Managing a startup can feel like a juggling act most of the time. Really, there is no shortage of duties you need to take on, especially when first starting out.
Until you can afford to hire help, most of the administrative duties will have to be handled by you, the owner.
Fortunately, these days there are plenty of useful iPad and iPhone apps available for us to use that can help streamline important business tasks.
“1. Invoice2Go: This app helps you create invoices and estimates on your iPhone or iPad. You can create a master list of regular billable items, or use the Receipts2go plugin to bill for client-specific supplies. Completed invoices can be emailed or printed right from the app.
Invoice2Go also has a reporting tool that lays out your financial situation at a glance. You can create three invoices for free. Paid plans start at $24.99 a year for up to 100 invoices.
2. Docusign Ink: Eliminate printing and scanning with this app, which lets you sign all kinds of documents electronically. Import documents from a cloud drive or take a picture with your device’s camera. Docusign Ink converts the document so you can drag your pre-set signature into place. Then save and send.
Need a client to sign off on a work order, sale or contract? You can use Docusign Ink to request a signature by email or have clients sign off digitally in person. You can sign unlimited documents for free, but there is a limit of five additional signatories before you’ll be asked to purchase a yearly plan starting at $15 a month.
3. Bento 4 for iPad: This personal database app was recently redesigned for the iPad making it even easier to organize and present data. What makes Bento 4 different from the average spreadsheet tool is that it allows you to combine your tables with text fields and images by simply dragging and dropping boxes on to…” [Continue Reading]
Forbes puts a nice list together as well, check it out:
Ever had a great idea while flying cross-country? Evernote is an app that makes sure users “Remember Everything.” By allowing users to store, organize and share text, photos, and voice notes, entrepreneurs can easily keep track of all of their brilliant ideas. The popular app has secured $166 million in funding and acquired web startups Skitch and Penultimate to add to their growing list of features.
Building on Google Docs, Google’s new Drive app lets users seamlessly port and edit files from PC to tablet to smartphone. Not only is it a fully-featured office suite, the software also acts as a full cloud drive, letting you store any file type via a virtual drive app or a web interface. Google apps is already the top choice for small business webmail, and Google is moving to repeat that success in the cloud storage arena. Oh, and you get a nice 5GB of storage, free.
Called a “virtual clipboard,” the FormMobi app lets professionals in the field easily gather and distribute data on any mobile device. The app has robust functionality and is a solid tool for filling forms on-the-go. Some features include the ability to…” [Continue Reading]
What are your favorite business apps? Leave a comment and let us know!
If you talk to any direct marketer, they’ll tell you that QR codes are bunk. Nobody uses them! They usually know this, because they test the results. However, your typical small business won’t track how many people scan their QR code.
Some do, but most don’t.
This is because making a QR code is so easy, they just make one and put it out there. For this reason, I believe QR codes will gain in popularity, simply because of the sheer amount of small businesses putting them in their marketing materials with no after thought.
After reading this article, it appears that my assumptions might be coming true:
“Digital monitoring company Comscore reports that 1 in 5 smartphone users scanned QR Codes in 2011. Of those some 44% made scans in retail stores, with a whopping 59% of people scanning QR Codes at home off the back of packaging and in magazines and newspapers.
Small businesses are seeing the benefits. Manny Rai, owner of North Coast Wine and Beer in Ohio, reports that up to 10 people a day scan his storefront QR Codes. Other companies too are reporting positives, including increased footfall and more in-store sales…” Read more @ Business2Community.
If people keep coming up with clever ways to use QR codes, like the one shown in the video below, I think they could be here to stay. I mean, come on… QR codes on tombstones?! Brilliant!
I’m happy to announce today that we are now able to provide this amazing service to our “off-line” clients. It’s truly a no-brainer!
We already know that the now “old school” loyalty rewards card works when it comes to generating repeat business, and increasing the overall return on investment. After all, most of us have probably used the popular Subway sandwich card, so we know these types of incentives work. Now imagine effectively combining the rewards card with the booming smart phone industry and being able to harness that technology to increase your business’s overall return on investment! Well now you can!
Here are a few reasons why our Smart Phone Rewards Card is right for your business:
1. Unforgettable. Unlike the traditional rewards cards that always seem to jump out of your wallet and walk away without you realizing, our Smart Phone Rewards Card will always be with them when they need it. Let’s face it, people are tied to their phones. If they are away from them for longer than 10 minutes they start to get fidgety.
2. Sociable. With your very own Smart Phone Rewards Card your customers will be encouraged to announce their “stamps” on Facebook and Twitter. Every time a user is posting a stamp, friends and followers learn of your business.
3. Keep In Touch. With your own Smart Phone Rewards Card you can contact your customers by sending them you special offers.
4. Usage Statistics. We will provide you with comprehensive statistics of your loyalty card usage. This allows you to know when your cards are being used, and how often.
5. Secure To Use. The card can only be stamped by entering a password chosen by you. In addition, you can set-up a daily “stamp limit” which limits the number times a card can be stamped in a given day. This is to ensure that your rewards program can’t be cheated!
How Much Does This Cost?
We offer a FREE 3-month trial to try out the Smartphone Rewards Card for your business, and if it doesn’t improve customer retention rates then you can cancel the rewards card at anytime and you will have lost nothing. You truly have everything to gain and nothing to lose here.
This comes as no surprise really. I’m all for smart phones gaining in popularity, since it will only help bloggers and internet marketers/entrepreneurs. It just all comes down to the fact that people with smart phones use the Internet more often than those that don’t. This means we have many more opportunities to reach new people and draw them into our site. It’s simply a numbers game.
I’ll be honest, Apple iPhones are my least favorite when it comes to smart phones. I just don’t trust Apple to make the right decision when it comes to Net Neutrality.
“Apple released its second-quarter financial results today. This includes a record March quarter driving 83% revenue growth, and 95% profit growth.
Second quarter revenue came to $24.67 billion with profit at $5.99 billion ($6.40 per diluted share). For the same period last year, the company reported 13.50 billion revenue and $3.07 billion profit.
The company also recorded year-over-year iPhone sales growth of 113%, having sold 18.65 million iPhones in the quarter. In addition, the company sold 3.76 million Macs (28% YoY growth), 9.02 million iPods (a 17% YoY decline), and 4.69 million iPads during the quarter.
“With quarterly revenue growth of 83 percent and profit growth of 95 percent, we’re firing on all cylinders,” said CEO Steve Jobs. “We will continue to innovate on all fronts throughout the remainder of the year.”
CFO Peter Oppenheimer added, “We are extremely pleased with our record March quarter revenue and earnings and cash flow from operations of over $6.2 billion. Looking ahead to the third fiscal quarter of 2011, we expect revenue of about $23 billion and we expect diluted earnings per share of about $5.03.”
iPhone sales estimates had been all over the board, but clearly they’re doing well, based on this earnings report. Analysts expected the iPad to be doing a little better, but it looks like Apple will survive. iPod decline isn’t entirely shocking…”
Hi, my name is Steve Longoria. Thanks for stopping by my site.
I strive to bring you only the freshest, most relevant marketing content from all across The Internet Tubes!
I also enjoy playing the drums, riding my bike, and pretty much anything wrapped in a warm, cripsy tortilla!
