Technology-based strategies to grow your business

While your business might be “technology enabled”, you could be missing out on new, fast-evolving technologies that take it to new levels.

The benefits of tech don’t need repeating, but the right moves could increase your productivity, enhance marketing and customer service, and improve flexibility.

Let’s dive into five tech-based strategies:

1. Go mobile

Consumers will not be satisfied with just that outstanding website that shows off your products/ services. They need a mobile-friendly site. Going mobile is quite easy and once that’s complete, you should seriously consider developing a mobile app for your business.

An added advantage would be more gets done, because staff don’t have to wait until they are at their desks to respond to customer queries or read important documents. With employees able to work away from the office, savings can be made on physical space and the running costs associated with maintaining office premises. An added bonus: environmentally-sound choices that save the planet.

2. Socialise your company

We are talking Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and the like. How else will you as a business interact with your audience around an offer, and drive traffic to your website?

This is the easiest way to get brand visibility and tell your story, and nearly at no cost. The ‘how-to’ is as simple as identifying the online platforms and communities where your potential customers spend their time.

And then create a strategy to engage with their interests and offer them useful, compelling content and interaction they can’t get elsewhere.

3. Find funding

Searching for venture capital has never been easier. Small businesses can raise a lot of cash very quickly using new technologies developed specifically to help raise capital.

There are many crowdfunding platforms that enable the world to invest in your product or services. One of the best sources for crowdfunding is Indiegogo. You’ll find fundraising campaigns for various categories, including technology.

There are also platforms that link start-ups to angel investors or advisors. You can also plug into opportunities like KCB Lions’ Den.

4. Cloud computing

What would life be like without Dropbox or Skydrive? Previously, businesses would use programmes and applications through software downloaded on their computers or servers to complete tasks. And it worked just fine. But cloud technology takes things a notch higher for your business.

The concept of cloud computing is easy to grasp. Do you update your Facebook status? What about checking your account balance online? Have you ever shared documents via services such as Google Dive or Dropbox? If yes, those are all instances of cloud computing.

Cloud technology eases your day-to-day operations, reduces costs, increases productivity and boosts mobility. So research on sites like SpiderOak, which is both a sync and backup tool that allows you to get very granular with what and where you back up.

5. Be more collaborative and productive

There are many project and task management applications that help employees stay on top of their duties, and which provide visibility back to management. You could conduct teleconference calls to make sure team members in different locations are on the same page.

Webinars or web conferences are also great for keeping everyone in the loop – with travel-free face-to-face time. These systems could also expand your knowledge and empower your team with online business training.

Other areas to explore when you’re ready to ramp up your use of technology is sharing files and data with the cloud, setting up an intranet for local file sharing, and communicating quickly and clearly with your team through team messaging.