7 Essential Tools Entrepreneurs And SBOs Need To Have In Their ToolBox

In the modern era, everything from a strategic business plan to a web presence is very crucial. There are hundreds of elements and tools that small business owners and entrepreneurs need to use for successful online business. To help you out the Intuit team created this handy infographic that outline some essential tools you need to have in your toolbox, to build a strong foundation for your small business.

Mobile website

Every company needs a website to act as a base of of operations and explain the products and services in a professional manner. However, to be as accessible as possible to potential customers and address pressing customer comments, the website should have a mobile friendly version. According to a study by Gartner mobile phones will surpass personal computers as the most common way to access the internet by 2013.

Twitter

Twitter is good for managing your business reputation, which is why more than half of small businesses now use it. Utilize it as a simple, efficient way to engage customers. its popularity continues to grow; between 2009 to 2012, Twitter saw a 15 percent increase in business owners that claim it is "critical" to their success.

Business Plan

In order to survey the online market and understand how to navigate it, a company should have a business plan from the outset. Complimenting a regular business plan that includes financial expectations and sales management, this plan should include traffic projections, social media goals, and notes on how similar brands have previously utilized social networking sites.

Facebook

3 out of 4 small businesses use Facebook to communicate their brand. Consumers get the products, services and company culture in one convenient and effective place. More than 90 percent of businesses on Facebook have acquired a customer from it. Between 2009 and 2012, the number of businesses that consider Facebook a critical aspect of their overall business plan increased by nearly 20 percent.

LinkedIn

8 out of 10 users utilize the business-oriented social networking site to recruit employees. It's an easy way for business owners to find employees with the exact skill set they're looking for. Business owners can search their own network or those of their acquaintances for the right candidate, which can also facilitate easy reference checking. Also, more than 40 percent of those LinkedIn for marketing purposes have generated business form it.

Blogs

Consumers like blogs because they make companies more colorful. A conventional blog that isn't too promotional showcase a side of the business that is human, relatable and likeable, something that a product can't do alone. In fact, 92 percent of businesses that post several times a day have acquired a customer through their blog.

Business email address

Your business email address is a reflection of your professionalism. it's not difficult or expensive to use an email address hosted on your own server. An address such as john.smith@email.com sounds proper, but only if you're advertising yourself. if an entrepreneur is advertising a business, they need an email more akin to inquiries@bigfancycompany.com. Customers like small businesses, but they don't always want to work with someone who sounds like they're running things out of their basement.




via: Small Business Toolbox [Infographic]