5 Tools To Help Boost Your Business Success

As I mentioned in a previous post I am in the business of “connecting people” not the telecommunications business.

I like to connect with people and, in turn, help them connect with other people.

I sell a lot of mobile phone handsets, office phone systems and internet plans. With evolving technologies and services, what I sold 10 year ago is not the same thing that I necessarily sell today.There’s also a vastly wider array of areas where my advice is sought and where I consult.

Cloud Services have changed the way I run my business and cloud services become an integral part of what I suggest to other businesses – whether established businesses or those starting out.

I often get asked by startups what they need and how they should get started. The suggestions below aren’t necessarily free but they can be made incredibly cost effective with the right advice and implementation. I know for many businesses that cashflow is important and sometimes cost is a deciding factor so anything we can do to reduce costs without reducing quality of service is valuable.

Here are the key things I suggest that ALL businesses need to maximise their productivity and chances of success.

Google Apps for Business – I absolutely LOVE Google Apps for business. It combines all the software you’d normally get in the Microsoft Office Suite for a fraction of the price, with calendar and email functionality, AND access to your own cloud storage so you can access your files on the go. More than that, tools like Google Hangout allow you to have live video conference and messaging conversations with staff – wherever you are in the world.

A Smartphone – Having a smartphone is like having an office in your pocket and these days they need not be overly expensive. A smartphone is like your telephone and your computer rolled into one. You can take calls. You can receive and respond to emails. You can create and edit documents in the Google Apps suite mentioned above. I am a bit of a Google Evangelist. I love Google and I love the Android operating system. Having said that I recognise that Android is not for everyone and Apple’s iOS is a great operating system too. I also like Window’s phone but given their low penetration there aren’t as many apps available to you

Facebook – There are so many social media platforms available to you but if I had to choose, number one to be on is Facebook. With Facebook you have over a billion people worldwide having accounts (in Australia over half the population have a Facebook Account.) Whether your target market is business to business or consumer focussed with the right strategy you can connect with the right people on Facebook.

A website – I personally believe that EVERY business can benefit from having a website. I am an advocate of the spokes and hub approach to digital marketing, where the website should be the hub of all of your online activities. Websites help you get found, they can help you get customers and they help you build credibility for your business. Websites don’t need to be cost prohibitive either. There are a number of template options available to you that mean you can have  professional looking website for minimal outlay

A strong contact networking group – No matter what anyone tells you, businesses thrive and survive on the back of effective networking. My life purpose is to connect people. My business is about providing the right technology and digital solutions for businesses and training them in how to use them. My passion is introducing people. For this reason I am a big advocate for BNI although there are other strong contact networking groups out there. You don’t have to join BNI but I would recommend that you look at getting a strong core of associates around you and you all work together for a common goal – to help each other grow each other’s business. You should also make sure that you look to connect with what BNI calls your “power team.” A power team is allied businesses – those businesses that target the same customer that you do but aren’t selling competing products. For example, with telecommunications products allied businesses are signwriting companies, printers and insurance brokers for example (there are many others but here are just a few).

Obviously these aren’t the only things that are needed for a business to succeed. First and foremost you need a product or service that fill a need that a group of people are willing to pay for. This isn’t enough though. A lack of organisation and a lack of the right tools can hold you back. These tools mentioned above are designed to help. They are designed to increase your chances of success and help you connect with more people whilst at the same time being more productive. If you want to learn about being more productive in your business, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.