Tag Archives: politics

Why Entrepreneurship Is So Important

Posted on January 7, 2015 by Hosting

The post Why Entrepreneurship Is So Important appeared first on HostGator Blog | Gator Crossing . Gallup has shown that the world’s countries will need to add 600 million new jobs within the next 15 years. These numbers may seem ridiculous, but the fact of the matter is that these 600 million jobs will only allow the world to maintain current employment rates. These numbers seem staggering and that’s the truth. How on earth are we to manage this?   Entrepreneurship is the Answer According to this same Gallup report, 64% of new private sector reports are being created by small businesses. The individuals that open their own small businesses are deemed entrepreneurs. What does this mean for you? It means that now is the time to start that small business you have always dreamed of. Now is the time for you to sit down and write that business plan in order to determine what you will need in order to get your small business off the ground. Studies have shown (for more information on this same Gallup study, please see the link at the bottom of the article) that there will be no shortage of workers, and the fact of the matter is that these workers will need your business in order to have a job. They will be relying on you, much as you are relying on the company you work for to provide you with an income (or as you are relying on yourself, if you have a start-up for which you are the current and sole employee).   Now is the Time Now is the time to work to develop your small business idea or work to further your start up. Now is the time to determine what you need in order to make your business grow, and now is the time to get started on that idea. In order to be successful, your business will need to grow. You are just one person, you can’t do it all yourself (much as you may want to). You need a support staff, working to assist you in bringing your vision to life. With the right foundation, the right setup, and the right product or service, you will be able to manifest your dream. Why? Because you are getting in at the beginning. You have the foresight to know that now is when you will need to develop your business, so when the time does come, you will not only know what to capitalize on, you will be ready to capitalize on it. Your business will have been developed enough to need those additional employees, and your organization will be poised for growth. All you have to do is get started. Entrepreneurship is showing itself to be the wave of the future. Catch the wave before it crests.   For More Information: http://www.gallup.com/businessjournal/179531/talent-entrepreneurship.aspx?utm_source=alert&utm_medium=email&utm_content=morelink&utm_campaign=syndication   Image Source: Dells.com. (2014). The Wave. Retrieved from http://www.dells.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/thewave.png web hosting Continue reading →

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New Funding Methods For A New Age In Business

Posted on January 5, 2015 by Hosting

The post New Funding Methods For A New Age In Business appeared first on HostGator Blog | Gator Crossing . Starting a Small Business So you’ve decided you want to start a small business of your own; you’re ready to stop working for others and start working for yourself. This is great! Yes, you get to set your own hours, and yes, you get to do what you would like to do; however, when starting up a business of your own, you need to have the available capital to do so, and the time it takes to get it done. Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day!   Ways to Accomplish This You’ve decided to start your business online. There are lower associated startup costs, and you don’t have to wear pants to go to work, both of which are decided bonuses! The problem is that it still costs money. You need a hosting plan , and you need up front capital to be able to get your inventory started, regardless of whether you are making something yourself or whether you are selling pre-made, manufactured products. How would you go about doing this if you don’t have the money saved up yourself? Well, there are several ways. You could find an angel investor, a set of investors, get a loan from the bank, or you could turn to the latest in funding – investment sites like Kickstarter.   Kickstarter Kickstarter is a site that people may go to in order to present their ideas to the general population. Individuals read through the proposals, some of which include bonuses to those who donate x amount to their cause, and then donate. Yes, that’s right, people just give you money because they like your idea and want to see it come into existence. Now keep in mind that your idea must be a good one, as defined by the population at large, and that not all Kickstarters work. If the proposal is not written well, the likelihood of gaining funding decreases dramatically. Included below is a link to a very helpful article that discusses the progress of one small business; how they took their idea from just an idea and turned it into a successful business using funding gained through Kickstarter. That’s right, someone is being helpful just for the sake of being helpful. This increasing amount of transparency in companies serves to benefit you in that it teaches you one possible path to walk, providing you with the information necessary for your business to potentially succeed in the same manner.   Getting Going While not all Kickstarters are a success, as we have mentioned, there are those that have the potential to become quite successful (such as Amanda Palmer’s ground-breaking Kickstarter campaign). While it is true that you must obtain the knowledge yourself instead of building on top of the knowledge of others, you are able to take information, such as this, and use it as a means of working to increase your knowledge base, providing you with insight on how to succeed, and the different pitfalls to avoid. So, what are you waiting for? Get going! Start your own business, and start reaping the success of your own hard work. For more information: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/angeliatrinidad/passion-planner-the-one-place-for-all-your-thought/posts/1067424   Image Source: Kickstarter.com. (2014). Start your project — Kickstarter. Retrieved 26 December 2014, from https://www.kickstarter.com/learn?ref=hero web hosting Continue reading →

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How Small Business Can Benefit From Marketing Automation

Posted on January 2, 2015 by Hosting

The post How Small Business Can Benefit From Marketing Automation appeared first on HostGator Blog | Gator Crossing . Running a small business can be compared to a very delicate and complex form of art. Our time has become increasingly more valuable, and maintaining a successful company requires implementing diverse and complicated marketing strategies. While it’s beneficial having access to an array of varying platforms to reach our audiences, it can also be time consumptive and difficult to keep up. It’s no wonder the largest demographic seeking the benefits of marketing automation are small to mid sized businesses. Can your company use some extra time? Let’s find out.   First things first. What is Marketing Automation? Considered one of the fastest growing solutions for sales and marketing professionals, marketing automation refers to technologies and certain software platforms designed for businesses to more effectively market online through multiple channels and automate recurring posts. These services seek to optimize visitor/customer retention, improve conversions, cut marketing costs and perhaps most importantly revamp sales operations. Marketing processes that would have otherwise been done manually, can now be streamlined to make new processes possible and make old task more efficient.   Taking a look at common product features Marketing automation is still a relatively new tactic to most businesses, and for that reason it’s important to know which features will best serve your immediate and long-terms sales problems. Below are the most common found in the leading software:   Lead Management – Leads are the lifeblood of a business; therefore, it’s easy to see why this is considered the greatest challenge and number one goal of marketing pros. Lead Nurturing- Increases the upsell-rate by retaining customer engagement, while also automating the qualifying leads process. Lead Scoring – Applying metrics to leads and prospects Web Analytics – Using quality analytic data will allow you to pursue leads based on their web browsing tendencies. Email Marketing – This is all about sending the right e-mail at the right time through the use of email scheduling. Schedule email blasts to disperse at the optimal time and save time by setting up autoresponder emails. CRM Integration – Otherwise known as Customer Relationship Management (CRM), this feature is an application that is designed to assist you and your business by organizing all the data that you have on your customers. CRM Integration then is building your website to function seamlessly with your CRM.   The Benefits As a small business, this is probably the section you were waiting for. When used correctly, marketing automation allows a staff with limited resources the ability to run successful marketing campaigns in a highly personalized fashion that may have otherwise been difficult to do manually. The major benefits include: Huge Time Saver – We all have days with less going on and marketing automation allows you to make use of that extra time to create an entire month’s social media posts in one day, so when deadlines are approaching you won’t need to worry about posting content manually. Maintain Consistency – Chances are you’re trying to maintain multiple platforms for social media posting, and for good reasons. The spread of our customer demographics have different preferences for social media use and if you’re forgetting to maintain one of them it may be a sign to your followers that your business cannot manage its customer communication or doesn’t care to. Easy For Everyone – A large concern for anyone looking to adopt a new technology is, “will it be user friendly?” And the answer is yes. Marketing automation is simple even for those who aren’t technically inclined. Most applications are equipped with easy to use editors, templates, and helpful guiding interfaces. Detailed Reports – Automated solutions will keep track of every social media post. Text, email and provide detailed graphs, statistics and other useful data to help you optimize future campaigns.   Selecting A Marketing Automation Platform Before selecting a provider, here are several questions to consider: How Long is the minimum license period? – Many ask that you sign up for 1 year, though you may want to look into monthly installments. What is offered in the minimum license fee? – Certain platforms cap once you reach a certain amount of contacts in your database, this detail is very important as you expand networks. Is there a training manual and customer support? – Nowadays the number one do not in licensing subscriptions is getting involved with a company/platform that doesn’t offer customer guidance.   There is no software or automation tool that can replace good planning and strategy; however, once you learn how to define goals marketing automation can take on the repetive and analytical taks for you in order to achieve a sustainable marketing plan.   Image Source: http://www.justaminutellc.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/5-13-marketing-automation.jpg web hosting Continue reading →

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Check Your Tech-nology

Posted on December 8, 2014 by Hosting

The post Check Your Tech-nology appeared first on HostGator Blog | Gator Crossing . Technology today is moving faster than the speed of light (quite literally: NASA recently released specs for a ship with a warp drive), and it’s often hard to keep up. It’s easy for a business to start to wonder whether or not the technology that they are utilizing in their daily lives is antiquated, out of date… or on a slightly pettier note, whether or not their stuff is better than the competition’s stuff. Through a look at some of the most commonly used pieces of technology in the business world, it’s possible to give you that piece of mind, because let’s face it; that which is shown on television and in the movies isn’t what the average business has, nor is it quite as easy as the movies make out to sneak in and spy on the competition.   Computers Desktops have not gone out of style. In fact, many companies are still utilizing Windows XP, in spite of the fact that Microsoft is no longer putting out updates for vulnerabilities that are found. Heck, some people have even found ways around this, working to remove vulnerabilities anyway, allowing their companies to continue to use the OS that they are most comfortable with, one that doesn’t require costly upgrades or a learning curve regarding its use. Generally speaking, and with exception given to certain industries, most businesses don’t use Macs. The more tech oriented the business, the more likely you are to find them running a Linux system. Most companies still utilize separate monitors and separate desktops, as opposed to the “all-in-one” options that many of the computer manufacturers are releasing today. We live in an age of “good enough” computing, where businesses have finally realized that upgrading every time something new comes out is not necessary; if something works, there’s no reason to fix it. There are better ways to invest in the business.   Phones Most companies are utilizing VoIP phones these days; it just makes everything easier to do so, when all the current options are weighed. It’s a safe bet that there are not many old-school, rotary phones being utilized in businesses today… but you never know.   Cell Phones Yes, many owners, and even many employees, utilize their own personal phones within a business context. Most people have gone over to smart phones. No more flip phones for the masses! (Ran into a huge issue the other day because of this one – the receptionist with a “unique” personality at the doctor’s office refused to look up my pharmacy and told me to do it on my phone. She refused to believe this was not possible on a flip phone; I refuse to upgrade to a smart phone for a host of reasons. We were at an impasse for quite some time).   Paper Though many businesses are attempting to move away from paper records, the majority of businesses are still utilizing paper as a means of completing various business activities; the amount has lessened over the years, but we have not created a paperless environment as of yet… perhaps because playing games with the copy machine is still a lot of fun!   Your Business If some of these sound like you and some do not, that’s quite alright. Remember, it’s all about what works best for you. Don’t upgrade if you don’t want to, don’t upgrade if you don’t need to, and always do your best to ensure that you stay within your means!   Image source: Deccan Chronicle. (1996). Mission Impossible. Retrieved from http://archives.deccanchronicle.com/sites/default/files/styles/article_node_view/public/mission-impossible-1996-tom-cruise.jpg web hosting Continue reading →

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Forecasting The Next Internet Evolution – Web 3.0

Posted on November 18, 2014 by Hosting

The post Forecasting The Next Internet Evolution – Web 3.0 appeared first on HostGator Blog | Gator Crossing . Amidst our globalized world where everything and everyone is getting connected online, it’s easy to get caught up in cyberspace and forget that you are using a technology barely fifty years old. That’s right, the Internet originated in the early 60’s and yet the Web seems to now infiltrate every facet of our everyday lives. Be it in your content consumption, your car, your home, or even your own body. Integrating growing technologies and the best methods, the Internet is truly evolving faster than we could ever have imagined, not just becoming a larger part in our lives, but life itself. And thus, I dare introduce to you, the latest prediction as to the Internets next grand step — Web 3.0.   Web 1.0 Before we get caught up in the future, it is best to first lay the groundwork, and understand from what Web 3.0 is even building when it first boomed in personal and commercial use in the early 90’s. Long regarded as “the Static Web,” the first generation was akin to a library network where you could only access information, not change it. Though it was simple, it helped fortify the infrastructures and make it more accessible to the masses through the use of web and markup languages like JavaScript and HTML, HTTP protocols, and website and browser commercialization. Basically, this was where all the leg work was done to ensure stability, availability, and approachability.   Web 2.0 “Wait,” you’re thinking “so when did Web 2.0 happen?” Believe it or not, you’re reading this on 2.0 right now. Although Web 2.0 leads you to believe that you somehow downloaded some official upgrade from the 1.0 static version without knowing it, be informed that there is no formal patch or update. Rather, Web 2.0 is a blanket term for the generation of interactive social media functions on most modern sites. Instead of a basic webpage that only allows passive content viewing, Web 2.0 incorporates a virtual community where the user may engage in a dialogue and interact with the site’s creator and others; for example, a 2.0 site could be a product’s site with a review board, a blog with a comments section, or even an Ask-Me-Anything page on Reddit. Also known as the Social Web or the Mobile Web, 2.0 strives to be a communication tool for collaborating and sharing with one another– people connecting with people.   Web 3.0 Building upon 2.0’s notion of connecting people, the next generation will attempt to link us with information and be a “Smart Web.” Though some are skeptical at the very mention of artificial intelligence, most of us subscribe to the idea that technology, science, and people are all working symbiotically at an unprecedented rate to create more efficient tools. Whether or not this means sentient, free-thinking machines and The Singularity one day is up for debate, but what is clear, is that humans are using the Internet much like an extra brain. And this is precisely where Web 3.0 comes in — it’s a “Semantic Web” that would provide a uniform framework so that data could be shared, analyzed, and reapplied across all applications and platforms for unlimited function, maximum effectiveness, and with minimal human interaction. This essentially means that there would be a such a sophisticated element in the web that it could actually “understand” you and interpret what you want. Sci-fi crazy nonsense? Some may think so, but I think it is closer than most people would care to believe. Take Siri for example. She is a “Knowledge Navigator” that utilizes a natural language user interface that adapts to individual preferences and eventually customizes results for you. Now if you can consider an Internet experience that would combine this technology with all your personalizations collated and surmised from Big Data collection, it doesn’t seem so far fetched. Through the sites that you frequent, the past searches you have made, products you have bought, links you have posted, pages you have liked, personal descriptors you have provided, a semblance of the user’s identity is formulated. It then uses this personalized data as a metric in which to measure, screen, and ultimately select what is best suited to your needs. In layman’s terms, Web 3.0 will attempt to be an online version of yourself that does all of your surfing for you.   The Future of the Web The convergence of emerging and developing technologies will continue to reshape, innovate, and disrupt current web standards; however, it is imperative to remain objective to a point with its role. As technology becomes ubiquitous, it will be increasingly difficult to ask ourselves the hard questions, like are we missing a natural and organic method to our own madness by letting the Internet pervade all stages of humanity? This is not to say that we should be wary of The Terminator or The Matrix coming true (if it hasn’t already), but rather ask if there ever should be lines drawn. In light of Edward Snowden’s leaked government documents on mass surveillance and data mining, it is safe to say that technology is quickly becoming a double-edged sword that every person will have to wield. Will it be the machete that cuts a path or will it be the blade in our own Seppuku? The choice is ultimately ours. web hosting Continue reading →

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