Archive for small business
Digsby a Business Tool or a Distraction?
Posted by: | CommentsA couple of weeks ago, we began exploring using Digsby as a chat aggregator. This week, we’ll look at how/if using Digsby can help a small business owner, (in my case, a VA) be more productive.
A touted feature is the ability to monitor multiple email accounts right from Digsby. This could be helpful if I have responsibility for monitoring email for my clients. However, it could be a big distraction as well. I’m working along for one client when I see an email for another and then I get off task. What do you all think? Here are the features from the web site:
- Manage your Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo Mail, AOL/AIM Mail, IMAP, and POP accounts right from Digsby.
- Get popup notifications when new email arrives. Clicking a popup takes you right to the message with auto-login into webmail accounts.
- The email InfoBox gives you a snapshot of your unread messages with just one click
- Perform actions such as “Mark as Read” or “Report Spam” right from the email InfoBox.
- Send emails to your friends right from the IM window. The email is sent directly from any account digsby is tracking for you.
How do some of you use IM with your businesses? What does it do to your productivity? If you use it for business, then Digsby seems like a great aggregator. If you have friends/clients with multiple IM accounts, it will combine them into one identity to reduce clutter. You can send SMS messages from Digsby (but you can from Yahoo as well). You can rename your contacts to their actual names so you don’t have to remember the cryptic names people sometime have. Scrolling your mouse down your list of buddies instantly shows everyone’s status. As mentioned in a previous post, you can also monitor your social networking sites and conduct chats from Digsby.
Your Digsby account follows you from computer to computer (although you’ll still have to download software to each computer). Just login and your previous customizations will be there for you. Speaking of customization, Digsby offers a huge assortment of skins, colors, etc. to make your ‘user experience’ rich. Take a look here at all the screen shots and customization options.
So if you are using IM/chat, I’d like to get your feedback of what you use and why. Is it helpful for multiple clients, or do you use it for personal use? Currently, I’m just using Yahoo Messenger and it works for me. There are quite a few features with Yahoo that Digsby doesn’t have…but that’s another blog topic!
Facebook – Set Up a Business Page
Posted by: | CommentsLast week, we looked at inserting your blog as a note and adding a screenshot of your web page right on your Facebook page.
Those are tasks you can do that show up in the ‘casual’ part of Facebook. BUT – did you know you can also set up a Business Page, or section of your Facebook and from there, there are many viral things you can do to promote your business.
Log in and page down to the bottom of the screen and click on ‘Advertising’. That will bring up a form you can start filling out to create and customize your business page. Put some time and thought into this. You want it to be engaging and inviting–you want people to read it!
After you create your page, Facebook will automatically adds the ‘Page Manager’ application to the top of your application list (right at the top and left side of your log in page). Click this to enter your business page to manage, edit and create more content.
What can you do with a Business Page?
- Advertise any events or accomplishments
- Post pictures relevant to your business
- Start and be a host of a Discussion Forum from within your page. Get it started by posting a thoughtful question or comment regarding your business or industry that will generate discussion
- Post a Video. It doesn’t even have to be one you made. Find something of general interest to your audience…for example a video on time management (who doesn’t need that). Just make sure it’s worthy
- Reviews – this is a default application that allows people to comment on yours or someone else’s page or business. Each user can write only one review (although they can come back and edit it). Also, anyone can write a review on your business page, not just a ‘fan’, or someone who has subscribed to your page.
- Wall – a feature of every user’s profile, it appears here as well. Only your fans can write on your wall
If you have a small OR large business, set up your Facebook Business page, it’s free! More information can be found here.
