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Archive for the ‘Small Business’ Category

Is Email Dead?

October 15th, 2009 by Erin Posted in Business, Small Business, Twitter | No Comments »

There have been a lot of rumblings lately about email.

People say that with the invention of Google Wave and rise in social media – email has died a slow death.

The philosophy is this:

According to Jessica Vascellaro at the Wall Street Journal, we still use email – but not the way we used to.  It wasn’t that long ago when we would log on and off the Internet – in turn checking our email periodically throughout the day.

But that isn’t the case anymore.

Now, we’re always connected either through Facebook, Twitter or some form of instant messaging.

Put it this way. Let’s say you want to catch a movie with a friend. You send him an email – and wait. Two hours later, still no response. As you get ready to shoot off a second email to your friend – or in fact pick up the phone to call him – you see on your Facebook mobile app that your friend is indeed sick with the flu (H1N1?) – and is at the doctor’s office.  Your friend has, in a sense, answered your email via a Facebook status update.

Ok. I get it.

Social media has taken the place of email to a certain extent.

But let’s not forget how many folks out there – hardworking lawyers, investors, software developers, accountants, small business owners – who find themselves composing and responding to emails several hours a day. I, myself, am one of those people.

Email is not dead in the working business world. In fact, it’s alive and well.

WSJ’s Vascellaro points it out herself, writing that email continues to grow. In August 2009, 276.9 million people used email across the U.S., several European countries, Australia and Brazil, according to Nielsen Co., up 21% from 229.2 million in August 2008.

Business professionals simply don’t communicate with each other via social media or IM.  In fact, many employers – roughly 54% - ban social media sites at work.

Will Google Wave change the way we communicate with colleagues and friends?

Probably so.

But in the meantime, let’s not get carried away and cast off email before it’s past its prime.

I like my Yahoo and Gmail accounts – and I’m not ready to give them up just yet.

 Tags: end of email, small business email, social media and email, social networking at work

Google Chrome: No Shine For Small Business

September 17th, 2009 by Erin Posted in Small Business, Technology | No Comments »

Google Chrome.

The browser everyone was super duper excited about a little more than a year ago – appears to be sitting stagnant.

Sure, its third iteration was just released – but as a devoted Chrome user, I see no improvement in its functionality.

It appears small business owners aren’t getting any sparks from Chrome either.

In fact, small business owners are being warned to steer clear of Chrome altogether.

Sure, it has speed that far surpasses the likes of competitors Firefox and Internet Explorer, but it lacks what small business owners really need: compatibility.

Certain advanced web applications (Microsoft)  simply don’t work with Chrome - and the browser’s sparse user base only compounds the problem. Web developers are not designing apps with Chrome in mind.

Nevertheless, Google has made strides in trying to maintain Chrome’s edge, adding improved Javascript performance and HTML 5 support.

Can Chrome eventually cut it in the small business world?

Perhaps, but it has a lot of catching up to do.

I’m a big proponent of Chrome because of its small user base . I can browse quicker and surf safer – but I sure get annoyed when it can’t support a simple app.

It might be fledging, but we shouldn’t lose hope in Chrome. After all, it was developed by the world’s search giant.

And think of the alternative – Internet Explorer.

 Tags: browser compatibility, google chrome, Small Business, web applications

Small Business Web – A Brilliant API Collaboration

September 11th, 2009 by Erin Posted in Small Business | No Comments »

Small Business Web.

Have you heard about it?

It’s a network that encourages small business software companies to share their products, or APIs, with one another and bring those applications to the next level, in turn making life easier for those who buy them – small businesses.

No doubt this is a fundamentally different way of doing business. Companies that compete are, in a sense, locking hands and joining forces in an effort to better serve their customers.

Here’s one example from a recent BusinessWeekarticle:

BatchBlue Software – a company that makes online CRM tools for small business – recently had trouble with business development. CEO Pamela O’Hara spent a year trying to partner with another company to let her customers easily email the lists of contacts they organized in her software . At her wits end, O’Hara finally decided to have her team write its own code to sync its software with MailChimp, an Atlanta-based email marketing compnay. Using MailChimp’s API, BatchBlue was finally able to give its clients the email function they needed.

Small Business Web contends that not every firm in the network is integrated. Some even compete in the same market. Yet ALL are committed to publishing and sharing their APIs – which keeps their customers from locking into any one platform.

Referrals with Small Business Web are also through the roof.

BatchBlue, in particular, reports that 40% of the firm’s business comes from referrals by partners within the network. BatchBlue also says it no longer has to pay for advertising, relying soley on word of mouth.

Talk about leveraging the power of small businesses. A brilliant idea indeed!

As they say… there’s strength in numbers.

Look out Microsoft.

 Tags: api, crm tools, small business software, small business web

Small Business Blogs, LinkedIn Generate Leads

August 7th, 2009 by Erin Posted in LinkedIn, Small Business, Twitter | 1 Comment »

Here’s more proof that social media CAN work for small business.

According to a new DemandGen Report of business-to-business marketers, business professionals claim social networks are a powerful source for driving leads.

So which are the top social media channels?

Leading the pack was, of course, LinkedIn (58%), followed by company blogs (36%). Surprisingly, Twitter came in third at 31%.

Sites like Facebook (17%) were found to be basically useless – and MySpace wasn’t even on the radar.

More nitty-gritty:

- Small business users say they’ve generated 10 to 15% new leads using social media
- Other small business departments joining the social network fray include: Sales – 41%; Product Management – 21%; Engineering – 13%.
- Top 3 most useful social media tactics: Joining industry groups – 25%; Starting conversation threads – 25%; Answer questions, participating in forums – 23%.

If you have the time, and a little know-how, social media can help ramp up a small business.

Look into lead generation on LinkedIn.

Send out some tweets.

Post to a blog.

It’s all about sharing your brand and spreading the word – just make sure to leave out the sales pitch.

No one wants to read that.  No one.

 Tags: business to business marketing, small business blogs, small business linkedin, small business twitter, social media marketing

iPhone Apps Give Businesses A Boost

July 2nd, 2009 by Erin Posted in Business, Small Business, Stature Projects | No Comments »

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again.

Apple iPhones aren’t just for the 20-something hipster. If you have a small business to run, some very essential iPhone business applications make it a better option over the Blackberry.

Here’s why.

First, cheaper iPhone applications. Distimo – a Dutch analyst company – recently found that in April alone prices for the 100 most popular iPhone apps (business applications included) were down $265 to $244, or 7.9%.

Second, there are a ton of new business apps designed to make your life a whole lot easier – at least in the business sense. 

> QuickBooks Online accounting software offers mobile Web-browser features for the iPhone, including the capability to create and send invoices from the device. 

> FileMaker has also announced support for the iPhone, along with the iPod Touch player. Bento for iPhone and iPod Touch is a portable version of the company’s Bento personal database program. The app links together your iPhone contacts and lets you keep track of anything, from business-related sales to digital media. And get this: The program costs only $4.99 over at the Apple App Store.

> There’s also the EuroSmartz Print & Share app for direct printing from an Apple iPhone or iPod Touch. Print & Share lets you print a wide range of file types, e-mail and attachments, Web pages and photos directly from your iPhone of iPod Touch. When used in conjunction with the free WePrint helper software loaded on your laptop or desktop PC, the software will also automatically find your computer’s installed printers and allow the iPhone to select which printer to use. Price tag: $6.99. 

It may be time to ditch that Blackberry – and give the iPhone a serious look. 

I even hear AT&T is ready to start offering no-contract iPhone service - which is perfect for those noncommittal types, like myself.

 Tags: apps for small business, cheaper iPhone applications, iPhone business applications