Digital Marketing for Small Business – the Basic Practices

Small businesses are faced with more than a few trials, especially in the first couple of years of their inception. According to Bloomberg, 8 out of 10 businesses fail in the first 18 months of their existence. There are numerous reasons why people lose their business investment, and why small businesses crash and burn so fast, but we are not here to discuss that. We are here to discuss how you can actually keep your business alive. In recent years, more and more businesses focus on digital marketing, and the Web itself keeps evolving to meet their requirements. There are numerous benefits to digital marketing that fit the purpose of SMBs like a glove. Still, many resources would have you believe that there is nothing to it and that anyone can do it, which isn’t entirely true.

Digital Marketing and Your Web Presence

It is only proper that we start from the basics. Your website is the digital equivalent of your office or shop, depending on what kind of a business you are running. It needs to serve the purpose and look good. This is something that you need to keep in mind during the creation process. Make sure that you consider the profiles of people that are most commonly going to visit your website, and their IT proficiency as well. Furthermore, you need to identify the right platform to build your website on, and this will depend on the functionalities that you require. WordPress is a universal choice for general use, Magento is a popular choice for eShop purposes. If you are really planning on putting up something big, then a customer solution might be in order. All in all, make sure that you hire some experienced developers to help you out. You also need to make sure that your website works without a hitch. It is supposed to be a valid presentation of your company, and if the users run into a buggy website, they will start doubting your abilities. It is probably better not to have website at all than to have a bad website.

Blogging

It is a standard procedure to include a blog within your website, but a lot of people are not aware of this. The reasons why you need to include a blog are numerous. First of all, it will help you with building a name for yourself as a niche expert and creating a voice for your company. Secondly, this is a great way to create sharable and engaging content in order to pull in new traffic and keep people on your website. There are also numerous SEO benefits that having a blog pulls in.

SEO

If you want people to be interested in what you have to offer, you have to deal with search engine optimization. There is simply no way around that. The amount of new traffic you will receive is directly related to your optimization, and there are a lot of SEO factors you need to satisfy in order to get results. Still, this is a process, and you shouldn’t rush things. Take it one step at the time.

Multimedia Content

We’ve mentioned blogs and textual content, but what about photos and videos? Well, video content is the most commonly shared type of content in the online environment, so it is crucial that you have at least some of it at hand. Your textual content needs to be backed up with videos and photos in order to increase its sharing potential.

Social Networks

The best places to reach new customers and engage with the old ones are social networks. Depending on the purpose for which you intend to use the social networks, you might want to target different ones. Facebook has great targeting ads, and is one of the most generally used networks. Twitter is generally used for business purposes but can be complicated to use, especially if you are new to it. LinkedIn is a must these days for any respectable company, and it is great for hunting new talents, connecting with competitors, keeping up with industry trends and so on.

Tie all of these together, and you are surely to reach a lot of people. Still, each of these things seems rather straightforward, but these are just the basic overviews of important aspects of digital marketing. There are tons of details you need to work on, and you need to put in a great effort to turn them into a perfectly functioning mechanism. Hope this helps!

The post Digital Marketing for Small Business – the Basic Practices appeared first on Small Business Can.

Google Warns: FBI Wants to Hack Computers Worldwide

The search engine giant is boldly opposing any move by the US Justice Department for expanding the powers of the FBI of searching and seizing digital data. Google warns that if the changes are implemented, the US government would be able to hack any facility in the world. The company made a strongly worded submission about the proposed changes, which are being considered by a Washington committee. In its submission, Google has said that ‘highly complex and monumental constitutional geopolitical and legal concerns’ would be raised if the powers of the FBI given in search warrants is increased so the Congress should be allowed to make the decision.

Covert Raids

As per the warning given by the search engine giant, the updated proposals would give the FBI agents the authority to conduct covert raids on servers regardless of their location, which would mean that the US government would have clear and global access to huge amounts of private information. Google has sounded the alarm in particular over the desire of the FBI to search those computers ‘remotely’ that have concealed their location by obscuring their IP addresses or via encryption with the aid of anonymity services. Google said that such government searches could be done in any part of the world.

The US technology giant is that this threat is not simply theoretical because under the proposed amendment and due to the nature of today’s technology, the warrants would allow the US government to conduct searches outside of the US as well. The search giant raised its objections in a public consultation that drew to a close on Tuesday. The Advisory Committee on Criminal rules will consider the objections made by Google and 37 other interested parties. This party may be obscure, but it is powerful and comprises mostly of judges that have control over federal rules that also pertain to the FBI’s actions.

Warrants in a Digital World

When wishing to search a property, federal agents are required to apply for a warrant to a judge. Rule 41 is the existing rule, which states the authorizing judge has to be in the same location as the property that’s the target of the search. According to the argument made by the Justice Department, this is no longer suitable in today’s modern computer age. It wants to widen the scope of the warrants so the FBI would have the authority to search the property, including computers, outside the district of the judge.

It has been argued by the FBI this new power is crucial in those investigations where criminals have hidden the location of their computer networks. The Justice Department has attempted to assuage the anxiety over its proposed changes stating that this new type of warrant would only be sought by the FBI agents when they would have probable cause to search and seize the instrumentalities and fruits of crime. Nevertheless, they haven’t managed to convince the legal groups and civil liberties that claim that the vague language used in the amendment would have huge global implications.

The post Google Warns: FBI Wants to Hack Computers Worldwide appeared first on Small Business Can.

The Wheels on the Bus go Round and Round: 3 Universities in One Day

If you want to find out what the best and brightest in Dublin universities have to offer, you now have an opportunity to do so. In one day. Across 3 universities. All you need to do is book a ticket and get on the bus (literally!). Once you book, we will take care of the detail and tailor a tour to your needs and the sectors you are interested in.

Inspiration, information, connections and resources

You will get opportunities to network over breakfast, lunch and over some drinks when the day is over. But more importantly you will receive the inspiration, information, connections and resources to give your company a boost for the future and an opportunity to
engage and find out what the universities can do for you.

3 universities in one day

Book now or contact ron@smallbusinesscan.com for more information

First come, first served

The post The Wheels on the Bus go Round and Round: 3 Universities in One Day appeared first on Small Business Can.

The wheels of the bus go round and round…… 3 universities in one day

Great news. If you are fortunate enough to be in:
• Software
• Banking
• Finance
• Biotechnology
• Data analytics
• Sensors
• Cloud computing
• Content analytics
• Material science
• Engineering
• Telecoms / Communications
• Health
• Health & Human Performance
• Materials Manufacturing
• Diagnostics
• Manufacturing competitiveness (Pharma)

And if you want to find out what the best and brightest in Dublin universities have to offer, you now have an opportunity to do so. In one day. Across 3 universities. All you need to do is book a ticket. Once you book, we will be in take care of the detail and tailor a tour to your needs and the sectors you are interested in.

Inspiration, information, connections and resources

3 universities in one day

Book now or contact ron@smallbusinesscan.com for more information

First come, first served

The post The wheels of the bus go round and round…… 3 universities in one day appeared first on Small Business Can.

6 Tricks to Design Your Workstation the Creative Way

The environment in which you work often determines how productive and creative you will be. When you work in a workstation that’s dull and colorless, your productivity usually will be inhibited and your creative juices will be less likely to flow.

6 tricks to design your workstation

Your workstation – whether it is at home or an office with other people – says a lot about who you are and how your personality affects the way you do your job. Each particular workstation configuration tells its own story about the person who works there.

Having a workstation that promotes creativity and success is especially important if you have a job in which creative thinking skills are important, such as a graphic designer or web design professional.

Regardless of your job, you are probably going to be spending a lot of your time – if not most of your work week – at your workstation. So it might as well be an environment that is comfortable and puts you in a good mood so you can be more productive.

Trick Number 1 – You’re Going to Need Some Boxes

Get yourself a few simple storage boxes. You are going to need them to organize your office and clear out the clutter. You can purchase plastic or cardboard boxes at any office supply or home improvement store. Or see if you can get some boxes for free from your local grocery store or other retail business you frequent.

These boxes represent your decision to make positive changes in your workspace. They tell the world – and yourself – that you are finally ready to take action to be more productive.

Trick Number 2 – And Away Goes the Clutter

If you don’t have an effective management system in place for your paperwork and other clutter, it can easily get disorganized and impede your creative thinking. Look around your workspace: Are there piles of papers and reports everywhere? What are they? Do you really need them?

The first step is to clean everything off the surface of your desk, other than your computer and telephone. As you are removing each item, ask yourself this question: “Have I touched this particular report/paperwork/other type of clutter in the past week?” If the answer is “yes”, put it into one pile. If the answer is “no”, put it into another.

Most of the items in your “no” pile can be stored away or thrown out. This is especially true if they are printed duplicates of reports or paperwork you already have stored in your computer or can access online.

The majority of the items in your “yes” pile also can be stored or tossed. Unless a particular report or paperwork or other item is something you absolutely need to have access to today, right now, then it has no business being on your desk. And it’s time for it to go bye-bye!

Trick Number 3 – What’s the Deal with Your Lighting?

Lighting is an area that is often overlooked, but actually can have a profound effect on both the appearance and productivity of your workspace.

Take a look at your lighting right now. Are there two separate sources of light in your room? One should come from an overhead lighting fixture or, even better, from a natural light sources such as a window. The second should come from a task light.

Trick Number 4 – Have a Focal Point

Having a focal point in your workspace directs your attention so that you can more easily keep on task. For many people, this is the laptop or PC at your workstation, but it also can be something like a calendar, a to-do list or something else that keeps you on track.

If your computer is your focal point, improve its visual impact by surrounding it with some grouped artwork or installing a screen saver or background that you find especially inspiring. This can be something like a goal you are working toward.

An area rug can also “anchor” a workspace and make you feel more grounded as you work productively.

Trick Number 5 – Colors Matter

Different colors can have a profound psychological effect on the brain, studies have shown. Colors that are “blaah”, such as oatmeal or khaki, do little to inspire creativity. Strong, vibrant colors can be oppressive and can overwhelm the senses.

Decorate your workspace with a neutral shade and a touch of color to inspire your creative side. Yellow is known to stimulate creativity, mental activity and clarity of thought. Red is aggressive and promotes selling or making deals. Blues and greens are soothing. And orange encourages socialization.

Trick Number 6 – Inspire Yourself

Find something that motivates you in your work and use it to keep you inspired. This can include such things as family photos, an inspirational quote, or even freshly cut flowers.

These six tips can help revamp your workspace so that you have a refreshed attitude and are able to take a bold, new approach to your job.

The post 6 Tricks to Design Your Workstation the Creative Way appeared first on Small Business Can.

Growing Team? How To Start Holding Better Team Meetings

Team meetings create the foundation for project planning, goal-setting and team communication. When the team begins expanding, it can be tough to keep everyone on the same page. To improve the productivity of the team meeting, there are a few important methods to use to get the most out of it and hold better team meetings.

Specify the Purpose

Have a specific topic that will be discussed at the meeting. If there are multiple topics, make sure that they are related to the main topic. When too many random things are discussed, things tend to get off track and nothing is accomplished by the end of the meeting. Prepare an agenda that clearly lists the topic(s) to be discussed.

Establish Roles

People want to know why they need to attend a meeting. Clearly defined roles for each person will help to eliminate confusion and the ability to “pass the buck” to the next person. If everyone knows exactly what their role is and what is expected of them, the meeting will progress faster and the job will get done better.

Use The Time to Express Gratitude

All too often, business owners and leaders can come across as “all-business” during a meeting, often discussing what should be improved upon and changes the team has to adapt to. Employees need a morale boost every so often to assure them of their worth to the business and congratulate them on a job well done. Incorporate this into your meeting by taking a moment to discuss what your team is doing well. A specialist from Klosterman Baking Company says the mood of a team meeting can be instantly brightened when those in attendance are provided refreshments. These don’t need to be anything too special—bagels or pastries for breakfast and sandwiches for afternoon meetings are enough to bolster a team and demonstrate gratitude for the work they do.

Be Prepared

Have you ever had people show up to a meeting and have no idea of why they’re there or what it’s about? Explaining the overall purpose and need for the meeting can waste time that can be better spent on other topics. Send an agenda out and any necessary supporting information (handouts, PowerPoint slides, etc.) at least one day prior to the meeting. This gives everyone a chance to review the material and come ready to jump right in.

Specify Action Items

At the end of the meeting, reiterate all of the “take aways”, or action items, and who is responsible for them. Don’t let people walk out of the meeting wondering about anything. Clearly establish the who, what, when, and where of the tasks that need to be addressed, the person handling it, the action item deadline for completion, and when the next meeting will be to provide a status update on those items.

Having a productive team meeting takes work. But these few rules will help to establish a baseline that can be built upon. Staff will be more productive if they know what to expect and what they need to deliver. Leading the meeting with an organized plan of action will motivate employees and can save the company thousands of dollars in lost man-hours. The better the team meeting, the more satisfied the employees (and your clients) will be.

The post Growing Team? How To Start Holding Better Team Meetings appeared first on Small Business Can.

Businesses Growing: 85% of Firms Stable or Growing Across the Island

The latest InterTradeIreland Business Monitor Report, reflecting the views of more than 750 businesses across the island between October and December 2014, revealed that 85 per cent of firms are either stable or businesses growing. However the number of firms that have stabilised rose from 43 per cent to 48 per cent with a drop in the number of businesses experiencing growth from 45 per cent to 37 per cent. Profitability remained stable this quarter with 58 per cent reporting to have stayed in the black over the last 12 months.

Despite an uncertain international environment it is reassuring that so many businesses across the island find themselves in a position of relative stability or growth.

Exporters and innovators doing better than those who don’t export

The report also showed that cross-border traders, exporters and innovating firms are more likely to be growing, increasing sales and employment. We are particularly encouraged by the results that show the very positive impact that cross-border trading can have on business performance. Half of firms involved in cross-border trade are experiencing growth compared to 33 per cent of businesses not exporting. As well as being more likely to be growing, innovating and creating new jobs, the latest business monitor also shows that cross-border traders are more likely to be investing in their business over the next year, with 87 per cent indicating their intention compared to 63 per cent of those with no export sales.

Firms in Ireland performing better than NI businesses

The Q4 report revealed that firms in Ireland are now faring substantially better than their counterparts in Northern Ireland with 42 per cent of firms in Ireland experiencing growth in Q4 compared to 29 per cent of businesses in NI. Over the last few business monitors, it is evident that the gap between firms in Ireland and Northern Ireland is widening with southern businesses performing better with regards to growth, increasing employment levels and sales performance.

Sector specific performance

Despite the prevalence of stability rather than growth in most sectors in Q4, it seems that the retail and leisure industries enjoyed a strong final quarter of last year, outperforming both manufacturing and business services. The construction sector continues to struggle with the number of firms in the industry that are ‘surviving at all cost’ rising significantly from 3 per cent to 21 per cent in one quarter.

Sales performance dipped slightly in Q4

Sales performance in the last three months of 2014 was not as buoyant as previous quarters, dropping slightly from 44 per cent in Q3 to 39 per cent of firms reporting an increase in sales in Q4. Employment levels also reduced slightly in Q4 from 12 per cent to 10 per cent. However the long-term trend of fewer firms cutting jobs continues to be encouraging.

The biggest challenges for businesses

Figures also indicated a shift in the key challenges faced by businesses with the most significant issues reported to be cashflow and late payments. The cost of energy is now affecting two-thirds fewer businesses than at the start of 2014, most likely reflecting the dip in global energy prices over recent months.

Largest business survey on the island

InterTradeIreland’s quarterly Business Monitor survey is the largest and most comprehensive business survey on the island and is based on the views of more than 750 business managers across Northern Ireland and Ireland. It differs from other surveys in that it is seen to be the ‘voice of local businesses’ feeding directly from telephone interviews conducted with a robust sample of firms of all sizes across a range of sectors to track all-island economic indicators such as sales, employment, business outlook and other specific topical research areas on a quarter by quarter basis.

For more information
We would encourage businesses to ‘Discover What’s Possible’ by availing of the many cross-border trade and innovation supports offered by InterTradeIreland. To find out more, please visit www.intertradeireland.com A copy of the 2014 Q4 InterTradeIreland Business Monitor Executive Summary can be viewed by clicking here.

The post Businesses Growing: 85% of Firms Stable or Growing Across the Island appeared first on Small Business Can.

SEO is the Most Effective Way of Acquiring New Customers for 85% of Online Retailers

If your social marketing strategy is floundering, here is another solution to your problem

Want to acquire new customers? Rather than focus on promoting the business on social media sites, you could reach more people by focusing upon traditional SEO.

SEO is one of the most familiar tools for website owners, and is often used as a way to increase the prominence of the website. It is a vital practice for increasing the reputation of your brand, and it is often cited as one of the ways to bring new customers into a website. In fact, recent evidence suggests that SEO is the biggest source of new customer acquisition. It delivers better results than affiliate programs and marketplace targeting (through Amazon or eBay for example), according to a review of a number of different strategies used by website owners, including re-marketing, direct mail and social media websites.

Social media vs. SEO

Website owners have been tempted into becoming more active on social media sites, with the hope that this is the key to generating more content for their business. As more business websites promote themselves through social media, they may be wondering whether SEO will still be the best way to bring new customers into the site. Evidence suggests that more than 60% of businesses are intending to invest in Facebook and other social media marketing. However, an analysis of online transactions in 2012 revealed that only 1% originated directly from social media promotions. This means that all of the effort and investment is failing to generate any significant acquisition of new customers, and instead may even be reducing the amount of follow-through from casual visitors looking for information on their industry.

Why you need to keep up your SEO efforts

The figures demonstrate that, despite consumers reporting that they are discovering new brands through social media, Facebook and similar websites are not able to convert those discoveries into purchases or new customers. A study in the following year also showed that organic searches and SEO are the largest drivers of new customer acquisition. If you want to bring new customers to the website, you should consider investing in SEO, rather than trying to promote the product through social media. Of course, each business will be different, and some will find that they get slightly more from their social media sites than others, but regardless of the benefits, it is still not likely to get as good a response as basic SEO tactics that have been used in websites for many years.

How to get your SEO working to the best advantage

SEO is still the key to bringing in new customers and finding returning ones, but you can still do things to improve your keywords, including using long-tail keywords. This focuses upon phrases which might be used during search engine browsing, known as ‘conversational searches’. Evidence suggests that you are more likely to convert customers who find you using these long-tail keywords, and are also likely to be able to target customers more thoroughly than by using common phrases. If you need more assistance with your keywords, a good SEO consultant can help you to improve your search engine ranking using both traditional and more modern methods. Investing in good SEO will benefit you more than promoting your business through social media when it comes to customer acquisition, and may also do more for your company reputation than using Facebook or Twitter as your means of communicating with potential customers.

The post SEO is the Most Effective Way of Acquiring New Customers for 85% of Online Retailers appeared first on Small Business Can.

Start-up Story: SqueezeIT

It all began about eighteen months ago when in an idle moment I was doodling on the web as one does when I found something which greatly piqued my interest. I was looking at work-at-home stuff which wasn’t going to screw me for money at the time when – don’t ask me how – I found a company based in California which provided software that could turn static websites into mobile ones for smartphones. For obvious reasons I can’t name the company but let’s call it Thebeesknees for now.

Anyhow I signed up – for free – with Thebeesknees as I could experiment with the software on the site and played around with it and it was just amazing!! I could edit, copy and paste, insert extra items, add or delete pictures, add video and produce mock-ups too without compromising the integrity or content of the original static site in any way.

Another thing I was trying to do at the time was to develop an app based on the old board game of Fox and Geese with a couple of friends of mine which side-tracked me for a time.

To be continued…

Written by Aidan Murray. As part of ‘Use SBC as a channel’ initiative, SqueezeIT has an exclusive offer for SBC members: “We will waive the 100 euro deposit for the first five companies that sign up for our service with us and will give a 50% discount for the next five businesses.”

For more information on this business visit Partner Site: emergo-online.com | Email: squeezeit@yandex.com |Phone: 087 261 7576.

The post Start-up Story: SqueezeIT appeared first on Small Business Can.

How Small Businesses Benefit from Mobile Technology

In the past, it was not always possible for a single person or a small business to compete with large businesses or corporations. Limits came in the form of physical restrictions or infrastructure restrictions. Now, however, with the onset of new technology, and specifically mobile technology, the playing field is becoming more even. Three of the aspects of new tech that are making this happen are cloud computing, mobile devices and industrial flexibility. Let’s look at how small businesses benefit from mobile technology…

The Advantage of Cloud Computing

Cloud computing is a big deal. A huge deal. A shift in business operations that shakes the very core of operations. No longer does a person need physical hardware in a specific location to do computer work. Now, through a network of shared virtual space in the cloud, all of that work can be done through the Internet. In terms of efficiency and adaptability, it is the perfect system for new, small businesses, because they no longer have to invest in prohibitively expensive hardware solutions to things like networking. Basically, small business can rent the space and computing power that they need, and expand later when they have to. Plus, because it’s in the cloud, they can connect to this power wherever there is internet.

The Advantage of Mobile Devices

Big business used to have an advantage because all of their resources were in one place, and all of their employees could get to them. T-Mobile now offers efficient, powerful and long-lasting mobile devices as well as its ‘no reason to get stuck’ option to give small business owners the power to business from anywhere.” Connectivity is exploding in terms of efficiency and data transfer rates, so where the advantage used to come from centralized resources, now the advantage is coming from centralized communication. This is a huge shift, and one that bodes well for creative people who work hard on the go. As mobile devices get better and faster, and networks grow stronger, this is only going to benefit small businesses more.

The Advantage of Industrial Flexibility

Another part of infrastructure that often foiled small business was production and distribution. Now, however, with mobile technology, business orders can be given through third-party production and distribution companies in real-time through the cloud, and order information and navigation data happens immediately. Once again, the advantage big business had of individual factories and shipping facilities is now turning into a disadvantage, because mobile technology is setting business communication free from the shackles of time and space.

Centralizing communication, rather than centralizing resources, is at the heart of mobile development, and this is the primary reason that small business owners can take heart that with a good business plan, the opportunities for success now are much greater than they were in the past. If your idea is good, if your plan is legitimate and logical, and if you have a product or service in mind that has a target audience that is out there waiting for you, then now is the time to make use of mobile technology as its availability expands.

The post How Small Businesses Benefit from Mobile Technology appeared first on Small Business Can.

Monthly Archives: March 2015