Lucrative opportunities and vast international possibilities have opened up to small businesses thanks to the Internet and the rise of the smartphones.
While latest tech makes your business’s ability to grow almost endlessly, they also make the competition rather tough. The business that wins is the business that adapts first. So, check out the following list of latest tech trends that can help your small business be better.
1. Smartphone Apps
Smartphone usage is almost ubiquitous these days. The statistics are looking better and better for smartphones than for desktops. People now spend more time on smartphones, browse the web on smartphones and more importantly, shop using smartphones. An ambitious small business such as your company therefore should have a mobile app to attract more customers and boost sales conversion rates.
2. Cloud-Based POS
If you have a physical store, is it stuck with a decades-old cashier system? That’s going to hurt sales and productivity levels of your store. Ditch that old system today and invest right away in cloud-based point of sale systems.
These are just like regular POSs, except that your information, such as catalogues, sales data, products and invoices, are all stored online on a cloud drive. You can access this information anytime and from anywhere without a hassle. Cloud-based POS can instantly digitize data used by your brick-and-mortar store, boosting efficiency overnight and saving a world of time.
These are just like regular POSs, except that your information, such as catalogues, sales data, products and invoices, are all stored online on a cloud drive. You can access this information anytime and from anywhere without a hassle. Cloud-based POS can instantly digitize data used by your brick-and-mortar store, boosting efficiency overnight and saving a world of time.
3. Online Sales
Don’t limit your sales to a single location, and sell your products across borders with a retail website. Unlike before, setting up a retail website is extremely easy and won’t cost you more than a hundred dollars.
You won’t need experts, either; thanks to platforms such as WordPress, now you can easily design a website yourself using existing themes. Improve your retail website with search engine optimisation and conversion rate optimisation tactics to attract new paying customers.
4. Social Media Marketing
Take advantage of free marketing opportunities made possible by social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. Hire a freelance social media expert for relatively cheap, and launch a social media campaign to promote your products and create brand awareness online. Other than what you pay the hired help, a social media campaign would not cost you anything.
5. Timesaving Software
Don’t let routine and monotonous tasks take up your employees’ valuable time. Automate all tasks that can be automated. Invest in time saving software, so your employees aren’t overwhelmed with simplistic tasks, and have more time to concentrate on complex tasks and projects. Modern business software can help you do everything from market research to basic accounting quickly and for cheap.
6. Cloud-Based File Storage
Save time and space at your office by moving all your data onto a cloud based storage platform like Google Drive, OneDrive or Dropbox. Not only will you get rid of those file cabinets that eat up space, your files will also be more secure. Better yet, you will be able to access any file, any time on almost any device.
Wowed yet? Then go ahead and start implementing change at your small business with the tech mentioned above.