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5 Essential GMail Tips for Business

Posted on September 14, 2012 by Business Tools 0

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I struggle to find a better and more user-friendly email client than GMail.

I like its almost instant search capabilities and the ease with which you can link new domain email addresses. To make the most of GMail I recommend the following five fabulous (almost) free plug-ins:

1. Rapportive

Rapportive is an excellent email business tool that instantly provides you with the social media profiles of each person who sends you an email to your inbox. Their Twitter, Linkedin, Facebook and all other profiles appear in your sidebar alongside their email so you can instantly click to follow and connect with them.

2. WiseStamp

Looking for an email signature that not only lists your need-to-know contact details but also your social media profiles and latest feed updates? – this could be just the plug-in you need.

3. Boomerang

This is a fantastic tool that allows you to write emails now and schedule them for when you want them to be sent. It is intuitive in how it links to your calendar. Also brilliant in how it allows you to throw away messages into archive that you don’t need to action now but hurls them back at a time of your asking.

4. Awayfind (free trial)

Ever found yourself rushing around from meeting to meeting with no time to check email…..? And then you get to your next meeting or call and find you’re the only one there – if only, you’d checked your emails you would have found the cancellation email sent 20 mins before!

This is where Awayfind steps in. It allows you to specify individuals who may send you an email (your boss (both work and home!) or participants in your forthcoming meeting) and any emails that come from them are pushed to you say as text messages so you’re more likely to be notice them.

5. KeyRocket

Time is money – and the time you spend fumbling around with your mouse to switch from function to function within GMail is quickly reduced using KeyRocket. This nifty piece of free software sits quietly until it spots something you could have done far faster using a keyboard shortcut and then makes the suggestion for future reference in a box in the corner of the screen. Very neat.

 What are your essential GMail hacks and tips?

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Who’s in charge of your business?

Posted on January 26, 2010 by People Power 0
UNSPECIFIED - OCTOBER 10: In this photo illus...
Image by Getty Images via Daylife

You may think that you are in charge of your business, however, in the digital age of social media where anyone has the power to comment on your business and influence both local and global opinion (either via blogs, Twitter, forums, Facebook etc), is this still the case?

There have been many recent high-profile incidents where global brands have been forced to change direction commercially or, at the very least, acknowledge the comments and feedback of disgruntled customers whether they wanted to or not e.g. Dell, Apple are a amongst a distinguished line-up of apologetic global brands.

A few harsh and frank words typed into a blog, Facebook, Twitter or a video review posted to YouTube has the power:

  • at worst to bring about a viral movement resulting in an army of disappointed individuals congregating online who collectively could cause serious harm to your business, or
  • at the very least rank some negative feedback within Google ready to leap out the next time your dream prospect does a search on your business in Google (and they will).

There is nothing you can do to stop this – and why should you?

Feedback is a gift after all whether positive or negative. It is how you deal with negative feedback that is key when the eyes of the world are watching…

A recent study showed that potential customers warmed more to businesses who had negative feedback but took proactive steps to remedy the complaints compared to those that bathed solely in positive feedback. However, for this strategy to be effective it is vital that you are listening for comments made online about your business – and act on it (quickly).

A good example is my local hostelry, The Swan Hotel in Tarporley. A thoroughly nice country pub and hotel with largely 4-5 stars on Trip Advisor. However, scroll down through the recent reviews (as most people do) and you can’t help but be drawn to a review that gives 1 star and says “Child unfriendly”. Read on and the reviewer goes on to berate the hotel and service for a whole host of cock-ups. Left unattended this review leaves a huge black mark against the rest of the positive reviews and, on personal a note as a father, I’m sure I would be scouring through for alternative child friendly options.

The good news is that the owners of the Swan Hotel were listening and promptly posted the following apology under the review:

Problem (not only) solved but turned into a positive.

Be under no illusion, you are no longer in charge of how your business is perceived. Your business will be held accountable for every action it takes and it will receive continual feedback. Your job as business owner, manager or employee is to listen, respond, engage and use the feedback to continually improve and adapt your products and services.

In this way, your millions of managers can help keep your business on track far better than you could alone.

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