In today’s competitive world, your business brand is more than just a pretty logo and unique name. A few years back when social media was born, many believed that crafting words into print and digital media would work. As consumers begin to demand more transparency on the Web, it’s simply not enough to talk the ‘talk.’ You have to engage people and have meaningful conversations. In the age of social media, creating a buzz is like sharing a 14″ pizza with your audience; You can’t eat it all. (more…)
Archive for the ‘Business’ Category
Do They Love You?
Thursday, July 8th, 2010
What business doesn’t have a Web site these days? When connecting online is the standard, it’s only logical to use the Internet as your marketing tool. Now, the only question that comes to mind is: Are you maximizing the power of the World Wide Web through your Web site? (more…)
Stop. Ask. Assess!
Thursday, July 1st, 2010
Starting a business can be a very exciting thing, especially when you believe you have the next big thing. Days and weeks of planning just pump up your adrenaline, giving you sleepless nights until that big launch date. You may have the money, energy, time, and people that will help you get your business out there, but do you have what it takes to succeed as an entrepreneur? Overconfidence can be road kill and the last thing you want is to fail. You can avoid that by asking yourself these 10 crucial questions before you start your business:
(more…)
Up, Up and Away… to the Clouds!
Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010
Perhaps you have heard the words and wonder what’s up there in the clouds. The latest buzzwords, Cloud Computing, has been around quite some time. What does it really mean? Is it just a fad? On the contrary, cloud computing is more than just a passing business trend.
(more…)
Mobile Commerce is IN!
Tuesday, June 15th, 2010
How many times do you check your computer in a day? How about your mobile phone? Did you know that over 40 million Americans carry smart phones like a 24×7 mobile pet? Imagine connecting with these customers, wherever they are. This is the current trend in doing business, known to many techiepreneurs as: Mobile Commerce. If your business is not taking a slice out of the mobile market, you are missing a lot on your business prospects.
(more…)
You’ve Got a Great Product. Can You Sell?
Tuesday, June 1st, 2010
You have a new product with huge potential. Deep inside, you know that your product will sell. You’ve put up a fancy-looking Web site for the world to see, but, are you making any sale? If your ideas aren’t turning into greens, then, you need to look back at what you’ve been missing. Any sales manager will tell you that selling is a process; not an event. (more…)
Social Media: The New Way of Doing Business
Tuesday, May 18th, 2010
Think social media is a fad? Think again. If your business is not taking advantage of the social media revolution, you are ignoring a lot of potential customers! Consider this: Over half of the world’s population is under 30 years old and 96 percent of them use social networks. Studies show that spreading the word about your brand to 50 million people will take 38 years by radio, 13 years by TV, 4 years on the Web, 3 years for iPod… and yet, Facebook has over 200 million new users in less than a year. That doesn’t include other social media sites like Twitter, MySpace, or LinkedIn. Now, do you think social media is still a fad? (more…)
Please, just once, say: “I don’t know”.
Thursday, August 20th, 2009
That last post – the drawing of the various ways business can be built or ruined – had me mesmerized. What was the one negative element that really stood out for me ?
Aha ! “Hotel Know-It-All”.
Is there a “know-it-all” in your networking group, or on your team? How can they be recognized? Usually you will know by the 2nd or 3rd encounter. (more…)
Road to Business Success: What route are you taking?
Tuesday, August 11th, 2009
Click to view full-size
Well, if a picture is worth a thousand words, then this picture pretty much says it all.
Image contributed by The Rails Team
Small town. Metropolis. Same Problems.
Monday, August 3rd, 2009
One of my favorite blogs is Small Biz Survival, not because I live in a small town, but because I am partial to them. They all have a local eatery with great pies, burgers, and conversation – and only the “locals” know about them.
So what does this have to do with Invoicing?? Lots. Recently Becky McCray posted an article on why businesses “procrastinate on invoicing”. Her conclusion: “It’s not fun”!
True, true, true.
Becky suggests 4 ways to attack the invoicing procrastination bug – all of them valid.
Why you procrastinate on invoicing and what to do about it
The question then arises: Which one will work for you?
I think that the answer lies in the type and size of your business. Mega-businesses may have more leeway on time for receivables. Micro-businesses, however, usually rely on healthy cyclic or even immediate payments.
Do you need consistent and timely turn-around of “work-performed to payment-received”? If so, then your habits need to become focused on getting that invoice out immediately. What could be more convenient to the micro-business owner than electronic invoicing?
Sharp, professional, customized invoices (or estimates) can be e-mailed to your customer’s computer from your laptop or smartphone. Do it before you even pull your truck out of their driveway! You can even set up automatic e-mail reminders for due dates – for those “procrastinating customers”.
For the Micro-business owner who thinks like a conglomerate, electronic invoicing may be “just the ticket”.
See you later. I’m off to the Beach Hut Café. They have the best breakfast along the eastern Florida coast. It’s a “local” thing !
