5 Types of Software to Consider for Your Small Business

For small businesses, software is increasingly becoming a must-have for success. Thankfully, there are dozens of programs that can give you the edge over larger competitors, but where do you start? To help narrow down your choices, here are five types of software to consider for your small business.

Customer Relationship Management Software

One advantage that small businesses typically have over large corporations is the ability to provide personalized customer service. Why not take things a step further with customer relationship management (CRM) software?

With CRM software, you can easily store customer contact information in the same place and monitor client accounts for trends or changes in behavior. This way, you can always adjust products and services accordingly.

Then, you can use the platform to track metrics like customer satisfaction, which will come in useful when evaluating your company’s performance.

Accounting Software

Accounting is an essential component of any business, but managing and processing financial records manually is often difficult and time-consuming. That’s exactly why accounting software can be a great asset for small businesses.

Accounting software can automate many of the tasks that would otherwise require manual entry or calculations, such as tracking income and expenses, generating reports and invoices, calculating taxes, and even financial forecasting. Not only will this save you time on mundane tasks, but it also significantly increases the accuracy of your financial data.

Inventory Management Software

If you’re running a business that deals with physical products, inventory management software is a must-have.

With inventory management software, you can easily monitor stock levels and receive alerts when it’s time to order more. You can also set up reorder points for each item so that you never run out of a popular product. Additionally, the software makes forecasting and budgeting easier by providing detailed reports on inventory costs and other data.

Project Management Software

Project management software enables you to plan, organize and work on multiple projects at the same time. Whether you’re a freelancer or running a small business, this type of software can greatly help you meet deadlines, track progress and assign tasks to team members.

With project management software you get an overview of all your active projects, which makes it easier to stay on top of your workload. Then, you can communicate with team members, assign tasks, track progress, and share documents.

Digital Marketing Software

In today’s digital-focused world, having a strong online presence is essential for even big corporations, thus more so for small businesses. If used correctly, digital marketing software will make building an effective strategy to reach your target audience and establish your brand in the market a lot easier.

With the right digital marketing software tools, you can create campaigns that are tailored to your target audience. You can then further use the software to track the performance of your campaigns, measure return on investment (ROI) and optimize your online presence for maximum visibility.

There are many types of software available for small businesses today, and the ones listed above are just a few examples. Keep in mind that before committing to any type of software, you should take the time to do some research and read reviews from other users. With the right software, you can make your business more efficient and successful. The key is finding the software that works best for you and your team.

4 Tips for Outsourcing IT Support

Restaurants, supermarkets, assisted living facilities, saloons; what business doesn’t need IT support these days? From the very real threat of data breaches to the rise of spam and phishing emails, there are plenty of reasons to have a reliable IT support person in your corner. But what if you don’t have the in-house resources to handle all of your tech needs? That’s where outsourcing comes in.

Outsourcing IT support can be a great way to get the help you need without breaking the bank. But it’s not simply a matter of hiring the first person you find. Here are four tips to help you make the right choice for your business.

Define Your Needs

The first step in outsourcing IT support is to take a close look at your business’s current IT needs. Is your primary concern customer data protection? Do you need help managing a complex network? 

Once you have a clear understanding of what your organization needs, you can start to look for a support person that specializes in those areas. Information technology is a broad industry and one person can hardly be an expert in every single aspect.

Do Your Research

Once needs are clearly defined, it’s time to start your search for the right person. 

You can either ask for recommendations from other businesses in your industry or search online yourself on Linkedin and job boards. Once you have a few potential candidates, be sure to check out not just their CVs but also their websites and social media profiles to get a better sense of what they do.

For example, if you’re looking for help with data protection, a person that has client testimonials on their website from businesses who are happy with data protection work done for them would be a good choice.

Get a Trial Period

Before you commit to working with any IT support person, it’s important to make sure that they’re the right fit for your business. Besides expertise, things like having good communication and collaborative skills should not be underrated.

The best way to gauge this is to get a trial period, even if it’s just for a week or two. This way you can see firsthand how well they work with other employees and whether or not they’re a good fit for your business.

Get Everything in Writing

Last but not least, once you’ve found the right person, be sure to get everything in writing. This includes not just the scope of work and deliverables but also things like payment terms, turnaround times, and contact information. 

Business relationships can be tricky and misunderstandings can have consequences like extra charges, delayed projects, and even expensive lawsuits, so it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

Outsourcing IT support can be a great way to get the help you need without breaking the bank. But it’s not a decision to be made lightly. With these four tips in mind, you can be sure to find the right help.

What Features Do Video Calls Have?

If you wonder what features video calls have, you’ve come to the right place. You’ll learn about screen sharing, HD voice, active talker, and host controls here. Agora video calls are great for connecting people in different locations, but some features make them even better. So first, find out which ones you need and why. Then, start using them to connect with your friends and family. You’ll be glad you did.

Active talker

Active talker is a useful feature for video calls. The software determines who is speaking on a video call, which helps facilitate the conversation and makes it easier for all participants to understand where each person is in the call. Both tools identify active speakers and enable users to mute or unmute other individuals. You can configure up to six windows on the screen and choose the ones that are most useful for your conference.

Typically, there is only one active talker in a video call, but with the help of the new “Active Speaker” feature, you can make sure that the person speaking is focused. This feature automatically places the person currently talking in the foreground so that the entire conversation can be focused on them. However, this feature can be problematic if multiple people are talking or background noise. A different approach, such as using two microphones, is recommended, but the problem can still arise.

Host controls

On iPads and smartphones, host controls can be found on the top or bottom of the screen. These controls can be used to enable or disable audio and video features. Additional controls are available under the participants’ list. In the iOS version, host controls include mute and unmute, join audio, start/stop the video, and share content. The host controls are also displayed in the video panel. 

The host is the “owner” of the meeting and can administer it using host controls. These controls include the option to mute or unmute all participants and the ability to make a different host for the video call. Alternatively, a co-host can assist the host by using most host controls, such as lock screen sharing, mute on entry, and stop the video and remove. Another option is to start a meeting as the co-host.

HD voice and video

High-quality voice and video calls make business conversations clearer without distracting background noise. These high-quality calls are free and compatible with most devices. However, they do require a high-speed internet connection to work properly. Unfortunately, not every small business can afford high-speed broadband access. HD voice and video calls have features that help them meet bandwidth requirements. 

HD Voice and video calls have different features, so check with your carrier to see if your phone is compatible. Some phones are incompatible with HD Voice and video calls, so check the requirements before purchasing. The quality and range of HD voice and video calls will depend on your carrier. Make sure to check with your provider about any fees or terms. Afterward, make sure to download the app for your phone. HD Voice and video calls have features that improve the quality of your phone calls.

Screen sharing

One of the key benefits of video calls is the ability to share your screen with the other person. So screen sharing will be a welcome addition, whether you’re presenting a presentation or playing a game with your friends. You only need a decent PC, the latest video drivers, and a screen-sharing application. The benefits of screen sharing are obvious. 

Aside from video conferencing, screen sharing is also available for other communication channels. In these cases, screen sharing will allow you to walk through your computer’s screen. Depending on your software, screen sharing may be included. Screen sharing software is compatible with most video conferencing programs and is available for iOS and Android devices. Whether you’re using a Mac or Windows PC, screen sharing will enable you to share your screen with up to 25 people.

Can Someone Hack My Phone From My Number

You must have thought or discussed with your friend whether someone hacked my phone from my number or not. It seems very fascinating and keen to know whether it is true or humorous to hack someone’s phone with just their phone numbers. So, let’s discuss all the significant aspects of it and know if it is possible to look into someone’s device with a mobile number.

Can Someone Hack Into Your Phone By Texting You?

Yes, your phone can easily be hacked by just texting you. There are some methods by using them, your phone can be hacked from your number effortlessly.

Phishing For Personal Data

Hackers usually send fake messages to the target device to get usernames and passwords. The text contains a link to a fraud website that seems identical. It records your personal belongings and sends them back to the hacker.

Sending Links

This is another method of hacking your phone from your number. In this way what do they do? They send a link to malicious apps via text for any( dating or gaming app)normally to make you install the fake application and access all the details without your permission.

Two-Factor Authentication

This happens when a company verifies your identity by sending you an SMS code. This SMS code can be set by hackers if they have spyware apps and get full credentials to your account.

So if you think that this method was used to hack your phone then you can use the latest code to check if the phone is hacked in 2022. This can be the fastest way by which you can easily know if someone is into your phone or not. So don’t wait and make your phone secure and your mind assured with that if someone hacked your phone from your phone number.

Can Someone Hack My iPhone With My Phone Number?

Due to the high-security system of Apple devices, iOS hacking is a little bit difficult. But there are some ways by which iOS data can also be stolen. Hackers can balance your iCloud account and if you take a backup of your iPhone to iCloud, hackers will be able to access your data. It allows them to see your every move on their device including chat history, contacts, messages, photos, etc.

Can Someone Hack My Bank Account With My Phone Number?

Yes, there is a possibility that someone can hack my bank account with my phone number to some extent. With the help of my phone number hackers can hijack my bank account and reset my important passwords. They can also send a link and withdraw the amount from my account.

Can Someone Hack My Android Phone With My Phone Number?

There are many applications by which an android phone can also be hacked such as spyier, hackers net, Androrat,iSPY, etc. By using them there are some attacks used in mobile hacking like SMS forwarding, Bluetooth hacking, malicious website clicking, malicious apps, etc. 

How To Remove A Hacker From My Phone Number?

The very simple way to remove a hacker from my phone number is to use effective antivirus software. It will restrict the malware in a sandbox so that it cannot impact your mobile and protect your all individual belongings.

 How To Know If Your Phone Is Hacked?

  • Unusual activity – There are more chances that some hackers are doing unusual activities on your device and you don’t have any idea regarding it.
  • Inappropriate notifications – Sometimes the person might notice inappropriate notifications on his device and slowly his phone is hacked without any information.
  • Poor performance – If you are unable to access applications on your device or certain applications are freezing and crashing in your phone it can be because of overloading data or any strategy of a hacker.
  • Unusual activity on your social accounts – It is seen most of the time that people observe unusual activities that they don’t do on their social accounts, and consequently their mobile phones are hacked without their knowledge.
  •  Call or messages you don’t initiate – It is possible that someone has hacked your phone and controlled your calls and messages that you don’t desire to do. 
  • High data usage – This is highly noticed that usage of excessive data becomes the cause of hacking. It comes from malware and spies running applications in the background and sending all the personal activity or information back to its server.

What To Do If Your Phone Is Hacked?

There are some simple preventions that can be taken if your phone is hacked 

  • Delete unrecognized applications – Firstly you have to delete all the unrecognized applications on your device.
  • Reset your phone – You can also reset your phone so that you can protect your device from hackers.
  • Run anti-malware apps – There are innumerable anti-malware apps available in the market which you should use on your device so that your private belongings can be safe.
  • Reset passwords – You must reset all the important passwords. This is another action that can be taken to protect your mobile phone. 
  • Inform your contacts – If your phone is hacked so first, you need to inform all the contacts so that the hacker cannot misuse or misbehave with your well-wishers.
  • Contact service provider -If you are getting unnecessary calls and messages. So you can also discuss this matter with your contact service provider and they may be able to help you.

Conclusion – In the above article, we have mentioned how someone can hack my phone from my number whether it’s an iPhone or android mobile. There are some safeguards that can be taken to protect your personal information and data which becomes useful for you to secure yourself from cyberbullying, cyber attacking, digital fraud, and online data or privacy leaks.

FAQ

Can someone hack into your phone by calling you?

Fortunately, it’s not possible to hack your phone by just calling from an unknown number but your mobile can be traced with your location from your phone number.

How do I know if my phone is tapped or hacked?

There are some unusual activities that are done on your device like inappropriate popups, poor performance, high data usage, unusual activities on your social account. If you face it then there are chances that your phone has been hacked.

4 Tech Gadgets That Will Help Your Business

It’s no secret that there are many different types of tech gadgets that can help make things more convenient for you, both at home and at work. But if you are a business owner or manager, staying on top of advancements in technology is especially important because you might be able to try out new gadgets that will exponentially improve the way you run your business, helping you to keep costs down and increase sales and productivity. Here are 4 tech gadgets that will help your business.

Security Cameras

Security cameras may sound like nothing new, but there have been lots of advancements made and there are many brand new models available. Doorbell cameras have become quite popular for homeowners and business owners alike, and with good reason. They are available at a very low price point and offer incredible features and high-quality footage to help keep your mind at ease.

Do your research to decide which model of camera may be best for you, and keep your business safe by investing in one or more security cameras so that you can prevent theft or vandalism as well as avoid any threats to yourself or your staff.

Hiring Apps

Less of a gadget and more of just a general perk of advancements in technology, hiring apps are great for business owners in so many different capacities. You can use them to find new clients, hire staff, and even hire a cleaner to help keep your business clean and tidy.

Tracking Devices

Tracking devices are great for everyone because they help prevent losing all sorts of items from wallets to phones, keys, and even cars. Naturally, they are also very helpful when it comes to owning a business because you won’t have to worry about losing track of anything important ever again.

One of the best things about these tracking devices is that they are super affordable and very easy to attach and install using your smartphone. Pick one up for anything at your business that you can’t risk losing or having to replace.

Tablets

Tablets are another gadget out there that can help streamline your business in so many different ways. Depending on what you need it for, you may choose to invest in just one or several different tablets. They can be used for running credit cards, placing orders, playing music, keeping track of spreadsheets, and so many other things – all in a much smaller and portable package than a computer.

You may think your business is doing great, but there are always things that can be improved so that you continue to be the best at what you do. Hopefully the gadgets on this list can help you on that journey!

Why Courses By The Site Helpers Are 100% Worth It

Building a website has never been easier. There are so many places online such as SquareSpace or Shopify where you can just hop on, plug in a few words, and have a website. However, building a site this way gives you very little control and will keep you in their pockets forever.

On the other hand, The Site Helpers have put together a set of in-depth and intuitive courses that will give you all the tools you need to build, maintain, and upgrade your own website. We talked to one of their clients, to find out just how much these classes cover, and if they’re worth the time and monetary investment. 

Did you ever try creating a website without the services of The Site Helpers? 

Yeah, actually I used a SquareSpace website for a while. It was easy enough to set up and everything but I quickly realized it wouldn’t allow me to do everything I wanted, plus the fees would pile up every month.

So after looking around for a while trying to find one thing that fit all of my needs, it clicked. If I learned this stuff myself, not only could I build a website that fit all of my needs, but if my needs ever changed, it’d be no problem to upgrade it myself as well. 

The Site Helpers Review

How much exactly did they teach you? Are there any missing pieces in your knowledge? 

Everything and I mean everything. They go through designing the site, coding the site, PHP, advanced PHP, and even hosting. I don’t think I saw a course this complete anywhere else online, and it ended up teaching me more than I even thought it would.

They even talked about the best ways to outsource and hire designers. That’s information I’m going to keep in my back pocket for when my website grows, and not something I even saw mentioned by other courses. 

How do The Site Helpers prices compare to that of similar classes?

For classes on par with their quality? I don’t think there’s anything that touches it.

I think the only place you’ll get classes like that would be at a university and I don’t think I even need to say how expensive that would be. A lot of cheap online courses are made by fresh graduates with no job experience. This course was made by industry pros and it shows in the quality. 

Why didn’t you just outsource or hire a web developer? 

Like I said, I wanted to be able to upgrade my website myself. If my needs change, I won’t have to rely on anyone else to read the code and I won’t have to pay them to change it.

I can do it myself exactly how I want it. I don’t like relying on other people to make my business work, plain and simple. 

Has your website proven to be a worthwhile investment so far? 

One thousand percent. I have analytics on every page and can see that many more customers have been visiting and engaging with them.

So short term, yes it’s been very worth it. Long term though? I think the things I’ve learned have been absolutely priceless. There’s no dollar amount you can put on those skills. These weren’t courses made for people wanting to be quick and dirty freelancers.

They’re for people that want professional knowledge and real skills. I’m confident in the future of my website and my business and I owe a big part of that to The Site Helpers courses. 

Related Reading:

The Site Helpers Shares: Five Ultimate Tips For Creating A Website

3 Tips For Creating Videos That Go Viral

It seems like anyone can create a video that goes viral on social media, even people that don’t really have any experience with creating content. But for many businesses, it can seem like getting one of your videos to go viral is nearly impossible. Luckily, there are things you can do to help increase the chances of your videos being successful online.

To help you see how this can be possible, here are three tips for creating videos that go viral. 

Know What’s Going Viral In This Moment

Before you can hope to create a video that’s going to get a lot of views and shares online, you first need to know what’s currently going viral at the moment. 

To do this, spend some time searching on reels, TikTok, Youtube, and more to see which videos are getting the greatest amount of views or being created by influencers or others with large followings. If there is a common thread between some of the most viewed videos, you might want to create a video that has this same type of theme in it. However, you’ll have to move fast if you’re going to try to jump on a viral trend, as these trends can come and go quickly. So if you’re able to pinpoint a trend as it’s on the way up rather than as it’s coming down, you might be able to ride that wave toward viral success. 

Target Your Content To Someone Specific

This is one of the most backward-seeming things in all marketing, but the more general you make your content, the fewer people you’re likely to reach. On the other hand, if you’re able to create content that’s meant for a specific person or small group of people, there’s a much better chance that you’ll get some traction with these people and see your content perform better. The same is true with creating viral videos.

Knowing this, you should try to create your videos with a specific person in mind that you’re targeting. Get to know this person, what they like, and what they’re likely to share with those in their own networks. 

Title Your Video Correctly

Once you have your video created, you’ve got to post it with the right title in order for it to get the maximum amount of views. With the sheer number of videos that get posted online each day, you’ve got to use your title to help set your video apart and entice people to watch it.

While you might be tempted to create a title that resembles clickbait, writing a title that’s compelling and gets people to want to click without being deceiving or shady is ideal. 

If you want to create videos that will go viral online, consider using the tips mentioned above to help increase your chances of this happening.

Jurgen Cautreels Shares Outdated Marketing Practices You Need to Avoid

Marketing is complex and is always evolving. People’s habits and behaviors change with time.

Since the goal of marketing involves persuading people to make a decision in your favor, a good marketer must be aware of these changes. Also, new marketing innovations are being created on a regular basis and if a marketer is to be successful, he must be aware of these new innovations.

Since marketing is an age-long practice, different methods have been used by marketers in the past. Any marketing practice that doesn’t bring good results, might be damaging your brand and should be done away with.

In this article, renowned investor, marketer and NFT expert, Jurgen Cautreels highlights some outdated practices that people trying to sell in today’s market should avoid.

Non-Targeted Direct Mass Mailing

The idea behind mass mailing is to send to as many as possible, with the belief that not all, but some of the mails would convert. In today’s market, this does not work anymore. With the number of businesses making targeted adverts, a general advert is likely to be disregarded. Most often, they turn out to as spams.

Instead of this, you should send mails only to members of your target audience. To take it a step further, where you can, streamline your mailing list across different customer types; then send messages accordingly to the different categories.

Using social media only for promotion

Although the goal of your business is to make sales, your social media accounts shouldn’t be only for promotion. Where your account interacts and enlightens its followers, your content would reach a larger audience. Whereas if your account is only about your business’ sales, it would not perform adequately for your business.

In today’s world, social media has a huge impact on how a business succeeds. Your account should be managed to garner large followership and reach a wide audience.

Blogging without promoting

Your blog is where your customers get to know the most about you. If you’re blogging and people are not being directed to your blog, you’re losing. Direct links from your blog to your social media channels in whatever way you can. 

Also, always make sure your audience is very aware of your blog posts. If you can get people to keep coming to read new updates about your business on your blog, you’re establishing a bond with them.

Using intuition and not facts

Data is available now more than it has ever been before. A good marketer would not assume, he would get his facts and statistics right. I’ve seen many people make mistakes in their marketing because they made wrong assumptions.

If you’re marketing goods or services, there’s no need to stick to old methods that do not produce results anymore. Learn to use new technologies to market your goods for the best conversion results. A while ago, way early marketing career, I learned about non-fungible tokens (NFTs).

Years ago, many people were hesitant with the technology but today, NFTs are being considered as the future. And I’m glad that I was able to invest in it early.

The Evolution of Car Tire Technologies

What It Took to Get You in the Driver’s Seat

It’s not a secret that our cars rely on tires to get us where we need to go. However, there’s a lot more to a tire than simply rubber meeting pavement. If you’ve ever wondered where the custom wheels and tires on your car gained their high-tech tread, then check out the evolution of car tire technologies.

Rubber Was the New Leather in 1845

When the concept of tires originally entered the scene in the 1300s, they were made of wood and leather. This made the ride smoother, but the leather wore away easily, which led to more maintenance for the driver. Fortunately, through many trials and errors, rubber replaced leather-bound wheels for a safer, more secure driving experience.

Vulcanized Rubber in 1845 Pushed Tire Tech Into the Future

American inventor, Charles Goodyear, and British inventor, Thomas Hancock, invented vulcanizing rubber in 1845, and turned the tire industry on its head. Not only did this process make tires easier to manufacture, because it made rubber less sticky, it also made tires more durable, too. 

It Took 20 More Years to Tread Our Tires

Believe it or not, tires didn’t always come suited for your lifestyle and the specific vehicle you drive. In 1905, the first treads applied to tires strengthened them and allowed them to handle muddy roads and wet conditions. Treads also protect your tires from blowouts and damage. 

By 1923, Firestone had improved upon the tall and thin tires of the past, and introduced balloon tires, which improved car handling and performance.

Natural Rubber Grows on Trees, but It’s Not Always Available

Did you know almost 90% of the world’s natural rubber is produced in Asia? Rubber comes from a specific tree that is super susceptible to disease, and these trees can only reach their full potential in one small area of Asia. This makes supply chain issues with rubber incredibly common, even today. 

Thankfully, Du Pont Company created a synthetic rubber in 1931 to contend with rubber availability and improve on the overall quality of tires.

Tires Were Taking Us Further by 1946

Radial tires were brought to us in 1946 by Michelin, which increased gas mileage, enhanced steering capabilities, and gave tires a longer life by being particularly more resistant to the wear and tear of older, rougher roads.

Europe and Asia adopted this tire technology without a hitch. However, it took America another twenty years to use the radial tire on its vehicles.

When It Comes to Tires, One Tube Is Better Than Two

Early tires had two parts: an inner air tube and a durable tire to cover it. But this left tires vulnerable to leaks and they would easily become deflated. In 1947, B.F. Goodrich produced the tubeless tire. It was more reliable and durable than other tires. Now, tubeless tires are the standard for all cars.

The Run-Flat Tire Increased Safety for Both the Passenger and Driver

In 1979, the run-flat tire entered the market to increase safety for everyone. This tire tech allows you to drive your car at about 50 miles per hour on a punctured tire. The results were accident prevention and better protection for passengers and drivers in an emergency.

You can find three different run-flat tires: self-supporting tires, self-sealing tires, and auxiliary supported tires. Self-supporting tires were reinforced on the inside to withstand the weight of your car in case of a blowout. They lasted long enough to get you to the gas station. Self-sealing tires permanently seal themselves using a special liner, if the hole isn’t too big.

Auxiliary run-flat tires use a combination of custom rims and tires. In this particular system, the flat tire tread rests on a ring attached to the wheel when your tire loses pressure. This technology places most of the work on your wheel, rather than your tire, and offers a better ride quality. 

Tires for Today and the Future Are Getting Major Upgrades for the Safest Drive Ever

You can expect to see some incredible things coming out of this industry in the future. For example, Japan and the U.S., have been developing the Contact Area Information Sensing System that uses information from a sensor placed inside your tire. It monitors your car’s interaction with the road and promotes safety by telling you about changes to the road surface.

So, the next time you shop for new tires, wheels, or rims, take time to consider all the steps it took to get you rolling. If you don’t see a feature you want for your tires, just wait because this industry is evolving faster than ever.