As the numbers continue to roll in from Amazon Prime Day 2018, it’s clear that this is becoming one of the busiest days for small businesses across America all calendar year.
Amazon Prime Day Sales
Amazon says just on the first day this year that small and mid-size businesses rang up more than $1 billion in transactions on this self-branded mid-summer shopping holiday. Wow! That’s an incredible number being reported by Amazon.
So, it’s no wonder that I wanted to top this edition of This Week in Small Business with this news. On the show, we take a look at the top stories of the week that appear on Small Business Trends and jump in a little deeper on the content.
So how fitting is that my guest this week on the show is my co-host for another show specifically about Amazon, John Lawson.
“I think what most people don’t know yet is that half of all sales come from small and medium-sized businesses,” John says. “To see those numbers, it’s great for the economy and great for small business.”
Check out our whole discussion on Prime Day 2018 and find out what John bought earlier this week to take advantage of the discounts.
To round out our discussion on the show this week, John and I talked about the impact video is having on social media posts. And we also talked about the balance of mixing personal and business brands, per the advice given by the Young Entrepreneur Council this week.
Be sure to watch the show above and check out the rest of the week in small business news in the roundup below. Don’t forget to subscribe to future editions of This Week in Small Business by subscribing to the Small Business Trends YouTube channel.
Economy
Halfway Through 2018 Small Business Optimism Remains at Record Levels, NFIB Reports
Positive attitudes among small business owners have hit historic highs, the National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB) reports in its June 2018 small business optimism index. The optimism is being driven by robust sales figures and profit margins. NFIB Small Business Optimism Index June 2018 According to the NFIB, the index for June was the sixth highest ever at 107.2.
Local Marketing
67% of Smartphone Users Prefer Google Maps, Will They Find Your Business There?
A new survey has revealed Google Maps is the clear leader when it comes to navigation apps. In fact, more than two thirds or 67% percent of respondents say they use it more frequently then other options. The report says Google Maps is 6 times more popular than the next most used navigation app, Waze. Also owned by Google, the app has an adoption rate of only 12% among respondents.
Product Lists
Best Carry On Luggage for Business Travel
If you travel for business, then a good carry on bag is a must. Currently, you’re allowed to carry bags measuring up to 9 inches deep, 14 inches wide and 22 inches high onto commercial flights with most U.S. airlines. Best Carry on Luggage for Business Travel There are plenty of different styles, brands and special features to choose from.
Sales
Nimble Today Page Puts All Your Small Business Info in One Place
Most small business owners rely on tech tools to help become more organized, efficient, productive and successful. But often tools touted as “saviors” for small businesses are merely smaller, less useful versions of enterprise-level solutions. Nimble Today Page That’s what makes Nimble, a social sales and marketing CRM expressly designed for small businesses, so useful.
Small Business Loans
Small Business Loan Approvals Continue to Rise, Says New Biz2Credit Report
According to the Biz2Credit Small Business Lending Index, the loan approval percentage across all categories of lenders is rising. For banks and institutional lenders, the month of June has delivered new highs. This is great news for small businesses who are looking for capital to expand their operations.
Small Business Operations
Small Business Users Have Until September 1 to Switch to Skype 8.25
Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) just announced it is replacing the classic desktop Skype (7.0) with a host of new features which resemble the mobile version. With Skype 8.25, Microsoft says it has improved the usability and performance to help users stay connected. The move to 8.25 comes a little over a year after Microsoft made Skype Preview available on Windows 10 with version 8.0.
New Verizon Work Mobile App Aims to Keep Your Team Connected
Staying connected is critically important for any business operating in today’s mobile environment. The new Verizon Connect Work Mobile app allows field service workers to stay connected even when they are offline.
FreshBooks Adds New Team Tracking Features
Teams can now work from anywhere and tools which simplify the collaborative process are becoming an important asset for businesses. FreshBooks just announced a new team tracking feature to simplify how they can collaborate.
Social Media
YouTube Copyright Match Tool Finds Duplicates of Your Small Business Videos
It takes a lot of effort to create the videos you post on YouTube. The Copyright Match tool YouTube just announced looks to protect this content by helping creators find duplicates of their videos online. According to YouTube, Copyright Match was created to find re-uploads on other channels.
Startup
10 Ways Your Small Business Can Save Money When Gas Prices Are High
Gas prices have hit a four-year high in the U.S. Fueled by increasingly expensive oil, the cost of gasoline has been steadily increasing in recent years. In May 2018, the price of premium gasoline averaged 50 cents higher than regular gasoline in 2017. Rising gas prices can have a negative impact on small businesses that rely on vehicles to conduct business operations.
Technology Trends
New Dell Workstation Addresses Small Business Need for Increased Computing Capabilities
As more small businesses demand increased computing capability, manufacturers are making workstation computers available at more affordable prices. The new entry-level Dell Precision models — including what Dell (NYSE: DVMT) is calling the world’s most powerful 1U rack workstation — are the latest examples.
New Lenovo ThinkStation Provides Budget Friendly Computing Power for Small Businesses
As small businesses continue to increase their digital presence and capability, the computers they use have to handle the ever-growing workload. The new ThinkStation P330 family of entry-level workstations Lenovo just released look to do that at price points small businesses can afford.
New MacBook Pro May Be Perfect for Small Businesses Seeking Speed and High Functionality
Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) just announced the availability of the new 13″ and 15″ MacBook Pro line of laptops. And if you are in the market for a powerful laptop for your small business, make sure you at least take a look at them (even if you are not a Mac person). The specs and the price will definitely get your attention, so it is fair to say this is not for everyone.
How to Prevent Your Business Website from Being Flagged by Google Chrome
Starting this month, visitors to your small business website might see a notification near your address that says your site isn’t secure. Google Chrome is behind the move that’s flagging the HTTP format in your URL in favor of the more secure HTTPS version.