How are you using technology to grow your business?
Having a website is crucial to the success of my business. I have a tutoring service and with a professional online presence, it not only helps customers find me, but also increases my credibility. It shows that I am serious about my business and it gives me a place to refer people to for more information. It’s like a business card only you can add a lot more information to it and make it really shine.
What are your business's key tech tools and why?
The Internet is the key tool to my business. My business is targeted to people who are educated, interested in culture and travel, and use the Internet on a daily basis. This group of people can easily find me through the Internet. My website allows my students to book lessons online and discuss their thoughts with me. I can also upload a podcast or a lesson sample easily. It's instant and convenient.
There are many free or low-cost website building tools out there but I chose Yola.com because it’s very easy to use and cost friendly. I don’t have much time to work on my website because I have a business to run. Yola.com’s intuitive drag-and-drop feature makes website building fun and comprehensive. I highly recommend building a website if you want your business to grow.
In addition to Yola.com, I also use sites like Craigslist and Care.com to find my customers. When I post my service on those sites, I like to include a link to my website and my blog which have articles about my professional opinion on language learning as well as Twitter and Facebook pages that can give people an idea of my personality and what learning with me would be like.
Tips and Tricks
- I highly encourage business owners to find local resources such as the Renaissance Entrepreneur Center, a non-profit organization whose goal is to help entrepreneurs succeed. It not only offers various training, workshops, and consultation, but also provide a community where you can find your peers and support.
- I know Yola.com also has a Small Business Resource Center that answers small business owners’ questions about effectively using the Web, whether its how to get online, how to SEO, or how to implement Twitter.