People don’t often think of small biz owners as superheroes. But when you think about how determined, dynamic and resilient entrepreneurs are, plus the tremendous economic impact small businesses have in the US - it’s just a matter of time until a new mega magnate joins the Justice League.
For those of us in the small biz trenches, we know it takes more than a cute leotard, a flowing cape and a conveniently located telephone booth to start, lead, and grow a successful business. But have no fear! We’ve rounded up some of the best tools (in the form of easy-to-digest infographics) to make you faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound.
#1 - Best Infographic to Choose the Right Social Media Platform(s)
It’s hard to believe incorporating social media into one’s business plan used to be an afterthought or at the minimum, optional. Today, many businesses owe their success to the power of social media. Zintro.com's diagram helps small businesses identify which social media platforms are best suited to reach specific and relevant target audiences.
#2 - Best Infographic to Choose the Right Apps
When it comes to choosing the right apps to improve and grow your business, it’s a jungle out there. Trying to figure out which ones will simplify communication or track projects takes more than a sense of adventure and a pith helmet. Look to Mavenlink.com's resource guide, “Small Business App Ecosystem” as your personal compass to avoid getting tangled in thorny apps or bitten by bug-laden apps.
#3 - Best Infographic to Leverage the Cloud
It wasn’t too long ago that “walking around with your head in the clouds” meant you were considered flighty and out of touch with reality. Nowadays, businesses leveraging cloud technology are considered smart and reliable. Lizetta Staplefoote deciphers a few things about cloud technology in Rackspace.com's infographic, including options for small businesses and identifying several benefits (beyond cost savings) to tapping into cloud technology.
#4 - Best Infographic to Access the Newest Funding Source
What do accredited investors and banks have in common? They say “NO” to entrepreneurs 95% of the time! Say hello to the newest funding source of the 21st century, which has already breathed life into thousands of small businesses all over the world – Crowdfunding. Need the 411 on this new trend? RockThePost.com provides a great guide that provides budding businesses with the means necessary to amass funding and resources quickly and effortlessly.
#5 - Best Infographic to Get Organized for Success
We've heard plenty of head-smacking stories from small business owners about the challenges they face when it comes to staying organized and streamlining projects and communication. Fortunately, we're more than happy to discover this guide from Office Suites PLUS chock full of free resources that will benefit any small business.
#6 - Best Infographic to Pep Up Productivity
How many hats do you wear on a daily basis? If you answered one, you’re not an entrepreneur and you’re not working for a small business. So how can you boost your team’s productivity and morale at the same time? Discover some of the unexpected ways to do so in this infographic by TheDegree360.com.
#7 - Best Infographic to Boost Sales
Vilfredo Pareto was an Italian economist who, in 1906, observed that 20% of the Italian people owned 80% of their country's accumulated wealth. Huh? What does that have to do with small business? Today’s businesses refer to Pareto’s Principle as the 80-20 rule and when applied to sales it sounds like this, “80% of a company’s sales come from 20% of its customers/clients.” How can a business try to extract more sales out of its most loyal or at least its existing customers? Truaxis identified some robust analytics and new technologies to help small businesses increase sales among current customers.
#8 - Best Infographic to Avoid Hiring Mistakes
In order for small businesses to grow, more people need to join the team. However, hiring the right people can be costly in terms of time, dollars and company morale. Careerbuilder.com sponsored a survey on the cost of a bad hire, and the clever folks at Mindflash.com created this infographic based on those results.
Did we cover everything? As small businesses continue to thrive in this ever-evolving economy, more changes and trends will come and go. Infographics area amazing at catching trends in a format that you can quickly apply to make smart business decisions, today. Who knows - with the right infograhpics, any of us could be the next entrepreneurial superhero!
What business challenge do you face that you would love to see an infographic about? (Please comment below!)
