While there certainly isn’t a one size fits all tech kit for business, there are a few must-haves you need to keep up to scratch. So here’s a guide to help you target those key areas to make sure the technology for your small business is up to scratch.
Good First Impressions
Your website is your business’s outward face – this is what clients and, arguably more importantly, prospective clients will see first, so you need to make sure it’s accurately representing the standards and qualities your business represents. If you don’t have a website yet – set one up! You could be missing out on as much as half of your potential customer base (according to a Small Business survey by research company Yodle). You can either hire a company to help you to do this, or set your website up yourself, but either way you’re going to need to get a server with plenty of networking capability to make sure your IT systems are up to scratch. It’s worth investing in good quality computing and networking equipment that has sufficient capability to grow with your business. Pinnacle Data have a huge range of servers and other networking tools that can be configured to order, and they can also help you figure out what your business needs now and going forward. However you choose to do it, having a website is the first step towards increasing your visibility and sales potential. We know you’ve been hearing this since 2003 – but it might be time to listen.
Tap Into Twitter
…Or indeed any other social media network for that matter. Nowadays, your Small Business’s web presence doesn’t end with your website. Nowadays your web presence is much broader than just your website as far more people will see you on a Google search engine result page than will actually ever visit your web site. With consumers spending so much time on networks such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Pinterest just to name a few, it would be crazy not to tap into it as an additional resource. Getting your name out there—and getting people to recommend you—is a relatively inexpensive way to expand awareness and increase familiarity with your business.
Online Payment Options
When setting up your website you need to be offering your customers online payment options – nowadays consumers are used to being able to order and pay for goods and services online. If you’re asking your potential customers to take that extra step to either call you or come into your store to purchase from you then you could be losing valuable custom – make it as easy for your customers as possible, and you’ll maximize your sales.
