Xero Launches New Features and Plans for a Payroll Solution |  |
- Xero Launches New Features and Plans for a Payroll Solution
- Moto G Offers Another Budget Business Option
- Obamacare’s Impact on Small Business Finance
- B2B Deals Galore! Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday
- Quickbooks Integrates American Express, Square and Others
- How Do Your Holiday Retail Marketing Plans Stack Up Against Competition?
| Xero Launches New Features and Plans for a Payroll Solution Posted: 22 Nov 2013 02:00 AM PST
Xero, the cloud-based accounting solution, has added a collection of new features recently. All enhance the experience of small businesses using the software, the company says. And all seem like lead-ins to the company’s planned introduction of a payroll solution in the second week of December 2013. Jamie Sutherland, President of Xero US, in a recent phone interview said:
Unlike desktop driven solutions or those with a hybrid online version, Sutherland claims Xero offers real-time views of your business’s finances as changes occur. Sutherland says this is because the information resides on Xero’s third party servers and not in different versions on various computers. Packages start at $19 per month for small businesses depending on the number of invoices and payments being processed. The New Zealand-based company recently raised an additional $150 million in funding to compete in the U.S. market where it arrived two years ago. New Xero FeaturesBelow are the new features the company says it’s rolled out recently in a run-up to the introduction of its new payroll offering:
New Payroll Feature ComingSutherland says the new payroll service is coming to Xero the second week of December 2013 with several price packages based on the size of your company. Xero will be sharing more details about the new service at a live online “roadshow” presentation scheduled for Dec. 3, 2013. The post Xero Launches New Features and Plans for a Payroll Solution appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| Moto G Offers Another Budget Business Option Posted: 21 Nov 2013 04:00 PM PST
New mobile devices like Verizon’s Ellipsis 7 are the latest trend in consumer tech appealing to the budget business user. And Motorola, now under the guidance of new owner Google, may be adding to that trend with its new Moto G. Unveiled just months after the Moto X, the new phone may be even more of a bargain but still have features useful to frugal small business owners. In a release on the official Motorola Blog, the company explained:
Motorola says that’s because high-priced smartphones give consumers the choice between cheap new smartphones with inferior components and older premium smartphones that are almost obsolete. Low Cost With Useful FeaturesSold at just $179 unlocked and without a contract, Moto G’s 8 GB version should attract attention for its price alone. A 16 GB version will be available for $199. Among other features that may interest business users are:
Here’s another overview of the phone’s features from TheVerge: One downside, The Verge notes, is the lack of 4G LTE. This could be a problem for mobile entrepreneurs in need of high speed data transfer from their smartphones. The phones are designed with a curved back and interchangeable shells in nineteen customizable combinations. The phone is now available only in parts of South America and Europe but should be available in the U.S. by January. Whether you feel the Moto G is right for your business or not, it serves as a great example of targeting an under-served market. Image: Motorola The post Moto G Offers Another Budget Business Option appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| Obamacare’s Impact on Small Business Finance Posted: 21 Nov 2013 01:30 PM PST
It should come as little surprise that following the “fumbled” launch of President Obama’s signature health care initiative, the Affordable Care Act (ACA), his ratings have sunk to a new low. According to a recent Washington Post/ABC News poll, 55 percent of Americans disapprove of the way the President is handling his job. This represents his lowest ratings ever. Moreover, 63 percent disapprove of the implementation of Obama’s much ballyhooed health care law. The Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare”) is more than just a source of political bickering. Debate over the legislation led to the government shutdown in October, which hurt small businesses significantly. The law has been the center of political debate since President Obama came into office. It’s an issue so volatile that it led to the shutdown, which had the unintended consequence of hurting small companies in three ways:
The Obamacare Impact on Small BusinessThe impact on the flow of capital to small business owners was somewhat of an unexpected consequence of the shutdown. My company’s Biz2Credit Small Business Lending Index (additional coverage here) for October 2013 reported a 20 percent drop in small business loan approval rates at big banks. Meanwhile, smaller banks granted less than half of funding requests. The popular SBA 7(a) loans and other lending initiatives available through the Small Business Administration were at a standstill for three weeks because the agency was closed. The delay has caused a backlog of SBA loan approvals that will likely last through the end of the year. Even non-SBA loans stalled because bank loan officers require income verification from the IRS in order to approve funding requests. Because the data was not available to lenders, non-SBA loans slowed. Desperate for capital, many small business owners turned to high interest funding from so-called alternative lenders (cash advance companies, accounts receivable funders, etc.). High interest loans add to the cost of operation of any business and negatively impact the bottom line. Increased Insurance CostsMeanwhile, it is apparent that Obamacare is causing an increase in insurance costs. Millions of Americans have had their insurance policies cancelled because they did not match ACA requirements. This is in sharp contrast to the President’s famous promise:
The replacement costs for the cancelled policies are turning out to be much higher than expected. Again small business owners are squeezed. Not only are premiums more expensive, they are also less comprehensive. Co-pays and the costs of prescription drugs are rising significantly in many cases. Entrepreneurs are not just business owners; they are individuals with families who are covered by health insurance policies. Economic UncertaintyAny economist will tell you that markets dislike uncertainty. To say there is uncertainty surrounding the implementation of the Affordable Care Act would be an understatement. Small business owners, particularly retailers, are already nervous about their 2014 prospects. Because consumers are unsure how much they will have to pay in the form of increased insurance costs, they may be more cautious in their 2013 holiday spending. This is bad news for the economy. Hindered Job CreationLastly, the fumbled start of Obamacare is hurting job-creation. I speak to dozens of small business owners on a weekly basis. Many of them are refraining from hiring full-time workers. They are also looking at ways to scale back workers’ hours to part-time status and hiring free lancers to fill the voids. These tactics are being implemented to keep the number of employees below 50. In this way, the Affordable Care Act is a job-killer. When people ask me my thoughts about Obamacare’s impact on small business, I point to the three areas:
So far, the launch of the new government health law has negatively impacted small businesses, which drive both the growth and new hiring in the U.S. economy. Obama Photo via Shutterstock The post Obamacare’s Impact on Small Business Finance appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| B2B Deals Galore! Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday Posted: 21 Nov 2013 11:00 AM PST
Make Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday count! They are all opportunities to make the most of the holiday season. We've collected some B2B offers and resources below. We will be adding to our list throughout the big weekend, too, so bookmark us and keep checking back. Black FridayDell Offers Pre-Black Friday Business Deals. (Dell) You don’t need to wait until Black Friday to save on small business tech. Dell is promoting what it calls Pre-Black Friday deals. There are savings on desktops, laptops, tablets and more. The site shows savings of over $200 on some laptops. There are no details about when the sale might be over so scope out the technology you are interested in as soon as possible. Spend Nothing on Your Next Smartphone (Deal News) Everyone knows there are big savings on electronics on Black Friday. But you can save on more than just consumer items. For example, Best Buy is offering this Samsung Galaxy S4 for free with a two year plan. Take advantage of this deal starting Thursday Nov. 28 at 6 p.m. Check Out this Free Checklist (Firefly Store Solutions) Black Friday can be a huge boon to your small retail business — if you’re prepared in advance. Here is a checklist (infographic) you may want to refer to and share with colleagues to make sure you’re ready to go. Small Business SaturdayTwitter Gives Away Free Advertising Credits (Twitter Blog) Specifically, the microblogging platform is giving away $1 million in free advertising credits on its platform in support of Small Business Saturday. Only new advertisers based in the U.S. are eligible. And you’d better hurry. It’s first come first serve with the first 10,000 businesses getting $100 in credits each. Create an Ad on Foursquare and Win (Foursquare for Business) If Foursquare, the location-based social media network, is more your speed, here’s another offer for online advertising you might want to consider. Create an ad on the site between now and Dec. 31, and you’ll get $50 worth of ad credits. Again though, better hurry. It says while supplies last. Get a Welcome Mat and 20 Reusable Shopping Bags — Free (American Express) The deadline has passed to guarantee receipt of these bags in time for Small Business Saturday. But you can still order them and promote your small business or someone else’s in your community year-round. Again these mats and reusable bags are free and are in limited supply, so don’t wait. Cyber MondayFree Social Media and Email Marketing Resources (Vertical Response) You don’t need to wait until Cyber Monday to take advantage of these tools — many free — from VerticalResponse. They include an email subject line generator, guides for online marketing during the holidays, downloadable holiday buttons and more. Clearly these are online marketing tools most useful for reaching customers in preparation for Cyber Monday. But VerticalResponse has announced the site will be available all through the holiday season. Resource List Provides Hundreds of Offers (Shop.org) Cyber Monday isn’t just for consumers, as we’ve said. Small businesses can find many deals too. This comprehensive list is one place to start with offers from brands like HP, Office Max, McAfee and more. Though clearly labeled as Cyber Monday offers, many are valid through the end of the year or even the first few days of 2014, but some end sooner. Please check the individual deadline of the offer that interests you to make sure you don’t miss out. Other B2B Holiday DealsGet a PRNewsWire Press Release for 30% Off (Small Business Trends) This is our very own special deal for you. If you’re planning on running a holiday campaign, discount or sales event, or a business event, announce it in a press release and use the code SMBTRENDS30 to get 30% off. This offer expires on November 27, 2013. Editor’s Note: If you know of more resources or offers that belong on our list, we’ll be updating it daily so be sure to email them to us at sbtips@gmail.com. Include a link and as many details as you can about how the offer/resource benefits small businesses. Shopping Mall Photo via Shutterstock The post B2B Deals Galore! Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| Quickbooks Integrates American Express, Square and Others Posted: 21 Nov 2013 08:00 AM PST
QuickBooks online business management software is now used by half a million small businesses worldwide. Intuit, the company responsible for that software, says the online version has been available since 2000, earlier than many other online accounting software services. But this will be the first year Intuit expects to acquire more customers for its online product than for its more traditional boxed software (used by millions of customers). That’s according to Terry Hicks who is a VP and General Manager. American Express, Square and an APIWith the increased popularity of its online services, Intuit is pushing to make QuickBooks a more open platform. The company is hoping to integrate more online services its customers might need. Said Hicks in a recent phone interview:
Hicks said early on the company created a developer’s tool book to make it easier for developers interested in building applications to interact with the software. Today, Intuit has released an API making it possible for developers to integrate their own apps and software into QuickBooks more easily. Hicks said the company currently has about 60 partners who have tools that work easily with the QuickBooks software. Most recently the company announced it was working with American Express and Square, the pocket-sized credit card reader, to make it easier to flow data from both services directly into QuickBooks. In some cases, Intuit has partnered with companies that serve businesses with specific needs in certain regions of the world. For example, QuickBooks is used by entrepreneurs and small businesses in 125 different countries. But some of those countries have different rules and regulations governing business. Despite having its own Payroll function, Intuit partnered with KeyPay in Australia. KeyPay provides software more in tune with the requirements for businesses in that country. Increased integration means it will continue to be easier to use other important small business tools in conjunction with QuickBooks for running a small business. And the company says it plans to keep adding development partners whose tools work to enhance the service QuickBooks provides. Image: Wikipedia The post Quickbooks Integrates American Express, Square and Others appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| How Do Your Holiday Retail Marketing Plans Stack Up Against Competition? Posted: 21 Nov 2013 05:00 AM PST
With this year's holiday shopping season significantly shorter than last year's due to a late Thanksgiving, retailers are ramping up their marketing plans to compete. Manta's Q3 Small Business Wellness Index surveyed small business owners about their holiday retail marketing plans, and here's what they found. Some 85 percent of small business owners in the survey say this holiday season will be just as important, if not more so, than last year's in their overall sales. However, recent economic issues have small business owners worried. The government shutdown shook small business owners' confidence. Half of the entrepreneurs in the study predict holiday sales will suffer as a result. Just 13 percent say they are more optimistic about sales this year than they were in 2012. The Plan to Attract Customers and Boost SalesSales TacticsHalf of small business owners plan to maintain their current sales strategies during the holiday season, with a focus on sales and promotions. Among those planning to change their holidays' sales strategies, 11 percent will start promoting earlier (which I assume means they've already begun), 11 percent plan to leverage social media and 8 percent will increase their email marketing outreach. What Matters MostSmall business owners believe the three most influential factors for holiday shoppers are:
And they plan to focus on these issues for the holidays. MillennialsThe Millennial generation will be a key target market for small businesses this holiday season. Nearly 30 percent of business owners believe Millennials are more likely than other generations to shop using a mobile device, and 15 percent say Millennials are more engaged by video than their other customers. Going MobileSmall business owners are paying attention to mobile marketing. Some 20 percent expect to see more mobile transactions this year and 13 percent plan to use mobile to drive in–store shopping by using mobile coupons or discounts. Small Business SaturdayAs for in-store shopping, the Small Business Saturday initiative is expected to make a difference for 21 percent of small business owners, while 36 percent are unsure what effect it will have on sales. With Black Friday just days away, there's still time to make some moves that will improve your holiday sales. Ways to Improve Your Holiday SalesBundle it UpGroup products and services into packages at different price points. This helps customize gift offerings so customers feel they're getting (and giving) something more personal. It can also help you attract both big spenders and bargain hunters. Keep it LocalParticipate in Small Business Saturday to help drive neighborhood shoppers into your store. Visit the Small Business Saturday website to get tools and tips you can use to promote your products. Reach Out with Email MarketingTry targeting your emails based on products you know shoppers have shown prior interest in. Test different email offers, discounts and subject lines to see what gets the best results. Think MobileMillennials aren't the only customer demographic going mobile. Moms are huge mobile users, too. Make sure your marketing emails are mobile-friendly and that any links in the emails go to a mobile-friendly landing page on your website so shoppers don't get frustrated. Try TextingAsk customers to opt in to receive text messages from you and send them timely discount codes, limited-time promotional offers and more to drive them into your store. Give Them a NudgeRemind customers of the short shopping season and use marketing messages that encourage them to start early so they can finish shopping faster and with less stress. Creating a sense of urgency will prompt customers to act. Retail Shopping Photo via Shutterstock The post How Do Your Holiday Retail Marketing Plans Stack Up Against Competition? appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
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