7 Handy Online Tools to Grow Your Business

Growing a business is a process and it does not happen overnight. Once you have online accounts in place, the opportunity to reach more people becomes available. With this a business can create content to share, create online broadcasts and interact with customers. Interaction is important to maintain a positive reputation. 

Dropbox and Programs of the Like

Dropbox and programs that are similar allow users to host files and access them from any computer that has the software. These files are also able to be accessed from mobile devices. For businesses with multiple types of files and/or products, this is an ideal organizational tool. Users are able to create folders that are labeled for specific topics. Finding the content or file that you need is rather simple. The files can be used to upload online, send to clients or share with others virtually. Another benefit of this is that each file gets a link of its own. The links can be shared online that will direct others right to the content.

Speak to Type Programs

Speak to type or text programs, such as Dragon and SpeakWrite, transcribe what you are saying into text on a word processing page. These programs are fairly inexpensive and save a lot of time. It also allows users to multitask, such as research on a second monitor as content is created or shop online if that is the desire. This convenience also helps to prevent tendinitis and other typing related ailments.

Take Online Payments

When a business or service is able to take online payments and deposits, it is more appealing to users. This convenience saves users of your website a lot of time. The ability to take online payments from a variety of sources, such as credit, debit and virtual accounts such as PayPal, will increase revenue for the business. It is important that the features put in place for users to make these payments are user-friendly and fast loading as well as completely safe and secure. 

Build a User-Friendly Website

Nowadays it is important to have a website as a business. Not only does this help to build your reputation but it allows more Internet users to be aware of your business. A positive online reputation is important and can either make or break your business. The impression that users have of the website and how the business runs is important. Users must be able to easily navigate a website and it must be easy on the eyes and fast loading. The navigation must also be simplified to prevent user frustration.

Manage your Money

This is a crucial step if you wish to grow your business. You have to manage your money and be on top of revenues, expenses and losses at all times. This includes having daily financial reports as well as access to the bank account online to view balances, deposits and payments. If a business owner does not now where the money is going, chances are that they are setting themselves up for financial disaster. Online accounting software allows you to combine multiple revenue streams and see them in one area. You’ll be able to understand how much tax you need to pay and whether you’ve turned a profit in a matter of seconds.

Business Cards

Businesses and business owners need business cards. This goes without saying. Every person of status and those in sales should also have cards available. Even if it is just dropping a card into a letter or speaking with a friend about the business, every opportunity to hand one out is an opportunity to gain a new customer. These should be on-hand at all times. 

Use Social Media Networks

Social media networks are becoming the best way to reach out to new and existing customers. The ideal networks to share content on are Google+, LinkedIn and Facebook. Twitter is fizzling out as far as popularity and a way to boost your presence are concerned. It is also beneficial to post photos of products on Instagram and Pinterest to grab the attention of more users.

These are just a few of the tools that you should consider to help grow your business. It takes more than just advertising and word-of-mouth to increase revenues and gain new clients. This is a constant process. If you have these tools implemented properly, the business will grow itself with minimal work being needed on your part as the owner.

Managing Your Family's Finances

Money management is a skill that is best learned when a person is young. This does not mean it is too late to begin applying these skills. Even if you are over 50, the finance system you begin today can make a difference.

Finance Your Family's Security With Life Insurance 

While every adult should have life insurance, it is essential when you are older. If you do not have a suitable life insurance policy, now is the time to make a purchase. 

There are a number of policies from which to choose. While term insurance will benefit your family in the event of your death, a whole life policy offers additional benefits. If you find yourself short of cash in an emergency, or wish to contribute to a family member's college fund, whole life policies build up a cash reserve. You can borrow against the policy if it becomes necessary; yet not lose your coverage. 

Finance Your Security With A Savings Account 

When you are still working and have a steady income, open a savings account. Choose an account that offers a high rate of interest. Higher interest means more money accumulating in your account. 

If a savings account is to be useful, deposits must be made regularly. One method is to decide how much of each paycheck you plan to devote to savings. Each time you are paid, deposit that amount in your savings account before spending any other part of your check. 

A second method is to have savings automatically transferred into your account. You can finance your account without any effort if you choose this method. 

Choose the method you are comfortable with, and your savings will grow. 

Your Income Should Finance Your Retirement 

There are numerous options for funding your retirement. A sensible approach is to discuss your preferences with your spouse and your banker, and choose the option that works best for you. 

One popular option is a CD. There are various forms of CDs. A certificate of deposit requires a minimum principal. If you do not cash your CD before it matures, you will have the accrued interest in addition to the principal.

The interest rate for certificates of deposit are based on nine month, twelve month, or eighteen month terms. When you choose a longer term CD, the interest rate will be higher. It is an excellent way to finance your retirement. 

Finance Your Future With Sensible Money Management 

You do not want to enter your golden years with debt. One way to avoid debt is to use credit wisely and sparingly. You should not use credit to finance goods and services that you cannot otherwise afford. 

If you must make purchases on credit, always pay the bills in full, and on time. You should also take this approach to bills that do not involve credit. From utility bills to car payments, pay everything on time. This will eliminate late fees and other unnecessary problems. 

Help Your Family Members Manage Their Finances, Too 

Many older people often find themselves in the position of being asked for financial help from family members. While it is fine to assist your children or grandchildren when they have a special need, everyone can benefit if you help them learn how to be responsible with money. 

Whether you make cash a gift or a loan to younger family members, let them know you are not a bank. You cannot take away your own financial security for individuals who are irresponsible. Instead, you can encourage them to learn effective money management skills. Both your future and theirs can be financially secure.

Author Bio
Joshua Turner is a writer who creates informative articles in relation to business. In this article, he offer family finances tips and aims to encourage further study with a GARD Master’s Project Management Online.

5 Marketing Tactics Your Business Hasn't Utilized

When your business wants to stand out, having a unique marketing strategy can help. Appealing to your niche of customers in untapped forums is essential for selling more products and services. By thinking outside of the box and using promotional products to enhance your business's image, you can connect with a large audience of customers. Here are some marketing tactics that any business can consider to improve the way that it connects with customers on a daily basis.

1. Give out promotional products at trade shows.

Trade shows are an excellent way to promote a business because they attract a targeted audience who may become clients because they’re interested in what you have to offer. Clients will typically go to trade shows to learn more about a business's products before they make the leap into investing in its products. By handing out promotional products with your contact information at trade shows, a business can distinguish itself from the hundreds of other businesses featured at trade shows and encourage prospects to hold onto their “business cards.”

2. Use Pinterest to host promotions.

Pinterest has already taken the business world by storm as a new social media marketing tool, but few businesses are using it apart from placing images of products online. A business can use Pinterest to actually host promotions and give away promotional products. Using Pinterest in this way can cause a spiral effect amongst customers and encourage them to also re-pin images for a business.

3. Host a Twitter feed contest.

Any business should also try hosting a Twitter feed contest with promotional products. The individual who tweets the most about a business can receive promotional rally towels, pens, totes or whatever is most appropriate for your audience. There is an endless list of promotional products that a business can use as a reward for the winner of a Twitter feed contest.

4. Post updates on Facebook.

It is also important for businesses to keep in touch with customers through a forum like Facebook. Facebook gives businesses the opportunity to post news updates about the latest products that a business has to offer. Businesses can take advantage of an excellent opportunity to get to know a customer base on Facebook.

5. Sending e-mail newsletters to clients.

In an e-mail newsletter, a business can inform customers about the latest promotions being hosted by a company. Businesses can inform customers about promo items, new products, or special sales on products and services.

Any business can improve the way that it markets itself to customers. With these marketing tactics, a business can easily get in touch with clients and develop a favorable reputation in the community.

Five Ways Technology Marketing Can Improve Your Sales Targets

Image via CrunchBase

Despite the downturn, businesses are still investing increasing amounts of time and money into the digital marketing arena. A raft of new technology means that communicating with consumers is more exciting than ever, with touchscreen tablets and smartphones leading the way. 

Technology also continues to make advances in the field of business-to-business marketing with technology marketing companies providing software designed to enhance the sales and marketing function. 

Use a CRM system 

A customer relationship management system can be a powerful tool when it comes to marketing your business and can increase both productivity and profits. CRM systems enable users to build up and maintain detailed customer profiles, which in turn can be used to develop sales and marketing strategies based upon specific needs. Marketing automation takes this concept one step further and delivers personalized content in response to consumer's online behavior. 

Be social, not antisocial 

Unless you have been living under a rock recently, your business will be utilizing platforms such as Twitter and Facebook to communicate with consumers. With more and more brands vying for attention, you need to ensure your social media messages are engaging and aligned with your marketing strategy.

Be aware that boastful status updates are likely to encourage customers to hit delete and it is bad form to follow people on Twitter on the off chance they will follow you back. On the other hand, requesting feedback can be a successful way to engage with existing and prospective customers on social media platforms. 

Search engine listings

In order to be found, your website needs to be indexed by major search engines such as Google and Yahoo. There is software available that will automatically submit your URL, website name, keywords and description to popular search engines, bringing more traffic to your website. 

E-mail marketing

OK, so e-mail marketing may not be new, but it continues to lead the way as a cost-effective marketing tool, particularly for small businesses. You can build you own e-mail database from existing contacts and use your website to capture new data. Ensure you offer an incentive for signing up and make sure your e-mails contain valuable, relevant information or genuine special offers. 

Mobile technology

The use of smartphones continues to grow rapidly and this looks set to threaten the humble PC. As millions switch to mobile phones to connect to the internet, send e-mails and access applications, businesses that ignore the mobile marketing platform do so at their peril. Mobile technology can also change the way organisations conduct business as employees have access to company data 24 hours a day from wherever they are.

The digitally connected world paves the way for exciting technology advances that offer businesses an increasing number of marketing opportunities. However, increased competition and an uncertain economy mean businesses must seek innovative ways to gain a competitive edge.

Everyone would be wise to remember that traditional marketing techniques can still be valuable in the digital age and often the most successful campaigns take elements from both the old and new.

Louise Smith is a digital marketing consultant. She has been writing for websites and printed media for over ten years. Louise uses sources such as technology marketing to research developments in the industry.