audience are reacting to offers, or extract data from websites.

At this point, you should already have a list of businesses whom you can reach out to. However, before you do just that, I urge you to do step number two first.

Step 2: Use Twitter to establish your personal brand.

Having an established brand is important before reaching out to others — especially to business owners. With all the spammers on the internet, almost everyone tends to be wary of who’s reaching out to them. If they do their research and see that the person who reached out to them doesn’t have a strong enough clout, then it’d be easier for them to dismiss the person as a spammer, therefore, ignoring the person.

Of course, you do not want to be ignored by the business owners whom you’ll reach out to.

After all, what good will the list that you’ve put together in step number one be if none of them will reply to your outreach message, right?

Well, it’s a good thing there’s Twitter.

Establishing your brand through Twitter is fairly simple to pull off since there are Twitter automation tools that you can use to increase your Twitter following. There are a couple of nifty things that these automation tools can do for you. Narrow.io’s features allow you to follow/unfollow people automatically, and also “Likes” other people’s posts if their posts have the keywords that you added in your account settings.

With these two features alone, you’d be able to grow your Twitter followers (therefore establishing your brand, to some extent), without you having to spend countless hours on Twitter. You just need to set the Twitter automation tool one-time, and you’re pretty much ready to go.

Step 3: Start your outreach.

At this point, you should already have two very crucial ingredients to your client acquisition endeavor: 1) A list of prospects that you can reach out to, and 2) An established enough brand as evidenced by your Twitter profile having thousands of followers. Now that you have these two points readied, it’s time for you to start reaching out to your list of prospects.

There are several angles you take when reaching out to your leads. You can either offer them freebies to get them to open up to you, you can straight up pitch your services on your first email (rarely should you do this), or you can contact them offering to collaborate with them on a project of some sort (among other things).

Because there’s no way I can predict which approach you’ll take, allow me to share with you some guidelines that you need to consider when creating your outreach messages.

These are some of the crucial points that you need to consider to get better conversion rates.

  1. Talk about how the recipients can benefit from you, and not on how awesome you are.
  2. Keep your message as concise as possible.
  3. Make sure that your message have these elements: a) How they can benefit from you, b) A short statement telling why they can trust you, and c) A clear statement telling them what exactly it is that you want them to do. When you have these points in your message, your chances of getting a reply drastically increases.

Whether you’re pitching a guest post, straight-up selling your services, or you’re trying to build a strategic partnership with your prospects; you’ll get better results out of your outreach methods with the points above.

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15 Tips Small-Business Entrepreneurs Should Keep in Mind When Asking for Testimonials https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2017/08/15-tips-small-business-entrepreneurs-should-keep-in-mind-when-asking-for-testimonials.html/ Fri, 18 Aug 2017 13:00:55 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=50089 The Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) is an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, YEC recently launched BusinessCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses. 1. Ask Upfront  I ask many of our customers during an initial conversation for a testimonial if we do […]

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The Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) is an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, YEC recently launched BusinessCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses.

1. Ask Upfront 

Krish ChopraI ask many of our customers during an initial conversation for a testimonial if we do a great job. Everyone will always say “yes,” so when the time comes you have a reference point of a soft commitment. Additionally, it reaffirms our commitment to put our customers first so they have a great experience. – Krish ChopraNurse Practitioner Clinical Rotations 

2. Be Concise 

JaredBrownWhen asking for a testimonial, no need to ramble on and on before getting to the point. Keep in mind that time is valuable, and you don’t want to annoy people with a drawn-out request. Keep things short and to the point, let them know that you value their opinion, and direct them to where they should go to write a short review, plain and simple. – Jared BrownHubstaff Talent 

3. Come From a Place of Gratitude, Not Pressure 

Rachel BeiderWhen we ask clients for a testimonial, we let them know how much it means to us. Every review has the ability to really help our small business grow and is so impactful to the company. “Your review would really mean a lot to us, we are so thankful that you’re considering it” goes a long way. – Rachel BeiderMassage Greenpoint, Massage Williamsburg 

4. Find Your Quantifier 

Kenny NguyenExplain metrics. When it comes to testimonials, you need to find a way to quantify what you did for a business to justify their spending. We live in a world where people have more information at their fingertips more than ever, and finding ways to prove we do what we do will only help our cause. – Kenny NguyenBig Fish Presentations 

5. Show Your Appreciation 

Cynthia JohnsonTell them “thank you” for taking the time to do the testimonial and give them something after they have done it, like a discount or other promotion. Wait until after so it doesn’t seem like you are buying that testimonial.- Cynthia JohnsonIpseity Media 

6. Offer Past Testimonials to Motivate and Guide 

Piyush JainIt’s not always easy to get a testimonial, even from a happy client. We show them our past testimonials to motivate, as well as to make it easier on how to word the testimonials. We show them both the video and text testimonials. A video testimonial is always better. Sometimes we have to follow up several times to get it, but the client will provide it as long as you pursue it. – Piyush JainSIMpalm 

7. Make It Easy for Yourself 

Zev HermanFrom my experience, I think the best way to ask for testimonials is to use what people are already saying, like when your team finishes a project and the client can’t stop raving about how wonderful your team and their work is. That’s the ideal time to ask, “Would you mind if we write this down?” Obtaining outstanding testimonials is only as tough as you make it.  – Zev HermanSuperior Lighting 

8. Request a Video Testimonial 

Shawn PoratNot everyone is comfortable giving a video testimonial, but the immense value makes it worthwhile to ask. Let them know that it doesn’t have to be long: It usually only takes a couple of minutes to give a summary of their experience. When people can see a satisfied customer talking into the camera, it’s much more persuasive than text. Let them know a written testimonial is fine as well, of course.- Shawn PoratScorely 

9. Make the Request Personal 

Mark KrassnerWhen reaching out to users for testimonials, we’ve had big success when the request comes directly from me or from our community guide and has a personal touch. Perhaps you mention their state, number of logins or some unique piece of data they’ve shared when they signed up. Aside from being more likely to get a testimonial, your customer will feel more connected with your brand. – Mark KrassnerExpectful 

10. Look for Honesty 

Blair ThomasMany times, business owners view testimonials as a free review of their product or service, and so they tend to approach negative testimonials as detractors. The reality is, the more honest the insight from your consumer, the more constructive and helpful the testimonial is for you and your company. Testimonials should be honest, candid and help your company learn and grow. – Blair ThomaseMerchantBroker

11. Know When and Where to Ask 

Dan GoldenKnow when and where to ask for a testimonial. Use a data-driven method with a platform like CLIENTpulse to know where your best and happiest customers are. Asking for a testimonial at the wrong time could sound tone deaf and hurt your relationship. Then, once you receive a testimonial, send a thank you card or do something out of the ordinary to show your appreciation. – Dan GoldenBFO (Be Found Online)

12. Have the Right Group Make the Request 

Roger LeeWhoever communicated with the customer last or most frequently, such as an account manager or customer support employee, should be the one requesting the testimonial. When a CEO or marketing person emails out of the blue, it seems very one-sided: You’ve never talked to them before, and the first thing you ask for is a favor. There’s no need to dilute the goodwill they’ve already naturally built with someone else. – Roger LeeCaptain401 

13. Offer Incentives for Photos 

Diego OrjuelaWhen a testimonial is accompanied by a photo of the person who sent it, the text will have a much higher conversion rate than one without a photo. Offer incentives to people to send in testimonials along with a photograph. We offer $20 gift cards to customers who include a photo along with their testimonial and make it easy asking if we can use their Facebook profile pic.- Diego OrjuelaCables & Sensors 

14. Use One of Their Online Reviews 

Jared AtchisonAsk your customer if you could publish their online review of your product on your site. Paste the review in the email to make it easy for them to remember and mention their business in the signature of the testimonial. – Jared AtchisonWPForms

15. Offer Pre-Written Testimonials for Them to Edit or Approve 

Christopher SwenorThe best way to get a few testimonials is to make it easy by offering to prepare them for your customers. Reach out to a few power users or loyal customers and ask if they would be willing to provide a testimonial or approve a pre-written one. If it’s easy, they will be more inclined to help. – Christopher SwenorEast Coast Product 

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14 Important Things to Remember Before Your First Livestream https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2017/07/14-important-things-to-remember-before-your-first-livestream.html/ Fri, 28 Jul 2017 13:00:52 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=49999 The Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) is an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, YEC recently launched BusinessCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses. 1. Be Your Authentic Self  People lose this part of themselves when livestreaming for the first time. If you are […]

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The Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) is an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, YEC recently launched BusinessCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses. 


1. Be Your Authentic Self 

lawrence watkinsPeople lose this part of themselves when livestreaming for the first time. If you are naturally energetic, be energetic! If you are naturally informative, share insightful information. There are many types of people doing livestreams and they all have their own style. Highlight your strengths from the start and then work on masking your weaknesses later on. 

– Lawrence WatkinsGreat Black Speakers 


2. Watch Other Livestreams 

Angela RuthWatch as many livestreams as possible first to see what you like and don’t like so that you can either incorporate them into what you do or avoid certain things. This benchmarking can vastly improve your delivery. 

– Angela RuthDue 


3. Consider the Impact of Background Noises 

Adam SteeleSetting is huge. One thing I underestimated was the amount and intensity of the sounds you can tune out in a normal office that suddenly come through like wasps in a recording. Grinding road sounds and construction can ruin a whole take. You need to be somewhere as silent as possible when you begin. 

– Adam SteeleThe Magistrate 


4. Script It and Practice It 

Nicole MunozYou don’t need a full Shakespearean monologue, but you should have a well-rehearsed outline of what you want to communicate. Practice a few times with your video camera in front of you to get a good feel for what you look like and how you are conveying your message. Remember, 80% is how you say something rather than what you are actually saying. 

– Nicole MunozStart Ranking Now 


5. Create an Outline 

Solomon ThimothyIf you’re going to livestream for the first time, it’s very important that you’re fully prepared. Have a set outline with key talking points that you’d like to address to stay on topic. There’s a lot of things that could go wrong when livestreaming, but being prepared will likely lead to a successful stream and help prevent any potential issues. 

– Solomon ThimothyOneIMS 


6. Don’t Skimp on Technology 

Diego OrjuelaJust because livestreaming removes the need for post-production editing and inherently communicates a more immediate, laidback method of communicating to an audience, don’t try to cut costs by using low-cost equipment. Professional cameras and high-quality audio equipment will easily increase the professionalism of your livestream, check this speakers to have a good sound trough all the video

– Diego OrjuelaCables & Sensors 


7. Plan for a Longer Video 

Kenny NguyenWe’ve learned that if you’re only livestreaming for five to 10 minutes, you are not likely to get a large chunk of your audience. We recommend doing content that spans from 20 to 30 minutes, as people regularly check streams in intervals and you’re more likely to catch someone in the middle of your stream (especially for those just checking their Facebook). If your content is good, they’ll rewatch it. 

– Kenny NguyenBig Fish Presentations 


8. Invest in a Camera or Phone Stand 

Adelyn ZhouInvest in a stand for the camera or phone for a steady video recording. Second to bad audio quality is shaky, fuzzy video, which gives the viewer a headache. Also, know which format you’re streaming in and position your camera for horizontal or vertical streams appropriately. For example, Facebook Live videos are horizontal but Snap Stories and Facebook Stories tend to be vertical. 

– Adelyn ZhouTOPBOTS 


9. Keep Practicing 

Karl KangurIf you haven’t done it before, being on camera might feel awkward. It’s OK, you’ll figure it out. The more you do it, the easier it gets, and you’ll find out what works and what doesn’t. 

– Karl KangurMRR Media 


10. Go Through Some Basic Media Training 

Leila LewisBefore livestreaming, invest some time and money into media training. Hire a professional or watch tutorials on YouTube. You want to have some idea of what you are doing before broadcasting yourself to the world! 

– Leila LewisBe Inspired PR 


11. Make Sure Everything Is Working Beforehand 

Erik BullenTest your sound and your camera. Ensure you have a reliable internet connection. Avoid making last-minute adjustments, and set everything up how you want it in advance of starting. That will help you get down to business. 

– Erik BullenMageMail 


12. Use the Right Lighting 

Cody McLainA camera, any camera (not just an SRL or mirrorless camera) needs light in order to create vivid images. Just by playing around with lights, you can change the mood of a video, which is even more pertinent in a livestream. Most livestreams look dingy and miserable (with yellow undertones), and while I stick around because the content is interesting, it’s irritating. Invest in three-point lighting. 

– Cody McLainSupportNinja 


13. Think of It As a Conversation 

Cynthia JohnsonMake it fun and throw yourself into it so you come across as natural as possible. It’s easy to get nervous, but you will appear so stiff. Go with it and remind yourself that you are just having a conversation with someone you know well. 

– Cynthia JohnsonIpseity Media 


14. Have Fun 

Abhilash PatelNo one likes watching someone who is rigid and clearly reading a message. Get on camera, have fun and be yourself. People like seeing real-life, authentic faces — it allows them to relate to you even more and can inspire them in their lives. 

– Abhilash PatelRecovery Brands 

 

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Seven Things You Should Know About Starting a Small Business https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2017/07/seven-things-you-should-know-about-starting-a-small-business.html/ Thu, 27 Jul 2017 17:52:34 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=50071 Starting a new business venture is very exciting – and nerve wracking. However, there are several things you can do to help make your way through the fog and find success as you launch, build and grow your business. Take a look at these seven tips to help you start your small business. Ignore the […]

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Starting a new business venture is very exciting – and nerve wracking. However, there are several things you can do to help make your way through the fog and find success as you launch, build and grow your business. Take a look at these seven tips to help you start your small business.

Ignore the statistics.

People will always share the scary statistics – only one in five businesses survive past their first year of operation, and half no longer exist after five years. Do not listen to those people. They throw around those statistics to give you an easy out if you want to throw in the towel. Many people start businesses and don’t commit, or they fail to learn how to manage their money. Don’t worry about the odds that aren’t in your favor. Focus on the odds that are.

Start a business that focuses on something you care about.

Don’t start a business that you want to do temporarily. Think about what you’ll still enjoying doing in five or ten years. Why? Because hopefully you are successful, and if so, you’ll be running this same business in five or ten years.

You won’t know everything.

Truth be told, you won’t know a lot when you start. Go ahead and start anyway. You’ll learn as you go along, figuring things out based on real life experiences or with the help of mentors. Don’t let your fears stand in the way of starting that business you’ve always dreamed of. You’ll learn which tools start-ups need to succeed and how to best manage others. Give yourself time and don’t be afraid to ask other successful business owners for help.

Don’t partner with just anyone.

Select your partner with care. Partner with a person because he or she makes you stronger. The wrong partner will make the business you’ve dreamed of not be the business you’ve dreamed up. They may cause more problems that they’re worth and you could end up not enjoying your work. 

Learn all about financing options before you leap.

Starting a business means you need to secure small business financing options and there’s a good chance you aren’t sure where to begin. From SBA loans to merchant cash advance to business lines of credit, the type of financing you utilize to pursue your business can have a profound impact on the future of your business. Take your time and evaluate your options so you can learn about financing for small businesses so you can make an informed decision.

Realize there’s a difference between dedication and obsession.

Go ahead and go on past that line of dedication. Don’t let anyone tell you that you are too obsessed or overly passionate about anything, especially your business idea. It’s okay and a good thing if you feel so strongly about something. That obsession will help you find success and not throw in the towel when the going gets tough.

Read books as often as possible.

Make it a point to sit down and read. If you don’t have time, listen to audio books in the car or when you’re completing other tasks. Read more than just business books. Read self-help books, motivational books, fiction books, and biographies – anything and everything you can get your hands on.

Entrepreneurship can be a little scary. The tips above can help you navigate your way through the uncharted territory of business ownership with some confidence.

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Want to Reach Millennials? Try These 13 Marketing Tactics https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2017/07/want-to-reach-millennials-try-these-13-marketing-tactics.html/ Fri, 21 Jul 2017 13:00:14 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=50016 The Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) is an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, YEC recently launched BusinessCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses. 1. Word-of-Mouth Referrals One of my companies runs events for millennials, and the strongest marketing tool we have is word-of-mouth referrals. […]

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The Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) is an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, YEC recently launched BusinessCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses. 


1. Word-of-Mouth Referrals 

Darrah BrusteinOne of my companies runs events for millennials, and the strongest marketing tool we have is word-of-mouth referrals. Nothing is stronger than a friend telling another to check out this great event they attended. It’s even better that it’s free! 

– Darrah BrusteinNetwork Under 40 

2. Doing Fun Stuff As a Company 

Brett FarmiloeWe’re a marketing agency that employs a millennial majority. We recently took our company bowling to celebrate our company anniversary. While bowling, I looked around and noticed that the majority of our employees were on their phones, Snapchatting, Instagramming, texting — essentially broadcasting their experience. Doing fun stuff for employees and clients is cost-effective and engaging. 

– Brett FarmiloeMarkitors 

3. Facebook Pixel 

Diego OrjuelaNot only does retargeting millennials via Facebook Pixel happen within Facebook itself, but the advertising network of the world’s largest social network also reaches millions of other online properties where millennials hang out. By logging Facebook visitors using Pixel, you can reach out to this audience cost-effectively knowing exactly what products they are interested in and keeping them engaged. 

– Diego OrjuelaCables & Sensors 

4. Facebook Live 

Kenny NguyenTo target young millennials, we give insight into our culture and the people we surround ourselves with through Facebook Live. As a millennial myself, I figure most millennials are on their phones, so why not give them something to watch? We do two types of content via Facebook Live: interviews with local friends that have strong brand followings, and content featuring fun stuff that we do. 

– Kenny NguyenBig Fish Presentations 

5. Exclusive Content for Facebook Groups 

Krish ChopraThere’s an incredible number of highly engaged Facebook groups that are consistently growing. We’ve been creating free guides, courses and e-books to just offer tons of value to these students. The results have been great: increased website traffic, sales, social media engagement and appreciation. Give something out that’s valuable and watch your presence online increase significantly faster. 

– Krish ChopraNurse Practitioner Clinical Rotations 

6. In-App Coupons and Discounts 

Tommy MelloMillennials are open to trying new products or services if they can save some money in the process. My company is focused on quality and speed over price, so I use in-app coupons to get millennials to try my services. This is a cost-effective tactic because I only need to give away part of my margins to get a new client. Once they are in, I provide the best service so they come back for more. 

– Tommy MelloA1 Garage Door Repair 

7. Social Media 

Andrew SchrageSocial media marketing is especially cost-effective as it really only involves an investment of your time. Plus, it’s a great way to engage millennials. Respond to each and every comment and run interactive contests and polls as well. 

– Andrew SchrageMoney Crashers Personal Finance 

8. Giveaways and Contests 

Adelyn ZhouGiveaways and contests still work to engage an audience of all ages, including millennials. Offer experiences, rather than products, that millennials can take videos and photos of to share with friends over social media. They will also tag you and help generate awareness of your brand. 

– Adelyn ZhouTOPBOTS 

9. Segmented Marketing Campaigns 

Erik HubermanMillennials, like all generations, do not comprise a single demographic. It’s shortsighted to assume they share preferences and interests across the board. Look at the real characteristics of your actual customers instead of targeting according to age bracket. Run marketing campaigns that center on age, income level, gender and other potential variables. 

– Erik HubermanHawke Media 

10. Giving Back 

Kelly EhlersAt our company, it’s the small, human touch points that really drive success within our client base, and most importantly our millennial staff (which represents 95% of the company). We do bi-weekly charitable “give back” sessions and volunteer with organizations like The Road Home, Ronald McDonald House, Rotary International, etc. 

– Kelly EhlersIdeas That Evoke 

11. Video Content 

Matthew CapalaVideo is a great way to have a lot of content that is driven toward millennials. Once you become comfortable with the camera being on and your phone being at the ready to shoot some content, it can become part of a routine as normal as sending an email. To become more comfortable with this without hiring a coach, try mini-shoots daily. Editing becomes the biggest battle! 

– Matthew CapalaSearch Decoder 

12. User-Generated Content 

Brooke PetersonWe rely on user-generated content to reach millennials. This audience prefers to learn from their peers and doesn’t trust advertisements, so the best way to reach them is to let their peers do the talking. We do this by getting customers to create testimonials (written and video), as well as posting on social media and tagging us. This is an endorsement of our brand to all their friends. 

– Brooke PetersonCausely 

13. Partnering With Niche Influencers 

Kyle GoguenInfluencers are a great way expand your reach and connect with millennials, but many people make the mistake of trying to find influencers with a wide reach rather than a deep one. Focus on influencers in a relevant niche and prioritize high-quality content. Get specific and focused in order to stretch your dollars and efforts further. Nurture those influencer relationships and you’ll see great results. 

– Kyle GoguenPawstruck 

 

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Filling the Funnel: 3 Steps to Turning Cold Leads into Hot Prospects https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2017/07/3-steps-turning-cold-emails-into-leads.html/ Sat, 15 Jul 2017 19:23:57 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=50042 Every business has its periods of ebb and flow. Some months have people lining up to throw cash at you while others make you feel like a desperate door-to-door salesman. During the slow times, it makes a world of difference to have an established system in place for generating new leads and pushing them into […]

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Every business has its periods of ebb and flow. Some months have people lining up to throw cash at you while others make you feel like a desperate door-to-door salesman.

During the slow times, it makes a world of difference to have an established system in place for generating new leads and pushing them into and through your sales funnel.

This is obviously much easier said than done.

Inbound marketing efforts are not always effective. The leads you do have go cold. And even more often, people are just downright uninterested.

If this is the situation your brand is currently facing, fret not for you can refill your marketing funnel with just a few steps and a little bit of guidance.

1. Land in the Right Inboxes

When your sales funnel is barren, there are a variety of ways to drum up leads. You can ask current customers for referrals, attend networking events and collect business cards, write informative articles in publications your desired audience gravitates towards, and so on.

There is a good chance, however, that even these tactics will fall short and you will have to mine for prospects using search engines and platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and other social destinations.

The key to this method is selecting an industry or demographic that has proven particularly fruitful in the past and targeting these individuals.

Create a spreadsheet for this folks and organize them by their likelihood to be interested in your offerings.

Before reaching out, however, it is necessary to ensure you have the correct and appropriate email address. Since people have, on average, 1.7 email accounts, your best bet at catching their attention is using a corporate address; this, unfortunately, is not always easy to find.

In such situations, it is wise to deploy an automatic email finding tool.

This type of service will save you tons of man hours hunting down the correct address and can ensure you are getting in front of your audience.

Once you have the right contact information for your leads, it’s time to start the outreach process.

2. Start Cold Emailing

There are a lot of businesses and entrepreneurs that shy away from cold emailing tactics and largely consider these types of communications to be spam; this is nonsense as cold emails are still a widely used technique in various fields and are (more importantly) still quite effective.

You do, however, need to know how to appropriately construct your message and grab their attention. Anything that is are extraneous in any sort of way will get glossed over and eventually canned.

Start by ditching the introduction. Forget telling people about who you are or what your company does. Honestly, at this point, they don’t care.

Get right to the meat of your pitch by pointing out your prospect’s potential pain point and how you can solve it.

Additionally, considering that there are 205 billion emails sent every day, cold emails have a tremendous tendency to get lost in the mix.

This means that you need to continuously follow-up to verify they have seen your message. If this sounds time consuming, that’s because it is.

A more efficient technique involves leveraging a cold email outreach service like Mailshake which allows you to schedule various follow ups at custom intervals.

These types of services are not only an incredible resource for helping to maximize your funnel filling potential, but they often provide other beneficial tools for brands to utilize such as templates, analytics, and other insightful features.

Using this method, you are far more likely to gain the attention of a prospect than by simply sending a solitary email and crossing your fingers that they respond.

3. Know How to Follow-Up Effectively

You’ve manage to hook your lead and gain their interest; fantastic!

Now you need to close the deal.

Sending your prospect a business proposal is one of the best and most effective ways to showcase your company’s skillset and its ability to generate results.

Again, easier said than done.

Starting your proposal off on the right note and organizing the material in a convincing and appealing way is no small feat. Your copy needs to be insanely compelling. Additionally, company data like objectives, strategy proposal, campaign breakdowns, pricing packages, and more all need to be featured in an appealing and professional manner.

If this is something that you struggle with, you might want to consider setting your frustrations aside and utilize a powerful proposal software like PandaDoc that eliminates many of these pain points.

Any proposal software worthy of your time and money should be dynamic in its ability to create, send, and sign documents while also providing useful resources like templates, analytics features, and information archives that allow users to become increasingly effective at writing organized proposals.

Cold emails can often feel like a shot in the dark; especially when your company’s sales funnel is running on empty. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

There are extremely viable options for vetting out cold contacts, making sure they get in front of the right eyeballs at the right time and with the right message in order to move them into your sales funnel and get them to convert.

If your brand needs a refill on prospects, this is proven method to welcoming new and loyal prospects into your all-important sales funnels.

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12 Negotiation Tactics That Actually Work https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2017/07/12-negotiation-tactics-that-actually-work.html/ Fri, 14 Jul 2017 13:00:15 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=49963 The Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) is an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, YEC recently launched BusinessCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses. 1. Be Honest and Don’t Oversell  Make sure to be honest and don’t promise the world. When you oversell, […]

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The Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) is an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, YEC recently launched BusinessCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses.

1. Be Honest and Don’t Oversell 

Krish ChopraMake sure to be honest and don’t promise the world. When you oversell, you look unrealistic and immature. I let every potential client know that issues will come up, and what differentiates us is that we over-communicate when those issues arise. The biggest fear clients have is that you’ll disappear during challenges. When I do this in meetings, I immediately see my potential client’s guard drop.   – Krish Chopra, United Medical Rotations

2. Identify What Matters Most to Them 

megansmithWhether it’s a larger contract or an employee’s salary increase, I connect with a passion point when negotiating. What does the company or the individual care about the most? I focus on how I am best able to fill that need by whatever it is I am proposing. They may not love the number we end up with, but their most important need will be met by what I am offering. We all win.   – Megan SmithBrownstone PR 

3. Let Silence Work for You 

Christopher KellySilence. It’s my favorite negotiation tactic. When you ask for something and somebody says no, if you just leave space for awkward silence, they have to say something — and it’s usually a move toward the middle.   – Christopher Kelly, Convene 

4. Discover Areas of Mutual Gain 

Doug BendSpend time to discover the other party’s goals to increase the mutual gains achieved in the negotiation. For example, if the other party won’t budge on price, focus instead on other areas of the agreement, such as the length and scope of the warranty, a discount for purchasing in bulk, and other areas of interest that might provide even more profit for both parties.   – Doug Bend, Bend Law Group, PC

5. Line Up Other Offers 

Elisa Miller-OutYou will always have more leverage in a negotiation if you have other alternative offers on the table. This gives you the opportunity to create some excitement and drive up the numbers in your favor. However, don’t push too hard or you risk losing all of the offers. It’s always a balancing act.   – Elisa Miller-Out, Singlebrook

6. Change Your Outlook 

Kim KaupeChange your outlook: Don’t see negotiations as one-sided victories, but instead as an exercise in creatively finding a solution where everyone feels like they won. Before entering a negotiation think about what a “win” would look like from the other side: Is it lower prices, more of X or less of Y? See how you can meet halfway from the start and present it as such.   – Kim Kaupe, ZinePak

7. Talk Figures First 

Vik PatelThe anchoring effect is a quirk of human psychology that can be useful in negotiations. The first figure mentioned acts as an anchor, setting the context for further negotiations. You’re unlikely to get agreement on the figure you first mention (so keep that in mind when deciding on a figure) but the anchor can help move the final figure in a direction that benefits you.   – Vik Patel, Future Hosting

8. Don’t Be Afraid to Start High 

Elle KaplanWe often have more value than we give ourselves credit for. That’s why a successful negotiation should involve setting your sights high and asking for more than you’d normally settle for. Often you’ll be surprised when they take the offer, and even if they don’t that’s typically a stronger position than starting low and trying to negotiate up.   – Elle Kaplan, LexION Capital

9. Never Be The First to Say The Figure 

Diego OrjuelaI made this mistake numerous times. Once I caught on to it, I’ve always come out on the winning side of a negotiation. As soon as you state the figure, you are negotiating against yourself. You’ve told the other party where you want to be and you will never go up from there. If you get the other person to state the figure first, you can benefit if the number was higher than yours.   – Diego Orjuela, Cables & Sensors

10. Stick to Your Guns 

Drew HendricksStand firm and confident when you deliver your side of the negotiation. You don’t have to use intimidation, but you can give off outward confidence. Maybe it’s bluffing on some level, but it does help in certain instances when the other side realizes they can’t wear you down or push you around. It’s worked for me to exude this confidence and unemotional air.   – Drew Hendricks, Buttercup

11. Listen More Than You Talk 

Leila LewisMost people approach negotiation with the mindset that they need to communicate the importance of what they want. It’s much more effective to have an understanding of what the other person wants and leverage that to get what you need. Doing this while negotiating brand deals for my clients has resulted in my clients always getting what is most important to them out of a deal.   – Leila Lewis, Be Inspired PR

12. Prepare Alternatives 

Michael AvertoBefore the negotiation begins, prepare! Know what your alternatives are on the issues that matter to you. I try to list out as bullet points the main interests I have and what I expect to get out of the negotiation. Chances are, some of your interests may slip by without being challenged, but you better be prepared if the only interest you really care about is challenged. What can you offer in that case?   – Michael Averto, ChannelApe

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5 Tips to Building a Successful Marketing Plan for Your Start Up https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2017/07/5-tips-to-building-a-successful-marketing-plan-for-your-start-up.html/ Wed, 12 Jul 2017 14:00:35 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=49925 When starting a new business there’s a lot to be done and putting all the pieces in place can be a bit overwhelming. This is especially true when learning how to market your new enterprise. Today, the world is a much smaller place because of the power of interactive media. You can communicate with anyone… […]

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When starting a new business there’s a lot to be done and putting all the pieces in place can be a bit overwhelming. This is especially true when learning how to market your new enterprise. Today, the world is a much smaller place because of the power of interactive media. You can communicate with anyone… anywhere… anytime. So, the need of the hour is to hire a company offering the best website design and development services.

Website design and development is an important tool which helps you build your brand, penetrate the market and to stay ahead of the competition. Atlogix, provides 360 degree website development delivering dynamic solutions like website design, Graphic Designing, B2B and B2C Services. Push your business towards the global, Get training from experts jimmy liautaud for how to succeed in your training.

So check the following criteria to select an organization to develop your site:-

Check the portfolio of the company offering website design and development services.
The organization should have all hi-tech softwares and tools to execute innovative designs and develop a tech savvy website.
Check the team of designers and IT professionals working for them. Only experts will design and develop a site which will deliver results.
Check the rate card vis-à-vis with some other website design and development workshop.
View their earlier multimedia presentations to get a feel of their work.
Contact other organizations whose website is designed and developed by them.

With the multitude of marketing options in today’s world, it is easy to find yourself spending most of your budget simply testing campaigns and not making any serious headway. Having a clear strategy for starting, maintaining, and analyzing your marketing plan is vital for success. Here are five simple tips to help get you on your way.

Having a great looking website is just the beginning. It takes more than that to create a high demand for your offer. According to the  clickfunnels review given by the Stephen Esketzis, website developed with the help of clickfunnel leads to the increase sales with different types of marketing funnels.

It takes planning, marketing & organizing your business to expand your reach and handle the demand. The choice of hiring a business plan writing service who focuses on the writing of the plan and preparation of the final documents only, versus a business plan consulting firm which can take you through the entire business plan development process, depends on where you are with your understanding of what the plan should express. If you have a strong handle on how to do the research required for your plan (research into the industry, customers, competitors, startup costs, etc.) and on what a successful strategy for this business will look like, you are probably just in need of an experienced business plan writer to draft it into convincing narrative and prepare the final document. When you can answer the questions required of each section of the standard plan outline, even jotting it all in bullet point format, a writer can take you the rest of the way. Furthermore, if you know how to read financial statements and can evaluate the work of a writer you hire to prepare them, you are in the right situation to work with a business plan writer.

Here are a few strategies to help you along your way.

Planning and preparation is at the heart of all of your strategies. It is where you determine the most effective approach to creating a successful internet marketing campaign.

Marketing Plan Development – All great marketing campaigns start with a clear, concise & effective plan with specific measurable results. As the old saying goes – “Failing to Plan is Planning to Fail.” For this reason, we recommend to go through a affiliate training course from the Affiliate Institute to better understand all the concepts.

Keyword Phrase Analysis – Identifying the keywords or keyword phrases is the next step in creating an effective internet marketing strategy. Starting with a few root terms or phrases, conduct an extensive analysis of at least 100 keywords and how frequently they are search for over the internet each month.

Keyword Phrase Selection – After conducting the initial Keyword Phrase Analysis, you are now prepared to begin identifying the absolute best words and phrases for your marketing strategies and content development.

Website Theme & Description Development – By focusing on a major theme, your website becomes more that just another dot com. It because a valuable resource for your customers and visitors. It improves the overall experience and delivers high value.

Core Marketing Strategies

These strategies are the building blocks for your internet marketing success. They are fundamental to producing cost effective results and have stood the test of time. Each core strategy is a proven method for generating targeted buyers or users to your website. When combined with a comprehensive marketing plan, you are literally guaranteed success!

Search Engine Optimization & Placement – Winning at the Search Engine Game is one of the most effective ways to promote your website and build your company! However, it is not the easiest game to play. It takes planning, preparation and patients. It takes completing the above internet marketing preparation, then creating website content that is keyword focused.

Keyword Landing Pages – In addition to selecting the best possible keyword phrases, you need to create 10 – 15 content rich website pages that focus on the terms. These pages could be articles, tips, advice, in-depth case studies, expanded product or service descriptions, etc.

Strategic & Reciprocal Links – As you know, “No Man is an Island” and neither is your website. Finding the right sites to link to yours is a very powerful strategy.

Pay-Per-Click Internet Marketing – Performance based marketing is one of the most cost effective marketing strategies available. By displaying targeted ads to targeted prospects, pay-per-click advertising allows you to pay only if a prospective visitor actually comes to your

Targeted Email Campaigns – Every business needs to communicate with their customers and prospects, and any business can get results quickly, easily and cost effectively using permission-based email marketing.

It’s Inexpensive… It’s Effective… It’s Immediate… It’s Targeted… It’s Easy!

“54% of small businesses surveyed rated e-mail as the top online promotion to drive site visitors and customers to their web sites and storefronts.”

Email marketing is one of the most powerful marketing tools available to businesses of all types and sizes. No matter how you define success, you can achieve outstanding results with email marketing while investing only a small amount of time and an even smaller amount of money…

If you want to learn how to make money blogging , you need to ditch the cookie-cutter advice you’ve been reading.“Expert” bloggers tend to give you generic advice like write about your passions, stay consistent, form good writing habits, and create great content. Then, a few years from now, you’ll finally have enough website traffic to monetize your blog with affiliate programs, Google AdSense, online courses, podcasting, or selling digital products. Affiliate Partner Programs – Starting your own affiliate program is a very powerful way leverage your existing website and generate revenue for yourself and others. In short, it is a very simple concept. You give your affiliate partners a special link that is unique to them.

They place it on their website, include it in their newsletters, and/or promote it in their email campaigns. When one of their visitors or readers buy something or sign up for something, you will pay them a commission. This complete affiliate marketing guide from Factschronicle is among the best ones we have found in the recent times.

Set a Budget, Timeltargetine, and TargetMarket
When trying to figure out where to start with your marketing strategy, it is essential for you to identify your budget, timeline, and TargetMarket. With so many marketing options available, having these three things clearly identified will help you focus your efforts and pinpoint what will work best for your company and current objectives. If you have a small budget, focusing your strategies around social media and bottom funnel efforts will have the most impact for your dollar. If your budget has a little more room in it, then you can look towards ad campaigns that focus on branding, which may include display and awareness campaigns.Having a clear timeline for your marketing plans will help you stay focused and will assure you complete the necessary steps before moving on to your next objective. If your marketing efforts are time sensitive, PPC is one of the most impactful channels when it comes to seeing immediate results. If you have others helping you execute your marketing plans for difficult to rank niches, be sure to keep communication open and regularly check-in with them to make sure everyone is on track and your objectives remain aligned.Being clear on who your TargetMarket is will help reduce wasted and unnecessary ad spend. For example, while a comprehensive Facebook ad campaign may look impressive, if your TargetMarket audience is B2B and not using Facebook in a professional capacity, then even the best campaign will not yield positive results. Likewise, if you’re trying to TargetMarket teens and young adults then allocating your ad budget towards traditional radio as opposed to Pandora and Spotify may be a missed opportunity.When thinking about your marketing initiatives it is essential that you don’t just focus on what you can afford, but also how you can fully maximize your ad spend via the most effective and highest converting channels. Design your success with our expert custom logo design services and professional logo animation for your company.

Utilize Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Content Marketing Plans
Having a strong marketing plan using a Rank Jacker SEO Company Tools Centre sentence rewriter is similar to Paraphrase Tool that includes SEO and content marketing will help fill the gaps in your marketing efforts says our seo gurus. With today’s increasingly competitive landscape it is often not enough to just build a few Google Ads focused on popular keywords; there is a much larger audience that can be captured via a strong search engine presence – making SEO an essential piece of the digital marketing puzzle. High quality, keyword specific content can help increase the effectiveness of your SEO efforts, while also providing value to your customers, placing your brand in high regard within your target audience. 

Integrate Social Media Marketing
To say that you are going to post to Instagram once a day or make a comment or two on Facebook is not an actual social media marketing plan. Take the time to sit down and come up with a clear and consistent messaging strategy across all social media outlets, integrating a mix of various content types, such as promotional, educational, and community engagement.As with any strategy, an effective social media plan will be well thought out, organized, and include goals that are measurable and time sensitive. If you are working with a team, make sure that all necessary stakeholders have a clear idea of what your goals are. More importantly, be sure everyone knows what your desired social media message is. Make sure that your brand stays true to itself and is identifiable from one platform to the next.Evan LePage points out that, “Having these objectives also allows you to quickly react when social media campaigns are not meeting your expectations. Without goals, you have no means of gauging success or proving your social media return on investment.” Earn and go an affiliate marketing company based out of South London! They primarily work with influencers on social media platforms such as Facebook & Instagram. These influencers range from the top ten-percent of verified accounts to local users like you.

Use Paid Search Marketing to Jumpstart Your Efforts
When done correctly, paid search advertising is one of the most profitable marketing channels and can quickly increase the number of qualified leads coming to your website coz ultimately the aim is to find ways to drive traffic to your website by organic traffic or to buy website traffic. Start by doing keyword research to determine what your customers are searching for in hopes of finding the type of product you provide. Tools like Ahrefs Keyword Explorer are extremely useful in coming up with strategic keyword searches that hone in on your target market and their purchase intent, rather than casting a wide net that is likely to produce a lower ROI.Once you have pinpointed your keyword focus and have your ads set up, you can change gears and move on to your next marketing initiative, right?Be sure to track and analyze your data regularly and adjust accordingly, for this you can use marketing services which could help you analyze all your marketing data and take the best decision accordingly.

Track and Analyze Data and Adjust Accordingly
There is nothing more important than making sure your marketing plans are on track and effectively working to accomplish the goals originally set. As per WTS, regardless of the different strategies and marketing channels, all data should be tracked and analyzed regularly.Tools like Google Analytics and SEMrush are essential for keeping track of your various marketing campaigns and website performance. These analytics tools can provide valuable insights to where clicks are converting to sales, how customers are being acquired, and where they are being lost.As this data is collected, be sure to analyze your campaign performance and adjust your strategy accordingly.

Sometimes the hardest thing to do with something as overwhelming as creating a market plan is just knowing where to start. By beginning your plan with a clear idea of your budget, timeline and target market, you can then work to understand where to focus your attention. From there you can move on to the remaining four steps with confidence and success!

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Chatbots Are Not Just for the Big Brands https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2017/07/chatbots-are-not-just-for-the-big-brands.html/ Mon, 10 Jul 2017 14:00:42 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=49921 If you’ve ever asked your smartphone a question like “what’s the weather going to be like today?” or issued a command such as “set an alarm for an hour from now,” and marvelled at the device’s ability to respond and take action, you’ve used a chatbot. The experience is engaging, fun and helpful. That’s why […]

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If you’ve ever asked your smartphone a question like “what’s the weather going to be like today?” or issued a command such as “set an alarm for an hour from now,” and marvelled at the device’s ability to respond and take action, you’ve used a chatbot. The experience is engaging, fun and helpful. That’s why many of the world’s most recognizable brands like CNN, Domino’s Pizza and H&M are investing heavily in creating bots to build customer loyalty. Yes, the artificial intelligence (AI) technology behind the friendly voice is complex and expensive to develop. But that should not preclude small businesses from leveraging chatbots to create new levels of customer engagement and service.

In our digital age, it might be hard to keep up with all the advances in technology. So if you don’t know what are chatbots is, you’re probably not alone. Let’s begin with defining that term. Essentially, a chatbot is simply a type of computer program that engages in conversation with people, either through text messages or audibly. Popular chatbots include IBM’s Watson, LiveChat, and LivePerson, to name just a few. But even if you don’t own one of these devices, you have probably interacted with a chatbot without even knowing it. Many companies currently implement this technology, particularly for information gathering tasks or customer service purposes.

Given the global nature of our modern world, as well as the fact that chatbots are already a commonly used form of artificial intelligence, it will probably come as no surprise that one of the most sought-after products in this field is the multilingual chatbot. The technology is still in its infancy, and it’s easy to understand why. Programming a chatbot with the capability of simultaneously translating language is extremely complicated and time-consuming. There are rare examples of multilingual chatbots on the market today – such as Language I/O® Chat, a product designed to be a customer support tool – but they are few and far between. However, the day will certainly come when a variety of multilingual chatbots are available to businesses. After all, there are several situations where these programs would be useful.

Users typically access chatbots in messenger apps and communications platforms like WeChat, Facebook Messenger, iMessage, Kik, Slack, and Skype. Users type or ask a question, and the chatbot responds with the right information. Just as important as the ability to understand the context of a user’s question or command is the ability to “learn” from that interaction so it can offer more personalized information the next time. For example, if you ask a chatbot for recommendations for a local restaurant, it will analyze volumes of data so it can be proactive in suggesting restaurants that match your preferences the next time you’re out and about.

Next-Gen Marketing

Chatbots are relatively new to the marketing technology scene, and their arrival could not come at a better time. Traditional digital advertising tactics that provide only one-way interactions – from brand to customer – are becoming less effective. Brands push messaging, offers or services to users, but that should just be step one. Moving beyond the one-time interaction and creating an avenue for back-and-forth engagement is the key to building long-term customer relationships.

Conversational bots enable you to communicate the value of your brand to a vast audience, but do so via one-on-one conversations that make users feel like you’re tailoring those interactions to their individual likes and needs. They feel empowered by having command of ongoing interactions that more closely resemble two-way conversations. They can conduct research, ask questions, make a purchase, request help and share experiences with friends.

Email may still be King of the Marketing Hill, but chatbots are proving to be much more effective at getting your brand and messaging in front of customers, and more importantly, getting them to engage with you.

According to MailChip’s February 2017 report on Email Stats[1], the open rate of email campaigns range from 16% to 27%. In contrast, chatbots deployed on messaging platforms like Facebook Messenger boast an open rate over 90%. Even better, the user typically opens and reads a message within five minutes. Think about how you interact with email compared to messaging clients. It’s a good bet you don’t open every single email as soon as it hits your inbox. But when you receive a notification from Facebook Messenger, chances are you read and respond within a few minutes.

Another key difference between email and chatbots is how users consume a message. Emails show all messaging in one window, and frequently include links to web sites that force you to leave the email app. Chatbots show only a bit of information at a time, so the interaction more closely resembles an exchange you have with a friend in your network. The ability for a chatbot to engage with your customers in “conversational commerce” is a key reason why chatbots have a higher stickiness factor than email.

Behind the Curtain

Of course, most small businesses do not have the massive budgets or teams of software engineers necessary to develop their own chatbots. All good AI implementations require the the ever-growing volumes of customer information businesses collect, and investment in technologies that enable the AI to analyze all that data. Additionally, chatbots requires effective natural language processing and neural networks to “understand” and process the context of a user’s question or command.

That’s where partnering with a company like Botworx can help. We have developed a bot platform that allows brands to use chatbots and messaging services not just for customer service and retention, but for acquiring customers. The platform features full lifecycle management and analytics, an AI-powered natural language engine and industry-leading commerce, trust and security features.

Before you create and launch a chatbot, the first step is to determine why you want to use it in the first place. For instance, do you want to attract new customers, improve engagement with current customers, improve customer service levels? All of the above? Don’t start building a bot until you know what purpose(s) it will serve.

The next step is to decide whether you want to build and maintain the chatbot in-house, or partner with a developer.

Just like an e-commerce web site, a chatbot is built on two main components: the user interface on the front end, and the data collection and analysis on the back end. The user interface needs to be simple to use and provide a compelling experience that keeps the user engaged. That’s only possible if the artificial intelligence technology on the back end enables the chatbot to not just provide immediate answers to a user’s question today, but also analyze data on all interactions over time. This enables the chatbot to “learn” to anticipate the information a user will want or need and offer it up on a more proactive basis.

Keep in mind that enabling conversational commerce is just as much as marketing challenge as a technical one. Building loyalty with customers is not as simple as rolling out a new chatbot. You must earn their trust, and that takes more work than convincing a customer to continue interacting with your chatbot after the novelty factor wears off. This requires time and constant effort, but the payoff will be well worth it. The chatbot gives you greater power to acquire customers, engage them with compelling content that’s relevant to them, and monetize those engagements.

[1] Average Email Campaign Stats of MailChimp Customers by Industry, MailChimp. February 1, 2017

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3 Services that Help Generate Income for Your Brand https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2017/07/4-services-that-help-generate-income-for-your-brand.html/ Sun, 09 Jul 2017 08:05:14 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=49987 The intelligent use of small business technologies can make or break any company. Ignore the latest tech trends, and you could become obsolete trying to do everything manually. Be an early adopter of every new craze, and you’ll go bankrupt trying to keep up. So where should you focus your technology integration? Above all else, […]

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The intelligent use of small business technologies can make or break any company. Ignore the latest tech trends, and you could become obsolete trying to do everything manually. Be an early adopter of every new craze, and you’ll go bankrupt trying to keep up.

So where should you focus your technology integration?

Above all else, focus on revenues.

Ideally, as a business owner, you should spend most of your time on production (of your goods or services) or marketing. Everything else is extraneous and eats into your profits, and if you really want to do a good profit, learning about useful strategies for this like Earnandgo, which is highly influencer network and could really make a difference in the way you make money online.

So take a hard look on where you’re spending your time and resources. Identify the tasks that, if automated, could free you up to do what you do best, which will of course equate to higher revenues.

If you’re looking for some inspiration, check out these three powerful and trusted software services that, if used properly, can equate to more cash for your company.

#1: ClickMeeting

Webinars are an undeniable force for driving sales in today’s world.

The near feverish clamoring that consumers have for video content only adds fuel to the growing application and use of webinar technology by a myriad of established brands.

Since webinars are so effective at helping to educate consumers and convert them into full-fledged customers, webinar providers like ClickMeeting are an excellent resource to help a business pull in some extra cash.

ClickMeeting recently released a free eBook  which outlines numerous ways that a business can leverage webinar technology to drive sales; the perfect guide for anyone looking to leverage the monetary benefits of this technique.

ClickMeeting’s platform provides users with an assortment of features that assist brands in appearing professional, engaging audiences, and collecting the insights needed to attain better results with each subsequent broadcast.

With a ton of presentation tools, customized invitations, webinar recording options, in-depth analytics, and a host of other prosperous elements, this is an ideal platform for leveraging your thought leadership into an additional revenue stream.

#2: Famebit

Famebit, recently acquired by Google, is an influencer marketing platform where marketers can acquire some of the most impactful social authorities for a campaign.

You don’t need to just run a traditional influencer campaign with these folks. As ClickMeeting points out in the eBook, you can also gather these experts for a guest speaking webinar:

“Many businesses or entrepreneurs pay big bucks to get an expert to teach their audience what the business offers and how to grow an area of business or succeed with a product.”

Using this platform, however, you are likely to pay far less than through direct outreach efforts. And considering that influencer marketing delivers a higher ROI than most other tactics, it’s safe to assume that you will earn your money back and then some.

To get started, users simply need to create a campaign in which they select the platforms they wish to target; options include YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, and Twitter.

Next, choose the type of content your brand desires – review, unboxing, tutorial, etc. – set up your campaign details, choose your audience specs and budget, and submit for influencers so influencers can start bidding.

This tool is easy to use and can help your business prosper in a multitude of ways.

#3: Affiliate Window

Affiliate marketing programs are an excellent source of income for blogs, and brands that are struggling to make ends meet.

Affiliate Window is one of the most popular affiliate networks and touts more than 1,600 brands across 11 global territories and an ocean of products to promote.

When combined with webinar technologies, ClickMeeting has found this marriage to be a powerful force:

“If you’re an affiliate offering a product or a service provided by someone else, offer it in a sales webinar – without sounding like you’re pitching, of course. Take the role of a recommendation genius and apply it in a webinar setting, and you’ve got the easiest money-making machine in the world!”

The tool features a robust analytics platform that allows affiliates to view real-time reports featuring click rates, commission earned, and other vital data points.

In 2016 alone, Affiliate Window claims to have generated over $6.7 billion for its clients – this equates to a pretty decent chunk of change for the advertisers as well.

These tools are excellent additions to any entrepreneur’s toolkit as each possesses its own unique revenue-generating capabilities. If you need more inspiration for how to use technology to generate webinars, the eBook is chalk-full of additional ideas.

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4 Technologies to Help You Launch an Ecommerce Business https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2017/07/4-technologies-to-help-you-launch-an-ecommerce-business.html/ Mon, 03 Jul 2017 14:29:41 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=49931 There is more to launching an ecommerce business than “throwing up” a website, adding some products to your store, and buying traffic. This basic approach may generate some results, but the lack of a defined plan will eventually take its toll on your business. Fortunately, there are a variety of technologies and tools that can […]

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There is more to launching an ecommerce business than “throwing up” a website, adding some products to your store, and buying traffic.

This basic approach may generate some results, but the lack of a defined plan will eventually take its toll on your business.

Fortunately, there are a variety of technologies and tools that can help you successfully launch and maintain an ecommerce business. Here are five that deserve your attention:

1. Oberlo

Are you interested in launching an online store, but concerned about sourcing high quality and affordable products? This is where Oberlo comes into play.

Oberlo is a marketplace to search for, compare, and find products to sell online. In other words, it helps connect storeowners with suppliers.

Adding to this is its dropshipping tool, which allows you to do the following:

  • Find and import products into your online store, all with a single click of your mouse (Chrome plugin).
  • Sell items for a profit.
  • Ship items directly from the supplier, meaning you never have to touch inventory.
  • Automating many aspects in your store, such as item fulfillment.

Since its launch in 2015, Oberlo merchants have sold more than 85 million products. That number alone proves how powerful this technology can be.

2. Shopify

Are you searching for an online platform to power your online store? Shopify is more than your average, run of the mill ecommerce software.

With this technology at your fingertips, you gain access to everything you need to sell online.

Here are some of the many features that have made Shopify so popular among online storeowners:

  • No design skills necessary
  • Full customization of all aspects of your online store
  • Dashboard for tracking sales and growth trends

With more than $34 billion sold by stores running on the Shopify platform, it’s easy to see that this is a great place to start your journey.

Wix or Shopify? Decisions, Decisions! When it comes to an online website builder with E-Commerce punching power which corner will you side with? It is clear that there are lots of web builders and E-Commerce platforms available for you to choose from. Wix vs Shopify for E-Commerce certainly falls into this category.

3. Google Analytics

Here’s how Google defines its Analytics tool:

Google Analytics Solutions offer free and enterprise analytics tools to measure website, app, digital and offline data to gain customer insights.”

In short, this is a free tool that allows you to track visitors and gain key insights. For example, you can learn:

  • Top traffic sources
  • What your visitors are doing when they visit your site
  • Top devices and operating systems
  • Most popular pages

The more you know about your audience the easier it is to adjust your marketing plan with the idea of boosting conversions, sales, and revenue.

4. Canva

The best online stores provide an amazing customer experience. A large part of this is the design of your website, combined with your use of graphics.

If you’re seeking a way to improve the overall appearance of your website, Canva is one of the many tools you need to use.

It doesn’t matter what type of graphic you’re trying to create, Canva makes it simple – even if you don’t have any design skills.

There are more than 10 million people using Canva to meet all their design needs, many of which are online storeowners. From product images to social media illustrations, use Canva as a means of taking your creativity to the next level.

Conclusion

So, there you have it. If you want to start an ecommerce business with the idea of reaching all your goals in the near future, don’t overlook any of these technologies. They can all do something special for your business.

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4 Ways for Ecommerce Companies Can Scale Fast https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2017/06/4-ways-ecommerce-scale-fast.html/ Sun, 25 Jun 2017 09:27:19 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=49903 Entry to ecommerce has become a lot easier today. Free and low-cost turnkey platforms allow merchants to create their own digital presence and conduct business quickly. However, the lower barrier to entry also comes with increased competition among merchants. For your ecommerce startup to thrive, you have to carefully manage your effort and strike while […]

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Entry to ecommerce has become a lot easier today. Free and low-cost turnkey platforms allow merchants to create their own digital presence and conduct business quickly. However, the lower barrier to entry also comes with increased competition among merchants. For your ecommerce startup to thrive, you have to carefully manage your effort and strike while the iron is hot. Take advantage of opportunities and scale up quickly when possible.

Here are 4 ways you can quickly scale up your ecommerce efforts.

1 – Go cross-border

What better way to scale up than opening your business to new markets? If your products or services have universal appeal, consider going cross-border. A quick way to check interest is to implement SEO and analytics and look through your site’s traffic data for visitors that come from outside your country. Often, this means that people interested in what you offer. Seek these visitors out and consider servicing their territories.

Thanks to improvements in shipping and fulfillment, it’s now easy do cross-border commerce. Know which payment methods your target markets prefer. Each region would have their own preference and you can’t assume that cards are the only way to go. For example, parts of Europe especially in Scandinavia and Southwest Europe prefer to use their bank accounts for payments while developing countries in Asia demand cash-on-delivery options. Knowing this is crucial since the unavailability of their preferred payment method is a major reason why shoppers abandon their carts.

According to Oscar Berglund, the CEO of Stockholm-based fintech company Trustly “Many shoppers are likely to abandon their carts if their preferred payment method is not available. Merchants that don’t allow the consumer to pay in the way he/she likes are losing out on revenue.”

In a recent interview, Berglund said that digitalization is making banking faster.

“Traditional bank payments will become faster, safer and more convenient. This advancement will be driven mainly by better and more user-friendly methods of digital authentication.”

Trustly currently operates in 29 European countries to enable merchants to accept bank transfer payments.

Partner with a payments service to process these payments for you. Getting a payments provider is also more convenient since you also don’t have to worry about navigating the regulations of each target country you’d like to engage business in.

2 – Get and keep more customers

Aside from going cross border, you can focus on growing your customer base from your current market. This means ramping up your marketing efforts. Ecommerce is rarely “build it and they will come.” Successful ventures always reach out to customers and encourage them to do business.

There are several engagement campaigns that you could readily start. You can curate and share content through your social media pages. You can start a newsletter and send prospects helpful content about things related to your product line or industry. You can even send out or post promo codes to encourage them to purchase.

However, doing this manually can take some effort so consider implementing marketing automation. You can even create targeted event-based campaigns such as prompting modals to visitors as they exit your store. You can even send out reminder emails to users who abandon their carts. You can grow your customer base by keeping conversion high.

3 – Improve your supply chain

Another thing to prepare for when scaling up is improving your supply chain. Often, startups often get frazzled trying to keep up with demand when business unexpectedly picks up. This can be prevented if you have a good handle of your processes.

One way to anticipate demand is through analytics. You can monitor which products get browsed and bought. You can also analyze your customer’s behavior on your site. Such insights can even help you optimize your catalog and inventory. You can get rid of poorly performing products and stock up on your best sellers. You can even consider overhauling your catalog and focus on more upscale products if the numbers point to such trend.

Knowing the ebb and flow of your stocks also helps make sure that you can both readily deliver to your customers by having stocks on hand and avoid tying up your resources with extra units held in your stockroom.

4 – Improve customer experience

What is ultimately key to success in ecommerce is providing a hassle-free experience to your customers. This has become all the more crucial especially now that ecommerce has shifted to mobile. BI Intelligence forecasts that mobile commerce will account for 45 percent of ecommerce come 2020 so you would do well optimizing your site for mobile.

Aside from making a mobile-friendly site, consider creating a dedicated mobile app as it provides a quicker experience for your users. Apply the best practices in designing your user experience. Make your search bar visible. Create easy to use sorting filters to help your users browse through the search results.

Another important thing to consider is localizing your experience for your markets. You can provide translations of your product descriptions, currency conversion for prices, and even be upfront about added fees such as taxes and shipping costs which may vary depending on their location.

Minimize the number of steps customers need to go through to complete the transaction. A Baymard Institute study on cart abandonment also cites checkout issues as top reasons why customers leave so by working on your interfaces you could the eliminate points of friction that customers hate.

A superior experience would make your ecommerce presence stand out and win you more customers.

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3 Website Optimization Techniques for Maximizing Sales https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2017/06/3-website-optimization-techniques-for-maximizing-sales.html/ Sun, 18 Jun 2017 12:58:48 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=49866 Website optimization is a big deal. You need great content, stellar landing pages, spectacular on-site SEO, a plethora of inbound and outbound links, a memorable user-experience, intuitive navigational elements; the list goes on and on. But website optimization isn’t just about great content and top-notch SEO. There are plenty of components that business owners and […]

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Website optimization is a big deal. You need great content, stellar landing pages, spectacular on-site SEO, a plethora of inbound and outbound links, a memorable user-experience, intuitive navigational elements; the list goes on and on.

But website optimization isn’t just about great content and top-notch SEO.

There are plenty of components that business owners and marketers overlook when optimizing various pages as they have been programmed to look at a specific set of needs, effectively ignoring fruitful areas of potential.

Today, instead of diving into the more run-of-the-mill website optimization tools that you have probably read about a thousand times before, we are bringing you some powerful and less-obvious utilities that will help your site reach new levels of operational success.

Gain New Referrals via Existing Customers

Although most are not fully aware, the opinions of our peers have a dramatic impact on how we perceive products, services, and even other people. And that is the exact philosophy behind referral marketing.

Referral marketing is the method of promoting a company’s offerings to new consumers through word-of-mouth recommendations. Harvard Business Review defines referral marketing as, “. . . the science of converting a customer’s social capital into a brand’s economic capital.”

Gaining new referrals is achieved through a set of incentivized processes that promote consumer advocacy as a means to drive brand growth.

This entire premise is built on the foundation of providing excellent customer experiences; the very backbone of marketing today. Achieving this allows a brand to engage a customer’s sentiment for the company and leverage the advocacy opportunities available by incentivizing the customer to bring a friend, family member, or acquaintance into the company’s marketing funnel.

If this sounds too easy or unrealistic, consider that a 2015 Texas Tech University study uncovered that 83% of people are likely to share a company’s offering after a satisfactory encounter. In reality, however, only 29% follow through with the recommendation. This means roughly that 45% of your customer base wants to share their story, they just can’t find the opportunity.

That is what referral marketing provides them.

A recent Heinz Marketing report proves this thesis by displaying that companies that implemented referral programs experienced 86% more revenue growth than those who have not.

Setting up a referral marketing program is easy when you leverage seasoned services like RewardStream.

This platform hosts a brand’s referral program and customers can refer friends through email, social media, texting, and in-person conversations. When a new consumer is driven to take an action on your site, RewardStream automatically provides the referrer a reward.

They also provides businesses with detailed analytics to understand how the program is adding value to the business and its customer base. This type of marketing initiative is perfect for nearly all brands, especially those in the ecommerce or B2B spaces.

Drive Consumers Actions with the Right Messages

All of your marketing efforts have a single goal: Bring potential customers into your sales funnel by using local optimization strategy for a lead gen.

In order to get consumers to enter voluntarily, you must invite them to take an action that resonates with their wants or needs. These are called calls-to-action (CTA) and commonly appear in emails and on websites in the form of buttons that read “Buy Now,” “Download,” “Subscribe,” and similar phrases.

Unfortunately, the above noted CTA examples aren’t all that effective. The key to successfully getting consumers to act is to offer them something instead of asking them for something.

Additionally, your CTA button should possess a certain level of visual appeal and make its offer crystal clear.

Many marketers and business owners fail at this juncture and deploy multiple CTAs instead. But one powerful CTA is better than many lackluster ones as this removes additional choices; more choices are proven to lead to less action.

In order to employ effective, compelling CTAs,check out MaxButtons if you’re a WordPress user.

This WordPress button generator touts over 5,000 pre-existing CTA buttons and also houses over 35,000 free curated icons. What makes this tool especially useful is its simplicity and dynamic nature.

MaxButtons requires zero knowledge of coding principals, allowing both veteran and novice WordPress users to leverage its offerings. Additionally, the buttons available on this platform feature a responsive design and will accommodate users of any device.

MaxButtons also offers a variety of social media buttons to boost your social followings and allow visitors to easily share materials with their audiences. Since MaxButtons can integrate with a variety of services, its usefulness and potential for prosperous outcomes is far reaching.

Acquire Mobile Downloads through Mobile Marketing

Most are keenly aware that mobile devices are on the fast track to dominate our digital world.

More than 2 years ago, Google announced that half of all searches take place on mobile device. Additionally, Statcounter recently uncovered that mobile internet usage has now topped desktop as well.

What many may not be privy to, however, is that apps are beginning to absorb even more mobile web browsing. In 2016, ComScore announced that roughly 50% of the time Americans spend online is spent in-app.

This means that any wise business owner has an app for their brand. One of the best ways to promote a mobile app is through mobile marketing services like LinkTexting. According to the company, its technology is responsible for driving more than 200,000 app downloads each day.

This platform provides brands with three website widget formats for bolstering app downloads. Each one of them allows consumers to enter their phone number in order to receive a download link for the desired app instead of manually searching for it.

Making the service even more valuable is the fact that LinkTexting provides users with analytics data around app downloads including how often it is downloaded, where it is downloaded from, and much more.

This kind of information allows business owners to achieve a greater understanding of their target audience and how to market to them effectively.

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Dominating Google AdWords: The 7 Key Fundamentals https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2017/06/dominating-google-adwords.html/ Thu, 15 Jun 2017 14:00:12 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=49836 You might think you know your way around Google AdWords, but do you really? Even expert marketers can overlook aspects of AdWords that they should be investing time and attention into. You could let your campaigns plateau. Or you could outpace the competition 10 to 1 by ensuring you have the seven tips to mastering […]

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You might think you know your way around Google AdWords, but do you really? Even expert marketers can overlook aspects of AdWords that they should be investing time and attention into. You could let your campaigns plateau. Or you could outpace the competition 10 to 1 by ensuring you have the seven tips to mastering AdWords installed in your campaigns. Read on to take your digital marketing from stagnant to overwhelmingly successful.

What is Google AdWords?

Leading search engines like Google are the first thing online users see upon opening a browser from their device. As a business looking into boosting your online presence, you wouldn’t want to miss this marketing opportunity. If you want to dive into the world of Google Ads, make sure to get into Google AdWords. This is the pay-per-click (PPC) online marketing platform by Google. It lets you display your advertisements on the search engine results page. 

What does availing Google AdWords mean to your business? Every time an online visitor tries to search for something on Google, your advertisement pops up. If the user clicks it, you have a higher possibility of converting the visitor into a customer. Since the system works through PPC, you’ll only have to pay Google when a user successfully clicks your advertisement. 

An essential element to the success of this advertising technique is choosing the right target audience. Since everyone may not be interested in your ad, you’ll have to find a way to narrow your audience down. Having a digital marketing consultant like Claire Jarrett can help you with that! Along with picking your audience, you’ll have to learn several tips and tricks to ensure that your Google Ads campaign will be seamless, converting, and profitable.

Structure & Quality Score

How many campaigns do you have running simultaneously? How many ad groups do you have per campaign, and how many ads do you have per ad group? The structure of your account should be carefully balanced to ensure that not only are you running the correct number of campaigns for your business but that those campaigns are well-organized to optimize your spending and bring in the highest ROI. Well-organized accounts will also keep your quality scores high. If a single keyword can trigger ads across multiple ad groups, your ad scores will lower, causing your ads to fail to show and wasting your ad spend.

Actionable tips: don’t have more than 2-3 ads per ad group to allow for the most robust A/B ad testing, and write your ads with keywords represented in the copy to keep ad quality scores high.

Ad Creative

Recently, Google introduced a new ad type called Expanded Text Ads which provides more information and thus takes up more room on the search engine results pages, giving your brand more visibility. They phased out their old ads, called standard text ads. However, many companies still use the standard ad text format without upgrading to Expanded Text Ads. Ad copy is also important to consider, as ad copy without your keywords lowers quality scores and prevents your ads from showing to searchers.

Sample of Google AdWord

Actionable tips:
make sure your ad copy is relevant to the keyword being searched, and keep your ads updated in the latest formats to be sure that you take full advantage of the opportunities Google AdWords offers.

Keywords

Keyword segmentation is of critical importance in keeping an account organized and reliably serving ads to all searchers. That is, separate your keywords properly by topic, category, and campaign in whatever way best suits your product or service. This includes using negative keywords, which will prevent your ads from triggering irrelevant searches, saving you money. Constant keyword and query research is needed to ensure that the most relevant keywords are always being used in your ads. Additionally, make sure your keywords are not too broad or too narrow for the audience you’re trying to reach.

Actionable tips: implement negative keywords, conduct constant keyword research, and add keywords as needed to help drive your conversions higher.

Bidding Optimization

Many marketers allow AdWords to automatically set bids for them. However, automatic bids don’t necessarily take into account performance, demographics, or device performance. Allowing automatic bidding, or setting the same bids for all keywords, results in wasted spending. It can also drag down your conversions and ROI if high-performing keywords aren’t given the budget they need to reach the greatest possible audience. All bids should be set manually. This accounts for individual keyword performance, the demographics of your audience, and the devices that your audience prefers using.

Actionable tips: start using manual bidding as soon as possible to control your spending, pull back bids on poor-performing keywords, and increase spending on the keywords and platforms that are bringing in the highest conversions.

Shopping

Though not applicable to all advertisers, shopping is essential to implement if your business is retail or direct to the consumer. Google Shopping is a powerful tool. It allows your audience to see you even more times on the search engine results pages: in a text ad, in the organic results. Then it shows in the Google Shopping results at the very top of the page or in the right column. The more real estate your brand name can claim, the more your brand will stay top of mind. So, utilize shopping to beat the competition.

optimize

Actionable tips: make sure your shopping campaigns are properly segmented. Also, make sure you account for the keywords you’re using and the category the product belongs to.

Traffic/Device Targeting

This topic is related to bidding optimization but is specific to device targeting and traffic. Google AdWords allows advertisers to raise or lower bids. This depends on which platform the ad shows on, ie. mobile, tablet, or desktop. These bid adjustments can have a huge impact on how much your ads show on these platforms. Plus, it impacts knowing which platforms your audiences are using the most. Moreover, it lets you know where audiences convert or make their purchases. All help you save money. If you target devices your audience isn’t using, you could be missing out on impression share. Even conversions that would contribute to your bottom line.

Actionable tips: pay attention to the amount of traffic each platform gets when searchers are looking for your brand and keywords. Optimize your spending to focus on the platform that sees the highest conversions.

Growth Opportunities

Even when advertisers have solidly built accounts with great segmentation, appropriate bidding, and organized structure, they can forget one last critical aspect: future opportunities for growth. Don’t be satisfied with just coasting by or breaking even. To keep your brand top of mind with current customers and also reach new audiences, your brand needs to focus on growth opportunities. AdWords affords this. This can include YouTube advertising, dynamic search ads, and remarketing lists for search ads (RLSA). As well as it can include display prospecting and Gmail Sponsored Ads targeting. The possibilities are nearly endless. It just depends on your resources and what options will work best for your products or services.

Actionable tips: Consider converting existing videos into paid YouTube ads, building remarketing lists out of emails gathered from your site, or building a prospecting display campaign.

With these seven pillars of AdWords fundamentals, your account should be robust, organized, targeted, and built for growth in the future!

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How to Build a Powerful YouTube Channel https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2017/06/how-to-build-a-powerful-youtube-channel.html/ Thu, 08 Jun 2017 14:00:26 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=49790 With over one billion users worldwide, collectively watching hundreds of millions of hours of content every single day, building an effective YouTube presence is one of the most important marketing opportunities for building a brand presence online. At the heart of every online video strategy sits your YouTube channel. Many businesses are getting Free Youtube […]

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With over one billion users worldwide, collectively watching hundreds of millions of hours of content every single day, building an effective YouTube presence is one of the most important marketing opportunities for building a brand presence online. At the heart of every online video strategy sits your YouTube channel. Many businesses are getting Free Youtube Views on their product videos to attract more customers. Surprisingly though, it is often one of the most neglected and overlooked assets businesses hold in their digital arsenal. Well you can try  youtube to mp3 converter with subtitles online which only costs 5-10 seconds for convert. Using this  it is easy to users to convert original video and keep with them.v

Building a successful channel does take time and effort but following these rules of thumb will help you maximise the appeal and subscriber base of your channel, as well as the wider reach of your YouTube content in general.

Video Optimisation

YouTube operates like a search engine, and a properly considered search engine optimisation (SEO) strategy is vital if you are to increase the reach of your channel, as well as the videos you host on it.

The first thing to do is to research the types of video content likely to go viral within your niche or sector and ask yourself if you have incorporated any of those elements within your video. This will ensure that you will have a captive audience but your content needs to get found, so it’s important to ensure you also use relevant keywords in your video titles, as well as throughout your channel description.

Successful implementation of keywords in video titles and description boxes will ensure YouTube ranks your content appropriately, and will provide users with an understanding of what to expect. There are many tools for keyword research with Google’s Keyword Planner one of the most popular (partly because it’s free). Tools like SE Ranking, SEM Rush, Moz’s Keyword Explorer are also all excellent, but do require you paying for a subscription.

Top Tip: always avoid keyword stuffing and instead, make sure you maintain a natural tone throughout, incorporating 3 or 4 hyper-relevant keywords, with the first present within the first 20 words.

Thumbnails

When constructing your thumbnail, your core aim must be to create an image that will attract attention and entice your audience to click through to watch your video. We’ve laid out some simple do’s and don’ts for thumbnails, which will form the visual candy for your YouTube channel.

Do:

  • Include the title or a few words to provide context for that section of your audience who just look at thumbnails when scrolling through their subscriptions.
  • Make sure your design is eye-catching and relevant to the video and your brand.
  • Ensure it’s visually interesting, but avoid excessive clickbait techniques, don’t forget that you also buy real YouTube views in order to gain more popularity.

Don’t:

  • Settle for a generic aesthetic – you need to stand out from the crowd.
  • Become too repetitive, but do try to establish a signature style, so your audience instantly knows it’s a video from you.
  • Be afraid to switch your thumbnail for something else, if it isn’t working as well as expected.

Monitoring and Tracking your YouTube Channel

Keeping track of your analytics data is one of the most important elements of any digital strategy as it allows you to identify what works and what doesn’t and to focus budget where it’s best served. Picking the perfect metric or KPI to do this with video marketing isn’t easy and YouTube is no exception. Here are some key considerations when it comes to YouTube metrics.

  • Views are excellent, as they demonstrate the reach of your channel and effectiveness of your optimisation strategy.
  • Average viewing time will allow you to keep an eye how long people are watching your content. Are viewers getting to the end of your videos, for example? If not you might want to think about making shorter or more attention grabbing videos.
  • Another important metric is how often your audience is sharing your content across other platforms. This is extremely important if engagement is key to your campaign or CTA.

Alongside your website and wider smm panel presence, YouTube should be an essential pillar of your video marketing strategy. With so many well known brands failing to establish a convincing YouTube presence with a properly organised YouTube channel, the opportunity to really make an impact is there for taking.

Adopting these techniques to your YouTube channel will help you create the best possible platform for your burgeoning video campaign and establish yourself as an authority in your niche.

Channel Structure

YouTube traditionally isn’t the best platform for driving referral traffic but it is an incredibly powerful brand building tool. In this sense, it might help to think of your YouTube channel as being like the homepage of your video content; a hub that should effectively communicate who you are, what you do, and what you have to offer through your videos.

Below are three golden rules when it comes to actually constructing your YouTube channel.

1. Separate your Consumer and Commercial Content

Understanding how your audience wants to engage with your videos will help you to correctly segment your video content. When creating each video, you should always have a clear idea of who your message is for. Presenting a consumer with content intended for a more corporate audience won’t go down very well, which is why taking the time to understand your audience is key.

Top Tip: understand exactly what you want your channel to help you achieve, and think about how each decision you make will push you closer to your goals.

2. Don’t Order Your Content by Popularity

Wanting to demonstrate how many views one of your older videos achieved is natural, but don’t give into temptation. Instead, focus on promoting the content that effectively reflects your current message. Ensuring that you still have something relevant to say will encourage your audience to keep coming back to your channel regularly. There are many ways you can learn how to get more views on youtube channel or videos.

Top Tip: you never want to look or feel stagnant. Recognise when you need to switch things up and act quickly.

3. Keep Creating Consistently

Consistency is integral to every strategy and its importance here cannot be overstated. Whether you’re going to upload every day or once a week, your audience need to know when they can expect to see something new from you. Establish a schedule and stick to it.

Top Tip: check in with your analytics data and see when your target audience is most likely to want to watch some new content. Tailor your upload schedule to the most popular times and days of the week, to ensure your message reaches as many people as possible.

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How Much Should I Spend On Facebook Ads? https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2017/06/how-much-should-i-spend-on-facebook-ads.html/ Thu, 01 Jun 2017 14:00:27 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=49783 “How much should I spend on Facebook ads?” As a freelance digital marketer consultant and Facebook ads specialist, this is THE most frequently asked question I hear. It’s a really bad question (I’ll explain why) and also impossible to answer with a specific monetary value. When it comes to advertising on Facebook, or even social […]

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“How much should I spend on Facebook ads?”

As a freelance digital marketer consultant and Facebook ads specialist, this is THE most frequently asked question I hear.

It’s a really bad question (I’ll explain why) and also impossible to answer with a specific monetary value.

When it comes to advertising on Facebook, or even social media in general, it seems like many business owners and entrepreneurs have heard too many stories about ‘going viral’ or some other miracle.

In reality, advertising on Facebook is just plain old business. Forget about digital marketing metrics like reach or virality or impressions—money spent on advertising is supposed to create revenue for you. If the ROI on your Facebook advertising campaign is good, you’ll spend as much money as you need to.

But to figure out the ROI of your Facebook ads, you’ll need a few things:

  1. A quantifiable goal (or goals)
  2. A digital marketing funnel
  3. A hypothesis to test

With those three things in hand, you don’t have to ask me how much money to spend on Facebook ads—you can know and spend according.

And I’ll show you how, right now.

How to set a business goal for Facebook ads

One of the great things about Facebook advertising is that you don’t need an ecommerce store, or even a way to accept payments online, to have success. You can generate business results offline, too.

To make it interesting, let’s use lead generation as your business goal—you want an email address or a phone number to follow up personally and close a deal.

Before you launch your first Facebook campaign, come up with a goal for lead generation by asking yourself these questions:

  1. How many leads do you currently generate in a month?
  2. How many leads does it take to close a customer?
  3. How many leads can you realistically handle?

If you currently generate ten leads per month and close one of those into a customer, but you can handle four more paying customers, your goal for Facebook ads is to generate 40 leads per month with Facebook ads.

10 organic leads + 40 leads from Facebook ads = 50 leads

50 leads x 10% conversion rate = 5 customers

Too easy. Now for the tricky part.

Setting up your digital marketing funnel with Facebook ads

Web visitors aren’t exactly begging to become leads, especially if your website isn’t optimized for conversions. Think about your own online behavior—do you fill out a form any time somebody asks? Probably not, or your inbox would never see the light of day.

So if you want somebody to become a lead, you have to nurture them through a marketing funnel.

Start by using Facebook ads to send paid traffic to an awareness-level blog post. By “awareness-level,” I mean a blog post (or other content, like video) that helps them clarify their problem or need.

Once that person has read your blog post, you can retarget them to a more conversion oriented asset, like a landing page or better yet, a Facebook Lead Ad.

Because you’ve already introduced your brand and provided value for free with the awareness-level content, these retargeted visitors are far more likely to convert than if you had sent them straight to your landing page.

Note: In order to use retargeting and conversion tracking, you’ll need to have your Facebook Pixel properly installed and configured.

With either landing pages or Facebook Lead Ads, you can set what information you get from your lead—email, phone number, etc. If you’re taking in a large volume of leads, you can add additional qualifications to help you prioritize.

Digital marketing funnels are not as complex as they seem, and you can start with a simple one like the example above to test the viability of Facebook ads for your business.

Now to create and test your hypothesis…

How to create and test your hypothesis

You should never invest a significant amount of money into ANY advertising channel without testing it first. Here’s how you would test the viability of Facebook advertising; we’ll continue to use the same example from above.

Let’s say the average lifetime value (LTV) of a customer for your business is $1,000.

You create Facebook ads, drive traffic to a landing page, and measure conversions.

Your budget is $500 and your cost-per-click (CPC) is .50¢—this means you drove 1,000 visits to your landing page.

200 people (of the 1,000 visits) filled out your form, so your conversion rate from landing page visitor to lead is 20%. (Which would be incredible!)

Of those 200 people, 5 of them become customers (10%, again, very good).

Using your LTV, you’ve just made $5,000 of a $500 investment in Facebook ads.

That’s a 900% ROI.

By using the process described in this blog post, the question “How much should I spend on Facebook ads” now seems like a really, really dumb question. The answer is obvious:

If you’re seeing a 900% ROI on an advertising channel, you spend every penny you can get your hands on.

Now here’s the fun part—by breaking your digital marketing funnel down into individual pieces and looking at the metrics associated with each piece, you can improve on them one at a time with A/B testing:

  • CPC too high? Try different ad creative or different targeting.
  • Coverversion rate too low? Spruce up your landing page with better images, more compelling copy, fewer form fields.
  • Leads not converting into sales? Try adding another qualifying step in your marketing funnel to not waste time on bad leads.

Start seeing ROI on your Facebook advertising campaigns by asking the right questions.

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Staples’ Printing and Marketing Has Big Impact on Small Business Customers https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2017/05/staples-printing-and-marketing-has-big-impact-on-small-business-customers.html/ Tue, 30 May 2017 22:28:58 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=49776 In a recent exclusive interview with Staples’ Vice President of Print Merchandising, Amy Lang, Ramon Ray discovered that there is so much more to the relationship between this retailer and small business than just selling office supplies. The commitment they’ve made to their small business customers and the offering of a variety of services that […]

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In a recent exclusive interview with Staples’ Vice President of Print Merchandising, Amy Lang, Ramon Ray discovered that there is so much more to the relationship between this retailer and small business than just selling office supplies. The commitment they’ve made to their small business customers and the offering of a variety of services that help them run their business has made a big impact.

In Amy’s opinion, one of the biggest reasons small businesses are drawn to Staples is because of their tremendous offering of products and services coupled with the expertise of their staff members.

To learn more about this and watch the live interview, click HERE.

 

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7 Reasons Why Your Ecommerce Business Needs Analytics https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2017/05/7-reasons-why-your-ecommerce-business-needs-analytics.html/ Tue, 30 May 2017 12:25:30 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=49771 Ecommerce continues to grow globally. By 2020, eMarketer estimates that retail ecommerce will be worth more than $4 trillion. If you’re into ecommerce, you can expect heightened competition as a consequence of global growth. As such, you must leverage all possible sources of competitive advantage especially data and analytics. Analytics has emerged to be a […]

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Ecommerce continues to grow globally. By 2020, eMarketer estimates that retail ecommerce will be worth more than $4 trillion. If you’re into ecommerce, you can expect heightened competition as a consequence of global growth. As such, you must leverage all possible sources of competitive advantage especially data and analytics.

Analytics has emerged to be a difference maker in ecommerce. It can track all your customers’ activities to know where your traffic coming from, what products they are browsing, how long they spend on each page, what items they put in or take out of their carts, and how successful are you in closing sales. This allows you to understand your customer behavior.

Guy Greenberg, founder of business intelligence and analytics company CoolaData, believes that understanding buyer behavior is key to increased conversions. He writes, “Advanced behavioral analytics offers businesses this added advantage by collecting, storing, enriching and analyzing raw user data over time.”

By knowing these, you would know which areas you need to improve on in your products and services. However, this is predicated on enabling analytics early on. Here are 7 areas where analytics can help improve your ecommerce efforts.

1 – Tailor a customer experience unique to your market

Providing a superior customer experience is essential to ecommerce. You should minimize customer effort from the moment they land on your page until you wrap up the sale. While there has been plenty of research done to identify “best practices” to consider in crafting user experience, it is still crucial to monitor how customers behave in your own context especially if you operate in a particular vertical or niche market. For example, if you offer more big-ticket or upmarket items, buyers may want to research more on the product compared to cheaper items. Analytics can tell you what content buyers are looking for. This way you can strengthen features such as comprehensive product descriptions, user reviews, and Q&A.

2 – Curb cart abandonment

Cart abandonment remains a major concern for ecommerce. Ecommerce across all industries suffers from an average abandonment rate of 70 percent. The reasons behind are varied from unexpected costs to complicated checkout processes to limited payment methods. Through analytics, it is possible to pinpoint the exact instances when users leave your service. This way, you can improve upon these areas and even conduct interventions in order to win them back.

3 – Improve marketing efforts

You can craft engagement campaigns and loyalty programs based on customer behavior to further improve your business. Analytics can be integrated with automation tools to help manage marketing activities and campaigns. For example, in the case of cart abandonment, automation tools can trigger email reminders or pop up promo codes just as customers leave in order to entice them to push through with the sale.

4 – Manage stocks and pricing better

It’s easy to determine which products are doing well based on sales figures alone. However, this doesn’t paint a complete picture. Analytics can help you delve deeper into your sales data. You can explore if there are products that are popularly browsed or added into carts but don’t get bought. You can then decide on actions such as tweaking your prices. You can even narrow down your catalog and focus on the ones that generate the best profit for you. You can also consider moving upmarket if you notice that you are moving big-ticket items more than low-priced products.

5 – Minimize returns

If you ever shopped for clothes online, you know how difficult it is to get the right size even if there are size charts available. Even Amazon users have to rely on other buyers’ feedback to make sense of a garment’s true size. US fashion retailers report a return rate of between 20 to 40 percent. Faulty sizing is largely responsible for such a high rate. Merchants have to shoulder much of the costs from returns. With the high rate, returns are costing many businesses. To help combat this, personalization platform True Fit uses analytics to provide fit ratings and size recommendations for shoppers. This lessens buyer anxiety and saves merchants on returns.

6 – Enable personalized recommendations

Personalization is a key driver to customer engagement. A major ingredient in Amazon’s secret sauce is its personalized recommendations feature. Recommendations account for 35 percent of  its sales. Powering the recommendation engine are algorithms that rely on the analysis of extensive historical customer data. You can definitely explore implementing your own recommendations engine and this requires tracking customer behavior on the onset.

7 – Prepare for cross-border ecommerce

Developments in logistics and payments services have enabled many ecommerce businesses to go global. However, a key challenge for cross-border ecommerce is localization. Culture has a great impact on buyer attitudes and preferences. For example, some regions prefer particular products despite not performing well in your other markets. By using analytics, you will be able to compare user behaviors specific to each market enabling you to customize your strategies and campaigns accordingly.

The essential thing to understand about analytics is that it gives you objective information about your business. In a high risk business environment such as ecommerce, it is important to rely on hard numbers rather than pure intuition. Adopting analytics early on will help you be mindful of all trends that are affecting your business. Using these insights, you can then pivot accordingly. By adopting early, you can also collect longer historical information about your customers and your business. These could prove useful for your business down the line especially when implementing engagement programs and personalization features.

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How to Measure the Impact of Social Media on Your Business https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2017/05/how-to-measure-the-impact-of-social-media-on-your-business.html/ Wed, 24 May 2017 14:00:50 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=49749 For entrepreneurs trying to stand out in the bigger audience is not enough to have a million followers. You need to be able to measure the impact of those followers to your real business. Social Media giants like Facebook, twitter and instagram have not only reduced distanced but provided an opportunity to entrepreneurs to connect […]

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For entrepreneurs trying to stand out in the bigger audience is not enough to have a million followers. You need to be able to measure the impact of those followers to your real business.

Social Media giants like Facebook, twitter and instagram have not only reduced distanced but provided an opportunity to entrepreneurs to connect with real audience.

Social media is not just an opportunity to market your brand but a game changer for your online business. You will find many entrepreneurs like you, who have built a huge audience and run a successful business. You can also follow tips of aboriginalbluemountains to become a successful businessmen

The trick is to learn from their success and use social media to drive your own online business.

This article aims to help those entrepreneurs hunting to understand the behavior of social media traffic and measure the success of their social media campaigns through google analytics.

Getting Started With Google Analytics

The internet is full of guides on how to install google analytics, so I am not going into the very basics. I would rather outline the important prospects to get started with google analytics. Below are the few simple steps to to follow which will direct your website traffic to google analytics.

  1. Create a google account
  2. Sign in to google analytics
  3. Fill your website information
  4. Get the analytics tracking code
  5. Paste the code on your website
  6. Verify setup

Once you complete the above steps, you should be able to see the real traffic coming to your website.

Why Every Website Owner Should use Google Analytics

Google analytics is a free traffic analysis tool and is used by millions of website owners to segment and analyze user behavior. Below are few most important reasons why every website owners should use google analytics:

  1. You can measure your website’s objectives by defining goals
  2. You can track specific actions on your website like pdf downloads or video plays
  3. The user interface is very simple and easy to navigate between different reports
  4. You can track your ecommerce transactions
  5. You can track your social media campaigns and see the most engaging social channel
  6. Measure how users interact with your site content
  7. You can see the geographic location of your audience
  8. You can create your own customizable reports
  9. You can use your google analytics data for remarketing in adwords

There are several more important things you can do in google analytics according to the type of your online business. All you need is to get along well with metrics and dimensions.

Tracking Social Media Campaigns

Social media campaigns play a vital role in driving valuable customers to your business. The crucial point is to figure out which social media campaign performs exceptionally and which doesn’t.

Tracking social media campaigns is a painless and straightforward process in google analytics. The only requirement is that you should be tracking your website traffic with google analytics.

UTM tags in google analytics come handy when you are tracking any custom campaign. It consists of three very important parameters which send visitor information to google analytics. These tags are embedded at the end of the campaign, beginning with a question mark(?) and separated by ampersand(&).

http://example.com?utm_source=social&utm_campaign=winter_sale&utm_medium=facebook

The parameters utm_source, utm_medium and utm campaign builder are required for every custom url and the order in which they are placed doesn’t matter. While tracking your custom campaigns, it is recommended to use a url builder tool.

One of my favorite url builder tool is utm.io, because it is more user friendly and easy to shorten urls once you tag them.

Using a tool doesn’t only embed utm tags but also shortens long customized urls. When you start your social media campaigns, you can then view campaign reports in google analytics by navigating to Acquisition >> Campaigns >> All Campaigns.

Understanding the Analytics Reports for Social Media Marketers

For a social media marketer, it is important to be able to understand the google analytics social media reports. It contains data related to traffic coming from all social media channels and how different social media channels contribute towards a conversion.

Segment Social Media Traffic

The social media reports are already included within the channel reports(Acquisition>All Traffic>Channels), but to get a better understanding of your social traffic you can create a segment to isolate all of the traffic originating from social sites.

Identify Top Social Media Channels

One of the biggest challenge would be to determine the top social media channels which drive more conversions. The Google analytics social media reports feature is useful in determining which social channel to focus on and which to say good bye to.

blog2As you can see in the above picture, YouTube is driving a huge chunk of traffic as compared to other channels. But, when we look at the avg. session duration and pages/session it is clear that youtube visitors don’t interact much with the content.

Although Facebook, reddit and google groups have less sessions their users have a higher interaction percentage with the site content. From the above data, we can assume that our potential customers are coming from channels with more website interactions. We would tend to focus more on these channels to drive more traffic and hence conversions.

To verify which social channel drives most conversions navigate to Acquisition >> Social >> Conversions.

Understand behavior of Social Media Visitors

A catchy title and a picture is enough to drive traffic from social media channels but understanding what this group of visitors do on your website is a bit difficult.

Luckily, user flow report in google analytics displays the journey of social media traffic on your website. What was the landing page for the particular session, where they navigate next and finally the exit page.

You can access user flow reports in google analytics by navigating to Acquisition >> Social >> Users Flow.

blog3This chart displays the social media channels which are driving traffic and the behavior of each channel’s visitors across your website.

From the social network drop down menu you can change the dimension to set ‘Campaigns’ and see which campaign is more engaging. In the essence, you can determine which channel works out for you and which one is only consuming your valuable resources.

You can further explore user flow reports to build funnel for any page and understand which set of pages a user views to achieve a specific goal.

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How to Build Better Relationships with Your Customers https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2017/05/how-to-build-better-relationships-with-your-customers.html/ Tue, 23 May 2017 13:53:00 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=49760 In our internet age, industry competition is more heightened than ever. Potential customers have a world of information at their fingertips, and they make their purchase decisions based on their own research. So how do you set yourself apart from your competitors and prove that you are the company to do business with? One critical […]

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In our internet age, industry competition is more heightened than ever. Potential customers have a world of information at their fingertips, and they make their purchase decisions based on their own research. So how do you set yourself apart from your competitors and prove that you are the company to do business with? One critical way to do this is through fostering solid personal relationships with your customers.

Though this answer seems simple on the surface, there are a lot of details that can make or break your customer relationships. A poor customer experience not only sends a customer running to the nearest competitor, but it can even spread a bad name for you across social media – because after all, who doesn’t turn to Facebook to vent about a stressful experience? Here we’ve assembled some of the top ways to build strong relationships with your customers so that you can create a loyal clientele and a positive company image.

Train Your Employees

Are your employees friendly and helpful, with excellent communication skills and a knack for problem solving? Are they experts on all your products and services? Do they have a good working knowledge of all your policies and procedures so that they don’t accidentally mislead customers? Thoroughly training salespeople and/or customer service representatives is the first place to start if you’re aiming to build better customer relationships.

Your employees are the face of your company; respectful representatives will help create an approachability that facilitates these connections. Additionally, your employees’ knowledge and experience lets your customers know that they can trust your expertise. Keep your employees apprised of every change in your products and procedures so that they can convey the most up-to-date information. You may even want to implement regular training sessions to discuss communication techniques so that employees are constantly improving their relationship skills.

Listen to Complaints

One of the biggest strains on a relationship occurs when one party spends too much time talking and not enough time listening. This is true across the board, but it’s especially meaningful when you’re dealing with customer relationships. Your customers want to know that you take their concerns seriously. By sympathetically listening to their needs and complaints, you advance the trust that’s so critical to all company-customer relationships.

When a customer approaches you with a grievance, start by listening attentively. But don’t just listen – assure your customer that appropriate action will be taken to remedy the problem. If their issue is significant, offer a discount on a future purchase or some other kind of “peace offering” to smooth things over, then follow up a couple weeks later to ensure that they are satisfied with how you resolved their problem.

Stay in Touch by Using a CRM

Customer Relationship Management systems (or CRM’s for short) are another handy tool in your relationship-building tool belt. A CRM can help you keep track of your customers, their information, and any communication you’ve had with them. This helps you stay organized so that if you do reach out with a phone call, you’re not repeating any information they’ve heard before.

A CRM also keeps your employees on the same page, as they each log communications in the database for better coordination. This prevents any mix-up that could cause a customer to be overlooked or bombarded with phone calls. Timing your communication is a critical aspect of fostering customer relationships, so implement a CRM to ensure that your phone calls are prompt but not excessive.

Reward Loyal Customers

Do you have customers that purchase from you regularly? Show them how much you appreciate their business by offering them a reward for their loyalty. Relationships need to be nurtured; you can’t simply woo your customer to get them in the door and then cease all efforts on your part. Continue to win them by giving them valuable incentives to remain with your company.

There are many ways to reward customer loyalty. Some companies make use of point systems (i.e., if you spend X dollars you earn points that earn you free or discounted products), while others go the more straightforward route of charging a flat-fee VIP program that gives members exclusive benefits. Whatever method you choose, be sure that the rewards you offer are valuable to your customers but are still profitable enough that they don’t put you into negative numbers.

Fostering healthy, lasting relationships with your customers is no easy task. It takes continual maintenance and attention. However, the effort you put into keeping open lines of communication will pay off in the long run, as your satisfied customers turn into brand promoters and loyal, lifelong customers.

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Marketing Tech Tips to Grow Your Home Services Business https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2017/05/marketing-tech-tips-to-grow-your-home-services-business.html/ Mon, 22 May 2017 14:00:41 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=49739 As an entrepreneur, I bet you’ve tried just about everything to grow your business. Traditional marketing techniques to find new customers, retain current customers, or build your brand are the backbone of any home services business, but there are certainly hundreds of methods that simply don’t work. On top of the traditional foundation you’ve created, […]

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As an entrepreneur, I bet you’ve tried just about everything to grow your business. Traditional marketing techniques to find new customers, retain current customers, or build your brand are the backbone of any home services business, but there are certainly hundreds of methods that simply don’t work.

On top of the traditional foundation you’ve created, it’s vital to expand and grow beyond the basics. Rather than experimenting with tasks or ideas that do not work, stick to the list below for a few modern, non-traditional techniques, to grow your business like never before.

Use Daily Deal Services

Using websites like Groupon and Living Social can drastically change the brand awareness for your small business. For example, within the heating and cooling industry, offering services, such as duct cleaning, energy audits, or tune-ups, can help you find new customers who will consider using your company beyond the initial visit if the service is performed well.

In addition to long-term customers, there are also going to be some coupon clippers who are only looking for discounts, but don’t get discouraged. Use Groupon for what it is and make the best of it as a customer acquisition tool. Budget the daily deal service like you would advertising dollars to see if it’s worthwhile for your company.

Once you have determined if a customer is around for the long run, make sure to train your team on how to offer and introduce additional services. In addition to considering the expense of the purchase, also plan for the best-case scenario. This means that you’ll need to be prepared for a massive influx of customers. Before selecting a commercial dryer repair company, look carefully into the background of each possible hire so that you’re completely mindful of their talents and shortcomings. Feedback and reviews are essential tools that you could use to evaluate the appliance technician candidates. The suggestions we’ve assembled below can be instrumental in helping you find the ideal appliance service technician.You can discover more here about the Commercial Dryer Repair for Pittsburgh. When you are within the marketplace for a chiller rental, trust Alliance Comfort Systems as your source to locate cooling equipment. It doesn’t matter whether you would like a chiller for a billboard or industrial facility, CTCA will assist you find an appropriate unit or multiple units that fit your requirements. Avoid the difficulties involved searching the web for a supplier and get in touch with CTCA Systems.

Your look for Rent A Chiller solution will likely reveal that it are often a touch bit more complicated than expected. In fact, chillers are complex machines so there are several various factors that you simply should confine mind when shopping around for the simplest option. While your application are going to be an enormous determining think about what equipment will deliver ideal results, you ought to also consider your budget and therefore the length of your time during which you’ll employ the equipment.

Due to the very fact that there are many various manufacturing brands on the market, you ought to always keep your budget in mind when buying rental equipment. make sure that all of the required features are included and avoid adding elements that you simply don’t got to maintain your costs. remember of any additional requirements which will be necessary to finish the installation of your unit.

Pay-for-Performance Advertising

Online advertising is much different than putting up a billboard and hoping for the best. Pay-for-performance advertising is a measurable, real-time method that can target specific customer demographics. It’s also known as “direct-response advertising,” which means the cost varies as the results grow.

The most common method of performance advertising would be pay-per-click (PPC). You’ve likely seen these ads on the side or at the top of your search engine. When potential customers click on those ads, it means they have seen the ad and they are interested in the service. It’s also a great way to measure conversion rates.

In order tо operate thе latest technology, thе field technicians аnd contractors аrе appointed tо install, repair аnd maintain thе air conditioning systems. Generally, thе HVAC technicians work іn аll kinds оf buildings ѕuсh аѕ large industrial plants, factories, private homes, еtс. If уоu аrе looking fоr аnу employment opportunities іn thіѕ industry, thеn іt іѕ essential tо pass a competency test аnd receive thе certification frоm thе Environmental Protection Agency.  You can browse around these guys for more information about the HVAC services.

The financing companies provide financial assistance to acquire HVAC at low interest rates. Hence the companies do not find it difficult to repay the amount in low monthly installments. Since there is no red tapism, the company can get loan at any time they want. Sometimes, HVAC financing can be obtained on the same day itself. Since there are no cumbersome procedures, many companies find it a great relief to get financing HVAC. In fact, it is often difficult to get financial help for stand alone or roof top HVAC. But the genuine financing companies make it possible for almost all companies to have HVAC in their buildings. Click here if you want to get more detail about the heat pump repair company.

Google Adwords is perhaps the most common way to begin PPC advertising since most people use Google over the other search engines. Determine the best target keywords for your business. Landmark Air company provide the best aircon repair service. For service companies, long-tail keywords such as “Heating & Cooling Contractor Nashville” could work. Facebook ads are another option.

Advertise Locally or Within Your Industry

Media outreach is a technique that most HVAC business owners do not really consider.  It might not bring immediate phone calls, but it can be inexpensive yet profitable if performed correctly. More eyes on your website mean your site will rise higher in search rankings, so you can beat the competition. Creating comfortable indoor temperatures is a delicate balancing act between equipment, air flow, and mechanics. A qualified licensed HVAC contractor is crucial to quality installations and repairs. You can read more here about HVAC service and repair.

To take this route, start by simply sharing news about your company. Send out newsworthy press releases about your business. If you’re not sure what to write about at first, go online and read what articles the website or publication is currently printing so that you’ll know the accepted style and format for outside queries.

Then, take some time to really contribute to the conversation. Spend some time reading what others write or what comments are being written on past articles so that you can gauge what the audience is interested in reading. Furthermore, demonstrate your ability to be an online leader, so that future customers will know that you are a pioneer in your respective field.

Conclusion

You’ve most likely tried everything to grow your home services business. Whether you’ve spent too much time posting ads on Craigslist or wasting time and money hiring someone to spin a sign, there are marketing methods that will expand upon the current marketing practices that are already working for you.

Using daily deal service sites can help thousands of people discover your business. People love a good deal and while there are some discount-seekers who may not come back, there are just as many potential customers who will try your service and stick with it for the long haul.

Beyond this route, there are two other methods to target those within your demographic. Using techniques like PPC advertising or inner-industry advertising will help you build authority and advertise to those directly in your market. Don’t shout into the virtual abyss when you can speak to potential customers directly.

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4 Ways Technology Can Improve Your Business https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2017/05/4-ways-technology-can-improve-your-business.html/ Fri, 05 May 2017 21:31:53 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=49680 If you’re wondering how technology can improve your business, take a look at these 4 ways it can make your business run like a well-oiled machine. Keep up with your customers. More and more small businesses are utilizing customer relationship management systems to play out their interactions with customers. CRM allows you to keep your […]

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If you’re wondering how technology can improve your business, take a look at these 4 ways it can make your business run like a well-oiled machine.

Keep up with your customers.

More and more small businesses are utilizing customer relationship management systems to play out their interactions with customers. CRM allows you to keep your customers’ contact information in one place, as well as information on the products they’ve purchased, any feedback they’ve offered, and materials you’ve discussed with them.

When you keep track of this, it makes delivering exceptional customer service easier. It also makes offering targeted marketing materials based on your customer’s preferences and habits feasible. There are many traits of successful business owners, and one key trait is being customer centric.

Boost your “find-ability.”

If customers are looking to book a private jet or find a great place to eat on an upcoming vacation, technology will help them find your business.  Promote your business on local online directories to improve the chances of it being found online. Learn how to utilize your website to grow your business– build it with your customers in mind. You can utilize social media to consistently promote your business. Pay-per-click advertising is a cost-effective avenue for generating new leads. Essentially, technology allows you to make your business easier to find.

Manage your finances.

Keeping an eye on your cash flow and income is a vital part of managing a successful small business.  This process can easily turn into a major time suck if you fail to let he right technology help you. Track your experiences and account balances so you can get a handle on your money. This will allow you to be better equipped to make smart financial decisions and free up your time to focus on bigger issues like growing your business.

Cut costs.

There are a lot of actions you can take to ensure maximum profits. If your business pays to use conferences lines or has teleconferencing expenses to pay for, technology can help you cut those costs through using services like Skype and FreeConferenceCall.com.  If your business has team members like service personnel or sales staff who routinely work outside of the office, you can benefit by equipping staff with Web access phones to save time and money.

Printing is expensive and a waste of a valuable natural resource, too. Cut down on printing costs through using a duplex printer that prints on both sides of the page.  This cuts your paper usage in half, saving you from buying as much paper.

Technology is constantly evolving, but one thing that remains constant is the way it supports business growth. Learn to embrace and implement technology and your business can stay more organized, extend its reach and boost its bottom line tenfold.

How has your business experienced great success in thanks to technology?

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How to Become a Customer Retention Guru https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2017/04/how-to-become-a-customer-retention-guru.html/ Sun, 30 Apr 2017 10:29:19 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=49668 When you lay your first brick in the market, your primary focus is the acquisition of customers. The gritty details of staying afloat pass you by as you struggle to find that oasis where you can take the time to think about a more refined strategy. But once you’ve got a few customers that come […]

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When you lay your first brick in the market, your primary focus is the acquisition of customers. The gritty details of staying afloat pass you by as you struggle to find that oasis where you can take the time to think about a more refined strategy. But once you’ve got a few customers that come regularly, retaining them should be the priority. After mastering the art of wooing your customers, you need to get them to commit to you.

If you focus on each individual, you’ll end up perceiving retention as this formula full of fine details where even the tiniest misstep can completely ruin your vibe. The truth is that customer retention—at least in the initial stages of growth—involves painting with the broadest strokes possible. Get too caught up in the details, and you’ll spend too much time on minutiae to run your business efficiently.

Repeat customers are the lifeblood of small businesses, with about a third of them reporting that 71-90% of their customers visit more than once per year and 70% of their profits come from their loyal customer base. Once you’ve gathered steam, you have to know how to keep it without blowing it all out. Here are a couple of guidelines that will create an environment that’s conducive to that kind of momentum:

Show Your Expertise

Let’s suppose you’re running a hardware shop and you don’t know how a rotary-percussion drill works. That would leave a horrible impression on customers even if they themselves don’t know this information. The moment someone walks up to you, they come with the expectation that you’re the authority on everything you’re offering.

Make sure that any employees you hire have a passion for what it is you offer. They should be willing to walk up to customers and assist them even when such assistance wasn’t requested. Interacting with people who represent a business makes it feel more “alive”. Even if you’re selling hammers, your customers want to feel like they also bought a service. They want to value the time that they spent with you.

Don’t Be Shy About Social Media

Surely your idea of running a business 10 years ago didn’t involve spending time on the laptop or tablet typing up tweets, did it? Oh, how times have changed! Almost half the world’s population is connected to the internet, which gives you a potential reach that stretches far beyond your local area.

Keep in mind that buying ads on social media has its uses, but it only takes you so far. People on the web pay more attention when you speak with them directly and give them a line with which they can reach you anytime. Facebook is great for this since it allows people with accounts to send your business page a message that you can reply to. Twitter on the other hand is great for inserting your brand into conversations. Get active on the web and see where it takes you. People who like your attitude will feel as if they “fit in” with your business culture. When others see that you are responsive to messages, they’re more likely to send you one, too. It’s up to you if you want to take advantage of the potential snowball effect.

Organize Your Background Processes

The modern-day small business runs on coffee and technology. The days of the “mom and pop” shop that closed at odd hours of the day to do its inventory and get its papers in order were left behind back in 2011.

Today, we are overwhelmed with the sheer amount of applications we need to keep everything running smoothly. Having most day-to-day functions handy in your point of sale system would not only ease this burden, but also keep your customers’ data safe. Modern POS systems offer you the possibility of introducing reward systems like loyalty cards and give you access to a variety of payment systems that anticipate any needs a customer might have.

Modernizing your infrastructure no longer requires the large investment it did back in the early 2010s and most applications now mold themselves around your business model. You now have a plethora of options that can give customers more incentive to return while at the same time improving their overall experience during visits. This two-pronged strategy provides you with the synergy you need to keep people coming to your door.

Reward Your Most Loyal Customers

Loyal customers often have a tendency to spend more. The 80-20 rule comes to mind, which states that 80 percent of your revenue will come from 20 percent of your customers. They’ve stuck with you and have given you the largest chunk of your revenue. Perhaps it’s time to think about how you can reward that.

By providing a reward, you’re giving your customers a clear signal that you appreciate their patronage. That may provide just the incentive they need to stick with you through the long run. Perhaps you can give them a discount on their next purchase or provide them with a higher-tiered loyalty program with which they can save more as they make larger purchases. Whatever you do has to be sufficiently memorable enough for you to have a reasonable expectation that the customer will come more often.

It’s All About The Experience

Customer retention goes hand-in-hand with quality of experience. If your customers walk out with warm, fuzzy feelings, they’re more likely to put your business in their “mental speed-dial”. This makes them more likely to think about your brand the next time they need something you have to offer. Rewarding loyalty will solidify the relationship you have with your customers, establishing a bond that gets more difficult to break as time passes. Building upon that increases your customer retention and makes life easier for everyone!

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Are You Aware Of These New Domain Extensions? https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2017/04/are-you-aware-of-these-new-domain-extensions.html/ Fri, 21 Apr 2017 14:00:53 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=49640 The domain extensions that you are accustomed to are those that are most in-use today. You are familiar with the extensions that are common, but you may not be aware of the over 300 that are now ready for you to use. You must begin to search for a new extension that may be useful […]

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The domain extensions that you are accustomed to are those that are most in-use today. You are familiar with the extensions that are common, but you may not be aware of the over 300 that are now ready for you to use. You must begin to search for a new extension that may be useful for you, and this article explains how you may purchase new domain extensions that will match your business properly. This article will walk you through the process of choosing a new sort of extension that serves you well.

Which Extensions Are Available?

This article is not long enough to list every Extensions hat is new in the industry, and you may find one that works for you based on how your site is designed. You must check on all the extensions before you make a choice, and you must use domains that you believe work with your business theme. The theme of your business and your site is an important part of the domain choice, but it is not the only thing you must consider when buying a new domain. You are using the domain with an extension that you likely chose yourself, and you must think beyond the simple extension to how you may market your business using the extension.

new-extension1How Does The Extension Fit Into Your Domain Name?

The extension you choose must fit into the name of your site in some way, and you will find there are many extensions that look as though they did to the name of your business. The domains that you choose must have a bit of a promotional feel to them. They are much easier to remember when they are chosen in this way, and they will look better when you print them in advertisements. Each of the extensions you may choose from will give their own connotation, and you may buy more than one to round up as much real estate as you need online.

Improving Your Image

You will improve your image by using a new extension that was designed for people such as yourself. You will note that the domain extension may have part of your company name in it, and you will find there are many that finish off your company name when you build a site. The website that you are building must be a memorable place to come, and it must have a memorable name. Your customers will be impressed with you because you have chosen something that is easy to remember, and they will come back because they remember the name of the site.

Where Do You Shop For Domain Names?

You may shop for domain names at any time, and you will find there are large catalogs of extensions that will help you when you wish to put together a proper site. You are attempting to build something that will help you grow your business, and you must continue to search for what you believe is the perfect thing to use. You may begin to shop at any time, and you may come back to the hosting site when you are ready to purchase your domain.

Who Needs A New Domain Extension?

Anyone may shop for a new domain extension when they like simply because they need more real estate online, and it is quite important for someone to ensure that they have more places online their customers may find them. A company that has many different extensions that are attached to their site will have many people coming to their site because they found the site by accident. Anyone who finds a site by accident will be happy to have found you, and it will be because you bought a few extra extensions.

What Is The Purpose Of Specific Extensions?

The extensions that are new are often used to ensure that they may categorize sites in different ways. The site may be part of a particular industry, and it will help people find the site because they realize the extension has to do with the industry that you are associated with. There are many different people who are searching for simpler ways to note what their site is about, and they will purchase these extensions because they know the site is associated with what they saw in the extension.

wwwExtensions Provide Value

Extensions will provide value to your site because they allow you quite a lot of specificity that does not come with a normal extension. The extension is important as it will help your site look better, and it will draw more traffic. You are not guaranteed to sell more on the site, but you will likely do much better because of the way the site looks. You may market around the extension, and you will own a product someone likely wants to purchase. Everyone who is shopping with you will fall in love with the specific name that you have chosen for your site, and they will begin share your site with others because of the way the site was named.

Plan For New Extensions Often

You must continue to plan for new extensions, and you will find it quite simple to ensure that you have something new to add to your arsenal of domains when you are working online. Your online presence is important, and you cannot survive in the modern day with a single extension that you purchased long ago. Let your customers know that they may find you in many different ways, and you will notice there are many different places where you may place your new domain extension because it is fun to look at.

Market yourself in a way that is profitable to your business, and begin to shop for more extensions than you currently have. You will earn more money on your site, and you will potentially save money when you are using domains and extensions that spell out the purpose of your business.

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13 Inexpensive Ways to Draw in New Customers https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2017/04/13-inexpensive-ways-to-draw-in-new-customers.html/ Fri, 21 Apr 2017 13:00:39 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=49602 How can a small business use inexpensive technology to expand its reach and attract new customers? The Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) is an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, YEC recently launched BusinessCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses. 1. Embrace Automation […]

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SBT

How can a small business use inexpensive technology to expand its reach and attract new customers?

The Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) is an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, YEC recently launched BusinessCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses.

1. Embrace Automation

Justin BlanchardI automate as much as I can so that I can focus my time where it really matters – attracting leads and converting them to clients. I use a mixture of automation technologies, like marketing automation, Zapier and Keyboard Maestro to reduce the amount of repetitive low-value work I do and increase the time I have to spend on customer service and lead development.

– Justin BlanchardServerMania Inc.

2. Go Offline

Ross BeyelerOne of the most effective ways to build a customer base early on is by getting in front of them, face-to-face. With an effort to do this with some sort of “scale” in mind, consider using tools like Eventbrite to help run event series related to your product or service offering that could attract, educate or entertain potential customers.

– Ross BeyelerGrowth Spark

3. Look to Retargeting

John RamptonRetargeting is not an expensive marketing technology, but it can make a tremendous difference in convincing new customers that what you have to offer is right for them. By following them from website to social media platform to search engines and back again, you are kept top of mind. This continual reminder with targeted messaging has been proven to win customers.

– John RamptonDue

4. Use Free Public Relations Tools

Adelyn ZhouBusinesses can use free public relations tools such as HARO, or Help a Reporter Out, to respond to relevant press inquiries. This allows businesses to demonstrate their expertise in a field. The PR also helps a company reach new audiences and improve their SEO through additional backlinks.

– Adelyn ZhouTOPBOTS

5. Take Advantage of Your Smartphone

Leila LewisUse your smartphone to create content. Phones these days come equipped with quality cameras and a plethora of apps, so don’t be afraid to use them for photo shoots, live streaming or creating artwork. Virtually everyone already has a smart phone, so figure out where it makes sense to use it in place of professional services.

– Leila LewisBe Inspired PR

6. Plan and Publicize Your Live Video

Ben LeeLive streaming is very hot right now, and it’s a great way to get in touch with customers in a deeply engaging way. Schedule a time to do a live stream either as a demo, a tutorial or just a Q&A and publicize it. Not only is it engaging, but live videos can often show up quite high in Google SERPs.

– Ben LeeNeon Roots

7. Post on Social Media

Shalyn DeverSocial media sites are free. There is no advertising or media spend that you need to invest on. Ideally, managing and increasing your reach in social media just takes time. Use your own network to spread the news about your business or what you offer. As a small business owner, this is a must.

– Shalyn DeverChatter Buzz

8. Leverage the Reach of Influencers

Travis NagleA great way to expand your audience quickly is to get mentions and links from influencers in your industry. Use something like BuzzSumo and SimilarWeb to gather the best blogs and websites based on audience and size. You can use Pitchbox to setup automated emails for smaller ones. For more prominent influencers, write them directly and offer unique value.

– Travis NagleStem

9. Hold Contests and Giveaways

Phil LaboonOne of the easiest and fastest ways to generate instant traffic is to do some type of creative giveaway that people can share organically. There are several new pieces of software that take out much of the heavy lifting and automate much of the process, so all you need to do is promote the offer and get prospects into the funnel.

– Phil LaboonWUDN

10. Create an Email Marketing Program

Vincent WongEmail is still king for many businesses, driving more clicks and conversations over search and social. Sign up for an email marketing platform like MailChimp to easily setup and deploy emails to prospects. Sending drip campaigns to potential customers will help keep you top of mind and the effort and costs for you are relatively low, with some email platforms even offering free plans.

– Vincent WongmHelpDesk

11. Buy Facebook Ads

Andrew SaladinoAcquiring new customers on Facebook is extremely cheap. The majority of your customers are on Facebook in some capacity and just need to be targeted. Start with simple ads to get more likes to your page and then enhance or optimize from there. There is a ton of value in simple Facebook ads and they’re easy to execute well.

– Andrew SaladinoKitchen Cabinet Kings

12. Seek Reviews on Yelp and Google Business

Terry KimEstablishing a presence on Yelp and Google with great reviews can do wonders for your business. Just make sure you deliver exceptional service and simply ask for reviews from your customers to build up your brand. It’s a fantastic way to attract new customers!

– Terry KimNexGenT

13. Use Tools Like Google Analytics

Ryan WilsonTools like Google Analytics are inexpensive and very helpful. Regularly evaluate the data regarding where traffic comes from, where it’s not, and what opportunities are ripe for the taking. For example, if a disproportionate amount of your traffic comes from social media, invest in growing your prominence there. Knowledge is power, and performance data reveals surprising ways to expand reach.

– Ryan WilsonFiveFifty

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Battle of the Giants – Facebook vs. Email https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2017/04/battle-of-the-giants-facebook-vs-email.html/ Wed, 12 Apr 2017 10:13:01 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=49583 Where do you spend your marketing budget? Social media automation comes at a cost, even if you stick with basic software. Is it worth it? Email automation comes with a monthly cost; does it earn enough to justify the cost? Where should your marketing dollars go? Is email dead as a dodo? The crowd says […]

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Where do you spend your marketing budget?

Social media automation comes at a cost, even if you stick with basic software. Is it worth it?

Email automation comes with a monthly cost; does it earn enough to justify the cost?

Where should your marketing dollars go? Is email dead as a dodo? The crowd says social media, and especially Facebook, but have you checked for yourself?

Marketing decisions are always about choosing the most efficient channels for conversion into customers. When you look at your typical customer profile, the decision may appear obvious; Facebook if your customer profile is less than 30, and email if he is over 30. But is that an over-simplification?

Comparing Reach

Facebook follower numbers are high, but that means nothing because communicating with them is nigh on impossible. Facebook’s filtering mechanisms. Brian Boland from Facebook in the UK wrote about why organic reach is headed for zero.

Sharing helps to increase your reach and to put your brand in front of new faces, but the increase is from such a small base that it is always going to be a low number.

It takes more effort to acquire email subscribers, but every subscriber will see your email, though it might be in the promotions tab.

The Facebook Process

Someone is interested in you and clicks a link to follow your Facebook Page. You hope they will see some of your content in their feeds.

In reality, your organic reach to Facebook followers is very low for two reasons:

  • Facebook limits organic reach because they want you to pay for ads
  • There are so many possible items that can be shown in users’ feeds

If someone follows you, even then they don’t see your page in their feed.

Facebook Feed

Your page is hidden away behind the Pages link as highlighted above. Only if the individual shrinks the page or scrolls down will he or she see more than the top few pages they have followed.

The chance of one of your followers going through this process to see what is happening in your business is effectively zero.

The Email Process

Someone has to go to a bit more trouble to sign up to your email list.

Email Signup Page

You can make your signup page attractive and outline all the benefits people will get by clicking that button.

A subscriber needs to go to a bit of trouble to sign up, but there is nothing unexpected, and it just means a few clicks if he is using an autofill app.

You can then direct the subscriber to any page you choose. You have his attention, so use it to good effect.

From here on the subscriber sees every message you send. Yes, you need to work hard to make them interesting enough that they are worth opening, but the same can be said for a Facebook Page post. At least with email, you know people will see your marketing messages.

Advantage Gmail

Email has one other advantage. If you are using a gmail account you can personalize your signature. You can do this using the Settings link in your account, but the email signature you get is boring and does nothing for your marketing.

Gmail Signatures

What would you give to have an email signature like one of the above? WiseStamp is a gmail signature app that will let you design the email signoff of your dreams.

Facebook Automation vs. Email Automation

Facebook automation possibilities are limited. Yes, you can use Hootsuite to upload a series of posts, but remember only 7% of your followers will see your post unless you pay to promote it.

Personalization is not possible with Facebook posts, further limiting their conversion rate.

Email automation possibilities are endless. The smart autoresponder from GetResponse allows you to build multiple lists and to divide each list into segments so you can target particular groups more easily.

You can also send unlimited personalized emails and develop automated workflows you can use time and again.

Check out this SmallBiz Technology post for further advice on choosing a marketing automation provider.

Your Takeaway

Customer acquisition is a combination of reach and engagement. One without the other is worthless. If your message reaches one million people, but no-one clicks on the link, then all that reach was wasted. Facebook has too many distractions to be an effective final stage marketing vehicle. Its best use is to persuade Facebook users to subscribe to your email list.

Build your email list, and use an autoresponder to send multiple messages to your subscribers. Be open and be yourself because people buy from people they trust. Emails and the blog posts they link to are excellent tools in the trust-building process that must precede any sale.

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Advice from the 2017 SXSW Dell Experience: How to Pitch a Complex Business https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2017/03/advice-from-the-2017-sxsw-dell-experience-how-to-pitch-a-complex-business.html/ Thu, 30 Mar 2017 14:00:33 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=49527 Pitching your business is a subject we frequently write about here on Smart Hustle. In the past year, we’ve covered articles on the sales pitch, pitch contests, pitching to the media, and even pitch advice from Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary. Recently, I encountered another angle that I think some business owners would appreciate, after watching […]

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Pitching your business is a subject we frequently write about here on Smart Hustle. In the past year, we’ve covered articles on the sales pitch, pitch contests, pitching to the media, and even pitch advice from Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary.

Recently, I encountered another angle that I think some business owners would appreciate, after watching a session where Bethany Edwards, co-founder of Lia Diagnostics, pitched her business to the crowd at the 2017 SXSW Dell Experience.

Bethany and her team have developed a biodegradable, flushable pregnancy test; therefore her business resides in the complex area of medical products and regulations. This is a rapidly growing field; other companies in this space have developed tests for other health issues that patients might prefer to be discreet about, which has helped surge the at-home test market. I caught up with Bethany later on to get her tips for small business owners in similar areas where the products are complicated and highly regulated. Get the interview by clicking Play below.

In the video, Bethany also shares general pitch tips and advice for starting entrepreneurs. But if you are in a complex field or dealing with a complex product, here are Bethany’s specific tips for you:

1. Assume that people don’t understand the complexities.

Before crafting your script and materials, begin with the assumption that some or even all of the audience do not understand the technical aspects of your business or product.

2. Simplify your main message.

Since you are speaking to people who don’t understand the complexities, start by trying to explain the problem and your solution in the simplest way that you can describe it.

3. Avoid jargon.

If the audience doesn’t understand the complexities, they will not understand these technical terms; simplify your language.

4. Write as if you were explaining it to a kid.

When writing your script, picture someone who has no idea what you are doing, and try to find ways to describe the business succinctly but in a meaningful manner.

5. Practice the script but be ready to deviate.

Things may happen while you are pitching (for example, in Bethany’s pitch she lost some of her slides and had to wing it!). But you should also read your audience in real time and make on-the-fly decisions about what you should or shouldn’t include and when elaboration is necessary.

Bethany shares more advice in the video above. Her interview is the second in a series of 2017 SXSW Dell Experience coverage that we will be sharing in the next few weeks.

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The impact of web hosting on small business https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2017/03/the-impact-of-web-hosting-on-small-business.html/ Thu, 23 Mar 2017 12:50:45 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=49509 The impact of web hosting on small business In the last decade, commerce has moved online – and not just for big guys like Amazon, but for millions of smaller companies selling their wares and capabilities. At the same time, these business owners have also seen an increase in the options available for how they […]

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websiteThe impact of web hosting on small business

In the last decade, commerce has moved online – and not just for big guys like Amazon, but for millions of smaller companies selling their wares and capabilities. At the same time, these business owners have also seen an increase in the options available for how they host and manage their mission critical sites and in the number of hosting providers in the marketplace. Without the benefit of in-house technical expertise, overwhelmed by the options available and frazzled by time constraints, many small business owners struggle to find the best unlimited hosting provider. Check this list for Canada before choosing a provider that is often viewed as a necessary evil rather than a strategic partnering decision and as a result their business could likely suffer for it.

In a recent study conducted by Liquid Web, nearly 80 percent of small and medium business owners responded that they expect their business to be even more reliant on the web and cloud technologies five years from now. These business email domain understand that having a strong web presence is necessary if they want their businesses to succeed.

Astonishingly, the survey revealed that 86 percent of respondents believe that selecting the right hosting provider like Knownhost will affect a company’s competitiveness. With the potential for web presence to make or break a business, hosting is now part of the foundation for producing better business results.

While business owners want a hosting partner who can help their business succeed, more than 1 in 5 respondents reported that the state of their business limits their selection. This is most prevalent in organizations without internal IT staff or who cannot afford third party expertise to assist in the selection. Most web hosting services charge once for domain registration and you have to annually renew this domain. But all prefer that can allow to pay once for the domain as long as you use their hosting services. To know the best web host you can check the 28Msec website. The 28 Msec reviewed a lot of web hosts to help the people.

With an increasing number of businesses betting their success on their web presence and cloud reliant technologies, it is troubling to see the percentage that make this critical business decision based on price alone. It can be a costly mistake, especially for businesses that can’t afford downtime, slow site performance or security breaches. Instead, ask a hosting provider:

  • What is their track record on uptime? What service level agreements are in place in the event of an outage?
  • Do they own their own infrastructure and are they on-site with the servers 24x7x365?
  • Does a cheaper price mean that they utilize older or refurbished hardware?
  • Do customers have around the clock access to highly- trained, certified technicians?
  • What do current customers say about them? Ask for data.

Business owners must also ensure their hosting provider can support their potential for growth. For example, Infoplum AFP needed to insure their application would withstand billions of global requests during the FIFA World Cup without interruption. Since 2008, Liquid Web’s Cloud Sites platform helped them serve 4.1 billion requests or 153 million hits per day and over 100 million pageviews.

And CrazyEngineers, an online outlet and forum for professional engineers and engineering students, switched its host provider to fastcomet coupon, after multiple issues with the previous host. As the CrazyEngineers site grew in popularity, Liquid Web was able to upgrade its server to withstand this large influx of web traffic easily handling a 70 percent increase in traffic that occurred over less than three months.

Businesses need a hosting partner they can trust. Three factors top owners’ concerns when choosing a hosting provider:

  1. Security
    • In Liquid Web’s survey, 88 percent of respondents considered security one of the most important criteria when selecting a hosting provider. Unlike large corporations, most small businesses lack the advanced tech support and funds to recover from a security breach. Owners want a provider that has built in security at the network, platform and application level. Ask about the provider’s security expertise and proactive monitoring. A good hosting provider is constantly blocking malicious activity, offering security solutions and helping with compliance needs.
  1. Reliability
    • Almost half of respondents have experienced technical issues with their hosting company in the past 12 months. From the survey, the average number of technical issues is 4.5 – an unacceptable figure when even one technical issue could be detrimental for a business that is web-dependent. Not surprising, reliability is considered one of the most important criteria when selecting a provider according to 89 percent of respondents. Web-dependent businesses deserve 100 percent power and network uptime. While every provider may promote great service and high availability, ask them what they do when it doesn’t happen. With a hosting partner, owners should expect service level agreements that guarantee everything from response times and hardware replacement to compensation for downtime.
  1. Support
    • When choosing a hosting provider, it is important to dig deep on the expertise of support personnel. Not every company offers 24x7x365 service and a tiered support model can cause delays in finding and addressing any hosting issues. Insure that the hosting provider offers access to experts around the clock and on the first contact – consulting on the product that is best for each business, helping if the site or application is slow and proactively flagging any issues. Having certified experts on-site and near the servers means if there is an issue, it will be fixed quickly. No middleman. No finger pointing.

The Liquid Web survey revealed that businesses are often held back from choosing a better hosting partner by the “what-if” situation migration presents. Nearly a quarter of consumers who aren’t switching to a new provider cited too much work for the migration as the biggest reason for maintaining the status quo. The right partner will have dedicated teams who can provide advice and expertise that can deliver a smooth migration experience.

If web presence fuels a business, then the site is mission-critical. Pick a partner – not a price. Think of hosting partners as part of the solution, not the problem.

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Does Your Website Pass the Market Test? https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2017/03/does-your-website-pass-the-market-test.html/ Wed, 01 Mar 2017 15:41:21 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=49440 As the years go so do the masses of people joining the online world and so does the population of new websites grow. With so much to see, read, and sign up for — it makes your head spin. If you’re even fortunate enough that someone lands on your website, you had best be prepared […]

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As the years go so do the masses of people joining the online world and so does the population of new websites grow.

With so much to see, read, and sign up for — it makes your head spin. If you’re even fortunate enough that someone lands on your website, you had best be prepared to grab their attention, and quickly.

A smart marketer knows you need to first be marketable before marketing. If you want to save a ton of time, money and frustration, make your website work for you before you start shouting about it to the world.

If your website is just an online brochure, you’re missing a golden opportunity. Before sending traffic to your website, whether organic or paid, get all your ducks in a row.

Your website needs to immediately grab visitor’s attention, but is best to take them on a journey as well. Hold their hand, and take them on this journey.  You can do this by design, with specific and relevant calls to action.

People need to be told what to do when they land on your website — so tell them, show them and guide them through what you think they need to know.

Here’s my top 7 recommendations that should be implemented on everyone’s website.

  • Clear Message You want an immediate connection with your viewer; you get this with a very clear message. Don’t make people guess about what you do. You will lose them fast. Be yourself, and when they land on your page let them connect with you and know what you do and what you have to offer.
  • CTA (Call to Action) What do you want them to do next? Any page can be the first page a visitor sees, so what makes the most sense for them to see or do next? Visitors want you to tell them, they want to be taken on a journey. Don’t make them hunt for it: your CTA should be front and center. Make it easy for them to stay connected with a newsletter subscription or get on your email list with a lead magnet.  Maybe you want them to watch a video, or direct them to a Facebook group, or lead them down your sales funnel. One CTA per page, and make sure it’s attractive and easy to engage with.
  • Organized Your website needs space to breathe. A website that is too busy and cluttered will not get read. You take a huge risk of your visitor closing your page before they even get through the first sentence. Think clean, crisp, organized. Don’t worry about using up all the space, you want “white space” — it gives eyes a place to pause or focus. Take them on a pleasant journey that doesn’t lead to a jungle.
  • Have a Lead Magnet A lead magnet is something of value you give away in exchange for the person signing up to your email list. This is huge. This lead magnet can be showcased on every page and very visible. Capturing email addresses is to build your email list — one of your most valuable assets.  If you don’t have a lead magnet you’re leaving money on the table. Grow and nurture your list and the results will amaze you!
  • Testimonials As a very powerful marketing tool, use what others are saying about you. Use your best testimonials, ones with hard facts, and a real name behind them (industry dependent — some industries don’t allow testimonials or it would be unwise to reveal the identity of your clients). Ask for permission to identify your clients if you are able to use testimonials in your industry, and only put live links to their website if they’ll open in a new window, and it won’t compete with your web visitor’s attention on you.
  • Social Media Links Make it easy to find your social media links on your website so visitors can follow you. They will scan your social sites to see what you’re saying and how you interact with other people. Make the links easy to find so people can connect with you in as many ways as they are comfortable.
  • Media Links If you have radio or podcast interviews, or have had articles published on your business, add these to your website. This is a credibility builder that places you in the “expert status” category in your subject matter.

The success or failure of your web site depends on how you have defined your website goals. If you don’t know what you want your website to accomplish, then it will most likely fail to accomplish anything.

With goals to guide you in developing and monitoring your website, you can generate new business, grow your mailing list, make online sales, grab marketshare, and build relationships.

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Facebook Ads vs. Google Ads and Remarketing https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2017/02/facebook-ads-vs-google-ads-and-remarketing.html/ Thu, 23 Feb 2017 21:17:08 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=49425 The complexity of paid social media ads and paid search has increased radically over the last couple of years. With innovative ad formats, increased targeting options, as well as more proficient tools for measuring results, companies’ rgooeach towards their target audiences is broader and more efficient than ever. This brings on new challenges, as both […]

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The complexity of paid social media ads and paid search has increased radically over the last couple of years. With innovative ad formats, increased targeting options, as well as more proficient tools for measuring results, companies’ rgooeach towards their target audiences is broader and more efficient than ever. This brings on new challenges, as both Google’s AdWords and Facebook social media ads have become so powerful and complex that most companies struggle with how and when they’re going to use them.

Facebook Ads

One of the best options offered by Facebook Adds has to be audience targeting. Facebook currently has over 1.86 billion active monthly users and over the years, it has collected a massive amount of data about them. Google targets its users based on keywords and topics, but Facebook has gone a step further than that. Third ad system targets people based on their beliefs, behaviors, habits, demographics, ideologies and particular set of values they uphold. Facebook interest targeting allows for a very precise audience targeting based on a number of different characteristics.

Another strong point of Facebook Ads is the social engagement aspect. The platform itself encourages potential customers to interact with, comment on and share numerous types of interest based content. With this information in mind, advertisers can create entire campaigns focused on generating more comments, likes, and shares. This makes the Facebook platform rather effective when it comes to not only company branding but also interacting and engaging with current customers, as well as potential ones.

Although Google has a lot of potential when it comes to local marketing strategies, Facebook has specific ad types such as Lead Ads and Local Awareness which offer some exclusive opportunities for marketing which aren’t easy to replicate with Google AdWords. Furthermore, Facebook Ads have a far lower cost per click (CPC) when compared to Google AdWords, with the average CPC rarely costing more than $2. Granted, AdWords do have a somewhat higher conversion rate, but it is possible to regulate a decent conversion rate using Facebook, especially due to cheaper clicks.

Facebook Ads Pros

To summarize, the pros of Facebook Ads include:

  • Easy setup
  • Capability to reach users early in the buying process
  • Cheap cost-per-click
  • Easy to track campaigns
  • Excellent control over maximum CPC and daily budgets
  • Instant traffic influx
  • Immediate ROI
  • Numerous targeting options
  • Use of graphic and video Ads in order to pique the interest of the target audience

Cons

  • It can be far more expensive than Google AdWords if not setup and maintained properly
  • Lower conversion rates due to reaching customers so early in the buying process
  • No option for Ad timing (times of day, week, month)
  • Only really applicable for B2C companies

Google AdWords

Keyword targeting is one of the main points separating Google from Facebook. Being the biggest search engine on the internet, Google also has the most available users. This allows for targeting customers which are looking for your service or product specifically and those with high intent for purchasing. With AdWords, you can create ad groups and campaigns which revolve around a certain keyword and produce ads relevant to the search queries users actually make.

And that is exactly the main difference between Google AdWords and Facebook Ads. Facebook helps customers find you, while AdWords helps you find potential customers. And locating potential customers is fairly easy for Google, as its Display Network currently covers over 2 million individual websites. Potential audiences can see the Ads in mobile apps while browsing their emails and while watching videos on YouTube.

Creating video ads is simple with Facebook, but the one feature which distinguishes Google from it is, of course, YouTube. It currently has around 1 billion active users and AdWords allow you to create specific marketing campaigns based on interests, demographics, particular ad placements, specific keywords people use, etc. Not only are video ads excellent four generating brand awareness, but they can also allow users to interact with them in numerous ways. Although Google AdWords allows for better reach and higher conversion rates, some of the keywords you target can be rather expensive when compared to Facebook Ads.

Google AdWords Pros

  • Enormous potential audience
  • Easy-to-track campaigns
  • Excellent control over daily budgets and maximum CPC
  • Instant traffic influx
  • Immediate ROI
  • Better conversion rates
  • Different targeting options such as time of the day, week, specific regions and websites
  • Numerous advertising options

Cons

  • Very costly if not set up correctly
  • Time-consuming setup and maintenance
  • Limited ad space
  • Depending on the industry in question, very high CPC

Remarketing and Retargeting options

Google AdWords remarketing allows advertisers to display their ads to users which have already visited their website. It’s a powerful marketing technique which ensures that advertisers stay connected to their target audience even after they leave the website. With Google’s vast network, marketers can present ads to potential customers even when they’re browsing different parts of the internet, which further improves brand exposure and increasing trust in your product or service. With the cost per click being lower for remarketing than it is for normal marketing campaigns, Google remarketing is an excellent tool to further increase the conversion rates.

Facebook also has a remarketing solution called Facebook Custom Audiences. Similar to Google, the Custom Audiences platform represents a lists of users who have already interacted with your brand. These include past buyers, current customers, high-value customers, etc. The biggest strength of Facebook Custom Audiences is the narrowness with which potential customers can be targeted, allowing for carefully created ads to be displayed to a number of selected individuals.

Both of these advertising platforms have their strengths and weaknesses. Picking one over the other can be quite difficult, as both offer unique results which mostly depend on your specific advertising goals. Facebook allows for very narrow targeting options, but Google’s keyword targeting is hard to beat when it comes to offering your products and services to a much broader audience. Instead of choosing one specific platform, it is best to use them in a complementary way. The best advertising strategy is one which uses all available assets in order to produce the best results.

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5 Ways To Get Started With Content Marketing https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2017/02/5-ways-to-get-started-with-content-marketing.html/ Tue, 21 Feb 2017 13:51:00 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=49405 The adoption of content marketing practices is rising quickly, and if you’re ready to figure out how to use it for your business you’re in the right place.  Content marketing will deliver real benefits for your business such as visibility, brand awareness, and reputation. Take a look at these 5 ways you can get started […]

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The adoption of content marketing practices is rising quickly, and if you’re ready to figure out how to use it for your business you’re in the right place.  Content marketing will deliver real benefits for your business such as visibility, brand awareness, and reputation. Take a look at these 5 ways you can get started as you launch a structured content marketing strategy.

Define your goals

To succeed in anything you do, you need to set goals. Your content marketing campaign is no exception; it should be aligned with your small business goals.  Before you start recreating content, you need to define what it is you hope to achieve through content marketing.  Goals often include raising brand awareness, increasing brand loyalty, educating and engaging your customers, and building connections. As you highlight your goals, it’s also vital to make sure you created a winning content marketing strategy.

Define metrics

Once your goals are in place, it’s time to figure out how you plan to track and measure the performance of your campaign. Each goal will have a different way to measure its success, but common performance indicators include the time users spend on your site, the pages per visit, the bounce rate, conversions, and social shares.

Create content personas

As you try to develop a content marketing campaign, you must take the time to figure out who your audience is. It’s essential to understand what your readers want and what type of content they will consume.

When you have solid content personas, you can better model your users buying behavior and target content at the various stages of the sales funnel.  Without personas, you will be mostly guessing what content your audience hopes for – so more than likely you will share content about what you know instead of what your audience is actively seeking.

Generate content ideas

Many marketers are like a deer caught in the headlights when it comes to generating new topic ideas for their content.  There is a high demand for one-of-a-kind, valuable content that will stand apart from the many posts that are like ten others already out there.  Some ideas to help you come up with posts include focusing on your passions and writing about areas you know.  Build off others content – take what they write and expand on it.  You can also ask your customers and social media followers and fans what they want to read more about.  Let their suggestions fuel ideas for new, innovate posts and capitalize on one of the many ways to grow customer trust and loyalty – through powerful content.

Develop a content calendar

Track your content creation with the help of an editorial calendar.  Calendars will help ensure the content is posted at the right time and offer insight into content personas, keywords and topics.

In smaller organizations, a content calendar isn’t too tough to oversee. If you have a business that has more than one department making contributions to the campaign, a content calendar becomes essential to manage them all.

Don’t let content marketing paralyze you – it doesn’t have to be as hard as it sounds and the more you do it, the easier it gets. Implement key strategies to help you develop a content marketing campaign that allows you to reach your target audience, build a strong online presence, and stimulate interest in your products and services.

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7 Ways Your Business Can Generate Leads https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2017/02/7-ways-your-business-can-generate-leads.html/ Fri, 10 Feb 2017 10:54:45 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=49350 You’ve sent out mailers, printed flyers and posted on social media, yet you aren’t getting the leads you need to grow your business.  If it feels like you’ve exhausted every attempt, don’t worry.  There are countless ways to generate qualified leads that will turn into conversions.  Here are 7 highly effective strategies you can use […]

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You’ve sent out mailers, printed flyers and posted on social media, yet you aren’t getting the leads you need to grow your business.  If it feels like you’ve exhausted every attempt, don’t worry.  There are countless ways to generate qualified leads that will turn into conversions.  Here are 7 highly effective strategies you can use to quickly generate leads.

 

eBooks.

These are great for B2B companies or businesses that work in a technical space where people love to read more and gain knowledge about their industry. Remember that it’s crucial that you write about things other than your products and services. People do not like to be sold, but instead, prefer to be informed. Write from a neutral perspective and give insight about current events or other relevant, engaging content. Share your eBook on social media and your network can share it for you.

 

When you build your eBook, ensure your landing page is set up where visitors are required to share their name, phone number, and an email address for the chance to download the eBook.

 

Newsletter.

If you don’t have a newsletter yet, you are missing out on one of the easiest ways to generate more leads. Put a newsletter sign up in multiple locations on your website to grow your email list.

 

A great thing about your newsletter is that you have a captive audience since the recipients choose to receive it. Email pathways are also a great way to avoid getting lost in the noise of the Internet.  Don’t make the newsletter all about your business – share your insights and other industry-related and helpful information with your audience.

 

Blog.

A blog is one of the best lead generating tools a business can use, yet many fail to understand the importance of it. It allows a company (the writer) to have complete control of what is said and the opportunity to have the undivided attention of the audience. It’s essential to find ways to drive action and measurably grow business outcomes.

 

Add a section to the blog where readers can sign up for your newsletter and use the margins to promote your products and services.  Share links to the blog on your social platforms – this is one of many ways social media can benefit your business.  Remember, don’t make the blog all about you – instead, share valuable content with your audience.

 

Networking events.

A lot of action happens in the digital world, but the real world has its advantages, no doubt. Networking events – even those that may not pertain directly to your business – can provide you with valuable leads. Attend so you can meet new contacts, expand your network, and gain referrals.  Events are also a great way to build your brand.  Don’t forget to pass out your business cards!

 

Infographic.

Infographics have been used a lot, but people still share them and stop to read them when they are able.  They aren’t expensive to produce either. You need to start by coming up with an original idea that isn’t about you, then hire a quality graphic designer, and share the finished infographic socially so your network can pass it along.  You should also submit infographics to publications that cover your industry.

 

Make sure to put your logo and website URL on the infographic so readers will see it and can visit your site.

 

Strong branding.

Customers want to support authentic companies and prefer that a company have a strong message that’s consistent across all of their platforms.  Don’t try to be everything to everyone. Be who you are.  Customers want experts and want to support the business that is the best in the industry. Focus on communicating that through your strong branding to make your conversion rates go up.

 

 

Many business owners are familiar with the common ways to generate leads online and are used to navigating those platforms. There are countless ways to build relationships, boost exposure, and increase interest – probably even ways that you have yet to try. The key to generating leads is to act consistently and work to provide relevant information to your audience instead of just trying to sell them.

 

What other methods work well when it comes to generating leads?

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How to Become a Modern Day Sales Nomad https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2017/01/become-modern-day-sales-nomad.html/ Mon, 23 Jan 2017 19:31:49 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=49264 So much in marketing has changed over the past 10 years. What once worked (push advertising) now is a turnoff, and people can easily fast forward through commercials or ignore your online ad. Now consumers are all about being attracted to a brand based on its value in their lives. They’re in control when it […]

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So much in marketing has changed over the past 10 years. What once worked (push advertising) now is a turnoff, and people can easily fast forward through commercials or ignore your online ad. Now consumers are all about being attracted to a brand based on its value in their lives. They’re in control when it comes to marketing, not you.

How you sell has changed too. Where once you were limited to just what brick-and-mortar stores sold in your area, you now have virtually unlimited options to choose from online. And having to know how to code a website is no longer a barrier to selling products online: sites like Shopify help you not only sell on your website and on social media. You can use a tiny card swiper affixed to your phone rather than wrangle with a giant merchant card processing device. Technology is making it more affordable — not to mention easier — to sell these days. It has become easy to become a Reseller for big brands as well.

So much has changed for the better in terms of how to sell your products, but if you’re still using outdated techniques, you may be struggling to succeed. So let’s look at how you can master becoming a modern day sales nomad.

Have a Command Center for Sales

For years, online sellers struggled with merchant services that were add-ons to regular websites, and they were always a bit difficult to manage. Now that we have tools like Shopify, the ecommerce selling process has gotten so much easier.

Not only can you custom design a website that actually looks professional (with zero design skills), you can also accept credit and debit card payments, look at detailed sales reports, and manage inventory. Everything you need, from managing returns to calculating shipping, is baked into one easy-to-use platform.

Read Your Customers’ Minds

Another way sales have become easier is the amount of data we now have access to regarding our customers. Those sales reports, along with website analytics, and behavior marketing trends, tell you exactly what your customers are doing, which helps you predict their next move.

Let’s say you send promotional emails to customers every week, and you notice a high number of people clicking the link to your newest watch design landing page. This could compel you to mark that watch down to boost sales of it.

Or your website analytics tell you that many people are visiting a particular product’s page, but when they see you’re out of the black option, they leave. Clearly you need to reorder the black option of that product!

Paying attention to what your customers are doing can help you position your products in a way that will boost sales.

Creating Relationships with Customers is Easier than Ever

No longer do you have to jot down notes on your customers so you can pretend to remember their preferences. Customer relationship software — or CRM — lets you record customer data such as contact info, product preferences, and even social media profiles.

It also helps you track leads so nothing falls through the cracks. Some CRM platforms let you assign tasks to your sales team and track milestones so that every lead is maximized.

Another way to build relationships with customers is by interacting with them on social media. Having an active LinkedIn profile (or any other social profile) and connecting with your leads and customers gives you the opportunity to build dialogue with them, as well as support them by sharing their content and commenting on it. You can effectively build a relationship with your target audience without ever meeting them face-to-face.

Mobile: Being There When It Counts

One of the best selling tools for brick-and-mortar businesses these days is mobile marketing, specifically push notifications. If a customer is within half a mile of your shop, for example, you can push a coupon to pop up on her phone, compelling her to stop in and take advantage of it.

Push notifications also serve as regular reminders so that customers don’t forget about you! Coupons, gentle nudges, and reminders about events keep customers engaged and visiting your store on a more regular basis.

Part of being a modern day sales nomad is understanding that the sales environment has changed. Consumers won’t stand for pushy salespeople or selfish agendas. They want brands that care about their needs and that will cater to them. Be willing to adapt to better appeal to today’s customer, and you’ll become an ace at selling in today’s savvy and tech-driven market.

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How To Amp Up Your SMB’s Performance and Productivity https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2017/01/how-to-amp-smb-performance-productivity.html/ Thu, 19 Jan 2017 11:00:10 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=49307   If you’re the owner of an SMB, you’re used to wearing many, many hats, and you know how fierce the competition is. SMB’s often have little to no room for error, and productivity depends on hyper-smart time management and budget-friendly choices. Inefficiency is the enemy of a small business and it can sink a […]

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If you’re the owner of an SMB, you’re used to wearing many, many hats, and you know how fierce the competition is. SMB’s often have little to no room for error, and productivity depends on hyper-smart time management and budget-friendly choices.

Inefficiency is the enemy of a small business and it can sink a ship shortly after setting sail.

The good news is the digital space constantly offers an ocean of tactics and tools developed for business owners who seek automated assistance. The bad news is you have to keep up on what’s out there, or your competitors will beat you to it.

Let’s take a look at some of the most recent advancements and how they can increase your brand’s effectiveness in 2017.

Better, Smarter, Faster Invoicing

The success of virtually any business relies on generating sales, earning revenue, and getting that money in the bank on time. But we’re all used to delayed or missing payments, and chasing down our clients for timely payments is not an efficient use of any manager’s time.

The best way to ensure prompt payments is to employ a digital invoicing system. Be aware that many of today’s solutions are clunky and inefficient, adding to complexity and stress rather than alleviating it.

That’s where services like Sighted become a lifesaver.

Sighted is a customizable invoicing software that allows business owners to streamline their expenses and revenue. The system enables users to tailor invoices to meet the needs of a project through product or service details, per hour, project, or product pricing, and various other personalized features.

The service also makes receiving payments a synch with integrated online payment options, a kaleidoscope of supported currencies, and even provides financial reporting information to help you understand where your money is allocated. With a top tier price of $9.00 per month, Sighted is a highly affordable option for SMBs.

Alternatively, if you would like an invoicing service that integrates checkout options, there’s MoonClerk.

MoonClerk also allows merchants to set up one-time or recurring payment invoices for clients, but this technology also enables SMB owners to link to checkout pages from nearly anywhere, including emails and Facebook.

MoonCleark even allows users to brand their checkout page with logos, fonts, colors, and more to ensure a consistent experience for consumers.

Greater Outreach and Relationship-Building Strategies

Contrary to what some people believe, email is still one of the most effective channels for generating leads and sales; email drove 25% of all sales on Black Friday 2015.

This year, approximately 225 billion emails will be sent each day; a 5% increase over 2016.

Part of the reason email is such a strong focus for business owners is that 72% of consumers state that email is their preferred method of communication with companies.

This means that there is massive potential for growth and failure among increasingly cluttered inboxes. To break through the noise, you’re going to need a stellar email solution. Enter: Mailshake.

This email provider helps to bolster a brand’s outreach and relationship-building efforts through customizable email templates that cater to efforts involving lead acquisition, link building, content promotion, and other business-centered tasks.

Mailshake also allows users to established automated follow up emails based on actions (or lack thereof) of recipients and also supports drip campaigns, real-time email alterations, and robust analytics so that you know how your efforts are performing.

Email is not the only avenue to build relationships or conduct outreach through, however, as content marketing plays a major role in both of these departments.

Despite its overabundance online, content is still one of the most effective ways to educate consumers, build trust, drive sales, increase SEO rankings, and reach other digital goals. But as a small business owner, you likely don’t have the time to create unique content on a regular basis.

To help streamline and amplify your content marketing efforts, there’s ClearVoice.

ClearVoice helps SMB operators to acquire unique and compelling content by simply uploading the details of the required materials and assigning it to a team member.

If you don’t have employees to handle content creation, it can be outsourced to one of 2,500 different freelance writers that ClearVoice matches with your content needs, creating a perfect pairing.

The ClearVoice marketplace can be leveraged to create anything from articles to infographics and freelancers can be paid through the system too.

The system also provides a bevy of content management tools such as collaborative editing features, publishing options, and a curated list of trending topics and stories so that you are never short on inspiration.

Amplified Social Media Engagement

Social media has become an essential marketing and communications tool for businesses of all sizes. The content that companies share helps to reach new audiences and build awareness. But as an SMB, there is a good chance that you don’t have the funds to generate unique materials for every social share. That’s where DrumUp saves the day.

DrumUp allows SMBs to access and schedule social shares from a curated list of the most relevant content. These effective creations can be posted across various social networks to help maintain consistency and engagement.

The service delivers content directly to a user’s dashboard based on the keywords entered and new feeds can be integrated so that you are sharing content from your favorite reputable sources.

DrumUp also suggests relevant hashtags to include in scheduled posts so that your updates reach the highest number of applicable readers.

In addition to content curation and social scheduling, DrumUp also features employee advocacy and gamification features like contests and leaderboards to help transform staff members into powerful conversion drivers.

SMB owners often have a hard time balancing all of the necessary management, marketing, and growth tasks needed to build a prosperous business. Let technology do the heavy lifting and boost your business’s efficiency and productivity by employing these proven, effective, and reliable tools.

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7 Ways to Use Technology to Efficiently Run Your Small Business https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2017/01/7-ways-to-use-technology-to-efficiently-run-your-small-business.html/ Fri, 06 Jan 2017 22:06:36 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=49302 Technology has changed both the face and the pace of small businesses over the last several years. The proper use of technology can keep small businesses connected to their customers and improve communication within the company, streamlining operations such as marketing and managing a team. If you aren’t sure how technology can help your small […]

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Technology has changed both the face and the pace of small businesses over the last several years. The proper use of technology can keep small businesses connected to their customers and improve communication within the company, streamlining operations such as marketing and managing a team. If you aren’t sure how technology can help your small business, take a look at these 7 tips so you can better your business starting now.

Video.

Video humanizes your brand and builds trust.  There are countless tips to use video for your business if you aren’t sure where to begin. Video boosts conversions and sales and shows great return on investment.  Plus, Google loves videos – your business is 53 times more likely to show up first in Google if you have a video embedded on your website, according to Moovly.

Credit Management.

If you have poor credit, you aren’t doomed. It is never too late to find ways to build strong business credit.  It’s smart to use a credit-monitoring service to monitor your credit to ensure you don’t lose money to fraudulent activity.  Make sure to open your credit statements as soon as they come in the mail and review the statement carefully. Most small business owners aren’t accountants and often fail to realize how important managing business credit is to the success of their business. Hence it is highly recommended to contact the personal tradelines to manage your credit.

Social media and blogging.

Social media sites are the perfect place to showcase your business, products and services. It’s also the place where brands and customers can have meaningful conversations and build a real relationship, which leads to customer loyalty.

Blogging is the ideal way to speak to and engage with your target audience. It gives you the unique opportunity to inject your personality into your blog posts and provide valuable insight to prove yourself as a thought leader in your industry. These actions will help your business acquire more customers.

Security

Thе uѕе оf HID access cards hаѕ bееn prevalent nowadays, аѕ mоrе companies realized thе benefits thеу соuld gеt оut оf іt. Sized like a credit card, thе access card works nоt just аѕ аn identification tool but іt саn аlѕо validate аnd store data. Thе HID card саn аlѕо bе uѕе fоr different application processes. Alѕо referred tо аѕ smart cards by some companies like Smart Card Store, thе HID cards саn аlѕо bear a photo оf thе wearer fоr added security аnd аnу оthеr information typically seen іn аn ID card. Aside frоm thаt, thіѕ small plastic card hаѕ embedded electronics like a microchip, custom barcode labels оr magnetic stripes. Thіѕ feature іѕ whаt makes іt different frоm уоur typical company ID.

Customer service.

More customers than ever are turning to social media to get their customers service requests answered.  Make sure someone checks your accounts regularly – your consumers expect you to be able to help them promptly when they have questions or problems related to your products or services. I. Remember that today, customer service is more important than pricing. Customer service needs to be at the heart of your business model if you want to be successful.

Invoicing software.

Track time, request online payments, and create recurring invoices with invoicing software. Save yourself time and effort and ensure invoicing is done correctly every single time.  Nothing looks as unprofessional as bad invoicing – and it’s essential to come across as a professional at every touchpoint so you don’t lose your customers.

Online payment services.

It was reported that 66 percent of mobile users carried out at least one form of transaction in 2015.  By giving customers the choice to pay in a way other than cash, check and credit card, you can capture more sales. Electronic payments can make the process of getting paid convenient for both the small business owner and the customer.  This form is payment is one that will be big in the future due to the convenience and security of the method.

Email marketing.

Email marketing is a great way to send people the content that they want. You can use email marketing to build credibility and strengthen relationships – people prefer to do business with those they like, know and trust. Email marketing is also a great way to get in touch with people on any device – something that is crucial now that more than half of all emails are being opened on a mobile device.

Running a small business is no easy feat – it’s often you and a few trusted members of your team working diligently around the clock. Turn to technology to help you build your business, take better care of your customers and streamline your operations.

What ways has technology improved the flow of your small business?

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How Highly Specialized CRM’s Are Transforming The Way that Small Businesses Work https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/12/how-highly-specialized-crms-are-transforming-the-way-that-small-businesses-work.html/ Tue, 27 Dec 2016 16:15:43 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=49260 The age of the one size fits all approach to CRM is slowly joining the ranks of the fax machine and the cash register, especially for small businesses. The rapid technological advancement of the everyday consumer has put pressure on small businesses to engage their customers in more and more sophisticated ways. As per Alex […]

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The age of the one size fits all approach to CRM is slowly joining the ranks of the fax machine and the cash register, especially for small businesses. The rapid technological advancement of the everyday consumer has put pressure on small businesses to engage their customers in more and more sophisticated ways.
As per Alex Jenkins, in this highly competitive environment, response times are critical, content delivery is paramount and being able to map the customer’s journey across all your touchpoints has become more important than ever. The broad based CRM’s of yesteryear weren’t conceived to address all of the specialized industry needs of every vertical.  For example, while they all fall into the category of a businesses, a florist, a REALTOR, orthodontist and marijuana entrepreneur all have very different requirements for managing and scaling a successful business in their respective markets. Today’s successful small businesses are moving away from traditional CRMs in favor of highly specialized CRM’s, tailored to the needs of one industry at a time.
As Kate Leggett, Forrester principal analyst explains in her blog, “CRM purchasing is undergoing a sea change. I see that companies are no longer [purchasing] heavyweight, end-to-end CRM solutions that have had the reputation of being complex, expensive and hard to implement—even if they have great industry specific capabilities. They tend to impede user productivity with a bloated set of capabilities that many users can’t leverage.”
Companies like Microsoft and Facebook are also catching on to the fact that it’s not just enterprise organizations that benefit from CRM. It’s great to see efficiency tools being integrated into small business operations, but the recent options are just the first step in changing the way SMBs do business.
So, what would be the best next step? The way I see it, tools for small business don’t need to check all the boxes. Part of choosing the right CRM, is choosing a company that understands your niche and has built their solution with your exact challenges in mind. When you are small, there’s no room for error, and no need for extraneous features that won’t improve your everyday tasks.
Finding the Right CRM
The goal of a good CRM is to keep the customer experience front and center while providing you granular control over the life blood of your business. Start by asking yourself the following questions when selecting a CRM for your small business:
  • Are all your customer interactions and information (Web visits, content consumed, emails, and phone calls) stored in one convenient location and accessible to everyone in your company?
  • Can you verify that all leads in the sales pipeline are being followed up on in a timely manner?
  • Are you able to initiate marketing campaigns and follow up activities along with the sales team?
  • Can you create a forecast of your pipeline without your accountant?
  • Can you view all the sales activity and results by day, week, month and year?
  • Is your sales team able to access customer information and respond to customers when they are out of the office?
  • Do you know how many customer service issues each customer had and why?
  • Can you get help setting up your CRM?
  • Is there customer support via a knowledgeable representative?
  • Are there free resources and training provided to get your team up to speed?

Trade Show Tips For Exhibitors That Will Lead You To Success

As a small business owner, you may be responsible for marketing your own brand on a budget. That means you tackle everything from paper brochure advertisements to posting about your products online. Every year, trade shows happen all across America to give businesses the chance to engage with buyers to boost sales face-to-face. Attending a trade show can be a scary feat, but it’s necessary to do it if you want to see your business thrive in such a competitive market.

  1. Fill the Trade Show Booth With Product
  2. Give Out Samples To Potential Customers at Your Trade Show Booth
  3. Focus on Developing Your Brand (And Show It)
  4. Promote Through Social Media
  5. Include Video Presentations
Horizontal solutions from today’s tech giants aren’t the only option, and often aren’t the best choice for an emerging business. CRM for small business is a tricky trade, which is why it’s taken so long for targeted solutions to come to market. It’s easy to assume that the one-size-fits-all approach is a reliable choice for your business, but if you’re looking to gain a competitive advantage, you’ll want to keep an eye out for the following:
  • Specific focus. The way different companies interact with their customers will vary dramatically, depending on their vertical. Just like your small business, your CRM doesn’t need to tackle every challenge facing consumers today. Your business challenges are unique, and the most efficient use of your time and money will be finding a CRM that meets those needs, and nothing else.
  • Small Data Driven. Having access to tons of data sounds great, but won’t always be as valuable as you may think. When you have a niche target audiences, understanding the needs of that unique set of people is what’s valuable, even if this data set is only a fraction of what larger CRMs will offer.
  • Ease of Use.Tools with the highest adoption rates are ones that just make sense. They show you what you want, when you want it, with an intuitive design that fits with your everyday business operations. When your CRM platform is as easy to use as Facebook, that’s when it will get the most use, and make the biggest impact on your business.
  • On the Go. In many different industries, doing your job well means you’re not sitting at your desk. In real estate for instance, agents who are closing the most deals are the one’s out in the field, meeting with clients in and out of homes on the market. That’s where mobile CRM comes in. Being able to engage with clients and have access to customer data on the go are capabilities that’ll elevate small business to a level of efficiency rarely found in traditional industries.
We shouldn’t expect a CRM to be a one-size-fits-all solution for the local grocery store owner, the construction company founder, and the retail store manager. The way companies across industries interact with their customers is inherently different, but they all have a few things in common: the desire to reach a unique target audience and build long lasting customer relationships—all at a low cost and without the added roadblock of mastering highly complicated new software. So its important that a good construction IT Services or else CRM developer should keep this information in mind when developing the CRM for the company.
That’s why small business CRM should fit in the palm of your hand. It should provide support both at the desk and away from it, improve your everyday tasks and be as intuitive as Facebook or Twitter. Broad and all-encompassing CRM systems won’t always be the best fit, so it’s time we start thinking a bit smaller when it comes to CRM and give SMBs a fair shot at the digital transformation happening in enterprises around the globe.

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5 Marketing Tips to Help You Dominate Bigger and More Established Brands https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/12/5-marketing-tips-dominate-bigger-brands.html/ Thu, 22 Dec 2016 11:06:38 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=49238 You woke up at 2 in the morning after having dreamt of an epic business idea. “It’s one of those mind-blowing ‘Aha!’ moments again!” you say to yourself. At this point, your brain is running at 274 miles per hour taking in more ideas, figuring out the possibilities, and calculating the risks (among other things). […]

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fight-big-brands

You woke up at 2 in the morning after having dreamt of an epic business idea.

“It’s one of those mind-blowing ‘Aha!’ moments again!” you say to yourself.

At this point, your brain is running at 274 miles per hour taking in more ideas, figuring out the possibilities, and calculating the risks (among other things).

Simply put, you’re dead excited about the new business idea that you’re practically obsessed by it. You then reach out to your phone to contact your business partner to tell him what’s up.

Just minutes after your conversation with him, however, all hope and enthusiasm you had in you have been extinguished. #CompetitionProblems

Your business partner was very quick to point out how GINORMOUS and well-known your competitors are, that it’s borderline impossible for you to succeed.

*sigh*

“How on earth do I succeed at marketing this new business if I’m going against established brands?” You asked yourself.

Friends, if you’re asking that very question right now, then I’m glad that you’re here. I will share with you five effective marketing strategies that will help you dominate even the most established of brands.

If that’s what you’re trying to do right now, then you absolutely need to read on.

1. Focus on what makes your brand special.

There is no point in playing the marketing game in the big brands’ homecourt. I mean, there’s just no point in fighting them in something that they are already well known for.

Instead of going on a suicidal mission such as that, you can focus on highlighting the things that make you special. That way, your competitors will somewhat become irrelevant to your audience as they read your marketing materials, since you’re talking about the things that are unique about your brand.

A solid example would be how VIDGO is slowly but surely gaining some traction despite them competing against a ginormous brand like NETFLIX.

If you check out VIDGO’s content on the internet, you’ll notice how they won’t fail to mention the fact that they’re taking Live TV Streaming to a whole new level — something that NETFLIX doesn’t quite have yet.

NETFLIX only allows its users to watch TV shows or series once it’s available in their library of movies/shows. VIDGO, on the other hand, gives their users the ability to watch TV shows, news, and channels live.

VIDGO’s marketing strategy has proven to be so effective, to the point where reputable websites with millions of monthly traffic like HuffingtonPost, Mashable and Tech.co have written about them.

2. Show genuine concern for your customers.

You’ve heard it, right? Customers feel that their concerns are ignored.

Customer A bought a product from a ginormous company. The product ended up being defective, so customer A experienced truckloads of inconvenience.

When customer A complained to the company, he/she didn’t get a single reply.

An even worse scenario is when the company does reply, yet the kind of message that they send to their customers are generic or borderline cookie-cutter/useless messages.

Scenarios like these often make the customers feel unappreciated.

This kind of scenario is quite typical for huge brands for a lot of reasons.

Check out the majority of Upwork’s reviews/feedback. You’ll notice how the freelancing site isn’t taking the time to address their community’s complaints.

Here’s another comprehensive review of Upwork. You will know what it does, how it operates, what are some of the pitfalls and how to avoid them so you can hire the best talent for your business (at the best price!).

Here’s a question: How do you think their customers feel when no one from the company is answering their complaints or problems?

If you’ll take the time to show genuine concern for your customers by providing amazing support, there’s a good chance that they’ll choose you over the huge brands.

3. Don’t be everywhere.

You don’t have to be on FB, LI, Instagram, Pinterest, or Twitter (among other social media sites) if you don’t have enough resources to stand out on the platform.

Instead of spreading yourself too thin, you should try focusing on 2 – 3 platforms (maybe even one if that’s the only thing your budget allows), that way, you’ll manage to stand out and create a profile that has a decent number of followers.

Don’t be obsessed with being all over the internet. Just like in most things, focusing on quality and not so much on quantity can pay you dividends.

Important note: I am not telling you to ignore the other social media sites. What I am telling you is you need to consolidate your resources and focus on 1 – 3 platforms for now. Once your resources allow you to pursue other platforms, then you hands down need to grow on other sites as well.

Remember that the internet is continuously expanding, if you aren’t trying to expand your visibility as well, you’ll end up getting left behind.

4. Embrace being the underdog.

You can bet your family jewels that humans have the inclination to like the underdogs. A study conducted way back in 2007, and 2009 is a good proof of this claim.

Both studies tell us that there is value in embracing your role as being the underdog. When you emphasize this point to your audience (while not sounding like a beggar or a company that lacks self-esteem), this can inadvertently cause your audience to support you instead of the existing company that they are transacting with.

5. Give incentives.

Huge brands won’t bother with giving incentives that much since they’re expecting their audience to chase after them — mainly because of how established they are. Because they have an existing pool of customers and they have a sense of “stability” in their company, they don’t bother to pursue new customers as much as new companies would. In short, some established brands often do not give as much “love” to their prospective customers.

That’s what you’ll exploit.

You can set yourself apart by giving away meaningful incentives to your prospective customers to win them over.

Notice how I highlighted the word “meaningful?” I wanted to highlight the word because a meaningful incentive can work wonders for you. It has the ability to bring in more sales, leads and even influence your customers to share your products their network of connections proactively.

On the flip side of the coin, however, giving away craptastic incentives will either get you ignored, or worse, your prospective customers might end up getting really annoyed at you.

That being said, should you decide to follow this tip, be sure to make your incentives worthwhile for your prospective customers. Otherwise, the whole thing can backfire on you.

What’s next?

Are there marketing strategies that you can share with our readers that can help them dominate their niche, despite them competing with reputable brands?

If you answered with a “yes,” please share your marketing strategies in the comments section below. Cheers!

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5 Tips To Choosing Your Marketing Automation Provider https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/12/5-tips-to-choosing-your-marketing-automation-provider.html/ Fri, 16 Dec 2016 14:03:52 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=49230 Marketing automation is all about making your life easier. Nurturing leads used to be one-part science and one-part creativity, but whichever part you focused on, nurturing your leads to become sales-ready was never easy. Scrolling through a list of endless leads, reaching out to them and then trying to customize and craft a suitable follow-up are […]

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Marketing automation is all about making your life easier. Nurturing leads used to be one-part science and one-part creativity, but whichever part you focused on, nurturing your leads to become sales-ready was never easy.

Scrolling through a list of endless leads, reaching out to them and then trying to customize and craft a suitable follow-up are all tricky tasks. Fortunately, computer software has stepped in to save the day.

Although marketing automation has been around since the eighties, the days of sending out mass emails with a single click are gone. Today, marketing automation pools a variety of tasks into a single platform. From email, website tracking, lead scoring, social media and campaign tracking, the top marketing automation packages will do everything for you.

We’ve partnered with Incapsula to bring you some tips on how to best choose a marketing automation solution.

Finding the Right Marketing Automation Provider

Naturally, with so much choice out there, choosing the right provider requires a little knowledge and a little research. In this article, we’re going to address some issues to consider as you do your own research and find the solution that works best for you.

Budget

Although some would say that price should be lower down on the list, we think it’s important to get the most bang for your buck.

Yes, having a system that has all the bells and whistles you could ever wish for is great, but if you can’t afford it then it’s not worth blowing your budget.

Each provider will offer their own unique features and, depending on how sophisticated they are, they will have a different price tag. When you’re assessing a provider’s package, consider how essential some features are to your business and whether they’re worth the cost.

Features

Every marketing automation package, whether it’s hosted or web-based, will offer something different. However, if you really want to make a sound choice then you need to make sure it covers the following basics:

  • Email Marketing – the software should handle all your email needs.
  • Web Visitor Tracking – without getting an insight into your traffic, a package is useless.
  • Campaign Management – make sure the software allows you to control multiple campaigns.
  • Lead Management & Scoring – ranking leads and customized content based on scores is essential.
  • Social Integration – beyond emails, make sure the software gives you marketing insights across Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Security

When you’re dealing with a third-party software supplier in any sphere, it’s critical that you assess their security credentials.

This is especially important in marketing automation because you’re essentially giving up your business contacts and marketing capabilities to the provider you choose, and allowing them to email your database. Before you hit the buy button, make sure the provider has tested its code for vulnerabilities. According to Security Week , 121 million records were hacked in the US in 2015.

When it comes to staying safe and web application security, Incapsula suggests using a web application firewall to filter incoming code to protect against SQL injections, cross-site scripting and other potential attacks. If a provider doesn’t review its code and utilize this sort of technology, then you should avoid the provider or do it yourself.

Specificity

What is your business and how does this define your marketing strategy? Let’s assume you’re a digital marketing agency providing content to tech companies. In this instance, you’ll want a provider that offers high levels of website tracking data as well as social media integration so you can keep track of each new article’s performance.

Conversely, if you’re a health supplement supplier, then promotional emails and lead nurturing will be of more importance. Before you choose which provider you’re going to go with, make sure you understand your own needs. Once you’ve done this you can then start to select the companies that offer the best solution for these needs.

Ease of Use

Finally, after you’ve chosen a package that’s secure, has all the features you need and comes in on budget, you need to make sure it’s easy to use. Having a myriad of powerful tools at your disposal is great, but if you can’t navigate from one to the other without having to refer to the user manual then it’s not worth having.

When all is said and done, marketing automation is all about ease, efficiency and ergonomics. Each move you make should be intuitive and, more importantly, have a purpose. Therefore, if a provider doesn’t make it easy and intuitive to improve your marketing and generate more sales, it’s not one you should waste your time or budget on.

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Digital Marketing for Independent Insurance Agencies https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/12/digital-marketing-for-independent-insurance-agencies.html/ Thu, 15 Dec 2016 05:11:53 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=49217 If you’re a savvy insurance agent, you know that the traditional way of doing things is no longer relevant when it comes to attracting new customers. Whether it is life insurance, auto insurance, home insurance, health insurance or travel insurance, people are shopping online before making a final decision. If you aren’t there to greet […]

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If you’re a savvy insurance agent, you know that the traditional way of doing things is no longer relevant when it comes to attracting new customers. Whether it is life insurance, auto insurance, home insurance, health insurance or travel insurance, people are shopping online before making a final decision. If you aren’t there to greet them, your competitors likely will be.

A Monumental Power Shift

People who shopped for auto insurance in 2015, 71 percent looked online and received multiple quotes before making a final decision. This kind of information illustrates that the power is now in the hands of the consumer when it comes to buying insurance.

Every single day, 2.9 billion searches are made on Google. Obviously, just a tiny percentage of those searches have to do with insurance, but the days of consumers being leery of making purchases online are long gone. Not too long ago, an independent insurance agent could take time to develop a relationship with a customer, and that relationship often lasted for years.

Modern consumers are taking advantage of the technology available to them and using it to find the best deals possible. Sometimes, they never even come face to face with an agent at all; opting to conduct all of their insurance-related business online. For some consumers, searching for insurance online relieves them of any perceived pressure they may feel when dealing with an agent one-on-one, some love the convenience, and some may just be plain lazy.

Throwing Your Hat Into the Ring

Regardless of the reasons for consumers making the shift to finding their insurance online, the fact is that it’s happening and if you don’t keep up you’ll be left behind. If you are one of the stragglers that haven’t been interested in digital marketing for your insurance agency up to this point, it’s time to move into the present and leave the past behind. Web Development may be a lot quite just pictures and text. it is vital to believe the entire user flow and the way this may impact your customer’s experience. Without proper thought you would possibly be sending people on a goose chase!

The beauty of a properly executed digital marketing campaign for your insurance agency is that it allows you to be available 24 hours a day for your prospective customers. It also evens the playing field when it comes to competing with the heavyweights in the insurance industry. Digital marketing is about much more than simply paying astronomical prices for online ads, and with the right strategy, you can be there when people are looking for your services.

In order to find the best digital marketing agency, first, we need to understand “what is digital marketing”, “will digital marketing benefit your business” and answer the question “how do I get more leads for my business?” – which should be the purpose of any marketing.

The dictionary definition of Digital marketing is the marketing of products or services using digital technologies, mainly on the internet, but also including mobile phones, display advertising, and any other digital medium. So simple to summarize in one sentence, yet it can be a complicated process to get right and to ensure that all of your digital marketing is working together, not as silo activities. This is where the expertise and experience of the best digital marketing agencies can be hugely beneficial.

Traditional advertising, newspapers and paper directories, such as Yellow Pages, are increasingly less effective for businesses. Whilst a few years ago people would go to a computer to search for a product or service, nowadays people are connected to the internet all day, every day and “live online”. Looking for information, a product or service is as quick and simple as searching on a laptop or computer at work or picking up their mobile telephone or tablet. Digital marketing focuses on getting your information, products and services in front of people when they are looking online.

Whether it’s selecting a suitable life insurance policy, switching to a more affordable car insurance provider, or finding adequate coverage throughout the home buying process, the best digital agencies understand their products and services and ensure that their information is prominent to the potential customer at the appropriate time. In the digital marketing world, the various stages of the buying process i.e. research, consideration and purchase are called “micro-moments” and the very best digital marketing agency will present the relevant information, service or product at the targeted time in the buying process.

Where Most Insurance Agencies Fail with Digital Marketing

Trying to keep up with the giants of the insurance industry is one of the big mistakes independent insurance agencies make when it comes to digital marketing, but it isn’t the only one. A successful digital marketing campaign consists of a range of different components that go far beyond just the website, you will mostly likely need a new landing page design to start of with boosting your sales.

In order to attract new customers and build relationships without actually being there in person, elements such as social media, email marketing, online ads, landing pages, video, favorable reviews and ongoing, relevant content need to be part of the process. For many insurance agencies, this is where mass confusion sets in and they try to tackle these tasks without the benefit of a solid plan.

Having a detailed strategy in place is essential because it allows you to keep that one element that won you so many customers in the first place, When making the transition from offline storefront to online presence, most insurance agents don’t know how to maintain that personal feel, and perhaps your most endearing quality is lost.

Ticking Off All Your Digital Marketing Boxes

The key is to find a digital marketing provider that specializes in insurance, so you can be sure every aspect of your digital marketing campaigns are in place and happen in the proper sequence. One resource that lays out the information in a step-by-step format and is exclusive to the insurance industry is a new book by Charles and Linda Musselwhite called “7 Pillars of Digital Marketing for Insurance Agencies.”

“7 Pillars of Digital Marketing for Insurance Agencies” has all the information you need to compete in the complex world of digital marketing for insurance agencies and covers:

  • Website
  • Content
  • Email
  • Online Ads
  • Video
  • Social Media
  • Reviews & Testimonials

Charles was a series 7 & 66 financial advisor that sold insurance and other investment products and has been in the trenches when it comes to selling insurance.

7 Pillars of Digital Marketing for Insurance Agencies provides much-needed support to independent insurance agents and even has a FREE download after each chapter that pertains to that specific pillar. These “pillars” will help you construct a sound digital marketing plan and consist of your Website, Content, Email, Online Ads, Video, Social Media and Reviews.

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GoDaddy Enhances Mobile Shopping With ApplePay and Shopping Cart Intelligence https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/12/godaddy-enhances-mobile-shopping-with-applepay-and-shopping-cart-intelligence.html/ Wed, 14 Dec 2016 14:00:39 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=49177 Apple is the leading mobile payment solution for many retailers. GoDaddy announced that today small business retailers using GoDaddy can now let their customers buy with Apple Pay. GoDaddy also announced 3 upgrades to its shopping cart features. These upgrades include: Smart mobile checkout: redesigned checkout flow to minimize all friction points for customers to complete […]

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Apple is the leading mobile payment solution for many retailers. GoDaddy announced that today small business retailers using GoDaddy can now let their customers buy with Apple Pay.

GoDaddy also announced 3 upgrades to its shopping cart features. These upgrades include:

  • Smart mobile checkout: redesigned checkout flow to minimize all friction points for customers to complete purchases. Dramatic reduction in typing and tapping to checkout.
  • Abandoned shopping cart recovery: automatically send emails to shoppers with an easy link to return where they left off in the purchase flow.
  • Commerce ready email marketing: upgraded email marketing integration enables rich mobile experiences for your prospects or customers.

What does this mean for your business? If you’re not enabling multiple payment options for your mobile (and other) shoppers you’ll lose sales.

The shopping cart is the “last” click for many shoppers. Make sure your shopping cart is optimized for mobile shoppers to enable them to shop fast and remind them if they don’t finish shopping.

This announcement also shows that email is still a VERY important asset in e-commerce, it is a very important factor when trying to define ecommerce. Social media is useful but email is still quite powerful. If you’re a beginner to dropshipping, you may want to check out the ecombusinesshub.com before you put all your savings into a new dropshipping business.

Prepping Products
Why is prepping important?

Product prep is important because it helps reduce time in post-production or photo editing. You can reduce the appearance of fingerprints, creases, folds, or other imperfections that otherwise would have to be corrected during editing.

Sometimes product imperfections can be so noticeable that they can’t be reduced even after editing. Thus, it’s important to take this step as seriously as the other steps. Keep in mind that the camera picks up things that are unnoticeable to the naked eye.

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7 Ways To Use Email Signatures As Sneaky Call to Actions https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/12/7-ways-to-use-email-signatures-as-sneaky-call-to-actions.html/ Thu, 08 Dec 2016 09:05:41 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=49153 On average, each office worker receives 121 emails a day, and Radicati reports that, “In 2015, the number of worldwide email users [will be] nearly 2.6 billion. By the end of 2019, the number of worldwide email users will increase to over 2.9 billion. Over one third of the worldwide population will be using email by […]

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On average, each office worker receives 121 emails a day, and Radicati reports that, “In 2015, the number of worldwide email users [will be] nearly 2.6 billion.

By the end of 2019, the number of worldwide email users will increase to over 2.9 billion. Over one third of the worldwide population will be using email by year end 2019”.

As for marketing emails…44% of people make purchases because of a promotional email.

So there you have the stats. Email is very much alive and well, and nowadays is the preferred method of communication across the world.

Although email signatures have been around from the stone ages or so it seems, they now have the potential to not only be a digital calling card, but a powerful and ideal marketing tool, because call to actions can be included in a way that is not pushy or salesy. Now the email signature can tell a story without you needing to.

In this article, find seven sneaky and subtle ideas to prompt action from email recipients.

#1 Create pro email signatures

Instantly add trust and credibility to your brand by creating a super professional email signature.

To do this easily, use Wisestamp. It works with just about all email service providers.

email-signatures

Once created, simply plug the HTML provided into your email settings, and Bob’s your uncle. Because of how easy this tool is to use, it would be a good idea to take the next six ideas and plug them into an email signature that is created on Wisestamp. While a basic email signature like the one shown is free, some features can only be used with the premium package.

#2 Add a “what can I do for you?” video clip

If you are sending “cold” emails to prospects, add a video clip to your signature which explains, in a short and concise way, how you can help them. Take care that this clip represents your brand, so it needs to reflect quality and character.

Adding a clip to your signature makes it easy for people to find out what you do and how your product or service could benefit them, without the need for a time consuming face-to-face meeting.

Don’t let the video making idea daunt you…it’s easy to create a pro one with RendrFX (and you can even make your first one for free).

preview-video-maker

Upload the video to YouTube or Vimeo, and then using a tool like Canva, design the image for email that points to the video.

demo-banner

#3 Promote an event

Using a catchy call to action in your email signature, let recipients know about your event, conference or upcoming sales webinar.

promote-event

Be sure to point them to a web page where they can find out more, or register.

register-email-signature

#4 Advertise blog posts or case studies

Promoting a well written, informative and value-add blog post may be what convinces your prospect that the product or service you provide is credible and trustworthy. Adding a blog post or case study link to your email signature can be a powerful way to showcase your expertise.

case-studies

#5 Add a link to customer reviews

Research shows that your prospects will trust what your customers say about your brand before they’ll trust what you say about it.

In fact, according to Vendasta, 68% consumers report that positive customer reviews make them trust a business more, and star ratings is the primary method by which people judge your business, so it’s a very powerful tool you can use to build brand credibility.

reviews

Granted, it’s not all that easy to incorporate reviews into your business when you don’t know how, so using a tool like Yotpo can be of great help. Yotpo helps you collect genuine customer reviews and works to get more of them. This tool gives multiple benefits, because not only does it collect reviews for you, but also drives more traffic to your site and boosts sales, as a result of incorporating reviews. Simply add a link to your email signature, that leads clicks to your reviews.

#6 Promote sales

If you’re having a sale, notify the people you email by simply including a link. People associate sales with red, so including a bit of red somewhere is a great idea, so that the eye is drawn to the notification, as the “sale” part shows in this example:

promote-sales

#7 Mini website-in-email

A website is like your business’ brick and mortar building: it’s a way for people to get a feel for the brand, and find out information about the business.

In this example email signature, Rex Weston provides a mini-website right from his signature, which includes all his details, as well as a virtual business card and a link to a PDF brochure. At the bottom, it also let’s recipients know of an event the company will be at, and where to find their booth.

All this arranged in a very smart, clean look.

minisite

If you really want to go to town, within minutes you can create a one page mini introduction website with WiseIntro, and link to it from your email signature.

This tool is especially helpful for personal branding and for getting more leads, as it includes a signup form on a webpage that is not filled with distracting elements as a website usually is. The result is that you’re likely to get more sign-ups than you might from a website.

Adding the page link into your email signature encourages recipients to find out more about you, and take the action you want them to take.

Summary

Email is the preferred method of communication, so marketers should optimize the opportunity by adding a call to action to email signatures.

Seven brainy ways of sneaking in a call to action, is by:

  1. Adding an introduction link which leads to a sign-up form on a standalone webpage.
  2. Including a link to a video demonstrating your product or service.
  3. Promoting an event by inserting a link to a registration page.
  4. Advertising your latest blog posts or case studies.
  5. Including a link to positive customer reviews and ratings.
  6. Promoting e-commerce sales.
  7. Adding a mini website-in-email signature by including lots of information about how your business can benefit the recipient.

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The 4 Methods Of Selling Your Content Online https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/12/the-4-methods-of-selling-your-content-online.html/ Thu, 01 Dec 2016 19:21:50 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=49144 There are four different ways to sell content online. You’d think that choosing between four methods would be easy, but alas, there is so much choice in those four methods, that it’s difficult to choose the right one. The thing about selling content online, is that not only do you need the best way to […]

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There are four different ways to sell content online. You’d think that choosing between four methods would be easy, but alas, there is so much choice in those four methods, that it’s difficult to choose the right one.

The thing about selling content online, is that not only do you need the best way to upload your content, but you also need to consider a host of other stuff, like search engine optimization, marketing, presentation, delivery methods, payment and so on.

In addition, there are methods that cater for the small business, and others for larger companies who already have hundreds of courses.

Methods of selling content

Before you take the plunge and decide on a platform for your online courses, be diligent about doing your homework. The reason for this is that once you’ve loaded your content onto one platform, it’s going to be a mission to move it someplace else. FastSpring’s easy-to-use, full-service ecommerce platform includes everything you need to successfully sell digital downloads globally.

What you need to consider:

  • Hosting for reliability and speed – you want to make sure your learners don’t get frustrated with the backend of your platform.
  • Payment options – it is best to provide as many payment options as possible, or you may lose business.
  • How easy it is to upload stuff like digital downloads and videos – you don’t want to battle when uploading digital downloads, videos, etc.
  • Help with marketing the courses – does the platform make marketing your courses easier? For instance, does the platform provide a landing page builder?
  • Course content delivery – how does the content need to be delivered? I.e., you may want to drip feed it by email. If so, how will it work.
  • Integration with other third party services – understand exactly what else you’ll need to make everything work, and find out if those functions are easily integrated.
  • Whether the platform is mobile responsive or not – drop it like a hotcake if it is not.
  • Whether the platform is search engine friendly – Is the platform built to provide search engines with what they need, so that you get more traffic?

As you go through the options below, you’ll need to find out the answers to the above questions. And only then should you make your decision.

Oh, and one last thing: avoid making your decision based on price, as this could bite you in the butt at a later stage.

Types of platforms for small businesses

Branded Learning Management Systems website business

Think of this platform as purchasing a full-on online business. All you need to do is change the templates and add the content. It’s probably the easiest way to set up an online training business.

If we were to use Kajabi as an example of a branded LMS website business – and be aware that all of these types of platforms vary in what they offer – you get your own customizable website, landing page templates you can use to direct traffic to in order to get higher conversions, and you can email right from the system, so drip feeding is a piece of cake and you don’t need to pay extra for an email marketing software facility. All the tools you need are provided.

Pricing for a system like Kajabi is $103 per month as a starter, but you save costs by not having to fork out for a landing page builder and email marketing software.

sell-content-online-kajabi

This option is the superior choice because it has everything in one tool, is easiest to setup and use, and consists of everything you’ll need for marketing purposes.

WordPress websites membership plugins

If you’re already on WordPress, you may want to install a membership plugin. There are free options which is great because if your budget does not allow for any other paid option, it’s nice to know that there are ways to create an online course business using free tools.

But as with all tools, check that the plugin of your choice can do what you need it to do, and that it works well and integrates with any other services you may need to add, like an email software platform and payment gateways.

It’s not suggested you choose this option if you are a WordPress newbie, because you may face some serious struggles.

Membership websites are perfect for getting a community together: sharing media, tutorials, or ideas for the selected ones who join your secret club. However, managing such a platform may seem a very messy thing. Handling payments, subscriptions, permissions, and many more services can sound very intimidating. This is where the right membership website builder can make your life easier. With superior ease of use and great design, they can help create a great experience for both you and your visitors.

wordpress-membership-pro

WordPress websites Learning Management System plugins

While membership plugins are made specifically for control access of content, LMS plugins are developed specifically for online courses and are best in terms of structure and creating a course that flows in a specific order, providing a complete learning path.

They also tend to provide course-rich features, like quizzes, assignments, progress tracking and certificates.

An example of an LMS plugin is LearnDash. Prices vary, but you’re looking at about $160 for a single website.

wordpress-learning

Marketplace websites

Choosing to go the marketplace route for your online courses is good from the point of view that those sites already boast a good amount of traffic, and usually have good search engine rankings. What this means for you, is that you don’t need to work so hard at getting people to the location of your course. Having said that, it does not mean your course stands a better chance of getting sales either, depending on your niche.

Because on the flip side of the coin, you will probably have a lot of competition on marketplace sites. So if you choose to go this route, you will need to make your course stand out from the rest of the crowd, and how you do that will depend on the marketplace website.

The main con of using sites like Udemy, is that you don’t own the list of subscribers and you can’t control your price. They set the standards and the manner in which you present and deliver your course, so it will have to be according to their standards, not yours.

udemy

Summary

The best option – if your budget allows it – is to go with the branded LMS option. The second best options are between the LMS WordPress plugin and marketplace sites. The last option you should consider, specifically for online course management, is the membership plugin.

The logic for this conclusion is that the membership plugin:

  1. a) is not as easy to set up and make everything work as the other options, and/or
  2. b) it may not be the best option from an SEO point of view, and that would be detrimental to your success.

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Grow Your Email List. How A Psychologist Did It In One Month. https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/11/grow-your-email-list-how-a-psychologist-did-it-in-one-month.html/ Tue, 29 Nov 2016 14:13:57 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=49127 In November of 2015 I attended a conference where the speaker presented her favorite list growth strategy- an online summit. I was in my second year of business and had heard of this before but frankly, it always sounded a little “old school” to me. What about webinars? Facebook ads? And isn’t Gary Vee rocking […]

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melissa-hall
In November of 2015 I attended a conference where the speaker presented her favorite list growth strategy- an online summit. I was in my second year of business and had heard of this before but frankly, it always sounded a little “old school” to me.
What about webinars? Facebook ads? And isn’t Gary Vee rocking SnapChat?
But she seemed to know what she was doing and I had seen this done plenty of times online so I decided to try it out… and was met with great success! In just one month I went from 2,400 email subscribers to 3,600.
And guess what? Since that time I’ve continued to regularly grow my list at a faster rate. I also obtained two speaking gigs from the summit and positioned myself as an expert in my field.
While I did follow the summit strategy generally recommended, I made a few tweaks that I think were crucial to my success and want to share them here.
Don’t Rush Things
First, I spent about four months letting ideas percolate in a Google doc. If I thought of someone I’d like to interview while I was out shopping, I’d open the app and jot their name down. If I was feeling inspired to write an introduction or email invitation, I’d add it there.
This gave me time to play around with different ideas and collect enough information so that I wasn’t struggling to find interviews. Quite the opposite, actually! I was also prepared before reaching out to experts for interviews.
After my percolation time, I went into action following the standard summit format, with my own twist. I chose to focus on a broader topic for a narrow audience, mental health clinicians in private practice. And so the Road to Success Summit was born, with the goal of providing tips for every area of private practice.
Here are the tried and true suggestions I followed:
  1. I interviewed a large number of experts. Most large summits are about three weeks long. This allows you to interview a large number of people, which obviously increases the reach of the overall audience. I ended up with 17 interviews and released a different interview each day from June 1-17.
  2. I shared the summit everywhere, every day. I blasted social media for three weeks before the summit and the entire month in which I ran the summit. The result? Other people started sharing it, too, and there was big buzz around it.
  3. I made my current list opt-in. My goal was to grow my subscriber base but I also wanted to let my current subscribers in on the goodness, without annoying those who may not want a daily email for 17 days straight. I sent a simple announcement to my current list with an easy one-click opt-in. I continued this for three weeks leading up to the summit.
  4. I provided templates to all the interviewees. Every expert I interviewed had one job- show up to my interview prepared and share their knowledge. I did everything else for them. I sent them templates to email their own list, as well as graphics and suggested posts for various social media.
  5. I provided a direct link to schedule the interview with me. This was really key for efficiency and my own sanity! I set up times for interviews each week in Time Trade and included the link to schedule with my invitation. Only two of the 17 people emailed me wanting more info before scheduling.
  6. I kept my emails succinct. This was a hard one because there was so much I wanted to share, but I made each email to the experts as short as possible and gave very clear instructions or requests.
  7. I had something to sell after the summit was over. After providing a ton of great content and interacting with you regularly, people are ready to buy. And since I didn’t provide anything related to my specific expertise during the summit, I offered an online workshop the following month.
Here’s what I did differently:
  1. I didn’t ask (or care) about the size of anyone’s list. This goes against everything anyone will tell you about using summits as a success strategy. Most business coaches will tell you not to waste time with anyone who has list of less than x (typically 5,000). However, I knew some experts who would provide killer value but they had just started up their list building. I decided to focus on providing value and variety, rather than going after list size. The result was that I received multiple compliments on the content and excitement leading into the summit about the various topics.
  2. I didn’t sell the summit videos. This was more a personal choice but selling the videos would have created more legal hassle and I decided for my first round, everything would be free.
  3. I didn’t remove access to the videos within 48-72 hours. People need urgency to act. This is definitely true, but people are also busy. I hate when I miss something simply because I’ve had two busy days so I decided to leave all videos up for an entire month. And it absolutely increased the total views.
  4. I didn’t require my experts to do any promotion if they didn’t want to. This is another big no-no, but I realized that people hate the “send a minimum of five notices to your email list” type requirement and it makes them say NO. However, they are happy to share when it’s something of value and they see themselves as part of something bigger.
  5. I provided all the experts with a summary at the end. After the end of the month, I put together an email with all the stats on views, website visits, attendees subscribed, testimonials, etc. I received multiple replies thanking me for the information and this increased follow up later on with some of the experts.
In a nutshell, my approach was to make the summit extremely valuable, easy to attend, and easy to be part of as an expert. I take Seralin 100 against Social Phobia. Now I have to go abroad to an exam, so I want to take Xanax 0.25 at https://holisticdental.org/xanax-treat-anxiety/. Violent anxiety disorders with insomnia and panic attacks in a life situation that demanded much from me (mentally and physically).
If it seemed like something was getting complicated, I stopped and considered ways to simplify it. If I was only doing something because “that’s the way it’s done,” I decided to be an innovator.
I also created something I would personally like to attend. If a rule or way of doing things annoyed me, it was out! That’s the whole point of being your own boss, right?
So, I would definitely recommend using a summit for list building, but don’t be afraid to do your own thing.

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10 Marketing Tips for Taking Advantage of the Smart Device Trend https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/11/10-marketing-tips-for-taking-advantage-of-the-smart-device-trend.html/ Fri, 18 Nov 2016 14:00:00 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=49052 How can IoT companies capitalize on the unique marketing opportunities presented by wearables and other smart devices? The Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) is an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, YEC recently launched BusinessCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses. Marketing strategies […]

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How can IoT companies capitalize on the unique marketing opportunities presented by wearables and other smart devices?

The Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) is an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, YEC recently launched BusinessCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses.

Marketing strategies are very hard to come up with nowadays, every business has their own unique way of promoting themselves, this doesn´t mean that every strategy will work. If you need a new way to get your business out into the world then consider contacting seo saas for assistance.

1. Predict Customer Needs 

Andrew ThomasWe are quickly approaching the day when IoT, wearables, smart home and smart cars converge into one general “smart life.” When that happens, IoT companies will have the ability to assess data from multiple sources to accurately predict customer needs. For example, Amazon could determine that you need new running shoes because your Fitbit provides the mileage you run every day.

– Andrew ThomasSkyBell Doorbell

2. Use Analytics to Track Behavior 

Nicole MunozIoT companies can better target their marketing messages by analyzing the data offered by wearables and other smart devices. You can use the data collected to customize your marketing messages and take customer relationships to the next level. The key is to track the right metrics and use that information to form your marketing strategy.

– Nicole MunozStart Ranking Now

3. Seamlessly Integrate Platforms and Other Devices 

adelyn-zhouBy connecting with platforms, such as Amazon Echo and Google Home, IoT devices can be easily turned on through a simple verbal phrase. IoT companies can integrate data from multiple devices to deliver a more compelling user experience. For example, a smart scale can pull data from Fitbit and Noom Coach to put your weight in context with your exercise and diet.

– Adelyn ZhouTOPBOTS

4. Establish Credibility in the Healthcare Industry 

hillary-hobsonThe healthcare industry will be a major outlet for IoT companies to capitalize on unique marketing opportunities. Wearables will be able to keep track of vitals and even brainwaves, changing the game of clinical trials. Strict monitoring and reporting will increase credibility for emerging drug and technology marketing.

– Hillary HobsonHighest Cash Offer

5. Use Partnerships to Penetrate New Markets 

justin-blanchardApple’s recent event is a perfect example of how brand partnerships can help IoT companies penetrate new markets. The Apple Watch is available in Nike and Hermes versions, each of which is essentially the same hardware with a unique design and, in Nike’s case, an app tailored to Nike’s market. The partnerships magnify Hermes, Nike and Apple’s abilities to reach out to divergent markets.

– Justin BlanchardServerMania Inc.

6. Use GPS Technology for Special Offers 

cody-mclainWe’ve seen it through the success of Groupon — people are always looking for a better deal. Marketers can capitalize on the location of their customers by partnering with specific retailers to receive data about when customers are in a particular area and whether their partners are having a clearance sale or special. It would be a unique experience for customers.

– Cody McLainSupportNinja

7. Tread Carefully With Privacy Concerns 

Duran InciIoT companies will have to tread carefully in terms of using wearable and smart device data for marketing purposes. There are many privacy and security concerns that would have to be addressed using a very clear opt-in feature that is required in order to use wearable/smart device data for marketing purposes. Once this has been addressed, the unique marketing opportunities presented are limitless and very personal.

– Duran InciOptimum7

8. Focus on the Future 

peter-kozodoyWhen I was at Google New York, their wearable technology wasn’t the most astounding thing. What struck me most was the video that told the story of a future that looked — like the Jetsons — where life was better because of tech. Wearables and smart devices open up a world of possibilities for consumers around the world, and companies who own the vision of the future will also own the most valuable brand.

– Peter KozodoyGEM Advertising

9. Be Everywhere 

Miles JenningsIt’s time for IoT companies to focus on partnerships, sponsorships and syndication so that they can keep up with new marketing opportunities within smart devices and appear in every space possible. By partnering with other companies and syndicating content on multiple platforms, your name and brand will be visible across all channels and will be interacted with more than ever before.

– Miles JenningsRecruiter.com

10. Highlight Sustainability 

jared-brownTechnology goes out-of-date much too quickly, and people are starting to realize that our technological waste takes a toll on the environment and our wallets. To get more people interested in wearables and smart devices, market a product that can grow and change with the user. There’s a phone that has removable and replaceable parts, but another example is wearable technology that features changing colors.

– Jared BrownHubstaff Talent

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Google Surveys – Service From Google Enables You To Get The Answers You Need https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/10/google-surveys-service-from-google-enables-you-to-get-the-answers-you-need.html/ Wed, 26 Oct 2016 15:59:36 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=49017 It’s famously said that Tim Feriss, before he finalised the cover of “4 Hour Work Week” (whose premise I disagree with) used Google Ad words to see which book cover folks would like most. The one that was clicked the most, that’s the cover he chose to put into final production. Surveys are important. While […]

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google-surveys

It’s famously said that Tim Feriss, before he finalised the cover of “4 Hour Work Week” (whose premise I disagree with) used Google Ad words to see which book cover folks would like most. The one that was clicked the most, that’s the cover he chose to put into final production.

Surveys are important. While they’re not a final determination of what someone will actually do, having a few thousand people give you their answers on a series of questions can give you a pretty good idea of how they’re thinking.

You can then use this data to better develop a product or market your service.

Google Surveys is a pretty comprehensive tool that can help get questions you have, in front of a lot of people across its advertising network.

Check it out here.

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What Is Advertisement Re-targeting and Why Does It Matter? https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/10/what-is-advertisement-re-targeting-and-why-does-it-matter.html/ Wed, 12 Oct 2016 15:35:25 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48941 Ever been on a website and noticed it’s featuring an advertisement for another website you had just browsed moments before? It’s no coincidence. You’ve been retargeted. The online marketing tactic has really gained momentum over the past few years and allows businesses to re-engage visitors as they leave their brand’s website and browse other places […]

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Amazon Advertisement

Ever been on a website and noticed it’s featuring an advertisement for another website you had just browsed moments before? It’s no coincidence. You’ve been retargeted.

The online marketing tactic has really gained momentum over the past few years and allows businesses to re-engage visitors as they leave their brand’s website and browse other places online, including social. Some say creepy, but it is a smart move, especially for small businesses in today’s digital, social and mobile world as it keeps your offerings top of mind. And as a small business owner, you need that extra push now more than ever to get in front of consumers and battle competitors in your space.

I’ve asked Erika Jolly Brookes, CMO at Springbot to share her insight on this with us.

When done right, retargeting can transform window shoppers into customers. In fact, generally two percent of shoppers convert on the first visit to an online store. Retargeting brings back the other 98 percent, according to AdRoll.

However, retargeting can be challenging, especially for first-timers. Without a good strategy in play, you run the risk of developing ads that won’t resonate with your target prospects and end up wasting money. The following are tips to help you overcome those challenges and master retargeting for your small business.

Let Data Guide Your Campaign

First things first, in order to execute a successful retargeting campaign you will want to come up with a killer offer that’s going to drive clicks and conversions. Struggling for ideas? Look no further than your customer data to devise a genius idea.

Analyzing the purchase data trends of your customers can give you a better handle on what will pique the interest of similar consumers. When reviewing the data, ask yourself:

  • What items are these customers purchasing most frequently?
  • When are they purchasing? Does seasonality play a factor?
  • Where are they purchasing, online or in-store?
  • What marketing campaigns and offers are driving traffic and conversions?

Another opportunity is running seasonal and promotional ads to reach a cyclical group of site visitors. You might find your most loyal customers purchase twice the amount of gift sets during the holiday shopping season, for example. This would indicate that a holiday focused retargeting campaign with ad creative featuring a special offer on gift sets with a unique coupon code has tremendous potential for new sales.

Additionally, today’s consumer likes options. Small businesses operating online storefronts and brick and mortar should look for ways to integrate special offers into their retargeting campaigns that can be taken advantage of both online and in-store.

When it comes to Retargeting, Looks Matter

Once you have your offer nailed down, it’s time to think through compelling ad format and creative. In the world of retargeting, the visual attractiveness with a strong call to action is critical.

In order to create click-worthy ads, here are 5 tips small businesses should follow:

  • Make your logo on each ad stand out. You want viewers to know exactly what they’re clicking on and drive brand awareness in the process.
  • Have a strong, clear call-to-action on each ad. This can come in the form of a button or graphic, with text like “Shop Now”, “Click Here”, or “Learn More” to prompt customers to click back to your site and purchase.
  • Keep text minimal but impactful. Balance text with engaging images that reinforce the copy on your ad.
  • Steer clear from using ads with a white background, as they will easily blend in with the colors of a webpage that has a white background.
  • Make typography bold and engaging to contrast with standard webpage text and draw attention.

To take things a step further, advanced retargeting through dynamic ad delivery will also allow you to increase appeal to consumers through personalization. Dynamic ads leverage visitor website behavior once they leave to another site within the AdRoll ad network to show the exact products previously viewed along with your logo. That feels like a win-win for the retailer and consumer.

Run Retargeting Ads Across Web AND Social

While web-based retargeting is very powerful, within the past year, social retargeting has really opened the doors for small businesses, especially those struggling to reach customers via mobile. Social now represents nearly 20 percent of total time spent online in the U.S. across both desktop and mobile, so it’s important that you ensure your marketing plans include these channels.

By running retargeting ads across the web and social networks, small businesses can cast a bigger shadow, meeting shoppers where they are and reminding them of the great products they offer. Our research, in conjunction with AdRoll, suggests adding social to your retargeting strategy can increase conversions up to 73 percent.

Not a Silver Bullet, but Part of a Powerful Marketing Plan

Ultimately, it takes a smart strategy and back-end work to make retargeting successful. Before diving in, it’s important as a small business owner to really understand your customer base and develop offers that will appeal to them and others like them. You also want to create ads and leverage ad technology like dynamic retargeting that will stand out to consumers and pull them back to your site. Moreover, it’s becoming increasingly important to ensure your ads display across social and web channels where your customers spend their time.

Putting these tips into play can generate real retargeting results and elevate your marketing efforts to drive consumers to your small business.

About Erika Jolly Brookes

Veteran technology and marketing executive Erika Brookes is chief marketing officer for Springbot, a marketing automation platform for eCommerce businesses, and her responsibilities include leading all brand, product, marketing campaigns and communications. Find her on Twitter at @ebrookes.

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4 Good Ways To Promote Content: One Tool Is Outbrain https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/10/4-good-ways-to-promote-content-one-tool-is-outbrain.html/ Mon, 10 Oct 2016 14:18:18 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48935 Using content is how you educate your audience, build your tribe and increase brand awareness. You can get your content to a wider audience a few ways. Once it’s posted online you can use email marketing via an email newsletter, share it via social media, write content so good that others share it and finally invest money to […]

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amplify-module

Using content is how you educate your audience, build your tribe and increase brand awareness. You can get your content to a wider audience a few ways.

Once it’s posted online you can use email marketing via an email newsletter, share it via social media, write content so good that others share it and finally invest money to have it shared more widely.

You can do this via social media (such as Facebook “boost post”) or use a service that I’ve recently used, Outbrain.

Outbrain is a service that syndicates your content to major websites such as Fox News, CNN and lesser known web sites as well.

While having your content organically shared is great, it’s also ok to invest in having your content shared widely via “for pay” services.

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Increasing Customer Clicks: Here’s the Secret https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/10/increasing-customer-clicks-heres-the-secret.html/ Wed, 05 Oct 2016 17:56:08 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48931 Despite the fact that you’re marketing your business like crazy — on social media, your blog, via email, you name it — you might not be getting a lot of the one thing that matters: clicks. Clicks to your website equal customer engagement. If you’ve got a decent social media following, are publishing content regularly, […]

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Despite the fact that you’re marketing your business like crazy — on social media, your blog, via email, you name it — you might not be getting a lot of the one thing that matters: clicks.

Clicks to your website equal customer engagement. If you’ve got a decent social media following, are publishing content regularly, and are continually increasing your email subscribers, but aren’t seeing a high click-through rate, it’s time to ask yourself a few key questions.

Are Our Headlines Engaging Enough?

Whether you’re writing a blog post, a press release, or an email, your headline (or subject line) must grab people by the eyeballs and get them to click to read more. If yours aren’t getting the kinds of clicks you want, you need to assess why.

Start by reading other headlines. Which pique your interest? Which make you want to click them? Do you see a theme? Some strategies for improving your headline engagement include:

  • Use a statistic or number (“Get a 58% Boost in Reads with This Simple Trick”)
  • Ask a question (“Could You Use More Money?”)
  • Make a list (“7 Things You Didn’t Know About Cats”)
  • Keep them short (5 words is a good average)

Test out different headlines to assess which show an improvement in clicks, then use those strategies for subsequent headlines.

Are Our Emails Putting People to Sleep?

You work away on your company newsletter and promotional emails, but people aren’t clicking to buy your products. What gives?

First, look at the data. What percentage of people are opening your emails? (this is called your open rate) Average open rates vary by industry, but you want to see somewhere between 17% and 20%. If you’re not getting that, look at how frequently you’re sending emails. It’s possible that you’re sending them more than people want to receive them, and they’re just deleting those emails you spent so much time developing. Scale back and measure results to see if they improve.

Within the email, assess what you’re trying to communicate. Ideally you have one call-to-action per email, so if you want them to buy a product, don’t confuse them by giving them eight products to consider. Keep the language short (just a few paragraphs) and include several places with the same link you want them to click.

Are People Ignoring Our Ads?

If your digital or pay-per-click ads aren’t generating interest, turn your focus to what the reason may be. Remember: whether you buy advertising on Facebook, Google, or somewhere else, you’re competing with a lot of other activity. Your copy and image, if you have one, need to be eye-catching so that people want to click your ad to learn more.

Keep the copy benefit-focused, meaning you’ve got to boil down the perks that people get by clicking your ad. Special offers and deep discounts, such as free shipping, 30% off, and buy one get one free are sure to generate clicks.

If you use an image, make sure it’s professional-quality. If the ad is for a product, the image should be of that product, not your headshot or brand logo.

You can A/B test ads to see which copy generates more interest, and tweak your campaign accordingly.

If your marketing efforts aren’t getting the engagement you’re looking for, don’t give up. Just assess what you’re currently doing to find places you can improve for better results.

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Smart Hustle Recap: Tips for Stronger Small Business Relationships https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/09/smart-hustle-recap-tips-for-stronger-small-business-relationships.html/ Mon, 26 Sep 2016 16:33:31 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48901 In a sense, a small business owner is only as successful as the relationships he or she builds. There are relationships with customers, with business colleagues, with contractors, and with employees – and should any of these relationships fall apart, the fate of the business is in jeopardy. In this edition of the Smart Hustle […]

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Smart Hustle Recap: Tips for Stronger Small Business RelationshipsIn a sense, a small business owner is only as successful as the relationships he or she builds. There are relationships with customers, with business colleagues, with contractors, and with employees – and should any of these relationships fall apart, the fate of the business is in jeopardy. In this edition of the Smart Hustle Recap, we will feature a variety of articles that will help you build stronger relationships.

Better Business Networking

Networking is a vital part of small business success because you never know where a new connection will lead you. As guest contributor, Jen Slaw, says, “Our connections will become our clients, team members, strategic partners, mentors, and advisors.” By networking, you can form relationships that will better your business. If networking isn’t your thing, take a look at this article. Jen Slaw is sharing five things you can do to immediately expand your business network.

Click to read 5 Steps to Form & Nurture Business Relationships

Relationships with Contractors

No matter how hard you try, you can’t do it all yourself, small business owner; you will occasionally come across tasks that are better handled by an expert rather than using a DIY approach. One such example is app development. More and more small businesses are understanding the benefits of creating their own app, but lacking knowledge of coding and design requires them to hire out. This article can help you form a better relationship with your app developer so you can clearly communicate your needs and help to create a stunning end product.

Click to read 5 Tips for Working with an App Developer as a Small Business Owner

Social Media Relationships

Social media is an ideal place to cultivate your relationships with your customers, and no one knows more about this subject than Ted Rubin, the Chief Marketing Officer of Brand Innovators and creator of the concept “return on relationships.” In this article, Ted offers tips to help you make better digital connections using social media.

Click to read Ted Rubin’s Advice on Building Personal Relationships through Social Media

Bonus Article: Workplace & Employee Relationships

Forming strong relationships with employees involves creating a culture within your small business where team members know they are valued and love to come to work. To create a better workplace environment, check out this article by guest author Randy Stocklin, the founder of One Click which was named one of Inc. Magazine’s 50 Places to work in 2016. Randy is sharing four tips that will help you build stronger relationships and culture in your business.

Click to read How to Build a Rock Solid Company Culture

So how are you doing on relationship management in your small business? Check out the articles above to get help in these specific areas! You can also get more advice at SmartHustle.com – or spark up new relationships with your business peers by joining the Smart Hustle Community.

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DIY Your Marketing: The Essential Toolkit for SMBs https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/09/diy-your-marketing-the-essential-toolkit-for-smbs.html/ Mon, 26 Sep 2016 07:54:54 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48889 Marketing often requires so much effort that it’s no surprise that many businesses work with agencies or hire expert consultants to help them advertise and grow their business. Most businesses use a combination of social media, email marketing, SEO, PPC campaigns, and user generated content to build their online presence, and just one of these […]

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Marketing often requires so much effort that it’s no surprise that many businesses work with agencies or hire expert consultants to help them advertise and grow their business. Most businesses use a combination of social media, email marketing, SEO, PPC campaigns, and user generated content to build their online presence, and just one of these tasks can quickly become overwhelming.

Fortunately, there are a lot of incredible tools that make it infinitely easier to take care of your business’s marketing yourself. If you want to DIY your marketing, there are 6 tools that all small and medium businesses should add to their marketing toolkit.

1. GetResponse

GetResponse is an essential tool for all DIY marketing toolkits, regardless of the size of your business. Their goal is to help you create beautiful marketing materials that convert, with zero experience needed on your end. Creating a landing page, for example, as never been easier. Their drag-and-drop editor and more than a hundred mobile responsive templates makes it easy to create gorgeous landing pages, no coding knowledge required.

getresponse

Image source: getresponse.com/features

Their email marketing features in particular offers incredible value to businesses. Like their landing pages, they offer easy-to-customize email templates that are just as stunning and mobile responsive. Through their software, you can also quickly import thousands of subscribers from multiple platforms to your email list, send out autoresponder campaigns,  preview what your content will look like in the users’ email, and get email analytics. Email marketing is essential for lead nurturing and sales purposes, and this software is an ideal solution.

2. Trello

Trello is a virtual collaboration tool that can be organized like a to-do list, allowing you to see what’s being worked on and who is working on it. It’s separated into boards, then lists, then cards. You could, for example, have a board specifically for content marketing, with lists including “to be assigned,” “in progress,” “pending review,” and “complete.” Specific tasks can be added to cards, which can be moved from list to list.

trello

Image source: trello.com/guide/collaborate.html

The interface is user-friendly, and it allows you to add as much information as needed; you can invite specific team members to boards, assign tasks, and add comments, files, and checklists to each card. Did I mention it is free?

3. Brand24

Social media should be an essential part of your marketing strategy, regardless of industry, and tracking your social media results can take up a lot of time. Brand24 is an incredible social media monitoring and analytics tool, and an essential must-have for the DIY marketing toolkit.

brand24Image source: brand24.com/features

With this tool, you can monitor a specific keyword or groups of keywords as well as mentions, and see what people are saying. This software will show you how the volume of both discussion and reach are evolving for your business, and whether the discussion is positive or negative.

This tool helps you identify key discussions you should take part in, so you can jump in and engage where it counts most.

4. Wisestamp

Wisestamp is another great tool that can help you elevate your email marketing campaigns. This tool enables you to create gorgeous, customized signatures to place at the end of your emails. You can add your name, job title, contact information, and even a headshot or picture to your signature. This adds a more personal element to the emails, and can increase conversions and leads.

wisestamp

Image source: wisestamp.com

With their pro plan, you can create multiple different signatures, and you’ll have access to their premium templates and design features.

5. Yotpo

User generated content, including reviews and social content, is effective at driving conversions of all types. Actually getting users to create and post that content, however, is sometimes easier said than done. Once you have to track it down and find it, it becomes exhausting. That’s where Yotpo comes in.

yotpoImage source: yotpo.com/features/review-generation

While many users will happily read reviews and use that information to make their buying decisions, only a small number actually leave them. Yotpo automatically sends perfectly timed follow-up emails to your customers after a purchase that asks them to leave a review. They’ll then display these reviews on your product pages to help increase further conversions.

Yotpo now also new content curation features, which helps you find social UGC, then creates easy-to-moderate shoppable feeds that can be used to drive conversions.

6. Hootsuite

Hootsuite is one of the best all-in-one social media management tools available. With so many platforms available for businesses to be on, keeping track of it all by yourself is almost impossible without a tool like this one to help you.

hootsuite

Image source: hootsuite.com/products/social-media-engagement

Hootsuite allows you to manage, schedule, and monitor your social media activity from one dashboard. Platforms supported include Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and more. You can also assign team members to respond to specific messages or streams of engagement, ensuring that no potential customer will fall between the cracks.

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Three Small Business Provide Holiday Marketing Inspiration https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/09/holiday-marketing-inspiration.html/ Fri, 23 Sep 2016 18:52:00 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48885 As we enter the first days of Autumn it’s easier to think about things like jingle bells and snowflakes. If you are a small business owner who wants to end 2016 with a BANG, then it is essential that you start planning your holiday campaign now. The National Retail Federation reports that businesses can make […]

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As we enter the first days of Autumn it’s easier to think about things like jingle bells and snowflakes. If you are a small business owner who wants to end 2016 with a BANG, then it is essential that you start planning your holiday campaign now. The National Retail Federation reports that businesses can make as much as 30 percent of their annual sales in November and December alone! There is fierce competition to win customers’ during the holiday season, so a mediocre marketing campaign just will not do.

Inspiring Ideas for Local Holiday Marketing

Many businesses focus their holiday marketing efforts online, relying on tools like social media and paid advertising to reach potential customers. However, local businesses should never underestimate the importance of traditional and tangible marketing materials such a signs, banners, and postcards. Customers will be able to see and interact with these elements in real life. They have a more ‘personal’ feel and can also drive word-of-mouth marketing in your local area.

So how are you planning on marketing your business this holiday season? If you are in need of inspiration, I would like to point you to an article I just read on The Business Journals website titled How 3 Small Businesses use Staples Print & Marketing Services to Market for the Holidays.

I won’t give away any details– you really have to hear about these marketing ideas from the small business owners themselves! Get your creative juices flowing this holiday season by reading the article here.


This article was written in partnership with Staples; however, all opinions and experiences expressed are my own.

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The One Problem Your Email Newsletter Has and How To Solve It. https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/09/the-one-problem-your-email-newsletter-has-and-how-to-solve-it.html/ Thu, 22 Sep 2016 12:00:49 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48831 Increasingly I find myself clicking “unsubscribe” to email newsletters. I don’t want to unsubscribe from them – but so few have an option to “update my preferences”. Constant Contact, Infusionsoft, Mail Chimp all have options to “update preferences”. However, there are some providers, such as Vertical Response, that only have one option for the read […]

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unsubscribe

Increasingly I find myself clicking “unsubscribe” to email newsletters. I don’t want to unsubscribe from them – but so few have an option to “update my preferences”. Constant Contact, Infusionsoft, Mail Chimp all have options to “update preferences”. However, there are some providers, such as Vertical Response, that only have one option for the read “un-subscribe”.

Often times people want to update their email address, but if you only give the option to “unsubscribe” you’re not just annoying them – you’re hurting yourself. Most people will just unsubscribe.

Of course having only one option, “unsubscribe” is not just the only problem, here are a few more things you can do to make your email newsletter a winning success:

  1. Have a great subject line
  2. Tell a story and have great content
  3. Have a simple, but good design
  4. Ensure it’s easily readable on smart phones

Now go fix that “unsubscribe” problem.

 

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6 Tools for Unified Teams https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/09/6-tools-for-unified-teams.html/ Wed, 21 Sep 2016 21:30:06 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48828 Many businesses have multiple locations, with headquarters all across the world. With that level of growth comes the challenge of coordinating team efforts over distance. Thankfully, an assortment of tools available online today make it easy to erase those miles and communicate almost as if you were in the same room with your coworkers. Cloud-based […]

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Many businesses have multiple locations, with headquarters all across the world. With that level of growth comes the challenge of coordinating team efforts over distance. Thankfully, an assortment of tools available online today make it easy to erase those miles and communicate almost as if you were in the same room with your coworkers.

Cloud-based software allows everyone on your team to have real-time access to in-progress work. Plus, there’s no expensive IT maintenance required, so you can save money while also increasing productivity. Win-win for everyone.

Project Management

Having a solid project management platform is critical to the success of your team, whether you’re all working locally from the same office, or you’re spread out all over the globe. No matter your industry, there are lots of moving parts to coordinate. Project management software that integrates with your CRM keeps things simplified. Quickly and easily manage clients, projects, to-do lists and calendars from a central location – accessible from anywhere there’s an Internet connection.

Live Video Chat

Sometimes, business will call for live video chats with a small group of people. With tools like Google Hangouts, Blab, and Skype, there’s a way to host video conferences with small groups of people for free. Blab works great if you need multiple hosts with mostly viewers.  Skype is popular, but not an ideal choice if you want to record the call for later viewing. If your team is all over the world, chances are you won’t find a time that works well for everyone to attend live, so you’ll want the option to view the chats later.

Editorial Calendar

When you’ve got a team of people working, it only makes sense to use an editorial calendar. CoSchedule offers a robust calendar that teams can work on together, ensuring everyone remains on the same page. As an added bonus, it features a WordPress plugin so you can keep your editorial calendar right inside your company blog. You can automatically schedule your posts to go out to Facebook and Twitter, too.

Social Media Management

While CoSchedule can help with social media management to a degree, it can be a hassle to load all of your other social content in the platform if you’re working from your WordPress blog. Tools like Buffer and Hootsuite allow for multiple team members to access your social accounts, schedule posts, and more.

Buffer includes the ability to schedule Pinterest posts, a nice bonus for businesses that need to maintain an active presence on that network.

File Sharing

If you need to quickly and easily share files among coworkers, there are many options – Dropbox and Google Drive are simple and effective. OneDrive, Microsoft’s answer to their competition, is another good solution.

OneDrive is the better answer for small teams who also need cloud-based access to Microsoft Office, because an Office 365 subscription includes the ability to share with other users. Each user on the shared account gets their own 1 TB OneDrive space, plus 60 free Skype minutes a month.

No matter which of these platforms you choose to use, you can download them to your computer and mobile phone so files and folders can be shared directly from your hard drive or mobile device. And, if you have multiple team members who need access, you can control what is shared with whom in just a few clicks.

Screen Sharing

Skype is great if you want to share a screen with a small group, but when more than one person needs control, it’s not ideal. That’s where ScreenHero comes in. Share a single screen, but allow multiple people to work on the document together – each with their own cursor. With the voice chat feature, it’s like working in the same room together.

With the variety of cloud-based tools available today, there’s no reason your remote team can’t operate as a cohesive unit regardless of distance. When there’s something that needs to be done, you’ll be able to find the tool you need to accomplish it.

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6 Reasons Why Your Content Marketing Sucks https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/09/6-reasons-why-your-content-marketing-sucks.html/ Mon, 19 Sep 2016 19:07:05 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48797 Content marketing makes up a huge part of most brands’ marketing strategies. It can yield incredible results that impact all areas of your business and its online presence… but only if you do it right. While many brands all over the world are reaping the benefits of their content marketing efforts, just as many are […]

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Content marketing makes up a huge part of most brands’ marketing strategies. It can yield incredible results that impact all areas of your business and its online presence… but only if you do it right.

While many brands all over the world are reaping the benefits of their content marketing efforts, just as many are puzzled as to why it’s not working for them.

If you aren’t getting the results you want, there are 6 common reasons why your content marketing isn’t working. We’re going to look at each cause and solutions for how to fix them.

1. You’re Doing Content Marketing with No Goal

Most brands take on content marketing because they believe it will help their business, but sometimes, that’s as far as their strategy goes; they pump out blog posts and cross their fingers and see what happens. They don’t have more specific goals for their content marketing strategy, which is ultimately why it fails.

You need to ask yourself what you specifically want to achieve with your blog posts. Do you want to increase your sales, or get more leads? Showcase your industry expertise? Boost SEO rankings?

tunkclub-blog

Caption: Trunkclub’s blog provides visitors with fashion advice, like how to pick out a pair of boots. In order to see their collection and full recommended outfit, users need to create an account and login, driving conversions and sign-ups. 

You need to know what you want your content marketing strategy as a whole to accomplish, and then optimize each post for the specific goal you want it to accomplish; you can’t just go on autopilot and hope for the best.

To address this problem, you need to take a look at what you want your content marketing to achieve and come up with ways to optimize for those results. Doing thorough keyword research, using alt tags in images, and specifying meta descriptions can help you increase the changes of your content being indexed, for example. Placing clickable CTAs throughout your site to learn more about a product or sign up for your newsletter can drive sales and leads, and providing consistent, high quality content educating your readers can build your credibility.

2. You’re Content is Stagnant

If we find something that works once in our content marketing, it’s easy to want to stick to that, whether that’s a style of post or a certain subject. While this might work for a little while, but long term, users are going to get tired if they don’t feel like each post is offering them something fresh and new. Whether you’re only posting too-similar listicles or going over the same topic with little variation, you might lose viewers in favor of competitors that are more diverse.

While it’s important to figure out what works well for your audience, you still want them to feel like they need to read each post for fear that they’ll miss something if they don’t. Some strategies to prevent stagnation in your content marketing include:

  • Featuring high quality guest posts from other industry experts
  • Add infographics or videos
  • Place interactive features (like polls or quizzes) in your content
  • Share a mix of case studies, how-to information, and breaking industry news
  • Check what’s trending now; Clearvoice has a great database of trending articles if you’re stuck and can connect you with high quality freelancer

Keep an eye on what’s working for you, and check in to your analytics frequently, as it can change before you know it.\

3. You Aren’t Tracking Results

Some businesses will run entire content marketing strategies without ever thoroughly tracking any of their results. Monitoring analytics of your content can tell you what’s working and what isn’t, and it can often give you a lot of insight into how to product better content over time.

Some important metrics to track include:

  • Conversion rates, including leads or sales
  • Bounce rate
  • Engagement rates
  • Page views

Tracking the activity on your website is important, but it’s also just as important to see how your content marketing is affecting your social media and email marketing campaigns. They’re all intricately linked together, so looking at the big picture is important, too.

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There are a ton of great tools available to help you track all of this information about your content marketing; Google Analytics is a great go-to tool for all businesses, and will even show you where your best traffic is coming from and how they move through your site. Other tools let you create dashboards that pull analytic information from multiple sources, including Google Analytics, Facebook Ads, and ecommerce tools like Shopify.

4. Your Content is the Same as Everyone Else’s

There are tons of posts being put out every day; in this current climate of content overload, the question becomes how do you stand out? With a million posts about Facebook Ads or how to choose a wedding cake or best interview questions to ask, how is yours going to be different?

Ultimately, you need to decide how you’re going to be different, and what you can uniquely offer readers that no one else can. Even if it’s just your writing style and your voice that’s unique, something has to be special.

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There are a few ways you can write unique posts and lead magnets. One way to do this is to comb the internet and message boards for unanswered questions; if one question keeps getting asked over and over again, there’s clearly an audience and a demand for content that addresses it. Another great method of creating new posts is to take a broader idea, like “Ten Classic Wedding Menus” and focusing in on one niche idea that fits within it, like “Six Wedding Menus to Keep Your Gluten Free/Vegan/Paleo Friends Happy.” 

Sometimes, creating content that’s different from everything else will rely on a combination of research and understanding (and fully embracing) your specific niche.

5. It’s Not Actionable

This is one of the biggest problems most content has; it’s so heavily theoretical, or there’s so much information overload, that users walk away from content thinking “well I still don’t know how to do any of that.” It’s like the manager that keeps telling salespeople “just sell more! Try harder!” As anyone who has ever worked in sales knows, this doesn’t actually ever help anything.

If you take a close look at a lot of how-to posts (or even content in general), they’ll talk about a problem or an idea but won’t show you to actually execute it. It therefore is rarely actually useful, and still leaves your readers wanting.

Your content should offer specific actionable content that users can make use of. This post, for example, is actionable by offering solutions to the problems that prevent success with content marketing. It’s the difference between the manager saying “you need to sell more” and saying “By showing the complementary product and showing them as a set, you’ll have bigger sales.”

Actionable content is valuable content, and that’s what will drive results.

6. It Feels like a Sales Pitch

While you can feature your products and place information and snippets of content to drive conversions, your content should not read like one long 1,000 word sales pitch. It doesn’t feel genuine, and in the age where “authentic content” is king, you’ll lose readers quickly.

We’ve all seen content that is so clearly created only to promote a product or an affiliate link, and the result is that readers are automatically less likely to trust it (and you).

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Trademark Universal Stone’s blog post about whether granite is worth the return on investment is a great example of how to promote your products (theirs is granite) without making it read like a sales pitch.

If you’re going to promote a product or place affiliate links, it should almost never be the center of a blog post or lead magnet. Content marketing is about building a relationship with your customers, and if it reads like an advertisement, it won’t be effective.

Instead, subtle mentions of a product and a link and/or CTA to learn more are all that’s needed. You can also place a call to action at the very end of the post, encouraging users to contact you to learn how you can help them more.

Final Thoughts

Content marketing can work, and if you’re putting regular, consistent effort into it, it should be working. Even if your content worked for you in the past, maintaining an effort towards adaptability will keep you up to date on best industry, marketing, and SEO practices, keeping you moving in the right direction and giving you better results long term.

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Smart Hustle Recap: Winning New Business, Facebook Live & IT Security https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/09/smart-hustle-recap-winning-new-business-facebook-live-it-security.html/ Mon, 19 Sep 2016 15:28:25 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48785 It happens to many small businesses: you start out strong, generating a buzz that draws in customers and grows sales. Then time passes, and you realize you have not been winning any new business lately. While there is much to be said for keeping your existing customers happy and loyal, the only way you can […]

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Smart Hustle Recap: Winning New Business, Facebook Live & IT SecurityIt happens to many small businesses: you start out strong, generating a buzz that draws in customers and grows sales. Then time passes, and you realize you have not been winning any new business lately. While there is much to be said for keeping your existing customers happy and loyal, the only way you can grow is by acquiring new leads and customers. When the sales pipeline seems to have closed, it’s time to analyze what is going wrong. In this edition of the Smart Hustle Recap, we have an article that will help you assess the reasons why you are not winning new business lately – and correct the problem! We are also sharing tips for using Facebook Live and four steps that will help you improve your IT security.

New Business Has Slowed? Here’s Why

The key to business growth is acquiring new customers, so if you’ve noticed that things have slowed down, it’s time to take notice. While slow business growth can happen for reasons like an economic downturn, there are often business missteps that are to blame. In this article, sales guru Adrian Miller is sharing five reasons why you might not be seeing the new business you’d like. Figure out which are applicable to your situation, then use her advice to fix it.

Click to read 5 Reasons Why You Might Not Be Winning New Business

Connecting with Customers via Facebook Live

Video marketing is a hot trend right now, but do you know what is even hotter? Live video. The thought of appearing live and unscripted on camera in front of your customers might sound daunting. However, when you understand the benefits of live video (and the fact that your fears are largely exaggerated!), you’ll be ready to take the first step into this promising area of marketing. In this Smart Hustle interview, social media expert Kim Garst shares the benefits of Facebook Live and five tips that will calm your fears and get you prepared for your first live video.

Click to read 5 Tips for Using Facebook Live to Get Closer to Your Customers

Enhance Your IT Security Today

A sobering statistic for you: in a recent survey of 500 IT professionals, 30 percent said they believe there is nothing they can do to protect the security of their company. If you’ve ever felt the same way, it’s time to eradicate that self-defeating thought and take charge because you definitely CAN improve IT security at your business! In this article, cloud service LogMeIn is sharing four simple things you can do to greatly enhance the security of your company.

Click to read How to Improve IT Security in Four Simple Steps

So what is troubling you these days? Winning new business and sales? Forming better relationships with your customers? The security of your business data? These articles are sure to help, and for more tips and advice, catch new content over at SmartHustle.com.

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Digital Marketing Weekend Round Up – Content, Websites, Digital Brand and Ecommerce https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/09/digital-marketing-weekend-round-up-content-websites-digital-brand-and-ecommerce.html/ Fri, 16 Sep 2016 21:33:59 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48777   The only way to have a successful business is if customers are buying the product or service you’re making. Of course leveraging the power of social media, having a great web site, selling online and growing your digital brand are so important. As you head out for the weekend here’s a round up of […]

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The only way to have a successful business is if customers are buying the product or service you’re making.

Of course leveraging the power of social media, having a great web site, selling online and growing your digital brand are so important.

As you head out for the weekend here’s a round up of four quick reads to help you improve these areas of your business.

3 Tips for Building A Solid Online Presence

Social Media and Websites: How To Get it Right

How To Build the Right Web Site For Your Business

Tips To Help Your Business Sell More Online

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How to Ride Holiday Sales Through January and Beyond https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/09/how-to-ride-holiday-sales-through-january-and-beyond.html/ Thu, 08 Sep 2016 16:46:15 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48700 The holiday season is literally a sales roller coaster. In November and December you are riding high as customers eagerly search for the perfect gifts and spend liberally. Then January rolls around and you watch sales plummet as customers pinch their pennies and close their wallets. What’s a small business owner to do?   If […]

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how to ride holiday sales through january and beyondThe holiday season is literally a sales roller coaster. In November and December you are riding high as customers eagerly search for the perfect gifts and spend liberally. Then January rolls around and you watch sales plummet as customers pinch their pennies and close their wallets.

What’s a small business owner to do?

 

If you’ve rode this roller coaster before, you have likely realized that you must take a slightly different approach depending on the season. While you always want to provide customers with a pleasant and positive experience, each season requires its own unique spin on promotions and marketing in order to lure shoppers into your store, whether physical or online.

In a recent article on The Business Journals titled How Staples Helps This Retailer Weather the Doldrums after Holiday-Sales Rush, I read about how one company uses Staples Print and Marketing Services to adapt to the seasons and give customers a positive experience.

A wise small business owner knows the value of planning in advance. Check out The Business Journals’ article to learn how a fellow business owner relies on Staples to boost sales through the holiday season and beyond. It is sure to spark some creative ideas for how your business can successfully ride the holiday sales roller coaster too.


This article was written in partnership with Staples; however, all opinions and experiences expressed are my own.

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Smart Hustle Recap: Marketing via Word-Of-Mouth, Instagram Stories, and Videos https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/09/smart-hustle-recap-marketing-via-word-of-mouth-instagram-stories-and-videos.html/ Tue, 06 Sep 2016 20:47:29 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48695 Earlier in 2016, Smart Hustle conducted its first survey to understand the goals and challenges of Smart Hustle readers. One solid finding that emerged was that our small business readers are very concerned about marketing: marketing strategy was listed as a top challenge and survey takers said they were eager to learn more via additional […]

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Smart Hustle Recap: Marketing via Word-Of-Mouth, Instagram Stories, and VideosEarlier in 2016, Smart Hustle conducted its first survey to understand the goals and challenges of Smart Hustle readers. One solid finding that emerged was that our small business readers are very concerned about marketing: marketing strategy was listed as a top challenge and survey takers said they were eager to learn more via additional marketing articles on the site. This Smart Hustle Recap shows our commitment to giving readers what they want. Some of our latest and most well-received articles all revolve around marketing, so we are recapping them below (including word-of-mouth marketing, Instagram marketing, and video marketing). Do you have your marketing endeavors under control? We’ve also thrown in one bonus article that explains a vital lesson in small business finance.

Word-of-Mouth Marketing

Businesses large and small love free marketing, where customers are willing and eager to sing your praises based on the positive experiences they’ve had with your company. But besides just providing great products and services, how do you drum up word-of-mouth marketing? This article explores five actionable things you can do to get more people talking about your business.

Click to read 5 Ways to Get People to Talk about Your Business

Instagram for Business

As a newer social media platform, Instagram still has many business owners scratching their heads. How exactly do you use a platform that focuses on pictures and hashtags to grow customers and awareness? The launch of “Instagram Stories” is actually opening up new marketing potential for small businesses, provided you know how to use it. This article explains what Instagram Stories is and how you can leverage it for your biz.

Click to read How to Market Your Business with Instagram Stories

Small Business Video Marketing Ideas

If you follow marketing tips, advice and news, then chances are that you run into the subject of video marketing all the time. Unfortunately, many small businesses aren’t sure where to get started. We’ve covered basic tips in other articles, but this one gives you specific videos you could create to promote your business, including new product teasers, customer feedback, and more. It is sure to give you some great ideas to help create your first marketing video.

Click to read 6 Engaging Video Marketing Ideas for Small Businesses

Bonus Article: Must-Have Financial Roles

As promised, we also wanted to share an informative article for business owners who feel like they already have control over their marketing – and who couldn’t use a finance lesson now and again? This article, written by finance expert Jonathan Ankney, covers the three financial roles that you must have for your small business – and what happens if one of these crucial roles is missing.

Click to read 3 Financial Roles Every Business Needs to Maximize Success

Smart Hustle readers asked for more marketing articles, and we have been happy to deliver pieces on word-of-mouth marketing, Instagram, videos and more. What other topics would you like to see us cover on Smart Hustle? See what’s available on SmartHustle.com then share your opinion over at the Smart Hustle Community.

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10 Important Facebook Marketing Tips Every Business Owner Needs To Know https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/09/10-important-facebook-marketing-tips-every-business-owners-needs-to-know.html/ Tue, 06 Sep 2016 18:00:48 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48689 As the largest social platform in the world, Facebook can help businesses connect with new customers, build brands and drive sales. Jeremy Howie is a Facebook Marketing expert, and gives his insight in this article. He’s a member of the Facebook 2016 SMB Council, digital marketing thought leader, and CEO of Enlightened Marketing LLC. You can […]

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Jeremy HowieAs the largest social platform in the world, Facebook can help businesses connect with new customers, build brands and drive sales.

Jeremy Howie is a Facebook Marketing expert, and gives his insight in this article. He’s a member of the Facebook 2016 SMB Council, digital marketing thought leader, and CEO of Enlightened Marketing LLC. You can connect with him on Facebook via www.f acebook.com/jeremy.howie .

#1 Use Video

Facebook is a platform that is uniquely optimized for video. With more than one billion hours of video watched every day, the reason to use video is self-explanatory. Videos should be kept short, grab attention in the first few seconds, tell a story and provide value to the potential customer. Facebook founder/CEO Mark Zuckerberg has said that Facebook will be “mostly video” by 2019.

#2 Think Mobile First

In 2015 mobile-only Internet users surpassed desktop-only Internet users. The number is higher specific to Facebook, where 80% of users access the platform using their mobile device. Facebook is designed with a mobile-first mentality, because (and alarmingly) 40% of small businesses say that their websites are not optimized for mobile. Everything that you are doing on Facebook should have a mobile-first mentality. This means visuals should be easy to view on a smaller device. It is also important for business owners to have a mobile-optimized website. The great news is Facebook Pages already are!

#3 Provide Value

Facebook, or any other type of marketing, should provide value. People buy from those they know, like and trust. Leading with answers to most commonly asked customer questions, then following up for the sale later, is a great way to market. Value can also come in the form of humor, inspiration or entertainment. Being a business of value is a great way to stand out from competitors.

#4 Engage Consistently

Businesses should aim to post at least once per day on their Facebook Page, as long as they are providing value (see tip #3). The best performing posts include a video or an image, are short, and elicit a response. The more people engage (like/react/comment/share), the bigger the opportunity for businesses to reach new potential customers in News Feed. Facebook also helps businesses manage their Pages on their own time through tools like scheduling posts in advance. By consistently looking at Page Insights, business owners can learn more about their audience(s) and understand what content works best.

#5 Develop a Content Strategy

Instead of targeting prospective buyers with sales or consultation offers, businesses should consider providing relevant content based on FAQs. This content can have a central theme and be leveraged across multiple types of media. For example, a short “How To Do XYZ” video can be shared as a Facebook post, used as part of a blog post and embedded in an email to a subscriber list. Over time, analytics should be reviewed to see what content and which distribution channels are most effective.

#6 Test Different Ad Objectives

Facebook gives its advertisers multiple ways to connect with their ideal customers. Many businesses start with boosting posts on their Page, but this is just the tip of the iceberg. In Facebook’s Ads Manager there are multiple ad objectives to choose from, including website traffic, website conversions, post engagement, video views, local awareness, lead generation and app installs. The local awareness objective helps brick and mortar businesses reach potential customers who are within a given radius of their store with targeted ads in News Feed. Businesses can also select a call to action button for their Local Awareness Ads, such as Call Now or Get Directions. When people click Get Directions, they get a map with directions straight to the business’ front door. For only a few dollars in ad spend, thousands of potential customers can be reached.

#7 Split Test Everything

Finding out what works best is crucial to getting the most out of any advertising budget. Split testing – aka A/B testing – simply compares multiple versions of an ad to see which one converts to a click, lead and/or sale most effectively. For example, within one ad campaign, businesses can test four ads with the same headline but each with a different image. Once the best performing image is discovered, businesses can use it to test different headline options. Over time, businesses can identify their highest performing “super ads”.  Since you can leverage Facebook’s powerful targeting across Instagram as well, businesses should consider testing on both platforms.

#8 Use Reports, Data, and Settings

When businesses tell me they aren’t having success with Facebook marketing, it is usually because they don’t realize the true magic in numbers. There are endless reporting options that help advertisers understand exactly how their ads are performing and how people are responding to them. For example, advertisers can see information on how long their videos are being watched, or how many people are converting to a lead. One of the best targeting tools on Facebook is Custom Audiences – businesses can use an existing customer list (e.g., frequent, seasonal or one-time buyers) to create an audience and target ads across Facebook, Instagram and Audience Network. Facebook can also help businesses create a larger “Lookalike” audience of people most similar to each Custom Audience.

#9 Use Retargeting

Showing an ad to someone who has already expressed interest in a product or service – aka retargeting – is the highest converting form of marketing that exists. Facebook allows advertisers to do this using the Facebook Pixel. The Facebook Pixel is a piece of code businesses can create in Ads Manager (there is only one per ad account) and install on their website. It enables businesses to reach people on Facebook who have already visited specific pages on their website (custom audience), and can also be used to find new customers that look most like existing website visitors (lookalike audience). Retargeting an interested buyer with a branded video, testimonial or special offer can lead to a significant increase in conversions.

#10 Leverage New Features (Paid and Free)

Businesses can now video chat, send voice messages, broadcast real time with Facebook Live, create events and much more. Although the best way to be successful with Facebook marketing is to invest in facebook advertising in Singapore, businesses can still leverage Facebook’s free tools, starting with creating a Page and publishing engaging content. Connecting with other businesses on Facebook (liking, commenting, re-sharing) as your own business can also be an effective way to build community and reciprocity with other businesses, as well as reach potential buyers in other places they are spending time.

Bonus Tip

Facebook offers excellent free marketing training for businesses in the form of 50 eLearning modules at Facebook Blueprint.

Facebook is constantly evolving and giving businesses new ways to connect with their audience.  Because of its immense user base, data and targeting options, it can be considered the most powerful marketing platform in the world.

 

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Smart Hustle Recap: Security Threats, Branding, and More! https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/08/smart-hustle-recap-security-threats-branding-and-more.html/ Mon, 29 Aug 2016 14:30:03 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48684 A few months ago Symantec released its 2016 Internet Security Threat Report, and the results were quite an eye opener for small business owners. Analyzing data over the years, they found a steady increase in security threats targeting businesses with less than 250 employees. In fact, in 2011, only 11 percent of all spear-phishing attacks […]

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Smart Hustle Recap: Security Threats, Branding, and More!A few months ago Symantec released its 2016 Internet Security Threat Report, and the results were quite an eye opener for small business owners. Analyzing data over the years, they found a steady increase in security threats targeting businesses with less than 250 employees. In fact, in 2011, only 11 percent of all spear-phishing attacks targeted small businesses; however, by 2015 that number increased to 43 percent. With the risk of security threats growing, small business owners are wondering what they can do to prevent attacks – or recover if one does in fact happen. In this edition of the Smart Hustle Recap, we are sharing valuable information about small business security from Carbonite’s Norman Guadagno. We will also share articles about branding and how to sell your home-based business.

Protecting Your Small Business from Security Threats

Hackers are becoming more sophisticated, and new threats are popping up every day. How can you keep your small business safe? In this interview with Norman Guadagno from Carbonite, Norman shares three small steps any small business owner can take to prevent security threats including viruses, malware, ransomware, and hacking attempts.

Click to read How Small Business Can Prevent and Recover from Security Threats: An Interview with Norman Guadagno

Generating Buzz with Your Branding

Branding is one of the most important elements of creating a successful small business. Can customers immediately recognize you when they glance at your logo? How do you set yourself apart from the competition? What sort of conversations are customers having about your brand? This article shares five secrets of becoming a brand that people love and want to talk about it.

Click to read How to Develop a Brand People Will Love to Talk About

Selling Your Home-Based Business

When we think of selling a business, many of us picture a business that has a physical location in which the keys are literally passed on to the new owner. However, many small businesses in the United States are home-based. Is it possible to tell a home-based business too? Yes! This article covers some of the basics of selling a business as well as factors that are unique to home-based businesses. Follow these tips and you’ll be prepared to sell when the timing is right.

Click to read How to Successfully Sell Your Home-Based Business

The articles above will give you a lot to think about, whether it is protecting yourself against security threats, improving your branding, or preparing to sell your small home-based business. For other intriguing discussions on topics like operations, finance, marketing, technology, and sales, head over to SmartHustle.com to get the scoop.

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Smart Hustle Recap: Google Analytics How-To, Recovering from a Sales Slump, and More! https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/08/smart-hustle-recap-google-analytics-how-to-recovering-from-a-sales-slump-and-more.html/ Mon, 15 Aug 2016 16:19:19 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48664 When it comes to your marketing and sales efforts, one of the most important things that you need to do is track statistics related to your progress. How else would you know when something is (or is not) working? How  else could you refine your campaigns and improve your performance? One of the most helpful […]

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Smart Hustle Recap: Google Analtyics How-To, Recovering from a Sales Slump, and More!When it comes to your marketing and sales efforts, one of the most important things that you need to do is track statistics related to your progress. How else would you know when something is (or is not) working? How  else could you refine your campaigns and improve your performance? One of the most helpful tools for keeping track of what is happening on your website is Google Analytics, but it can be a little confusing for the untrained business owners – there are numbers and charts everywhere, so how do you know which ones to pay attention to? In this edition of the Smart Hustle Recap, we are featuring an article that gives some important how-to information for tracking your social media campaigns. We also have advice from expert Adrian Miller on how to recover from a sales slump and an excellent argument for why you should NOT focus on ‘going viral’ in your content marketing strategy. Here you will get the best training for google analytics in Singapore with your extensive Marketing efforts with Google Analytics.

Using Google Analytics to Track Social Campaigns

Even though there are several social media management tools, the richness of Google Analytics reports make it ideal for tracking your social campaigns. Did you know that you can use Google Analytics to track network referrals, conversions, landing pages, and social plugins? This article tells you how to get started with Google Analytics, set up goals, and five top Google Analytics reports to look at to understand how your social media campaigns are going.

Click to read How to Track Social Media Analytics with Google Analytics

Recovering from a Sales Slump

Unfortunately, everyone will experience a sales slump at some point in his or her career. Biz expert Adrian Miller says the first important thing is to understand why the slump happened so you can address the cause! However, if you find yourself in a slump, there are plenty of things you can do to recover. Adrian reviews four of the best things you can do to get the sales ball rolling again.

Click to read How to Revamp Your Business in a “Sales Slump”

Small Biz Owner: Don’t Focus on Going Viral

The gold standard in content marketing is a phenomenon known as “going viral” – when your content (whether it is a blog post, video, social media message, or something else) gets the attention of mass audiences who flood to your site and “discover” your company, making you an overnight sensation. While going viral is definitely a good thing, there are many reasons why small business owners should not focus on going viral. This article explores the reasons and what small business owners should do instead to make sure their content is a hit among the target market.

Click to read Content Marketing 2016: Why Small Businesses Shouldn’t Focus on Going Viral

Smart Hustle Magazine is committed to helping small business owners through all the twists and turns of running a business – the high points (like going viral), the low points (like experiencing a sales slump), and all of the experimentation that goes on in between (including tracking campaign analytics on platforms like Google Analytics). For more advice – no matter what stage of the game you’re at – check out SmartHustle.com or join the discussion in the Smart Hustle Community.

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Smart Hustle Recap: Top Small Business Organizations, Taxes, Credit, and E-commerce Mistakes https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/08/smart-hustle-recap-top-small-business-organizations-taxes-credit-and-e-commerce-mistakes.html/ Mon, 08 Aug 2016 20:13:21 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48650 Hey small business owner, are you taking advantage of all of the free resources that are available to you? If you are like most business owners, you’d love to get extra knowledge and assistance, but you’re just not sure where you can find it. In this Smart Hustle Recap, we have an article that will […]

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Smart Hustle Recap: Top Small Business Organizations, Taxes, Credit, and E-commerce MistakesHey small business owner, are you taking advantage of all of the free resources that are available to you? If you are like most business owners, you’d love to get extra knowledge and assistance, but you’re just not sure where you can find it. In this Smart Hustle Recap, we have an article that will point you in the direction of 23 top small business organizations that are waiting to help you! We also want to talk MONEY by addressing some common e-commerce mistakes (and how to fix them), exploring the FICO Liquid Score, and sharing recommendations for how to deal with taxes without hurting your cash flow.

It’s understandable that you might want to take care of applying for worker’s compensation on your own but hiring a workers’ compensation lawyer in Santa Ana will ensure that you dont make these mistakes.

Identifying the right lawyers to handle your claim is important, as you want local attorneys who are knowledgeable about all aspects of the law, and who can work with your employer to file a proper claim. Interviewing attorneys can be laborious and time-consuming so it is important to have a list of questions ready for any potential lawyers before making contact. There are lots of lawyers in your area, not all of them specializing in workers compensation. Be sure the attorneys you contact have plenty of experience with workers compensation cases. You may wish to ask for education and experience references to see if the attorneys have worked in your area previously, or if they received training in another state or city. Ask how your potential lawyers handle difficult cases and what kinds of fees are charged. Look for attorneys who have experience specializing in workers compensation and are familiar with the government regulations.

Most workers’ compensation attorneys advise employees to inform their employers every time they get injured in the workplace, however minor the injury may be. Such injuries may result in serious complications later on, so if they do not file them early on, it may be more difficult for the employees to seek compensation.

Top Small Business Organizations

Help is available, small business owner! Whether you are looking to boost your knowledge with tutorials, videos, and lessons, improve your networking by connecting with other small business owners, or secure funding in the way of grants. In this article, we cover 23 of the top small business organizations that offer free and paid resources to help grow your small business.

The Most Common E-commerce Mistakes

You’ve started an e-commerce store and are delighted at the possibility of reaching a wider market and increasing your profit potential. However, if you’re not careful, you can make crucial mistakes that eat into your profit margin and hurt your business. In this article, we look at three of the top mistakes that small business owners make when running an e-commerce store, and we share an infographic that has tons of advice on how to fix a leaky e-commerce faucet.

Click to read 3 Mistakes that Cost Your Ecommerce Store (And How to Fix them)

Do You Know What the FICO Liquid Score Is?

Understanding your credit score is important for securing the funding you need both in your business and personal life. However, financial terms are often confusing, so it can be difficult to make sense of it all. Put yourself on a better financial path by reading this article that details the difference between your personal and business credit scores and how they combine to create your FICO Liquid Credit Score, which many lenders are using today to make their funding decisions.

Tax Tips for Small Business Owners

Taxes are an unfortunate reality that every small business owner must deal with. Should you set money aside for your tax payments, and how can you prepare for taxes without hurting your cash flow? This article covers three scenarios of when taxes and cash flow collide. You’ll learn how to plan for taxes in a way that will keep your business healthy and prepare you for tax day. If you still find your business struggling with taxes then consider getting help from tax relief services or you could get yourself prepared and take some tax planning courses.

It can be easy to get lost in the passion you hold for your business ideas – to focus on your products or fun elements like marketing and social media. However, a smart small business owner should always have a good eye on the finances, and these articles are guaranteed to help.

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Smart Hustle Recap: Entrepreneur Advice to Grow Your Small Business https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/08/smart-hustle-recap-entrepreneur-advice-to-grow-your-small-business.html/ Tue, 02 Aug 2016 14:12:14 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48646 Smart Hustle regularly features entrepreneur advice so we can learn from those who walked the path before us – the missteps, the triumphs, the challenges along the way. Although you shouldn’t constantly waiver in your own journey, Smart Hustle interviewees share gems of wisdom that just might spark new and creative ideas for how to […]

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Smart Hustle Recap: Entrepreneur Advice to Grow Your Small BusinessSmart Hustle regularly features entrepreneur advice so we can learn from those who walked the path before us – the missteps, the triumphs, the challenges along the way. Although you shouldn’t constantly waiver in your own journey, Smart Hustle interviewees share gems of wisdom that just might spark new and creative ideas for how to grow your own small business and learn How To Get Paid For Your Advice. In today’s Smart Hustle Recap, we’re featuring the advice of three successful entrepreneurs who can help you in various areas, including the decision to become a full-time entrepreneur, creating a niche business, and expanding by starting a franchise.

If you are planning on starting a restaurant or something similar, then you should checking out and EXPLORE OUR HEALTHY SANDWICH FRANCHISE OPPORTUNITY | PITA PIT FRANCHISE

 

Entrepreneur Advice on Leaving Your Full-Time Job

Many entrepreneurs and budding small business owners face that point in their career when they have to make the decision to stay in the 9-5 or to leave that full-time job and pursue their business idea full time. No matter how confident you are in your ideas, this is a tough decision because it means saying goodbye to the structure and safety of a regular job with a regular paycheck. In this interview with Jessica Mah of the accounting company InDinero, Jessica gives advice for making a smoother transition into entrepreneurship. She also comments on the importance of refining your product and creating a long-term business plan.

Click to read Advice to Live by for Startup Entrepreneurs from Jessica Mah of InDinero

Entrepreneur Advice on Creating a Niche Business

If it’s been said once, it’s been said one hundred times – small businesses shouldn’t try to be everything to everyone; instead, they should find a specific niche and focus on bringing a unique product or service to a distinct market. If you are starting (or dream of starting) your own niche business, check out this entrepreneur advice from junk pickup Phoenix, an eco-friendly junk removal company. Josh talks about the importance of niche businesses to focus on one thing, partner with the right people and enhance your customer care so you can benefit from referral marketing.

Click to read Business Growth Strategies for Niche Businesses: An Interview with Josh Cohen of Junkluggers

Entrepreneur Advice on Franchising

Other readers may be further ahead in the game. Perhaps by now you have set up a steady and successful business but are curious as to how you can take it to the next level. Have you ever considered franchising as a way to expand your brand to a wider market with the help of others like you who dream of running their own business? In this interview with Ciarra Stockeland of MODE, a discount fashion store, Ciarra shares her advice on becoming a small business franchise. She speaks about the differences between franchising and retail, the limitations of a franchise, and the importance of mentorship. Her advice is helpful for those who want to create a franchise out of their own business as well as those who want to buy into a franchise to become a business owner.

Click to read Entrepreneur Ciarra Stockeland on the Challenges and Nuances of Starting a Franchise Business

The articles above will provide you with excellent entrepreneur advice, and if you’re looking for even more, I want to remind you about the Smart Hustle Small Business Conference that takes place October 20th in Midtown NYC. The conference will feature speakers including Joe Connelly, Peter Shankman, Ramon Ray, Gene Marks and other entrepreneurs who are going to share their best advice with conference attendees. Tickets are on sale but are selling fast!

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Using CRM To Nurture Your Best Leads into Sales https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/07/using-crm-to-nurture-your-best-leads-into-sales.html/ Thu, 28 Jul 2016 20:37:33 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48638 It’s a fact: not all leads are created equal. You might be tracking them all in your customer relationship management (CRM) software, but you absolutely should be treating them differently. Determining which are your best leads — in other words, those most likely to turn into customers — can help you increase your conversion rate […]

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Using CRM To Nurture Your Best Leads into SalesIt’s a fact: not all leads are created equal. You might be tracking them all in your customer relationship management (CRM) software, but you absolutely should be treating them differently.

Determining which are your best leads — in other words, those most likely to turn into customers — can help you increase your conversion rate and boost sales. Also, putting more focus on your most likely prospects in your pipeline will save you time (because you won’t be chasing dead-end leads). But how can you figure out which are the best leads?

 

First, Categorize Leads

Did you realize that 73% of new B2B leads aren’t ready to make a purchase? That doesn’t mean they’re not worth pursuing, but you will want to handle them differently than you would a lead who’s ready to buy.

Create “buckets” for your contacts. These buckets might include:

  • People you’ve met in person
  • People who downloaded an ebook
  • Social media contacts

You could also categorize them by how they ended up in your lead funnel, such as “downloaded our 10 Reasons to Invest in Financial Software ebook,” which you’ve targeted at a particular audience.

 

Next, Score Those Leads

This part is fun, and a bit like a game. You can assign points to each lead to give it a score. The higher the score, the better the lead. You can give points for things like:

  • Job title
  • Location
  • Interactions with your brand (downloaded whitepaper, attended webinar)

Also take away points for any negative actions that a lead takes, like unsubscribing from your email list.

Decide on Nurturing Techniques

Even if a lead ranks high on your scoring matrix, she might not be ready to buy from you right now, so it’s imperative that you invest the time and energy in nurturing her appropriately. If you can further break down your bucket of high-scoring leads into where they are on the buyer’s journey, you can give what each lead needs at the particular stage she’s in.

For example, if a lead is in the Consideration stage, she’s past needing to be informed about your general category of product. Now she’s comparing you to the competition. Make it easy for her. This is the ideal time to send her a free graphic that puts you (in a favorable light without being promotional) against the other top players in your space. Remember: you want to communicate that you’re trying to help her on her buying journey, not push her into a decision, so focus on being informative, not salesy.

Leverage that CRM

Your CRM platform can be hugely helpful in nurturing your best leads…but only if you maximize your use of it. Take copious notes about your leads’ activities, and tag each contact with that lead scoring information. You can even more a contact from one category or stage of the buying cycle to the next so you can easily view everyone who’s at the same stage.

These days, we have so much data at our fingertips, that chasing bad leads is nearly obsolete. Instead, put your efforts toward ensuring that those ideal leads grow to love and trust you, and eventually become customers.

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Smart Hustle Recap: Finding Your Niche, Avoiding Legal Issues & More https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/07/smart-hustle-recap-finding-your-niche-avoiding-legal-issues-more.html/ Mon, 25 Jul 2016 14:45:06 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48624 When you run a small business, it’s important that you find your own place in the market. Many a small business has failed because of trying to be “everything to everyone.” On the other hand, those that have succeeded have done so because they’ve carved a specific identity and targeted a specific market. If you […]

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Smart Hustle Recap: Finding Your Niche, Avoiding Legal Issues & MoreWhen you run a small business, it’s important that you find your own place in the market. Many a small business has failed because of trying to be “everything to everyone.” On the other hand, those that have succeeded have done so because they’ve carved a specific identity and targeted a specific market. If you need help finding your niche, you’ll enjoy our interview with High Cotton below, in which James Hill explains how they’ve carefully and artfully carved their own unique niche in the fashion apparel and accessories industry. We’re also sharing advice that will save you from common legal mistakes, and entrepreneur lessons from the founder of Inga’s Lingua.

Finding Your Niche

As a small business, it is important that you define your identity, values, and market. It not only helps people understand who you are, but it also gives you a roadmap for how to drive your company forward, including marketing and product development. In this interview with James Hill of High Cotton, we learn about a company that “started with a yard of fabric on the kitchen table” and then grew into a million dollar business. They did this by targeting a very specific market and building an identity that would resonate with this group. If you could use some help finding your niche, this article is for you.

Click to read Developing a One-of-a-Kind Brand: James Hill and the Story of High Cotton

Small Business Legal Issues (And How to Avoid Them)

Your small business is driven by your passion but, unfortunately, if you make the wrong legal choices the business can quickly go off course. This article explores five of the most common legal mistakes that small business owners make, regarding legal structure, intellectual property, shareholders, investors, and payroll taxes. VanillaLaw firm is an international law firm for the for the global business community.  You’ll learn more about each of these important small business legal issues and also how you can avoid making disastrous legal mistakes.

Click to read 5 Common Legal Mistakes that Can Hurt Your Small Business

Lessons Learned About Becoming an Entrepreneur

The road to becoming an entrepreneur isn’t paved, and each person who sets down that path experiences his or her own bumps along the way. In this interview, we speak with Inger Stapleton, the owner of Inga’s Lingua, an educational program helping busy professionals learn the Spanish language.  Inger shares three of the most important lessons she’s learned from becoming an entrepreneur. Some of her points will be familiar for those who have entered the world of entrepreneurship, and other points just might surprise you.

Click to read Lessons Learned and the Importance of Setting Goals and Being Flexible – An Interview with Inger Stapleton

You may have noticed a theme in the articles chosen for this week’s Smart Hustle Recap: all are about the road to becoming a small business owner or entrepreneur, and how the choices you make along the way can either drive your success OR your failure. Finding your niche, avoiding legal issues, and learning as you go are all strategies that can drive your success. As you’re cruising down the road of entrepreneurship, take a quick break to get these and other lessons on SmartHustle.com.

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Smart Hustle Recap: 3 Outstanding Smart Hustle Interviews Take You Through the Small Biz Journey https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/07/smart-hustle-recap-3-outstanding-smart-hustle-interviews-take-you-through-the-small-biz-journey.html/ Mon, 18 Jul 2016 21:23:46 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48604 If there is one thing Smart Hustle is known for, it’s one-on-one interviews where Editor Ramon Ray speaks to entrepreneurs and small business owners about their journeys, including the challenges, successes, and their advice for other small business owners. Last week, there were three outstanding Smart Hustle interviews, and we’re putting the spotlight on them […]

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Smart Hustle Recap: 3 Outstanding Smart Hustle Interviews Take You Through the Small Biz JourneyIf there is one thing Smart Hustle is known for, it’s one-on-one interviews where Editor Ramon Ray speaks to entrepreneurs and small business owners about their journeys, including the challenges, successes, and their advice for other small business owners. Last week, there were three outstanding Smart Hustle interviews, and we’re putting the spotlight on them in this Smart Hustle Recap. For inspiration and tips, check out what we learned from Alvin Perry, Laina Gossman, and Dawn Dickson.

 On Passion and Humility

Many a small business is driven by passion, but for every passionate business owner who starts out, there is another waiting in the shadows, uncertain of how to take that passion and turn it into a realistic business idea. Our interview with Alvin Perry of P5 Designs shows how it can be done. We chronicle Alvin’s journey from Corporate America to successful business owner, showing how a little humility and hard work can make your dreams a reality.

Click to read Be Passionate and Humble: Business Advice from Dr. Alvin Perry of P5 Designs

On Handling the Logistics

Our next interview almost takes off from where we left you in the Alvin Perry interview (although not intentionally). So you have passion, and you have found a way to turn it into a viable business idea. How do you deal with the logistics of actually getting your product made and your business off the ground? Like Alvin Perry, Laina Gossman started a product-based business and was challenged with figuring out how to actually get that product manufactured. Her interview shares the steps she followed to find manufacturers, select the right one for her product, and then get the product made and out to customers.

Click to read Using the Power of the Internet to Build a Manufacturing Business: An Interview with Laina Gossman

On Executing Your Vision

If you’ve followed this series of interviews, you’ve learned how to take your passion and make it into a business, and how to iron out the logistics of getting your products made. But what happens after that – when your business is up and going, but you encounter people who have other opinions about how you should run the business and what the ‘end goal’ should be? Should you stay true to your vision, or pivot based on the ideas of others? In this interview with Dawn Dickson, we learn that it’s best to use a mixed strategy. Dawn shares with us her unique vision for her company, and how she is carrying out that vision, but also how pivoting slightly from that vision at critical moments has helped her survive.

Click to read Following Your Vision & Knowing When to Pivot: Small Biz Advice from Dawn Dickson of Flat Out of Heels

Smart Hustle interviews are what makes Smart Hustle such a unique website for small business owners. The business stories we are used to hearing are those of wildly successful entrepreneurs whose status many of us will never obtain (nor do many of us want!) There are actually thousands of small business owners just like you who are dealing with the same challenges you are facing and whose inspiring stories can motivate you to keep pushing forward, even on your toughest day. Check out the interviews above (which contain written text as well as audio if you’d rather listen!) and for other Smart Hustle interviews, visit SmartHustle.com.

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New Email Authentication Rules Will Impact Your Email Delivery: Understanding DMARC https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/07/new-email-authentication-rules-will-impact-your-email-delivery-understanding-dmarc.html/ Fri, 15 Jul 2016 20:24:08 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48593 Have you ever received an email claiming to be from a specific brand or company, but it clearly wasn’t? Well, you’re not alone. And to prevent these type of “phishy” emails from reaching your inbox, email authentication standards have been put in place. That’s where Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance (DMARC) comes into play. […]

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Have you ever received an email claiming to be from a specific brand or company, but it clearly wasn’t? Well, you’re not alone. And to prevent these type of “phishy” emails from reaching your inbox, email authentication standards have been put in place. That’s where Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance (DMARC) comes into play.

I’ve asked Jacob Hansen, Deliverability Consultant, at SendGrid to help us better understand DMARC.

What exactly is DMARC?

DMARC is an email protocol that uses SPF (Sender Policy Framework) and DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) to determine the authenticity of an email, or prove that an email is coming from where it claims to be coming from. DMARC was created to prevent phishing, but in turn, due to the complexity of some of its details, it has made it that much more difficult for email marketers to reach the inboxes of their target customers if not implemented correctly.

While many email providers currently have DMARC policies in place, Microsoft and Gmail are expected to update their policies sometime this year, which will directly affect how marketers send email. Under the new policies, no one other than Gmail will be able to send email from an @gmail.com email address, and no one other than Microsoft will be able to send email from @outlook.com, @hotmail.com, @live.com and @msn.com email addresses. Yahoo already has a similar policy in place, and therefore only Yahoo can send email from a @yahoo.com email address.

What does this mean for email marketers?

This means that email marketers can not use Gmail or Microsoft email addresses to send email through an email provider. All email must be sent from an owned domain. In most cases, brands own their own domains, however for smaller brands and companies, if email is sent through a Gmail or Microsoft domain, it will no longer be delivered even if it is wanted mail. Without complying with this update, marketers may see their deliverability rates drop.

Complying with DMARC standards will help marketers control their sending reputations, increase visibility into their programs while keeping mail relevant, and establish consistent policies for dealing with unauthenticated mail.

  • Protect your brand. Publishing a DMARC record protects your brand by preventing unauthenticated parties from sending mail from your domain. In some cases, simply setting up a DMARC record can result in a positive reputation bump.
  • Increase visibility into your email program. Reviewing and consuming DMARC reports increases visibility into your email program by letting you know who is sending mail from your domain. You’re able to get a better look into who is trying to act like you.
  • Establish a consistent policy for unauthenticated mail. DMARC helps the email community establish a consistent policy for dealing with messages that fail to authenticate. This helps the marketing email ecosystem as a whole become more secure and more trustworthy.

The takeaway

There is no confirmed date for when Gmail and Microsoft will be updating their policies, they have only specified within this year. But it is a best practice to comply with DMARC regardless if you don’t already. Businesses sending email from a Gmail or Microsoft domain will need to take immediate action to begin sending from an owned domain to ensure the deliverability of their email and success of their email programs. By adhering to DMARC protocols, all brands are setting the standard for authentic email and helping customers receive the mail they want most.

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Email Personalization Works: Hilton Garden Inn “Welcomes Ramon” via Email https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/07/email-personalization-works-hilton-garden-inn-welcomes-ramon.html/ Fri, 15 Jul 2016 15:16:38 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48589 What a nice, personalized, welcome email from the Hilton Garden Inn, welcoming me to their LA hotel. As a small business owner you can use EMAIL in a powerful way to engage and bring a deep personalized connection to your customers and potential customers. While you can do many of this on your own, you […]

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hilton gardin emailWhat a nice, personalized, welcome email from the Hilton Garden Inn, welcoming me to their LA hotel.

As a small business owner you can use EMAIL in a powerful way to engage and bring a deep personalized connection to your customers and potential customers.

While you can do many of this on your own, you can also hire someone to help you do it.

Email is not dead – it’s a powerful way to connect and reach someone right in their email box.

hilton gardin email

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Video Production Tips for Small Business https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/07/video-production-tips-for-small-business.html/ Thu, 14 Jul 2016 17:00:30 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48580 Video is one of today’s most important marketing tools. It’s estimated American adults spend more than five hours per day watching video online. SMBs shouldn’t be afraid to jump into video. Your options range from low cost, DIY videos to polished, professional marketing video. Wondering where to start? Why You Need Video You should be […]

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Video Production Tips for Small BusinessVideo is one of today’s most important marketing tools. It’s estimated American adults spend more than five hours per day watching video online. SMBs shouldn’t be afraid to jump into video. Your options range from low cost, DIY videos to polished, professional marketing video. Wondering where to start?

Why You Need Video

You should be using video to get more customers, but what makes it different from other marketing approaches? Customers get more information in a shorter amount of time by viewing one well-made video. Videos give your customers an impression of you and your business. It’s more personal than an email or blog post. Video is used in marketing in many ways today. Short videos posted to Vine and Instagram are short and easily shared. Tutorials and vlogs on your website or YouTube are a bit longer and more informative. Whether you film it yourself or hire a professional, video is one marketing tool you need.

DIY Video

Small businesses often take the DIY approach to save money where possible. Apps such as Vine and Instagram make it possible to create short videos. They’re free and simple to use. You can make new videos quickly, edit clips, and reach all your followers instantly. This option is excellent for things like contests, previewing new products, and even speaking directly to your followers, such as Q&A videos. Doing it yourself isn’t without pitfalls, however. While apps make it seem easy, they can’t make a poorly shot video look good. Take a few steps to make your DIY videos look their best.

Storyboard. Use paper or software to plot out each scene for your video and the dialogue or narrative that goes with it. Come up with a few versions, then narrow it down to the best one.

Lighting. Poorly lit videos look awful. Make sure you have at least one bright light source. Whether it’s sunlight through a window or a floor lamp aimed at your product, be sure the thing you’re filming is brightly lit.

Script. Stumbling over your words makes you sound like a novice and increases editing time. It helps to practice speaking a few times before shooting, even if it’s only a few second clip for social media. The script is even more important when filming a longer video, such as a tutorial for YouTube.

Sound. Tiny smartphone microphones aren’t the best at capturing clear sound in your film production. Be sure there is silence when you’re filming (unless background noise is intentional). Try using the earbuds with mic that came with your phone for clarity. You can also purchase a microphone that plugs into the 3.5 mm jack on your phone or a clip-on mic.

Stability. Don’t make your customers nauseous with shaky video. Invest in a tripod before shooting videos for your business. Choose a full size tripod or a little Gorillapod® depending on what and where you’ll be filming. Some lower end tripods can droop or slowly move while filming, so look out for that while testing it out.

Image licensing. Avoid getting sued by only using commercially licensed images and video clips. You’ll either need to purchase a license, get permission from the creator, or use Creative Commons (CC) images. Be aware “free to use” and CC works are not always commercially licensed. Read the fine print to be sure you’re allowed to use the image.

Professional Video

Even if you’re able to film a decent video yourself, you may not realize just how labor intensive video editing is. It can be a lengthy and complex process to get to the final, polished version of your video. While you may be capable of doing the editing yourself, it may make more sense as a business owner to pay a professional to spend hours creating a great video for you while you focus on other responsibilities.

Hiring professionals to create your video will ensure a polished final product. The obvious difference in quality gives the impression that your business is trustworthy. When it comes to video ads, tutorials, help videos for your product, and any video featured prominently on your website you’ll want to consider investing in a professional to create your videos. The impact it has on your customers is invaluable.

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Smart Hustle Recap: Do You Need a College Degree? Plus Content and PR Tips https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/07/smart-hustle-recap-do-you-need-a-college-degree-plus-content-and-pr-tips.html/ Mon, 11 Jul 2016 19:09:05 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48562 Recently on Smart Hustle we approached a very interesting topic, a topic on which I’m sure everyone has their own opinion: do you need a college degree to start and run a business? Or can you find success by taking a non-traditional path? Gather your thoughts and then check out our interview with Charles Bonfiglio […]

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Smart Hustle Recap: Do You Need a College Degree? Plus Content and PR TipsRecently on Smart Hustle we approached a very interesting topic, a topic on which I’m sure everyone has their own opinion: do you need a college degree to start and run a business? Or can you find success by taking a non-traditional path? Gather your thoughts and then check out our interview with Charles Bonfiglio below for insights from a successful franchisee who did not take the college path. Last week was a short week due to the 4th of July holiday, but we’ve also got some great articles with tips on using content to boost your biz and how to find success with PR. Get your weekly dose of Smart Hustle in the recap below.

 

Do You Need a College Degree to Start a Business?

Instead of going to college, Charles Bonfiglio went to work for a franchised automotive company right after high school. He worked his way up to becoming the top performer, then became a franchisee himself. After decades of experience in the franchise, he left to start his own company in 2007. So can experience alone set you out on the path to success or do you need a college degree? Join the discussion by checking out this article.

Click to read Do Entrepreneurs Need a College Degree? An Interview with Entrepreneur and Franchisee Charles Bonfiglio

How to Grow Through Clever Use of Content

Is content a tool for every business, or does it only work in certain industries and areas? In this interview with Julie Tupler of Diastasis Rechab, she argues that everyone, regardless of industry, can use content to grow. Julie is a nurse who focuses on one specific ailment – diastasis recti. Using a combination of books, DVDs, guides and more, she has created a booming business in this specific niche. The article explores how you too can use content to grow, even if you don’t consider yourself a writer or a videographer.

Click to read Boosting Your Biz through Content: An Interview with Julie Tupler of Diastasis Rehab

Your PR Cheat Sheet

Every business owner wants media coverage, but getting the attention of PR is another thing entirely. If you’ve ever tried to navigate the scary world of PR, this article for you. This cheat sheet covers all the basics of how to get your business in the spotlight, including developing a story, finding media contacts, writing a pitch and following up.

Click to read The Power of PR: Your Cheat Sheet to Getting Media Coverage

So what do you think? Do you need to go to college to start and run a successful business? Is content a good strategy, no matter what industry you’re in? Could adopting the right approach help you get the media coverage you’re looking for? Come contemplate these issues with us by reading the fore-mentioned SmartHustle.com articles – and if you have a comment to share, join the discussion in the Smart Hustle Community.

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Facebook Changes Algorithms (Again) To Focus on Friends and Family: Build Your Email List. https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/07/facebook-changes-algorithms-again-to-focus-on-friends-and-family-build-your-email-list.html/ Wed, 06 Jul 2016 00:59:23 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48544 I’ve told you before and I’ll tell you again, if you want to succeed in digital marketing ONE of the things you MUST do is to build your email list. Collect email addresses at every opportunity – especially on your web site. Facebook is changing its algorithm to ensure it gives TOP news feed posts […]

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I’ve told you before and I’ll tell you again, if you want to succeed in digital marketing ONE of the things you MUST do is to build your email list. Collect email addresses at every opportunity – especially on your web site. Facebook is changing its algorithm to ensure it gives TOP news feed posts to friends and family.

You’ll have to purposefully use the drop down menu of the like button to tell Facebook you want to hear more from your favorite brands, if you want to hear from them.

The NY Times writes – Adam Mosseri, the Facebook manager in charge of the news feed, said in a recent interview that informing and entertaining users was also part of the company’s mission. But he made clear that news and entertainment were secondary pursuits.

“We think more, spend more time and work on more projects that try to help people express themselves with their friends or learn about their friends or have conversations with their friends,” he said.

So yes, use social media, post engaging content and be organic. YES – purchase advertising on social networks to buy more visibility to your content. But it’s important to ALSO build your email list so no matter what algorithms are changes on social networks, you still have a direct way to reach your customers, prospects or fan base – via email or text or even traditional mail!

While social media marketing is powerful – email marketing can be just as powerful or even more powerful.

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Smart Hustle Recap: Establishing Culture in Your Business, Better Analytics, & More https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/07/smart-hustle-recap-establishing-culture-in-your-business-better-analytics-more.html/ Tue, 05 Jul 2016 14:32:16 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48550 There are a million small details to consider when growing your business, from the technology you’ll use to whom you’ll hire and how each individual task should be performed. In this edition of the Smart Hustle Recap, we’re going to share tips on a few of these areas that are sometimes neglected as you focus […]

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Smart Hustle Recap: Establishing Culture in Your Business, Better Analytics, & MoreThere are a million small details to consider when growing your business, from the technology you’ll use to whom you’ll hire and how each individual task should be performed. In this edition of the Smart Hustle Recap, we’re going to share tips on a few of these areas that are sometimes neglected as you focus on the bigger picture. This includes advice on how to establish a positive and supportive culture in your business, how to train your team to use analytics, and how to improve your point of sales experience. Rounding out the list is an incredibly popular recent interview that looks at how artists can funnel their creative juices into creating a successful business for their artwork.

Establishing Culture in Your Business

Culture is what differentiates those companies where the employees love to come to work from those where the employees dread ‘punching in.’ How your employees feel about their job is then reflected down to the customers, which is why every business owner should think carefully about the kind of culture and the core values they want the business to represent. Need a little guidance? This article offers four great tips for how to improve your work environment.

Click to read How to Build a Rock Slid Company Culture

Making Analytics Work for Your Business

Business data provides valuable insights into how to improve your business, but many times, business owners collect data and then aren’t sure what to do with it. Ideally, analytics should be the driving force behind the decisions you make, and all employees should understand how to use analytics. This article will help, with four training tips that will teach your whole team how to use analytics effectively.

Click to read How to Train Your Team in Better Analytics

Upgrading the Point of Sales Experience

The point of sales is that final moment in the journey where a person officially becomes a customer. Think now to the point of sales experience in your business – does it positively add to the customer’s experience or does it hurt your chance of making a sale? This article has a valuable lesson on what not to do, then some tips for improving the experience, like upgrading your point of sales technology and empowering your sales staff.

Click to read 3 Ways to Improve the Point of Sales Experience

Business Tips for Artists

Although artists funnel their passion into their artwork, interview guest Crista Cloutier says that artists are also entrepreneurs and they must learn how to build their business if they want to be successful. An artist herself, Crista also runs a program called The Working Artist which teaches artists the business skills they need. In this interview, Crista gives tips for how people in creative industries can plan out their business and execute their marketing.

Click to read The Working Artist, Crista Cloutier, Shares Business Tips for the Creative Industries

Successful business owners know they have to pay attention to those important details, including creating a positive culture, listening to analytics, and giving customers a good point of sales experience. What little details in your business could use some TLC? Chances are you’ll find the tips and advice you need on SmartHustle.com.

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Where Will You Host Your Videos? Twitter? Facebook? Snapchat? YouTube? https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/06/where-will-you-host-your-videos-twitter-facebook-snapchat-youtube.html/ Wed, 29 Jun 2016 21:04:25 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48519 There’s a lot of places to host and share your videos. As a business owner, you want to create videos as it is the most engaging you to bring your brand to your audience, increase their engagement and make your brand more personal. Facebook is adding more and more features to Facebook Live, SnapChat is […]

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ramon ray video

There’s a lot of places to host and share your videos. As a business owner, you want to create videos as it is the most engaging you to bring your brand to your audience, increase their engagement and make your brand more personal.

Facebook is adding more and more features to Facebook Live, SnapChat is growing and of course YouTube is the “original” video network.

Twitter has been behind, but is releasing an app to help you create and share videos on Twitter.

The Wall Street Journal writes: “Video is becoming increasingly central to the real-time conversations happening on Twitter,” said Twitter CEO and co-founderJack Dorsey, in a statement. ”We’re investing heavily in videos and creators. We want to be the best place for creators and influencers to build an audience and make it easier for creators to make money on Twitter, and soon, Vine.”

If you’re just starting out, overall, it really doesn’t matter where you host your video. What’s MOST important is that your video is informative, engaging and useful to your audience. Having said that, do take some time to know about your audience and where your AUDIENCE lives is where you should host your video.

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10 Ways Instagram Can Help Your Business Find New Customers https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/06/10-ways-instagram-can-help-your-business-find-new-customers.html/ Mon, 27 Jun 2016 18:10:30 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48525 My wife has been using Instagram for about a year, helping home school moms (and dads) better home school their children. She started out with zero follows but by being consistent and frequent, relevant to her audience, engaged and watching what works and doesn’t work she’s done a great job in building her following and […]

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My wife has been using Instagram for about a year, helping home school moms (and dads) better home school their children. She started out with zero follows but by being consistent and frequent, relevant to her audience, engaged and watching what works and doesn’t work she’s done a great job in building her following and having a VERY engaged fan base. She’s even able to make money from it with consulting and speaking (that’s coming).

Kati McGee HeadshotOverall, the power of social media is so important for all businesses to understand and do more of. I’ve asked Kati McGee, SMB Brand Development for Instagram to share her tips on how to get the most out of Instagram.

Small businesses around the world turn to Instagram to capture and share the moments, products, and services that matter most to their business. The community on Instagram is over 500 million strong, more than 300 million of whom use Instagram every single day. Small businesses have always been an important part of this community, using Instagram to turn their passions into livelihoods. Take Janine, a woodworker that turned her hobby into a well-run business of selling custom-made art and furniture creations, or Stance Socks, which breathed new life into a traditionally unremarkable category by dedicating its brand to art and self-expression, posting playful imagery to its Instagram account.

With nearly 50 percent of people following businesses on Instagram and 60 percent of people learning about a product or service on the platform, Instagram is a natural place to introduce people to your business, connect with your community and acquire new customers. It’s never been easier to get started — Just recently Instagram announced a new set of business tools that will help you develop more meaningful relationships with your followers, better understand how content performs and find new customers on mobile

As we introduce these new tools in the coming months, we want to share 10 tips for how to use Instagram to help your business be successful. From creative content to community mentors, we encourage you to experiment and learn in order to identify strategies that work for you and your business.

  1. Showcase your passion — Think of Instagram as your virtual shop window where you can demonstrate what makes your business unique. A picture, after all, is worth a thousand words. It’s the perfect place to showcase your passion and inspire existing and future customers.
  2. Engage your community — Play an active role with your community. Engage with comments and questions on your own posts and use hashtags, location tags and view content your business is tagged in to discover and join the conversation on other community members’ posts. A lot of great small business accounts feature content posted by followers, which helps strengthen the relationship between a business and its most enthusiastic customers.
  3. Establish your voice — Instagram is where people connect around their passions so be authentic and create a visual voice that reflects that of your business or band.
  4. Take your customers behind-the-scenes — People come to Instagram to get a behind-the-scenes look. Use Instagram to tell the world how your business operates, the team that makes it all happen and the effort that it takes to bring your product or service to market.
  5. Get creative with video —The total time people spent watching video on Instagram has increased 150% over the last six months.  That said, lots of people aren’t able to consume sound when on mobile so ensure your video will be engaging with or without sound.  And don’t forget to try out our new video tools like Hyperlapse and Boomerang to create simple and engaging videos.
  6. Choose quality over quantity — Instagram is where people go to connect around their passions and interests. Developing content that is authentic and well crafted will help businesses stand out by fitting in.
  7. Experiment with advertising — To find new customers, consider experimenting with advertising on the platform. Instagram introduced ads to businesses of all sizes in September, and offers all of the same targeting capabilities as Facebook while utilizing the same simple ad buying interfaces. We also offer many ad formats – landscape, up to sixty-second video and multi-image or videos for example. When our new business tools roll out soon, you’ll also be able to promote a post directly from the Instagram app.
  8. Search for inspiration — Businesses have been a part of the Instagram community from the beginning. Follow your business partners, advocates, and influencers in the community whose content may relate to your business or inspire you. What do they do well that you can learn from?
  9. Seek advice and feedback Your community of fellow entrepreneurs on Instagram domestic and abroad is one of the best resources you can go to for advice.
  10. Keep your eyes peeled for Instagram Business Tools — These tools will give small businesses like yours the support they need to grow. Profiles with a contact button, insights on your posts and audience, and the ability to promote a post from your account on Instagram will make it easier than ever for your business to find new customers.

With these 10 tips in mind, you’ll be able to continue to build your business on Instagram, which is a place to turn your passion into livelihood.

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Smart Hustle Recap: The Importance of Existing Customers, Surcharging Credit Cards, & More! https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/06/smart-hustle-recap-the-importance-of-existing-customers-surcharging-credit-cards-more.html/ Mon, 27 Jun 2016 15:52:16 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48522 What part of the sales funnel does your business focus on? Are you constantly looking for and finding new leads? Or is your main goal to nurture your existing leads, so they become customers? Or do you make your existing customers the spotlight of your sales and marketing efforts? Clearly, there is something to be […]

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Smart Hustle Recap: The Importance of Existing Customers, Surcharging Credit Cards, & More!What part of the sales funnel does your business focus on? Are you constantly looking for and finding new leads? Or is your main goal to nurture your existing leads, so they become customers? Or do you make your existing customers the spotlight of your sales and marketing efforts? Clearly, there is something to be said for investing in all of these areas, but in this Smart Hustle Recap, we just might convince you that focusing on existing customers is the key to growing profit. The Recap also includes stories about surcharging credit cards, learning management systems, and the hidden blocks that are holding you back from the success you deserve. Dive in by learning about the articles below.

The Importance of Existing Customers

These days, people do business with companies that they’ve formed “relationships” with, which means that a focus on existing customers can boost your customer retention, customer loyalty and, therefore, your profit. This article features four best practices for paying attention to existing customers, including how to deepen your relationships, stay in contact, and give your customers exactly what they’re looking for.

Click to read Why and How Successful Businesses Grow Revenue by Paying Attention to Existing Customers

Should You Surcharge?

Surcharging has definite benefits and costs. On the one hand, it helps you recoup the costs of credit card charges. However, on the other hand, your customers might not appreciate these extra fees. This article is designed to help you decide if surcharging is right for your business, sharing pros, cons, considerations, and alternatives to surcharging.

Click to read Surcharging Credit Cards in Your Small Business: What You Need to Consider

Boost Your Training with a Learning Management System

Training is an important part of bringing new employees aboard, implementing new systems and procedures, and keeping all of your team members at the top of their game. Have you ever considered a learning management system? These online systems help you create training programs that standardize the training process in an online e-learning program that you can customize to employees and also use to track their progress.

Click to read Why Your Company Needs a Learning Management System

What Is Holding You Back from Success?  

Do you ever feel frustrated because you seem to be hitting an invisible brick wall – that there is something holding you back, but you can’t quite pinpoint what it is? It’s time to let go of these hidden blocks so you can find the success you deserve! This article reveals three potential sources of your hidden blocks, so you can resolve the issue and move forward in your business.

Click to read 3 Ways to Uncover Your Hidden Blocks to Business Success

Smart Hustle aims to tackle the various problems that small business owners face, whether related to sales, marketing, business operations, technology, or any other area that is crucial to small business success. So what is on the top of your mind these days? Bring it to our attention in the Smart Hustle Community, and for other great stories, visit SmartHustle.com.

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SH Recap – Market Your Business, Improve Your Sales, and GROW! https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/06/sh-recap-market-your-business-improve-your-sales-and-grow.html/ Mon, 20 Jun 2016 15:44:15 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48481 Sales and marketing are two of the biggest concerns for small business owners, and admittedly these are two of our favorite topics to cover over on Smart Hustle. In this week’s Recap, we’re sharing some of the best marketing and sales articles recently published that are sure to give you new strategies to think about […]

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SH Recap – Market Your Business, Improve Your Sales, and GROW!Sales and marketing are two of the biggest concerns for small business owners, and admittedly these are two of our favorite topics to cover over on Smart Hustle. In this week’s Recap, we’re sharing some of the best marketing and sales articles recently published that are sure to give you new strategies to think about – Snapchat ads, pitching to the media, negotiation skills training for your sales team, and clever growth hacks used by the most successful startups. If you’re looking to market your business and boost your sales, check out our stories below.

 

 

Snapchat Announces a New Advertising Option

If millennials are your target market, you probably know about Snapchat by now. This social media platform is a hit among 18-34-year-olds, who use the platform to share pictures and videos. Snapchat has offered various advertising options for a while now, but on June 13th, they announced a brand new option that shows promise for reaching the millennial market. This article explains your new Snapchat advertising option, and also presents an infographic full of tips on how you can use Snapchat to market your business (both organically and paid).

Click to read New Snapchat Advertising: Target Millennials with Video Ads

Pitching the Media

Another way to market your business is to get coverage in the media. Although small business owners typically don’t have the budget to hire a PR person, the DIY strategy can work when executed properly. This article shares tips on how to pitch the media, including where to pitch as well as the length and timing of your pitch.

Click to read 3 Ways to Pitch Your Small Business to the Media

Improve Your Sales with Negotiation Skills Training

Sales are the most important aspect of building a successful business. Think about it – no matter how great your marketing is, you won’t get very far if your sales team can’t seal the deal. In the days of fierce competition, your sales team must be able to build a strong argument for your product and service, but they also must be prepared to negotiate the final terms and price. This article presents six reasons why you should provide negotiation skills training to your sales team to set them up for success.

Click to read Negotiation Skills Training: Why Startups Need It

Growth Hacks to Try in Your Small Biz

Growth hacking refers to a wide range of activities spread across marketing, sales, programming, and design that help a business grow FAST. Taking examples from successful startups like Apple, Google, Dropbox, Pinterest and more, this article shows you how you can also use growth hacks like referrals, email signatures, communities, piggybacking and more in your small business.

Click to read 9 Growth Hacks from Your Favorite Startups (And How to Use Them)

What do you say – are you ready to market your business and bring your sales to the next level? Get guidance in the articles above and for more ideas and inspiration visit SmartHustle.com.

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Smart Hustle Recap: Smart Hustle Conference, Digital Tools for Small Business & More https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/06/smart-hustle-recap-smart-hustle-conference-digital-tools-for-small-business-more.html/ Mon, 13 Jun 2016 15:28:49 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48466 In this edition of the Smart Hustle Recap, we want to talk about an amazing upcoming event for small business owners – the Smart Hustle Conference, which will be held on October 20th in New York City! The official announcement came out recently, so we’re covering the event in our Recap, along with other articles […]

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Smart Hustle Recap: Smart Hustle Conference, Digital Tools for Small Business & MoreIn this edition of the Smart Hustle Recap, we want to talk about an amazing upcoming event for small business owners – the Smart Hustle Conference, which will be held on October 20th in New York City! The official announcement came out recently, so we’re covering the event in our Recap, along with other articles in the categories of marketing, technology, and lifestyle.

Smart Hustle Conference – A Must-Attend Event

Ramon Ray recently announced the 11th Annual Smart Hustle Small Business Conference, a day-long event specifically for small business owners and entrepreneurs. On October 20, 2016, over 400 will gather to learn from some of the smartest small business minds of our time, including Peter Shankman, Joe Connolly, Gene Marks and more. The Smart Hustle Conference will feature lessons, seminars, and an exhibit of the latest small business products and services. Early bird pricing is available until August 20, so click to learn more about the event and buy your ticket.

Click to read 11th Annual Smart Hustle Small Business Conference Launches October 20th – NYC

B2B Marketing Mistakes

We often cover marketing from a general perspective, but if you’re a B2B business, you’ll want to check out this article that is just for you. Mobile marketing is hot right now, but it’s only effective if you do it correctly. The article covers the seven top mobile marketing mistakes that B2B businesses make – and how you can avoid them.

Click to read 7 B2B Mobile Marketing Mistakes that Chase Away Buyers

Digital Tools for Small Business

Let’s be honest – there are way too many digital tools available for the average small business owner to sort through. However, choosing the right digital tools is important to the success of your business. This article is meant to help by offering a three-step system for evaluating, choosing, and implementing digital tools (such as CRM social media managers, project management systems, etc.). If you want to cut right to the chase, Ramon also offers up his five favorite digital tools for communication and connection.

Click to read How to Choose the Right Digital Tools for Your Small Business

The Conversations You Need to Have Before You Start a Business

Starting a business is a decision that will impact the whole family, and we’ve all heard stories of families who have been torn apart, unable to withstand those hard start-up years. To ensure your family makes it through the hard times, there are several conversations you must have upfront. This article covers the three most important discussions to have before you dive into entrepreneurship.

Click to read 3 Important Family Discussions to Have Before Starting a Business

At Smart Hustle, we like to cover a range of topics including marketing, technology, lifestyle, sales, operations, finance and more. If you like staying up-to-date on these topics, then I know you will also love what we have planned for the Smart Hustle Conference! Get more information by clicking that link above, and for other information and inspiration, check out SmartHustle.com.

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GoDaddy Hosting & Ecommerce Helps SmallBiz Owners Set Up an Online Presence https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/06/godaddy-hosting-ecommerce-helps-smallbiz-owners-set-up-an-online-presence.html/ Thu, 09 Jun 2016 14:00:39 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48449 This article was written in partnership with GoDaddy, a company that offers domain name registration as well as hosting and ecommerce services to help you develop your online presence. The phrase rings out on websites all over the Internet – if you’re a business, “you HAVE to be online!” Although most small business owners will […]

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GoDaddy Hosting & Ecommerce Review: A Great Option for SmallBiz OwnersThis article was written in partnership with GoDaddy, a company that offers domain name registration as well as hosting and ecommerce services to help you develop your online presence.

The phrase rings out on websites all over the Internet – if you’re a business, “you HAVE to be online!” Although most small business owners will recognize the importance of an online presence, many have held back for fear that setting up and running a website is a complex process that they can’t possibly understand or manage. It’s not true! As small business owner Fred Magnanimi said in a recent Smart Hustle interview, technology is a lot more accessible than many people assume. He set up his website and e-commerce store all by himself and with the tools available today (like GoDaddy hosting and e-commerce services), so can you.

I recently had the chance to review GoDaddy hosting and e-commerce options. My conclusion? These are the sort of tools that empower small business owners to take control of their online presence and reach a larger market. They are affordable, simple to use, and include everything a small business owner needs for success.

Want to know what I think about GoDaddy hosting & e-commerce services? Check out my personal review by clicking play on the video below, plus read on to learn more.

The Importance of Hosting and E-commerce

Before I cover the GoDaddy services and features, let’s talk about why you would need them in the first place.

Hosting (or web hosting) refers to a service where a company (in this case GoDaddy) provides access to, and storage space for, a website. It’s a lot like renting your space. Just like you pay to rent your physical location, you pay a web hosting service to rent your online location. The host gives you a certain amount of storage space (for pages, website content, files, pictures, etc.) and they store your information on a server. When someone wants to view your website, they type in your address, their computer connects to the host’s server, and your website is displayed in their browser.

There are some sites that offer free hosting, but that comes with downsides that aren’t ideal for business. For a few bucks a month (as low as $3.99 with GoDaddy hosting) self-hosting gives you perks:

  • Choose your own domain name (you want to be timsbakery.com not timsbakery.wordpress.com!)
  • Fully customize the design of your website
  • Use plugins – tools that extend and improve the functionality of your website
  • Add Google Analytics to learn about your website visitors

It’s clear that any person who is serious about their business should choose a self-hosted site over a free site. And why do you need a website? Because it’s where your customers are and where people will go to find you! Even if you are a local business, your customers (and prospective customers) will want to go online to find your location, phone number, business hours, contact information, menu, and so on.

If you have a product you could potentially sell online, having a website gets even more important. That’s where e-commerce comes in. E-commerce refers to the selling and purchasing of goods online. It takes your website to the next level – not only do you have a site that gives information about your business and your physical location, but you also have the ability to sell your products. This expands your reach and opens you up to millions of potential customers. E-commerce is a natural progression for any local product-based business that wants to expand.

GoDaddy Hosting

GoDaddy offers WordPress hosting services for small businesses who know it’s time they set up a website. WordPress is the most popular website building tool because it’s completely customizable and user-friendly. If you don’t feel comfortable setting up your own site, there are also plenty of WordPress experts out there who can help you get set up. The GoDaddy plans allow you to choose the hosting that is right for your business:

  • Basic Plan – As low as $3.99/month and $7.99/month when you renew, you’ll get hosting for one WordPress site with a capacity for 25,000 monthly visitors and 10GB SSD storage.
  • Deluxe Plan – As low as $4.49/month and $9.99/month when you renew, you’ll get hosting for one WordPress website with a capacity for 100K monthly visitors and 15GB SSD storage, plus extra perks like an SEO plugin.
  • Ultimate Plan – For as low as $7.99/month and $14.99/month when you renew, you’ll get hosting for two WordPress sites with a capacity of 400K monthly visitors and 30GB SSD storage, plus extra perks like malware scan and removal.
  • Developer Plan – For as low as $13.99/month and $24.99/month when you renew, you’ll get hosting for five WordPress sites with a capacity of 800K monthly visitors and 50GB SSD storage, plus extra perks like a free one-year SSL certificate.

If you purchase an annual plan, you’ll also get a free domain (your chosen URL). All plans include free daily backups and one-click restore so you won’t lose your data, plus free 24/7 support for questions and issues.

GoDaddy E-commerce

If you want to sell products online, you can choose GoDaddy’s e-commerce service which includes your website, hosting, and shopping cart. Currently, you can try it for free for the first month then get a discount of $19.99/month for the first year (after that, the normal price is $29.99/month). With GoDaddy e-commerce you can:

  • Easily set up your store, choosing from many customizable themes that allow you to drag and drop product images and add descriptions.
  • Take payments online, with the ability to accept all major credit cards and PayPal. You are only charged a fee when you make a sale, which is 2.9 percent plus $0.30 per transaction.
  • Sales are automatically transferred to your bank account.
  • Enjoy 24/7 support for advice and answers to all your questions.

My Experience with GoDaddy Hosting & E-commerce

There are several things to look for when considering an e-commerce solution for your business. Of course, the specific needs of your business and your goals are most important. But in general, I look for simplicity and the ability to easily add products online. Other things, such as security and integration with other apps, are important as well.

I explored GoDaddy’s e-commerce solution by making a test store of my own.

In my experience, GoDaddy’s e-commerce was fast and easy to use, allowing just about any business to get up and running quickly to sell online. You can sell through QuickBooks or Stripe, for starters.

GoDaddy’s hosting solution is pretty seamless as well. When I tried out GoDaddy hosting, I wanted to see how easy it was to migrate SmallBizTechnology.com over to GoDaddy. After entering a few bits of information, GoDaddy’s migration tool took over the rest and began to automatically migrate my managed WordPress site to the GoDaddy platform. From my experience, it will be easy for anyone who currently has a website to switch from their current host to GoDaddy hosting. Doing so will allow you to lock in the low prices and features I mentioned above.

Also, if you don’t have a website yet, I’m sure you’re now amazed at how easy and affordable it is to set up your online site and store. GoDaddy hosting and e-commerce services are perfect for small business owners who are ready to embrace technology and all the perks that come with it – more leads, customers, sales, and profits. The online world is your oyster, small business owner!  It’s time to set up your website or e-commerce store today.


New GoDaddy logoGoDaddy is the world’s largest domain registrar, with over 14 million users worldwide. Their services also include website creation, hosting, design, ecommerce for small business, security, marketing services, bookkeeping, and productivity tools. GoDaddy has 62 million domains currently under management and is committed to empowering small business owners to successfully start, grow and run their businesses.

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Choosing the Right POS Technology for Your Small Business https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/06/choosing-the-right-pos-technology-for-your-small-business.html/ Tue, 07 Jun 2016 19:03:21 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48443 This article was written in partnership with ShopKeep, an iPad POS System used by over 20,000 small businesses in the United States and Canada. Choosing the right point of sale (POS) technology is one of the many tasks for setting up your small business, and like other areas of building your business, it is complicated […]

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This article was written in partnership with ShopKeep, an iPad POS System used by over 20,000 small businesses in the United States and Canada.

Choosing the right point of sale (POS) technology is one of the many tasks for setting up your small business, and like other areas of building your business, it is complicated by the variety of choices available. There are hundreds of POS systems to choose from, and they’re certainly not created equally. Choose the wrong system and you’ll encounter headache after headache, including lost productivity and unhappy customers. Make the right choice and you’ll streamline your processes, with the ability to simplify and automate tedious tasks that you used to handle manually. In an effort to help you make the RIGHT choice of POS technology for your small business, ShopKeep has just released a free resource called the Ultimate Guide to Choosing a POS System.

Goodbye Cash Register, Hello Modern POS Technology

Historically, the cash register has been the go-to device for ringing up sales. However, today people pay with a variety of methods, including credit cards, debit cards, and even contactless payments. These multiple payment methods make calculating daily transactions much more difficult than simply counting up the cash in your till. POS technology can efficiently handle daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual sales tracking, and it can even perform additional duties, such as inventory management.

The earlier generations of POS systems were PC-based, which came with drawbacks such as software costs, crashes, repairs, maintenance and more. However, technology has progressed so that today small business owners can choose iPad-based POS systems that are cheaper, more reliable, and easy to use.

What to Look for When Choosing POS Technology

The guide walks small business owners through what to look for when choosing POS technology. This includes:

  • Usability – The technology should be easy to set up & use.
  • Customer Support – The system should come with 24/7 support.
  • Simple Pricing – You should look for simple, pay-as-you-go pricing.
  • Quality Hardware – The hardware should be both durable and stylish.
  • Cloud Data – The POS data should be held in the cloud and accessible anywhere.
  • Security – The technology should keep customer and business data safe and secure.

The guide reviews these and other important aspects of POS technology. You’ll learn how making the right choice in POS can also help you with sales reports, business insights, accounting, and even building better relationships with your customers.

It’s Time for a POS Makeover

Whether you’re just starting out, or you’ve been in business for a while, it’s definitely time to look at the latest POS systems and update accordingly. The ShopKeep Ultimate Guide to Choosing a POS System features a variety of quotes about payment systems, and this one by Greg Burch, VP of Strategic Initiatives U.S. for the Ingenico Group, really stood out to me:

“It’s crucial for small retailers to keep their payment technology up to date both to ensure security and to let customers pay the way they want to pay. Ultimately, small merchants who don’t keep up with payment technology are likely to lose business to their competitors.”

Your customers ARE looking for the convenience and security of modern systems, where their transaction with your business can run smoothly. Having the wrong POS can make your business look dated, and any mishaps with the POS transaction will cause customers to shop elsewhere.

Choosing the right POS technology can also help small business owners who run brick-and-mortar businesses to streamline their processes.  Since modern POS systems can automate many tedious manual tasks, business owners can become more efficient and productive. This gives them more time to devote to the most important aspects of running and growing the business.

The ShopKeep Ultimate Guide to Choosing a POS System has everything you need to make an informed decision about POS technology. Grab your free download today and you’re one step closer to choosing the right point of sale system for your small business.

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Make It, Ship It, Test It on Social Media, Then Sell It To Your Fans. The Power of MVP Creation. https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/06/make-it-ship-it-test-it-on-social-media-then-sell-it-to-your-fans-the-power-of-mvp-creation.html/ Tue, 07 Jun 2016 18:29:32 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48427 I was reading the Wall Street Journals article about how designer Michelle Smith, sketched a dress “Selena” and after seeing the interest on social media, decided to accelerate it’s manufacturing. The Journal writes, “Over several weeks following Milly’s September show, the Selena dress garnered more than the usual attention on social media, particularly vogue.com, which […]

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fashion dress

I was reading the Wall Street Journals article about how designer Michelle Smith, sketched a dress “Selena” and after seeing the interest on social media, decided to accelerate it’s manufacturing.

The Journal writes, “Over several weeks following Milly’s September show, the Selena dress garnered more than the usual attention on social media, particularly vogue.com, which showed how often people were sharing photos of it. Ms. Smith posted photos of the Selena alongside other dresses from her collection on Sept. 18 and Oct. 20. Both times, interest in the Selena was strongest. “Dat red sleeve flounce doh,” wrote an Instagram follower whose handle is QueenDemakos. Others asked to buy it immediately.

“That’s the beauty of social media for a retail business. You can gauge people jones-ing for something,” Ms. Smith says.”

This story goes to reinforce and echo the power of social media for big and small brands.

Build a minimal viable product, test it online, gauge the reaction, then sell it appropriately.

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Smart Hustle Recap: Developing the Right Pricing Strategy, Using Color in Your Branding, & More https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/06/smart-hustle-recap-developing-the-right-pricing-strategy-using-color-in-your-branding-more.html/ Mon, 06 Jun 2016 20:43:13 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48438 The Smart Hustle Recap took a break last week as the team celebrated Memorial Day with friends and family. We hope you also enjoyed the unofficial ‘kickoff to summer’ with your loved ones! Now it’s back to work, and we have a lot to share with you from the past couple weeks. The stories featured […]

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Smart Hustle Recap: Developing the Right Pricing Strategy, Using Color in Your Branding, & MoreThe Smart Hustle Recap took a break last week as the team celebrated Memorial Day with friends and family. We hope you also enjoyed the unofficial ‘kickoff to summer’ with your loved ones! Now it’s back to work, and we have a lot to share with you from the past couple weeks. The stories featured below cover your favorite topics, including sales (tips for choosing the right pricing strategy), marketing (using color in your branded designs), and other topics that are important to the success of your business. Read on for information and empowerment!

 

The 3 Biggest Mistakes in Pricing Strategy

Finding the right pricing for your products and services is vital to your success. Price too high and your target market won’t be able to afford your product; price too low and your target market won’t trust your product. To increase sales, you must find the right pricing strategy – and to help you out we spoke with Lisa Hendrickson of Spark City, who shared the biggest pricing strategy mistakes and why you should be careful about adopting the lean startup model.

Click to read Why Small Business Needs to Rethink Pricing Strategies and the Lean Startup Model

Branding: Design & Color

Your branding elements are the visual representations of your business that will drive brand awareness and customer loyalty. Since many of us need help with design, we conducted an interview with Pam Webber of 99designs. In our discussion, Pam gives advice on the role of color in branding and the importance of design for small businesses.

Click to read The Importance of Color and Design When Branding Your Business

Review of Robert Herjavec’s Latest Book

You know Robert Herjavec as an investor on ABC’s Shark Tank, but according to his new book, you DON’T have to be a shark – success is available to anyone who is willing to work hard enough for it. The book touches on issues such as hard work and the importance of selling effectively. As a small business owner, will the book help and inspire you? Should you add it to your reading list? Find out by checking out Ramon’s review.

Click to read You Don’t Have to Be a Shark: Review of Robert Herjavec’s Latest Book on Sales, Hard Work, & More

Do You Have an Accountability Partner?

An accountability partner is somebody who helps you stay on track and reach your goals. It could be a mentor, a group of advisors, a business coach, or some other confidant whom you can turn to for a fresh perspective. Being an entrepreneur means that you are your own boss – but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have someone who will help you stay accountable. Find out why you need an accountability partner and how to do accountability the ‘right way’ in this article.

Click to read Why Every Small Business Owner Needs an Accountability Partner

Small Business and Health Insurance

The current rules say that small businesses that have fewer than 50 full-time employees do not have to offer health insurance to employees – but should you offer it anyway? This article looks at the pros and cons of offering cheap viagra from mexico employee health care benefits and also shares information on how and where to explore health insurance for your employees.

Click to read Should Small Businesses Offer Employee Health Benefits?

This issue of the Smart Hustle Recap will help you take control of sales with the right pricing strategy, create beautiful branding elements for your company, contemplate thought-provoking topics like health care and accountability, and even add a new business book to your library. In addition to that, there are plenty of other stories you may have missed in the past couple weeks while we took a break from our weekly Recap. Take a few minutes to catch up at SmartHustle.com.

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Social Media and Websites: How Businesses Can Get it Right https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/06/social-media-and-websites-how-businesses-can-get-it-right.html/ Mon, 06 Jun 2016 19:08:49 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48434 This article is brought to you in partnership with Verisign, the global leader in domain names and internet security. When today’s customer wants to learn more about a business, the first place they usually turn is the Internet. This has made an online presence essential to a brand’s success. Setting up both a website and […]

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Social Media and Websites - How Businesses Can Get it RightThis article is brought to you in partnership with Verisign, the global leader in domain names and internet security.

When today’s customer wants to learn more about a business, the first place they usually turn is the Internet. This has made an online presence essential to a brand’s success. Setting up both a website and social media accounts means when customers enter search terms in Google, information about your company will appear.

But merely having an online presence isn’t enough. Studies have shown that businesses that actively engage customers can expect to grow 40 percent faster than they would if they didn’t have an online presence at all. The first step is to online success is choosing a domain name, but the work only begins there. Here are a few steps you should take to build and maintain an active online presence.

Putting Your Domain Name to Work

Once you’ve registered a domain name, you’ll likely begin immediately working to publish a winning website. But there are several different ways you can use this domain name to build your business’s online presence. Building and launching a new website that shows off your products or services is one of the most common ways. But there’s another option.

Instead of building a new website, you can actually redirect your domain to an existing website. This could be an existing platform for your business, like a WordPress or Blogger blog. However, you can also redirect a new domain name to a social media site, which can act as your business’s temporary landing page. While having both a website and social media presence that work together is ideal, sometimes new businesses can’t realistically do both in their early, more formative days.

Starting on Social Media

For any new business, social media is a great way to set up on an online presence at no cost whatsoever. Social media sites come with a built-in base of potential customers, making them the perfect outlet for testing the online waters. However, unlike your own website, you won’t have the level of control you’ll have with your own website. By registering your business’s web address and directing it to point to one of your social media accounts, you’ll be able to set up your online identity, build your brand, and market your business with a professional web address that customers can easily remember.

Of course, social media is at its best when it’s being used as a marketing tool. As soon as possible, though, brands should begin working on developing and deploying a website, which will give a brand optimum control. With so many drag-and-drop-based website development tools, businesses can create their own websites without even calling upon a design professional to help. Once a website is in place, a brand will have the benefit of a scalable online presence that can be updated as needed.

Once designed, your business’s website should serve as your central hub, providing a place for customers to go when they need information. All of your other marketing efforts should drive customers to that website to engage, learn, and, hopefully, buy. Over time, your website and social media presences will serve to complement each other, offering similar information but in different ways; At https://www.salesforce.com/blog/2019/01/how-to-create-a-customer-centric-experience.html you can learn how to take advantage of it to provide a good customer centric experience.
Your business should use its website alongside its social networking efforts to connect with customers and get the word out about the great work you’re doing.


verisign logoThis article was written in partnership with Verisign, the global leader in domain names and internet security. All opinions and experiences expressed are my own.

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Google AdWords Is Evolving: 5 AdWords Developments for the Mobile-First World https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/06/google-adwords-is-evolving-5-adwords-developments-for-the-mobile-first-world.html/ Mon, 06 Jun 2016 18:20:34 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48422 Google AdWords is probably one of the first and most well known advertising platforms that many small businesses have used. While TV, Radio, Newspaper advertisements and other platforms are not “do it yourself” – Google Adwords has almost from the beginning enabled any small business owner, with a small budget, to click, buy and have […]

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Soo Young Kim, Google's Head of Marketing for Get Your Business Online
Soo Young Kim, Google’s Head of Marketing for Get Your Business Online

Google AdWords is probably one of the first and most well known advertising platforms that many small businesses have used. While TV, Radio, Newspaper advertisements and other platforms are not “do it yourself” – Google Adwords has almost from the beginning enabled any small business owner, with a small budget, to click, buy and have their message spread all over the Internet.

Whether you own an SEO tools website or you run an SEO business, the ability to track and report to customers the Google ranking for their specific keywords will be an essential part of the service that you provide. Zenserp API enables you to obtain location based and geolocated search engine results. Of course, you could always do a manual Google search and then sift through the results to find put where a client’s website is ranked on the Google SERPs, but no one wants to have to do that, which is where a Google Rank Tracking API comes into play. To know more about Google search API go through zenscrape.com .

 

I asked Soo Young Kim, Google’s Head of Marketing, Get Your Business Online, gives us an update on how Google has evolved for a mobile first world.
When people want to know, do, go, or buy, they turn to their smartphones in their moment of need. Every year, there are trillions of searches on Google and over half of those searches happen on mobile. And mobile is the new local guide. 30% of all mobile searches are related to location. Whether it’s finding a nearby hardware store or hunting down a late-night eatery, mobile connects people with the world around them. It’s imperative that businesses are there for their customers in these moments.

At the Google Performance Summit, where we unveil new updates to our AdWords and Analytics platforms, we announced ways we have redesigned AdWords for this mobile-first world. Last year alone, our search and advertising tools drove $165 billion of economic activity for over 1 million businesses, website publishers, and nonprofits across the U.S alone. These tools have an incredible impact on businesses from the largest Fortune 500 company to your favorite mom-and-pop shop. Here are 5 AdWords developments small businesses need to know about:

(1) New local search ads across Search and Maps

Nearly a third of all mobile searches are related to location. To help advertisers reach customers searching for business locations, we introduced local search ads across Google.com and Google Maps, on both the desktop and mobile versions of the site as well as the app. Businesses using location extensions in AdWords can display their business location more prominently when consumers search for things like “dentist” or “car repair shop near me” while on their mobile phones.

(2) Branded, customized experiences for businesses on Google Maps

We are testing new local ad formats that will allow your business to strengthen your brand presence in Maps. These ad formats will also make it easier for your customers to find local businesses as they navigate on Google Maps. For example, Maps users may start seeing experiments like logos on Maps or promoted pins for gas stations or restaurants along their driving route. Local businesses pages are also getting a fresh look so customers can explore your store, special offers, and product inventory – before they arrive.

(3) Expanded text ads to help your ads work harder across screens

New expanded text ads are evolving to be optimized for smartphone screens. With more ad space, businesses can provide more information for the on-the-go mobile customer who wants to know what you offer before tapping through to your website. And this will be available for both mobile and desktop.

Expanded text ads in AdWords will offer a more prominent headline with two 30-character headlines versus one 25-character headline. They will also allow for longer descriptions. Instead of two 35-character description lines, you can have one consolidated 80-character description line.

This gives you the chance to showcase more unique details about your business, like if you are family-owned or only source from local purveyors.

(4) Responsive ads for display, designed to adapt to various screens

With responsive display ads, it will be easier to access inventory for the different formats available on the Google Display Network. These ads will automatically adapt to the diverse content, shapes and sizes of the more than two million publisher sites and apps on the Google Display Network. You can just provide headlines, a description, an image, and a URL, and AdWords will create beautiful ads for you that looks good on every device and site.

(5) More control and flexibility for bidding on AdWords

In today’s mobile-first world you increasingly need more control and flexibility to optimize bids on different devices. Currently, advertisers set mobile bids as a multiplier of the base bid for desktop.

Later this year, you will be able to set individual bid adjustments for each device type – mobile, desktop and tablet – separately and optimize with greater precision, while keeping it simple to reach customers across devices. We also announced a wider range to adjust bids – up to +900%, offering even more flexibility.

Look out for these updates, coming soon. And that’s not all. We gave a sneak peak of the new AdWords Interface, coming in 2017. AdWords is continuing to evolve to work harder for you in this mobile-first world.

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Nimble CRM Adds Social Segmentation and Search To Its Software https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/06/nimble-crm-adds-social-segmentation-and-search-to-its-software.html/ Sun, 05 Jun 2016 15:00:51 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48419 Nimble CRM has upgraded its software solution in a powerful way. Enable its users to not just do a search based on basic contact information but also by information curated from social media and public database. Nimble’s blog post on this has more details. Their blog post reads, ” Nimble automatically enriches your contacts with […]

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Nimble Segmentation Screen Shot

Nimble CRM has upgraded its software solution in a powerful way. Enable its users to not just do a search based on basic contact information but also by information curated from social media and public database.

Nimble’s blog post on this has more details.

Their blog post reads, ”

Nimble automatically enriches your contacts with actionable details from public and private databases, including social profile information and company demographics.

We put the enriched people and company data into the Social Profiles section of Nimble and now with Smart Segmentation, you can use it to find contacts to connect with.”

 

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3 Tips for Building a Solid Online Presence https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/05/3-tips-for-building-a-solid-online-presence.html/ Tue, 31 May 2016 17:15:58 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48403 This article is brought to you in partnership with Verisign, the global leader in domain names and internet security. In today’s Internet-driven marketplace, before a business can open its doors, an online presence is a must. Just as a storefront with an “open” sign once let communities know a business was ready for customers, a […]

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3 Tips for Building a Solid Online PresenceThis article is brought to you in partnership with Verisign, the global leader in domain names and internet security.

In today’s Internet-driven marketplace, before a business can open its doors, an online presence is a must. Just as a storefront with an “open” sign once let communities know a business was ready for customers, a website lets today’s customers know that a business is open. Whether a business is online, local, or a combination of both, the vast majority of customers will search for information online before making a decision.

The advantages of being online are immeasurable. Not only can an online presence help a business get off the ground, but it also helps a company thrive in an increasingly competitive marketplace. Today’s customers would rather Google a company than pick up the phone to call, even for small details like operating hours or directions. When a business doesn’t have that information online, it risks losing customers to competitors.

But in order to be found online, a company must first be online. There are three major options to get started on building a strong online presence for your brand. Eventually, you should consider a combination of all three, but to get started, focus on one and add the others later.

1. Social Networks and Ecommerce

More than a billion people interact with social networks, as well as sites like Amazon, Etsy, and Yelp. The good news for brands is that it’s fairly simple to set up a page on each of these sites, at which point you’ll have access to a built-in base of existing customers. However, even if you choose to set up a comprehensive presence on one preferred social media or e-commerce site, you should still invest in a domain name that points to that site. External websites can change, but your URL will always be a site where customers can find you.

2. Company-Branded Email

If you’re using an email through a third-party site like Gmail or Yahoo, you may be scaring customers away. A full 90 percent of people surveyed say they feel more comfortable working with a small business that has a branded email. When your email address reads yourname@yourbusiness.com, you add a layer of trust you’ll find you need as a new business. Securing a domain name is fairly easy and inexpensive and you can still use your favorite email client to get your email.

3. Company Website

Like a domain email address, you need a website URL to serve as your online business card. As important as social media and e-commerce are to your online presence, your own domain name gives you the most in terms of control and flexibility. Once you have a domain name you can point it to your social media page or e-commerce store or set up a basic WordPress site to serve as your web page. If you want something more comprehensive, a service like Wix or Weebly can help.

Before you can decide on your business’s online branding, you must first set up the basics. Your domain name is the single most important choice you’ll make as you build an online presence. For about the price of one lunch, you’ll be able to brand your business while also creating an online home that makes it easy for customers to find you. There are multiple extensions available, but for best results choose either a .com or .net address and try to find a name that will make it easy for customers to find you. As a small business, the right domain name can make a big difference in being seen by your customers as legitimate and professional.


verisign logoThis article was written in partnership with Verisign, the global leader in domain names and internet security. All opinions and experiences expressed are my own.

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Tips to Help Your Business Build a Winning Ecommerce Store https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/05/tips-to-help-your-business-build-a-winning-ecommerce-store.html/ Mon, 23 May 2016 19:47:10 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48389 Whether you’re starting up a new business or own an existing brick-and-mortar location, you’ve likely considered setting up an online store to reach a wide customer base. If you’re considering selling products or services online, there are two things you should know: There has never been a better time for e-commerce. It has never been […]

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Whether you’re starting up a new business or own an existing brick-and-mortar location, you’ve likely considered setting up an online store to reach a wide customer base. If you’re considering selling products or services online, there are two things you should know:

  • There has never been a better time for e-commerce.
  • It has never been easier to set up an online storefront.

But as simple as it is to set up an e-commerce presence, it’s important to know how to build and market your store before you get started. With the right tools in place, you can build a winning website and draw customers in. Once you’ve set up your e-commerce shop, you’ll need to know how to leverage it to get the best results.

How to Leverage an Ecommerce Platform

As beneficial as an online store can be to your business’s success, it isn’t the only option. If you aren’t quite ready to set up your own online store, consider leveraging one of the many existing platforms for reaching customers online. Marketplaces like Etsy, Amazon, and eBay will let you set up a store and reach their already robust customer bases. Angi (formerly Angie’s List) and Thumbtack will help you connect with local customers who are looking for services like yours. The best thing about these resources is that you’ll be able to enjoy quick setup without a huge financial commitment.

If you decide to use a site like Etsy or Amazon as your sole selling platform, you should buy the domain name that best relates to your business and point that domain to your online store. This will give you a single address on the web, whether that address is connected to your Amazon seller account, your Etsy shop, or your own dedicated website. This will give you one online address, as well as the benefit of an easily-remembered address that promotes your own brand up front. It will also give you a company-branded email address.

How to Build Your Own Online Store

Once you’re ready to build your dedicated online store, getting started is easy. Useful website builders like Shopify, Squarespace, and Wix let you build an online store using drag-and-drop tools. These sites offer features like shopping carts, site hosting, and search engine optimization, making sure your online store is easy to use, has a professional look, and ranks well when customers are searching for certain products or services.

While these services generally aren’t free, businesses usually find they’re budget friendly. Generally do-it-yourself site builders cost less than $75 a year and may even be free if shop owners are willing to allow third-party ads on their sites. Best of all, these tools come with customer support to provide technical help when needed.

3 Tips to Guide You

  1. Identify your website needs – Your online store can be simple and streamlined or a sophisticated multimedia marketing and sales hub. Determine your requirements before you begin building. If you decide you want a lot of bells and whistles on your site, you may want to consider a professional web developer to help.
    2. Pick a domain name – Your domain name will be your virtual address, as well as your online identity, on the web. Even if some solutions offer to host your site on their domains, you should put your website on your owndomain name to have a consistent, branded web address for your customers to remember. It will also give you an attractive, professional web address to use in your marketing.
    3. Select the right website builder – You can find an array of solutions by doing an Internet search for ‘e-commerce website builder.’ Take time to research and compare two to three options. Make sure they have an e-commerce option and that they will not only meet your needs for today but in the future as well.

With so many great resources, entrepreneurs can easily set up an online store and begin promoting it immediately. Before choosing your site’s platform, make sure you carefully research all of the available options and choose the one that’s best for your own business.


This article was written in partnership with Verisign; however, all opinions and experiences expressed are my own.

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Build A Tribe And Sales Will Follow. Learning From “Humans of New York” Photog https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/05/build-a-tribe-and-sales-will-follow-learning-from-humans-of-new-york-photog.html/ Mon, 23 May 2016 14:07:37 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48378 Humans of New York photographer Brandon Stanton is using his viral fundraising prowess to help pediatric cancer patients at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, reports Crains NY. Sure, with 17.6 million Facebook users and 5.3 million Instagram followers it’s pretty “easy” to raise millions for a cause. But there’s a lesson here for ALL of us […]

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Brandon-Stanton

Humans of New York photographer Brandon Stanton is using his viral fundraising prowess to help pediatric cancer patients at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, reports Crains NY.

Sure, with 17.6 million Facebook users and 5.3 million Instagram followers it’s pretty “easy” to raise millions for a cause.

But there’s a lesson here for ALL of us small businesses.

Instead of trying to “sell” (or raise money” first seek to build a community, build a tribe. You do this by educating your audience and by being a publisher.

Build your email list – it’s one of the most important assets every business owner can build and nurture.

While social networks and search engines can change their discovery algorithms at well – your email – no one can touch.

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Smart Hustle Recap: Robert Herjavec Interview, Hiring Tips, & Protecting Your Biz in a Divorce https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/05/smart-hustle-recap-robert-herjavec-interview-hiring-tips-protecting-your-biz-in-a-divorce.html/ Mon, 16 May 2016 17:32:12 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48368 It wаѕ a great week аt Smart Hustle, whеrе wе tackled a variety оf important topics related tо small business – growth advice shared іn a Robert Herjavec interview, hiring tips fоr уоur small business team, аnd еvеn guidance оn thе uncomfortable topic оf protecting уоur business іn thе case оf a divorce. You can […]

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Smart Hustle Recap: Robert Herjavec Interview, Hiring Tips, & Protecting Your Biz in a DivorceIt wаѕ a great week аt Smart Hustle, whеrе wе tackled a variety оf important topics related tо small business – growth advice shared іn a Robert Herjavec interview, hiring tips fоr уоur small business team, аnd еvеn guidance оn thе uncomfortable topic оf protecting уоur business іn thе case оf a divorce. You can navigate here for all the detail about divorce attorney.Nоbоdу asks fоr a divorce. Divorce іѕ a rоugh tіmе fоr anybody. Whеn a person repeats thе vow, “till death dо uѕ part,” wе nеvеr expect tо hаvе tо deal wіth a separation. Althоugh, bесаuѕе оf certain life circumstances, divorce does fіnd іtѕ wау іntо оur lives аnd wе muѕt deal. In order tо gеt thrоugh thе difficult process оf divorce, іt іѕ necessary tо hаvе a Divorce Lawyer , You need a experienced divorce attorney to find this type of divorce lawyer visit to Adam divorce law firm.

On Wednesday, Mау 12, Ramon Ray аlѕо hаd thе opportunity tо testify tо Congress, sharing hіѕ experiences аnd thе struggles оf small business owners tо thе Small Business House Committee. Yоu саn listen tо hіѕ testimony hеrе, аnd fоr оthеr small business articles, check оut оur lineup bеlоw.

Robert Herjavec Interview – Small Biz Advice from a Shark

Robert Herjavec іѕ known аrоund thе country аnd thе world аѕ оnе оf thе main investors оn ABC’s Shark Tank. Recently, Ramon caught uр wіth Robert аnd conducted a ‘rapid-fire’ style interview, soliciting hіѕ advice оn fіvе important small business questions. Thіѕ Robert Herjavec interview hаѕ shark advice оn topics ѕuсh аѕ entrepreneurship, scaling, аnd business expansion.

Click to read A Rapid-Fire Interview with Robert Herjavec: Small Business Advice & Why Businesses Are Like Sharks

Hiring the Right Team for Your Small Business

Nо small business owner саn dо іt аll thеmѕеlvеѕ – еvеn solopreneurs hire оut occasionally fоr one-off tasks аnd important projects. Sіnсе thе success оf уоur business іѕ dependent оn thе success оf уоur team, it’s important thаt уоu hire thе right people tо begin wіth. Thіѕ article shares ѕіx tips thаt wіll help simplify thе hiring process ѕо уоu саn locate thе best candidate fоr thе position.

Click to read Build Your Team: 6 Small Business Hiring Tips

What Can Happen to Your Biz in a Divorce?

Whеn you’re officially beginning уоur life tоgеthеr wіth уоur partner, thе lаѕt thіng уоu want tо think аbоut іѕ a divorce. Evеrуоnе thinks hіѕ оr hеr relationship саn defy thе odds – but taking a mоrе realistic approach соuld just save уоur business. Aѕ thіѕ article points оut, a divorce hаѕ thе power tо ruin еvеrуthіng you’ve created, but bу taking a fеw extra steps іn уоur prenup, уоu саn bе protected.

Click to read How a Prenup Can Save Your Business in a Divorce

Each week at Smart Hustle, we strive to provide a mix of interviews, business tips, inspiration, and relevant news. Whаt аrе уоur favorite things tо rеаd оn Smart Hustle аnd оthеr small business websites? Let uѕ know іn thе comments ѕо wе саn kеер providing уоu wіth thе best articles оn SmartHustle.com.

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Smart Hustle Recap: 3 Informational and Inspirational Smart Hustle Interviews https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/05/smart-hustle-recap-3-informational-and-inspirational-smart-hustle-interviews.html/ Mon, 09 May 2016 16:24:53 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48338 Smart Hustle Magazine is known for interviews. As a site that is both for small business owners and about small business owners, Ramon Ray uses audio and video interviews to tell inspiring small business stories and keep readers informed about the latest technology and small business advice. In this issue of the Smart Hustle Recap, […]

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Smart Hustle Recap: 3 Informational and Inspirational Smart Hustle InterviewsSmart Hustle Magazine is known for interviews. As a site that is both for small business owners and about small business owners, Ramon Ray uses audio and video interviews to tell inspiring small business stories and keep readers informed about the latest technology and small business advice. In this issue of the Smart Hustle Recap, we’re putting a spotlight on three informational and inspirational Smart Hustle interviews that were recently published.

 
 
 
 

The Quest of an Unlikely Entrepreneur

This first interview tells the inspirational story of Fred Magnanimi, the owner of the jewelry company Luca + Danni. As we learn in the audio, Fred went on a quest to save the family business after his brother died from cancer – even though Fred had previously sworn off the family business and took a career in investment banking. In addition to inspiration, you’ll learn some tips and strategies for how you can transform a business that uses dated methods into one that is capitalizing on the latest trends and technology.

Click to read Reinventing the Family Business to Find Success in a New Era

The Importance of Online Reviews

In our next interview, we take a trip to SXSW 2016 where Ramon learned about a new company that can help small businesses manage their online reviews. ReviewTrackers is a software platform that gathers customer reviews from all the major review websites into one dashboard, where you can monitor what people are saying, respond to comments, track analytics, and encourage more reviews. Founder Chris Campbell also shares two tips for managing customer reviews that every small business owner needs to hear.

Click to read Why ReviewTrackers Says Asking for Customer Review Is Critical

Building the Best Small Business Team

In our final interview, Ramon has a chat with Erin Walter of Nuphoriq, a Chicago-based marketing company that focuses exclusively on catering companies. As Erin explains, Nuphoriq is a company that was first and foremost built around its team, and after years in business, Erin still attributes the success of the company to her team. In the audio interview, Erin explains why having a great team is essential, and from her experience, we extrapolate 3 team-building tips for small business owners.

Click to read 3 Team-Building Tips to Create an Active and Innovative Team

This selection of recently published Smart Hustle interviews demonstrates how we can lean on other small business owners for both inspiration and information. To join forces with other small business owners around the country, make sure to join the Smart Hustle Community and subscribe to the newsletter to stay informed about the latest Smart Hustle interviews and articles.

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Smart Hustle Recap: Small Business Week Events + 3 Amazing Interviews https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/05/smart-hustle-recap-small-business-week-events-3-amazing-interviews.html/ Mon, 02 May 2016 14:13:27 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48288 Small Business Week has officially begun! Maria Contreras-Sweet, the administrator of the Small Business Association (SBA), declared May 1-7 as the dates for Small Business Week 2016, so it is officially time to boost your small business knowledge and celebrate your favorite small businesses. In this Smart Hustle Recap we have a huge list of […]

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Smart Hustle Recap: Small Business Week Events + 3 Amazing InterviewsSmall Business Week has officially begun! Maria Contreras-Sweet, the administrator of the Small Business Association (SBA), declared May 1-7 as the dates for Small Business Week 2016, so it is officially time to boost your small business knowledge and celebrate your favorite small businesses. In this Smart Hustle Recap we have a huge list of Small Business Week events to share with you. Our other stories feature three amazing interviews that can teach you about new technology, business growth, and the importance of follow-ups. Let’s dive in!

Small Business Week Events

Small Business Week is an initiative of the SBA so they are running a special series of Small Business Week events which includes live events (with live streaming online) and webinars to educate small business owners. However, many other companies are joining in on the fun with their own events, including contests, promotions, training, and dedicated content. This article covers all the main events so you can participate.

Click to read Small Business Week 2016 Events.

The Importance of Follow-Up

In this interview with SCOTTeVEST founder Scott Jordan, he tells us about what he says is the “one reason for my success” – following up on every opportunity that comes his way. He explains how follow-up is important in nearly every aspect of your business, whether it is customer and advertising inquiries or daily business operations. The informative audio interview is bolstered with a list of Scott’s top 6 tips for successful follow-up.

Click to read Follow-Up: The Most Powerful Tool for Your Small Business Success.

New Tool to Generate PR Buzz

As it stands right now, the PR process is pretty messy. Businesses want media coverage, but reporters often feel ‘spammed’ by PR teams who fill up their inboxes with pitches. At SXSW 2016, Ramon learned about a new tool called Babbler that is aimed at improving the process. Babbler works like a social media site and helps to connect business marketers with right reporters who are looking to cover stories on that topic. The result – reporters get content they need to make great stories, and businesses get the media coverage they are looking for.

Click to read How Babbler Can Help You Generate Buzz about Your Business.

It’s Time to Grow Your Business

In this video interview, Ramon gets the opportunity to chat with Amanda Holmes, CEO of the business growth company Chet Holmes International. The video full of tips on how to take your business to the next level. In the article, we’ve also pulled out some of Amanda’s tips as the must-follow rules for business growth. This article is sure to put you on the path to success.

Click to read 5 Rules of Business Growth from CEO of Chet Holmes International.

What Small Business Week events will you be participating in? Which interview are you going to check out first?  Let us know in the comments and check out SmartHustle.com for help on your other small business questions.

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Why Segmenting Your Customers Is A Must For Your Business. Lesson From Cruise Boats. https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/04/why-segmenting-your-customers-is-a-must-for-your-business-lesson-from-cruise-boats.html/ Fri, 29 Apr 2016 15:00:44 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48273 Cruise boats are offering very exclusive areas of access for their highest paying customers, as reported by the NY Times. They can offer regular cruises for $4,000 and offer cruises for the very wealthy for $30,000. What can your business learn? If you’re not using CRM sales and marketing software, then you’re not able to properly segment […]

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Cruise boats are offering very exclusive areas of access for their highest paying customers, as reported by the NY Times. They can offer regular cruises for $4,000 and offer cruises for the very wealthy for $30,000.

What can your business learn?

If you’re not using CRM sales and marketing software, then you’re not able to properly segment your customers. You want to segment your customers based on your needs. For example, should you segment customers by zipcode (geographic location), what about by product they purchased, what about by gender, age, ethnicity and more.

By understanding who your customers are, you’ll be able to better serve them and generate better revenue in your business.

You can offer customers of type A one product and know that’s exactly what they want. You can offer customers of type B yet another type of product and know that’s exactly what they want.

If Cruse ships can segment their customers, surely your business can.

What more information on segmenting your customers?

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What Every Business Should Learn from Apple. Sell More Than Hardware, Boost Revenue with Services https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/04/what-every-business-should-learn-from-apple-sell-more-than-hardware-boost-revenue-with-services.html/ Thu, 28 Apr 2016 20:00:57 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48271 Sure, Apple sells great looking hardware, but as reported by the WSJ. It’s array of services is what will keep the profits coming, over and over again. The WSJ writes, “The bulk of Apple’s services revenue comes from apps. Apple keeps 30 cents of every dollar that flows through the App Store. In January, the […]

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Sure, Apple sells great looking hardware, but as reported by the WSJ.

It’s array of services is what will keep the profits coming, over and over again. The WSJ writes, “The bulk of Apple’s services revenue comes from apps. Apple keeps 30 cents of every dollar that flows through the App Store. In January, the company said customers had spent $20 billion on apps in 2015, suggesting Apple generated roughly $6 billion in revenue. Mr. Cook said App Store revenue grew 35% in the March quarter.”

So here’s the lesson. You can sell a product (or simple service) to your customers, but by selling a recurring service you’ll always be connected to your customer and have a steady stream of revenue.

An accountant just selling annual tax services is not an accountant for the longer term. One for the long term sells retainers.

This goes with every industry.

For companies selling a “product” consider how you can turn also sell a service, of value to your customers.

If they know, like and trust you – it shouldn’t be too hard to sell them a service that they need.

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For Small Businesses, Facebook Is the Dominant Media Pillar https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/04/for-small-businesses-facebook-is-the-dominant-media-pillar.html/ Thu, 28 Apr 2016 17:30:16 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48269 There’s 4 big pillars of advertising – print (newspapers, magazines), radio, TV and Facebook. End of story. It’s not …and social media…it’s “and Facebook”. Facebook’s $5.2 billion of advertising revenue in the first quarter, 1.7 billion users, profit of $1.5 billion continue to make Facebook a POWERFUL contender far beyond it’s rivals such as Twitter […]

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Facebook Advertising

There’s 4 big pillars of advertising – print (newspapers, magazines), radio, TV and Facebook. End of story. It’s not …and social media…it’s “and Facebook”.

Facebook’s $5.2 billion of advertising revenue in the first quarter, 1.7 billion users, profit of $1.5 billion continue to make Facebook a POWERFUL contender far beyond it’s rivals such as Twitter or Snapchat.

Dear business owner ensure your business is getting all you can out of Facebook organic posts and paid advertising. Hire a consultant or agency who can help you navigate the best way to use Facebook.

Sure, depending on your audience, definitely look into other digital advertising options, but Facebook is the frontier everyone’s playing in. If you’re not there – you’re making a mistake.

Read the WSJ’s coverage of Facebook’s earnings here.

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Bots or Humans: Ready To Chat With A Computer When You Chat? Facebook Messenger Evolution. https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/04/bots-or-humans-ready-to-chat-with-a-computer-when-you-chat-facebook-messenger-evolution.html/ Sat, 16 Apr 2016 15:00:49 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48243 For sure companies have tried to use computer programming as an interface in a variety of human interactions. This is quite a bit more intelligent than what you’d experience in an interactive phone system at some big company. This is about having a conversation with a computer – about buying your next pair of shoes, […]

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Barry Moltz and Ramon video chat on phone
Thankfully Barry Moltz is not a robot

For sure companies have tried to use computer programming as an interface in a variety of human interactions.

This is quite a bit more intelligent than what you’d experience in an interactive phone system at some big company. This is about having a conversation with a computer – about buying your next pair of shoes, shopping for an airline ticket or something else.

Facebook’s Messenger service is going to get very intelligent, as reported by the NY Times:

The experience is akin to chatting with a friend, “the one whose taste you always trust while you’re shopping,” said Alan Tisch, chief executive of Spring.

There’s just one thing: The entity on the other end talking to you and helping you choose the shoes is not human. It is a chatbot, a relatively simple piece of software that uses artificial intelligence to carry on a conversation.

While chatbots have been around for some time — think of SmarterChild, the friendly buddy that was popular on AOL Instant Messenger more than a decade ago — companies are now increasingly betting that a grand bot resurgence is coming, one that will change the way people interact with their most beloved brands.

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Smart Hustle Recap: Marketing Strategies That Work Including Return on Relationships, Hashtags, Logos & More https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/04/smart-hustle-recap-marketing-strategies-that-work-including-return-on-relationships-hashtags-logos-more.html/ Mon, 11 Apr 2016 17:34:35 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48213 Marketing is one of the major challenges for small business owners. There are a staggering number of marketing strategies to choose from, so you must carefully select those that will be effective for your specific business while also fitting into your time and budget. If you’re still looking for marketing ideas to try (and master) […]

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Smart Hustle Recap: Marketing Strategies That Work Including Return on Relationships, Hashtags, Logos & MoreMarketing is one of the major challenges for small business owners. There are a staggering number of marketing strategies to choose from, so you must carefully select those that will be effective for your specific business while also fitting into your time and budget.

If you’re still looking for marketing ideas to try (and master) then this is the Smart Hustle Recap for you! Today we will be featuring a number of marketing strategies that work for small business owners, including developing a return on relationships, designing personalized products, creating a stunning business logo, and using hashtags to your benefit.

Marketing Strategies that Work #1: Return on Relationships

You have likely heard of ROI, or return on investment, but what about ROR? ROR stands for return on relationships, and in this Smart Hustle interview, Ted Rubin (who coined the phrase) will tell you what it is, how you can grow ROR through social media, and how ROR will impact your bottom line.

Click to read Ted Rubin on How to Maximize Your Return on Relationships (ROR)

Marketing Strategies that Work #2: Personalized Products

In this second Smart Hustle interview, we hear from Gustav Reyes, who has found success creating wooden rings. In addition to inspiration, the article will teach you about the benefit of creating your own niche, including personalizing the customer experience with customizable, intimate gifts that are sure to draw the customers in.

Click to read How to Pursue Your Business Dreams – An Interview with Gustav Reyes

Marketing Strategies that Work #3: Business Logo

Your business logo gives your company a visual identity. It sends a message about what your business is about, and it helps customers recognize your brand when they see it. Certain elements of the business logo, (like meaning, color, representation, design contrast, and a timeless appearance) should be planned out in advance to get the biggest impact. If you’re just starting out (or looking to rebrand with a new logo), this article has the essential design information you need.

Click to read 5 Essential Elements of an Eye-Catching and Memorable Business Logo

Marketing Strategies that Work #4: Hashtags

Hashtags were made popular on Twitter almost a decade ago, but now they are a staple of all social media sites. Used correctly, hashtags can help categorize and publicize your social media messages to reach a wider audience, but if done wrong, they can scare your followers away. If you’re still struggling with hashtags in your small business, this article offers 3 simple ways to use them effectively.

Click to read Hashtags Can Help Your Small Business Be One of the Big Guys

Marketing will always be somewhat of a mystery because it is not an exact science, but if you take the time to do your research, you can create a solid marketing plan for your small business. Explore the above articles to learn about these marketing strategies that work, and for help with other marketing and business questions, check out the Smart Hustle homepage.

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Business Owners As Publishers and Producers Not Salesmen: Learn from Donald Trump and #AskGaryVee https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/04/business-owners-as-publishers-and-producers-not-salesmen-learn-from-donald-trump-and-askgaryvee.html/ Wed, 06 Apr 2016 14:14:37 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48191 Traditionally, the way to get press and publicity was that a journalist or producer or some other gate keeper would deem your business worthy to be covered. Donald Trump is one of the first candidates where media (CNN, Fox and MSNBC) beg him to be on their shows and not the other way around. Sure […]

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Ramon Ray - BE

Traditionally, the way to get press and publicity was that a journalist or producer or some other gate keeper would deem your business worthy to be covered.

Donald Trump is one of the first candidates where media (CNN, Fox and MSNBC) beg him to be on their shows and not the other way around.

Sure – he has an organic HUGE following due to his TV show, The Apprentice and due to the Trump brand overall.

However, he’s build up a surge of followers (and haters) by just being himself and using social media (and main stream media) as a powerful communication tool. Well there is lot of information about tools at bridge.

Mr. Tump’s political candidacy is an example that shows, instead of waiting for the media and hoping they give you attention, that you can create your own story and be “the media”, as reported by the New York Times.

Several months ago Gene Marks, Brent Leary and myself started a show, 3TechGuys – we didn’t wait for someone to anoint us – we just did it. It ended up being syndicated to Fox Business.

Of course there’s many successful “Youtube” stars who are rocking their own shows as well.

Gary Vaynerchuk’s #AskGaryVee reaches thousands (like hundreds of thousands?) of readers every week and he’s turned this into a best seller – by far.

Dear small business owner focus on educating your customers, focus on building tribes.

Invest in education and sales will come. If you invest in sales – sales might not come.

While sales are important, what’s more important is to build trust with a community of potential customers. What’s more important is to build a TRIBE of fans – you only need a small percent to buy from you.

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Smart Hustle Recap: How to Use Landing Pages, the Story behind the Kauffman Foundation, and More https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/04/smart-hustle-recap-how-to-use-landing-pages-the-story-behind-the-kauffman-foundation-and-more.html/ Mon, 04 Apr 2016 15:59:20 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48199 Many small business owners have heard of the term ‘landing page’ even if they haven’t used one before. Whether you are a novice or an expert, we have a great story in this Smart Hustle recap where the Vice President of Marketing for LeadPages explains how to use landing pages to turn website visitors into […]

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Smart Hustle Recap: How to Use Landing Pages, the Story behind the Kauffman Foundation, and MoreMany small business owners have heard of the term ‘landing page’ even if they haven’t used one before. Whether you are a novice or an expert, we have a great story in this Smart Hustle recap where the Vice President of Marketing for LeadPages explains how to use landing pages to turn website visitors into leads and leads into customers. Our recap also includes the inspirational story behind the Kauffman Foundation and why you should let go of perfectionism in your small business. For knowledge, inspiration, and an important reality check, discover these stories below.

 

How to Use Landing Pages

Landing pages are an important tool to use in the middle of your marketing funnel. They help you capture website visitor information so they become leads that you can contact – and then they help move those leads into paying customers. In this interview with Robert Nendza of LeadPages (a landing page tool), he explains how to use landing pages, detailing the process so you can replicate it in your own business. This article (and the accompanying audio interview) is sure to change the way you think and execute your marketing.

Click to read How to Build a Powerful Marketing Machine: Tips from LeadPages VP of Marketing

The Inspirational Story of the Kauffman Foundation

The Kauffman Foundation is a philanthropic organization that is devoted to the advancement of education and entrepreneurialism. As a small business owner, you may have come across the name before and even visited the website for resources like the ‘Founders School’ which provides valuable information to entrepreneurs. In this article, we get the full story of the man behind the Kauffman Foundation. In an exclusive Smart Hustle interview, Matt Pozel from the Kauffman Foundation tells the inspirational tale of Ewing Kauffman whose sales expertise and business savvy helped him earn the money to start the foundation. This is a tale that is sure to inspire and motivate your own journey.

Click to read Matt Pozel of the Kauffman Foundation Shares the Story & Legacy of Ewing Kauffman (Interview)

Stop Aiming for Perfect

Small business owners are a highly ambitious group, a fact that makes many of us prone to perfectionism. While ‘perfect’ may be the standard you have set in your business, this article explains why perfectionism can actually hurt, not help, your business. If you need convincing, this article has 5 reasons why perfectionism isn’t a good model. It also offers help to those perfectionists who have to learn how to let go.

Click to read 5 Reasons You Need to Stop Aiming for Perfect in Your Business

Knowledge, inspiration, and reality checks – that’s what we are offering you in this edition of the weekly Smart Hustle Recap. For help on your other small business issues and questions, make sure to check out the full Smart Hustle website here.

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Leveraging Technology for Smarter Marketing and a Better User Experience https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/03/leveraging-technology-for-smarter-marketing-and-a-better-user-experience.html/ Tue, 29 Mar 2016 22:01:53 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48175 For businesses to turn profit, it must churn out products and services that their customers will want enough to purchase. It’s not easy to get insight into the minds of customers – but it is possible to improve customer experience through leveraging information gained by implementing the right processes and focusing on the right points. […]

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shutterstock_211125667For businesses to turn profit, it must churn out products and services that their customers will want enough to purchase. It’s not easy to get insight into the minds of customers – but it is possible to improve customer experience through leveraging information gained by implementing the right processes and focusing on the right points.

 

Gleanster and Yesmail Interactive conducted a survey that found that close to 80 percent of brands do not have sufficient data to launch an effective marketing campaign. The basic information can be easily accessed from numerous sources – but getting to know the customers well is harder than it has ever been. In order to increase conversion rates, one must have a clear understanding about who the customers are and what drives them. When a business makes the decision to put more effort towards better understanding their customers, they are following one of many marketing best practices for small businesses. This is a big step in the right direction.

 

Ready to make that step? Here are some ways to use customer data for a better customer experience and smarter marketing.

 

Leverage social media.

Everyone wants to know how to become the smartest Internet marketer out there, yet only 38 percent of marketers utilize data from social media that could help them better target their audience. Having a social media account is a must for businesses that can use it to interact with the current and prospective customers. Social networks provide insights into customer’s likes, habits, and what they are really buying. Customers often have complaints about a product or service and by resolving those issues through social media, business can learn more about customers’ likes and dislikes.

 

Leverage new technology.

Technology has progressing at an astounding rate over the last decade. From the smart phone boom has come entirely new communication channels like social media and huge businesses like Facebook. It’s these new channels that gives consumers more power over how they interact with brands and businesses more ways to communicate what makes them better than their competition. As businesses look for the next technology boom to leverage there’s one that stands alone as probably the most potentially impactful to people’s everyday lives. 3D technology has the potential of changing how people see and interact with the world around them.

 

3D and augmented reality technologies are making a big splash at every technology conference across the world and for good reason. The social and business implications of a completely immersive experience are mind blowing. Businesses went from understanding very little about their customers, beyond basic demographic and psycho-graphic profiles, to knowing who influences them and what their likes and dislikes are in just a few years. With these technologies people can interact with businesses in entirely new ways.

 

With brands brining more immersive experiences to their customers, the customer affinity becomes more tightly woven with the brand. This leads to better marketing and longer customer relationships.

 

New technology has always given us pause when consumers and businesses first started using them but over time they become part of our everyday lives. Society feels more comfortable with the human interaction with technology while business become more adept at leveraging it. While social media is today’s top connection point between consumers and brands, the future holds a much more connected experience with technologies like 3D and augmented reality. It will be up the businesses to be early adopters to come out ahead.

 

How do you get to know your customers better?

 

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Business Classics That Should Be in Every Small Business Owner’s Library https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/03/business-classics-that-should-be-in-every-small-business-owners-library.html/ Fri, 18 Mar 2016 20:16:11 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48090 To become successful, we have to learn from those who came before us. What better way to do so than to dive into business classics – the best business books that have withstood the test of time. So what are the best business classics to read – the books that should be in EVERY small […]

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business classics - books that should be in every small business owner's libraryTo become successful, we have to learn from those who came before us. What better way to do so than to dive into business classics – the best business books that have withstood the test of time. So what are the best business classics to read – the books that should be in EVERY small business owner’s library? For this, I turn to Ruth King, the CEO and founder of Profitability Revolution Paradigm.

 


I am a serial entrepreneur. I started my first business in 1981 and it is still operating. Over the past 35+ years I own or have owned 6 businesses. Some did extremely well. Others failed. All provided or continue to provide learning lessons that I implement to increase productivity and profitability of the businesses we work with as well as my own businesses. I’ve shared my learning experiences in my books, The Courage to be Profitable, The Ugly Truth about Small Business, and The Ugly Truth about Managing People.

I have also learned from many entrepreneurs and authors. My favorites, which I call the classics, may not be the most popular or well known. All have solid business advice including why you need Library Solutions. These books should be in your library, not sitting on the shelf collecting dust, instead dog earred, highlighted, and used as guidance for your profitable business.

Sales

You Can't Teach a Kid to Ride a Bike at a SeminarYou Can’t Teach a Kid to Ride a Bike at a Seminar, David Sandler

David’s sales processes are tried, true, and will help any professional sales person. Follow his funnel , implement his suggestions, and your sales closing ratio and dollar volume will increase. You will know when to walk away before you spend your valuable time on a potential sale that will never become reality.

 

How to Master the Art of Selling

How to Master the Art of Selling, Tom Hopkins

This is a basic primer for sales. Definitions, practices, and methods to sell almost everything, including Tom’s famous bird bath example. Learn words and phrases to use and ones to avoid in this practical, down to earth book.

 

Marketing

Made to StickMade to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die, Dan and Chip Heath

Whether you are marketing to customers, potential customers, or your employees, your messages must get out. They must break through the clutter and be memorable. Dan and Chip show us how to get our ideas to stick. Hint: tell a story. The sticker your messages, the better chance of increasing your customer base.

The New Rules of Marketing and PRThe New Rules of Marketing and PR, David Meerman Scott

David constantly revises this book to keep you abreast of the latest changes in marketing and PR. He offers a step-by-step action plan to help you invest your marketing and PR dollars wisely. The latest version includes social media, video, and mobile applications that you can use to reach buyers directly.

 

Finance

The Richest Man in BabylonThe Richest Man in Babylon, George S. Clayson

Give back. This book shows you an easy formula to do it so that you don’t break the bank. It also shows you an easy way to handle your business finances. If you are profitable, handle your cash well, and give back, then you will have a nest egg and cash reserves when you need them.

 

Personal Development

THink and Grow RichThink and Grow Rich and Laws of Success in Sixteen Lessons, Napoleon Hill

Napoleon is the granddaddy of business personal development books. Andrew Carnegie tasked Napoleon Hill with studying, interviewing, and writing about how the habits and routines of rich and powerful business magnates to discover what made them successful. The result: these two books which give insight into the thinking patterns and actions of successful businessmen. Copy them and you have a great chance of being successful.


Ruth KingAuthor Bio: Ruth King is the CEO and founder of Profitability Revolution Paradigm, an internet-based television program that provides information to help small business owners better run their businesses and maximize their profits. A serial entrepreneur, she also wrote the book The Courage to Be Profitable, a resource that helps small business owners get and stay profitable in less than 30 minutes a month.

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Smart Hustle Recap: Word-of-Mouth Marketing, Tax Tips & How to Become a Better Manager https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/03/smart-hustle-recap-word-of-mouth-marketing-tax-tips-how-to-become-a-better-manager.html/ Mon, 14 Mar 2016 17:55:51 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48083 Word-of-mouth marketing is arguably the most effective form of marketing available. If your message can resonate with your most loyal customers, they will sing your praise and actually do the marketing for you. These customer-generated messages are especially powerful because word-of-mouth marketing statistics show that 84 percent of consumers trust recommendations from family, friends and […]

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Smart Hustle Recap: Word-of-Mouth Marketing, Tax Tips & How to Become a Better ManagerWord-of-mouth marketing is arguably the most effective form of marketing available. If your message can resonate with your most loyal customers, they will sing your praise and actually do the marketing for you. These customer-generated messages are especially powerful because word-of-mouth marketing statistics show that 84 percent of consumers trust recommendations from family, friends and colleagues, and 68 percent trust online opinions from other consumers. If you’ve always dreamed of getting word-of-mouth marketing but are unsure how to make it happen, you will enjoy this issue of the Smart Hustle Recap. We also have articles that are sharing tax time tips and tips for becoming a better manager.

How to Get Word-of-Mouth Marketing

Small busineses can fork over a lot of dough for marketing, but arguably the most effective type of marketing is free: word-of-mouth marketing. This article is based on an interview with Olga Kay, owner of a business that makes fun socks for millennials, called MooshWalks. Olga has successfully engaged her loyal customers and social media followers to do the marketing for her company. This article combines advice from that interview plus extra tips so you too can activate word-of-mouth marketing for your business.

Click to read Simple Ways to Get your Customers to Do Your Marketing for You.

Just in Time for Filing: Tax Tips for Small Business Owners

Small business tax filing is not something that most of us look forward to – but once again, we find ourselves nearing the deadline for 2015 tax filing. If you are still gathering your documents, you will appreciate these small business tax tips from Candace Klein of Dealstruck.

Click to read 5 Solid Tax Tips for Filing as a Small Business.

Become a Better Manager Today

When you start a small business, you inevitably throw yourself into the role of ‘manager,’ whether you are leading a small team of employees or working with freelancers online. How the manager handles employees and work situations can greatly impact the success of the business operations – and no matter how good you are, we could all stand to improve our managerial skills. This article shares advice from Michael Riley of Vayner Media – ten tips that will help you successfully lead a team of workers.

Click to read 10 Tips for Becoming a Better Manager.

Marketing, managing, tax filing – what is on your small business to-do list this week?

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Smart Hustle Recap: Small Biz Success Story, Ways to Increase Profit & Cloud Security Tips https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/03/smart-hustle-recap-small-biz-success-story-ways-to-increase-profit-cloud-security-tips.html/ Mon, 07 Mar 2016 16:13:48 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48053 We started the Smart Hustle Recap just over a month ago as a way to give busy small business owners a quick way to satisfy their needs for small biz advice and inspiration. Instead of exploring websites to find important small business stories, you can stay up-to-date with our Monday recap of the very best […]

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Smart Hustle Recap: Small Biz Success Story, Ways to Increase Profit & Cloud Security TipsWe started the Smart Hustle Recap just over a month ago as a way to give busy small business owners a quick way to satisfy their needs for small biz advice and inspiration. Instead of exploring websites to find important small business stories, you can stay up-to-date with our Monday recap of the very best small business stories from our sister publication, Smart Hustle. Today you’re in for some real inspiration when you hear about the story of Hannah Perry who turned $15 into amazing small biz success. We also have tips for becoming more profitable and for keeping your cloud-based data safe. Let’s get right to it.

 

Small Biz Success Story – Hannah Perry of the Giggling Pig

Small business is the engine that drives America’s economic progress, and it’s no secret that people come from other countries in search of the American Dream. In this inspirational story you’ll learn about Hannah Perry, who came to the United States from England with just $15 in her pocket to last her a week. Life was tough but she struggled and found success with her children’s art and after-school studio called Giggling Pig. In this article you can learn about her recipe for success and business advice, plus watch the video interview.

Click to read How Hannah Perry of the Giggling Pig Turned $15 Into Small Business Success.

5 Tips to Become More Profitable

As an entrepreneur, profit is one of your main goals; however, there are many ways you can unknowingly let that profit fall through the cracks. This article has five tips that will improve your profit by filling those cracks, careful planning, and developing healthy financial habits.

Click to read 5 Ways Entrepreneurs Can Become More Profitable.

Cloud Security Tips

These days 77 percent of business owners are using cloud technology. Cloud software and apps feature benefits such as easy access to business data on the go – however, with that convenience come additional security risks. If you use cloud technology in your business, you’ll want to check out this must-read article that covers 5 important things you should do to increase the security of the business and customer data you store in the cloud.

Click to read 5 Security Tips to Keep Your Business Data Safe in the Cloud.

So what are you looking for this week – perhaps inspiration for your small business journey, financial tips, or cloud security strategies? Explore the articles above, plus check out Smart Hustle for more important small business information.

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Smart Hustle Recap: Capitalizing on Freelance Workers, Boosting Biz Security & Calming Angry Customers https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/02/smart-hustle-recap-capitalizing-on-freelance-workers-boosting-biz-security-calming-angry-customers.html/ Mon, 29 Feb 2016 16:48:05 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48038 We know how busy small business owners are, which is why we created the weekly Smart Hustle Recap feature – a feature that allows you to quickly get caught up on the latest small business news, tips and tools. Each week we hand-pick the stories that are most relevant to the SmallBizTechnology audience, and this […]

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Smart Hustle Recap: Capitalizing on Freelance Workers, Boosting Biz Security & Calming Angry CustomersWe know how busy small business owners are, which is why we created the weekly Smart Hustle Recap feature – a feature that allows you to quickly get caught up on the latest small business news, tips and tools. Each week we hand-pick the stories that are most relevant to the SmallBizTechnology audience, and this week we have an amazing roundup that includes advice on using freelancers, ways to improve your business security, and tips for calming down angry customers. Check out the recap below.

 

 

Small Business Owners Can Capitalize on Freelance Workers

Freelance workers currently make up 34 percent of the United States workforce. Is your small business capitalizing on this group of skilled workers yet? If you said no, you probably aren’t sure what freelance workers offer your company and how to find them. This article will clear up all of your questions.

The article includes an interview with Constantine Anastasakis, the Senior Director of Business Development at Fiverr. Constantine is sharing more about how Fiverr works and how you can use freelance workers to push your own small business ahead. This is a trend every small business owner should be embracing! Learn how to do so by reading this helpful article.

Click to read Fiverr Interview: How to Use Freelancers as Your Competitive Advantage.

Boosting Your Small Biz Security

Hackers do not discriminate – your small business is just as vulnerable as your larger competitors (and perhaps even more so). Security breaches cost money ($3.79 million total in 2015) and they can also cost your customers’ trust. Fortunately, boosting your small business security does not have to be costly or complex. This article covers 6 of the best ways that you can secure and protect your small business.

Click to read 6 Easy Ways to Secure Your Business and Find Peace of Mind.

Calming Down Angry Customers

No matter how focused on customer service your business is, an angry customer will eventually fall through the cracks and you have to know how to successfully deal with them. When someone is yelling at you, it is easy to become frustrated and yell back, but this only makes the matter worse. So how should you deal with angry customers? This article is full of tips on what you can do when things heat up to turn the negative experience around and turn that angry customer into a loyal supporter of your business.

Click to read How to Calm Down Infuriated Customers to Your Advantage.

So what’s on your mind this week – building a remote team of workers, boosting your business security, or dealing with angry customers? Get help with the articles above, and check out the Smart Hustle homepage to read the latest stories.

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Magisto for Business: Easy Way To Create Good Videos With Minimal Effort https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/02/magisto-for-business-easy-way-to-create-good-videos-with-minimal-effort.html/ Tue, 23 Feb 2016 16:22:35 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48027 Video is an essential engagement tool for the social world we live in. Video brings you closer to your audience, helps explain topics better and so much more. There are three ways to shoot great video – with your phone, with a professional camera or with a pro-sumer camera. Of course ensure your audio and […]

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ramon ray video

Video is an essential engagement tool for the social world we live in. Video brings you closer to your audience, helps explain topics better and so much more. There are three ways to shoot great video – with your phone, with a professional camera or with a pro-sumer camera. Of course ensure your audio and lighting are good and that what you’re saying or video taping is relevant to your anticipated audience.

Once you’ve recorded video, the next step and what’s most challenging for people is editing it. To edit video, you can use an app on your phone, use

To edit video, you can use an app on your phone, use Apple iMovie, Microsoft Movie Maker, Adobe Premier or one of a number of other video editing tools.

Magisto is an app that I used a few months ago, which works on your smart phone. They’ve recently launched Magisto for business.

The secret sauce of Magisto is that once you upload your video (or videos), select your music and select the TYPE of video you want to be created.Magisto’s artificial intelligence automatically creates a master piece – edited video – for you.

Magisto’s artificial intelligence automatically creates a master piece – edited video – for you.

Sure, you can edit your own video or hire someone to do it for you – but if neither of these are options – give Magisto a try and you might be pleasantly surprised.

 

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Smart Hustle Recap: 50 Small Biz Tech Tools & Other Hot Stories https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/02/smart-hustle-recap-50-small-biz-tech-tools-other-hot-stories.html/ Mon, 22 Feb 2016 19:36:33 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=48032 SmallBizTechnology has a long history of promoting technology use among small business owners. In the years since our launch, we’ve covered small biz tech tools for just about every aspect of businesses, and we love to spread the message that leveraging technology can help you pull ahead of the competition. If you have been living […]

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Smart Hustle Recap: 50 Small Biz Tech Tools & Other Hot StoriesSmallBizTechnology has a long history of promoting technology use among small business owners. In the years since our launch, we’ve covered small biz tech tools for just about every aspect of businesses, and we love to spread the message that leveraging technology can help you pull ahead of the competition. If you have been living a regular “home-office-home lifestyle” for some time now, you may not know much about the world around you. To put things correctly, you really don’t know much about the world outside where you currently live.

Okay, you read the news everyday and follow how things are going on around the world. You go on holiday and see some beautiful hotels in other countries. But, most likely you haven’t experienced other parts of the world like Digital Nomads do. As the experience of living somewhere is very different than taking a vacation in the same place.

Luckily, all that changes when you become a digital nomad blog. You travel to any part of the world to feel how living in other countries feels like. Once you do that, you either confirm some of the many things you may have heard about a country and its people, or totally realise that all that you heard (or maybe most) are rarely true. You are given the opportunity to learn a lot of languages and live with a lot of people that will reshape how you see the world. Indeed, the Digital Nomad Lifestyle really opens your eyes to a bigger world outside the places that you already know.

Yes, we Digital Nomads work, and often work hard, sometimes harder than in an office job. But on our days off we don’t have to visit every birthday party, mow the loan, clean our houses and fix the long waiting tasks. We go and climb mountains, volcanoes, see one of the world wonders. We go and explore new cities, in my case I go and look for abandoned houses to explore. There’s a whole new world in front of your doorstep, a world which needs to be explored.

In this week’s Smart Hustle Recap we have an amazing article covering the top 50 small biz tech tools available – no more searching and wasting time trying to find out what works, this list has taken the guess work out of the equation so you can dive right into the technology that will help grow your business. Our other stories feature creative marketing ideas and tips for using market segmentation to grow your business. Check out our top Smart Hustle stories below.

50 Small Biz Tech Tools

Stop wasting time on dead ends – this list provides the ultimate small biz tech tools that have proven effective for small business owners like you. The list is broken down into:

  • Productivity Tools
  • Collaboration Tools
  • Project and Task Management Tools
  • CRM & Email Marketing Tools
  • Financial Tools
  • Website Design Tools
  • Social Media Sharing & Management Tools
  • Webinar Tools
  • Video Creation & Sharing Tools
  • Travel Tools
  • Hiring & Outsourced Help Tools

Just choose the area you most need help with to learn about the best tools that will help you reach your goals.

Is there a ‘Right’ Kind of Marketing?

Our next story will have you rethinking the type of marketing you think is ‘right’ for your business. Each business may rely on its own type of marketing, but sometimes when you expand beyond your comfort zone you can achieve bigger results. This article has three examples from the Business Circle solutions that will jumpstart new ideas on how you can market your small business.

Market Segmentation Can Help You Grow Your Business

Segmenting your market involves looking at all the different types of customers you serve and trying to find other ways to reach them and drum up extra business. This article will give you tips on developing a strategy so you can understand your market segments and use that information to grow your business.

So which article will you explore first this week? Get more information via the links above, and for other current stories visit Smart Hustle here.

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Smart Hustle Recap – Valentine’s Day Marketing, Upcoming Tech Twitter Chat & More https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/02/smart-hustle-recap-valentines-day-marketing-upcoming-tech-twitter-chat-more.html/ Mon, 08 Feb 2016 16:54:16 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=47963 We’re back for another addition of the Smart Hustle Recap, a regular feature on SmallBizTechnology where we look at the latest articles on Smart Hustle with links so you can explore your favorite stories. This week we’ve got articles that touch on all your favorite small business topics – marketing, technology, and sales. Our two […]

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smart hustle recapWe’re back for another addition of the Smart Hustle Recap, a regular feature on SmallBizTechnology where we look at the latest articles on Smart Hustle with links so you can explore your favorite stories. This week we’ve got articles that touch on all your favorite small business topics – marketing, technology, and sales. Our two most timely pieces are listed first – an awesome brainstorm session on how you STILL have time for Valentine’s Day marketing, and a must-attend Twitter chat on February 17 where we’ll talk about keeping your business technology up and running. Let’s get right to it – a recap of the latest and greatest articles found on Smart Hustle.

Valentine’s Day Marketing

If your business hasn’t done any Valentine’s Day marketing yet, you probably think it is too late to capitalize on the holiday. Not so fast! This Smart Hustle article shares ten Valentine’s Day marketing ideas that you can try at the last minute. The list includes ideas for boosting sales and customer engagement, applicable to both online and brick-and-mortar stores.

Click to read 10 Last Minute Valentine’s Day Marketing Ideas

Tech Twitter Chat

Did you hear the news? Staples has recently unveiled a new feature called Staples Tech Services where you can get next day service on PCs brought to their store by noon. To explore the topic of how technology downtime impacts businesses, they are holding a tech Twitter chat on February 17, hosted by Ramon Ray and Denise O’Berry. This article will tell you everything you need to know to participate in this tech Twitter Chat – including some helpful information for those who have never participated before.

Click to read Staples #MakeMoreHappen Twitter Chat: Avoiding & Reducing Tech Downtime

Tips to Compete With – and even BEAT – Bigger Businesses

As a small business owner, you probably feel that you are at a disadvantage compared to the power and resources that your bigger business competitors have. While bigger budgets and more manpower are to their advantage, there are also several advantages that YOU hold over THEM. This article explores five key ways that you use your own small business strengths to your advantage.

Click to read 5 Ways Entrepreneurs Can Beat Bigger Businesses

Making Pivotal Changes in Your Business

After you’ve established your businesses, making changes can be a risky endeavor. However, if planned carefully, pivoting your business can lead to greater success. This article gives a few examples of companies that have successfully pivoted and outlines how you too can use pivoting to give your business a fresh start.

Click to read Why Your Small Business Needs to Pivot

Marketing, technology, sales – what is your business focused on at this particular moment in time? Click to explore the articles that will help you the most, and stay tuned next week for another Smart Hustle recap.

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Overwhelmed by Marketing? New Survey Shows Just How Tough Small Business Marketing Is https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/02/overwhelmed-by-marketing-new-survey-shows-just-how-tough-small-business-marketing-is.html/ Wed, 03 Feb 2016 15:00:53 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=47939 Marketing is of utmost importance to small business owners, but it is also one of the most challenging parts of running your business. Which marketing strategies should you use? Who should handle your marketing? How do you fit marketing in a small business budget? And is your marketing even effective? If you’ve ever been overwhelmed […]

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Marketing is of utmost importance to small business owners, but it is also one of the most challenging parts of running your business. Which marketing strategies should you use? Who should handle your marketing? How do you fit marketing in a small business budget? And is your marketing even effective? If you’ve ever been overwhelmed by marketing, it turns out you are not alone. A survey by LeadPages and Infusionsoft is revealing just how tough small business marketing really is.

The survey involved gathering opinions from more than 1,000 small business owners from across the United States. The ten-question survey asked about small business marketing in 2016, including goals, priorities, challenges and tactics.

Results show just how tough small business marketing is. Some of the interesting findings include:

  • Nearly 47 percent of small business owners handle marketing on their own. That’s a big duty for someone who already wears so many hats.
  • Nearly one in five small business owners don’t plan on using digital marketing in 2016. Digital marketing includes things such as websites, social media, digital advertising and email marketing – techniques that are popular among larger businesses but harder for some small businesses to manage.
  • Over 20 percent of small business owners don’t store customer and lead information at all and only 24 percent use a customer relationship management (CRM) tool.
  • Small business owners are challenged with measuring the results of their marketing campaigns. Almost half aren’t sure if their efforts are effective, and 13.9 percent know for sure that they aren’t.

Despite these statistics, small business owners are well aware of the potential benefits of a good marketing strategy. About half will be using digital marketing in 2016 to drive sales and brand awareness, and about one in three will focus on goals such as collecting leads and retaining customers. There are many one of the top agencies in legal firm marketing that specialize in working.

The survey clearly shows how difficult small business marketing is. One potential reason is demonstrated in the following finding: “Most small businesses are still using a fairly unsophisticated digital marketing stack.” Fourty-one percent use only one or two software applications, and another 26 percent use three or four.

However, there are plenty of tech tools available for small business marketing, including tools to help manage customers and leads, tools to help measure marketing results, and tools that make specific strategies (like blogs, social media, and emails) easier to implement. Small business marketing is definitely one of the biggest challenges your company will face – it’s time to embrace the technology that will make it simpler and more effective.

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Is Your Web Site A Sales Lead Machine? Here Are 5 Ways To Turn It Into One. https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/02/is-your-web-site-a-sales-lead-machine-heres-5-ways-to-turn-it-into-one.html/ Tue, 02 Feb 2016 19:45:49 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=47951 Your web site is one of the most effective ways to attract leads to your business. However, just having a web site is not good enough. You must ensure that you BUILD a web site that’s set up for successful lead generation and lead capture. LIndsay Bayuk, with Pure Chat (live chat software), shares her insights on this. […]

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Your web site is one of the most effective ways to attract leads to your business. However, just having a web site is not good enough. You must ensure that you BUILD a web site that’s set up for successful lead generation and lead capture. LIndsay Bayuk, with Pure Chat (live chat software), shares her insights on this.

lindsaybayukI don’t know about you, but I’m tired of theoretical marketing and sales advice. Give me some clear, actionable tasks I can implement today. In the past few months I’ve read what seems like every “growth hacking” article on web. I’ve tried some of the ideas from these articles. And you know what? There’s no silver bullet. You just have to do the work. In this post we’ll cover five “hacks” to help you generate more leads and sales from your small business website. These aren’t silver bullets, but they are practical tips you can implement today.

Submit your content to community sites

Share your expertise on Linkedin or Reddit (relevant subreddit’s only), Inbound.org and BizSugar. StartupNation is completely free and started by entrepreneurs. Small Business Bonfire also includes a community full of news and resources. Take 10 minutes to identify the best communities for you and your business. You can go to resources such as Feedly or Alltop to find the best communities for you. Respond to a couple existing questions and share one of your blog posts. It should go without saying that you should give more than you take when joining a community.

Review products you use and love

Crazy about your accounting software? Or your project management tool? Write up a glowing recommendation and send it to their marketing team. Make sure to ask for a link back to your website. Most marketing teams will be grateful for your proactive advocacy and you’ll benefit as well. For one, you and your company will be listed on a prominent website for free. I’m all about win/win marketing! And two, the URL on their site will send “SEO juice” back to your website. Last I checked, everyone can use more backlinks.

Add live chat to your website

Phone and email are old and slow. When visitors on your website want to make a purchase, they are ready to buy now. When they have a question, they want an answer now. Live chat is fast, easy and more comfortable. You can easily add live chat to your website in less than five minutes. Even when you’re not available to instantly message website visitors, live chat software works to collect leads for you. With products like Pure Chat, the chat box converts into an email capture form when you’re offline. Or, you can use mobile apps to chat with website visitors from anywhere.

Live chat also creates better customers. An eMarketer report found that “63% of respondents who chatted said they were more likely to return to the site, and 62% reported being more likely to purchase from the site again.”

Improve your user experience without a designer

Even if your website doesn’t look like it’s from the 90’s, it still may be out of date in today’s world of mobile searching and browsing. When was the last time you checked your own website on your mobile phone? As a small business owner you need to optimize for mobile. In fact, Google announced that mobile traffic exceeded desktop traffic in ten countries in 2015. First impressions matter for new website visitors browsing on web or mobile devices.

It doesn’t have to cost and arm and a leg to have a beautiful web presence. The fastest way to improve your web presence is migrate to a website platform like Weebly, Shopify or Squarespace. Only sell 1-15 products? Consider using Gumroad. Each product offers beautiful templates that are easy to customize and continually update. Use ColorHunt to pick your own set of modern colors. A fresh website will make you and your company look more trustworthy and professional. All of these platforms are already well-designed so you’ll benefit from the improved user experience.

Optimize your site for local search

Build a base of loyal, vocal fans locally. If you haven’t set up a Google My Business account yet, do it today. Creating local community is so important for small business. Even if you have customers nationally or internationally you still likely have local prospects and customers. Setting up your Google profile will get you exposure on Google Maps, Google Search and G+. There’s really no excuse not to list your business. It will help you simultaneously drive web and foot traffic. It won’t take much time if you follow these steps.

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My Honda Dealer Is Losing Money By Not Having An App. Are you? https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/01/my-honda-dealer-is-losing-money-by-not-having-an-app-are-you.html/ Wed, 06 Jan 2016 16:00:17 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=47820 I recently visited my local Honda dealer to get some preventive maintenance done on my vehicle. The service is excellent, including free WiFi, a snack bar and friendly staff in the service area and in the new car buying area. However, one thing is missing – an app. Why should my local Honda dealer have […]

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I recently visited my local Honda dealer to get some preventive maintenance done on my vehicle. The service is excellent, including free WiFi, a snack bar and friendly staff in the service area and in the new car buying area.

However, one thing is missing – an app.

Why should my local Honda dealer have an app? I’ll tell you and maybe you can learn from them.

The buy here pay here near me Dealer has a repeat business – customers come to the dealer to get their cars fixed – on a regular basis. I recommended that they have an app which reminds customers to come in and get their cars checked – oil, tire rotations and etc.

This is one big reason I recommended that they have an app. One that reminds customers to come in and get their cars checked – oil, tire rotations and etc.The best feature of the app is that, they provide the service of collision repair at anywhere anytime. This app will further impress on customers that their local Honda dealer is there for them.

What about your business? Should you have an app?

I don’t think every business needs an app – but every business should evaluate if they need one for sure.

An app is a way to “reach out and touch” your customers, to serve them better and serve as a reminder of the services you can provide to them.

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Daymond John’s The Power of Broke – Evidence That the American Dream Is Still Alive https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2016/01/daymond-johns-the-power-of-broke-evidence-that-the-american-dream-is-still-alive.html/ Tue, 05 Jan 2016 17:30:08 +0000 https://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?p=47810 Somewhere along the line, many Americans have become jaded about the American Dream. Instead of believing that anyone can find success with the right mix of determination and ingenuity, many now believe it takes money to get ahead in life, and if you don’t have it, you’re doomed. However, if you listen to the stories […]

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Somewhere along the line, many Americans have become jaded about the American Dream. Instead of believing that anyone can find success with the right mix of determination and ingenuity, many now believe it takes money to get ahead in life, and if you don’t have it, you’re doomed.

However, if you listen to the stories of many successful business owners, you’ll quickly learn that money does not make success – and there are many among us who have in fact lived the American Dream. Daymond John – founder of the brand FUBU and investor on ABC’s Shark Tank – is a perfect example.

On January 19, 2016, Daymond John will be releasing his third book – The Power of Broke: How Empty Pockets, a Tight Budget, and a Hunger for Success Can Become Your Greatest Competitive Advantage. The book shares details of how Daymond John achieved the American Dream. With a $40 initial budget, a little help from friends, and a lot of determination, Daymond turned FUBU into a $6 billion brand.

Daymond credits his success to his ability to tap into ‘the power of broke.’ When you can activate the power of broke you:

  • Focus on your goals and work hard to reach them.
  • Find creative solutions to problems.
  • Become mindful of all the other resources at your disposal – time, effort, mind power, manpower, and determination to succeed.
  • Discover innovative ways to market and connect with your customers.

As the title of the book suggests, Daymond believes his ability to harness the power of broke was his greatest competitive advantage and the reason why he has become so successful.

Now, if you’re thinking that Daymond is the exception to the rule and the American Dream is unachievable for most of us, you’d be wrong. After discussing his own story, The Power of Broke goes on to provide dozens of examples of other entrepreneurs and business owners who have also activated the power of broke to reach success – music executives, clothing designers, culinary masterminds and other top professionals in a range of industries.

Taken together, Daymond John’s The Power of Broke will inspire you as well as teach you how to harness the power of broke to achieve your own goals. It is a reminder to us all that the American Dream is still alive for those who are determined and willing to put in the hard work it takes to succeed.

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