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Resources for Your Small Business
According to the U.S. Small Business Association, about 600,000 small business startups are formed each year in the U.S. And in our golden land of opportunity, there are nearly 25 million total small businesses.
A small business is generally defined as one that is independently owned and operated, with additional criteria regarding the number of employees, and size of business assets and receipts determined by local governments. Although these independent businesses are not often market dominators, they are especially important because they fuel local economic growth and innovation.
If you own one of these independent businesses or are self-employed, you understand the competitive landscape. You may compete against "big box" stores, or other well-known, established businesses in your community. To make the situation more challenging, in today's technology filled world, you're competing with all the businesses online. And to stay competitive and feed your entrepreneurial spirit, you may work longer hours, and do much of the work yourself — with pleasure.
That's where small business technology can help. It can help you and your independent business become more efficient, as well as help you understand your marketplace better — in turn, feeding the growth of your company.
Solving Business Technology Needs
Even the smallest business should have the basics — a solid computer system - whether it's a desktop or laptop, as well as a printer, copier and fax machine. In addition, there are core software programs that nearly every business needs: a word processing program, spreadsheet application, graphics program and basic accounting software. Of course, Microsoft Office is the most popular in terms of office software. Adobe Photoshop and Quickbooks are other good choices for independent businesses.
With these basic business technology purchases, you should be able to efficiently complete tasks such as writing letters to clients, designing advertisements and other marketing pieces, tracking inventory, sales and profitability, and creating other important documents, such as price guides, catalogs and mailing lists, etc.
Creating Your Business Web Site
One common misconception is that an independent business is too small to warrant or justify the expense of a Web site. Think again — especially if you operate locally.
ComScore, a leading source of Internet audience research and measurement, reported 40 percent of all online searches in 2007 related to local information. Today's consumers expect you to be online — and they may even be accessing your site from a Blackberry, iPhone or other mobile device, while they are out and about. It may be to find your location, for a contact number, or even a price comparison. But if they can't find your company online, you're missing out on plenty of potential business.Creating a business Web site provides you with the free marketing opportunity to submit to the local search options in Google and Yahoo!, as well as rank in the traditional results for local searches like "landscaping cleveland ohio," "accountants seattle wa," or "wedding photographer naples fla."
Whether you're creating a business Web site for a startup or an established company, be sure you choose a developer with experience and expertise in both design and Web marketing. They can help ensure your site is visible to the search engines and user-friendly to visitors, as well as help you identify other affordable online opportunities for your independent business, like Google AdWords.
Learn More About Business Technology
For more tips on how you can use business technology to your advantage, browse through more articles in our Business Resource Center, or visit the business discounts section for related tools for your independent business.
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1-888-806-9598. Get your free, no-hassle commercial auto insurance quote now.