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Social Media Marketing Podcast 228. In this episode John Kapos explores how he has used Snapchat and Instragram Stories to grow his business.
Read the full article at: www.socialmediaexaminer.com
These newly-published books offer different perspectives on how to best manage time and money.
Read the full article at: www.inc.com
In today’s demanding global workplace, businesses have come to rely on staff use of mobile devices to get their work done. Bring your own device (BYOD) is a hot topic in business conversation. Is it secure? What if someone leaves the company?
Small businesses were at a considerable disadvantage with the inability to employ the same resources, staff numbers, technological tools and security measures that large workforces have at their disposal. Why? Because until recently, the ability to manage mobile devices simply didn’t exist on a smaller scale.
The MDM Era
Most small businesses don’t have the available finances necessary to supply the whole team with the latest in mobile gadgets to be used for business only. Instead, the majority of workers supply their own smartphones, tablets, and laptops.
This is why we need Mobile Device Management. Your MDM system could change the way your company deals with security, help minimize breaches, ensure employees store work information separate from their personal info on their own devices, and keep work related activities up to date and available when employees are not at their desks.
Mobile CRM is a great solution, especially for smaller businesses.
Data Security
Along with the ever increasing popularity of mobile devices comes the ever increasing likelihood of those devices being stolen or hacked. The need for security is critical.
Keeping work and personal life separate on an employee owned device can be tricky. Storing work-related data securely in the Cloud using a CRM, rather than on the device itself, is a great way to protect and manage your data. Your entire team has access to all the relevant information from wherever they are working, and your data is inaccessible without a password.
If the device is stolen, access to company intelligence is easily blocked; if the device is lost or otherwise damaged, the data remains intact.
Dealing with Churn
For businesses with high staff turnover, a cloud-based data system makes it easier than ever before to add new access and just as easy to remove access when necessary. A quick change of password or permissions, and an ex-employee is instantly locked out of your data and systems.
System Maintenance
Using an MDM system means all “housework” can be done at the same time, for all users. Upgrades, updates, patches, approvals and importantly, immediate support are available for the entire system at once, easily and with no need to deal with each device individually, saving time and effectively reducing costs.
Secure File Sharing
Connecting your Mobile Device Management System to your Cloud-based Customer Relationship Management System provides a method for file sharing that’s safer than ever before.
Files can be safely and securely shared with specific team members or with everyone; it’s up to you. This fully customizable method makes the sharing of your intelligence fast, easy and brilliantly practical, making it an impressively comprehensive and powerful tool for a small business.
Other document sharing software often relies on imperfect, difficult (or impossible) to customize solutions. Insightly provides a dynamic, built-for-the-task system which easily handles file storage, permissions-based sharing, and more.
Maintaining Control
Mobile owners feel a deep connection to their gadget of choice. Breaching the security of such a personal space is an invasion of privacy akin to scrambling through tangible possessions. Employees use their devices how and when they desire, and employers should consider carefully before intruding.
When a personal device is being used in the workplace, however, employers are understandably concerned about company security and data being compromised.
An MDM system could be the perfect compromise. It keeps your data and processes safe without intruding on your employee’s personal space, and eliminates worry that important data will be lost or stolen.
At Insightly, we offer a CRM used by small and mid-sized businesses from a variety of verticals. Learn about Insightly’s features and plans on our pricing page or sign up for a free trial.
Interested in creating a more professional and engaging experience on your Facebook page? Discover six tips to optimize your Facebook page.
Read the full article at: www.socialmediaexaminer.com
Earlier this year, LiquidPlanner CEO Liz Pearce shared her project management predictions for 2016. She explained that Agile – a popular set of methods and practices to help teams ship more work at a faster rate – will extend beyond software development.
“Agile is not just for software developers any longer – in fact, many departments and business leaders have implemented agile methodologies in an effort to accelerate business and product development,” Pearce told GetApp last February.
Sales managers can benefit from Agile as well. You juggle calls with prospects, customer meetings, lead scoring, and more – only to repeat the same cycle next quarter. Each customer relationship brings its own tasks, stakeholders, milestones, and scope.
All of this makes you a project manager – whether you’ve thought of yourself as one or not. And managing your sales projects with an Agile approach can help you achieve more in shorter periods of time.
This might not sound obvious at first. After all, the first Agile Manifesto was founded in 2001 by a group of 17 software developers. Software development has completely different goals, workflows, and skillsets than sales…right?
Incorporating Agile into your sales workflow makes sense when you realize that its core goal is to put customers first – something you do every day. The trick is to understand different Agile frameworks and choose the right one for your sales team’s workflow.
Here’s an overview of two Agile project management frameworks – and how to tell if either option is the right fit to manage your own sales projects.
Kanban
Have you ever viewed a Trello board? If so, you were watching Kanban project management. This framework was founded to manage hardware projects; Toyota started using it in the late 1940s to improve line production. Kanban – which means “visual signal” or “card” in Japanese – is a visual process which organizes a project’s steps into cards and columns that are defined by status. This helps project teams visualize project workflows; communicate effectively through clear visibility; and ship more work at a faster rate.
Any sales manager worth their salt knows that communication is key. Kanban offers a great way for sales teams to organize each stage of customer conversations. This might include one column to track initial inquiries, a second to track first meetings, a third for proposals, and so on.
Kanban also helps you track leads and organize them into columns based on status (assignment, capture, distribution, etc). This high level view tells your team which stage each opportunity is at. It also helps everyone divide, conquer, and close each quarter on a high note.
Pros:
Cons:
Consider Kanban if Your Sales Team:
Before You Start with Kanban:
Define each project’s high-level goals and each person’s task ownership. This will give everyone on your sales and cross-functional teams the autonomy to make changes on the go without getting confused about who owns what.
Scrum
Does the Agile Manifesto resonate with you, but Kanban’s loose style makes you shudder? Scrum might be a great alternative. This framework’s backbone is user stories, which are meant to describe software features from an end user’s perspective.
Scrum allows teams to define their sprints’ details as a group. This often occurs during daily stand-up meetings, where each team member shares task status per project they’re working on. Each sprint is followed by a retrospective, where the team reflects on that sprint’s achievements and makes improvements as needed.
One of Scrum’s additional core benefits is how it allows customers to collaborate with product owners. This framework applies to a customer/sales rep relationship as well. As the sales rep, Scrum gives you the autonomy to own your team’s big picture goals and prioritize next steps per relationship to achieve those goals.
And since Scrum involves a set of strict guidelines and procedures, it’s ideal for folks who enjoy pattern recognition. Sales teams have used Scrum in the past to start predicting patterns early on in the sales cycle. When used effectively, Scrum can make it easier to estimate – and surpass – final sales numbers.
Pros:
Cons:
Consider Scrum if Your Sales Team:
Before You Start with Scrum:
Establish roles per person on your team. Scrum outlines adherence to three roles:
Kanban and Scrum are similar in some ways and distinct in others. But both frameworks can be highly productive if used correctly. The key is to be honest with yourself about your sales team’s current workflow. Neither framework is right for every team. But if you can incorporate either of them, the potential rewards for your team are limitless.
At Insightly, we offer a CRM used by small and mid-sized businesses from a variety of verticals. Learn about Insightly’s features and plans on our pricing page or sign up for a free trial.
Lauren Maffeo covers trends in the project management, finance, and accounting software industries for GetApp – a Gartner Digital Markets company. She focuses her research on strategies and tools to help small and midsize businesses create unique value.
Customers are the soul of any business, but you don’t automatically get to build lasting relationships with them. A solid relationship between a buyer and seller is likely rooted in mutual trust, respect and appreciation. Like any other relationship, these qualities form over time – and with proof – so don’t forget to thank your customers.
As a vendor, going the extra mile for customers in terms of providing service, personalizing experiences and offering loyalty rewards can help cultivate relationships that pay off in the long run. However, the most effective ingredient for a positive customer relationship is often the simplest action you can possibly take: saying thank you in a genuine, human way.
This year, skip the mass-produced thank-you card. Or at least, couple the card with a creative action that shows your customers your honest gratitude. Below are a few ideas to help you get started:
Learn how a CRM can help your team effectively engage with customers.
At Insightly, we offer a CRM used by small and mid-sized businesses from a variety of verticals. Learn about Insightly’s features and plans on our pricing page or sign up for a free trial.
Content marketing for 2017; why social media is the preferred channel for product launches; and how to use an Exact Match Domain.
Read the full article at: searchenginewatch.com
In this examination of content marketing successes, Mark Johnstone adds more perspective and depth around what successful link building looks like in the wild versus what we might expect.
Read the full article at: moz.com
Welcome to Turn It Up Tuesday, where we bring you 4 weekly tips—a tip on running your business, a tip on using Insightly CRM, a tip on improving your sales, and a tip on improving your life. Enjoy this week’s tips!
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Managing Your Documents With Insightly |
| With each new lead or customer, your organization generates multiple related documents. Quotes, proposals, invoices, project plans, sketches, blueprints, and contracts are just a few possibilities.
Although Insightly is not a document management system per se, it can be used to create better organization of your most valuable files. Thanks to Insightly’s robust list of document integrations, attaching a file is a breeze. Simply enable the Insightly integration to your preferred document system, and you can easily link any file to a record.
Or, if you’re interested in uploading a file that’s saved to your computer, Insightly has you covered there, too. For individual files, the convenient “drag and drop” option might be a wise choice.
If you wish to upload multiple documents, click the “Add Files” button and select your files. Before doing this, it can be helpful to organize your intended documents into a single directory. This will expedite the upload process, saving you time and effort.
At any point, you can easily refer back to a record’s documents. Click on the “Files” tab to view a full listing of each upload. Now, rather than searching through multiple folders on your machine or through third-party apps, everything you need is centrally accessible.
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Step Out for a Strategy Session |
Even if you’re a one-man (or one-woman) shop, you still need to make time for the occasional strategy session. Unfortunately, you’re busier than ever, which makes strategizing low on the priority list. Why do you need to make time for formulating your business strategy? There are several good reasons, but among the best is the simple fact that you deserve it. You’re in business to make money – that’s a given; however, you’re also in business for more important reasons. Personal and professional fulfillment are at the top of the list. Strategy helps you align what you do each day with your desire to be fulfilled. So, what makes an effective strategy session? Here are a few suggestions: Make a Simple Agenda in Advance: You’re not preparing for a test, so don’t freak out. A strategy agenda could be as basic as a few goals you hope to achieve. Or, if you’re feeling especially motivated, you might set up some Insightly tasks to accomplish. Either way, get a basic plan together. Go Somewhere Fun: Coffee shops, libraries, or shared work spaces can be good choices. Wherever you go, a scenery change helps you circumvent the doldrums of a typical workday and frees your creative juices. Hold Yourself Accountable: After your strategy session is complete, find ways to create accountability. Strategic time is wasted unless you follow up on your plans. Set tasks with email reminders in Insightly to avoid forgetfulness.
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Practice Temperance |
Business owners are known to have an unquenchable desire for achievement. While this is certainly an admirable trait, if left unchecked, it can lead to entrepreneurial burnout. For thousands of years, philosophers and clergy alike have trumpeted the value of temperance. In case you’re a little rusty on the Cardinal Virtues, Plato, Aristotle, Thomas Aquinas, and many others have consistently spoken of this particular virtue for both personal and societal benefit. Although somewhat overlooked in recent years, temperance is still fundamental in one’s ability to control excessive tendencies. By proactively limiting one’s action relative to his goals or desires, a person can achieve greater life balance, and, in time, become more virtuous. So, what are some simple ways to practice temperance at your place of work? Here are a few quick ideas:
On an average day, you make thousands of choices. These examples may seem like small sacrifices, but they all add up. Pause to consider a few areas of your life that could use a healthy dose of temperance!
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Increase Your Close Rate With Faster Quoting |
“I’d like to request a price quote from your company.” These are words that every sales rep and business owner love to hear. Quotes lead to sales, which is the name of the game. The quoting process is usually a prospect’s first substantive interaction with your organization. Although there is no commitment to purchase yet, you are providing a window into how your company operates. It’s therefore important to provide an accurate and speedy quoting experience. Some companies mistakenly overlook their quoting operation, likening it to just another back-office function. However, it’s far from unimportant. Put yourself in the shoes of the customer. In his mind, he’s really asking for a simple piece of information. That is, how much does your product or service cost. Despite the complex realities involved with actually assembling the proposal, the customer could probably care less. He just wants to know if it fits in his budget – no more, no less. To start the process of expediting your quoting function, ask yourself these questions:
Lengthy quoting periods can create unnecessary doubt. Continuously seek ways to streamline your process.
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Send Us Your Tips. Would you like to share your tips with Insightly customers? Send them to us! If we use one in our weekly feature we’ll send you a $10 Amazon Gift Card! Contact us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or send us an email.
About the author: Matt Keener is a marketing consultant and President of Keener Marketing Solutions, LLC. Matt specializes in content marketing and strategic planning, having helped numerous Saas (software as a service) companies and other small businesses worldwide. Read more of Matt’s work, check out his book, or connect with him on Linkedin.
Social media is always in flux, and one of the biggest shifts right now is video.
Read the full article at: www.socialmediatoday.com
