7 Apps for Managing and Growing Business from Your Office on Wheels

by Cynthia Fedor | May 10th, 2012

in car mobile officeBy 2013, 34.9 percent of the global population—roughly 1.19 billion people—will conduct business while on the go, according to a Worldwide Mobile Worker Population Forecast published by the marketing intelligence firm IDC. A large segment of this group is in their vehicles daily, managing business and marketing efforts from a makeshift office on wheels.

For those in the home services industry—remodelers, home cleaners, landscapers, roofers, real estate agents, etc.—this is especially true. Smart phones and access to productivity apps offer an opportunity to effectively market, manage, and grow business in between appointments, from virtually anywhere.

Below are just seven of the apps you may find in a road warrior’s mobile office.

Dragon Dictation: I personally love this application. Dragon Dictation makes sending texts, emails, and posting updates to Facebook and Twitter a snap. Just say what you want to type and the speech-recognition software converts it into text. For those constantly behind the wheel or frustrated every time they attempt to compose a message via a smart phone’s tiny touch-screen keyboards, this app is a great solution to consider.

Dropbox: Dropbox is a cloud-based file storage tool that allows users to save documents, presentations, photos, videos—anything, really—and then access the files from their smart phone, tablet, and desktop computer as long as the Dropbox application is installed. An app like Dropbox makes it easy for a person to access pricing sheets, instructional diagrams, product demos, etc. while away from the office.

Genius Scan: This app turns a smart phone or tablet into a pocket scanner. Users can take a photo with their device’s camera or choose files from their library, crop and straighten, group them into a single PDF, and then share documents via email or export to cloud-based storage like Dropbox, Google Docs, and Evernote. Instead of hunting for antiquated fax machines or waiting until returning back to the office, this app makes it easy to scan and share time-sensitive documents while on the go.

Square: There’s almost nothing worse than missing out on a sale just because there’s no easy way to capture funds. The Square app along with Square card reader turns smart phones and tablets in to a credit card terminal. It’s super simple to use and transaction fees are minimal.

QuantumCards: Through this mobile application, users can create, print and mail vibrant, full-color postcards to market their business in local neighborhoods–right from their iPhone or iPad. What’s unique about it is that QuantumCards offers users the ability to generate neighborhood mailing lists on the fly by using their smart phone’s geo-location feature or by typing in a target location. Service-based business professionals–like house painters, landscapers, real estate agents, or residential cleaners–no longer have to walk door to door distributing business cards or door hangers to prospects surrounding job sites. They can simply take a picture with their iPhone, write a personal message, and even link to their website or a video via QR code, then mail postcards to the neighborhood audience. SMBs can market their business in a matter of minutes; postcards mail next business day so they can start seeing results quickly.

Shoeboxed: Frequent business travelers and mobile workers often find themselves spending a good amount of time after a trip or work day trying to organize receipts, invoices, and other items for expense reports. The Shoeboxed app streamlines that process. As users scan documentation, the app uses OCR to extract data and organize items for easy management.

MiniBooks for Freshbooks: This app allows users to invoice and manage accounting on the run. From the MiniBooks app description: “Manage clients, send invoices, enter payments, check on rates from past jobs, run timers, and much more, all from the palm of your hand.” The sooner one is able to invoice, the faster they’ll get paid.

8 Different Uses for Printed Flyers

by Cynthia Fedor | February 3rd, 2012

Say the word “flyers” and most people immediately imagine colorful pieces of flimsy paper, tucked under a car’s windshield wiper, casually flapping in the wind. Others may picture street team members handing out flyers to folks passing by. Sure, these are typical uses for flyers; but this media type has so much more potential.

Check out these simple flyer printing ideas for business… and feel free to leave your own suggestions in the comments.

Uses for printed flyers

Print marketing flyers

Business flyers

[From top left to bottom right]

1. Mini-concert poster or event flyer (Credit: Danny PiG on Flickr)
2. Product spec sheet / sales sheet
3. Coupon for services
4. House flyer for real estate / home services
5. Kid’s restaurant menu or placemat (Credit: Denny’s Restaurant Flintstones kids menu, c 1988)
6. Calendar to highlight special events or sales
7. Daily specials
8. Price sheet

Do you have any creative uses for this media type? Share your ideas by posting a comment.

3 Ways to Use Direct Mail Postcards for Building Leads

by Cynthia Fedor | January 10th, 2012

Direct mail isn’t what it used to be—boring and impersonal. Thanks to digital printing capabilities, new marketing technologies like QR codes, and an integrated multi-channel approach, direct mail today can be interactive and meaningful. As a result, marketers are recognizing this medium as a critical part of lead-generation campaigns.

Here are three ways savvy marketers are using direct mail to build, qualify and nurture leads while saving time and money.

Spreading the Word Offline to Get People Online

Social Media PostcardBusinesses are quickly starting to realize that social media marketing is not a passing trend but a valuable way to find prospects and nurture leads. Participating in conversations with consumers online is now a necessity for influencing the public’s perception of brand and their purchasing behavior.

With this in mind, how do marketers capture the attention of new prospects that aren’t already online and get them to join the conversation? They use targeted direct mail to drive new leads to websites and social networking profiles. Read More »

How to Stay Productive and in Front of Your Local Market During the Holidays

by Cynthia Fedor | December 9th, 2011

During the holiday season, as many turn their focus toward spending time with family and friends, a lot of professionals tend to check out and let their marketing efforts wane. Sure, everybody deserves a much needed break from all the hard work they’ve been doing throughout the year; but successful marketers know that this is the perfect opportunity to get a jump start on business for 2012. They take advantage of the fact that many choose to hibernate rather than stay visible and available in the month of December.

Here are some ideas that can help you maintain productivity and stay visible in your local market during the holiday season.

adult footie pajamasEngage with audiences on community social sites: Even though you’ve got your footie pajamas on and you’re enjoying the warmth of your fireplace from the comfort of your couch, you can still participate in conversations happening online.  Blogging, commenting on local news articles, and staying active on social networks will keep you in front of your audience during the holidays.

Volunteer or sponsor local charitable organizations and events: ‘Tis the season for helping others in your community. Doing so will not only give you a warm and fuzzy feeling inside, but reaching out to those in need builds a great foundation for networking and generating more business in 2012.  For sponsoring events—like a food, blanket, or gift drive—local charitable organizations may provide some marketing value in kind such as: including your logo on their website and/or on promotional materials relating to an event; allowing you to send a mailer to their donor base; linking to your website via press releases; and so on.

call customersDial up past clients, helpful colleagues, and new prospects: Think back starting from the beginning of 2011 and make a list of clients, colleagues, mentors, and new connections that have contributed to the success of your business. Set aside a couple of hours to call and personally connect with them. They’ll appreciate your time and you’ll make a positive lasting impression that could lead to referrals and increased business in the new year. Read More »