According to the SMB Group social media use by small businesses has shifted to 53 percent in 2012, from 44 percent in 2011.

At the same time social media for small businesses continues to be a casual affair and the gap between those who do it with purpose and those who “just post” is widening.

Related:Not sure where to start? Get one of our online marketing vendors to help you out

So how do we close the gap? How can small businesses take a more strategic approach to social media? To start, focus on avoiding three critical mistakes that most small business make. Read the full entry

7 Comments

While most analysts have been stuck on their high hopes for mobile technology to increase, Paul Rouke, of econsultancy.com, says he hopes 2013 will finally be the year where conversion optimization takes center stage, as more than a buzz word, in the world of business and technology.

Though it’s not the same idea as “profit optimization” Rouke offers some helpful ideas on how managers can help customer service and sales representatives to direct their energy in such a way that their actions are conversion focused. Read the full entry

1 Comment

The 2012 Aflac Workforces Report surveyed over 1,800 HR professionals and 6,151 employed adults to determine each group’s priorities and beliefs regarding employee benefits. It found that there are quantifiable connections between the quality of an employer’s benefits package and employee performance and retention.

Furthermore, the study found that small businesses are the least likely to communicate with employees about their benefits and the least likely to offer voluntary insurance options. Read the full entry

2 Comments

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, employees will only spend 1.5 years with their current employer.

Finding and replacing your employees over such a short span of time can put strain on your business, lower productivity, and decrease the quality of work that you generate.

When it comes to your Millennial or Generation Y employees – the fastest growing group of workers in the labor force – you need to take proactive measures, and that means offering the kinds of benefits that they value most. (Hint: it isn’t salary). Read the full entry

2 Comments

Businesses which want to take advantage of the latest technology while still saving money should consider migrating their call center to the cloud.

Unless your head’s been stuck in the metaphorical clouds, chances are you’ve heard a thing or two about The Cloud.

These days, anything with a digital footprint — music, photos, video, e-mail and whole software systems — are now hanging out in this much-buzzed-about binary brume.

Among the latest functions business owners should consider migrating to the cloud is call center software.

Read the full entry

0 Comments

Freelancers, startups and big corporations turn to coworking spaces to innovate and promote growth, establishing coworking as the fastest growing work trend this decade.

Coworking as a work style emerged in San Francisco in 2005, designed to address the challenges of independent workers who lacked interaction with professional and social networks, and – in particular – work-life balance. Read the full entry

2 Comments

The use of customer relationship (CRM) software has become standard for businesses everywhere. In a survey by  Small Business Trends of 200 US businesses, 74% were already using a CRM platform and a further 20% planned to install one within the year.

While CRM systems are popular and well-known for effectively managing sales and customer service functions, they can also help you to focus, manage, and track the efficacy of your business’s many marketing efforts. Read the full entry

0 Comments

 Achieving success by narrowing your customer base?

It sounds counterintuitive, but many small- to mid-size businesses can achieve higher profits and more success by downsizing the base of customers they serve.

Creating the perfect situation in which you and your customer base share common goals, respect, and appreciation can alleviate personal and professional stress and allow your business to grow.

Read the rest of Part I here. Read the full entry

0 Comments

Marketing for Valentine’s Day is easy; throw some hearts and flowers into the day’s marketing messages and you’re done. However, there are some more important lessons that can be garnered from the holiday and used throughout the year. Consider these most important marketing lessons from the holiday of love.

Quality Trumps Quantity

Would you rather receive a handmade Valentine with a thoughtful, original inscription – or bunch of hastily-signed $0.99 cards from the drugstore? Read the full entry

1 Comment

Your business sign says a lot about you and your company; it’s your brand. The more you use it, the more people will recognize you. Unfortunately, many small and medium-sized businesses don’t understand the value of taking physical business signage and translating it to the web.

You’ve already paid for the custom design, so you should use it. In the end, it’ll only improve your brand. Read the full entry

0 Comments