As a customer-focused media company, we are committed to delivering information in ways that will make your job easier and more efficient. You can thrive by strategically managing how and when you receive information.
Online Training and Certification
Online training has come of age and keeps getting better. Early attempts at Web casts and Webinars were clunky, strained affairs. Fuzzy images and lost connections were the norm. Today, high-speed connections, in-house projection, enhanced software, improved two-way communication and experienced providers make Web-based training an engaging experience.
Most Webinars allow you to submit questions that are answered during a Q&A period. Providers often include video links and related Web sites so you can dig deeper. Need proof of participation to qualify for CECs? You might need to take a short quiz, but many Webinars provide a link allowing you to print a course completion certificate. Challenge your staff to use Webcasts instead of costly travel and you’ll improve training.
Use Online Communities to Obtain Real-Time, Real-Life Answers
Perhaps you’ve avoided places like YouTube, bulletin boards and blogs. Aren’t those for newbies, techies or people without lives? In some cases, that’s true. But for a growing number of people, online community is now an essential source of their business success.
A huge benefit of online community is free access to people just like you who have already tackled your challenges. Whether you are fixing a broken dehumidifier, launching a new marketing program or revolutionizing your company, someone is waiting to tell you how they succeeded at that task or, equally valuable, which pitfalls to avoid. Many sites also offer video that shows you how to do it.
Another aspect of community is the ability to build your reputation. Community participants don’t want a sales pitch (spammer!), but they respect you for providing useful information and solving problems. Respect translates into trust, and trust translates into opportunities for your company.
Find trustworthy bulletin boards, blogs and communal spaces that focus on your industry. You’ll benefit by engaging with sharp-minded, impassioned participants.
Find Information With Lightning Speed
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a geeky way of saying “fast answers.” If you are even a bit Web savvy, you’ve Googled something. But Google can be overwhelming when you pull up 100,000-plus results.
A better option is vertical search – using the search functions of industry-specific Web sites. Niche sites are more targeted and eliminate fluff. Some, like BNP Media’s sites, license Google technology for speed but limit the search to a highly defined universe of data, making your search vastly more efficient. Visit the top Web sites in your field and bookmark those providing the best search results. You’ll save a ton of time.
Locate Products Quickly With Online Directories
Finding products poses a problem when you need specific items. Online directories are a great solution. Most allow you to enter a company name, product category or brand, and then provide a defined list.
OK, you love your print directories. Why use an online directory?
Print directories remain excellent resources, but online directories can be updated daily. Online directories also include links to supplier Web sites, spec sheets and even product videos. Keep your print directories handy and visit their online versions for even more updated and comprehensive information.
Read Breaking News
Whether you’re a leader in your company or headed up the ladder, staying informed has never been easier.
Some Web sites are updated daily, while others languish for weeks. Limit your visits to sites that are updated frequently and offer professional coverage.
Electronic newsletters offer a big advantage because they come to you. E-newsletters have proliferated, so focus on those that provide truly useful industry information.
Real Simple Syndication is a way to assure you are alerted whenever certain news breaks on the Web. RSS requires you to sign up for a reader and select the topics you want. Those articles collect until you access them.
Avoid news overload. Focus on Web sites, e-news and RSS feeds that best meet your needs, and unsubscribe to the rest.
Study In-depth Content For Personal Development and Strategic Planning
While the Web is fantastic for immediacy, it is equally strong in providing content that will help you obtain comprehensive knowledge, perspective, and leadership skills.
Archived articles stored on industry Web sites allow concentrated study of a topic or in-depth analysis of an expert’s opinions.
White papers allow you to read thoughtful analysis on new products and procedures, often complete with statistics and projections.
Syndicated research can help you maintain a high level of expertise on a topic or industry, and provides insight for strategic planning.
Search Web sites for meaty data and expertise. If required, register to gain access to highly valuable information that others may miss.
Conduct Business Online
E-commerce is more than a buzzword. Many companies now require online purchase orders, applications, designs, specifications, bids, change-orders, credit checks and payments. A recent survey conducted among subscribers to BNP Media publications showed that while most all had company websites, only 30 percent allowed customers to place orders online.
Embrace this trend by becoming e-commerce savvy. Promote your company as Web-friendly, making sure your Web site is customer-driven, and you will be rewarded.
Buy the Right Technology
Your staff may be clamoring for iPhones, Blackberries, Windows Vista or other technology. While these products can enhance your company’s ability to receive and relay information, new technology produces a strain on resources. Your IT staff may require significant ramp-up time, and your users will need training. A good solution is to skip one or two generations of tech products, but commit fully when you do jump in. Having everyone using the same version of the same product enhances company-wide efficiency.
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