Archives for 2018

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Most businesses have or are about ready to close for the holiday.

But not everyone. According to research, about 95% of employers observe Christmas and give workers the day off.

Still, that leaves 5% still open, working on Christmas.

And as we get ready to join with family and friends, let’s take a minute to think about where we’d be without them and thank the people working on Christmas.

After all, so many working on Christmas are working for a small business or are self-employed professionals.

Thanks to Small Businesses Working on Christmas

Here are the types of businesses open on Christmas:

Restaurants: Some families have made traditions out of visiting their favorite restaurants for a sit-down dinner. Don’t forget the thousands of Chinese restaurants that often stay open on Christmas, too.

Convenience stores and grocery stores: Run out of milk? Forget the butter? These stores have the staples to save your holiday dinners and often sell last-minute gifts for Christmas Day travelers.

Hotels: The staff at hotels open across the country deserve an extra token of appreciation on Christmas.

Gas stations: Where would you be without these businesses staying open on Christmas? Probably on the side of the road.

Medical Professionals: Not only are most doctors on call on Christmas, there are thousands of nurses, home health care workers, and all their support staffs and pharmacies who tend to those in need this day and every day.

Security Businesses: Your property may be closed and locked up tight on Christmas but there’s likely a small business security force responsible for its safety while you’re away.

Delivery and Transportation Services: Delivery drivers and couriers are likely working very late on Christmas Eve and starting very early the day after Christmas.

Movie theaters: It’s become a tradition to go to the movies on Christmas and that’s all thanks to theater employees working the holiday.

News Organizations: The news knows no holidays. From the print room to the news room, there’s always a light on at a news office near you.

IT businesses: If you depend on your site or network staying up while you’re away, these pros are there in case of emergency.

Service pros: If disaster strikes at your home or business, these professionals are only a phone call away. Thanks to all plumbers, electricians, HVAC pros, and more.

If you run into one of these people working on Christmas this year, be sure to thank them and tip accordingly.

Of course, there’s a good chance you’ll be working on Christmas, too. Remember a survey last year found a third of all small business owners will work on major holidays?

And we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention all the first responders, paramedics, fire fighters and police officers who work every day of the year.

Think of doing something nice for these invaluable members of the community.

Jim Sherman, owner of Firehouse Subs, will be delivering meals to first responders in Alabama for the 12th year in a row this Christmas.

Thank you to all these hard-working business owners and their employees from everyone at Small Business Trends!

And, finally a very special thanks to soldiers and military personnel stationed overseas and away from their families at Christmas. Without their service working on Christmas and every day, we would not be able to enjoy our holiday.

Image: Shutterstock

This article, “Thanks to Small Businesses Working on Christmas to Make Holiday Brighter” was first published on Small Business Trends

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When it comes to search, Google has no equal, but the company just doesn’t seem to get messaging right. The shutting down of Allo two years after it was announced at I/O 2016 is the latest example.

Allo App is Shutting Down

Google officially announced it is shutting down Allo after pausing further investment in the app earlier this year. The decision came about because Google wasn’t achieving the right numbers in terms of downloads and Allo just wasn’t getting the necessary traction to warrant additional investment.

For businesses and individuals who were using Allo, Google says it will continue to work until March 2019. In the meantime, the company is recommending users download their conversation for safe keeping.

Here is an instruction page on how to download your conversation history from Allo.

Google and Messaging

On the same blog announcing the demise of Allo, Google also revealed what is ahead for Messages, Duo, and Hangouts. The company said it wants to share the effort it is putting in developing a simpler communication experience.

For Google, this means having a capable default messaging experience for Android users the way Apple has managed to do with iMessage for iOS. But Google’s plan seems to involve upgrading different services to address consumer and business needs.

For Consumers

On the consumer side, Google is refocusing on Messages and Duo. Google will add some of the best-used features in Allo to Messages including Smart Reply, GIFs and desktop support.

It will also integrate Rich Communication Services (RCS) Chat with Google Photos and other services to make Messages a comprehensive communication app for Android users.

Duo is a video calling app which can be used on Android and iOS devices. On this front, Google is going to increase support for Duo on iPad, Android Tablet, Chromebook and Smart Displays this year.

The latest development for the app allows leaving a video message. Google also says it is adding more features based on machine learning to improve the quality and simplify the video calling process.

For Businesses

Consumer communication grabs the headlines, but the technology is even more important in the workplace.

Google is upgrading its Hangouts platform so businesses can collaborate more efficiently and with greater ease. Hangouts Chat and Hangouts Meet will allow teams to come together without worrying about compatibility issues.

According to Google, Hangouts will allow organizations to come together with their clients, vendors, partners, and others on a single platform.

As of right now, Hangouts Chat and Meet are available for G Suite customers, but in its “Keyword” blog, Google says at some point it will offer these features to existing Hangouts users.

One thing is for sure. Google is not giving up on its endeavor to create a robust messaging platform. It remains to be seen whether this latest restructuring — involving four apps and two categories — will do the trick.

Image: Allo

This article, “Google Announces Shutdown of Allo App, Makes New Plans for Business Messaging” was first published on Small Business Trends

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Managing the software behind the daily operation of your small business can get complicated and expensive.

The Zoho One Seminars which will be held across the country from January through March of 2019 will look to solve this problem.

The first seminar is going to be held in San Francisco on January 8, 2019. The one-day event will cover the Zoho One platform and the suite of business apps to help you run your business.

The free seminar is designed to give you a working understanding of Zoho One covering everything from an intro to marketing, accounting and HR, collaboration and productivity and more.

Register now by clicking the red button.

Register Now

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Featured Events, Contests and Awards

Zoho One Seminar
January 09, 2019, San Diego, CA

Joinour Zoho One seminar at The Point to learn how our complete suite of business apps can help you market, sell, support, account, collaborate, and analyze so you can spend more time on your business. Our free seminar will cover the basics of the Zoho One suite plus tips, tricks, and best practices to help optimize your business.

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Zoho One Seminar
January 08, 2019, San Francisco, CA

Join our Zoho One seminar at the Mission Bay Conference Center to learn how our complete suite of business apps can help you market, sell, support, account, collaborate, and analyze so you can spend more time on your business. Our free seminar will cover the basics of the Zoho One suite plus tips, tricks, and best practices to help optimize your business.

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Twitter Chat: How to Find a Business Mentor
January 10, 2019, Twitter, Online

Did you know that small businesses that receive three or more hours of mentoring achieve higher revenues and increased business growth? In recognition of National Mentoring Month, join us for a Twitter chat on how to find a business mentor hosted by the U.S. Small Business Administration (@SBAgov). Whether you’re an established small business owner or just getting started, we’ll be sharing tips and resources to help you succeed. Follow along with the hashtag #SBAchat.

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Zoho One Seminar
January 11, 2019, Austin, TX

Join our Zoho One seminar at the AT&T Conference Center to learn how our complete suite of business apps can help you market, sell, support, account, collaborate, and analyze so you can spend more time on your business. Our free seminar will cover the basics of the Zoho One suite plus tips, tricks, and best practices to help optimize your business.

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Zoho One Seminar
January 15, 2019, Miami, FL

Join our Zoho One seminar at The Confidante Hotel to learn how our complete suite of business apps can help you market, sell, support, account, collaborate, and analyze so you can spend more time on your business. Our free seminar will cover the basics of the Zoho One suite plus tips, tricks, and best practices to help optimize your business.

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Zoho One Seminar
January 17, 2019, New York, NY

Join our Zoho One seminar at MEET in SoHo to learn how our complete suite of business apps can help you market, sell, support, account, collaborate, and analyze so you can spend more time on your business. Our free seminar will cover the basics of the Zoho One suite plus tips, tricks, and best practices to help optimize your business.

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Zoho One Seminar
January 18, 2019, Chicago, IL

Join our Zoho One seminar at Gleacher Center to learn how our complete suite of business apps can help you market, sell, support, account, collaborate, and analyze so you can spend more time on your business. Our free seminar will cover the basics of the Zoho One suite plus tips, tricks, and best practices to help optimize your business.

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NorCal Franchise Business Expo 2019
January 22, 2019, Palo Alto , CA/USA

Have you ever wanted to be your own boss or add another growing business to your portfolio? This event is for you. Meet face-to-face with franchisors, gov’t non-profit agencies and funding specialists to determine if franchising is right for you.

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Women In Cloud Annual Summit 2019
January 26, 2019, Redmond, WA

This Summit will connect you, cloud industry leaders, women-led cloud companies and allies of all types. The 2019 Summit will explore providing ways to leverage and adopt cloud technologies to innovate, giving women access to personal and cloud-related skills development, accelerating ideas and access to resources including strategic partnerships, and identifying new ways to acquire customers & drive customer obsession. Join us Sat, January 26, 2019, 9:00 AM – 7:30 PM PST. Register today!

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Social Media Marketing World
March 20, 2019, San Diego, CA

Discover the best social media marketing techniques from the world’s top experts. Experience three phenomenal days with the best social marketers, discover the latest tactics, and master social media in 2019. Join 7,000 fellow marketers and influencers at the mega-conference designed to empower you with business-building ideas — brought to you by Social Media Examiner.

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Beachpreneurs Beach Camp 5
April 26, 2019, Daytona Beach, Florida/USA

For starters, we’re for Women Entrepreneurs only. During Beach Camp, you’ll have plenty of opportunity to learn, apply and mastermind with warm successful women.
You’ll also have time to sleep in and you’ll get long breaks to relax and walk the beach or go for a swim. We didn’t create a conference at the beach just to lock you away in a conference room from dawn til dusk. Beach Camp is a lifestyle focused event so you’ll be spending as much time enjoying your life as you will be focusing on your business. Join us today!

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More Events

• QuickBooks for Business – Live English Course
  January 09, 2019, Doral, Florida
• Recruiting Trends and Talent Tech LIVE! 2019
  February 20, 2019, Las Vegas, United States
• LEAP Tech Talent
  March 12, 2019, San Francisco, United States
• Transformational CISO Assembly in Nashville – April 2019
  April 23, 2019, Nashville, United States
• Predictive Analytics World Industry 4.0
  June 16, 2019, Las Vegas, United States
• World Blockchain Roadshow
  August 26, 2019, Multiple Cities

More Contests

This weekly listing of small business events, contests and awards is provided as a community service by Small Business Trends.

You can see a full list of events, contest and award listings or post your own events by visiting the Small Business Events Calendar.

This article, “Attend One of the Free Seminars on Zoho One Business Software Beginning in January” was first published on Small Business Trends

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Right before heading into Christmas and the New Year holidays, it’s a great time to look back at the record-breaking holiday shopping season that’s just coming to a close.

In this day of instant data, some early numbers show just how great the season has been so far and just how much it’s changing.

According to a Shopify report, its merchants raked in $870,000 per minute (you read that right, Per Minute!) from Black Friday through Cyber Monday 2018. That’s a dizzying rate.

Analysts and online merchants anxious wait to see how the rest of the season panned out for these and other small business owners, both online and offline.

This week, another report revealed the growing impact of online sales on the holiday shopping season.

Check out this data showing 56% of online fashion sales on Black Friday happened on mobile devices.

So good news abounds going into the holiday season. Retail in particular shows strong gains. Hopefully you and your business shared in the good fortunes.

Once the holidays officially arrive, take some time to unwind. This week, Larry Kim shared some great relaxation relaxation tips for entrepreneurs.

Before you go off relaxing, be sure to check out the rest of the headlines this week in small business in our news roundup below.

Employment

Upwork and Microsoft Partner on New Freelancer Toolkit

The partnership between Upwork and Microsoft is a clear indication freelancing has become part of the entire workforce. This means freelancers are being used by everyone from individual entrepreneurs to small businesses and all the way up to large enterprises. As part of this partnership, Microsoft has selected Upwork for its Microsoft 365 Freelance Toolkit.

Uber Drivers Earn Less Than $10 Per Hour with Expenses, Survey Says

How much do Uber drivers make? The answer to that question has become a mystery even the brains at MIT weren’t able to quite figure out.  But there seems to be a clear consensus it is less than what Uber claims its drivers make.

Finance

3,600 ATMs Close Every Year, Report Says, Are You Providing Digital Payment for Customers?

The first automated teller machine or ATM, as it is better known, started spitting out cash on June 27, 1967, at a branch of Barclays bank in north London. Some 51+ years later a new research by Expert Market has revealed not only ATMs but also bank branches are set to become extinct in less than 25 years.

Intuit Backing You Campaign Supports Small Businesses – and Stars Danny DeVito

Intuit QuickBooks has launched a new “Backing You” campaign starring none other than Danny DeVito to help small business owners save time and money. In choosing the comedic talents of Danny DeVito, Intuit said it wants to use humor to give its customers insight into the many different smart business tools available to them for running the day-to-day operations of their company.

 

15 Incredible Relaxation Tips for Entrepreneurs

Wondering how to de-stress at work? Stress from tight deadlines and high stakes can cause us to lose focus. If we let stress get the best of us, it can reduce our unicorn ideas to donkey fodder. But if we address it head on, we can stay productive and happy at work.

Marketing Tips

Weebly and Square Want to Fix Your Ugly Product Photos

According to Weebly, 75% of online shoppers say that product photography is very important when shopping online. For small or unknown businesses, professional looking product photos are even more important for establishing trust with potential buyers. But not all entrepreneurs have the skills and equipment to take quality photos.

Best 30 Examples of Holiday Greetings for Business Owners

Christmas is fast approaching, and it won’t be long before the turkey is roasting in the oven and presents are being opened on Christmas Day. Now’s the time to show your appreciation and gratitude to the most important people in your business – your clients, customers and employees.

Taxes

TurboTax Live Offers Small Business Owners Help from CPAs this Tax Season

As soon as the new year begins, businesses must already start thinking about the upcoming tax season. And although the US tax code is supposed to be less complicated now, the live help TurboTax is offering from its network of CPAs and Enrolled Agents (EAs) is one option to consider. According to the company, TurboTax Live is guaranteed to help you file your taxes with confidence.

Photo via Shutterstock

This article, “Shopify Merchants See Big Gains, Upwork and Microsoft Target Freelancers” was first published on Small Business Trends

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The first automated teller machine or ATM, as it is better known, started spitting out cash on June 27, 1967, at a branch of Barclays bank in north London. Some 51+ years later a new research by Expert Market has revealed not only ATMs but also bank branches are set to become extinct in less than 25 years.

A Trend of Shutting Down ATMs

According to the report, the number of ATMs started declining at a rate of 3,600 annually in 2017, which will make 2037 the year they will no longer be around in the UK. Bank branches will hang on for an additional four years, but Expert Market is predicting by 2041 you will not see them around either.

Although the study was done in the UK, a global trend is taking place in which cash is being used with less frequency by consumers. Retailers are also jumping on the bandwagon, as many local small businesses are opting to become plastic only or no-cash establishments.

In an emailed press release, Jared Keleher of Expert Market addressed the consumer side of the growing cashless trend taking place around the world.

Keleher said, “If the trend towards a cashless society continues at the expected pace, it’s more important than ever for people to adapt. With access to cash likely to be extremely limited and eventually non-existent, people should get to grips with online banking as soon as possible and businesses should ensure that card machines are available at every store.”

Since businesses rely on consumers, they have to adapt by providing more payment options for their customers. In addition to credit and debit cards, businesses need to deploy the full spectrum of digital payment solutions.

Key Takeaway

According to Expert Market, ATMs are said to disappear in 19 years with bank branches following suit four years later.

The report pointed out there were 14.3 billion card payments made in 2016 and this is expected to rise to 21.9 billion by 2026. In comparison, there will only be 8.7 billion cash payments expected in 2026, a decline of 43% from 2016.

The Expert Market research might not hold true globally for the exact end date of the ATM and bank branches, but for many developed countries, this is the eventual trajectory. In many metropolitan cities around the world, many residents don’t use cash for weeks or even months at a time.

Cash is Still King Globally

The saying “Cash is King” still holds true for 80% of the world. While countries like China have strongly been pushing digital payments and several Scandinavian countries look to be completely cashless, the US still relies heavily on cash.

In a report published by Pymnts.com titled, “Cash Holds Firm Against Rising Digital Dollar, March 2018” some of the key findings from its Global Cash Index: US Edition revealed cash is still the most-used payment method in the country.

As a matter of fact, the report says consumers in the US are choosing cash over debit or credit cards for day-to-day purchases.

So the demise of cash, ATMs, and bank branches will greatly depend on where you happen to live. But there is no doubt it will eventually happen, the question is when.

Photo via Shutterstock

This article, “3,600 ATMs Close Every Year, Report Says, Are You Providing Digital Payment for Customers?” was first published on Small Business Trends

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Anytime you want to get a point across to your clients, prospects or employees, it can help to create a presentation. Presentations often include slides and other visual content designed to complement a spoken message. You can use them to pitch a new product or service, show your team how to complete a specific task or introduce a new initiative across your organization.

Presentation Ideas

Regardless of your actual message, it’s essential that you find some compelling way to get your message across. Here are some creative presentation ideas that you can use to make your next client pitch or team meeting really stand out.

Storytelling Presentation

Instead of simply sharing a bunch of facts that your audience may have a hard time making sense of, create a story that demonstrates the impact of those facts. It could be a story from your actual life or business, or one you create to get your point across. Share a bit about the characters in your story so the people in your audience can relate to them.

For example, if you’re presenting to clients, don’t just tell them about the problems that your product or service solves — actually take them through the experience of a customer who experienced that issue. Tell them about the day-to-day of living with that problem and then detail exactly how your product or service changes the experience.

Musical Presentation

If you want your customers, employees or peers to really remember your presentation, try setting it to music. A catchy tune could really help your presentation stand out and help people remember the important parts. This may require some musical talent, but there are plenty of tools out there to help you compose a tune and record it so you can play it during your presentation. Or if you play any instruments, you could actually perform your presentation live.

Video Presentation

Instead of your basic slide presentation, you could share both visuals and audio content in the form of a video. You can have a video play in the background as you speak, or you could play it at the beginning of your presentations and then speak afterward.

Photo-Only Presentation

If you do prefer using slides, consider taking the text out entirely. This could be especially useful for those who are prone to reading slides word-for-word. Instead, keep your notes on small cards that you can refer to throughout the presentation and just share photos in your slides that refer to what you’re speaking about. This gives them some context without distracting them from what you’re saying.

Immersive Presentation

Your audience doesn’t have to just sit and watch your presentation — you can actually get them involved. This may work best with members of your team or smaller groups, but you could also choose to get a few members of a larger audience involved as well. Give each person a part to play and then set the scene for your presentation before guiding them through a situation relating to your product, service or new initiative for your business.

Question Presentation

Asking questions to your clients or prospects can help you really get to know them so you can better sell to them. So why not add that element to your presentations as well? You could create a presentation that is customizable based on their responses. Ask questions periodically throughout the experience so they stay involved, and then shift your content from that point on based on what they have to say.

Demonstrative Presentation

If you’re attempting to sell a product or show your team a new type of business tool, it could help to share an actual hands-on demonstration rather than just showing slides. For bigger groups, you may simply use the product or tool yourself and project your screen so everyone can see. Or for smaller groups, you could have everyone actually try using the product themselves so you can work with them individually and answer any questions they might have.

Humorous Presentation

Humor is a great way to relate to people and make them remember your presentation. You should carefully consider your brand before making this choice, since some clients may find this type of presentation a bit unprofessional. However, if you target a laid back crowd or are speaking directly to your team, it could be useful to share some jokes throughout the presentation or create a funny fake situation that still shows off your product in a fun and lighthearted way.

Animated Presentation

Instead of using a video that’s shot live, use an animation tool to show your product in use or demonstrate a new business practice for your team. This can be especially useful if you want to show people in situations that may be hard to film in real life, like a product life cycle that lasts for decades.

Prop Presentations

Or you could just ditch the slide or video equipment altogether and do something a bit more low tech. But it can still help to have some kind of visual aides. So you could instead invest in some basic props to use throughout the presentation to help get your point across.

Photo via Shutterstock

This article, “Wow Your Audience with These 10 Incredible Presentation Ideas” was first published on Small Business Trends

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