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Flexible mobile tech solutions can allow small business owners and their employees to work where they want, when they want. But, of course, security is always an issue. On Wednesday, members of our small business community joined in a lively Twitter chat sponsored by HP. They also invited me and Ramon Ray of SmallBizTechnology.com to […]
The post Challenges and Opportunities of Mobile IT: Twitter Chat Recap appeared first on Small Business Trends.
Just weeks after the announcement of the first curved smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy Round, images of a second curved phone have emerged. South Korean LCD display maker LG Display announced recently it would start mass-producing flexible OLED screens for smartphones. The organic LED display screen technology is used in computer monitors, PDFs, handheld games and other devices. […]
The post LG Could Unveil New Curved Phone in November appeared first on Small Business Trends.
If your business is planning a big event or promotion but maybe not for a few months yet, Twitter is giving you the ability to schedule Tweets Tweet about it now and then send it later. The microblogging platform announced the new feature recently for users of its Twitter Ads tools. But those users […]
The post You Can Now Schedule Tweets for Twitter Ads appeared first on Small Business Trends.
Big things are always happening in the world of small business. As a small business leader, you need to keep your finger on the pulse. The Small Business Trends editorial team can help you there. We keep you informed of the top stories impacting small business owners. And we tell you how they affect you.
Here’s our roundup of top stories for the week. Let’s jump in.
Google buys Flutter. The new acquisition of the gesture technology startup is a good reminder. No matter how small, businesses with unique products can still catapult to huge success.
GoDaddy continues its buying spree. Small Business Trends founder Anita Campbell helps us suss out what the purchase of Media Temple means to the business community.
Xero raises $150 million for small business accounting challenge. Anita Campbell has this look at the growth of Xero and what it means for the small business accounting software market. What kind of accounting software does your business use?
Amazon offers introductory service. The company, also a huge Web hosting provider, is offering an introduction to its services. It’s called Amazon Web Service Activate. Here’s how it works.
New Dell tablets here for Windows and Android. Knowing there are many different work situations out there, Dell has created a variety of devices. Hopefully you’ll find one with the size and operating system right for you.
Trade your Surface in at Best Buy. Warning: You could probably get a better deal just listing your Surface online, but this is a quick way to upgrade. It’s only good through Oct. 21 however.
Another curved phone will be here soon. LG Display may introduce the new device next month. Will it be more accessible than the recent offering from Samsung?
Google Plus may use members in advertising. If you don’t want your preferences and profile used for advertising on Google Plus, follow some simple steps. How do you feel about profiles being used for advertising?
Ads at Foursquare now open worldwide. The limited pilot program for Foursquare advertising is over. Now businesses anywhere can take advantage of this new advertising channel. Anita Campbell has more.
There’s a whole new Facebook Page Insights. Facebook says the new analytics are both easier to use and offer more information than ever before. That’s good news if you manage a Facebook page for your business.
Twitter launches a new tablet app. This is big news, especially for Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 users. That is the device the app will be available for, initially. Don’t worry though. It’s coming to others too.
Tweets can now be scheduled. You no longer need a third party app to do this, just a Twitter Ad account. Here’s how you can use promoted and organic tweets to transform your feed.
How the government shutdown hurt small business. A deal has been struck and government agencies are beginning to reopen, but here’s how the shutdown impacted small businesses.
Small tourism businesses took a bigger hit. Of all the small businesses affected, small tourism businesses may have had it the worst. Those around shutdown national parks will never recover the loss.
Is there a new source for small business financing? Scott Shane thinks so. Here Shane talks about peer-to-peer lending, what it is and what it means to small businesses.
Reading Photo via Shutterstock
A U.S. debt default has been averted and many federal agencies have reopened. But at least one group of small businesses won’t recover so easily from the weeks of government shutdown.
No, it won’t be small businesses waiting on Small Business Administration backed loans. Critics have pointed out the SBA helps fewer of the smallest businesses who really need it than many Americans realize.
And it’s not even federal contractors. Sure, waiting for money over the shutdown likely caused an inconvenience. Still, most get paid per contract once the government starts operating again. That’s according to National Federation of Independent Business economist, Bill Dunkelberg.
No, one of the hardest hit groups may be small tourism and related businesses. This is particularly true of the businesses located around the 401 National Park sites closed during the shutdown.
Estimated losses around one large national park alone are staggering. Businesses within 60 miles of the 800 square mile Great Smoky Mountains National Park may have missed out on $33 million in visitor revenues.
And that’s just in the first 10 days of the shutdown, economist Steve Morse of Western Carolina University told CNN Money.
Unlike federal contractors, for example, these businesses never see revenues replenished when things get back to normal. When tourists cancel vacations, the money to local businesses for the season is lost permanently.
That’s why state and local funding was used to reopen the Statue of Liberty in New York City and Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona during the shutdown, reports Bloomberg Radio.
Projections showed six rafting businesses at Grand Canyon alone would have lost a combined $1 million in the final weeks of the 2013 rafting season.
That’s not counting restaurants, hotels and other lodgings, gas stations, outfitters and many other businesses serving the tourist industry.
Many Washington politicians say they support small businesses - but what do their actions demonstrate?
Shutdown Photo via Shutterstock
Earlier this year, Tout released a newer version of its app with improved e-mail functionality to make it easier for sales staff to follow up with prospects. These improvements include an improvement in presentation tracking for Gmail and Outlook, giving sales personnel insight into the actions being performed at the other end of an e-mail. Did a prospective client open your e-mail? View the presentation? With these new updates, sales staff will be more likely to have this information.
“We’ve revamped our Gmail and Outlook plugins to be faster, more reliable and include scheduling and presentation tracking,†the company announced in a news release about the improvements.
This tracking also extends to a company’s website, letting businesses see how many clients clicked through from a specific e-mail. But thanks to the updates, businesses will also be able to see customer actions on a website, including how many of those customers purchased a product or signed up for your e-mail newsletter.
Updates aside, e-mail tracking is one of several reasons ToutApp is a great choice for any small business sales team. ToutApp turbo-charges a sales team’s e-mail inbox, providing reminders when a lead needs a follow-up. With ToutApp’s lead scoring feature, sales staff can prioritize leads, which will ensure sales teams follow up with those who are most likely to close.
Many small businesses are excited about ToutApp’s template feature, which allows them to create templates for communications that are sent often, rather than typing the same e-mails repeatedly. With detailed information about previous communications, sales staff can also have all the information they need as they make that call or e-mail for better success.
With plans starting at $30 per month, ToutApp is within the reach of many small businesses. Unlike other apps, ToutApp provides the vast majority of its features in its cheapest plan, with only reporting and analytics, template sharing and collaboration, and logo and domain branding requiring an upgraded plan. To take a personalized tour to determine if ToutApp can work for you, the company recommends businesses contact one of its “Happiness Officers†for more information. Or you could try the app out using its free 14-day trial to determine if it works for your organization. Visit http://www1.toutapp.com/ to learn more.
Earlier this year, Tout released a newer version of its app with improved e-mail functionality to make it easier for sales staff to follow up with prospects. These improvements include an improvement in presentation tracking for Gmail and Outlook, giving sales personnel insight into the actions being performed at the other end of an e-mail. Did a prospective client open your e-mail? View the presentation? With these new updates, sales staff will be more likely to have this information.
“We’ve revamped our Gmail and Outlook plugins to be faster, more reliable and include scheduling and presentation tracking,†the company announced in a news release about the improvements.
This tracking also extends to a company’s website, letting businesses see how many clients clicked through from a specific e-mail. But thanks to the updates, businesses will also be able to see customer actions on a website, including how many of those customers purchased a product or signed up for your e-mail newsletter.
Updates aside, e-mail tracking is one of several reasons ToutApp is a great choice for any small business sales team. ToutApp turbo-charges a sales team’s e-mail inbox, providing reminders when a lead needs a follow-up. With ToutApp’s lead scoring feature, sales staff can prioritize leads, which will ensure sales teams follow up with those who are most likely to close.
Many small businesses are excited about ToutApp’s template feature, which allows them to create templates for communications that are sent often, rather than typing the same e-mails repeatedly. With detailed information about previous communications, sales staff can also have all the information they need as they make that call or e-mail for better success.
With plans starting at $30 per month, ToutApp is within the reach of many small businesses. Unlike other apps, ToutApp provides the vast majority of its features in its cheapest plan, with only reporting and analytics, template sharing and collaboration, and logo and domain branding requiring an upgraded plan. To take a personalized tour to determine if ToutApp can work for you, the company recommends businesses contact one of its “Happiness Officers†for more information. Or you could try the app out using its free 14-day trial to determine if it works for your organization. Visit http://www1.toutapp.com/ to learn more.
We’ve been talking about it for months and it’s finally here. October 1 has come and gone, making it open enrollment season, and your employees are officially able to enroll in the Health Insurance Marketplace if that is the direction you decided to take your benefits.
Although you might be done with the preparatory messaging and employee outreach, you’re still in the midst of answering questions as your employees work to determine if they want to obtain coverage through the marketplace. We’re willing to bet they have a lot of questions.
According to the 2013 Aflac WorkForces Report, three out of four (76 percent) are not very/not at all knowledgeable about federal and state health care marketplace. That’s why we have compiled a list of key details business leaders need to understand about health insurance marketplaces and the impact they will have on employer-sponsored benefits in 2014.
Health insurance marketplaces (also known as an exchange) are a Web portal where individuals and businesses can shop for and buy health insurance. The two marketplaces that will impact employee benefits are:
The Marketplace coverage will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2014.
Most anyone can use the Health Insurance Marketplace operating in their state to explore health insurance options, even if they already have insurance. Individuals must be U.S. residents, U.S. citizens (or lawfully present), and not currently incarcerated.
Small businesses with 100 or fewer full-time equivalent employees can also use the marketplaces. However, states can choose to keep the limit to those with 50 or fewer full-time equivalent employees through 2016.
Private health insurance marketplaces offer health coverage options to multiple workforce sizes. Additionally, they can sell all products and services, including voluntary insurance. Many private health insurance marketplaces can help employers to move toward a defined contribution model that can help control health care costs, while still providing employees robust benefits (PDF) options through a defined contribution.
Individuals or small businesses may be eligible (PDF) for tax credits or subsidies through the state or federal public health insurance marketplaces. The purpose of this is to help offset the cost of coverage and defray some costs associated with using health care services.
What does this mean?
These plans pay approximately 70 percent of covered medical expenses or actuarial value. “Silver†is one of four levels of coverage offered in the marketplace. Each level varies depending on the proportion of medical expenses the insurance plan is expected to cover:
Silver is the benchmark for calculating subsidies, though individuals can “buy-up†to other plan levels, as well as dental coverage.
Since employees are able to purchase health insurance coverage directly through the health insurance marketplaces, it is important for them to understand their coverage options and health risks.
The Affordable Care Act required businesses to tell employees about the Health Insurance Marketplace and potential eligibility for tax credits or subsidies. But, ultimately, employees are responsible for deciding how to spend their health care dollars.
Use this open enrollment season as an opportunity to further educate your workforce about the marketplace and other health care-related changes.
Healthcare Photo via Shutterstock
This material is intended to provide general information about an evolving topic and does not constitute legal, tax or accounting advice regarding any specific situation. Aflac cannot anticipate all the facts that a particular employer or individual will have to consider in their benefits decision-making process. We strongly encourage readers to discuss their HCR situations with their advisors to determine the actions they need to take or to visit HealthCare.gov (which may also be contacted at 1-800-318-2596) for additional information.
What advice would you offer an entrepreneur who wants to outsource the optimization of his or her email list?The following answers are provided by the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, the YEC recently launched #StartupLab, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses via live video chats, an expert content library and email lessons.
1. Use Someone You Trust Absolutely
- Chuck Cohn, Varsity Tutors
2. Source a Qualified Partner
- Erik Severinghaus, Simple RelevanceÂ
3. Look for Someone With Experience
- Tim Jahn, matchist
4. Outsource to Someone With Intimate Knowledge of Readership
- Andrew Schrage, Money Crashers Personal Finance
5. Don’t Lose the Personal Touch
- Sean Ogle, Location 180, LLC
6. Be Wary of Outsourcing
- Arjun Arora, ReTargeter
7. Start With Your Dream Outcome
- Laura Roeder, LKR Social Media
8. Learn the Mechanics First
- Thursday Bram, Hyper Modern Consulting
9. Use Drop Dead Copy
- Cody McKibben, Digital Nomad Academy
10. Outsource First, Then Bring It in-House
- Trevor Sumner, LocalVox
What advice would you offer an entrepreneur who wants to outsource the optimization of his or her email list?The following answers are provided by the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, the YEC recently launched #StartupLab, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses via live video chats, an expert content library and email lessons.
1. Use Someone You Trust Absolutely
- Chuck Cohn, Varsity Tutors
2. Source a Qualified Partner
- Erik Severinghaus, Simple RelevanceÂ
3. Look for Someone With Experience
- Tim Jahn, matchist
4. Outsource to Someone With Intimate Knowledge of Readership
- Andrew Schrage, Money Crashers Personal Finance
5. Don’t Lose the Personal Touch
- Sean Ogle, Location 180, LLC
6. Be Wary of Outsourcing
- Arjun Arora, ReTargeter
7. Start With Your Dream Outcome
- Laura Roeder, LKR Social Media
8. Learn the Mechanics First
- Thursday Bram, Hyper Modern Consulting
9. Use Drop Dead Copy
- Cody McKibben, Digital Nomad Academy
10. Outsource First, Then Bring It in-House
- Trevor Sumner, LocalVox
I don’t remember where, why or how I learned that you need two eyes for depth perception. But it’s one of those things that everyone pretty much knows.
Anyway, for some reason I really wanted to do something with that idea and a cyclops and this cartoon presented itself, which you would think would be the hardest part, but not so.
I had to do a ton of looking around online to get an idea of features (besides that one eye, of course) that really said ‘cyclops.’ It was surprisingly difficult.
I think I got it right. And here’s to hoping he gets the job!
I don’t remember where, why or how I learned that you need two eyes for depth perception. But it’s one of those things that everyone pretty much knows.
Anyway, for some reason I really wanted to do something with that idea and a cyclops and this cartoon presented itself, which you would think would be the hardest part, but not so.
I had to do a ton of looking around online to get an idea of features (besides that one eye, of course) that really said ‘cyclops.’ It was surprisingly difficult.
I think I got it right. And here’s to hoping he gets the job!
