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In Strategy

Danny DeVito Lied; QuickBooks is Not the Best Bookkeeping & Accounting Software for Small Business

Why I Wish I’d Chosen Anything Other Than QuickBooks

If you run a small business, you already know that managing your books can feel like juggling blindfolded while someone moves the furniture around every five minutes. It’s not fun. That’s exactly why I originally chose QuickBooks: I wanted something that would make bookkeeping simpler, faster, and less stressful.

Instead, I ended up with the software equivalent of that one gym membership you keep paying for but secretly resent.

After years of sticking with QuickBooks, I can honestly say: I wish I’d chosen anything else from day one. And if you’re a small business owner trying to decide on bookkeeping software, let me save you a mountain of frustration, time, and money by sharing the biggest reasons why.

1. QuickBooks Is Shockingly Expensive — and That’s Before They Nickel-and-Dime You for Everything

Most business owners sign up thinking, “Okay, the subscription is a little steep, but it’ll be worth it because everything is included.”

Oh, sweet summer child.

QuickBooks is like one of those restaurants where the entrée looks reasonably priced… until you realize you’re charged extra for sides, sauces, utensils, breathable air, and the chair you’re sitting on.

Here’s how it really works:

  • You pay for the basic subscription.

  • The price increases every year, whether or not they actually improve anything.

  • Want to run payroll? Extra.

  • Actually have employees? Extra per employee.

  • Want to track employee time? Yep, extra for that too.

By the time you add up all the modules they claim are “optional” but are actually necessary for running a real business, QuickBooks becomes one of the most expensive software tools you’ll use — and not in the “luxury goods” kind of way.

It blows my mind that small businesses, the very people QuickBooks claims to serve, are the ones getting hit the hardest. A startup with a few employees shouldn’t be expected to pay enterprise-level prices just to cut a paycheque or track a couple hours of work.

2. The User Interface Changes Constantly — and Not in a “Fun Surprise!” Way

If QuickBooks were a person, it would be the kind who moves your fridge into the living room every couple of months and insists it’s for your convenience.

The user interface — the way the software looks, feels, and functions — changes constantly. And I don’t mean small, helpful updates. I mean entire menu relocations, workflow redesigns, button reshuffling, and rearranged dashboards.

You log in thinking, “I’m just going to send that one quick invoice,” and suddenly you’re on a scavenger hunt where the rules changed overnight.

Something that took five minutes last week? Now takes 20 while you dig around trying to figure out what they moved this time.

And the worst part? Users aren’t asking for these changes. No one I ever talked to has said, “You know what would make this better? If all the menus moved around again!”

It feels like developers learn a new coding trick and say, “Hey, let’s test this on millions of unsuspecting business owners!” Not exactly comforting when your financial records depend on consistency and reliability.

3. Spoiler Alert: It’s Not Easy, Intuitive, Fast, or Anything Danny DeVito Promised

You know those commercials where Danny DeVito confidently proclaims QuickBooks is easy, intuitive, and perfect for small business owners?

I love Danny, but no.

The QuickBooks marketing team deserves an award for “best fiction.” The reality is the opposite: it’s clunky, unintuitive, and anything but quick.

Here’s the truth no one puts in the commercials:

  • The learning curve is steep.

  • Even simple tasks require clicking through multiple screens.

  • Nothing is where it logically should be.

  • And every “update” seems to make things less intuitive, not more.

QuickBooks functions like software built by people who have never run a small business, but who have spent a lot of time theorizing what it might be like.

All I know is this: if your marketing slogan boasts about being easy, then your software shouldn’t require a YouTube tutorial for sending a basic invoice.

4. Their Knowledge Base and Support System Will Test Your Patience… and Probably Your Sanity

Picture this: it’s 11:47 p.m. You’re trying to finish your bookkeeping so you can actually sleep, and an error message pops up. You copy the error number, paste it into the QuickBooks Knowledge Base, hit search, and…

Nothing.

No article.

No explanation.

No solution.

So you try their AI support. A bold choice, but you’re desperate.

The AI pauses like it’s thinking deeply. Then it serves up a random, unrelated article you already read six minutes ago. Thanks, robot.

Fine. Time to call support.

If — and this is a big if — you manage to get through to a human, congratulations. That already puts you in the top 1% of QuickBooks users.

But here’s what you can expect next:

  • Seven minutes of scripted niceties.

  • Your issue repeated back to you five different ways.

  • More scripted questions.

  • The agent searching the same useless KB articles you already searched.

  • A “helpful” suggestion to do a screen share.

  • An hour of troubleshooting that ends with, “Unfortunately, we don’t have a solution for this issue yet.”

Meanwhile, you have Googled your way into finding your own workaround because you still need to get your books done.

When software support makes you feel like you’re the most qualified person in the room, something is fundamentally wrong.

5. Inconsistency Is the Only Thing You Can Count On

Bookkeeping software should be predictable. Reliable. Steady.

QuickBooks? It’s basically a roulette wheel.

Invoices scheduled for the 15th randomly go out on the 1st.

Recurring invoices “forget” to include taxes — sometimes.

Transactions appear and disappear like they’re in witness protection.

And none of it happens consistently enough to diagnose. It’s like the software occasionally gets bored and decides to spice things up.

When you’re trying to maintain accurate books, this kind of randomness is not quirky — it’s infuriating.

6. Essential Small-Business Features Are Shockingly Difficult — or Don’t Exist

One of the features small businesses desperately need is the ability for clients to keep a credit card on file and be billed automatically each month.

QuickBooks technically offers this, but let’s be honest: the process feels like it was designed by someone who thought, “Let’s make this as painful as legally allowed.”

Explaining the steps to clients feels embarrassing:

“Okay, you just need to follow these 27 steps, enter your info in three different screens, verify your email, confirm your bank, scroll down, click the tiny hidden link, and then hope QuickBooks doesn’t time out while you’re doing it.”

Clients give up halfway through, and honestly, who can blame them?

Plenty of other accounting systems make this feature easy — QuickBooks just… doesn’t.

7. The Auto-Logout Timer Is So Aggressive You Practically Need to Work With Your Eyes Open the Entire Time

Most software gives you a reasonable grace period before logging you out for inactivity. QuickBooks is the opposite. The moment you pause to breathe, think, sneeze, or blink for too long, boom: you’re logged out.

Then you have to log in again. And — because this is QuickBooks — sometimes logging in itself takes longer than the task you originally paused for.

It’s the kind of thing that seems small at first, but after the tenth time in one sitting, you want to throw your laptop into the nearest lake.

So… What’s the Alternative?

You might be thinking, “Okay, but what should I use instead?”

There are so many better options now — Wave, Xero, FreshBooks, Zoho Books — and most of them cost less, feel more intuitive, and actually listen to their users.

The point of this post isn’t to sell you on another platform. It’s to make one thing very clear:

If you’re choosing bookkeeping software and you’re on the fence, learn from my experience: QuickBooks is not the no-brainer solution it claims to be.

For many small businesses, it’s not just imperfect — it’s genuinely painful. And switching later is far more annoying than choosing better software from the start.

Final Thoughts

If I could go back, I’d skip QuickBooks entirely. The hidden costs, the constant UI changes, the frustrating support experience, the inconsistent behaviour, and the lack of truly small-business-friendly features all add up to a tool that causes more stress than it solves.

Your bookkeeping software should simplify your life, not make you question your life choices.

So if you’re standing at the crossroads of choosing accounting software — take this as your friendly heads-up from someone who’s lived the QuickBooks roller coaster for years:

You deserve software that works for you, not against you.

#GoogleGirl
In Strategy

How to Use a Password Manager for Teams & Small Business

Simplifying Team Passwords: How a Password Manager Can Transform Your Small Business

Managing passwords is a universal challenge for small businesses. Between email accounts, social media profiles, client software, and other digital tools, keeping track of all credentials can quickly become chaotic. The result? Forgotten passwords, lost access, wasted time, and frustration for your team. Fortunately, modern password managers like LastPass and 1Password make it simple to organize, share, and secure passwords for your entire team—without creating extra headaches.

In this post, we’ll walk you through why a password manager is essential for small teams, how to set one up quickly, and how it can save your business both time and money.

Why Small Teams Need a Password Manager

Even a small team of 2–10 people can struggle with password management. Consider these common scenarios:

  • An employee forgets the login for a shared social media account.

  • Multiple team members use the same software account but store the password in personal notes.

  • An employee leaves, and their accounts need to be reset.

These situations can lead to lost productivity, increased IT costs, and potential security risks. A password manager centralizes all your credentials in a secure, easy-to-access system while keeping sensitive data protected.

Key Benefits for Small Teams

  1. Improved Security – Password managers generate strong, unique passwords for every account. This drastically reduces the risk of security breaches caused by reused or weak passwords.

  2. Time Savings – Team members can instantly access shared accounts without wasting time searching emails, sticky notes, or personal notes.

  3. Reduced Frustration – Nobody likes the “forgot password” loop. With a password manager, logins are stored securely and autofill where possible.

  4. Cost Savings – Lost accounts and password recovery requests can be expensive and time-consuming. Password managers eliminate most of this overhead.

  5. Continuity and Accountability – If a team member leaves, your business maintains access to critical accounts without disruption.

Choosing Between LastPass and 1Password

Two of the most popular password managers for small teams are LastPass and 1Password. Both offer robust security, easy sharing features, and user-friendly interfaces.

  • LastPass: Known for its ease of use and browser extensions, LastPass allows teams to share passwords securely and manage them from a central admin console.

  • 1Password: Offers strong encryption and team collaboration tools, including “vaults” for different departments or projects, and integrates with many popular apps.

Both options make it simple to get started, and either choice will significantly reduce the time and stress associated with password management.

Setting Up a Password Manager for Your Team

Setting up a password manager for a small team is easier than you might think. Here’s a step-by-step guide that works for both LastPass and 1Password:

1. Choose a Team-Wide Email Address

To simplify management, use a common team email address (for example: team@yourcompany.com). This will be the account associated with the team subscription. By using a central email:

  • You avoid tying accounts to individual employees.

  • Any team member can log in to manage or share passwords.

  • Transitioning responsibilities becomes easier when employees leave.

(This is the same approach we discussed in last week’s email—if you missed it, make sure to review that recommendation.)

2. Create Your Master Account

Once you have the email:

  • Sign up for a team subscription with either LastPass or 1Password.

  • Choose a strong master password. This will be the key to accessing your entire password vault.

  • Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) for added security.

The master password should be shared with trusted team members who need admin access, but you do not need to share it with everyone.

3. Add Team Members

Most password managers allow you to add users via email invitations:

  • Send invites to each team member’s work email.

  • Assign appropriate permissions (admin, manager, or user) depending on their role.

  • Once accepted, team members can log in, access shared passwords, and contribute new credentials.

4. Install the Browser Extension

To make passwords instantly accessible, install the browser extension (Chrome, Firefox, or Edge) on each team member’s computer:

  • The extension autofills passwords on websites.

  • Team members can save new credentials directly into the shared vault.

  • No more juggling multiple documents or sticky notes.

5. Add Passwords and Organize

Start by adding credentials for commonly used tools:

  • Email accounts

  • Social media platforms

  • Project management software

  • Client portals

  • Payment processing accounts

Organize them in folders or “vaults” so team members can find them quickly. For example, you could have folders for Marketing, Finance, IT, and Sales.

Keeping Access Simple and Secure

The beauty of using a password manager is that everyone on the team can contribute to and update passwords without compromising security:

  • Adding or updating passwords: Any team member can save a new login or update an existing one. Everyone else automatically has access.

  • When an employee leaves: Only the master password and the password for the common email address need to be changed. If there are concerns that the departing employee may have recorded passwords, you can also rotate critical credentials individually.

  • Consistency: Since all passwords are stored centrally, your team never has to worry about different versions floating around in emails or notes.

Best Practices for Team Password Management

To get the most value from your password manager, follow these simple guidelines:

  1. Use strong, unique passwords for every account – Password managers can generate these automatically.

  2. Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) where possible – This adds an extra layer of security.

  3. Organize passwords into logical folders or vaults – Helps team members find what they need quickly.

  4. Regularly review and update passwords – Especially for critical accounts.

  5. Educate your team – Make sure everyone knows how to use the password manager, the master password, and the browser extension.

How Password Managers Reduce Risk and Save Money

A password manager is not just a convenience—it’s an investment in your team’s efficiency and your business’s security.

  • Avoid account lockouts: With instant access to credentials, your team spends less time waiting for password resets.

  • Reduce IT support costs: Fewer password-related problems mean fewer calls to IT or consultants.

  • Protect sensitive data: Secure storage reduces the risk of a breach caused by weak or reused passwords.

  • Minimize turnover disruption: When employees leave, access remains seamless for the rest of the team.

  • Increase productivity: Team members can focus on their work instead of tracking down lost logins.

Real-World Example

Let’s say your team uses five key platforms: Gmail, QuickBooks, Canva, Shopify, and Zoom. Without a password manager, every employee has a different system for remembering logins—notes on sticky pads, Excel sheets, or their browser’s autofill.

Now, with LastPass or 1Password:

  1. All credentials are stored securely in one vault.

  2. The Chrome extension allows autofill on every platform.

  3. Any employee can update a password if it changes, and everyone else automatically has the new version.

  4. When an employee leaves, only the master password and common email password need to be changed.

The result? Less stress, fewer interruptions, and a more secure, organized workflow.

Addressing Common Concerns

“What if someone forgets the master password?”

  • Both LastPass and 1Password offer recovery options. Some plans allow admin-assisted recovery for team accounts.

“Can passwords still be stolen?”

  • While no system is 100% foolproof, these password managers use strong encryption and offer two-factor authentication to protect your vault.

“Is this expensive for a small team?”

  • Team subscriptions are surprisingly affordable, and the time and cost savings in reduced password chaos usually outweigh the subscription fee.

Final Thoughts

For small teams, a password manager like LastPass or 1Password is more than a convenience—it’s a vital tool for security, productivity, and continuity. With a few simple steps, you can set up a team-wide account, organize your credentials, and make life easier for everyone.

By using a shared email address, installing the browser extension, and encouraging your team to add and update passwords, you ensure that everyone has the access they need without compromising security. And when an employee leaves, your workflow continues smoothly with just a few updates.

In short, adopting a password manager:

  • Improves security and reduces risk

  • Saves time and frustration

  • Reduces costs associated with lost accounts

  • Ensures work continuity

  • Simplifies team collaboration

If your small business is still relying on sticky notes, spreadsheets, or “memory-based” password systems, now is the perfect time to make the switch. Your team—and your peace of mind—will thank you.

Next Step: Set up your team’s password manager today. Choose LastPass or 1Password, create a shared team account, and start building your secure, efficient password vault.

#GoogleGirl
In Strategy

How to Use 2FA for Small Business

A Simple, Stress-Free Guide to 2FA for Small Business Owners (Who Don’t Love Tech)

If you’ve been in business for a while, you’ve seen the world shift under your feet. Clients buy online. Banking is online. Invoices are online. Your team shares files, calendars, passwords… all online. And with that shift comes a not-so-fun side effect: security threats.

Now, maybe you feel that little knot in your stomach whenever someone says “cybersecurity.” You’re not alone. Plenty of successful, experienced business owners feel a bit intimidated by all this tech stuff. And honestly? It’s not your fault — the tech world loves to make simple things sound complicated.

But here’s the truth: keeping your business secure doesn’t have to be scary.

In fact, there’s one simple tool you can start using today that dramatically protects your business:

Two-Factor Authentication (2FA).

If you’ve ever used a bank machine and needed both:

  • your bank card and

  • your PIN

…that’s basically 2FA. Two things = stronger protection.

Let’s break down what it is, why you need it, and an easy, step-by-step setup that will work for every small business — even if you and your team aren’t tech people.

Why 2FA Matters More Than Ever for Small Businesses

Cyber attacks used to be something only huge companies worried about. But over the last few years, small businesses have become just as targeted — sometimes more targeted — because attackers know smaller companies often have weaker security.

And let’s be real: most small businesses run on:

  • shared logins

  • one or two people who “know how the passwords work”

  • sticky notes

  • saved passwords in browsers

  • and maybe a spreadsheet you pray no one ever deletes

It’s normal.

But it’s not secure.

Adding 2FA is one of the fastest, cheapest, most effective ways to protect:

  • your money

  • your data

  • your clients

  • your accounts

  • and your reputation

Even better? It costs $0 and can reduce what you spend on user accounts and subscriptions.

But only if you set it up in a clean, organized way. And that’s what the rest of this guide is about.

The Simplest System for Using 2FA in a Small Business

Most people try to set up 2FA individually — each employee adds their own phone number or their own email address. That becomes a nightmare when:

  • someone leaves the company

  • someone gets a new phone

  • someone can’t log in

  • no one knows who set up the account

The system below avoids all that drama.

This process is simple, repeatable, affordable, and — most importantly — shared across your whole team.

Here’s the exact flow we recommend.

Step 1: Create a Shared Company Email for Logins

Make one email address that will be used ONLY for:

  • signing up for accounts

  • managing subscriptions

  • receiving 2FA access

  • logging into shared business apps

Examples:

This email should not be tied to one person. It’s a company login, not a personal one.

Why this works:

  • No one gets locked out if an employee leaves.

  • Everyone knows where to find login info.

  • You can reset passwords easily.

  • You dramatically cut down the number of paid users you need.

(We’ll come back to this cost-saving gem in a second.)

Step 2: Have Everyone Add This Shared Email to Their Phone

This step scares people, but it’s actually super quick.

On iPhone or Android, you can add multiple email accounts to your Mail app.

Everyone on your team just needs:

  • the login

  • the password

  • and to add it to their phone one time

Done.

Now if any app sends a verification email, password reset, or “is this you?” message, everyone who needs it can see it.

Step 3: Download the Google Authenticator App

This is where the magic happens.

Everyone on your team should download:

Google Authenticator

(it’s free, safe, and very easy to use)

This app creates a 6-digit code that refreshes every 30 seconds. That code is your second layer of security.

And the best part?

Multiple people can use one 2FA login.

(But we do it in a secure way — keep reading.)

Step 4: Use the Shared Email to Sign Up for Your Apps

Whenever you create a new account — Canva, ActiveCampaign, Slack, QuickBooks, WordPress, whatever — always use the shared business email instead of someone’s personal email or work email.

This keeps things tidy and uniform.

It also means:

  • one login

  • one password

  • one 2FA setup

  • one person doesn’t “own” the account

  • no headaches if someone leaves the company

It is absolute gold for small teams.

Step 5: Save Money by Using Shared Logins Where Allowed

Here comes the bonus:

Many apps allow multiple people to use a single login.

That means you don’t need to pay for 3, 4, 6, or 10 separate users.

Example: Canva

If your whole team uses one shared login (the shared business email + one password), you can often upgrade to Canva Pro for a lower cost than buying seats for everyone individually.

Not every app works this way, of course — but many do, especially creative, scheduling, or analytics tools.

Your shared email strategy keeps everything clean and reduces subscription chaos.

Step 6: Turn On Two-Factor Authentication for Every App

Inside every app, look for:

  • Security Settings

  • Login & Security

  • Two-Step Verification

  • Account Protection

Now turn on 2FA.

When you’re asked which method to use, always choose:

“Authenticator App”

(Not email. Not phone number. Not text message.)

Authenticator apps are:

  • more secure

  • more reliable

  • safer from hackers

  • easier to manage across multiple people

Once you select it, the app will show a QR code.

Step 7: Scan the QR Code With the Google Authenticator App

This part is beautifully simple.

When that QR code appears:

  • anyone on the team who needs access opens the Google Authenticator app

  • taps +

  • taps Scan a QR code

  • points their camera at the screen

Boom.

The 2FA code for that app now appears in their Google Authenticator.

You can add the same account to multiple people — safely.

This gives everyone secure access without sharing someone’s personal phone.

Step 8: Logging In as a Team

Once everything is set up, here’s what login looks like for your team:

  1. Go to the app (Canva, ActiveCampaign, etc.)

  2. Enter the shared business email

  3. Enter the shared password

  4. Open Google Authenticator

  5. Enter the 6-digit code that shows under that app

That’s it.

Smooth. Organized. Secure.

And no one has to text anyone saying “Hey can you send me the code?”

Why This System Works for Real-World Small Businesses

Most cybersecurity systems are designed for large companies with full IT departments and security tools you could use to launch a rocket.

But small businesses don’t work that way.

They need:

  • simplicity

  • shared access

  • easy onboarding

  • easy offboarding

  • cost control

  • and NO tech headaches

This system hits all of those:

✔ Simple enough for absolutely anyone

(The least tech-confident person on your team can do this.)

✔ Safe even if someone leaves the company

(Just change the password to the shared email and you’re good.)

✔ Helps stop cyber threats

(Passwords alone are not enough anymore.)

✔ Cuts down on subscription waste

(One email = fewer paid user accounts.)

✔ Gives everyone the access they need

(Without compromising security.)

✔ Creates one clean, unified login system

(You will never again dig through emails wondering who signed up for what.)

But Let’s Talk About the Real Fear: “What If I Mess This Up?”

Totally normal fear.

And here’s the comforting answer:

You can’t mess this up.

If you ever get stuck:

  • reset the password

  • rescan the QR code

  • remove the app from Authenticator and re-add it

Everything can be undone or redone.

What you can’t undo is the damage from:

  • a hacked email

  • a stolen password

  • unauthorized access to your business accounts

  • a team member misusing their login after they leave

2FA protects you from all of that.

How 2FA Actually Saves You Money

Let’s zoom in on this because it’s the part business owners love the most.

Without a shared login system, every employee ends up with:

  • their own Canva login

  • their own ActiveCampaign login

  • their own Slack login

  • their own Adobe login

Each of those is:

  • a separate paid user

  • a separate seat

  • a separate recurring monthly fee

  • or worse, an account, and work product, you loose access to when an employee leaves

With the shared email approach:

  • many apps allow one login

  • you pay for one user

  • your cost drops dramatically

  • you avoid user-based pricing traps

For small teams, the savings are huge.

The Bottom Line

Security doesn’t have to be scary.

Technology doesn’t have to feel intimidating.

And protecting your business shouldn’t require a degree in computer science.

By setting up:

  • one shared email

  • one authenticator app

  • one simple system

  • one team on the same page

…you instantly increase your security and reduce costs.

Every business — no matter how big, how small, or how tech-shy — should be using Two-Factor Authentication.

And with the process above?

You’ve got a simple, reliable, business-proof system that works beautifully.

If you want help implementing this for your own business or want someone to walk your team through it, just shout — we’ve got your back.

#GoogleGirl
In Strategy

How to Use Business Intelligence to Improve your Business Performance

Improve Business Performance with Business Intelligence

Guest post by: Danielle Canstello

A wealth of information is generated every single day in today’s digital-first landscape. It goes without saying that all of this data is critical to the growth of any business. The question now is: how can entrepreneurs and managers make better sense of their organization’s data without being overwhelmed by it?

Business Intelligence

It gives organizations a competitive edge in this ever-changing landscape of business by providing them with a better understanding of the factors that influence market trends. Business Intelligence (BI) solutions include:

  • Data warehouses
  • Dashboards
  • Ad hoc reporting
  • Data discovery tools
  • Cloud data services

A BI solution can aid your organization in several ways. However, companies have been slow to embrace such an approach. That’s mainly because there’s still a lot of confusion about business intelligence and how it should be applied to your organization.

In this guide, we hope to illuminate some areas that you might find confusing.

Why Is Business Intelligence Critical to Success?

No matter what industry you’re in, a well-implemented BI solution will empower you to derive actionable insights and critical business opportunities from big data.

Here are some of the benefits of implementing a BI system:

  1. Gives you quick access to critical information

Entrepreneurs constantly have to make critical business decisions to stay ahead. For you to make well-informed and timely decisions, your data needs to be accessible and easy to discern. That’s what BI solutions do for your company, allowing you to gain a competitive edge.

  1. Minimizes need for manual data entries and manipulation

In reducing the need for manual data entries, companies can minimize human error. Reporting and visualizations can be processed sooner, which means you can make smarter decisions faster as well.

  1. Aligns your key performance indicators with your strategies

Investing your time and resources into activities that are aligned with your business strategies will help you take your business to the next level. To avoid wasting resources, you must establish the metrics with the necessary KPIs that are aligned with your business strategies. By implementing BI solutions, you can improve the performance in areas that matter most.

  1. Measuring and tracking sales performance

Monitoring sales performance is easier with a BI solution, especially when you have several sales partners. It gives your team full visibility of their performance. In turn, it lets you know which partner needs a bit more effort.

  1. Illuminates areas where you can cut costs or allocate your budget

BI solutions can also help you identify areas where you can cut costs. Once you determine these critical areas, you can take immediate action and save resources.

Business intelligence solutions can have a positive influence on all aspects of the organization—your people, performance, and projects. In a study, researchers found that companies that have used big data have seen an 8% to 10% increase in profits, as well as a 10% reduction in overall costs.

How Is Business Intelligence Used?

There are several ways to use business intelligence in your organization. Here are a few:

  1. Analyzing customer behaviour

Customers are at the heart of your business. To thrive in this ever-changing world, you need to keep up with their needs and interests. The best way to do that is by analyzing customer habits, the bread crumbs they leave whenever they interact with your brand online.

Using business intelligence software, you can determine which products customers are into and which ones they aren’t. Analyzing purchase patterns, for instance, helps you make an informed decision about expanding a product line or scaling it back. Not only that, BI solutions enable you to determine cross-selling and up-selling opportunities in different customer touchpoints.

  1. Enhancing inventory management efficiency

Having too much or too little stock can hurt your bottom line. With a solid BI solution, you can identify how much you have left, how much isn’t selling, as well as the potential risks of understocking. In other words, it improves the visibility of your supply chain and allows you to maintain ideal inventory levels all year long. Not to mention, it keeps you informed of seasonal changes, as well as changes in customer demands.

In this customer-centric landscape of business, effective stock management is key to improving business performance. Research shows that 89% of consumers have turned to the competition following terrible customer experiences. By improving inventory management, you can drive more sales and improve the customer experience.

  1. Improving employee engagement

According to Gallup, around 34% of US workers are engaged, which is the highest record in the publication’s history. Inversely, the rate of actively disengaged employees is at an all-time low at 13%.

To keep up with the needs of a modern workforce, you need as much information as you can get on how employees are performing on the job. By implementing business intelligence, you can figure out how to approach disengaged employees and take immediate action. BI solutions also empower employees to work smarter and faster.

  1. Improving financial management

Embracing the right BI solution will let you simplify your financial data. It allows you to combine these financial statements with real-time analytics. In doing so, you can manage expenditures well and improve revenue.

Using BI solutions, you can analyze cash flows and balance sheets using visual content such as graphs, charts, and dashboards. These systems will make it easier for you to manage your finances and rebates.

  1. Increasing productivity of the IT department

It’s not unusual for IT departments to be swamped with work, especially now that companies have more data to gather and analyze. Without a sound BI solution, many IT departments have the responsibility of performing complex reports. Since they are often required to run several of these, errors are inevitable.

If you have a BI solution, you can assess your own reports and present them in a way that everyone can understand, even if you aren’t tech-savvy. This also presents you with several opportunities to acquire new skills and try out new strategies.

What Are the Signs Your Company Needs Business Intelligence?

Every company benefits from using a business intelligence solution. However, if you aren’t quite sure you should adopt one, you might want to pay attention to the signs.

Here are a few clear indicators that your company needs a BI solution:

  1. Lack of visibility into your business operations

  2. Seeing rapid business growth or a pending acquisition

  3. An increase in the volume of users accessing information

  4. The need to access relevant business data more efficiently

  5. Having new products

  6. Implementing upgrades within your IT environment

It’s the perfect time to invest in business intelligence solutions. Since consumers are producing massive volumes of data now more than ever, you ought to put that to good use. Implementing a sound BI system will help you improve your business performance and profitability.

Takeaway

Business intelligence solutions can be implemented in companies of all sizes from any industry. They give entrepreneurs the capabilities required for gathering and organizing critical data. It then allows them to process the information and present it in a way that makes it easier for everyone to come up with an actionable plan that will move the business forward.

Guest Author | Danielle Canstello, Pyramid Analytics

About the Author

Danielle Canstello is part of the content marketing team at Pyramid Analytics. They provide enterprise level analytics and business intelligence software. In her spare time, she writes around the web to spread her knowledge of the marketing, business intelligence and analytics industries.

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4 Strategies to Increase Customer Conversion

Invest in Your Business; Convert More Customers with Your Website

Invest wisely for Greater Conversions.

It’s unlikely you’d invest in a business without a solid business plan. Or a plan in place to manage their online presence.

Your online presence is what you say about your business, and more importantly, what others say about your business and your industry. Your online presence is represented by your website, social media and reputation. Let’s focus on how you can use your website to improve your online presence and increase customer conversions (sign ups, contacts, purchases).

Here are 4 Strategies to Increase Conversions on Your Website

Contact Form

Companies that make it easy for customers to contact them receive more inquiries. A contact form can be as simple as this example, or much more complex, asking for details, availability, past history or reason for the request. The easier the form is for the customer to use, the more customers will use it.

Have you tested your contact form lately? Test your contact methods on a regular basis. Often updating plugins, making changes to your website and moving content within your website will “break” links and forms you’d forgotten were connected.

PROOF: We added a Contact Form to a customer’s website 1 year ago. At the time, the customer’s goal was to increase her business by 33%. Enhancing her website, re-examining the reason customers do business with her and adding a Contact Form resulted in a 50% growth year-over-year.

Curious about the number of visitors to your website and your conversion rate? Check out this handy service to measure your conversion and optimization rate.

Search Engine Optimization

There are several ways you can improve and build internet presence through search engine optimization (SEO) services. Google, for example, allows you to purchase traffic, pay to have your ad ranked higher in local searches, and even purchase traffic on a per-click basis. Just create a Google Ads account and you are on your way.

You can also improve your search rankings for free by offering quality and engaging content. Many businesses include a routine keyword-rich blog post on their company website that helps draw in traffic. The real key to SEO is monitoring the end result; keep track of the number of visitors to each blog post to understand what content is engaging to your customers.

PROOF: SEO is the long-game along with investing and planning for the future. SEO creates results for the long term much like eating well and exercise. You won’t see results overnight but small steps each day result in large gains in time. Such was the case for a local HR firm seeking to have their Listing and website at the top of Google; it took time but they are solidly at the top.

Mobile Website Design

A good website has relevant content for ready-to-buy customers, a company overview, service pages and contact information. If you want to stand out and engage your traffic, then stick to an easy design with a landing page that grabs the attention of your visitors. Need a hand planning out your site, or understanding what you can achieve? Take us up on our free assessment offer today!

Mobile-friendly websites are critical for businesses. Up to 90% of your traffic comes from mobile devices. Customers looking for a hotel, a restaurant or a coffee shop want find the closest location with the highest reviews. If your site is difficult to use on a mobile device, customers will abandon your site within 8 seconds for a competitor’s website.

PROOF: Check your Google Analytics account to determine how many of your visitors come from mobile vs desktop. Log in to your Google Analytics account, click Audience on the left hand-side, chose Mobile and select Overview. (Go figure – ours as of today for all time is 67% desktop.)

Manage Your Online Presence

With modern technology and the abundance of business-oriented search engine services, you shouldn’t have any problems promoting your business online. It just takes a little effort on your part to see a massive boost in traffic. With online marketing, the sky’s the limit. 

Many business owners fail to recognize that their online presence is as much what you say about yourself as it is what others say about you. To manage your online presence, you need to monitor ALL of the online content about your business and industry. Start with a tool like Google Alerts and as your business grows and needs a more robust tool, or your industry becomes more competitive, try Reputation Management.

PROOF: Reputation Management not only monitors your business, industry and employees, it also allows you the ability to monitor competitors. In a competitive industry like real estate or insurance, advisors often rely on competitor data to stay one step ahead of the competition.

These 4 Strategies will Provide Return on Your Investment

Increase your Return on Investment (ROI) starting today with these 4 simple strategies for real results. Be sure to let us know your results!

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The Secrets of Marketing Revealed

Secrets of Marketing

The #1 Best Marketing Strategy of all Time

The #1 best marketing strategy of all time has not changed in the last 10 years.  It has not changed in the last 20 years.  Maybe even the last 50 years or more.

Whoa, stop the presses!  Digital is where it’s at.  Online is king.  Mentions, hits, website visitors and proof of performance is new lingo, of course marketing has changed.

Has it? The most successful companies, salespeople and marketers do the same things well today, as they did 50 years ago.

  1. They focus on people.
  2. They know their product.
  3. They know their brand’s place.
  4. Their price is based on their target market’s willingness to pay.
  5. They promote their industry first and their brand second.

Online Marketing Means More Options for Your Business

We were working with a client who was struggling with their marketing budget. To be frank, we were brought in to review the current activities and look for opportunities to reduce costs or improve performance.  In talking with the client, we found ourselves talking about the state of marketing nearly 20-years ago. A time when newspaper, radio and TV were the only advertising options.  Layout and design, or script writing, happened with the advertiser and a phone call was all that was needed to renew the ad from last year.  Buying an ad took a few minutes or a cup of coffee (and a smoke) at most.

Today marketers have dozens of mediums to choose from; sophisticated data to interpret and the ability, in many cases, to place their own ads and supply their own creative.  A single product or service may be advertised in 10 or more mediums, to achieve similar results.

Retail stores used to advertise sales in the newspaper and on radio. Today those same stores need to have the event promoted on Burbio to update Amazon Alexa and Google Home, place a Facebook and Instagram ad, develop content for their website, develop a campaign for advertising online and likely still run a radio ad.  That’s eight mediums for you numbers folks. The marketer who made a phone call to place an ad a few years ago now needs a sophisticated toolbox to reach their target audience.

Enter Marketing Automation

Marketing Automation means different things to different users. To a small business it means being able to manage multiple locations with ease and for a larger business it means in-depth reporting that can provide on-demand performance. It also means reducing the need for human intervention. An ad can be place for days, weeks and months at a time, with changes only needed when performance wanes. Blog posts and social media can be shared to multiple platforms at the same time. Landing pages can capture customer information, trigger bread crumbs to follow the customer on their web searches and enter contact information into sophisticated Customer Relationship Management programs.

Automation does not reduce marketing to a non-human activity; it allows us marketing-humans to maximize our time, challenge ourselves to constantly improve upon last months performance and strategically achieve business objectives.

This Where We Shine. Welcome Digital Marketing.

A sophisticated approach to marketing. We look at marketing from all angles. The data. The website. Social platforms. Customer mapping. High value customers and Highest value products and services. Syndication and website back links. Search engine results over time using reputation management, listings, reviews, social listening, website optimization and more

If the days of making a phone call to place an ad are gone, you might also be thinking, so to are the days of simplicity being the best marketing strategy. Yet, in talking with clients, customers and monitoring many trends, it seems the #1 best strategy continues to be:

  1. Know your people.
    • Your customers. Who are they? What do they like and dislike? Build a relationship with your customers. Focus on people, not the sale.
  2. Know your product.
    • The ins, the outs, the good, the bad. And know your competitors’ products.
  3. Know your brand’s place.
    • How does your product compare to others in the same category? Same marketplace?
    • Place also refers to where or how you sell your product. In a store, online, in the downtown area or in small neighbourhoods.
  4. Understand your value proposition and price.
    • What problem does your product solve for customers? Does your customer know this problem exists? Do they know a solution exists? Are you the luxury product or the entry-level product?
  5. Promote your product.
    • Expecting to bolster your product at the expense of another is a sign of a weak product. Bolster your industry first, and your product second.

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The Power of Customer Reviews in Attracting New Customers

We’re taught the opinion of others don’t matter.

This is true to a certain extent, but the opinion of others truly does matter when their opinion is about your business. More specifically, their opinion really matters when it’s written down as a review.

Customer reviews hold a lot of power. It’s the power of persuasion. Whether or not they’re supporting your business with their review, you can count on people reading it to help determine their own decisions.

Below is a full guide discussing the power of customer reviews. Make sure to keep reading if you want to raise awareness for your brand.

People Crave Consistency

When trying something new, such as a new restaurant or service, people want to be assured their experience will be consistent. It’s part of persuasion.

People are more easily persuaded to trust something if the results prove to be the same time and time again. You wouldn’t like a restaurant if it was a guessing game whether or not your burger would be good that night. You want to spend your money in a place where you know you’re always getting what you want.

Customer reviews reveal consistency. While there will always be the inevitable complaints from disgruntled customers, if the majority of your reviews are consistently good, people will give your business a shot!

One major part about getting consistently good reviews is consistently urging your customers to leave a review.

Reviews Convince Those Stuck on the Fence

Some people spend a large amount of time researching brands before investing in anything. It’s completely understandable because who wants to end up throwing money away? No one.

The only tricky part about reading hours worth of reviews is becoming stuck on the fence about what to do. Even if someone narrows down their decision to two options, they may still feel stuck on where to spend their money.

With more customer reviews, potential customers unsure of what to do will eventually take the leap and trust your brand.

More Customer Reviews, More Views

Shopping local is becoming more popular, but if you’re a new local business, it may be difficult to build your internet presence.

Luckily for you, the more reviews you receive, the more visible your business becomes in searches. As people leave you positive reviews, your name will start working its way up in the algorithm.

In addition to that, people quickly browsing through a local search may just be glancing at the star ratings. If they notice your business is close to 5 stars, they may quickly click over to your website.

People Start Talking

Whether it’s good or bad, exposure starts conversations. The opinions of customers will start conversations online and in-person.

If someone has a wonderful experience with your brand or business, they may tell their friends and family. They may explain to their friends why those chose your business in the first place and why they were impressed.

On the flip side, if someone had a terrible experience with your brand, you’ll notice a drop in customers. This should motivate you to always put your best foot forward.

Have you noticed a negative review or two on social media? Privately reach out to the unhappy customer and attempt to resolve the issue. Showing you care could clear the air.

Customers Like Feeling Heard

By being a brand that encourages customer reviews, people will view you as an honest company. People like knowing they can speak their minds and that their voices will be heard.

Open up that line of communication with people by asking for genuine reviews. Do your best to reply to as many as you can, and take the negativity with a grain of salt.

Tell people you’re thankful for each review, and let the unhappy customers know you’ll be privately reaching out to them soon. By replying, potential customers will see you care. They’ll be more likely to trust your brand.

How to Get Reviews

Now that you fully understand customer reviews can make or break your online success as a company, you might be wondering how exactly you get those reviews. All you have to do is ask.

If you have a physical location people can visit, make sure to create a sign to leave by the door or checkout area urging people to write a review. Create a QR code or provide a link they can follow.

Is your business fully online? No worries about this! On the checkout window, let customers know they can leave a review, or follow up with a survey email.

You might have trouble pushing people to leave a review so try creating incentives. Offer discounts or free small gifts for those who show proof of leaving a review. People love discounts and free items.

Highlight Reviews

Once you start receiving reviews, pick a few here and there to highlight on your website. You can place them in their own article, or you can ask the customers who left them if you can record a video testimonial.

You may see a strange competition starting to develop if you start picking customers to highlight on your site or social media. People may start leaving reviews in hopes they’ll be picked next.

If your shop has an Instagram or Twitter, you can easily share small snippets of peoples’ experiences by sharing their stories or retweeting their reviews. By having them tag you on social media, you’ll gain tons of exposure!

It’s Time to Start Pushing for Reviews

Customer reviews are extremely important in brand exposure. They persuade people to give your brand a shot, and they open up important conversations around your brand. It’s time to start pushing for customer reviews.

Asking customers to leave a review doesn’t have to be awkward. Create incentive programs or social media accounts they can tag in reviews. Highlight some of the ones you love.

If you’re wanting to take your business to the next level, check out the rest of your site. Don’t hesitate to chat with us and ask any questions you may have.

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The Importance of Branding For Local Business

The Importance of Branding

Branding Helps Your Business Grow from the Ground Up.

There’s an age-old debate about marketing… is it an art or a science?

At Above the Fold, we appreciate both the art side and the science side of marketing. However, we really focus on the science side of things to help our clients’ businesses grow. Marketing in this day and age has so many different components to it, and while it is important to keep both sides of marketing in mind, we find that using numbers and technical strategies really take businesses to the next level.

Marketing is Largely Driven by the Science

Interestingly, there are many aspects of marketing that people associate with the art side of marketing, that in fact, are largely driven by the science side of things. Let’s take branding and brand personality for example.

Branding or brand personality are terms that are thrown around a lot in the marketing world, but they basically refer to the consistent characteristics that are associated with a business. They are developed through all the things that potential customers see related to your business, for example, your logo, your social media, your website and your e-mails. Of course, all of these things have visual components that are immensely important with regards to brand development, but how you can use these tools as strategies to take your business to the next level is often overlooked. At Above the Fold, for example, we build e-campaigns, optimize social media usage, track visitors and interpret data about websites, monitor conversions from a variety of sources and more. All these approaches work with the technical side of marketing, but do wonders to develop businesses’ brands.

Branding is More than a ‘Nice to Do’

Why are branding and brand personality so important for your businesses. People often think that branding is a “nice to do” marketing strategy, but that it doesn’t actually do much other than look visually appealing. In fact, effective branding can actually help grow your business and make money. What’s not to love? Some of the best things that branding can do for businesses are making them more recognizable, and allowing potential customers to relate to them directly. This is especially important for local and small businesses trying to grow, as customers are more likely to engage with a business that they relate to. This goes along with the same logic as buying clothing, for example. If we look into a shop window, see an item of clothing and think “hey! That looks like something I would wear…” we are WAY more likely to buy that piece of clothing than if we had thought “hmm… not really my style.” We like to see a reflection of ourselves in the things that we buy. Basically, the better branding or brand personality a business has, the more it can relate to the correct consumer, establish its place in the market, and turn leads into paying customers.

This is all part of what we do at Above the Fold. We understand that all our clients have unique brands and goals for their businesses. Our process includes discussing the specific goals clients have for their businesses and then developing specific and dynamic strategies to achieve those goals together. We report results to you on a monthly basis in order to identify where progress is being made, and what adjustments or fine-tuning is needed.

We value open communication and commit to working with our clients every step of the way. We are also aware that goals and priorities shift as businesses grow, and we are constantly adapting our approaches and strategies as brands continue to mature.

Ultimately, our goal is to see your business ‘above the fold!’

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We’re Live! We’re Local! We Work with You from the Ground Up!

We're Live. Were Local.

Where It All Began

Back in 2015, we were on a summer road trip, when my husband and I got talking; you know those blue sky conversations that start with What if?  What if we won the lottery?  What if we had our own business(es)?  What if…  He has his dream (and it’s his to share) and I had mine.  At the time the technology did not exist to execute mine; at least not in an effective way.

Technology caught up and it’s now or never.  Above the Fold was conceived in the front seat of a hot car on a summer road trip and born July 4th this year.  It’s now live to you and growing like a crazy out of control teenager!

We aim to achieve one thing, more than anything else.  Make online simple for local businesses.

Chain stores have teams of people to manage listings, reviews, social media and websites.  How are local businesses to compete?  We believe the answer is Above the Fold.  We have the experience, the technology and the partners to help local businesses succeed.  We make it simple to manage your online world including your Listings and Customer Reviews, Social Media and Blogs and manage or develop a website including optimizing your search engine terms and targeting ads to your website visitors.  We promise not to talk techie, and we will support you with SMART Marketing services (IE we come to your business to plan and execute your full marketing strategy) when needed.

We bring more than 20 years of marketing, communications, sales, local business, retail and customer service experience to the table.  We work with an award-winning team of planners, designers, writers, strategists and local experts who want to see your business thrive.

Give us a try today!  Our free online assessment is open to all local businesses, regardless of size or location. Don’t pass up this opportunity to see your business through your customer’s eyes.  Complete the contact form here and we will contact you shortly with the results.

Stay tuned, we’ve got some exciting plans ahead.  Watch as we move local businesses above the fold on Google, Bing and Yahoo!

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