HP Accessory Lets You Print from Mobile Devices To Older Printers

Don’t have a new mobile-supported printer?  You can still get the ability to print wirelessly directly from your mobile device to some older or standard HP printers, with a new accessory from HP.

HP’s newer wireless direct printers enable printing directly from mobile devices, but standard HP printers don’t.  This new device changes that.

Forty million printers manufactured by HP from 2008 or later can now be adapted to interact with mobile devices, even if the printer was not originally designed that way.

The 1200w Mobile Print Accessory priced at $69.99 was one of the new products rolled out at HP Print Tech Day 2013 on its campus in Boise, Idaho. And Small Business Trends’ Chief Technology Officer Leland McFarland was on hand.

“The technology in that accessory is going to be added into all future HP models so you won’t need to purchase it separately in the future,” McFarland said.  But for some older printers it’s now possible to “go mobile” without having to buy new printers.

Basically, McFarland explained, the device allows your smartphone to connect with the router in a standard HP printer through wireless direct connections.

In the alternative, the accessory allows Near Field Communication (NFC) between mobile device and printer - called touch-to-print capability. That means the two devices are able to connect simply by being in very close proximity â€" usually physically touching each other.  Touching a printer with your mobile device establishes a connection. You must have an NFC-enabled smartphone, of course, to use the NFC capabilities.

“If you’re in a big office with multiple printers, you walk up to one of them and say, ‘I want to print on you’,” he noted. Touch your mobile device to the printer to start printing the images or documents you have in queue.  That might be useful if you’re on site at a client’s office and need to print something.

So what can an accessory like this (see PDF fact sheet)  do for your business? Well, if you’ve already got an HP printer that happens to be a 2008 model or newer, but aren’t ready to buy a new printer, you’re in luck.

HP’s Mobile Accessory converts your printers to the ability to print directly from your mobile devices, without a costly investment.

And making your office more mobile will help make you more efficient allowing you to work not just from your laptop and desktop but from your smartphone or tablet, too.

Images: HP

HP Accessory Lets You Print from Mobile Devices To Older Printers

Don’t have a new mobile-supported printer?  You can still get the ability to print wirelessly directly from your mobile device to some older or standard HP printers, with a new accessory from HP.

HP’s newer wireless direct printers enable printing directly from mobile devices, but standard HP printers don’t.  This new device changes that.

Forty million printers manufactured by HP from 2008 or later can now be adapted to interact with mobile devices, even if the printer was not originally designed that way.

The 1200w Mobile Print Accessory priced at $69.99 was one of the new products rolled out at HP Print Tech Day 2013 on its campus in Boise, Idaho. And Small Business Trends’ Chief Technology Officer Leland McFarland was on hand.

“The technology in that accessory is going to be added into all future HP models so you won’t need to purchase it separately in the future,” McFarland said.  But for some older printers it’s now possible to “go mobile” without having to buy new printers.

Basically, McFarland explained, the device allows your smartphone to connect with the router in a standard HP printer through wireless direct connections.

In the alternative, the accessory allows Near Field Communication (NFC) between mobile device and printer - called touch-to-print capability. That means the two devices are able to connect simply by being in very close proximity â€" usually physically touching each other.  Touching a printer with your mobile device establishes a connection. You must have an NFC-enabled smartphone, of course, to use the NFC capabilities.

“If you’re in a big office with multiple printers, you walk up to one of them and say, ‘I want to print on you’,” he noted. Touch your mobile device to the printer to start printing the images or documents you have in queue.  That might be useful if you’re on site at a client’s office and need to print something.

So what can an accessory like this (see PDF fact sheet)  do for your business? Well, if you’ve already got an HP printer that happens to be a 2008 model or newer, but aren’t ready to buy a new printer, you’re in luck.

HP’s Mobile Accessory converts your printers to the ability to print directly from your mobile devices, without a costly investment.

And making your office more mobile will help make you more efficient allowing you to work not just from your laptop and desktop but from your smartphone or tablet, too.

Images: HP

The Tale of Two Self-Employed Freelancers and Obamacare

First it was the website troubles.  Healthcare.gov has crashed repeatedly â€" or perhaps “continuously” is a better word. The site seems to be unavailable more often than it is available to Americans trying to research coverage options, let alone sign up.  According to a government report dated November 13, 2013, just 26, 794 individuals had selected a plan through the Federal website as of last week.  Another 79,000 had selected plans via state healthcare exchange websites.

Then other news rocked the American public:  nearly 5 million Americans have had their healthcare coverage cancelled, by one estimate. Millions more are expected to get cancellation notices over the coming year.

Policies are being cancelled because plans don’t meet requirements for certain mandated coverage.  Let’s say you’re past childbearing age - you may still be required to have a policy with maternity benefits.  Or you have a high deductible policy, and you’re OK with it because you’re relatively healthy.  It doesn’t matter.  Insurance companies are required to cancel policies that don’t meet certain requirements.

The cancellation news started as a trickle and soon became a flash flood. There’s at least one site set up where Americans are sharing their health insurance cancellation notices at MyCancellation.com.

Self-Employed Business Owners are Impacted

Despite the delay in the employer mandate until 2015, small businesses are being impacted by Obamacare right now. The individual mandate is still in place.  Self-employed business owners and freelancers are among the very people likely to have health coverage under individual plans â€" or no coverage.

Two examples from the ranks of the self-employed demonstrate the situation some small business owners now find themselves in.

Bruce Barcott, a freelance writer, was notified that his insurance premium would go up by 94%.  Even though he and his wife would have preferred to stay with their high-deductible plan, they couldn’t.  But when he went to his state’s healthcare exchange website, he was met with few good options and many unanswered questions.  The result:  frustration.  He writes that he found himself, “seething at a President I helped elect.”

He’s still an Obamacare supporter.  His point is that he expected clarity and competence.

And remember Jessica Sanford, the self-employed court reporter touted by President Obama as being an Obamacare success story?  Turns out she isn’t.  If you recall, she was the woman who penned a thank-you letter to President Obama when she thought she would be qualifying for a healthcare credit and inexpensive insurance.  In October, she was present standing behind President Obama during a Rose Garden speech (she’s in red, in the above image).

After that she was notified that the Washington state exchange she used made a series of complex errors.  Now she says she won’t be getting low-cost health insurance coverage after all.  She will instead pay the $95 penalty, she is quoted in a CNN story:

“I had a good cry,” Sanford said about her reaction to the latest news from the state.

As a self-employed court reporter, the new quote was simply out of her range.

“This is it. I’m not getting insurance,” Sanford told CNN. “That’s where it stands right now unless they fix it.”

She says she’s still an Obama fan, though.

No Easy Fix

Meanwhile, President Obama has proposed a fix for the cancellations, involving allowing people to opt to keep their cancelled policies for one year.  However, the situation is not going to be easy or quick to fix because it involves state insurance regulators and the entire health insurance industry â€" not just politicians in Washington.

Some self-employed business owners are asking the question:  will my family and I be better off under the Affordable Care Act in 2014?  The answer as of this moment for some seems to be either “no” or “I just don’t know.”

Is It Time to Expand Your Services? 3 Tips to Help You Decide

As a customer-focused business, you want to offer enough services to meet consumer demand. But offering too many services can be worse than not providing enough. When a company tries to cover every possible area, it results in too many choices, which has a paralyzing effect on people, according to a study conducted by Columbia University’s Sheena S. Iyenger. So, how do you know when it’s time to expand your services? Here’s three tips to help you decide.

I am blogging on behalf of Visa Business and received compensation for my time from Visa for sharing my views in this post, but the views expressed here are solely mine, not Visa’s. Visit http://facebook.com/visasmallbiz to take a look at the reinvented Facebook Page: Well Sourced by Visa Business. The Page serves as a space where small business owners can access educational resources, read success stories from other business owners, engage with peers, and find tips to help businesses run more efficiently. Every month, the Page will introduce a new theme that will focus on a topic important to a small business owner’s success. For additional tips and advice, and information about Visa’s small business solutions, follow @VisaSmallBiz and visit http://visa.com/business.

Is It Time to Expand Your Services? 3 Tips to Help You Decide

As a customer-focused business, you want to offer enough services to meet consumer demand. But offering too many services can be worse than not providing enough. When a company tries to cover every possible area, it results in too many choices, which has a paralyzing effect on people, according to a study conducted by Columbia University’s Sheena S. Iyenger.

For the study, Iyenger set up a booth in a supermarket and intermittently offered two options: a selection of 24 jams and a selection of only 6 jams. While the larger selection of jams lured more customers over, customers were found to be much more likely to buy when presented with a smaller selection. The researchers found that overall, customers like the concept of a large number of choices, but when confronted with a big selection, they tend to feel overwhelmed.

As your business grows, it could be tempting to expand your range of products or services. A hair salon may decide to add waxing options or a massage table in the back. A computer repair business might choose to provide in-home computer training. One addition to your service offerings likely won’t change your business model, but one addition can lead to another until eventually, you’ve expanded beyond what your customers can support. Here are three ways to determine if it’s time to add a service or two to your small business.

Can You Afford It?

Consider all of the costs associated with expanding, including hiring new workers, equipment or additional storage space required to support the expansion, and the time you’ll have to spend managing this additional offering. If this new area of your business will take time away from your other duties, can you afford to sacrifice that time?

Will Your Customers Support It?

If your customers are consistently requesting a service/product you don’t provide, it might be time to add that to your suite of offerings. If you haven’t received a specific request, market surveys can help you determine whether the local market will support it. Ask your own customers, as well as potential customers in the area. Create a survey on Survey Monkey and post it to your social media sites, asking others to forward it to their friends.

Is the Market Saturated?

In addition to creating surveys, you can also conduct research into the existing market for this new product or service. What competition will you have? Is the market for this new offering already saturated? Gauge your ability to attract customers and compete with any existing businesses before proceeding.

If you feel you’re stagnating, it might be time to review your original business model. A small boutique that provides only a few dozen products may feel as though it will never be able to grow. But instead of adding more items to your store, an online shop may be the best course of action. You’ll be able to reach a larger audience with the items you’ve already specialized in providing.

NYC Event: Ramon Ray LIVE! Take YOUR Business to the Next Level

Are you ready to TAKE YOUR BUSINESS to the next level?

Are you feeling STUCK and need and want a FRESH BOOST for the new year?

Do you want expert help in how to better leverage Social Media (content marketing), build your Personal Brand, get the media to COVER your business and more?

“Ramon Ray Live” is a one-of-a-kind, unique event that is taking place on Wednesday, December 11th at CUNY Graduate Center in New York City. Join Ramon as he shares his years of hands on experience, mistakes and success with YOU.

REGISTER TODAY - Early bird discounts end on November 27th!

Here’s What You’ll Learn

Ramon will tell you how he lost $50,000 in organizing an event. Ramon will tell you why the Wall Street Journal flamed Smallbiztechnology.com. Ramon will share what he knows with YOU so you can GROW YOUR BUSINESS.

You can read more about Ramon Ray at ramonray.com.

WAIT…There’s more!

You won’t just learn from a best selling author, former technology consultant, national speaker and event producer (that’d be Ramon Ray), you’ll also be joined by his trusted team of experts.

You’ll learn from Marketing and Public Relations professional Beth Silver of  Doubet Consulting. Beth has a nose for brands and marketing. She’ll help YOU get the MOJO and BRAND JUICE in your business.

You’ll also hear from Adrian Miller, a master sales trainer and consultant for 27 years and also the well-acknowledged Queen of networking. When Fast Company magazine shut down its Company of Friends networking group, Adrian started her own “Adrian’s Network“.

Check out this short video message from Ramon on why you should attend:

NYC Event: Ramon Ray LIVE! Take YOUR Business to the Next Level

Are you ready to TAKE YOUR BUSINESS to the next level?

Are you feeling STUCK and need and want a FRESH BOOST for the new year?

Do you want expert help in how to better leverage Social Media (content marketing), build your Personal Brand, get the media to COVER your business and more?

“Ramon Ray Live” is a one-of-a-kind, unique event that is taking place on Wednesday, December 11th at CUNY Graduate Center in New York City. Join Ramon as he shares his years of hands on experience, mistakes and success with YOU.

REGISTER TODAY - Early bird discounts end on November 27th!

Here’s What You’ll Learn

Ramon will tell you how he lost $50,000 in organizing an event. Ramon will tell you why the Wall Street Journal flamed Smallbiztechnology.com. Ramon will share what he knows with YOU so you can GROW YOUR BUSINESS.

You can read more about Ramon Ray at ramonray.com.

WAIT…There’s more!

You won’t just learn from a best selling author, former technology consultant, national speaker and event producer (that’d be Ramon Ray), you’ll also be joined by his trusted team of experts.

You’ll learn from Marketing and Public Relations professional Beth Silver of  Doubet Consulting. Beth has a nose for brands and marketing. She’ll help YOU get the MOJO and BRAND JUICE in your business.

You’ll also hear from Adrian Miller, a master sales trainer and consultant for 27 years and also the well-acknowledged Queen of networking. When Fast Company magazine shut down its Company of Friends networking group, Adrian started her own “Adrian’s Network“.

Check out this short video message from Ramon on why you should attend:

Is It Time to Expand Your Services? 3 Tips to Help You Decide

As a customer-focused business, you want to offer enough services to meet consumer demand. But offering too many services can be worse than not providing enough. When a company tries to cover every possible area, it results in too many choices, which has a paralyzing effect on people, according to a study conducted by Columbia University’s Sheena S. Iyenger. So, how do you know when it’s time to expand your services? Here’s three tips to help you decide.

I am blogging on behalf of Visa Business and received compensation for my time from Visa for sharing my views in this post, but the views expressed here are solely mine, not Visa’s. Visit http://facebook.com/visasmallbiz to take a look at the reinvented Facebook Page: Well Sourced by Visa Business. The Page serves as a space where small business owners can access educational resources, read success stories from other business owners, engage with peers, and find tips to help businesses run more efficiently. Every month, the Page will introduce a new theme that will focus on a topic important to a small business owner’s success. For additional tips and advice, and information about Visa’s small business solutions, follow @VisaSmallBiz and visit http://visa.com/business.

Is It Time to Expand Your Services? 3 Tips to Help You Decide

As a customer-focused business, you want to offer enough services to meet consumer demand. But offering too many services can be worse than not providing enough. When a company tries to cover every possible area, it results in too many choices, which has a paralyzing effect on people, according to a study conducted by Columbia University’s Sheena S. Iyenger.

For the study, Iyenger set up a booth in a supermarket and intermittently offered two options: a selection of 24 jams and a selection of only 6 jams. While the larger selection of jams lured more customers over, customers were found to be much more likely to buy when presented with a smaller selection. The researchers found that overall, customers like the concept of a large number of choices, but when confronted with a big selection, they tend to feel overwhelmed.

As your business grows, it could be tempting to expand your range of products or services. A hair salon may decide to add waxing options or a massage table in the back. A computer repair business might choose to provide in-home computer training. One addition to your service offerings likely won’t change your business model, but one addition can lead to another until eventually, you’ve expanded beyond what your customers can support. Here are three ways to determine if it’s time to add a service or two to your small business.

Can You Afford It?

Consider all of the costs associated with expanding, including hiring new workers, equipment or additional storage space required to support the expansion, and the time you’ll have to spend managing this additional offering. If this new area of your business will take time away from your other duties, can you afford to sacrifice that time?

Will Your Customers Support It?

If your customers are consistently requesting a service/product you don’t provide, it might be time to add that to your suite of offerings. If you haven’t received a specific request, market surveys can help you determine whether the local market will support it. Ask your own customers, as well as potential customers in the area. Create a survey on Survey Monkey and post it to your social media sites, asking others to forward it to their friends.

Is the Market Saturated?

In addition to creating surveys, you can also conduct research into the existing market for this new product or service. What competition will you have? Is the market for this new offering already saturated? Gauge your ability to attract customers and compete with any existing businesses before proceeding.

If you feel you’re stagnating, it might be time to review your original business model. A small boutique that provides only a few dozen products may feel as though it will never be able to grow. But instead of adding more items to your store, an online shop may be the best course of action. You’ll be able to reach a larger audience with the items you’ve already specialized in providing.

How to Get Started Using the Review Extension with AdWords

Although in beta for quite some time, Google has finally given AdWords users the option to place third party reviews, ratings or awards into an AdWords listing. Above is a screenshot of how the Review Extension works, which was provided by Google when they made the announcement.

The idea here is that users can get a good feel for what authoritative sources are saying about a company right there on the SERP (search engine results page). It can help your company stand out and find that edge. However, there are a few rules to keep in mind when setting up your review.

How Google Review Extensions Work

According to Google, they have:

“. . .already seen an enthusiastic response to review extensions and many of the advertisers who have implemented them have seen impressive results.”

In other words, it has already proven effective and is surely something to consider.

Below are a few of the details regarding the new feature:

• Create only one per campaign: Only the first Review Extension you create will run (assuming it is approved). So even though you have the option to set several, it makes the most sense to only set one.
• Some extensions are reviewed quicker than others: Campaign level extensions are reviewed quicker than ad group level extensions.
• Focus on your business as a whole:  The review you select should focus on your business as a whole as opposed to a specific product or service.
• Keep it new: The review cannot be more than 12 months old.
• Keep it short: Only 67 characters are allowed, so it has to be short.

Of course, it’s also worth mentioning that you must have permission to use the quote before you include it in your listing. If you can’t find the source to get permission then you can’t use the review.

How to Use Google Adwords Review Extensions

Submitting and managing a review is actually quite easy following the steps below:

1. Click the Ad Extensions tab in your AdWords account and select “Review Extensions.”
2. Click +Extension and then select the campaign to use with the extension.
3. Describe if the quote is paraphrased or exact.
4. Type in the quote, the source of the quote, and the source URL.
5. Hit “save” and you’re done.

Google explained that you can always visit the AdWords Help center if you need help getting started. Below is a screenshot they provided that shows the setup described above:

So How Do You Know a Review is Real?

Whenever you’re talking about reviews, it’s a question that needs to be asked.

The review that a company puts into the ad must be from a third-party source (not an individual user) and a link to that source must be included next to the review. If someone clicks this link, there is no charge to you or the source.

Google will use both a manual as well as automated system to review every review extension to make sure it is legitimate.

What This Means to a Company’s Reputation

Reputation is essentially the moral of the story. Reviews are becoming more important than ever, plain and simple. Whether you choose to add a review into your advertisement or not, it’s clear that Google is trying to move toward a Web full of reviews and meaningful interactions.

This is the perfect way to show to users your reputation with real people and not just with the Google bots. Google, of course, wants the Web to include the realist picture of its listings, and choosing something that represents a company’s reputation seems like the perfect fit.

Urging your customers to leave reviews on your Google page, as well as other outlets like Yelp and social media, is a good way to start ramping up your number and creating the full picture of your company. Who knows, maybe something will jump out at you and you’ll have to include it in your AdWords campaign.

4 Ways Small Business Can Profit from Google Glass and Augmented Reality

The future is in the eye of the beholder… literally.  With a great deal of excitement surrounding its release, this January Google Glass is expected to be sold to the general population.  The glasses incorporate augmented reality technology and will allow the user to give commands to a wearable computer in the form of digital eyewear. The user will be able to perform everyday functions wearing the glasses and will only have to look in the upper right lens to view the computer. Though currently touted as a novel plaything, there are also at least four ways for the small business owner to profit from the Google Glass and augmented reality.

Be Found

Many of the features of Google Glass that have been publicized in the media include entertainment, GPS, social media, and video and photography functions. However, the combination of augmented reality software with the glasses provides opportunities for small businesses to be seen by a targeted audience. Providing the software platform or “brain” for the glasses, Infinity Augmented Reality (Infinity AR) makes it so the glasses or other digital devices can anticipate what the user wants. For example, if the user always has coffee from a particular coffee house at 9:00am, the tablet, smartwatch, digital eyewear, or any other digital device will alert the user that it is not only time for coffee, but will order the coffee for him and allow the user to pay for the coffee from the digital device. In addition, the coffee house will send a coupon for a muffin as well.

Based on the user’s tweets and other social media communication, the software picks up on the desires of the user and integrates all the user’s devices (smartphones, tablets, etc.), and enables these devices to absorb all they can about the user in order to facilitate that knowledge to simplify his life. The potential is endless whether the user is looking to buy gaming software, plan a vacation, or go to a concert. Your business can be the only one seen by the user as providing the service or product. The advertising platform will be the similar to Google Adwords and allows your business to be found by your targeted market.

Be Amazing

Augmented reality has been around for quite some time, but the use of the technology continues to evolve. Using digital glasses such as Glass or Meta, the user can view more about a business than meets the naked eye. To give a more in-depth view of your business, the utilization of Infinity AR’s or Total Immersion’s software can give your prospects and customers a clear view of your offerings from their computer or digital device. This not only takes “seeing is believing” to a new level, but it also provides convenience for your customers and allows them to shop as if they were at your place of business.

Be Proactive

Before building your next office or constructing the next product, use augmented reality to see it before doing it. In its raw form, augmented reality is a technical term for overlaying data onto real world scenes. Using an augmented reality app that could take blueprints or 3D models and overlay could save in both labor and material costs.  The built-in camera in Meta and Google Glass can help to report the progress or any challenges found on a project. This concept, for example, will work perfectly in the construction industry, but it is also useful in the concept-building phase of any product. Voice-activating the Glass for sending messages, videos, photos, and more from the site of a project is invaluable for saving time and money.

Be Creative

The director of sports medicine at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Dr. Christopher Kaeding, was the first to use Google Glass while performing surgery. He used the technology to work with a distant colleague using a live, point-of-view video from his operating room via Google Glass. Dr. Kaeding stated, “To be honest, once we got into the surgery, I often forgot the device was there. It just seemed very intuitive and fit seamlessly.” Via voice commands, Dr. Kaeding was able to instantly call up X-ray or MRI images of their patient, pathology reports, and reference materials.

You may not be performing surgery with Google Glass, but you can creatively use the augmented technology for catapulting your business into success. According to research firm IHS, shipments of smart glasses could reach 9.4 million units between 2013 and 2016, with demand expected to accelerate by 250% in 2014. That is just in digital eyewear.  Smartwatches and other digital devices increase the number considerably. That means that more and more people will be wearing computers which give your business greater opportunities for exposure and capitalizing on this innovative technology.

One creative use is to provide an experience for your prospects and customers. New augmented reality software can give the user an experience like no other. Wearing digital eyewear, the user can now enjoy a live concert as if she was there without leaving her living room. You can give the user an opportunity to use your product or service without actually being at your business. The user can try on clothes and shoes, drive a car, touch objects, and receive updates on products.

Computers, mobile phones, and social media are all examples of disruptive technologies that took off and left many business owners wishing they had taken advantage of opportunities earlier. Augmented reality and wearable computers are here and it is worth investing time and energy in utilizing them for your business’ growth. These four examples only scratch the surface of what this innovation can do to help your business become more profitable.

IRS Fast Tracks Audits for Small Businesses, Self-Employed

The Internal Revenue Service says it is rolling out a new program to help small businesses and self-employed tax payers resolve disputes arising from  an audit in record time. The IRS says its new Fast Track Settlement program, is modeled on one currently available to large or midsized businesses with assets of $10 million or more.

In an official announcement detailing the program on the official IRS website, the federal agency explains:

“The Fast Track Settlement (FTS) program is designed to help small businesses and self-employed individuals who are under examination by the Small Business/Self Employed (SB/SE) Division of the IRS.”

The IRS says the program should, in most cases, allow resolution of issues related to an audit within 60 days rather than months or years if the issue goes to appeals and eventually litigation.

The IRS Fast Track Settlement program uses an arbitration process to resolve disputes between the IRS and small businesses under audit. The agency also says businesses taking advantage of the program retain their rights to appeal should the arbitration be unsuccessful.

Application for the IRS Fast Track Settlement program requires filing of Form 14017 along with a brief response to the IRS position on the tax return under audit.

The fast track process is no guarantee of a positive resolution with the IRS. The agency says mediation will generally be handled by an IRS appeals officer who serves as a “neutral party.”

However, the process could help bypass a time-consuming and potentially costly appeals process which can sometimes end in court.

The IRS initially launched a pilot version of the program in 2006. An expanded program was announced in 2008. The IRS says the recent roll out streamlines those earlier programs and makes the option available to all small businesses meeting eligibility requirements.

The reality is that the program may not yield a better result than going through the traditional appeal  process. But it could considerably reduce a potentially very unpleasant process that could effect your business long term.

Image: Wiki

IRS Fast Tracks Audits for Small Businesses, Self-Employed

The Internal Revenue Service says it is rolling out a new program to help small businesses and self-employed tax payers resolve disputes arising from  an audit in record time. The IRS says its new Fast Track Settlement program, is modeled on one currently available to large or midsized businesses with assets of $10 million or more.

In an official announcement detailing the program on the official IRS website, the federal agency explains:

“The Fast Track Settlement (FTS) program is designed to help small businesses and self-employed individuals who are under examination by the Small Business/Self Employed (SB/SE) Division of the IRS.”

The IRS says the program should, in most cases, allow resolution of issues related to an audit within 60 days rather than months or years if the issue goes to appeals and eventually litigation.

The IRS Fast Track Settlement program uses an arbitration process to resolve disputes between the IRS and small businesses under audit. The agency also says businesses taking advantage of the program retain their rights to appeal should the arbitration be unsuccessful.

Application for the IRS Fast Track Settlement program requires filing of Form 14017 along with a brief response to the IRS position on the tax return under audit.

The fast track process is no guarantee of a positive resolution with the IRS. The agency says mediation will generally be handled by an IRS appeals officer who serves as a “neutral party.”

However, the process could help bypass a time-consuming and potentially costly appeals process which can sometimes end in court.

The IRS initially launched a pilot version of the program in 2006. An expanded program was announced in 2008. The IRS says the recent roll out streamlines those earlier programs and makes the option available to all small businesses meeting eligibility requirements.

The reality is that the program may not yield a better result than going through the traditional appeal  process. But it could considerably reduce a potentially very unpleasant process that could effect your business long term.

Image: Wiki

4 Ways Small Business Can Profit from Google Glass and Augmented Reality

The future is in the eye of the beholder… literally.  With a great deal of excitement surrounding its release, this January Google Glass is expected to be sold to the general population.  The glasses incorporate augmented reality technology and will allow the user to give commands to a wearable computer in the form of digital eyewear. The user will be able to perform everyday functions wearing the glasses and will only have to look in the upper right lens to view the computer. Though currently touted as a novel plaything, there are also at least four ways for the small business owner to profit from the Google Glass and augmented reality.

Be Found

Many of the features of Google Glass that have been publicized in the media include entertainment, GPS, social media, and video and photography functions. However, the combination of augmented reality software with the glasses provides opportunities for small businesses to be seen by a targeted audience. Providing the software platform or “brain” for the glasses, Infinity Augmented Reality (Infinity AR) makes it so the glasses or other digital devices can anticipate what the user wants. For example, if the user always has coffee from a particular coffee house at 9:00am, the tablet, smartwatch, digital eyewear, or any other digital device will alert the user that it is not only time for coffee, but will order the coffee for him and allow the user to pay for the coffee from the digital device. In addition, the coffee house will send a coupon for a muffin as well.

Based on the user’s tweets and other social media communication, the software picks up on the desires of the user and integrates all the user’s devices (smartphones, tablets, etc.), and enables these devices to absorb all they can about the user in order to facilitate that knowledge to simplify his life. The potential is endless whether the user is looking to buy gaming software, plan a vacation, or go to a concert. Your business can be the only one seen by the user as providing the service or product. The advertising platform will be the similar to Google Adwords and allows your business to be found by your targeted market.

Be Amazing

Augmented reality has been around for quite some time, but the use of the technology continues to evolve. Using digital glasses such as Glass or Meta, the user can view more about a business than meets the naked eye. To give a more in-depth view of your business, the utilization of Infinity AR’s or Total Immersion’s software can give your prospects and customers a clear view of your offerings from their computer or digital device. This not only takes “seeing is believing” to a new level, but it also provides convenience for your customers and allows them to shop as if they were at your place of business.

Be Proactive

Before building your next office or constructing the next product, use augmented reality to see it before doing it. In its raw form, augmented reality is a technical term for overlaying data onto real world scenes. Using an augmented reality app that could take blueprints or 3D models and overlay could save in both labor and material costs.  The built-in camera in Meta and Google Glass can help to report the progress or any challenges found on a project. This concept, for example, will work perfectly in the construction industry, but it is also useful in the concept-building phase of any product. Voice-activating the Glass for sending messages, videos, photos, and more from the site of a project is invaluable for saving time and money.

Be Creative

The director of sports medicine at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Dr. Christopher Kaeding, was the first to use Google Glass while performing surgery. He used the technology to work with a distant colleague using a live, point-of-view video from his operating room via Google Glass. Dr. Kaeding stated, “To be honest, once we got into the surgery, I often forgot the device was there. It just seemed very intuitive and fit seamlessly.” Via voice commands, Dr. Kaeding was able to instantly call up X-ray or MRI images of their patient, pathology reports, and reference materials.

You may not be performing surgery with Google Glass, but you can creatively use the augmented technology for catapulting your business into success. According to research firm IHS, shipments of smart glasses could reach 9.4 million units between 2013 and 2016, with demand expected to accelerate by 250% in 2014. That is just in digital eyewear.  Smartwatches and other digital devices increase the number considerably. That means that more and more people will be wearing computers which give your business greater opportunities for exposure and capitalizing on this innovative technology.

One creative use is to provide an experience for your prospects and customers. New augmented reality software can give the user an experience like no other. Wearing digital eyewear, the user can now enjoy a live concert as if she was there without leaving her living room. You can give the user an opportunity to use your product or service without actually being at your business. The user can try on clothes and shoes, drive a car, touch objects, and receive updates on products.

Computers, mobile phones, and social media are all examples of disruptive technologies that took off and left many business owners wishing they had taken advantage of opportunities earlier. Augmented reality and wearable computers are here and it is worth investing time and energy in utilizing them for your business’ growth. These four examples only scratch the surface of what this innovation can do to help your business become more profitable.

35 LinkedIn Tools for Business, Plus a Few Extras

LinkedIn is a great way to network with other business owners. You most likely already know that. But are you using it to its full potential?

The following is a list of LinkedIn tools for business to help increase your LinkedIn effectiveness. Whether you need something to help you follow posts on the go or are just looking for something to help improve your profile visibility, you can find the LinkedIn tools for business you need here.

LinkedIn for Android

The two main smartphone operating systems each have their own app, naturally. LinkedIn for Android is here. You can grow your network, connect with others, and access engaging and meaningful content while waiting in the elevator or for your next appointment. If you need to update your profile, view recommended jobs, or even upgrade your account, this LinkedIn app will do it.

LinkedIn for iOS

If you’re an iPhone or iPad user, here’s the iOS app in the iTunes app store.

LinkedIn for Windows and Blackberry

There’s also LinkedIn for Windows phones and LinkedIn for Blackberry. These two have more limited LinkedIn features compared to the Android and Apple apps.

OFunnel

OFunnel is a cool new tool that alerts you when someone in your network connects with someone new. This feature exists in LinkedIn, but you have to log in to see it. This tool forwards changes to you automatically. Think of it as Google Alerts for relationships, as the site says, in this era of social sales.

LinkedIn Badges

Rather than post a resumé on your website, you could show one of these LinkedIn badges that allow people to click through to your profile. Of course, that means you need to keep your profile up to date. There are several styles from which to choose.

SlideShare

LinkedIn owns SlideShare. This is one of my favorite services for sharing expertise. It allows you to embed YouTube videos, create a webinar, share presentations/documents, and upload PDFs, sales/marketing presentations, conference talks, or portfolios directly onto your LinkedIn profile. You can even use it to sync LinkedIn and Facebook.

Share on LinkedIn

When you are surfing the Web, do you come across webpages you would like to share on your LinkedIn profile? Add Share on LinkedIn to your browser toolbar. Then just click to share. As noted elsewhere, you can also do this with extensions via most browsers and phone apps, too.

Pulse

If you are tired of clicking from page to page to get updates, Pulse for iPhone sends you news, social network updates, RSS, magazine, and blog feeds to the comfort of your phone. Pulse for Android will do the same thing on your Android based mobile device.

LinkedIn Contacts

LinkedIn Contacts is an iPhone app that combines your contacts and notifies you for birthdays and job changes in your network.

Sync.ME

Use Sync.ME to update your contact list in one smooth step. This app syncs with your LinkedIn and Facebook contacts and ensures that you have the most up to date information about them. You can view your contacts full screen pictures when they call, and you can choose how you appear in their phones, which gives you a mobile business card.

Outlook Social Connector

To view the latest activity on LinkedIn in your inbox, try Outlook Social Connector. This app allows you to email your connections directly and allows you to use your Outlook email to send connect invitations.

Follow Company Plugin

Placing the Follow Company Plugin on your website will allow those who visit to follow your LinkedIn company page on each follower’s homepage.

Member Profile Plugin

Use the Member Profile Plugin to create a neat business card sized picture of your LinkedIn member profile right on your webpage.

Sign in with LinkedIn

Want to learn more about the people who are using your website? Sign in with LinkedIn will allow the users of your website to sign in with their LinkedIn account. This lets you capture and store their LinkedIn ID, which gives you access their profile information. Of course, most people are probably not going to do this unless you have a community offering where it makes sense, but you may have a reason to check this out.

Company Insider Plugin

Company Insider will let you profile company employees on your website and personalize what users see about them. If your visitor is connected to someone in that company, they will see that in the plugin. It also provides links, so your website users can follow the featured companies. It doesn’t have to be your company, either.

Company Profile Plugin

The Company Profile plugin shows more details about the company itself and simply lists connections your visitor has at that company. The Insider one above focuses on the people first.

Full Member Profile

If you want to feature only individuals on your website, you can bring their LinkedIn profiles to the front with Full Member Profile. In my opinion, this full member info is best used when you want to display your employees via their LinkedIn profile rather than create a traditional “About Us” page.

Apply with LinkedIn Plugin

Looking to find top talent to hire through your website? Apply with LinkedIn is a customizable plugin that will allow website visitors on your career page to use their LinkedIn profiles to apply for jobs.

Recommend Button

Help people pass along information about your products and services using the Recommend Button. When you install this on your website, users can recommend your specific products or services they like on LinkedIn.

Export LinkedIn Connections

Use Export LinkedIn Connections to backup and save your LinkedIn contacts to a spreadsheet which you can then import into most other Web based and desktop email programs, including: Yahoo! Address Book, Outlook Express, Microsoft Outlook, and Mac OS Address Book.

Jobs Plugin

The Jobs Plugin allows you to post jobs you have listed on LinkedIn to your website. Or you can list other LinkedIn jobs available to boost engagement with your site, or as a way to help your community of readers or visitors.

Oktopost

If you are looking to organize your social media into one targeted marketing approach, consider the free trial of Oktopost. This app helps you manage social campaigns, track metrics, review and reply to all comments across social networks from one interface, capture leads, and integrate their data into CRM and marketing automation platforms. After two weeks, the cost is $29-$79 per month depending on your social media presence.

Chat for LinkedIn

Chat for LinkedIn is an Android app that allows you to chat with your contacts in real time on LinkedIn or instant message those who are not online.

Buffer

It is difficult to post to social media at a time when people will read it. Sometimes your posts can get lost in the masses. Buffer allows you to fill your buffer once a day and it then releases the posts to your social media websites when it determines the most opportune times.

Cardmuch

Are you tired of trying to keep track of business cards? Turn them into LinkedIn contacts by snapping a picture of them with Cardmunch. Only bummer â€" no Android app, only iOS.

Hootsuite

Most of us are familiar with Hootsuite, a powerful social media management tool that manages multiple social networks, tracks brand mentions and schedules updates, among other tasks. There is a free plan for five social networks or less and two advanced plans that run $8.99 and up per month.

Sproutsocial

Another social media manager is Sproutsocial with plans ranging from $39 for up to 10 profiles to $99 for up to 50 profiles. With this one, the higher the cost of the plan, the more bells and whistles you get.

LinkedIn’s WordPress

Several WordPress apps allow you to publish posts or links for posts to multiple social media websites at the same time. LinkedIn’s WordPress syncs your WordPress blog to your LinkedIn profile.

Leenk.me

To coordinate publication of your LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and FriendFeed account updates, try leenk.me.

NextScripts

To publish WordPress blog posts automatically to your social media network (including LinkedIn and more than 17 others) you can use NextScripts.

Yoono

Yoono is an iPad/iPhone app that combines LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Flicker feeds on your iOS and allows you to update your status on all of them at once. I tried using it on an Android-powered phone via just a browser and it didn’t work. But you easily can use it on a desktop computer.

FB LinkedIn Resume

To publish parts (or all) of your LinkedIn profile on your WordPress blog, try FB LinkedIn Resume.

WordPress LinkedIn Plugin

If you would rather have your full profile and a scroll of your recommendations, use this WP LinkedIn Plugin.

LinkedIn Maps

These two are mostly for fun. They worked intermittently for me. If you are looking to “see” your connections in a visual format, try LinkedIn Maps. First, let me say that this app is intense. You get a very busy connect-the-dots-type visual and as it fully loads you can click in and see various people. This app will give you a visual representation of your connections and help you understand your relationships.

Connection Timeline

On the other hand, if you are looking to reconnect with people you knew in your previous business life or looking to reconnect with the past, check out Connection Timeline. It pops up people as you scroll across the dates of your LinkedIn years.

TripIt

If you are planning a business trip or a working vacation, make it more effective by connecting with others who are going to be in the same city. The TripIt app will let you know where your professional network is traveling and even display your own travel information. This link should take you to your own application settings where you can authorize the app. But if not, you can get to it via settings when you are in your LinkedIn account.

LinkedIn is one of my favorite ways to stay in touch with business friends and allies. I regularly use it, along with many of these apps, to keep up with what people are creating, doing, and learning.

You can dial up your networking approach with some of these LinkedIn tools for business and it may help you land a new profitable customer or project. Keep us posted on any LinkedIn tools for business that you love and use.

LinkedIn Concept Photo via Shutterstock

More in: LinkedIn

Amsterdam Company Designs Clothes for Your Office Chair

Okay. We know this one sounds crazy, but bear with us. An Amsterdam design company has taken a new approach to refurbishing chairs, including the ones in your office.

If they’re still in good shape but you just can’t stand the site of them any more, don’t toss them.

Just dress them up with a new set of…err, clothes.

Introducing Chair Wear: Fashion for Your Furniture

Bernotat & Co. has introduced its new line of furniture fashion christening it Chair Wear. Different coverings have colorful names like Pique-Pocket, Knit-Net, and Big Baggy. A few have pockets like your favorite shirt or pair of baggy jeans.

One makes it look as though your chair has been packaged for shipment across the country. Another might make hoodie-wearing Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg proud, but probably very few others. Fast Company associate editor Margaret Rhodes observes:

…Hoodini looks like a Grim Reaper cloak-one that would be sure to drive teachers everywhere crazy, were it found in schools as suggested by the designers.

Sometimes You Must Be Bold

No matter what you think of this new product line, you must admit it’s attention grabbing.

Sometimes, perhaps we play it a bit too safe with product development and marketing. Getting attention for your product is often half the battle.

Whatever customers may think of the new Chair Wear line from Bernotat & Co. - they certainly won’t ignore it.