New BlackBerry Q5 Device Makes Three So Far This Year By BlackBerry |  |
- New BlackBerry Q5 Device Makes Three So Far This Year By BlackBerry
- Google+ Less Popular With Brands Than Facebook, Report Claims
- Systems That Build and Grow A Business
- What is Gangnam Style? And What Does it Mean for Business?
- Read “Spank The Bank” to Choose the Right Financing for Your Business
| New BlackBerry Q5 Device Makes Three So Far This Year By BlackBerry Posted: 20 May 2013 02:00 AM PDT
The Q5 device, aimed at markets like Latin America, the Middle East, parts of Europe and Asia, will be available in July. The company has announced no plans to introduce the device in the U.S. thus far. The new BlackBerry Q5 smartphone is a spin on BlackBerry’s recent new releases, the Blackberry Q10 and Z10. Confused Yet By All the Qs and Zs?Let us sort it out for you:
No Mention Of a North America ReleaseBlackBerry made no mention of introducing the Q5 model into North America. That has some BlackBerry fans disappointed. One fan said in a comment on BlackBerry’s official blog, “What about the USA or will we have to wait until next year? I think Blackberry is forcing many of us in the USA and myself to go to other manufacturer(s).”
Image: BlackBerry The post New BlackBerry Q5 Device Makes Three So Far This Year By BlackBerry appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| Google+ Less Popular With Brands Than Facebook, Report Claims Posted: 19 May 2013 03:00 PM PDT
Have you updated your company’s Google+ page today? How about in the last week? Or month? … Year? Maybe your company doesn’t even have a Google+ page yet, and if that’s the case or you’ve been abandoning that page in favor of other social media networks, you’re not alone. According to a Reuters report, Google+ continues to generate less interest from brands than other social networks including rival Facebook. In an informal survey, Reuters found that of the 100 most valuable global brands in 2012, only 72 have a presence on Google+ compared to 87 on Facebook. Of the brands that have established a presence on Google+, 40 percent have either never posted content on Google+ or do so infrequently, Reuters found. For example, Nike and Pepsi hadn’t updated their Google+ pages in more than a week. Some other companies, like McDonald’s, had never updated their page, even though it was created. Another example provided by Reuters, was a side-by-side comparison of a recent Cinco de Mayo promotion run by pizza company Domino’s. The promotion was loudly touted on Facebook, but the company’s Google+ page hadn’t been updated since 2012. Reuters’ Alexei Oreskovic writes, “For Google+ to thrive, it is vital to draw in household names, not just to lay the groundwork for potential future business, but also because users of the site have come to expect being able to follow, comment on or even vent about their favorite brands.” There are many reasons why Google+ has been slow to get more active users since its launch. Remember, there wasn’t an initial crush of users to Facebook, either, and the look and feel of the site certainly has changed dramatically, even in just the last few years. Google+ vs FacebookFacebook of all other social networks has more active users. More than a billion people worldwide use their Facebook account at least once a month, and the average user spends at least six hours on the site in a month. While there are more than a half-billion people with Google+ profiles, the average per-month user time is less than seven minutes, according to the Reuters research. As we noted recently, our own research here at Small Business Trends shows small businesses are still flocking to Facebook. There are now 16 million small business Facebook pages. And 3 million of those were added in the just the first quarter of 2013. Also hindering the use of Google+, especially for business owners, is the discomfort level with learning a new social media environment and how to make what this site offers over rivals Facebook and Twitter work for their companies. For some functions, like video conferencing or streaming live video, Google+ clearly has an advantage. Untapped Potential in Google+However, the way brands react today may not reflect the future potential of Google+ Reuters notes that some companies are beginning to realize that maintaining at a presence for their business or product on Google+ appears to help them in Google searches. “Many businesses do build outposts on Google+, eager to benefit from its integration with Google’s popular Internet search service,” the Reuters report concludes. Here’s another reason to get more active on Google+: Google is focusing more resources on Google+. Clearly Google sees Google+ as key to its future. In fact, Google just rolled out some new features and a new look for Google+ this past week. For small businesses, there are advantages to getting in early on a social network, learning the ropes and building your base, before the competition. In the Google+ vs Facebook stakes, you may not want to wait. The post Google+ Less Popular With Brands Than Facebook, Report Claims appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| Systems That Build and Grow A Business Posted: 19 May 2013 12:00 PM PDT
Keeping track of activity is a common challenge for small business owners. We wear many hats and are responsible for many things. One of the places where we fall down is with our sales process. I am a huge fan of systems because I believe systems keep us on track and focused. Systems To Build BusinessThere are three areas where I see these systems having a lot of value. They are:
Prospecting SystemsWho and where? The question here is, “Who is your target market?” You can have more than one. However, pick one at a time to work on. Ask yourself which industry or demographic makes the best client for you. Now, go find the prospects within that target. Once you have the list, determine how you are going to pursue them. Having a specific, structured system for how you are going to connect with the prospects within a target market will help you schedule those steps and implement them. Monitoring How are you going to monitor your interactions with those prospects? Having a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system makes the most sense to me. There are a number of small business CRM programs out there. Explore a handful of them with an eye toward what information you want to be able to capture. You should use a CRM system that integrates with your calendar so you can set reminders and tasks. A couple of systems to take a look at are: Salesforce, Insightly, and Base. Selling SystemI consider selling to be what you do when you are in front of a prospect. So, think sales appointment. The key to a successful sales appointment is gaining information – not giving it. This is your chance to learn as much as you can about the prospect. What is their issue, urgency, budget, decision making process, ability to pay, etc.? Create a list of questions you can ask the prospect. As you listen to their answers and write them down, pay attention to how they are sharing. You want to do business with clients who value you, are forthcoming with information and openly discuss their situation. You have the chance to determine if they are a prospect you really want to do business with. Having this list of questions, will help you gain all of the information you need to successfully quote. Which brings me to the next step of the selling system. Create a quote that speaks directly to what they've told you. You can even repeat what you heard them say. This is confirmation that you heard them and are responding to what they told you. This will diminish objections as well. Follow up SystemOne of the most critical parts of sales success is the follow up. This is also one of the places that we fall down the most. We get busy and are prone to focus on the task at hand. However, follow up is a key ingredient in the health of a business. Using a CRM program to monitor when and how to contact your connections, prospects and clients can be invaluable. Determine what information you need to keep track of when it comes to follow up. Then look at the tools you already have in your business; tools like an Outlook calendar. You can set reminders and alarms with Outlook that will remind you of when you need to make a call or send a letter. Setting agreements with the other person is an interesting part of a follow up plan. This entails suggesting to the contact when you will call them or when you should meet again. When they agree, put it on your calendar. You can email them a confirmation as well. When you keep these activities on your calendar and treat them as appointments, you are more likely to see them through. This will help you maintain your activity and progress. You can see how setting up systems can help you maintain your forward progress and business growth. Don't leave these important areas of your business to chance – the chance of having time and remembering to do them. Rather, create your systems and then implement them. You'll find your business growing steadily. Building Business Photo via Shutterstock The post Systems That Build and Grow A Business appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| What is Gangnam Style? And What Does it Mean for Business? Posted: 19 May 2013 09:00 AM PDT
The video was first released in July 2012 and soon went viral on YouTube. In December 2012, the Gangnam Style video became the first YouTube video to reach one billion views. Today, it is still the most viewed video in YouTube history. What is Gangnam style in a business context?The video's success is an example of the power of social media in viral marketing. Psy was a relatively unknown musician (at least to many in the West) before Gangnam Style became a YouTube sensation. Then, thanks to the powerful reach of YouTube, and the fact that the video was also shared on social channels like Twitter and Facebook, Psy and Gangnam Style became global sensations. Because of the song's catchy upbeat tune and massive popularity, some businesses, such as Intel, adopted the Gangnam Style dance or song to use with their own marketing campaigns. Even now, in 2013, Gangnam style still has legs. Currently Psy is appearing on U.S. television in a Gangnam Style commercial for the pistachio industry. And President Obama referred to Gangnam style in the White House recently. Why has Gangnam Style been so successful?There are a few different factors that led to the viral success of Gangnam Style. First, the video was meant to be fun and not take itself too seriously. It was a bit uninhibited and "over the top." Second, the video gave viewers the opportunity to participate. Fans could try their hand at the Gangnam Style dance. Many even created their own YouTube parody videos. MIT produced a version that featured professor and activist Noam Chomsky. Online entrepreneur Adeyemi Adisa said: "Just as Gangnam Style music video is catchy and encourages viewers to participate or even do their own parody, businesses need to make their customers participants rather than just customers." Third, Psy's video was different from other videos at the time. This helped to grab attention. It got people talking about and sharing the video with others. What can my business learn from the success of Gangnam Style?Gangnam Style demonstrates the power of interjecting personality into marketing. Psy created the video himself without a huge budget. And the video is memorable because it is a bit "over the top." Marketer Hamilton Wallace says that small businesses should not let lack of resources hold them back, but use authenticity to their advantage. The fact that Psy created the Gangnam Style video himself, had fun with it and "set it free" is what helped attract so many views. So in your small business, try employing “Gangnam Style." Enjoy what you do and let it show. Inject some personality into your marketing and your business. Do it with a style people remember — your own Gangnam style. Image credit: remix from Psy video The post What is Gangnam Style? And What Does it Mean for Business? appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| Read “Spank The Bank” to Choose the Right Financing for Your Business Posted: 19 May 2013 06:00 AM PDT
Among the most stellar coverage of small business finance resources is Spank the Bank: The Guide to Alternative Business Financing. Karlene Sinclair-Robinson (@KarleneSinRob), founding member of finance consultation firm KsR Solution LLC, wrote the book to deter small business owners from pursuing poor business models that never get proper capital. Her expertise in handling millions in non-traditional financing and research on the subject has crafted a sensational finance guide. I discovered the author through a Twitter chat and asked for a review copy. A Signpost on the Many Highways of Finance Spank The Bank covers the latest finance instruments such as peer-to-peer lending and crowdsourcing, as well as traditional financing services such as business credit lines, asset-backed loans and factoring. What makes the book a unique guide is how it outlines these resources. With each financing option, Sinclair-Robinson explains the pros and cons, along with what to do in your business prior to selecting a choice. Using asides called Biztips, Sinclair-Robinson highlights the "so-what" of the information provided. For example, the first chapter details the business structures available, with a reminder as to what is at stake when selecting a structure:
One great aspect of the book is that each option is fit against the kind of businesses that would pursue an examined option. Cost is considered, as well as term definitions associated for each subject. In fact, a terrific aspect is that the definitions are lengthy enough to appreciate what to expect with a choice. Take the explanation about Purchase Order Financing (POF); there's a context about the type of risk being considered with POF:
Sinclair-Robinson then follows up with key takeaway of what to expect with POF:
Learn Finance Facts Instead of Myths Sinclair-Robinson also dispels widely cited myths, such as free business grants or that the SBA issues business loans. You'll understand what resources matches to your business. The chapters are brief, so you may weigh the information value against the nature of the topic. The chapter on venture capital is nowhere near as detailed as David Gladstone's Venture Capital Investing, for example. But the information would give your business the right starting point for appreciating the difference of VC investment against another financing choice. Plus, if you are using an accounting system, the topics in Spank The Bank will help you frame what accounting metrics and concepts need scrutiny and potential improvement. You'll get an idea of what to work in on. Cases, recommended reading and sample forms round out the guide. Such comparisons are what Sinclair-Robinson intended. She succeeds at every effort to make information accessible to all small business owners. In reviewing each chapter, I felt that the explanations were as straight-forward for the electrician contractor as it would be for a professional looking for a few pointers. Both business people would make confident decisions after reading this book. I also liked how Sinclair-Robinson ties other business aspects into the financing decision. My personal favorite is the reference to an online presence – bet you had not considered how much your website is a factor in finance. Read this 9th myth from the Business Financing Myths and Misconceptions chapter:
We've seen a few good books on specific details, such as local investment options in Locavesting or wealth creation in Wealth Creation for Small Business Owners. Few books covers finance details with the scope Sinclair-Robinson has provided. Spank The Bank is a winning addition to the business library. It will help many small business owners craft one of the most important, sought-after resources and deploy it effectively. The post Read “Spank The Bank” to Choose the Right Financing for Your Business appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
BlackBerry officially launched another BlackBerry device last week — the Blackberry Q5. This is the third smartphone device announced by BlackBerry this year. All three use the new BlackBerry 10 operating system.
It was just a couple of years ago that I lamented about the lack of finance guides aimed at small business owners. Meanwhile, the number of non-traditional finance resources has increased, competing with traditional banking sources. As a result, business owners have clamored for books outlining all finance options available.| You are subscribed to email updates from Small Business Trends To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
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