Practical Technology for the Growing Small Business

April 16, 2012 By 1 Comment

A guest post from @hfitzy34

Today’s small businesses can’t afford to overlook the tools and opportunities created by tech and Web advancements. More than ever before, new technology is making it easier for small businesses to compete with larger companies through software and services that reduce overhead while making business operations more efficient. A host of tools and applications can be used by a small business to drive various business functions, including payroll, contact management, and human resources work.

Of equal importance are the marketing opportunities provided trough social media. With social media profiles, businesses can engage both local and non-local consumer bases, expand their audience, build brand trust and loyalty, and gather consumer data that can guide the company’s marketing efforts — all at a cost much lower than what would have been the standard a decade ago.

To put it simply, small businesses now have access to a virtual buffet of practical technology tools and solutions designed to help their business flourish and grow. By identifying your business’s most-pressing needs, you can target the technology solutions providing the most value to your company, increasing profits as you cut out the fat and become more efficient.

Tech Products & Services

Most small businesses can’t afford to employ full-time human resources staff. But the services provided by this department are vital to any business. Fortunately, newly developed software tools like applicant tracking and staff management systems enable you to track and organize a variety of functions. Exact Hire is one of a growing sprawl of companies catering to the massive growth of online job seekers with software designed to streamline the application process for both the employer and the to-be-employed. Through software products like these, you can convert numerous business functions to paperless organization, helping you track applications,interviews, employee onboarding, training, and assessments for all of your employees and position candidates, saving time and resources while doing all the organizing for you.

Other contact management and customer relationship software and services, such as Microsoft Outlook, can help you track your customer interactions, sales histories and contacts with ease.

Harness the Power of Social Media

Cloud computing services are rapidly gaining popularity in business circles. The ability to purchase computing work as a service stored virtually through a shared network known as the “cloud” has created a bevy of opportunities for businesses. But perhaps the greatest benefit of cloud computing are the applications and services provided through the cloud that allow businesses to gather unprecedented amounts of information from various social media profiles. Small businesses can use cloud-based products and services to manage social media profiles, evaluate the efficacy of those profiles, gather data and analyze that data to learn more about consumers and their satisfaction with your business. Information has never been more available, nor more valuable, to businesses than it is now, and a smart small business owner will take advantage of the tools and applications created to process this information.

Where to Find Solutions

Product and services claiming to be essential to your business’s success can be found in every direction. But the margin of error in small businesses is so small that investing in sub-standard services and products can be a dramatic setback. Stick to companies with a proven track record and a strong reputation from past clients. If certain functions of your business reside outside of your strengths or comfort areas, you can also consider outsourcing some of these functions — such as payroll services and social media management — to third-party companies that specialize in these services.

Ultimately, today’s small businesses are poised to benefit in numerous ways from the abundance of technology at their disposal. Position your company on the inside track by investing in these new technologies and getting the jump on your competitors.

Henry Fitzgerald is a technology consultant based in Seattle. When not geeking out over the latest tech gadgets, he spends his time cooking, playing soccer, and sailing. Check out his tech blog here or follow him on twitter:@hfitzy34

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Stuck for things to blog about?

March 20, 2012 By Leave a Comment
We’ve all done it; thought “I really must write a blog today”, opened up our browser, and then spent 20 minutes trying to think of a catchy headline, something interesting to say, or even ANYTHING to say!
 
I get it too, and I write blog posts for a multitude of clients in all sorts of industries.
 
So I thought I’d share with you a few tactics I use when my blogging mojo has got up and gone :)
 
  •  Read the online news. Whether you’re a tabloid fan or a high brow browser, reading what’s happening in the world today can often spark off ideas that can be related to your business. Whether it’s an opinion piece or something related to a product or service you sell, topical news items make great blog posts.

  • Read your trade news. By the same token, having a look through a trade publication or trade news website can often give inspiration. Maybe a new survey has come out that you can talk about, some outlandish stats, or a new way of thinking about your area of expertise? All make great blog posts that will be of interest to your target market.

  • Browse your competitors. There’s always a sharp intake of breath when I come out with this one in training workshops, but let’s face it, they’ll be doing it to you! See what your competitors are writing about – can you approach it with a different angle? No-one has ever said that two companies can’t write about similar things, and of course yours will be much better, won’t it? ;)

  • Have a break. If it’s really not working, stop. Get off the computer if you can, go make a cup of coffee, walk to the shop, run round the garden or simply sit in an armchair and forget about it for half an hour. Clearing your mind allows you to stop focusing on the ‘Bloggers’ Block’ and some of my best ideas come to me while I’m ignoring the blog posts I have to write.

  • Ask for a guest blog post. Get someone else to do the hard work and get some of the credit. Guest posts are great when you’ve run out of time, can’t think of anything to write, or just want a different voice on your blog. They also bring in new traffic and readers, and inspire loyalty from the person who’s blog you have promoted.

  • Look in your ‘Swipe file’. You don’t have a swipe file? Well, you should! A swipe file features headlines you think of or see elsewhere and like, blogs you want to refer to, ideas that are half finished, and more. Start yours now (more about swipe files in next Monday’s blogging newsletter!)
There’s always something to write about, but it really is hard work at times to stop your blog from becoming just a self promotional ‘me, me, me’ medium, when it should be entertaining, informative and maybe even educational, if you want it to build your brand and credibility.
 
If you need some help with your Business Blogging, then take a look at my Bonkers Blogging Offer; it’s sure to take some of the pressure off and help your blog build into something that supports and promotes your business naturally.
 
Until Wednesday when we’re going to talk about the new Facebook Timeline and what it means for business pages,
 
Happy Blogging
 
Nikki
 
PS: You could also check out our 30 Day Blogging Challenge ebook if you’re stuck for blogging ideas – there are loads in there and it’s a style I follow myself!
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So Pinterest is all about housewives pinning recipes is it? Err.. no…

March 18, 2012 By 2 Comments

When my online friend Lilach Bullock told me she was appearing on Radio 5 Live to talk about social media and in particular Pinterest, I was obviously looking forward to hearing what would be said.

Tuning in, I was surprised to hear the presenters talking about how Pinterest is ‘women focused’, and ‘full of crafters’ and not giving Lilach a chance to refute that.

See, it’s just not true.

I know that Pinterest has a bit of a reputation for being populated by women posting pictures of kittens, motivational quotes, recipes and not much else, but it’s evolved beyond that, especially in the UK.

There’s a great infographic over at Web Analytics World that compares Pinterest use in the UK and the US, and if you’re looking at Pinterest from a business point of view it makes really interesting reading. Pop over and have a look, but I’ve summarised some of the points below:

  • UK users of Pinterest earn more than US users, with 29% of them in the highest esrners bracket compared with just 3% of users in the US.
  • Pinterest in the UK is frequented more by men than women. 56% of UK users are male, compared with just 17% in the US.
  • UK audiences are posting more business pins. Topics such as SEO and Marketing, Blogging, Venture Capital, Design and stats top the bill. In the US it’s very definitely dominated by crafts, gifts, interior design and home ideas, fashion and hobbies.

It sounds to me as if rather than do their research, Radio 5 lived tapped into the stereotype of US Pinterest users.

Of course, I wasn’t expecting an in depth discussion on the business use of Pinterest, but neither was I expecting to hear the same old same old spouted, and Pinterest sidelined as ‘addictive and fun’ rather than ‘useful and money generating’.

Lilach’s time was cut short as the programme was over-running, but I do question why 5 Live bothered inviting a Social Media Marketing Expert onto their program when they’d quite clearly categorised Pinterest as fluffy and not worth much interest beforehand.

I would have liked to hear them being told that if they want to see fluffy things then they can follow fluffy boards, but the power in Pinterest is with the follower, and you only see things on the boards you choose to follow. By following the right boards you can find all sorts of things that are most definitely NOT fluffy, very much business focused and definitely not just pictures of kittens; maybe 5 Live should have been following some of the right Pinterest boards, they’d have found some real UK stats.

In closing, I’ll remind everyone that radio presenters were saying similar things about Twitter just 4 or so years ago, and we all know what happened there…

Want to find out what Pinterest can do for you? See our Pinterest set up and management package!

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How to switch off email alerts in Pinterest

March 15, 2012 By Leave a Comment

I’ve been asked this question more than once now, so it’s time for a quick tutorial :)

Pinterest is fab, but if (as we hope) you’re lucky enough to be popular, the barrage of ‘so-and-so pinned your pin’, ‘so-and-so is following you’ and ‘so and so commented / liked your pin’ can be pretty relentless and take over your inbox!

I tend to filter all of mine into a Pinterest folder in my email, so that I can look at them in my own time, but if you want to switch them off completely, here’s how!

First, go to your ‘settings’ by dropping down the box next to your name (click on images for bigger version):

Once you’ve clicked on ‘settings’ you should see this:

Clicking on the ‘change email settings’ button gives you this:

You can see that my settings are all set to ‘on’. So I’ll be emailed when someone follows me, when someone likes my pin, when someone comments on my pin, when someone repins my pin and when someone pins something to a collaborative board.

Don’t want these emails? Simply switch them off!

It’s that simple, so if your inbox is drowning in Pinterest emails, have a play and switch off the alerts you don’t want.

(I’d recommend keeping a track of people who are following you though, in case you want to follow them back, and to get an idea of how your account is growing.)

If you’re not on Pinterest and would like to be, drop me a line and I’ll send you an invitation.

Like this post? Don’t forget to check out my recently launched Pinterest Management Package!

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Are you ready for the new Facebook Timeline for Business Pages

March 15, 2012 By Leave a Comment
facebook business

facebook business (Photo credit: Sean MacEntee)

If there’s one thing we can rely on, it’s that Facebook will change things regularly whether we like it or not.

 
And let’s be fair,  that’s their prerogative – they give us a platform we can use for nothing to promote our businesses – it amazes me how many people forget that!
 
So, new timeline is coming for Facebook pages, in one fell swoop wiping out the good work that’s been done with landing pages, changing the game yet again – are you ready for it?
 
In good news you can use that fab cover photo to promote more of your services; that can’t be bad, right?
 
In other not so good news now there’s no real incentive for people to ‘Like’ your page as you can’t encourage them as easily as you could with landing tabs.
 
I’ll be interested to see how this one plays out if I’m honest.
 
If you want to make the most of your Facebook Business Page, then the following blog posts are worth a read:
 
  • The death of the default landing tab
    As I’ve said, default landing pages will be of no use anymore, but this blog post has some good points about why you shouldn’t really worry about that. The upshot is that most of your traffic comes from your items in people’s news streams, so concentrate on great content and you should be fine.
  • Facebook EdgeRank – what is it?
    Have you ever wondered what makes your Facebook posts show up where they do? Or how you compare to your competitors on Facebook? This article will shed some light and give you something to play with.
Facebook can be great for business, and it’s well worth giving it a go if you’ve poo-pooed it before now – check out our 30 Day Facebook Challenge if you need a bit of help!
 
Happy Facebooking!


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Restaurant Technology: How You Can Learn From It

March 5, 2012 By Leave a Comment

A guest post from Henry Fitzgerald

Many consumers are looking for cutting edge technology everywhere they go, and restaurants are no different. When you’re just starting up a restaurant, having the right technology installed can make the difference between success and failure. Both the technology you use to connect with patrons and the technology you use to keep your restaurant running smoothly on the back end are important to focus on as you plan. Food Service Warehouse suggests the following tips for how new restaurant owners can get a handle on technology and use new and exciting tools for their benefit.

  1. Use a paging system to give customers freedom to stand outside or wander as they wait for a table. On busy evenings, the last thing you want is a crowded lobby of customers waiting for the hostess to call their names. Instead, use a paging system so each customer gets a digital pager that will light up and vibrate when you have a table ready. Or for even more convenience, a cell phone paging system can call customers’ cell phones when a table is ready.
  2. Install an integrated computer system that allows servers to input orders through a touch screen and have them digitally transmitted to a screen in the kitchen. This helps reduce mistakes in transferring orders and helps the kitchen staff maintain efficiency. To reduce mistakes even further, equip servers with handheld devices so they can input orders right from the table.
  3. Process credit card payments efficiently using a credit card system that’s equipped to take all types of major credit cards and easily add tips onto the receipts after the customer leaves. If you want to expedite the process further and put customers at ease, get wireless handheld credit card terminals for the servers so they can swipe the card right at the table.
  4. Use automated systems to maintain the ambiance in your restaurant and save energy. Put your thermostat and lights on a timer so they automatically adjust to the temperatures and light levels you want throughout the day and night. Rather than manually changing the music that is on in the background, set it up so you have an ongoing playlist through a computer or satellite radio station.
  5. Connect with customers over social media websites like Facebook and Twitter. Whereas having good customer service in the store and over the phone used to be enough, customers these days expect to be able to get in touch with you online as well. Set up business accounts on social media websites and post special deals to reward the customers who follow you on Twitter or like you on Facebook. In addition, answer customer questions and respond to comments or complaints. You can also encourage your patrons to offer an honest review of their experience and entrée on sites like Yelp.com by offering a discount or special for their next visit. If you know the customers will review your establishment when they leave, you’re more inspired to provide excellent service every time!

Although technology is a significant investment, restaurateurs will find that it pays off in the long run. And remember, once you equip your restaurant with technology, you need to continue following trends so you can change your strategy and install new equipment as it becomes available.

Henry Fitzgerald is a technology consultant based in Seattle. When not geeking out over the latest tech gadgets, he spends his time cooking, playing soccer, and sailing. Check out his tech blog here or follow him on twitter:@hfitzy34

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Pinterest being taken over by marketers? Don’t make me laugh…

February 12, 2012 By 5 Comments
English: Red Pinterest logo

Image via Wikipedia

I’m miffed…

I’m actually more than miffed, but I try to keep the swearing to a minimum on this blog.

So, Dan Perez thinks that Pinterest is being bastardized (his swearing not mine) by marketers?

A  few points to note…

  • Those mom and pop businesses you follow who post links to their Etsy crochet projects? They’re marketing
  • The post you just posted up that is bringing traffic to your site? That’s marketing
  • Those recipes you’re clicking on? That’s marketing
  • Did you pin that post on Pinterest? Umm that’s marketing…

You want to see pictures of fluffy kittens? That’s cool, yay you, there are plenty of boards for that.

The simple fact is that you only follow the people you’re interested in, and even beyond that, you don’t have to follow all of their boards!

Want to know the recipes I’m keeping for future access? I have a board for that.

Fancy finding out the nail designs I’d like to have? Yep. I have a board for that too.

Funny quotes I’ve found (and no none of them are my own) – funnily enough i have a board for that too.

Gardening, home ideas, kid’s stuff and more – I have boards for it all.

And people like you are liking, commenting on and repinning my social boards every day.

Don’t like my promotional boards? The one for Google+ for business? The one for Blogging help? The one about SEO? That’s cool. THEN DON’T FOLLOW THEM!

See, the great thing about Pinterest is that not only can you follow the people you like, you can choose only to follow the boards of theirs that are of interest to you.

So you don’t have to see the social media infographics. You don’t have to see the self promotion.  You can look at my board about hair, or home ideas, or stuff I want for my daughter.

Or you can post a ranty blog about Pinterest that will get you loads of traffic, and pretend it’s not marketing.

Your call.

Like this post? Don’t forget to check out the 30 Day Blogging Challenge, and kickstart your blogging in just 30 days!

MARKETING ALERT!!

Like this post? Don’t forget to check out the 30 Day Pinterest Challenge, and kickstart your Pinterest traffic in just 30 days!

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Your Small Business: Level Up

February 9, 2012 By Leave a Comment

A guest post by @hfitzy34

English: MBA Master Business Administration

Image via Wikipedia

There are an awful lot of people out there, business owners or otherwise, who spend way too much time moaning about how their lack of education is keeping them from achieving their dreams.

Whether this dilemma applies to you, or someone you know, it’s the kind of incessant whining that might warrant a good slap in the face or kick in the pants. To make matters even more frustrating, many of these moaners are the very same people who can be found sitting in front of their computers after a long hard day at work chatting up old friends on Facebook and re-tweeting their favorite celebrity news on Twitter.

What’s missing from this picture can be summed up in a single word: potential.

Potential, as in the framed undergrad degree hanging on the wall in the background, or the wasted, unproductive hours spent on social media. Now is the time to put your potential into motion and display the satisfied glow of accomplishment that’s shared by all people who return to school later in life to complete their education.

And, these days, it’s easier than ever to tap into your potential by taking advantage of online education opportunities. If there’s time left over for Facebooking after a twelve-hour day spent running your small business, there’s time to enroll in an online MBA program and learn how to make those Facebook hours count for your business’ growth.

Need some more reasons thrown at you as to why fulfilling your educational potential through online learning is probably the best idea ever? Here, catch.

Gain the edge over your competition. How many of your direct competitors are MBA graduates? If you equip yourself with the additional skills and knowledge that come with earning your MBA, you’ll blow the competition out of the water. Figuratively speaking,
of course.

Keep your noodle sharp. Let’s face it; it’s easy to let your brain fall into a rut. And even though that may suit some people, if you’re running a business with dreams of actually succeeding long term, you have to train yourself to think outside the box. Continuing your education through online learning is a lot like sharpening your brain or doing mental pushups. It can only help.

Get caught up with new methods and technologies. If the last time you were in a classroom there was a guy named Carter in the White House, it’s highly probable that you’ll benefit greatly by completing your education. Doing so will go far in catching you up to modern practices in your specific business and could open up doors of opportunity you never even knew existed.

Take advantage of convenience. All other benefits aside, the primary factor that’s driven a lot of people to gravitate toward online learning opportunities is the convenience of not having to go to a physical campus to get their studying done. Nowadays, anyone with a computer and a reasonably fast Internet connection can earn their degree online.

Using What You’ve Learned 

Just don’t make the mistake of quitting your Facebook and Twitter practices once you’ve leveled up by getting your MBA. Studies show that knowing your way around the various social media platforms is critical to growing your business and building a community of followers who will come to you instead of that aforementioned, dastardly competition the next time they need your services.

Social media is proving to be incredibly powerful marketing tool, and it’s not a fad that’s planning on going away anytime soon. So keep those Tweeting skills sharp. Combine your newly honed mind along with your ever-increasing social media skills. As long as you can stay away from wasting precious time playing Farmville and Mafia Wars, you’ll be fine.

Henry Fitzgerald is a technology consultant based in Seattle. When not geeking out over the latest tech gadgets, he spends his time cooking, playing soccer, and sailing. Check out his tech blog here or follow him on twitter: @hfitzy34

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PR – the art and science of manipulating the media?

February 2, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Public relations, the dark art of spin, snake charming – call it what you like, it has traditionally been seen as the art and science of manipulating the media – or perhaps inspiring them. Either way it was all about grabbing the headlines and dominating the airwaves and more recently cyberspace.

However high profile PR was, make no mistake it was the glamorous servant of the marketing department… But the internet has changed everything and the rules are now very, very different.

The advent of social media now means you can engage directly with clients and prospects and no longer have to rely upon the headlines to reach an audience. Indeed the converse it true, that audience no longer relies on the traditional media for news or to make known if they are unhappy with a service.

In a nutshell, now everything is PR – every interaction with the public, online or offline has the potential to impact on your image, so it is all now public relations!

This new 30 Day PR Challenge will help you through the minefield of PR and aid you in getting the exposure your company deserves!

Written by Nigel Morgan @nigel_morgan of Morgan PR, it’s an essential challenge for any business.

Prebuy your copy today for just £4 – tomorrow it will double in price!

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The Phases Of Adapting To Social Media Changes

January 12, 2012 By Leave a Comment

A guest post by Henry Fitzgerald

Image representing Twitter as depicted in Crun...

Image via CrunchBase

Twitter has changed its layout.

If I’ve learned anything at all from social media, it’s this: Every time Facebook changes anything, no matter how minute, people will complain.

While everyone champions the phrase, change is good, the moment it actually comes into contact with our News Feeds, we’re ready to revolt against the highest of all social media executives.

We feel violated, under-appreciated, wronged. For at least two days, the new features are all anyone will talk about. But soon enough, we forget all about it. And it’s like it never happened.

And now, with Twitter jumping on the bandwagon of changes — enough is enough.

It’s time to get over it.

We can’t do anything about the changes, but we can change the way we react. Check out this guideline of social media changes, and how you or your small business can navigate the unpredictable waters of the web without drowning in a Sea of Angry.

Phase 1: Anger and Complaints

This phase usually begins by Facebook adding a 3-centimeter tool bar to the bottom of the page. People will first post a status update asking if anyone else sees the same thing. With their suspicions confirmed, they will then begin complaining about how those 3-centimeters cut into their News Feed. They’ll say they don’t use those tools anyway. They will become angry.

This phase is useless. Your endless anger and complaining is only hurting you and the life of your laptop battery. While it’s difficult to avoid complaining, please realize that it in the end, it’s worth nothing. Scoff gently at those who spend three days griping about the toolbar, and move on.

Phase 2: The Boycott

This phase is also useless. After the toolbar fiasco, people will make claims that they have no intention of acting upon. Claims, for instance, like “I’m not getting back on Facebook until they move that stupid toolbar” or “I hate Facebook anyway. I’m deleting my page!”

The boycott phase is short, usually only a few hours. Don’t waste your time with making these vacuous promises, and proceed to phrase three.

Phase 3: Reluctant Acceptance

Here is a good place to start. When social media changes, just roll with it. Twitter’s changes are going to be huge. For some, the new layout has already been rolled out. Facebook’s new timeline feature is going to be huge too, rolling out at different times for everyone. If small changes set people off, imagining what this huge restructure will cause conjures up visions of riots or a Cyber World War. Some will post links about pressing the right buttons to get your page to revert to the old settings or how posting the comment on 16 friends’ walls and then restarting will bring it back. It’s not coming back. It’s not going to work. Just move forward.

Everyone will get to the acceptance phase sooner or later, so you may as well beat everyone to it. Making the new changes work for your small business will keep you ahead of the curve. While it can be tempting to sit around and wish for things to go back to normal, your time is better spent diving right into the changes.

Phase 4: “What Did It Used To Look Like?”

This phase is where we live in between changes. After griping for a few days, we soon come to realize we have no idea what the old layout used to look like. Do you remember what Facebook looked like last year? Or even last month? It changes so much that we can’t keep up.

Typically, these changes are done to make the experience easier, though it seems uncomfortable at first. Explore the updates and find ways to make it work for you. That is, before it changes again.

Henry Fitzgerald is a technology consultant based in Seattle. When not geeking out over the latest tech gadgets, he spends his time cooking, playing soccer, and sailing. Check out his tech blog here or follow him on twitter: @hfitzy34

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