Samsung has made a lot of headlines over the past year for all the wrong reasons. But this week, the brand launched a new device that should help the company put some of that negative buzz behind it. And Google also made an announcement about the new Android operating system.
Read more about these updates and other small business headlines below in this week’s Small Business Trends news and information roundup.
Mobile Technology
Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Should be Viable Small Business Tool
With battery issues hopefully behind it, Samsung introduced the new Galaxy Note 8 at an Unpacked event on Wednesday. The new version has some big advancements that should make it a viable business tool for small businesses. The Galaxy Note 7 — and others before it — was a popular business tool and has a loyal following.
Android Oreo Adds Picture-in-Picture and Other Business Friendly Features
This week Google (NASDAQ:GOOGL) released Android 8.0, and this time named for a crowd pleasing favorite of the dessert world, Oreo. As Android continues to mature, the changes are not going to be as dramatic. There are some visible changes, but more important are a couple of tweaks under-the-hood designed to improve performance.
Verizon Wireless Offers Unlimited Plan for Businesses in Need of More Data
The wireless wars are continuing and Verizon (NYSE:VZ) has blasted out its latest offering, targeting business users with plans that aim to take the worry out of data usage. The competition between carriers is getting fierce as market saturation of smartphone is close to 100 percent.
Employment
Half of All Small Businesses Now Hire Someone to Build and Maintain Their Websites, Study Shows
Small businesses are among the biggest employers of website services including designers and developers. At least half (50 percent) of small businesses now hire these web pros to build or maintain their websites each year. That’s what a recent survey by research firm Evans Data, commissioned by GoDaddy (NYSE: GDDY), has found.
Warning! Increased Immigration Enforcement Puts Your Business at Risk
Increased immigration enforcement is now a hallmark of the administration in Washington. In the first 100 days following the Trump inauguration, immigration arrests by U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) increased by almost 40 percent compared to 2016. In addition, the administration is adding 10,000 new agents to ICE.
Finance
EquipmentWallet Matches Small Businesses with Loans for Equipment Upgrades
Equipment upgrades are a major ongoing cost for small businesses. Nearly half (42 percent) of small business owners say they seek loan funding mainly to purchase equipment, as per a recent survey by small business online lending company Fundera.
See the Surprisingly Painless Way One Company Reduced Energy Costs
Is it possible for a company with a large plant and a lot of powerful equipment to lower its energy costs significantly while simultaneously upgrading its equipment? This might seem like a lofty goal. But it’s one that B.L. Downey Company was able to achieve — thanks to its energy provider Constellation.
Marketing Tips
What Volkswagen Can Teach Small Businesses About Nostalgia in Marketing
Volkswagen is bringing back its iconic Microbus, becoming the latest in a long line of brands to utilize the power of nostalgia to sell a brand new product. And this particular re-issue could teach your small business a thing or two about nostalgia in marketing. Of course, Volkswagen is updating the vehicle — it runs completely on electric power rather than gas.
The Last 10 Times an American Small Business Set a Guinness World Record
Small businesses are capable of accomplishing big things — even the biggest. In the last year and a half, 10 small businesses across the United States and Puerto Rico were able to call themselves a Guinness World Records record breaker. Guinness World Records told Small Business Trends in the last year, 800 companies — large and small — have set or broken one of their records.
Retail Trends
Spate of Struggling Brands Highlights the Need to Keep Evolving Your Small Business
So far in 2017, more than 300 retailers have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, including RadioShack, Payless and The Limited. And other brands like General Mills are also struggling to remain relevant with consumers. This isn’t exactly surprising. The retail industry has been reeling for years as some brands have been unable to adapt to major competition from online stores like Amazon.
Sales
Zoho Makes CRM Email Tool SalesInbox Available to Teams Using Salesforce
Zoho has brought two essential small business sales tools together. Zoho SalesInbox is now available to Salesforce users. The service was previously available to Zoho users by request. It combines previously siloed applications so salespeople have sales related emails with all the relevant information from Salesforce and other CRMs in one location.
Small Biz Spotlight
Spotlight: Rad Season Focuses on Action Sports Traveler Market
There are plenty of opportunities for fans of action sports to travel around for various events. But there isn’t a lot of information and assistance available for those travelers. That’s where Rad Season comes in. The company provides an online resource and platform specifically for fans of action sports.
Small Business Operations
64 Percent of Small Businesses Can’t Track Printer Usage or Costs — And They Really Should!
Almost two thirds, or 64 percent, of small businesses can’t track how much their print devices cost them nor can they track their usage. And if you are not able to track these basic stats in your business, you will not know how much is being wasted.
What is the OSHA On-Site Consultation Program And How Can It Benefit Your Small Business?
Small business owners often treat health and safety inspections with a certain amount dread because of all the red tape and potential sanctions for the smallest infraction. At the same time, there are certainly excellent reasons to focus on workplace safety. In 2015, 93 Americans were killed on the job every week, and three percent of all workers were hurt or became seriously ill.
Social Media
14 Benefits to Using the Growing Facebook Marketplace for Your Business
Facebook (NASDAQ:FB) Marketplace is a convenient and easy way for businesses to buy and sell items in their local area. Facebook introduced its Marketplace feature in October 2016, with the aim of providing a “convenient destination to discover, buy and sell items with people in your community.” Marketplace is available in the Facebook app, as well as on desktops and tablets.
Finally, Your Business Can Now Use Video on LinkedIn
What took so long, is probably what LinkedIn (NYSE:LNKD) users will be saying when the company finally announced native video support. After a short beta test, LinkedIn Video is going to allow a technology synonymous with social media and the way we communicate today, video. LinkedIn did have limited video with the release of a standalone iOS app called Record in 2016.
Cheat Sheet Helps Small Businesses Manage Social Media Presence (INFOGRAPHIC)
Gone are the days when managing brand presence on social media was just an option for the small businesses. Today, it is practically impossible to acquire and retain customers without having a solid social media strategy. That’s why businesses spend a fortune to leverage this new medium of improving customer experience.
Comment Threads on Instagram Could Bring More Engagement for Your Brand
Facebook owns Instagram, so the addition of Facebook-like features shouldn’t come as a surprise. Comment threads are the latest such addition, and is aimed at boosting conversation on Instagram by organizing comments into threads. Instagram Comment Threads On Facebook, the feature encourages users to engage with a particular post.
Startup
FTC Labels This Online Business Opportunity a Scam
Small businesses have been moving to the web for quite some time now. However, not all the online opportunities available are legitimate. In fact, one promising people thousands of dollars working from home has been slapped with a temporary restraining order by a federal court.
What Can This Brooklyn Mompreneur Teach You in Your Startup Journey?
Annie Bruce has created a small business selling a really unique type of item — unicorn horns. The Brooklyn mom first started selling her creations on Etsy as a way to make money while still spending time with her daughter. But it soon blossomed into a full retail and ecommerce business, Brooklyn Owl, selling unicorn horns and other unicorn themed products for kids.
Technology Trends
New 8th Gen Intel Core Processor Will Speed Up Your Small Business Devices
Intel Corp. (NASDAQ:INTC) is rolling out its 8th Gen Intel Core processors, the newest generation of computer processors. Small businesses that use notebooks, computers and mobile devices powered by Intel processors will like that the 8th Gen Intel Core processors reportedly deliver a 40 percent performance boost compared to older machines equipped with Intel processors.
How to Protect Your Small Business from the Latest Scam — A More Elaborate 419 Fraud
Small businesses need to be continually watching out for scams and fraudsters. The latest scam is similar to a famous fraud from years ago, but with added technology. John Canfield is the Vice President of Risk Management at WePay. He spoke with Small Business Trends about what small businesses need to look out for.
Small Startups Seek Business Uses for Autonomous Vehicles
Many of the businesses and startups working on autonomous vehicle technology are considering the technology mainly for consumer use. But there are other possibilities for driverless vehicles. And those possibilities could mean that driverless vehicles are put to actual use sooner than expected. For instance, Colorado just invested in self-driving trucks to be used as crash vehicles.
45 Percent of Small Business Owners Have Fallen Victim to Cyber Attack Without Knowing It
Think your small business is unlikely to fall victim to a cyber attack? New data from Nationwide suggests that mindset could be a mistake.
Google Says be Careful of Guest Posting on Business Blogs
When it comes to blogging and link building there are a handful of effective ways to make connections while enhancing your marketing strategy. Outreach emails, exchanging thoughts and ideas, and collaborating are all great ways to broaden your reach and presence within an industry.
24 Ways Amazon Alexa Skills Can Help Your Small Business Today
Amazon’s Alexa has become the premiere platform consumers are using for this interaction. But businesses are also using it to improve their day to day operations and deliver better customer service. Amazon is increasing the market share by making it easier to create skills for Alexa, which now stand at more than 15,000.
Image: Samsung Mobile
Comments are closed.