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11 RULES FOR TECH IN BUSINESS

SUCCESS

Infusionsoft, Small Business Evangelist

Smart Hustle Magazine, Publisher

Author, “Facebook Guide to Small Business Marketing” (Amazon.com best seller), Event producer, speaker, journalist, piano player, FBI Citizens Academy graduate and some more

Ramon Ray - @ramonray

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1. Invest2. Outsource3. Educate4. Don’t Technologize a Bad Business Process5. Customer & Prospect Systematic Marketing (CRM)6. Cloud (online) Computing7. Security8. Mobility9. Web Site10.Email Marketing11.and Social Media

11 RULES OF TECH SUCCESS…

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RULE # 1 - INVEST IN TECHNOLOGY

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takes timenot get rich quicklook at options

RULE #1 - INVEST IN TECHNOLOGY

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Stop thinking of technology as a painStop thinking of technology as an

expense

INVEST IN TECHNOLOGY

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1. Can the tech I’m buying today grow with my business

2. Can the tech connect with other technologies3. Does the vendor provide great technology

support4. Who else is using the technology I’m buying5. What are my future business plans – does the

tech I’m buying match6. Is there an ecosystem of for the tech I’m buying7. Am I the first one investing in this tech

7 TECH INVESTMENT QUESTIONS

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RULE #2 - OUTSOURCE

TECHNOLOGY

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Your time is valuable and limited

Your tech expertise is limited

TECH RULE # 2 – OUTSOURCE TECH

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Your results will be crappyOther things will sufferYou won’t look professionalYou’ll lose salesThe earth will open up and swallow you

TECH RULE #2 – OUTSOURCE TECH

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1. Has the person I’m hiring helped other businesses in my industry

2. What are the referrals of the vendor I’m working with

3. Does the vendor have a track record of success4. Are they a startup and hungry for my business

(or new)5. Are they a big company with maturity (or where I

might not be important to them)6. Does the vendor work well with businesses of my

size7. Do I need to know the owner

7 OUTSOURCE TECH QUESTIONS

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RULE #3 - EDUCATE YOURSELF

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Don’t be a nerd or geek

Be an educated business owner

Ignorance is not bliss. It’s stupidity and slow death

Technology is scary to those who don’t know

Everything is hard and confusing if you aren’t trained or informed

TECH RULE #3 – EDUCATE YOURSELF

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Read magazines with IT columns

Attend technology events (like today)

Take online courses (email marketing, etc)

TECH RULE #3 – EDUCATE YOURSELF

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Free resources from your vendorGoogle / Bing HelpSupport.microsoft.comSCORE, Chambers and other give many

free (and fee based) eventsHire a consultant to train you

TECH EDUCATION RESOURCES

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RULE #4 - DON’T TECHNOLOGIZE A BAD

BUSINESS PROCESS

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Tech NOT the answer for poor hiring

Tech NOT the answer for a bad biz process

Tech NOT the answer for poor customer service

Tech is NOT the answer for low employee moral

Tech NOT the answer for an idot boss

RULE #4 – DON’T TECH A BAD BIZ PROCESS

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TECHNOLOGY WILL ONLY HELP A “BAD” PROBLEM GET BAD

FASTER

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RULE #5 – USE MARKETING SOFTWARE

EFFECTIVELY

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All customers are not the same

Segment your customers

Sell to the right customer

Sell them at the right time

Sell them the right thing

RULE #5 – TREAT CUSTOMERS SPECIAL “CRM”

Amazon.com – king of personalization

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Treat all customers as if they were the only one

Know what customers want and giving it to them

Implement Lifecycle Marketing

“CRM”

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ATTRACT, SELL, WOW - LIFECYCLE MARKETING

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RULE #6 - LEVERAGE THE CLOUD

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Faster implementation

Grows with your business

Easier on cash flowAutomatically

backed upGreat for virtual /

distributed teamsAutomatic updates

RULE #6 – LEVERAGE ONLINE SOFTWARE

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ON PREMISE SERVERS ARE NICE. MOST BUSINESSES

CAN BE ONLY “IN THE CLOUD”.

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Google Apps – Microsoft Office 365 (communication and collaboration)

Asana – (Task management)Dropbox – file sharing and

synchronizationEvernote – life management (notes, etc)Web browser add-onsEmail add-onsYoutube

ONLINE SERVICES

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RULE #7 - SECURE COMPUTING IS SMART

COMPUTING

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Hackers love you love your data

Be cautious onlineEducate your staffHave secure passwordsBackup your

informationBe wary of internal

security breaches ie “rogue employees”

Wireless computing – be nervous

RULE #7 – SECURE COMPUTING

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AVG.comSymantec.comMicrosoft.com/security

SECURE COMPUTING RESOURCES

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RULE #8 – LEVERAGE THE POWER OF

MOBILITY

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As productive OUT of your office as IN your office

Office services should be “out of office accessible”: fax, telephone, voice mail, email, files

RULE #8 – MOBILE PRODUCTIVITY

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Learn to use mobile tools

Have the right apps on your phone

Test a variety of mobile devices

Have redundancy Test before you use in

the field

MOBILE TIPS

Don’t be cheap!

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Right phoneRight network (AT&T,

Verizon Wireless, Tmobile, etc)

Right appsRight accessoriesRight mobile devices

(tablet, notebook)

MOBILE 101

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RULE #9 - UPGRADE YOUR WEB SITE

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Your web site is YOUOld web sites scream “Don’t buy from me”’Your web site should sell for you 24/7Great design matters (ie Steve Jobs)Superfluous design sucks, wastes time and is

distractingBuild in social featuresRESOURCE: www.10websitemusts.com

RULE #9 – UPGRADE YOUR WEB SITE

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Low costQuick“Easy”Good enough for

most

Larger investment

Takes timeCustom madeYour time can be

on something elseExpertly done

DIY VS WEB DESIGNER

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WixSquarespaceOnePagerJimdoIntuit web sites

DIY WEB DESIGN SERVICES

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RULE #10 – EMAIL MARKETING

IS NOT DEAD

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Nurtures Relationships

Loyal customersEveryone is not a

Social Media addict

RULE #10 – EMAIL MARKETING NOT DEAD

Ramon’s $5,000

Email Story

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Great subject lines

Great contentMeasure analyticsNot too often.

Not too infrequent.

Be informative.

EMAIL MARKETING

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RULE #11 - SOCIAL MEDIA IS NO JOKE

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1. Frequent2. Relevant3. Engaging4. Analytics

FOUR SIMPLE SOCIAL MEDIA TIPS

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Your customers and your customer’s mothers are social

Create a simple strategy

Educate employees (The wrong Tweet could get someone fired or worse)

Each social media network is unique

RULE #11 – SOCIAL MEDIA IS NO JOKE

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Social media is not everything.

“Old fashioned” marketing works

Be wary of social media consultants

SOCIAL MEDIA IS NOT EVERYTHING

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Use collaboration and communication software

Consider social advertisingWrite for a mobile worldUse financial software like Quickbooks,

Xero, Sage One or others

A FEW MORE TIPS…

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11 RULES FOR TECH IN BUSINESS

SUCCESS