Why You Need to Own Your Phone Number

“Starting a business is tough enough without having to battle your phone company for your phone number.”   Did you know there are nearly 543,000 new businesses registered each month? Over 95% of these businesses will never hire a single employee. So it is really no surprise that most business owners either run their business from a cellular phone or single landline. But before you put your cell or home phone number on your business cards, you need to consider the future implications this may have for your business.   As you begin to establish your new business, your phone number will quickly become listed in both online and offline directories. Customers may even begin to store your business number as a contact in their phones. So imagine the horror if you lost your phone number and your customers were unable to reach you. Unfortunately, this the nightmare that so …

Volusia Computers

Matthew Hamel, Owner Talkroute User since January 2015 www.volusiacomputers.com Matt’s small business found itself in a position where it was growing and thriving but beginning to encounter some issues with its phone system. The current system was barely capable of handling their increasing call volume, and the need for an automated menu to serve callers also became apparent. Although he could have remedied this problem early on, he found that the high cost for an updated system from traditional providers wasn’t quite worthwhile at the time. Matt found Talkroute seemingly just in time, which he describes here in his inspiring story. Why did we sign up for Talkroute? Okay, you asked for it. We have a retail computer store near Daytona Beach, Florida. Our business is mostly focused on in-store and on-site computer repair services. For a small shop, we are very busy. Last week, our first week using Talkroute, …

How to Run a Business from Home

Did you know that 52% of small businesses in the United States are home based? That is more than 14 million home based businesses in the U.S. alone. No to mention that there are nearly 300k new home businesses registered every month. That means there is a really good chance that you have purchased a product or service from a home business in the past and simply never knew it. Just like other home businesses, you too can run your business from the comfort of your home without compromising professionalism. With 1000’s of our customers using Talkroute to run their businesses from home, here are a few of the ways we can help you: Common Problems: Your need the flexibility of multiple phones So you are running your business from home and it’s wonderful! You start the day with a cup of coffee and your laptop at the kitchen table, …

Business Mistakes

10 Mistakes to Avoid when Starting a New Business

“As an entrepreneur, you may have to completely rewire your brain until your process becomes deliberate, studious, and efficient.” #1 Don’t Fly Solo: The Value of a Partner First off, understand that you do not have to do this alone. Of course, we all want to take control (especially sole proprietor types) and do everything ourselves because we feel this is the only way things will be properly executed. Going it alone requires that you carry the full workload of your company, which means that you also must maintain the energy and charisma that is necessary for wearing all the different hats which could be worn by others who would probably do it better than you (this is discussed in the next point). Very few people can handle the daily grind of starting a business by themselves, which is why most investors, banks—even accelerators and incubators—consider solo entrepreneurs to be …

5 Costly Small Business Phone System Mistakes

“The average small business misses 40% of sales related phone calls.”   It may sound crazy but your current phone system (or lack thereof) may be costing your small business a lot of money. As a business owner, you may have the latest technology when it comes to payment processing, managing your inventory, and handling the books. So why do small business owners choose to neglect their phone systems?   It’s simple. Traditional phone systems are difficult to setup and costly to maintain. The bottom line is that you don’t need a phone system that is overly complex to be successful.   The truth is that you only need a small business phone system that is capable of helping you solve these 5 common mistakes:   1. Letting Business Calls Go to Voicemail You single biggest phone system expense is not the monthly bill or even the phones themselves. It is the act of …

competition is good

Why Competition is Good News for Your Business

“First mover isn’t what’s important—it’s the last mover. Microsoft was the last operating system, and Google was the last search engine.” Contrary to the belief of the vast majority of those who seek to be successful in business, competition is actually a great benefit to any company. Average entrepreneurs value their competition about as much as they value their in-laws, while experienced entrepreneurs understand that the competition is not the enemy. If you have a viable business, then you can assume that you have one, if not multiple competitors. If you have a promising idea for a business, then someone else has probably already thought of it. When you find another company doing the same thing you are doing, don’t panic. This does not seal the fate of your ambitious venture—in fact, exactly the opposite is true. Competition is Market Validation The first thing to recognize is this: The fact …

customer service

3 Principles That Will Win Customers for Life

“70% of buying decisions are based on how a customer feels they were treated.”   It may sound obvious but if you treat a customer well, you will have a customer for life. So why do so many businesses fail at basic customer service? Sure, there are some truly terrible businesses out there that really don’t care about their customers. But I choose to believe that the majority of businesses that failed, did so unintentionally.    It’s easy as business owners to get wrapped up in the importance of your product or service. Don’t get me wrong, your product is extremely important. However, it is still not as important as how you take care of your customers. In fact, a recent study shows that 70% of buying decisions are based on how a customer feels they were treated. That is a staggering number and one that must not be ignored. …

How to Create an Explainer Video for Less than $500

We increased our conversions by 48% with this simple explainer video.   You have probably seen an explainer video on nearly every company landing page. They are everywhere. Now you are thinking about creating your own but you don’t know where to start and more importantly, you don’t have much money to spend. We get it. Talkroute is 100% bootstrapped and we know how important every last dollar can be.   The bottom line is that you need an explainer video. There are very few rules that I believe apply to every business but the use of video for marketing is one of them. You would never expect to visit a company site without seeing text that explains a product or service. So why do we feel the absence of video is acceptable? Videos are 6x more effective than print and have a 41% higher conversion rate.   So we decided …

We Got Accepted Into Techstars & Turned Them Down

Yes, we were accepted into one of the nation’s most prestigious accelerator programs and turned them down. So are we crazy?   I’m sure there are those of you out there that think we are nuts for turning this opportunity down. That’s fine and you may be right. My goal is not to convince anyone that we were right or wrong or if given the chance, what you should do. Instead, I want to bring you an alternative perspective and hopefully give you some points to consider.   I am emailed about this topic regularly and asked questions such as; “Should I apply to Techstars?” I cringe when I receive these emails, as I’m not qualified to provide an opinion since I don’t know anything about you or your startup. Techstars has a lot of merit and I respect the people behind the program. I don’t want to create the …

Want to Make Your Startup Look Bigger? Get a Virtual Phone System

While huge valuations and giant rounds of venture funding are flooding the imagination of daydreaming “wantrepreneurs”, you are boostrapping your way to success and spending every dollar as it may be your last. You know what needs to be done and how to get there but running a bootstrapped startup is a far cry from the sexy portrayal that seems to proceed what many believe to be the entrepreneur lifestyle. But who cares! Let the others run wild with their imagination while you kick ass and chase the real dream.   “Entrepreneurship is living a few years of your life like most people won’t, so that you can spend the rest of your life like most people can’t.”   “I’m lean, I’m scrappy, why should I want to appear bigger? Won’t my customers accept me and respect me for my ability to run and grow a successful startup on a bootstrap budget?” Unfortunately, the answer is “No”. You …