These days, everyone has an Internet-connected smart phone. Most of these phones at least have access to Google maps, if not full-fledged Google Maps enabled GPS navigation, known as Google Maps Navigation. For users of these phones, finding a restaurant, gas station, bank, or other type of business is a snap.
Google maps listings have the capability to provide the exact plot of a business, represented by a flag on the Google Maps layout. Selecting one of these flags will give you advanced listing information and options about the business. These include “call now” and “get reviews.”
Getting your restaurant, gas stations, bank, or other business listed in Google Maps via the Google Local Business Center doesn’t prefer much time, especially if you already have a Google epic (Gmail, iGoogle, etc.). For such a itsy-bitsy time investment, The payoff is increased visibility. In addition to displaying your businesses location, Google Maps will also display a button to call the business directly or to catch directions to the location. This will prevent the need for customers to call and derive directions, which will reduce the time your employees devote to answering phone calls providing directions and other information.
When clicked on, a Google Maps listing will show various information, such as your business’s name, address, phone number, email address, website, and description. In addition, a more complex entry will also include the category of the business, alternative locations, operating hours, payment options, photos and videos, and additional details. Additional details can be outmoded to display any category of information you’d like, such as menu items, brands offered, etc.
To begin the submission process, click HERE to go to the Google Business Center. You may be prompted to log in to your Google account, if you are not already signed into another Google service, such as Gmail. Once logged in, click “Add a new business.”
Business Location and Category
From this point, the first page of the process is quite simple. Fill out the information as requested until you come to “Category.” In the category field, categories will display in a drop down box as you begin typing. Don’t build up your maintain category name unless absolutely necessary, as this will manufacture your situation less likely to be found. Instead, acquire an already created category for your business from the suggested results. This is important because Google has already taken the time to determine the most searched and used terms for different types of business. Also, you can specify more than one category for your business, if appropriate, by clicking on “Add another category.” Once you have selected your category, click “Next.”
Service Areas and Set Settings
On the next page, the “Service Areas and Location Settings” gives you the option to plot the service radius of your business, or you can also select areas of coverage based on town or city names, or zip codes.
Hours of Operation
Below the “Service Areas and Location Settings” section, you will collect the “Hours of Operation” section. These fields will allow you to provide your customers with detailed information about when your storefront is open. You can even expend the “I’d like to enter two sets of hours for a single day” checkbox to enter split hours, such as lunch and dinner hours.
Photos
The “Photos” section is overlooked by many businesses, but with the option to attach up to 10 photos, you can give potential customers a feel for your restaurant both inside and out. You can add photos from a website, or directly upload them from your computer. Ensure that any photos feeble here are of the highest quality, and represent your business in the best possible way.
Videos
Like the “Photos” sections, the “Videos” section is often overlooked. Up to five videos can be associated with your listing, so especially if you have shelled out the money to make commercials for your business, place them here. Associating videos with your Google Maps listing will allow you to fully represent the environment and ambiance of your business.
Additional Details
The “Additional Details” section is where you can really add valuable information to your listing. In the “Additional Details” section, you could list your entire menu, products and brands carried, names and phone numbers of employees, or any other relevant information you can think of.
Verification
After clicking “Submit,” you will be presented with the validation page. From here, you can opt to utilize a phone verification scheme, or you can also use the postcard (snail mail) method. It is obviously recommended by this author that you utilize the phone verification method, as it can be accomplished MUCH faster.
Coupons
Once your listing is completed and verified, go to your Google Local Business Center Dashboard, then select the “Coupons” tab and click “Add a coupon now.” You will be able to give the coupon a title and subtitle, details, add an image, establish an expiration date, and determine the locations at which the coupon is valid.
Dashboard Management
Via the Google Local Business Center, all of your locations details can be managed, as well as coupons. Google always adding new features, so check your dashboard often for new options. Storefront locations, coupons, etc. can always be edited or deleted from your dashboard.
Related Posts
Filed under Small Business Phone Service by on Jan 16th, 2012. 
As a business owner, it is important to know all of the avenues from which you can win new business. Having an internet presence has become one of the fastest growing ways to expand businesses around the world. Small business owners can open these gates very easily and at minimal cost. As your business grows, you can get more involved with it so it works better for you.
The following are just some of the reasons why you should take your small business online:
Increased Sales
Having an online presence doesn’t guarantee increased sales but it doesn’t pain. The more your promote your business, the better chance you have of making original sales. It also allows you to reach anyone in the world. This gives you the ability to approach goals that you never imagined from having a little hometown business.
Convenience for Customers
Customers like being able to get on their computers and type in the names of their favorite places of business. If you allow the customer to find out as much information as possible about your business online, you will increase you local business as well as widespread expansion. Being online also allows customers to email any questions they may have about a product or service that you offer. This saves them time but also saves you time from answering the phone lines.
Cheap Expansion
You don’t have to acquire expensive additions to your business. You also don’t have to add a ton of unique employee’s to design it work. It’s the easiest and cheapest way to expand on your business. You probably already have a computer, so you won’t even need to select any new equipment in order to do it.
Advertising
The truth is that printed newspapers and magazines are going out of business quickly. The reason for this is that more and more people are reading the news on their computers. Being online allows you to keep the advertisement up to par. For instance, there are many ways in which you can advertise your business online at no cost at all. That is what makes sites such as Craiglist work so well.
Advertising in print newspaper and other such venues can be very costly. They are also going out of style at the fastest pace ever. Be ready for the fresh way of advertising. You don’t want to be left out in the cold.
The Future
The internet is where the future of businesses lie. The world is geared completely towards internet everything. This includes shopping, comparing prices, working, and business itself. Fewer people are shopping in passe stores. It isn’t that they aren’t buying things. They simply have changed the scheme in which they have done it. It can be compared to records.
Here is an example: Records used to be all the rage. Everyone had to have them. Then eight track tapes came along changing the face of how people listened to their music. Cassette tapes came in right behind and wiped out the use of eight track tapes altogether. Soon after that, CD’s came on the scene and people changed everything over to that venue. This was top of the line technology and we couldn’t think of anything that could go beyond that. Several years later, computers came along and with it a new technology that allowed music to be turned digital. Now MP3 players and Ipods have taken over the way we listen to music.
Honest like the face of music has changed, so does business and you should be prepared for that change. If not, your business will be left in the dust without a chance for recovery.
Starting an online presence isn’t difficult. There are a number of ways to start out at petite cost to you. Dabble in the waters a little bit to get your feet wet. Once you have gotten a good start on it, you will behold that it is one of the best decisions that you ever made. Purchase your small business online today and give it a chance.
Related Posts
Filed under Small Business Phone Service by on Dec 19th, 2011.
Since immemorial communication has been an integral fraction of our life and will continue to be so. With an increase in globalisation and constant boost in world economy, communication has become a high priority area. As a result the selection of an appropriate channel of communication is one of the most critical decisions to be taken by an organisation looking at a long and successful run. Up until now public switch telephony network was the in monopoly. However with changing times, internet has provided us with an extremely beneficial alternative to it, namely VoIP.
Understanding The Working Of VoIP
VoIP or voice over internet protocol is a technology that works through internet. Unlike PSTN (public switch telephony network), voice over IP converts voice which is analog signal format into small sized digital IP packets and terminates it via Internet to the final destination or receiver. Before reaching the final destination these shrimp digital IP packets are reconverted into analog signals i.e. your voice.
The number of people deploying VoIP call termination service is constantly rising with no sign whatsoever of slowing down. This is chiefly due to the numerous benefits of this proper service. Let us have a eye at how this service can help us gain.
Advantages Of VoIP Services:-
Cost Deduction – VoIP helps in tremendously cutting down the cost of calling as compared to PSTN. You can end up saving over 40% for every call made through this service.
Efficiency- Announce over IP services works on packet switching instead of circuit switching technology thereby increasing the overall efficiency which has a advise impact on the productivity which too rises.
Flexibility – One of the major benefits of using this turn key technology is that you can get VoIP calls from across the globe irrespective of the network from where you are connected to.
Convergence- VoIP allows convergence of notify, data and video through a single network i.e. Internet. This proves to be advantageous for virtual workers or even while you are traveling.
More Features Functionality - With instruct over internet protocol, you get multifarious features with your telephony which are either not possible through PSTN or you are charged heavily for it. For instance, call forwarding, 3 way calling et cetera.
Disadvantages Of VoIP
Till a few years relieve VoIP was a technology almost unheard of and the only people who knew about it were either the IT professionals or the so called technology geeks. Even with number of advantages that voice over IP bestows upon us, it wasn’t given preference by the users. This was chiefly due to its quality. Jitters and fraudulent billing were some of the common issues that disappointed the users. Over a period of time constant improvement in the technology and awareness about its advantages has changed the entire scenario with most of the corporates and residentials switching over to VoIP service.
Impact Of IP Telephony On Business
Corporates from all sectors of the industry have acknowledged the golden points offered by IP telephony and this is precisely why they have started slowly but consistently bewitching towards deploying this service. A business irrespective of its size and area of expertise can successfully and profitably switch over to this service.
With the support of VoIP solutions and services business houses can substantially increase their revenue as well the productivity of the organisation. Gone are the days when PBX was used in organisations. Its place has now been taken over by VoIP PBX. It enables inter and intra office calls to be made at running cost. One can only imagine the savings that it leads to not to mention the rise in the efficiency of functions.
All said and done, no one can challenge the fact that VoIP is back and this time to stop. It won’t be too long before all of us would be making cheap calls across the globe with a smile on our face.
Related Posts
Filed under Small Business Pbx by on Sep 5th, 2011.
Being cost-conscious is a way of life for small business owners. Saving money isn’t just about lowering bills, it’s about streamlining and optimizing a business so that it’s positioned to take advantage of changing times and opportunities.
Here are five areas where cost savings can improve your business:
1. Go Green
Invest in energy-efficient technology, or multifunction equipment such as all-in-one printers. Green equipment often brings tax benefits, and many customers consume to do business with energy-conscious companies.
If the business isn’t in the market for new equipment, it’s a shiny proceed to monitor power exercise. Simple steps such as sharing printers and turning off equipment overnight or when it’s not in use can mean spacious energy savings.
2. Consider Temporary and Freelance Staff
Employee costs are a large piece of small business spending but business owners can be innovative to cut their expenses. Hiring temporary staff to handle busy periods rather than taking on permanent employees often makes sense. Independent contractors can encourage with specific projects. Employers don’t have to pay or withhold taxes for independent contractors who meet IRS requirements, and contractors only charge for the work produced.
Another option might be a professional employer organization, or PEO. PEOs take on the legal and administrative responsibilities for managing employees, meaning many small businesses can offer better benefits packages while keeping HR and legal liabilities and costs low.
3. Promotional Penny-Pinching
Small businesses are ideally placed to compose the most of the growth in social media marketing. Services like Twitter and Facebook are free and allow real-time interaction with customers, and setting up a blog to talk about your business can be cheap. E-mail marketing is often more cost-effective than traditional mailings.
If an online environment doesn’t work for your customers, reflect including advertising material with other mailings, such as invoices. This reduces mailing costs, and a simple insert is often cheaper to produce than stand-alone promotional material.
4. Virtual Options
Many business functions that faded to rely on expensive equipment and additional employees are now available in “virtual” accomplish. For example, a virtual PBX provider can make sure you have a professional 24-hour receptionist to answer and route calls. In addition, faxes can be sent via the Internet and printed out on ordinary printers, and “virtual assistants” can provide administrative support remotely whenever it’s needed.
5. Smart Purchasing
Every business needs supplies, but there are ways to reduce the cost of famous purchases from paper to cleaning materials. Many businesses take advantage of member rewards but there can be extra benefits through “double-dipping,” when reward points can also be earned on the credit card used for the purchase.
Collaboration is the small business owner’s friend. It’s gleaming to join forces with other small businesses to make joint purchases and take advantage of bulk discounts on needed items.
Related Posts
Filed under Small Business Pbx by on Jun 4th, 2011.
For a business that is objective starting out and has a limited budget, an Internet-based phone system will save money, provide maximum flexibility and make a grand first impression on customers. In the past, businesses that have wanted a sophisticated phone system have had to spend thousands of dollars to purchase and install hardware, only to be locked into equipment that fast becomes obsolete. By using an Internet-based phone system (sometimes called a virtual pbx) the business owner can be up and running within minutes for very little upfront cost, and will always have the most up-to-date technology at his or her disposal.
There are many companies that offer Internet-hosted phone systems. In choosing one, you will want to contemplate the features offered, any set-up charges (which are typically less than $100), the monthly account charge, and any charges for calls made and received. If you already have a phone number, you will want to check if it can be ‘ported’, or transferred to the current provider. Most companies offer both toll-free numbers and local phone, so if you are getting a new number, you’ll need to choose. You may also want to check if you will own the number, which will allow you to transfer to a different provider in the future.
The central feature of a hosted phone system is the auto attendant. When callers dial your number, the auto attendant will answer the call and display a list of extensions and other options. In addition to listing available extensions, many auto attendants include dial-by-name capability. Once the caller chooses an extension, the auto attendant will either send the caller directly to content mail or else ring one or more physical numbers for a set amount of time before sending unanswered calls to voice mail. It is up to you to program the attendant to follow the sequence of actions you wish, and this can vary by extension, time of day, and day of the week. The proper phone can be located anywhere – in your office, across town, or in another county.
Although a hosted phone system can be position up using standard phone lines, the most flexibility and cost savings are achieved when you use the system with VoIP phone lines (calls are transmitted via the Internet), and IP phones designed to plug directly into your local area network. While this will increase your initial cost, it is well worth the investment.
Related Posts
Filed under Small Business Pbx by on Mar 6th, 2011.