7 Tech Solutions You Need in Your Business

Technology is an integral part of business today.

It expands our reach, creates better, smoother, and more efficient processes, and helps us reach a wider audience

With so much tech available, how do you know what to choose for your business? 

And how do you choose it?

In this podcast I’ll share the top 7 tech solutions you need in your business and the two critical factors you must consider so you don’t get this one wrong.

When I started my business in early 2004 websites were hard to develop and very costly, email systems were just starting out, there was no video our zoom or social media

We used instant teleseminar and email to teach

We used password protected website pages to share materials

You hoped people signed up for your mailing list and the only way to reach them was to reach out via free courses and webinars, word of mouth and referrals

In 2005 I added 1000 people to my mailing list in 24 hours when a very large list, the Gratitude Project, used a quote from one of my blog articles  (with proper attribution) in one of their mailings. That’s how we grew our list back then, sharing, and whatever on and off-line marketing we could afford.

Things have changed now but we are still dealing with real customers who have real needs and who need to create real connections with you

Tech is a business tool and you can’t be afraid of it. You must see it as a means of getting things done more efficiently and more quickly. Example, scheduling appts. If you’re still doing it by email or phone you’re wasting a lot of time and effort

Scheduling apps are easy to use, versatile, and easy for your customers to use.

Why am I the right person to talk about this?  What qualifies me to talk about technology and this choice for your business?

Before I became the life and business energy coach with the intuitive advantage, before I became an 8 time best selling author, before I became the leading voice in the self awareness movement and the founder of the Becoming 360 energy mastery method, I was a business exec and tech expert.

On the internet since late 1980s, prodigy email first customer, godaddy’s early customer, wrote the first book on the internet and e-business used in college courses by astute, forward thinking professors. I wrote the e-business curriculum for the University of Phoenix

I have seen many changes in online technology in the last 25+ years and seen some improvements and some things that are not so great.

I like tech and am not afraid of it but I am careful to choose tech that fits my business profile, my process needs, and my customer’s tech use.  And I avoid the flashy, complex tech that doesn’t meet my needs (and that will scare and overwhelm my customers).

Why is business profile important? If you’re a tech guru, gamer or tech heavy industry you want a website that is heavy on tech, the more sophisticated, leading edge, the better. That’s what your customers expect.

But if you’re a health, lifestyle, or business coach or you’re an energy worker, healer, or are not tech centric, that won’t work for your clients or your business profile. And your clients and customers won’t expect it. They’ll be intimidated by it and you will lose them and their business

There are 7 tech essentials I am going to suggest for you.  One of them  is optional or more advanced but before you choose technology for your business there are two things you must consider and you can’t get these wrong because if you do, you won’t have a business or customers

1.  choose tech according to your customer’s level of tech sophistication (and yours too)
2. remember that in the virtual world of online business you are still dealing with real customers and sometimes a phone call is the best solution.

How to choose technology

Make a list of what you want the tech to do first – that way you know what you’re looking for

Which features are most important to you and which are not critical?  for example, time zone conversions for global customers

Research what others are using – choose other entrepreneurs in your space and at your financial level ie infusionsoft – too expensive and no one used it except people making more than $1 million with a team to set it up

Use their free trial period to test it out, see if it is easy to use and has the features you want. If you can’t figure it out your customers won’t be able to either

Is the price within your budget?

Use their online documentation to learn how to use it and see if it works for you. Be sure to look at it from the customer’s viewpoint too and test it from their perspective. Software often looks a lot different from the admin view than from the user view.

7 top tech solutions

1.  website
2. email
3. payment processor
4. scheduling system
5. course platform
6. graphics
7. leadpages or clickfunnels

Always make sure you are choosing the tech that fits your business and is going to help with sales, marketing, time management, or customer support. And if it is customer facing tech, your customers must be able to use it easily and efficiently. If you can’t figure it out, they won’t be able to either.

And you need a computer to run your business. I know some people say you can do it using a smart phone but I disagree. If you’re keeping files and videos you need a place to store your data and dropbox is not a secure environment.

7 top tech solutions for your business – 6 + 1 optional or more advanced method — hope it helps.

Need help with your choices? Try a business consult or coaching with me – get expert advice from a real business expert with the expertise, experience, and education to provide you with the business advice, resources and training to help you build your cash flow profit platform and a business that makes sense and generates revenues you can rely on.

Visit gpsbusinessacademy.com for expert business advice, resources, and training for every stage of business.