Most people are probably familiar with retail POS systems- you know, those touch-screens servers use at restaurants to input order information, or the scanning system used by the checker at the grocery store. Using a POS system is a great way to track sales and manage resources. For example, gyms can use POS to schedule training appointments and classes, allowing customers to … [Read more...]
Social Media: Because We Have To Know There’s Sunshine Somewhere
Logging on to Twitter on a gloomy, overcast English morning, I was cheered to find that someone had tweeted: ‘WOOOHOOO!!! Sunshine and warm today in Minneapolis!’ It made me smile, and I thought that perhaps there was a chance of good weather over here at some point. Well, you never know. The idea of connecting with people from all different places around the world is one … [Read more...]
Easy Cost Savings for Small Businesses
One of the most often overlooked cost savings for small businesses is actually pretty simple process: switching to a VoIP or internet-based phone system. Switching is easy, fast, and can save your business thousands of dollars a month on phone-related costs. Over 86% of business owners rate their satisfaction level with their service as “very high,” according to one recent … [Read more...]
Top 6 Reasons to Switch to Electronic Document Storage
As tax day passed this week, many business owners no doubt found themselves scrambling for misplaced records, forms, and documents at the last minute. Not only can an electronic document storage system can cut your tax preparation time and ensure a more accurate filing, it can also help you save big on supply costs and reduce overall waste. Here are the top 6 reasons to … [Read more...]
Creating Systems to add Value to your Customers
I heard the good news yesterday that a friend and her husband's company is in the midst of a $600 million buyout. Over the years I've seen how they have navigated through major challenges in what their products are, how they capture consumer interest, their market share, and their distribution channels, and I'm inspired (and at the same time amazed and a little awed by) their … [Read more...]
8 Steps to Setting up a Web Presence for under $150
One of the ads in my Facebook feed said that 16 of the 30 companies in the current Dow Jones were started in a recession. Ladies, let's get to work! And don't let the lack of funds deter you! I detail below 8 steps to setting up your own web presence for low to no budget. There is no reason for you to delay on getting your website up. Just get started! Just do it! If it's a … [Read more...]
Person, Brand Thyself
‘Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is youer than you.’ – Dr. Seuss Wise words from another children’s author. Yet in this age of branding, of social media, of digitisation to the extreme, how are we to know who we are? Rather than staying at home and pondering their choices, people go around the world to ‘find themselves’, when the … [Read more...]
Credit Card Services 101: Creative Ways your Business can Benefit
Did you know that there’s a big correlation between swimsuit season and credit card use? Yep, it’s official- when people are on a diet, they make more impulse purchases. Restrictive thinking of all kinds, whether it’s adhering to a diet, a budget, or a new years resolution, has been proven to lead to increased spending. Bikini anticipation aside, the above study made me … [Read more...]
Using your Website to Process 5 Basic Business Functions
As entrepreneurs, we're always thinking of the next Big Thing and what we may do in the meantime to create a system and process to handle the work generated in our businesses. For many of you, this will mean using your website to handle basic business functions. Here are some ideas for how to implement your process on your website and to use the site to do the work that … [Read more...]
Negotiate your way to savings: How to get the best deal on office phone equipment
The telephone was invented in 1876, and the world hasn’t been the same since. While telephone calls have been partially eclipsed by internet contact as the primary mode of communication for most business owners, the phone is still a vital business tool. Think about it- how long could your business survive without phone service? Many business owners put about as much thought … [Read more...]