What do you judge a business owner by? Is it their ability to succeed, their ability to cope? The way they bounce back from disaster? The way they look? There are plenty of areas and metrics we can use to judge a business owner by. However, any business owner worth their salt will always know how to correctly utilise the tools available to them. This is key. In business, you can only ever be as good as the tools you use and the techniques that you employ in business. Unfortunately, too many business owners out there ignore the tools right in front of them. Tools that can take a business to the top with the right sustained use.
One of these tools? It’s technology. Since the dawn of time, businesses have used technology to further their goals. From Egyptians using reeds and Victorians using lighting; someone out there has always found something to make their business special. Of course, over the past thirty years, the influence of technology on the world of business has accelerated quickly. Since computing has come onto the scene, technology has been in control of business. While everyone is getting to grips with computing now, many business owners are still staying stuck in the past in regards to the techniques they use. Technology shouldn’t be in control; it should be manipulated by smart business owners to make a more efficient business.
Think about it – if you have a web presence, why is it just a presence and not an active tool? A smartly utilised web presence can be used to rope in new customers – it can also become a pool of data that shows you exactly who is interested in your business. With search engine optimization you can almost weaponize words to attract the type of people that you want to attract.
It’s not just that though. The internet has a lot of uses, but sometimes you need to think about the real world. If you’re a business, you’ve likely pitched for something – to someone. Technology can help us improve our pitches – not only can we complete research rapidly, we can type up and check pitches. With design tools, we can create imagery to complement our pitch, and with tech like HEC-RAS, we can create intense modelling structures to blow minds. Technology has made it more likely that your pitch will cross the line, but it’s done the same for everyone, so you will still have to stand out!
Technology has also made it easier for your customers to pay. Web-based currencies like Bitcoin are being used to make physical purchases, web-based bank accounts are also in vogue; with PayPal leading the way here. With the Internet of Things, we can make digital purchases in the real word using NFC tech to link the real and the digital.
Think about how your business is using technology, you can bet your bottom dollar that you can find better uses across the board for your business. Get more out of technology!
