Technology Community Helps SMBs Focus on Their Core Business

If you're starting your own business or currently work for a start-up, you wear a lot of hats. Any disruption in your business can eat up hours of your time and kill your productivity. Many start-ups are so focused on getting their business off the ground, that they overlook technology considerations that can help increase their productivity and enhance their efficiency. Unlike mid to large corporations that have dedicated IT personnel, start-ups typically do not have in-house IT resources to evaluate and deploy new technologies to pre-empt unforeseen issues, such as virus attacks, and streamline processes to increase efficiency gains. This is due partly to time and partly due to budgetary constraints. Small businesses want to focus on the next sale, not the next purchase. Largely for this reason, many small to medium businesses (SMBs) are categorized as laggers on the technology spectrum -- classified as conservative IT buyers and slow adopters of new technologies. This profile make it seems as if SMBs are risk adverse, when in actuality, SMBs are more risk takers than corporate employees ? after all, they've started their own business or are part of a start-up where the P&L is felt throughout the company.

So why are so many SMBs behind on the technology spectrum? As mentioned, without dedicated IT personnel making system recommendations, SMBs are on their own in terms of finding out the latest and greatest products. They need small business solutions that are affordable and scalable, and most importantly, do not disrupt business operations. Without the luxury of having dedicated IT resources, SMBs do not have time or the desire to seek out the latest gadgets or attend tradeshows featuring next-gen products.

This begs the question: how do SMBs stay on top of new technologies that can help them run their business more effectively? The technologies have to come to them: bring the new products to the SMB community.

The big trend with major hi-tech vendors in the past 2-3 years has been building marketing initiatives to tap into the SMB market. To many companies, the SMB space is still a gray cloud: how do SMBs behave and what are their demographics? Each company has its own definition of an SMB: ranging from less than 100 employees to less than 1000 employees. Many hi-tech manufacturers have beta programs, usability tests and focus groups to collect feedback on how SMBs react and behave. Many of these programs offer very attractive incentives such as free product, cash, corporate branded giveaways "tchotchkes" in exchange for some form of market validation: user feedback, quotes for a press release, or customer references to serve as real world proof points. These exchange opportunities are always available ? one just has to know where to look.

Here's a testament to the kind of exchange opportunities that are available all around us: in the July 2005 edition of Runner's World, there is an ad from Factory Outlets (http://www.factoryoutlets.com/) promoting its pre-launch site. Factory Outlets needs traffic to test its ordering, fulfillment and customer service systems and is giving away $350 worth of free merchandise in exchange for time. If you don't believe it, pick up a copy of Runner's World to get an authorization code into the site ? and shop your heart out (the merchandise is limited, but it's free).

Manufacturers invest millions of dollars into marketing to the SMBs and yet there has not been a centralized place where SMBs can get an aggregated listing of exchange opportunities offered by manufacturers. Until now.

SMBxchange, Inc. is a new technology community geared to providing exchange opportunities to SMBs, including useful tools and resources to help them run their business. By this, we don't mean resources on how to get a loan, where to get legal advice, etc. There are plenty of small business portals that do the job. The tools, resources and exchange opportunities featured on www.smbxchange.com are around useful technologies that can improve the way SMBs work -- perhaps even introduce products that people never knew existed. SMBxchange is a relatively new community and exchange opportunities are in the near horizon. Types of "exchange opportunities" will include: focus groups, beta programs, whitepaper campaigns ? where there would be some type of incentive (free product, cash, etc.) in exchange for user feedback.

Membership into SMBxchange is free and there is no obligation or commitment. By joining, members get access to SMBxchange newsletters and a secure members-only site where there will be a listing of opportunities that match the member's product interests. Members only participate in programs for products they're interested in. SMBxchange is the first community that bridges these two audiences (SMB and manufacturer) into a symbiotic environment. This is a community that brings the technology to the SMB, and aggregates opportunities and offers tailored to the SMB's product interests.

To join SMBxchange, complete the online form at www.smbxchange.com

Betty Liang, spent most of her professional career in various marketing management positions with companies such as Ricoh, Cisco, and Oracle. She is now focused on her own small business helping other small and medium businesses advance their technology capabilities through exchange opportunities.

---

Building A Business That Works For You

Before you want to build your business, you need to... Read More

Small Business Marketing: Specialize or Generalize?

There have been many great points raised on both sides... Read More

Starting a Small Business? ?Tips from a Veteran

Congratulations, you are starting a small business! You are taking... Read More

Where To Get Money For a Franchise Idea

How often have you thumbed through a business opportunity magazine,... Read More

Franchising Companies Relationship Strategies

Franchising Corporations need to maintain an iron fist when it... Read More

Does Your Business Need a Toll-Free 800 Number?

Should your business have a toll free number for customers... Read More

Do I Have to Do EVERYTHING Myself?!

The air in my client's office nearly crackled with her... Read More

The Advisory Board: A Business Owners Most Valuable Resource

As a company grows, the owner's role begins to change.... Read More

How to let go of your EGO

When does your ego get in the way?Let's go back... Read More

Multiple Clients Create Your Independent Business

Would you rather have one good client paying you five... Read More

Gold Medal Delegation

When the recent Games of the XXVIII Olympiad came to... Read More

Breaking The Chains!

Everyday, customers and business owners are bombarded with billboards, logos,... Read More

Franchisor; Ongoing Support and Ideas

Ongoing support for a franchise system is omnipotent. A major... Read More

A Look at Incorporating a Business in Florida

As you may know, there are many ways to incorporate... Read More

How to Handle Rejection When You Start an Office Cleaning Business

"If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't... Read More

The Business Failed, But Did You?

Q: After years of dreaming about starting my own business,... Read More

Personal Success - Take a Break from Business

Have Some Time to Yourself One of the most important... Read More

6 Ways Small Businesses Can Survive In A Crazy Economy

Contrary to popular belief, small businesses can survive a crazy... Read More

13 Steps to Protect Yourself from Your Bank

The success of your business is critically dependent on how... Read More

Why Do Most Online Small Businesses Fail?

Search Engines account for almost 90% of all web traffic!In... Read More

The Failures Guide to Small Business Success

How many "get rich schemes" have you joined? Or have... Read More

Small Business Credit Card Advantages

Obtaining a business credit card enables the small business owner... Read More

Choose Your Own Guru

What is a guru?A guru is a teacher. A mentor.... Read More

Is Your Business Making Money?

Is your business making money? Would you know?Figuring out whether... Read More

How to Integrate Yourself in Someone Elses Business

When do you need to get more involved with the... Read More

Your Babys Ugly..and Youve Got Bad Breath

I've got good news and bad news. The good news... Read More

Solving the Late Paying Customer Blues

Nothing can drive a business down faster than customers who... Read More

The Key to Small Business Growth? Buyer Alignment

Unfortunately for all buyers, each selling organization and their individual... Read More

Joint Venture Your Way to Extraordinary Sales!

You know what makes me really happy? Drinking a Starbucks... Read More

Recognizing Employees? Contributions Can Go a Long Way

Every employee would like to earn as high a salary... Read More

Most Franchises Are Small Home Businesses

Many of our nations 400,000 franchisees run their businesses out... Read More

Operational Aspects on P and L Statements of Mobile Services Businesses

What kinds of things effect mobile service businesses P and... Read More

New Habits, Rebounding Economy Help To Sell Giftware and Collectibles

Just a few years ago, when one thought of a... Read More