05/ 21/ 2008
by Glenn Townes
Google is the most widely used search engine on the Internet. But a search engine is not only a valuable research tool for the conventional Web surfer, it is also a commodity for both the traditional and not-so-traditional small business owner. An increasing number of entrepreneurs are discovering other valuable aspects of Google for establishing and building their business.
Other amenities include Gmail, Google's Web e-mail application; Google Docs; and Spreadsheets and Google Trends. Add to the mix Google Calendar, Blogger, Google Talk and Google Maps, and a small business owner has just about everything he needs to get his business on solid ground. Perhaps the best thing about all of these services is that they are free—which is always an attractive benefit.
While all of these tools are exciting and noteworthy, there are even further enhancements that will enable small business owners to grow their businesses. They are:
- Google Relationship Management: Last year, two of the biggest names in customer service relationship and management formed a strategic alliance with Google in order to allow customers to manage AdWord campaigns. The move allows customers to track their online marketing activities and Web traffic effectively through hits and inquiries. For entrepreneurs, the move allows them to quickly identify prospects and allocate various resources.
- Google as a Platform: Last year, Google launched Apps For My Domain. This service allows organizations to outsource their communications applications including e-mail service to Google and to customize their user interface with their own branding and color scheme. Ultimately, this means an individual can send and receive your own e-mail address instead of having the "@gmail.com" at the end. Also, administrative users can access a Web-based control panel to manage the user account list and establish aliases and distribution lists. For the nominal fee of $50 per user, per year, a business owner can set up the premium edition of the service that will increase customer support, storage space and allow for greater functionality.
- Google and QuickBooks: Recently, Google partnered with Intuit Inc. to allow small businesses to create and manage advertising campaigns with Google AdWords and provides a comprehensive list of products for sale free with Google from within QuickBooks. The move follows a growing trend that indicates more than half of all small businesses across the country use the Internet to meet and fulfill various sales, marketing and customer service goals and needs. Thus uniting Google's Web expertise and Intuit's enormous base of QuickBooks applications will lessen the chore of managing budgets and tracking finances for business owners.
Entrepreneurs should indeed explore and utilize these mostly free and useful tools to enhance their businesses.
