Whether you are an entrepreneur or running a business on a large scale, it is crucial to keep up with the tech insights to run your business. Even switching to a more reliable internet provider, such as AT&T Internet, can help your venture grow into a successful one. It will boost your sales and revenue, attract new customers, and optimize your products and services.
We have curated a list of tips for small businesses to step into the world of technology for growth and success:
Cloud Services
The term “cloud computing” refers to the use of computing services as tools and applications for various purposes, such as servers, networking, data storage, software, and databases. Instead of using a local storage device for your company’s data, it is better to invest in cloud-based storage services for easier access to your data. It will not just help you save your business’s costs, but also improve its efficiency, security, productivity, performance, and speed.
Before working with the cloud, it is essential to understand its four main types and ways you can benefit from them:
Software as a Service (SaaS)
One of the software distribution models includes SaaS. This software allows its users to access cloud applications over the internet. It consists of third-party providers that host applications for customers. Most companies, including many small businesses, have invested in SaaS tools, such as Google Analytics and Office365. Some of the most common SaaS tools to grow a small business are as follows:
BambooHR: To post new job openings or share vacancies on other platforms.
Zendesk Chat: For live chats with the customers or clients of a company.
Microsoft Teams: To host or attend meetings online, start video conferencing, and share files in real-time.
Calendly: For customers, clients, and employees to book and reschedule meetings according to the available time slots.
Toggl: Allows time tracking against scheduled work, meetings, and other plans for completion of work on time.
Platform as a Service (PaaS)
The term “PaaS” refers to the cloud computing model that enables a third-party provider to offer software and hardware tools to various internet users. It is used for running, designing, developing, testing, deploying, and hosting different apps for small, medium, and large-sized businesses. We recommend you invest in the following PaaS tools for the development and maintenance of your business’s products and overall infrastructure:
Zoho Creator: It is a low-code application development tool to write code, with drag-and-drop options to add more features to your app’s interface.
Render: It is a free cloud-based tool used to run websites and apps for instant deployment.
DigitalOcean: For fast deployment, management, and scaling of cloud-based apps.
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
IaaS offers storage, networking, and computing of a business’s resources on demand. With a pay-as-you-go system, it will help you save money on costs related to hardware and maintenance of data centers. In addition, it allows you to scale your software systems, networks, and other devices. You can incorporate the following IaaS tools in your small business:
Hostwinds: It offers VPS hosting, dedicated servers, web hosting, and cloud servers to improve your business’s infrastructure.
Google Compute Engine: For creating and running virtual machines (VMs) using Google’s platform.
Backup as a Service (BaaS)
BaaS provides a secure platform to store the company’s data and back it up on remote servers. This way, your data remains safe and secure as it protects your information against cybercrimes, natural disasters, human errors, etc. In addition, you can restore your data whenever you want without spending money or additional costs.
Below are some of the most popular BaaS tools for your business:
Auth0: It is ideal for managing authorization and authentication of multiple devices using single sign-on and seamless access to various users.
iDrive: It provides VMware backup, server backup, e2 cloud storage, and security for local devices and cloud services to boost your data privacy free of cost.
Email Marketing
Emails services can be used to provide information about your products and services to your customers and clients across the world. Similarly, you can send a monthly newsletter to your existing clients to promote your products. See if you could find any common interests between your customers and your products to make your emails more interesting. You can also add humor to your content to entertain your customers and turn them into your subscribers.
Search Engine Optimization
Your website represents your company. The more you optimize it for search engines, the better the ranking. You need to ensure that you add the right keywords to your content that act as a call to action for your products and services. Keep it concise to maintain your audience’s interest.
The Bottom Line
The above-mentioned tips are great for those who are looking for ways to grow their small business without investing a great deal of money. If you want more benefits from your tech upgrade, sign up for AT&T bundles. This will help you look after your business operations at the office, at home, and on the go!