Let’s take a journey back in time. Before wifi and social media. Before YouTube tutorials and the “there’s an app for that” mantra. How did businesses cope? How did they troubleshoot problems? Well, since they couldn’t always Google the solution, they had to rely on professional connections and resources. They had to seek help outside the company or hire staff that could handle these problems. Much like today, no single business could do it all themselves!
That’s where services like Zoho step in. Zoho is more than a CRM- they have an application for anything you could possibly need. They have created more than 45 apps for your business to utilize! Need help with recruiting new employees or scheduling current ones? They have an application for that. Need help building forms or managing social media? Zoho has an application for that!
Imagine you are a business owner. You look down at your phone one day and among Candy Crush Saga and your weather application, you suddenly notice 45 additional Zoho apps. Where would you begin? Would you be overwhelmed? Personally, we would probably panic-delete everything.
Zoho is a perfect all-in-one solution for any business, but where’s the best place to start? This exact question is why Zoho consultants exist: to assist businesses with effectively using the services they purchase. Consultants take the overwhelm out of the process, while allowing business owners the chance to focus on whatever else they need to.
Although taking away some stress and overwhelm is a great reason on it’s own, we’ve compiled 5 more reasons to consider a Zoho consultant!
Consider your company and the amount of people who have been hired. How many of them walk in and get straight to work? Skip the training, they’ve got it! Probably doesn’t happen much (if at all) does it?
Zoho consultants are no different. They aren’t your run of the mill helpline- they have been specially trained to handle your situation and identify what your business needs from Zoho. Consultants have the expertise to tell you what software you need and what you can skip. They have the capability to guide your business in the right direction, while saving you from getting bogged down with small details.
Zoho consultants have worked with many businesses. On top of being trained, they have the experience to back-up their suggestions. It is entirely possible that they have worked with a business similar to your’s in the past- whether it was the same size, same industry or encountered the same types of challenges.
They can guide you away from making mistakes other companies have made and give you valuable insight into what they’ve seen work! You’re paying for Zoho, why not invest in someone who truly understands how to use it?
As you may know, Zoho is not just a one-time, one-package deal. You don’t get stuck with software you’ll never use or services that don’t make sense for your business. You can truly customize what you get and tailor your experience to your business needs. Consultants cater to this- they get to know your business and evaluate what pieces of Zoho would work best for you.
On your own, you may have a general idea about what you need, but you might forget about a few details or not realize all the types of applications available. A consultant can help you make the best customization decisions!
Alas, the question that always shows its ugly head: Who has time for this? And honestly, no one in your company (especially you) has the time to sit down and thoroughly research anything, let alone research 45+ Zoho applications. Plus, there’s rarely (especially in the current workforce climate) a person within your company to delegate this task to! So, who does have time for this? A Zoho consultant, of course!
Consultants can get to know your business and then put together a plan without you having to stress over it. This gives the opportunity to focus on whatever else you need to focus on. After all, when running a small business, there’s no shortage of problems to fix and issues to consider, right? Fitting Zoho into your business should be a helpful advantage, not another item on your to-do list.
At what stage do you need a Zoho consultant? There’s no right or wrong answer here! It would be helpful to have their expertise from the beginning, but they will join you mid-process as well. Consultants don’t dictate when they can help- you have the ultimate say!
They also stick with you through your business journey. There’s no time constraints, which means one less thing to worry about. If you have questions months after they get you set-up with Zoho, your consultant will still be willing to find answers for you!
Choosing where to spend your time and money is a daunting task. There’s no completely straightforward or risk-free business plan in existence But the one thing that’s alway beneficial? Some solid, old-fashioned expertise. Consider hiring a consultant so you can get the most out of the wonderful things Zoho has to offer! After all, one less thing on your plate is never a bad thing!
When you’ve heard the term “Hanlon’s Razor” in the past, have you ever wondered what it means? Did you think beyond the definition and consider how it could apply to your life? Ever wonder why on earth an old adage would involve the word razor? Did you think it was the name of an actual razor product? (We promise not to tell anyone your answers to these questions!)
Throughout philosophical history, the word razor has been utilized to convey “shaving off” details and “cutting down” convoluted logic. Philosophical razors “shave” things down to the essentials to better understand the issue at hand. It doesn’t stop with Hanlon’s Razor- other adages like Hume’s Razor and Grice’s Razor use the word razor in the same fashion.
Hanlon’s Razor is an adage telling us to “never attribute to malice, that which can be adequately explained by stupidity”. So basically, don’t jump to conclusions about why a person did something. Consider what other factors could have contributed to their actions and assume they didn’t do it to be hateful or vindictive.
The adage is a reminder to take a step back and view experiences through an objective lens. You won’t always have an explanation for why things happen, and the assumption that you can explain the why behind everything is a waste of time. Not only is it a waste of time, but it’s a negative mindset to keep.
Humans are quick to be cynical and make an occurrence all about them. When, in reality, people do things all the time that have no malicious intent. Instead, there may be a little ignorance or incompetence behind their actions.
Carla’s Perspective: Carla doesn’t receive a birthday gift or birthday phone call from her co-worker, Jessica. Clearly, Jessica is mad at Carla for not bringing cookies to the team potluck.
Hanlon’s Razor Reality: Jessica is not mad at Carla. Jessica’s child became sick and had to be picked up from school and taken to the doctor. Jessica simply forgot about Carla’s birthday because of the crazy events that day.
Gary’s Perspective: Gary has sent three emails to his client with no reply. Clearly, they have moved on to another company and don’t want to say anything to him.
Hanlon’s Razor Reality: Gary’s client is not betraying him. The client’s partner is out on maternity leave, and their administrative assistant just resigned, so things have been more hectic than usual. Gary has been inadvertently pushed further down on the priority list.
The main point of Hanlon’s Razor is that we can’t always assume people are out to get us. The reason something happens may not involve us at all! It pays to consider the less harmful possibilities for why something happened. Just remember to think: Did it really happen to us? Or did it just happen to affect us?
Ok, we’ll stop taking you down the philosophical rabbit hole. Instead, we’d love to chat about how Hanlon’s Razor can ultimately be applied in everyday life- particularly to improve work relationships and team dynamics.
Although Hanlon’s Razor is not a physical product or step-by-step guide, the concept can help build a better and more supportive work team. Application of this concept can:
Cut down on internal conflict- In this case, when we say internal, we mean within a team. There would be no automatic assumption that our co-workers or superiors are out to get us. Instead, we would assume the best. There would be no made-up problems causing teammates not to get along. Less conflict within the team = more time to be productive.
Shift the team dynamic (in a positive direction)- Not assuming the worst in people can build trust. Changing your outlook on your teammates will help develop a more positive work relationship, leading to a more productive environment. Trust leads to better teamwork and ultimately better collaboration.
Normalize a more objective lens- How often do we hear someone say to look at the big picture or focus on the long-term goal? It doesn’t pay to get caught up in small, momentary details. Achieving goals does not entail creating unnecessary obstacles along the way. Using an objective lens in life (and more specifically at work) can eliminate overly emotional decisions. Instead of focusing on hurt feelings or malicious intentions, Hanlon’s Razor encourages us to focus on the facts and relevant information. Making a decision from a level-headed mindset and a clear perspective will create much better team outcomes.
It’s safe to say we are all guilty of assuming the worst at one point or another. There are very few humans (if any) capable of living their lives without negative assumptions or worrying about small things.
Just remember to stop and think: Is this situation truly all about me? What other factors could be contributing to the actions of my co-worker? Does my boss have other things (maybe outside of work) causing her stress right now?
Don’t get caught in the crosshairs of a negative mindset and dramatic assumptions! Shave down the details and simplify your life (and work life)! Cut back on jumping to conclusions and contribute to a better team dynamic! If you do this, we’ll promise to stop with the hair/razor puns.
The entrepreneurial journey can be a bit of a rollercoaster: you can go from inspired and excited to overwhelmed and tired within a matter of seconds. Hopefully, part one was able to help you narrow down your ideas and give you a feel for the next steps. If you get overwhelmed and confused, it may be a sign to step back and take a deep breath- maybe you just need to work out a slight kink in the plan!
What is your worst fear with bringing your great entrepreneurial idea forward? For many, that fear is failure. The best way to avoid failure is to take your time and doing your research. 30% of startup failures involve selecting the wrong entrepreneurial idea! But thankfully, this doesn’t just mean your idea is terrible- it just means you need to think things completely through and avoid skipping steps. If one angle doesn’t seem ideal after some market research, pivot and try a different angle!
So, we have decided on an entrepreneurial idea and researched it thoroughly. Now we need to work on making the vision a reality!
Business location- Time to consider where you will be operating your startup!
✓Do you need a physical space to run your business? Or can it be conducted virtually? If you require a physical space, is it a storefront or office? How big of a space would be optimal?
✓ Where are you planning to locate your business? If you do everything online, there’s no need to worry about this aspect. But if you have a physical store or office, do you want it in a downtown area? An area with less traffic? Do you need a location with room to expand eventually?
Basic needs- Let’s consider some of the things your business won’t be able to start without having.
✓ Are you a product or service? How will customers buy from you? Will you need an eCommerce site? Shopify is an easy eCommerce solution- they guide you through everything and make it incredibly simple for customers to buy from your shop. It’s okay if you don’t know where to begin because they have themes and built-in tools to help create the site of your business dreams! Otherwise, you may need a custom-built website or build your own on services like Wix or Squarespace.
✓ Can you do everything by yourself? Will you need to hire employees? If you need more people, how many would be reasonable at first? Where will you look to find and hire these employees? What would be their role/title?
You need to think about how to communicate with customers and how to spread the word about your business:
✓ Establish your target audience. We hit on this in our previous blog post, but it’s a key element to successfully implementing your entrepreneurial idea. Who are you trying to reach? Consider age, sex, interests, location, and income. Who is looking to buy your product or service? Where do they go online, or do they even frequently use a computer? Narrowing down a target audience is essential for deciding what tools you use and spend money and time on.
✓Will your product/service translate on Instagram? Is a Facebook page necessary? Is your primary audience more likely to be on LinkedIn? Consider where social media fits into your marketing strategy. This is one aspect where identifying a target audience comes into play- LinkedIn and Facebook generally attract an older demographic. At the same time, Pinterest users tend to be predominantly women in their 30’s or older. Will all the platforms be beneficial to include in your strategy? Will you start with one platform and eventually build to 3 or 4?
✓Do you need to allocate money for advertising? Maybe you will consider a mainly free marketing route, like social media. At what point might you start paying for ads, and what will you use to run ads?
✓ Email is a great way to communicate with customers- whether it be a newsletter or an order follow-up. Interesting fact: Shopify will email shoppers reminders about returning to abandoned carts and completing their order (one less thing you have to worry about)! No matter the approach, an email marketing campaign is a popular and super effective way to stay in touch with customers!
Costs- Ok, we’re starting this business to make some cash, right? Unfortunately, you do have to spend some money to make money. What do you think it will cost to implement your idea and get your startup, well, started? List out all the possible costs you can think of- both upfront costs and costs to maintain the business. Will you have to put money into manufacturing or research and development? Use this post (and part 1) to consider other potential costs you may not have considered!
Financing- How will you pay for your new business? There are a few options, like crowdfunding or small business loans. Fun fact- small banks approve roughly 48.7% of small business loans, compared to only 23.7% being approved by big banks! For a loan, you’ll have to have good personal credit and a solid business plan. Shopify has a helpful article about creating an ideal business plan https://www.shopify.com/blog/business-plan.
We hope this series gets your creative juices flowing and helps you start making your idea a reality. And just remember that Woggle will always be available to lend you some business advice, some needed guidance, or a hug…(Ok, maybe forget that last part)
The world of entrepreneurship is exciting and inspiring- a way to follow your dreams and be your own boss. We all have moments when perusing a store or watching a TV show where we think of a business idea for a startup or a product. We wonder, “why isn’t this already available? I would totally spend my money on that!” - then move on with our day, never to revisit that idea again.
Chances are, that graveyard of business ideas doesn’t see a lot of action. Why is that? There could be many reasons. For instance, many people have a fear of failure when considering starting their own business. Others just get overwhelmed by the next steps. What if we could get you started on the next steps to take? Lend some guidance on how to implement an idea into something palpable? Sound like a plan? Good- we were hoping you’d say yes!
Some people have an idea, and their first instinct is to keep it a secret. We get you don’t want anyone to steal your vision, but the sooner you take action, the better!
So, let’s figure out a few details involving your idea:
Pinpoint your idea- Don’t get overwhelmed by all the possibilities associated with your business idea. For example, say you want to start a pet grooming business. Then you start thinking about offering walking services, pet photography, and even kennel services. All great ideas, but focus on one aspect- your grooming service. Everything else may come later but stick with the basics.
What is the purpose of your idea? Does it solve a problem? Does it address a complaint you (or people you know) have? Is there a need for it?
Has it been done? It’s ok if your idea has already been implemented, but has it been implemented well? Has anyone done it locally? Is your idea bettering an existing product or service? Research online- Google and search on social media. Find out what is already out there and how your vision may be different or better. Look at your competitors! This part can tell you a lot about whether your idea is worthy of pursuit!
Familiarize yourself- Get online and learn everything you can about your idea and the industry it would entail. Find articles, success stories, and any other information relating to your future business. Become the expert!
Look at your market- Who would be your target audience? Conduct a focus group and get valuable feedback. Evaluate what is trending through platforms like Pinterest, Instagram, or even TikTok.
Identify potential challenges- What can go wrong? Try to identify challenges similar businesses have faced. Identify why similar companies may have failed. Consider both long and short-term challenges: What problem could you face six months after starting your business? What problem could you face in 2 years? Try to meet implementation with a somewhat cynical mindset- preparation for what could go wrong is much better than being blindsided!
Look at competitors- We’ve mentioned taking a look at the competition before, and this probably won’t be the last mention of it. Understanding what you are competing against is critical! What exactly do they offer, and what kind of pricing do they have? What (in your opinion) do they do well? Where do you feel they need to improve upon with your idea? Look at reviews- what are their customers saying? This all will offer insight on where to place your focus.
Easy, right? Just kidding, we know there’s no 3-step process to create the best name for your company magically. There’s a lot of pressure in choosing something that fits! And what if you switch gears later on and need to change the name? Here are a few tips to get you started:
✓ Make sure it’s easy to remember and that people won’t have to think too much when pronouncing it.
✓ Make it unique. Again, look at websites and social media to see where your potential name is already in use. Is it overused? Is it used by successful companies selling a completely different product or service? That could get confusing!
✓ Make sure it makes sense. Okay, sure, companies like Apple and Google don’t exactly reflect their services/products in the name. However, as a startup, you’re going to want to choose a name that isn’t entirely off base. Shopify, for instance, is not super literal but relates to what they have to offer: a service where you can set up your eCommerce business.
✓Make sure it isn’t officially taken. Check what domain names are available. There are many ways to check, but if you plan to enter the eCommerce arena, Shopify has an easy and quick search feature for this! Also, check with the US Patent and Trademark Office to see if you can legally stick with your name.
Also not a task you can quickly achieve overnight. But begin to consider: What is your message? What vibe are you trying to convey to your customers? Wix recommends “defining a visual language,” which we thought was a great way to describe establishing a brand. No matter what you choose, you have to apply it consistently so your customers and audience become familiar with your brand. Shopify has a great article on this topic as well.
Hang with us as we continue this process in part 2! Some may say that sequels are never as good as the original, but that’s just not how we roll.
Have you ever temporarily lost your phone and feared all that was lost with it? Did you think about what could happen if the wrong person accessed your applications? When you found your phone (phew), did you start thinking about ways to protect all the cherished photos stashed on it? Or how to increase your data security?
There are about a million examples of why losing data can be detrimental, along with many ways to lose that data. Data is everywhere- from work documents to the games you play on your phone. It is estimated that 7.5 billion people will be creating data by 2030! We often think about what’s next on the to-do list in the day-to-day grind and not about things like backing up our data. But in all honesty, data backup should be incorporated into our daily agenda, especially with the world becoming increasingly digitized.
That’s right, humans make mistakes. Just to be clear, we always make the general assumption that you simply “misplaced” your phone; we won’t talk about the other possibilities (ahem, like giving your phone a first-class ticket to the toilet bowl).
Not only can devices like phones and laptops be lost, but they can be stolen as well. In the United States, a laptop is stolen every 53 seconds. Not only is data lost, but data security is in the hands of a thief.
Then there’s always the scenario where the wrong thing was deleted, or someone inadvertently downloaded a virus. These kinds of things are the reasons backup plans are created!
Cybercriminals are out there, and they are constantly learning new ways to make money. All too often, data is compromised, and businesses have no choice but to pay the criminal who is holding information hostage. Businesses are attacked by ransomware every 11 seconds. By 2031, that number is expected to be 2 seconds. Not sure about you, but we can’t even make a decision about what to get for lunch in 11 seconds, let alone 2 seconds.
Not only is ransomware becoming more and more of a threat, but the cost of dealing with it is also increasing. In 2015, over $325 million went towards dealing with attacks throughout the world. By the end of 2021? $20 billion. By 2031, the cost is expected to increase 13 times the 2021 figure: $265 billion.
Unpredictable and often inevitable problems can occur that can cost you data, time, and money. This can be anything from a power surge or hardware overheating. Hardware failure also includes things like flooding and other environmental factors that could harm your devices (especially at an office). Many random and uncontrollable factors could do more harm if you don’t have a proper backup plan.
Quickly recover and restore: First, let’s talk about the difference between recovering and restoring data. Restoring allows you to retrieve a copy of the data; a recovery is a group of processes that retrieve the data and make it usable. When it comes to your business (and life), you would probably prefer to use data once again (not just have it). The quicker your business recovers the data, the faster things return to normal. A better backup system means less downtime and losing less money.
Audits: Yeesh. Even spelling out the word audits makes us cringe. However, we all have to deal with them. If your data isn’t appropriately backed up, you’re risking losing pertinent documents and databases to show in an audit. Not passing could quickly put you out of business! It’s always better to be safe than sorry.
Protect what’s irreplaceable: Let’s refer back to the introduction- losing your devices could mean losing a lot more than money. No one wants to risk losing precious things like family photos and videos. Backing up your data can mean you will have cherished moments for years to come.
In 2020, 1.7 MB of data was created every second! Currently, over 5 billion people use and store data on their devices and in the cloud. Ok, we can throw statistics at you all day, but here’s arguably the most important: Globally, there will be around 200 zettabytes of data stored by 2025! In other words, we create a lot of data. There must be somewhere we keep all this data, which means we need companies that carefully store and manage it.
If this post leaves you wondering why you don’t back anything up besides your car when you awkwardly drive over a cement parking barrier, you’re not alone: 30 percent of people have never backed up their devices! Thankfully, solutions like Skyvia are out there to tackle our backup data fears. Skyvia not only backs up your data daily but will take care of all your CRMS. So instead of stressing about individually backing up all your cloud storage solutions, hand it over to an option like Skyvia.
But in all seriousness, we hope this post has you asking the right questions and thinking about appropriate data solutions. If all of this seems foreign to you, you may be in a little trouble. More than likely, you just need to tweak a few things within your data management. And as always, if you find yourself completely overwhelmed, consider services like Skyvia to take a few things off your virtual plate! Good help isn’t always easy to find, but you have plenty of great options in this case.
We have an important topic to discuss: clutter. No, not the type of clutter that lands you on a TV show with giant garbage bins outside your house. We are talking about something even worse: digital clutter.
How many unread emails are sitting in your inbox? And even more importantly, when was the last time (if ever) you cleaned out that inbox? How many “organization” apps have you downloaded? Are you ignoring any rarely-used apps that take a few bucks from your bank account each month? We know you may have been super triggered by these tough questions- we also definitely know that our inbox does not currently have 1,045 unread emails (insert nervous emoji here).
Sadly, we are not here to help with your inbox issues. We are here, however, to show you the advantages of utilizing a business application suite versus individual applications.
People utilize all types of software to run their businesses, which can involve a number of individual applications. If you think about everything it takes to run your business successfully, that is a pretty long list. Business application suites combine all types of necessary applications and programs in one place. Having all these aspects of your business (whether your business is small or large) under one umbrella is useful for a variety of reasons.
An undeniable fact is that every business has unique needs. Dealing with each need individually/manually is not only time-consuming, but limits growth. For instance: billing, payroll and other financial matters are bound to use a specific application or website. Then there’s the huge marketing realm, which could require several programs on its own. Having a business application suite that integrates all these software solutions into one place increases efficiency and accessibility.
Business application suites can also improve process automation. Automating tasks so that they don’t constantly need attention leads to more time to focus on everything else. Automation means smoother scalability and the ability to run a bigger operation without getting lost in the weeds.
Business application suites like Zoho One not only make things easier by improving accessibility, but they can automate processes that should be automated. Some examples would be:
Not every business will have the same requirements or use the same tactics. Some businesses will emphasize marketing aspects more than others. Other businesses don’t have a huge staff that constantly communicate with one another. Some have no need for fancy presentations or contract creation. Suites like Zoho One allow customization for instances like this, so business owners won’t have to worry about paying for something they won’t use!
One thing is for sure, bundling (especially with the option to customize) will more than likely be the most cost-effective option. Paying for necessary programs and applications individually can add up.
We did some research on popular solutions for everyday business needs. Here’s a list of pricing that we compiled:
Email marketing software: $9.99 a month (increases as the number of contacts increase).
Social media management/automation: $49.00 a month (increases with more accounts)
Team communication: $8.00 a month
Billing/Payment management: $12.50 a month
This list more than likely does not include all business necessities, but you get the picture. So far we have reached $79.49 a month with mostly standard/basic packages. Zoho One includes all four items listed, along with many other options and costs $45.00 a month ($37.00 a month if you sign up for a year).
Utilizing multiple programs and applications from different companies not only clutters any process, but it puts your data and privacy into the hands of a lot more people. Since it’s all under one company, a business application suite gives you much more control of how your data is being used and stored. One company = one data protection policy. A great thing about Zoho is their transparency about data and privacy policies. They prioritize data security and recognize online security challenges companies face every day.
Speaking of data security, how do you keep all your passwords organized and easily accessible? Hopefully your answer to this question doesn’t involve making all your passwords “password123”. Taking some extra steps for better password management (although it may seem insignificant) ultimately leads to better data security. Thankfully Zoho One includes Vault, a safe and convenient feature that manages all those pesky passwords!
Looking to simplify your business routine? Declutter your digital world? Hoping to not be the first person submitted for a digital hoarding show? A business application suite is a great way to accomplish all of these things. Create a more efficient, secure and cost-effective business with just the click of a button.
Our team is here to help answer your questions and get you out of a disorganized rut. Reach out anytime.
What is a "Qualified Lead"?
Take a moment and think: Have you ever sat down to unwind in the evening, grabbed a cold drink, and pulled out your phone to browse Instagram, Pinterest, or your favorite blogs? Have you ever signed up for a free ebook? Perhaps a free guide? Maybe a coupon? If any of that sounds familiar, you have more than likely been considered a Qualified Lead!
A Qualified Lead (QL) is someone a company has identified as a potential customer. Figuring out who is most likely to buy a specific product or service is key. If companies do not attempt to focus on who actually has the best chance of going from a lead to a sale, they are wasting valuable time and resources somewhere along the way.
A specific definition of a Qualified Lead is extremely important for a sales team, and they should revisit and reconsider it often. According to Hubspot, only 34% of companies with no formal definition were able to advance a lead to a first discussion more than half of the time. When the companies had clear definitions, that percentage increased to 63%!
Every company will define their Qualified Lead differently because each company caters to a unique type of customer. Therefore, individual marketing teams have to consider what criteria will truly give the insight they need. To define the target customer, they may consider:
The marketing team encounters the potential customer first. With a solid digital marketing strategy, companies will attract attention from a variety of audiences. Qualified Leads will distinguish themselves through engagement with anything the marketing team puts out there. This may include podcast subscriptions, watching YouTube videos, or engagement with social media posts and ads . Qualified Leads may sign up for email updates/newsletters as well.
Many marketing strategies are depending more and more on providing free content. What better way to show expertise on a topic? For instance, say you are searching for more tips and tricks on marketing and increasing website traffic. You find a company with a free webinar giving you tons of useful information on the topic. You realize the company offers a fairly priced package with an analysis of your marketing approach and advice to improve your overall strategy. Now that you’ve seen that they know what they’re doing, why not go for the complimentary consultation? You have just become a Qualified Lead for the company, all because they earned your interest and trust through free content.
Customers need to show a certain level of interest in what the company has to offer. If this is not the case, is it truly worth the company’s time? Cold calling and prospecting is still a thing in the marketing realm, but it’s much more time and resource efficient to utilize leads. A Qualified Lead is based on actual market research and shows that the potential customer has already taken a few steps in the right direction. Research shows that people have often already made 50% of the buying decision before even talking to the sales team.
There are different types of Qualified Leads. When the marketing team has identified someone as a Qualified lead, they are decently confident this could convert to a sale. This is a Marketing Qualified Lead (MQL).
Once they hold up their end of the bargain, the marketing team hands the MQL over to the sales team. The sales team further evaluates the likelihood of the MQL becoming a paying customer. Sometimes the customer will express specific interest in taking the next step, giving the sales team even more reasons to proceed. Often the BANT system is utilized at this point:
If the sales team decides to proceed with the MQL, the MQL transitions to a Sales Qualified Lead (SQL).
This whole process seems straightforward, but nothing will work smoothly unless the company sales and marketing teams are on the same page. It benefits everyone to agree on the criteria for a Quality Lead. Not only does a company need to establish a definition in general, but marketing and sales need to decide on the definition together. Agreeing on QL criteria will optimize conversion rates and digital marketing strategies. How will any company know what’s working best if sales and marketing function as two completely separate entities?
Quality Leads are important and companies are out there using these QL’s to their advantage! Instead of cold-calling or pursuing just any “potential customer”, consider what your business can offer to entice the customer to come to you. How can you adjust your online/social media presence to attract people seeking certain information? What is in your toolbox that could bring your company Quality Leads? Optimize the time of your sales and marketing teams while still finding the customer that is the right fit!
-Off you go! Your horizon awaits.
What is ECommerce?
As businesses rapidly gravitate to the online space, you’ve likely heard the word “Ecommerce” thrown around, even in casual conversation.
In fact, if you’ve just Googled “What is ECommerce?” under the table on a first date so you can keep the conversation going, we’ve got your back.
Our friends at Shopify put it simply. “Ecommerce, also known as electronic commerce or internet commerce, refers to the buying and selling of goods or services using the internet, and the transfer of money and data to execute these transactions. Ecommerce is often used to refer to the sale of physical products online, but it can also describe any kind of commercial transaction that is facilitated through the internet.”
So, ECommerce is basically an online shop.
There are pretty important nuggets of wisdom you will want to know before you jump headfirst into an ECommerce business. For starters, you’ll want to know how to succeed.
There are a lot of moving parts to ensure any business’ success, but an ECommerce business has its unique needs.
The success of an ECommerce business is heavily reliant on a fully optimized website. After all, the website is the storefront, customer support, and cashier of an ECommerce setup. There are key elements that an ECommerce website must have that go beyond impressive product photos.
To succeed as an ECommerce business, your website needs to be:
Shopify is really the one-stop-shop (see what we did there?) for ECommerce entrepreneurs. Not only does Shopify check off every item listed above, but they make marketing your business effortless right from the app! You can also utilize other sales channels like Walmart Marketplace, eBay, Facebook, and Instagram with Shopify. If you’re wanting to test the waters, let us know here and we’ll sign you up for a free 14-day trial.
There are so many ways to market an ECommerce business. So many, in fact, that you may feel overwhelmed on where you should start. Marketing trends are always ebbing and flowing as algorithms change. At Woggle, we’re all about empowering you with resources and automation so you can keep it simple. ECommerce businesses don’t market themselves, but Shopify can do the heavy lifting for you. Here’s how.
Email marketing is still effective! Yes, even in the world of social media. It turns out that people still want to hear from businesses in their inbox. The proof is in the stats.
Shopify knows the proof is in the pudding (do people still say that?). That’s why they offer email marketing capabilities right in the app. ECommerce businesses can utilize pre-made templates to cut down on time. An added bonus is that you don’t have to hire a designer. Once you have customized your template, Shopify allows you to:
This Shopify marketing feature is one of our favorites. Chatbots are an amazing tool for an ECommerce business to have. They elevate the customer experience by making product recommendations, lending a hand with FAQs, and offering discount codes in real-time.
Are you convinced yet that business chat is the way forward? Like email marketing, Shopify allows customization to your chat and shows you how it is performing in analytics. You can also integrate your chat into Facebook Messenger and other messaging apps. Shopify works seamlessly across various platforms so you don’t have to.
ECommerce businesses rely on ads to get their products front and center. Knowing where to start or even how to start an ad campaign can be a headache. The tricky thing about ads for most ECommerce businesses is figuring out where to advertise. Shopify takes the guesswork out of ads by setting you up for success in their platform.
Being able to advertise, sell, offer customer support, and market from one platform is invaluable to ECommerce business owners. Shopify offers impressive perks when it comes to advertising your products.
Our Woggle team has seen Shopify in action and it’s transforming Ecommerce businesses by increasing their ROI, improving the customer experience, and helping their ads be seen by their ideal customer.
Remember, we can sign you up for a free 14 day trial with Shopify if you’re not ready to commit and want to take it for a test drive.
Woggle is a huge fan of making business simple, and we’re equally as passionate about seeing your business grow! Reach out today, together we'll get everything sorted!
-Off you go! Your horizon awaits.
You want to take your business to the next level, but it can be difficult to discern where your team should put the bulk of its focus. So, you find ourself wondering about automating your business processes
Enter Zoho One.
Most likely, you’ve noticed the influx of automation platforms businesses are implementing. Technology, no doubt, shifts drastically even within a year. It’s no wonder that you’re receiving targeted ads and emails for new, innovative automation platforms. Many of these companies present tall promises of cutting entire workdays, saving your business tens of thousands in operation costs, and generating triple-digit leads in half of the time.
We’re here to level with you. Your needs and your strategy must be clear before you opt-in simply because a platform looks great on paper.
So, what is the big deal with automation, anyway? Does streamlining your business processes really save time, money, and get you ahead of the competition?
Join us behind the scenes for a moment. We’ll tell you exactly how your business can benefit from automating your business processes.
We may be showing our age, but to use it seems like no time at all passed between the iPod being all the rage to the release of the iPhone 12 Pro. Because technology is always moving forward, companies must educate themselves on the changes and respect that forward motion is the best flow for any business to adopt. Hey, no judgment if you’re still using an iPod, but we guarantee you that your friends that are rocking the newest iPhone have more storage space and less to carry around.
The percentage of companies that have fully automated at least one function, however, has grown more modestly, from 29% in 2018 to 31% in 2020.
Automating processes is an obsession of ours. That isn’t a sales pitch. We’re passionate because we watch it work for client after client. Here are the benefits of moving forward with automating your business processes. Yes, even implementing one fully automated process will produce noticeable, positive changes!
Industries spanning the spectrum and divisions within those industries are beginning to automate their processes. Here are the top trends we see here at Woggle:
Now, don’t ditch this blog post if you’re not in those niches listed. Automation is available and advantageous for any scope of business that you can imagine.
There are so many reasons why you should automate your processes, but we've narrowed it down to our top three. You can reach out, and we’ll give you our complete pros list! (Did we mention we’re obsessed?)
Automating your processes will indeed up-level the efficiency of your business.
For example, HR departments can thrive with AI automation technology that seamlessly scans resumes and pinpoints candidates for consideration based on pre-determined keywords. On a smaller scale, entire departments can easily automate their client management systems. Hence, tasks are dependent on other team members and functions to move to the approval process.
So, how much time can automation save your business? Keep in mind that automation can work when humans can’t. An automated process doesn’t need sick days or the occasional vacation to Disney.
To find out how much time automation can save your business (down to the minute you want to get intense), just follow this formula.
Where did you spend the least amount of time? Now, work your way through each of your business processes and compare. Seeing how much time is spent on any given task will help you to see how automation can save you time in one or several areas of your business.
Once you see where your business would benefit from automation, you’ll be able to recognize areas where processes are bottlenecked. This will guide your team to delegate otherwise mundane, time-consuming tasks to a platform rather than a person.
Even beginning with automating a simple task such as emails to incoming inquiries can offload your team of repetitive, time-consuming tasks. When teams are able to focus on their zone of genius without the distraction of frequent tasks, your business not only becomes more effective; but your team’s morale gets a boost and they put their best work forward.
If you want to know more about how automation can specifically help your business thrive, book a consultation with us.
Instead of reigning in your ads budget just yet, think of how much your business can save through automating processes. Maybe your self-assessment of automated task vs. human performance showed a substantial loss of time responding to initial inquiry emails.
It may be that you have brought in a contractor to help with the influx of inquiries during the holiday season. Your breakdown of time spent may mean that your team can integrate a platform to handle autoresponder emails. The cost per month for the platform almost always much lower than the salary paid to the temp contractor. We’re not saying to replace entire departments with AI or to overhaul your entire company’s infrastructure for the sake of automation. After all, automation can simplify your whole business, even if you just use it in a few select areas.
We’re glad that you’ve made it this far because this is where the magic happens. Our Woggle team has seen automation in action, and it’s transforming businesses by increasing lead generation, improving the client experience, and helping their content be seen by their ideal customer/client.
Zoho One is a robust suite of software that can help you automate anything from task delegation with your team to email campaigns. Oh, and loads of impressive stuff in between. We’ve watched Zoho One make such tangible differences for businesses that we dedicated a whole blog post to it. Check it out here.
We mentioned in the beginning that we see where you are. Automation is such a buzzword these days that you probably know it’s the next best move for your business but aren’t sure where to start. The loads of information out there on automation is overwhelming, but we are here to do what automation can’t--talk you through your current hesitations, and your business goals. Together we'll find the perfect fit for you. We do the full implementation, too!
Woggle is a huge fan of making business simple, and we’re equally as passionate about seeing your business grow! Reach out today, together we'll get everything sorted!
-Off you go! Your horizon awaits.
We know that a lot of blogs and articles out there don’t answer the real questions. Sure, you know that a CRM helps business managers and owners in all sorts of ways. We wrote our own article explaining what CRMS do and how this technology can change your entire customer experience.
We’re not that company that dances around the questions that might help you make big decisions about technology. Today’s question…
Where does a CRM actually exist?
CRMs, like many other software solutions, come in different types, and the most significant factor is where the CRM exists and how users can access it. Thankfully, multiple options mean that you can choose a CRM based on where you want it to live and how you want your employees to use the system.
Not all customers are the same, and not all businesses treat their customers the same. Any CRM system should allow businesses customizable options to improve customer care.
A CRM system should:
□ Replace your Rolodex and other archaic versions of client tracking
□ Access and monitor customer data
□ Gain insight and actionable information on business performance
□ Assess customer behavior easily
□ Streamline workflows and processes through automation.
Ultimately, the goal is to increase Customer Lifetime Value by engaging the sales flywheel and supporting your teams.
A Desktop CRM system lives on one desktop. This situation could work for solopreneurs or freelancers who do everything themselves. These types of CRM systems only work on the one computer where the owner installs them.
For that reason, these CRM systems offer more affordability because of the restriction of use. Though, they may still offer the same range of features as other types of CRM systems.
Client or server systems live in a database stored on the business or the client’s server. This means, users can access it through any computer with the coordinating software where the computer also has server access.
With a CRM server option, you can expect:
□ Startup costs for the server purchase
□ Costs for server installation
□ Time spent setting up the server
□ Responsibility for IT security and server maintenance
□ Limited options for upgrading features or functions
A cloud-based CRM operates online, and the provider handles the CRM server allowing access to the data and system via the cloud.
With a cloud-based CRM, you can expect:
□ Monthly fees for the supplier maintaining the server and providing updates
□ Lower initial costs
□ Easy to start right away
□ Remotely control features and functions
The biggest benefit of cloud-based CRMs is that users can access the system from nearly anywhere and don’t necessarily need that extra techy stuff like a secure VPN.
In the end, finding the right CRM is a huge decision because of the time investment and cost. You don’t want to go around trying a bunch of different options, so you need to make a decision with the information available. That’s tough in an age where everything seems so easy to implement or change.
Ultimately, what are the best options? A CRM server might be expensive, but it’s probably best for companies worried about security and control over the CRM. Alternatively, a cloud-based server might be the right choice for bigger companies that have remote teams and need easy mobile access.
At Woggle Consulting we’re always on the lookout for solutions that fit our customers best.
-Off you go! Your horizon awaits.
