Do you own a small business? Have you ever wondered whether implementing better technologies can help your business become more productive? There are a lot of tech solutions in the market that can help you boost sales and enhance bookkeeping to name a few. However, there are implementation costs that come into play.
These costs will help you gauge whether implementing a new technology is good for your business. In this post, we’ll discuss the top six small business tools that you’ll need to use to boost sales, productivity, and performance in the long run.
Why small business owners need to implement technologies
1. Promoting teamwork
In recent years, there have been a lot of disruptions in the business environment. And they have made it difficult for people to work together. However, for any business to thrive, individuals have to work together.
Various digital technologies such as enterprise communication or project management platforms have enabled individuals and businesses to work together. As a Mac user, there will be times when you’ll want to read text from image and share the info with your colleagues in the workplace. Simply copying the text won’t work. Learning how to copy and edit the text on your Mac will allow you to convert image text into usable text that can be used by the entire team.
2. Enhances efficiency
When it comes to small businesses, efficiency is the foundation of success. Most entrepreneurs are usually overwhelmed by limited budgets and lack of time.
Various research studies have shown that the proper use of tech tools can boost efficiency by 130 percent. Technologies such as the text extractors or image to text converter have the potential to streamline key business processes and automate tasks thus saving a lot of time and energy in the long run.
3. Reaching more customers
Businesses around the world grow thanks to marketing outreach. And technology is gradually transforming the marketing industry. Back in the day, small enterprises used to rely heavily on billboards and newspaper ads to reach more customers.
Nowadays, they can stimulate their growth through a wide range of powerful mediums. For instance, social media platforms can help businesses advertise what they offer and connect easily with potential clients. Plus, it costs less compared to traditional advertising and yields better results.
The six technologies that you need
1. Marketing analytics based on AI
Back in the day, artificial intelligence was viewed as a special piece of technology that could only be used by Fortune 500 companies. However, things have changed over the years. A lot of small businesses are making the most out of AI.
This business technology has enabled entrepreneurs to enhance their efficiency especially when it comes to generating, analyzing, and storing data. If you cannot afford to invest in business analytics software, there are several ways that you can use AI. Platforms such as Facebook use AI to make advertising easy for small business owners.
2. Chatbots to enhance customer service
Over the years, the use of chatbots has been on the rise, especially in the business world. The modern customer wants to receive support instantly from the organizations they invest in. And chatbots can provide 24/7 support.
They can interact with several customers simultaneously and provide consistent answers. There are a lot of reputable chatbot builders that can build bots for your business. Apart from promoting customer satisfaction, chatbots also save costs by reducing the hours that customer service agents have to work.
3. Influencer marketing
The modern customer is always looking for authentic marketing before they buy a product or service. Since human beings are social creatures and they have a need to connect, influencer marketing can go a long way in helping you grow your customer base and brand.
You don’t have to collaborate with big influencers to boost your sales. Working with nano-influencers will help you reach smaller audiences with more authenticity. This is a great solution for small businesses since such influencers are usually less costly.
4. Online training
Seminars are gradually becoming a thing of the past thanks to the growth of online training platforms. While online learning is not a new thing, more people across the world are focusing more on online training than seminars.
In a research study conducted by LinkedIn Learning Report, 59 percent of professionals are investing more in online learning right now than they did five years ago. Since knowledge is the foundation of any business, you should focus on developing your skills through online training programs.
5. Voice search optimization
As technologies such as Google Home continue rising in popularity, millions of people around the world are using voice search to find what they need in the digital space.
According to a PwC report, 65 percent of people aged between 25 to 49 speak to a voice-enabled device at least once every day. By optimizing your content for voice, you’ll not only enhance your online visibility but also give information to your customers instantly.
6. Smart facility management
Most people use smart monitoring and cleaning technologies in their homes. And entrepreneurs have started introducing them gradually in the business space. Using thermostats, smart vacuums, and lighting can enhance efficiency and ensure that the office runs smoothly.
Conclusion
As an entrepreneur, it can be overwhelming to implement technology in business at a go. Implementing new technology gradually will help everyone adapt. While the initial costs can be high, your sacrifice will pay off in spades in the long run.
