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6 Great Apps for Small Businesses

6 Great Apps for Small Businesses

The rise of mobile has certainly changed the face of business as we know it, and mostly for the better. Now that pretty much everyone has a smartphone, it is important that those phones are equipped with the right tools to keep up with the hectic life of a business professional. Having to put something off until you can get back to the office or hotel room could cost time, money, and even sales. That makes having everything you need in one mobile package a smart choice.

 

Take a look at these five apps that will add functionality to your phone – and life – with ease:

 

Audio Memos

 

Audio Memos is a great app that lets you record audio quickly and easily, whether you’re leaving yourself a reminder or recording a meeting or lecture.Lifehacker called it “the best voice recording app,” and it’s easy to see why – it’s simple, easy to use, and incredibly useful.

 

The app can even be set to start recording when it hears voices, so you can avoid long silences at the beginning of your recordings. Use the various extensions to trim your recordings, compress them for email, and upload everything to Dropbox, Box, Evernote, Google Drive, or simply send messages via email.

 

CardMunch

 

What do you do with those 20 or 50-odd, assorted business cards you’ve collected after you leave the conference? Most of us do a quick sort, and even then, the ones we keep often just get tucked away. Is there a better way to organize them? You bet.

 

With CardMunch, you just snap a picture of a business card and the app does the rest. It automatically converts the text on the business card into an address book contact using your mobile phone’s contact system. Snap a picture, ditch the card. Additionally, since CardMunch is owned by LinkedIn, you can take that contact information and add the person as a connection on LinkedIn, making it easy to view even more info through their profile right away.

 

 

MightyMeeting

 

MightyMeeting is a powerful tool that ensures you are never unprepared for a meeting. You can:

 

  • Store PowerPoint presentations and PDF files and share them any way you want to.
  • Set up online meetings that anyone can connect to using their phone, tablet, or computer.
  • Download documents to your device before you head out to a spot where you know that you are going to be without an internet connection, and use Nearcast to share them over Bluetooth between any iOS devices in the room.
  • You can even create an interactive whiteboard that everyone can use to share ideas.

 

TripIt

 

I travel a lot, giving speeches and what not, and TripIt is my go-to travel app. Here’s how it works: with each travel reservation you make – car rental, flight, hotel, etc– you simply forward the confirmation to TripIt and the site combines them all and sends you back a master calendar/confirmation/itinerary. The elegant itinerary then syncs with Apple and Google Calendars. It also contains weather info for where you are going, as well as maps and directions for each stop on your travels. TripIt Pro adds real-time flight information, a flight finder, and more to an already robust app.

Hightail

 

This is another of my favorite business apps. Hightail is a great way to share large files that might otherwise be practically impossible to send. The app lets you send files up to 2GB instantly from your computer or mobile device, and store an unlimited amount of files online. Such large attachments usually upset regular email servers.

 

At Hightail.com (formerly YouSendIt), you can see who has downloaded your files, and even control who can and can’t make changes to those files. Finally, you can also sign documents through Hightail and return them immediately, making sure that contracts, mocks, and other documents take as little time as possible to get approved.

 

These apps help make your phone or tablet the only device you need to get everything done. Do you have an app you can’t live without? Share it with us.

More apps for business http://www.businessinsider.com/50-best-business-apps-2013-8?op=1

April 10, 2014 Today's Business, , , , , , , , , , , , , 0 Read more >

Top 10 Signs You Are a Good Boss in Small Business

Top 10 Signs You Are a Good Boss in Small Business Steve StraussSmall Business – Top 10 Signs You Are a Good Boss in Small Business. It is probably a safe bet to say that most folks who manage other people think that they are a good boss. After all, we have all had bad bosses, and no one likes working for a bad one, let alone thinking that they are the bad boss. As you may remember, I wrote “Top 10 Signs You Are a Bad Boss” in an earlier column, you can read that article here for small business.

The truth is, in small business all bosses are not created equal. So which are you? Let’s find out. Here are the top 10 signs that you really are a good boss at your small business.

1. You are receptive to employee’s input at your small business: The best bosses know that when they hire someone, they are hiring that person’s smarts, talent, initiative and abilities. While employees may not have the experience or knowledge that you have, they will come up with ideas on how things could be done differently. You should acknowledge and respect their contributions, so they feel valued and confident to share these ideas with you.

2. You stay above the fray for your small business: We all know that petty (and not so petty) office politics are part of life. The bad boss gets involved in that sort of minutiae, often seeing it as a way to gain leverage over someone or some situation. The good boss knows that it is his or her job not only to avoid such situations (let alone not exacerbate them) but in fact should look to foster harmony and diminish discord.

3. You lead at your small business: You are their boss, not their friend (well, you might be their friend too, but that’s beside the point.) Your job at work is to set an example, have a vision, and get people to buy into that vision. You know – be a leader.

4. You know that fun is part of the game at your small business: Great bosses understand that a workplace that is dry and boring is one where you don’t get the best out of people. Employees want to make money, sure, but they also want to socialize, sharpen their skills, and yes, have a good time. Allowing that makes for a more interesting, creative and fun place to work. It boosts morale . . . and the bottom line.

5. You care about career development at small business: Bad bosses do not provide opportunities for their employees to take on more interesting or challenging work – bad bosses may even hog all the good projects. This short-sighted approach may result in a high turnover.

6. You make time to get to know your employees at your small business: A good boss knows that it’s important to be invested (and even interested) in your employees as individuals. If an employee has a big life event, show you care by giving a note or a small gift.

7. You are not a jerk at your small business: A good boss knows that you catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar. So you don’t yell. You do not berate. You are respectful and kind. Sure you can be tough on occasion, but that is more the exception than the rule.

8. You understand that employees have other obligations: A good boss understands that employees have lives outside of work. For instance, an employee may need to occasionally leave work early to make an appointment or to take care of family needs.

9. You reward a job well done at your small business: Even if your budget is tight, you can rest assured that you are a good boss if you reward people. It might be a small bonus or a day off or tickets to the game, but whatever the case, good bosses acknowledge and reward people for a job well done.

10. People are loyal to you: No one is loyal to a bad boss. Good bosses foster loyalty and get people to go above and beyond because employees like working for them at your small business.

If you like this article, please share it with friends and google +. Thank you!

 

February 14, 2012 Today's Business, , , , , , , , 1 Read more >