Social Media

• Your Beauty Network - 2008 U.S. Small Business Excellence Award Finalist Profile

  Wed. May. 14, 2008
  by J. J. Davis, Sm and Med Business Communications

  “I just finished comparing our 2007 Clinic and Retail numbers to our 2006 numbers. The results are amazing!”

  Susie Carder, founder of the online salon and spa business support service Your Beauty Network (YBN), has grown accustomed to this kind of client praise and attributes such success to the growth and implementation of technology.

  “In our industry, salon owners and operators are primarily stylists, not necessarily savvy business people,” says Bert Carder, YBN’s CEO and “Chief Technology Wiz,” as wife Susie likes to call him. “Providing our clients with easy-to-use, cost-effective online tools like client relationship management, e-marketing, online appointment booking and business builder archives, we can help their businesses grow at unprecedented rates.”

  Building on her 15 years of experience as a professional speaker in the salon and spa industry, Susie founded YBN in 1999 during the infamous DOT.com craze. Out of dozens of competitors, YBN is the only business of its kind still standing today. YBN credits its competitive advantage to embracing technological and industry changes, like the insight to change to a subscription-based service model. “We have to always be two steps ahead of change that comes our way,” said Susie, “to not only stay ahead in the industry, but also maintain our technology knowledge base to successfully counsel our clients.”

  In addition, with only 6 employees, YBN has learned how to act like a big business to help other small-business salons and spas act and look big too. “93% of the beauty industry is not profitable, but once we consult our customers on what technology can do to increase revenues, they are amazed, said Susie. “ They begin to see exactly why they are not profitable and what changes they can make to see real profit gains.” Especially when it comes to mom-and-pop type beauty salons, YBN’s mission is to help them integrate technology to raise the bar and better compete against larger, more technologically advanced salon and spa chains.

  “The beauty industry is a sleeping giant full of truly talented individuals,” said Susie. “By helping our clients implement technology they never thought they’d need, we are able to see many business owners meet their full potential while enhancing the reputation and caliber of the industry overall.”

  If you are in the beauty salon or spa industry and have questions regarding how to implement technology in your business, please comment here or contact YBN directly. Dell also offers point-of-sale solutions you may want to check out.

  digg del.icio.us email this 0 comment(s)

• TecAccess - 2008 U.S. Small Business Excellence Award Finalist Profile

  Mon. May. 12, 2008
  by J. J. Davis, Sm and Med Business Communications

  According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the more than 750 million individuals with disabilities worldwide comprise one of the largest and fastest growing minority groups. However, they are often overlooked as candidates for meaningful employment – not anymore if Debra Ruh has anything to do with it. In 2000, she founded TecAccess to help government, higher education and private employers deploy electronic and information technology accessibility solutions that enable employees with disabilities to contribute and succeed in the workplace. As Debra explains, “Technology is the great equalizer that allows us to look at all people as potential employees regardless of disabilities,” and TecAccess proves this to its clients every day.

  With 70% of its 60-person staff comprised of individuals with disabilities, TecAccess uses itself as a case study when helping clients realize the benefits of an accessible workplace. TecAccess is also uniquely positioned to take on the challenge of developing creative accessibility solutions because its staff lives with disabilities themselves. Working and speaking from experience, the company provides testing and assessment, training, engineering, policy review and consulting for clients that need to meet Section 508 accessibility compliance or want to leverage technology to open up a whole new pool of viable job candidates. Because budgets are tight, they also offer return-on-investment reporting to help clients measure success.

  Case-in-point: Rosemary Musachio, a TecAccess employee, has cerebral palsy and cannot speak or use her hands. Because of technology and a specially designed head pointer used to navigate a keyboard, Rosemary’s disabilities have not prevented her from attaining success. As a key contributor to TecAccess’ new Disabled Veterans Training Program (DVET) designed to help find high-quality jobs for our nation’s heroes, Rosemary uses her life experience coupled with tremendous writing and communication skills to both identify with and train disabled war veterans through online classrooms.

  “Without advancements in technology, TecAccess could not exist,” said Debra. “Because technology has come so far, it allows us to make the impossible possible for so many people.”

  If you are in the IT or accessibility industry or are interested in TecAccess’ services, please comment here or contact Debra or her staff directly.

  digg del.icio.us email this 0 comment(s)

• Do Small Business Owners Need a Website?

  Mon. May. 12, 2008
  by Kelly Curnow, Small Business Community Manager

  “I don’t sell products online, so I don’t need a website.” That’s a common statement heard from small business owners. But you don’t have to sell products online to benefit from having a website. Entrepreneur.com emphasizes how a web presence helps customers, potential employees, business partners and even investors be able to quickly and easily find out more about your business and the products or services you offer.

  In this vlog, Karen Dayan, Senior Marketing Manager, Microsoft Office Live Small Business discusses the importance of websites for small business owners.

  Format: flv Duration: 4:06

  Downloads WMV  MP4  OGG

  If you decide a website is for you (or if you already have a website and are looking to improve it), here are some resources to help you out.

  • SmallBizTechnology.com: 10 Website Musts
  • StartUpNation.com: 11 Steps to Create a Successful Website
  • Localna8ion.com: Your Website Should be Your Star Sales Person
  • Dell Small Business 360: Build a Website to Win Customers
  digg del.icio.us email this 1 comment(s)

• Should Small Businesses Blog?

  Wed. May. 07, 2008
  by Kelly Curnow, Small Business Community Manager

  I blogged last week about the Microsoft Office Live Vision to Venture event. In every location, local entrepreneurs were asked to participate in a panel discussion about their start up stories. Carli Kiene, Owner, inkedFingers Fotography was one of the panelists at the Austin event. Carli added a blog to her website to help stand out in the marketplace and develop relationships with her clients. 
  I caught up with Carli after the event for a Q&A on the benefits of blogging for small business owners:

  Kelly:  What are the main benefits of blogging for a small business owner?

  Carli:  Blogging allows me to connect with my clients on a very personal level. As a photographer, I am able to post daily my recent photographs for potential clients to view my updated work and existing clients get to know me as a friend, not just some girl taking their wedding photographs.

  Kelly:  How often do you blog?

  Carli:  I try to blog after every shoot, but when I have three shoots a weekend I can't post everyone's shoot.  On average, I blog 2-3 times per week.

  Kelly:  How do you determine topics for blog content?

  Carli:  Because I am so passionate about photography, it is my goal to communicate this through every post. I want my clients (mostly brides, right now) to know that I LOVE working with them - they are fun to be around and I love photographing them. I have had potential clients tell me that they decided to book me after looking at my blog. In a photographer's case, if you're writing enough in your blog and not just posting pictures, your clients can get a feel for your great personality and that's enough to generate business.

  Kelly:  What blog software do you use? Is it hard to add it to your site?  Is it expensive?

  Carli:  Blogspot hosts my blog. It's free, easy to use and quick to get started. I just inserted a link on my website to redirect people to my blog, hosted on blogspot. I have seen other business owners have an expensive site built and then incur additional costs by having a blog page added. At the same time, I have seen large, reputable companies use these free blogging sites like blogspot or typepad with no hesitation. They are fully customizable.

  Kelly:  What results have you seen from your blog?
  
  Carli:  Like I said, I've had clients still deciding if they would book me as their wedding photographer, look through my blog and that was their deciding factor. I had one bride who had booked me but I had not yet photographed her, and she did not know I had a blog. She said in one night she read through/viewed EVERY blog I had ever posted and it generated that much more excitement for her upcoming shot. This is the same girl after I posted her pictures on the blog, couldn't stop sending her own friends/family to take a peek and comment. That's creating enthusiastically satisfied customers, if you ask me.  Will she refer her friends, bridesmaids and cousins to use me as their wedding photographer? She already has.
  

  Kelly:  Have you had to overcome any obstacles or difficulties while starting your blog?

  Carli:  My first couple of posts I wasn't really sure what to say. I didn't think I knew what my clients wanted to hear. But it really isn't that difficult I have learned. Clients of service-oriented businesses want to know what makes your company tick. They want to know why you are in business... do you love their job? What is your favorite coffee drink at Starbucks? If one of my bride's sees that after every bridal shoot I posted in the past on the blog I RAVE of the bride's beauty and comment on some crazy and fun occurrence during the shoot, it builds her own excitement for her bridal portraits.
  Ultimately, blogging is about furthering your relationship with your clients. If they know you and you know them (or even if you are providing the perception that they are getting to know you) then they will be back. Period.

  A special thanks to Carli for her time. If you want more information on starting a blog, check out John Jantsch’s article on 10 Essential Blogs Tools

  digg del.icio.us email this 0 comment(s)

• Rugroden Drafting & Design: 2008 U.S. Small Business Excellence Award Finalist Profile

  Tue. May. 06, 2008
  by J. J. Davis, Sm and Med Business Communications

  A little over 5 years ago, Ryan Rugroden recognized the need to better leverage information technology to assist in the designing and redesigning of customers’ dream homes. Taking it upon himself to keep up with the latest in home design software, Ryan knew he could serve customers in a way that truly differentiated him from his competition. With this realization, Ryan founded Rugroden Drafting & Design.

  “We don’t live in a 2D world, so why settle for a 2D house plan,” said Ryan. “I always tell my customers, you wouldn’t spend thousands of dollars on a car just by looking at the manufacturer’s plans, so why wouldn’t you also test drive your new home?” 

  Rugroden Drafting & Design uses Softplan, architectural design software, to turn a customer’s requests, thoughts and ideas into a fully-rendered, 3D “virtual” home with detail right down to the interior design. Ryan and his customers can sit at his computer and take a virtual walk through their future home, provide and gather feedback and see instant modifications.

  Because the average consumer finds traditional house plans to be extremely complex, Ryan found an unmet need in the custom home building market. “I have found over the past 16 years of designing peoples dream homes that 95 percent of them do not fully understand a floor plan.” With this insight, Ryan has capitalized on his tech-savvy skills to cater to customers in a unique way that helps him better meet their needs, compete and grow his business.

  If you are in the construction industry and have questions for Ryan or are a consumer in the market for a home drafting and design firm specializing in 3-D design, please comment here or contact Ryan directly.

  digg del.icio.us email this 2 comment(s)

• Dell/NFIB Named 10 Finalists for the U.S. Small Business Excellence Award

  Tue. May. 06, 2008
  by J. J. Davis, Sm and Med Business Communications

  In January and again last month, Lionel blogged about the global expansion of the Dell Small Business Excellence Award. Reminiscent of how Dell got started 24 years ago (Dell celebrated its birthday yesterday), the global program is designed to recognize small businesses using technology in innovative ways to better serve their customers. We are now live in 10 of the 12 counties – Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France (launching May 13), Germany, Italy, Japan (launching May 19), Mexico, Spain, United Kingdom and the United States – and announced today the 10 finalists for the U.S. award. All national winners will be announced by Sept., with the global winner being named later in the fall.

  As highlighted in the news release, this year’s finalists represent a broad range of industries and technology expertise ranging from construction, education and healthcare to the non-technical salon and spa industry.

  To provide a glimpse into what these companies are doing to exceed their customers’ expectations, grow their businesses and gain national recognition, we’ll be posting profiles on each of them during the month of May.

  The first is Rugroden Drafting and Design, a Onalaska, Wis.-based residential drafting and design service that creates construction drawings and incorporates the latest 3-D technology allowing customers to digitally walk through their virtual home.

  Feel free to connect with any of these businesses if you are in need of services they provide or have questions about their technology solutions.

  digg del.icio.us email this 0 comment(s)