Technology for Small Biz

Top 5 Ways You Can Make Your Business Smarter

In times of recession, businesses can do the following the ensure that they stay afloat these turbulent times.

• Make more money
• Reduce expenses

However, it is surprising that businesses, especially small businesses, are so ensnared in their problems (day-to-day operations) that they don’t even think about getting out of it. You see, doing business isn’t rocket science. It is just about taking decisions quickly; changing with times and making sales while delivering value. Technology has made things even more simple for the already hassled small business owner. So how can you leverage that?

Go Green: Stop hauling yourself around in Jets. There is really no need for you to travel all over the world to get your business. Internet has transformed the way businesses have to be done. You can go virtual.Virtualization is one way to do it. Set up virtual meetings using web-ex or GotoMeeting.

Automate Your Business: Use certain CRM tools available online and even marketing automation systems like Infusionsoft to ensure that your business can be automated to an extent. Not automating your business can lead to getting into the all too common scenario wherein a business only becomes an expensive, stressful and unyielding job.

Insure yourself against unnecessary expenses: Anytime something happens that you didn’t foresee, you are spending more money for something you could have prevented. Taking an insurance for your business or individual insurance products for various assets in your business is a no-brainer. Doing some basic things like protecting your data and doing regular back ups. I know you would have read it elsewhere but there isn’t any point in just reading. You gotta DO something.

Security is a necessary expense: Too many people get into the firefighting mode. Somehow, this has become a way of life. I’ll fix it when my bottom hurts is the mantra. Business security — everything related to business assets like office space, infrastructure, tangible assets, equipment and then suitable protection against online threats, networking threats and even company reputation threats is mandated. Don’t even think of starting a business( even if it is self-employment) unless your assets are suitably secured.

Focus on Sales, Dammit: If you head over to my other blog Rebelpreneur, you will realize that I always talk about one single aspect of your business that can keep your business bristling with profits and that is sales. As Quang Wan rightly points out in his Blog wealthhack, especially in a post titled Why Sales is Important for a Small Business, selling is probably the most important, rewarding and mandatory skill a business owner should have. No business without sales. Period.

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