4 Ways to Keep Your Marketing Materials Current

If you hand out marketing materials at trade shows, networking events or conferences, you know what a pain it is when they’re outdated. And with technology changing at the speed of light, your product or service offerings may be changing pretty quickly too.

How do you keep your marketing materials up to date without going over budget?

Print On Demand

Whether you physically print your marketing materials yourself or outsource the design and printing to a company like Vistaprint, don’t print more than you can use for a given event or time period.

Sure, it’s tempting to print thousands to save a bit of money per sheet, but if you end up with 9,000 outdated fliers sitting in your garage, you’re not really saving money.

Marketing materials ideal for smaller print runs include:

• Business cards
• Brochures
• Fliers
• Media kits

Ask yourself what the maximum number of any item you will need for an event is. Printing fewer now means you can make changes next time, then print a new batch.

Create Easily Modified Documents

If you hand out the same flier at every event, you can leave it as-is so you can use it for multiple events. For a more custom piece, it’s easy to change out the event name on the document without modifying your marketing copy.

Don’t reinvent the wheel every time you need marketing materials. Reuse what you’ve got and update your files for each event.

Consider storing your files in Dropbox or other cloud-based storage so that anyone who needs to access the files can get to them easily.

Get Access to Your Native Art Files

Even if you’re not a graphic designer, you need easy access to your art files - in every format possible. Even if your designer moves to Tahiti, if you have the files, a new designer can make modifications without redesigning and charging you for it.

Ask for files in these formats:

• PDF
• PNG
• AI
• JPG
• EPS
• TIFF
• BMP
• RAW (if you have photos)

Making sure you get a copy of your files at the completion of each project means you’ll be able to use them in future projects without having to track down a graphic artist you may have worked with just once.

Whether you work with an independent graphic designer or a site like 99designs, you’re entitled to all versions of your design.

Review Your Materials Regularly

You may not even realize your marketing materials are out of date. Make a point of reviewing them every quarter or at regular intervals that give you plenty of time to keep them updated and printed in the proper quantities to ensure they accurately reflect the products or services you offer, as well as your company contact information.

Review the materials for grammatical errors. Have co-workers read through the documents, too. The more eyes reviewing your materials, the less chance you’ll miss an error that might be printed on hundreds or even thousands of fliers and brochures.

Marketing materials are often the first impression people have of your brand. Take the time to make sure they’re always up to date, professional and error free.

Printing Brochure Photo via Shutterstock

4 Ways to Keep Your Marketing Materials Current

If you hand out marketing materials at trade shows, networking events or conferences, you know what a pain it is when they’re outdated. And with technology changing at the speed of light, your product or service offerings may be changing pretty quickly too.

How do you keep your marketing materials up to date without going over budget?

Print On Demand

Whether you physically print your marketing materials yourself or outsource the design and printing to a company like Vistaprint, don’t print more than you can use for a given event or time period.

Sure, it’s tempting to print thousands to save a bit of money per sheet, but if you end up with 9,000 outdated fliers sitting in your garage, you’re not really saving money.

Marketing materials ideal for smaller print runs include:

• Business cards
• Brochures
• Fliers
• Media kits

Ask yourself what the maximum number of any item you will need for an event is. Printing fewer now means you can make changes next time, then print a new batch.

Create Easily Modified Documents

If you hand out the same flier at every event, you can leave it as-is so you can use it for multiple events. For a more custom piece, it’s easy to change out the event name on the document without modifying your marketing copy.

Don’t reinvent the wheel every time you need marketing materials. Reuse what you’ve got and update your files for each event.

Consider storing your files in Dropbox or other cloud-based storage so that anyone who needs to access the files can get to them easily.

Get Access to Your Native Art Files

Even if you’re not a graphic designer, you need easy access to your art files - in every format possible. Even if your designer moves to Tahiti, if you have the files, a new designer can make modifications without redesigning and charging you for it.

Ask for files in these formats:

• PDF
• PNG
• AI
• JPG
• EPS
• TIFF
• BMP
• RAW (if you have photos)

Making sure you get a copy of your files at the completion of each project means you’ll be able to use them in future projects without having to track down a graphic artist you may have worked with just once.

Whether you work with an independent graphic designer or a site like 99designs, you’re entitled to all versions of your design.

Review Your Materials Regularly

You may not even realize your marketing materials are out of date. Make a point of reviewing them every quarter or at regular intervals that give you plenty of time to keep them updated and printed in the proper quantities to ensure they accurately reflect the products or services you offer, as well as your company contact information.

Review the materials for grammatical errors. Have co-workers read through the documents, too. The more eyes reviewing your materials, the less chance you’ll miss an error that might be printed on hundreds or even thousands of fliers and brochures.

Marketing materials are often the first impression people have of your brand. Take the time to make sure they’re always up to date, professional and error free.

Printing Brochure Photo via Shutterstock

Which Social Media Management App is Best? Here Are Three Worth Checking Out!

Businesses both big and small have a very important task these days, managing not just a website, but also Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Pinterest on a daily basis. It can be a tall task, especially for those small businesses without the flexibility to have a social media manager on their payroll. But developers are rapidly releasing solutions so the social media management process is more manageable and also doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. Here’s a lok at some of those solutions and what they have to offer.

HootSuite. Probably the most widely known social networking management application is Hootsuite. It’s so popular that 79 of the Top 100 Fortune companies utilize the app for at least a part of their social media management. From one spot you can view streams of numerous social networking sites to monitor activity and schedule future posts. It’s only $8.99 a month, but a major downside to this application is the amount you have to pay some of your analytical data, with some reports costing as much as $50.

ViralHeat. The people behind this application believe it is the most comprehensive place to control all forms of business social media available right now. With a single dashboard that controls all forms of social media, the application gives the user easy access to scheduling future posts, reviewing analytics of previous posts and even accessing old posts. ViralHeat is known to be a great solution for smaller businesses, but some critics warn that as growth happens, a more robust solution may become necessary.

Buffer. A little different in design than ViralHeat and HootSuite, this application focuses on being a “virtual queue” to send and schedule posts through various networking sites. This allows the content manager freedom from the pressure of multiple delivery times throughout the day. This application can be used with sites like Hootsuite to enhance its functionality, or simply by itself. However, there’s no dashboard with this application, and it’s focused on the scheduling of posting more than anything else.

These three applications are just a small sampling of the hundreds available today to help businesses balance the increasing pressure for a stronger and more interactive social presence. Likely one of the hardest decisions when looking to add a management tool is simply weeding through the many options available.

New ADP Report Shows Job Growth In Franchising

[Click for full infographic]

The International Franchise Expo-the largest franchise expo in the US, was held in New York City last week. Thousands of would-be franchise owners were in attendance all hoping to find a franchise opportunity that they could someday buy.

Also in attendance; franchise industry insiders. These insiders…some of the top movers and shakers in the industry, were there hoping to gain insights into some of the trends shaping franchising this year. And they were able to, courtesy of ADP.

The first-ever ADP National Franchise Report SM using the Moody's Analytics methodology was released live during the start of the expo. (I was invited to listen in live as the report was presented.) The much-anticipated report showed an increase of 19,160 jobs in May.

The chairman of the International Franchise Association, (IFA) Steve Romaniello, in his remarks, reminded us that:

The franchise industry includes over 825,000 establishments providing $2.1 trillion in economic output which helps us make the case to policy makers that public policy should help not hinder franchise businesses so that the industry can continue to grow and prosper to create millions of jobs across the country.

The ADP National Franchise Report SM utilizes actual transaction data to measure the number of new private-sector franchise jobs created. Going forward, the report will be released on the third Wednesday of every month.

Job creation is vital for the US economy. Data, precise data, is needed to track its progress or lack thereof. And, now, thanks to ADP, we have a way to track job data in the franchise sector.

Below are additional insights into The National Franchise Report SM, as provided by Ahu Yildirmaz, PH.D, the Senior Director of Market Insights at ADP, where she serves as lead economist for the ADP Research Institute®.  Dr. Yildirmaz is responsible for managing the world-renowned ADP National Employment Report®, a monthly measure of U.S. employment derived from an anonymous subset of roughly 500,000 U.S. business clients.  Sponsored by ADP, the report is developed and maintained by Macroeconomic Advisers, LLC.

* * * * *

Small Business Trends:  Is this ADP's first deep-dive into franchise industry employment data?

Ahu Yildirmaz: Yes, this is ADP's first deep dive into examining franchise industry employment data. As a leading global provider of human capital management solutions, ADP is committed to providing the deepest, richest insights into the U.S. labor market in order to help inform workforce strategies.

As a part of this continuing effort, ADP launched the ADP National Franchise Report SM, which provides data and insights into private sector franchise employment trends across key industries.

Franchises are an essential driver of the U.S. economy, providing 8 million jobs and delivering countless products and services on which the public relies every day. The report is produced by ADP in collaboration with Moody's Analytics, Inc., and its experienced team of labor market researchers.

Small Business Trends: Compiling data on franchise employment trends on a monthly basis sounds like a massive undertaking. What is ADP's goal for this project?

Ahu Yildirmaz: The report is derived from ADP's actual payroll data and will be issued each month by The ADP Research Institute®, a specialized group within the company that provides insights around employment trends and workforce strategy.

The ADP Research Institute® is also responsible for producing the ADP National Employment Report® and the ADP Regional Employment Report SM. The goal of the ADP National Franchise Report SM  is to provide specific, in-depth data on U.S private-sector franchise employment trends, among both franchisees and franchisors.

Small Business Trends: Will ADP be gathering data from every sector in franchising? Can you name the ones that you'll be gathering data from?

Ahu Yildirmaz: In gathering data for the report, ADP is employing classification of franchisees and franchisors based on the North American Industrial Classification system (NAICS) and on the 2007 Economic Census Franchise Report from the Census Bureau, the only comprehensive government report on franchise employment.

The report features monthly employment changes across the following industries (in alphabetical order):

• Accommodations
• Auto
• Parts and Dealers
• Building Material and Garden Equipment
• Business Services
• Education
• Food Retailers
• Gasoline Stations and Auto Repair
• Leisure
• Manufacturing
• Personal Care Retailers
• Personal Services
• Professional Services
• Real Estate
• Rental
• Restaurants
• Other

Small Business Trends: Specifically, what information will be gathered from franchisors to be used in ADP's monthly reports?

Ahu Yildirmaz: The matched sample used to develop the ADP National Franchise Report SM is derived from ADP payroll data, which represents 15,000 Franchisors and Franchisees employing nearly 1 million workers in the U.S. The sample size of the overall ADP data set from which the ADP National Employment Report® is derived is 406,000 U.S. companies and 23 million employees, which accounts for more than 20 percent of all U.S. private sector employees.

Small Business Trends: How can Small Business Trends readers access The ADP National Franchise Report SM every month?

Ahu Yildirmaz: Your readers can access additional information at ADP National Franchise Report SM.

Don\'t Answer Interview Questions Like Abercrombie and Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries

Abercrombie & Fitch has been the go-to brand for many young Americans. But a single interview by CEO Mike Jeffries put the entire company under fire. In an interview with Salon Magazine, Jeffries said, “Candidly, we go after the cool kids. We go after the attractive all-American kid with a great attitude and a lot of friends. A lot of people don't belong [in our clothes], and they can't belong. Are we exclusionary? Absolutely.”

Now I don't know about you, but I find this type of attitude repulsive â€" and most Americans agree. Numerous protests sprung up around the country as this interview circulated, bringing negative scrutiny to the retail giant. Further revelations that the company purposefully refuses to manufacture clothing for larger consumers have only fueled the firestorm.

While there's nothing wrong with target marketing from a business perspective, it was Jeffries' attitude and the company's policies that struck dissonant chords with consumers. Since CEOs and brand representatives are spending more time with the press and monitoring public relations, it's crucial to revisit some very applicable interview techniques. By understanding these principles, you'll be able to avoid a major gaffe like A&F CEO Mike Jeffries.

Keeping it Short

In the digital age, short-form content rules â€" and this applies to interviews as well. If you think about sound bites you hear in the press or read on line, they're just a few sentences long â€" or a few words. The more you speak, the more convoluted your answers can become and the higher the risk for a public gaffe.

Use your words wisely, not freely.

Knowing Your Boundaries

Just because you're the CEO or some other executive management employee, it doesn't mean that you know everything there is to know about the company. Don't just “come up with an answer” so you have something to say. Sometimes a simple “No comment” or “I don't know” is the most effective answer.

Answering for the sake of having an answer is how many brands (and politicians) get in trouble.

Responding to Questions

This might seem like a given, but many people react to questions instead of responding to them. Not all reporters will be friendly â€" some lack personality or are outright hostile.

If you don't agree with the way a reporter handles a question or how the interview is advancing, keep your focus on answering the questions instead of overreacting. Sometimes reporters are just trying to push buttons.

Remembering Your Audience

While you might be speaking one-on-one with an interviewer, keep in mind that this will be eventually broadcast to a much larger audience.

Your answers should always be given with that in mind.

Taking Your Time

Filmed interviews will be edited and readers of a printed interview will never know that you took your time. If there's a complex question, don't be afraid to think for a moment before spouting off an answer. Remember, sometimes the interviewee, not the interviewer, digs the grave.

By consciously thinking through your answers, you'll avoid setting yourself up for a contradiction.

The next time you grant an interview, be sure to keep these tactics in mind for an enjoyable and interesting conversation.

Model Photo via Shutterstock

Microsoft Pulls the Plug on eCommerce Venture “Project Brazil”

There may be a place for more players in the growing eCommerce world. And one of those players could eventually be software giant Microsoft, though for now the Redmond, Wash. firm has shelved plans for an online marketplace.

Last week, the Wall Street Journal reported Microsoft had pulled the plug on its most recent venture, code named Project Brazil.

But that doesn't mean Microsoft has lost interest in eCommerce altogether.

Could Microsoft Compete with Amazon and eBay?

It's uncertain from reports whether Microsoft planned to work with small merchants in its latest online effort as industry leaders Amazon and eBay have done. Microsoft execs said last week the planned eCommerce project hadn't been intended as an “Amazon clone.”

Sources indicate the company is still weighing its options for future forays into the field.

“We remain committed to finding new and differentiated ways to enable a richer, more task oriented approach to eCommerce and online advertising,” said a company spokeswoman last week.

Analyst Patrick Moorhead told Business Insider, “Had Microsoft built this, they would have easily become one of the top credit card holders and have a leading eCommerce platform. So I see why they may have considered it.”

Opportunities Abound

The most recent Microsoft eCommerce site was planned as a place where customers could have bought from various retailers using a single shopping cart. They could then have picked from numerous shipping options for delivery.

But really a new eCommerce option could take a variety of forms. For example, a previous Microsoft experiment mixed eCommerce with the company's search efforts.

Called Live Search Cashback then Bing Cashback, the program paid customers for making purchases of products found through the Bing search engine. The program ran two years and was shut down in 2010.

One thing not in question are the tremendous opportunities present in the eCommerce field. Anticipated continued growth in the market means a chance for small online sellers too, whether on their own or in cooperation with a larger eCommerce website.

Forrester recently projected online retail sales will reach $370 billion in the U.S. by 2017. The research firm also projected European online retail sales would reach $247 billion that same year. The increases represent a 10 percent and 10.5 percent growth respectively over 2013 online retail spending.

Microsoft Photo via Shutterstock

7 Keys to Creating and Populating Your Editorial Calendar

One of the most daunting things about embarking on a content marketing campaign is knowing where to begin. Before you can even deal with that issue, though, you need to determine whether you are even equipped to execute a content marketing campaign. (If you can't produce quality content, then don't bother at all.)

Step one is to take a long and hard look at your internal resources. You'll need to get your team together and figure out the answers to the following questions:

1. Who are our target audiences and what kinds of information are they looking for?

2. Does my company/brand have the expertise to address these needs?

3. Does my company have the talent and resources to effectively communicate such expertise in a clear, helpful and entertaining way?

4.Does my company/brand have enough to say to provide a steady stream of quality content?

5. Is my company prepared to fully interact with my audience, listening, reacting, serving and collaborating?

Once you've gone through this process, and have answered all in questions in the affirmative, then you can begin the process of strategizing and laying out your editorial calendar:

1. Choose your format

There is no single cookie-cutter template for your editorial calendar. Some people are most comfortable with a traditional calendar. More tend to go with Excel or some other spreadsheet. Still others use both.

Creating a full 12-month calendar can be a bit daunting, but it is a worthwhile task. For one, it demonstrates your commitment to creating content in a steady and consistent way. Secondly, it helps you to plan ahead for key events (see below).

If you are creating multiple types of content, it can also be extremely helpful to create a calendar for each content type (i.e. a blog calendar, newsletter calendar, etc.).

Every company has its own way of organizing and tracking content. For a fairly basic editorial calendar, I suggest charting and tracking the following:

• Headline or title

• Content Type

• Target audience

• Internal Expert

• Writer/author

• Due Date

• Content Editor

• Publish Date

• Metrics

[Sample Template]

This can get far more complex in cases where there are multiple levels of editing and approvals, but those are simple to add to the matrix.

2. Identify Your Anchor Events

There will be a certain number of days each year that will be benchmarks for your target audience and for your company. Don't let them sneak up on you.

What kinds of events are we talking about?

First, think about the events of interest to your target audiences. Obviously, holidays are huge for retailers. If your audiences are are interested in food/cooking, look to schedule around holidays. If your customers are typically into popular culture, you might tie content to awards.

You get the idea.

There will also be internal events you'll need to plan for. Look on your brand's calendar to see when new products are being launched, when you may be up for awards and when you might be covered by the press.

Once you've identified these events, it's easy to schedule content leading up to the event, covering the event and in the aftermath of the the event.

3. Identify and Schedule Your Content Channels

There are so many content channels, you can't begin to create content for all of them. Don't be overwhelmed. Simply choose the outlets that best serve the needs of your audiences:

• Blogs

• White Papers

• Internal Bylined Articles

• Press Releases

• Guest Articles

• Newsletters

• Emails

• Social Media

The act of populating an editorial calendar will give you a very clear idea of how much work you're taking on. Often, businesses will look at their proposed editorial calendars and then scale back.

In other cases, businesses start out with a very ambitious calendar only to find that they are not doing real justice to any channel. If it turns out to be overwhelming to handle all of your content outlets, then you can pick and choose which ones you'll want to concentrate on.

4. Set and Enforce Deadlines

Everyone involved in the content creation process â€" from a copywriter to the CEO â€" has to buy in completely. Deadlines set in an editorial calendar must be considered to be set in stone. If everyone isn't taking the process seriously, it just won't work.

5. Build These Into Your Content Rotation

You don't want to bore people on your channels by providing the same kinds of information again and again. Vary your content by focusing on a variety of basic themes. Every business will have themes unique to them and their industries, but the following are good to keep in mind:

• Quick responses to major news events (newsjacking)

• Responses to industry trends and studies

• Behind the scenes at your brand (humanize your brand)

• Featured clients (case studies)

6. Be flexible

Some of the best content you can create comes from a sudden inspiration or in reaction to something you've read, seen or experienced.  You may also want to change your calendar in response to to what is working and what isn't.

7. Don't Forget Impact

Remember, the ultimate goal of content marketing is to create customer loyalty and ultimately, drive sales.

While not all content interactions are directly measurable, many are. Email blasts are measurable in terms of opens and responses to calls to actions. Blog posts can be measured through pageviews, shares, “likes” and Tweets. White papers can be measured through responses to calls to action contained in the white papers and email addresses acquired (when required for a download). Guest articles can be measured through traffic on the media site, click throughs back to the brand site and through visits or calls made directly to the brand (“how did you hear about us”).

Obviously, press releases can be measured through press coverage, but can also be measured through click throughs.

Armed with these numbers, you will be in a much better position to adjust the focus of your content marketing efforts. Go with what's working, ditch what isn't and continue to experiment and test.

Calendar Photo via Shutterstock

7 Tips to Close Skill Gaps, Up Your Value and Solve More Problems

There's no guarantee today that if you have a job you are secure. Keeping the job you have, or being in career transition both require dedicated attention and action. So what are you doing to enhance your customer and career retention? What is your plan and do you have one for career change?

If you are not armed with the weapons, tools and a strategy for professional advancement to compete at today's level, then you are vulnerable.

There are more job and career opportunities, but the competition and requirements for them are as fierce as they have ever been.

Bizible Emerges as Replacement as Salesforce Discontinues Adwords Integration

On May 1st, Salesforce pulled the plug on its Google Adwords integration widget. Salesforce had already put this widget on life support for a long time, so the world's largest CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system discontinuing support for the world's largest search advertising platform surprised no one.

According to the guys at Salesforce, the reason why it no longer tracks Google AdWords in its Web-to-lead forms is so that it can focus its efforts at innovating and improving core areas of its application. It's effectively handing over the control to third-party developers and partners who can offer users new and improved apps that track AdWords campaigns, which will be made available through Salesforce's AppExchange.

There are two ways of looking at this.  You can trust this reason implicitly and pat Salesforce on the back for choosing to focus on enhancing the core features of its CRM platform; or you can disbelieve it and say to yourself, “Salesforce was just not interested in investing in Salesforce for Google Adwords any more, for reasons unknown.”

Whatever the reason you choose to believe, the fact remains that this widget is dead and buried and you still haven't answered five important questions:

1. How will I now use Google AdWords as a lead generation tool?
2. How do I correlate clicks on Google advertisements with my Salesforce leads?
3. Will I still be able to track the results of Google Adwords campaigns from Salesforce?
4. Can I still identify which keywords and advertisements are bringing in leads, new sales opportunities and customers?
5. How will I monitor the efficiency of my Google Adwords Campaign and optimize them when necessary?

Salesforce has a list of partners on its site who are offering similar solutions to Salesforce for Google Adwords. Out of these, it's Bizible that comes the closest to offering features very similar to Salesforce's Google Adwords integration. It's the closest contender for the throne abdicated by the Salesforce widget. Not because it offers a similar solution, but because it has improved upon the features or the old app that it seeks to replace.

There is no doubt in my mind that Bizible has emerged as a replacement that will help you manage the integration of your AdWords spending and the leads and opportunities generated from Salesforce.com

I know you are “dying to know” why Bizible is such a good option for tracking and making sense of your Google Adwords campaign, but let's digress for a bit. What happens to your existing Google Adwords Data if you move to Bizible?

Here's what will happen to it:

• Your dashboard and reports remain unaffected if you haven't uninstalled Salesforce for Google AdWords.
• Your lead activities and custom objects will be unaffected only if you haven't uninstalled Salesforce for Google AdWords.
• Your AdWords ad URLs will remain as is, as will your Web form JavaScript track code and so will the hidden custom field that has your organization ID in the customer webworms.

In a nutshell, all your data will be transferred to the replacement app you are going to use.

Now let's get cracking on Bizible.  Bizible has two versions; the 1.0 which is currently available and the 2.0, which is on its way.

Bizible Version 1.0

Bizible Version 1.0 is out and can be downloaded now. It is for those who had sunk their teeth into Salesforce for Google Adwords and are looking for a replacement along similar lines. So, you have 30 pre-installed reports (Déjà vu anyone) that help you visualize your campaign data and its performance. Custom reports can also be built using your Salesforce data.

Apart from report generation, you also get to find out how your leads found your site, the Google Adwords details, the organic keywords used for search and the referral social sites. Another critical feature is that it allows you to correlate your Google Adwords data with your Salesforce data.

With this, you know which ad attracts the best clients. But there is a subtle improvement made to this feature as compared to the existing SFGA service. You can pre-define a field and ensure that every Adwords data lands in that field. It makes data analysis simpler.

Bizible Version 2.0:  Advance Cookie Tracking Feature

Let's go back to the reason why SFGA service was discontinued â€" Salesforce expected third party developers to come up with Google AdWords tracking breakthroughs that when combined with Salesforce leads and opportunities, data will help businesses get access to better and much improved sales and customer data as compared to what they were getting earlier.

Bizible has come good on this expectation by telling you which keywords were used by the people who walked into your store and made a purchase. Yes, you heard that right. It helps you track and make sense of your offline sales as well. Of course, this is a feature that will be made available on version 2.0, which is still not out. But you are definitely going to get it. So credit, must be given where it's due.

Let's take a closer look at this feature with an example:

Your client has 5 furniture stores and all their sales and customer data is synced in Salesforce.  This means you can now identify which keywords drove online sales, Web form submissions and phone calls. But what about the customer that walks into their store front and buys a chair? This is an offline sale. How did they come to the physical store front? Was it by clicking on the link to the furniture store's site made available through SERPs or through something else?

Version 2.0 answers this question through “cookied” tracking.  Website visitors are “cookied” when they access the furniture store website and “cookied” again when they receive an email from the furniture store after they have made a purchase from the store. This is critical because the Bizible Salesforce plugin can only drop a cookie into the customer's computer through an email.

In the long run, this helps you identify the keyword that motivated the customer to walk into the store to buy a product.

It May Revolutionize ROI Tracking

Just the fact that it tells you how your offline customers are coming to your store means Bizible is not just a complete replacement for Salesforce for Google AdWords customers â€" but something much bigger and better.

The scope of ROI tracking has been redefined and this isn't a hypothesis. All you need to do is wait for the Version 2.0 to be released and implement it when it does. The resultant Google Adwords Tracking will provide some startling clarity on the physical (offline) purchases as well, which is great news for businesses that have both an eCommerce and physical store front.

Images: Bizible

Samsung Introduces Hybrid All-in-One Running Windows 8 and Android 4.2

Samsung is set to introduce some new tablets and laptops, including one that works on both a Windows 8 and Android operating system simultaneously.

The company introduced the expansion to its Ativ PC line this week at a “Premiere” event in London. There, Samsung wowed the crowd gathered with Ativ Q. This is fully-functional laptop with a hinged monitor that turns it into a slim tablet. Perhaps the most interesting feature on the Ativ Q is its ability to switch between Windows 8 and Android 4.2.

If your business is constantly transferring files from smartphones to business computers, a machine that acts as both could be an answer to those problems. Ativ Q users can pin Apps from their Android system onto the Windows 8 Start screen and transferring files between the two systems is easy, according to an early review of the expanded Ativ line from TechLive.com.

The Ativ Q also features the new Intel Haswell processor and a long battery life of nine hours. This hybrid laptop has a 13-inch display (serviceable for a laptop and impressive for a tablet), is just more than a half-inch thick and weighs less than three pounds, so it's definitely portable.

One drawback to the Ativ Q comes when it's being used a laptop. The keyboard does not have a trackpad. Instead, it uses a cursor nub and if it's been awhile since you've used one, there could be some time adjusting to using the nub over a trackpad.

Samsung says its other introduction in the Ativ line, the Tab 3, is the “world's thinnest Windows 8 tablet” available, according to the TechLive.com review. It's about one-third of an inch thick and weighs 1.21 pounds. The Tab 3 features a 10.1-inch display and the Intel Atom Z2760 processor inside.

In addition to those two new products, Samsung also introduced its Ativ Book 9 Plus and Lite laptops. Both feature a touchscreen display but the Lite version is also available with a non-touchscreen. The Lite, despite the name, is actually heavier than the Plus model.

Samsung did not announce release dates or prices for any of its new products at the recent “Premiere” event, according to TechLive.com.

Image: Samsung

Health Insurance Exchanges and SHOP Exchanges for Small Businesses

As health care reform mandates take effect in 2014, small employers with fewer than 50 full time employees face more changes than large and medium-sized businesses. Several provisions in the new law means small businesses must not only make critical decisions regarding the health care benefits they offer to employees, but ensure they take appropriate implementation actions and adequate communications. Which leads me to the SHOP Exchange.

Understanding the SHOP Exchange

A SHOP exchange is a Web portal where small businesses with up to 50 employees can shop for and buy private health insurance for their employees. Eligible employers that pursue this platform are required to offer SHOP insurance coverage to all full-time employees.

Starting in 2015, SHOP exchanges will provide a premium aggregation service and will send a single invoice to the employer. These exchanges will offer two models:

1. Employer-Choice (available in 2014): The employer selects the plans, and employees can then choose from the employer's selected options.
2. Employee-Choice (delayed until 2015): The employer selects an actuarial value level and employees can select from any available plans at the employer's selected coverage level (60, 70, 80 or 90 percent coverage) on the SHOP exchange.

More Competitive and Cost-Effective Benefit Programs

SHOP Exchanges are expected to offer small businesses more competitive benefit plan options, similar to those that large company group plans provide â€" giving small businesses the advantage of larger group purchasing power.

Additionally, small businesses participating in a SHOP exchange may be eligible for a tax credit up to 50 percent of their premium payments if they have 25 or fewer full-time employees whose average annual wages do not exceed $50,000. Tax-exempt organizations are eligible for a tax credit up to 35 percent.

While it is still too early to tell exactly how competitive the exchanges will be, tax credits coupled with group rates in the exchanges may help small businesses to provide more cost-effective workplace benefits. [i]

Educating Your Employees

According to the 2013 Aflac WorkForces Report (AWR), 75 percent of employees expect their employer to educate them about changes to their health insurance as a result of health care reform. Shockingly, only 13 percent of employers identified this education as a priority in their organization. [ii]

By not communicating about health care reform, employers are losing their employees' trust in their ability to keep them protected and informed, as well as their loyalty to the company. Unlike other office perks, health benefits help workers to feel secure about their financial future and their ability to cope with unexpected illness or injury.

Exchanges can help small businesses offer benefits to stay competitive and keep top talent â€" so it's best that employees know it.

[i] The Internal Revenue Service (2012) Small Business Health Care Tax Credit for Small Employers, accessed October 3, 2012.

[ii] 2013 Aflac WorkForces Report, a study conducted by Research Now on behalf of Aflac, January 4â€"24 2013.

Healthcare Photo via Shutterstock

Soon You Can Have a Smartphone – With a Zoom Lens Attached

Camera phones can be an important tool for small business owners. But have you ever wished your camera phone could work just a little better, eliminating the need to carry a professional camera with you?  Samsung is upping the game.

The Korean company is introducing a smartphone camera hybrid that's essentially like a phone with a 10X optical zoom on the front of it. The Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom could reach U.S. and European markets as early as this summer, Trusted Reviews reports

A variety of Samsung S4 Galaxy smartphones are available on the market. But in the video review below, Sharif Sakr of Engadget suggests the new Samsung Galaxy Zoom phone camera hybrid can also be seen as the next generation of the Samsung Galaxy Camera. The difference is that the new device is less bulky, and has somewhat lower-end features besides also functioning as a mobile device.

To look at these differences one by one, like the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini, the S4 Samsung Galaxy Zoom is just 4.91 by 2.41 inches. This makes it easy to slip into your pocket and carry anywhere, something you wouldn't try with a bulkier digital camera.

For all that sleek design, the phone does offer slightly stripped down features: a 10 X as opposed to a 21 X zoom and a lower res screen (qHD as opposed to 720p). But Sakr insists these differences are barely noticeable, especially if you are using the screen for taking images not so much for watching and editing them.

Finally, as a mobile device, the S4 Samsung Galaxy Zoom is essentially a Galaxy smartphone with Android operating system and 4.3 inch screen.

In fact, taking a look at the device, it looks like a camera on one side and a smartphone on the other.

The price tag is still uncertain according to most sources we checked, though another Endgadget post mentioned early reports of around $618. This makes it just a bit cheaper than the Galaxy S4, a larger phone without the added camera features.

Admittedly, the S4 Samsung Galaxy Zoom remains in a niche market as cameras or smartphones go. Would your business benefit from the portability and features of a camera smartphone hybrid?

Image: Samsung

Mobile Card Readers Let Any Business Accept Plastic – Even Those On The Go!

A 2010 Federal Reserve study showed an increase in the percentage of consumers making non-cash payments. They found consumers reaching to plastic alternatives like debit, credit and pre-paid cards instead. If you're a small business owner who has relied on paper currency, it's time to update your technology and offer customers payment options that work best for them. If you're unfamiliar with mobile card readers, let me introduce you to Capitol One's option â€" Spark Pay.

• Spark Pay is a free mobile app that is compatible with Android devices, iPhone or iPad
• After you download the free app, Capital One will send you an encrypting card reader in the mail â€" also free
• Use the card reader to safely swipe customer credit cards for payment
• The fee for the services ranges from 1.95% to 3.70% per swipe, depending on the plan you choose

In addition, here are six features of Spark Pay that may work for your business.

1. Easy Transactions: With Spark Pay you can manually enter the sale amount, set the tax rate, add tips, or also create an inventory of your items. With the inventory set, you can even scan the bar code of items when you make a sale.
2. Emailed Receipts: Once a transaction is processed, you can send an emailed receipt to your customer. Even better, you can customize your receipt to have your business logo, address, map and links to your social media.
3. Set Multiple Users: Your Spark Pay account can be linked to other users, which is beneficial if you have a sales or service team that requires multiple payment centers. When a second user joins your account, they get their own card reader to use, but all scanned sales will go back to your main account.
4. Sales Reports: The app allows you to see reports and graphs related to your sales. You can choose date ranges or search particular days. Also, if you set multiple users, you can track each person's sales performance on the Spark Pay app.
5. Offers: This part of the Spark Pay allows you to create offers for your customers. For example, you can reward a loyal customer by emailing them a 20% off coupon, or you can link your offers directly to your social media for all fans to take advantage.
6. Support: All of these options are nice, but if you can't figure out how to use the app, there is no point! Luckily Spark Pay has a dedicated customer service team that is available 9am to 9pm on weekdays and 9am to 5pm on weekends. If you don't have an urgent question that requires a phone call, you can also search the FAQs, email your question, or send the question via Twitter.

 

Spark Pay is one of many options when it comes to mobile payment devices. Competitors include Square, Intuit, PayPal Here, and Pay Simple, among others. Although they all have similar features, they do differ based on the plans they offer, the presence (or absence) of a monthly fee, and the percentage fee per swipe. If you're a small business that doesn't take credit cards â€" or an owner who wants a better option â€" evaluate your options and let this new technology help increase sales.

Executive Spotlight: Jamie Sutherland of Xero Reminds Small Businesses to Never Stop Fighting

Jamie Sutherland, US President of Operations for the accounting software Xero, isn't afraid to take on a challenge, even though he realizes that they “are David in the David vs. Goliath battle.” I recently had the opportunity to speak to Sutherland about Xero, a cloud-based accounting solution created with small businesses in mind. Xero accounting software may be a great option for your small business, but even more â€" his story may inspire other small businesses who are fighting their own battles with industry giants.

Sutherland has an interest in start-up companies and a history of growing them into successful million-dollar businesses. Before he joined Xero, he spent years running the North American branch of Sage, also a global accounting software provider. Under his leadership, Sage expanded. His team developed two new cutting-edge SaaS applications and eventually grew to serve over 500,000 small businesses. In 2010 Sutherland also created an app called Taxi Now, which allowed users to hail a cab from their mobile device. His creation was later acquired by FastCab.

Making the Move to Xero 

In 2012, Sutherland decided to join Xero as the head of US Operations. As a whole, Xero is an incredibly successful business. It was founded in 2006 in New Zealand, later expanded to Australia and the United Kingdom, and currently is one of the hottest companies in the New Zealand stock exchange. However, if you think Sutherland signed up for an easy job â€" think again.

In the US, Xero is relatively new â€" they joined the market with a US version of the software in 2011, and because of this, many small businesses are not even aware they exist. When Sutherland joined the Xero team in January, 2012, he knew he was gearing up to battle the biggest name in US accounting software â€" Quickbooks. Most small businesses in the US know and use Quickbooks accounting software, but to really drive in the point, consider that Quickbooks has a long history in the US (launched in 1998) and has always been extremely popular with small business owners who have little accounting knowledge. In fact, a 2008 Intuit press release stated that over 3.7 million small businesses use the software, a 94.2% share of the business accounting market.

“We are David in the David vs Goliath battle,” Sutherland said. A pessimist may have concluded that there was no room in the US market for Xero, but Sutherland is determined to spread the word about Xero, including the unique benefits for small business owners. To capture some of the main points:

• Xero was custom designed for the mobile business world of today, which is great for small business owners who are on the go

• Xero is a 100% cloud-based solution. Since it's not tied to a physical location, it can be used anywhere, anytime and on any device that has an internet connection

• The software has a ‘beautiful' interface that is eye catching, fun and easy to use, no matter your level of accounting knowledge

• Since it is a cloud accounting option, you can check bank balances, make payments, send invoices and more â€" even if you're away from the office. Also, to keep track of expenses you can take a picture of your receipts and log them immediately

• Over 200 other cloud providers and apps have integrated with Xero, allowing you to run your entire business â€" from payroll to inventory and beyond â€" in the cloud

• Flexible pricing options start at $19 per month with no set-up fees. Sutherland says the $29/month package suits the needs of most small businesses. Your subscription also comes with free, unlimited online support, 24/7

Gearing Up For Your Own Battle

With a strong belief in the merits of Xero over other accounting software options, Sutherland is intent on spreading his message through professional networking, attending events, and partnering with other companies. His efforts seem to be working too, as Xero now has over 200,000 users worldwide and is seeing exponential growth in revenue.

Are you a small business who is also fighting a David vs Goliath battle against an industry giant for a share of the market? Follow Sutherland's lead by making your product or service stand out from the competition. Focus on the benefits, the unique features, and market like crazy to get the word out. Sutherland's work at Xero is a reminder to all the “Davids” out there â€" never give up the fight, no matter how big that giant is.

5 Steps to Build Your Personal Brand: How Small Business Can Do Big Things With Personal Brands (Webinar)

5 Steps to Build Your Personal Brand: How Small Business Can Do Big Things With Personal Brands

 

Personal Branding is all about how individual professionals can differentiate themselves in a market of look-a-likes. It's about how you can get people to know, like and trust you. It's about how in a sea of uncertainty, YOU can be chosen. It's about INCREASING sales, INCREASING influence and so much more.

 

Learn how to stand apart from the rest and promote the brand of YOU.

Join the NFIB and our very own Ramon Ray, on June 26th at 12pm ET for the free webinar, ‘5 Steps to Build Your Personal Brand: How Small Business Can Do Big Things With Personal Brands‘.

 

In this webinar, attendees will learn:

• Why events are an important step in personal banding building
• How your platform is essential for others and for you
• 10+ quick tips to build a personal brand
• How to differentiate yourself in the market

Don't miss out on this great opportunity and register today!

Be More Productive on Business Trips with These 5 Packing Tips

The upwardly-mobile millennial generation is traveling in a different world than previous generations. When packing for a business trip, these up-and-comers must now wear easy-to-remove shoes and choose between being X-rayed or patted down to get past security.

For millennials climbing the corporate ladder, every minute counts. Breezing through security and packing in an organized manner can make the difference between arriving at a meeting on time or rushing from airport to hotel to the meeting, only to be late. Closing the deal depends on coordinating travel the same way a millennial handles every other aspects of his or her business day.

It all starts before you leave home. USA Today Road Warrior of the Year Joyce Gioia advises business travelers create a packing checklist that includes items they would take on a typical trip.

“Making a list will save you from having to make sure you remember everything each time,” Gioia says. “I made my first list when I got home from the trip on which my husband had to overnight my vitamins, supplements, and cellphone and blue tooth chargers

Once you've made your list, it's time to put it in action. To avoid unexpected snags, here are a few other words of wisdom to help your business trips run more smoothly.

• Make your laptop easy to remove. Standard-size laptops (12” X 14” or larger) must be removed from the bag and placed in a screening bin, according to the TSA. Tablets and smaller laptops can stay in the bag. If your laptop requires removal, make sure it's easy to slip in and out of the bag without slowing you down.
• Follow security rules. Airport snags can slow you down and nothing stops the line at security more than having an item in your carry-on that is against regulations. Read up on the TSA's 3-1-1 rule for carry-ons, which means all liquids may not exceed 3.4 ounces per bottle. These liquids must be consolidated into one quart-size Ziploc bag and only one bag with these liquids can be placed in the screening bin per passenger.
• Dress for success. Arriving at your location to find a suitcase full of wrinkled clothes can sabotage your entire trip. Attorney Shane Fischer recommends packing wrinkle-free dress shirts for meetings and poly-blend polos for traveling. If an item requires ironing after only an hour or two of wear, chances are it won't travel well. In regard to dressing for success, I've been eying the ScotteVest which has an array of pockets (some big enough for an iPad) that lets you easily move about keeping your hands free or quickly go through security lines â€" http://www.scottevest.com
• Roll clothes. One packing technique employed by flight attendants is the technique of rolling clothes rather than folding them before putting them in the suitcase, as detailed by USA Today. By rolling clothes, you not only help keep your clothing wrinkle-free, it frees up space in your suitcase for all your electronic gadgets.
• Choose a travel wardrobe. Unless your trips involve seeing the same people each time, set aside a wrinkle-resistant, color-coordinated wardrobe for traveling. For multiple days, choose clothing that matches the same pair of shoes, allowing you to take only one or two pairs of shoes per trip.

As millennials gain valuable travel experience, they'll likely find their own shortcuts that will make trips run more smoothly. Until they develop their own travel routines, these expert trips can help get them started.

Mobile Device Management Doesn\'t Have to Cost You Anything: 2 Free MDM Providers

Mobile device management (MDM) is a beautiful thing. It lets us manage the whole “bring your own device” phenomenon without pulling our hairs out of our scalps. Still, not a lot of businesses are using MDM as a strategy to cope with this inevitability. The reasons are debatable, but surely at least a handful of businesses consider this just another added expense on top of the already enormous piles they have.

MDM by itself isn't expensive, but it's not ideally suitable for some environments. For example, there are small business owners with lots of good hardware laying around that can easily host some SaaS platforms in-house. Granted, not all SaaS solutions should be hosted that way, but MDM is probably one of the things you really don't have to pay for. This begs the question: Why are we paying for mobile device management in the first place? Why not just get your hands on some software and run it in-house?

According to Spiceworks, a provider of free IT management software, only 17 percent of small businesses are using MDM, despite 61 percent of them implementing a policy on personal mobile devices (BYOD). We can change that with some free software:

• Spiceworks IT Management Software - If you're willing to settle for MDM as part of a bigger package deal, you can download Spiceworks' free IT management platform. Most recently, they've included an MDM interface into the package. I've tried it, and it was extremely easy to deploy. There were no obstacles to the installation, and it was straightforward. Its MDM features include uncovering and monitoring mobile devices that connect to your wireless network, allowing you to keep the gates to your network secure from unauthorized mobile devices.
• AppTec 360 â€" I'd be lying if I said that AppTec 360 was free, but it does fit well in the free category. Made by an European SaaS MDM provider, AppTec 360 is a very powerful and targeted mobility management platform for enterprise environments. I've seen enough user reviews of their product to consider it a viable alternative to using SaaS. A “perpetual” license costs 19 Euros. After you get the license, hosting the product on-premise adds no extra cost (except the cost of running your hardware, of course). You can also host 360 as a virtual appliance, which means you run it in tandem with other solutions as a virtual machine (VM).

Knowledge is power, and knowing that MDM doesn't have to cost you a pretty penny will definitely empower you to have a wider array of choices in how you manage your business' security.

Groupon Strikes In 2013 With the Breadcrumb POS iPad App for Small Businesses

Breadcrumb POS is a new and lighter addition to the family of the original Breadcrumb PRO system. The PRO version of this product was mainly designed for restaurants and bars and accommodated numerous functionalities to enable the users to modify and integrate the system according to their needs. Breadcrumb PRO requires a monthly fee as opposed to Breadcrumb POS, which is a FREE app for iPad.

As stated in Groupon's press release “Breadcrumb POS, a free iPad app, enables quick-service eateries, salons, spas and retail merchants to replace their outdated cash registers with an easy-to-use solution that offers local businesses a low-price guarantee that will beat any comparable plan on credit card transaction fees.”

The Breadcrumb POS promises everything that Groupon is bragging about. It is indeed a revolutionary replacement to the conventional cash register as it is more efficient, cost effective (both in terms of hardware and software), and comes with a bunch of features that will help you understand your business and customers better.

Let's have a look at what the iPad App has to offer.

Benefits:

• Fast and Easy Setup: Download the free app, sign up for a payments account, connect a card swiper and optional printer and begin using an iPad to process transactions within minutes.
• Free 24/7 Technical Live Support.
• Unlike the traditional cash registers, that take two to three business days, merchants will receive their deposits within 24 hours.

Features:

• Log cash transactions.
• Accept credit card payments.
• Print or email receipts.
• Calculate multiple tax rates.
• Manage menu items.
• View transaction history.
• Issue refunds.
• View real time, in-depth reports.
• View daily and monthly sales reports.
• View past customer purchases and deposit records.

Breadcrumb Payments Service:

Breadcrumb Payments is part of the Breadcrumb POS package that offers:

• Rates of only 1.8 percent plus $0.15 per transaction (MasterCard, Visa and Discover) with no hidden costs or monthly fees.
• Free processing on first $5,000 in credit card transactions (promotional offer).

Hardware Compatibility and Cost:

Breadcrumb POS is compatible with all models of the iPad (including iPad Mini); however, it is not compatible with iPhone and iPod. The cost of the swipe device is about $15 and it can be attached to any model of the iPad.

Ready to download and use Breadcrumb POS?

If you're ready to throw away your old cash register and opt for a modern, affordable, money saving tool that will help you save money on credit card transaction fees, then go ahead and download the app today from the iTunes App Store.

P.S: This is one App that I'll definitely utilize if I ever get a chance to start my own small business one day

The 6 Best Ways To Keep Your Social Media Presence Secure

Brought to you by AVG Technologies, the provider of Internet and mobile security, privacy and optimization to 150 million active users. There's nothing small about small business in our eyes. Get more information how AVG can help your small business stay protected â€" go to http://www.avg.com/eu-en/internet-security-business.    

The 6 Best Ways To Keep Your Social Media Presence Secure

For a long time, social media has been a safe haven for people who wanted to sit under the umbrella of a secure service to talk to one another. In recent years, the number of viruses on different social media outlets has exploded, according to TechCrunch's coverage of AVG's “Community Powered Threat Report.”

That said, it would be outlandish to say that social media has become a hostile environment. However, it's wise to be aware of all the possible ways that a hacker can compromise your account, especially considering that you likely have a large chunk of your professional and personal life invested in the social sphere. Sooner or later, you're going to have to make security your priority, especially if you have a business.

If you are not using social media, your employees are. This presents a danger, depending on what they're talking about with friends (i.e. if they're talking about anything work-related), or whether they access their accounts through your computers.

Whether you're primarily focused on using social networks for personal reasons, or you prefer to establish a professional “business presence” on them, you're going to have to dot your i's and cross your t's with regards to security. Nothing will protect you more than a proper policy and a set of best practices.

To help keep your social media presence secure, you can use these six best practice tips:

• Ensure that you and your employees use different passwords for each social media account. Since networks like Facebook and Twitter are highly popular, they'll be the most targeted. Don't use the same password for your Facebook account as you do for Gmail. Once hackers get their hands on your email, they'll go after Facebook or Twitter, and vice versa.
• When opening a link from any social network, make sure that everyone looks twice at the URL in the address bar, especially if the link leads to a login page. Some hackers deceive them into thinking that they're in a Facebook login page (I'm using Facebook as an example). But when they “log in,” all their login information is sent to the hacker. This immediately compromises any account. If one of the employees is an administrator in your social pages (such as a business page on Facebook, Google+, or Twitter), this will likely harm the presence you have there.
• Ensure that everyone is using HTTPS to connect to Facebook and Twitter. On Facebook, click the gear icon on the top right corner, click “Account settings,” and then go to “Security.” There, you can enable secure browsing. Twitter should have HTTPS enabled by default.
• Tell employees to choose their friends wisely. They should not accept friend requests from people who they don't know or trust. It is paramount for people with the most access to your company's data to practice this.
• Encourage employees to exercise this, while also exercising it yourself: Disable every feature of Facebook, and then open each one as you need it. There are some unnecessary things enabled by default that you must opt out of, which can lead to vulnerabilities in your account.
• Hold workshops with employees (preferably with assistance from a tech professional), educating them on the latest security practices and letting them know what dangers they may face on a day-to-day basis. Let them know what they can and cannot share about the work they do with you.

Try applying these tips to every social network you use. As you tighten up your security, don't forget that this will help preserve your image. If you suffer a compromise, your reputation will be soiled one way or another.

New Tool Lets You Build A Website In Seconds From Your Facebook Page

For those looking for an easy way to build a website and have it populated in seconds, a new startup called Page2Site has got an interesting approach. It works like this:

1. Do you have a Facebook page?

2. Click one button and you have a website that updates when you update your Facebook page.

Basically, it takes the stuff that's on your Facebook page and ports it over to a regular website. It's a website generator. You choose a template, Page2Site grabs the content from Facebook, and fills your website with that content.

You can also connect your Page2Site site with Twitter, YouTube, and Flickr. Any time you update any of those services, your Page2Site website will update as well. Creating a site is free, and you can get extras (own domain, online store, etc.) for between $5/month and $30/month, depending on your needs.

I haven't heard of another company doing precisely this kind of thing and I think it could work for people who want a “set it and forget it” website solution. It's definitely easier to update a Facebook page than a website, if you have no familiarity with HTML, CSS, WordPress, Blogger, Tumblr, and the rest. It's not a solution for everyone, though. Obviously, it's never going to be as good, or as useful, as many of those other solutions and platforms, but if you need a quick and dirty website for your business, this could work for you.

There are a lot of easy website builders out there, like Auto Build It Website Creator, which purports to have you up and running within five minutes, with a fully customized website, ready for sales. 90 Second Website Builder says that with their drag and drop system (like Geocities?) you can have your website up in 90 seconds.

Check out our look at the leading website platforms.

Let us know in the comments if there are other companies like this! And tell us what you think of these super quick solutions to website building!

 

Two CRM Solutions That Are Changing The Game When It Comes To Communication and Collaboration

In a world that's centered on communication, we need more features out of the solutions that we implement. Customer relationship management (CRM) platforms definitely take a hit when you look at most of them. They're very elementary pieces of software that don't really allow for much customization and some of them have a high learning curve for people who are new to the scene. Wouldn't it be nice if we  had CRM solutions that were more straightforward?

One suspicion of mine is that businesses don't readily adopt CRMs because they don't know what it can do for them, or they don't completely understand the software. After all, it's tough for some small business owners to understand the benefits of such a platform, let alone how to use it, when they have so many other things to do.

The best thing that can happen to anyone in such a situation is to use a CRM that does what the abbreviation implies; in other words, one that manages customer relationships more easily. Without further ado, I present to you two solutions that allow for unified messaging and collaboration, as well as facilitated communication with customers and employees:

• Nimble â€" This particular CRM has just recently revamped its software to include social aspects, as well as a unified inbox for multiple email accounts. It now calls itself a “Pandora of social contracts” for a good reason. Nimble's new update makes it capable of learning which contacts are most important to you so that you can “filter the noise” in all of your messages. Much like how a nervous system works, the most important signals are sent first, allowing you to build more meaningful relationships with those that matter to you. If you sign up now, you get a 14-day free trial. Their business plan costs $15 a month per user and includes a multi-user account, an unlimited number of deals, unlimited connections, and 5 GB of storage. Their personal account is free, but you only get 1 GB of storage and severe limitations on how many deals you can track. Communication history is only kept for 90 days, you can only add one email account, and you don't get the a dvanced customization options you would otherwise get with a business account.
• Bitrix24 â€" Why even pay a penny when you can get Bitrix24? With internal instant messaging and email integration, you get an interface with up to 12 users, 5 GB of storage, and you get to track as many deals as your heart desires, for free. Their standard package is pricey ($99 per month), but allows for an unlimited amount of users. You also get an extranet where you can add partners, important clients, and contractors who aren't necessarily employed in your company. Bitrix24 is a truly holistic customer relationship management suite that gives you all the bells and whistles you need within a transparent and socially-centered environment. Added to this, it can also be run on-premise for those with the hardware to do so.

The good news is that the market for CRMs has become so competitive that many other providers are starting to implement social platforms within them. For now, these two solutions remain your best choices until another one appears and mystifies us!

Which Social Media Management App is Best? Here Are Three Worth Checking Out!

Businesses both big and small have a very important task these days, managing not just a website, but also Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Pinterest on a daily basis. It can be a tall task, especially for those small businesses without the flexibility to have a social media manager on their payroll. But developers are rapidly releasing solutions so the social media management process is more manageable and also doesn't cost an arm and a leg. Here's a look at some of those solutions and what they have to offer.

HootSuite. Probably the most widely known social networking management application is Hootsuite. It's so popular that 79 of the Top 100 Fortune companies utilize the app for at least a part of their social media management. From one spot you can view streams of numerous social networking sites to monitor activity and schedule future posts. It's only $8.99 a month, but a major downside to this application is the amount you have to pay some of your analytical data, with some reports costing as much as $50.

ViralHeat. The people behind this application believe it is the most comprehensive place to control all forms of business social media available right now. With a single dashboard that controls all forms of social media, the application gives the user easy access to scheduling future posts, reviewing analytics of previous posts and even accessing old posts. ViralHeat is known to be a great solution for smaller businesses, but some critics warn that as growth happens, a more robust solution may become necessary.

Buffer. A little different in design than ViralHeat and HootSuite, this application focuses on being a “virtual queue” to send and schedule posts through various networking sites. This allows the content manager freedom from the pressure of multiple delivery times throughout the day. This application can be used with sites like Hootsuite to enhance its functionality, or simply by itself. However, there's no dashboard with this application, and it's focused on the scheduling of posting more than anything else.

These three applications are just a small sampling of the hundreds available today to help businesses balance the increasing pressure for a stronger and more interactive social presence. Likely one of the hardest decisions when looking to add a management tool is simply weeding through the many options available.

Soon You Can Have a Smartphone - With a Zoom Lens Attached

Camera phones can be an important tool for small business owners. But have you ever wished your camera phone could work just a little better, eliminating the need to carry a professional camera with you?  Samsung is upping the game.

The Korean company is introducing a smartphone camera hybrid that’s essentially like a phone with a 10X optical zoom on the front of it. The Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom could reach U.S. and European markets as early as this summer, Trusted Reviews reports

A variety of Samsung S4 Galaxy smartphones are available on the market. But in the video review below, Sharif Sakr of Engadget suggests the new Samsung Galaxy Zoom phone camera hybrid can also be seen as the next generation of the Samsung Galaxy Camera. The difference is that the new device is less bulky, and has somewhat lower-end features besides also functioning as a mobile device.

To look at these differences one by one, like the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini, the S4 Samsung Galaxy Zoom is just 4.91 by 2.41 inches. This makes it easy to slip into your pocket and carry anywhere, something you wouldn’t try with a bulkier digital camera.

For all that sleek design, the phone does offer slightly stripped down features: a 10 X as opposed to a 21 X zoom and a lower res screen (qHD as opposed to 720p). But Sakr insists these differences are barely noticeable, especially if you are using the screen for taking images not so much for watching and editing them.

Finally, as a mobile device, the S4 Samsung Galaxy Zoom is essentially a Galaxy smartphone with Android operating system and 4.3 inch screen.

In fact, taking a look at the device, it looks like a camera on one side and a smartphone on the other.

The price tag is still uncertain according to most sources we checked, though another Endgadget post mentioned early reports of around $618. This makes it just a bit cheaper than the Galaxy S4, a larger phone without the added camera features.

Admittedly, the S4 Samsung Galaxy Zoom remains in a niche market as cameras or smartphones go. Would your business benefit from the portability and features of a camera smartphone hybrid?

Image: Samsung

Which Social Media Management App is Best? Here Are Three Worth Checking Out!

Businesses both big and small have a very important task these days, managing not just a website, but also Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Pinterest on a daily basis. It can be a tall task, especially for those small businesses without the flexibility to have a social media manager on their payroll. But developers are rapidly releasing solutions so the social media management process is more manageable and also doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. Here’s a lok at some of those solutions and what they have to offer.

HootSuite. Probably the most widely known social networking management application is Hootsuite. It’s so popular that 79 of the Top 100 Fortune companies utilize the app for at least a part of their social media management. From one spot you can view streams of numerous social networking sites to monitor activity and schedule future posts. It’s only $8.99 a month, but a major downside to this application is the amount you have to pay some of your analytical data, with some reports costing as much as $50.

ViralHeat. The people behind this application believe it is the most comprehensive place to control all forms of business social media available right now. With a single dashboard that controls all forms of social media, the application gives the user easy access to scheduling future posts, reviewing analytics of previous posts and even accessing old posts. ViralHeat is known to be a great solution for smaller businesses, but some critics warn that as growth happens, a more robust solution may become necessary.

Buffer. A little different in design than ViralHeat and HootSuite, this application focuses on being a “virtual queue” to send and schedule posts through various networking sites. This allows the content manager freedom from the pressure of multiple delivery times throughout the day. This application can be used with sites like Hootsuite to enhance its functionality, or simply by itself. However, there’s no dashboard with this application, and it’s focused on the scheduling of posting more than anything else.

These three applications are just a small sampling of the hundreds available today to help businesses balance the increasing pressure for a stronger and more interactive social presence. Likely one of the hardest decisions when looking to add a management tool is simply weeding through the many options available.

Health Insurance Exchanges and SHOP Exchanges for Small Businesses

As health care reform mandates take effect in 2014, small employers with fewer than 50 full time employees face more changes than large and medium-sized businesses. Several provisions in the new law means small businesses must not only make critical decisions regarding the health care benefits they offer to employees, but ensure they take appropriate implementation actions and adequate communications. Which leads me to the SHOP Exchange.

Understanding the SHOP Exchange

A SHOP exchange is a Web portal where small businesses with up to 50 employees can shop for and buy private health insurance for their employees. Eligible employers that pursue this platform are required to offer SHOP insurance coverage to all full-time employees.

Starting in 2015, SHOP exchanges will provide a premium aggregation service and will send a single invoice to the employer. These exchanges will offer two models:

1. Employer-Choice (available in 2014): The employer selects the plans, and employees can then choose from the employer’s selected options.
2. Employee-Choice (delayed until 2015): The employer selects an actuarial value level and employees can select from any available plans at the employer’s selected coverage level (60, 70, 80 or 90 percent coverage) on the SHOP exchange.

More Competitive and Cost-Effective Benefit Programs

SHOP Exchanges are expected to offer small businesses more competitive benefit plan options, similar to those that large company group plans provide - giving small businesses the advantage of larger group purchasing power.

Additionally, small businesses participating in a SHOP exchange may be eligible for a tax credit up to 50 percent of their premium payments if they have 25 or fewer full-time employees whose average annual wages do not exceed $50,000. Tax-exempt organizations are eligible for a tax credit up to 35 percent.

While it is still too early to tell exactly how competitive the exchanges will be, tax credits coupled with group rates in the exchanges may help small businesses to provide more cost-effective workplace benefits. [i]

Educating Your Employees

According to the 2013 Aflac WorkForces Report (AWR), 75 percent of employees expect their employer to educate them about changes to their health insurance as a result of health care reform. Shockingly, only 13 percent of employers identified this education as a priority in their organization. [ii]

By not communicating about health care reform, employers are losing their employees’ trust in their ability to keep them protected and informed, as well as their loyalty to the company. Unlike other office perks, health benefits help workers to feel secure about their financial future and their ability to cope with unexpected illness or injury.

Exchanges can help small businesses offer benefits to stay competitive and keep top talent - so it’s best that employees know it.

[i] The Internal Revenue Service (2012) Small Business Health Care Tax Credit for Small Employers, accessed October 3, 2012.

[ii] 2013 Aflac WorkForces Report, a study conducted by Research Now on behalf of Aflac, January 4-24 2013.

Healthcare Photo via Shutterstock

Two CRM Solutions That Are Changing The Game When It Comes To Communication and Collaboration

In a world that’s centered on communication, we need more features out of the solutions that we implement. Customer relationship management (CRM) platforms definitely take a hit when you look at most of them. They’re very elementary pieces of software that don’t really allow for much customization and some of them have a high learning curve for people who are new to the scene. Wouldn’t it be nice if we  had CRM solutions that were more straightforward?

One suspicion of mine is that businesses don’t readily adopt CRMs because they don’t know what it can do for them, or they don’t completely understand the software. After all, it’s tough for some small business owners to understand the benefits of such a platform, let alone how to use it, when they have so many other things to do.

The best thing that can happen to anyone in such a situation is to use a CRM that does what the abbreviation implies; in other words, one that manages customer relationships more easily. Without further ado, I present to you two solutions that allow for unified messaging and collaboration, as well as facilitated communication with customers and employees:

• Nimble - This particular CRM has just recently revamped its software to include social aspects, as well as a unified inbox for multiple email accounts. It now calls itself a “Pandora of social contracts” for a good reason. Nimble’s new update makes it capable of learning which contacts are most important to you so that you can “filter the noise” in all of your messages. Much like how a nervous system works, the most important signals are sent first, allowing you to build more meaningful relationships with those that matter to you. If you sign up now, you get a 14-day free trial. Their business plan costs $15 a month per user and includes a multi-user account, an unlimited number of deals, unlimited connections, and 5 GB of storage. Their personal account is free, but you only get 1 GB of storage and severe limitations on how many deals you can track. Communication history is onl kept for 90 days, you can only add one email account, and you don’t get the advanced customization options you would otherwise get with a business account.
• Bitrix24 - Why even pay a penny when you can get Bitrix24? With internal instant messaging and email integration, you get an interface with up to 12 users, 5 GB of storage, and you get to track as many deals as your heart desires, for free. Their standard package is pricey ($99 per month), but allows for an unlimited amount of users. You also get an extranet where you can add partners, important clients, and contractors who aren’t necessarily employed in your company. Bitrix24 is a truly holistic customer relationship management suite that gives you all the bells and whistles you need within a transparent and socially-centered environment. Added to this, it can also be run on-premise for those with the hardware to do so.

The good news is that the market for CRMs has become so competitive that many other providers are starting to implement social platforms within them. For now, these two solutions remain your best choices until another one appears and mystifies us!

Two CRM Solutions That Are Changing The Game When It Comes To Communication and Collaboration

In a world that’s centered on communication, we need more features out of the solutions that we implement. Customer relationship management (CRM) platforms definitely take a hit when you look at most of them. They’re very elementary pieces of software that don’t really allow for much customization and some of them have a high learning curve for people who are new to the scene. Wouldn’t it be nice if we  had CRM solutions that were more straightforward?

One suspicion of mine is that businesses don’t readily adopt CRMs because they don’t know what it can do for them, or they don’t completely understand the software. After all, it’s tough for some small business owners to understand the benefits of such a platform, let alone how to use it, when they have so many other things to do.

The best thing that can happen to anyone in such a situation is to use a CRM that does what the abbreviation implies; in other words, one that manages customer relationships more easily. Without further ado, I present to you two solutions that allow for unified messaging and collaboration, as well as facilitated communication with customers and employees:

• Nimble - This particular CRM has just recently revamped its software to include social aspects, as well as a unified inbox for multiple email accounts. It now calls itself a “Pandora of social contracts” for a good reason. Nimble’s new update makes it capable of learning which contacts are most important to you so that you can “filter the noise” in all of your messages. Much like how a nervous system works, the most important signals are sent first, allowing you to build more meaningful relationships with those that matter to you. If you sign up now, you get a 14-day free trial. Their business plan costs $15 a month per user and includes a multi-user account, an unlimited number of deals, unlimited connections, and 5 GB of storage. Their personal account is free, but you only get 1 GB of storage and severe limitations on how many deals you can track. Communication history is onl kept for 90 days, you can only add one email account, and you don’t get the advanced customization options you would otherwise get with a business account.
• Bitrix24 - Why even pay a penny when you can get Bitrix24? With internal instant messaging and email integration, you get an interface with up to 12 users, 5 GB of storage, and you get to track as many deals as your heart desires, for free. Their standard package is pricey ($99 per month), but allows for an unlimited amount of users. You also get an extranet where you can add partners, important clients, and contractors who aren’t necessarily employed in your company. Bitrix24 is a truly holistic customer relationship management suite that gives you all the bells and whistles you need within a transparent and socially-centered environment. Added to this, it can also be run on-premise for those with the hardware to do so.

The good news is that the market for CRMs has become so competitive that many other providers are starting to implement social platforms within them. For now, these two solutions remain your best choices until another one appears and mystifies us!