Projectbook Update: Manage Different Types of Data in One App |  |
- Projectbook Update: Manage Different Types of Data in One App
- 2012 Public Affairs Pulse Survey Shows Favorable Opinion of Small Business
- Business Networking with Biznik
- ROI Filled Ways to Improve Your Site Using Content
| Projectbook Update: Manage Different Types of Data in One App Posted: 29 Aug 2012 01:00 PM PDT Since so many business professionals use iPads and other mobile devices to accomplish work-related tasks, productivity apps can be essential for saving and sharing information on-the-go. However, with all the different formats that data can be viewed and saved, simple note taking apps may not be quite as useful anymore.
Theory.io has released the first update for its iPad productivity app, Projectbook. The app allows users to keep a notebook that uses and saves different fonts, sketches, documents and more. Users can also record audio, take photos, make outlines and import information from email, attachments, and websites. All of this information, even in different formats, can be kept on the same notebook pages and organized so that information can be easily found later. The update includes more than a dozen new features and enhancement based on user requests from the initial release. Among those features is the ability to print notes on any AirPrint enabled printer. Those notes can even include sketches, images, and text in different fonts. The update also includes integration with Dropbox, faster tasks, and bug fixes. In addition, the app lets users manage their to-do lists in the same space where they keep the information needed to accomplish their tasks. To-dos can even be turned into projects with sub-lists, so that large jobs can be broken down into small, manageable tasks. Productivity apps aren't exactly rare for mobile devices, but the user interface and unique format of Projectbook makes it distinctive from the competition. The ways in which a user's notebook can be customized, along with all the different formats that can be saved, makes the app a helpful tool for small business owners and anyone with multiple projects to manage. Projectbook has extended its introductory price, 70% off the regular price, through September 7, 2012 and the new update is free for existing users. From Small Business Trends |
| 2012 Public Affairs Pulse Survey Shows Favorable Opinion of Small Business Posted: 29 Aug 2012 11:00 AM PDT It's election time and that means opinion polls aplenty—most of them focusing on the negative. But one recent poll found something to smile about in America's opinion of business in general, and small business in particular.
A whopping 88 percent of Americans in the latest 2012 Public Affairs Pulse Survey (PDF) have a favorable opinion of small business. That far outpaces the two-thirds (67 percent) who have a positive view of big companies—and it's more than double the 41 percent of Americans who have a favorable view of the federal government. Of course, respondents' opinions of big business weren't all positive. Three-fourths say too much power is concentrated in the hands of a few large companies, and nearly two-thirds say big corporations make too much profit. Americans' preference for small businesses has grown. Sixty-eight percent say they would rather do business with a small local company than a bigger one offering lower prices. And when asked which has been most important to the economic well-being of the middle class in the last 50 years, 51 percent choose small businesses—vastly outstripping labor unions (19 percent), major companies (17 percent) and the government (11 percent). How can your small business benefit from this groundswell of support? Here are some ideas:
Are you feeling America's love for small business? Election Photo via Shutterstock From Small Business Trends |
| Business Networking with Biznik Posted: 29 Aug 2012 08:00 AM PDT Social networking is frequently touted as one of the greatest ways to drive new business. Just keep writing, blogging, podcasting, tweeting, or pinning and the sales will eventually follow. That may be true, for some. But for most of us, sales and marketing is still a 1:1 process. Meeting people in person makes the difference. If you've wondered how to make online social networks turn into profitable business networking, then this review of Biznik is for you. Biznik is an online networking community for independent business people.
I have been using Biznik since 2008 and it has opened up a number of sales for my company. It is similar to other social networks in terms of creating a profile about yourself and your company, but at its core it has created a space for independent business owners to send to and receive referrals from one another as well as establish their expertise in the articles section. Being a member of Biznik means that you take the business you own seriously, and want to network with other business owners who feel the same way. Last summer, I created a marketing event with Infusionsoft small business expert, Tyler Garns, and we successfully pulled in 55 attendees mostly via Biznik. It was a seriously engaged group – we had a ton of discussion and creative brainstorming among the group. They offer free and premium memberships. I have toggled between pro levels and free level depending on business events I'm planning. Basic paid level membership starts at $79/year. What I really like:
What I'd like to see:
Overall, I love Biznik as a social network. It is a wonderful collection of committed business owners who understand that business happens when you truly connect, in person and online. It takes both. If you're looking for a more local and regional way to find other independent business professionals, who might be allies or potential customers, Biznik is worth a look. From Small Business Trends |
| ROI Filled Ways to Improve Your Site Using Content Posted: 29 Aug 2012 05:00 AM PDT You want to improve your Web site and increase ROI. What's the first area on your site you tackle? If you're like most SMBs, you look to spruce up your content first. And with good reason! Improving the content assets on your Web site can lead directly to higher sales, customer loyalty, and increased brand awareness. It's often also the "cheapest" site change to make when you're on a tight budget. But where should you start?
Below are a few content areas to improve upon to increase ROI and site conversions: Information-Rich Product Pages This is big, especially for a small business Web site where trust and point of difference are so vital. It's safe to assume that a consumer who lands on a product/service page is in the process of making a decision. They're asking themselves:
When you have a consumer reading over your product pages, this is a sensitive time in the conversion funnel. To get them to click that "buy" button or fill out your contact form, those pages need to be as informative and standout as possible. They need to convince a potential buyer that purchasing this product is the right decision. To do that, write your product pages to be as detailed and user-focused as possible. They should also be written to sound like your customer. If you’re Woot your product pages will be written to inspire a giggle and in the voice of Web geeks. If you're Apple, you'll focus on the shininess of new features. Know your customer and then write your product pages to be as informative and wooing as possible. Blog Last year we told you that more businesses were blogging than not blogging. And according to new data from Blogging.org, this still holds true. Adding a blog to your business remains one of the most effective (and cost-effective) marketing strategies available to you, especially as a small business owner or consultant. Your blog gives you a forum that you own and which you can use to create linkable assets (naturally increasing your SEO), establish your brand and authority, and makes you a friend of the search engines. Duct Tape Marketing's John Jantsch believes blogging is even more critical in the age of social media, and I agree. If you're not blogging and you want a way to increase site ROI, this is it. Start a blog. Email Newsletters Another ROI-filled content asset to add to your Web site is email newsletters. Email newsletters give you a chance to maintain a relationship with your customer long after their purchase. It takes you from vendor to friend and strengthens the connection that a consumer has with your brand. They may have visited your Web site to fill a specific need, but now you can build upon on that. You can keep customers informed about what your company is up to, you can tell stories, you can let them know what's fresh on your Web site, you can be an information source for what's happening in your industry, etc. You go from the person who sold them that lamp to the friend they have over every Wednesday for coffee. You become someone they recognize. If you're intimidated by email newsletters because you're not sure what you'd include, don't be. Shape your newsletter as an informal "letter to your customers", to republish articles you've written elsewhere, or simply to highlight what's new on your site. Higher-Quality Photography & Video Just because they don't use words doesn't mean the photography and video aren't important site content elements to consider. When it comes to photography, get away from using stock photos. Instead, use high-quality photos to represent your products, your staff, your office building, and anything else you choose to visualize on your Web site. Not only will this set you apart from other sites on the Web, but it will help customers to get to know you. We want to see what your real staff looks like, not the same stock female face we recognize from every other site on the Web. When it comes to video – use it. Neil Patel recently shared some explainer video best practices to help everyone get the most from their video content. This is advice Neil has used to drive an extra $21,000 month in new income. I'd take it. Product Guides & Comparisons As consumers we can be a pretty insecure bunch. We want to make sure that we're buying the right product and the best one for our needs. We want to know why Product A is different from Product B, and if Product C can do that thing Product D also does. Consider offering product comparisons to help your customers answer these natural questions and make them more confident in their buying decisions. Maybe it means creating comparison charts or maybe it's a downloadable fact sheet. The more content you can create and the more you can use it to tell a story, the more customers will appreciate it. Site Q&As If you're like most businesses, you receive questions from your customers every day, most of which you've answered before. Instead of emailing customers individually about the same thing each day, start saving those questions and answering them in a site Q&A section. Create a resource that you can build links to and that customers, new and old, can take advantage of. Anything you can put on your site that is intended to ease customer fears is going to be good for your business and work toward increasing ROI. Above are just a few content-based site improvements you can make to increase the value of your Web site to your customers. What others have you added along the way? Image credit: fotografiedk / 123RF Stock Photo From Small Business Trends |
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