There has never been a better time to open and run a business. There are a massive amount of reasons for this. Of course, technology plays a pivotal role, but exactly why is this so? What does the business leader of today have at their disposal that would promote envy in his historical counterparts? This article hopes to explore and celebrate some of the wonderful inventions that have made the art of leading a business more streamlined. If you find that you haven’t adopted some or all of the following tools, no matter the size of your business, you will likely gain genuine benefit from doing so.
Cloud Computing
Cloud storage is one of the most convenient new inventions of the digital realm. Even seven years ago we all sent files through internal P2P networks, held them on USB storage devices, and even portable hard drives. While this wasn’t inconvenient at the time, the growth and smooth featurettes of cloud computing and communication syncing has allowed for virtual workspaces that all businesses can access. Whether you’re working from home through a VPN, in a coffee shop, at the office or even abroad, as long as you have access to your internet provider or mobile network, you can access business-critical files. This means you never need to be empty handed by accident during a meeting again, or worry about the difficulty presented to you via the messy organization of files.
Cloud computing also allows a boss to send files to staff on a need to know basis. For example, giving certain departments or employees access rights automatically assumes a level of security without the need for newly generated passwords. An additional benefit here is the ability to receive the feedback of the whole team in one fell swoop. For example, let’s say that you have a new product line launching soon. In order to gather some preliminary ideas about how it should be marketed, allowing everyone to submit their own presentation document in a hidden cloud folder could allow you to overview the curated ideas of the entire team on a case by case basis, without having to rely on the social dynamics of a boardroom to make the right ideas elevate.
Another undeniable benefit is the ability for the whole office to work together well on a certain amount of documents, in sync. For example, cloud template services allow for a seamless communication and workflow in suites such as Office 365. Soon, sharing files and contributing to them piece by piece will be a thing of the past in your office, as the real time collaboration is so convenient you’d be remiss to exclude it from your daily operations.
Legislation
It can be difficult getting through the red tape that makes your business operate efficiently and within the legal parameters of the society in which you’re based. It’s always going to pay to have a team of internal or outsourced lawyers at your side. However, it’s also worthwhile understanding that never before has freedom of information been such a staple of life. You could use this to your advantage. Many programs exist that allow you to bring up public policy documents. Entire ordinance codes and expectation manuals have been digitized online and digitally indexed, meaning that finding that small piece of legislation you need to contend with is easier than ever. This can help you understand the intricacies behind issues such as copyright law, the patenting process, and how to begin the rightful legal proceedings against a toxic employee.
It pays to have access to these resources for when you need them, as it’s impossible to predict when these things will actually become useful to you. With the right skillset and willingness to dig through these documents, it could be that you prevent yourself making a costly mistake early on in any process you deem fit to pursue.
Marketing
Never before has there been such reach and potential in your marketing ambitions. To think that you could potentially have your message read across the world in a matter of minutes is amazing to behold. Many firms decide to focus on their demographics and their local environment, which makes sense if they offer a localized services. However, the potential applications of marketing span much wider than this. For example, being able to develop your image and promote that brand through a vast array of social media networks might draw new people to your brand.
It can also be a blessing to ‘go viral.’ Sometimes, intelligent and well-executed marketing campaigns are ‘shared’ naturally around these platforms, meaning that an array of people almost act as non-paid marketing employees, spreading your message organically through a large network. When it comes to marketing, usually more eyes upon your campaign the better. This is why many businesses in the modern day focus on the ‘viral factor,’ something that will hopefully tap into the cultural consciousness and emphasize a discussion.
This is extremely friendly to business ideas, because sometimes a large growth in profit could be directly attributed to this online sharing culture. However, the opposite side of this is that scandal is often something that people latch on to much more easily. If your business is rightfully accused of wrongdoing, you are in the news for a difficult reason, or you simply mismanage the perceptions that your marketing campaign seems to promote, then plenty of criticism can come your way.
This is a double edged sword. However, with the right team behind your marketing efforts carefully and deliberately organizing something of value, you can definitely offer something new to the cultural discussion, something that is appreciated and at the very worst ignored. With this sharing culture, you can also raise your public stance as a business leader. The best ideas usually win out in these online environments. For example, if you offer a form of sustainable produce or product line, it’s more likely to be seen and celebrated by those who are interested in that cause, and this will directly translate to you being celebrated. This can mean plenty for your career and financial future. Be sure to tailor the power of public image well, and you’ll reap the rewards.
The modern world is friendlier to business than ever. If possible, consider tailoring this to your advantage to truly become the next success story.
