In the field of business, long gone are the days of past when consumers simply came to you place of business and made purchases from the cashier behind the register; however, in 2014 we must welcome the new face of the future of sales and marketing: online business. Too often businesses struggle to stay afloat in an ever changing economy and even fewer have the courage to embrace the challenge to venture into the online marketplace. Whether you are an entrepreneur simply looking at ways to optimize your sales and performance levels or a small business owner looking to put social media to work for you, here at Motionborg, we are going to provide several solutions to assist in achieving your goals.
1. Website Optimization: The Face of Your Business
First and foremost, a professional appearance is often a tell-tale sign of a business that means business. This concept also applies to your online business profile on a number of media platforms including the website you present your business on.
According to the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project, 61 percent of the nation’s 310 million Americans own a smartphone or tablet: all of whom have access to your website. It is recommended that in order to ensure online success that your business has a professional come up with a responsive website design that not only optimizes your business’ appearance, but reflects your professionalism and is easily accessable from a mobile device to a desktop. At Motionborg, we not only provide services that optimize your website and domain – it also allows the consumer to easily navigate your page and you as the owner the opportunity to interact with your customers.
2. Social Media Management: Your Marketing Presence
Establishing your media presence online allows for your business the opportunity to be noticed from a variety of platforms that millions of users access. Social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, Tumblr, and Google Plus are all valuable sources which could be used to specifically reach your targeted audience looking for specific products through social media pages; however, using a professional service such as Motionborg, provides you with social media management is an invaluable tool to : garner new customers, increase your SEO and share information about your products that will ultimately allow you to connect and establish a relationship online with your clientele and other businesses.
• Investing time in obtaining social media management ultimately becomes an asset as a marketing too l — Consumers are now able to visualize your product and get to know your business on a more interactive and personal level.
• Furthermore by utilizing a professional service such as Motionborg, you will be able to pick your own domain name, increase customer traffic for Search Engine Optimization, and customer support for website repairs should your site be down for any amount of time.
3. Cloud App: Data Storage and Networking
If you are looking for a safe and simple way to store data online while not wanting to pay an arm and a leg, Motionborg recommends using a Cloud Application, such as Apple’s iCloud or Google Apps. Simply put, the Cloud is a third party network that stores all your information (data, photos, documents, etc.) and acts as an online hard drive; furthermore it allows users to access their own information from any device and is assessable also to those whom you allow.
It is recommended that you choose the Cloud application based on the needs of your company and the type of technology that you possess (i.e. If your office is based primarily on Apple Products—MacBooks, iPhones, iPads—it would be wise to utilize the iCloud). If your online business is not quite at the level where large data packages are needed, then utilize similar applications such as Dropbox or Evernote, which offer free smaller data storage packages.
4. Partner Evaluation Tool: Checking out the Competition
Like any sensible business venture capitalist, you are seeking to increase productivity and expand the scope of your online market; however, just like every in any economic scenario, you, the small business owner, must compete with other companies and businesses to maintain your customers and increase revenue. An invaluable asset to obtain is the partner evaluation tool, like the Alexa Toolbar (free for Google Chrome).
In its simplest form, this is a tool utilized to: learn details about the website on which you are on, see a list of related links, the number of other sites connected to that link, the owner contact information, and the sites user review.
What can you use this information for?
• Deciding the rates you want to pay for advertising
• Determining the site credibility and value
• Finding partners to share and exchange links with
5. Hackpad: Increasing Team Communication
In the business world, sometimes communication is lost when members of a group are all assigned different tasks and are unable to meet up or express ideas; furthermore, this can mean trouble for your business when your an unfinished product or document is submitted that is ill prepared due to the lack of collaboration. In the search for optimal business tools to increase workflow, Hackpad was found to be effective at allowing team members to share information with each other and create/ edit documents. Motionborg recommends this app to allow your business to better establish communication, while building teamwork among your employees. While some may prefer sending documents by email, having an interactive program will allow instantaneous interaction within a set team that ultimately leads to a more rounded final document.
6. Meet Wave: Your New Accounting Manager
Being an online business owner includes a lot of responsibility to include product production, management, drumming up business, and now for the tricky part: bookkeeping and accounting. Sounds difficult?
Now it doesn’t have to.
Wave is a completely free accounting tool for small business that provides services to include invoicing, accounting, payroll, and payments. It comes highly recommended for those with no accounting background and could be thought of as the TurboTax of Accounting. This is specifically for small online business with <9 employees; although, it could be used for expanding companies. What makes this tool so unique is that it establishes and organizes information and financial transactions (billing and sales) instantly and allows you as the business owner complete and total organization for your financial endeavors.
7. PayPal: Securing Payments Online
Another tool that comes highly recommended to online business owners is the secured currency payment service, PayPal. Using this tool allows customers to make payments to online businesses through a secure payment processing service for a small payment fee charged to each transaction for 2.2-2.9% + $.30 per sale transaction.
Why recommend this app?
Simply because in the business of dealing with online finances, it is a wise idea to deal directly with a secured online financial transference provider that will allow you to sell more of your product and process all payment types. PayPal also eliminates the need for your business’ credit card and bank account information to be shared directly with a store’s data base. Providing this service will be an asset to your business because you also extend the courtesy to your customers by respecting their financial privacy: thus eliminating the threat of security breaches and identity fraud.
Michael Felix
MOTIONBORG, Inc.
Technology Consultant at MOTIONBORG
With a natural passion for technology, he is always on the search for next great invention to test out and play with. Enjoys sharing his thoughts and knowledge with others through blogging. Helping business owners on how to better utilize technology to their advantage has become the true meaning of success and life.
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