7 Technology Tools For Small And Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs)

Growing a business step by step takes a lot of work, particularly for SME’s (small to medium-sized enterprises) unencumbered by vast amounts of capital backing most large corporations have. Because of this, SME entrepreneurs have their work cut out for them: from getting their business off the ground, developing a superior product or service, training employees, and offering exceptional customer service, among dozens of other things.

One way SME’s can keep in the running with the big guns is to stay on top of new trends in technology. In utilizing technology smartly, SME’s can grow and run their smaller organizations more conveniently, target and stay in touch with customers, implement marketing strategies, and upgrade the business as needed.

Here are seven of the most essential technology tools SME’s will find indispensable in running their business running and keeping ahead of the game:

1. Project Planning and Management Tools – Starting a business will translate to a good amount of planning to get all projects off the table in a timely manner. These tools allow small business owners to manage all of their tasks on a virtual platform that is both user-friendly and intuitive. This way, SME’s can manage their teams effectively, ensure all work is completed in an efficient manner, and keep their business in high productivity mode from the onset.

2. Finance Tools – Small business owners can take advantage of finance tools with easy-to-use platforms to keep business finances organized. This way, they can see how their money is spent, how they can minimize their deductions, and how to simplify taxes

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3. Content Marketing Tools – These tools can be used to full advantage in advertising products and services through providing useful information on social media platforms. This way, customers, both current and prospective, acquire a better understanding of what the business is and what it offers. It allows business owners to tell their story, and as a result, put their product or service to the forefront of awareness. Content Marketing Tools also provide an effective conduit of communication between business owners and their customers, thereby building trust and loyalty between the merchant and consumer.

4. Content Management Systems (CMS) – Not all business owners are computer savvy individuals who have a prodigious knowledge of website building and coding. CMS tools exist to make it easier to customize and update websites with new products and product information, news and events, promotions and sales, and other relevant data useful for consumers.

5. Customer Relationship Management Tools (CRM) – Because most businesses exist online, particularly SME’s, it makes sense to be able to have an interactive and proactive system to connect with users and add value for customers. These types of tools help business owners to automate and digitalize customer lists, track and organize them according to groups and sub-groups, as well as to manage, improve and expand their customer base through account tracking, as well as customer feedback and troubleshooting.

6. Online Payment Tools – More and more customers are doing business over the Internet, and SME entrepreneurs will do well to utilize these tools to allow their customers to purchase goods and services using online payment platforms or mobile apps. Not only do these systems process payments faster and easier, they have proven to be safer for consumers compared to using cash. Many online payment tools also automatically integrate into the business owner’s existing bookkeeping system, making it more convenient to keep track of payments and refunds.

7. Image and Video Content Tools – Small business owners can benefit from web-based image and video content tools as a creative way to improve marketing and sales. This allows consumers to use QR scanners or photos to search for a particular product in an SME’s inventory. In like manner, uploading a video to a website can create a maximum impact for marketing as it can engage viewers more than plain text on a website can.

Running a business and establishing a rich online presence using these tools is one of the most effective ways of conveniently running small to medium-sized enterprises. They are relevant in making inroads into and expanding the market, allowing businesses to thrive in the face of competition, while keeping constantly connected with customers.

Balut: Plunging Into The World Of The Fertilized Duck Egg

Outside, a guy on his bike is calling out along our street, and his voice seems to resonate out of a bottomless tunnel under the earth, filling the neighborhood with a deep rich baritone that echoes in the air:

“Baaaaaaaaaa-luuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut….!!!”

It must be 6pm.

The ambulant vendors that pass by our place are my chief indicators of time, like the melodic tenor of the taho guy who balances two large aluminum buckets of the warm soft tofu drink on his shoulders at seven in the morning, the fat lady and her woven rattan basket filled with sticky sweet native delicacies at 10am, the “dirty” ice cream guy pushing his cart with the tinkling bell at noon, or the thin fast-talking fellow who comes around at four in the afternoon and gamely bullies everyone into buying all of his karaho (dried butterfly-cut fish) so he could feed his eleven children.

“Baaaaaaaaaaaa-luuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut…..!!!

the voice calls out, making my mouth water. I can picture him on his bicycle, plastic bags of chicharon (pork crackling) sprouting from the handlebars, and in front of him, a tall rusty can thickly lined with old newspapers and containing the most wondrous food known to (Filipino) man – dozens and dozens of fertilized duck eggs, savoury hot and ready for the slurping.

They say the Chinese first brought balut to our shores in the 10th century during trade and migration expeditions. Perhaps an enterprising Oriental carried aboard some seafaring ducks to provide his crew with protein-rich fertilized eggs along their journey. Perhaps some chinky-eyed galley cook decided to jump ship and share his gustatory preferences with the natives. This is all supposition, of course, and the real origins of balut in the Philippines remain murky. Still, with the Chinese penchant for (what most Westerners consider) disturbing cuisine, such as snake blood, cow bronchial tubes and monkey brains, it won’t take much of a stretch to imagine them introducing what is now a much-loved delicacy and a popular street food choice among Filipinos.

My earliest memories of eating balut are as a toddler sitting on my father’s knee as he and his brothers downed their bottles of pale pilsen while bragging about their misspent youth and tilting their modified afro coifs back to laugh raucously into the evening air. My favorite part would come when one of the uncles would bring out a brown paper bag to reveal a dozen hot eggs they would pass around and break open against any available surface.

Being in the midst of this privileged circle of hardcore balut eaters allowed me first dibs on the broth of every duck egg. After cracking open the top of the shell (and it always had to be cracked open on the wide end, lest you encounter the rock-hard egg white instead), they would brush aside the veined paper-thin membrane and allow me to sip the warm savoury broth which brought a foretaste of the delights to come.

In the years that followed, I would always try to find the words to describe the sensation of balut broth as it hit my tongue. Alas. No variety of fish sauce, soy sauce, or monosodium glutamate-flavored soup can come close to the umami essence that duck amniotic fluid can bring to the palate.

Next came the duck embryo. As a child, I remember reverently contemplating the tiny pinkish-grey duckling in its bed of yellow yolk (“Is it still alive? Is it just asleep?”), and wondering if it would suddenly get up and walk, that tiny feathered cutie, and become my friend forever. Still, I would sprinkle some salt, take the duckling into my mouth and marvel at the tickle of damp feathers against my upper palate, enjoy the cartilaginous crunch of beak and delicate duck bones under my teeth, and swallow the soft, slightly musky, gamey-tasting tissue.

After the duck, I’d scoop the smooth, creamy yolk that would all but melt on my tongue, and chew on the hard egg white while leftover broth would dribble down my fingers and chin. Strangely enough, I’d feel drowsy after eating balut and would head to bed straight after.

For some reason, Westerners are horrified at the idea of consuming what they perceive to be fetal matter, duck egg or no. Balut has earned a reputation of infamy in Western cultures, where it is much sought after for its shock value, particularly on television. It has appeared in reality shows like Survivor, The Amazing Race Asia 2, and Fear Factor, where contestants are dared to consume the eggs, only to gag and vomit in disgust (what a waste of good balut!) It has also been featured in documentaries like the Discovery Channel and the Travel Channel as among some of the strangest and most bizarre foods in the world.

Last but not least, it is a well-recognized instrument in a “gruesome” initiation rite reserved for tourists and foreign in-laws in the country.

In the Philippines, balut is common fare. It is nearly similar to the Filipino word balot, which means “wrap”. And indeed, the delectable duck embryo within is wrapped in folds of egg yolk, veined membrane and rich broth, ready for its tastes and textures to be discovered. The ideal balut egg is a 17 to 20-day-old specimen where the fertilized duckling’s beak, bones, and claws are underdeveloped. Despite the rich diversity of its flavours, Filipinos love to eat it with salt, chilies, calamansi, or spiced vinegar.

It is a favorite of beer drinkers nationwide, famed as an aphrodisiac touted to strengthen one’s legs in preparation for a favorite bedroom activity, and a highly recommended snack for pregnant women. Rich in protein, Vitamins B1 and B2, iron, calcium, niacin, phosphorus and cholesterol, it is a meal in itself. In fact, in my younger friskier days, I’d slurp up two or three balut eggs, down them with a bottle of Coke or a couple of beers, and call it dinner.

Outside, the calls of the balut guy fade into the distance, and I sigh regretfully at having missed the chance to raise my cholesterol to dangerous but very delicious levels.

Tomorrow…I promise myself as I sit back down to finish this article.

Should You Leave A Job You Hate To Start A Business You Love?

With the current economic climate, a lot of people may be holding on to their day jobs for dear life. The thought of leaving a regular paycheck to start your own business with only virtual assistants to help you can seem frightening, especially if you have a family, a mortgage, bills to pay, and are unsure of what the future might bring.

If you keep having internal debates about whether to leave a job you hate to pursue a business that you really love, here are some questions you should ask yourself to help you make that final decision:

• Is there a demand for my products or services? – If you’ve been running your own business on the side, whether in a brick-or-mortar establishment or as a remote contractor working out of a virtual office, and if you have real customers and the demand for what you offer is great, count that as one point in your business’ favor. A big demand will entail hiring a virtual assistant to help provide you with small business solutions.

• Am I an expert in my niche? – Why leave your day job if you’re a virtual newbie in the area of business you plan to start? Make sure you know everything there is to know about your niche, and establish your expertise among your customers with the help of a virtual assistant before you finally make the leap from employee to employer.

• Is my business-to-be in danger of being eaten up or trampled over by competitors? – Let’s face it, unless you’ve patented your product or service, or come up with a totally novel way to meet a consumer need, competition can be stiff, whatever your niche may be. It’s better to be a big fish in a small pond before you cross over from your day job to running a business full-time. If you have no idea what your competition is up to, or even if you have competition, hire a virtual assistant who’ll help you find out about competitors so you don’t make the leap blindly.

• Do I have enough money saved up to weather rainy days? – It takes at least three years to grow a business to the point where you will be making enough of a profit to sustain you and your family. Before this happens, you’ll need to save for a lot of rainy days before finally taking the plunge.

• Do I have the self-discipline to tough it out? – Know yourself. Remember, you won’t have any of the support services you normally get from working in a large company. From creating a business plan, working out a marketing strategy, operating your business, doing the accounting, and paying bills – everything will be your call. The best way to help you weather it all without going crazy is to hire a virtual assistant for your administration outsourcing needs.

If you’ve answered yes to all the questions above, consider yourself ready to leave a hated day job and forge new horizons by setting up your own business full time. Have you already made that bold leap?

Pacific Coastal Cruise, Australia

Queensland is home to the unspoiled tranquility of Australia's Pacific Coast. Pristine beaches of the world-class variety stretch along the coastline like a foamy necklace of sand on Australia's north-eastern flank. For voyagers on an Australian campervan jaunt, the whiff of fresh sea air and the salty tang of the sea are never very far behind.

The Pacific Coastal Cruise will bring you on a journey peppered with World Heritage sights like the Great Barrier Reef, where you may chance an encounter with the world's largest clam, the Tridacna gigas. Take a gander in national rainforest parks, swim with sea turtles and manta rays, or dive amongst shipwrecks and coral reefs. Take quiet walks on white sand beaches where the memories of your stay will remain with you long after you have moved on.

Capture a piece of Australia on your own coastal cruise tour with a rented campervan, and immerse yourself in the many different cultures and flavors that find their home in Queensland.

Brisbane

For a Brisbane tourist on a motorhome tour, many good things in life are free. From a visit to the formal gardens and Nepalese Temple at the South Bank Parklands to Kangaroo Point cliffs, you will be treated to breathtaking views of the city if you are game enough to try rock-climbing, or simply scramble up the steps to get your share of a magnificent vista.

At Coot-tha Lookout, the whole of Brisbane will open up to you as far as your eyes can see. The site's botanical gardens are home to 20,000 species of plants from around the world. Other sights worth feasting your eyes on include the child-friendly Queensland Museum, and the Museum of Brisbane, which offers touring exhibitions of this river city's rich art, heritage, and culture.

Noosa

The quaint boardwalk scene is a staple on the Sunshine Coast. If you are traveling via a hired motorhome on this Australian leg of your trip, the fresh seafood and produce: from mudcrab and prawn, to pineapples and bamboo shoots, will be a welcome addition to the menu. This strip of coast is a holiday haven preferred by both trendy and sedate beach-goers alike. You will enjoy various jet-skiing, surfing, abseiling, and diving adventures where Noosa's white coastline meets the aquamarine blue sea. If you are into four-legged entertainment, a horse-back or camel-back ride across the sand will suit any galloping enthusiast just fine.

Hervey Bay

Queensland's Hervey Bay is the ideal stop-over for families touring in their motorhome-for-hire. This shining strip of golden sand is often known as the jewel in Queensland's gemstone-encrusted crown. If you are a save-the-whales enthusiast, Hervey Bay is also considered the Whale Watch Capital of the World. Witness the wonder that is the humpback whale in this Pacific Coastal Cruise walkabout.

Five Common Mistakes To Avoid When Writing Ads For Google AdWords

For beginners, and even experts, writing a Google AdWords ad can be mighty challenging. With all the competition out there, you’ll feel the strain of formulating the best keyword and key phrase placement in a compelling ad that subscribes to all of Google AdWords' restrictive rules.

In fact, a lot of old-timers in the game frequently commit mistakes in their quest to secure the best spot in Google’s eyes. Without a doubt, you will need to manage all the steps in the ad writing process carefully while writing highly inviting copy for your Google AdWords campaign.

Here are five common mistakes you can avoid to ensure the ads you write create a huge influx of your target audience to your site and guarantee that your Adwords campaign is successful:

1.   Writing ads without keywords, or using keywords very sparely. While you may feel extremely limited by the restrictions of writing a 4-row ad composed of only 35 characters per row and a 25-character headline, don’t commit the error of using only a single keyword or two. As long as your copy is focused on the offer you want to send, feel free to create a keyword and key phrase-rich ad. You won’t regret it.

2. Totally depending on Google AdWords’ Keyword Selector Tool for all your keywords. At best, the Keyword Selector Tool will provide you with a broad match of keywords relating to your niche. But this is not the be all and end all of keyword selection. Make sure you include key phrases in your ad, and be location-specific to where your business site is. Your URL is part of your ad, too, so include all the important keywords or key phrases for your niche. And please, use common words everybody can understand.

3. Using low-performing keywords. It can take some time to get the full drift of the exact words your target market uses to search on Google. While you’re at it, however, it won’t hurt to compile a list of all related keywords and key phrases for your niche, including all their synonyms to get your ad campaign off to a running start.

4. Placing your offer only on the body of your ad. The first thing your target audience will read is your headline. So emphasize your main offer on the headline. Make it unique. Make it scream out at your audience. Web denizens have a notoriously short attention span and are trigger-happy clickers. Don’t allow them to click away from your lame headline.

5. Sending visitors who click on your ad straight to your homepage. While you may be proud of your homepage, and rightly so, don’t send your visitors there. Your homepage contains general information about your site, and this may work to your disadvantage by boring your target audience to death. Instead, send them to a landing page where you reiterate on the content of your ad and compel them to stay, subscribe, and keep coming back for more.

Keeping in mind these five crucial mistakes to avoid when writing your Google AdWords ads will help you streamline the ad writing process, create compelling keyword-rich ads, and drive traffic to your site in huge numbers that will spell profits for you and your business.