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Facebook Ads vs. Google Ads and Remarketing
The complexity of paid social media ads and paid search has increased radically over the last couple of years. With innovative ad formats, increased targeting options, as well as more proficient tools for measuring results, companies’ reach towards their target audiences is broader and more efficient than ever. This brings on new challenges, as both […]
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6 Short-Term Goals for Long-Term Success
Small businesses can create big success if they consistently set short-term, attainable goals. Whether your business is looking to expand into a new market, acquire new leads or make key new hires, these short-term goals will help you sustain momentum over the long term. 1. Make sales and marketing a priority. Clearly, sales and marketing […]
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Putting the Visitor First: Tips for Consumer-Centric Website Optimization
Online searching and shopping are as second nature to some as shopping in traditional brick and mortar stores. And in today’s world where Google processes over 40,000 search queries every second and 3.5 billion searches per day, consumers are pretty demanding when it comes to their online experience. They expect to find the information, services or […]
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Google Posts Give Businesses Free Tool to Reach Local Customers
Every second more than 56,000 searches take place on Google, more than half of them on smartphones. For business owners trying to reach local customers, many of these searches represent an opportunity to reach local customers, but only if they can be found in the results. If you’ve searched by name for a local […]
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5 Tips to be More Productive in 2019
2019 is here, even if you are reluctant to set any personal resolutions, there is nothing wrong with looking for ways to make subtle changes in your business life. These little changes can trickle into your personal life and make everything that much better. As you ponder setting resolutions and perhaps forgetting them all together, […]Harnessing Video’s Power with Animoto
The use of video for small businesses can change the way that a company thrives and even succeeds. At the very least, the introduction of video enhancement can improve the quality of advertisement and marketing on behalf of a company. We sat down with Jason Hsiao, Co-founder of Animoto, to find out the tricks of […]
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7 of the Top NYC Business Networking Groups
It goes without saying, but face-to-face networking is one of the best ways for a professional running and trying to grow a small business to meet other like-minded individuals. Here is a list of what we consider to be the best NYC Business Networking Groups. Best NYC Business Networking Groups View more lists from Carolyn Crummey
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Dell’s Mission to Deliver More Efficient, Productive, and Secure Tech to Small Businesses
I recently had a chance to connect with Erik Day, the Executive Director and General Manager for North America Small Business at Dell, and decided to ask him point-blank, “Why should small businesses care about Dell?” Over the course of our conversation, Day explained why growth is the primary concern for small businesses and how […]
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5 Perfect Low Cost Home-Based Business Opportunities
Right now, in the United States, approximately 3.7 million people consider their home to be their place of business. Working from home, in whatever form it takes, is rapidly growing in popularity thanks to ever-evolving technologies that enable people to work from virtually anywhere. The challenge, however, is there are so many potential business opportunities […]3 Resources to Make Your Small Business Grow
If you’re just starting out, you’re probably on the quest for some tools and resources to help you run your small business. You want to ensure that you’re efficient, make smart business decisions and effectively market to your target audience. More than anything, you probably want to know how to make your business flourish. Take […]
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Do More in 2016 With These Project Management Suites
Whether your teams are working in the same office or remotely, keeping everyone on the same page is essential to the success of your projects. Project management suites are a cost-effective way to stay organized so you don’t have to rely on lengthy email threads. Whether you’re a solopreneur or a small business owner, there’s […]
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Changing Domain Names? Here’s 4 Things You Need To Know
There are a whole host of reasons why you may wish to change your domain name, from re-branding your business, to expanding internationally. Alternatively, you may have been told to switch to HTTPS for security reasons, or because Google’s search algorithms now reward HTTPS sites with boosted search rankings. Whatever your specific reasoning, domain name […]
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Marketing Tech Tips to Grow Your Home Services Business
As an entrepreneur, I bet you’ve tried just about everything to grow your business. Traditional marketing techniques to find new customers, retain current customers, or build your brand are the backbone of any home services business, but there are certainly hundreds of methods that simply don’t work. On top of the traditional foundation you’ve created, […]
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Email Hacks Happen to Small Businesses Too – What Entrepreneurs Need to Know
While many believe data breaches and email hacks happen exclusively to big corporations, what most don’t know is that small businesses are just as vulnerable to attacks, if not more so. Data hacks can have a serious impact on your company – they not only jeopardize customer and partner trust, but they can be a […]
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Wrapping up SuiteWorld 2018: NetSuite Announces Hint Water Growth and AI Technology Advances
At the most recent SuiteWorld held in Las Vegas, Nevada, Oracle NetSuite made two major announcements that demonstrate the company’s commitment to helping small business achieve rapid growth and performing extensive research into implementing cutting edge AI technologies. With the introduction of new AI technology, NetSuite ensures customers can leverage a unified business platform to […]
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10 Things to Do Before Heading Off as Digital Nomad Entrepreneur
Many entrepreneurs have an adventurous spirit by nature. Not only do they put their livelihood on the line to pursue the dream of self-employment, but this same exuberance usually drives them to explore new cultures, ideas and experiences. In the past, running your own business meant being tied down most of the year and buried […]
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5 Benefits of Having a High Quality Law Firm Website Design
Once you have your law firm up and running, the next step is to get the attention of clients who need your help. The best way of doing that is with a website for your law firm, and the better the website, the better your chances of turning visitors into clients. A high quality lawyer […]3 Reasons Why Bootstrapping Beats Crowdfunding
When it comes to raising money for your brand new startup, which of the following makes more sense: Initiating a crowdfunding campaign or bootstrapping? As a long-time serial entrepreneur who has built several successful companies from the ground up, I’ve had plenty of time to study both methods—and bootstrapping appears to me to be the […]
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Working Remotely: Three Tips for Healthier and Happier Talent.
Telecommute: Verb. As defined by Merriam-Webster, it is the act of working from home via the use of an electronic linkup to a central office through email, phone or the Internet. While “telecommuting” itself may seem like one of the many neologisms or buzz words used to describe the modern American workforce, Jack Niles coined […]
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How to Build a Powerful YouTube Channel
With over one billion users worldwide, collectively watching hundreds of millions of hours of content every single day, building an effective YouTube presence is one of the most important marketing opportunities for building a brand presence online. At the heart of every online video strategy sits your YouTube channel. Surprisingly though, it is often one […]
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Are You Aware Of These New Domain Extensions?
The domain extensions that you are accustomed to are those that are most in-use today. You are familiar with the extensions that are common, but you may not be aware of the over 300 that are now ready for you to use. You must begin to search for a new extension that may be useful […]
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How Technology Is Changing The Restaurant Industry
For too long, the restaurant industry has been relying on the same business model that the first restaurateur used so many millennia ago: get customers, serve them food. And while that model still lies at the heart of every restaurant, the industry—and the clients who frequent it—has grown up and evolved since then. Technology is […]
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Are You Making These 6 Heat Map Mistakes?
How can you tell if your carefully-crafted website is getting the ROI you’re after? Hitting your online sales goals is one key performance indicator, of course. But what if you want to really get into the details and observe exactly how your visitors are interacting on your site? The answer is to use a heat […]How Patch Management Can Save You from an It Security Breach
In 2017, Equifax lost the most sensitive of information for nearly 148 million Americans. The worst part about this seismic incident is that there was no excuse for it to happen; the breach was entirely preventable. According to Wired: “. . . Equifax has confirmed that attackers entered its system in mid-May through a web-application […]
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Good Presenters are Great Storytellers. Presentation Exec Shares His Tips
Ramon Ray sat down for a video chat with Lou Giacalone, COO of Beautiful.AI, to discuss the company’s newest tool. This tool will be of special interest to all of you out there who have struggled with creating visually strong presentations. It allows non graphic designers to create more eye-popping presentations without the time and […]The Future of Web Hosting: Cloud Hosting vs. Decentralized Hosting
According to a MRFR analysis—which profiled major Web hosts like DreamHost—global web hosting services market is expected to grow to approximately $154 billion by 2022. The Internet has grown exponentially over the past decade, and this trend isn’t showing signs of slowing down. In 2014, the Internet saw a record billionth number of websites. Today, […]
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Using Technology to Keep Employees Connected and Productive through the Winter
During winter, employees might be finding it difficult to stay plugged in at work. Kicking off the cold weather with the holidays, then entering the new year with the flu season and an inevitable slew of snow and ice storms, business owners are turning to cloud-based technology to maintain employee productivity. Cloud-based services, including cloud unified communication […]
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The impact of web hosting on small business
The impact of web hosting on small business In the last decade, commerce has moved online – and not just for big guys like Amazon, but for millions of smaller companies selling their wares and capabilities. At the same time, these business owners have also seen an increase in the options available for how they […]
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5 Tools To Help You Get the Most Work Done
Being a digital marketer can have different meanings. You can be a content marketer, a social media expert, search engine optimization manager, a campaign marketer… The list goes on. But what’s the one thing we all have in common, regardless of our role? The need to multitask between specialties. A lot. Sometimes there’s so much […]
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POS Malware, Ransomware Threats are on the Rise. How Can Retailers Protect Themselves?
It was recently reported that a major retailer has been affected by its second breach in the last three years. While this company stressed that no personal information such as names, addresses, social security numbers, and email addresses were obtained, they admit that some credit card numbers were stolen. Both of their breaches were caused […]
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Smart Hustle Recap: Join the Small Business Revolution, Reach Your Customers & More
Small businesses today are supported more than ever before. From small biz-focused government grants and programs to events (such as the upcoming Small Business Saturday) that encourage people to shop small, it’s good to know that today’s small business owners have many cheerleaders in their corner. In today’s Smart Hustle Recap, we tell you about […]Smart Hustle Recap: Small Business Marketing, Operations, Technology & Lifestyle
At Smart Hustle, we enjoy providing a variety of content that covers the many aspects of running a small business. We know each of our readers are at different stages and have different questions, and we work hard to be the ‘go-to’ source for small business owners no matter where they are in the journey. […]
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How Small Businesses Can Leverage Marketing Analytics for Better Customer Experience
Big data has revolutionized marketing. However, you have to think of big data as a raw material. It’s not the new information that’s changed the way businesses approach marketing. It’s what businesses do with that data, and the insight it provides, to make impactful decisions. By transforming the data and acting on the information you […]5 Tiny Tweaks for Better Small Biz Security
Security is one of the most important, but most overlooked, aspects of running a small business. The impacts of a weak cybersecurity plan are often insurmountable. The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Small Business reported that of 60% of all cybersecurity attacks small and medium-sized businesses were the target. 60% of those businesses that […]
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It’s 2017 – Time To Go Paperless In Your Office
Do you feel defeated when you see the amount of paper that passes through your office every day, taking up tones of space and cluttering everything? You may think that there is just no way you’ll ever get rid of all that paper and that going paperless isn’t for the type of business you run. […]
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Finding Success With A Business In A Taboo Niche Market
After an unlikely meeting at a Wix event, Ramon Ray took the opportunity to talk to Crystal Etienne, the founder and CEO of PantyProp. This business solved a problem that most people don’t like talking about – women who cannot use tampons or other insertables, but still want to live a life without worrying about […]10 Easy Ways to Inspire Creativity in Yourself
If you’re a regular reader of Small Biz Technology, you’ve probably got a smidge of entrepreneurial spirit in you. This means that you’ve also probably got a bit of creativity in your soul, too. The odds are also good that you would love to find a way to inspire even more creativity, so we’ve got […]
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EMV and The 4 Things Every Business Should Worry About
EMV (Europay, Mastercard and Visa) chip technology is a powerful step forward in protecting against credit card fraud. Unlike data contained on a magnetic stripe – which, once stolen, can be used over and over – the EMV chip’s unique transaction code for each use makes it highly secure for in-person purchases. But with adoption finally […]
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Data Breaches: Prevention & Marketing
With serious data breaches affecting a number of retailers in the past few years, you’d think that all business owners would be strengthening their security measures — but that’s not necessarily the case. In 2015, half of global cyberattacks targeted small businesses. Why? Because many small business owners don’t take proper precautions; assuming that criminals […]
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How Much Should I Spend On Facebook Ads?
“How much should I spend on Facebook ads?” As a freelance digital marketer consultant and Facebook ads specialist, this is THE most frequently asked question I hear. It’s a really bad question (I’ll explain why) and also impossible to answer with a specific monetary value. When it comes to advertising on Facebook, or even social […]
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Grow Your Email List. How A Psychologist Did It In One Month.
In November of 2015 I attended a conference where the speaker presented her favorite list growth strategy- an online summit. I was in my second year of business and had heard of this before but frankly, it always sounded a little “old school” to me. What about webinars? Facebook ads? And isn’t Gary Vee rocking […]
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Chatbots Are Not Just for the Big Brands
If you’ve ever asked your smartphone a question like “what’s the weather going to be like today?” or issued a command such as “set an alarm for an hour from now,” and marvelled at the device’s ability to respond and take action, you’ve used a chatbot. The experience is engaging, fun and helpful. That’s why […]
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The Importance of Good Credit and 5 Ways to Obtain it
You know that having good credit is important for you personally — if you want to buy a car or a house, having a higher credit score can help you find a loan at a lower interest rate. But did you realize that having good credit is equally as important for your business? Why Good […]4 Reasons Your Business Should Not Be Cash Only
There are many factors that play a part in every consumer’s purchase. The thought process involves quality of the product or service, value for money, and urgency – just to name a few. As a business, you must take into account as many of these concerns as you possibly can. Taking one hurdle out of […]
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Dominating Google AdWords: The 7 Key Fundamentals
You might think you know your way around Google AdWords, but do you really? Even the most expert marketers can overlook aspects of AdWords that they should be investing time and attention into. You could let your campaigns plateau, or you could outpace the competition ten to one by ensuring you have the seven key […]
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5 Tips to Building a Successful Marketing Plan for Your Start Up
When starting a new business there’s a lot to be done and putting all the pieces in place can be a bit overwhelming. This is especially true when learning how to market your new enterprise. With the multitude of marketing options in today’s world, it is easy to find yourself spending most of your budget […]
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Is Your Data Secure When You Rent Cars?
Use a rental car for business or pleasure, and you’ll enjoy the expected conveniences of modern personal transportation: automatic headlamps, power accessories, a navigation system and connectivity. The last feature, though, should never be taken for granted: When you link your mobile device, your information may be stored and read by others long after you […]
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10 Indicators a Redesign Could Mean a Boon in Business
You may think that your products and services are what keeps customers engaged, but the truth is that converting visitors into paid customers has a lot to do with the design of your brand and website. In fact, research from Adobe claims that two-thirds of site visitors would rather spend time reading copy that’s well designed […]5 Best VoIP Apps for iOS and Android
It was 1973 when the revolutionary technology, VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol), made its first appearance. Its initial purpose was to serve as a workaround to the costs associated with long-distance and international calls. Although it was still in its very new, experimental stages in the seventies, many felt it was the start of something […]
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How to Ensure that your Tech is Bulletproof Before Launching
In tech, it’s often said that the big no longer eat the small — the fast eat the slow. Being quick and nimble is key in today’s tech landscape. However, it’s essential for entrepreneurs to ensure that their products are ready to bring to market before doing so. INVESTMENT BANKER PROBLEMS My company, FactGem, […]
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Top Three Ways Your Identity Can Be Stolen
Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in America. According to the 2017 Identity Fraud Study by Javelin, there were over 15 million registered cases of user identity theft in the U.S. in 2016, which is 2 million more than in 2015. Moreover, according to industry reports like the Verizon Data Breach Investigations […]
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Small Business Growth Advice From Small Biz Owners
Facebook Live is the new way to attend all types of events from the comfort of your home, computer, or tablet. Ramon Ray from smallbiztechnology.com held a Facebook Live event from the Zoho offices in Pleasanton, California during their annual event for press and analysts. He had an expert panel join him as well: Brent […]
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Digital Marketing for Independent Insurance Agencies
If you’re a savvy insurance agent – and by your decision to read this post, you are – you know that the traditional way of doing things is no longer relevant when it comes to attracting new customers. Whether it is life insurance, auto insurance, home insurance, health insurance or travel insurance, more and more […]
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Using Cash Back Rewards to Fuel Your Small Business
Earlier this month, Capital One announced their Power of 2 Contest. Capital One asked you, valued small business owner customers, to share how you use the cashback rewards from your Spark Cash Card to fuel your business, take care of your employees, and ultimately seize that competitive edge. Now, we’d like to highlight a few […]
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How to Measure the Impact of Social Media on Your Business
For entrepreneurs trying to stand out in the bigger audience is not enough to have a million followers. You need to be able to measure the impact of those followers to your real business. Social Media giants like Facebook, twitter and instagram have not only reduced distanced but provided an opportunity to entrepreneurs to connect […]
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5 Ways to Maintain Your Creative Team’s Spark
Teams are only as creative as the work they produce. When that work fails to meet expectations, leaders struggle to help their teams recapture the magic. Fortunately, creativity isn’t a secret magical formula that comes and goes with the wind. Creativity is a skill — one of the most important skills for modern teams to […]Technology Moves Fast — Will It Ever Outpace Behemoth Tech Brands?
It’s been hard to find any flaws in Google’s approach over the past couple of decades. The tech behemoth has managed to make once-dominant companies like Yahoo seem like an afterthought and relegated successful search engines like AltaVista, WebCrawler, and Ask Jeeves to people’s memory banks. Google has adapted to the changing marketplace, pivoting to […]
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6 Benefits of A Document Scanner For A Paper Intensive Business
Even though offices have become highly digitized spaces, the fact of the matter is that hordes of critical-to-business information continues to be communicated through paper. This includes business invoices, contracts, business cards, tax documents, travel claims, customer information forms and employee personal records. Businesses such healthcare, financial services, logistics and education are especially susceptible to […]
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Why you Need a Top of the Line Antivirus for Your Mobile Device
Spyware, malware, and viruses used to be terms that would strike fear into many indi-viduals, and very rightfully so to say the least. What they all have in common besides instilling fear, is that they totally destroy a computer, tablet, or mobile device over time if left unnoticed. Thankfully, the progression of technology has created […]
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How Highly Specialized CRM’s Are Transforming The Way that Small Businesses Work
The age of the one size fits all approach to CRM is slowly joining the ranks of the fax machine and the cash register, especially for small businesses. The rapid technological advancement of the everyday consumer has put pressure on small businesses to engage their customers in more and more sophisticated ways. In this highly […]
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The future of app development lies in Android Instant Apps
Announced in May 2016, Google’s Android Instant Apps didn’t take long to get the attention of mobile app developers globally. While a few call it a ‘frenemy’ for developers and app marketers, few consider it a boon for a better tomorrow. Whichever way it goes, one thing’s for sure that this new release will prove […]
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Building A Website? Watch Out For These 5 Hidden Costs
Over the past 5 years, I’ve been fortunate enough to launch three small business websites, two of which have grown into thriving businesses. Although technology has made it easier to build websites, I’m constantly surprised by the numerous hidden costs that, if unchecked, can quickly snowball into large expenses and eat into your revenue. […]
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Smart Cybersecurity Dials Down Danger
Gosh. Seems a month doesn’t go by without a new story about hackers breaching some computer system. These stories, paradoxically, can numb people—including small CPA firms—to cybersecurity risks. But that’s unfortunate for a couple reasons. First, security risks continue to grow. Second, and maybe more actionable, you can take concrete steps to dial down your […]
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4 Traits Of Every Successful Business Owner
Business owners who strive to be successful need to be at the top of their game. They need to own their role and put in the hard work that’s necessary to drive results from their business. If you want to be successful at running a business, here are some key aspects that you need to […]
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Why it is the Right Time for Entrepreneurs to Invest in Reliable Databases
More than ever before, start-ups are threatening to disrupt the already revolutionized corporate industry. Several companies, many of which rely on online-generated information, are making grand entrances into the market. For entrepreneurs setting foot in such industries, nothing can prove more profitable than having a reliable database. It gives your business the unique opportunity of […]
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How SMBs Can Conquer Ransomware
You don’t have to look far past the news headlines to see that ransomware is a big and growing problem today. And companies have a lot to lose — $1 billion per year, to be exact. What is Ransomware and How Does it Affect Small Businesses? Ransomware is a type of malware that is able […]
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Build A Mobile Website From Your SmartPhone In Just Minutes
It’s one thing to visit a mobile site on your smartphone, but how about building one from your smartphone as well? Joosee.com enables you to create a mobile website for your business in minutes using only your smartphone. You can quickly, and cheaply, build a responsive online and mobile presence and market it too. It’s […]Best Email Service For Small Business: Gmail, ZohoMail or Outlook?
You need email to run your business. It’s most likely integral to your daily operations, so the solution you choose matters. You need the service that delivers the features you need, the storage space and the integration’s. Let’s take a close look at some options of the best email service for small business, how much they […]
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Does Your Website Pass the Market Test?
As the years go so do the masses of people joining the online world and so does the population of new websites grow. With so much to see, read, and sign up for — it makes your head spin. If you’re even fortunate enough that someone lands on your website, you had best be prepared […]
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Load Test Your App or Website With These 11 Entrepreneur-Recommended Tools
What is your favorite tool for load testing your app or website and why? These answers are provided by Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most successful young entrepreneurs. YEC members represent nearly every industry, generate billions of dollars in revenue each year and have created tens of thousands of […]Booking a Meeting? Try One of These 13 Appointment Scheduling Apps
What is your favorite appointment scheduling app, and what do you think sets it apart from the rest? These answers are provided by Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most successful young entrepreneurs. YEC members represent nearly every industry, generate billions of dollars in revenue each year and have created tens of thousands of […]
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