Posts Tagged ‘smb’

Utilizing Twitter to create Business Relationships

Monday, March 8th, 2010

Twitter is a service for friends, family, and co–workers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing? Why we use twitter is because even basic updates are meaningful to family members, friends, or colleagues—especially when they’re timely. With Twitter, you can stay hyper-connected to your friends and always know what they’re doing. Or, you can stop following them any time. You can even set quiet times on Twitter so you’re not interrupted. Twitter puts you in control and becomes a modern antidote to information overload. Twitter is now moving forward to another level in order to create potential business relationships for SMB owners. It is starting to become a good promotional campaign to create new leads for a company, as well as being a cost effective method to market businesses.

Twitter can help create business credibility, market your business and grow your online & offline network. Twitter offers an array of creative options that can enhance the marketing efforts of your business in an efficient manner. First, Twitter can provide a user friendly and effective process of communication between clients and companies so that both parties understand the core values and ethics of each other. Furthermore, it is a rapid approach for sharing high quality content that is essential to consumer needs, as well as the exchange of information about the organization that customers, colleagues and others may be interested to learn about.  You can market your business by publishing your Twitter handle on all direct mailings, email newsletters, blog posts and newsletters through the website and diverse marketing channels. Growing online networks can involve hosting weekly Twitter chats to bring your business community together as well as connecting your Twitter account to LinkedIn and your company website. It may further provide users the opportunity of using the Advanced Search to track down local conversations and also using the Twitter Search to track when potential customers mention a competitor. Additionally, it is a good promotional venue for offering promotions such as coupons to community members for certain business purchases.

23 percent of small businesses received a D or F grade when it comes to their own IT effectiveness

Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009

Failing gradeA study performed this month by The Yankee Group found that nearly half of small businesses have delayed or canceled IT projects because of economic uncertainty, according to a new study. But at the same time, 23 percent of small businesses received a D or F grade when it comes to their own IT effectiveness.

Small businesses are having a tough time trying to build, manage and maintain their own IT infrastructures, especially since 35 percent of respondents admitted to be short-staffed in IT, said Carl Meadows, senior manager for product management at The Planet.

The study also found that only 30 percent of SMBs have a fully implemented security program. Only 26 percent have a fully implemented disaster recovery/continuity plan. Only 42 percent said they’re fully compliant with governmental regulations and policies, such as HIPAA or PCI.

The results are especially disturbing, according to Meadows, since more than two-thirds of the small businesses responding to the survey indicated that IT and Web commerce are the foundations that enable their business success.

Failing gradeThese are ongoing issues that all small business face.  It is impossible for them to have all the expertise on hand which is needed to handle support, security, disaster recovery and the many other IT related issues that arise. That’s why outsourcing makes sense most small businesses.  Outsourced network support products like Managed Services, Onsite Maintenance & Technology Reviews are just a few of the ways outsourcing can resolve some of these current issues.

To read full Channel Web article click here