BEST TECHNOLOGY FOR BUSINESS:
Every BUSINESS NEEDS TO USE TECHNOLOGY to gain competitive advantage and increase on its efficiency. In today’s world, time and efficiency are very essential factors in business growth, so if you want your business to survive in this technology demanding century, you will need to use technology in your business. The type of technology used in business varies, not all business have the same needs of technology, so if you plan to use technology in your business, it is better you define your business needs and outline which business technologies you will need to implement so that you serve your customers on time and also improve on the efficiency of your business.
In a business, technology can be used for communication, manufacturing, packaging, quality control, record keeping, accounting, human resource management, data security, decision making, used to improve customer service, business marketing and promotion and so much more.
Many small businesses have managed to gain competitive advantage over well established big businesses which can afford high end technologies. Business owners need to know how to use technology to serve their customers on time and to deliver what customers need. Demand is a powerful force in business growth, so a business has to satisfy its customer’s demands and needs on time. Having the best technology will not guarantee business success; you must also know how to use that technology. On this list I have compiled the best Technology For Business you can use in your business and i have include benefits of each business technology to your business, some of these technologies are free, while others you will need to spend some money to use them.
‘’Note: Some technologies on this list might apply or not apply to your business, so make sure you outline the needs of your business before choosing any technology listed below, however, their some technologies which will be needed in every business and these include computers, broadband internet , and mobile phones.’’
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TECHNOLOGY FOR BUSINESS:- List of technology used in business.
DocuSign
Your online documents will look professional if you tag them with your personal signature. This Docusign software will enable you sign each document you send or backup online. Signing on your own documents will somehow protect your work from duplicates and it will create trust and originality. With DocuSign, you will simply type and select a signature or write your own signature. You can legally sign any document via your computer or mobile device. This technology will save you time and money, because you will not need to print out documents for hard copy signatures, also your customers can sign on documents electronically. It is a good technology for signing business agreements, purchase documents, tenants agreements, etc. Find out more about Docusign signatures from www.docusign.com
See how it works
PaySaber Point-of-Sale
This PaySaber Point-of-Sale machine will enable you accept mobile phone payments for your products or services. It has secure smart card swiping capability which is well encrypted to protect the customer’s financial data. This PaySaber can do more than swiping credit cards, it can also be used to complete inventory of products, this can help you scan your products at the time of purchase and the machine will calculate the total taxes, discounts and much more. It is very important to give your customers various methods of paying for your services of products; this is part of customer service. This PaySaber is built with performance and durability in mind and its design makes it possible for any merchant to easily swipe credit cards.
Buy it from: www.paysaber.com
Invoxia AudiOffice
Simplify the way you communicate with your business partners or customers with this invoxia AudiOffice device. It has an impressive sound between you and your interlocutor and its also has a comfortable handset. This device is designed for your comfort while at work; you can decide to use Bluetooth so you don’t have to be tied in one room to communicate with your business partners on phone. When it comes to cost, you will spend €299 Euros
Buy it from: www.invoxia.com
Toshiba Dynadock Universal USB 3.0 Docking Station
Think of connecting using more than one monitor, this Toshiba Dynadock Universal USB 3.0 Docking Station will help you achieve this easily. This is a good technology for forex traders and graphic editors. This Docking station will help you multitask and deliver more to your customers on time. You can control all data displayed on various monitors using your laptop, see below how the device works. When it comes to pricing, you will spend only $129.99
Buy it from: Amazon.com
See how it works:
POS System
If you deal in products and you have a store, this Point of sale system will make your work easier. POS systems come in various models; some are Restaurant POS Systems which can be used in restaurants, Retail POS Systems which can be used in retail stores, Salon POS systems which can be used in salons and many more. Before you buy a POS system, inquire if it fits your business requirements, because each POS System has custom functionality for specific businesses. For those who want a custom built POS System, you can order for one at www.posnation.com.
Logitech BCC950 ConferenceCam
This Conference web cam will enable you hold a virtual meeting with your employees. This New perfect webcam can enable small groups collaborate over video from anywhere. This technology will save you time and money, because you will not need to rent a conference room, and even your employees will not need to struggle for a single PC to participate in the virtual conference. The device can be put in one room and every one in the room will be seen via the cam. The conference webcam in this picture is manufactured by Logitech. Its price starts from $249.99, buy it from www.logitech.com
See how it works:
Eaton 3S UPS
This EATON 3S UPS will provide you with guaranteed UPS protection against power issues which might affect your office computer and other devices using power in your office. You can connect eight gadgets on this EATOP 3S UPS , simply plug it power and all devices will pick their power from this UPS, it can also save some little power which can be used when power goes off and you will have enough time to shut down devices and save your computer work as you wait for power. Buy it from: www.eaton.com
HP TopShot LaserJet Pro M275
Every business will need to have a printer in its office. You will need to use it to print important business documents. This printer can be shared via an internal network so you don’t have to buy a printer for each department. This HP TopShot LaserJet can also be used as a scanner, so after scanning documents, you can either save them on your computer or print them out.
Buy it from: hp.com
J5 Create JUC100 Wormhole Switch
This J5 Create JUC100 Wormhole Switch will allow you to share content across multiple devices. It is a simple plug and play file sharing device, it requires no software installation or adjustments. You can easily drag and drop files from one computer to another, and this will simplify the way information is shared and transferred at your workplace. Forget about using USB flash drives to transfer information form one computer to another; this simple device will make it simple to copy and paste content from one computer to another.
Buy it from: Amazon.com
Mobee Technology Magic Feet
If you’re using Apple Devices in your business, you will need this Mobee Technology Magic Feet. It is a Universal Charging Base Station for all your Apple devices. You can continue with your work as the devices are being charged, this will increase efficiency in your business, it includes a cylindrical battery pack which can be used on wireless keyboards or Magic Mouse. It is basically designed to sit under your iMac and it is very easy to install and use.
Buy it from: Amazon.com
Targus SpinPad for iPad2
You can use an iPad for mobile video conferencing. In business, it is very important to communicate and save time. So you can use this Targus SpinPad to hold your iPad on your office desk and perform a video conference or any other business task. This Targus SpinPad Case is flexible; it can turn in all directions, so you can also use it for presentations in a business meeting. It is very light and compact, so it will guarantee safety of your iPad. When it comes to cost, you will spend only $29.99.
Buy it from: Amazon.com
Kensington SecureBack Security Case for Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1
Many business people use tablets to complete various business tasks like, video conferencing , email communication , project presentations and so much more. If you own a Galaxy tablet, you will find this Kensington Secure-back Security Case for Samsung Galaxy Tab very useful. It has a built-in security anchor and a ClickSafe lock which secures your tablet from theft. It also comes with a protective case which prevents scratches and damages. When it comes to cost, you will spend only $64.59.
Buy it from: Amazon.com
iTwin SecureBox
Keeping your business data safe has to be your number one priority. With this iTwin SecureBox, your business data will be protected from predators who might want to take advantage of it. This device ensures privacy and security of any data you upload to Dropbox for storage or backup. iTwin uses a hardware-key based encryption , so in case some one tries to access your DropBox account, they will not be in position to access your files that were uploaded using this iTwin SecureBox. This is the best device to upload business files in the Cloud. When it comes to cost, you will only spend $99.
Buy it from: itwin.com
Neurosky Mindwave Mobile Headset
You have to perform more than one task while at work; this will guarantee efficiency and your customers and business partners will be pleased. To save time on answering mobile phones, you can decide to use this Neurosky Mindwave Mobile Headset; it can work with iPhone, iPad and most Andriod phones. Simply connect it to your phone and answer or make all calls as you attend to other things at work..It is a great tool for customer service department. When it comes to costs, you will spend only $129.95 on each MincWave Mobile device.
Buy it from: neurosky.com
Digital Camera:
Not all businesses will need to have this digital camera, but if your business deals in construction and design, you will need this digital camera. For those in construction business you need to use a digital camera to take pictures of various buildings you have constructed so that you upload those photos on your company website to attract more clients. Also people who do design business need to keep a digital portfolio of their works. This is an Olympus digital camera which will cost you only $149.
Buy it from: Amazon.com
TIKI Dual-Mode Compact USB Condenser Microphone
This is a simple multifunctional USB device. It can work as a microphone, yet it can also work as data storage. It delivers a clear sound and it cuts out all background noise. You can use this device when giving a business speech or during business meetings with your employees. It looks fabulous yet it is also portable and very easy to use. You don’t need any software installation, just plug in and play. When it comes to cost, you will spend only $59.99.
You can buy it from: Amazon.com
HoverBar For iPad
You can now work with two screens, one can be your normal MAC desktop screen and the other can be your iPad. This HoverBar will hold your iPad and it will allow you to view data on your iPad in all angles. For those in editing business, forex business and stock exchange business, this HoverBar will be of great use. It floats like a butterfly and it can be attached any where. You can also use it in a business meeting for demonstration purposes. When it comes to cost, you will spend only $79.99 .
Buy it from: twelvesouth.com
HD Camcorder With Projector
When it comes to business marketing, you will need to use video streaming services like Youtube to market your business. This HD Camcorder will capture clear videos which market your services or products on Youtube.com. You can also use the same device for business presentations, because it comes with a projector which can derive videos from the camera to the white board. When it comes to cost, you will spend $399.99.
Buy it from: Sony.com
Computers
It is a must for every business to have a computer. The use of a computer in a business is unlimited. For example, you can use a computer to establish an online business so that you serve more clients and also expand on your niche, use it to track inventory, manage clients data, create new designs or products or services, use it for business accounts, use a computer to automate some tasks like book keeping which will save you lots of time. Computers differ in size and capacity, so define your needs before spending any money on these computers. If you’re dealing in hardcore graphics, then you will need a very strong computer. Some small businesses prefer Laptops over desktops, though laptops are quite expensive.
Internet Modem:
Both big and small businesses need to use internet. A business can use internet to market its services or products, they can use internet for customer service, use internet for business research, use internet to target new markets, use internet for business communication and so much more. In my opinion, you need a fast broadband internet which can help you transfer big files and also be in position to stream live videos or perform clear video conferencing.
Mobile Phones
Communication is an essential factor in business growth, you need to talk with your business partners or employees at any time, so, it is essential to have a business mobile phone. In my opinion, I suggest you buy a smart phone which can do more than just communication. The iPhone 4S in the photo above has 16G storage space which you can use to store various business podcasts and documents. You can also install business APPS which you can use for various purposes. Simply go to the App Store on itunes.com and download business APPS you find helpful. Smart phones are quite expensive; you will spend $629 on this iPhone.
Buy it from: Amazon.com
Fax and Copier Machine
A fax machine will also simplify business communication. This fax machine can make paper copies of all faxes being received, yet you can also send a fax to your suppliers or business partners using the same fax machine. You customers can inquire for quotations through this fax, so it is important to include your fax number on all your business contacts. It has a 50-sheet paper tray, 100 speed dials, 20 one-touch dials and management reporting. It size is reasonable so it will save your desktop space. When it comes to functionality, it has, an auto fax reduction, fax delays sending, fax forwarding , fax/phone/TAM interface, fax telephone mode, a remote retrieval answer mode, loud speaker and a telephone handset.
When it comes to cost, you will spend only $64.95. Buy it from: Amazon.com
External Hard Drive
As much as we have cloud data storage services like box.com and dropbox.com, you will still need this external hard drive. Data stored on a cloud server can only be accessed via internet, so if you go to place with no internet access, you will not be in position to access your business files. In the picture above we have a SEGATE external hard drive which has 500GB of storage space, with no limitations; you store as much data as you can on this drive. When it comes to costs, you will spend only $100.
Buy it from: Amazon.com
Internal Database & Network:
Big businesses will find this technology very helpful. Creating an internal database and network will save you money and it will also increase on the productivity of your employees. Business data can be stored on a local internal database and a few employees will have access to this data. Unlike cloud servers which can be accessed from any where, this internal database can only be accessed at the company. Employees can easily store and update data; decision makers will also depend on this data to make productive business decisions. Then an internal network can be used to share files and various technological tools like printers. To have this technology in your business, contact any database & networking IT specialist in your area and explain to them your needs.
Tablets
To some people, this might look as a luxurious technology tool for business, but tablets have become great communication tools and they can also be used in business presentations. You can use a tablet for Mobile Video conferencing; this will give you more time to do other things as you hold a meeting with your employees or business partners. Tablets are very light, so you can move with it anywhere. You can also send and read emails via a tablet, create important business documents, take pictures, record videos and much more. A simple nice tablet like the one in the photo above will cost you $199.00.
Buy it from: Amazon.com
USB Multi Board
Most computers come with 2 – 4 USB pots, so if all ports are being used, you will be left with no option but to unplug some devices from your computer. However, this USB Multi-Board, comes with 6 extra USB Pots which can be used by a keyboard, mouse and your flash drive. This is a very nice device for people who do video editing business and other computer related businesses which require multitasking. You will spend only $53.95,
Buy it from: Amazon.com
Logitech Portable Lapdesk N315
This portable lapdesk will give you the pleasure of working with your laptop from any where and feel like you’re in your office. It is a very simple device which you attach on the bottom of your laptop and it also has a mouse pad. So judging from it s name, it brings your office computer desk to your laps. This lapdesk is basically designed to protect your laps from notebook heat, so your lap will be cool and you will feel comfortable. When it comes to cost, you will spend only $14.99. Buy it from: Amazon.com
See how it works:
Interactive White Board:
Small businesses might not need this technology because they always have a small team which can learn via simple white board. Big businesses will need this digital interactive whiteboard for business presentations. This board can be used to illustrate areas of improvement in a business, target markets, customer demographics and much more. It can also save all presentations which can be retrieved at a later stage. You can buy this smart white board from: smarttech.com
Belkin Mini Surge Protector Dual USB Charger
This is a 360-degree rotating plug with over four locking positions. If all sockets are busy in the office, you can use this Belkin portable USB charger. You can use it to charge your laptop or mobile phone. It is a very affordable device; you will spend only $11.89. Buy it from: Amazon.com
See how it works:
Projector:
Both small and big businesses can use a projector for demonstration of projects or for training employees new skills required to accomplish specific tasks. A projector can be connected on a computer or tablet then data will be derived from the computer to a white board. The all process is simple and fast. Projectors are not used daily since most business have one major business meeting at the end of every month to project what has been archived and what has to be changed.When it comes to cost, this projector will cost you only $196.00, buy it from: Amazon.com
USB Webcam
This USB webcam can be used for video chatting and webcam conferencing with your employees or business partners. For tablets and laptops, they come with a built-in webcam, so you will not need this device, but If you have desktops, you need to buy a USB Webcam to enable you do video chats via programs like Skype. The main aim of owning this device is to simplify the way you communicate with your employees, customers and business partners. It is quite affordable; you will spend only $4.44. Buy it from: Amazon.com
Paper Cutters & Trimmers
On a daily basis every business will deal with documentation of various files. In most cases you will find your self in need of a paper cutter or trimmer, so the best thing is to buy one for your office. Those dealing in stationary business, you will need this paper cutter because your clients will be demanding various sizes of paper sheets. Paper cutters are not that expensive, you will spend only $44.00, buy it from: Amazon.com
Vue Personal Video Network
You can easily monitor what your employees are doing while at work using this personal video network camera. It is incredibly simple to use, simply position these Vue cameras anywhere with patented peel and stick magnetic mounts. It comes with a Vue network gateway which is very easy to install, after a simple installation, you will start viewing live videos of your workplace. This technology will help you monitor the performance of your employees when you’re not in office. These videos can be viewed online, you can record and share them if necessary. Its price starts from $299, you can buy it from: vuezone.com
Moo MiniCards
Every business person will need to have a well designed business card. A good business card has to have your company logo, your business contacts like email, phone number, fax number and website. Technically a business card has to look simple but professional, avoid too much graphics and make sure that what you do stands out on instant. Moo minicards will help you design your own business cards online, these minicards can fit well in your wallet and they are printed on a high quality paper which guarantees their quality and durability. Do not let your business cards let you down when it is very easy to create the best at a very cheap cost. Visit www.moo.com
Blackberry:
I have already mentioned the use of mobile phones in a business, but a blackberry is a special mobile phone for business. When it comes to data security, a Blackberry out smarts all other mobile phones, all your data will be safe and messages will be encrypted so your business information will be safe from mobile phone hackers, though it also has other functions like email, camera, USB port, Apps, and much more. When it comes to price, a good blackberry phone will cost you only $155. Buy it from: Amazon.com
SOFTWARE & WEB 2.0 TECHNOLOGY FOR BUSINESS
Jives
When it comes to group decision making, Jive is the best software for your business. It is a collaborative software for businesses which can improve the way your employees exchange information and make quick decisions at work. So your employees can discuss about a project OR product in a creative manner and the software was designed like a social network, which makes it easy to use. For more details visit: www.jivesoftware.com
Yammer
Yammer is a social networking platform for organization. Your employees can have a chance to interact and share information with other employees from big organizations. This flow of information will help you during the decision making process and the same information can be used in business growth However, for your employees to use Yammer, you need to create for them custom company emails which is a very easy thing. Simply register a domain name in your company name, then get simple hosting platform like iPage.com, then create emails for your team. For more details visit www.yammer.com
Kaltura
Kaltura can help you reach target markets using videos streaming technology. It is a very simple system to use just like Youtube, though Kaltura is basically business minded. You can publish your quality marketing videos across any device and reach more users whom you can turn into potential customers. You can also grow your revenue by monetizing your video content using tools provided by Kaltura. Already Kaltura is being used by over 150,000 companies; their service is truly shaping the way companies communicate. So you can as well give it a try and see if it can work for your business. For details visit: www.kaltura.com
Salesforce
It might be easy to get customers, but it is difficult to keep them. Salesforce has a Customer relationship management (CRM) system which you can use to manage relationships you have created with your customers. CRM will combine your business process, people and advanced technology to ensure that your relation with your customers stays strong. You can also use salesforce tools to acquire new customers. With Saleforce software you can easily know customer behaviors and this will help you customize products basing on their behaviors. Build a strong long-lasting relationship will help your business gain competitive advantage and your income as a business will increase. You can get more details at www.salesforce.com
Oracle
It is very important to manage and secure your business data very well. Oracle is an IT company which specializes in Database management Systems. You business can use ORACLE software for data consolidation. Many well established businesses like banks, communication companies, health-care, construction companies, transportation companies etc, are using ORACLE to manage and consolidate business information. For more details on how ORACLE can be of great use to your business, visit: www.oracle.com
Youtube Videos
Both small and big businesses are using Youtube to promote their services and products. The trick about YouTube marketing is that, you have to create entertaining videos, do not create videos which market or sell your products directly to your targeted market. People hate adverts, so if your videos are so direct, they will not share them across the network and other networks. Just know who you want to target, and then hire a creative video marketing company to create entertaining videos which can go viral on Youtube and other social networks. For details; visit – www.youtube.com
HubSpot
It is very important to promote your business so that you reach your targeted market and increase on your RIO. Some times businesses lose money on wrong marketing methods and Medias, if your business is small, your advertising budget will be fixed, so you need to spend your advertising cash very well. HubSpot is an all-in-One Marketing Software, it is a perfect marketing tool for your business because it has a marketing automation system which will help you grow your sales and it also has an analytic platform which will show you what is working and what is not working. For details go to: www.hubspot.com
Microsoft Outlook 2010
With Microsoft Outlook, you can manage all your business contacts and also be in position to automatically link all e-mails received from or sent to each of your customers. It is very important to keep your customers information organized and easily accessible. The new Microsoft Outlook has a simple interface which is very easy to use and lets you manage all of your business’s customer information within outlook. You can also share customer contacts with your business partners or employees, simply create share contacts. For details on how Microsoft Outlook works, visit: www.microsoft.com
Google Calendar and Google Docs
When it comes to time management and creating schedules for your self and your employees, Google Calendar will do the magic for you. Both Google Docs and Google Calendar are free, so you can try them out to see if they can be of great use in your business. If it is your first time to use them, then get video instructions on how to use Google Calendar and Google Docs on Youtube.com.
Consected Workflow
Consected Workflow is an online system which will help your business automate workflows and any business processes which can help your employees to improve on the way they deliver, organize work. These online systems will guarantee efficiency and also increase on your employee’s productivity. Consected is the most effective way to improve and automate your business processes. For details visit, www.consected.com
Ispringfree
You can create media-rich online presentations from PowerPoint to flash on instant with iSpring software. iSring Free 6.2 is the latest version which can transform all your PowerPoint presentations to Flash which will make it easy to present your work to your customers. It can also be used by a human resource manager to train new employees. The software is free, it can convert (.PPT, .PPTX, .PPS, .PPSX) presentations to Flash (.SWF). For easy presentation, you can use this software to reduce the size of your PowerPoint files up to 97%. To download iSpring Free, visit www.ispringsolutions.com
Skype
It does not matter if your business is small or big, communication is an important factor in business growth. With SKYPE, you can easily make live video calls to your business partners or employees. If both parties have installed skype on their devices or computers, you will both enjoy free video calls. You can also create work groups on skype, so that you can communicate as a group . Small businesses with 5 – 10 employees can create video chat groups for easy communication as a team. Skype is free and if you want to make skype to mobile phone calls, their prices per unit are affordable. For more details on SKYPE technology, visit; www.skype.com
Dragon Speak (voice recognition software)
If you want to do more with computers and save time to do other business tasks, then this Dragon speech recognition software will do the magic for you. Just imagine, you simply talk, and the Dragon software will do the typing. You can as well use your voice to create documents or emails, open files, and control your mouse and much more. It sounds so incredible because it will make your work easier and your employees will also deliver more with less stress. For more details on how Dragon Voice Recognition Software works, visit; www.nuance.com
I know you have been longing for this; Facebook has become too popular with now over 900 million users. Both small and big businesses are taking advantage of facebook’s growth. You can create a business page for your business and engage with your customers socially. To get the best of facebook, you need to update your business page so that your followers keep sharing and liking your content. You can also set a small budget to promote your facebook page to targeted users who might have interest in your products or services. The process of creating a business account is simple, simply signup with facebook, then follow instructions of creating a business page. However, make sure that you integrate your facebook page with your website. For details go to www.facebook.com
Sony ACID Music Studio (creating podcasts for PowerPoint presentation)
You might need to create Podcasts which you can use for PowerPoint presentation. This Sony ACID Music studio will help you record your own podcasts which can be used in a business meeting or they can be used to train employees. Recording messages will save you time and your employees can always re-play the recorded message. For details on how Sony ACID Music Studio works, visit: www.sonycreativesoftware.com
Notebook” from Circus Ponies
In normal circumstances, we take notes of what ever goes on in our businesses; we even make plans using notebooks. However, technology has now made it even simple; you can easily have a note book on your computer or device. The Circus Ponies Notebook will boost your performance at work and it will also help your employees stay organized. The Circus Ponies Notebook stores your information in electronic notebooks which will look like paper. It can work on Mac computers and iPads. For details visit; www.circusponies.com
Almost all professionals and business owners have an account on Linkedin.com. In brief, LinkeIn is a professional network with over 175 professionals using this network. These include founders of successful companies, CEO of successful companies, managers and other experts. You can use LinkedIn for your human resource needs, or you can use it to connect with professionals in your field. In business we need to have relevant connections so this platform will help you in building a professional network. You can create a free account today and test how the network works; visit; www.linkedin.com
WordPress
If your budget is limited to hire a professional website designer for your company website, you can opt for WordPress. With WordPress you can create a simple business website which displays all important information about your business. You can go to www.themeforest.com and buy a premium business theme which will make your website professional at only $50 – $80. Then get an affordable hosting company to host your business website. WordPress is a free content management system, and most website hosting companies have WordPress installed on their servers. Lean more on how to use WordPress on www.wordpress.org
Pocketinformant
When it comes to organizing your tasks managing your daily work, Pocket Informant will be the best choice for you. Many times you will be distracted by different things while at work, so many things will keep on popping up during the course and you might even forget the most important tasks in your business, so it is better to have a tool which can organize all your tasks. This application will save you tons of time, if you’re a personal assistant; I guarantee you will find this application very important. For more details about Pocket Informant; visit their website at www.pocketinformant.com
theideastartup.com
Every business is based on various ideas, as a business person, you will need to brainstorm and plan for the growth of your business. TheIdeaStartup.com is online business software which will help you create a business plan. Now they have re-branded to LaunchPlan.com, its platform will guide you through every section of the plan, this might include marketing, sales and financials. If you get stack, you can work with others for guidance. For more details on how the idea startup works, visit; www.LaunchPlan.com
Twitter is the best technology when it comes to updating your customers and followers about new products or promotions. Though almost 70% of tweets are ignored, but this will not stop you from using it. In my personal view, Facebook is the best when it comes to brand promotion, but giving test drive on twitter is not a bad idea. You can create a free business account and start tweeting your services and promotion, you can also use salesforce.com tools to measure your social marketing strategies. For details go to www.twitter.com
Snagit
Snagit is a screen capturing tool. It is a very good tool when it comes to making tutorials about your services or products. If your business requires explaining to clients how your service or product works, you will need to create video tutorials to save time, then upload them both on Youtube.com and on your website. Use to improve on your customer service, provide your clients with video or image tutorials on how your products or service works and increase your sales. For more details on how Snagit works, visit; www.techsmith.com/snagit.html
Elance.com
You might want to save money on professional work, so the best place to find professionals at an affordable cost is Elance.com. The network now has over 1.8 million skilled freelancers from all parts of the world. You simply post a job and mention how much you’re willing to pay, then various professionals will apply and give you a sample of the work. The all system is safe, you pay the money to Elance.com, and the professional will be paid only when the Job is complete. Also your Human resource manager can use Elance.com to hunt for talented professionals who might help in your business growth and expansion. For more details, go to ; www.elance.com
DropBox.com
Transferring and storing big data files can be a hassle, but with Dropbox, you can easily save all your data files on their cloud servers and this data will be secured with high end data security technology. Dropbox is free to join, and you will also get free storage space for all your business files. The good thing about this technology is that you can access your files from anywhere using internet. Dropbox also has a mobile application which will allow you save data right from your smart phone onto your Dropbox account, the same mobile application will enable you access your data files via your mobile phone. It is a very secure and flexible service. Drop all your files on Dropbox and simplify the way you save and access your business data. Visit; www.Dropbox.com
Paypal.com
If your business is online, you have to consider having more than one payment option for your services or products. PayPal is very simple and easy to implement, after creating your website, go to paypal.com a open a business account. Then create product ID for each of your product or service in PayPal, after creating these product ID’s , you will have to copy and paste an HTML code from PayPal to your website to enable your online clients easily pay for your products or services. When ever a payment is made, you will receive a notification from PayPal. To know how PayPal works and how it can simplify the way your customers order for products, visit; www.paypal.com
BatchBook
You can easily get customers through persuasive adverts, but it might be very difficult for you to build and keep a strong relationship with your new and old customers. So Batchbook software will play the game for you, Batchbook is a social CRM which will help you build long-lasting meaningful relationships with your favorite customers. The software is cloud based, so any one at your workplace can use it from anywhere on any type of device. This software will enable you keep track of every relative detail about each customer and they also have a friendly support team which will help you get started. Before you spend any money, simply start with a free 30 Day trial version. For details, visit; www.batchbook.com
MyNextCustomer.com
It is very easy to set up a campaign with high hopes that it will yield results, but many times we lose most of adverting cash because we opt for wrong expensive advertising methods. MyNextCustomer.com has a custom dashboard which will help you track all adverts you make online and it will automatically calculate your RIO for each advert, this will save you both money and time. Via your dashboard you will know which adverts work and the ones you should drop. With MyNextCustomer.com, you can track SEO, PPC campaigns, Social Media campaigns and so much more. Now they have a new service called ”Call Tracking & Recording. With this new service, MyNextCustomer can tell you who called and what they wanted. For more details you can visit; www.mynextcustomer.com
GoldMail
Email marketing can not be replaced; it is very affordable and effective. The only trick about email marketing is that you must know who to market to; you need to build a database of clients interested in your product or service. In brief i call it ”Consumer Guided Database Marketing ”. Gold mail is quite different from other email marketing software, with Gold Mail, you can send power point presentations to your targeted market. You can as well add VOICE so that users can listen when they open the PowerPoint file. Gold Mail is among the best audio slideshow messaging system which can help you increase sales overnight. For details go to www.goldmail.com
QR Code
QR Codes can be used in different ways. For those who don’t know what a QR Code means, it is a (Quick Response Code). Basically QR Codes can be read by cell phones, if you look at the image about, you will not understand any thing, but a cell phone will read this for you. Many businesses use QR Codes; i have seen them in magazines, on billboards, on adverts, on clothes etc…. Many times, business owners will create this QR Codes ad a promotional trick, users will have to use their cell phones to see the promotional code hidden in this QR Code. However, for a cell phone to read a QR Code, that phone must have a QR Code reader. Make your own free QR Codes via www.kaywa.com
ConstantContact.com
When you start a business website, you will need to stay in touch with your website users, so the best way is to use constantcontact.com tools. Once reader subscribe for newsletters and updates, they will always get fresh updates from your website in their inbox. Constantcontact.com will help you manage your client email list and it will also help your community and website traffic grow gradually. You can grow and expand your online business with email marketing. Start your free email campaign today and measure the results. Visit; www.constantcontact.com
ACT contact management system
As your business keeps on growing, also your consumer base and business partners will keep on increasing so you will need a better system to manage both customer and business partner’s contacts. ACT contact management system is the best answer for you. Sage ACT will make it simple for you to manage anything related to contacts. Both individuals and teams of up to 10 people can use the software at once, so your employees can also be in position to add contacts, or access contacts of clients at any time. This will improve on the way your employees make decisions and how they respond to demands from specific clients. From today, get organized with a single view of all your customer contact info, emails, meeting notes and much more….for details go to www.sage.com
Meetup.com
Now that every business is going social, it is time you also jump on the wagon to gain competitive advantage. Meetup.com is a social network which helps groups of people with related interest plan real life meetings and also create online and offline clubs. This network takes social networking off the internet to real life. The people with the same interests online will have a chance to meet in real life. How wonderful that can be for your small business? Simply create your club, share interest, meet regularly to discuss about your interests. This form of communication and interaction will breed new business ideas and it can also expand on your customer database. Give it a try and see how it works. Visit www.meetup.com
Awesome note app
You can now manage all your business tasks and schedules via your mobile phone, so you don’t have to carry a laptop or tablet all the time. With this Awesome note app, you can install it on your smart phone and start using it to manage tasks, take notes, and much more. A business person, you will find this application very important, many time we think of great ideas and we forget to take note of them, so as you travel by train or plane, a great idea will pop up, and you will take note of it using this Awesome note app.
Some of the features of this App include:
- Attaching Photos, Maps and Drawings
- Editing of your Notes using a word processing tool
- Does not need internet to work.
- It also displays To-dos, Notes, Events in a Calendar
- It uses an Alarm for ”Notifications”
- You can also Email note directly from the Application
However it is not free application, you will spend only $3.99. Get it from: itunes.apple.com
See how it works:
hootsuite.com
If you start social media marketing you will have one big problem and that is ”Managing all your social media profiles” If you create a campaign on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or Stumbleupon, you will need a single system to manage all these profiles also to show you the performance of your campaign. You can also use hootsuite.com to create social media posts and submit them with ease. You can as well schedule messages and tweets, because your target market might be using a different time zone, so it makes sense if you advertise to them when they are active on the network. You can signup for a free 30 day trial version and test the pro version, but if you have no budget for this technology, you can still use it for free but the features will be limited. Get more details on www.hootsuite.com
NetSuite.com
NetSuite provides various business solutions which include; (1) Netsuite Cloud ERP Solution which takes your business beyond normal accounting software, it has a well build dashboard which will enable you make better faster decisions. The Cloud ERP Solution will improve accountability and compliance with a strong traceability. (2) Suite Commerce, will improve on the way your clients shop for your products on any device. It takes e-commerce everywhere, the application will enable you sell on multiple marketplaces like ebay / amazon , it also allows you to sell your products in multiple languages or currencies which in end can increase your RIO. For more details visit: www.netsuite.com
Image below shows how suite commerce can make your website user friendly on all devices
Infusionsoft.com
No-matter how good your products or services are, without marketing them will yield you less results. Infusion soft is an all-in-one sales and marketing software built for small businesses. It comes with a CRM, e-Commerce, social media and email marketing functionalities. It’s powerful software which will automatically convert leads into new customers and it will grow your sales rapidly and give you more time to focus on other business factors like inventory and product improvement. For more details you can visit them at www.infusionsoft.com
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
After setting up your business website, you will need to set a budget to optimize your website for Search engines. Having a well designed website will not guarantee traffic to that website; you need to hire an expert to add some juice on that website so that it ranks well in all search engines. Traffic from search engines can easily be turned into sales because these people come to your website after typing a specific keyword. So if your website is about services or products make sure it is optimized on all keywords that describe your products or services.
bit.ly
As you plan to market your business on various social networks and platforms, you might want to shorten your product links so that social network users can easily remember them. Many times , product links are long so they kind of irritate the user when they see them, with bit.ly, you simply copy and paste any product link and their system will automatically generate a short link which you can embed in your promotion across various top social networks like Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. To see how the bit.ly URL shortening technology works, visit them at www.bit.ly
Evernote.com
When it comes to clipping business ideas and examples you have found online, opt for Evernote.com. With its web clipping tool, you can cut out any good idea via your browser and save those ideas in your account on Evernote.com. These ideas can include branding ideas from your competitors, marketing and promotional ideas, product ideas and much more. Evernote.com is free, simply create your account and play around with their tools for your own personal needs. Some of these technologies are not made for business, but as a user you can turn around the all technology to fit your business needs. For details visit; www.Evernote.com
Pinterest.com
Now with over 25 million users, Pinterest is a great marketing tool for your business. However, not all businesses will get good traffic from Pinterest, because most of its users are women, so make sure that women love your product or service. To promote your business on Pinterest, you have to create various entertaining boards, then pin creative images from various sources then and pin images from your websites. The trick is to create a balance so that users of Pinterest do not suspect you as a self promoter. You can also install the ‘’Pin it’’ button on your website so that your readers can share your images on their boards. Register with Pinterest for free at www.pinterest.com
Zendesk.com
The better you serve your customers, the more your business will grow and gain competitive advantage. Zendesk will help you improve on the way you handle and respond to your customers needs and complaints. When ever your customers are happy about your services, they will spread the word and more people will be enticed to use your product or service through that ”WORD OF MOUTH”. Zendesk software any most smart devices like Blackberry, Android, iPad, Windows, and iPhone. So your support department will always be available to handle customers’ needs. For details on how ZENDESK works, visit; www.zendesk.com
Toodledo
You can be more productive with TooDledo. It works as a to-do-list to organize your daily business tasks. Do not get overwhelmed by too much assignments and tasks, simply organize and schedule each task. This will improve your productivity at work and also your employees will find it easier to complete specific tasks in a given period of time. You can manage all your tasks via your mobile phone using the Toodledo mobile App. Your employees can work with other people on shared projects with Toodledo’s collaboration tools. Register for free and try it out, for more details visit; www.toodledo.com
Xobni
You can imagine how many email contacts you have and you know how difficult it can be top trace a specific email address when need arises. With Xobni smart address book, all your emails will be managed under one place. You can manage all your emails from Yahoo, Gmail, or Outlook under one address book. Xobni is a mobile phone application which works on Android phones, iPhone and BlackBerry phones, so all your email contacts and messages will be in your palm. You can also subscribe for a package for your team. For more details on how it works, visit; www.xobni.com
Kickstarter.com
Creating a business idea which works is not easy, but also making it a reality is another big challenge. Many people have good business ideas, but those ideas die because these creative people lack startup capital. Kickstater.com is one of the world’s largest funding platforms for creative ideas. So if you have a nice business idea which can show a good profit margin in a shortest period as possible, try to join Kickstarter. Before submitting your project, try to make some research on projects which have been funded via Kickstarter.com, this will show you want attracts Kickstarter investors. For details on how Kickstarter works, visit; www.kickstarter.com
AgelList
Many successful businesses have been funded by Angel investors, a good example is PINTEREST. Angel investors will see the potential in a business and they will that business with enough money to brake even as they tailor the product to make huge profits. If your business is promising, you can submit it to Angel.co, on this platform, your startup will meet experienced talents and investors who might have interest in your business, make sure that your startup is operating and it has some potential growth. For more details, visit; www.angel.co
Function Fox
Just like the old saying goes that ”Time is money”, so you have to value time and plan all your projects well. Many small businesses are using functionfox.com to track the amount of time they spend on client projects. When you keep these records, you will be in position to assess profitability by client or project. Functionfox has four packages which can help you manage your time and projects and these include;
(1). timefox lite which is a basic timesheet and reporting system customized for a single person company – for example freelancers , website designers , programmers , graphic designers and so much more
(2). timefox classic is a time and project management system which can be used by thousands of professionals; it is a good package for small growing companies.
(3). timefox premier is related to the time classic but it includes additional assignment and scheduling – it is good for big firms which need advanced project management.
(4). timefox in-house is a time and reporting system which includes a project request form and it also has multiple reports.
Note: All these packages have different pricing, for more details visit; www.functionfox.com
Easy Video Player:
If you’re a video marketing specialist, you will find Easy Video Player very essential. With this tool, you can create effective marketing video, you can as well create simple video sales pages that can drive your visitors to become potential customers. The other interesting thing is that you can embed ”buy now” buttons in your videos and you can also put link in your videos and redirect them to a sales page on your website. It sounds like a great video marketing tool which can boost your sales from crap. For more details on how it works, visit; www.easyvideoplayer.com
Excel
Microsoft Excel is a very easy to use application, with basic knowledge; you can use Excel to complete various tasks in your business. (1) Scheduling: – You can easily create weekly worksheets for your employees and this will help them stay organized at home. (2) Basic Accounting: – It is very easy to record sales, debt and expenditure figures in Excel. You can create curves and graphs with time to compare your business income and project your business growth. (3) Record Product Sales: – Many small businesses are using Excel to record sales records for each day.
Mobile Me
Mac Computers come with some awesome applications, you can use Mobile Me to share files at your workplace. Mobile ME will allow you to put contact or appointments in your cell phone and you have those appointments synced with your Mac computer. File sharing helps in the movement of information amongst employees and it also improves on the way your employees make decisions.
Join.me
Screen sharing can improve team work while at work. You can use Join.me to enhance project sharing via computer screens. It is a very good technology for IT specialist, programmers, designers etc. So as you work on a project, you can share your screen with others to view and discuss about your work. It is well known that when more people collaborate, they share ideas and more work gets done. So this online software will tear down all obstacles which can hinder group sharing. You can start with a free trial version at www.join.me
AppMuse
After succeeding with your online business, you need to shift your business to mobile phones. It might be very expensive to hire a developer for our small business. So Appmuse.com has made it simple. On this website, you can submit in your project needs and various App Developers will give you quotes on how it can take to make a mobile App for your small business. They develop apps for iPhone, Blackberry, Andriod smart phones. So how much can it cost you to develop an App for your business? i guess this will depend on what your App to be, the more complicated the more expensive, if you make it a basic App, then also the cost will be fair. For more details visit; www.appmuse.com
GoDaddy
If you think of having a simple quick business website, you need to host it with a trusted website hosting company. In this case, i recommend GoDaddy, with this company; you will get everything you need. They provide you will tools for designing simple HTML websites and you will do this in a few hours , then your website will be hosted immediately. You will also have a personal control panel which you can use to create company emails for your staff. You can also choose from different stunning web templates and customize them to your needs. You can also convert your website to a mobile friendly site without any technical skills. For details go to ; www.godaddy.com
Google Alerts
You can easily monitor your web brand performance using Google alerts. To get information about your brand, you set keywords you want to monitor or you can monitor your website URL. After commanding Google on which queries you’re interested in, you will create alerts and Google Alerts will email you latest relevant Google results based on your selected queries. It is a good tool to monitor your competition on online, to get latest news in your niche and much more. Try it out for free at www.google.com/alerts
FiveRR.com
Every one wants cheap labor to save money. Fiverr is a great source of cheap labor. You can hire any one to do for your online marketing , video marketing, social network marketing , programming , business logo designing and much more for as low as $5. I have used fiverr, but the only thing you should avoid is buying facebook or twitter likes, because most of them are fake accounts and also do business with people with high rates. For details on how Fiverr works you can visit; www.fiverr.com
FreeMind mapping tool
Some times you will run out of inspiration and creativity, so you need to use some tools to boost your brain productivity. In this case you can use FreeMind mapping tools like ‘’Action Machine Pro’’ You can use a FreeMind mapping tool to stay motivated and active, you can use it to plan every single detail of your business goals, these goals can be short term or long term. It is good to create a plan for your business; many times people fail to succeed in business because they do not plan. Be realistic when creating plans, know what you can archive in the short run and in the long run. Outline the needs of your business in the short run and in the long run, and then draft plans basing on those needs.
Practice Pay Solutions
Practice Pay Solutions will change the way you do online business, they provide various e-commerce solutions to help you do online business with ease. Some of the solutions include; (1) Credit Card Acceptance solution. With this solution you can easily accept credit card payments on your website and money will be transferred to your account on time. Providing your clients with various payment methods will increase on your sales. (2) Online Shopping Carts solution – this will allow you add a shopping cart on your website. This shopping cart is easy to integrate with your website so you don’t need any experience to set it. Other solutions include e-commerce website templates and e-University solutions. For more details; go to www.practicepaysolutions.com
BaseCamp
When it comes to project management, BaseCamp is the best solution for your business. Its simple technology will simplify the way you and your employees manage projects. You can keep track of project discussions, data files right from the beginning to the end. Already 4,947 companies are trusting BaseCamp to manage their projects, so you can also give it a try, subscriptions start from $20 a month, but the good news is that you can start with a 45-day free trial. For more details go to www.BaseCamp.com
TransferBigFiles.com
If you want to transfer or send big business files via email , try out Transferbigfiles.com , this service will allow you to transfer files which range from 2GB – 5GB. Businesses and Enterprises can get custom packages which suit their needs. They also provide free file hosting, so you can as well host your big file on their servers and access them from any where. For more details on how their service work, visit ; www.transferbigfiles.com
MindMeister
If you want to boost the creativity of your employees, you can use Mindmeister. Some times teams need to get a little bit of brain storming to solve problems or make business decisions. This tool will help you see things through in minutes, so if the all team is using this tool, they will have 99% chances of creating new fresh ideas to solve a specific problem or complete a project at hand. Mind mapping tools are not so popular and very few business people use them, but when you start using them, you will see that they play a great deal when it comes to brain dumping. You can get more details on how Mindmeister Mind Mapping tool works at www.mindmeister.com
Linux
It is very essential to keep your business data safe from online hackers, however, these data theives are becoming wise everyday, so this is a game of Cat and mouse. Hackers will always find ways to stealing your business information and use it for their own personal needs or sometimes they just sell it to your competitor. With LINUX, the game can become a bit difficult for them because LINUX is a very secure operating system which you can install on your computers. I know it is not 99% safe, but its is far much better than the regular windows operating system.
SMART Meeting Pro™ software
You can boost teamwork using this SMART Meeting Pro™ software. Many times projects and problems get solved when teams combine ideas and experience, so with this SMART Meeting Pro™ software, your employees, or business partners will find it easy to work and collaborate as a team. It also has a touch-enabled whiteboard, digital ink and capability to save your work and retrieve it at a later stage for reference. For more details on how SMART Meeting Pro™ software works, visit; www.smarttech.com
Bridgit conferencing software
You can easily collaborate with other teams remotely in real time using Bridgit conferencing software. Teams from various departments and areas can work on the same content simultaneously and they can even ink into each other’s documents regardless of their location. You can as well integrate this software with smart white boards, iPads, remote computers or flat panels. It supports a webcam which can enable participants see each other while working on a single project. For more details on how Bridgit conferencing software works, visit www.smarttech.com
liveplan.com
This company is reinventing the way we write business plans. With Liveplan.com is a web-based software which can allow you to write and edit your business plan from anywhere. You will get expert advice, built-in help, and you can also have access to over 500 complete sample business plans. You can easily create an impressive business plan which can win investors trust in your business idea. Since it has never been easy to start planning for success, you will enjoy LivePlan features at an affordable price. For example, annual subscription will cost you only $11.66, then ”Pay as you go” will cost you $19.95 month-to-month. For more details, visit; www.liveplan.com
Zoho Books
Keeping track of your financials is very important because that is how you can project your business growth. ZOHO Books is an online Accounting Software which can help you track your business progress. This software was designed to save you time yet it solves all your accounting problems with ease. ZOHO Books has a social collaboration function which can allow you to share your books with your accountant to get some professional help with basic accounting skills. With the same software, you can share your data with anyone in your company and also be in position to set different permissions for you and your employees. For more details on how ZOHO Books works, visit; www.zoho.com
ViewPoint
You can use ViewPoint software to accomplish more than one business tasks. With ViewPoint, you can do document and Email Management, Client and Internal Accounting, client profile management , you can as well automate event based document generation. For more details on how this ViewPoint software works, visit; www.viewpoint.com
