Soul Proprietor - How to not get left behind

Technology. The internet. Social media.

Those words bring shivers up the spine to many a heart-centered entrepreneur. While many of us have embraced it (some unwillingly), there are those who are still reluctant to dive in.

Perhaps your business doesn’t need it. Maybe you’re so established that a website isn’t even a concern. After all, you’ve got a loyal audience that doesn’t even use a computer! And taking payment other than cash? Puh-leaze. Such a plastic hassle!

See how crazy that sounds? (Truth: I was once one of those people.)

It is RARE that a business can operate in this day and age without a web presence and some simple tech tools. RARE. Let me repeat that: RARE.

If you cannot bother with technology, you run the risk of becoming obsolete. While it may seem charming to some that you’re eschewing a website (or maybe haven’t updated yours in fifteen years), the truth is: you’re getting left behind.

Left behind by those who are hungrier, more ambitious, more tech savvy (or willing to learn).

Every day that you refuse to send out that newsletter or accept payment online or promote your biz on the web, you are losing out. There are dollars on your table (or yoga mat) that are going to go elsewhere. They will go to the person who is truly open for business with an attractive, easy to use site, online payment and scheduling options, and smart marketing.

Those are the people who will be gladly taking the business in.

So what are you going to do? Sit back and hope your business survives another recession? Or get updated and start moving into the modern ages?

Here are a few things to begin doing this year if you want to up your game and stay relevant:

When is the last time you updated your website? Start looking around for inspiration and make a plan to refresh your design, offerings, prices, etc. While you’re at it, get a snazzy new head shot (sorry but that picture from 1999 is not going to do). Don’t have a site? Come on now! Let’s stop making excuses and get one up. You can do so with a free easy-to-use site builder like weekly – or an inexpensive one such as Squarespace.
If you have a blog, have you neglected it? Start a regular blogging schedule and stick with it. At least twice a month. You can do it.
Pick at least one social media tool and stick with it. Consistency yields results. (PS they are not hard to figure out.)
Get some easy-to-use payment options on your site. Paypal is free and simple to set up. They also have an option for in person payments! Win/win because get this: hardly anyone carries cash or checkbooks. (Since I put up my site, almost 95% of my clients pay this way. NOT KIDDING.)
Get an online scheduler on your site to make appointment booking a snap. (In some cases, this is not a wise idea. I have to screen the hell out of my list so that won’t wash for me.)
If you are using a free site, get a domain name that is professional and point it to your site. You do not want the long blogger.com or wordpress.com or wix.com stuff cluttering up your brand.
Start working with at least one new app or tech tool a month. I’m currently working through Evernote. It’s a great product! (To help me learn this beauty, I took Evernote for Small Business course from Natasha Vorompiova of Systems Rock.)

So what are you waiting for? The return of the dark ages? The era of using the Yellow Pages? They are not coming back. Stop griping and get typing. Move your new age biz into the new age. You CAN do this.

“What a computer is to me is the most remarkable tool that we have ever come up with. It’s the equivalent of a bicycle for our minds.” ~ Steve Jobs

Blessings,

Theresa