XYRM Innovation: 06/03/14

Intel Computex Press Briefing - Devil's Canyon, 4K and PC Growth

Intel talks PC growth, 4K, Gaming and Overclocking

Crucial MX100 512GB Review

The MX100 is the direct replacement for the M500 series, with very attractive pricing and 16nm NAND

Asus releases Z87 BIOS 'Enhance compatibility' fix for Devil's Canyon

Devil's Canyon may be 100 per cent compatible with Z87 boards but only with BIOS updates

DOTA 2 prize pool passes $8m

The International 2014 prize pool has passed the $8m mark through sales of a digital program.

Huawei shows off 10Gb/s 802.11ax Wi-Fi

Lab-ready now, to market in 2018.

Google rumoured to launch satellite internet service

180 micro-satellites to begin with.

ARM announces Taiwanese Cortex-M design centre

First such facility in the area.

World of Tanks prepping huge update for 360 edition

The Xbox 360 version of World of Tanks is set to receive its first major update early next month.

Nvidia launches GeForce GT 740 family

Sub-£80 cards for budget gaming.

Seagate plans SSD push with LSI acquisition

Picks up SandForce, Nytro technology.

EA shutters Mythic Entertainment

MMORPG giant laid low by Dungeon Keeper.

Watch Dogs Review

Watch Dogs provides an incredible open world, but it doesn't seem to know what to do with it.

CryEngine released on Steam

Crytek's CryEngine is now available on Steam for developers to access through a subscription model.

Scythe unveils Mugen MAX, low-profile Kodati

Little and large to launch in June.

Nvidia launches GeForce GTX Titan Z

Still £2,399, we're afraid.

TrueCrypt downed by alleged insecurities

Snowden's favourite holed.

Mod of the Month May 2014 in association with Corsair

Take a look at six of the latest modding projects underway in our forums

Watch Dogs PR stunt confused for bomb threat

A Watch Dogs PR stunt has resulted in an Australian news room calling out the bomb squad.

Microsoft promises Surface Pro 3 charging flaw fix

Patch due ahead of launch.

AMD Catalyst 14.6 Beta introduces Eyefinity 3

Support for mismatching monitors.

Target breach aftermath: Is PCI compliance a 'tick box' exercise?

PCI compliance was called a 'gold standard' and 'secure baseline' at a conference in London today, but not all believe that it does enough to guard against data breaches.

Improving real-world security: Think resiliency

Resiliency is moving up the agenda, for both attackers and defenders, says Fred Kost, who adds that systems need to be built - and tested - to assure safety.

'Molerats' attack European governments with spear-phishing

The Molerats cyber-criminal gang has returned and is targeting various European governments, a US financial institution and the BBC with readily available remote access Trojans (RATs).

The inherent security risks of temporary staff

The rise in casual and contract workers has been accompanied by a rise in employee fraud leading Ching Liu to suggest that this temporary solution could create a permanent problem for many businesses.

160,000 new malware samples arriving every day

Log management and file integrity management may be the solution - Randomstorm head of R&D Steve Jones.

PCI DSS audit tool cracked by cybercriminals

This development represents something of a shift in hacker methodology - Nigel Stanley, Incoming Thought CEO/analyst

Security Baubles

When choosing what matters most, don't let compliance alone distract from keeping actual security risks as the top priority says Andrew Jutson

ICYMI: eBay passwords, bad guys get badder & Microsoft's mad week

eBay's data breach is the top news story in this week's In Case You Missed It (ICYMI) column.

ICYMI: "Dead" anti-virus, mobile ransomware; more EU DPA problems

This week's In Case You Missed It column looks at the state of anti-virus, ransomware going mobile and the EU's upcoming Data Protection Regulation.

ICYMI: AOL data breach, fighting cybercrime, Target CISO and Windows XP

In a roller coaster week which saw AOL report a data breach, Target appoint a CISO and all the madness around Infosecurity Europe, SC looks at all the major stories in our latest In Case You Missed It column.

3TechGuys Show: Microsoft loves Salesforce, Mentorship, Apple’s New OS and more!

Bartering: It’s Not Just For Primitive Societies Anymore

<a href="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?attachment_id=44096" rel="attachment wp-att-44096"><img class="wp-image-44096 alignleft" style="margin: 5px;" src="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/May14_Post-2-300x194.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="194" /></a>Sometimes new technology is what it takes to breathe life into an ancient practice and that's exactly what we're seeing today with bartering.
You don't need me to tell you that this tradition, which goes back to the days when a caveman would barter his two rocks for a sharp stick, is today's new killer business strategy. Whenever a societal phenomenon becomes a <a href="http://www.aetv.com/barter-kings" target="_blank">cable TV hit show</a>, you know it's time to pay attention, or find yourself at the back of the pack.
Since the Internet ties us all together, the reach of bartered transactions has been greatly extended. For small business, startups and solopreneurs, bartering can be an excellent <a href="https://www.chamberofcommerce.com/business-advice/business/5-ways-to-save-money-in-your-small-business-4487">way to preserve cash</a>. We'll look at some basic ways to leverage bartering for your business as well as some more sophisticated strategies.
First Steps in Bartering
If you do business in at least a moderately sized community and want to test the waters, reliable Craig's List is the best starting point. For businesses that offer goods or services in the B2B marketplace, you can probably easily connect to someone interested in striking a deal.
For example, web designers or programmers could connect with virtually any business. If you're a retailer, there's a good chance a small business owner would be willing to work with you; a clothing store might trade a certain amount of merchandise for some basic carpentry work. If you decide to try Craig's List, be sure that you're working with legitimate businesses. You don't want an uninsured, unbonded electrician coming into your business, getting hurt or breaking things.
The Rise of Barter Networks
While you can accomplish some deals through a local listing service, I'm sure you see that directly bartering with other businesses in your immediate area has its limitations. To break that barrier, a wide variety of barter networks have been created. The drawback with these networks is that there are overhead costs you need to pay.
Networks serve as a clearing house for products and services. When you provide a product or service, your account receives a credit equal to how you value your offering. You can exchange that credit for another member's product or service. Generally there is a membership fee that must be paid in real money and the network may take a percentage when exchanges are made.
NOTE: Barter transactions don't allow you to bypass tax collectors. You need to account for them as you would cash deals by reporting them on form 1099-B.
What to Barter
For retail businesses, there's not much question about what you have to offer in barter transactions. For service providers and manufacturers, it may be a little less clear.
One good approach is to see where you have an excess ability to produce. If you employ graphic designers who aren't truly busy throughout the day, you could capitalize on that free time and create value that you could then barter for things you need. The same principle holds true for assembly lines or other manufacturing operations. Look for unused capacity.
Similarly, how difficult is it to increase productivity by five percent? Putting that bonus production to good use in a barter network could push more of your cash flow into the bottom line of your profit and loss statement.
<a href="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2003/12/dont-buy-anything-barter.html/">Explore the possibilities of bartering</a> for your business. You may discover why this ancient form of commerce won't go away.
Image: Viktor M. Vasnetsov [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons. Published in the US before 1923 and public domain in the US.
Megan Totka is the Chief Editor for <a href="http://www.chamberofcommerce.com/">ChamberofCommerce.com</a>. She specializes on the topic of small business tips and resources. ChamberofCommerce.com helps small businesses grow their business on the web and facilitates connectivity between local businesses and more than 7,000 Chambers of Commerce worldwide.
The post <a href="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2014/06/bartering-its-not-just-for-primitive-societies-anymore.html/">Bartering: It's Not Just For Primitive Societies Anymore</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com">SmallBizTechnology</a>.<div>
<a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?a=Ep9ehI5iAAc:-Q9hLZagdoI:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?a=Ep9ehI5iAAc:-Q9hLZagdoI:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?a=Ep9ehI5iAAc:-Q9hLZagdoI:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?i=Ep9ehI5iAAc:-Q9hLZagdoI:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?a=Ep9ehI5iAAc:-Q9hLZagdoI:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?i=Ep9ehI5iAAc:-Q9hLZagdoI:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="
0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight/~4/Ep9ehI5iAAc" height="1" width="1" />

16 Tools to Help Make Your Team More Efficient

<h3><a href="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?attachment_id=44189" rel="attachment wp-att-44189"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-44189" style="margin: 5px;" title="efficiency" src="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/efficiency-300x203.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="203" /></a>What office technology (hardware or software) have you recently adopted that is making your team more efficient?</h3>
The <a href="http://yec.co/" target="_blank">Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC)</a> is an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, YEC recently launched <a href="http://startupcollective.com/" target="_blank">StartupCollective</a>, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses.
1. Github Issues
<a href="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?attachment_id=43994" rel="attachment wp-att-43994"><img class="alignright wp-image-43994" src="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/jeff-epstein.jpg" alt="" width="90" height="90" /></a>At Ambassador, we’re power users of <a href="https://github.com/features" target="_blank">Github issues</a> and use it as a project management tool. Since our code also lives in Github repositories, it’s really streamlined our product development. 
- <a href="https://twitter.com/jeff_epstein">Jeff Epstein</a>, <a href="https://getambassador.com">Ambassador</a>
2. Wedoist
<a href="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?attachment_id=43993" rel="attachment wp-att-43993"><img class="alignright wp-image-43993" src="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Justin-Spring.png" alt="" width="90" height="90" /></a><a href="https://wedoist.com/" target="_blank">WeDoIst</a> is a group to-do list with simple yet powerful technology for interacting with team members. We love it at BringShare. 
- <a href="https://twitter.com/justinspri">Justin Spring</a>, <a href="http://www.bringshare.com">BringShare, Inc.</a>
3. Uservoice 
<a href="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?attachment_id=43992" rel="attachment wp-att-43992"><img class="alignright wp-image-43992" src="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Andrew-Thomas.jpg" alt="" width="90" height="90" /></a><a href="https://www.uservoice.com/" target="_blank">Uservoice</a> has allowed us to completely streamline and manage our customer service. We now effectively manage customer service tickets, which has a huge impact on our customers. The reporting helps you determine the effectiveness of your support efforts both on the site and from your customer service team. It’s an invaluable tool. 
- <a href="http://www.google.com/recaptcha/mailhide/d?k=01gxmi6POU-Gj1GsTieGysfQ==&c=UMXPXkb37RmkgEyjzVO1xwkspKkxnN67rVuoVyLpNW4=">Andrew Thomas</a>, <a href="http://www.skybell.com">SkyBell Technologies, Inc.</a>
4. Smartsheet
<a href="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?attachment_id=43991" rel="attachment wp-att-43991"><img class="alignright wp-image-43991" src="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Brittany-Hodak.jpg" alt="" width="90" height="90" /></a><a href="http://www.smartsheet.com/" target="_blank">Smartsheet</a> is an amazing, collaborative spreadsheet tool that’s everything you wish Excel could be. It allows teams to create smart, intuitive workflow documents to track metrics in real time. We use it for everything from inventory management to PR tracking. There’s a 30 day free trial, so give it a try and discover a simpler way to work. 
- <a href="https://twitter.com/brittanyhodak">Brittany Hodak</a>, <a href="http://www.zinepak.com">ZinePak</a>
5. iDoneThis
<a href="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?attachment_id=43990" rel="attachment wp-att-43990"><img class="alignright wp-image-43990" src="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Brett-Farmiloe.jpg" alt="" width="90" height="90" /></a>Reply to an evening email reminder with what you did that day. The next day, get a digest with what everyone on the team got done. <a href="https://idonethis.com/">iDoneThis</a> is a great way to see daily progress. 
- <a href="https://brettfarmiloe.com/">Brett Farmiloe</a>, <a href="http://markitors.com">Digital Marketing Company</a>
6. Docusign
<a href="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?attachment_id=43989" rel="attachment wp-att-43989"><img class="alignright wp-image-43989" src="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Marjorie-Adams.jpg" alt="" width="90" height="90" /></a><a href="https://www.docusign.com/" target="_blank">Docusign</a> connects to our QuickBase CRM application, enabling our solutions’ consultants to get the paperwork necessary to provide services out to the customer at the point of sale instead of waiting for an administrator to get the information sent. It’s one less touch to get the customers ready for training! 
- <a href="https://twitter.com/aqbinc">Marjorie Adams</a>, <a href="http://www.aqb.com/">AQB</a>
7. HipChat
<a href="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?attachment_id=43988" rel="attachment wp-att-43988"><img class="alignright wp-image-43988" src="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Kuty-Shalev.jpeg" alt="" width="90" height="90" /></a>An office technology that keeps our team in constant communication and accountable is <a href="https://www.hipchat.com/" target="_blank">HipChat</a>. It’s a chat service that was built strictly for companies and teams to give them the power of group chat with the simplicity of IM. 
- <a href="https://twitter.com/kuty">Kuty Shalev</a>, <a href="http://www.clevertech.biz">Clevertech </a>
8. Basecamp
<a href="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?attachment_id=43987" rel="attachment wp-att-43987"><img class="alignright wp-image-43987" src="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Raoul-Davis.jpg" alt="" width="90" height="90" /></a><a href="https://basecamp.com/" target="_blank">Basecamp</a> is amazing because it allows you to assign task to people, keep notes and organize. Regardless of any emails I check or phone calls I make, I know the day was a success if I got through my Basecamp priority list. It is a nice way to center yourself. Remember, every CEO is busy. The best ones focus on profitable activities. 
- <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/Ceo_Branding">Raoul Davis</a>, <a href="http://www.ascendantstrategy.net/">Ascendant Group</a>
9. DropTask
<a href="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?attachment_id=43974" rel="attachment wp-att-43974"><img class="alignright wp-image-43974" src="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/doreen-bloch.jpg" alt="" width="90" height="90" /></a><a href="https://www.droptask.com/" target="_blank">DropTask</a> is a project management tool that we recently adopted at Poshly. We love how visual the tool is, making projects easier to scope and delegate. We can see what each team member is working on in relation to our own tasks, compare priority levels of tasks and add new tasks easily not just from a computer, but on mobile devices, too. 
- <a href="https://www.twitter.com/DoreenBloch">Doreen Bloch</a>, <a href="http://www.poshly.com">Poshly Inc.</a>
10. HubSpot
<a href="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?attachment_id=43986" rel="attachment wp-att-43986"><img class="alignright wp-image-43986" src="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Bobby-Grajewski.jpg" alt="" width="90" height="90" /></a>For our marketing needs, we recently adopted <a href="http://www.hubspot.com/" target="_blank">HubSpot</a>. It’s much more efficient for tracking and communicating with our customers and keeping them abreast of the latest happenings at Edison Nation Medical. It has taken on much of the heavy lifting for the day-to-day marketing minutiae, allowing my team to have more bandwidth to focus on overall strategy. 
- <a href="https://twitter.com/enmedical">Bobby Grajewski</a>, <a href="http://www.edisonnationmedical.com">Edison Nation Medical</a>
11. Tddium
<a href="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?attachment_id=43985" rel="attachment wp-att-43985"><img class="alignright wp-image-43985" src="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Arian-Radmand.jpg" alt="" width="90" height="90" /></a>I highly recommend every dev team set up a continuous integration server. Testing our platform for “robustness” is super important and is engrained in our engineering culture. <a href="https://www.tddium.com/" target="_blank">Tddium</a> is our safety net. It allows us to step on the gas and push out features rapidly without worrying about breaking existing functionality. 
- <a href="http://www.twitter.com/coachup">Arian Radmand</a>, <a href="http://www.coachup.com">CoachUp</a>
12. P2
<a href="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?attachment_id=43984" rel="attachment wp-att-43984"><img class="alignright wp-image-43984" src="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Wade-Foster.jpg" alt="" width="90" height="90" /></a>We use <a href="http://wordpress.org/themes/p2" target="_blank">P2</a> in place of internal email. Now all discussions are public, searchable and more organized. 
- <a href="https://www.twitter.com/wadefoster">Wade Foster</a>, <a href="http://www.zapier.com/">Zapier</a>
13. Evernote
<a href="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?attachment_id=43983" rel="attachment wp-att-43983"><img class="alignright wp-image-43983" src="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Aman-Advani.jpg" alt="" width="90" height="90" /></a>We’ve started using <a href="https://evernote.com/" target="_blank">Evernote</a> to discern between active and passive communication channels. Emails became overwhelming when every interesting article or vacation plan was blasted out. With Evernote, the receiver can choose when to take in the information. So for us, email is used primarily to share time-sensitive information. 
- <a href="https://twitter.com/MinistrySupply">Aman Advani</a>, <a href="http://www.ministryofsupply.com">Ministry of Supply</a>
14. Pivotal Tracker
<a href="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?attachment_id=43982" rel="attachment wp-att-43982"><img class="alignright wp-image-43982" src="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Ty-Morse.jpg" alt="" width="90" height="90" /></a>This <a href="http://www.pivotaltracker.com/" target="_blank">project management software</a> allows us to take ideas, projects and even client services from inspiration to delivery. We can break projects down into multiple components, assign tasks to teams and individuals, and track progress, movement, and even employee productivity. It’s fantastic! 
- <a href="https://twitter.com/songwhale">Ty Morse</a>, <a href="http://www.songwhale.com">Songwhale</a>
15. Quoteroller
<a href="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?attachment_id=43976" rel="attachment wp-att-43976"><img class="alignright wp-image-43976" src="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/john-rampton.jpg" alt="" width="90" height="90" /></a>I really like <a href="http://www.quoteroller.com/" target="_blank">this service</a>. It helps me keep track of quotes we have with clients. It tells me when they have seen, opened and viewed the email and when they have signed the contract so I can start billing them. It’s helped everyone in the company know where a client is in the process. 
- <a href="https://twitter.com/johnrampton">John Rampton</a>, <a href="http://www.adogy.com">Adogy</a>
16. Yammer
<a href="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/?attachment_id=43977" rel="attachment wp-att-43977"><img class="alignright wp-image-43977" src="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Maren-Hogan.png" alt="" width="90" height="90" /></a>Everyone inside and outside the office has gotten involved on <a href="https://www.yammer.com/" target="_blank">Yammer</a>. This social workplace tool has really helped to break down our silos. We can now share and collaborate in one place. We have a hashtag for each client and each project, so searching the stream is a breeze. Our social, content and design can all work together in a effortless way. 
- <a href="https://www.twitter.com/marenhogan">Maren Hogan</a>, <a href="http://www.redbranchmedia.com/">Red Branch Media</a>
The post <a href="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2014/06/16-tools-to-help-make-your-team-more-efficient.html/">16 Tools to Help Make Your Team More Efficient</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com">SmallBizTechnology</a>.<div>
<a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?a=-ZlVl0H72Ps:nTxtPNGpAtw:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?a=-ZlVl0H72Ps:nTxtPNGpAtw:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?a=-ZlVl0H72Ps:nTxtPNGpAtw:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?i=-ZlVl0H72Ps:nTxtPNGpAtw:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?a=-ZlVl0H72Ps:nTxtPNGpAtw:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?i=-ZlVl0H72Ps:nTxtPNGpAtw:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="
0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight/~4/-ZlVl0H72Ps" height="1" width="1" />

Vote For Julie: What The Kardashians and Michael Jordan Have In Common With Small Business Success

<img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-44178" title="julie-goldman-lateset" src="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/julie-goldman-lateset-199x300.jpg" alt="" width="199" height="300" />In 2011 Julie Goldman of the Original Runner Company appeared on Shark Tank. Since then her New Jersey based company has rocketed – well skyrocketed.
Today Julie is on a quest to <a href="http://business.comcast.com/i4E/vote" target="_blank">win $25,000 from Comcast</a> (please vote for her now).
<a href="http://business.comcast.com/i4E/vote" target="_blank"><img class="alignright wp-image-44170" title="Vote" src="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/vote.jpg" alt="" width="150" /></a>
Julie epitomizes what small business is all about – spunk, smarts, passion. I’ve been watching episodes of The Profit with Marcus Lemonis and his big three are people, profit and process – Julie has conquered these three elements.
Another portrait that Julie demonstrates is that as a small business owner you can provide solutions to not just customers – but celebrity customers like Michael Jordan, Kim Kardashian and so many more – as Julie has done.
On Shark Tank, in 2011, Julie was not only passionate about her business (as she is today) but also an astute business professional who knows her numbers and the concepts of business finance.
The third lesson we can all learn from Julie is about marketing. Julie was able to take a category that did not exist (non slip wedding runners) and market them globally.
What are you doing in YOUR business to THRIVE and crush your competition?
These same traits that Julie has are the same traits that successful celebrities like the Kardashians, Michael Jordan and others have. You don’t have to be famous to be successful.
What do you know you SHOULD do to grow your business?
<ul>
<li>Do you know your numbers?</li>
<li>Have you hired the right people?</li>
<li>Do you have a passion for what you sell?</li>
<li>Do you treat customers well?</li>
<li>Are you making a great product?</li>
</ul>
<a href="http://business.comcast.com/i4E/vote" target="_blank">Please vote for Julie</a>. She’s an awesome small business owner who we can all rally around and support! Below is an image of how the voting form looks. Scroll down and select “The Original Runner Company”!
<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-44171" title="comcast-julie-goldman" src="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/comcast-julie-goldman.png" alt="" width="604" height="757" />
 
The post <a href="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2014/05/vote-for-julie-what-the-kardashians-and-michael-jordan-have-in-common-with-small-business-success.html/">Vote For Julie: What The Kardashians and Michael Jordan Have In Common With Small Business Success</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com">SmallBizTechnology</a>.<div>
<a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?a=O1YGhzUN9uY:GFDIAntgbMk:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?a=O1YGhzUN9uY:GFDIAntgbMk:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?a=O1YGhzUN9uY:GFDIAntgbMk:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?i=O1YGhzUN9uY:GFDIAntgbMk:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?a=O1YGhzUN9uY:GFDIAntgbMk:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?i=O1YGhzUN9uY:GFDIAntgbMk:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="
0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight/~4/O1YGhzUN9uY" height="1" width="1" />

Big Benefits for Small Fleets Are Gained With GPS Fleet Management Technology

<img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-44145" title="fleetmatics-gps-tracking" src="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/fleetmatics-gps-tracking-300x236.png" alt="" width="300" height="236" />Technology is involved in just about every aspect of business. You use it in your marketing, financial management, employee management and so many other areas. But that begs the question: Are you properly leveraging technology in your company vehicles? Whether you have 79 vehicles or just five, implementing a system to manage your fleet of vehicles will save you time, money and make you more productive overall.
Large companies boast of legendary productivity gains through maximizing analytics resulting from fleet intelligence, engine monitoring and the use of other technology in their vehicles. As a result, these companies have been able to create more efficient driving routes, proactively manage the repairs on vehicles, promote responsible driving and more – all to the benefit of their customers and safety of their drivers.
For small companies, fleet management technology can help you achieve these same benefits, as well. Here are just four ways it can power your small business' fleet to run like an enterprise. <a href="http://www.fleetmatics.com/blog/driving-big-company-productivity-small-business-fleets/#sthash.1kU1dYgK.dpuf" target="_blank">Read the full post by Ramon Ray here on Fleetmatic’s web site</a>.
The post <a href="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2014/05/big-benefits-for-small-fleets-are-gained-with-gps-fleet-management-technology.html/">Big Benefits for Small Fleets Are Gained With GPS Fleet Management Technology</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com">SmallBizTechnology</a>.<div>
<a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?a=R1nENTqtnL0:1664VdCi0UA:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?a=R1nENTqtnL0:1664VdCi0UA:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?a=R1nENTqtnL0:1664VdCi0UA:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?i=R1nENTqtnL0:1664VdCi0UA:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?a=R1nENTqtnL0:1664VdCi0UA:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?i=R1nENTqtnL0:1664VdCi0UA:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="
0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight/~4/R1nENTqtnL0" height="1" width="1" />

New Book. Must Read. Duct Tape Selling by John Jantsch.

<a href="http://www.johnjantsch.com/" target="_blank"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-44141" title="duct-tape-selling" src="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/duct-tape-selling.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" />John Jantsch</a> is one of the foremost experts on marketing. He’s like the middle America Gary Vaynerchuk of small business marketing.
His latest book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Duct-Tape-Selling-Marketer%E2%80%94Sell-Superstar/dp/1591846331/jantschcomm-20" target="_blank">Duct Tape Selling</a>, is all about THINKING like a MARKETER and SELLING like a SUPER STAR.
What inspired you to write Duct Tape Selling?
A. Selling has changed pretty dramatically over the last few years as buyers have so many aveanues to gather information and make assessments about the products and services they wish to acquire. I wrote this book to act as road map for how you must sell today.
Why is selling so different now from the days when your father was a door to door salesman?
A. In my father's day the buyer relied on the salesperson for basic information about products and services. Today, the Internet, other buyers and even competitors participate in providing a great deal of that information. Today's sales professional has to help customers discover ideas and challenges they aren't even addressing yet rather than simply showing up when they express a need.
In what ways are sales and marketing no longer differentiated?
A. There was a time when marketing owned the message and brand and sales owned the relationship. While both still have independent functions sales must get involved much earlier in the process to help personalize the message and marketing must help sales create messages and tools that help embed them deeper in a client's world. It's all about engagement on the most personal level possible.
Why should sales people focus on marketing strategy?
A. I'm not suggesting that sales people take over actual marketing strategy as much as adopting a marketing strategy mindset. A marketing strategy mindset gets them thinking about things like who makes and ideal client for them, how they can differentiate their sales process from others and how they can stand out by doing things like producing valuable content and creating valuable presentations.
What kinds of personal brand attributes are effective for sales professionals?
A. I suppose they are the same positive attributes you might think of when you think of any strong brand – things like – value, insight, utility and advocacy
 Why doesn't the sales process end at the closing?
A. If you are to take a long-term view you must become an advocate for your clients. In other words, you must take the view that a sale isn't a sale until the client gets a result. This is how you build a reputation for delivering value and this is how you become a welcome guest for additional business and referrals.
 How can sales pros stay connected to customers, and make referrals part of their process?
A. Obviously connecting or reconnecting to make sure the customer received the value they expected is one important way, but also continuing to filter and curate and share relevant content, making useful introductions to your strategic partners and looking for ways to find more solutions keep you top of mind without any selling needed.
What is a "sales hourglass" and how can it be used to optimize sales?
A. The sales hourglass is really just a name to identify a very useful way to think about your actual sales process. Rather than simply showing up to sell, the process suggests ways for you to first discover and collaborate with prospects in a way that helps uncover unmet needs. The process further suggests steps and behaviors to keep you always top of mind for repeat and referral business. The key is to design intentional steps and operate them in a systematic way. The hourglass shape and expanded bottom is a metaphor that puts the emphasis back on the customer experience once someone decides to buy.
 How can any salesperson use this book right away to start increasing sales tomorrow?
A. My suggestion would be to read the first chapter on listening and build the system outlined there. No matter what else you do if you become a better listener you'll add value to your clients.
 What advice would you share with an aspiring sales manager?
A. In order to execute on many of the ideas in this book you may need to lead a cultural change in your organization. Take this book and start having conversations inside your organization to get the ball rolling. Consider the skills required to be a more "marketing like" sales professional. Look at getting your current team the real training they need and look to hire people who can write, speak and think big picture.
 Why should entrepreneurs, not just salespeople, read this book?
A. It's funny but even though the title suggests this is a sales book pure and simple, marketers and entrepreneurs have embraced it as the road map for a more personal way to sell. In the end, most small businesses are very sales focused, even if they don't acknowledge this fact and this book shows them how to blend marketing and sales in a way that achieves the greatest results.
 
The post <a href="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2014/05/new-book-must-read-duct-tape-selling-by-john-jantsch.html/">New Book. Must Read. Duct Tape Selling by John Jantsch.</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com">SmallBizTechnology</a>.<div>
<a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?a=Ok_lAhJV47I:n_Ol1md3qGE:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?a=Ok_lAhJV47I:n_Ol1md3qGE:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?a=Ok_lAhJV47I:n_Ol1md3qGE:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?i=Ok_lAhJV47I:n_Ol1md3qGE:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?a=Ok_lAhJV47I:n_Ol1md3qGE:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?i=Ok_lAhJV47I:n_Ol1md3qGE:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="
0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight/~4/Ok_lAhJV47I" height="1" width="1" />

Can Robly Email Marketing Steal Constant Contact’s Dissatisfied Customers?

<a href="http://www.robly.com" target="_blank">Robly</a> is a new email marketing service, based in New York and San Francisco, targeting dissatisfied Constant Contact customers.
Robly’s co-founders have built an email marketing service that they claim is easier to use than Constant Contact, with rich features like Mail Chimp and with great support like Rackspace (this analogy is mine – not theirs).
<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-44162" title="Robly email marketing" src="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/robly3.png" alt="" width="600" height="334" />
There’s lots of great email marketing services around, but none have the bold and public marketing plan that Robly does. It reminds me of Marc Benioff (founder of Sales Force) ridiculing software, Microsoft and etc. He did this for years and finally – “online software” has taken off.
Adam Robinson, Robly’s CEO and cofounder shared with me that one of his main marketing strategies is to surgically target larger, dissatisfied Constant Contact customers. Adam is aiming to offer a better service at a lower price.
You can watch the the interview Adam and Ramon Ray below or <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nqh7bnXRlI&feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">here</a>.
Some popular email marketing services include Mailchimp, Constant Contact, Vertical Response, Emma and Campaigner.
All email marketing services, at the basic level, give you templates, let you store customer email address and send out emails to your customers. This is where things start to get different – pricing at a certain level is different, template design is different, the interface of the systems are different and more.
Stealing customer from Constant Contact won’t be easy.
Constant Contact is one of the leading providers of email marketing services – they continue to be the market leader, deservedly so. However, Adam feels that they’ve grown so big, there’s an opening for fresh startups like his to give small businesses what they want – better service, lower cost and better support. Adam also feels that because Constant Contact is public, they have to focus on growth, beyond email marketing, which leaves their email marketing customers lacking.
In regard to Mail Chimp, they are the market leader in amazing email marketing features and Robly is keen to ensure its email marketing service continues to offer first in class email marketing features.
Adam also explained that for Constant Constant customers migrating to Robly, Robly will do EVERYTHING for the customer to migrate them to Robly – this includes migrating templates, contacts and whatever else is needed to get a Constant Contact customer running on Robly.
David and Goliath…let the battle begin.

The post <a href="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2014/05/can-upstart-robly-email-marketing-steal-constant-contacts-dissatisfied-customers-with-cheaper-better-service.html/">Can Robly Email Marketing Steal Constant Contact’s Dissatisfied Customers?</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com">SmallBizTechnology</a>.<div>
<a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?a=sDgsCqL9ji4:_Eafr2GHUOM:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?a=sDgsCqL9ji4:_Eafr2GHUOM:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?a=sDgsCqL9ji4:_Eafr2GHUOM:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?i=sDgsCqL9ji4:_Eafr2GHUOM:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?a=sDgsCqL9ji4:_Eafr2GHUOM:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?i=sDgsCqL9ji4:_Eafr2GHUOM:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="
0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight/~4/sDgsCqL9ji4" height="1" width="1" />

Convert Boring PDFs Into Engaging Guides with Guides.Co

<img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-44136" title="pdf" src="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/pdf-300x198.png" alt="" width="300" height="198" />As you’ve built up your web site and provide lots of information to your audience, you probably find that you have lots of PDFs on your web site. A few of them, you can re-work them, update them and make them better. However, if you have an entire library of them it could be unwieldy and hard to manage and difficult for your audience to access.
Another nice thing about <a href="http://guides.co" target="_blank">Guides.co</a> is that Guides.co "Smart Guides" – can be updated in real-time, make documents smarter by collecting analysis on who is reading the content, how much and often they are reading and if they share to their network.
According to their press release, static content such as PDF's and white papers have traditionally helped serve as a lead generation method. Guides.co is improving upon this business strategy by providing details that will not just generate leads, but help close business, including:
<ul>
<li dir="ltr">
Detailed information about the person reading the content including their location, social profiles, email address and background on their company
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
When the content was accessed and how often the individual accessed said content
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
A heat map that shows how much time an individual spends with the content
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
Detailed information on what articles were shared and on what channels
</li>
</ul>
There are two methods for companies to implement this monthly service. For those who do not have the in-house resources to create content and manage the new interactive page, Guides.co boasts over 800 qualified freelance writers, editors, designers and videographers who can provide professional, tailored content. For those that want to create guides and self-manage them, the Guides.co resource center is an easy to use SaaS platform that can be integrated by anyone with no technical expertise.
The post <a href="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2014/05/have-boring-pdfs-on-your-web-site-create-pdfs-that-are-engaging-guides-with-guides-co.html/">Convert Boring PDFs Into Engaging Guides with Guides.Co</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com">SmallBizTechnology</a>.<div>
<a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?a=lK0Lt2vDMgU:g_ChjV8AwNU:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?a=lK0Lt2vDMgU:g_ChjV8AwNU:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?a=lK0Lt2vDMgU:g_ChjV8AwNU:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?i=lK0Lt2vDMgU:g_ChjV8AwNU:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?a=lK0Lt2vDMgU:g_ChjV8AwNU:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?i=lK0Lt2vDMgU:g_ChjV8AwNU:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="
0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight/~4/lK0Lt2vDMgU" height="1" width="1" />

Socialcentiv App Helps You Tweet Social Deals To Customers When They’re Ready To Buy

<img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-44132" title="socialcentive" src="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/socialcentive-300x143.png" alt="" width="300" height="143" />
Twitter is awesome, it’s growing and there are so many of us Tweeting away – all kinds of things.
The challenge is that since there is SO MUCH on Twitter you can’t possibly keep up to what’s relevant to drive leads (and customers) to your business.
<a href="http://socialcentiv.com/" target="_blank">Socialcentiv</a>, from the team at Hiplogiq helps you not only keep up, but respond to users as well.
If you sell food, repair shoes, repair cars, sell used toilet paper, whatever, you can use Socialcentiv to find keywords in your area and send the Tweeter a relevant offer.
What I find deliriously awesome about this relatively new crop of social media add-on tools, is that for small business, there are so many ways to get more done on social media, make yourself more productive and make money.
There’s a nice video below about how it works:

The post <a href="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2014/05/socialcentiv-app-helps-you-tweet-social-deals-to-customers-when-theyre-ready-to-buy.html/">Socialcentiv App Helps You Tweet Social Deals To Customers When They’re Ready To Buy</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com">SmallBizTechnology</a>.<div>
<a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?a=WTTpiLeFHlk:qDIAUyZBiD8:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?a=WTTpiLeFHlk:qDIAUyZBiD8:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?a=WTTpiLeFHlk:qDIAUyZBiD8:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?i=WTTpiLeFHlk:qDIAUyZBiD8:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?a=WTTpiLeFHlk:qDIAUyZBiD8:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?i=WTTpiLeFHlk:qDIAUyZBiD8:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="
0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight/~4/WTTpiLeFHlk" height="1" width="1" />

How A Window Sign Business Saved $40,000 Using Mobile Technology (Cut Paper. Save Money)

<img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-44128" title="Rita's" src="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/rita-MarketSquare-004-225x300.png" alt="" width="225" height="300" />Mobile technology empowers businesses, saves them money, reduces time and has so many other benefits. Dean Stallone, CEO of <a href="http://pmdpromo.com/" target="_blank">PMD Promotion</a> shares his story here. How he used iPods, iPhones and a custom <a href="http://www.filemakerpro.com" target="_blank">FileMaker Pro</a> database to save $40,000 in a formerly very manual process.
Remember that poster you saw in the window of your local salon or café advertising the latest hot album, television drama, or hit new movie? Chances are, one of our people put it there — and in exactly the right spot to catch your eye. My company, PMD Promotion, is the leading Windowposter™ advertising company in the U.S. Our 125 display contractors cover more than 22 cities to help our clients get seen in more than 50,000 independent storefronts nationwide.
Although our business is highly mobile, our business processes weren't – until fairly recently. By replacing paper-bound and manual processes with a simple, custom-developed application that runs on the iPod touch or iPhone, and our back-end operations system, we cut $40,000 a year in administrative overhead and created more productive, motivated field personnel.
Our Path to Modern Mobile
Our display contractors are quite literally our "feet on the street," and the poster installation process is labor-intensive. Our contractors must work to exacting standards, removing poster displays when campaigns are over, and coordinating all activities with our venue partners (the storefront management). Before we went mobile, our field personnel dragged around clipboards, paper forms and their digital cameras to document the Windowposter displays and create extensive reports for our clients. That's a lot of baggage – and a lot of paper.
Plus, our contractors had to transfer their digital photos via FTP and send campaign details by email and fax. This required our home office staff to re-key data and manually pair up photos with disparate data coming in from the field. It became pretty clear that we had to bring our operations into the 21st century.
Fast-forward to life with our custom mobile solution, which we've dubbed PMD Mobile. With the help of Colibri Solutions, an independent developer, we built it using the FileMaker Platform, which combines database software on the desktop with a mobile app for the iPod touch and iPhone.
Saving Steps – and Trees
From the moment our field contractors clock in, they handle their entire shifts using PMD Mobile on the iPod or iPhone. Starting with a WiFi download of the day’s route sheets from headquarters, our reps hit the streets fueled with precise instructions, maps and tips for each assignment. As they travel, they jot notes and details into the PMD Mobile database and snap photos of each installation using the built-in digital camera on their mobiles.
The up-to-the-minute information and images are stored in each rep’s mobile database, which is then uploaded via WiFi to our New York headquarters and automatically synchronized with our central database. The images, notes and venue details from the field are input directly into one record – no more re-keying data from printed forms or hand-written notes required. Everything now resides in a single resource that's easily accessible to our entire staff.
As a result, we generate reports in about 80% less time, and the chance of error (from double data entry) has been virtually eliminated. In a matter of minutes, we can create 200-page PDF reports that integrate 500 photos, venue lists, statistics and location maps in a single, easily digestible document. Reports are automatically uploaded to the web, where clients can review them on demand. A bonus: we can generate reports more frequently, keeping our clients totally up to date on the status of their campaigns. PMD Mobile has revolutionized our business.
Four Tips
If you're thinking about using mobile technology to streamline your personnel in the field, let me offer a few tips from our experience:
Think end-to-end: Our main goal in "going mobile" was to save time and drudgery for our field contractors, but the big payoff came from tying tightly into our back-end administrative systems. We replaced a bunch of fragmented steps with a smooth, connected process and a single database. Everyone's more productive – and happier.
Be relentless about eliminating paper: Every time someone handles a piece of paper it costs money, wastes time and creates risk – not to mention kills trees. Multiply that over hundreds (or thousands) of transactions a day and you can see the productivity hit. Cut the cord to paper. Yes, it's hard, but you won't look back.
Simplify, simplify, simplify: Get yourself out of the integration business: let the software do the heavy lifting. FileMaker Go let us consolidate many functions in a single streamlined device perfectly suited for our reps. On the back end, we were able to offload multiple manual integration tasks – from data entry to report generation and dissemination – from our home office people to a single, centrally located database.
Don't go it alone: Deciding to team up with a professional software developer really sped up our ROI: it took them only a few weeks to build the system from scratch, a turnaround time that far exceeded our expectations (and our own internal capabilities). There are many good professional developers out there, with expertise in your specific problem and even in your industry. Google them!
Beyond delivering financial savings and happier employees, our PMD Mobile solution has reduced reporting times by 80%, improved customer satisfaction, and converted staff resources to sales generation activities. Best of all, we're now able to focus more energy on "show time" and less on behind-the-curtain details.
The post <a href="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/archive/2014/05/how-a-window-sign-business-saved-40000-using-mobile-technology-cut-paper-save-money.html/">How A Window Sign Business Saved $40,000 Using Mobile Technology (Cut Paper. Save Money)</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.smallbiztechnology.com">SmallBizTechnology</a>.<div>
<a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?a=BNFDnRrUXkk:JNUbFLJeMLA:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?a=BNFDnRrUXkk:JNUbFLJeMLA:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?a=BNFDnRrUXkk:JNUbFLJeMLA:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?i=BNFDnRrUXkk:JNUbFLJeMLA:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?a=BNFDnRrUXkk:JNUbFLJeMLA:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight?i=BNFDnRrUXkk:JNUbFLJeMLA:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="
0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Smallbiztechnologycom-SmbNewsAndInsight/~4/BNFDnRrUXkk" height="1" width="1" />