VoIP Phone Systems Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP providers, offer an excellent alternative to a landline phone system. VoIP will transmit phone calls via digital connection, combining the style of a traditional phone call with the accessibility and speed of the Internet. If you have high-speed Internet, a VoIP provider can send you a small router that will connect your cable modem to your telephone line. You’ll still use your standard phones in order to make phone calls like usual, but the VoIP fees that you are charged will be significantly lower than any rate offered by a conventional phone company....

It’s wise to begin with email marketing mistakes you should avoid. For example, you’ll get in a lot of trouble if you don’t ask permission to send emails to someone. In addition, poor list segmentation is a quick way to hinder the effectiveness of your list. However, improve your specific email marketing efforts is just as important as avoiding downfalls. The internet is filled with advice, so exploring some email marketing tools and tricks you never knew about will help a lot....

With all the tools, guides and resources laid out for you, all you need is passion and a strong desire to succeed. Below are four more valid reasons why you should start an e-commerce business this year. Worldwide e-commerce market continues to grow rapidly According to eMarketer, global e-commerce sales are expected to reach almost $2.5 trillion by the end of 2018. The US market alone is expected to grow by somewhere between 11....

Optimize the landing page. Since the landing page is the entry point for all new users, it is vital to focus on it. Every site has unique challenges. You will need to define how much information to collect from the user. Capture the bare essentials (remember, every step is just one more barrier to user engagement). Include the value propositions to the user clearly and concisely, including a button with a clear call to action....

1: Choose the Right Customer Relationship Management (CRM) System Before you invest in a CRM, take a second and make sure the CRM you’re using can fit all of your needs. If your employees travel a lot, a CRM with integrated mobile functions will let them access and update information about clients from a taxi or an airport lounge. At any company, large or small, the CRM facilitates communication between different departments....

Still, too many startups soften their branding to avoid offending potential clients. While bold branding will inevitably deter some segment of the general public, this supposed rejection could actually be a valuable form of self-selection. If a potential client finds the language on your website too informal for a professional setting, your company probably isn’t a fit, anyway. You’d likely end up butting heads the entire time you worked together....

The survey also showed that engagement among remote employees was a major concern to senior leadership figures, despite more faith in employees’ ability to set up and use remote working tech like video conferencing software. Fortunately, however, executives seem to have a number of ideas up their sleeve that can be utilized to increase employee engagement and at least go some way to leveling the playing field between employees in and out of the office....

This feature is the major difference among open source software and blocked source software model. The blocked source model enables only the developer of the application to access and customize the program according to their requirements. It’s the common argument we see between Android and iOS developers all the time. When it comes to open source programs, there are a landslide of advantages that you simply don’t get with blocked source models:...

For the modern entrepreneur, it has now become possible to start a new company without a physical office at all; residing purely in a digital environment, entrepreneurs can theoretically connect to employees, partners, and clients without ever needing a physical place to cement everything together. There are some distinct advantages to this setup, but do they balance out the obstacles this model presents? The Advantages Let’s take a look at the advantages of starting a business without a physical office....

The projected cybersecurity issues of 2016 may be speculative at this point, but history and expert analysis would advise prudence for any startup CEO. Hard work turn can turn to devastating losses in the instance of a cybersecurity hack. The Rise of IoT IoT, or “Internet of Things,” is the idea that certain things can be made more functional and efficient by being connected to a network. Examples range from the large-scale, such as RFID chips that connect to a shipping company’s tracking system, to the more small-scale, such as printers that provide the option to order new ink when it runs out....

So let’s take a look at five important strategies for managing startup companies: Focus On a Small Target By concentrating on a particular niche or specialty that you are extremely familiar with, you can make your specialized knowledge go to work for you. In fact, you can turn your small business into a great success story in a very short amount of time. When any smaller startup attempts to compete against a large corporation, there is simply no way to be able to keep up with its massive advantages....

With 140 scientists, technicians, and engineers per 10,000 employees, compared to 85 per 10,000 in the United States, Israel boasts the highest number of scientists and technology professionals per capita in the world. Additionally, the amount spent on R&D in relation to gross domestic product, and the percentage of Israelis engaged in scientific and technological activity, is the highest in the world. At its core, these impressive stats are really driven by Israel’s culture and mentality....

Technology plays a vital role in these emerging business models. From development of new products to the promotion of new services, everything is connected to technology in one way or the other. It’s important to note here that the trends in technology change very quickly. If you want to keep your business or startup alive you have to keep up with the changing technology. There are several trends in technology that will get more advanced in the coming years and some of these trends will definitely help in the growth of the startups....

They decide to finally go out and chase their dream, but they realize it’s not as easy as it seems. Luckily there are some things you can do to prepare for tough times. If you’re one of those employees looking to break free, we’ll talk about a few things you should know. Create A Great Company Culture When Jack Dorsey was trying to build Twitter he came to an important realization....

Your marketing budget may change during the budget year, but to make it feasible, it should be built together with a plan that fits the goals of the company and one you could work with on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. Before creating a detailed marketing plan including budget allocation to the various channels, deadlines, owner and more, consider these five things: 1. Audience Startups are agile, and the answer to the question “who is your target audience?...

Set up triggered email Triggered programs are emails that you set up based on customers’ behavior that will run automatically. At the most basic, make sure you have a welcome email and a renewal of a subscription. If your capabilities are a bit more advanced, set up triggered emails based on site behavior, such as a “you have items in your shopping cart” follow up. Short and sweet About 50 percent of emails are viewed on mobile devices....

From the moment you step into a room, it should be your goal to impress everyone. In other words, your audience should have a positive perception of you before you ever open your mouth. Of course you’ll need to back up the perception with the substance of your pitch, but it starts with looking the part. Below are five essential tips to help you score. 1: Dress Conservatively There are times when it’s safe to take a chance and wear something unusual or trendy....

In short, Rover is an iBeacon platform that helps retailers deliver a better customer experience by transforming their mobile apps into in-store shopping companions. Leveraging the micro location abilities of iBeacons, the platform understands when a shopper enters a store and which products they are looking at. The idea here is that an app with Rover on it can engage shoppers at the time when it matters most and then deliver relevant information throughout their shopping experience....

Different companies have different values, goals, and incentives that drive their teams. Finding a company with a good cultural fit for you can be a determining factor in how happy you are at work, how well you perform in your role, and how far your position at the company will propel you in your career. If you’re a fan of Harry Potter, then this infographic created by Venngage might give you some guidance....

The 6 Best App Monetization StrategiesStatistics reveal that around 2% of the app developers claim more than half of the app revenues so your aim should be to enter that 2% group! This is why we bring to you the 6 most bankable strategies for app monetization which will help you plan the app well and make a profit from it. In-App Advertising (Free with Ads) Most commonly seen in smartphone apps, the company gets rid of the cost barrier and allows free downloads....