Tech Transformation: 4 Technology Tips To Take Your Business From Startup To Superstar
Think that tech doesn’t matter to your business because you’re a brick-and-mortar option, or only just getting started? Think again!
Today, there isn’t a lot of option when it comes to technology: it’s part of life. Without tech, most businesses (and people, if we’re being honest) would flounder… but are you struggling to figure out how to harness tech? For the non-savvy of us, it can be a challenging start.
Tip 1) Use Diary Software
First up: diaries and scheduling! Running a multinational, billion-dollar business? Or just a one-man show? Either way, you need a schedule. Even if it’s just you, diary software changes everything, because it helps you keep track of your business goals, your commitments, your day-to-day operations, and everything in between.
And if there’s more than just you in the business? Collaborative diary software is pretty much a must. You need to know who’s on vacation and out sick. Who’s handling what projects? What’s due this week, next week, next month? And so on and so forth. Decent diary software is an absolute significant change in this world, and the good news is, there are tons of options out there. You might decide to try Todoist or Monday.com – or even simply basic Google Calendar if your needs aren’t too complicated.
Tip 2) Market On Social Media
Social media is a world some people wouldn’t touch with a barge pole… but again, it’s seriously powerful and important in the world of business, and again, that’s true whether you’re digital or physical (or a mix). Having a Facebook page, an Instagram account, a LinkedIn, or other combinations with other platforms is key to helping people find you.
It’ll also mean you can grab some good ratings and make the most of your (hopefully excellent) customer service/product. By taking a bit of time to create a social media strategy, you can massively increase your reach, give yourself a lift, and make your business stand out. Yes, these spaces are crowded, but social media marketing is still super effective in today’s world.
Note, though, that you should come up with a strategy for marketing, not just throw money at this and hope for the best. Figure out where your target audience spends most of its time and focus your efforts there! If you’re aiming at a young demographic, you might find somewhere like TikTok is more appropriate than Facebook, and if you’re in a very visual business, Instagram could be your friend.
Tip 3) Learn To Program… Just A Bit!
Panicked by the idea of writing code? Yeah, you’re not alone… but honestly, it’s not as hard as you think, and oh, the payoffs can be huge! If you’re investing in tech and innovation, learning just a little coding could be super helpful, and will unlock a whole world of possibilities in the tech realm.
You don’t have to learn every language (or even most languages) to enjoy benefits from being able to code – but something like Python could be a great starting point. It’s (relatively) straightforward as programming goes, and behind it, there’s a great community, which means there’s tons of support as you start dipping into the world of coding. Nobody’s going to say this is easy, but it might be a lot easier than you think!
And the payoffs? Well, your coding skills will have a whole range of applications, so there’s no single advantage to this – you’ll find that you use it in a whole bunch of places. Sure, if your business is almost exclusively done through physical transactions, you might find it less handy, but even then, perhaps you’ll write a script for totting up figures or pulling information from several sources into one sheet, or something else. The possibilities are pretty endless, and being able to code? It’s a game-changer for many people!
Tip 4) Get A Website
No website? It used to be “no problem,” but these days, not having your own site can be harmful to your reputation. People expect to be able to Google you! And having a site can lend you credibility, even if you don’t use it all that often. It’s an opportunity to put together a polished version of your brand and image, and perhaps even display some customer testimonials that will secure you more business.
That said, if you’re not technologically savvy, you’re probably going to want somebody else to build this for you, as website creation can have a pretty steep learning curve, and it’s not immediately straightforward to learn. Certainly, if you’re determined and you’ve got time on your hands, it’s possible, but it might be better to leave it to a pro.
Whichever approach you decide to take, having a website is really necessary in today’s era, and it’ll give your new business the marketing boost it needs to get established.
