Mountain Lion Offers New Features for Small Business Customers |  |
- Mountain Lion Offers New Features for Small Business Customers
- Bootstrapping a Global $7M Software Company from Kolkata, India
- How to Use Social Media to Establish Trust
- Sustainability And The Summer Olympics
- Famous Bloggers Founder Loses Domain Names
| Mountain Lion Offers New Features for Small Business Customers Posted: 31 Jul 2012 02:00 PM PDT Apple has just released the latest version of its operating system (OS), Mountain Lion, which includes a whole host of features that may be helpful for small businesses and entrepreneurs, including a system-wide sharing application, a new alerts system, and a gatekeeper platform for improved cyber-security. Mountain Lion includes changes to the Notification Center, which streamlines alerts from different programs like Mail, Calendar, Messages, and even third party apps. Having all alerts come from one notification center could have an impact on productivity, since users wouldn't have notifications and distractions coming from several different programs at the same time. Another time saver could be Mountain Lion's system-wide Sharing application, which can make it easier for companies to share files and media content from one centralized platform. The system can also integrate with social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, and Vimeo, so companies that use social media marketing can make sharing easier and more streamlined. Apple has also gotten rid of iChat in the new OS, and replaced it with a new Messages app, which people can use to communicate with anyone using an iPhone, iPad, or other mobile devices with iMessage. So companies that switch over to Mountain Lion can easily communicate with other employees, collaborators, and clients while they're on the go, which could prove to be exceedingly helpful due to the large number of businesses that have begun using iPads and other mobile devices. And finally, Apple's new Gatekeeper platform aims to make downloading software from the internet safer, especially for companies that don't have an excess of IT resources. Gatekeeper gives users more control over what apps are installed, and helps to protect users from installing malicious apps and other software from any sites on the web. Though most businesses have stuck with Windows operating systems through the years, the new OS from Apple could at least be worth a second look. Mountain Lion includes over 200 new features, though many are smaller changes that some Mac users might not even notice. The software update is currently available for $19.99 from the Mac App Store. From Small Business Trends      |
| Bootstrapping a Global $7M Software Company from Kolkata, India Posted: 31 Jul 2012 12:00 PM PDT Those who know me know that I am a strong advocate of bootstrapping. Of course, it's not always feasible, but when it is, as in the case of Pallav Nadhani, CEO of FusionCharts, I believe every entrepreneur should bootstrap. Pallav was born in the small Indian town of Bihar where he lived until the age of 15. After that, he lived in Kolkata with his father, a man with an entrepreneurial spirit of his own. Pallav's father had started his own Web design company and Pallav helped out. He'd gotten his first computer at age nine and used it to teach himself Basic and C++. While helping out at his father's Web design company, Pallav "picked up a few different Web technologies." One day, while browsing the Web, he discovered ASPToday.com, which was published by Wrox Publication. The idea for FusionCharts came when Pallav noticed that desktop applications didn't look as good as Web applications, and came up with an idea to change Excel's charting to a "webified interface." He described his idea in a tutorial article that ASPToday.com published. Pallav earned $1,500 for that article and used it to fund what would grow into a multi-million dollar operation with close to 500,000 people using its products. Many people who read Pallav's article started contacting him. They wanted to know if he could customize some aspect of his tutorial. So, he decided to create all of the requested customizations and use them as the foundation on which to build a product that he could sell. Because he didn't know how much he should charge, Pallav started out only charging $15 because that was the minimum amount that a payment gateway he had signed up with would accept. That was in 2001. Once Pallav's first customers deemed the product a good one, Pallav put it up on a website and started marketing it by writing articles about "why people should not be using outdated charts in Excel when there was a better technology." He had no money at the time, so guerilla PR – writing articles that indirectly promoted his product – was the only option available to him. FusionCharts gained traction with the help of recommendations from clients whom Pallav helped integrate his application into the product for free, only charging them a licensing fee. In return, they wrote recommendations that led to more clients. Pallav continued to write guest posts. He also visited Web forums and talked about the features of his product. Because one of the clients for whom Pallav provided free integration services had a wide reach, Pallav's business grew steadily early on. He launched the first version of his product in October 2002. By March of 2003, the company had earned $10,000. In 2003, the company earned $100,000; in 2004, $300,000; and in 2005, FusionCharts earned $750,000 in revenue and so on. Increased earnings allowed Pallav to start paying for online advertisements, which helped the company to grow even faster. By 2006, FusionCharts had almost earned $1 million and had a staff of 10 people. Of course, pricing has come a long way. Where Pallav once charged $15 dollars for a product that's designed for developers who can integrate charting with software applications, he now charges from $199 to $13,000 for the reseller license. Enterprise licensing can cost as much as $100,000. FusionCharts has another product that's designed for SharePoint users who require visualization on the platform. The fee for that is $1,299 per server. The third product is for non-technical users who need visualization that's better than what they can get with PowerPoint. For that, the charge will be $49 per user. The introduction of the iPad presented Pallav with a serious challenge because FusionCharts' products require Flash and Apple doesn't support it. Pallav's answer was to partner with one his competitors to create a hybrid product that works on iPad, iPhone, Android, PCs and the Web, a strategic move that gave FusionCharts a big boost in business and, consequently, revenue. Today, FusionCharts is a $7 million enterprise with a global clientele, many of them Fortune 500 companies. Pallav has increased his team to 60 people and increased its product offering to a total of 14. In 2011, FusionCharts opened a location in Bangalore. Pallav has no interest in financing because, as he puts it, financing would not help him grow at this point. He runs a lean operation that for the seven years of its existence ran at 80% profit margin. That's quite an accomplishment for a young man who started his company with $1,500. Boot Photo via Shutterstock From Small Business Trends     |
| How to Use Social Media to Establish Trust Posted: 31 Jul 2012 10:00 AM PDT Life as a small business owner is all about trust. Trust is how we make consumers feel comfortable purchasing from us instead of big box stores and its how we get them to keep coming back. And through the world of social media, we have a slew of new ways to develop trust in our customers' eyes to make them feel good about our business. But are you taking advantage of them? Below are six ways SMBs can use social media to establish trust with customers. 1. Turn customers into allies Social media works to break down the invisible wall that has existed for too long between business owners and the people they serve. Through blogs and social networks businesses are able to talk to consumers more intimately, to share information without selling, and to seek their customer's advice on matters related to their business. Those that take advantage of this can turn customers from marks to allies. By bringing customers deeper into your business and giving them a sense of investment in your company, you earn their trust and loyalty. You show them you value their opinion and how important they are to your business. As a result, they become part of your company forever. 2. Build up online reviews More and more studies are showing the correlation between online reviews and consumer trust. For example, last year a 15 Miles survey found that 25 percent of consumers admitted ratings and review information made their decision for them about whether or not to make a purchase. It didn't influence it. They didn't just consider it. It made it. And those numbers are going up, not down. If you're a company who has not taken advantage of the review revolution, the simple truth is you're going to be passed over for a competitor who has. One of the most powerful things social media has done is to help make important purchasing information more available to the consumers looking for it. As an SMB, establishing trust means soliciting reviews from customers and vendors, as well as managing and responding to the reviews that you do get. Build reviews into your sales cycle and encourage customers to get vocal about your business. And don't worry about hiding from negative reviews; as long as you handle them correctly, they actually help your trust and credibility. 3. Establish social proof The same studies that are showing the relationship between trust and online reviews, are showing that customers expect to be able to find certain information about your brand on the Web. If they don't, it makes them wonder why it's not there. And not in a good way. Just like consumers want to see reviews about your business they also want to see that you have a Web site and a dedicated online presence. They also want to see that you have a Facebook page. Or a Twitter account. Or a blog. Heck, they want to see you commenting on the same blogs they're commenting on. All of this acts as social proof, making you look more "legitimate" in the eyes of wary customers and building your trust levels. The expectation in today's market is that businesses are using these platforms. And if you're not, or if you are but they can't find it, they drawn their own conclusions as to why. The more visible you are to customers and the more places they can find you, the more they trust your brand. 4. Follow up after purchase Social media offers additional customer touch points, which again works to build trust in the brand. Whether it's an after-purchase email message explaining features or set up, or a tweet to check on someone's experience, the more you can use social media as a way to follow up and check in on customers, the more you're going to show yourself as a company worth their dollars. And because monitoring can be automated through tools and alerts, this becomes a painless way for brands to stay in the loop with their customers. 5. Respond well to feedback Hey, it's not all rainbows and butterflies out there. When you enter the world of social media you're going to find customers singing your praises and customers wanting to take you to task. By responding calmly and openly to customers who have less-than-stellar things to say about your brand, you show them that you value your opinion and that you're a company not afraid to take and respond to criticism. 6. Bring value Last week I shared how simply starting a company blog makes you a better business owner. The core of that post is that by solving your customers' problems, both big and small, it makes you more aware of their needs and how your company can help. The other side of the coin is that by providing content and showing customers you understand their struggles, you build trust with them. Social media helps businesses build more loyal customers by putting the focus on education, not selling. And the result of that is we trust the brand helping us to solve our problems, not just pad their wallets. As a small business owner, your business relies on trust more than a larger business. If your customers don't trust that you can solve their needs and that you'll be around in the morning, they're going to seek out other companies. Thankfully with social media we have even more touchpoints to build trust with customers. From Small Business Trends     |
| Sustainability And The Summer Olympics Posted: 31 Jul 2012 08:00 AM PDT The 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games in London aren't just about badminton and beach volleyball. They're also a chance to show the world what can be done with environmental sustainability at one monstrous event. Organizers of this year's event claim it will be the "most sustainable" Olympics to date, and they've spent years planning how to make it so – from how Olympic Stadium was constructed to the food served at the games to the transportation options offered. These measures will also likely have a lasting effect on London, as local businesses and Olympic vendors were pushed to adopt more sustainable practices and new urban green spaces were created for visitors. Here's a look at some of the interesting green practices springing up at this year's summer games: Sustainable fish. Roughly 14 million meals are expected to be served at this year's Olympics, and many of those will likely be fish and chips. In early 2011, London committed to being the world's first "Sustainable Fish City." All caterers at the Olympics were required to serve sustainably sourced fish, which often meant finding new sustainable fishery suppliers. "Sustainable seafood" is that which is harvested at a sustainable rate, as to not deplete the world's dwindling supply. "Zero" Waste. London has billed itself the first "zero waste" Olympics, and the organizers put out several reports explaining how they planned to make that happen. It included ambitious recycling and reusing programs, as well as reducing packaging needs and other waste. Food waste at the games will be composted. About 90% of the material waste in the construction of the Olympic stadium was recycled or reused, so it didn't end up in a landfill. Transportation. Organizers are encouraging visitors to walk, bike or take public transportation to get around the city and spent $15.5 million upgrading urban walkways and bike paths. An estimated 8,000 bikes are available for rent around the city through London's Barclays Bike Hire program, which launched in summer 2010. BMW, as part of its Olympics sponsorship, is providing more than 200 electric vehicles as fleets and setting up charging points around the city. City greening. A few years ago, London officials started beautifying their city in preparation for the games. This included adding more park space and greenery around the Olympic Stadium. In London, for instance, more than 3,000 trees were planted in preparation and more than 15 tons of waste removed from the parks and waterways. Despite all these steps, skepticism has been growing in recent weeks over whether the 2012 Olympic Games will achieve their "zero waste" goal. Some critics point to missed opportunities and green shortcomings. A recent report by BioRegional, a group that worked with Olympic organizers on their original sustainability plan, also says London could have done more. But even so, the London Olympics will hopefully serve as a role model for future Olympic hosts and show how large-scale events can help propel cities' and local businesses' green endeavors forward. Olympic 2012 Photo via Shutterstock From Small Business Trends     |
| Famous Bloggers Founder Loses Domain Names Posted: 31 Jul 2012 02:30 AM PDT If you’re an online entrepreneur, there are few things more important than the security of your domain names. Building an audience and marketing your website depends upon the security of these names and of the passwords that protect them. It also depends upon the password security of other accounts you use in your business. So imagine how it might feel to suddenly discover that the domain names to two of your most valuable sites are suddenly gone! Here’s What HappenedIt’s your worst nightmare. On Wednesday of last week, blogger and online entrepreneur Hesham Zebida says he discovered, to his dismay, that two of his most valuable domain names (including FamousBloggers.com) had been mysteriously transferred from his Web hosting account. He says he then received an e-mail from someone claiming to have the domains and offering to sell them back. Zebida.com What he did next. After contacting his hosting company, Zebida spent the next four days doing what many of us might, contacting everyone imaginable including law enforcement and his connections in the online blogging community, working to get his domains back. He finally succeeded, but admits he didn’t get much sleep in the process. Here’s what we can all take from his ordeal. Famous Bloggers Lessons LearnedIt’s your responsibility. Zebida blames his hosting company for allowing his domains to disappear in the first place and for not working hard enough to resolve the problem on his behalf, but the fact is that hosting companies regularly post warnings like this one. It is every website owner’s responsibility to do what they can to secure their site, as Zebida says he now realizes. Go Daddy What you can do. If you want to go the extra mile and avoid issues with your domain names and other online security problems, webmaster Mitz Pantic has some suggestions for you. Don’t rely on your hosting company alone to protect your site and domain names. Take the time to learn what’s necessary to protect your online business from harm. Let’s Build Websites Risks AboundDon’t fool yourself. You may believe that only big companies need to deal with attacks on their websites and that small businesses are too far under the radar to draw the attention of attackers. You’re wrong. In a recent Twitter chat with representatives from online security provider Symantec, members of our community learned the threat is real. Small Business Trends Protecting your Website. Of course, as blogger and online entrepreneur Scott Dudley reminds us, it’s not just your domain name that’s vulnerable to attack. The content management software you use to create your Website may also allow unwanted access, resulting in lost visibility and lost business. Take steps to protect your site. Lo Cost Marketing What the Future HoldsThe problem with progress. New developments in Web standards may bring even more security challenges in the not-too-distant future. For example, new tools known collectively as HTML5 could make your humble website as sophisticated and powerful as desktop software, but resulting security risks may give any webmaster pause. Technology Review From Small Business Trends     |
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