The Importance of Using Mobile Technology for Your Small Business

Mobile technology and mobile web use has become so prevalent that some people would argue that we are now living in a post-PC world. While this might be going a bit far, it’s clear that the use of mobile technology in business is more widespread than ever before, and it’s only continuing to grow. Therefore, your small business needs to be able to adapt to the mobile world if you hope to keep up. Here are some of the biggest reasons that mobile technology is so important in today’s business environment, both from a sales and logistics standpoint: 1. More people than ever are using mobile devices to access the internet. It’s an undeniable fact: a growing percentage of web traffic is coming from mobile devices like smart phones and tablets. According to a recent study, in 2012, more than 240 million people accessed the internet through personal computers. That number is expected to drop nearly 20 million by 2016, while the amount of mobile users is expected to jump by 100 million in that time. 2. More people than ever are buying items online from mobile devices. The most recent estimates indicate that approximately 20% of all online business transactions occur via mobile devices, and some experts believe that this number could quickly jump to more than 50% by 2017. Therefore, it is important that businesses make it easy for their customers to make purchases from mobile devices. 3. A lot of social media usage is from mobile devices. Social media apps are perhaps the most popular apps on iPhones and Androids, and a large chunk of social media browsing is now performed from mobile devices. With the popularity of these apps making social media marketing even more important, it’s imperative that your business is able to capitalize with an excellent social media marketing campaign. 4. It improves communication within companies. Companies that distribute smart phones or tablets to their employees have shown to have much greater intra-company communication. In an age where constant communication is extremely important for the flexibility and adaptability of a business, the importance of this benefit cannot be understated. 5. It allows for standardization within a business. If you give out the same mobile devices to all of your employees, it is much easier to standardize the types of programs and apps that you use to conduct business for your company. The last two points are particularly important; not only are mobile devices growing in importance for marketing purposes, but also for actually conducting business. At Fidelity Capital, we provide financing for businesses in need of mobile devices. Contact us today for more information about obtaining these devices at a reasonable price.

How to Eliminate Unnecessary Spending at Your Business

As a small business owner, you understand exactly how important it is to maintain control over your finances. However, it’s extremelyeasy to slip into some bad financial habits and spend money that you don’t necessarily need to. These little decisions can add up over time, causing you some major financial distress down the road. Here are some tips on how you can avoid bad spending decisions with your business and maintain good financial health:

Purchase only the things your business truly needs. Sure, it might be nice to throw out money for lunches for your employees or to spend money on the latest tablets, computers and other gadgets. But how many of these things are really necessary to run your business? Especially when you’re first getting started off with your small business, you need to keep expenses to a minimum to ensure that you can make a profit. Only buy what you need for your business operations and for your employees to efficiently get their work done.

Shop smartly. Of course, there are some types of expenses that you can’t avoid, including rent, supplies for your office, internet service, electricity and other types of payments. Be sure to shop around for these services so that you can get the best prices available. Chances are you’ll be able to find some money-saving deals on at least a few of your regular expenses. Also, don’t be afraid to ask your regular suppliers or vendors for discounts; these companies often are more likely to give deals to faithful clients.

Engage in online marketing. Rather than putting most of your advertising spending into print, television or radio, focus your marketing on the internet. It is significantly less expensive and studies have shown that it is likely more effective as well. Get a good-looking website, regularly update a blog and engage with customers on social media.

Finance your equipment. Purchasing furniture, computer hardware, vehicles and machinery can be extremely expensive, especially if you have to take out a loan and deal with high interest charges. Instead, consider leasing your equipment. You don’t have to worry about the rapid depreciation of the equipment and it’s extremely easy to upgrade whenever you are ready to do so.

For more financial tips and information about leasing your business equipment, contact us today at Fidelity Capital.