Over 40 percent of the US population own a Smartphone and the reports imply that about 50% of all searches occur on a mobile device. This is the right time for small businesses to use mobile applications to power the future of their growth. Though investment in mobile does not come cheap, there are many companies that offer some features free of cost. Apptivo offers a free mobile invoice app for both iPhone and Androids devices.

Small businesses that do decide to go mobile have to deliberate well before they plan to make an investment in making a mobile application. They need to know whether their consumer base will interact better with their brand by using an app or by simply logging on to a mobile site. Though, mobile web browsing has gone up among Smartphone users, many people are still not sure whether to load their phone with essential apps or simply use their own mobile web browser. Downloading mobile apps can use up the phone’s memory and sometimes will require frequent updates. This can be tiresome at times, in spite of some of the apps being really useful.

Small businesses also need to understand that investment in mobile applications can be very expensive. However, it has many advantages and will benefit the business owners a lot by getting business done on the go.

Advantages of using Mobile Applications

Having a mobile application for your small business is a sign that the firm is keeping up with modern trends. It also opens another channel for communication with clients. Since customers carry their phones wherever they go, they can access the mobile app from any place at any time. With the mobile app, business will carry on as normal, even on holidays. The existence of a mobile application ensures superior and wider visibility of the concerned small business.

The customers doing business on the go constitute a sizable market. Small businesses can tap this significant customer base by harnessing mobile applications. It makes life easy and convenient for the small business’s customers by sending them timely reminders and acknowledgements via mobile application. The bottom line is, small businesses are perceived as customer friendly, resulting in building customer loyalty and repeat business. Also mobile applications can bolster small businesses existing social networking strategies.

Credible statistics show that leveraging mobile applications help reinforce small business brands and improve customer relationships. The Smartphone user-base is expected to get only larger with time. It makes sense for small businesses to ride the mobile application bandwagon.

Finally doing business on the go is an effective and savvy strategy for smart small businesses.

Projects are the core of many businesses. It is essential that all projects finish within the stipulated deadlines. If your firm executes projects to the complete satisfaction of the clients, then the path to business success is assured. In the past, projects were relatively simple and small, therefore easy to manage. However with the passage of time, projects evolved to become very large and complex entities. Most firms today use project management software to successfully execute all kinds of projects.

Apptivo has designed an easy to use yet extremely powerful project management software. Extensive research and time has been devoted to create an elegant as well as feature rich project management software. One of the prominent features of Apptivo’s project management App is invoicing integration. You can collect payments through other merchants such as PayPal, Authorize.net or Zipmark. The ability to track billable hours ensures fairness and financial organization. The software ensures security as a top priority and shall not be compromised. Documents can be shared online among users. The time required to physically mail documents and travel is either completely eliminated or considerably reduced.

There is no denying that a quality project management software saves considerable time and Apptivo’s project management application is no exception. The first thing it does is automate all the project management processes. This eliminates human error and speeds up project execution. By using Apptivo’s project management system, everything is better organized. Productivity is greatly improved while pending tasks are completed on time.

If you have not leveraged the power of Apptivo’s signature project management software, then it is a good time to start. Remember the adage ‘Time is Money’. You can start by using the free version. Once satisfied, you can upgrade to the paid version. With the passage of time you will not only recover the nominal cost of the software but will reap considerable financial gains as well as customer goodwill.

Apptivo offers a host of useful applications to automate the business process. Most of them offer a trial for you to evaluate and some basic plans come for free. If you wish to add more features, you can upgrade for a small fee. Applications are constantly checked and improved on a priority basis. This is immensely useful for small businesses as applications are free or reasonably priced. Today’s trend is for employees to work remotely. Apptivo’s application is designed to leverage this trend.

Customers are essential to any business. Apptivo offers users a powerful, yet easy to use CRM software. Apptivo can help track customer data, set reminders for customer birthdays and marriage anniversaries. The up-to-date customer database helps make a quantum leap in assessing and servicing the unique needs of every customer. The process of generating leads and converting to an opportunity vastly improves this exhaustive yet simple application.

Each employee is given their own login credentials. They can log in to the same firm and start working right away. The power of the Internet is leveraged so that company staff can work independently no matter what geographical location or time zone they’re in. Human resource management is made systematic and accurate thanks to Apptivo’s myriad applications.

Apptivo has a superb project management application. The project manager can manage projects remotely. He can assign tasks and check on their teams’ status. Staff can see their assigned tasks and update their progress. Documents can also be shared amongst the members of the team.

The timesheets software offered by Apptivo is indeed a useful one. Billing is made easy with this elegant application. It ensures systematic review of productivity and effective invoicing.

Invoicing is a priority for all businesses. You can login from any place, at anytime and create customized invoices using Apptivo’s invoicing software. Location or time is not a constraint for Apptivo’s elegantly crafted invoicing application. The application sends periodic reminders and makes the invoicing process efficient and effective.

In short, working remotely is made convenient by Apptivo’s various state-of-the-art applications. Start using Apptivo’s applications in your business and be rewarded manifold. Remote work is a modern day business reality and Apptivo will definitely help small businesses stay abreast of this trend.

An elevator pitch is an overview of an idea, product or service that a person gives to another person or an audience to get the conversation started. The time duration for an elevator pitch varies from just 30 seconds to two minutes. Make sure your audience understands what you are talking about and what’s in it for them in the given time period.

You may think to yourself, is this skill necessary for an entrepreneur in a startup or enterprise business to be successful? The answer is yes. This is one of the most important skills that any businessman should possess. He should understand that it is one of the most effective ways to reach out to new clients and buyers as well as retaining the old ones. You can rightly say that it is the winning message that should not last longer than an average elevator ride. Here are a few pointers that could help prepare or improve your elevator pitch.

7 Tips to Make a Great Elevator Pitch

Foresee your goal- As an entrepreneur, you should know what to say when you meet potential buyers or clients. Being able to clinch an appointment with them can only improve your business. Therefore, whatever you say to strike a conversation should pique their interest. Get right to the point of the overall idea instead of telling a lengthy story.

It’s always good to know your target – The whole idea behind an elevator pitch is to get the listener interested in what your business has to offer. Therefore you need to twist and adjust your elevator pitch according to your audience. Remember to reveal only a few relevant and interesting pieces of information.

Remember it’s not about you- Avoid talking about your achievements and highlighting your past accomplishments. It is about how the audience can benefit from your services or products. Prospective clients will learn more about your accomplishments after your elevator pitch becomes a success that builds into a working relationship.

Never use slang or industry jargon – Not everyone is comfortable with slang and jargon. Therefore, keep your message simple, clear and to the point, but keep it interesting. You can always give examples of how customer-focused you are and the extra mile you went to help your client out.

Preparation is the key to success- First impression is most important and it happens only once. Be prepared to answer the toughest questions that may follow your pitch. You should also show the flexibility to answer your audience, if you are interrupted in between.

You should be in a position to answer the queries and solve the problems- Your pitch should be real and relate to your audience. Be ready to answer any queries that are sent your way from the audience. In brief, your solution should be specific to each individual listeners need.

Display your passion – An elevator pitch is not something you should memorize or recite. Your passion for your services or products should be displayed in the usage of your words, the tone of your voice and body language. Allow your audience to hear and see your commitment and involvement.

In brief, an elevator pitch is a long story cut short to get the attention of your audience. Always remember the wise words of Winston Churchill, “Be clear. Be brief. Be seated” while working on your elevator pitch.

Why do you need a business plan? Many start-up entrepreneurs may think that having a business plan is not necessary at the initial stages. However, they are wrong because a business plan is an important document which helps in analyzing your immediate and future plans, project implementations, systems, processes and budgeting. In brief, it is the bible of your enterprise. Let’s take a look at how having a solid business plan in place will help smoothing out the functionality of your small business.

Helps in setting specific objectives – It is not only a chance to write down all objectives of your business but finding a way to implement and keep track of them. Though you may think you have the plan in your head, as the business grows, you may want to improve organization, plan and communicate better with your team of employees.

Required in sharing the strategies and action plans with your partners- If you want your business to be a success, you need the support of your family and employees. You may not be able to share all your strategies and plans with all levels of your staff. However, your business partner or upper management should know the plan to propel your business ahead. It is true that you cannot share all your strategies and plans with all levels of your staff. There are many online software that will help in sharing your strategies with upper management.

Decides whether you need to invest in new assets – A business plan help will help decide your long term decisions. Whether you need to introduce the latest technology, such as cloud computing and cloud applications, to your office or continue with the existing ones.

Business networking and making new alliances – You can use your plan to set the targets for networking and creating new business alliances.

To sell your business – Business plan is a vital document when you decide to sell your business. It will contain all your strategies, long and short term plans for your business, your milestones and achievements. It will be easy for potential buyers to understand profits and loss and plans at a glance.

Financial help – Investors would want to see your plans and strategies before they loan you any amount. Financial help will depend on the strength of your business plan.

Last but not the least, you need a business plan for taking your business to the next level. The strategies for prioritizing and allocating the resources would be easier if you have a solid plan in place.

Networking is the business mantra of today. Success comes to them who have the right contacts. This is also true of small businesses. As an owner of a small business, you realize the crucial importance of networking.

LinkedIn and the Small Business Owner

The question is how to network? LinkedIn is an ideal choice. It is a popular platform for remote networking. It is worthwhile to pay for the premium membership and gain access to more members. But this is just one of the many ways to business network. LinkedIn is a mandatory and formidable tool in recent times.

Attend Key Business Events

There are innumerable conferences, workshops and events to attend. Small business owners should make it a priority to attend them. You will definitely learn a lot from industry experts, business veterans and peers. This is a superb opportunity to showcase your company to the discerning industry. You will also become aware of current trends, decision makers and what it takes to achieve your goals.

Social Networking websites

Today’s trend is using social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter to name a few. Comment on other people’s blogs. Give suggestions for improvement. This will definitely make your presence felt. In addition, you will make quite a few business friends and generate a lot of goodwill for yourself.

Reconnect and Follow Up

While networking, you may encounter old friends and acquaintances. You may even meet members from your academic days. Remember to carry your business cards everywhere you go. Don’t forget to distribute your business cards and collect other people’s business cards. Many people exchange cards and leave it at that. Make it a point to give a phone call or send an email to nurture the relationship.

Building Relationships

Networking is also about relationship building. Reputation and commitment to professionalism will propel your venture to new heights. Business is all about people and relationships. People appreciate honesty as well as quality deliverables. They will give work to those whom they trust and are competent too.

Do this on a priority basis

A handy tip is to maintain a list of email addresses and phone numbers of all your business contacts. Send emails and SMS’s on their birthdays, anniversaries or any other day of significance. People will notice your goodwill.

Conclusion

No business can exist in isolation. If you haven’t been networking, start now. In due time, you will attain greater success and also earn a great reputation. It’s true what they say, people make or break you. Stick to your ethics; mingle with the right people and business success is yours for the taking.

Running a small business is no easy task. You need to find clients for work. There is pressure from the clients to meet deadlines. Even if you complete the client’s work, you may have to run around to collect your dues. Employees may leave in the middle of a project. In short, there are many things which cause stress on your business.

Let’s take a look at some ways to eliminate or reduce stress on your business.

Money is important – Make a budget first thing of the month. This will help organizes your finances. All essential expenses should be covered. Try to eliminate or minimize non-essential expenses. Adequate money should be kept aside for emergencies or unexpected situations.

Control the consequences of attrition - Make your recruitment processes watertight. The most important thing you have to look out for is whether the potential employee has the right attitude for your business. Does the person have the knowledge and experience to be immediately productive? You cannot wait for him/her to get trained. There should be a contingency plan in case employees leave. Projects should not be affected because of this reason.

Collecting your dues- As a professional, you should always try to satisfy your client’s requirements, but make it clear that you are not working for free and are expecting to get paid. Automate your invoicing system so that you do not have to keep everything in your head. Send periodic reminders if the client refuses to pay up. Stop accepting work from clients who have a history of non-payments.

Organize your work – You should have the necessary infrastructure to do your work. Consider renting things which you cannot purchase outright. Everything should have a place and everything should be kept in place. Automating your office processes will save time and money in the long run. Make your staff aware of the organizational hierarchy and individual responsibilities. Have a grievance section to handle problems of employees.

Stay on the right side of the law – Pay your taxes on time. Clear all your employees and creditors dues, this way you can concentrate on your business alone. Abide by the rules and regulations of your area. Do a background check of potential employees before hiring them. Also check the credentials of potential clients before accepting work from them.

The role of a leader is a crucial one, especially in the field of business. Leadership is generally an inborn talent, but it is possible to sharpen the leadership skills of an individual. There exist those who despite training can’t become good leaders.  Then there are those to whom leadership comes naturally. Many people who can hone their leadership skills through coaching and mentoring.

Let’s take a look at some of the qualities a good leader should possess.

Good communication skills -If one has ideas, but is unable to communicate to others, their ideas are useless. A good leader possesses superior written and verbal communication skills. In addition, he is a good listener. He is able to make his team clearly understand what is expected of them.

Honesty – An honest leader draws admiration from all. Cheating doesn’t pay in the long run. At the highest level, integrity and ethics count.

Assertiveness - A good leader doesn’t hesitate to ask relevant questions and take suitable actions. He is able to articulate his vision and convince others.

Visionary – A good leader is able to foresee and predict what is going to happen in the future. Apple’s Steve Jobs epitomized this quality.

Good Planner – Planning gives clarity to goals and prioritizes different tasks. It makes the job systematic and organized.

Personal Charisma – Great Leaders possess magnetic personalities which attract people to them. Mahatma Gandhi used to attract hordes of people wherever he went

Self Motivated – If a leader is effective and productive, it sets a great example for his followers. The team is inspired to work twice as hard.

Delegates responsibility – A good leader doesn’t do everything. Instead he has the knack of identifying the right people and delegates responsibility to them.

Exudes confidence – If a leader is enthusiastic and optimistic so will his team. On the other hand pessimism/ negative thinking is infectious too. But beware of being overconfident. You may then overstretch yourself and ultimately falter.

Acknowledges other’s contribution – A good leader doesn’t take credit for everything. A simple acknowledgement and praise to workers can work wonders. He should ideally know all his team members well. Good or exceptional performance should be rewarded.

Adaptability -The 21^st century is all about rapid evolution. A good leader should be aware of and embrace change. He should be open minded and ready to adapt to new technologies and business processes.

If you would like to suggest any more leadership qualities, please share it with us.

If you are a small business owner, then you know that every penny counts. Here are five ways to cut business costs.

1. Introduce Telecommuting to your firm – Nowadays many employees prefer telecommuting as it gives them flexibility to their working hours. It saves them traffic time, fuel and vehicle expenses. The business benefits by not having to invest in office space, electricity bills, computers, and air conditioning are more reasons to allow telecommuting for your employees. Therefore, it is a win-win situation for both the business and their employees.
2. Use Social Media for Advertising – The Internet is a great avenue to showcase your company. It is present everywhere in the world and can be accessed at all times. With the increasing popularity of social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter, there exists golden opportunities for small businesses to reach out to large potential customers free of cost.
3. Introduce Cloud based applications- Cloud based applications are growing in popularity at a phenomenal pace. Small businesses do not need to invest in server hardware and/or software. The cloud offers users anytime anywhere access, security and reliability. All these features are offered at an affordable price. Switch to the cloud and experience the difference.
4. Automate all operations - If your business is still using outdated methods such as paper invoices, it is high time you switch to the modern era. Invoicing clients is a critical part of all small businesses. Use simple yet powerful state-of-the-art invoicing software such as Apptivo’s invoicing system. This will convey professionalism to your peers and clients. Use e-mail to communicate instead of phones. One can have online organizers keep track of tasks, deadlines and meeting. Automating office work eliminates the need of papers and files, makes everything systematic and delivers considerable savings in terms of time and money.
5. Improve and Periodically Review your HR processes – If your employees are inefficient, so will be your business process. If your HR processes are good, you will be able to select the right people. Attitude is the single most important trait that businesses should look out in potential employees. A person with the wrong attitude will usually be unproductive, but worse yet, unmotivated. Do not hire people who need to be trained or do not possess relevant experience. Hiring talented people with the right attitude will boost the productivity of your small business. Remember, good employees may be pricey, but in the long run, your business will save money.

Implement the above cost cutting strategies in your business at the earliest. Also come with your own tips to cut costs and share them with others.

As a small business owner, it is imperative to network and learn from the knowledge and experience of others. We look at some of the upcoming small business events in 2013. It is highly recommended that all small business owners attend them. There are a host of conferences, expos, events where you can interact with business tycoons, marketing gurus, star entrepreneurs and others. This is an excellent opportunity to meet peers, strike alliances, expand your knowledge base and advertise your company. Who knows, this may be your chance to create a great impression for your small business venture. Do come prepared to carry your business card and company brief with you.

Digital Marketing World: B2C & Retail Marketing – March 8, 2013, Online

This is a free virtual conference. Kevin Hunt, social media manager for General Mills, will make a presentation and case study on effective business blogging.  There are question and answer sessions with conference speakers. Plus there is a valuable session on how to run effective customer campaigns by incorporating customer data in your email programs.

SMX West – March 11-13, 2013, San Jose, CA

This is a major conference that offers more than 50 sessions on state-of-the-art search marketing strategies and techniques. Sessions include search engine optimization, landing page conversions, social media marketing,  paid search advertising, local and mobile search and more. Valuable and top notch expertise will arm you with the ammunition required to attain your lofty goals. Thanks to this opportunity, you will be able to align your present in tune with your ambitious vision.

Inc. GROWCO – April 11-12, 2013, New Orleans

The intricacies and the whole gamut of successful entrepreneurship are taught at this important event. The speakers and experts are famous in their own right. “Business growth” is the buzzword in this eagerly awaited event.

America’s Small Business Summit – April 29-May 1, 2013, Washington DC

Gain from the perspective and experience of your peers as well as leading entrepreneurs here. Get exposed to fresh and innovative ideas here. It is time to add a dose of dynamism in your dream venture.

Creative Freelancer Conference – June 22-24, San Francisco

In this notable conference, freelancers will share practical wisdom which will enable you to be successful and grow at a torrid pace. The elegant and well organized schedule is designed to help freelancers at various levels learn the aspects of professional freelancing.

Do share your experience at these events so that others can benefit. No more needs to be said about the importance of attending these strategic events.