THIS WEEK

Great Google Tools To Build Your Business

ALSO IN THIS EDITION

• HR Tip - Moonlighting
• Business of the Week - Herbology
• Blog Post of the week - How NOT to deal with Customer Complaints
• Seminar - Using the Net to Grow Your Business
• Next Week ...

Most people know and use Google search to find things around the web – it is the most popular search engine currently on the planet. But what you may not know is Google has a stack of great tools and add-ons that will help your business grow (and the best bit – these ones are free).

Google Alerts

Every person and business needs to set up at least one Google alert. A Google alert are email updates sent direct to your in box when mention is made anywhere on the web of your search terms. I have Google alerts set up for my name, my company name, by products as well as keywords I am interested in following. 

http://www.google.com.au/alerts?hl=en

Google Desktop

Every lost a file somewhere on your computer. With Google desktop you can search your computer with the same ease as if you were looking for something on the net. Download a simple file and you will never lose a file again. You can also add a sidebar with news and all sorts of other goodies.

http://desktop.google.com

Google Maps

Want to find a business or a street anywhere in the world? Looking for driving directions? Then go to Google Maps.

The thing that is great about Google Maps is you can add in details of your business to make it easier for people to find you (and of course create an additional link back to your website). When people put in a search term with a suburb or location, then Google Maps now appear at the top of the search listings so it pays to make sure you have a full and complete listing in Google maps.

http://maps.google.com.au/

Google Docs

This is one of my favourite Google tools. If you want a few people to be able to discuss a document at the same time, or to be able to edit a document, then Google Docs are the way to have that happen. You can use it for people to update their work status, share information, write what shifts they can complete or just have input into a draft. You control who gets access to the information and whether or not they can edit the document.

http://docs.google.com

Google Notebook

If you are mobile and work across a few computers you know the frustration of doing some research on a topic, only to leave your notes behind on the wrong computer. Google notebook is where you can keep all of your notes and access them no matter where you are in the world. Beats USBs!

http://www.google.com.au/notebook

Google Calendar

If you have a few people and want to share diaries but don’t have an exchange server in your workplace then use Google Calendar (and yes you can import your Outlook diary into Google Calendar). You determine who can view your information.

 www.google.com/calendar

Blogger

Want a blog but don’t know how. Blogger is now owned by Google and provides free blogging. You can host on their website or publish it to your own website via ftp (which is what I do).

https://www.blogger.com

Gmail

A powerful free email program (and you can even get Gmail on your mobile)

http://mail.google.com/

Google trends

If you want to know what terms people are looking for around the world – this is one of the places to look. It will tell you which countries and cities in the world are looking for that term and language used. You will also see the search popularity over time.

 http://www.google.com/trends

Google suggest

Another keyword tool – it gives you suggestions on good keywords in real time

http://www.google.com/webhp?complete=1&hl=en

Google analytics

An essential web tool if you have a website. Put in a snip of code on each of your webpages and track exactly who is visiting your website, how long they stay, what search terms they entered into a search bar to find you, most popular pages and all sorts of other useful business reports.

http://www.google.com/analytics/

Website Optimiser

If you want to test if one page or another is more effective in converting sales, then Website Optimizer will help you make a decision using hard data.

http://services.google.com/websiteoptimizer/

Google constantly updates and adds in new ideas, so it pays to check back regularly and work out what other free tools they have created to work with your business.

I often get asked about what a company should do when they know an employee is "moonlighting" - working two jobs. This is something you need to have written into your employee manual.

Basically you can't stop someone working with other companies unless you could argue that their working with that company is a direct or perceived confluct of interest (and I would make sure my Code of Conduct specifically had a provision in it about Conflict of Interest to be consistent).

The other boundaries that should be in place relate to the person's ability to perform their assigned duties and not using your equipment or resources in performing the other job.

If they are working nights somewhere else, but are too tired to fully perform their work with you during the day, then discuss the issue of tiredness and poor work performance with the person (and not the other job).

If you are interested in using herbs for your cooking, creating your own herbal remedies and lotions - then go to Herbology.

You can register for free and get access to a stack of well researched herbal information and links to great herbal books. They also have a great monthly newsletter with recipes and tips.

Why I like this site is it has brilliant content and is run by a local lady whose passion for herbs shines through in every word. (I love people passionate about their businesses!)

The owner of this business obviously studied at the Basil Fawlty School of Hospitality! Read my thoughts on the subject.

Do you want to grow your business and are interested in how the internet may be able to help you with low cost (or even better - free) marketing strategies?

My good friend and colleague Donna-Marie Coggins and I will be running a Business Growth Session on "Using the Net to Improve your Business".

Date: 3 March
Time: 10-12noon
Location: Chermside library

Bookings essential

In this session we will be sharing our top tips on how you can get the best marketing results from the internet (even if you don't yet have a website). These are simple strategies that almost everyone can put in place - and you don't have to be a geek to do them!

Book now.

What are you known for?

warm regards

Ingrid

Heart Harmony

PS: Remember to visit my small business ideas blog and add in your comments to recent postings about our own local Basil Fawlty

-http://www.heartharmony.com.au/IngridCliffBlog.html