Archive for the Technology Category
Posted on June 12, 2010 by The Growthwire Team
There’s a free software tool available to small and medium sized businesses (SMB) today that can quickly transform your business into a savvy, high ROI digital marketing operation. This tool was originally created to help some of the world’s most sophisticated web marketers and ecommerce sites understand who was using their websites, opening targeted communication, and interacting with different parts of the operation. It allows these firms to actually track individuals, their interests, and their response to differing marketing exposure – a web marketer’s dream.
Until recently, this type of solution has only been available to larger companies that had enough electronic marketing and web-based activity to merit the monthly investment. The good news is that this is no longer the case.
One of the leading providers of lead management software, Loopfuse, is now offering a free version of their solution (it’s called FreeView) to businesses that focus on lead and customer groups of fewer than 2500 people – in other words, the average local business like yours. Should you give it a try? Answer these 3 questions to find out:
Posted on April 20, 2010 by SBarbalho
Small businesses that don’t have storefronts or hard-wired point-of-sale systems often have a tough time handling today’s most common methods of payment – debit, credit, and gift cards. If you’re reducing your customer pool to people who can pay with cash or check, or those with good enough credit to merit an invoice, you’re likely missing a ton of business in today’s economy.
This might change very soon with the new generation of low-cost, easy-to-use, card-swiping systems designed to work with smart phones.
For businesses that are largely mobile, such as home service & construction businesses, this technology can open new revenue streams. You’d be surprised how much home improvement spending is blocked today by the inability to easily transact on credit cards. These businesses are often also plagued by bad debt – checks that don’t clear and final invoices that are not paid or not paid on time. It may also open doors for part-time businesses or those wanting to commercialize their hobby interests. Say you have a side business like wood carving, photography, or making ironic t-shirts. You’d like to rent a booth at the local arts fest and sell your wares. With technology like square you can easily set your booth up with real-time credit card processing. You’ll not only save a lot of time and aggravation associated with cash boxes – the convenience will translate into more customers and higher potential price points.
Posted on January 7, 2010 by Bill Hansen
iPhone App: RedLaser
I love technology, and you have to give the geeks credit: if there’s an inefficiency in the world, it won’t be long before one of them figures out a low-cost way to eliminate it with a web service or, most recently, a smart-phone app.
Take local retailing, for instance. Used to be that when a consumer shopped at a local retailer, he or she had to pay an outrageous premium – the mark-up that covers the retailer’s rent, insurance, healthcare costs and the high-cost domestic labor that provides assistance, know-how, and help with returns.
2009′s master-innovation elegantly frees the consumer from this burden. RedLaser, the $1.99 Apple iPhone App, uses high-tech imaging technology through the phone’s camera to read the UPC barcode that appears on most products. With a quick scan, RedLaser instantly enables the user to find that product for less (the lowest-cost provider is almost always an online store). Click a link, order the product, and (if you’re really savvy) type in an online coupon code for free shipping or an additional discount. Bingo – The same exact product with significant savings and almost no time or effort! Maybe as little as a few hours away with free shipping…
