Last Updated on September 6, 2024
With new gadgets and software updates barraging us daily, it’s normal to feel a little “behind-the-times” every now and again. But if you’ve only just discovered the wheel, you have some serious catching up to do as a small business. Here are some signs that your business needs to evolve a century or two, along with a few suggestions for getting up to speed.
You Don’t Have a Facebook Presence
If you’ve been denying the legitimacy of Facebook, it’s time to wise up about the power of social media. Internet surfers spend on average about 27% of their time on social media sites, and your presence there is key to advertising yourself. Companies that use sites like Twitter, Pinterest, and even Instagram have a much more viable identity to social media-ites, and prove their ability to keep up with the times. These accounts are free, so there’s no reason not to sign your business up for one today.
Your Employees Communicate With You by Phone
While anything is superior to tracking your employees down in person, inner-office phone calls are an extremely inefficient way to relate small messages within a business. “IM’ing”, or instant messaging, is the fastest and easiest way to communicate between any distances, and also allows for multiple conversations at a time. Most e-mail providers also contain an Instant-Messaging platform that you can utilize easily as a company. If not included in your company’s email, you can download many IM software brands for free.
You Don’t Know Your Customer Base
You don’t have to perform an inner-city phone survey to figure out what your client base is, and how it affects your business. Google Analytics is a free program that tracks important statistics about visitors to your site, including location, gender, and paths taken to get to your page. Knowing this information is vital for effective advertising campaigns, and should influence the way you approach customers and the overall way you conduct business. There’s no hassle to set it up and it requires no effort from you other than checking the graphs from time to time.
You’re Unaware of Your Mobile Presence
Even if you are still carrying around a Nokia brick, the majority of Americans today have smartphones. It is inevitable that some of your site patrons will be visiting via their mobile device, and you’ll need to be aware of how they will be greeted. Some of your site functions may not operate well as a mobile page, and you’ll need to address these issues before you scare too many users away. There is plenty of software out there that will guide you through the steps to customize your webpage for both computer and mobile usage.
You Don’t Feel the Need to Store Your “Clouds”
If you don’t know what “cloud storage” is, you may need to shift your entire psyche to comprehend the amazing business practices available today. With an array of server and hosting services at your disposal, such as managed cloud hosting, you can maintain a reliable website and data protection without hiring a full-powered IT staff. You will cut costs on server purchases, and you will rid yourself of a remarkable amount of stress, as well as the need to be completely tech-savvy.
It may take a few seemingly large steps to get your business where it needs to be, but the steps are small in comparison. These are fully-charged business practices to give you plenty of momentum, launching you forward in a world of quick-paced transactions and energetic online presences. While the wheel was a great invention, there’s so much more in store for you and your business out there.
