We are back with another This Week in Small Business and back with a familiar guest.
But to find John “Colderice” Lawson, I had to go to Las Vegas to get him to appear on the show. And I’m glad I did because he’s got some valuable insight into two articles that grabbed my attention this week on Small Business Trends.
This week, John and I discuss the best project management tools and also talk about the best CRM software for small businesses. We each have our favorites and everyone usually does, but our discussion focuses on why it’s the best for our own uses.
When we were talking about the best project management software, John spoke about why his favorite is his favorite.
“It really is to get everyone on the same page,” he says. “That’s the key.”
Then we went into my wheelhouse, which is CRM tools. I don’t have a personal favorite but I can tell you why you definitely need a CRM platform. And in the video this week, I get a little passionate about the common reasons I hear why small businesses don’t use them.
“The thing most people forget to do is follow up,” John adds. “And the CRM tool is going to allow you to do that kind of follow-up and it’s going to remind you 6 months … 8 months into the sales cycle after they’ve purchased … you need this stuff.
For the rest of the discussion on these tools and the value they add to your small business, be sure to check out the video above. And to never miss future This Week in Small Business videos, subscribe to the Small Business Trends YouTube channel today.
You can check out the other headlines important to small business owners by reading the weekly news roundup below …
Economy
SBA Celebrates National Women’s Small Business Month
The Small Business Administration (SBA) is celebrating October as National Women’s Small Business Month by highlighting the accomplishments and challenges women face. In recognition of this month, SBA Administrator Linda McMahon has written a blog on the organization’s site on the entrepreneurial spirit of women.
Employment
Amazon Plans to Lobby Congress for $15 Minimum Wage Angering Some Small Business Owners
Amazon is raising its minimum wage to $15 on the first of November for American part-time full-time, temporary and seasonal employees. Amazon Minimum Wage They’ve also said they’ll lobby Congress to push for a similar bump federally.
91% of Women Employees Believe Business Owners Should Pay More, Offer Better Benefits
Small businesses are making good strides in hiring more women. However, a new Pew Research Center study finds that women still believe business owners should pay more and offer better benefits.
Local Marketing
GatherUp Answers the Question: You Have a Business Listing; Now What?
GetFiveStars recently rebranded as GatherUp. The company says the new name better conveys how it helps businesses leverage their online business listings and reviews. Co-founder Mike Blumenthal told us in an exclusive interview that getting online business listings is only the beginning.
Management
The Truth About Insurance To Protect Your Business From Natural Disasters
FEMA reports that 40% of small businesses close after a natural disaster strikes. That’s why they need the right type of insurance. Brandon J. Clapp, an attorney at Swift Currie’s Insurance Coverage practice group, tells Small Business Trends the challenge is to get adequate coverage.
Retail Trends
November Online Sales Will Eclipse December Totals This Year, Report Says
An analysis of online order data conducted by James and James eCommerce Fulfilment reveals that online retail sales in November will overtake December this year, while Christmas Day will grow as an important shopping day.
Sales
84% of Sales Leaders Don’t Believe They Have the Team to Succeed, Study Says
The 2018 Sales Talent Study from CSO Insights finds a full 84% of sales leaders don’t think they have the team they need to succeed. Even with these obvious talent issues, sales experts aren’t including all the metrics needed to get the best hires.
Social Media
50 Million Facebook Accounts Compromised, Is Your Business Page Safe?
The security breach which was discovered by Facebook (NASDAQ: FB) engineers on September 25 allowed the attackers to take direct control over user accounts; around 50 million of them to be exact. The Latest Facebook Security Breach In addition to the 50 million, Facebook also said there were another 40 million accounts which were potentially vulnerable.
Google Plus to Shut Down: What Small Businesses Need to Know
Google is shutting down Google+ as a social network, effective August 31, 2019. Google made the announcement on October 8, the same day as a Wall Street Journal story outlining that the data of a half million users was exposed. Google knew about the security issue back in March 2018, but elected not to disclose it to users.
Give Your Facebook Ads Some Holiday Cheer with New Enhancements
If you are making plans to launch your holiday marketing campaign, Facebook (NASDAQ: FB) has just announced new features for video creation, storefronts, and overlays. New Facebook Ad Features The new features have been designed with customizable templates for creating holiday theme promotions as well as campaigns for the rest of the year.
Startup
25% of Americans Own a Side Business, Survey Says
A new survey from The Hartford has revealed around 57 million Americans or 25% of the population own a side business. Even though unemployment rates are low and the average wage is increasing, a lot of Americans need a side business to make ends meet.