• Allowing employees to telecommute (26%).
• Upgrading server infrastructure with the most energy-efficient technology available (16 %).
• Using mobile technology (15 %).
• Conducting live meetings that share resources over the Web such, as presentations (14 %).

"You have to take a hard look at your processes," says Dave Minker, president of CMIT Solutions, an IT consulting firm. "That helps you design a solution that works for you, and helps you realize greater efficiency and organization." Can smarter IT really do that? Yes. Here are six ways that low-cost computing can give your small business a lift:

1. Use what you’ve got. Chances are, the resources you need to start saving money with your technology are right in front of you. "For example, most businesses have Microsoft Office installed," says Neil Moodley, a managing director at FourThirds, a U.K. business consultancy. "That’s a good start. Most, however, could use it much more effectively." If users took the time to learn how to build a simple database in Access that tracks customers and orders or to learn how to export data from Access or Excel into Word for a mail merge or to understanding the features of Outlook to organize time and tasks, they could save lots of time and money. "These all need an hour of effort to learn, but once they are understood, huge piles of paper and binders full of orders can be archived away and processes big and small streamlined," he says.

2. Turn your PCs into phones. Nico McLane, a broadcast media consultant, says she turns to free Web-based services such as Skype or Free Conference to bring clients together and show off her products. "I target ROI on everything I do for myself and my clients," she says. "I use several tools in concert to achieve the exact type of virtual meeting I need to deliver, to educate potential clients on the power of these tools."  How much does all of this cost? Usually, nothing, since many of the products offer free trials. This can also save money on travel expenses, since virtual conferences often eliminate the need for in-person meetings. Travel and entertainment costs are typically the second- or third-biggest business expense.

3. Automate processes. Are you still doing invoicing, receiving, purchasing and inventory control the old-fashioned way-by hand? IT can help you automate those processes and save money. Automate your processes as much as possible and trim unnecessary overhead," says Loren Peterson, the vice president of global solutions for MCNi, which develops automation software that works with accounting applications used by small businesses. "The upfront costs are generally recouped with a few months of purchase."

4. Outsource when it makes sense. In most small organizations, there’s usually an employee who is responsible for IT, including office machines, copiers and interactions with the phone company. "The problem is, this person usually has another primary responsibility-the job they were actually hired for," says Brian Rosenfelt of CT Consulting of Independence, a firm that handles outsourcing for small businesses. "As the economy continues to tighten, companies are searching for ways to get more out of their existing employees, but we’ve found that these jack-of-all-trades are spending anywhere from 25% to 75% of their time dealing with [IT related] problems. By shifting resources, allowing your employees to do what they were meant to-and outsourcing the rest to a third party-you can save lots of money.

5. Get rid of obsolete technology. Perhaps the only thing that’s worse than not using IT to help your business save money is trying to use obsolete technology. Take a fax machine, for example. "Get rid of it," says Edith Yeung, who organizes the San Francisco Entrepreneur Meetup, a networking group for Bay Area entrepreneurs. Instead of using the traditional fax machine, check out eFax.com. You can save costs for faxing long distance, and you will also save money on paper and save the environment. The same thing goes for other obsolete technologies such as computer screens that use cathode ray tubes, or old software. These vintage technologies slow down your business and cost money in the form of higher energy bills. Get rid of them and it won’t just speed up your processes; it will save your company serious money.

6. Shift more of your business to the Web. Many small retailers have realized they can target incremental revenues by establishing a Web site to sell from, in addition to their brick-and-mortar store, says Les Cowie, the director of business development for Worldwide Brands, a company that online retailers directly with qualified wholesale suppliers.

But why stop there? Using nothing more than a PC and a broadband connection, your small business can leverage the marketing power of the Internet. Social networking sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter let you push sales at virtually no cost to your business.  For small businesses, IT isn’t a problem. It’s a solution. By taking advantage of the technology you already have, outsourcing what you shouldn’t be doing, upgrading and rethinking the way your small business uses technology, you can harness the power of low-cost computing for your company.

Used with permission from the Microsoft Small Business Resources. Christopher Elliott writes about business travel and mobile computing, and publishes a weekly travel newsletter . 

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I read a Mark Graban (Lean Blog) Tweet about Dan Pink’s Blog and followed the link. The post was outstanding and most of all gave me all the reasons for the success of Small Business. It must of have been that Law of Attraction thing.

This is Mark’s comment from the post:

Great story. It goes to show, for one thing, that “standardization” (of which Marriott is a big proponent of) doesn’t mean shut your brain off. I’m sure they just have a very general policy of doing what it takes to make guest happy – and being a JW, is it a different policy than a Courtyard?

After reading your post, I was walking home and realized that my neighborhood cleaners in Boston exhibits a similar behavior – with just smiles (they are still free, right?). It sounds so cheesy, but every time I’m in the cleaners (2x a week?), the owner or his wife, they smile and make you feel so welcome to be there, like you’re the only customer of the day, which clearly isn’t true.

After 11 months in Boston, I noticed just about two weeks ago that if I’m walking home at the end of the day and the guy isn’t busy, he sees you walk by… I noticed him and he just grinned and waved, as if seeing an old friend for the first time in a decade.

So now I noticed he does this every time. I actually. I now make a point of looking for him and we exchange waves and smiles. Again, cheesy, but it feels good.

Yes, he’s the closest cleaners, but would I think about looking for someone cheaper? Not at all (Well, unless they ruined a bunch of clothes). He’s a perfect example of attitude mattering – whatever your job, you can choose to be a grump or choose to be happy.

Way cheaper than 44 cents.

So if you are looking for a life preserver, think about making someone feel special. Is that tough?

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In the Duct Tape Marketing book, John Jantsch, the author has really focused on three areas that I feel are the most important: Simple, Effective and Affordable strategies for the Small Business Owner. John effectively followed these terms throughout the book. Take a look at the excerpt and see if you agree: Google Books.

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John Jantsch, author of Duct Tape Marketing and founder of the Duct Tape Marketing organization developed this initiative and established levels of Duct Tape Marketing Coaching accreditation in an effort to place heavy emphasis on the success factors of the Duct Tape Marketing system and reward those who establish pre-defined levels of success using the Duct Tape Marketing approach, tools and point of view. To obtain this advanced level, there were twelve additional requirements above and beyond the initial level. At this time, it is the highest achievable level within the organization.

It is a honor to be recognized with such an outstanding group and would like to thank John Jantsch, the Duct Tape Marketing organization and recognize the other ten coaches that achieved this level; Jeff Bishop, Troy Braithwaite, Scott Campbell, Joe Costantino, Bill Doerr, Fiona Friesen, Adrianne Machina, Cidnee Stephen, Michael Thompson, Liz Walker. I firmly believe in the Duct Tape Marketing Process and to use an old cliché, I not only talk the talk but walk the walk. As you may know there are few people that believe in a marketing system as much as I do.

The Duct Tape Marketing system allows business owners to create and build their very own marketing system complimented by a coaching system that has proven effective with small businesses for over 20 years. The system is perfect for those who already own a business, but want to make it soar. It’s also designed for those who want to start a business but don’t know how to get it off the ground.” This system will help entrepreneurs build the perfect business establishing a proven marketing system to their growing company. “Why reinvent the wheel? Take a proven process, a package of tools, a trained coach and run with it.

Related Post: I believe in a Marketing System

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On an upcoming Business901 podcast, I discussed with CEO Bob Wiener, how PAS Technologies climber from near the bottom of industry rankings to the top. What significant change did he make to leapfrog the competition? He invested the 1^st week of his leadership in Lean training. An old saying that I use repeatedly: How many good ideas get wasted because of a poor plan? I think Bob reinforced that adage once again.

Most professionals today have not been involved in a turnaround. They do not realize that turnarounds require a different set of skills and management techniques. My methods do not work for all and are just one way of doing it. You must decide on your course of action. I have been involved in several and failed at one of them, the results that I had were all different. I broke companies apart, sold some and worked through some. They were all different, with different goals and different results. And bottom line is I lived to write about them.

Now, with my experience what would I do if I was involved with one today? Though PAS did not create the model, they executed it which is a much greater feat. My model may look a little different than how PAS did it, but it is similar in the respect that I would walk in and create a Lean System.

Most people don’t respect the fact that you have to document what you are doing, precisely. It really is like starting on a journey without knowing where you are at. If you would try to get directions from Google and typed Indiana in instead of Indianapolis, you may be only 1-hour or 4-hours away.

Your metrics play such an important part. How are you going to measure success? What in the short term will allow you to survive and in the long term build a business? Measuring simply by results is just not enough in today’s world. Using Lean Metrics measured by drivers are at the heart of making your plan effective.

Lean is a system focused on and driven by customers. Optimizing the value stream from their eyes and in an efficient process takes your processes to a level not experienced before. Review your past sales and processes that are performing well. Determine why and what may be different about them. This may help you identify a value stream much more quickly.

Mapping the Future State is where we start seeing it all come together. This is the step everyone typically wants to jump to immediately. As a result, it can be easily abused and a lot of waste can be left in the process. We make plans and instead of having a sound basis, we use instincts and tools that are not directed and often based on what I call “Tribal Knowledge.”

Kaizen is the Japanese word for continuous improvement. It is all about idea submission, not acceptance. Kaizen has three steps. First, create a standard. Second, follow it. Third, find a better way. Create Kaizen events on a weekly basis to improve on a particular area or metric.

A great learning tool is to start with a task that is working well, has little waste and just walks through the process. After you see how the process works, take one that has what you perceive a lot of low-hanging fruit. Walk through that process. The secret I believe to successfully implementation is trying to do too much at once. It is a journey made up of multiple events or Kaizens.

Related Post: Are an Ideal Customer for a Turnaround

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It was derived from a Duct Tape Marketing Post but holds very true today. I had originally re-worded it to use it in nonprofit presentation.

Technorati : Consultant, Duct Tape Marketing, Fish Story, Marketing Coach, Small Business

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Maybe it should be replaced by the 5 B’s of Marketing?

1. B E Real Your marketplace is crowded with competitors, and your prospects are

besieged with marketing messages. For your message to find its way through all this noise, it must be exactly on target. In any field, it’s not enough to simply describe what you do. You must be able to tell your prospects exactly how your work helps them solve problems and reach goals, and the benefits and results they can expect to see from it. What this targeted messaging requires is that you become very specific about not only who your offer is for, but what it will help them do, and why your solution is the right one for them.

2. Be Pulling vs. Pushing … In the classic marketing formula, the emphasis was on promotion — pushing your message out to the world at large. You need to pull toward you exactly those clients you want. Push-style marketing includes cold calling, unsolicited mail or email, paid advertising (online and off), promotional events like trade shows, and some forms of PR, like blasting out press releases. Pull marketing, on the other hand, is focused on building affinity and connections. To attract clients in your niche, you might develop referral partnerships, become visible at networking events, get booked as a public speaker, have articles published or build a content-rich website. You’ll find it much easier to make a sale when clients contact you as the result of hearing about you from someone else, or after sampling your expertise for free.

3. Be interesting… You must position your business in the mind of your prospective clients as the best possible choice for exactly what they need. Broadcasting a muddy or generic marketing message won’t be enough. Your clients need to understand “what’s in it for me?” Be the place they go when they need something.

4. Be there.. Clients are wary — and justifiably so — of committing to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on something they haven’t been able to experience in advance. Without tangible evidence to go by, they base their decision on how much they trust you. A significant portion of your marketing activities should be aimed at increasing your credibility. But one of the best ways to build trust is also the simplest. Allow clients to get to know you, be part of their everyday life. Use of your website, services, ideas and advice that you can offer are all important mixes.

5. Be Fast… In today’s world, the most important. The key is hitting the right client at the right time with the right product in the right way – the first time, because you may not get a second time. You have to identify their need or problem, provide the solution, understand the resources needed and the decision process they will use. You have to have a process in place for doing this or the process itself will lead to slow and inaccurate decisions. Effective companies have processes that drive decisions, not delay them.

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The Small Business Administration’s (SBA) 504 loan program is currently providing long-term, fixed rate financing for commercial real estate at the lowest interest rate since the program’s inception. This low rate, coupled with the new fee reductions provided by the Congressional stimulus bill, led to an effective interest rate – including servicing fees – of only 5.25% for the month of April.

The SBA’s 504 loan program provides long-term, fixed rate financing for commercial real estate. Since its inception the 504 program has funded nearly $40 billion in loans to growing small businesses. Small business borrowers are taking advantage of these record low interest rates to purchase, build or expand their facilities.

More and more commercial properties are coming onto the market at attractive prices, adding to the advantage of low interest rates and fees. If a small business has been considering investing in a building, now is a great time to act.

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Due to the tight job market many career seekers are deciding for the first time to become self-employed. Three area entrepreneurs have gathered to create a free public seminar on discussing the joys and perils you may encounter on this journey and outline a map that others have used for success. If you are interested in participating, you are invited to learn more at http://becomingself-employed.com .

Attendees will have an opportunity to interact with the presenters to have their questions answered and to network with others who share common concerns and experiences. Individuals from all types of careers and educational backgrounds are invited to attend Becoming Self-Employed Seminars. There is no charge to attend the seminars; however, online registration is required.

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Welcome to Small Business+ Insight, the newsletter that delivers custom small business advice and technology information to help you succeed. Look for the plus sign to identify Small Business+ exclusives. This month, get the ins and outs of gamePLAN, a collection of online resources that include insights, advice, and case studies to help you optimize your technology budget, reduce IT spending, and better manage your business costs.

With the right productivity solution, you and your team will spend less time hunting for answers and more time delivering results. Learn more.

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My Number: (260)918-4793

1. You get your own number.
2. Long distance can be free.
3. Sends an e-mail that you have voice mail.
4. Transcribes the message? Huh! Yes, transcribes it!
   And you can forward it with or without the transcription:

Hey! I got this on my Google Voice account and thought you’d want to hear it.

(260) 438-0411

4/11/09 9:51 PM

just doing this test one two three test one two three test four to five test five six seven thank you
Play message

Don’t have a Google Voice account? Find out more on www.google.com/voice .

I think it is pretty cool!

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“Small businesses must change the way they think about and approach lead generation – they must think more in terms of being found and less in terms of finding. People are still looking for solutions, trying out new services and buying things they want, they’ve just changed how they go about doing it. In a way the control of message consumption has changed with it.”

If you have not read it, I encourage you to do that. If you read it in my e-mail please leave a comment here, I would appreciate sharing what my people think about it. Also feel free to copy and paste your comment on John’s blog.

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Two-Thirds of Small Businesses Go it Alone for Marketing

More than half of small business owners say that generating new customers is a challenge for them, yet nearly two-thirds say they do not use outside support for marketing assistance, according to a survey of US small businesses from the Yellow Pages Association (YPA)….

What are some other items that are commonly outsourced?

Accounting,Payroll, Manufacturing, Printing, Engineering, Janitorial, Machining, Fabrication, Service, Food, Secretarial duties, Answering, and many, many more? 

But not marketing? HMMM!

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