Tag Archives: Social Media

guest blogger, Project Management, Project Management Communications, Project Management Software, project teams

The Best Business Apps To Show Your Boss

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As businesses become more and more tech-savvy, many are choosing to distribute iPhones as their default company phone. The iPhone’s wide variety of business apps can help streamline your company while increase productivity at the same time. If you want your company to use technology to gain an edge, here are 5 apps to show your boss that will make his (and your) job easier.

Dropbox

Sharing files among your colleagues can be quite the pain. Many businesses don’t have a standard system in place for transferring files, and many rely on email attachments which can get clunky. Dropbox allows you to created shared folders on your work iPhone and computer, and sync them with each other seamlessly. To share a file, simply place it in the share folder, and it will appear on your coworker’s devices instantly.

Evernote

Evernote is the premier note taking app for iOS, thanks to its simple design and numerous features. Rich text notes can be created, edited, and shared all from your iPhone, and can be accessed from any device with a web browser. Evernote’s notes also support photos, which sync just as quick as text notes.

Scanner Pro

Scanners are the butt of many jokes in an office, thanks to their propensity to malfunction exactly when you need them the most. Ditch the bulky scanner and grab Scanner Pro to streamline the entire process. The app uses your phones camera to scan documents, which can they be emailed with the touch of a button.

stack-of-iphones

Basecamp

Basecamp is the the most comprehensive project management tool for businesses of any size. The program allows your to share files, conversations, projects, and more through a simple user interface. Best of all, it can be entirely operated from the mobile application, allowing users to be productive on the move.

DoubleDutch

Planning large-scale corporate events can often be rather frustrating thanks to the hundreds of factors that go into planning a large conference. Between the attendees, presenters, and planners, numerous people need to stay informed of the event’s schedule. Enter DoubleDutch, an application that gathers all the information you need and allows attendees access everything from their smartphones. The application displays a mobile agenda that can be updated in real time, so guests always know exactly where they need to be. They can even create custom agendas in a few simple steps, or connect with other guests based on their interests/career. DoubleDutch also allows you to create custom polls and survey to collect information from your guests, so you can know exactly what they thought of this year’s speaker.

Tripit

Business traveling always seems to be more hassle than it should be. Between planning the flight, renting a car, and reserving a hotel, the process can get quite complicated. Enter Tripit, which simplifies the entire process. Simply forwarding your travel confirmation emails to a Tripit email account automatically creates your itinerary for you. It can then be shared among users, so all your coworkers know when and where you are heading.

As time passes, more and more business rely on strictly digital methods for managing their information, and the above apps build a solid foundation for running a well oiled and tech savvy company. Remember to try out any apps that seem interesting, and find what works best for you and your business.

Adrian King is a business consultant with a passion for technology. When he is not found working or spending time with his children, Adrian spends much of his spare time reading http://www.marketingtechblog.com/.

Business Networking, guest blogger, Networking

How to Network at Conferences

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Attending conferences is a great way to stay current with the latest happenings in your industry. While internet research and discussions with partners and suppliers can be beneficial, there is nothing quite like joining a large group of professionals in your field.

Presentations by experts may be infrequent in your area, but at a conference you’ll have access to a vast wealth of knowledge and experience.

Conferences are also great places to be inspired- the simple act of leaving, for example, your cheap wholesale products warehouse, and travelling to meet with others who have done the same can provide you with a grand new perspective.

You will also be in a position to connect with many potential partners in business, as well as collaborators, suppliers and, most importantly, new clients.

However, going to a conference and attending seminars is not enough. In order to make the most of the experience you’ve got to network and make the rounds. So how does one meet new people and forge the right connections at one of these events?

Before the Conference

Try to define your goals for this event. Instead of just having a vague idea that you’ll be going to learn new things about selling cheap wholesale products and maybe meet a few people, make it your mission to connect directly with potential business partners and clients in your industry.

Connect with other conference goers and presenters as much as possible. See if your conference has a hash tag to follow on Twitter, or an official Facebook page. Contact speakers on their websites and let them know that you are looking forward to their seminar.

Networking

Carefully review the conference agenda and plan to attend the seminars and workshops that specifically apply to your industry and goals.

Prepare your response to the question “What do you do?”  Instead of simply responding that you buy cheap wholesale products and then sell them, have a thorough but concise explanation of what your line of work is and who your clients are. You may also want to add information about your goals for the event.

During the Conference

As you attend each seminar (as many as possible), be ready to meet people. Have business cards with your up-to-date contact information and photo on them and be ready to hand them out. If you’re not comfortable giving out business cards, practise with a family member or friend prior to the event.

It is also a good idea to plan several conversation starters or phrases to continue conversations, so that your interactions don’t fizzle out after small talk. Be ready to ask questions about others and then confidently share information about what you do and what you have to offer.

After the Conference

Go through the business cards you receive and connect with the appropriate people. Very important connections may warrant a phone call, while others may do best with an email or friend request on social media. Plan to stay in touch, and be sure your connections know where to find you if necessary.

This article was contributed by Wholesale Clearance in the UK.

12 days of Christmas, Careers Advice, Job Applications, Networking, No, Seasons Greetings

On the 3rd day of Christmas my true love gave to me….

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On the 3rd day of Christmas my true love gave to me….

….. 3 French Hens! Or for our theme: On the 3rd day of Christmas The CV Righter gave to me Three Networks, Two Referees and a Killer CV!

Today we’ll cover the three main networks available for free to everyone; LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter – all three of these online social networking sites have plus and minus points. But when you are looking to identify and secure a new job, the plus points outweigh the negatives. You can manage your privacy on all of these networks and I actively encourage you to do so – you could even set up specific accounts for job hunting, clearly your LinkedIn account only needs to be as is and you should look to continue maintaining it and your contacts once you secure a new role as it important when using such a business networking site that you do not pester your contacts when you need a job and then drop off the radar until the next time you need assistance.

Your Twitter account can be used to join in discussions and follow job tweets and also is a good way to start making contact with specific recruiters (as the phone seems to be an impossible barrier at times). Facebook business pages seem to be growing by the day and so are the recruitment adverts, an easy way to integrate your usual Facebook activities is by having job updates in your news feed.

Relevant articles can be found here:

 

On the 1st day of Christmas The CV Righter gave to me a Killer CV

On the 2nd day of Christmas The CV Righter said to me Two Referees

On the 3rd day of Christmas The CV Righter gave to me Three Networks

Careers Advice, guest blogger, LinkedIn, Networking, News

Should you be accepting those LinkedIn invites? Managing your network – guest blog

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It is easy to click on a button and find that you have got another LinkedIn contact. Box ticked. But remember, it is not a competition to get as many friends as you can and then start boasting to your colleagues at work. The social site is designed to be a business aid and help you to build and manage your professional network. So should you be accepting invites from people willy nilly?

Well, there is a simple answer to that, and it’s no. Even the company itself recommends that you only click yes on invites when they are from people you know. Managing your network efficiently is a key part of having an account, so if you can’t control what’s happening then consider whether it is really the best tool for you/your business.

There are a number of options when it comes to invites on LinkedIn. First of all you can simply choose to accept them, which will result in the person being added as one of your first degree connections. Secondly, you can opt to wait and reply to the person who has sent you an invite, without adding them to your network. Next up is the ignore button which puts the invitation into your archive folder but does not let the person know that you have declined their invitation – this is particularly handy when you do not want to offend an acquaintance. You also have the option to report an invitation as spam.

If a person comes calling that you don’t recognise then the chances are that they are from a recruitment agency. Now linking with them can be beneficial if you are in the market for a job – after all they have gone to the trouble of finding someone with your skills and getting in touch. However, if you’re not in the market then it’s likely to be a nuisance that you don’t need. Click yes at your peril! And remember too that other people will know when you have linked with a recruitment firm – if it happens numerous times then it might just start sending warning bells to your current employer!

When it comes to security, it is important to remember to change your LinkedIn password on a regular basis. Back in June the site was the subject of some unwelcome publicity after falling victim to a security breach which resulted in the passwords of more than one million of its users being leaked. That said, changing your password is not simply enough in itself, you also need to make sure that it is not something that someone else will be able to crack without trying. Research carried out after the attack revealed that one of the top passwords stolen was 12345. A considerable number of people didn’t exactly think outside the box it seems when choosing a LinkedIn password – other popular ‘secure’ choices were “job” and “work”.

So remember, while LinkedIn can be a fantastic tool when used correctly, it is vital to consider the security implications and always be careful when accepting new contacts.

Janice Lincoln is a freelance writer specialising in business matters such as looking for jobs via an it recruitment agency.