Tech Tips That Can Help Small Businesses Thrive & Survive

Think upgrading to the newest tech is too complicated for your small business? Or, perhaps you’re concerned about the potential cost of new tech systems? While integrating the latest tech into your business routine can come with a hefty price tag, there’s some tech you simply cannot afford to ignore. So, before you brush tech updates off as too expensive or too unnecessary, be sure to read through this list of simple, yet crucial, tech updates every small business needs to grow, thrive and survive.

Build a Better Website for a Business Boost

There’s no doubt about it: having a bad website can be seriously bad for your small business. To keep your business out of the bad website hall of shame, you need to take care with every element of your web presence. If you are a bit familiar with code and web design, you may know the benefits that HTML can provide in terms of functionality. However, if you want your website to have some serious style, you also need CSS. CSS helps meld color, style, and layout into a cohesive website, and it allows for easy changes to your site in the future. So, think about investing in a freelance CSS developer, who can use CSS to update your site’s layout, the look of navigation buttons, and the design of your text. These services can run you $25 to $110 per hour, so make sure any CSS freelancers you hire are creative and understand front-end CSS frameworks and processors, as well as the scope of your project. Schedule a meeting in order to discuss these project needs and ensure a satisfactory final product.

Protect Private Data to Avoid Cyber Attack Costs

Data breaches can be costly for businesses. Some of the most recent reports place the average price tag of a major data breach around $7.91 million. Now, if your small business experiences a data breach, it’s likely not going to cost you millions. Despite lower costs, a breach in private data can cause your company to fold. In fact, most businesses close completely in less than a year after a cyberattack. That’s because recovery from cyberattacks can be too costly and time-consuming for smaller businesses with fewer resources to ever fully bounce back.

Preventing those attacks to begin with, however, doesn’t have to be incredibly expensive. In fact, you just need to update some key pieces of tech, like your POS systems. Consumer credit card data is often the target of small business cyberattacks, but using systems that encrypt customer and card data is a simple way for small businesses to prevent catastrophic hacks and breaches. The latest systems also offer other features that can benefit small businesses owners, so you can receive more of a return on your investment in new equipment.

Make Tech Updates to Create More Strategic Marketing

Data breaches and poorly designed websites can take a toll on your small business. You simply cannot expect your business to survive without these key tech upgrades, but small businesses also need successful marketing to help profits thrive. Consumer research, product updates, and communicating those products to potential customers are all crucial marketing steps that can make or break the success of your business.

Still, to really take advantage of the benefits of marketing, you also need to think of ways to use marketing tech to craft profit-boosting strategies. For instance, you can use AI or email marketing software to enhance connections with your customers. Much like website development, building a brand and managing marketing efforts can take some skill, so if you’re unsure how to proceed with your plan, you may also want to invest in a marketing consultant who can integrate helpful tech, solid strategies, and productive programs into your strategic marketing plan to help your business succeed.

From connecting with customers to protecting the integrity of your business, knowing how to invest in new tech is crucial for any successful enterprise — that goes for large corporations and small businesses alike. For that reason, and the reasons mentioned above, you simply cannot afford to ignore the importance of making the right tech upgrades, product purchases and consultant hires for your small business.

About LiftEngine

Since 2005, LiftEngine's primary mission has been to help clients better understand and connect with their most responsive prospects and customers, online or offline. Our expertise is behind the marketing campaigns of 400+ clients.

Behind LiftEngine is LiftBase, our proprietary addressable consumer database. Comprised of 250 million US consumers, 140 million US households, and 1,000+ enhanced data elements, LiftBase powers our audience development services and industry-leading products, PortalLink and LaunchPad.

Let's connect today!