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Why marketing automation should be a top priority for SMBsIt can be challenging for small- to mid-sized businesses (SMBs) with limited resources to get their marketing efforts off the ground, but marketing automation can help them gain a competitive edge and achieve success easier. By automating repetitive tasks and marketing more effectively on multiple online channels, you save money and provide a better experience […]

The post Why marketing automation should be a top priority for SMBs appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

Why marketing automation should be a top priority for SMBs

It can be challenging for small- to mid-sized businesses (SMBs) with limited resources to get their marketing efforts off the ground, but marketing automation can help them gain a competitive edge and achieve success easier. By automating repetitive tasks and marketing more effectively on multiple online channels, you save money and provide a better experience for your customers. Here are other benefits of marketing automation for your SMB.

Instant responses to email requests

If a customer or prospect sends your business an email via your website or a “Contact Us” form, any delay in response could ultimately cost you a client. But if you have a marketing automation plan in place, you can customize automatic email responses to respond to these leads as soon as an email is received. This either provides potential customers with the information they requested or informs them that you will be responding in greater detail soon.

Automatic follow-ups

There’s a reason most people prefer to communicate via email: keeping in touch over the phone can be tough if both parties are always busy. An automated system solves this by logging the time and date of your contact with the leads, then automatically emailing them about follow-up times. The call, email, and responses are all logged in your customer relationship management software and calendar without a single minute wasted on inputting information.

Inbound lead assignment

When you have phone calls, emails, and meetings piling up, it’s hard to keep track of who is working with a customer. With marketing automation software and tracking, customer service representatives are automatically assigned to inbound leads based on specialties and demographics so they can begin working on building profitable rapport right away.

Easier content distribution

Potential clients and leads get dozens, sometimes hundreds, of business emails every day. You need something to set your business apart from the rest. By offering valuable content such as how-to guides and total cost of ownership tools in exchange for contact information, you can provide prospects with content they actually want.

All it takes is a web form and some creative writing that will ultimately lead visitors back to your products and/or services. Your automation software delivers content to anyone who provides contact information, and it downloads metrics that can be tracked and analyzed by your solution.

Organized contact list

Networking events generate new contacts and new leads. This used to mean having to keep track of thick stacks of business cards, but cutting-edge marketing tools has made it possible to take a picture of contact information and automatically store it as part of a cloud-based database. Call-ins, scanned business cards, and received emails all get organized into a single digital Rolodex with recommendations on whom to contact and when it is best to do so — without one minute of tedious data entry.

Every business owner knows that automating mindless tasks is a worthwhile investment. But not everyone knows just what tools are available to help them cut down on wasted work. Our team specializes in using technology to add value to your business, and we believe that if you’re not utilizing any of the solutions above, that’s the best place to start. Get in touch with us today to make your marketing technology work for you.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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Attract customers with these 7 types of video contentDo you want to bolster your marketing campaigns? Then create videos and post them on social media. It doesn’t take much to make videos — you can finish high-quality ones using your smartphone and accessible video editing software. This makes them one of the most cost-efficient ways to target and convert potential customers. Here are […]

The post Attract customers with these 7 types of video content appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

Attract customers with these 7 types of video content

Do you want to bolster your marketing campaigns? Then create videos and post them on social media. It doesn’t take much to make videos — you can finish high-quality ones using your smartphone and accessible video editing software. This makes them one of the most cost-efficient ways to target and convert potential customers. Here are seven types of video content you should consider.

Business introduction or behind-the-scenes

If your company lacks an online presence, one of the best things you can do is give customers direct access to your staff and your product. Take your viewers on an office tour and show them how a product is made, or broadcast your business’s launch event.

Make sure to invite as many viewers as you can, but remember that most live broadcasts can be saved and viewed later. You’ll likely want to keep the video available after the live broadcast has ended.

News and trending topics

Current and live event broadcasts are great not only because they’re fresh, but also because they give your audience something to share.

Facebook Live and Instagram stories allow people and businesses to share recent information, trending news, and other relevant stories. For example, you can stream a live cooking show while engaging your viewers by hosting a Q and A in real time OR during the show.

With these features, you can instantly reach millions of viewers in mere seconds.

Ask me anything (AMA)

You may be getting a lot of conceptual questions about innovative ways to use your product or service, what direction the company is heading, and so forth. There’s no better way to address these questions than to do a personal and unscripted AMA segment.

Should you get a good turnout, make sure to keep questions and answers moving in a relevant and interesting direction. There’s nothing wrong with updating everyone on what you had for breakfast, but addressing service bugs or product feature requests will be a lot more beneficial for wider audiences.

How-tos

Whether it’s a soon-to-be-released product or a simple rehash of an existing one, there’s no better way to guide customers than by using how-to videos.

Not only do these show existing clients the best way to use your product or service, but it also allows potential customers to see both your product and your customer service philosophy in action. Saving these videos can be invaluable as you continue to get questions about your products or services — it’s an easy way to build a video reference library for sales and support.

Webinars

Webinars are events held on the internet that are attended by an online audience. They allow for online participation, thanks to real-time audio and video feeds.

In addition to video images, presentation slides can be broadcast and run in sync with the rest of the presentation. You can also make use of the screen capture functionality to show your viewers an application or a website. Webinars also offer various interactive opportunities such as chat, polls, surveys, and tests.

Live broadcast announcements

You can post live broadcast updates on social media platforms about an upcoming product, service, or event. These can make your announcement far more interesting and personal than a press release or faceless status update ever will.

Text-based announcements and pre-recorded videos severely limit how you address the “fine print” questions from customers. Think of live broadcasts as a chance to hold your own personal press briefing and address questions after your scripted announcement.

Social media reports indicate that Facebook users spend three times longer watching live broadcasts than pre-recorded videos. There are a handful of different services to use for live video broadcasting. Deciding which one is the best for you can depend on a lot of different variables, such as the length of your content and the demographics of your target audience.

Promotional videos

Use social media to offer a special promotion to anyone who tunes in to a live broadcast. Your promotional videos should portray your business in a positive light and make people want to do business with you.

Nowadays, many companies use influencers to attract people. If you have someone who's familiar to your audience promoting your business, you're likely to get the attention of potential customers, especially those who are hearing about your product or service for the first time.

Remember that promotional videos should be straight to the point and should last no longer than 10 – 15 minutes.

Call us with any of your questions and we’ll be happy to assist you in adding value to your business with today’s best live video services.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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Back up your data with these four storage solutionsBusinesses rely heavily on data for their daily operations. They use it for everything, from building client relationships to developing marketing strategies and so much more. But without data backups, businesses risk losing data in case of a disaster. Every business owner must develop a robust backup plan for their business, which includes implementing any […]

The post Back up your data with these four storage solutions appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

Back up your data with these four storage solutions

Businesses rely heavily on data for their daily operations. They use it for everything, from building client relationships to developing marketing strategies and so much more. But without data backups, businesses risk losing data in case of a disaster. Every business owner must develop a robust backup plan for their business, which includes implementing any or all of the following solutions.

USB flash drives

USB flash drives are data storage devices that include flash memory with an integrated USB interface. They are not just inexpensive and portable, but they can also be used to back up data from several computers.

However, USB flash drives are easy to misplace, which is why they’re not suitable for long-term data storage. They are better used as intermediate backups.

External hard drives

External hard drives are portable hard drives that can be connected to a computer through a USB port. These devices have the lowest cost per gigabyte compared to other backup devices and boast quick transfer rates, allowing users to back up a large amount of data within seconds.

One of the drawbacks of using external hard drives is that you’ll need to update your backups regularly to include new files. There’s also the risk of the device being misused or stolen. For example, an employee might use the drive for storing personal files or take it with them when they quit.

Network-attached storage (NAS)

NAS is a dedicated server for storing data, and it can also be used as an email server. It has its own IP address and can operate either wired or wirelessly. NAS also offers data redundancyㅡ it generates a backup of your backups, ensuring that your files are fully protected.

On the downside, NAS can’t be scaled beyond system limits. This means that you have to purchase additional hard drive bays if you need more capacity. NAS is also vulnerable to malware, and you have to configure it a certain way to keep it protected.

Cloud storage

Cloud storage is becoming increasingly popular among businesses because of its many benefits. For one, it allows users to access their data from anywhere using any internet-connected device. It also enables businesses to pay for only the resources they use. Lastly, cloud service providers (CSPs) handle the installation, management, and maintenance processes themselves, allowing you to focus on more important business matters.

However, some CSPs don’t implement sufficient security measures on their systems, potentially exposing data to cyberthreats. This makes cloud storage an unsuitable solution for medical practices, law firms, and other organizations that handle sensitive data. To use the cloud, businesses in these sectors must find a service provider that implements top-of-the-line cybersecurity protocols and specializes in data regulations compliance.

Choosing the best backup solution has far-reaching impacts on your business. Each method or device has trade-offs, which is why you need to select the one best suited to your business’s needs. Enlist the help of our experts to ensure you make the right choice.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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How to collect customer data effectivelyBusinesses have more access to customer data these days, thanks to customer analytics tools being more affordable and powerful than ever. However, a lot of data is unnecessary and can take up precious memory space. To ensure that your insights are relevant and useful, you must have a well-defined data collection system in place. Customer […]

The post How to collect customer data effectively appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

How to collect customer data effectively

Businesses have more access to customer data these days, thanks to customer analytics tools being more affordable and powerful than ever. However, a lot of data is unnecessary and can take up precious memory space. To ensure that your insights are relevant and useful, you must have a well-defined data collection system in place.

Customer data collection offers a suite of business benefits, but there is a limit to what kind of data can be gathered. Customer privacy has become a serious concern in modern society, and there are various regulatory frameworks that ensure the protection of people’s private information. To avoid running afoul of the law, inform your customers that you will be collecting their data, and specify exactly what data you’ll be gathering.

1. Collect identifiers
Whether you’re creating an online survey or a signup form, collecting identifying information (i.e., names, date of birth, age, gender, address, etc.) is crucial. This information will form the foundation for future analysis and segmentation.

2. Track customer interactions
Define important customer interactions. For example, if you own an online store, you need to know how your customers arrived at your site, the items they clicked on, the items they added to their cart, and what they eventually purchased. Tracking each step of their buyer journey — from learning about your business to becoming a customer — will give you insights into what your customers need and want.

3. Gather behavior-related data
Don’t focus solely on customers who made a purchase. Think about what other indicators produce meaningful data. In our online store example, you might want to track how many sign up for your email newsletter, which pages they visited on your site, or how much time they spent on each page. Analyzing this information will help you determine which aspects of your efforts are most effective and which ones need improvement.

4. Automate data collection
When gathering customer data, you must minimize the risk of human error. The most effective strategy is to automate as much of the collection process as possible. Apps and tools such as online forms and optical character recognition systems feed information directly into your database and eliminate paper-centric processes that often lead to mistakes.

5. Integrate your systems
Redundancies and errors are also common when there are multiple databases managing the same information. You can prevent these issues by working with an IT provider to integrate all your apps, databases, and software solutions. This way, data collected in one database will be synced and consistent across other platforms, reducing manual data entry and, consequently, human error.

6. Consider who will view the reports
Inevitably, you’ll need to convert data into business intelligence reports. It’s a good idea to identify who will read your reports so you can highlight the most relevant insights for them. For instance, sales managers want to see quarterly sales figures, and human resources teams want to see labor costs compared to revenue.

7. Update data in real time
Companies today need up-to-the-minute data accuracy in order to stay relevant. Use business intelligence dashboards that collect, organize, and filter data at the click of a button so that you’ll never have to wait a day or more to receive critical information that can guide company decisions.

Looking for technologies that can help you optimize data collection? Call our IT consultants today. We’ll recommend best-of-breed technologies that track the information you need to grow your business.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

The post How to collect customer data effectively appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

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