Small Business Center

Tweet by phone.  Now that caught my interest.

Voice on the Go is a new service that allows you to record a message and it accurately transcribes it into an email, a text message (SMS), or a Facebook or Twitter update. I purchased the $5.99 monthly option for this review and found it to be a fast and smooth setup.  There are no long term contracts, and you can pay-per-month.

The benefit of speaking an email/SMS or any other written message is clear:  You’ll save loads of time and get more done.  Like me, you might be concerned about the accuracy of your voice to text. I’ve used other services and had terrible, embarrassing messages sent to my customers and prospects. Voice on the Go is different and extremely accurate. I spoke a bit slower, when testing it, to make sure, but after the first few I found myself speaking normally and getting equally good results. You also will avoid the incredibly dangerous temptation to text while driving.

The service also lets you listen to your emails. I find that most people today will leave a voicemail AND then send an email with more detail. If I can listen to my messages as well that adds to my daily productivity.

Voice on the Go can also be used to update your Facebook and Twitter accounts. Having in mind how many small business owners use Twitter and Facebook as a marketing tool to promote their business, this opportunity is worth trying. Voice on the Go can be used from any mobile, so even if your mobile is not a Blackberry or an iPod, you can still take advantage of the service.

My goal in all my reviews is to maintain some emotional detachment, to create a professional review, but man this sure is cool!!  I have to admit that I was impressed and like a little kid testing the SMS portion to my friends and family who have probably now blocked my account…

What I liked about Voice on the Go:

• I was up and running in five minutes of setup.
• It lets me send an email AND sends me the voice file in .wav format. That’s great for tracking what you really said and serving for those who might use it for notes and idea capture.
• It lets you call in from any phone, but if not from your cell, you simply have to put your cell phone number in to identify your account. Allowing me to use it from a landline or Skype was a big plus. Saves cell minutes.
• Facebook updates were just as easy to setup and quick to remove, if you wanted to delete the access from Voice on the Go or from the Edit Applications area of Facebook. I liked that it worked both ways.

What could use improving?

• I couldn’t get the incoming email portion to work out of the gate with Gmail, but it could have been my settings.
• Sending a tweet to a person directly like @smallbiztrends didn’t work, but regular status updates worked fine.
• Tiny downside: The updates to Twitter or Facebook are not instant as they are on the web, but that seems reasonable to me.  So, just give it a few minutes and be patient.

If you are on the road a lot and want to leave your computer off for a little while or don’t have time to find a wifi hotspot, this service is very useful. If you are addicted to social media, this is a good enabler when you can’t get to a keyboard. If you are simply tired of typing everything, then give this service a trial run, at $5.99 a month it is hard to beat.

There’s a good news-bad news story about small business expansion plans in the some recent data from Discover Small Business Watch, a survey of a random sample of 750 small business owners with five or fewer employees. The good news is that things improved in January. The bad news is they got worse again in February, leaving us pretty far from where we were before the recession started and without any sort of trend towards improvement yet.

The figure below plots the answers of respondents to the monthly question about their business development spending plans since the survey began in August 2006. The blue line shows the percentage of owners planning to increase spending and the red line shows the percentage planning to decrease spending.

There was some improvement so far this year over the end of last year, but there’s still 22 percentage point gap between the fraction of owners that plan to decrease spending and the fraction that plan to increase it.

The situation with hiring plans is less clear. As the figure below shows, the share of small business owners who plan to hire jumped in January 2010 and showed a steady decrease in the fraction that plan to lay people off from August of last year through January of this year. But then things got worse again in February, with the percentage of businesses planning to hire dropping to 5 percent. As a result, we again have fewer owners planning to hire than planning to lay people off.

Moreover, we are far from the consistent pattern of more owners planning to hire than to lay off like was present from the survey’s initiation in August 2006 through August 2007. And just 5 percent of small business owners intending to add staff doesn’t bode well for improvement in the employment numbers in the small business sector any time soon.

Our daily roundup of today’s headlines about small businesses….  Tracking what people are talking about today in the world of small businesses and entrepreneurs.

Credit

• Jeff Cornwall. Current Small Business Problems Will Not be Solved Solely by Focusing on Lending, Says Report. The Entrepreneurial Mind
• Martha C. White. Obama Administration’s Small Business Loans: Will They Really Work? The Minnesota Independent
• Phyllis Furman. Loans Remain Tough for Small Business, Startups. NYDaily News
• Paul Davidson. Credit Unions Want Congress to Lift Limits on Small Business Lending — But There are Two Sides to That Story. USA Today

Healthcare

• Samuel Gregg. Why More Regulation Probably Won’t Save the Economy. National Review Online
• NFIB. Small Business Owners Want Less Political Drama Over Healthcare, More Solutions.  NFIB.com
• The Cato Institute. Why a Free Market Can Cure the Health Care Crisis. Healthcare.Cato.Org
• The Quincy Cove. Small Businesses Interviewed About High Insurance Costs. Quincycove.com

Hiring

• Intuit. Small Business Shows Signs of an Economic Rebound. Small Business Trends
• Scott Shane. But Hiring Has Not Bounced Back According to the Discover Small Business Watch.  Small Business Trends

Marketing

• Niccolinas Soto. Capitalizing on Social Media: A How-To Guide. Smallbiz Central
• John Janstch. Standing Out with — of All Things – Rockabilly.   Duct Tape Marketing
• Becky McCray. How to Track Your Daily Marketing Activity. Small Biz Survival
• Martin Lindeskog. A Great Big List of 100 Small Business Podcasts.  Small Business Trends Radio
  

Tech

• Steven Andrés. Big Fish or Small-Fry, Don’t Wind Up on a Hacker’s Hook. NetWorkWorldAsia.net
• Financial Web. Small Business Accounting Programs Can Create a Simpler Life. Internet Brands
• Hewlett Packard. Elite 7100 Small Business Desktop Increases Productivity. Small Business Trends

Operations

• Seth Godin. I Don’t Feel Like It. Inspiration for the Business Leader. Seth’s Blog
• U.S. government. Business.gov Collects 2010  Small-Business Tax Information in One Handy Place.  Business.gov

Startups

• Adam Toren. Too Much on Your Plate Can Kill Your Startup (and So Can 4 Other Things). YoungEntrepreneur.com
• Dharmesh Shah. The 10 Most Tempting Software Startup Categories. On Startups.

From computers and printers to scanners and copiers, businesses rely on electronics galore these days. But when it’s time to replace all this equipment, it’s not always clear what to do with it.

Throwing away old office electronics hurts the environment, and is banned in many communities. They often contain hazardous materials, such as mercury, lead and arsenic, that can become toxic waste in landfills and leach into the soil. The best solution is giving them away or recycling them. (Make sure the equipment is cleared of sensitive business information before doing anything with it.)

A noble start is seeing if you can donate your old equipment to a nonprofit. Many organizations, including Goodwill Industries, ILoveSchools and the Salvation Army, accept office equipment that they can resell at low prices or give to people in need. It costs you nothing, and you may even qualify for a tax deduction. (It’s a good idea to call ahead: Demand for various types of equipment changes over time, and some nonprofits may not currently take certain types of equipment.)

If you’re unsure of where to give, check out Great Nonprofits. It keeps a list of nonprofits currently in need of various types of office equipment and furniture.

Some Web sites, such as Free Cycle, also can match you up with individuals seeking computers or other equipment. But you won’t qualify for a tax deduction.

If donating or reselling isn’t feasible, recycling old equipment is the next best thing. Recyclers dismantle and harvest old equipment for parts that can be reused or resold. But there’s growing concern about some questionable practices among some electronics recyclers, so do a little research before you select one.

Many electronics manufacturers and dealers, including Apple and Office Depot, offer “mailback” or other such programs that allow businesses to give back used electronics, sometimes free or for a fee of less than $40 per item. You can find lists of electronics recyclers in your area on My Green Electronics and on E-cycling Central.  Local environmental groups may also provide good information on recycling options and practices in your community.

Keep in mind that many environmentally responsible recyclers often charge small per-item fees for their service.

Learn more about what’s important to your small business today. Here is our latest roundup of the news articles and blogs we’re reading and what’s important, from Small Business Trends.

Policy

Will small business really be better off with another layer of government regulation? Some small businesses have come out in support of a new Consumer Financial Protection Agency.  The U.S. Chamber of Commerce opposes. Entrepreneur.com

The road to patent reform runs through the Eastern District of Texas. VC investor Brad Feld runs this op ed about patent litigation in the U.S. and how it could strangle innovative small to medium sized businesses. Feld Thoughts

Employer-provided health insurance remains in proposal.  Excerpts from President Obama’s  remarks on his health care program today.  “The proposal I’ve put forward … builds on the current system where most Americans get their health insurance from their employer.” National Review Online

Tech

Want to know how other small businesses are using social media? Here’s a cool graph with stats and some other information. Mashable

Some things are just too good to be true. Free hosted phone service for your small business may be one of them. Be sure the company will still be around when you need them. SmallBizTechnology.com

Credit

The problem with small business – is it really lack of credit? In this interview, Senator Carl Levin (D-Mich.) insists he was told by one small business owner that lack of customers or sales was not the problem but only lack of credit due to lack of capital in the banking industry. How many small business owners would agree? TalkRadioNews.com

What do you need to buy a business? Before you even think about trying to secure a loan or other financing here are some things you may need to consider. Business.gov

Marketing

So, what do those little stars next to some Google search results mean? They may be an important factor in your Website’s positioning in the future and an important consideration when marketing your presence online. Wayne Liew Dot Com

New Hampshire small businesses are bucking a trend and exceeding the national average in exporting overseas. How that state’s small to medium sized companies are fostering growth and how other entrepreneurs can imitate their success at marketing abroad. NashuaTelegraph.com

What marketers really can’t stand about advertising agencies. Lack of communications, industry knowledge and insight into clients’ needs top the list in this report. American Association of Advertising Agencies

Who are you following on social media? If you’re just checking your own brand, you may be missing the boat. BetterCloser.com

Operations

Small business payrolls showed a 2% increase in hiring and slightly larger paychecks. From the SurePayroll Small Business Scorecard for February 2010. Data based on thousands of small business payrolls. SurePayroll.com

Despite the best laid plans, your product or service will someday fall short of customer expectations. Roger Breisch, Executive Director at the Batavia, Illinois Chamber of Commerce draws on 25 years of business experience  about when the worst happens. Oops…There Goes My Worldview

What if there were a simple and complete guide on how to keep your customers happy? You’re in luck! Ken Beaulieu has seven tips that should keep customers and clients sticking to you like glue. FuelNet.com

Steer clear of the usual tax preparation pitfalls by keeping good records. Tips from the Associated Press to keep your business out of trouble at tax time. Associated Press

The secret to turning your business into one you can sell. John Warrillow draws on his experiences building his business, which he sold a few years ago. Small Business Trends

Learn more about what’s important to your small business today. Here is our latest roundup of the news articles and blogswe’re reading and what’s important, from Small Business Trends.

Policy

Is health care reform already hurting small business? Learning from Massachusetts. Small business owners decry health costs. SouthCoastToday.com

Is insurance regulation helping or hurting small business? A perspective from Hawaii. HMSA seeks 7.8% hike in small-business rate. HonoluluAdvertiser.com

Why FICA-tax breaks for hiring the unemployed won’t encourage new hires. Fifteen Billion Dollars but Not a Lot of Sense. The article notes that the Senate proposal “encourages companies to violate the most basic tenet of good business, which is to hire the most qualified people.” NYTimes.com

Congress will not be acting on credit card interchange reform this year — and less government interference is probably a good thing. No Interchange reform legislation in 2010. If your small business accepts credit cards, this article gives tips for how to shop around for the lowest interchange rates. Vantage Viewpoint

Credit

Small business borrowing is up…but so are delinquencies. Exclusive: Small business lending up third straight month. Reuters

Small businesses need more sales, not more loans. Economists Argue Small-Business Concerns over lending overblown. WSJ Blogs

No credit? No problem. Start your business with a 401k. But we here at Small Business Trends would add, “be very very careful – not everyone can afford to risk their retirement.” SmallBusinessFinancing.com

Marketing

Women make most small-business B2B purchasing decisions. National Association for Female Executives (NAFE) Honors Office Depot. MarketWatch.com

Be sure to weigh your return on investment in the new online marketing world. Services Combine Social Media, Marketing. WSJ Small Business

Michael Katz explains why your small business needs deadlines. I Walk the Line – Newsletter Marketing Tips. Charlie Cook’s Marketing For Success Blog

Don’t leave word-of-mouth marketing to chance. Use Case Studies to Increase Word-of-Mouth Marketing. HubSpot.com

Unlike the post office, the e-mail is going strong! Email Marketing For Small Business Slowing Down? Understanding Marketing

Operations

Ever wonder how your state ranks on energy costs? The “Energy Cost Index 2010″ ranks the 50 states and District of Columbia, as they affect small businesses, individuals and families.  The lowest cost states for energy costs are Wyoming, Kentucky and Missouri, in that order. Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council

Some great advice from venture capitalist Fred Wilson on the real nature of entrepreneurism. Rolling Up Your Sleeves and Getting Your Hands Dirty. A VC Blog

If these things really bug customers, why do businesses keep doing them? Are you listening to what customers are saying?  Watch this video to see what they are.  AllBusiness.com

Startups

Emma Jones says “Move over, Rupert Murdoch!” Become a media magnate from the kitchen table. Create a publishing empire from your home. Microsoft Small Business Blog

A surpising message to startups from local government leaders: Be adaptable and self-sufficient. Small businesses advised to think big. Recordnet.com

Jim Kukral talks about the importance of focusing on who you are. “I’m Not As Smart As Chris Brogan,” says Jim.  Then he explains why you should be you and quit worrying about trying to be someone else. JimKukral.com

Entrepreneur Johns Wu talks about finding the niche online marketing brass ring. Johns Wu – Founder, Developer, Sole Employee, and eventual Seller of Bankaholic.com.  This is a real-life story of a young Internet entrepreneur who became a millionaire before age 23, and retired. MO.com

I used to own a market research firm, and we’d do just about anything for a buck. You need focus groups? No problem. You need a conjoint study? We’re your guys. Mall intercepts? Let me get out my clipboard.

I found by offering such a broad set of services, we never really got good at any one thing. We had consultants doing certain types of projects only once or twice a year, so they lacked experience and got intellectually rusty. We needed all sorts of people to offer such a broad set of services, making the business neither scalable nor sellable. Eventually we decided to change models and offer one set of research papers to all of our clients on a subscription basis.

The subscription business started off well enough, but along the way, someone asked us if we still did focus groups. It was like a recovering addict being offered a fix. We jumped at the opportunity to do the project. The problem was that people noticed the crack in our resolve and burrowed a large hole in our claim of being specialists. Clients realized we weren’t totally committed to the subscription model and started asking for customization to our reports and one-off side projects. My employees noticed we had strayed from our offering and started accepting other projects — much like a child seeing his parents say one thing and do another.

Pretty soon, we were running two businesses in parallel with our resources being spread across two completely different models. We were half-pregnant: spread thin, cash flow tightened, project quality slipped and deadlines pushed. After a while, with clients demanding custom work, we had to abandon the subscription model and go back to just doing projects.

After retreating for a few years into the misery of owning an unsellable service business, we took another run at building a subscription business. This time, we told clients we were not accepting custom projects anymore.

We had to start saying no before clients realized we were serious.

I expected good clients to balk and that sales would dip. Instead, a funny thing happened: we started having much better conversations. Clients stopped asking us to do custom work and started asking how our new model could help them achieve their goals. For every one client who said no to our new model, two new ones heard about our unique offer and wanted in. Our salespeople got good at the pitch and were able to sign up 100 enterprise customers as subscribers.

The subscription business is a build-once-sell-many-times annuity model. Our scalability, recurring revenue and focus ultimately allowed me to sell the business in 2008.

Here’s a video that describes how you can identify a scalable product or service of your own:

In order to provide users with the absolute most relevant search results, Google is doing its best to provide a more local, a more social results page. The days where location doesn’t matter on the Web are over. Over the past year we’ve seen a strong push from Google to improve results by showing users what’s located closest to their neighborhood, be it a physical neighborhood or simply the neighborhood where they “hang out” on the Web. First they began automatically personalizing results by IP, then it was real-time and social signals. And they’re not slowing down.

Let’s look at two new advancements made by Google last week and how it may affect small business owners.

More Local

On Friday afternoon Google launched ‘Nearby’ search option. The new feature will allow users to filter their search results based on a geographic location that they can set instead of appending location names directly to their search. For example, many users have grown accustomed to performing searches like [New York City pizza] or [Denver plumber] in order to receive local results. Now they don’t have to. Instead, searchers will be able to refine their search by their default location or a custom one by using the Search Options panel that appears on the left hand sidebar. It, arguably, makes search easier.

The feature is live on the google.com domain but if you’re not seeing it, Google has pre-defined some searches for people to test out.

For example, Google listed the following search examples:

[things to do on st. patrick's day] – In the Minneapolis region
[food blogs] – Near you
[farmers market] – Near the city of Ithaca
[dmv] – In the same state as Tucson

More Social

Back in December Google announced it would integrate real-time search into its search results. The change instantly put live news, tweets, and blog posts directly into the search results and gave small business owners yet another reason to be proactive about monitoring their online reputation. Well, last week Google added another prominent source to pull content from and display in its real-time search results – Facebook. While Google won’t be pulling information from your individual profile, it will publish official updates from Facebook Fan Pages, profiles generally created for celebrities, major brands and, of course, local businesses.

This is a pretty cool new addition from Google because it gives small business owners another way to dominate the search results for their name. And because Facebook will only pull updates that the owner of the page creates themselves, there’s less of an online reputation management headache to worry about. You control what Google may or may not see about you. You can make sure that customers find out about special deals, events, and whatever’s going on at your business.

What Does All This Mean?

It means you need to start thinking differently about how you market your site. It used to be that location didn’t matter. Google ranked sites based on the relevance to a particular keyword or phrase. More and more we’re starting to see Google giving more prominence to information that is relevant based on other factors.

Local is more relevant. You need to ensure that Google knows where you’re business is located. That means getting the proper local citations, making sure your Local Business Listing is accurate and that you localize your Web content by using a complete address.

Social is more relevant. If you haven’t created a Facebook Fan page for your business, now’s the time to do it. Google is pulling this information into the search results and using it when someone searches for you. Use this to your advantage. Make sure you’re sending out valuable information and that you’re also letting them find a profile that is well-built and user-friendly. We’ve previously shared tips on how to get the most from Facebook Fan pages and how to get people to join your Facebook Fan page, which may be worth another read. With Google consistently turning up the social knob and updating its idea of relevance, you need to make sure your relevant in 2010’s version of search.