How Do You Handle Angry Customers on Social Media?

Upset or angry customers are a fact of life when you run a business.  No matter what you sell or what industry you are part of, things happen and people have bad days.  What's different now is that customers can express their feelings instantly to the widest possible audience through social media when they are angry with your brand.  Having a great response strategy will help you neutralize the negativity and possibly convert that angry customer in to a real fan.

Have a Plan - Take Pro-Active Steps
As always, planning is everything.  It is important that you have a plan and strategy in place BEFORE a customer takes to the internet or blogosphere.  Create a commenting policy for your blog and have it posted so that you'll have something to fall back on if you have to remove any comments.  All of your team members should be familiar with that policy as well as the procedure for dealing with angry customers or who they should call.

Listen for the Complaints
You cannot possibly respond to conversations that you don't see or know about.  Monitor your social media outlets, your blog, and Google Alerts (it's free!).  Depending on what your business is, you may want to monitor review sites such as Yelp too.  If there is a specific forum that your customers are fond of using, add that to your daily check list.  Your customers are talking whether or not you're listening.  Catching negative comments before they build momentum makes them much easier to deal with.  If you don't have the time to do this level of monitoring, you can assign it to your Virtual Administrative Assistant.

Evaluate
You will have to determine which negative remarks are worth a response.  Sometimes you have to swallow your pride and just move on.  Here are some situations to avoid:

• Complaints that are on very small blogs or forums.  Your response may actually bring more attention to something that would have faded away.
• Blatant attacks that are clearly rude or outrageous.  These are posts that anyone who reads it will see that the poster has a personal problem.
• Interacting with a known crackpot who is only looking to pick a fight.  If the same person complains repeatedly, no matter what you do, don't continue to engage that person online.

On the flip side, do not simply delete every negative comment that you see.  That just causes your community to question your credibility.  Keep your platform as a place for open dialouge as much as possible.  But DO delete comments that are offensive or threatening.

Engage Quickly
Immediately say sorry, whether or not it is your fault.  Offer an apology for their unsatisfactory experience and try to take the conversation off line as soon as possible.  The longer you wait to respond, the angrier the customer gets and the more likely that others will pile on with more negative buzz.  An example response is:

"Hi (customer name).  Thanks for getting in touch and sorry to hear about (issue or experience).  If you send along your email to help@xyz.com, we'll work with you to find a way to help with that problem."

Offer to make it right when you respond.  We all make mistakes, but customers remember how we fix them even more.

Speak Like a Person
Don't use a canned response to every online complaint.  Nothing makes people angrier than feeling like they are being treated like a number and not a real person.  Show empathy, communicate in a friendly tone, use their name, and use your name.  Often simply including a name or picture difuses the situation because the customer has a much harder time being rude to an individual as opposed to a nameless, faceless entity.

Never Get In To a Fight
Anytime you win an argument online, you've actually lost.  All customers remember is that you were combative to another customer who might have had a valid complaint.  They don't want to do business with someone they feel will not take their issues seriously.  Respond to the initial complaint, but don't get involved in a contentious back and forth.  Some things to remember when responding:

• Don't get emotional.
• It's a real person, just like you, on the other side of the complaint.
• The complaint may actually be doing you a favor by pointing out something that needs to be improved in your business.  How many customers felt the same way and just left without saying anything?

Respond On the Same Platform
If the complaint or negative comment came on Twitter, respond on Twitter.  Don't use email to respond to a facebook comment.  Noone will see the response if you post it somewhere else.  When you respond online and in public, you earn positive word of mouth.

Instant access to customers and information can be a double edged sword for businesses.  But with a little pre-planning and a solid strategy, you may be able to turn those angry customers in to loyal fans.

How do I become a Gmail Ninja?

Gmail is a fast growing platform for both business and personal emails.  Google has put together this great list of tips to help you become a Gmail Ninja!

Become a Gmail Ninja

If you don't have the time or inclination to set up these systems, assign the set up to your virtual administrative assistant.  Administrative Business Consulting is always working to get you back to the fun part of your business by helping you delegate the administrative tasks that eat up your day.  Contact us today!

What is a Webinar and How Can I Put One On?

Web conferencing is a service that allows meetings and events to be shared by users in remote locations.  Referred to as on-line workshops or webinars, these events can be used for:

• Meetings
• Training events
• Lectures
• Sharing information on new products and services
• Promoting your business

This dynamic and engaging platform helps you build an audience that will regard you as an expert in your field, as well as keeping your education and travel budgets down.  With a little bit of planning, you can integrate this tool in to your marketing plan.

Determine your format
There are several available formats for running a successful webinar.  Take a look at this table for tips on how to choose the right one for your presentation:

	Description	Pros	Cons
One Speaker	A single presenter speaks, demonstrates, and answers questions from the audience.	Fewer people to coordinate and train on the webinar tool.	Lone presenter is more likely to become authority at the “front of the room” which may create reluctance to ask questions.
Interview Style	Interviewer asks a set of predetermined questions.	·         More engaging to hear multiple voices. ·         Interviewer asking questions often encourages audience to do the same.	·         More people to train and coordinate. ·         Scheduling run-through and webinar may be more difficult.
Moderated Panel Discussion	Multiple people on the line at the same time, with a moderator facilitating the discussion.	Offers variety of voices and perspectives.	Can be challenging to keep panelists from only talking among themselves.
Interactive	Audience members participate fully via instructor-led exercises and facilitated discussions.	Participants receive deeper understanding of topic because they’re fully engaged in dialogue and exercises.	·         Can only accommodate a small group. ·         Requires experienced teacher/facilitator.

Fill Roles

Once you have determined the style, then you'll need to fill the appropriate support roles for the webinar.  Basic roles are:

• Organizer/facilitator - this will be the person who schedules the session, creates the visuals, invites the attendees, tracks the participants, and follows-up afterwards.  You can take this role on yourself, or delegate it out to your Virtual Administrative Assistant so you can concentrate on being the expert.
• Presenter/subject matter expert - you will generally be filling this role, but you can draw on others in your field for the interview or panel discussion style of webinar.
• Assistant - during the actual webinar, you need to have an assistant that will help it run smoothly.  That person will be answering technical/logistics questions, running the slide show, and gathering other information that the presenter will need.  Again, this is a perfect role for your Virtual Administrative Assistant.

Plan Your Visuals

Webinars are a platform that relies on audio and visual content to get your message across.  Instead of having text heavy slides, use interesting visuals that illustrate your topic.  Have an intro slide that shows log-in information as well as logistic information like how to ask questions.  If your are using one of the multi-presenter formats, have a slide that introduces all parties with pictures if available.  Include a brief overview of the agenda and topics that will be covered.  When you are going to be referencing web sites or tools, try to include live versions or screen shots of those things.  Use interactive exercises like polls and Q&A sessions to keep the audience engaged.  Remember, your audience will probably lose attention if your presentation is longer than 30-60 minutes so build your presentation accordingly.

Pick a Provider

There are many providers (and growing) for putting on webinars.  You can use services such as DimDim.com, Yugma.com, GoToWebinar.com, or any provider that you are comfortable with.  Things to keep in mind when deciding are:

• How many people will be accommodated
• Cost of the service
• Does it have the features you need
• How is the audio portion handled
• Can you record the session for future viewing

Once the provider is set, don't forget to practice at least once with all the presenters and your assistant to make sure you're familiar with the tool.  Don't make the actual webinar the first time you log-on and try it out.  You want to be seen as the professional and expert to your customers.

Schedule & Invite

Now you're ready to schedule the session and invite your attendees.  The most effective days for webinars is Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday during the afternoon.  Set yourself a goal for invitees and attendees remembering that most webinars achieve a 30% attendance rate.  Your invitation should be targeted, somewhat personal, and sent at least 3 times to be effective.  Promote your webinar through your website, social media outlets, and blog to reach the widest possible audience.  Have your autoresponder send a thank you email and registration confirmation to each participant that signs up.

Follow-up

Everyone that took the time to participate in your webinar trusted your advice on and was excited by the topic that you chose to speak about, don't let that opportunity pass you by.  Follow-up the webinar with some value added contact that will cement your name and business in the customer's mind.  You can send each participant a copy of your presentation with additional text and exercises, you can give them a free service such as a short consultation, or you can add them to an exclusive newsletter or website access list.  This is a great chore to outsource to your Virtual Administrative Assistant.

The marketplace is quickly changing and customers are always seeking a more personal connection with the businesses they frequent.  Webinars are an excellent way to build your following and your reputation as an expert in your field.  Take the opportunity to differentiate yourself from your competition and dive in to the wonderful world of webinars.

Cutting the Cord and Going Mobile

Some businesses like Yahoo! and Hewlett Packard are pulling back from the mobile worker model.  But for many small businesses and soloprenuers, the mobile office has some great benefits.  It can provide a cost savings by lowering overhead spent on office space; it can increase productivity by giving workers more freedom; and it can offer new promotional opportunities by allowing you to be face to face with clients.  If you're either new to the idea or want to jump in with both feet, you'll need to have a few items lined up to be successful.

Equipment
The first items of business for your mobile office are a laptop or tablet and a smartphone.  Tablets are lighter and offer a multitude of nifty apps to help you be more productive on the road.  But if your job or business requires a lot of typing or document preparations, you'll probably lean more towards a laptop.  The new Microsoft Surface may be a good option for people wanting a little of both.  What's most important is that the platform is reliable, designed for traveling, and has easily replacable parts like powercords.

A way to connect to the internet that is not dependent on WiFi is another necessity for being a truly mobile office worker.  That can be achieved in a number of ways. 

• You can purchase a pre-paid wireless card such as the Verizon Jetpack.  This allows the user the have a weekly or monthly charge with no annual contract.
• If you will be using alot of data, you might opt for a high-speed mobile access card with a data plan like MiFi from AT&T.
• Many tablets are sold with 3G or 4G capability built in, you'll simply have to purchase a usage plan to access that feature.

A comfortable bag is a must for the mobile office worker.  And if you will be traveling by air, it also needs to be TSA friendly.  Amazon offers a wide range of options to fit most telecommunters' needs.  Headphones will also be a necessity to help you get the most out of mobile teleconferencing a videoconferencing.

Software
The next crucial part of the mobile office puzzle is the right software for the job.  There are many cloudbased options available that make the wireless office an attainable reality.

• File Storage - Instead of carrying around multiple USB drives, make use of the cloud storage available from services like Dropbox, Microsoft SkyDrive, or Google Drive.  These services will let you access and share your documents from where ever you are and keep your documents backed up separately from your hardware.
• Video Capabilities - You will often need to meet with clients or co-workers face-to-face, even if you're not in town.  There are a variety of video/tele-conferencing services that allow users to do that including Google Hangouts, Skype, and GoToMeeting.
• Accounting & Billing - Expenses and billings will still need to be tracked while you're mobile.  Freshbooks.com and Quick Books on-line will give you the capabilities you need to run your business from anywhere.  Add a credit card payment accepter to your smartphone, and your one-person show is good to go.

Depending on your business model, you might also need to add on-line faxing services to your arsenal.  If you will be splitting your time between a home office and a mobile one, take a look at the services of GoToMyPC.com.  This is a subscription service that allows you to access your desktop computer from your laptop, tablet, or smartphone.  You'll have access to all your files and desktop items from anywhere you are.

Mobile officing may not be for everyone.  You need to be self-motivated enough to keep to a schedule even when there is no one looking over your shoulder.  But if you're a solo-prenuer, you probably fit that bill already.  Working in this manner can also make it hard for you to "escape the office" when you want to wind down.  Because you're always at the office, you are running the risk of overworking yourself because you never truly leave the office.  Setting up a schedule of off time and limits on when you will and will not be available can help to curb this tendency to be continually plugged in.

Technology is opening doors to increased productivity and freedom for both workers and employers.  With a few pieces of hardware and software, you too can join the mobile workforce and cut the cord.
 

Get the Most Out of iOS7

You've had a little bit of time now to start working with either your new iPhone 5 or the upgraded iOS7, and you might be wondering if you're getting everything out of it that you can.  Here are a few tips for improving your experience with the new platform.

Extending Battery Life
There are a couple of new features that may be draining your battery life in the background.  One is the Parallax setting.  This is the nifty new effect that makes your background look a little 3D.  But if the cool factor doesn't matter as much as the amount of time you can use your phone, you might want to turn it off.  Another one is the background app refresh.  This feature automatically updates apps and sucks battery power without user input.  If updating manually doesn't bother you, turn this feature off and save the power.  To access both of these settings, go to:  Settings-->General.  Switch the Background App Refresh setting to off.  For Parallax, go to the Accessibility area and turn Reduce Motion on.

Closing Background Apps
To close those pesky apps that are running in the background all you have to do is swipe up.  Double tap the home button and you will see all of the apps that are currently "on".  Simply put your finger on the one you want to close and pull it up.

Make Your Control Center More Secure
The new Control Center in iOS7 is handily available from the home screen, giving users easy access to common settings like airplane mode and wifi.  To get in to the Control Center, you just pull up from the bottom of the screen and it appears.  There is, however, the security issue that arises from that screen being accessible even when the phone is locked.  To keep potential thieves out of this screen, go to Settings/Control Center and turn off the Access on Lock Screen option.

Use Siri to the Utmost
Siri now has a more natural sounding voice and can either be male or female, based on your preference.  iOS7 has also made Siri more useful for returning calls, playing voicemails, and posting to Facebook.  You can even train Siri to pronounce things more accurately.  When she (or he) says something incorrectly, you respond with "that's not how you pronounce...".  Siri will ask for a better pronunciation and use your spoken response to suggest three alternatives.  You pick the one that is most accurate.

There's a Built In Flashlight
You can now get rid of that third-party flashlight app you've had for years; iOS7 has a built in flashlight.  To access it, swipe up from the bottom of your screen to enter the Control Panel.  You'll see the flashlight icon in the lower left hand corner.

Timestamps are Available for Individual Text Messages
There have always been timestamps for groups of text messages from a single contact, but now you can get those for each individual message.  To find this hidden feature, go to a conversation in your Messages and swipe to the left, the timestamps will appear to the right.

This is by no means an exhaustive list of all the cool new features and tricks available.  Take some time to poke around and get familiar with all the options out there.

A Virtual Administrative Assistant Can be Your Productivity Partner

Small business owners often find themselves mired in administrative tasks the take them away from their true function as CEO of their company.  You might be spinning your wheels doing day-to-day tasks that need to be done, but don't generate any revenue for your business.  Hiring a good Virtual Administrative Assistant, like Administrative Business Consulting, can help move you from overwhelmed employee to super-productive CEO.

First you will need to determine what your core functions are.  What are the activities that

are billable, actually bring in revenue, or set your business up for growth in the future?  Those are the things you should be concentrating on, and you should be delegating the rest.

Many productivity management techniques recommend a "brain dump" activity. This is meant to be a time where you simply capture all of the items in your head and on your to-do list, either hand-written or typed. Those items can become task lists, calendar appointments, or project folders.  A Virtual Administrative Assistant can help by organizing all of the information you've captured in to their appropriate locations.  Simply email your notes to the VAA, and she does the rest.

Blogs and social media are activities necessary to build your business, but the minutia of putting them together may not be a productive use of your time.  As the CEO, you should focus on the content of those posts.  Your VAA can then be assigned to handle the formatting, editing, tagging, SEO optimization, and final posting.  This same idea can be used for presentations and email campaigns.

Other activities that may be eating up your billable time and that are tasks that can be outsourced include:

• Travel and event planning
• Research for articles or marketing
• Setting calendar appointments for meetings and sales calls
• Anything that can be automated

Part of being a productive CEO is to identify your strengths and delegate the rest.  Fire yourself from jobs someone else can do and promote yourself to jobs only you can do.

 

Ending the Scourge of Unproductive Meetings

We've all been there: you've just sat through a 3 hour meeting that never seemed to get to a point and leads to no actions or decisions.  It basically wasted everyone's time and didn't accomplish anything useful.  But what about those rare occasions when we're party to an effective meeting?  It's a night and day difference.  We leave energized and fired up, as well as having a sense of direction and accomplishment.  There are a few easy things that you can do as a facilitator that can turn your meeting from the first kind to the good kind.

Good meetings do not just happen because the key players all get together in one place.  They have to be structured to be successful.  During meeting planning, preparation, execution, and follow-up, think about these criteria:

• The meeting should meet an objective
• The meeting should take up a minimum about of time
• The meeting should leave the participants feeling that a sensible process has been used

Be very clear about the objective and have a good idea about what a good outcome would look like before holding the meeting.  Use this sentence as a starting point:

"At the close of the meeting, I want the group to..."

The last part is your objective.  Also really think about who should be in attendance at the meeting.  Identify your key people and eliminate people who don't have a part to play in this particular project.

Everyone's time is very valuable and limited these days.  A productive meeting is one that is streamlined as much as possible.  Have an agenda with clear start and stop times that drive the meeting activities toward your objectives.  Ask all participants to come prepared to discuss their portions of the meeting or with any questions they have about others.

If your participants don't feel that any thought has been put in to a meeting, they are far less likely to be engaged.  This will stall the whole thing and leave people feeling that it was a waste of time.  Show the group that there has been a sensible process utilized by sending them the agenda BEFORE the actual meeting date.  Ask for their feedback on the times and the topics, you might be surprised about what they really want to talk about and accomplish.

During the meeting, there are some things the facilitator needs to handle to ensure that everything keeps moving smoothly.  Make sure no one person is dominating the conversation.  If that happens, make a point of asking others for their input.  At the end of each agenda item, summarize the discussion and ask for confirmation from other participants.  Make note of other items that are off topic but that need further discussion.  Watch the participants' body language for clues on when to take a break.  If you don't take those clues, you will lose their attention and the momentum of your meeting.  Keep the group on topic and make a list of tasks generated with the names of who is assigned to them.  When closing the meeting, summarize the next steps and let the participants know that you will be sending out a written summary.

The written summary is a critical follow-up piece to a successful meeting.  Collect any notes that were taken, and use the agenda as your guide for writing the summary.  The summary should include what was discussed, things that will be discussed at the next meeting, action items, and assignments.  This will also be the road map for your next meeting on the same topic.  You will be able to go directly to the action items and hold the assignees accountable.

Sometimes meetings are not in person affairs, but web based collaborations.  All of the same rules listed above apply, as well as a couple of extra considerations.

• Multi-tasking is a no-no during a web conference - Your attention should be on the meeting just like it would be at an in person session.  Don't take phone calls, check emails, or social media.  If participants are not paying attention the meeting will take longer and be less productive.
• Remind all participants to choose a quite location for the meeting - Sitting through a web meeting at a noisy cafe is a bad idea.  You'll miss important information and others will be able to see (and possibly hear) everything that is being discussed.  Ask participants to use their offices or some other quiet location for logging in and taking part.  You, as the facilitator, should also observe this rule.
• Get to know your platform beforehand - The day of your meeting should not be the first time you log on to the system and try to navigate the tools.  This is a time waster and lowers the confidence your participants have in the meeting.  A few days before, run a test meeting with all of your facilitators.  Figure out any glitches and how to solve those during the test meeting.
• Clearly define the roles of the facilitators - Often during an electronic meeting, there are multiple facilitators: someone presenting, someone running the question board, someone driving the screen, someone taking notes, etc.  Have the responsibilities of the different facilitators clearly defined during your test meeting.  This will give a more professional appearance to the meeting.

Meetings can be tedious and pointless, but they don't have to be.  With a little forethought and attention, they can be a useful time for your business or organization.

Being More Effective on LinkedIn

LinkedIn is the number one professional networking site on the web.  There are currently over 160 million users worldwide, with an average age of 45 and an average income of over $91,000.  It is a potential gold mine of referrals for your business.

LinkedIn is intended to be a place where you present your professional image, as opposed to your personal image that you use on facebook.  There are are several ways that you can use this vast network of professionals to do this:

• Maintaining business contacts
• Getting introductions
• Posting recommendations for contacts
• Getting referrals for your business
• Checking references on potential employees or associates
• Receiving industry news
• Finding, posting, and forwarding jobs

The main tool to connect with people on LinkedIn is your profile page.  It is important to make it BEEFY!  What I mean is that it needs to be rich in content and engaging to get noticed.  Tell your story with details including all of your accomplishments and milestones.  Include any references to your business in print and on-line media, any awards you or your business has received, and any certificates or credentials that show you are an authority in your industry.  Every word in your profile is keyword searchable, so be sure and include your top terms somewhere in the profile.

When potential customers look at your profile, they will be comparing it to the profile of your competitors.  You need to be current and engaging to keep yourself on the top of the list.  Use a photo that is a true representation of yourself.  The most effective profile pictures will be professional head shots done recently.  You can also add videos to your profile using the Google Presentation or Slideshare apps within LinkedIn.  This adds extra pop and sets you above the competition.  Also, take a minute to personally welcome and acknowledge your new connections.  It develops the relationships you're trying to cultivate through LinkedIn and gives you an edge on your competition.

Joining professional and interest groups on LinkedIn lets you share in professional conversations about your industry or those that you're looking to get in to.  Taking part in groups will also grow your sphere of connections to include people you might not have had a chance to talk to previously.  When you do join, participate in the conversations to help get you and your brand notice.  These are also a good place to share info on events you might be putting on or blogs that you write.

This may seem like a lot of extra work to add to your already full plate.  But if you set aside a little time each week to work on it, you will reap great rewards.  You can also hire a virtual assistant service, such as Administrative Business Consulting, to help you set up a manage your LinkedIn profile.  That set up would let you have the best of all worlds.

Making the Most Out of Working From Home

In today's technologically advanced world, more and more people are taking the opportunity to work from home.  It could be a telecommuting situation or actually running a home-based business.  While working this way removes stresses, it can also add them to your daily work life.  Here are some simple tips for making the most of your home/work arrangement.

Having a routine is an essential first step in establishing your home office environment.  When I first began working from a home office, I really struggled with this.  I was getting up at different times, randomly tackling tasks, and basically finding myself stressed at the end of the day with not a lot to show for it and maybe not even showered.  Getting up at the same time every day, eating breakfast, exercising, and getting dressed for work set me up to be more productive and successful in my home office.  You should pick a routine that works for you and stick to it.

Set up a space in your home dedicated to your work.  This could be a separate office in a spare room, a section of your own room, or even the garage for that matter.  It is wherever you feel comfortable and productive.  Make sure you have adequate lighting, a fairly quiet environment, and access to the equipment you need.  Define this area as your work space, and make that clear to your family or housemates.

Staying organized can be one of the biggest challenges of working from home.  When I left a traditional office to the home office, I went from being extremely organized to letting things go a little bit.  My papers were beginning to just be in piles all over and I was losing focus on what I wanted to accomplish each day.  Setting up my calendar on Google so that I only had to enter appointments in one location (phone or PC) was a huge help.  Now my phone and my computer say the same thing.  Using a task list program, such as Outlook, keeps me focused on what the priority actions are for the day and the week.  I also bought a label maker to get my file folders neat and organized.  A disorganized work area can add to your stress and make it difficult for you to be productive.

Clearly defining your work hours to yourself as well as to your clients, family, and friends is helpful in creating a good home working environment.  I often find myself continually looking at my email well in to the night instead of spending that time winding down.  This is frustrating to those around you and makes you feel more pressure.  On the flip side, don't let distractions available at home deter you from accomplishing your work tasks.  Be clear with your clients that you will be available during specific times, and stick to it.  Scheduling yourself breaks during the day, such as lunch, is part of defining your work hours.

Working at home can sometimes feel like being alone in the world.  If most of your interaction during the day is electronic, you can start to feel isolated and less satisfied with the home office situation.  I belong to both Toastmasters and Business Network International.  These two memberships serve a dual purpose: they each get me out of my home office once a week to interact with other people and they give me an opportunity to network with other professionals.

Lastly, double check your homeowners insurance coverages when setting up your home office.  If you will have clients or coworkers come to your home for business purposes, you might need to add some specialty riders depending on your policy.  The time to do this is now and not after someone slips on your front walk.

Working at home is a privilege that many of us have been lucky enough to have.  If you set yourself up for success by thinking ahead and doing some planning, you will love it as much as I have.

How to Use Hashtags with Your Social Media

Hashtags (#) have been in use on Twitter for some time, but they have become common on other social media sites such as Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr, and now even on facebook.  But what are they for and how can you use them to boost the reach of your social media presence.

A hashtag is a key word (or group of words, with no spaces) prefixed with the "#" symbol in a social media message.  The format would look like this: "#topic".  These hashtags then become clickable text that allow users of social media to see what others are saying about that topic. People use hash tags to highlight events, ideas, conferences, products, TV shows, and many other subjects.

Any user can make any word or combination of words in to a clickable hashtag.  If you open a facebook status and type the "#" followed by your chosen phrase, you'll see that the text becomes highlighted by a blue box.  Once you hit post, the tag will appear in bold in your update and other users will be able to click on it which will show them a listing of all the other posts featuring that hashtag.

It is important to remember that this system is a simple form of organization and it can often have trouble with hashtags that are too complicated.  For instance, you can have a tag like "#thingsididwheniwassevenonmybike", but how often are other people going to use that tag?  If the answer is never, then it is probably not an effective tag to use.  Try to keep the tags short and relevant to what you want your message to be. If you would like to see what hashtags are currently trending or if the tag you want to use is already being used, you can visit www.hashtags.org or hashtagify.me.  Also, don't put too many hashtags in one post.  Research is showing:

http://blogs.constantcontact.com/product-blogs/social-media-marketing/how-to-use-hashtags/

As a business, you can use hashtags to make an event more social, join other conversations that are trending up with your customers, boost the visibility of a promotion, or engage more visitors.  Take for example an event like a customer appreciation picnic.  You could announce it on your page with a hashtag of #welovecustomers encouraging your fans to bring friends with them to the event.  Your customers share the information with their friends using your hashtag, and that gets passed around to and even wider audience.  You can then click on your tag #welovecustomers and see who is using it and get an idea of your posts reach.

It may seem complicated or just another part of social media that you have to learn, remember that 71% of users on social media are using hashtags in their posts.  43% of those users think tags are useful and 34% use them to follow categories and brands of personal interest like your business.

Using Technology to Stay Competitive

As a small business owner in today's fast paced world, it is vital that you understand and utilize advanced technologies that are available to you and fit with your business.  Technology, used correctly, can help increase your business efficiency and even expand your operations.

Accounting
Gone are the days where a one-man shop had to keep financial records in a hand-written ledger book.  There are a myriad of options in accounting software and services that can help you see your profits and losses at a glance as well as set-up and track a budget.  Even if you use a CPA or bookkeeper, it is nice to have all your records in one place to give those professionals at tax time.  Some of the great options available are:

• Freshbooks - On-line and easy to use (my personal favorite)
• Quickbooks - Both on-line and hard copy available
• Outright.com - On-line service

Calendar & Email Management

Most business owners are reliant on functional calendaring and email solutions.  The advent of cloud-computing technology has made it possible to access your calendar and email from either your laptop, smartphone, or tablet equally well.  These new services also allow you to delegate your calendar and email management to your virtual administrative assistant like Administrative Business Consulting.  Here are the most popular options:

• Outlook.com
• Gmail and Google Calendar

File Sharing Platforms

Many teams are not located in the same building, let alone the same state, anymore, but you may not have the need (or capacity) for a stand alone network solution.  You may be working with clients and contractors, like your virtual administrative assistant, spread over large geographical areas and in different time zones.  This requires you to have a good, central place to share files and work collaboratively.  Cloud-computing has made these services easy to access and use across your different devices.  Some options include:

• Microsoft Office Skydrive
• Google Docs
• Dropbox

Technology is an integral part of every successful business.  There are solutions available for not only the large corporations but also for the small operations like yours and mine.  Most of these services are either free (to a certain point) or will allow you to run a free trial to see if it is a good fit for your business.  Embracing possibilities and new ways to be productive will help you secure your success in a rapidly changing business environment.