7 Ways to Use Technology to Efficiently Run Your Small Business

6 Min Read

Technology has changed both the face and the pace of small businesses over the last several years. The proper use of technology can keep small businesses connected to their customers and improve communication within the company, streamlining operations such as marketing and managing a team. If you aren’t sure how technology can help your small business, take a look at these 7 tips so you can better your business starting now.

Video.

Video humanizes your brand and builds trust.  There are countless tips to use video for your business if you aren’t sure where to begin. Video boosts conversions and sales and shows great return on investment.  Plus, Google loves videos – your business is 53 times more likely to show up first in Google if you have a video embedded on your website, according to Moovly.

Credit Management.

If you have poor credit, you aren’t doomed. It is never too late to find ways to build strong business credit.  It’s smart to use a credit-monitoring service to monitor your credit to ensure you don’t lose money to fraudulent activity.  Make sure to open your credit statements as soon as they come in the mail and review the statement carefully. Most small business owners aren’t accountants and often fail to realize how important managing business credit is to the success of their business. Hence it is highly recommended to contact the personal tradelines to manage your credit.

Social media and blogging.

Social media sites are the perfect place to showcase your business, products and services. It’s also the place where brands and customers can have meaningful conversations and build a real relationship, which leads to customer loyalty.

Blogging is the ideal way to speak to and engage with your target audience. It gives you the unique opportunity to inject your personality into your blog posts and provide valuable insight to prove yourself as a thought leader in your industry. These actions will help your business acquire more customers.

Security

Thе uѕе оf HID access cards hаѕ bееn prevalent nowadays, аѕ mоrе companies realized thе benefits thеу соuld gеt оut оf іt. Sized like a credit card, thе access card works nоt just аѕ аn identification tool but іt саn аlѕо validate аnd store data. Thе HID card саn аlѕо bе uѕе fоr different application processes. Alѕо referred tо аѕ smart cards by some companies like Smart Card Store, thе HID cards саn аlѕо bear a photo оf thе wearer fоr added security аnd аnу оthеr information typically seen іn аn ID card. Aside frоm thаt, thіѕ small plastic card hаѕ embedded electronics like a microchip, custom barcode labels оr magnetic stripes. Thіѕ feature іѕ whаt makes іt different frоm уоur typical company ID.

Customer service.

More customers than ever are turning to social media to get their customers service requests answered.  Make sure someone checks your accounts regularly – your consumers expect you to be able to help them promptly when they have questions or problems related to your products or services. I. Remember that today, customer service is more important than pricing. Customer service needs to be at the heart of your business model if you want to be successful.

Invoicing software.

Track time, request online payments, and create recurring invoices with invoicing software. Save yourself time and effort and ensure invoicing is done correctly every single time.  Nothing looks as unprofessional as bad invoicing – and it’s essential to come across as a professional at every touchpoint so you don’t lose your customers.

Online payment services.

It was reported that 66 percent of mobile users carried out at least one form of transaction in 2015.  By giving customers the choice to pay in a way other than cash, check and credit card, you can capture more sales. Electronic payments can make the process of getting paid convenient for both the small business owner and the customer.  This form is payment is one that will be big in the future due to the convenience and security of the method.

Email marketing.

Email marketing is a great way to send people the content that they want. You can use email marketing to build credibility and strengthen relationships – people prefer to do business with those they like, know and trust. Email marketing is also a great way to get in touch with people on any device – something that is crucial now that more than half of all emails are being opened on a mobile device.

Running a small business is no easy feat – it’s often you and a few trusted members of your team working diligently around the clock. Turn to technology to help you build your business, take better care of your customers and streamline your operations.

What ways has technology improved the flow of your small business?

Share This Article
Follow:
ChamberofCommerce.com specializes in helping small businesses grow their business on the web while facilitating the connectivity between local businesses and more than 7,000 Chambers of Commerce worldwide. Chamber is focused on providing the latest business news, small business advice, and helpful tips and resources for small businesses, entrepreneurs and mid to enterprise level companies. Follow us on Twitter at @ChamberOnline.