Smartphones Surpass Regular Cell Phones - Tablet Growth Surges

smartphone market share

Smartphone shipments now outnumber those of “regular” cell phones worldwide.

It’s the first time smartphones — that is, phones capable of computing and Web access — have outnumbered ordinary cell phones on a global scale.  Here in the United States, smartphone shipments surpassed ordinary cell phones  back in 2011.

The International Data Corporation, a global marketing intelligence firm, says 51 percent of the mobile phones shipped out in the first quarter of this year were smartphones. That’s 216.2 Read More

The post Smartphones Surpass Regular Cell Phones Tablet Growth Surges appeared first on Small Business Trends.



Smartphones Surpass Regular Cell Phones - Tablet Growth Surges

smartphone market share

Smartphone shipments now outnumber those of “regular” cell phones worldwide.

It’s the first time smartphones — that is, phones capable of computing and Web access — have outnumbered ordinary cell phones on a global scale.  Here in the United States, smartphone shipments surpassed ordinary cell phones  back in 2011.

The International Data Corporation, a global marketing intelligence firm, says 51 percent of the mobile phones shipped out in the first quarter of this year were smartphones. That’s 216.2 Read More

The post Smartphones Surpass Regular Cell Phones Tablet Growth Surges appeared first on Small Business Trends.



3 Reasons That Make a Business Plan Essential

strategic business plan

Do you need a strategic business plan to begin a new venture? The answer depends on how you define a business plan. Every business must have a plan to begin with; but this does not mean that it has to be in a written format. Even a mental construction of a plan can serve as the foundation for your new business.

A study titled the “Pre-Startup Formal Business Plans and Post-Startup Performance: A Study of 116 New Ventures” Read More

The post 3 Reasons That Make a Business Plan Essential appeared first on Small Business Trends.



3 Reasons That Make a Business Plan Essential

strategic business plan

Do you need a strategic business plan to begin a new venture? The answer depends on how you define a business plan. Every business must have a plan to begin with; but this does not mean that it has to be in a written format. Even a mental construction of a plan can serve as the foundation for your new business.

A study titled the “Pre-Startup Formal Business Plans and Post-Startup Performance: A Study of 116 New Ventures” Read More

The post 3 Reasons That Make a Business Plan Essential appeared first on Small Business Trends.



Microsoft forced into Windows 8 rehash

Microsoft is preparing an update to Windows 8 for release later this year. It says the changes are designed to address complaints and confusion with the new operating system.

Windows 8 is the most radical overhaul of Microsoft's operating system since Windows 95 came out nearly two decades ago. It was revamped to embrace the types of touch-screen controls popular on smartphones and tablet computers, devices that are siphoning sales from the desktop and laptop PCs that have been Microsoft's traditional stronghold. Windows 8 was released with much fanfare in October, but got a lukewarm reception from consumers.

Part of the problem is that Windows 8 tries to be all things to all people. It's designed to respond to touch-screen controls, but it also works with traditional mouse and keyboard commands. It offers a new layout that resembles tablet computers, but it also has a desktop mode that looks like previous versions of Windows. What results is confusion.

In addition, many of the controls to launch programs and change settings have been tucked away. That gives Windows 8 a cleaner look, but it also requires people to do more work finding all the controls.

Microsoft isn't saying much about what the new Windows 8 will have. Nor will it say whether it will charge for the upgrade.

What the Redmond, Washington, company will say is that it's responding to customer feedback in developing the update.

Here's a look at some of that feedback and possible solutions in the coming update:

The problem: There's no central place for launching programs and changing settings.

Windows 8 features a new start page that takes over the entire screen. The page is filled with boxes, or tiles, for accessing your favorite programs. But to get to programs you use less often, you need to slide up a menu from the bottom, click on "All apps" and find the one you want. When you're already using a program, such as a Web browser, you have to switch back to this start page to launch a different one, even if it's one of your favorites. To access settings, you need to slide over a set of icons, known as charms, from the right of the screen.

By contrast, past versions of Windows have a "start" button on the lower left corner, which allowed quick access to programs and settings without interrupting your workflow. That button is always there as you move from program to program.

The solution: Restore the "start" button. Don't make people figure out where everything is. Make it easy for them to see where to "start."


The problem: Microsoft is encouraging people to use the new tablet-style layout filled with tiles, but many programs are designed for the older, desktop mode. That's the case even with Microsoft's popular Office suite of business tools, despite the fact that the latest version of Office came out months after Windows 8 comes out.

As a result, using Windows 8 feels like running two different computers on the same machine, as the tile and desktop modes don't communicate well with each other. Consider Microsoft's Internet Explorer 10 browser. web pages you open in desktop mode won't appear when you switch to the browser in the tile mode. Because many popular programs run only in desktop mode, it would make sense to do most of your computing there, but Windows 8 always forces you into tile mode when you start the machine.

The solution: Allow people to enter the desktop mode automatically when they start their machines. Over time, people may get more comfortable with tile mode and may want to switch, but don't force it on them and make them resent it before they are ready.


The problem: Those charms on the right are useful for restarting your machine, configuring your wireless connection and changing other settings. But you're left to figure out how to access them. On touch screens, you have to know to swipe a menu from the right, like opening a sock drawer. If you're using a mouse, you need to drag the cursor to the top or bottom right of the screen, then drag it to the appropriate charm.

The solution: Besides restoring the "start" button and having those settings instantly accessible, offer an option to have that sock drawer continually appear. It's similar to how the Taskbar is always present on older versions of Windows, usually at the bottom. It's also similar to how the Dock is always there on Mac computers (though once you're used to it, you can hide the Dock until you move your cursor there).


The problem: There's no obvious way to close programs, the way you can by hitting an "x" at the corner of the program in older versions of Windows. You need to figure out how to drag the app to the bottom of the screen, and the way you do it depends on whether you are using touch or a mouse. Stray too far to the left or the right, and your computer will enter a multi-window mode instead.

The solution: Restore the "x." Don't force people to do gestures that don't seem intuitive to the task at hand.


The problem: In making it easy for touch screens, mouse and keyboard commands are more complex to use and figure out.

The solution: Don't try to be a one-size-fits-all operating system. Apple and Google have kept their systems separate for touch-screen mobile devices and for traditional computers that use mouse or trackpad controls.

Microsoft can improve usability by designing the operating system for one or the other. Don't expect this to change in the promised update, though.

-AP



BlackBerry 10 and Samsung Knox approved by US military

The US Department of Defense (DoD) has approved BlackBerry and Samsung mobile devices for use on its networks after weeks of testing.

The approved devices are BlackBerry 10 smartphones, BlackBerry PlayBook tablets using the Enterprise Service 10 system and Samsung’s Android Knox.

The approval of BlackBerry 10 was almost a foregone conclusion after the platform was awarded the US government’s FIPS 140-2 security certification in November 2012.

BlackBerry once reigned as the mobile of choice for the public sector, but the DoD’s approval of a Samsung device is yet another indication this is changing.

While BlackBerry was banking on government approval in key markets, it will not be without growing competition from rivals.

The Pentagon said earlier this week it expects to clear Apple devices using iOS 6 in early May 2013.

In the UK, the government’s technical security advisor CESG is due to issue mobile platform guidance this summer that will cover a number of platforms besides BlackBerry 10.

In November 2012, Apple’s iPhone was given the go-ahead to be used for sensitive emails in UK government, indicating BlackBerry was no longer the only player in this market.

A Pentagon spokesman said in a statement that the DoD is moving towards establishing a multiple-supplier environment for its 600,000 mobile users, that supports a variety of devices and operating systems.

In February, the Pentagon announced it would broaden its approved mobile devices, so the military can access the latest technology and not have to depend on one supplier, according to TechCrunch.

The DoD currently has 470,000 BlackBerry users. There are 41,000 Apple users and 8,700 Android users, most participating in pilot or test programmes, the report said.


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6 Advantages Of Hiring An IT Support Company to Safeguard Your Growing Business

 A few days ago I received an online Facebook chat message from a former colleague asking for a donation for the surgery of a close friend. I eagerly volunteered to help and took a few details including where the money was to be transferred. However, on calling her I was informed that it was not her that sent the message,  but an ‘ imposter’ who had replicated her Facebook page and was contacting all the people on her list seeking a donation. Now imagine if I were a customer of yours and had received a similar message from your business Facebook page?

As businesses become more accessible to their customers, they unfortunately also become increasingly accessible to cyber criminals.

Smaller Businesses are the most vulnerable to cyber attacks

A 2013 report on information security by the U.K government confirms that cyber attacks on small businesses are up by 10%, with 87% of small businesses reporting some form of security breach in the last year. The report also highlighted that majority of these breaches were a result of staff action and that small businesses were often found lacking in user awareness, mobile device working policies, removable media controls, monitoring, network security and in their ability to respond to an incident of security threat. No wonder then smaller businesses offer the path of least resistance to attackers for gaining access to valuable customer data including credit card details, intellectual property and even money in the bank. As per an internet threat report published by Symantec in April this year, the highest growth in targeted attacks was seen in businesses with fewer than 250 employees.

Look beyond an anti-virus program to secure your business

Given these facts, it’s safe to assume that your business is unsafe and that you need to defend it against the most serious cyber threat. While email security is one aspect of safeguarding your business, unauthorized access to your business information via  laptops, desktops, wi-fi printers / router, mobile devices and other access channels such as social media and cloud based services needs to be monitored. This means that instead of relying on a member of your staff or a part- time technology personnel, you need to consider hiring the services of a professional IT support company that is capable of deploying device controls, updated firewalls and a comprehensive network web security gateway.

As per Dhugael McLean,tech support analyst at Support.com , a comprehensive IT support program can offer the following benefits to your businesses:

  • Examine the business hardware for possible network intrusions
  • Educate staff on desktop policies
  • Check for outdated security definitions on systems
  • Monitor incoming and outgoing traffic to detect potential threat
  • Secure your website
  • Streamline your network structure for ease of administration and scalability

Looking ahead it is predicted that social media, cloud service providers and mobiles will increasingly become the new cyber security battleground.  This means multi-layer security software, an online user policy, installing security software on mobile devices and full risk assessment before signing up for a cloud service. Make sure your you seek adequate information on these aspects from your prospective IT support company.



Get Local Customers With Your Mobile Website

The other day, this year’s yellow pages phone book was delivered to my house. You know, that big, heavy book with a bunch of phone numbers in it? Well, that book went right back from whence it came. Into the recycling bin. It’s painful to say, but the phone book is an anachronism.

Phone book makers have rolled with the punches and provide the same services they always did, but online. See Yell.com and YP.ca. As the yellow pages have innovated and evolved from dead tree books to meet the demands of a more technologically savvy populous, so must your business.

And from the people who brought us Yell.com, we’ve got Hibu Business. The mobile website service for businesses will launch on May 9, and the concept is that from setup to completion, a fully optimized mobile site can be developed and managed by a third-party service, enabling businesses to reach local customers.

And here’s why a mobile website is a great idea and an often necessary idea these days:

Consumers research online, buy locally: While customers are increasingly researching products and services online, they still prefer to make purchases in store. Seventy-five percent of small business customers are within a 15-minute drive of the stores and services that they frequent.

Mobile battleground: Almost half of all Americans have a smartphone, but three-quarters (84 percent)of small business websites say they are not optimized for mobile.

Visibility on Multiple Channels: A majority (87%) of small businesses have not come around to using display ads and nearly all (90 percent) surveyed by Hibu stated that they don’t have access to email marketing.

-

Even if your shop is around the corner, often the first thing your customer is doing is Googling for the product or service they require. For more on the need for mobile websites, see our archives.

Do you have a mobile site solution you love? Let us know about it in the comments below!



Factors Responsible for the Imminent eCommerce Growth Wave

ecommerce growth

It is natural that every etailer predicts future trends that fuel eCommerce growth. Some become successful in predicting the right trends while a few fail to do so. A healthy growth figure of eCommerce success can only be impacted by the integration of various strategies that can make online shopping more enjoyable and unique. However, these strategies are quick to implement.

If you are one such eCommerce entrepreneur reading this to learn about the prospective trends to follow for your online store, you have landed at the right place. This will provide you with a comprehensive picture of the factors that will drive the next eCommerce growth wave.

Curated eCommerce

This fuels personal expression in shopping and makes others reflect on their purchase decision. This is the evolution of influential personal recommendation.

Adoption of Multi-Channel Investments

Cross-channel investments are highly aggressive in augmenting both online and offline buying strategies. Multi-channel eCommerce business is an environment in which a company can sell through two or more online channels. Many stores are pushing endless-aisle initiatives and are being used as a warehouse for an online catalogue to enhance the speed of home delivery.

Sometimes a company also inherits legacy Web store from an acquisition.

Unique or Commoditized Products

Establishing a reputation and brand for quality products always drives demand. Commoditized products such as mainstream tools, consumer electronics or other equipment’s generally show less success while selling online. Even though these are the most popular online items, consumers prefer to buy them from renowned retailers such as eBay or Amazon.

Some small businesses have found success through affiliation with major retailers.

Remarketing

Businesses of any size have to be creative to stand out of the crowd. Ecommerce creativity emerges from multiple touches to produce continued interests in the products. In one word, this technique is popularly known as Remarketing.

When any potential customer visits a website but leaves it without purchasing any items, companies follow them online. The attitude of the customers can be changed through Remarketing. Remarketing can convince an online shopper to revisit a website to complete their purchase that they have previously failed to do. It is a method of conversion marketing which is a receptive marketing technique that endeavours to appeal a consumer response.

One can experience Remarketing if they notice any ads that are extremely reflective of their interests.

Maintaining eCommerce Sites by the Third-Party Provider

Creating an attractive and functional eCommerce site is quite a challenging task. However, a third-party eCommerce provider will make this task simple for you. They offer site set up and maintenance to entice businesses. For instance, some of the third-party eCommerce site providers do not charge any transaction fees once the items are sold. Instead, they offer monthly plans.

Besides, the emergence of digital services is gradually proving to be the leading driver for eCommerce growth. The rise of portable mobile devices and advanced videos is increasing the desire of the consumer to spend more time researching online for price matching and ultimately on their buying decision.

Let us find out the impact of mCommerce to drive eCommerce future progress. Research shows that 81% of the Smartphone users access the Internet on their mobile devices. Does the eCommerce store need any other reason to make their sites mobile optimized? (I guess NO). With the discovery of different innovative apps every day, eCommerce has matured extensively. It is not just the phones that are driving retail Web traffic, but, tablets are equally responsible in this context. Tablets are mostly used during evening prime-time hours, when the consumers are in their leisure state of mind.

Payment methods can make or break a purchase decision. The choice of payment methods offered to the consumer seems to be constantly evolving. Besides the growth of contactless payment methods with mobile transactions, there is a drastic change in the way people pay for their products. Services like Apple’s iTunes and PayPal have already initiated centralized payments on various mobile devices. Such liberties to accept payment will be invaluable for merchants of all sizes in the near future.

Nonetheless, eCommerce merchants have the freedom to incorporate richer media content than ever before. The increased use of videos to provide insights into products has undoubtedly made the shopping experience more delightful. Videos are a great alternative to give customers a virtual feel of products.

The eCommerce industry will continue to evolve and progress with the passage of time. Of all the upcoming trends, the only thing that will remain consistent is the need to build loyal customers through competing on value and by providing quality customer service.

eCommerce Photo via Shutterstock




Factors Responsible for the Imminent eCommerce Growth Wave

ecommerce growth

It is natural that every etailer predicts future trends that fuel eCommerce growth. Some become successful in predicting the right trends while a few fail to do so. A healthy growth figure of eCommerce success can only be impacted by the integration of various strategies that can make online shopping more enjoyable and unique. However, these strategies are quick to implement.

If you are one such eCommerce entrepreneur reading this to learn about the prospective trends to follow for your online store, you have landed at the right place. This will provide you with a comprehensive picture of the factors that will drive the next eCommerce growth wave.

Curated eCommerce

This fuels personal expression in shopping and makes others reflect on their purchase decision. This is the evolution of influential personal recommendation.

Adoption of Multi-Channel Investments

Cross-channel investments are highly aggressive in augmenting both online and offline buying strategies. Multi-channel eCommerce business is an environment in which a company can sell through two or more online channels. Many stores are pushing endless-aisle initiatives and are being used as a warehouse for an online catalogue to enhance the speed of home delivery.

Sometimes a company also inherits legacy Web store from an acquisition.

Unique or Commoditized Products

Establishing a reputation and brand for quality products always drives demand. Commoditized products such as mainstream tools, consumer electronics or other equipment’s generally show less success while selling online. Even though these are the most popular online items, consumers prefer to buy them from renowned retailers such as eBay or Amazon.

Some small businesses have found success through affiliation with major retailers.

Remarketing

Businesses of any size have to be creative to stand out of the crowd. Ecommerce creativity emerges from multiple touches to produce continued interests in the products. In one word, this technique is popularly known as Remarketing.

When any potential customer visits a website but leaves it without purchasing any items, companies follow them online. The attitude of the customers can be changed through Remarketing. Remarketing can convince an online shopper to revisit a website to complete their purchase that they have previously failed to do. It is a method of conversion marketing which is a receptive marketing technique that endeavours to appeal a consumer response.

One can experience Remarketing if they notice any ads that are extremely reflective of their interests.

Maintaining eCommerce Sites by the Third-Party Provider

Creating an attractive and functional eCommerce site is quite a challenging task. However, a third-party eCommerce provider will make this task simple for you. They offer site set up and maintenance to entice businesses. For instance, some of the third-party eCommerce site providers do not charge any transaction fees once the items are sold. Instead, they offer monthly plans.

Besides, the emergence of digital services is gradually proving to be the leading driver for eCommerce growth. The rise of portable mobile devices and advanced videos is increasing the desire of the consumer to spend more time researching online for price matching and ultimately on their buying decision.

Let us find out the impact of mCommerce to drive eCommerce future progress. Research shows that 81% of the Smartphone users access the Internet on their mobile devices. Does the eCommerce store need any other reason to make their sites mobile optimized? (I guess NO). With the discovery of different innovative apps every day, eCommerce has matured extensively. It is not just the phones that are driving retail Web traffic, but, tablets are equally responsible in this context. Tablets are mostly used during evening prime-time hours, when the consumers are in their leisure state of mind.

Payment methods can make or break a purchase decision. The choice of payment methods offered to the consumer seems to be constantly evolving. Besides the growth of contactless payment methods with mobile transactions, there is a drastic change in the way people pay for their products. Services like Apple’s iTunes and PayPal have already initiated centralized payments on various mobile devices. Such liberties to accept payment will be invaluable for merchants of all sizes in the near future.

Nonetheless, eCommerce merchants have the freedom to incorporate richer media content than ever before. The increased use of videos to provide insights into products has undoubtedly made the shopping experience more delightful. Videos are a great alternative to give customers a virtual feel of products.

The eCommerce industry will continue to evolve and progress with the passage of time. Of all the upcoming trends, the only thing that will remain consistent is the need to build loyal customers through competing on value and by providing quality customer service.

eCommerce Photo via Shutterstock




Trying To Track Billable Time Doesn’t Have To Be A Nightmare! Here Are 3 Applications That Can Help

If you are one of the few who provide services in an environment where you have to manage and track billable time, you’re probably spending time after hours to make sure that all your i’s are dotted and t’s are crossed. Not only does tracking phone calls and computer activity throughout the day really cut in to your leisure time, but it also doesn’t give you a full picture of where your time went.

You probably have a very harsh schedule, working hours on end and, at the same time, keeping your clients happy. How in the world are you going to pull out of this loop?

You already know the good, the bad, and the ugly about your own work day. What you need now is a way to track all of that activity so you can properly bill your clients. Where do you find this software?

We found three:

  • Chrometa - This is one very efficient piece of software that keeps track of every application you open and work with. It promises to increase your billable time by an average of 20 percent (or more). Their interface neatly outlines every activity you do and every application you use. It shows when you sent emails, how much time you’ve been using your browser, and many other details that could help you ultimately keep a strong eye on yourself. Their most basic plan (for one device) is $19 per month, and it gives you two weeks of data (in other words, the data goes back that much time).
  • RescueTime - This application not only shows you where your time was spent productively, but also shows you how much leisurely activity you’ve been engaging in. It lets you know where you’ve been unproductive so you can work on that. They have a “lite” version that’s free, but limited in its feature set. Features in the professional version ($6/mo) include alerts for when you spend too much time on a distracting website and the ability to block such sites.
  • TimeDoctor - The TimeDoctor is here to cure your problems! Although it doesn’t directly state that it’s a software for tracking your billable hours, it seems to do the job very well according to customer reviews around the web. TimeDoctor has similar features to RescueTime, but costs $5 per month for a solo (one-user) plan. Lastly, there’s also a free plan that limits features.

All of these applications are splendid, have solid interfaces and get the job done. Each one has a trial or free period, so you’ve got nothing to lose by trying them out. It’s time to drop the time sheets and stopwatches and take your operation into the digital age!



Adobe says it\'s moving to the cloud

Adobe says it is moving to an online subscription-based model for the software package it sells to designers, web developers, video editors and other creative professionals.

Adobe Systems said today that it will not release new versions of its Creative Suite software package. Instead, the maker of Photoshop, Illustrator and Acrobat, is shifting focus to Creative Cloud, which makes its software available through a monthly subscription that starts at US$50 for an individual if they sign up for at least a year.

Adobe's move is part an industry trend toward selling software as a subscription service rather than as a one-time sale item. Microsoft, for example, makes the new version of Office available as an online subscription. The company, however, still gives consumers and businesses the option of purchasing Office as packaged software.

Lawrence Smith, managing director of New Zealand digital agency Cabbage Tree Creative, attended the keynote speech of AdobeMAX in Los Angeles where this morning's announcement was made.

His initial reaction was that the end of the "perpetual licensing model" could mean an increase in costs, as a cloud based subscription models tied a customer to monthly payments, rather than allowing them to choose when to upgrade software.

However at AUS49 per month, Adobe had made "a seismic pricing shift, essentially now offering the same price globally," said Lawrence.

"This gives us more confidence in adopting a cloud based model" he said.

He said a compelling reason was that the digital space was moving very quickly, and creative professionals had to adopt latest technologies, or be left behind.

"We will definitely move our creative teams onto the new cloud- based tools," said Smith. "I expect the productivity increase alone, by all working with the same set of tools in a more collaborative way, to be worth the money; and that's before considering you have access to the latest and considerably expanded toolset available".

Smith said a question remained about the speed and data allowances of the cloud-based services for Kiwi businesses, but the progressive roll out of ultrafast broadband (UFB) would remove any barriers.

"Additionally Adobe has structured the Cloud based services to consider lower bandwidth users. They can choose to store data locally, and share assets for collaboration on a case by case basis, thus having the best of both worlds; world class development tools on your desktop, connected to the Cloud in ways that you decide."

"Customers have to come to terms with end of perpetually licensed software," said IDC analyst Al Hilwa. "Adobe is ahead of the game."

Scott Morris, a senior marketing director at Adobe, said the shift will help the San Jose, California-based company respond to changes in the marketplace much faster. Adobe's engineers, he said, will be freed up to release updates and improvements much faster than the company's traditional 18 to 24-month upgrade cycle.

Adobe said its Creative Cloud service has gained 500,000 paying subscribers since the company made it available as an option a year ago.

Morris acknowledged that the change will be a "big transition" for its customers. He compared it to Adobe's introduction of the Creative Suite package a decade ago. Until that time, the company had sold its software products separately rather than as part of a set.

"One of the things that make us confident with this change is that customers who are moving to Creative Cloud are loving it," he said, citing flexibility and lower upfront costs.

Adobe's packaged version of Creative Suite 6 "Master Collection" cost US$2,256 on Best Buy's website on Monday afternoon (US time), on sale from US$2,380.

Adobe also reaffirmed its financial guidance for the second quarter and for the fiscal year. It still expects adjusted earnings of 29 cents to 35 cents per share on revenue of $975 million to nearly $1.03 billion for the current quarter. Analysts, on average, are forecasting adjusted earnings of 34 cents per share and revenue of $1.01 billion, according to a poll by FactSet.

The company's stock fell 46 cents to $46.55 in afternoon trading.

AP/ NZ Herald



Small Business Manufacturing Is Up. One Reason: Reinvention

Small Business Manufacturing Index

Small business manufacturing is growing, according to a recent analysis.  One big reason for the growth is the ability of small manufacturers to reinvent themselves to take advantage of new industries and new business opportunities.

The PayNet Manufacturing Index found that American manufacturing by small businesses is up 48 percent since 2009.   While it still hasn't rebounded to pre-Great Recession highs, the trend overall is significantly upward since 2009. See chart above (black line is the full index â€" green line reflects the industrial machinery sector).

PayNet's index measures investments by small manufacturing businesses in property, equipment, tools and business units.  In other words, small businesses in manufacturing are investing again â€" a positive signal.

Manufacturers of industrial machinery and equipment are one category of manufacturers fueling this resurgence in an area of the economy that has been losing jobs since the 1990s. Companies manufacturing equipment like gas compressors, carburetors, tools, and industrial fans fall into this category. They did better than manufacturers as a whole.

PayNet President William Phelan said with the release of the new data, “This sector is the biggest example of the resurgence of U.S. manufacturing. The process of re-invention and recreation is core to business right now and surviving companies have figured this out.”

Instrument manufacturers make up another category showing positive gains since the 2009 recession lows.

One sector that has not seen growth is small manufacturers in the printing and publishing sector.  They appear to be a casualty of the digital age. There's less need for book binding and other traditional printing technologies, PayNet points out.

PayNet also notes that these investments by small business manufacturers are driving productivity increases of 15%.  Small businesses are “producing more manufactured goods for the same level of capital.”

PayNet is based in Skokie, Illinois. It was founded in 1999 and maintains a large proprietary database of small business loans, leases and lines of credit encompassing over 20 Million contracts. The company also publishes the Thomson Reuters/PayNet Small Business Lending Index.  PayNet recently launched a Small Business Delinquency Index.

Chart credit: PayNet




The Smallbiztechnology Weekly Roundup And Look At What\'s Ahead

Each week on Smallbiztechnology.com, we post a lot of articles that help small businesses GROW their business. We want to make sure you didn't miss anything, so here's a quick roundup of what we talked about last week and a sneak peek at what we'll be sending your way in the week to come. Check out our video here, or watch below:

Mobile Technology

Office Tech

Software and Cloud Computing

Social Media

Security

Collaboration

Keep Customers

Get Customers

Next week, we've got a look at the best online file-sharing tools for small businesses, how to turn human resources into a system that grows your business, how to get local customers with your mobile website and how to increase sales and save time with the cloud.

You won't want to miss any of that, and there's a lot more beyond what I just mentioned, so come on back and let us know what you think in the comments!



Top 5 Expenses a Startup Cannot Avoid

startup expenses

Initiating a business is exciting, fun even. But startup dreamers shouldn't forget the business of starting a business. Sure, it's enjoyable to pick out a cool logo, a mission statement, a team of professionals to back your vision and a sweet office rental. But don't let the looming, obligatory startup expenses involved in getting your startup off the ground get lost in the excitement.

If you do, your success will falter. Estimating an accurate startup cost is essential to meeting your future goals. Make sure you get your funds in order for the following expenses.

1. Professional Costs

Whether you're setting up an LLC, a corporation or otherwise, you're going to have to pay a fee just to move past the phase of conceptualizing your startup by making it into a real, registered business. States differ on costs and registration procedures, but this is often the first check you're going to stroke as you get your business off the ground.

Your professional costs will expand and skyrocket from there: You're going to need to shell out expenses for copyrights and patents. And, you're definitely going to need an accountant and a lawyer at some point, and we all know how affordable those services are.

2. Technology

Another one of the initial startup expenses not to discount as you financially plan for your startup is the cost of designing, developing and hosting a website. A lot of people naively think that they can accomplish most of these technological feats themselves, and they can dream on. Designing, developing (and most importantly) efficiently hosting an e-commerce site to house your startup is no easy task.

Unless you have a fully-functioning, professional IT staff on board when you initiate your startup (which I'm guessing you don't), you're going to have to look into a qualified hosting company that can provide your site with the resources it needs to successfully get off the ground. This will likely include talk of servers, hardware, software, Web security, maintenance and further IT consulting.

And, don't forget other tech costs like high-speed Internet access, printers, payroll software, cell phones and beepers. Okay, just kidding about that last one.

3. Marketing

It's likely that you're not going to forget about the fact that you're going to be shelling out some money for advertising and promotion to effectively get your new business off the ground. But hear me out. There's a chance you might not be factoring in quite enough funds in this department.

Sure, you know you're going to want to place ads locally and nationally (who knows, maybe globally), and you're probably going to be looking into paying for online advertising and SEO costs. However, common marketing expenses are often forgotten, like the fact that you're going to be printing stationery, posters and other marketing materials. And don't forget the cost of admittance to trade shows and industry events to get your name out there (as well as chamber of commerce membership fees and the expenses involved in joining industry associations).

Public relations isn't cheap, but investing in PR can take your business far, fast.

4. Administrative Costs

Little things add up, so take everything into account when budgeting for your startup expenses - right down to the purchase of paper clips and staples. Never mind the bigger expenses like desks, office chairs, filing cabinets, etc. Also, remember that administrative costs go far beyond office supplies to include licenses and permits, parking, utilities, rent and more.

Plus, if you want to really look professional, you're going to need to invest in the proper packaging materials for your business (and don't forget shipping and postage), which brings us to the next startup cost factor not to be forgotten.

5. Cost of Sales

It seems counterproductive to think of your startup's first few sales as costing your business money; but that's how it is when you're just starting out. Raw materials are going to factor into the cost of your sales, and you're going to have to beef up your product inventory in order to actually even make those sales.

If your startup is going big, then you'll have to factor in warehousing and shipping insurance as well.

Don't Freak Out

Take a deep breath and stop biting your nails. Now roll your shoulders a little and relax.

The above mentioned startup expenses shouldn't freak you out and discourage you from accomplishing your startup dreams. But you should take note of them as you budget for the future of your business.

Every company's startup expenses and costs may differ, but chances are you'll be spending some time and money getting some of these facets of your nascent business in order. And if you do so mindfully - your startup will grow into a full-fledged, successful company.

Expenses Photo via Shutterstock




Executive Spotlight: Fred Lizza, CEO of Dydacomp, Automates E-Commerce for Small Businesses

As CEO of Dydacomp, Fred Lizza oversees automation software for a variety of clients, improving efficiency and giving small businesses a competitive advantage. Dydacomp is a multi-channel order manager for e-commerce businesses, providing integrated web hosting and shopping cart integration. In recent years, the company has turned its attention toward cloud-based order management solutions with its Freestyle Commerce business module.

Prior to joining Dydacomp, Lizza enjoyed a long history of building sustainable value propositions, helping drive companies like Optiant toward an increased market share and profitability. Recently, he spoke with SmallBizTechnology about current technology trends and his advice for small business growth.

Q: Dydacomp provides e-commerce solutions to businesses. Could you tell us a little about the small business owners Dydacomp serves? How do you address their specialized needs?

FL: With the longest and deepest experience in order management solutions for SMB retailers, Dydacomp has specialized in providing software solutions to solve the business automation needs of more than 10,000 e-commerce, catalog fulfillment and multichannel commerce merchants worldwide. Our customers range from individual hobbyists that have turned a passion into a business to e-commerce and retail professionals that learned the ropes at a large retailer and are now running mid-sized businesses.  Dydacomp delivered the first PCI-compliant solution for small to medium-sized businesses in a variety of vertical markets including food and gift, sporting goods, automotive, apparel, nutraceuticals and more. Collectively, our customers sold more than $2.6 billion in 2012, at an average order value of $132.

Q: What trends are you noticing in today's business world? How should small businesses address these changes?

FL: The business world is shrinking and small businesses today are competing online with retailers around the world. This presents a huge opportunity for small businesses to emerge as global players, if they use technology to their advantage. Small business owners increasingly need to leverage eCommerce technology and social media to connect with new customers around the world.

Small businesses are also increasingly adopting cloud-based technology to increase efficiencies and cut cost. By moving their order management system to the cloud, small businesses can gain real-time, actionable insight into the details of their business without needing to buy and maintain their own servers.

Q: What advice would you give small business owners as they strive to compete in today's technology-driven business world?

FL: Small business owners should be aware that their customers are tech-savvy, connected and mobile. Recently we've seen a big increase in the trend of ‘showrooming,' or comparison shopping on a mobile phone while shopping in a store. In order to remain competitive, retailers will have to re-examine their loyalty programs and special offers, and ensure that they are prepared to protect their brand or compete on price. Small business owners will also need to have accurate insight into their current prices and inventory to manage change in real time.



Take Human Resources (HR) Past Payroll and Turn It Into A System That Grows Your Business

For many small businesses, the definition of Human Resources is that ‘stuff' â€" payroll and benefit paperwork â€" that Alice (feel free to sub in the name of the poor soul in your business charged with this function) does when she's not handling the other five roles that she's responsible for. It's a function that's only thought of as you approach payday or hire a new employee, which are two things that Alice shivers thinking about. Why? Well, because Alice knows that she's going to have to dig through piles of paperwork, or wrestle with an excel sheet, to get all of her information put together so that she can process these functions…and she knows it's going to suck up more time than she really has to offer.

In this day and age, when we hear CEO's and business owners touting that good employee's are the greatest asset within a business, why do we not see HR as more of an employee (or asset) management process versus just a financial or benefit function? Well, there is one company that believes that's exactly what we should be doing and they are building a comprehensive suite of HR applications to do just that!

We recently had the chance to speak with April Escamilla, Director of Product Management for the HeartBeat solution at SilkRoad Technologies. SilkRoad is a provider of cloud-based HR solutions that nurtures the employee experience from recruiting and onboarding, through learning and career development; encompassing all employee milestones from pre-hire to retire.

“HR is more than payroll and finance”, says April. “In my mind HR is positioned to see and develop the direction of your resources. Did you hire the right people so your company can grow in five years? If you spend all your time faxing forms, worrying about wrong addresses and cobbling together reports, then you aren't focused on strategy.”

April knows that HR is not the first thing that small businesses focus on, especially when starting out, but knows that as most businesses grow, the desire to automate core HR functions through the use of technology begins to fall to the forefront. Manual processing of HR functions is time consuming and with new regulations coming into play with the Affordable Care Act, which requires businesses to report on benefit offerings and their affordability, businesses face more processing and reporting and failure to report accurate information could lead to additional time and cost ramifications.

“Companies above 50 employees begin to deal with a lot of information and a need to move information back and forth from employer to employee. Add in that many companies operate today with remote workers, it becomes extremely hard to track and keep all the information you need to remain compliant with current regulations in one place without becoming completely overwhelmed. This is where automation becomes critical”, says April.

The suite of applications from SilkRoad, known as Life Suite, allows companies to not only manage the core functions of HR (payroll, benefits, etc.), but allows them to go a step further and manage other aspects of the employee lifecycle, including recruiting and training.  The suite consists of the following SaaS applications:

  • OpenHire: Social recruiting software with tools to attract, screen and hire the best talent globally.
  • RedCarpet: Onboarding software that generates HR efficiencies and employee retention and offers an average company savings of $800 per new employee.
  • Heart Beat:The human resource management sofware that offers automated processes, online payroll management, report generation and salary management.
  • GreenLight: A comprehensive learning management system (LMS) that manages, tracks and reports all employee's learning / training activities.
  • WingSpan: Software that brings every element of employee performance management into one platform.

Combined, the products not only manage standard employee HR information, but allow a company to develop employees so they are a greater asset. As April pointed out to us, “People think of HR as a back-office function that isn't critical, which means that HR doesn't typically get the $$ when it comes to budgeting. The reality is that HR can really be a tool to grow your business”.

By engaging in more of these human resource practices, businesses of all sizes have the ability to capitalize on the greatest asset they have â€" the employee. In turn, they become more attractive to employees, which increases employee retention and reduces significant costs involved with employee turnover.

How do you handle HR in your business? Are you still handling everything manually or are you using technology to automate processes? Are you covering just the bread & butter (payroll & benefits) or are you investing more in developing your employees?  Let us know!

 

 



NYC Event: On May 16th Take Your Business To The Next Level By Getting Out Of The Way!

Is your business ‘stuck'? Are you having trouble taking your business to the next level and don't know why? Well, it's possible that YOU are the problem and the solution may be that you need to GET OUT OF YOUR OWN WAY! Not sure what I'm talking about, or know exactly what I'm talking about and need to know how to make the changes needed to get your business growing? Join Ramon Ray, Regional Director of Development at Infusionsoft and Technology Evangelist and Editor of Smallbiztechnology.com, and Dr. Sharon Melnick, CEO of Horizon Point, Inc., for the NYC event ‘Take Your Business To The Next Level By Getting Out Of The Way!‘ and find out!

Eventbrite - Take Your Business To The Next Level By Getting Out Of The Way

Date: Thursday, May 16th

Time: 9 am â€" 11 am

Location: Regus Office Suites 112 West 34th Street New York, NY 10120

As a small business owner you dream of taking your business to the next level, but like most, it's a struggle to get there. In this seminar we will show you how you can get to the next level by simply getting out of your own way!

Dr. Sharon Melnick will share how you need to FOCUS and ensure each day you are doing the right things to be successful. It's about how to ‘get out of your own way' (e.g. stop chasing the shiny object') and get focused on the right actions, get yourself to take action instead of procrastinating and to have the confidence to get bigger clients and opportunities. Once you've gotten out of your own way, Ramon will show you how to use Lifecycle Marketing to help your business capture leads, nurture prospects and further GROW your business. Event Hosts: Ramon Ray, Regional Director of Development, Infusionsoft and Technology Evangelist, Smallbiztechnology.com Ramon is Regional Development Director NY/NJ Infusionsoft and Edito r & Technology Evangelist of Smallbiztechnology.com and. He is passionate about helping small businesses grow their businesses using technology as a strategic asset.  He is a journalist, free lance writer, event producer (Small Business Summit, Small Business Technology Tour, Small Business Influencer Awards), speaker and author. His third book is “Facebook Guide to Small Business Marketing”, (Wiley, Winter 2013). Read his full bio here. Dr. Sharon MelnickDr. Sharon Melnick, CEO, Horizon Point, Inc. Sharon Melnick, PhD is a business psychologist and a leading authority on helping talented businesspeople ‘get out of their own way'.  Informed by 10 years of research at Harvard Medical School and field tested by over 7000 trainees and clients, her methods give business owners tools to go from self critical to self confident,  from procrastinating to productive, and from frazzled to focused…and then land  the largest deal of their professional career. Dr. Melnick is the author of the critically acclaimed book,  Success under Stress:Powerful Tools for Staying Calm, Confident, and Productive When the Pressure's On.   Her advice can be found on Forbes.com, FoxNews, Business Insider, NY Enterprise Report, Intuit blog, USAToday.com and many others.  Discover more atwww.sharonmelnick.com Join them on the 16th and get your business growing!



9 Step Checklist To Optimize Your eCommerce Website

It's time for spring cleaning! Shake out the cobwebs and dust off the shelves! Chase the rabbits out of your garden! Other metaphors! Look, let's get down to brass tacks: many of the major holidays are behind us and you've got some time to spruce up your website a little and get it ready for the second half of 2013. Put your best face on and go get those sales!

Ethan Giffin, CEO of Groove Commerce, was kind enough to send us some tips on how you can optimize your ecommerce website during this time of year! Take a look:

Revisit your email acquisition strategy: If your winter was dedicated to hitting your subscribers with the latest deals and gifts, you can dedicate the spring to growing that subscriber base with welcome series e-mail campaigns, social media integration, and loyalty programs

Set up advanced Google Analytics functionality: If the holiday season only left you with a truckload of visitor data that lacked insight, it's time to leverage advanced features of Google Analytics like Events, Event Tracking and Custom Reporting. Make 2013 the year of using your data instead of being overwhelmed by it.

Evaluate your Cross-Selling Tactics: How did your cross-sells pay off during the winter? Did your product suggestions miss the mark? A number of recommendation engines on the market can evaluate your customer's behavior and help you find ways to increase average order value

Change Up Your Hero Banner (the big one that's front and center!): You don't want your holiday customers to come back to the same hero banner months later. Put some exciting new images in the rotation and possibly tie it to a current season.

Catch up on your blog. Or create one: Even the most active company blog can slow down during the holiday season. The spring is a great chance to create new, evergreen content that you can use in the coming months when you don't have a chance to sit down and blog.

Demo the Latest Tools: It seems like every other day, a web company is offering insight into your website's performance, especially when it comes to SEO. Spring is a good time to seek out free (or free trial) analytics tools to see what's out there.

Analyze your social media: Facebook's post-ranking algorithm makes social media analysis very important. Look at your most popular and least popular posts. What time did you post them? Did they include images of products or people? Find out what worked and why.

Evaluate your PPC Landing Pages: Don't waste valuable clicks! Are you leveraging what you know about your user to cater to them? Is your copy compelling? Does it include a strong call to action? A-B testing is critical here!

Check Your Links: Obvious, yes, but when was the last time you did it? Customers don't appreciate being sent to 404 errors, and it hurts your SEO as well.

-

For tips on how to boost your sales, check out our archives.

Let us know what else you're doing to optimize your business in the comments below!



Senate Passes Internet Sales Tax; Bill Moves to House

online sales tax

More than two-thirds of U.S. Senators voted in favor of the so-called Internet Sales Tax on Monday evening. Small business owners who do business online are divided on the measure.

According to CNNMoney.com, the Senate voted 69-27 Monday to pass their version of the Marketplace Fairness Act. The bill now moves to a divided House and if it gets through that body, it would go to President Barack Obama, who has previously expressed his support of the measure.

The Marketplace Fairness Act, or Internet Sales Tax, would allow states that collect sales tax on regular purchases at brick-and-mortar retail shops to impose a sales tax on goods sold online to their residents, no matter where the seller is located. States can require online merchants to collect sales tax if they generate $1 million in sales or more in state, even if they do not have a physical presence such as a store or warehouse.

For small business owners, as we’ve reported, the Internet Sales Tax is likely to have a profound impact on how business is done. Small businesses that try to compete with bigger brick-and-mortar shops by selling their products on sites like eBay will now have to consider their prices, factoring in the tax. What once was an appealing deal for consumers because they didn’t have to pay a sales tax may not be much of a bargain when sales tax is accounted for.

Opponents of the Internet Sales Tax say the bill would turn many small business owners into tax collectors rather than merchants. Small businesses would be burdened by being forced to collect sales tax from more than 9,600 tax jurisdictions across the U.S. If the bill becomes law, small business owners everywhere could be subjected to out-of-state audits, eEay President and CEO John Donahoe recently said in an open letter opposing the Marketplace Fairness Act. He added that businesses generating less than $10 million in sales or having less than 50 employees should be exempt from the bill if it becomes law.

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz has been an outspoken critic of the Marketplace Fairness Act. A post from the online merchants’ advocate We R Here quoted Cruz from an op-ed saying, “Imposing a national Internet sales tax while the nation is still trying desperately to create jobs and provide new opportunities for millions of Americans still struggling to find work is economic foolishness.”

By contrast, the affiliate marketing industry has largely embraced the bill, saying it will eliminate the need for so-called affiliate nexus taxes in six states including Arkansas, Connecticut, Illinois, New York, North Carolina and Vermont. Those laws have caused online merchants to end their relationships with affiliates in nexus states, causing affiliates in those states to close shop or move across state lines to stay in business.

U.S. Capitol Photo via Shutterstock




Senate Passes Internet Sales Tax; Bill Moves to House

online sales tax

More than two-thirds of U.S. Senators voted in favor of the so-called Internet Sales Tax on Monday evening. Small business owners who do business online are divided on the measure.

According to CNNMoney.com, the Senate voted 69-27 Monday to pass their version of the Marketplace Fairness Act. The bill now moves to a divided House and if it gets through that body, it would go to President Barack Obama, who has previously expressed his support of the measure.

The Marketplace Fairness Act, or Internet Sales Tax, would allow states that collect sales tax on regular purchases at brick-and-mortar retail shops to impose a sales tax on goods sold online to their residents, no matter where the seller is located. States can require online merchants to collect sales tax if they generate $1 million in sales or more in state, even if they do not have a physical presence such as a store or warehouse.

For small business owners, as we’ve reported, the Internet Sales Tax is likely to have a profound impact on how business is done. Small businesses that try to compete with bigger brick-and-mortar shops by selling their products on sites like eBay will now have to consider their prices, factoring in the tax. What once was an appealing deal for consumers because they didn’t have to pay a sales tax may not be much of a bargain when sales tax is accounted for.

Opponents of the Internet Sales Tax say the bill would turn many small business owners into tax collectors rather than merchants. Small businesses would be burdened by being forced to collect sales tax from more than 9,600 tax jurisdictions across the U.S. If the bill becomes law, small business owners everywhere could be subjected to out-of-state audits, eEay President and CEO John Donahoe recently said in an open letter opposing the Marketplace Fairness Act. He added that businesses generating less than $10 million in sales or having less than 50 employees should be exempt from the bill if it becomes law.

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz has been an outspoken critic of the Marketplace Fairness Act. A post from the online merchants’ advocate We R Here quoted Cruz from an op-ed saying, “Imposing a national Internet sales tax while the nation is still trying desperately to create jobs and provide new opportunities for millions of Americans still struggling to find work is economic foolishness.”

By contrast, the affiliate marketing industry has largely embraced the bill, saying it will eliminate the need for so-called affiliate nexus taxes in six states including Arkansas, Connecticut, Illinois, New York, North Carolina and Vermont. Those laws have caused online merchants to end their relationships with affiliates in nexus states, causing affiliates in those states to close shop or move across state lines to stay in business.

U.S. Capitol Photo via Shutterstock




Best Online File-Sharing Tools for Small Businesses

In today’s always-connected workplace, work files can no longer stay at work when the day is complete. Small business owners, especially, must be able to access their important work files while on vacation, at home on the weekends, and on business trips. As a small business grows, file-sharing can help workers collaborate, keeping projects moving.

But in the war to win small business dollars, Cloud-based software providers are currently working hard to convince the world that their product is the best. Here are a few of the solutions that stand out from the crowd, as picked by the small business workers who use them.

Google Apps

“One of the best file-sharing tools for small businesses is Google Apps for Business, a conglomeration of web-based productivity tools that are very similar to commercial office suite software,” Ian Aronovich, co-founder and CEO of GovernmentAuctions.org, says. “The primary apps that Google Apps for Business comes with include Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Drive, Google Groups, Google Analytics, and more, with features like conference scheduling, 24/7 phone support and up to 25 GB of online storage space per user account.“

PlasticPlace.net is using Google Drive to help coordinate workflow while preparing to launch a new website. “This is especially helpful for the CEO,” a spokesperson for the company says. “He always has a updated version of the spreadsheet/document in his folder.”

Google Docs provides a free, easy way to store documents in the Cloud. “I run a small marketing consulting business and have, in the past year, started using Google docs to share all kinds of files with clients,” Carrick Marketing’s Heidi O’Gorman says. “I’ve even used Google docs to collect data and tally RSVPs to client events.”

Dropbox

This free tool keeps the latest version of each file stored in the Cloud, where it can be accessed at any time. Eric Schlissel of GeekTek IT Services advises utilizing the service’s 500MB of free storage by signing up all of your various e-mail aliases.

“They give 500MB of free storage for every referral that installs the app on their computer,” Schlissel says, adding that Dropbox is also good for managing user access to files and folders. He points out that one downside is that it doesn’t have fine-grained controls.

Dropbox Teams

Brad Jashinsky of Summertime Entertainment uses Dropbox Teams to allow its employees, contractors, and partner companies around the world to access its 4TB of stored information. “We previously tried using more programming-focused solutions such as GitHub, Subversion, and Mercurial,” he says. “The price and simplicity of Dropbox couldn’t be beat. We have the safety of always having a local copy of our data while having the ability to share any file or folder with two clicks. Dropbox also has great apps that work on all of our Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android devices.”

SugarSync

“SugarSync supports password-protected shared files and folders, while allowing project participants to maintain a synced folder locally on their own computer, for when they need to work offline,” Nerds On Call CEO Andrea Eldridge says. “Changes are updated when team members are next online and instantly available to all team members.”

Basecamp

Branding strategist and ghostwriter Heidie Woods recommends Basecamp, a project management tool. “Basecamp is a very customizable experience,” she says. “I can create separate To Do lists for each item on my general To Do list for each project. I can separate project calendars to view each project/team separately or integrate all projects into one view - switching between project and calendar views as needed.”

Experts also point to the importance of preventing data leaks once Cloud-based file-sharing is in place. “One-third of employees in a recent study admit they move work files to file sharing apps without permission and the majority do not delete the data they’ve moved once they’re done using it,” a Symantec expert says. “While online file sharing tools increase employee productivity, left unmanaged they can put the business at risk of data spills.”



NYC Event: On May 16th Take Your Business To The Next Level By Getting Out Of The Way!

Is your business ‘stuck’? Are you having trouble taking your business to the next level and don’t know why? Well, it’s possible that YOU are the problem and the solution may be that you need to GET OUT OF YOUR OWN WAY! Not sure what I’m talking about, or know exactly what I’m talking about and need to know how to make the changes needed to get your business growing? Join Ramon Ray, Regional Director of Development at Infusionsoft and Technology Evangelist and Editor of Smallbiztechnology.com, and Dr. Sharon Melnick, CEO of Horizon Point, Inc., for the NYC event ‘Take Your Business To The Next Level By Getting Out Of The Way!‘ and find out!

Eventbrite - Take Your Business To The Next Level By Getting Out Of The Way

Date: Thursday, May 16th

Time: 9 am - 11 am

Location: Regus Office Suites 112 West 34th Street New York, NY 10120

As a small business owner you dream of taking your business to the next level, but like most, it’s a struggle to get there. In this seminar we will show you how you can get to the next level by simply getting out of your own way!

Dr. Sharon Melnick will share how you need to FOCUS and ensure each day you are doing the right things to be successful. It’s about how to ‘get out of your own way’ (e.g. stop chasing the shiny object’) and get focused on the right actions, get yourself to take action instead of procrastinating and to have the confidence to get bigger clients and opportunities. Once you’ve gotten out of your own way, Ramon will show you how to use Lifecycle Marketing to help your business capture leads, nurture prospects and further GROW your business. Event Hosts: Ramon Ray, Regional Director of Development, Infusionsoft and Technology Evangelist, Smallbiztechnology.com Ramon is Regional Development Director NY/NJ Infusionsoft and Editor & Technology Evangelist of Smallbiztechnology.com and. He is passionate about helping small businesses grow their businesses using technology as a strategic asset.  He is a journalist, free lance writer, event producer (Small Business Summit, Small Business Technology Tour, Small Business Influencer Awards), speaker and author. His third book is “Facebook Guide to Small Business Marketing”, (Wiley, Winter 2013). Read his full bio here. Dr. Sharon Melnick! Dr. Sharon Melnick, CEO, Horizon Point, Inc. Sharon Melnick, PhD is a business psychologist and a leading authority on helping talented businesspeople ‘get out of their own way’.  Informed by 10 years of research at Harvard Medical School and field tested by over 7000 trainees and clients, her methods give business owners tools to go from self critical to self confident,  from procrastinating to productive, and from frazzled to focused…and then land  the largest deal of their professional career. Dr. Melnick is the author of the critically acclaimed book,  Success under Stress:Powerful Tools for Staying Calm, Confident, and Productive When the Pressure’s On.   Her advice can be found on Forbes.com, FoxNews, Business Insider, NY Enterprise Report, Intuit blog, USAToday.com and many others.  Discover more atwww.sharonmelnick.com span>Join them on the 16th and get your business growing!



Responsibility should be a consideration when it comes to fines for data losses

Regulatory fines from the Information Commissioner's Office are ‘intelligent', but more responsibility needs to be taken in public sector incidents.

In a recent SC Magazine webcast, an audience poll asked whether the right of the Information Commissioner's Office to fine businesses and organisations up to £500,000 had changed the way listeners did business, 52 per cent said it had not, while 24 per cent were not sure.

Speaking on the webcast former information commissioner Richard Thomas, now a consultant at law firm Hunton & Williams, said that he pushed for fines for three years for "serious enforcement powers".

“When I was commissioner it was a huge frustration that I had no powers to impose fines at all and there was a convoluted enforcement notice which was hard to use in practice, and it sent the signal that no one really cared much about data protection,” he said.

Thomas said that he called for the power in government and the law was changed as he left. He said: “For my mind, the right to impose fines must be a good thing.”

Jonathan Armstrong, partner at law firm Duane Morris, said that Thomas and current information commissioner Christopher Graham should be applauded for campaigning and using the fines respectively, and called the use of fines ‘intelligent'.

He said: “Generally speaking, those people that deserve the higher fines get them.” However he went on to say that attitudes of a fine to a public sector company resulting in the closing down of a hospital ward or cut in public spending should be taken on board, as if a CEO of a private sector company was fined "he'd be paying for that personally".

“To somehow say ‘yes I am happy to take a private sector equivalent salary but I am not happy to take a private sector level of responsibility' is wrong,” he said.

“I don't want them to be flogged through the streets, but if you are a senior executive at a local authority or health trust and you have data on vulnerable children, you have to take the same level of responsibility as in the private sector.

“I'd like to see a more difficult resolution for those people concerned than saying ‘I'll close some beds in the hospital to cover for my mistake'.”

Thomas also said that except for the heinous incidents, the proposals made in the new Data Protection Directive could be excessive when it came to mandatory fines.



Check Point launches small business specific technology

Check Point has released an entry-level security appliance for smaller businesses.

Including a firewall, VPN, intrusion prevention, anti-virus, anti-spam, application control, URL filtering and up to 1.5Gpbs firewall throughput, the company said that the 600 appliances are suitable for small offices of up to 100 employees and come in three models - 620, 640 and 680.

According to the company, they include flexible web-based management options through a simple and intuitive user interface with security policies pre-defined.

Dorit Dor, vice president of products at Check Point, said: “With limited resources, small businesses are often not equipped to deal with the expert cyber criminal. The 600 appliances solve this problem and offer small businesses an inexpensive, yet comprehensive security solution that provide secure access to critical resources anywhere anytime, while minimising the risk of a data breach."



9 Step Checklist To Optimize Your eCommerce Website

It’s time for spring cleaning! Shake out the cobwebs and dust off the shelves! Chase the rabbits out of your garden! Other metaphors! Look, let’s get down to brass tacks: many of the major holidays are behind us and you’ve got some time to spruce up your website a little and get it ready for the second half of 2013. Put your best face on and go get those sales!

Ethan Giffin, CEO of Groove Commerce, was kind enough to send us some tips on how you can optimize your ecommerce website during this time of year! Take a look:

Revisit your email acquisition strategy: If your winter was dedicated to hitting your subscribers with the latest deals and gifts, you can dedicate the spring to growing that subscriber base with welcome series e-mail campaigns, social media integration, and loyalty programs

Set up advanced Google Analytics functionality: If the holiday season only left you with a truckload of visitor data that lacked insight, it’s time to leverage advanced features of Google Analytics like Events, Event Tracking and Custom Reporting. Make 2013 the year of using your data instead of being overwhelmed by it.

Evaluate your Cross-Selling Tactics: How did your cross-sells pay off during the winter? Did your product suggestions miss the mark? A number of recommendation engines on the market can evaluate your customer’s behavior and help you find ways to increase average order value

Change Up Your Hero Banner (the big one that’s front and center!): You don’t want your holiday customers to come back to the same hero banner months later. Put some exciting new images in the rotation and possibly tie it to a current season.

Catch up on your blog. Or create one: Even the most active company blog can slow down during the holiday season. The spring is a great chance to create new, evergreen content that you can use in the coming months when you don’t have a chance to sit down and blog.

Demo the Latest Tools: It seems like every other day, a web company is offering insight into your website’s performance, especially when it comes to SEO. Spring is a good time to seek out free (or free trial) analytics tools to see what’s out there.

Analyze your social media: Facebook’s post-ranking algorithm makes social media analysis very important. Look at your most popular and least popular posts. What time did you post them? Did they include images of products or people? Find out what worked and why.

Evaluate your PPC Landing Pages: Don’t waste valuable clicks! Are you leveraging what you know about your user to cater to them? Is your copy compelling? Does it include a strong call to action? A-B testing is critical here!

Check Your Links: Obvious, yes, but when was the last time you did it? Customers don’t appreciate being sent to 404 errors, and it hurts your SEO as well.

-

For tips on how to boost your sales, check out our archives.

Let us know what else you’re doing to optimize your business in the comments below!



Top 5 Expenses a Startup Cannot Avoid

startup expenses

Initiating a business is exciting, fun even. But startup dreamers shouldn’t forget the business of starting a business. Sure, it’s enjoyable to pick out a cool logo, a mission statement, a team of professionals to back your vision and a sweet office rental. But don’t let the looming, obligatory startup expenses involved in getting your startup off the ground get lost in the excitement.

If you do, your success will falter. Estimating an accurate startup cost is essential to meeting your future goals. Make sure you get your funds in order for the following expenses.

1. Professional Costs

Whether you’re setting up an LLC, a corporation or otherwise, you’re going to have to pay a fee just to move past the phase of conceptualizing your startup by making it into a real, registered business. States differ on costs and registration procedures, but this is often the first check you’re going to stroke as you get your business off the ground.

Your professional costs will expand and skyrocket from there: You’re going to need to shell out expenses for copyrights and patents. And, you’re definitely going to need an accountant and a lawyer at some point, and we all know how affordable those services are.

2. Technology

Another one of the initial startup expenses not to discount as you financially plan for your startup is the cost of designing, developing and hosting a website. A lot of people naively think that they can accomplish most of these technological feats themselves, and they can dream on. Designing, developing (and most importantly) efficiently hosting an e-commerce site to house your startup is no easy task.

Unless you have a fully-functioning, professional IT staff on board when you initiate your startup (which I’m guessing you don’t), you’re going to have to look into a qualified hosting company that can provide your site with the resources it needs to successfully get off the ground. This will likely include talk of servers, hardware, software, Web security, maintenance and further IT consulting.

And, don’t forget other tech costs like high-speed Internet access, printers, payroll software, cell phones and beepers. Okay, just kidding about that last one.

3. Marketing

It’s likely that you’re not going to forget about the fact that you’re going to be shelling out some money for advertising and promotion to effectively get your new business off the ground. But hear me out. There’s a chance you might not be factoring in quite enough funds in this department.

Sure, you know you’re going to want to place ads locally and nationally (who knows, maybe globally), and you’re probably going to be looking into paying for online advertising and SEO costs. However, common marketing expenses are often forgotten, like the fact that you’re going to be printing stationery, posters and other marketing materials. And don’t forget the cost of admittance to trade shows and industry events to get your name out there (as well as chamber of commerce membership fees and the expenses involved in joining industry associations).

Public relations isn’t cheap, but investing in PR can take your business far, fast.

4. Administrative Costs

Little things add up, so take everything into account when budgeting for your startup expenses â€" right down to the purchase of paper clips and staples. Never mind the bigger expenses like desks, office chairs, filing cabinets, etc. Also, remember that administrative costs go far beyond office supplies to include licenses and permits, parking, utilities, rent and more.

Plus, if you want to really look professional, you’re going to need to invest in the proper packaging materials for your business (and don’t forget shipping and postage), which brings us to the next startup cost factor not to be forgotten.

5. Cost of Sales

It seems counterproductive to think of your startup’s first few sales as costing your business money; but that’s how it is when you’re just starting out. Raw materials are going to factor into the cost of your sales, and you’re going to have to beef up your product inventory in order to actually even make those sales.

If your startup is going big, then you’ll have to factor in warehousing and shipping insurance as well.

Don’t Freak Out

Take a deep breath and stop biting your nails. Now roll your shoulders a little and relax.

The above mentioned startup expenses shouldn’t freak you out and discourage you from accomplishing your startup dreams. But you should take note of them as you budget for the future of your business.

Every company’s startup expenses and costs may differ, but chances are you’ll be spending some time and money getting some of these facets of your nascent business in order. And if you do so mindfully â€" your startup will grow into a full-fledged, successful company.

Expenses Photo via Shutterstock




Microsoft faces IE8 zero-day, after US department serves watering hole attack

A watering hole attack targeting the US Department of Labor (DoL) website served an exploit that took advantage of a previously unknown vulnerability in Internet Explorer 8.

Following an advisory issued on Friday warning that attackers were actively exploiting a remote-execution zero-day flaw in IE8, Eddie Mitchell, security engineer at Invincea, said in a Friday blog post that this is the vulnerability that was being attacked on the DoL site. A malicious script on several of the pages directed victims to an attacker-owned site serving the Poison Ivy remote access Trojan.

The Labor Department said in a statement: "The website was immediately taken offline and the department began working with appropriate internal and external authorities to investigate and to mitigate any potential impacts.

“The website will remain offline until DoL completes its initial investigation. At this time, there is no evidence of compromise to or loss of DoL information.” The compromised DoL pages have been cleaned, but they remain offline.

Research by AlienVault found that in addition to the DoL website, at least nine other websites were redirecting to the malicious server at the same time, including several non-profit groups and institutes, as well as "a big European company that plays on the aerospace, defence and security markets".

Microsoft said in its advisory that Internet Explorer 6, 7, 9 and 10 were not affected by the vulnerability, and recommended users upgrade while it works to develop a security update to address this issue.

It recommended users set internet and local intranet security zone settings to 'high' to block ActiveX Controls and Active Scripting in these zones, and configure Internet Explorer to prompt before running Active Scripting or to disable Active Scripting in the internet and local intranet security zones.