Julian Smith blogs about what the cloud will mean for small businesses.
“It will also herald the changing of our relationships with our business advisors, such as our accountant. With cloud technology, they can access our data and our records in real time, in turn, being able to provide real time support and advice…”
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Julian Smith blogs about how the online marketplace is impacting the take-up of new technology.
“Consumers are more receptive to purchasing low risk, inexpensive items online (such as music or e-books), and it will take time for people to become comfortable with the notion of buying expensive products..”
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Julian Smith blogs about the many opportunities available to Australian start-ups.
“Did you know that Australia is quickly becoming an entrepreneurial paradise? After steady declines in 2008 and 2010, Australian entrepreneurial activities have returned to the pre-economic crisis levels of 2007.”
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Julian Smith blogs about getting your business online to get the most out of the Christmas sales season.
“With only 66 sleeps to go, I’m urging all SME retailers to get on board, and get online. If you’re not trading online, you’re missing a huge chunk of the market…”
...read moreJulian Smith blogs about ensuring your business gets the attention it deserves online.
“Did you know that you have just ten seconds to grab someone’s attention with your website? That’s the amount of time psychologists estimate it takes a consumer to form an impression of a website, and decide whether they’re going to stick around, or go to the next result in their Google search.”
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Julian Smith blogs about whether we’re investing in too many gadgets.
“Imagine the improvement to the bottom line of many SME’s if we cut back the unnecessary spending? And gadgets are a very easy way to start.”
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Julian Smith blogs about how important it is for small business owners to be passionate.
“I’ve always been of the belief that jumping off that cliff into a world where a salary isn’t guaranteed and the hours are long is the most daunting part of starting your own business. It never occurred to me that sharing your idea – or on a grander scale, sharing your dream – is pretty terrifying as well.”
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Julian Smith blogs about the benefits of employing “volunteers” in your business.
“Employees become volunteers once they are inspired, motivated and truly believe in the organization they work for. They are passionate brand advocates. Their positive interactions with customers reinforce your company’s image.”
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Julian Smith blogs about how vital it is for a business to have money in the bank.
“While Aussie businesses are definitely starting to get the right attitude, we’ve got a lot of ground to make up. Post GFC, the average small business owner is saving $1.27 for every dollar spent – but there are still many who don’t have any savings to fall back on at all.”
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Julian Smith blogs about the importance of face-to-face networking in the business world.
“Glancing around the convention… it reminded me of the one downside of the rise of the online revolution. The loss of face-to-face interaction. We’re getting better at tweeting and worse at networking.”
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Julian Smith blogs about how Australian business owners are failing to find the ideal balance between work and the rest of their lives.
“While technology might be making things easier for Australia’s two million small business owners, it’s also blurring the lines between work and personal life. Gone are the days when computers were turned off at 5pm every evening.”
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MYOB’s Julian Smith looks at using PR to collaborate with the media to ensure your business reputation remains intact.
“Making an announcement, responding to an issue or even telling your tale to the press can be a daunting task, & it’s easy to lose control of the situation…”
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Julian Smith asks if you’ve given thought to whether you’ll be employable should your business fail.
“The important part to remember is that in the wake of every business failure is owners needing to head back to the workforce they left behind. This surprisingly, isn’t as easy as it seems.”
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Julian Smith looks at how Channel 10 should have used Twitter following its controversial decision to split Sunday night’s MasterChef final in half.
“While you can’t completely reputation-proof yourself, you should include disaster planning as part of your initial social media strategy to save time and reputation…”
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Julian Smith looks at the business lessons that can be gleaned from outdoor wear retailer, Kathmandu.
“In a market where the big players such as Myer and David Jones are continually downgrading profit projections, how did Kathmandu do it?”
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Julian Smith blogs about new findings from MYOB that show businesses with websites have consistently higher revenues.
“If consumers are not finding you online, for them your business doesn’t exist.”
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With the News of the World scandal fresh in our minds, Julian Smith asks whether you run your business ethically.
“It’s not just enough to make a list of all the values and principles your business will abide by, you actually have to live them.”
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Julian Smith asks MYOB CEO Tim Reed what impact he expects the carbon tax will have on SMEs.
“This new policy is also one of the first to be implemented in Australia without imposing any extra paperwork on small business owners…”
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Julian Smith shares his inspirational experiences from last week’s Victorian Telstra Business Awards.
“They all had passion, energy, drive and determination; all key factors that had contributed to their many successes.”
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Julian Smith blogs about how vital it is for business owners to rediscover their passion.
“I shared some observations I have gleaned from the most successful business folks I have met on my travels – the one thing they all have in common is passion. The business dream and vision they started with, still resonates with them and motivates them.”
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