Running a small business is hard and requires those who do to wear a lot of different hats. Business owners need to work efficiently both in how they spend their money and where they focus their efforts. Fortunately, there are many different technological solutions available to make operating a small business easier and to allow owners to spend more of their time doing what they are experts at doing.
The following technologies have the capability to boost the performance and efficiency of your small business.
Cloud Computing
Cloud computing can make document and data accessibility much easier and more efficient. By using services such as Google Drive or Office 365, you can share documents with multiple people and edit them across various devices. Finish a report on your tablet that you started on your laptop or make last minute adjustments to a presentation on your phone.
If your business needs servers, you can rent out space on a server owned and operated by a cloud computing company rather than setting up your own servers which can be a very expensive process. Whenever your needs change, you can scale your access to match your requirements quickly and efficiently. This is a very cost effective approach that allows for the flexibility and easy scalability that is an absolute necessity for small businesses.
Website
Ok, most small businesses already have a website. It is 2017 after all. But most small business websites are not as optimized as they should be and are, therefore, woefully underperforming.
How well does your website provide a good user experience? Imagine your ideal customer coming to your website. Can they easily find the answers they need in order to move closer to purchasing from you? Is your website easy to navigate? Does your website work on mobile devices? Can customers find your website organically by searching for your services on a search engine? If not, it’s probably time to give your website a design facelift or invest in some search engine optimization.
Your website should be your company’s best salesperson. It should be chock-full of useful information and should cut down on your need to interact with customers.
Social Media Presence
More and more people are interacting with brands and businesses through social media. No matter what your business sells, you can find potential customers who use social media. Establishing a social media presence presents great opportunities and is relatively easy to do without needing a lot of your time. By publishing content that isn’t always promotional, you can personalize your business as people like to purchase from companies with whom they feel a personal connection.
Social media also allows you to keep in touch with customers who have already purchased from you, making them more likely to purchase from you again.
Hire a MSP Partner
Hiring an in-house IT specialist is often too expensive for small businesses, but hiring a managed service provider (MSP) is much more affordable. The greatest part of hiring a MSP is that they will actively monitor your network and devices to address problems before they deteriorate to the point that you can’t work. They will also help you set up backups for you data and come up with a disaster recovery plan. They will ensure that your network and data are secured to prevent any breaches. MSP’s are really the best, most cost-effective choice for IT support for small businesses.
