Is Google Chrome OS Right For Small Business?

Google Chrome OS is not right for everyone, nor is it right for every computer. What Chrome OS does is put the “net” in netbooks.

These are small, lightweight computers (I wouldn’t even call them laptops) for use on the road or for quick access to the Internet. The operating system is really an advanced web browser.

The advantages are faster boot and load times and less computer power (read battery power) to operate.

The disadvantage is everything is done on the web. No programs or files are stored on the computer.

Now, a cynical person might think that Google is leading everyone into cloud computing, especially Google Apps. But the trend is probably headed in that direction anyway.

Google Chrome OS is set to release an early ‘bare-bones’ version of the OS. I don’t recommend getting in too early. They will be continually updating the OS until it has reasonable functionality over the next year.

But, for planning purposes, small businesses need to see whether they can integrated it into their IT structure.

If your business uses Microsoft Office or other computer based software to do most or your work (Outlook sharing, Word documents, etc.) then you may want to stay with something like Windows 7 Starter edition to integrate with the other office applications.

If your business is moving into the cloud for most of its applications then Google Chrome OS may be worth a look for your road warriors.

Further Reading:

Google’s Chrome OS: Will you give up desktop apps?

Chrome OS will give Microsoft a run for their money

Is imminent Chrome OS launch reckless?

Small Business and the Cloud

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5 Items For A Memo From Myself to Myself

With the end of the year coming up it’s time to review what has happened last year and what will happen next year.

Harvard Business School asks CEO’s to write a memo to their Board each year summarizing lessons learned and plans for the new year. For a home office or small business owner you may not have a Board of Directors, but the principle remains the same.

So, what I recommend is writing a memo to yourself.

I’ve taken the liberty of modifying the list from Harvard, so here are the five things I recommend you actually write down in a memo…

1. Lessons learned in the past year
It’s okay if strategies or tactics didn’t work out as long as you realize why they didn’t work and correct it in the future. By the same token, write down what did work.

2. Top priorities for the next year
You should have 3 – 5 goals for the next year. Don’t add a new goal during the year unless it is replacing one has been completed.

3. Set parameters for those goals
Actually create a timeline for your objectives with earliest and latest completion dates and the top and bottom limits you want to spend to achieve them.

4. Lay out strategies
Sure, your goal is to make more money, but how? Create a new product, expand your mail list, improve customer service?

5. Review your memo regularly
Don’t just write it and forget it. Drag it out every month and see where you are. Are you on schedule? If one is near completion, what’s next?

There’s all sorts of gurus and coaches out there that will tell you to write your goals down. Why? Because it works! It only takes a few minutes and is well worth your time..
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Heavy Hitters Moving Into Mobile

Mobile phone usage is growing fast, especially smart phones, and some big names are moving into the field.

First, Google is buying AdMob for 750 million dollars.

AdMob is one of the top sellers of banner ads on iPhone applications and Web pages that can be retrieved from mobile phones. The acquisition could help establish Google as an early leader in the small but rapidly expanding mobile phone advertising business. [NY Times]

Advertising sales on mobile phones was a paltry 160 million dollars last year compared for $22 billion for online ads, and the “experts” projections for future ad spending differ radically, but everyone’s in agreement that it has no place to go but up and Google is positioning themselves to be in the lead. Read more.
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2 “Must Haves” For Your Business Computer

If you are running a home office or small business, your computer is no longer just a toy – it’s a vital part of your business. What happens to your business if your computer is down for a week or, worse yet, all your business data is lost forever?

There are two things you must have on a business computer… an Internet security suite and a data backup system.

A security suite contains, at its core, a software firewall, antivirus and anti-spyware. There will be add-ons like Identity Theft protection, spam protection and parental control, but the main things you NEED are the first three. Read more.
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Membership Management Software – There Are Two Kinds

So, you want to start a membership site and are looking for membership software to run it. Well, there’s one thing you need to know before you start – there’s two types of membership software, a fact I stumbled on after spending $1,000 on the wrong kind.

The first kind protects directories (folders) on your web site. An example is aMember. ($179 per domain) You select the directory or directories that you want members-only access to. You can put downloads, web pages, audio, video, even a whole web site in there and aMember protects it.

But, the second type of membership management software protects a database. That means that all of your protected content has to be entered through the membership software interface. And, from what I’ve found, it doesn’t protect any directories. Read more.
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From Small Business To Big Business – One Man’s Story

A lot of clients ask us “how do I get started with an online business?” Thomas Heath, a columnist for the Washington post, just wrote a column about one man’s rise from small sales on eBay to a 5 million dollar a year company.

Find your niche. The man in question is a U.S. Marine named Jeffrey Morin. He started in the niche of “challenge coins”, memorabilia coins that commemorate service in a military unit or exercise. He saw them on eBay selling for around $10 – $15 and knew he could buy them for around $5. A small business was born.

Grow your sales. After about six months he got an email asking if he could he find a coin dedicated to mothers with sons in the Marine Corps. No, but he could sure make one! Read more.
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Video Intro To Google Trends

When doing market research or keyword research one of the tools I use is Google Trends. It shows data on search terms that includes the number of searches over time, whether in days, months or years.

Using this data can help you decide when to run online ad campaigns and is also useful for small businesses using direct marketing by choosing the appropriate time to run local ad campaigns.

Google Trends also shows data over time on web sites, whether your own or your competition.

The 6 minute video below provides an overview of Google Trends…

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