Small Business Influencer 2013 Awards: Meet The Top 100 Champions |  |
- Small Business Influencer 2013 Awards: Meet The Top 100 Champions
- Small Business Should Pay Attention to Big Data
- New iPad Mini Could be Delayed Past Holidays
- Habits of Online Shoppers That You Should Know
- Amazon Smartphones Generating Lots Of Buzz
- Cell Phone Comparison Review: Samsung, HTC, Nokia and iPhone
| Small Business Influencer 2013 Awards: Meet The Top 100 Champions Posted: 10 Oct 2013 02:00 AM PDT
The Small Business Influencer 2013 Awards has named its Top 100 Champions. And now we’re gearing up for our big Awards Gala in New York City, on October 17, 2013. And we’d love to have you join us. The Awards, now in their third year and produced by Small Business Trends and Small Biz Technology, honor companies, organizations, vendors, apps and people who have made a significant impact on the North American small business market. The first phase consisted of the small business community nominating and choosing their key small business influencers. The second phase included an all-star judging panel voting for the top 100 champions. The Top Champions, Honorable Mentions and Community Choice Honorees will be honored at an Awards Gala in October 2013, in New York City.
We congratulate all the winners! For a full list to see who won:
The Small Business Influencers Gala Networking Event
ALL ARE WELCOME: Winners, supporters, networkers and otherwise – please join us to celebrate your chosen Top 100 Small Business Champions and Community Choice Honorees! REGISTRATION: Registration to attend the Awards Gala in New York City is now open and we’d love to have you join us.
Images: 2012 Small Business Influencer Awards Gala The post Small Business Influencer 2013 Awards: Meet The Top 100 Champions appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| Small Business Should Pay Attention to Big Data Posted: 09 Oct 2013 04:00 PM PDT
Big data is big news. Everyday a wealth of digital information is generated by people around the world through emails, blogs, social media posts, online credit card purchases, cell phone usage and more. According to IBM, 2.5 quintillion bytes of data are generated daily and 90 percent of the total data in existence was created within the last two years. Todd Taylor, NetStandard's Vice President of Hosted Technology, explained at IBM Edge2013 how this remarkable data growth offers businesses unlimited possibilities:
This information can then be translated into improved marketing, tailored services and cost savings. Small Business, Big DataWhile many large businesses have invested in big data technology, small businesses have been slow to take part. Taylor explains that while big data technologies might not seem appealing for businesses with limited resources, it is better for businesses to invest in analytics now, before their big data grows to unmanageable proportions. Big data is more accessible than ever, thanks to a rise in cost-effective big data technologies. In addition to the well known Google Analytics and Google Adwords, there are many other free or low-priced technologies that are well suited for a range of small businesses. Before investing and implementing big data technologies, small businesses should take stock of their existing data and their business objectives. Personalized BusinessIn many ways, big data is making it possible for small businesses to return to their marketing roots. In a recent Forbes article, Steve King, partner at Emergent Resources, explains how in the past:
This personalization was lost for many businesses as their customer base became more culturally and geographically diverse, but now "big data is bringing back personalized service." So, when trying to harness big data, small businesses should select specific goals that relate to their business and their customers. The aforementioned Forbes article describes how some roofing companies use Google Earth to inspect the roofs of potential customers. This allows them to determine whether or not the repairs are feasible, saving them the time and money that would be required for an in-person inspection. It also gives them the information they need to market directly to other potential customers in the neighborhood. Big Data ToolsIn a recent interview, Anukool Lakhina, founder and CEO of Guavus, explains how small businesses already generate a wealth of useable big data through sales receipts, software-as-service applications, Excel spreadsheets and social media. The key is to connect the data together in a way that produces timely and actionable insights. This is where affordable big data technologies come into play. Most businesses, whether large or small, have a social media presence and sites such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn are a ready source of customer data. Social Mention is a free tool that allows businesses to monitor social media sites for specific subjects. Users receive daily email alerts on online mentions of a subject of their choice, such as their company name, a competitor's name, a certain market trend or a certain keyword. Business accounting software can also be a rich source of big data. QuickBooks Online offers a trends feature that allows companies to see how they are doing compared to industry averages. The trends feature compiles and organizes customer data to create overall industry trends. Users can then compare their income and expenses to those of similar businesses. Once the data has been combined and analyzed, businesses should automate these processes for truly timely information. With targeted big data initiatives, small businesses can better tailor their services to their customers and grow their business. Sea of Data Photo via Shutterstock The post Small Business Should Pay Attention to Big Data appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| New iPad Mini Could be Delayed Past Holidays Posted: 09 Oct 2013 01:30 PM PDT
Business owners and entrepreneurs-on-the-go interested in a small tablet with high resolution from Apple may not get it anytime soon. The company launched its first 7-inch tablet, the iPad Mini last year. But sources now say the launch of a followup device has been delayed. In fact, an upgraded iPad Mini 2 may not be available, except perhaps in minimum quantities, until after the holidays, Reuters reports. However, more details may arise from a special “iPad event” the company has apparently scheduled for Oct. 22. Here’s a review of the original device: Alternatives to the iPad Mini AboundFortunately, alternatives to the iPad Mini now abound. First, Google’s new Nexus 7 was introduced in July. The device offers a high resolution 7-inch display and is available in a 16GB Wi-Fi, 32GB Wi-Fi and 32GB 4G LTE version. The Nexus 7 starts at $229 making it potentially cheaper than the current iPad Mini which lists at Amazon for $337.95. Meanwhile, Amazon has two 7-inch tablets of its own, the Kindle Fire HD and Kindle Fire HDX. The devices should both be available from retailers this month and start at $139 and $229 respectively. Retina DisplayThe major distinction for the new iPad Mini 2 was expected to be Retina Display, already available on some of Apple’s other devices. The company defines the feature as a dramatic increase in the number of pixels to the point where the human eye can no longer perceive them individually. You’ll have to decide whether high resolution on the other three 7-inch devices is comparable, especially in terms of your daily business use. Unhappy Holiday Photo via Shutterstock The post New iPad Mini Could be Delayed Past Holidays appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| Habits of Online Shoppers That You Should Know Posted: 09 Oct 2013 11:00 AM PDT
Online customers are becoming important to most businesses. For example, in a recent Nielson Global Survey more than 85 percent of the world’s online population has already used the Internet to make purchases. But what do we really know about online consumer shopping habits and their preferences? What they buy and why? Our small business community has some answers you may find helpful. Online Consumer Shopping HabitsMars and Venus: Not All Online Shoppers are the SameAs you might expect, online buyers differ in many ways. But one of the greatest differences online merchants should be aware of is the difference between male and female online shoppers. In many areas, men and women differ little in their online shopping habits, reports Rieva Lesonsky. For example, the majority of purchases by both genders (87 percent in the case of men and 82 percent of women) are made from desktops. Also most online shoppers, regardless of gender (84 percent of women and 81 percent of men) make online purchases at home. So where do men and women differ in terms of online shopping habits? The big difference is how they tend to find products online. Specifically, women are more likely to respond to marketing emails while men are more likely to find products while surfing online. Many Online Shoppers are Easily DistractedOnline shoppers are easily distracted as demonstrated by the number of abandoned online shopping carts. For example, Ilana Bercovitz, a social media and marketing professional, reflects on the need to retarget online shoppers due to distraction:
Most commonly, retargeting involves use of a cookie allowing a site you have visited and shown interest in to “follow you” with relevant ads online to lead you back to the site. Bercovitz lists a number of companies offering services allowing you to set up your own retargeting campaigns. They include Google Remarketing, AdRoll, Fetchback and Bercovitz’s own Retargeter. Do you need a way to bring online shoppers back to your site in order to make a purchase? Online Buyers Use Multiple DevicesOnline consumer shopping habits indicate that online buyers are also more unlikely to find your product or service via just one device than probably ever before. In fact, an estimated 90 percent of consumers today use multiple screens (smartphone, laptop, tablet) during the day. And this includes when they’re looking at your website and possibly buying a product or signing up for a survice. Web design professional William Johnson talks about the need to develop a multi-screen ecommerce strategy. Johnson quotes data suggesting that today 65 percent of purchases begin on a smartphone, while 25 percent begin on a laptop and 11 percent start on a tablet. Johnson reports most of the customers who make these purchases will use multiple devices to visit a site before making their final decision. Many Online Shoppers Are Still Looking for the Best DealsJust like shoppers offline, shoppers visiting your website will be looking for deals. And they will likely make a purchase on another site if you don’t offer the right price. Rieva Lesonsky shares a few more details about how consumers buy online. She explains:
But Lesonsky days that doesn’t mean online consumers will spend more than they have to or that they aren’t looking for the best price they can find. For example, 75 percent of online shoppers polled recently said price was a factor in their latest purchase, she said. And 79 percent of those consumers said they bought from the site where they found the best price. Here are some other things online merchants should keep in mind about online consumer shopping habits, Lesonsky said:
Showrooming is Not a Big FactorDespite all the complaints coming from brick and mortar retailers, most online shoppers still don’t do much “showrooming” it seems. This refers to the supposedly popular practice of visiting a retail store, looking at a product and then finding a cheaper version online. But does this really happen all that much? Not exactly. According to Lesonsky, 78 percent of online shoppers don’t look at a product in a store before buying it online. Only 12 percent look at a product in a store then buy it from the same retailer online. And just 10 percent see products in the store and later buy them elsewhere. Shopping Photo via Shutterstock The post Habits of Online Shoppers That You Should Know appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| Amazon Smartphones Generating Lots Of Buzz Posted: 09 Oct 2013 08:00 AM PDT
If you want to create huge buzz for an upcoming product or service, just announce you’re working on it and then refuse to give any details. That seems to be Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos’ strategy when it comes to development of what will be his company’s first venture into the smartphone market with Amazon smartphones. On the heels of releasing three new Kindle Fire tablets, including the Kindle Fire HDX 7-inch and 8.9-inch devices, the smartphone project remains mostly under wraps. Amazon Smartphones Include Two OptionsMultiple media reports point to two smartphone devices. One would be a modestly priced “value” phone with an operating system similar to the existing Kindle Fires. But the phone would not be free as previously speculated, reports tech news site Jessica Lessin. The other more expensive device would include such seemingly improbable features as a simulated 3D display screen and face recognition possibly used to customize the display to the device’s owner. But it might also include a means of scanning real world objects and calling them up for purchase on Amazon, reports TechCrunch. (Talk about showrooming!) Here’s more on both phones: More Consumer than BusinessWith no release date so far, the devices frankly sound more like consumer than business technology, as were the early Kindles arguably. On the other hand, if Amazon comes up with a budget smartphone useful enough to small business owners, it could mean at least one more option for your company’s mobile technology plans. Either way small business owners and entrepreneurs can learn a lot from Bezos who has us all talking about products that haven’t even been released yet. Smartphone Photo via Shutterstock The post Amazon Smartphones Generating Lots Of Buzz appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| Cell Phone Comparison Review: Samsung, HTC, Nokia and iPhone Posted: 09 Oct 2013 05:00 AM PDT No-contract cell phone plans are common, but not widely talked about among business owners. Most of the time, you hear about the major carrier brands because they provide an "all you can eat" unlimited type plan and that appeals to the busy owner. However, those plans come with a hitch – you get a lower cost of entry, but overall higher cost. In this cell phone comparison review, I take a fast look at six smartphones: Three from Boost Mobile, two from new kid on the block, Aio Wireless (owned by not-so-new-kid, AT&T) and one from Ting.
[From left to right: Samsung S4 from Ting; Samsung S3, HTC One, LG Optimus 7 from Boost Mobile; Nokia 720 Windows Phone and iPhone 5 from Aio Wireless.] Four of the phones included in this cell phone comparison review are Android-based smartphones. Although they are running nearly the same operating system (OS), they are far from the same. Manufacturers decide to build their hardware for a specific version, let's say Android 3.0, and then create an interface or skin that is unique to that particular device. The look and feel is mostly the same, but not entirely. What May Not Be ObviousIn the no-contract cell phone world, you purchase your phone for cash. There is no subsidy from a major carrier here. There's no long term contract (as the name implies) and usually no penalties if you decide to move to another plan or provider, depending on the phone. You pay on a month-to-month basis, and sometimes prepaying several months to a year ahead gets you a greater discount. Some of the no-contract providers have special offers, on a certain phone, that helps reduce the cost. On the surface, all smartphones are relatively the same. Each of them is a powerful little computer that can do some or all of the tasks you might do on a laptop. In fact, I have used a Bluetooth keyboard with several of these to type out a document in Evernote as well as on the mobile version of Microsoft Word. I have built simple spreadsheets and recorded presentations. As you can see in the image below, I have put the HTC One SV on a tablet stand along with a Kensington Bluetooth keyboard. The tablet stand is called the iSlider from Rain Design. I use it with a variety of mobile devices and find it works well and travels well. Some days, this is all I have in my bag. Sure, the screen is small, but it backs up to the cloud and I pull it up on my laptop when I’m back on my main machine.
Now, to the cell phone and service reviews. Cell Phone Comparison ReviewSamsung S4I wrote a review of Ting with the S3 and the company also sent me the S4 to review. Hands-down, this is the fastest, most powerful smartphone I have used and you can even hook your S4 and view it on a television. I love their “Savings Calculator” to help consumers and business owners pick the options that work best. I currently pay about $15/month for my base plan which includes 100 minutes, 100 Mb of data, and 100 texts ($3 for each option, then $6 for phone/line cost). Hard to beat. Loads of phones to choose from, including used ones and the ability to bring your own, if your existing phone works on Sprint. Boost Mobile sent me test devices for the next three phones (pictured: white, red and black, in order). While the devices are awesome, it is the plan that really stands out. They offer what they call “shrinking payments” which allows you to reduce your bill by paying on time. You can get your bill down to $40/month for a pretty good unlimited plan. Samsung S3While this loaner is not mine, I have and use the S3 daily. I use the voice recorder constantly for dictating posts, but also love the powerful speaker capability on this phone. There’s a little sound “boost” option while in speakerphone mode that helps in noisy situations. The S3 is not much different than the S4. Since I use both nearly every day (my wife owns an S4 that I mess with regularly), I only see small differences. As above, the S4 is faster. If I were purchasing another today, I would opt for the S3 because you get most of the goodness in a lower cost phone. HTC One SVA sweet, little phone that fits really nice in your hand. It has a slight velvet feel that gives it some grip. It is an Android-powered phone, but HTC has its own skin or theme that makes using it vary a bit from other Android phones and takes only a few minutes to get used to. LG Optimus F7Elegant and fast, I found this phone to offer the strongest and fastest data connection with better than average performance downloading files. That could be Sprint, but my Ting phone is on Sprint as well and the F7 was much faster. Without getting too technical, I think LG has some advantages under the hood that Samsung hasn't cracked yet on the data access part. Nokia Lumia 620 Windows PhoneOkay, full disclaimer: You have to love Windows 8 to love this phone. If you have been using another operating system, it will take a bit of learning to adapt to this interface. However, it did have some neat features that neither Android nor Apple had. You can point your phone at a nearby street or neighborhood and it will display all the area businesses at a glance. You can then click through to see more about that business. The overall interface is slick, but it just takes a bit of getting used to. Other than that, it works like any other smartphone. Apple iPhone 5One of the downsides to some of the no-contract cell phone plan providers is they don't get the newest phones first – those go to the major carriers with more subsidy dollars to spend. However, hats off to Aio for coming out of the gate with great new phones. At the time they sent me the media loaner, the iPhone 5 was the newest phone from Apple. Of course, this is a powerful iPhone and you’re either a fan or you’re not. But you really cannot go wrong with an Apple product. Aio Wireless phones are very affordable and the smartphone plans start at $55/month. They have a ‘bring your own phone’ option too, if you have an eligible existing phone that will work with one of their SIM cards. No contract plans are not for everyone, but for those who don't mind paying upfront for their phone, it is a great option. You can save a bundle on the monthly costs and justify moving from most major carrier contract plans. What provider/plan are you currently using? The post Cell Phone Comparison Review: Samsung, HTC, Nokia and iPhone appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
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