With the world going mobile at an increasing pace, the threat of malware crashing your phone is increasing, too. All you have to do is visit a “bad” website from your smartphone or download a malicious app, and you could become a tech hostage to the scammers who attacked your phone. Lookout Mobile Security can help you identify threats before you visit a site you shouldn’t and also backs up your data to the cloud in case you lose your information (or actually lose your phone). You can also erase your entire phone’s contents remotely if your phone is stolen or lost.
Small Business Success Index 5
| Index Score* | Grade | ||
| SBSI INDEX | 73 | C- |  |
| Capital Access | 67 | D+ |  |
| Marketing & Innovation | 65 | D | |
| Workforce | 76 | C |  |
| Customer Service | 88 | B+ |  |
| Computer Technology | 75 | C | |
| Compliance | 92 | A- |  |
| *Index score is calculated on a 1-100 scale. | |||
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Small Business News
Want to Market to Moms? Get Online
January 27th, 2012 :: Rieva LesonskyBy Rieva Lesonsky
The image of mom as an old-fashioned traditionalist needs to fall by the wayside—at least, if you’re hoping to market to her successfully. Today’s moms, especially those with very young children at home, are embracing the digital world and increasingly researching, shopping and sharing product information online.
eMarketer recently reported on two studies about moms’ online shopping behavior and here’s what they found. In an Eric Mower and Associates survey, more than half of new mothers said they now spend less time watching TV (59 percent) and reading magazines (55 percent); 59 percent also spent less time shopping in stores. The percentages didn’t change much among moms with more than one child or who had older children.
So where were moms spending more time? On the Internet, where 25 percent of moms said they are going online more. And what are they doing there? Shopping: 33 percent of moms said they spend more time on ecommerce than before having kids.
But being smart consumers, moms aren’t just buying—they’re also using the Internet to do lots of research before they ever make a purchase. A separate survey by BabyCenter, reported by eMarketer, found that when it comes to comparing prices, searching for coupons or deals, comparing product features, getting product ideas and recommendations, deciding where to buy and actually finding a store, moms were more likely to use websites to do each of these things than they were to use retail stores, traditional media or their mobile phones.
Mobile phones are quickly picking up speed, however. For instance, 28 percent of moms used mobile phones to compare prices; by comparison, just 15 percent used traditional media like newspapers and magazines to do so. Sixteen percent used phones to figure out where to buy, and 29 percent used phones to find physical stores, compared to just 9 percent who used traditional media.
As moms’ kids get older and Mom is chauffeuring them to more activities, moms are even more likely to rely on mobile devices to get information, advice and directions. (That’s not from the survey, but just my own observation from knowing a lot of moms.) What does all this mean to your business?
First, digital clearly needs to become a bigger part of your marketing mix than traditional media, if it isn’t already. For many businesses, making sure your business comes up quickly in local search engines like Local.com or Google Places is becoming more important than having an ad in the Yellow Pages or local paper. Once you’ve got those basics down, consider offering your customers deals and discounts via mobile phone, whether that’s text messaging or sending your email newsletters and offers in a mobile-optimized format.
Moms’ adoption of digital and mobile shows no signs of slowing down, so your efforts to keep pace with them shouldn’t, either.
Image by Flickr user goodncrazy (Creative Commons)
Who Were the Major Social Media Players of 2011?
January 26th, 2012 :: Monika Jansen
From social media IPO activity to the entrance of several upstarts, the U.S. social networking market is strong – and exciting. comScore recently released its report, “It’s a Social World: Top 10 Need-to-Knows About Social Networking and Where It’s Headed,” an in-depth look at the global social networking market. Here are some highlights from the U.S. market:
Facebook on top
It’s no surprise that Facebook is still the top U.S. social networking site, boasting 166 million unique visitors in November. And, how much time are we really spending on Facebook? The average user spent 6.6 hours in November, up 37 percent in the past year.
We’re number two!
LinkedIn and Twitter have been vying for the number two spot in audience size for a while now. Twitter took second place in November with 35.4 million unique visitors, only slightly ahead of LinkedIn with 35 million unique visitors.
MySpace still alive and kicking
Even though we don’t hear much about MySpace these days, the network is still holding its own. MySpace is currently in fourth place with 25 million unique visitors; however, its audience has declined steadily over the past two years.
Upstarts worth mentioning
Three newish social networks are gaining prominence – and audience members – while introducing fresh engagement tactics. Tumblr has increased its U.S. visits by 131 percent since November 2010, to 15.9 million. Tumblr is also winning points for engagement and is second only to Facebook, as its average user spends 2.4 hours on the site each month.
Google+ has gotten plenty of attention this year, and it got plenty of traffic, too. In November, the site received 15.2 million unique visits, just behind Tumblr. What’s really exciting about Google+ is its future: its integration with other Google products make it an important one to watch in 2012.
Finally, Pinterest, which I recently wrote about, deserves kudos for its quick rise in the social networking ranks. Since May 2011, Pinterest has soared from 418,000 unique visitors to nearly 4.9 million in November. Its engagement rates are impressive, too, with the average visitor spending nearly an hour and a half on the site each month. Add to that the fact that users spend more than 15 minutes on Pinterest per visit, making the site third in consumer engagement.
Even though Facebook currently remains the clear leader in the U.S. social networking market, there is plenty of room for other players to shake up the industry with new innovations. 2012 looks to be equally exciting on the social media front, so be sure to watch for emerging trends.
Image courtesy of creative design agency Arrae
Small Biz Resource Tip: Jobvite
January 25th, 2012 :: Maria Valdez HaubrichJob recruiting by social media is the latest trend, and social media tool Jobvite allows you to source and weed through referrals, social networks and the Web to find your perfect candidates. The Web-based structure also allows you to do things such as check and track referrals from your smartphone so you don’t miss out on a prime prospect. Search hundreds of sites for potential employees, post job openings on your company’s Facebook page, and make it easy to allow current employees to refer their friends and associates. Then check your personalized dashboard to see what recruiting methods are working the best for you.
Good Ecommerce Help Is Hard to Find
January 25th, 2012 :: Rieva LesonskyBy Rieva Lesonsky
Are you having trouble finding employees to run your ecommerce site? You’re not alone. While the nation faces widespread unemployment, qualified ecommerce employees are not among those looking for work, according to Forrester Research data reported by Internet Retailer.
The Forrester report Trends 2011: Staffing and Hiring For eBusiness found that a whopping 83 percent of e-commerce businesses lack adequate staff; just 17 percent say they have all the employees they need.
The situation is going to get worse before it gets better, Forrester cautions. With more companies getting involved in ecommerce, the demand for experienced ecommerce employees is only going to increase. “The supply problem is simply an issue of time,” the report notes. “E-business has not existed for long enough to produce many employees—especially good ones.”
What area is the most challenging? Nearly two-thirds (64 percent) of respondents said they have the most trouble hiring customer experience workers. Forrester theorizes that’s because these types of workers prefer to work for advertising/marketing agencies, where they can work with a wider range of clients and get more experience.
Another tough market exists for companies seeking business analysts; 53 percent of respondents said it’s hard to find this type of worker. A good business analyst has experience in both business and data collection, which can be difficult to find and costly to hire.
While developers and engineers are not as difficult to find, ironically, the most competition for these workers is in tech-centric regions such as the Silicon Valley. Smaller companies have difficulty competing against big companies like Google or Facebook with their perks, prestige and opportunities for advancement.
So how can you find qualified ecommerce workers? Forrester suggests three steps:
- Use outside recruiters with specific ecommerce recruiting expertise. Finding the right candidates from the beginning can save you time and headaches.
- Be ready to pay. The cost of ecommerce employees is not going down anytime soon, so don’t expect to get these workers cheaply. Glassdoor and PayScale are two sites Forrester suggests using to benchmark compensation in your region and industry.
- Mentor employees. Once you get some good ecommerce workers on your team, having them mentor younger workers can help build your “bench” so you don’t have to go outside the company to hire quite as often.
Image by Flickr user Daniel Broche (Creative Commons)
5 Tips for Staying Healthy on a Business Trip
January 25th, 2012 :: Maria Valdez HaubrichBy Maria Valdez Haubrich
Did one of your New Year’s resolutions involve being healthier and fitter this year? That’s great, but frequent business travel can undermine even the most determined health enthusiast. If you want this year to be the year you really get in shape, here are five tips for keeping your health and fitness regimen going—no matter where you go.
Stay hydrated. Often our bodies fool us into thinking we’re hungry when it’s really just dehydration. Carry bottled water with you and limit caffeinated coffee, tea and sodas. Drink liquids with every meal and watch alcohol intake. It may be part of entertaining for business, but go for lower-calorie alcoholic beverages like wine, or pair hard liquor with low-calorie mixers like club soda.
Get enough sleep. Speaking of sleep, it’s often the first casualty of business travel. Bring the accessories you need to get a restful night’s sleep, whether that’s earplugs, an eyeshade or white noise on your smartphone’s playlist. Try to catnap on the plane if you have a long flight—pillows and travel blankets can help here.
Take advantage of hotel offerings. More and more hotels are offering not just dreary fitness centers, but exercise gear (like DVDs, on-demand workouts on the hotel TV, or even yoga mats and exercise bands) so you can stay fit in your room instead of trekking down to the gym. If you’re a runner or fitness walker, ask the concierge to map out a safe and fun route. Find out what the hotel has to offer before you book, and you’ll have no excuse to slack on the couch.
Speak up. If you’re watching your weight, the good news is more restaurants are willing to work with you. Higher-end eateries will typically prepare foods to your specification without extra butter, cream or sauce—just ask. Chain restaurants in many states now have to post calorie counts, making it simple to see what you’re getting and avoid unhealthy dishes.
Make a plan. This is the most important tip of all. Whether it’s eating, exercising or sleeping well, the key to success is knowing what obstacles you’re likely to face and planning for how to get around them. If you will be going out to a high-calorie steakhouse, plan ahead for what you’ll eat. If you’ll be in marathon meetings, plan to work out early in the morning. You get the idea. In fitness as in business, failing to plan is planning to fail.
Image by Flickr user Matt McNier (Creative Commons)
Small Biz Resource Tip: Wave Accounting
January 24th, 2012 :: Maria Valdez HaubrichFor many businesses just starting out, and even for those running operations with just a few employees, hiring an accountant is an unnecessary expense. Wave Accounting is a free online accounting solution that can help you with features such as unlimited invoicing, expense tracking, reporting, personal finance and more. Perfect for businesses with less than nine employees, Wave Accounting gives you multiuser and multi-business access and eliminates the pain of manual entries for many business transactions. To enable the solution for free, Wave offers business suppliers a place on their site to offer you other needed business solutions.
5 Sure-Fire Social Media Tips for Small Businesses
January 24th, 2012 :: Monika Jansen
If you’re struggling with your small business’s social media strategy, turn to these tried-and-true tips for taking your strategy from stalled to stellar in no time at all. Here are five tips that put your social media activities to work:
1. Just Be Yourself
Plenty of marketers post multiple updates per day on places like Facebook, offering their followers links to their recent blog posts and tips for succeeding in business. How can you stand out from the crowd?
Being yourself and allowing your personality to shine through your social media communications can help you get the attention and interaction that will boost marketing success. Let your followers and fans know there’s a real, live person behind your posts by sprinkling in personal touches.
For example, posting pictures of your latest culinary masterpiece, or other creative endeavors, adds a fun element to an otherwise “just business” profile. If you’re heading out to cheer on your favorite sports team, or you heard something hilarious (but PG-rated) on the subway that your followers might enjoy as well, share them with your online community. These personal touches keep things fresh and are excellent conversation starters, so be sure to use them in addition to your regular wall posts.
2. Find Your Place Online
As a small business, you know you have to prioritize your resources carefully, including which social networks you devote time and energy to. Having your business on multiple social media profiles, but only giving them partial effort, won’t cut it. You need to determine where your customers are, and then devote all your effort to that network.
Use Follower Wonk or Facebook’s advertising platform to find out where your target audience is most concentrated. Then, invest all your resources building a loyal following there, and engage your community by giving it the attention it deserves. Your good work here will help you build a case for expanding your reach (and the necessary resources) on additional sites as you grow.
3. Generate Leads With Facebook
Once you’ve begun engaging your Facebook community, why not leverage your page to generate leads? Facebook offers small businesses new ways of building their lists of qualified leads. For example, you can offer an opt-in strategy directly on your page by using iFrames to create a custom welcome tab. This tab should include a two-step process called a “reveal tab.”
Step 1: Create a call to action to encourage new visitors to Like your page.
Step 2: After visitors Like your page, offer them a giveaway for providing their name and email.
Following this simple two-step model will help you increase both your fan base and lead list–now, that’s efficient!
4. Make the Most of Video
Using video is a creative and interactive way to get your small business to the top of search results, and social media can help. Google and other search engines use video to decide which pages should be displayed first, but you must tag, title and publish your videos correctly to get their full SEO benefits.
One way to add video marketing to your social media strategy is by creating a custom channel on YouTube. This is super easy to do. Think about what problem your business solves for its customers, and create a series of short instructional videos related to this problem. Use the videos to show how your business can help customers, and try adding testimonials from current customers as well. For the best videos, use humor and graphics to communicate your messages, and keep it under three minutes.
5. Do The Hard Work
To stand out in a sea of content, sometimes you have to get down and dirty. What information do your customers really want to know? If you’re willing to solve your customers’ hardest problems and answer their toughest questions, your content will be linked to and shared. This activity will get you higher search rankings and more followers/fans on Twitter and Facebook.
Think about the most difficult and interesting customer questions, and create a list. Every time you sit down to write, use one of these questions as a starting point. Be honest, do the extra research required, and strive to help customers with their challenges. Then, publish your content and promote it on all your social media platforms. Doing this consistently will earn you significant results.
If you follow these five tips, you should start to see the payoff of your efforts rather quickly. Do you have additional tips that have taken your small business social media strategy from mediocre to outstanding? Share them with us by leaving a comment below.
Image courtesy of creative design firm Arrae
2011: A Good—and Bad—Year for Venture Capital
January 24th, 2012 :: Maria Valdez HaubrichBy Maria Valdez Haubrich
The fourth quarter 2011 data from the National Venture Capital Association is in and there is good news and bad news about the venture capital industry.
The good news is that the amount of money venture capital firms are investing is on the rise; the bad news is that the number of venture capital funds out there is declining. In the U.S., 38 venture capital funds raised a total of $5.6 billion in the fourth quarter of 2011, representing a dollar increase of 162 percent but a 41 percent drop in the number of funds compared to the third quarter of 2011. (In that quarter, 64 funds raised $2.1 billion.) This quarter marked the lowest number of funds raising money since the third quarter of 2009.
In all of 2011, U.S. venture capital fundraising totaled $18.17 billion from 169 funds. That’s a 32 percent increase by dollars compared to 2010, but the same number of funds.
“This past year we saw more venture capital money raised by essentially the same number of firms, a sign that consolidation within the industry is continuing,” said Mark Heesen, president of NVCA, in announcing the data. “We also continued to invest more money in companies than we raised from our investors. Both of these trends – if they continue — suggest that the level and breadth of venture investment is starting to recalibrate to reflect a concentration of capital in the hands of fewer investors. Our cottage industry is indeed getting smaller still and that will impact the startup ecosystem over time.”
How will this shakeout affect small businesses? Consolidation in financial industries generally makes it harder for smaller companies to get backing, as bigger funds with more dollars to invest are more likely to look for high returns and less likely to take risks on smaller firms without a high potential for ROI.
At the same time, a shakeout is also occurring in the IPO market. The NVCA recently reported that in 2011, 52 venture-backed companies went public, representing a value of $9.9 billion. That’s a 31 percent decrease in volume, but a 41 percent increase in dollar value compared to the previous year.
In other words, with both venture capital investment and venture-backed IPOs, the trend is toward fewer and bigger players, meaning bigger—but fewer—deals.
Image by Flickr user photosteve101 (Creative Commons)
