I say Instagram Stories and John “Colderice” Lawson is ready to jump into it on the latest edition of This Week in Small Business.
We kicked off this week’s show by talking about one of my favorite recent articles from Small Business Trends. This one from Alex Yong in which he interviews rising entrepreneur Nicholas Kirchner, who at 21 already owns his own marketing agency, got John going right away.
“I’m just starting to love it,” he says. “What it’s great for marketing is that you can actually tell a story. Or I could give you all the designs of a specific SKU. You can save that Story on your Instagram profile and people can get to it. It’s got a lot of functionality to it.”
Instagram vs Facebook for Business
I temper John’s enthusiasm a little when I put him on the spot — which should small businesses focus on more: Instagram or Facebook? Or both?
“I’m starting to skew Instagram a little more over Facebook,” he says.
To find out why John thinks you may want to spend more time on your Instagram marketing efforts, check out the full show above. We also discuss the even earlier Christmas shopping season — and how your business should respond — as well as how you can keep your expenses to a minimum while you’re on the road for business.
To get notifications and updates when another This Week in Small Business goes live, be sure to subscribe to the Small Business Trends YouTube channel today.
Economy
Truck Tonnage Index Increases by 1.9% with Much Work Going to Small Operators
The American Trucking Association just announced its advanced seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index rose 1.9% in July. And a portion of this includes work going to the nation’s small independent truck operators. July 2018 Trucking Industry Statistics According to the association, the index showed a noticeable increase compared to the 0.5% decline in June revised from 0.4%.
Finance
Give Employees the Power to Save for Retirement with Spave App
The way people save for retirement is shifting, particularly when it comes to employer sponsored retirement accounts. Today’s employees, millennials in particular, like to have control over their money rather than contributing to accounts set up by their employer. They also aren’t as likely to stay with the same employer for their entire career as those in past generations have done.
Marketing Tips
Consumer Email Use Up 17% Over Last Year, Is Your Business Engaging?
The fourth annual Adobe Consumer Email Survey has revealed consumer use is up 17% year over year. This is despite the fact there are now more channels available for consumers to interact and engage with their favorite brands. The survey points out consumers are checking their personal email an average of 2.5 hours on any given weekday. This is in addition to spending an average of 3.
82% of Marketers Report Increased Open Rates Through Email Personalization (INFOGRAPHIC)
Get this, 82 percent of marketers reported an increase in open rates through email personalization, while 75 percent believe that personalization yields higher click-through rates. This information and more is featured in a new infographic ActiveTrail, a company specializing in marketing automation.
Sales
LinkedIn Launches Pipeline Management Kit for Your Sales Team
While digital technology has improved commerce, it has also increased the complexities of the sales funnel. LinkedIn has introduced a Pipeline Management Kit for salespeople so they can remove blind spots from the modern sales process and manage the difficulties of B2B sales.
Small Business Operations
65% of Retailers Will Offer Same-Day Delivery by 2019 (INFOGRAPHIC)
Small businesses are always looking for ways to have a competitive advantage in the market. Now they are not only competing on price and customer service, but also on speed. According to a recent report by Go People, a Sydney-based on-demand delivery and courier startup, 65% of retailers will provide same-day delivery services by the year 2019.
Uber Freight Finds Small Businesses More Shippers
The trucking industry is undergoing a huge transformation with the integration of digital technology. Uber Freight is pushing this transformation with a new platform designed to connect shippers and carriers of all sizes more efficiently.
Startup
55% of Remote Workers Now Telecommute Full Time, Survey Says
Digital technology has upended the way we work and where we can work. And a new survey from AND CO and Remote Year has some insightful data regarding the state of remote workers in 2018. According to the survey, 55% of the respondents said they worked remotely 100% of the time.
Weebly Mobile Upgrades for Small Business Ecommerce
Weebly just unveiled a series of enhancements to its mobile app that could improve usability for ecommerce businesses. Sellers now have the ability to print and manage shipping labels, chat with customers, approve customer reviews, create coupon codes and edit listings right from their mobile device.
Technology Trends
SeePlus Manages Your Small Business’s Digital Files and Folders
The need to organize, manage and preserve a vast number of invaluable digital assets is paramount for any business. And this is especially true for small businesses lacking the time or manpower to stay perfectly organized.
Transform Your Business Back in Time – If Only for a Moment – with Windows 95 App
Who can remember 1995? Millennials born in the 1990s won’t remember that year, when the STS-71 Space Shuttle mission was launched to dock at the Russian Mir Space Station, and an unprecedented heatwave engulfed the Midwest, which saw temperatures exceed 104 degrees Fahrenheit for five consecutive days. Nor will they remember Windows 95.
PayPal Mobile Updates Make Small Business Payments Faster and More Secure
The latest development to the PayPal (NASDAQ: PYPL) mobile app will make it easier to send and request money. PayPal has become popular with consultants, freelancers and other small business operators as a quick and easy way to invoice clients and get paid online and a way for other small business owners who need those services to pay for them as well.
Splashtop Gives Small Buinesses Remote Access to At Least 2 Computers
With the launch of Splashtop Business Access Solo and Pro, Splashtop is expanding its offering of remote access for business professionals and teams. Splashtop Business Access Individuals and teams will now be able to access remote computers securely on Windows, Mac, iOS, Android and Chromebook devices.