7 Handy Online Tools to Grow Your Business

Growing a business is a process and it does not happen overnight. Once you have online accounts in place, the opportunity to reach more people becomes available. With this a business can create content to share, create online broadcasts and interact with customers. Interaction is important to maintain a positive reputation. 

Dropbox and Programs of the Like

Dropbox and programs that are similar allow users to host files and access them from any computer that has the software. These files are also able to be accessed from mobile devices. For businesses with multiple types of files and/or products, this is an ideal organizational tool. Users are able to create folders that are labeled for specific topics. Finding the content or file that you need is rather simple. The files can be used to upload online, send to clients or share with others virtually. Another benefit of this is that each file gets a link of its own. The links can be shared online that will direct others right to the content.

Speak to Type Programs

Speak to type or text programs, such as Dragon and SpeakWrite, transcribe what you are saying into text on a word processing page. These programs are fairly inexpensive and save a lot of time. It also allows users to multitask, such as research on a second monitor as content is created or shop online if that is the desire. This convenience also helps to prevent tendinitis and other typing related ailments.

Take Online Payments

When a business or service is able to take online payments and deposits, it is more appealing to users. This convenience saves users of your website a lot of time. The ability to take online payments from a variety of sources, such as credit, debit and virtual accounts such as PayPal, will increase revenue for the business. It is important that the features put in place for users to make these payments are user-friendly and fast loading as well as completely safe and secure. 

Build a User-Friendly Website

Nowadays it is important to have a website as a business. Not only does this help to build your reputation but it allows more Internet users to be aware of your business. A positive online reputation is important and can either make or break your business. The impression that users have of the website and how the business runs is important. Users must be able to easily navigate a website and it must be easy on the eyes and fast loading. The navigation must also be simplified to prevent user frustration.

Manage your Money

This is a crucial step if you wish to grow your business. You have to manage your money and be on top of revenues, expenses and losses at all times. This includes having daily financial reports as well as access to the bank account online to view balances, deposits and payments. If a business owner does not now where the money is going, chances are that they are setting themselves up for financial disaster. Online accounting software allows you to combine multiple revenue streams and see them in one area. You’ll be able to understand how much tax you need to pay and whether you’ve turned a profit in a matter of seconds.

Business Cards

Businesses and business owners need business cards. This goes without saying. Every person of status and those in sales should also have cards available. Even if it is just dropping a card into a letter or speaking with a friend about the business, every opportunity to hand one out is an opportunity to gain a new customer. These should be on-hand at all times. 

Use Social Media Networks

Social media networks are becoming the best way to reach out to new and existing customers. The ideal networks to share content on are Google+, LinkedIn and Facebook. Twitter is fizzling out as far as popularity and a way to boost your presence are concerned. It is also beneficial to post photos of products on Instagram and Pinterest to grab the attention of more users.

These are just a few of the tools that you should consider to help grow your business. It takes more than just advertising and word-of-mouth to increase revenues and gain new clients. This is a constant process. If you have these tools implemented properly, the business will grow itself with minimal work being needed on your part as the owner.

4 Online Marketing Services that Drive Success

To do well with a business, one must have a multifaceted approach that involves trying to find customers with a variety of different methods. However, this is not always easy, as many new business owners do not know what actually helps to build a strong a customer base. Here are four online marketing services that drive success. 

SEO

With high organic search rankings, a company can see a lot of traffic to their website. To get started, most people opt to do it on their own and experience poor results, since it is difficult for the average person to do it right. Luckily, a professional SEO company can, with ease, help a website reach the first page of the major search engines. They can do this by helping the business create solid content and gain links from a variety of quality sources. Thus, when you are even looking for a dental practice marketing service, you should first consider using an SEO company in order to generate a large amount of natural attention. 

Email marketing

With email, one can market their ideas to a wide audience and find a lot of success. To begin, one should hire a service that can construct a marketing email that will bring in new visitors to the website of the company. These same companies, such as 123 Postcards, will also be able to provide your company with a direct mail service, which will make sure that you reach out to as many people as possible. This is a perfect option for a business that has a hard time getting people excited about their product using other methods. 

Social media marketing

Most people fail to build a sound social media marketing plan, as they do not know what will interest followers. The problem is that many people will simply give up when they don't see results from their efforts with social media. In order to see the best results, you should consider using a professional company that will know how to build and use your social media sites with the maximum amount of efficiency in mind. Remember, social media is here to stay, and a company must embrace this early on if it wants to succeed. 

Surveys

When owning a website, one will, inevitably, have both satisfied and angry customers. To understand the reason for these varying opinions, one should conduct surveys. This will not only help the business to understand the mindset of clients, but with this information, the business owner can improve the situation and avoid causing issues with current and potential customers. However, most people do not know how to conduct a survey tactfully, and it is best for an entrepreneur to pay someone to do this task, since it is necessary to ask the right questions without alienating or bothering visitors that come to the business. 

With these four services, a company can build their customer base and achieve long-term success.

Eight Tactics to Increase Millennial Productivity at your Business

With each business that we have today, a merchant account is required to get the debit/credit card processed. Once the six month trial period is over a reserve amount is returned to the business owner and they transition into what is known as a merchant account with no reserve. Congratulations on making it past the six month trial time. 

Like all businesses, we all transition day in and day out, and in order to do that, we have to adapt. Some of the most intelligent kids of this generation are facing challenges with business and personal issues, and in order to move forward to accommodate this challenge, eight tactics to increase Millennial productivity at your business must come into play. (A millennial is a person born sometime between 1982 and 2000 or there about. They have been dubbed some of the most productive of any generation, but only because of the machines they have had in their upbringing and adult life. Most face many challenges balancing their social media life, family life, and keeping healthy lifestyles.)

Here are some things to help businesses with their millennial generation.

1. Nose to the grind stone. Keep this generation busy and teach them the techniques that will help them become stronger intelligent adults that have a wonderful work ethic.

2. Have their job lined out for them. Give them assignments and their requirements for the job. If they know what is expected of them, likely they will have no issue getting the job done.

3. Have creative projects for them. More than any other generation, the Millennial’s know how to express themselves. Better to help them release their creative energy, than to read about it on Facebook with a negative review of your workplace.

4. Don’t punish them. Find a reward system that will increase their productivity and get them goal oriented. The more they reach their goals, the more you get done.

5. Reward them for their work. As stated above, they are more likely to increase their work if they love what they are doing. If it’s not fun anymore, they have no problem moving on to the next job.

6. Training. Make sure that when you train them, you get them to understand that they represent you on the job and they need to be polite and courteous.

7. Remind them to say thank you. A lot of this generation has forgotten their manners. As a constant reminder, say ‘thank you’ and ‘you’re welcome’. Remind them it’s quite alright to have a pleasant demeanor.

8. Gadgets. Have the most advanced gadgets available to them. They will love you for it, and their productivity will continue to soar, as they are the ones that integrate with this kind of technology.

So, now that you have grown your business beyond the probation period, it means you survived the six month period and your company is growing. You have the new generation to train with their hyper and super brains, let’s hope the list helps out a bit and great things are to come your way.

About the Author:


Blair Thomas is an electronic payment expert, who loves all things finance and planning. He is also the co-founder of eMerchantBroker.com, the #1 bad credit merchant account company in the country. But when he’s not running his business he’s more than likely exploring his other passions; music, mountain biking and camping. If you would like to see what he's up to, check him out on Facebook.

5 Marketing Tactics Your Business Hasn't Utilized

When your business wants to stand out, having a unique marketing strategy can help. Appealing to your niche of customers in untapped forums is essential for selling more products and services. By thinking outside of the box and using promotional products to enhance your business's image, you can connect with a large audience of customers. Here are some marketing tactics that any business can consider to improve the way that it connects with customers on a daily basis.

1. Give out promotional products at trade shows.

Trade shows are an excellent way to promote a business because they attract a targeted audience who may become clients because they’re interested in what you have to offer. Clients will typically go to trade shows to learn more about a business's products before they make the leap into investing in its products. By handing out promotional products with your contact information at trade shows, a business can distinguish itself from the hundreds of other businesses featured at trade shows and encourage prospects to hold onto their “business cards.”

2. Use Pinterest to host promotions.

Pinterest has already taken the business world by storm as a new social media marketing tool, but few businesses are using it apart from placing images of products online. A business can use Pinterest to actually host promotions and give away promotional products. Using Pinterest in this way can cause a spiral effect amongst customers and encourage them to also re-pin images for a business.

3. Host a Twitter feed contest.

Any business should also try hosting a Twitter feed contest with promotional products. The individual who tweets the most about a business can receive promotional rally towels, pens, totes or whatever is most appropriate for your audience. There is an endless list of promotional products that a business can use as a reward for the winner of a Twitter feed contest.

4. Post updates on Facebook.

It is also important for businesses to keep in touch with customers through a forum like Facebook. Facebook gives businesses the opportunity to post news updates about the latest products that a business has to offer. Businesses can take advantage of an excellent opportunity to get to know a customer base on Facebook.

5. Sending e-mail newsletters to clients.

In an e-mail newsletter, a business can inform customers about the latest promotions being hosted by a company. Businesses can inform customers about promo items, new products, or special sales on products and services.

Any business can improve the way that it markets itself to customers. With these marketing tactics, a business can easily get in touch with clients and develop a favorable reputation in the community.

5 Great Ways Pinterest Can Improve Your Career

One of the key elements of building your own career is to start connecting with people, start advertising your skills and to make a good impression to others. The social media is one of the medium that is most commonly used for advertising. This advertising scheme using the social media network is not only exclusive for internet marketers but also to professional individuals as well. Using the social media can become a powerful tool that you can use in helping to boost your career and doing the same is not merely limited in advertising your career through text but through images as well. 

Pinterest makes it possible for any professional to improve their career by using its platform for advertising their work, more primarily their skills in designing and other visual portfolio. Pinterest is a social media network which unique feature is the virtual pin board that allows people to pin or post images which is an opportunity to promote the visual presentation of your brand, career or profession. If you aim to promote your career using Pinterest, here are 5 great ways to help you take the right directions. 

1. Showcase your specialty or professional industry

Using Pinterest is a great opportunity to show enticing images that will showcase your specialty or professional career. If you are a professional wedding organizer for instance, you can certainly post the images of the events to which you organized and pin them on your virtual board for everyone to see. If you are a chef, you can take a picture of your master recipes and make people start liking your mouth watering menus. Web designers can post the websites that they have designed while artists could also pin the photos of their masterpieces of artwork. Because photos are worth a thousand words, you can always showcase your brand and specialization that is within your profession in order to boost your career using Pinterest and make your specialty known to the public. 

2. Highlight your customers with due recognition

Pinterest (Photo credit: stevegarfield)

Pinterest can help boost your career when you try to recognize your customers in your Pinterest account. Try to recognize your loyal customers by pinning their photos, their website or anything related to them that will give due recognition for contracting your services. This way, you are building your customers’ loyalty and make them repeat buyers or customers in the future. Customers always like the feeling of being recognized, therefore you should exert effort to make them feel important and appreciated and they will likely patronize your services which is a step of building your career reputation. 

3. Use Pinterest to hunt for a job

You can use Pinterest to promote your portfolio and professional career in landing your dream job. By creating your own personal brand that will highlight your accomplishments and creations by showcasing them on your pin board. Choose the most appropriate videos, photos and articles to pin on your Pinterest pin board that will highlight your skills and talents. You can use this as a reference to support your professional career in order to land your dream job. If you are fortunate enough, someone may find your Pinterest profile very interesting and might offer you a job that fits your qualifications. 

4. Make your Pinterest board a good resource for similar career industry

 (Photo credit: colleengreene)

Users of Pinterest can pin images or re-pin the other user’s photos or pinned items on their own virtual pin board. You can start improving your career and allow it to gain a momentum by working out to make your own pin board a resource of information that is related to your line of profession. You can always be on search for related news and updates about your professional career and provide that valuable information to your own pin board for others to find and re-pin on their pin board as well. You gain more popularity for people who belong to the same work industry as yours and you can start building your own professional brand and career by becoming an authority about your specific career field. 

5. Connect with other Pinterest users who belong to a similar profession as yours

You need to stay connected with people who have the same profession as yours. The more people you can get to become your own network of friends, the more exposure your Pinterest profile gets. As you use your Pinterest account as an extension of your portfolio to showcase your skills and talents, the more people will likely start noticing you. It is essential to be able to connect with professionals who could give you tips on how to prosper in your career and who may be able to vouch for you with a good word of recommendation. Pinterest is a good place to start making friends with people who share the same interest as yours and to professionals who are already successful in similar career industry as yours.

About the Author:

The guest post is written by Mackenzie, finance and business writer and guest blogger for 4 years already. She is proficient at webdesign, internet marketing and guest blogging. She runs the website  Accountancy Services and she loves covering the articles on various blog sites.

Keeping up with Technology for Over 50's

Image via CrunchBase

You could be a tech savvy over 50, a newcomer to all these social networking sites, or just plain confused about which sites are safe and how they might benefit your life. Social networking sites are suitable for all ages and interests and can make keeping in touch with far flung relatives and friends so much easier. You don't need to be a rocket scientist to use them and many over 50's are already feeling the benefits of joining up to sites like Instagram. 

Despite the recent controversy Instagram remains safe, stable and the ideal place to start or extend your foray into social networking. You will find a large range of people in your age group with varying interests and internet abilities. Keeping up with the latest technology is a bit of a mine field at times but worth it if you persevere. Specifically for iPad and iPhone users Instagram is easy to use, free and has many features that will enable you to alter or print digital images, share with others and make a permanent record of any special moments you'd like to treasure. 

As we get older it seems that more and more of our friends and family end up scattered across the globe. People move away for better work prospects or a warmer climate to spend their retirement in. Sites such as Instagram can actually save you money on expensive out of state phone calls, allow you to share your precious memories and photographs with family, friends and followers and stay up to date with the latest happenings in your close ones lives. 

If you've managed to work out how to use your iPad or iPhone, then you'll find Instagram even easier. Tutorials are available if you need extra help but really once you've tried Instagram out you will see there was no need to panic. Being over 50 doesn't mean your brain does not work, it means you have more life experiences and memories to draw on and share with other people. Saving money with social network sites is a big bonus in this economic climate. Make your money go further and discover why over 100 million users are already using Instagram regularly to share photo's files and more. 

Instagram - 8 (Photo credit: BrentOzar)

With regular updates, security measures and rules in place to help guard against unwanted or undesirable images, with apps such as Instagram you can be safe in the knowledge that all users best interests are catered for. Instagram offers the pick of all the social networking sites in one easy to use package, that takes the hassle and hard work away, leaving plenty of time for you to enjoy your life. Why not sign up today and see for yourself why 1 new Instagram account is created every second?

 

Save money, valuable time and stay in touch with the people you want to with Instagram. Photograph special moments and events or even the latest coupons at the local store and share with your friends and family so they can save money too. You can print your digital images easily, add filters and effects, then save with a #hashtag so you can easily find them again. It really is that simple. Instagram has so much to offer over 50's no matter where you are located or what you are doing. Take a look and judge for yourself, you won't be disappointed. 

This article was provided by Steve of Buy Instagram Likes – the premier website to purchase Instagram services.