We're often asked whether there are any good, free CRM systems for small businesses. Yes, there are, but you get what you (don't) pay for and each works better for a slightly different use case. Your CRM system is like the lungs of your business. Data should flow in and out, keeping your business moving. There are so many systems out there, with a range of features and levels of complexity, that it can be hard to know which to use. So here are a few free CRM systems you can start … [Read more...] about Free CRM systems for small businesses
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How to predict the future
Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.Søren Kierkegaard If you work with technology or have any interest in it at all, you will eventually have to consider The Future. Many times over the years I've been asked variations of what's coming next, how do we prepare for the future, what should our focus be, what do we need to change, and do we have the right skills and partnerships? Once upon a time, I was the Head of Digital for a large agency that focused on … [Read more...] about How to predict the future
Making sure your email gets through
I don't believe in email. I'm an old-fashioned girl. I prefer calling and hanging up.Sarah Jessica Parker One thing almost all small and micro-businesses have in common is email. It's a cornerstone of modern business communication, love it or hate it. If you're considering becoming a digital business, there are a few things you might want to pay attention to so that people receive your emails. It's common for digital businesses to engage in some form of email marketing, whether that's for … [Read more...] about Making sure your email gets through
Protect your small business from extinction
Humanity is not a pinnacle of evolution, but an "utterly unpredictable, partly random, and entirely contingent" blip in a distribution pattern.Stephen J Gould There's a lot of snake oil peddled online, as you're probably aware. There are a lot of strategists and consultants that read the Method in the Madness newsletter and we've probably unwittingly given what we thought was "sound business advice" at some point. A lot of the advice takes the format: if you do x you can expect y. I'm … [Read more...] about Protect your small business from extinction
Digital Business Checklist for Small Companies
At least 40% of all businesses will die in the next 10 years… if they don’t figure out how to change their entire company to accommodate new technologies.John Chambers, Cisco Like me, many small business owners have been thinking about the death of their company recently. The global pandemic and factors like Brexit have pushed many small businesses to the edge. For many, it's been the final straw and that poor camel can't carry on. We're having to do more with less. There's only one way to … [Read more...] about Digital Business Checklist for Small Companies
8 simple steps for your next small business idea
"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts."Bertrand Russell Decision-making tools like the N2D Method are powerful stuff but they're only one way a company might become a "digital business". I've been spending a lot of time with small businesses since the last newsletter and, almost as a rule, they're looking for practical advice. So I'll be focusing more on that this year. In the last … [Read more...] about 8 simple steps for your next small business idea