Updated July 2024

It’s January and while many of us are absolutely relieved to put last year behind us and start fresh, the new year also comes with new decisions. In my business, I’ve spent a couple of weeks setting goals, establishing new rhythms, working out a new budget, and deciding how much to invest in my business this year. I try to make at least one investment in technology each year so I thought I’d bring you along and show you some of the options I considered and the choices I’ve made, so far!

Technology investments can be complicated and vary by the type of business you’re running. For many service-based businesses, your technology needs might center around software and automation. If you’re a product-based business, you might find hardware to be more of a priority. But all small business owners can agree - our technology must continue to evolve and meet the growing demands of our ideal customers. If we don’t make this investment, we’ll find ourselves behind our competitors and ultimately, less satisfied with our work.

Here are some of the more obvious technology solutions that might bring a boost to your business this year:

3D Printers

When 3D printers were first on the scene, I could never have imagined them having anything to do with small businesses focused on either providing services or even selling products. But I’ve learned there are many different ways to use them that are absolutely relevant to this audience. For example:

• Stephanie Wells at Formidable Forms says: “A 3D printer could allow your company to create prototypes, customized products, and marketing materials, but it could also be another revenue stream for your business. You could offer 3D printing services to other local businesses in your area to make extra money and create more business connections in the community.”

• John Turner at SeedProd: You could use 3D printers to create unique promotional materials for your business. For example, you could create a 3D business card to give to potential big clients which would impress them, last longer, and show that your business is creative and innovative. This could even help you cut down on advertising costs.

This kind of investment is no small decision and not right for everyone but it might be fun to learn more and brainstorm about how your business could incorporate them! Sites such as https://www.rapidpsi.com/additive-manufacturing-3d-printing are a great resource for understanding more about 3D printing. While I was in the market for a new printer this year, I ended up choosing a wireless printer and I already love it! I went with the HP Envy 7100 which allows me to get the printer off my desk, print from my iPhone or Macbook, and even get the kids connected, too!

Customized, Communication Platforms

If you’re running your business remotely like most of the world right now, keeping clients and employees connected is critically important. From making sure everyone is on the same page for projects, to running meetings remotely, and ensuring clients and customers are confident in your ability to keep providing services, finding a platform that allows everyone to thrive in this uncertain environment is at the top of many goal lists. There is no shortage of options out there but when you explore the companies that offer this service, you’ll see that they can be created entirely around your business needs and goals. 

Automated Software 

In 2019, I prioritized automation over just about everything. As a small business owner working less than 40 hours per week most weeks, I strive to remain visible and engaged even when I’m not behind my desk! I also found that when I automated a number of my usual tasks, that time saved went to doing more of the work I love like writing, designing, and consulting. And before you think there’s nothing you can automate on your own business, here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Automate your invoicing to make sure invoices go out in a timely fashion, reminders are sent when payments are due, and follow-ups become quick and simple. I use Wave for my accounting and have several clients set up for recurring invoices. They get automatic reminders a few days before their due date and if someone happens to be late getting their invoice paid, they get a gentle reminder automatically with a link to pay online.

• Automate your inbox to filter messages from VIP clients, to move messages to specific folders for later review, or to auto-respond with general answers to your most frequently asked questions. Before we delve into automating various tasks, it's crucial to have an efficient invoicing process in place. InvoiceSimple invoice software can help you automate your invoicing, ensuring invoices go out promptly and reminders for due payments are sent automatically. This allows small business owners to focus on other critical tasks while maintaining a professional image. I love the new Snooze feature in Gmail but for many clients, I like to read their emails first thing in the morning or when I have time set aside to really focus. I have filters set up for them so their emails go to a specific folder and I check that folder first thing each morning.

• For service-based businesses, automate your onboarding processes to automatically send welcome documents and next steps to clients who sign contracts with you (Dubsado, Honeybook, and many other options in this category work great!)

• Automate those welcome emails to new customers! I highly recommend having an email platform setup to both continuously capture new email addresses and use automated sequences to send welcome emails.

There are lots of different options that you might want to explore, based on your specific business. This site is great to learn more about automated software for businesses and see which one might be right for you!

Security Solutions 

Finally, you might want to think about updating the security standards in your business model once you have any new technology in place. Cloud-based solutions are at the top of the list for many small businesses this year, given the dramatic shift we saw in remote working in 2020. (Be sure to read this post for helpful information all about cloud-based tools). Regardless of which solutions you implement first, security should be a key investment that you make early on in the life of your business. 

I hope this helps you understand some of the key ways that you can boost your business through the use of new technology. By exploring these possibilities, you can push your company to new heights, guarantee that you are keeping up with the competitors, and strengthen your business as a whole. As always, if I can help you with your digital marketing needs as you move through the year, please let me know!

Until next time,

Andrea

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