Doggone Good Technology Geek Notes

Demystifying SEO and Online Presence for SMB Owners - Part 4

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 17:26:09 GMT

SEO Strategy Now for SMBs & Organizations

This is the last of 4 articles on this topic. The previous 3 articles can be found on our blog at https://www.doggonegoodtech.com/blog

After exploring (1) An Overview of SEO, (2) The Changing Market Dynamics for SEO, and (3) Dealing with Artificial Intelligence, we return to SEO expert, Neil Patel, for (4) A Concise Plan of Action .

Here’s his summary of both the reasoning behind and the specific actions to take to optimize your SEO and Online Presence:

Why SEO Is Bigger Than Google

To achieve dominance in search results across all platforms where customers are searching, a five-step SEO strategy can be employed, which helps clients rank number one on various platforms, including Google, YouTube, TikTok, Amazon, LinkedIn, and AI tools like Chat, GPT, and Perplexity.
The strategy is necessary because customers are no longer limited to searching on Google, but are instead conducting billions of searches daily on multiple platforms, marketplaces, and AI engines, such as YouTube, TikTok, Amazon, and LinkedIn.
Businesses that fail to establish a presence on these platforms risk being invisible and missing out on buying decisions, but by following the five-step SEO strategy, they can gain a competitive edge that can be leveraged for years to come.
The five-step SEO strategy is designed to help businesses rank number one not just on Google, but also on other platforms like YouTube, TikTok, Amazon, and LinkedIn, providing a comprehensive approach to search engine optimization.
By implementing this strategy, businesses can increase their visibility and reach a wider audience, ultimately driving more sales and revenue, as the current landscape presents a wide-open playing field for businesses to establish themselves and gain a long-term advantage.

Why Search Has Changed Forever

The adoption curve of new technologies has significantly collapsed from decades to months, with examples such as TikTok reaching 100 million users in just 9 months and ChatGPT achieving the same in 2 months, illustrating the rapid pace of technological advancement.
This rapid pace has permanently changed how people search, discover, and make decisions, making search no longer limited to just Google, but now everywhere, including TikTok, YouTube, Amazon, and even AI tools.
Most businesses are still using outdated strategies, while customers have become more advanced in their search capabilities thanks to AI and social platforms, allowing everyday users to become "power searchers" who can do in minutes what used to take professionals hours or days.
The expectations of people have changed across every generation, with users now wanting more than just answers, but also proof, such as products in action, side-by-side comparisons, and real-life experiences from trusted sources.
People's search behaviors have become more multifaceted, with examples such as looking up a restaurant involving checking reviews on TikTok, Instagram, and Yelp, as well as asking for recommendations on Facebook groups, before finally using Google Maps for directions.
The traditional "Google Only Playbook" is no longer effective, as search has changed forever, and businesses need to adapt to this new reality to remain visible and relevant.

The New Customer Journey

The customer journey has changed significantly over the years, evolving from a simple process of searching Google, clicking on a site, and making a decision, to a more complex journey that involves various platforms such as TikTok, YouTube, Reddit, and Amazon, with AI playing a key role in tying everything together.
TikTok, YouTube, Reddit, and Amazon each serve a distinct purpose in the customer journey, including sparking curiosity, building understanding, adding raw opinions, and sealing purchases, respectively, and what took Google 10 years to achieve, TikTok did in four years, and ChatGPT did in two years.
Nearly 60% of Google searches now end without a click, as people are getting their answers directly from AI overviews, feature snippets, and knowledge panels, and billions of other searches never touch Google at all, because context changes behavior.
The way people behave on different platforms varies greatly, with each platform putting the brain in a different state, such as discovery, learning, trust, or decision, and people behave differently on TikTok than on Amazon, or on YouTube than on Reddit.
Focusing solely on Google means missing out on over 70% of the people who search today, and while most businesses know they need to adapt to this new customer journey, very few have a system in place to do so, which is why a five-step strategy framework has been developed to help clients show up everywhere their customers are searching.

The 5-Step SEO Strategy

The reality is that customers are present on various platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, Reddit, and Amazon, regardless of whether a business is B2B or B2C, and understanding the state of mind of customers on these platforms is crucial.
The first step of the new SEO strategy is to find customers by mapping audience and platform intent, as customers do not search in the same way on different platforms, such as TikTok and Amazon, and treating them the same can lead to losing them.
Mapping intent involves figuring out where the audience actually searches, what conversations are being had, and what kind of intent drives those searches, as each platform has its own intent, such as TikTok being entertainment-led discovery, YouTube being long-form deep research, Amazon being decision mode, and Reddit being raw opinions.
To start mapping intent, businesses should ask where their audience goes when they need answers, check their competitors and where they are strongest, study what kind of content works in those spaces, and then choose their top three or four platforms to master before expanding.
A study showed that AI tools consistently pull answers from Wikipedia, Reddit, and YouTube across all major platforms, indicating that these are the platforms where businesses need to build their presence if they want to show up in AI responses.

Get Your Business Information Consistent

To establish trust with both people and AI, it is essential to have consistent business information across all platforms, as inconsistent information can lead to a lack of trust and visibility.
AI thinks in entities, context, and relationships, rather than keywords, and an entity is something that can be clearly defined, such as a company, CEO, product, or service, which AI uses to build a map of entities.
Having a consistent brand identity, including business name, description, and core identity, is crucial and should be identical across every platform, including Google, TikTok, LinkedIn, and Amazon.
Crafting a clear message and positioning is vital, and this includes understanding who the business serves, the problem it solves, and what sets it apart, which should be reflected in every profile, bio, and piece of content created.
Defining content pillars, which involves selecting three or four themes that the brand wants to own in people's minds, such as problems solved, trends shaping the space, or personal takes, can help establish a consistent presence.
Connecting entities, such as building profiles for the company, team members, products, and services, and linking them together, is necessary to form a consistent presence and establish trust with both people and AI.
Online consistency and clarity are essential for building trust with both people and AI, and having a consistent business card for the internet, with the same information and branding, is crucial for establishing credibility.

Create Content That Fits Each Platform

To create effective content in a zero-click world, it is essential to produce content that fits each platform, rather than creating one piece of content and blasting it everywhere, which is a mistake most businesses make.
Building a content ecosystem is a smarter play, starting with a big pillar, such as a long-form YouTube video, podcast, or in-depth blog, which becomes the anchor, and then slicing and adapting it to native versions across platforms.
Videos should be the center of the strategy, as AI tools are citing them more and more in responses, with a steady growth from 7% to over 12% in just 6 quarters, making it crucial to create video content to avoid missing out on AI visibility.
A long-form YouTube video can be turned into several vertical shorts, a podcast clip can become a swipeable LinkedIn carousel, and a blog can become text-based posts and FAQs that AI can cite directly, creating an interconnected system where all pieces reinforce each other.
Each platform has its own rules, such as YouTube needing strong titles, thumbnails, and pacing, TikTok thriving on quick hooks and vertical formatting, and blogs needing structure, headings, and citations, so it is essential to tailor content to each platform.
By tailoring content to each platform, businesses can show up natively where their audience spends time, building a unified body of work that compounds over time, and signaling topical authority to both humans and AI.
For businesses that do not have the time or team to implement this strategy, NP Digital can help, having built strategies for big brands and assisting businesses in getting featured in AI search results and building omnipresence across platforms.

Build the Technical Layer That Powers It

Building the technical layer is crucial to powering the content, as it encompasses the systems underneath that enable tracking, signals, and trust factors, which are essential for both users and algorithms, and this layer is often overlooked because it seems like the boring part, but it is what makes the exciting content work.
The technical layer starts with foundational systems, including a site that loads quickly, especially on mobile devices, as every second of delay can result in lost sales, and Amazon's product pages are a prime example of how stripping down content can make pages load faster.
Implementing structured data, such as schema and entity markup, is vital, as it enables AI and search engines to understand the content, and Nerd Wallet is a perfect example of how using schema and entity markup can lead to inclusion in AI-generated results, such as those from ChatGPT.
Adding advanced optimization techniques, including FAQ schema and conversational content, can improve the site's visibility in AI-generated results, not just in Google, but also in tools like Perplexity and CHIGBT, and this is particularly important for voice search and AI overviews.
Engagement signals, such as reviews, comments, and shares, are essential, as they are used by platforms to decide what content gets seen, and Google Maps, Yelp, TikTok, and Instagram all reward businesses and content creators that engage with their audience and encourage feedback and interaction.
The technical layer is not about being a coder, but rather about building systems that make content easy to find, easy to trust, and impossible to ignore, and this can be achieved by focusing on the key elements, including foundational systems, structured data, advanced optimization, and engagement signals.

Measure, Test, and Optimize

To succeed in the new search landscape, businesses must adapt quickly and test everything, including headlines, thumbnails, and CTAs, to refine their strategy and stay ahead of the competition.
Utilizing feedback loops and applying remarketing and reminder strategies can help businesses learn what's working and stay top of mind, which is why tracking what's working and improving is a crucial step.
Starting simple by using free insights from most platforms can help businesses identify which posts get the most engagement, which platforms send the most qualified customers, and where their brand is showing up in Google search answers and social feeds.
Tools like Uber Suggest AI visibility report can provide valuable information on how a business is showing up in ChatGPT compared to its competition, including sentiment analysis and benchmarking, to help refine its strategy.
Refining a business's strategy involves shifting focus to platforms that are delivering, doubling down on topics that are exploding, and setting aside time each month to review, adjust, and improve.
The cycle of testing and adapting compounds over time, allowing businesses that constantly test and adapt to pull ahead of the competition, as every improvement stacks on the last.
The key to winning in the new search landscape is not about chasing Google rankings, but about showing up everywhere customers look, building omnipresence, and becoming the obvious choice.

Demystifying SEO and Online Presence for SMB Owners - Part 3

Thu, 05 Feb 2026 14:59:38 GMT

Artificial Intelligence, SEO, and Online Presence

For the 3rd of our 4 part series, we're turning to the expertise of Wes McDowell, a well-known web strategist and consultant who helps business owners with his knowledge of digital marketing, SEO, and AI. After 10+ years of creating and testing websites for business owners — and building a YouTube channel with over 300,000 subscribers — he's well known for his cutting-edge, yet practical approach to generating an Online Presence. His comprehensive (read as, "you may want to break this into more than one session" ) plan for dealing with AI in our new online world is superb. While even the summary of his recommendations shown below may seem overwhelming at first, our suggestion is that you read through it and file the specific parts for future reference. We'll show a recommended, somewhat simpler approach in our final article in this series.

Intro

SEO is changing in a way that gives businesses a stronger advantage, and a small group of smart business owners have figured out how to pivot their strategy toward AI to get tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Google's own AI mode to recommend their business.
Customers coming from AI recommendations are worth 4.4 times more than regular Google clicks, but almost nobody knows how to tap into this opportunity yet.
We will show how AI SEO is different from traditional Google SEO and why it's a better opportunity, including what specific content is needed to get AI tools recommending a business and how to amplify the signal on other websites.
To understand the shift, it's essential to recognize how people are changing the way they look for businesses online, with many turning to AI tools like ChatGPT for recommendations instead of searching on Google.
A personal experience of using ChatGPT to find a contractor for a rooftop project resulted in three solid recommendations with specific reasons why each one would be a good fit, demonstrating the potential of AI recommendations.
The use of AI tools for recommendations can provide a more streamlined and efficient experience, giving users a list of tailored suggestions instead of a list of links to investigate.
By the end of the video, viewers will learn how to tap into the opportunity of AI SEO and get tools like ChatGPT to recommend their business.

People Are Trusting AI Tools

People are starting to trust AI tools more than traditional Google searches because they feel that AI provides objective and unbiased results.
When using AI search, individuals complete their entire buyer's journey in the chat, from identifying a problem to finding the exact solution they need.
Studies have shown that customers who come from AI recommendations are worth 4.4 times more than those from Google clicks, as they are already pre-sold on why a particular business is the right choice.
This trend creates a huge opportunity for businesses that figure out AI SEO first, representing a blue ocean opportunity where companies can start getting traffic from AI tools in days, rather than months or years.

What Makes AI SEO Different

AI SEO differs from traditional Google SEO in that it does not rely on keyword phrases, instead, the AI tool is smart enough to understand the context and arrange information in a more human-like manner.
AI tools have the ability to know a lot about the person asking for recommendations, including their age, location, and previous conversations, which allows them to provide more personalized results, making it essential to know your ideal customer well so that you can write about serving people just like them.
When creating content for AI SEO, it is crucial to write conversationally, as AI models prefer human-sounding content, and to avoid using corporate jargon, instead writing at a seventh-grade level, which can be achieved with the help of AI tools.
Most of the content written for AI SEO should be written in a neutral, expert voice, rather than in first person from the business owner's perspective, to sound less biased and more authoritative.
AI tools do not care about duplicate or thin content, unlike Google, so the focus should be on creating helpful, specific, and brief content, without worrying about overlap or repetition.

AI SEO vs Traditional SEO

The difference between AI SEO and traditional SEO lies in where it fits into the overall sales funnel, with traditional SEO typically focusing on writing blog posts that answer informational questions, such as how to train a puppy or optimize a LinkedIn profile, to guide readers through the sales process.
Traditional SEO usually targets top-of-funnel questions, aiming to engage readers and eventually lead them to hire a service, like puppy training or LinkedIn profile optimization, as they progress through the content.
In contrast, AI SEO does not focus on answering informational questions, as AI platforms can provide those answers themselves, and instead concentrates on bottom-of-funnel buyer intent questions, such as identifying the best business for a specific service, like a pergola painter.
The primary goal of AI SEO is to train AI platforms to recognize a business as the best in its category, effectively establishing it as the top choice for customers with specific needs or intentions.
AI SEO involves optimizing for questions that indicate buyer intent, where the customer is ready to make a purchase or hire a service, rather than simply seeking information, which is a key distinction from traditional SEO strategies.

The AI SEO Playbook

The playbook splits up the work into two main categories, similar to traditional SEO: on-page and off-page, with on-page referring to the content on the website and off-page referring to everything else done around the web.
On-page work involves adding new elements to the website to make it easy for AI to find and use the information to recommend a business.
The on-page elements are important for the AI to easily find the information on the website and use it to make recommendations.

Best-Fit Briefs

Best-fit briefs are short posts that position a business as the best choice for various situations, and their purpose is to provide AI with all the circumstances and situations where the company should be the top choice, by spoon-feeding it with relevant information.
The headline of a best-fit brief should be phrased as a question asking for a recommendation, such as "who's the best artificial turf installer in Las Vegas", to help AI understand when to recommend the company.
To create best-fit briefs, brainstorm specific situations and requests that would lead to AI recommending the company, and use tools like ChatGPT to help with brainstorming if needed, then answer each question simply and include the features and benefits that make the company a good choice.
Each best-fit brief should be short, conversational, and to the point, including a real testimonial or multiple testimonials to back up the company's claim, as AI tools prefer concise answers over fluff.
The best-fit briefs can be added to the website's blog section, with each brief being its own short blog post, and it is recommended to move the blog link to the footer of the site where it's less likely to be picked up by human visitors, but still easily accessible to AI.
By keeping the blog link in the footer, AI can still easily find the new content, while human visitors are less likely to read it, making it an effective way to provide AI with the necessary information without compromising the user experience.

Top Reasons Series

Creating clear, structured content is crucial as it allows AI to easily pull from it when making recommendations, and this can be achieved by making a list of all services offered and writing an article for each titled "top reasons to choose your business" for the service provided.
The article should be a simple list of the top five to 10 reasons why the business is the best choice for that service, including features, benefits, pricing, and anything that makes the business stand out in that category.
If needed, ChatGPT can be utilized to help brainstorm and write these articles, and it is recommended to write one article for each service offered, especially for local businesses.

Strategic Service City Posts

To dominate local AI search results for specific service and location combinations, strategic service or city posts should be added for businesses that work with customers in person, which involves creating a post for every combination of services and cities served.
A simple spreadsheet should be made with all services listed along the top and all the cities serviced along the side to organize the content, and then a post should be created for each combination.
Each post should be titled with a phrase like "best service in city" followed by the business's name, and include a paragraph or two explaining why the business is the best in that area, written in third person from an independent expert's perspective.
Relevant testimonials or case studies of customers helped with that service in that city should be included in each post to add credibility and support the business's claims.
The content of the posts for each service may be similar from city to city, but this is acceptable and does not hinder the effectiveness of the strategic service or city posts.

Service Comparison Table

To create an effective comparison, a simple structured comparison table should be made between the service provided and its three to five biggest competitors, showcasing the service as the clear winner, by highlighting categories such as pricing, features, and benefits.
The comparison table is beneficial because AI tools can utilize this deep research to assist people in making decisions, and it should be titled something like "who's the best fill-in-the-blank service, a full comparison".
It is essential to be honest and not misrepresent the service or its competitors, instead trying to cleverly highlight the advantages of the service in as many categories as possible, and this process should be repeated for every major service provided.

Key Pages

A website should have key pages that are expected by clients and can help with conversions, including an FAQ page that makes it easy for AI to find clear answers about the business when making recommendations.
A case studies page is necessary to show real proof of results that AI can reference when explaining why someone should choose the business, and it should include stories of transformations made for customers, such as the services provided and the improvements made.
Testimonials are a huge factor when AI tools are deciding who to recommend, and a dedicated testimonials page should be created with positive reviews from various sources, such as Yelp, Google reviews, and Facebook, and should lead with the best ones that tell a good story of transformation.
A pricing page is expected by both customers and AI, and it's best not to hide this information, but rather provide ballpark ranges or starting prices to give an indication of the costs, and the rest of the website should highlight the unique selling points of the business.

Off Page SEO

Off-page SEO for AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini differs from traditional SEO, and this difference is beneficial for small businesses, as it no longer requires obtaining links from high-authority websites.
In traditional SEO, getting links from high-authority websites, which are considered reputable and have strong track records, was a challenging task, especially for small businesses trying to convince large websites to link to them.
AI tools prioritize how the internet discusses a business, regardless of whether sites are linking to it or not, and they gather information from various sources such as Reddit, review sites, social media, and other online platforms where people discuss businesses.
Getting mentioned on platforms like Reddit, review sites, and social media is easier than obtaining backlinks from large blogs, making it more accessible for small businesses to improve their off-page SEO.
The shift in focus from traditional link-building to online mentions and discussions provides an opportunity for small businesses to increase their online presence and improve their ranking in AI-powered search results.

Get Mentioned Everywhere

To increase visibility, it is essential to get mentioned everywhere possible, as AI tools gather information about businesses from various directories and platforms.
Claiming and filling out every single profile that makes sense for the business is crucial, including Google Business Profile, Bing Places, Better Business Bureau, LinkedIn company page, and social media profiles, ensuring that the about sections are completed.
Listing the business on every major directory relevant to the industry, such as Yelp, Angie, and Home Advisor, is also important, and for local businesses, finding and listing themselves on city-specific business directories is necessary.
Utilizing a tool like Yex can help distribute business information across hundreds of platforms simultaneously, saving time and effort.

Get 5 Star Reviews

Getting as many five-star reviews as possible is important because the number of reviews and average star rating have a significant impact on whether AI tools recommend a business or not.
The average star rating and the total number of reviews are crucial factors that influence the recommendations made by AI tools, with most AI tools currently favoring Yelp reviews.
Despite potential issues with Yelp's business practices, such as hiding or showing reviews to encourage advertising purchases, it is still necessary to play by their rules and encourage happy customers to leave reviews on the platform.
It is advised not to pay for Yelp's advertising and to ignore their phone calls, instead focusing on getting more customers to leave reviews.
Encouraging happy customers to leave reviews on Yelp is a key strategy, as this can improve a business's visibility and reputation in the eyes of AI tools.

Get Featured in Articles

Getting featured in articles is one of the most effective ways to increase the likelihood of AI recommending a business, as AI tools heavily rely on articles that round up the best businesses in different categories.
To get featured in such articles, businesses can reach out to bloggers and journalists who write these types of articles and pitch why they should be included, and even without a link, just getting the business name mentioned is valuable.
If reaching out to people does not work, there are SEO services that can place articles on blogs for a fee, or businesses can write their own "best of" list with their business as the top choice.
Using a press release service is another option to get articles distributed to major websites like NBC, CBS, and Fox, but the content must feel somewhat newsworthy to avoid rejection.
Writing a press release and distributing it through a press release service can be an effective way to get a business mentioned in articles on major websites, which can, in turn, increase the chances of AI recommending the business.

Use a Press Release Service

Using a press release service can help get a business's name mentioned across the web as many times as possible, establishing it as a top choice in its category.
The strategy of using press releases can be applied to various scenarios, such as writing articles about success stories with customers, announcing new services, or winning awards.
To maximize effort and make the process more manageable, it is recommended to download a comprehensive playbook that provides a step-by-step guide to implementing this strategy.
The playbook is available for free and can be obtained by clicking on a provided link, allowing users to access the information and work through it at their own pace.

Demystifying SEO and Online Presence for SMB Owners - Part 2

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 15:21:54 GMT

Evolving Market Dynamics for SEO in 2026

This is the second of 4 articles on this topic. This first one, dealing with the basics, is available HERE .

The world of SEO and Online Presence is in turmoil. Largely driven by the emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the evolution of both existing and new social media platforms, effectively managing your Online Presence isn’t the same as it was just a short time ago. Approximately 60% of all Google searches are "no-click" or "zero-click" searches, where users find the answer they need directly on the search engine results page (SERP) without clicking through to a website. It has caused both concern and controversy among those providing SEO services. Those entrenched in providing “traditional” SEO services contend that the basics haven’t changed, while more progressive SEO providers assert that the established methods, by themselves, are no longer enough. Both are right! What has emerged is a need for a broader, more complete approach to

The topic for today is to examine and learn what has changed in the online presence/online marketing environment. To help us understand this, we look to Neil Patel, co-founder of one of the world’s largest digital marketing agencies and famous for his “early adopter” status based and accuracy on data-driven decisions. You can read our summary below or view his entire presentation on YouTube in less than 12 minutes. Our next SEO topic will focus on an approach to SEO activities and content that will address the impact on, and changes to, customer search behavior attributable to Artificial Intelligence. For today, let’s consider:

Introduction to Modern Consumer Behavior

Consumers are no longer "searching" in the traditional sense, but rather "making decisions" in various online platforms such as TikTok, Reddit, and Amazon, and businesses need to adapt to this shift by optimizing for decision moments , not just keywords or content.
Many businesses are still focused almost exclusively on optimizing for Google rankings. This narrow approach is no longer effective, as it only accounts for 27% of all search activity, with the remaining 73% occurring on other platforms, such as Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
The "Google trap" refers to the phenomenon where businesses optimize for visibility on Google but miss out on the decision-making process that occurs on other platforms, resulting in flat conversions and stagnant sales despite decent traffic and rankings.
Consumer behavior has fundamentally shifted , with people making rapid-fire decisions across multiple touchpoints, and businesses need to understand this new landscape to develop effective marketing strategies.

The "Google Trap"

The modern consumer journey is a constellation of micro-decisions, with different platforms serving different psychological functions, such as Google for searching, Reddit for trusting, and Amazon for buying, and businesses need to show up in these moments of micro-choice to be part of the conversation.
The new marketing approach is called Search Everywhere Optimization , which involves optimizing for decision moments across various platforms, rather than just focusing on Google rankings or keywords.

Search Everywhere Optimization

ChatGPT, Claude, and other AI models are also playing a significant role in the decision-making process , with consumers using them to validate decisions, ask for recommendations, and gather information, and businesses need to take this into account when developing their marketing strategies.
Search everywhere optimization is about getting chosen across the entire internet, by designing content, presence, and brand to show up in all places where customers make decisions, not just Google.
This approach is not about volume, but about strategic presence , understanding that when someone asks for a recommendation, the brand needs to be in that response, and being mentioned in conversations on various platforms.
Roughly 73% of searches are happening outside the traditional ecosystem, and if a business is not optimized for this reality, it will be invisible, emphasizing the need for a new approach to search engine optimization.

Platform-Specific Strategies

Each platform, such as TikTok, YouTube, ChatGPT, Amazon, Instagram, and Reddit, has its own decision engine, psychology, algorithm, and way that people make choices, requiring platform-specific strategies.
For example, TikTok decisions are driven by emotions and novelty, while YouTube is about retention and perceived expertise, and ChatGPT is about citations and semantic clarity, highlighting the importance of tailored content.
Amazon is driven by social proof and trust, with people relying on reviews from real users, and Instagram is about aspirational identity, where people buy into a lifestyle, while Reddit values raw authenticity and honest opinions.

Visibility vs. Validation

Search Everywhere Optimization requires understanding the difference between visibility and validation, where visibility is showing up in search results, but validation is being mentioned in the conversation and having others cite or reference the brand.
Validation is what drives decisions , and it is about what others say about a brand, not just what the brand does, emphasizing the need for businesses to focus on building a strong reputation and presence across multiple platforms.
AI summarizes search results based on who gets mentioned the most and trusted the fastest, and if a brand isn't part of the validation network, it doesn't exist in AI's decision-making process, which is why Search Everywhere Optimization focuses on earning trust signals across platforms.
Being trustworthy is not just good business, but the only way to stay visible in a world where AI is increasingly making recommendations for people, and it's not necessary to be active on every single platform, just to be trusted somewhere that matters.

The RICE Framework

The RICE framework can be used to prioritize which platforms to focus on, with R standing for Reach, I for Impact, C for Confidence, and E for Ease, allowing businesses to score each from 1 to 10 and multiply by the reach number to determine where to start.
Most businesses will likely focus on two to three platforms maximum, such as getting cited by ChadGPT, dominating Amazon reviews, or becoming the go-to expert on podcasts, to achieve strategic presence rather than omnipresence.

Compounding Influence

When a business nails search everywhere optimization, its influence compounds across platforms automatically, such as when being mentioned in a popular Reddit thread gets indexed by Google, or when dominating Amazon reviews influences buying decisions started on TikTok.
Competitors are often stuck in the "Google Trap", fighting yesterday's battles, and most marketing teams are barely keeping up with Google's algorithm updates, let alone optimizing for other platforms like TikTok, ChatGPT, and Reddit, creating a massive opportunity to get ahead.

Getting Started

To start, businesses should start by picking one platform outside of Google where their customers are most likely to validate their decisions and focus on earning trust there before expanding to other platforms. A more complete strategic approach can follow that initial step.

Demystifying SEO and Online Presence for SMB Owners - Part 1

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 01:32:16 GMT

Explain It to Me Like I'm a Child

This is the first of 4 articles on this topic . First, we highlight the best video explanation summary of SEO for novices that we’ve seen. You can read our summary or view the entire presentation on YouTube (see below) in less than 8 minutes. The next 3 articles will examine the “chaos” and evolving nature of “online presence” brought on by the explosion of Artificial Intelligence and changes in customer search habits.

Introduction to SEO and its importance

Search engine optimization, or SEO, is a powerful tool for growing a business, and it involves making a website more attractive to search engines like Google, with the goal of showing up higher in search results without paying for ads. This is known as organic traffic.
A business's online presence is often compared to a physical storefront, and just like a real shop, a website needs to be built on a solid foundation, have a welcoming and easy-to-navigate layout, and be in a great location where customers can find it, which is achieved through technical, on-page, and off-page SEO.

The three main components of SEO

The three main parts of building a digital storefront are the foundation, which is technical SEO, the interior design, which is on-page SEO, and the location and reputation, which is off-page SEO, with a focus on the last two as they are where most of the action is.
On-page SEO involves everything done on the actual website, such as writing words, using pictures, and structuring pages, and is entirely within one's control, whereas off-page SEO involves actions taken off the site, like getting other websites to link to it, and can only be influenced rather than directly controlled.

On-page vs. off-page SEO

The key difference between on-page and off-page SEO is that on-page SEO is about making sure the website is clean, organized, and relevant, while off-page SEO is about building a reputation across the internet so that Google sees the website as a trustworthy and authoritative source.
Having both on-page and off-page SEO is necessary to win, and high-quality content, such as articles, videos, and guides, is like having awesome products on the shelves, while keyword optimization is like putting clear signs on the aisles.

Key factors for website success

Page speed, mobile responsiveness, and reputation are crucial factors for a website, as a slow website can make people leave instantly, and high-quality backlinks are like a shout-out from another respected business, indicating a massive vote of confidence.

Local SEO

Local SEO, including a Google Business Profile and online reviews, is essential, as it proves to customers and search engines that a business is trustworthy and loved, and it is like making sure a business is listed correctly in the local phone book and on the map.

Measuring SEO success and ROI

The payoff of SEO can be calculated using a simple formula based on four key things: how many people search for what a business offers, what percentage of them will click on the site, how many visitors turn into leads or customers, and what an average customer is worth to the business.
SEO is an investment that builds on itself over time, and the work done today can keep paying back for months or even years, unlike paid ads, which stop generating traffic once the payment stops.

Long-term nature of SEO

Building a reputation across the web with off-page SEO is a long-term play that can take a few months to see meaningful results, and it is essential to have realistic expectations and avoid black hat SEO tactics.

Ethical SEO practices

White hat SEO is about creating an amazing and helpful experience for human beings visiting a site, while black hat SEO involves sneaky shortcuts and tricks that can lead to penalties, such as keyword stuffing and using hidden text.

Getting started with SEO

To get started with SEO, a simple five-step plan can be followed, which includes auditing the site, optimizing content for keywords, setting up and optimizing the Google business profile, and starting a simple monthly plan.

The ultimate goal of SEO

The ultimate goal of search engine optimization is to increase visibility and ensure that potential customers can find a business when they are searching for solutions to their problems online.
Potential customers are actively searching for businesses like yours every day, and the key to success lies in being visible and findable when they conduct a search, making it crucial to have an effective search engine optimization strategy in place.

We've Changed the Website Building Experience for SMB Owners - Here's How

Mon, 22 Sep 2025 15:32:12 GMT

It's No Longer an Experience Filled with Uncertainty & Doubt

If you're an SMB owner and you've never built a website before, you likely view it as a "scary" proposition. If you've already had a website built for you or tried to build one yourself, odds are it was about as much fun as a painful medical procedure.

At Doggone Good Technology , our entire business model is based on delivering real value to clients. As such, we've changed the paradigm for SMB website development. Really . We deliver a financially risk-free experience that is focused on what you want to achieve and supported by us throughout the entire process. In fact, you don't pay us anything until you're convinced that we're a good fit for developing your website. To prove our intent, we'll even develop a website prototype specifically for you without any obligation on your part! Here's how it all works:

Our first encounter is usually via phone and lasts about 30 minutes. It's a typical "About you & About us" exchange where we learn a little about each other. The most important parts are (a) gaining an understanding of your business or organization, and (b) understanding what you hope to accomplish with a new website. If we both like each other and decide that it seems like a "good fit", we'll move forward. Almost always, in this first meeting, we can provide you with a "ballpark range" of what the likely cost to develop your website will be. (More about that later).
The next step is that Doggone Good Technology will develop a website prototype for you free of charge based on what you described in our first meeting. Now, as a working mockup, it certainly won't be in final form, but it will give you a pretty good idea of what our capabilities are. It may well expand your thinking to some new ideas, too. Once again, if you like what you see, and importantly, if you feel good about our product & process so far, again we'll move forward. If not, we'll part ways as friends.
Next on the agenda is a live meeting (either in person or virtually) to really get into the "nitty gritty" of your new website. We'll start with a page-by-page review of the website prototype. We'll discuss adding, subtracting, and editing various elements and functions of what the final website should look like and do. Assuming you're still confident in our abilities, we'll continue. If not, again we'll part ways as friends. Notice that everything we've done so far has been free of charge and without any obligation on your part. We want to demonstrate that we can provide value and deliver a website you can be proud of.
At this point Doggone Good Technology will deliver a proposal for your review. Not a lengthy proposition chock-full of legalese. No, it's in plain English, easy to read, and is designed to protect both of us. Similar to our initial encounter when we gave you a ballpark range of costs, the proposal will also contain a cost range, but it's much narrower because we've got a much better idea of what you want and need. The lower end of that range is the "Base Cost" and is the minimum cost possible to develop your final website. We'll try our best to keep that as the final cost, but in our experience, about half the time, clients will add design or functional features during the final build, or some other aspect of the project that exceeds our original estimate. For that reason, we also provide a "No Greater Than Cost" - a guarantee that you will not incur a total development cost above this price without your explicit approval. In our experience, 90+% of the time, your final cost does not even approach the upper end of this range. If you sign the proposal, we'll invoice you for the Base Cost and start final development as soon as the invoice is paid. If, for some reason, you've changed your mind, we consider it "No harm, no foul" and we'll pleasantly end our collaboration.
Now starts the "Final push" to develop your final website. It's an iterative process where you tell us what you want to add, subtract, or change, and we'll continually revise your website until you're happy. When you like what you see, we'll ask you to approve the final site, and we'll publish it live to the internet.

That sums it up .. .. .. We make sure we're a "good fit" before asking for money, work collaboratively to deliver an exceptional product at an affordable cost , and continue to support our clients long after the original project is finished.

It's just a Doggone Good way of doing business!

Architecting Success: The Four Pillars of Business Excellence

contact@doggonegoodtech.com (John Ohman) — Wed, 12 Feb 2025 18:26:04 GMT

Tackle Each One with Care

In the dynamic business world, sustainable success is not a matter of chance but a carefully constructed blueprint. Entrepreneurs and leaders who understand the intricate interplay of structure, people, processes, and systems are best positioned to create thriving, resilient organizations. This guide will explore these four elements that are key to transforming good businesses into exceptional enterprises.

Structural Foundation : Designing Organizational Architecture for Success
The organizational structure serves as the skeleton of any business, providing essential support and defining how work flows through the company. An effective structure creates clear lines of communication, establishes accountability, and enables strategic decision-making. Successful businesses recognize that no single organizational model fits all; instead, they design flexible frameworks that adapt to their unique market demands and growth trajectories.
Hierarchical models are not obsolete but require thoughtful implementation. Modern organizations increasingly favor flatter structures that promote innovation, reduce bureaucratic barriers, and empower employees at multiple levels. By creating cross-functional teams and eliminating unnecessary management layers, companies can respond more quickly to market changes and foster a more collaborative work environment.

Ask yourself:

Does your Org Chart make sense?
Are the functions grouped in a way that is specific to needed work outcomes yet still collaborative with other functions?

People Power : Cultivating Exceptional Talent and Skills
Human capital represents the most valuable asset in any business. Recruiting, developing, and retaining top talent is crucial for sustainable business success. Organizations must move beyond traditional hiring practices and develop comprehensive talent management strategies that align individual skills with organizational goals.
Effective talent development involves continuous learning, personalized career pathways, and creating a culture of growth and innovation. Companies that invest in their employees' professional development see higher engagement, lower turnover rates, and increased productivity. This approach requires an overall approach to talent management, integrating robust recruitment, meaningful training programs, and clear performance evaluation mechanisms.

Ask yourself:

Have you clearly defined the specific skills each of your positions requires for the job's best contribution its functional output?
Do you have the best people in the best roles?

Process Optimization : Streamlining Operational Excellence
Efficient processes are the engines that drive business performance. Successful organizations continuously analyze and refine their operational workflows, eliminating redundancies and leveraging technology to enhance productivity. Process optimization is not a one-time event but an ongoing commitment to incremental improvements.
Modern businesses can adapt personal productivity methodologies (like GTD, Franklin-Covey, Eisenhower Matrix, etc.) to systematically improve the effectiveness of their operations. Digital transformation plays a critical role, with technology enabling more intelligent, data-driven process design. Automation, artificial intelligence, and relevant analytics provide opportunities to enhance business functions.

Ask yourself:

Have you created a step-by-step listing (or flow chart) of each needed business process?
Have you fallen victim to the "We've always done it this way" answer when asked why you do it the way you do?

Supporting Systems : The Technological Backbone of Business Performance
Integrating technology solutions can form the backbone of modern business operations. The right technology applied to the correct processes enables seamless communication, information management, and strategic decision-making. It doesn't have to be either fancy or expensive - it just has to make sense in improving how things get done.
Implementation goes beyond merely purchasing technology; it requires careful planning and consideration of organizational goals, effective training, and ongoing optimization. Businesses must ensure that their technology investments directly contribute to operational efficiency and competitive advantage.

Ask yourself:

Can you identify, and describe in detail, the "pain points" of your business processes?
Have you looked for either alternate processes or alternate systems to alleviate them?

So much for "What" to focus on. Next up is "How".

Stay tuned.

What's Going On with Google Reviews?!?

contact@doggonegoodtech.com (John Ohman) — Sat, 11 Jan 2025 21:27:59 GMT

Info & Advice for Business Owners

The removal of Google Reviews from business profiles has been a point of significant concern for many businesses recently. While Google has not always provided detailed public explanations for these actions, several factors and patterns can help explain why reviews are being removed:

1. Spam Detection and Policy Violations

Google uses automated systems and human reviewers to identify reviews that violate its policies. If reviews are flagged as spam, fake, or incentivized, they may be removed. This includes:

Reviews from non-genuine accounts.
Reviews that appear coordinated (e.g., several reviews from similar IP addresses).
Reviews containing prohibited content, such as offensive language or links.

2. Suspicious Review Activity

A sudden influx of reviews, whether positive or negative, might trigger Google's algorithms to remove them. This could happen if:

Reviews come from accounts with limited activity or no review history.
Reviews are suspected to originate from competitors or bots.

3. Account Suspensions and Deletions

If a user’s Google account is flagged for policy violations or suspended, all their reviews are removed from the platform. This might explain the sudden disappearance of large numbers of reviews.

4. Changes in Review Moderation Algorithms

Google frequently updates its algorithms to better detect and prevent abuse. These updates may inadvertently remove legitimate reviews if they match patterns associated with spam or manipulation.

5. Google Policy Enforcement

Google has been stricter about enforcing its content policies in recent years, especially to improve trust and reliability on its platform. Policies prohibit:

Reviews left by employees or owners of the business.
Reviews resulting from direct incentives, like discounts or freebies.
Reviews unrelated to a direct experience with the business.

6. Geographic or Contextual Irregularities

Reviews left by users who are geographically far from the business's location or who have no apparent connection to the business may be flagged as suspicious.

7. Temporary Glitches

At times, businesses experience temporary loss of reviews due to system bugs. These reviews may reappear once the issue is resolved.

Our Advice

Our #1 piece of advice for SMBs regarding all Online Reviews is to establish & follow an orderly, systematic process regarding reviews on ALL platforms:

How & when to encourage and actually get client reviews.
Respond to all reviews regardless of rating.
How to handle reviews that you suspect are fake.
Collect, collate and display reviews from all platforms in a single place that you control.

If your business is affected by disappearing reviews, here are steps you can take:

1. Check Google's Review Policies

Ensure your business and its customers are not unintentionally violating policies. You can review the Google Review policies for guidance.

2. Audit Your Reviews

Look for patterns that may have triggered the removal. For example, assess whether:

Multiple reviews came from newly created accounts.
Reviews contain inappropriate language or links.

3. Contact Google Support

If you believe reviews were removed in error, reach out to Google Business Profile support. Be prepared to provide evidence of the legitimacy of the missing reviews.

4. Educate Customers

Encourage legitimate reviews by reminding customers to:

Leave detailed, honest feedback about their experience.
Avoid submitting reviews on unfamiliar devices or networks.

5. Monitor Your Profile

Keep track of changes to your reviews and business profile to catch issues early.

While review removal can be frustrating, it’s part of Google's effort to ensure that reviews remain authentic and reliable. Building a consistent flow of legitimate reviews and adhering to Google's guidelines can help mitigate future disruptions.

The Values of Doggone Good Technology

contact@doggonegoodtech.com (John Ohman) — Mon, 07 Oct 2024 21:49:16 GMT

Knowing What We Value Helps You Decide if We're Right for You.

Simplicity

Our tagline says, "Simple Solutions - Significant Results". Believe it or not, it's pretty easy to make things complex. Our goal is to make things as simple as they should be, but no simpler.

Balancing Short & Long-Term Thinking

We want to make decisions based on the long term to provide sustainable results, but we all have to deal with the "here & now" as well. We try hard to deliver solutions that balance both.

Clarity

We put forth ideas that are easy for you to understand and easy to convey to your clients.

Attention to Detail

We're compulsive about this because small things are the building blocks of big things. And people notice.

Customer Service Obsession

Other than inherent talent, our clients are the only asset we have. As a boot-strapped business, we're not beholden to anyone except you so we must have an incredible focus on your satisfaction.

Results Matter

It's the second part of our tagline, "Simple Solutions - Significant Results". You came to us with a desired result in mind. We want to make that happen.

Why I Started Doggone Good Technology

contact@doggonegoodtech.com (John Ohman) — Fri, 13 Sep 2024 21:51:50 GMT

What Drives Us?

The idea for Doggone Good Technology was born out of my own frustrating experiences trying to operate efficiently during my corporate career. I ran a department with national scope and responsibilities, but like many others, I quickly discovered that big corporations were little more than a collection of small operating units called "departments" or "functions".

Within each of those smaller units there existed the need for technology-driven operational efficiency (AND effectiveness) that just wasn't being met by the IT department of the "big" company. That's because "corporate IT" was focused on complex systems for big companies. As they should. However, the lack of technology resources available to individual departments led to what only can be described as "archaic" operations at the functional level. Communications took the form of long chains of email threads (often with "reply all" messages) that most found unreadable, with no hope of actually finding the information you needed within the convoluted message(s). As for data and factual information, it resided on someone's individual hard-drive and was shared as an attached file that only contributed to the "mystery" of which email contained the most up-to-date version of the data everyone needed.

I saw how incremental gains could be made through collaborative technologies. And, I was even "somewhat" successful in bringing them to certain departments within my "big company". Interestingly, I saw a remarkably similar situation in my small-to-medium-sized businesses (SMBs). They suffered the same inefficiencies as departments within big companies because they just didn't have the awareness of the opportunities to "do more; do faster; do better" that adopting SIMPLE technologies offered.

That was my opportunity. That was my vision. Not for big corporations; but for everyday, local, family-run businesses that are at the heart of our economy.

So, Doggone Good Technology was born. Actually, I started this company several years before I left the corporate world, intuitively knowing that the principles I used in big companies could be transferred to SMBs as well. But I knew that no one (especially SMBs) wanted "complex technology" to solve relatively basic (although IMPORTANT) problems. The solutions (even when tech-based) needed to be simple. Yet, they needed to be effective. They needed to be embraced by everyone; even those not "tech-savvy".

That was the underlying message from our tagline: Simple Solutions - Significant Results.

From the very beginning, I resolved that Doggone Good Technology wouldn't be "just another" Business/Technology Consultant. We would be different - both in its philosophy and approach to service and system development. We would be relentlessly focused on functioning simplicity rather than overwhelming complexity.

In a lean business environment, we knew we couldn't offer bloated processes or unnecessarily complicated products. Every solution we offered would have to clear a high bar of solving a real problem faced by SMBs working in fast-paced environments. If it didn't make work tangibly easier, it wouldn't make the cut.

This commitment to simplicity became part of who we are. We strived to create a service offering that would be "as simple as it should be, but no simpler," favoring clarity over unnecessary frills.

At the same time, I recognized the equal importance of long-term thinking, and long-term customer service. These principles formed the bedrock for Doggone Good Technology as we started putting solutions into the hands of our clients.

As Doggone Good Technology took form, three main value pillars emerged at its core:

(1). Simplicity: Our "Simple Solutions" approach translates into faster onboarding, less training overhead, and higher success rates. By having a narrow focus we avoid the "feature bloat" that plagues so many other technologies.

(2). Affordability: By operating nimbly and eschewing the premium pricing of most competitors, we're able to undercut their costs by as much as 70% while still providing robust capabilities. This allows cost-conscious teams to reinvest in other growth priorities.

(3). Flexibility: We realized early on that no two SMBs work exactly alike. Rather than dictating standardized workflows, our solutions flex to adapt to the needs and processes unique to each customer organization, no matter their industry.

Woven through each of these pillars is our broader commitment to understanding and resolving the real pain points SMBs face in managing their work today.

Building a successful Business/Technology Consultancy from scratch is no small challenge. But our clarity of purpose sustains us daily as we work to make you successful!

contact@doggonegoodtech.com

Taking "The Road Less Traveled" - Part Two

contact@doggonegoodtech.com (John Ohman) — Sun, 18 Aug 2024 21:51:31 GMT

Client Value is What Drives Us!

In Part One of this topic, we used our Website Development Platform as an example of our approach to providing what we believe is the best possible service to clients. We're not going to compromise what we really believe with sideline issues such as (a) what's easiest for us to use, (b) what makes us the most money, or (c) anything that simply isn't in the best interest of our clients.

We're also smart enough to recognize when we're not smart enough! It's pretty simple - if we can do it, we'll recommend what we think is best for you regardless of anything else; if we have doubts about our own ability to provide you with the best solution, we'll refer you elsewhere. Either way, we want what's best for you!

We assess and provide technology-based solutions for improving business and organizational operations. We're certainly not alone in this space - many folks can provide you with technology-based products or services for your business. Our focus on individual client situations & needs tends to take us down "the road less traveled" here too.

Simply stated there are two ways to do this - either make the client fit the tools or make the tools fit the client. And while it should seem obvious that the latter is preferred, it's often "the road less traveled" .

Many technology vendors represent software or program "solutions" for the most common needs of SMB clients. And, they're more than happy to provide you with "their solution" to "your problem". It doesn't matter what your business or organization's true needs are, they've got an "off-the-shelf" product for you. Quick answers followed by equally quick product/service recommendations are usually a sign that you're dealing with a "sales" vendor rather than a "solutions" provider. Common recommendations come in the form of:

Customer Relationship Managers (CRM),
Project & Task Management Software,
Learning Management Systems (LMS),
File & Information Managers, Human Resource Management Systems,
Etc, etc, etc.

In each category there are 100s to 1000s of individual software solutions - each having their advantages, disadvantages, costs, and, as a consequence, value.

However, they all share a few things in common:

They each provide a comparatively narrow solution to a single functional area.
They each have their own degree of flexibility vs limitations in customization to your unique way of working.
They each require their own training to familiarize users with their individual "systems".
They don't "talk" (share information & data) with each other.

Our "road less traveled" approach thinks - and stands by - the idea that there's a better way! First and foremost, we consider every client and their business or organization as a unique situation; with unique needs. We start every new client encounter with a detailed discussion of what your business or organization is all about. What do you do? How do you do it? What are your "pain points"? This approach gives us the baseline knowledge to "dig deeper" into understanding your unique situation - and, helping to solve your problems.

Our experience tells us that trying to solve your individual needs with individual, narrow-scope, commercially available "solutions" only works in rare situations. Ultimately, it's far better to step back, take a broader look, and develop a solution that actually solves both your present and, potentially future needs!

That's why we've developed a platform that both be customized to your needs and , be used to solve any number of "pain points" all the while minimizing any additional training needed - because it's built on the same platform!

Want to know more? Stay tuned - we plan on an entire series of articles to help you both understand and assess your needs.

Especially, look for our " FIDO " program to be unveiled later that will bring it all together.

For you.

Uniquely!

Taking the Road Less Traveled - Part One

contact@doggonegoodtech.com (John Ohman) — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 14:35:14 GMT

Sometimes, a Path for the Best Client Value!

At the risk of copying a popular title, we sometimes choose to "Take the Road Less Traveled" . We're not hesitant to do so when we're convinced it provides major benefits to our clients!

Don't get us wrong - Doggone Good Technology doesn't purposely seek out the "road less traveled" , but our PASSION for finding the absolutely BEST solution for our clients sometimes takes us off the most commonly used solutions.

A great example is the platform on which we build websites. It would be easy - and very common - to use WordPress. But we don't. Not because WordPress isn't a good platform - we just don't think it's the best. It relies too heavily on ancillary code, such as "plug-ins" to perform many of the tasks you want your website to do. The problem here is two-fold. First, the "library" of available plug-ins is huge, with an incredibly wide variety (both in terms of function and quality) of products that just about anyone can place there for use. Secondly, when these plug-ins need to be updated (as they invariably will), there is some risk that the new code in an updated plug-in will adversely interact with other portions of your existing website. Finally, the platform itself appears to more frequently be the subject security threats than others.

Not to be overly critical, talented web designers & developers can apparently mitigate & minimize these shortfalls. But, on balance, we prefer to work in, and prefer to offer our clients, a website platform that isn't burdened with those potential issues. And, a platform that has performed BEST in Google speed tests and "discoverability" in online search services.

In summary, we're proud to "Take the Road Less Traveled" when it provides tangible benefits for our clients. Stay tuned for Part Two of this discussion when we provide a perspective on another part of our service offerings - namely providing technology-based solutions for business & organization processes & operations. See you then!

Pulling Back the Curtain on Web Designers vs DIY Website Builders - Part 3

contact@doggonegoodtech.com (John Ohman) — Fri, 15 Mar 2024 21:27:29 GMT

We Want to Help You Make Great Decisions

So, here we are . . . After discussing largely what can go wrong in Part 1 of this series, and what the landscape is in Part 2 , let's focus on what's the right thing to do when you want to create a website for your business in the final post of this series!

First, and foremost, let's understand that of all the possible portions of your "online presence" , only your own website is the one item that you actually own and can control . Not your social media accounts; not your Google Business Listing, not directory listings like Yelp, etc.
Only you own your website.

So, it should be obvious that you must take creating it seriously. Really. We've already discussed how you can do this with DIY website builders, and what they can offer as well as what they might lack. If you choose to go that route, you can stop reading now because we will assume that you will engage a website designer/developer/agency for your needs.

Given that, the fundamental issue(s) now are (a) what questions should you ask of your potential vendor, (b) what are the answers you want to hear , and (c) how do you best manage this relationship once you've decided on who to use?

So, here are the topics you should consider and discuss with any potential website designer/developer:

About Them :

Regardless of size, are they a "real" business? Business license where required? Registered with their State for corporations and LLCs? How long have they been in business?
Can they provide samples of their work and contact info for references ?

About You :

Do you already know what you want/need for your website? If you're experienced in online presence , and you do, great! If not, does the designer/developer seek to learn as much as possible about your specific business and situation ? Do they offer suggestions, ideas, & possibilities?

About the Process:

Does the designer/developer provide a clear description of "how" their website creation process works ?
Regardless of their specific process, there will be lots of communication between the two of you. Does the designer/developer ask what form you want that communication to take place (Email, phone, SMS, instant messaging, videoconference, collaboration software, etc.)?
How long will the project take? Can the designer/developer give you an estimate of the time to project completion? Does (s)he provide you with expectations about your role in the process? (N.B. It's more than just providing feedback & approvals; it's also a lot of work in providing the specific business assets such as images, logos, and text content necessary to complete the website. Our experience tells us that almost always, the biggest "bottleneck" to timely project completion is the time it takes clients to provide the needed materials and complete reviews of work in progress).

About the Technology:

What platform will the website be built on?
Will the website be "responsive" (meaning, it displays well on all types of devices - desktops, tablets, mobile phones)?
During the development phase, can the designer/developer provide you with a "live" website preview where you can see how everything looks and works?
Who is responsible for website hosting ? You or the agency? If the agency, who actually hosts the website?
Will you be able to edit the website , or will you have to rely on the designer/developer to make any changes? If you want to be able to edit the website yourself, will the designer/developer teach you how to do it ?
Who is responsible for technical maintenance ?

About the Costs :

There are 3 categories of costs associated with creating and maintaining a website - (1) the cost to design & develop it, (2) the cost to edit its contents and design over time, and (3) the ongoing cost to host and maintain the technology the website.
How does the designer/developer's proposal account for each of these categories? All separately , or is there some combination of two or all three ?
Is the designer/developer's proposal a fixed amount for a complete project with defined & discrete specifications? Or is it a flexible amount based on the project's consumption of "cost-driving" variables such as the number of web pages , the time required for creating/developing, or the technical difficulty involved?
Finally, how are the cost payments structured both time-wise and amounts?

Actually, there's a great deal more to consider than what we've outlined above, but we think our summary outline is a basis for you to work with. And, we're ready to work with you as well. Additional questions? We've got answers. We'd be honored to chat with you:

Email us at : contact@doggonegoodtech.com

Leave a message at: 678-883-3436

We'll get back to you as quickly as possible!

Pulling Back the Curtain on Web Designers vs DIY Website Builders - Part 2

contact@doggonegoodtech.com (John Ohman) — Sun, 10 Mar 2024 21:32:33 GMT

We Want to Help You Make Great Decisions

In Part 1 of this topic, we set the stage to help you, as a local SMB, to decide how to approach your "Online Website Presence".

If you didn't see the original post, we suggest you review it HERE

So, now let's pull back the curtain on web designer/development businesses. As we said in Part I, the variability is incredibly wide; ranging from on one end those who have almost no technical or design abilities and thus rely entirely on the platform they're using, to those who are highly technically trained and could build your website by writing computer code line by line.

The place to start is by asking (and understanding) which web development platform that the vendor you're considering is using. Here's a summary by category:

1). Website Platforms for the Masses - these are website builders that are designed for use by just about anyone; with or without technical training or background. They include:

Weebly
Wix
GoDaddy Website Builder
Jimdo
Squarespace
Vistaprint
Hostinger
and many, many others.
Some of these are better than others. And in the hands of an experienced user, they can deliver websites that rival the vast majority of websites out there. A problem here occurs when unique situations & needs require custom code and/or out-of-the-ordinary website function & behavior. Neither the designer/developer nor the platform itself will likely be able to adequately address these unique situations.

2). Website Platforms designed for Web Designers & Developers - these are platforms designed to be used by individuals and agencies whose primary website business is centered on developing high-performing websites for their clients. They include:

Wordpress
Dorik
WebFlow
Duda
Zyro
and Others.

And these two lists aren't mutually exclusive to individuals vs agencies. Lots of individuals can and do use builders from the 2nd list and lots of agencies build their websites on platforms from the 1st list.

There is no BEST platform, it all depends on what you need, and the "comfort level" of whoever is building the website with a given platform.

Which one is most popular? Wordpress is the clear leader - used by a huge number of website designers and development agencies - and it powers roughly 40% of all websites published on the internet.

We don't use Wordpress; not because it isn't capable, but because of security & maintenance concerns. Wordpress advocates claim that if you know what you're doing and keep your "plug-ins" up-to-date, there's no problem. But, in our opinion, the "overhead" for that sense of security just isn't worth the time & effort required. And still, there are very frequent news articles citing instances where 1000s & 1000s of websites that become vulnerable to attacks and loss of functionality due to inadequate maintenance issues.

So that's a background on the landscape of website platforms. In Part 3 of this series, we'll provide advice on what to look for in a website designer/developer/agency and what questions to ask before granting your project to a vendor.

Stay tuned.

Pulling Back the Curtain on Web Designers vs DIY Website Builders - Part 1

contact@doggonegoodtech.com (John Ohman) — Sat, 09 Mar 2024 00:57:27 GMT

We Want to Help You Make Great Decisions

One of the core values of Doggone Good Technology is openness, honesty, & transparency. It's especially important to understand the overall "environment" when a business undertakes a task as important (and potentially as expensive) as creating its business website.

A common first question is, "Can I do it myself (DIY) or do I need a Web designer/developer?". The simple answer is, "It depends on you". If you are somewhat of a "techie", you can probably accomplish this task on your own. Your resultant product may not be quite as good as a vendor, but it might be "good enough". But, if you're not so inclined, you should consider a web designer/developer/agency to create your website.

Stay tuned for our follow-up on helping you really make these decisions that are, frankly, critical to your business' success at "online presence".

So, now let's pull back the curtain on web designer/development businesses. Frankly, the variability is incredibly wide; ranging on one end from those who have almost no technical or design abilities and thus rely entirely on the platform they're using, to those who are highly technically trained and can build your website by writing lines of computer code one by one.

It's very likely you don't either want or need those companies that sit on either extreme. But how do you know; how do you decide on which one to choose?

Exactly the question we'll answer in Part II of this topic with our next post!

Stay tuned!

We Took Another Step Today - A Facebook Group

contact@doggonegoodtech.com (John Ohman) — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 00:09:19 GMT

Aligning Our Values with Our Actions

From the very beginning, our "Business Vision" wasn't just about creating websites or other productive technologies; it was about helping locally owned, small businesses succeed! And, frankly, we think we've earned it. We've spent decades in highly regulated, highly profitable, corporate environments of a national/international scope that provided daily challenges to success. We've learned how to face those challenges and win. We know what it takes.

One of the skills that is near & dear to us is individual and company-wide competency at productivity. Individual productivity contributes to overall business success. We know that sometimes it's the capabilities of a single individual that determines the success or failure of their business. We understand the multiple various approaches, and we've been able to evaluate each of them.

We have our favorite system and we certainly are an advocate of it. But, more importanly, it's the underlying principles of our system that determines success or failure. Actually, it's whether or not our system "matches" how you work that determines your individual success. But, you won't know until you explore. So, take a look at our Facebook Group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/1107397373760676/) and see it you can gain any benefit from it. If so, great! If not, well, you've lost nothing but a very few moments of your time.

Either way, we're still here to help with your business technology needs. And, we will.

Helping Local Small Businesses

contact@doggonegoodtech.com (John Ohman) — Sun, 12 Nov 2023 18:06:51 GMT

It's Not as Hard as You Think . . . . .

Doggone Good Technology is proud to have the opportunity to help another small local business by creating a new website for them.

Bearwassee Cabin Screen Doors is a family-owned and operated business in Hiawassee, GA that custom builds rustic screen doors. They've got great designs and can build any size door you need. Please take a look at their new website at www.bearwassee.com to see what they can do.

This is an example showing that Doggone Good Technology can build your website, the way you want it, and it will work, period. AND, it won't break the bank to get it done.

So, add two things to your to-do list - first , if you need a new screen door for your home, cabin, or rental property, be sure to call DJ at Bearwassee Cabin Screen Doors for help ; and second , if you've even thought about, or need, a new or updated website for your business, contact us at Doggone Good Technology for a no cost, no-obligation chat about how we might be able to help.

See www.doggonegoodtech.com Or, just leave us a comment here to get started.

How to Take Care of the Simple Stuff for a Better Customer Experience

contact@doggonegoodtech.com (John Ohman) — Wed, 30 Nov 2022 22:39:31 GMT

It's Not "Rocket Science", Just "Attention to Detail"

We recently posted an article about the importance for Small to Medium Businesses (SMBs) to take care of some "Simple Stuff" that can have a significant impact on customer and public perception or experience. See that article HERE .

And we promised a simple solution to ensure the necessary "attention to detail" needed to avoid lapses in this "Simple Stuff".

So, here it is. It's using a thoughtfully created, standardized, reusable checklist.

WHAT !?!!#? "You mean you can't do any better than that?!"

Frankly, NO.

And we're not alone in that thinking. Airline pilots, surgical operating room teams, first responders of virtually all disciplines, astronauts, etc, etc, etc, all agree and utilize their checklists every single day. And they work!

If you have doubts about the value of checklists, or you're really interested in this topic, we suggest the following book to read (yes, it's nearly 15 years old and has stood the test of time): The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande. This Harvard-trained and practicing surgeon and public health expert has extensively researched AND proven the value of simple checklists.

To bring the discussion back to everyday reality for SMB owners, there are just two things to do - (1) Create your checklists, and (2) Use them.

To CREATE your checklists, first, identify those situations where you're most likely to need "help" to ensure that "you've covered all your bases", and then clearly identify each individual "base" that you need to be covered.

Based on our experience, here are just a few business situations that will benefit from a checklist to help ensure that everything that should get done, actually gets done:
- A change in business hours from either the present or normal.
- Onboarding a newly hired employee.
- Completing the process of a voluntary or non-voluntary employee departure.
- Following up on any online reviews of your business or social media.
- Ensuring ongoing operational compliance with governmental mandates.
- And, possibly others.

To USE your checklists, you need to have them in both a readily available format and readily accessible when the "situation" occurs.
- If you're a "paper person", we suggest you create the checklist, print out multiple copies, and have them readily available to use for each specific situation.
- If you're OK with digital use, you have a number of options. One of the best apps we've found for recurring checklist use is Google Keep. It's free, it offers a number of features that make it extremely easy to actually use in your daily work, and it can produce documentation for record keeping. If you want some assistance in setting up and using this tool - for FREE - just contact us for help.

So, there you have it. Take some time to view your business interactions from your customers'/employees'/others' point of view and I suspect you'll discover that all they really want is current & accurate information or record keeping.

Checklists can help you make sure you do that!

Paying Attention to the Simple Things

contact@doggonegoodtech.com (John Ohman) — Sat, 26 Nov 2022 23:47:21 GMT

Don't "Shoot Yourself in the Foot" by Missing "The Simple Stuff"

Small to Medium Business (SMB) owners & managers have an incredibly busy, challenging lifestyle. We know. We're a small business ourselves. At times there just seems too much to do. And, let's be honest, some things can fall through the cracks. Yet, as a business & technology consultancy, we often encounter businesses that don't pay attention to those simple things that can (and do) have a potentially huge impact on customer attraction and ultimately satisfaction.

This may be best illustrated by our recent personal experience over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. We were out & about shopping where we live in the North Georgia Mountains on Friday - the day after Thanksgiving - when we thought we might enjoy a lunch out. But knowing that local businesses might close for one or more days during such a weekend, we thought it best to look at the places we were considering first online, and then - just to be sure - call them before venturing out to their location. Please know that we entirely understand why some hardworking business owners decide to take a family oriented respite over a holiday like the Thanksgiving weekend, and we certainly don't pass any judgement for that personal decision.

But, here's where attention to the " Simple Things " can be important. In our scenario (which we think is pretty common for many potential customers) we sought info from both online and real-time phone calls. For most SMBs, there are only 3 significant potential sources of online presence - their Google Business Listing , their Social Media Account (typically a Facebook Page) , and their Website (if they have one). Finally, regardless of what their online presence showed, we called (e.g. Phone ) each one to confirm.

Our experience should demonstrate this potential problem area from a customer point-of-view . We checked 5 different places we thought we might want to go. Turns out that 4 of the 5 places we initially considered were closed. One was open, which we confirmed with a phone call.

To illustrate our point, here are the results of our "quest" for the 4 businesses that were closed that day:

Google Business Listing : 2 of the businesses didn't have a Google Business Listing that they owned (as opposed to being created for them by Google) so no information was available about whether they were open or not. Of the other 2 business listings that had a Google Business Listing they owned, one was correct and one was incorrect regarding them being open this particular day.
Social Media Account : None of the 4 businesses had a correct listing of the fact they were closed that day.
Website : 3 of the 4 businesses didn't have a website. The 1 that did, had incorrect information on it.
Phone : Only 1 of the 4 closed businesses had a recorded message informing us that they were closed. One call resulted in an automated message that their voicemail box was full. One other call resulted in an automated message that the user had not yet set up their voicemail. And the final call just rang & rang & rang with no answer.

From a customer or potential customer's perspective, these are troubling outcomes - no matter how good your business is and no matter how great your regular customers think you are. C'mon folks, these are simple things. Business hours. On holidays. Days you're not going to be open. Simple Stuff.

OK, for some, things like Google Business Listings , and the details of Social Media Accounts aren't quite so simple. But, frankly, you don't have much choice about their impact on your customers (and your business) in our current marketplace. So, if you struggle with managing them, seek help. Doggone Good Technology can help if you need it.

If you choose to manage this yourself, and you still find that sometimes the detailed attention flies "under your radar", we have a free solution for you. It will be the subject of a future blog post. It's incredibly simple, yet effective. And it's the same thing that airline pilots use - whether they be employees of big name commercial airlines, or part-time hobbyist pilots, use every time they get ready to take off. Stay tuned for our next article on just how well this simple tool works, and how you can incorporate it into your successful business.

Is Your Website a Legal Liability?

contact@doggonegoodtech.com (John Ohman) — Tue, 02 Aug 2022 01:10:37 GMT

What's the Real Story on Websites and Federal Liability Risk?

There's been an issue "lurking" beneath the surface for some time now regarding potential legal liability for public websites. At Doggone Good Technology, we've not only been aware of it, but have been monitoring it for the past couple of years so that we could provide our best considered opinion and subsequent advice to our clients. So, short of outright fraud or other deceptive business practices, what could possibly make your business website a potential legal liability? How about the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA)? That's right, just like public "bricks & mortar" business locations are subject to "access requirements" for the disabled, according to prevailing legal interpretation, so is your business website. It's being defined as a public place where equal "access" must be available to a wide scope of potential customers including those with physical disabilities. Without attempting to describe the more intricate details of what this means, let's just say that a large portion of current websites don't fair well when trying to accommodate those with visual, auditory, neurological, or other impairments. There are solutions, but they're not necessarily, easy, nor commonly employed in most business websites.

So, what's the risk? And what are the consequences?

In early 2021 when this issue started to become more publicly prominent, Doggone Good Technology evaluated the landscape and we proactively communicated our assessment to our website clients. In summary, we said, at the time, that "This is an evolving issue that at present poses an only sporadic risk for you and your websites". And, we provided options including doing nothing vs engaging a paid service to "demonstrate" that you were aware and engaged in providing access to those who may be disadvantaged and were seeking information from your website. We saw this as an entirely optional choice based on your individual risk tolerance. Mind you, "risk tolerance" is a uniquely individual determination of the likelihood of an adverse outcome vs. the consequences if a bad outcome occured. Our feeling was that the likelihood of being sued for your small business website was small, the probability of a significant adverse outcome was also small, but - of course - if the outcome was bad, it could be significantly bad. As such, we provided recommended options including doing nothing vs engaging a paid service to "demonstrate" that you were aware and engaged in providing access to those who may be disadvantaged and were seeking information from your website.

But now in mid-2022, we feel the landscape has changed. First and foremost the U.S. Dept of Justice has issued a "guidance" regarding website compliance with the ADA. In our experience, when a federal agency issues such a guidance it tells you two things - (1) that the issue is on their radar, and (2) the "guidance" tells you exactly what they're going to go after in investigations. Such a guidance also provides legal support for the more aggressive law firms who are focused on this issue as an "easy target". In our opinion, "doing nothing" to bring your business website into greater compliance with what is an admittedly ill-defined set of standards is no longer an option. Just a little over a year ago, we thought doing nothing was still OK considering the odds. No longer . Today, we believe that you must take steps - be they simple and inexpensive, or more intensive and more expensive - to demonstrate your business' committment to accessibility to your business website for all. While there are a variety of options, they don't have to be laborious and expensive, but they do need to demonstrate a real effort to make your website content more accessible to the disadvantaged.

If your web developer hasn't broached this issue with you, it's best if you ask him/her about it. If you built your own website with a DIY platform, you're best off getting some advice from a competent source.

As always, you can feel free to reach out to us at Doggone Good Technology for free advice.

Want a Website for Your Business? Confused by All the Options?

contact@doggonegoodtech.com (John Ohman) — Fri, 25 Mar 2022 22:21:07 GMT

Let Us Help You Sort it All Out.

Let's start with the assumption that, all other things being equal, you would choose to have a website for your business as opposed to not.

But, if you haven't followed through to make that happen, it's pretty likely that one or more of the following reasons came into play

The range of possibilities was so broad as to be confusing.
You perceived that a website was just too expensive.
You just didn't have the time & energy to complete this project. The web designer/developer needed so much from me that it was just overwhelming.
You've been told that I don't really need a website - social media accounts are just as good , a lot easier & less expensive.

There are always reasons or excuses to justify those decisions.

Here's the truth. If you're a "real" business, you need a website. It's the only online asset that you actually own and control. You don't own your social media accounts - your can't control their destiny. But, you own your website and only you can control it.

To be fair, you don't need us - or some other vendor - to necessarily do it for you. You CAN do it yourself. You'll probably save some money, but it will take you time and energy in return.

Time to learn the platform technology. No matter how easy the DIY website platform claims to be, have you ever done it before? Do you know what's involved?
Time to learn the best way to depict your messages online.
Time to maintain what you've built.
Time to keep up with more recent trends and capabilities in website design, capabilities, and potential hazards.
Time that's not directly devoted to running your day-to-day business.

You know what you do best? Of course, you do! It's the business you're passionate about! It's the business you know how to run! It's the business that you should devote your time and energy towards!

It's a balance of the value of your time vs. the cost.

A Quick Assessment of Your SMB's Online Presence.

contact@doggonegoodtech.com (John Ohman) — Sun, 20 Feb 2022 20:50:30 GMT

How Easy is it for People to Find You Online?

So how do you get a quick assessment of your business presence online? Easy! Google it yourself. But here are a few hints about how to search, and what to look for in the results.

For all the directions below, when you're in your internet browser, open a new "incognito" window. This will ensure that you'll see what others see without delivering "biased" results from your computer's history and cache.

First, just type your SMB's name in the search bar and hit enter.

Unless there's another business with the same name somewhere else in the country, your search results should be right at the top of the list (but underneath any paid search engine advertisements that may be present).
If you have a website, it should be in the first 2-3 results (possibly after your social media accounts if they are very active).
Here's a screenshot of our own results for Doggone Good Technology:

You should also see a Google Business Listing (previously called a Google My Business or GMB listing) on the right side of the screen. If you don't see such a listing, ask us for free advice. But, hopefully this business listing is one that you either created yourself, or "claimed" it when you saw it for the first time. If not, you don't control it, Google does. If you're in this situation and want to know how to remedy that, just reach out to us for free advice.

Next, do another Google search using the following input - Enter your [business category] the word "near" and your [business location city and state].

Some examples could be:

"plumbers near Ellijay GA"
"candle stores near Hiawassee GA"
"HVAC near Blairsville GA"

You get the idea .. .. .. .. a typical Google search done by someone looking for goods or services near a location.

Here's a screenshot for the search results from "breweries near copperhill tn"

What you're seeing here are two different parts of the search results - the first is what's referred to as "The 3 Pack" and the second is the start of the rest of the listings.
If your business is included in "The 3 Pack" that's VERY good! The precise order in the 3 pack will vary day-to-day, but merely your inclusion is significant for your online presence.
Right below "The 3 Pack" is the start of the rest of the search results listings.
These results are a composite of how Google sees your business . . . and a reasonable barometer of your overall online presence.

A word about the "near me" search. It's pretty common for searchers to use the phrase "[business category] near me" It works because search engines can tie the computer of the searcher to a reasonably specific location and the search results and their rank order will reflect primarily how close the computer is to available businesses that meet the business category listing.

If you're trying to assess this type of search, it can be tricky - your results will be based on your computer's location which may be very different than those of your geographical target market. The important thing is to understand what your search results show as determined by the exact search wording and your specific location.

Finally, if you want to discuss your business' online presence - with no sales pitch or obligation - feel free to reach out to us for advice and assessment.

Your success is our benchmark.

Is Your Business Website Worry-Free? Probably Not!

contact@doggonegoodtech.com (John Ohman) — Wed, 19 Jan 2022 14:02:04 GMT

How Much "Maintenance" is Needed?

Most owners of small to medium sized businesses (SMB) aren't technical website experts. Yet they typically want three things:

A website they can afford to create or have built for them.
A website that fulfills their business needs, and can be easily updated when necessary.
A website that is stable, safe, and can be technically "worry-free" to maintain.

All three are critically important for business success. But the focus of this discussion is on item #3 - website stability and security on an ongoing basis.

The short answer to this need is that it largely depends on two factors:

What platform is the website built on?
Who is responsible for technical & security maintenance of the website?

The question of which platform a website is built on presents a very interesting conundrum. It turns out that the most popular website platform in the world - Wordpress - is also both one of the most vulnerable to security threats and one that requires the most ongoing vigilance to adequately maintain it.

For this very reason, at Doggone Good Technology, we don't build websites on the Wordpress platform. Not because we can't, but because we don't think it's the best option for our clients. Don't get us wrong - Wordpress is very popular. Popular because it's powerful, comparatively easy to work with, and easy to train clients to use. It powers over a third of the worlds websites, so it obviously has good things going for it! The problem is that both its core code, and especially its "plug-ins" (from which it draws much of its real-world capabilities) are drawn from multiple, inconsistent developers. This leads to a situation where both updates and maintenance are vulnerable to technical "gaps". But, don't just take our word for it .. .. .. .. you can see recent, real-world, objective examples of technical concerns HERE and HERE . This means that there's a real need for significant, ongoing, vigilant updating and maintenance of sites developed in Wordpress. Especially if they use lots of plug-ins to power the functions of the website.

We prefer to work in a platform that is consistent, solid, and safe. So we do.

Here's the bottom line:

If your business website was built in Wordpress and the developer just "turned it over to you" to update and maintain, you need to be concerned about YOUR ability to keep it technically safe and up-to-date.
If your business website was built in Wordpress and you pay the developer to maintain it, you're as safe as the capabilities and attention-to-detail of your developer.
If you don't know what platform your business website was developed in (or if you did a DIY build in a "consumer" platform like Wix, Weebly, Go Daddy, etc) you need to ask questions & get answers.
If we built your website, it was done on a proprietary platform that is specfically designed for web designer/developer agencies . . . . with technical excellence and safety in mind.

For more info, just reach out to us at contact@doggonegoodtech.com

The Breadth & Depth of Possibilities in "The Googlesphere" for SMB Technology Needs

contact@doggonegoodtech.com (John Ohman) — Fri, 13 Aug 2021 20:30:02 GMT

Explore the Apps and See What You Can Do!

Remember your Google Account is much more than just a Gmail email address! Here's a list of other Apps available in your Google Account. You'll probably recognize many of them, but you're sure to discover some you didn't know about. And didn't realize, you could do that FOR FREE with your Google Account.

"Office" & Communications Apps

Gmail - Of course you already knew this one, it's probably the reason you started a Google Account in the first place. But most people only scratch the surface of what Gmail can do.
Docs - This is the Word Processing software that allows you to create, edit, share AND collaborate (even in real-time) with others on document content.
Sheets - Like Microsoft Excel, this is the Spreadsheet software for number crunching, etc. Again, it's easy to use and real-time collaboration is possible.
Slides - The Google software similar to Microsoft Powerpoint for creating Slide Presentations .
Duo and/or Meet - Online video meetings or video calls
Chat - Instant messaging service
Voice - Get a free telephone number complete with messaging and voicemail. Use it for business or any other secondary purpose.

Productivity Apps

Calendar - just like it's name says, this is your calendar. You can also create any number of "sub-calendars" that essentially allows you to categorize the types of events. Each can be color-coded to help with visual effects.
Tasks - Actually a part of Calendar, this allows you to see your tasks in the same view as your calendar & meetings. On your mobile phone, it's a separate app. Low-key, easy to use Task Manager.
Contacts - here is your address book. It's much more powerful than your paper version and quicker too. Best of all it integrates into the other Google apps like Gmail, Calendar, etc.
Drive - this is Google's online file storage and synchronization app. Think of DropBox for your closest analog. The difference is that Google Drive gives you 7 times more free storage in their free plan as compared to DropBox. With all the capabilities of sharing, collaboration, etc.
Keep - Note-taking app that has many, many possible uses, Notes can contain images, handwriting, voice files, etc. Use for checklists, on-line captures, to do lists, etc. Think of it as "Evernote Lite".
Translate - Free document translation service
Forms - A form building and collection app. Create a form, post it online, collect responses and integrate the response data with spreadsheets and more. As useful as many of the expensive forms software for less complicated applications.

Lifestyle Apps

Photos - online photo storage and editing. Set up your cellphone to automatically send photos you take with it to Google Photos for storage.
YouTube - Yes, YouTube is a Google company and you get your own channel with a Google Account. Did you know that YouTube is the world's 2nd most popular search engine ? Right behind Google search .
Maps & Earth - Online maps, directions, and satellite views.
Play - Music, movies, books, and the place to get your android bases apps.
News - A custom news feed, built for the topics you're most interested in.
Books - Search the library for online books, and if in the public domain, read them right in this app.
Shopping - Online shopping search engine and marketplace.
Blogger - a simple to use, blogging platform. It's best suited for sharing your personal stories and not trying to monetize a blog.
Finance - Google's financial dashboard of customized stock tickers, finanacial news, etc.
Collections - this is Google's version of what they think Pinterest should be.
Podcasts - Google's platform for finding, subscribing, and listening to podcasts.
Travel - Google's travel site to find, compare, and book various travel reservations.

Business Apps

My Business - The app to help you create, claim, and manage your Google Business Listing
Blogger - a simple to use, blogging platform. It's best suited for sharing your personal stories and not trying to monetize a blog.
Finance - Google's financial dashboard of customized stock tickers, finanacial news, etc.
Sites - A simple website builder, best for simple websites and/or internal use websites.
Jamboard - An online collaborative White Board useful for many business and brainstorming activities

The "Googlesphere" as a Business Software Office Suite

contact@doggonegoodtech.com (John Ohman) — Thu, 05 Aug 2021 14:01:37 GMT

Can It Compete with Microsoft Office?

Honestly, this is a loaded question. Partly because you're not comparing just 2 choices, but three. And partly because the nature of "business work" has evolved over time. So we'll break it all down, but if you're not the patient type, here's the bottom line .. .. .. .. .. The core business apps of the "Googlesphere" (Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Gmail) will provide easily as good, and perhaps better, functionality for the vast majority of SMB owners at a cost that is either FREE or minimal when compared to either traditional Microsoft Office (software loaded on your computer) or Microsoft 365 (the hybrid web-based & computer-installed version of Microsoft Office).

While we remain wary of generalizations, we're pretty confident in those that follow regarding the Google vs Microsoft Office Apps:

From a purely technical viewpoint for specialized and/or advanced functions, the Microsoft Apps continue to hold the edge here. They can do more, IF you need it.
Most businesses don't need and won't use the more advanced functions where the Microsoft Apps are better. If you're one that will, perhaps your decision is already made. But if not, this becomes a "non-issue".
The traditional individual computer installed software of Microsoft Office falls way behind on capabilities for collaborative work. Especially in "real-time".
The Microsoft 365 adaptation of the original Microsoft Office apps trades off improved collaboration capabilities vs. less robust advanced technical/specialized capabilities.
In contrast the Google Apps were designed from the ground up to be online-based collaborative products with functions and capabilities for most businesses. In fact, the Google Apps were internally designed for use BY Google employees in their business.
If your business needs collaborative development OR informational sharing of work products as they are developed, then the "Googlesphere" is your better choice.
If you "grew up" in the Microsoft Office environment, you're probably more familiar with their structure and their menu invoked commands. Although the Google products are very easy to use, if you switch, there will be a small learning curve to become familiar with the Google Apps.
Finally, one of the things that early on slowed the adoption of the Google Apps was that their file format was not compatible with Microsoft files. And, the conversions from Google format to Microsoft weren't all that great. So it was really tough for Google Apps businesses to collaborate with others who were ensconced in the Microsoft world. By and large that concern has been alleviated by the more recent versions of Google Apps. Are the format conversions absolutely perfect for all files - especially those with really advanced Microsoft-based functions and formatting? No,they're not. But if you're dealing with those types of cross-platform collaborations, you have different needs than the vast majority of SMBs anyway.

So, when you boil it all down, we stand by our original bottom line stated above, " The core business apps of the "Googlesphere" (Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Gmail) will provide easily as good, and perhaps better, functionality for the vast majority of SMB owners at a cost that is either FREE or minimal when compared to traditional alternatives".

So, make sure you set up your Google Account. We suggest FREE at first. Expand to PAID Workspace if needed. Make the basic apps of the " Googlesphere " your standard way to produce documents, spreadsheets, slide sets and, of course, your email client.

Up Next - The breadth (and depth) of the Google App offerings for FREE Stay tuned.

"Googlesphere" Fundamentals

contact@doggonegoodtech.com (John Ohman) — Thu, 08 Jul 2021 22:05:29 GMT

Introduction to Google Workspace

This is the second in a series of posts regarding the "Operational" aspects of small to medium (SMB) businesses - and our recommendation to Embrace the "Googlesphere" . We introduced this topic in our recent post - https://www.doggonegoodtech.com/embrace-the-googlesphere - .

Google has re-branded it's suite of apps a couple of times now - first just referred to as Google Apps , then as G-Suite , and most recently as Google Workspace . Regardless of the name, this is a collection of web-based software products that are integrated with one another. Think of it as the modern version of when you used to have to buy and install Microsoft Office on your individual computer. Online "Office Suites" are a game changer for productivity of both individuals and teams.

The best part is that most of the actual functionality of these apps are available for FREE with a simple Gmail account. FREE is good, and another reason we say "Embrace the Googlesphere" ! So, what's the difference between FREE access to these apps and a PAID version of Google Workspace? Well, to start with, the PAID Workspace Account costs you anywhere from $6 to $18 dollars/user/month, while the FREE Google Account is, well, FREE ! So, what do you get with the PAID version?

Essentially three things:

With a PAID Google Workspace Account you get full " business email accounts ". So, for example, if you own "Smith Upholstery" and you have a website at www.smithupholstery.com you can have email addresses using your business' website domain, such as Frank@smithupholstery.com or Eloise@smithupholstery.com . With a FREE Google Account, your email address has to use the gmail.com domain, so you might use SmithUpholstery@gmail.com for example. Some regard the use of FREE gmail accounts as "amateurish" whereas true "business email accounts" as reflective of a "real" business. If you're OK with having all incoming email to your business going to a single email address, we can show you how to use a generic "info@smithupholstery.com" email address for FREE without having to pay for " business email accounts ".
A PAID Google Workspace Account allows you to have multiple email addresses in the same account. Each different email address is a "user" and will incur a separate monthly charge ranging from $6 to $18. In contrast a FREE Google Account only has one email address with a "@gmail.com" extension.
A PAID Google Workspace Account does provide a few more apps and a greater amount of storage than a FREE Google Account. But if you're a cost-conscious SMB - especially if you're just starting out - we don't think you'll be overly hindered by either of these limitations. The additional apps are truly optional, and even the FREE Google Account gives you 15GB of storage space - more than enough for many. If you do need additional storage, you can purchase it at a VERY reasonable rate for your FREE Google Account.

So what's up next in our exploration of "The Googlesphere"? Well, we'll first explore the "core" Office Suite - Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Email. How does it compare to what you're already familiar with in "stand-alone" products, and what are the advantages? Are there any drawbacks?

After that we'll delve into some of the lesser know - but extremely useful - Google Apps that can (for free) make a huge difference in your personal and business productivity and results. Stay tuned.

Embrace the "Googlesphere"

contact@doggonegoodtech.com (John Ohman) — Mon, 28 Jun 2021 02:47:34 GMT

The Best Operational Choice for SMB

Often in small to medium businesses, there are two critical operations for success - sales & marketing, and operations/systems. We've previously posted a series of articles on what we believe are the most important - and effective - steps you can take for sales & marketing success.

Now it's time to move on to the operational aspects of technology adoption. All the while, our aim to make recommendations that make the most sense both logistically AND in the most cost-effective manner. While there are certainly an increasing number of different functional areas to address in operations, we're now focusing on core functions like email, documents, spreadsheets, presentations, calendar, file storage, and others.

We have two recommendations:

First - and foremost - if you're currently using desktop computer based programs like Word, Excel, Powerpoint, etc. and sending around these files as email attachments for review, comments, and approvals, STOP IT! By doing so, you have the most costly, inefficient communications system possible for getting work done!

Secondly - you have a number of choices for moving to an online based "office suite", and we recommend the Google suite of programs/applications. Microsoft has their Office 365 offering and others like Zoho have similar "office suite" programs. Any of these will work, and we wouldn't argue with whichever might be your personal preference. The important thing is that your "suite" be web-based and offers real-time collaborative capabilities. These two properties will make an exponential difference in your productivity and efficiency.

Over the next series of posts we'll provide additional information about the benefits of using an "online suite" such as Google Workspace (e.g. the "googlesphere"). We're not going to provide detailed instructions on how to use each of the applications - after all, you can always engage us to train you - but rather we'll show you the possibilities. Things you wouldn't imagine on your own. Things that will make a difference and make you more efficient both personally and for your business.

Buckle up. We're about to launch you into the "Googlesphere"!

Rural Internet & Availability - It can be Confusing

contact@doggonegoodtech.com (John Ohman) — Wed, 02 Jun 2021 22:47:26 GMT

An Overview of Your Available Options

In the mountains of North Georgia where we live and work, internet access is an important issue. That's evidenced by the frequent posts on various social media from folks considering moving here. When we see these topics, we usually provide the responses below, but though it might be useful for broader proactive distribution. So .. .. .. ..

Here are some important points to consider:

You need to find out exactly which internet service providers (ISPs) actually service your SPECIFIC STREET ADDRESS. Don't rely on more general geographic descriptions such as towns, zip codes, or neighborhoods. Always ask regarding your specific street address.

Focus on the underlying technology rather than the specific ISP vendor. Many ISP companies provide different technologies in different areas of their service area. So, if an ISP says they provide internet access at your specific address, make sure you ask what type of internet access they offer at your address.

In general, from best to worst the technology you want is fiberoptic > cable (CATV) > DSL w/bonded pairs > DSL without bonded pairs.

Satellite (Hughesnet, etc) is usually the technology of last resort - only use it if nothing else is available (ask me why if you're interested).

In some locations with good cellular network connections, 4G LTE can fit in somewhere between CATV and DSL.

For those who wonder why some on similar technologies experience differing speeds, it's explained by those factors that limit system capacity. For example, the limitations on DSL connectivity speed are related to the geographical distance of the end user from the closest DSL "connection station". In contrast the limitations for CATV is the number of accounts sharing the same cable - but in rural areas, this is rarely a limiting factor. Fiberoptic connections aren't really limited by either.

Depending on your specific location, there may be one other option (about as fast as CATV) known as "line of sight" internet access. Essentially, this is longer range " WiFi - like" connectivity to fiberoptic system connections.. As the name suggests, your exact location must have "line of sight" to the ISP's wireless access point.

Finally, there's a great deal of excitement about the developing low-orbit satellite internet known as Starlink. This is a much different animal than traditional satellite internet, and the promise is both fast speeds with vastly reduced "latency". While there have been some expected technical "glitches" in early deployments, the remedies & improvements have been rapid and the overall speeds and service have received very positive reviews in early service areas.

Hope this helps both choices and understanding!

Getting Off the SMB Business Owner Treadmill

contact@doggonegoodtech.com (John Ohman) — Sat, 29 May 2021 23:30:29 GMT

How to Get Thngs Done . . .

Being on a PERSONAL FITNESS treadmill is ordinarily seen as a good thing. You're working on your personal health. Who could argue with that?

BUT, when you get on the SMB Business Owner treadmill, it's quite a different story. Not productive, not delivering results, frankly - not healthy, for either you or your business.

If you own and/or manage a business, you already know what I'm talking about. You're SO, SO involved in running your day-to-day operations to make your business successful, that you JUST DON'T HAVE THE TIME to devote to those other activities that you KNOW would improve your results .. .. .. IF you had the time.

Any of these sound familiar? "I know it would help my business, but I just can't get around to . . . "

Learning how to really maximize my presence on social media,
Implementing a better system of keeping track of our customers and communicating with them for additional business,
Finally getting a decent website to both promote and conduct business,
And, ultimately, being able to focus on WHAT I DO BEST (run my business) as opposed to WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE that I'm not very good at.

Does any of this sound familiar? Hit a chord with you?

If so, you need to enter the "DO IT vs. GET IT DONE" zone. It's pretty simple - if it should or needs to get done, then you have 2 choices - do it yourself, or get someone else to do it. Period.

We can help you decide how to approach this situation. We'll be honest. If you need to find a way to do it yourself, we'll tell you that. If you need to find someone else to do it, we'll tell you that too. It's all about Return on Investment (ROI).

We know.

We've been there.

Business Focus Area #4 - People

contact@doggonegoodtech.com (John Ohman) — Tue, 04 May 2021 22:27:28 GMT

The final topic in our Business Success in 2021 Series

We recently posted "If You Want Business Success in 2021, Focus on These 4 Areas of Your Business" where we suggested that SMBs focus on Processes, Systems, Structure, and People (usually in that order) to both organize and prioritize their respective workloads.

If you're just now catching up on this series, here's our summary advice, so far, on both evaluating and planning for your business' success as presented in our 3 previous articles:

Processes: Determine WHAT things you DO that determine your best business success. What you DO can be defined as a Process . Define the Process . There are likely to be a number of Processes you need for success. Carefully define each and every one.
Systems: Look carefully at each Process and examine HOW you accomplish it. Is it a manual process? Can it be automated? Can it be made easier? When in doubt, ask US to provide suggested Systems to make accomplishing your Processes more effective and more efficient .
Structure: Nail down the Resources needed (in terms of both time and skills ) to best use your available or new Systems to accomplish your defined Processes. In essence you need to determine WHO would be the best person to be responsible and accountable to carry out your Processes - yourself, another business associate or employee, or an out-sourced vendor.

Since one of the most important Resources you're likely to need is People , we want to share some thoughts on identifying, engaging, hiring, training and retaining the best talent match for your needs.

Once you've gone through the "cards exercise" we presented in our article on Business Focus Area #3 - Structure , you will find yourself faced with one or more of the following situations:

You have enough people to manage your Processes ( given the Systems you have or plan to use) - it's just a matter of matching People to Processes , and perhaps with some additional training needed for some of your folks.
You don't have enough people, or the righ t people on board to effectively manage your Processes . You have to hire and/or train and/or replace your staff to remedy the situation and prepare for success.
You don't have enough of the right people to effectively manage your Processes , but you're not in a position to either hire additional staff or replace existing staff. In this case, you'll be faced with the tough decision to either out-source some of the Process management, take on the additional workload yourself, or make the conscious decision not to support that Process .

Let's assume that you're in a position where you need to enter the realm of Human Resources Management - hiring or training members of your staff. Two disclaimers here - (1) We are not a Human Resources Consultancy and suggest that if your needs in this area are complex or case-specific, that you seek advice from qualified legal and HR professionals, and (2) the advice we provide is general in nature and designed to increase your likelihood of building a high-performance, engaged, satisfied team for your business.

Let's start with some underlying "People Principles" :

Employment should represent a Partnership between employer and employee, where both parties understand their respective contributions, roles, and responsibilities. Establish all of these at the outset, but don't set up the paradigm as primarily "Boss" and "Worker".
All of us have Natural Strengths (which exhibit as certain definable Competencies ) and other areas that are either Weaknesses or Undeveloped Competencies . The difference between Weaknesses and Undeveloped Competencies is that the " undeveloped " can be overcome by adequate training , whereas a Natural Weakness will likely persist despite training attempts.
Make sure you identify the "must have" competencies necessary for given positions in your business.

Here's our thoughts on hiring:

No matter how small your business is, don't "wing it" - establish a consistent hiring process.
While it doesn't have to be lengthy or complicated, use a structured interview. Don't rely solely on behavioral-based interview questions (they're so common, the Q&A often ends up as a game of cat & mouse); incorporate situational questions as well. Don't ask stupid questions like, "What's your biggest weakness?", you might just as well ask the candidate to lie to you.
Thoughtful and incisive questions like, "What did you do to prepare for this interview and why?" can yield remarkable insight.
Ask all candidates for a given position the same group of core questions. It forms a basis for comparison.

Finally, don't "manage" your employees/team. "Lead" them! Embrace Servant Leadership! It's a stepwise process:

Define what your team's success looks like.
Ask them what they need to achieve that success.
Provide what they need.

Everyone wins!

Business Focus Area #3 - Structure

contact@doggonegoodtech.com (John Ohman) — Sat, 10 Apr 2021 13:55:26 GMT

The Third in a 4-Part Series on Specific Business Success Builders

Here's where you can read our previous posts on Processes and Systems

So, now we're addressing the " Structure " focus area. By Structure , we're not talking about how your business is legally organized. Nor are we referring to the physical facilities or equipment you might need. No, by Structure , we're really asking and attempting to answer the questions of:

What needs to get done to make your business successful? ( Processes)
How will you get these things done best? ( Systems)
Who will do them? ( People )

Here's how to go about defining your business Structure :

Look at the Processes your SMB requires to be successful, then
Considering what Systems you've decided to implement to support your Processes to make them most effective & efficient,
THEN, define the skills/capabilities and time needed to actually execute the vital processes!

Write out each Process with it's respective Capabilities and required Time Commitment on a separate note card . Lay the cards out on a table in front of you.

This is your starting point for defining the best Structure for your business. By understanding the Functional Requirements needed optimize your business (the cards you've created), you can start to visually construct the best structure:

Which cards will you personally take responsibility for?
Are there any cards that naturally fall together such that a single person could handle them collectively?
Are there one or more groups of cards that must be handled by the same person?
Are there some cards that would be better handled by an outsourced vendor?

Experiment (with the cards, not with real time, money, & people) with different card combinations. Each possible card combination defines your business Structure .

If you're a one-person business, don't spend a lot of time on this. Your choices are limited to (a) you'll do it yourself, (b) you'll outsource it to someone else to do, or (c) you won't do it at all. In this case, it's much more important for you to spend your time back on our previous posts - (a) clearly define which Processes are essential to your business success, and (b) can I use Systems to make them as efficient and effective as possible?

YOU know your business. What looks right to YOU ? Maybe there are several possibilities? Maybe there's only one that's best.

Regardless of what you find, make sure you don't leave out any Processes that you've already agreed are fundamental to your business growth! If you follow this advice, you will have arrived at the preferred - along with possible alternate - business Structures best for you. This is the prelude to identifying the People you need to fill out the entire picture. That's the topic of our final post in this series. Stay tuned. After decades of sourcing, hiring, evaluating, and leading employees, we have a few things to share . . . . . . A special treat - we have our own take on that "darling" of corporate recruiters, the "behavioral based interview". It will be fun! Promise.

Congratulations! If you've followed us this far along this journey, you're in the top few percent of business owners who are destined for success! Can you succeed without our Process - Systems - Structure - People framework? Certainly; but we're just trying to help provide a road map to make business growth both easier, and more likely.

We want you to be successful.

Business Focus Area #2 - Systems

contact@doggonegoodtech.com (John Ohman) — Tue, 30 Mar 2021 14:26:31 GMT

The Second in a 4-Part Series on Specific Business Success Builders

Most recently, we addressed the issue identifying and defining Processes as a focus area for your business success, and we addressed that HERE . The reason we focused on Processes first is that (a) they can provide a "standardized" way of repeatedly supporting business Goals accomplishment, and (b) they are easily made more efficient and effective via automation .

So, now we're addressing the " Systems " focus area. The entire reason for looking at " Systems " is to make your business easier , not harder, to reach Goals.

But, we need to set expectations, right up front. If you're a "Pen & Paper" kind of person, let us know that at the beginning. Why? Because that tells us that your " Systems " need to be as low-tech and straight-forward as possible. That's not judgmental - it's simply recognizing your work preferences. Rather than recommending the latest "whiz-bang", cool geek-like technology, if you let us know HOW you like to work, we'll be much more able to recommend & implement " Systems " solutions that actually work for you!

O.K. - let's get started . . . . .

There are actually two broad areas that need to be addressed.

The first is your background technology framework - Email, Documents, Spreadsheets, File Storage, etc, etc, etc. What do you use for these? There are a number of options available - and, for the most part, the best are " integrated suites " of programs that allow you to use a single account to accomplish ALL of these functions in a single "system". While we acknowledge the capabilities of many of these offerings, we're particularly partial to what we refer to as the " Googlesphere ". This is a "suite" of Google services that are flat-out, just perfect for SMB adoption. In fact, their offering is so diverse and complete, that we plan on doing an entire series of educational initiatives to help our current and prospective clients to both understand and gain the most use of Google's available resources. Many are free. Even if you want to take advantage of certain "enhanced" capabilities, the cost of "upgrading' to a Google Workspace account is modest by any standard. To be fair, the offerings from Microsoft (Microsoft 365 and Office 365) are certainly viable alternatives, but, in our opinion, the broad diversity in capabilities vs cost makes us continue to recommend Google as the best "framework" for your SMB. If you choose the Microsoft option, we can handle that too!

We've addressed the basic framework. Now, let's dive into the second area - implementing systems specific to your business, and the supporting the Processes that make it run. This only works if you've already completed - or have committed to - defining the important Processes that are the underpinning of your business. Want to review our post on that? It's HERE .

If we can finalize these Processes , then coupled with an understanding of "how you work best", then we can suggest and one or more " Systems ".

For example:

If you want to both attract and engage new customers while also nurturing existing clients, you probably need a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system. It can range from very simple to very robust - our view is it's all about what fits you best!
If you sell goods and services online, you probably need an eCommerce system. Again, this can range from very simple to very robust - see the pattern here?
If you use social media to promote your business, you likely would benefit from a social media management system.

Take stock of all of your Processes , and ask if there's a System that might make it better. If you don't know ask us. We'll provide free advice.

Finally,

If you've taken our advice on embracing the Googlesphere , then we can show you a CRM and Process Management System that we can set up for you that allows you to function entirely within your email account. For getting started, the system is FREE! Once you grow bigger, yes, it will entail a monthly cost - but not huge by any means.
If you're already embedded in a different technology framework (Microsoft, Zoho, Yahoo, or others), we can suggest different CRM and Process Management Systems. Again, ones that are easy to use (we'll also train you on them), and are either free or certainly won't break the bank!
If your processes function outside of any email system, we've got an answer for that too! It's simple, visual, and effective!

Our mantra is "Simple Solutions - Significant Results" .

This means we don't "bury" you in technology you don't need, don't want, or don't understand. Instead, we invest our time up-front to make sure, we have the best understanding possible of both your situation and your desires. Then, we can demonstrate and talk about the various options to best benefit your business.

We want you to be successful!

Business Focus Area #1 - Processes

contact@doggonegoodtech.com (John Ohman) — Sat, 20 Mar 2021 15:20:23 GMT

The First in a 4-Part Series on Specific Business Success Builders

We recently posted "If You Want Business Success in 2021, Focus on These 4 Areas of Your Business" where we suggested that SMBs focus on People, Processes, Systems, and Structure to both organize and prioritize their respective workloads. If you can spot one of those areas that needs the most attention, go ahead and focus on that first. Otherwise, we suggest that you start with " Processes ".

We need to take a step back and first list your Goals , then we can define the Processes that support those Goals . For the sake of this exercise, the Goals can be qualitative or general in nature. So " increase sale s" or " hire great staff " is fine for now. Later you'll want get more granular, and apply the SMART acronym to goal-setting, but that's an entirely different discussion. For now, let's focus on the "framework" of your business success. And " Processes " is a great place to start.

Next, think about the things you do to achieve those Goals , and how you go about it. That's the essence of your Process . Now, think about and list the discrete actions that you take, or the milestones that are achieved during this Process . Within it, they will be referred to as " stages ". For the sake of example, let's assume that your business is a service that relies on providing estimates and pitching your proposal to get " jobs " or " projects ". The " stages " of such a process might include:

Lead identified.
Lead contacted and qualified.
Estimate/Proposal completed.
Client accepts estimate/proposal. (Project Won)
Client rejects estimate/proposal. (Project Lost)
Contract or agreement is executed.
Deposit received.
Work started.
Project Stalled.
Work completed.
Final Inspection.
Payment Received.

Although these " stages " are listed in an approximate sequential order, recognize that for any given project, it might currently be in almost any of the " stages " or move in unusual steps between " stages ". These Processes can be described by various terms including " Funnels ", " Pipelines " or " FlyWheels ", especially when they are used within the context of sales, business development, customer engagement, etc. But no matter what it's called, it represents a consistent, repeatable method towards accomplishing Goals .

And identifying and establishing these Processes can be applied to many, many facets of SMB including:

Human Resources
Hiring
Training
Discipline and Separation.
Advertising and Promotion Campaigns
Social media management
Blogging
Advertising
Customer Engagement and Loyalty
Events Management
Real Estate
Fundraising
Etc, etc, etc.

The "Business Focus Area #1 - Processes" work required is straightforward, but will still require thought and time:

Identify which Processes to focus on.
Think through the workflow and/or customer flow.
Lay out the "Stages" of each Process.

This work is absolutely worth it, because well defined Processes are the easiest to automate and make more efficient and effective.

You'll see how in our next post in this series, entitled "Business Focus Area #2 - Systems"

If You Want Business Success in 2021, Focus on These 4 Areas of Your Business

contact@doggonegoodtech.com (John Ohman) — Wed, 03 Mar 2021 23:20:08 GMT

What Are the Most Important Things to Focus On?

In my previous corporate career, almost 20 years ago, I assumed the leadership role for a national (USA) department of an international corporation. The position had been vacant for at least half a year. The department was in chaos! There were SO many things wrong, with SO many things that needed to be addressed, that I could have easily been overwhelmed. Frankly, despite having decades of experience in this industry, with a track record of significant accomplishments, this situation was a bit overwhelming. It was a trial by fire. BUT, what it DID do was force me to do a quick, yet comprehensive diagnosis and categorization of what needed my attention first. How did I figure out what was wrong? What needed my attention? Was there a way to develop a plan moving forward?

Yes, there was, but with so many things to work on, I had to develop a way to both understand and prioritize all of the work that needed to be done.

Now, almost two decades later, I - as the principal of Doggone Good Technology, a business & technology consultancy for SMBs - look at the needs of local businesses and find a remarkably similar situation. No, most of the businesses we consult with don't have that same degree of SO MANY things, at such a large scale, being wrong - but they just haven't quite figured out which things need their attention the most.

So today, we'll start by describing the overarching view of how to look at your business needs. And then, over the next weeks to months, we'll address each of these four areas in greater detail. Always, our focus will be on how to leverage available technology to provide the greatest return on your investment of both time and money.

So, let's get started. If you feel as though your business - whether a "Mom & Pop" home-based one, or a larger, more complicated venture involving departments, employees, roles, etc. - has room for growth and improvement, you can still apply (to varying degrees) all of the principles and categories of this discussion.

Start by turning your attention to the following FOUR areas of your business:

1.People

Do you have the right people in the right roles to maximize your business potential?
Start by defining what the ideal situation (person characteristics) is for each role in your business.
If your current situation isn't ideal, what do you need to do to change that?

2.Structure

If your business is big enough to be able to separate people into more defined roles by what they do, take a look at how your business is structured.
Do the roles make sense in terms of what a single person is being asked to do?
Think in terms of the specific contributions of an individual who occupies a particular role.
Are the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for a given role reasonable in terms of the functional capabilities required in a single individual?

3.Processes

Of all of the areas, this may be the most neglected. Start by defining HOW you accomplish certain things necessary to both grow and sustain your business.
Really do a deep dive into the specifics of defining each step of the process, and the how to best accomplish it.
Spend some time doing "post-mortem" analyses on previous failures in this realm. What went wrong? What could have prevented the failure?

4.Systems

This is the "technology" aspect of your focus.
Once you've identified HOW the processes best work, THEN you can identify what technology or "system" can best support it. Spoiler alert! Yes, it could be as simple as pencil & paper if that reduces the "friction" in the workflow!
Be very, very careful in assessing technology designed to improve or increase the efficiency of your needed processes!
Ask the tough questions. Search out a knowledgeable source to review/confirm the options you're considering.
Look at both the upfront and the long-term costs. You may well be surprised.

If any of this has resonated with you as a business owner, don't hesitate to reach out to Doggone Good Technology for a free, obligation-free, discussion of your situation. After all, although we're primarily focused on technology-based solutions to business challenges, we're certainly open to a broader discussion of your needs beyond technology. If you're still thinking, just stay tuned to our future discussions of each of these areas.

We want you to be successful!

The Most Important Recognition for Your Business in 2021

contact@doggonegoodtech.com (John Ohman) — Sun, 21 Feb 2021 03:25:27 GMT

Guess What - It's Online!

This should be so self-evident that it's hard to believe we're having to say it .. .. .. If you want your business to be successful in 2021 and beyond, you absolutely must have an "online presence".

But what does "online presence" really mean?

If you think it's the occasional Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram post (even complete with the requisite hashtags), well - good luck!

In an ideal world, here's what you really need:

A Facebook Page (possibly with an associated Facebook Group)
A Google Business Listing. This is absolutely essential as it relates to being found when potential customers search online!
A website - something that both "proves" you're a "real" business and perhaps conducts transactions of some sort.
Other social media presence depending on your business, how it functions, and the demographics of your target audience.
Optionally, a blog - depending on your particular business and the opportunities that result from both a demand and your ability to fill the need for information. If you have expertise that your target audience would value, then a blog is a natural! But, if you're just trying to force-feed info to an general population that may or may not be interested, don't expend the effort.

Let's confront a bit of reality here . . . . developing a good, impactful "online presence" is a LOT of work! Here's why:

Social media accounts like a Facebook page, Instagram account, Twitter account, etc. require feeding and nurturing. There is nothing WORSE for your online presence than a social media account that isn't updated frequently. If so, it says, that you don't care. That your content and information is "stale". And if YOU don't care, why should your potential customers?
If you don't have a complete, consistent, up-to-date, Google Business Listing, be prepared to really suffer with where you end up in Google search results. The fact is that your Google Business Listing is the singular most important factor in where your business ranks in Google search results.
If you don't have a consistent, reliable process to get Online Customer Reviews, you will fall behind your competition that does. Online reviews are the 2nd most important factor in Google search results.

Here's the bottom line:

Your business absolutely NEEDS a superior online presence - unless, of course, you already have more business (profitable business, that is) than you can handle.
A superior online presence is a lot of work.
You can either do it yourself/learn to do it yourself, or seek the assistance of someone who can help.
Doggone Good Technology can either teach you or help you - or you can go it on your own.

We want you to succeed!

The Price You Pay for Using the Market Leader - Is It Worth It?

contact@doggonegoodtech.com (John Ohman) — Thu, 28 Jan 2021 14:07:56 GMT

Reliable - But Often Pricey, and Not Always the Best Choice

At Doggone Good Technology, we've dealt with this issue quite often. The issue of, "Is it best to use the 'market leader' in a given technology segment, or should you look for an alternative?" We have an opinion.

Perhaps some examples would help provide context to the discussion.

If you're looking to use accounting software to manage your business, there's a clear market leader. It's Quickbooks. The "old schoolers" will gravitate towards the Quickbooks program that works locally on your PC, but the reality is that Quickbooks online offers some significant advantages. Yes, Intuit (the parent company of Quickbooks, TurboTax, Mint, and the like) struggled with these integrations at first, but it seems that they've got them under control now.
There is no question that QuickBooks provides top-notch, quality and reliability to one of the most important aspects of your business - namely your financial infrastructure.
But, the question remains, "Is this the best option available?" Especially in a cost/benefit analysis?
We don't think so. We use a different system for both our business and personal financial management. Why? Because, the base program is absolutely free, and we're happy to pay the competitive rates they charge for options like credit card processing.
And, this is no stripped down version of accounting software - unlike some others, it's full double-entry accounting. Full reporting capabilities. The real deal.

If you're looking to register a new domain name for a website, where do you go? The obvious choice - and market leader - would be GoDaddy.
Best choice? Maybe.
They're certainly reliable. But not the most cost effective.
We, at don't use GoDaddy unless we're forced to. Why? Because, they're simply too expensive. And, frankly in a somewhat "sneaky" way - really cheap introductory prices, but the followed up with expensive renewals. We provide domain registration services that include EVERYTHING that GoDaddy does at a cost, in the long run, is a significantly reduced cost on both domain registrations and business email accounts as well! And, forwarder email accounts - a big help to our clients - are free and essentially unlimited.

And then there's the "ultimate" vendor/platform question - particularly as it applies to our business - what's the platform upon which you build websites for your clients?
Clearly, the market leader is WordPress. After all, it powers approximately a third of all websites on the internet. There's no question that it's powerful. And adaptable. And free!
But, at Doggone Good Technology, we don't use it. Why?
Because we think there are better alternatives. Better in terms of stability. Better in terms of security. Better in terms of service to our clients. So, if a potential client approaches us with the request to build a WordPress website, we're going to refer them to someone else. Because, we honestly don't think that's the best choice.

So, in our opinion, here's the bottom line - if you choose to use the market leader in any given need, you'll get some of the best available products and services available from a technology point of view. And, to be fair, the position of market leaders is such that you will have many, many service providers who know and use these products daily. So, you'll have easier access to expertise if you need it. BUT, you'll pay a premium for the product (AND, it may not be the actual best available product/service). We often think that there are better choices.

Interested in knowing more? Contact us!

Getting Local Businesses Found on Google - Online Review Systems and Services

contact@doggonegoodtech.com (John Ohman) — Wed, 13 Jan 2021 20:30:34 GMT

Do You Need on Online Review Service?

This is the 7th, and last, post in our series about Getting Your Local Business Found in Google Searches. You can see our previous posts on our Geek Notes blog.

If you've read our two previous posts regarding Online Reviews, you should have reached the conclusions that:

Online Reviews are extremely important to your business.
You CAN manage the Online Review portion of your business, but it's a LOT of work, and can take a LOT of time.

This is precisely what creates a business environment for services to help SMB owners manage & navigate their online reviews. As usual, some are straightforward & responsible, while others attempt to "shortcut" the process with questionable strategies and tactics. For a more in-depth discussion on this see our previous blog post here .

So, do you need a review generation or management service?

It depends.

What IS clear is that you want as many published reviews of your business as possible. AND, you want to reply to all, or nearly all, of them.

What this requires is both a highly efficient, automated system, and the necessary time & effort to setup and maintain the system and workflow.

As is often the case, you can either attempt to do it yourself, or you can hire someone else.

If you decide to use a review service or system, you'll find a wide array of offerings, capabilities, and costs. We can help you navigate through the jungle of what's available, and we have our own proprietary online review system/service as well called ORIGIN. Here's our general recommendations:

Only deal with a company/service that uses strictly "White Hat" methods. Don't get tempted with "Black Hat" methods like buying fake reviews, (either positive for your business or negative for your competitors), use of spam-bots to seed reviews, use of review gating systems that filter out bad reviews, etc, etc, etc. These bad-guy methods can have significantly adverse long-term consequences.
Use a company/service that makes it super-easy for customers to access your integrated review platform by any number of different methods.
Use a company/service that allows a customer's review to be posted on multiple review platforms easily, without redundant typing.
Use a company/service that can consolidate reviews from multiple different sites onto your website for all to see.

If you need help getting and managing online reviews, give us a call. We'll try to be helpful for your specific needs.

Getting Local Businesses Found on Google - DIY Management of Online Reviews

contact@doggonegoodtech.com (John Ohman) — Mon, 04 Jan 2021 14:22:00 GMT

It's a LOT of Work - But It Needs to be Done!

O.K - after a break for the recent holidays, we're back at it again - helping local business owners!

This is the 6th post in our series about Getting Your Local Business Found in Google Searches. You can see our previous posts on our Geek Notes blog. Online Reviews are second only to your Google My Business (GMB) listing as a necessary factor to getting found on Google. But as added incentive for you to take this seriously, please know that not only do Online Reviews improve your Google Search Ranking, they are also key to turning online visitors into customers!

This post is dedicated to helping you generate and manage your online reviews yourself. Future posts will deal with incorporating available Online Review Management systems and/or Online Review Managerment services.

To manage your online reviews, you need to become proficient at 4 separate tasks or areas of focus in this process:

1. ASK your customers/clients to review your business. TRAIN your staff to do the same. Do it CONSISTENTLY. Here's some suggestions about how to do this:

First examine the "customer journey" for your business. Put yourself in their shoes and walk through a typical transaction with your company. Look at every aspect through their eyes, not yours.
At what point(s) in their experience, is it possible, reasonable, and best to somehow "ask" for them to provide a review?
For some types of businesses, the best time is immediately after the transaction is concluded - but for others, it may be a few days to a few weeks later. For example, if you're selling a face cream, the moment they bought it isn't the right time because they need to experience using it and seeing the benefits. For them, it's probably a week or two later. But if you're a service business, perhaps the benefits of your service can be seen immediately - for them, strike while the iron is hot - ask for a review right at the end of the transaction.
Once you've established the best time to ask, examine HOW to ask. Look at your business processes. Do you collect email addresses from your customers? Phone numbers (especially mobile)? If so, you can supplement verbal requests with a follow-up email request or text message. Ask yourself, if there's a way to seamlessly gather this type of information during the normal course of your business transaction. If so, DO IT.

2. Make it EASY for them to leave a review.

Don't just ask the question, "Can you please leave a review of our business on Facebook or Google?" The return on that type of ask will likely be very, very low. You need to provide them with the tools, the means, to do so as painlessly as possible.
First get the URLs that directly link to both your Google My Business (GMB) Reviews page, and your Facebook Reviews Page. If need be, use a URL shortening service to make easier links. We can help you with that if you need it.
If you can establish a consistent process of emailing or texting these links to your satisfied customers with a review request, do so.
Generate a QR Code for each of these URLs as well. For example our QR Code for Google Reviews of Doggone Good Technology is shown below.
We can create a similar one for Facebook reviews.
Customers can just scan this code with their mobile phone camera and immediately end up at the site to review your business. If you need assistance with generating this code, reach out to us.
Create a hard copy handout that contains your review URLs and QR codes for customers to take with them.
Add the review URLs to your email signature on all outgoing email messages from your business.

3. Follow-Up with each and every customer who does, or doesn't, leave an online review of your business. Make part of your standard operations.

If someone leaves a positive online review of your business, make sure you thank them!
If someone leaves a negative online review, we'll show you how to respond to that in a future post.
If you've already asked someone to leave a review and they haven't, IF you have a reasonable way to contact them to ask again, DO SO. Marketing data tells us that 68% of customers will leave a review if asked - that better than 2 of every 3 customers. ASK THEM AGAIN!

4. Point your potential customers towards the compilation of your Online Reviews. You can do this two ways. First you can place links on your website to the Reviews section of your Google My Business (GMB) listing and your social media pages. You can also add a "Reviews" or "Testimonials" page on your website that compiles in a single location all customer reviews from both online and in-person sources. This can take some work, but when we address Review Management Systems and Services in a future post, we can show you how to make it much more manageable.

Finally, we would be remiss if we didn't address the question of whether or not you should incentivise customers to leave a review of your business. Discount coupons, added items on a future order, entry into a contest, etc. The bottom line is that, while some businesses do this, we don't ordinarily recommend it. Here's why:

Asking for "positive" reviews in return for something of value is illegal.
Asking for ANY review (positive or negative) in return for some value isn't illegal, but the Federal Trade Commission requires that publication of these types of reviews indicate that the reviewer was somehow "compensated" for their review. In our mind, this markedly reduces the value of the review.
In addition most review sites - Google, Yelp - etc either do not allow for incentivized reviews.
Further, Google and other review sites do not allow for "gated reviews". We'll deal with this topic in a future post when we review Online Review Systems & Services.

O.K. - so this was a pretty large chunk of information. If it confused or, more likely, overwhelmed you with the thought of this workload, don't dispair! We can help, if need be.

But whatever you do, don't ignore online reviews - they're just TOO VALUABLE for your business!

Get Your Local Business Found on Google - The Importance of Online Reviews

contact@doggonegoodtech.com (John Ohman) — Tue, 22 Dec 2020 02:52:03 GMT

They're Really Important!

This is the 5th post in our series about Getting Your Local Business Found in Google Searches. You can see our previous posts on our Geek Notes blog. Online Reviews are second only to your Google My Business (GMB) listing as a necessary factor to getting found on Google. To that end, here are a few statistics that highlight just how important online reviews are:

97% of people read reviews for local businesses.
90% of respondents who recalled reading online reviews claimed that positive online reviews influenced buying decisions, while 86 percent said buying decisions were influenced by negative online reviews.
89% of consumers read businesses' responses to reviews
93% of people who use mobile to research, go on to complete a purchase of a product or service. Most purchases happen in physical stores.
3.3 is the minimum star rating of a business consumers would engage with.
68% of consumers will leave a review if asked.

These data support just how important online reviews of your local business are! There are two ways you can get better at this - either (1) do it yourself (DIY), or (2) seek assistance with either a Review System or a Review Service. More about those in a subsequent post.

For now let's focus on how you can manage the online review process yourself (e.g. DIY). There are 3 keys to success here:

You need to ASK your customers or clients to review your business. You need to TRAIN your staff to do the same. You need to do this CONSISTENTLY .
You need to make it EASY for your customers/clients to leave a review.
You need,if at all possible, to FOLLOW-UP with every customer/client who either does or doesn't leave a review.

In our next post, we'll give you step-by-step hints on how to do each of these three steps. For right now, let's just agree that:

Online reviews are important to the success of your local business.
You can choose to undertake the management of online reviews yourself (the least expensive), or engage a Review System/Service (more costly) to assist.
If you choose to DIY this process, you need to be able to meet the three keys to success listed above.

Stay tuned for more detailed info in our next post!

Get Your Local Business Found on Google - Finishing Up & Maintaining Your Google Business Listing

contact@doggonegoodtech.com (John Ohman) — Mon, 14 Dec 2020 16:33:41 GMT

Get it Right - Keep it Right

This is the 4th post in our series about Getting Your Local Business Found in Google Searches. You can see our previous posts on our Geek Notes blog. Today we'll focus on completing the rest of your GMB Listing and then suggest a strategy for ongoing maintenance of it. Once you've put in all the work of getting your GMB Listing set up, don't let it go stale!

Finish the Sections of Your GMB Listing:

Add your Products and/or Services to your listing.
Add Photos of your Business Location and/or Products. If you have a brick & mortar business location, use photos of your shop. Use the best product photos you can find (source the product manufacturer if applicable, or hire a professional photographer for the best results). Don't use stock photography if you can avoid it.
Just like with other social media platforms, you can post to your GMB Listing . Here they're called " Updates ". Post at least one just to get started, but we're starting to get to those sections of your listing that are going to require ongoing maintenance. GMB Listing Posts only stay up on the main profile screen for 7 days before they are relegated to another page that users have to click to find. That's why you'll see this topic again below in our maintenance plan section.
Answer questions that have been asked by visitors (or ask the question yourself and then answer it) in the Questions & Answers section. Although Google didn't really design it to be so, this can serve as a Frequent Asked Questions section of your listing. It can be a great tool for engaging visitors to your listing. Be aware though that some business users have reported that when they ask and answer their own questions, they may actually not be shown to anyone but you as the listing owner. To see whether or not this is happening to you, you may have to open the listing using an "incognito" window of your browser. If you have difficulty with this, just reach out and we'll gladly help you.
Google Reviews - make sure you encourage them, check in to see them, and respond to them. Much more about this in both the next section on maintaining your GMB Llsting and also a deep-dive when we post on the entire subject of obtaining, managing, and responding to Online Reviews in a future article.

A Plan to Maintain Your GMB Listing:

We've got a simple plan on the steps you need to take Daily, Weekly, and Monthly to maintain your GMB Listing .
Daily:
Ask your customers or clients to review your business on Google. Provide them with a direct link or QR Code to your Google Review Page . We can show you how. Better yet, stay tuned for our upcoming articles covering all aspects of Online Reviews .
Look for any new Reviews left for your business and Respond to them.
Look for any new Photos posted by customers.
Weekly:
Add a new Post/Update to your GMB Listing.
Add a new Photo or Video to your listing.
Monthly :
Check for new Business Categories provided by Google. These categories change over time and you should see if any new ones have appeared that are even more relevant to your business.
This is a good time to look at the GMB Listings for most direct Competitors. Look both for things they're doing well, AND for things they might be doing that's not entirely "on the up & up". More info on the latter if you ask!
Look at and track your Insights . This shows how well your GMB Listing is performing over various time periods. If you're compulsive about this you may need to do this weekly, but in our experience, monthly should be fine.

So, that's pretty much a realistic look at the info you need to take advantage of the #1 FACTOR affecting your business' appearance in Google Search - your GMB Listing.

Next we'll move on to the #2 FACTOR - Online Reviews. Stay tuned.

Get Your Local Business Found on Google - Start Filling Out Your Google Business Listing

contact@doggonegoodtech.com (John Ohman) — Mon, 07 Dec 2020 15:52:54 GMT

Step By Step

This is the 3rd post in our series about Getting Your Local Business Found in Google Searches. You can see our previous posts on our Geek Notes blog

This is really where "the rubber meets the road". Be forewarned, there's a lot to do to really flush out a complete GMB Listing, so we're going to approach this with the most important and necessary sections first. We'll get to the optional stuff later.

Here's how to either start filling out your GMB listing or edit the one that already exists:

Fill in your Business Name, Business Address, and Business Phone Number. Sounds simple doesn't it? Simple, yes - but this is one area where people make the most mistakes! In computer-speak this is referred to as you " NAP listing " - Name, Address, & Phone. If you want Google and other search engines to attribute value and importance to your business, this information needs to be CONSISTENT everywhere on the web! Here are some examples of "inconsistency" that Google and other search engine robots will detect - AND penalize you for - if found:
"Street" is NOT the same as "St."
"Avenue" is NOT the same as "Ave."
"706-123-4567" is NOT the same as "(706) 123-4567
"Your Business LLC" is NOT the same as "Your Business, LLC"
If your business listing in your GMB Profile is different than your listing on Social Media, it's inconsistent. And it matters.
Decide on how you want these elements presented online and BE CONSISTENT, EVERYWHERE!
In addition to a consistent NAP , make sure you complete the sections for your Business Hours , and your Business Website . If you don't have a business website, but have (for example) a business Facebook Page instead, use the FB Page URL for your website.
Select one primary and additional secondary Business Categories . It's important that your primary Business Category be as specific as possible to your main line of business. Don't choose a more general category - make it specific. For a complete list of available GMB Business Categories , click HERE
Once you choose your primary Business Category, Google will provide a category-specific list of potential Attributes relevant to your Business Category. Check those Attributes that are applicable to your business.
Write a complete "From the Business" description. It doesn't have to be lengthy, just as complete and specific as possible description of your goods/services.

So that's enough work for now. In our next post, we'll describe the remaining parts of your GMB Listing , how to complete them, and how to maintain your listing in tip-top shape.

Then we'll start with the 2nd Focus Area - Online Reviews - how to get them, how to manage & promote them, and how to respond to them. The body content of your post goes here. To edit this text, click on it and delete this default text and start typing your own or paste your own from a different source.

Get Your Local Business Found on Google - Claim or Create Your Google Business Listing

contact@doggonegoodtech.com (John Ohman) — Wed, 02 Dec 2020 15:16:04 GMT

Here's How to Get Started . . .

In our first post in this series, we highlighted the fact that focusing your efforts just TWO areas will greatly improve your rank in Google searches. See that post for the background info we presented.

Today, we're going to start with our first guidance on your Google Business Listing (Googly My Business or GMB for short). We'll give you complete step-by-step directions on what to do. If you simply don't have the time or energy to complete this, we at Doggone Good Technology can do it for you. BUT, either way, DON'T not do it! Regardless of whether your "cost" is your time & energy or the amount we charge to do it for you, we promise you it will be worth it.

Picking up from where we left off, let's assume you've either found your existing GMB Listing or discovered that you don't have one yet. Here's how to move forward:

If you don't have a GMB listing you need to create one.

You'll need a Google account to do so.
If you have a Gmail address, that's your Google account.
If you don't, sign up for a free Gmail account to establish yourself with Google. It's that easy.
Now, navigate to business.google.com
If you're asked to sign in, do so with your Gmail credentials.
You should now see a screen that looks like the image below.

Just to be certain that a GMB listing doesn't already exist for your business, you can type your business name in the "Type your business name" search on this screen.
Assuming, no listing exists, Click the "Add you business to Google" link
Follow the instructions - screen by screen - to establish your Google Business Listing.

If you found a GMB listing for your business, you need to claim it.

When you see the GMB listing, click on the "Claim this business" link.
Select a verification option. (Google wants to make sure that only the actual business owner can "claim" an existing GMB listing)
Follow the steps shown on the screens that follow.

OK, so at this point, you have either created a new GMB listing or started the process of claiming one that already existed. In our next posts,

We'll show you how to set up or edit your GMB listing to make your business more likely to be found in Google searches.
What to do on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis to make sure your GMB listing remains strong and "fresh".
Then we'll start into guidance on the 2nd most important "getting found on Google" factor, online reviews .

Stay tuned .. .. .. ..

Getting Found on Google - What's a Local Business to do?

contact@doggonegoodtech.com (John Ohman) — Sun, 29 Nov 2020 01:00:20 GMT

Focus on these 2 things!

It's one of the most frequent questions we get - "Why aren't I - or how can I - appear near the top of Google search results for my local small business?" This is referred to as "local SERP" which stands for Search Engine Results Pages for local online searches - especially those searches conducted using Google. So, what ARE the factors of your business' online presence that determine if your business shows up among the top results of Google searches?

The most recent data conclude that just TWO items make up HALF of the reason that your business either will, or will not, appear in the top search results locally.

They are:

Your Google Business Listing (often referred to as Google My Business or GMB)
Your Online Reviews.

Over the next few weeks, we'll be sharing more detailed posts on exactly how to maximize the value of each of these two important online business assets (yes you NEED to consider each as an actual asset) capable of increasing your online presence and, ultimately, your business.

But, for now let's make sure you have some necessary background info on Google Business Listings:

First, make sure your business has one. You probably do, even if you never created one. Google will create a business listing for you based on searches and your online presence, even if you did nothing. To find out, do a Google search for your business name. If you have a GMB listing it will appear on the right side of the search results screen and look something like this:
If you have one and didn't know it, you'll need to claim ownership of the listing. Don't worry, we can show you how.
If a Google Business Listing doesn't appear in your search results, one probably doesn't exist yet. Trust us, you want one! We can show what to do next.

As noted above, an optimized, correct Google Business Listing is one of the most important assets your business can have. Stay tuned. In future posts we'll describe what you need, and how to get it.

After that, we'll take on the topic of online reviews - how to get them, how to "manage" them and how to respond to them.

If you want to increase your online presence, buckle up - we're about to "take off".

Does Your Business Want to Sell Goods or Services Online? Here's How.

contact@doggonegoodtech.com (John Ohman) — Thu, 29 Oct 2020 19:09:41 GMT

Doggone Good Answers for a New Business Environment

If you're a small to medium sized business (SMB) owner, you know that the current environment almost requires the ability to sell your products or services online. Without that, you're at a distinct competitive disadvantage.

But just the thought of eCommerce can be scary. We get that.

Have you been telling yourself:

"I don't have a website." No problem, you don't need website to sell online. (Of course, we're big fans of you having your own website - after all, we can build them for you). But, you can sell online straight from social media, or via email, or on forums.
"It's just too complicated. I'm just not a techie." No problem. We can teach you the system you need so you can do it yourself (DIY). Or you can be completely "hands off". We can manage your entire eCommerce for you - done for you (DFY).
"It's too expensive." Not at all! Regardless of your needs, eCommerce solutions from Doggone Good Technology will typically be about half the cost of the "Big Boys" (think Shopify or BigCommerce). Even if your needs are pretty complex, we can pretty much assure you that the cost from Doggone Good Technology will be less than from elsewhere. But with our upfront, transparent pricing, you'll never get any surprises.

Is there still some "fancy tech" involved? Yup. But, the point is that we can, and will, do it for you (DFY). Not just setting it up to begin with, but managing it (product updates, sales, coupon specials, etc) on an ongoing basis. For an entirely reasonable cost.

Want more details? Check it out here. When you're ready, we'll be here!

A Changing Paradigm in Customer Transactions

contact@doggonegoodtech.com (John Ohman) — Sun, 16 Aug 2020 01:44:45 GMT

It's no surprise that the current environment is unlike anything we've seen before for small to medium businesses (SMB). The COVID-19 pandemic has changed all the rules. The simple fact is, unless you have an effective way of conducting business online (e.g. "virtually"), you're at a significant competitive disadvantage. BUT, there are SO many choices, it can be overwhelming. So, what's the SMB owner to do?

You don't want to either (a) have a technology vendor who will "shoehorn" your business into their "perfect" solution, or (b) charge you hefty consulting fees to "evaluate" the best solution for you!

Heck no! There's a better way! Whatever your business, tell us about your current situation, and what you're wanting and willing to do - and, we can make it happen!

Need to sell online? No problem!
Don't have or want a website, but still want to sell online? No problem!
Already have a physical storefront with an existing Point-of-Sale system and want to add online sales? Honestly, this could be the most challenging, BUT, we can make it happen!

It doesn't matter if you're a retail business with physical products, a service provider, a restaurant/food service provider, or just about any other type of business, we can make you successful within the online business environment.

Contact us. You've got nothing to lose. Our unique approach, coupled with our ironclad satisfaction guarantee, means - quite simply - you're either delighted or you don't pay us anything!

Small Business Owner, But Hesitant or Confused About a Website?

contact@doggonegoodtech.com (John Ohman) — Sun, 26 Jul 2020 01:47:01 GMT

It's Not Your Fault!

No, it's NOT your fault! You're probably really good at what your business does - but the whole idea of business websites is a different kind of animal. It's technical, complex and confusing. And there's no shortage of "opinions" on the subject. Things like:

You don't really need a website- they're expensive, and you accomplish the same thing with free social media accounts.
Small business websites are just online "brochures", and with a little effort, you can use DIY website builders for free or low cost.
Getting a "real" website is too expensive and I don't really need it.

So, here's the truth:

Can you run a successful, local small business with just free social media accounts and not a website? Yes, you can. But if you want to sell products or services online, you most likely need a website. If you want to be viewed as a "real business", you should probably have a website (even a simple "one pager").
It seems like there are SO MANY website designers/developers out there with conflicting "stories", can't I just avoid their hype and just use one of those DIY website builders? Unfortunately, the answer here is "It depends". Start with your comfort level with computers and technology. If you're pretty competent with desktop software, you can likely complete a website on one of the many DIY platforms like Wix, Weebly, Jimdo, Squarespace, Shopify, GoDaddy, or Google Sites. There are some subtle differences between these offerings and we're happy to help you decide, if that's the path you want to take.
What if I want to sell products/services online from my website? This is the point at which it becomes a little more complex. Do you also sell from a physical location? Do you have an existing Point-of-Sale (POS) system? If so, is it necessary that your online sales integrates with your bricks & mortar establishment? Your best bet here is to find a competent technology consultant to help you navigate through your options.
Finally, if you want your website to be truly interactive with its visitors, you probably need a web designer/developer to help. The possibilities here are endless, but it's really a situation of "you don't know what you don't know" Here are a few examples of what's possible:
Allow visitors to book appointments online that automatically notify you and sync to your online calendar.
Present special offers to website visitors who:

are visiting your website for the "first time", or are a "repeat visitor"
are accessing your website from a location within a given "geographic radius",
need special info regarding your response to the COVID-19 pandemic,
should receive a "special promotion" that runs for a defined period of time each year,
visit your website during holidays or special events,
visit you website during your "off hours" when you are closed,
etc, etc, etc.

Provide visitors the capability of submitting forms that request estimates, bids, or other actions on your part.

If you want some straight-talk, objective guidance on creating or updating a small business website (or other technology-based solution), just reach out to us. No obligation. No pressure.

We want you to be successful.

How to Respond to Online Reviews of Your Business

contact@doggonegoodtech.com (John Ohman) — Sun, 12 Apr 2020 16:32:08 GMT

You Already Know It's Important. Here's Help in Actually Doing It!

We've previously posted on just how important online reviews of businesses are. Especially so for the local, small business community.

Then, we debuted our new, extremely affordable, end-to-end Online Review Generation and Management platform, ORIGIN .

Now, the very talented folks at HubSpot have provided a FREE document just chock full of helpful information - including 20 written-for-you templates - on responding to Online Reviews of your business. They address how to respond to reviews of four different types:

Negative Reviews
False & Inaccurate Reviews
Mixed Reviews
Positive Reviews

For each type of review, they provide both a list of Best Practices in how to respond as well as a number of pre-written templates for you to try. Get your own copy at https://offers.hubspot.com/review-response-templates

It's worth the time to read - it will make an important business task much easier!

We want you to be successful.

Updated Resource for Email Marketing Beginners

contact@doggonegoodtech.com (John Ohman) — Wed, 08 Apr 2020 15:00:49 GMT

Here's a New Resource We've Been Advised Of .. .. ..

We previously posted on email being a largely overlooked tool in the SMB marketing toolbox. Here's that post to refresh your memory https://www.doggonegoodtech.com/the-most-often-overlooked-business-promotion-strategy-and-why Since, then the folks over at Avasam - a direct marketing and automated drop shipping platform - made us aware of a resource they published on the topic. It's much more than a simple blog review post.

Rather it's like a quick course in email marketing for beginners (with a few tips for the more experienced as well) rolled up into a concise, informative article.

See https://www.avasam.com/email-marketing-statistics-you-need-to-know/

It's a good read!

Setting Up Your Restaurant with an Online Ordering System During COVID-19

contact@doggonegoodtech.com (John Ohman) — Thu, 19 Mar 2020 20:59:08 GMT

As the impact of the coronavirus is felt by more and more businesses, restaurants will be particularly affected by the crisis. The need for social distancing has meant that many have already had to close their dining rooms, with many more expected to do so in the coming weeks and months.

Restaurants continue operating in a take-away or delivery capacity. If you're a restaurant owner who has shied away from engaging in online ordering (perhaps you've even decided you don't want/need a website), this may well be the time to reconsider. While this crisis may be the impetus to move forward, it's likely that implementing online ordering for takeout and/or delivery will be a decision benefiting your business for years to come.

Here are the steps we recommend.

First, Understand Your Online Ordering System Options

There are lots of online ordering systems and delivery solutions designed specifically for restaurants, and if you're already locked in with one there’s no reason to ‘reinvent the wheel’ on account of the coronavirus. However, if you're just setting up online ordering for the first time, it is worth understanding at least the big differences in the approaches of these platforms and services.

Online Ordering & Delivery Services

You probably know about the major services in the category. Postmates, GrubHub, Doordash, Uber Eats, Just Eat and Takeaway.com, along with more niche players like Slice and Caviar, are collectively used by hundreds of thousands of restaurants around the world to take orders and deliver food to customers. A couple pluses of these platforms are that (1) they come with a built-in user base for your customers to access right away, which may be particularly useful during coronavirus, and (2) they provide a 3rd-party delivery service so you don’t have to manage your own delivery staff - although this might not be available in the more rural areas. While these online ordering and delivery solutions are convenient for both restaurateurs and their customers alike, they do take a portion of revenue from the sales of small business owners for each sale. However some of them, such as Uber Eats, have started to waive delivery fees for independent restaurants across the U.S. due to the ongoing crisis.

Standalone Online Ordering & POS Systems

ChowNow and GloriaFood offer commission-free online ordering systems and some services such as Toast also include the hardware for a POS specifically designed for restaurants. For detailed information on these and other online ordering systems, we recommend this SmallBizTrends article that goes into 10 of these solutions in detail. Generally speaking, Doggone Good Technology recommends GloriaFood for restaurants just now looking to implement online ordering because of its low/no cost model and rapid deployment. These solutions do not include a delivery service, so this is something you need to realize and may want to make clear to your customers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Existing eCommerce Tools

eCommerce solutions may not be the first thing you think of when trying to set up an online ordering system, but the option is there. Doggone Good Technology is deeply integrated into Ecwid’s eCommerce platform and they provide a great example of a site that has been set up for online ordering over at https://tacoshopsandiego.ecwid.com/.

Next, Add an Online Ordering Solution to Your Website

Doggone Good Technology can recommend three different ways to integrate an online ordering system into a restaurant website.

Option #1: Add an Order Online Button That Links to 3rd-Party Solution. This is the simplest option for adding online ordering to your store. You integrate an Online Ordering Button with a deep link to another 3rd-party online service. You'll need to establish your account with the 3rd-party service and integrate a snippet of code it into your website or, in some instances your Facebook page.

Option #2: Embed the 3rd-party Online Ordering Solution in your Existing Website.Depending on your current website and the capabilities of the 3rd-party service, it may be possible to embed the service directly into your existing website. This option is subtly different than option #1, and we can explain the nuances.

Option #3: Use Existing eCommerce Solutions. If you're already working with an existing eCommerce solution, you may be able to leverage it during the COVID-19 pandemic to set up an online ordering system.

Finally, Promote the New Delivery or Take-Away Service

A strong social media presence, a regular flow of content (e.g. blog posts, videos, social posts with updates, etc.) and accurate, current information on a website will be needed to keep customers engaged now with online ordering and primed to fill dining rooms when the crisis subsides.

Here are a few guides and resources we think are helpful for restaurant owners to communicate effectively to their guests during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Toast’s How to Manage Your Restaurant During the Coronavirus (COVID-19) blog post series
This COVID-19 Guide from SevenRooms
Eater.com has been doing amazing reporting around the coronavirus and its impact on the restaurant industry

In summary, the COVID-19 pandemic is a life-altering event for everyone.

Doggone Good Technology is dedicated to supporting SMBs during this challenging time. And if you have questions, or need guidance, we can help you as our capacity allows. Gratis.

The Most Often Overlooked Business Promotion Strategy - and Why

contact@doggonegoodtech.com (John Ohman) — Wed, 11 Mar 2020 16:01:12 GMT

What do we routinely see as the most often overlooked business promotion strategy?

Social Media? No, this has become the "darling" of SMB promotion. It's free (except for time & effort), arguably very effective, and - well - everyone is doing it!

Perhaps it's generating and managing online reviews? Nope. While this IS an emerging area of very, very high importance (one for which we provide a superb platform ) - it's NOT the most obvious and overlooked.

So what is it? Email marketing.

Oh, c'mon - that's so old fashioned! Yes, email marketing has been around awhile. But here's just a few very recent statistics for you to think about:

Email marketing generates a $38 dollar return for every $1 spent.
73 percent of millenials prefer communications from businesses to come via email.
78% of marketers have seen an increase in email engagement over the last 12 months

For a more in-depth look at recent email marketing data, the fine folks at Hubspot have published on this recently. See their article on Email Marketing Statistics

So, why is it overlooked? Usually one (or both) of two reasons - (1) SMB owners may not know HOW to do email marketing, and (2) It can be a lot of time-consuming, hard work. Let us help you with both of these.

First, how about a primer on HOW to do email marketing? We've found a free Email Marketing Crash Course for Beginners put together by an experienced author. Take an hour or so and read through the course. That will let you know if you want to seriously consider starting email marketing for your business or not.

If it turns out that Email marketing IS something you DO want to undertake, be sure to contact us for assistance. We can:

Recommend the right platform for you to both minimize costs & maximize capabilities.
Help you develop a strategic plan for your Email marketing.
Provide assistance and direction in developing email content & sequencing.
Execute your email campaigns.

We want you to be successful!

Online Review Management from Doggone Good Technology

contact@doggonegoodtech.com (John Ohman) — Wed, 26 Feb 2020 17:05:21 GMT

AND Freebies for Your Business!

Interested in getting more online reviews for your business? On Google? On Facebook? On your website?

Let Us Help You!

We, at Doggone Good Technology, faced the very same choices as you. For some background info & perspective on this topic, see our recent blog posts " Online Reviews - Incredibly Important! " and " Responding to Negative Online Reviews ". When we researched the available options, we decided to install & implement our own proprietary system. We purposely designed our system to both meet our needs AND be able to offer Online Review Generation & Management Services to our clients. The result was our ORIGIN service.

If you want to manage this vital aspect of your business yourself, we've got some freebies to help you!

If you want a complete, proven system to help you generate & manage online reviews, we urge you to take a look at our proprietary ORIGIN ( O nline R ev I ew G enerat I o N ) service.

Either way, don't ignore the impact that online reviews (both positive and negative) can have on your bottom line. Visit our ORIGIN Online Resource to see a complete description. From there you can also access more detailed info about ORIGIN, and sign-up to get some freebies (even if you DON'T use our service) that can help you obtain more online reviews of your business. There's no obligation and we're not going confront you with a sales pitch. Just honest info.

We want you to be successful!

Our Recent Endorsement of Evernote vs Chasing the Shiny Objects

Wed, 12 Feb 2020 12:41:20 GMT

Aging Technology that's too "Stale"?

We recently published our blog article about using Evernote to organize you & your entire life.

See our Previous Blog Post if you missed it the first time.

Our endorsement of a 10+ year old product that some might characterize as "stale" in today's tech world, may have raised some eyebrows - particularly from those who fancy themselves as "techie trendsetters". And especially from a company that has undergone some internal strife and accompanying management changes over the past couple of years - how could we recommend this?

As much as we value being on the cutting edge of personal & business productivity, one of the fundamental tenets of our success has been the value we place on " rock solid " technology. And business transparency. Over the years, especially the last year, and more recently just a few months ago, Evernote has displayed an all-around corporate persona of transparency, technology advancement, and rock solid current performance that is outstanding! Their current CEO, Ian Small, has hosted a series of Behind the Scenes videos outlining in very direct, informative terms where they are, and where their going - and growing. AND, in the 4th quarter of 2019, as part of revitalizing their technical infrastructure, they moved the location of their entire collection of over 9 BILLION notes! They accomplished this without telling anyone - and NO ONE NOTICED ! This is the technical equivalent of changing all 18 tires on a fully loaded tractor-trailer while speeding down the highway. Unbelievable.

Now, we admit there ARE some exciting, emerging competitors to Evernote entering the market. Some with envious features. Often accompanied by a steep learning curve. The proverbial " shiny object ". If you want something that "just works" and powers efficiency and productivity, Evernote deserves a look.

So what does all of this mean to you? It depends. Depends on whether you want/need better personal or business organization. Depends on whether you've ever heard of Evernote or perhaps have "dabbled" with it in the past. Either way, if you find yourself unable to find "stuff", recall information, put your hands on the owners manual of your leaf blower - or whatever, Evernote may be for you. And we're here to help, if needed.

Want to see the possibilities? Grab Evernote freebies from us:

" What You Can Do with Evernote " - explore some real-world ideas and use cases for Evernote
" A Selection of Free Online Resources to Getting Started with Evernote " - free guidance to getting started with Evernote
" Evernote Learning & Best Practices " - we're biased, but we think this is the best, most concise, one-page Evernote description and best practices

Evernote Can Help Organize Your Entire Life

Tue, 28 Jan 2020 22:13:56 GMT

Let Doggone Good Technology Show You How.

If you're interested in organizing all of the little (and big) pieces of information, projects, and tasks in your life, Evernote can, quite literally, change your life. Personal and/or business, it doesn't matter. Stop worrying about what's where, what you have to do, keeping track of everything going on in your life - Evernote, when properly implemented, can handle it all!

As part of our mission, Doggone Good Technology helps both individuals and businesses spend more time making progress, and less time handling the boring details. Technology makes that possible, and we make technology work for you! "Simple solutions, Significant Results."

So, what exactly is Evernote?

Evernote is a product/platform/system that allows you to input, organize, and instantly retrieve all of the "stuff" in your life. Information, numbers, data, projects, plans, images, handwritten notes, everything. All of this seemingly random info is organized into notes, which are stored in notebooks, which can optionally be collected into notebook stacks. All of the information is stored in your Evernote account in the cloud, and it all syncs to Evernote apps on you desktop, laptop, tablet and mobile phone. Available to you anywhere, at any time. Instantly.

The most powerful capability of Evernote is it's built-in search function. Evernote indexes every word of every note (even text it can detect in photos or handwritten notes!) and will instantly return a list of all the notes containing the word(s) you search for. It's search function is widely recognized as the best there is for this type of information management tool.

Evernote's structure is comparatively "flat" in hierarchy, and coupled with both robust tagging and search capabilities, makes it an incredibly flexible system. No matter how you think, organize, plan, and do, it's likely that Evernote can handle exactly how you prefer to work. But, the benefit of that flexibility may also be Evernote's largest challenge as well. If you've previously tried Evernote and gave up on it, it's likely that you weren't quite sure how to set it up to fit your work style.

If I've piqued your interest, here are some options for you:

Set up a free Evernote account at www.evernote.com and stumble along on your own trying it out.
If you want to explore some real-world ideas and use cases for Evernote, grab a free copy of our guide to " What You Can Do with Evernote "
If you want some free guidance to getting started with Evernote, grab a copy of our free " A Selection of Free Online Resources to Getting Started with Evernote "

After you've perused some of this information, if you're interested in help to personally set up your Evernote using our unique 5 SPOT Productivity System , Book a Free Telephone Consultation to see if we can help.

Online Reviews - Incredibly Important!

Wed, 08 Jan 2020 22:55:43 GMT

This may be the most important factor in your business!

What to Look For and What to Avoid In our recent blog post regarding Handling Negative Online Reviews, we acknowledge (and honor) the power of online business reviews.

To that end, here are a few statistics that highlight just how important online reviews are:

* 97% of people read reviews for local businesses.

* 90% of respondents who recalled reading online reviews claimed that positive online reviews influenced buying decisions, while 86 percent said buying decisions were influenced by negative online reviews.

* 89% of consumers read businesses' responses to reviews

* 93% of people who use mobile to research, go on to complete a purchase of a product or service. Most purchases happen in physical stores.

* 3.3 is the minimum star rating of a business consumers would engage with.

* 68% of consumers will leave a review if asked.

These data support just how important online reviews of an SMB are! This is precisely what creates a business environment for tech-savvy entrepreneurs to create & offer services to help SMB owners manage & navigate their online reviews. As usual, some are straightforward & responsible, while others attempt to "shortcut" the process with questionable strategies and tactics.In general terms there are two approaches to providing services to SMB owners regarding online reviews.The first is up-front, above-board, and generally considered "white hat". This approach assumes that the SMB is consistently providing very good to excellent services/products and justifiably deserves very positive online reviews. So, the business service provided is aimed at increasing the number of clients/customers that will leave a review. The results are multi-fold:

* If the business is excellent, the "encouraged" reviews should reflect the great products & services that the SMB provides.

* The increase in overall reviews (most of which should be very positive) will "bury" those one-off, often unjustified, negative reviews underneath the multitude of positive reviews.

* The emphasis of these services is to make it AS EASY AS POSSIBLE for your clients/customers to leave a review of your SMB.

* No attempt is made to influence the actual content of the review.

The second approach includes varying degrees of trying to "game" the system. We don't endorse these tactics since they often either appear sleazy on their surface, or violate the terms of service of many of the review platforms. Here's what we're talking about:

* Claims that Reputation Management companies can get negative reviews removed are usually exaggerated. For example, Google will not remove a negative review on your Google Business Listing unless (a) it is clearly libelous, (b) it violates their terms of service, or (c) substantial circumstantial evidence can demonstrate a non-objective motive for a negative review (e.g. a disgruntled former employee where it can be shown that the reviewer is, in fact, an ex-employee).

* Some Reputation Management or Review Generation services claim to focus on increasing the number of reviews submitted, but then turn around and attempt to "modulate" the flow of the review process based on the review rating. This process is termed review "gating" and generally works by having the automated system directly post positive reviews to the review website, but directs negative reviews in a different path that either encourages the reviewer to contact the business owner directly, or gives the business owner the opportunity to intervene. Review "gating" is a violation of Google's online review policy.

* Black hat" online review tactics can get much worse and become patently fraudulent. Paid fake reviews (good or bad), dishonest attempts to remove bad reviews, the list seems endless. You just don't want any part of this. Enough said.

So, do you need a review generation or management service?

It depends.

What IS clear is that you want as many published reviews of your business as possible.

AND, you want to reply to all, or nearly all, of them. What this requires is both a highly efficient, automated system, and the necessary time & effort to setup and maintain the system and workflow. As is often the case, you can either attempt to do it yourself, or you can hire someone else.As a small business ourselves, Doggone Good Technology faced this very question. Our published reviews are great, but we just don't have enough of them. So, we researched the landscape of available online review systems & services. What we found was a broad array of both costs & capabilities. Nothing was quite right so we're in the final stages of installing our own proprietary system & process. We decided to create an offering for our clients that we use ourselves.As we put the finishing touches on this system, be on the lookout for our next blog post on this topic. When it's ready, we'll provide a complete description of the service. AND we'll have a special FREE OFFER for those SMBs that aren't quite ready to use our online review system/service, but want to implement their own DIY review generation service. Doggone Good Technology will custom-craft and provide you some needed tools for your business absolutely FREE with no obligation!

Stay tuned for this one .. .. .. you won't want to miss it!

Responding to Negative Online Reviews

contact@doggonegoodtech.com (John Ohman) — Tue, 31 Dec 2019 01:44:25 GMT

How You Handle This Really Matters!

You work really hard at your business!

You try to provide your best products & services every single day!

And then it happens . . . You scan your social media accounts and there it is! .. .. .. A really negative review!

Yes, you know just how important online reviews are . . . So, what do you do next?

Answer - take a deep breath and reset your reactionary state of mind.

Here's what NOT to do:

DON'T lash out at the person who posted the negative review - EVEN if they surely deserve it.
DON'T succumb to the promises of some "Online Reputation Management" service that promises to magically make negative reviews disappear.

Here's what TO DO in responding to a negative review:

Write a non-confrontational response to the customer’s review with some specific keywords that let them know you’ve read and understood their review. Express sincere regret that the customer had a poor experience.
Thank the customer for taking the time to give you honest feedback.
After you’ve apologized to the customer, make an offer to discuss the situation further and make things right.
Let the customer know that the issue has been (or will be) resolved.
Avoid stating your business name in the review so that it is less likely to be found in a search engine query.

Oh, by the way, you'll also get great positive reviews! Here's how to respond (Yes, it's just as important to respond to the good as well as the not-so-good) to them:

Thank the customer for their kind words, and for their visit or purchase. Be specific in your wording.
Invite the customer to do something - ask them to return, use another service or even help spread the word.
Include your business name and location within your response to a positive review, as this will help it appear in help it to appear in search results.
If the opportunity presents itself (i.e. if the customer has hinted at it within their review), include information about upcoming sales, promotions or events for their benefit and anyone else who reads your reply. But read the signals on this one - the last thing you want to do is sour positive sentiment by appearing to use it as an opening for blatant marketing.
If you've identified them as a particularly loyal customer, reach out to them privately to offer a reward for their generosity.

So, overall, what's the best strategy regarding online reviews of your business? Here's our recommendations:

Be proactive, not reactive! Look, online reviews of your business WILL occur whether you like it or not. AND, they will have a SIGNIFICANT IMPACT on how current & existing customers see you!
Respond to EACH & EVERY review you get.
Profess joy & gratitude for the positive reviews . . . and put forth a humble, inquisitive, "want to make it right" attitude in responding to the not-so-great ones.
Don't promise too much, but unconditionally follow through on any commitments you put forth.

Finally, stayed tuned for our post on "Review Generation" and "Reputation Management" services. We'll show you how to separate the "reasonable" from the "over-promising", the ethical from the questionable practices, and ultimately, whether you need to pay for any of these services or not.

SMB 2019 Technology Recommendations #3

contact@doggonegoodtech.com (John Ohman) — Wed, 30 Jan 2019 22:01:24 GMT

Going "Paperless"

"Paperless" can be misleading - it doesn't mean that you won't handle, interact with, or process some paper. No, it means that you:

Minimize incoming paper.
Transform most paper you acquire to digital files for storage and retrieval.
Minimize send outgoing paper.
Minimize generating new paper.

Let's get our framework of "going paperless" ready to go. By the way we recognize that certain exceptions to "paperless" exist based on either (a) the legality/utility of some documents, or (b) individual personal preferences.

Going paperless - first, there's the why, then there's the how.

The "why" is easy - see these details from our 2018 post entitled Getting Rid of Paper:

Consider for a moment that one four-drawer file cabinet:

Holds 15K-20K pages of paper
Costs $25,000 to fill
Costs $2,000 per year to maintain

According to INC Magazine:

It costs $20 to file a document,
Or $120 to search for a misfiled document, and, if you can’t find it…
It costs approximately $250 to recreate a lost document

Then, there's the "how". You'll need to have or obtain/develop 4 things:

A storage place for your electronic files.
A process for getting your incoming electronic files to your storage system.
A process for transforming your incoming paper documents into electronic files for storage system.
A way to replace a current system that generates paper with newer technology instead.

Step-by-step, here's how to get it done:

Start by minimizing the flow of incoming paper. Switch all bills, statements, and other financial and tax documents from paper by mail to delivered electronically. Almost every financial account you have has this capability. The same goes for newsletters, magazines, print subscriptions, etc. If it's paper and enters your house as such, look for a way to have it delivered electronically.
Next, make sure you've got your digital file cabinet set up. If you read our previous recommendation on the Googlesphere, you know we recommend Google Drive. But if you lean towards the Microsoft equivalent, there's OneDrive. Or Dropbox, one of the first (and best) online file storage systems. Some folks prefer to use the popular note-taking application Evernote to fill this need. That's certainly an option as well. Regardless, pick your favorite and set it up - both the file & folder structure as well as the process flow of how to get what is, or was, incoming paper into an electronic equivalent.
Then, make sure you have the capability of transferring incoming paper - that you actually want to save - into a suitable electronic file. For us, THE indispensable tool is a Fujitsu ScanSnap Scanner. No, not an All-in-One printer that scans. A Fujitsu. No, not a flatbed scanner. A Fujitsu. Get our drift? The Fujitsu ScanSnap iX500 or iX1500 are the current desktop models. They're compact, fast, durable, and easy to use. They just work, and keep working. Worth every penny of the $400+ cost.
Next, establish your workflow to gather, transfer and file your files into your selected storage repository. It should look somewhat like this:
When possible, have your vendor email your needed documents to your as file attachments automatically. When they arrive detach the files and store them in your selected electronic storage system.
For those vendors that don't routinely email these documents, but just post them online for your access, set up a recurring task to retrieve them from their website. If you want to automate this process, take a look at the online service File This ( https://filethis.com/ ) that can connect and automatically retrieve new documents/statements for you. These documents can be stored in special folders or sub-folders of your selected electronic storage system.
Hopefully everything you've done thus far has seriously reduced the amount of incoming paper to your household. But, it's unlikely that you will ever eliminate it totally. But you can handle this efficiently. As paper comes in, temporarily store it in a location of your choice. Then once a week, take all the paper you've accumulated and scan it into your selected electronic storage system. It won't take very long and you'll actually enjoy trashing/shredding the paper when you're done!
Finally, take a hard look at the things you're doing now (personally, or in your business) that generates new paper. Ask the simple question, "Is there a way to do the same thing without creating paper that I or someone else will have to deal with?" Almost always the answer will be, "Yes". If you're hesitant, ask for help in evaluating and implementing newer systems to replace the old ones.

So, does this actually work? You bet it does. Our household has been paperless for over a decade. Our SMB has been paperless from its inception nearly 9 years ago. And despite computer crashes, natural disasters, replaced computers, and several geographic moves, I've been able to collect, decide, file AND retrieve needed documents and random information for that entire time. You can too! Need help? Just contact us.

SMB 2019 Technology Recommendations #2

contact@doggonegoodtech.com (John Ohman) — Mon, 14 Jan 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Getting the Basics Right

As a SMB, you don't need fancy. But you DO need to have the basics in place and execute them well.

Here's a list, certainly not all-inclusive, of the basics we think all SMBs need to especially get right:

Define your value proposition. You need to be able to succinctly communicate your value to a customer - what problem to you solve or what incremental benefit do you provide? In the business world, this is often encapsulated as "the elevator speech" - in the time it takes to travel 2-3 floors on an elevator, can you adequately describe your business proposition? It's more challenging than you think. But, once mastered, you will be able to answer the bottom line questions of "What do you do?" or "Why your business?" confidently and quickly. We have a 3 sentence "template" that will help you. Just contact us for help with this.
Define your target audience/customer. If you can't describe your prime customer(s), you've got work to do! Who are those who would benefit most from the value proposition you described above? Who needs what you do the most? What traits do your target customers share? What do they value?
Make sure you have a business plan

How will your target audience learn about you?
How will you gain new leads for your business?
What's your process for taking leads to clients?
How will you keep track of both your potential and actual clients?
What's your plan?
What type of resources (time, money, staff, equipment & facilities, etc) will it take to execute your plan?
If you need assistance developing your business plan, we can help. Our years of business experience will supplement the technology platform we use (naturally, we use technology for this too!) to help you create & implement business planning & analytics. It's all about maximizing the likelihood of your success.

Plan for staying a step ahead. If you're standing still, you're losing ground. Focus on the emerging trends that your customers are likely to follow or be enticed by. Keep an eye on changes in both the environment in which your product or service "lives", and the processes & technologies that deliver it. If you don't get "out in front of this", a competitor or an "upstart" will!

These are some of the most important "basics". Don't think you can skip any of them - instead embrace them, get 'em right, and succeed!

SMB 2019 Technology Recommendations from Doggone Good Technology #1

contact@doggonegoodtech.com (John Ohman) — Sun, 06 Jan 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Using the Googlesphere (or Microsoft if you prefer)

If you're establishing a new business venture (or are already running an established business), we think you should establish a Google (or Microsoft) account in your business name. Here's how - just create a new, free Gmail account using your business name as the address. For example if your business is ABC Widgets, open a Gmail email account for the address ABC.Widgets@gmail.com

We suggest just using your business name to establish a "regular" Gmail account. It's free and should meet most of your needs for starters. If later on, you need even greater business functionality, you can upgrade this to a full-fledged, reasonably priced, G-Suite account (more about that in a future post), but you probably won't need it to start out with. With this one simple step, ABC.Widgets becomes a Google account with functionality across a broad spectrum of technology products including:

A "business" email address. OK, so it's not really a business email that comes from your business website domain, but it's commonly used by small business. Most importantly, it's separate from your personal email. If you're concerned about having another email account to check, we can help you set up both accounts in the same email application.
An "office applications suite" with documents, spreadsheets, presentation slides, etc. All work at least as well as the most common uses of Word, Excel, Powerpoint, etc, but have even better collaboration capabilities if multiple people need to contribute to the final product. While the files in Google are proprietary and not in the same format as Microsoft Office files, they are readily converted to "office format" for sharing with Microsoft based systems.
Online file storage of 15 GB. It syncs with your local PC and provides adequate storage for most. But, if you need additional storage capacity, it's readily available for a very reasonable cost.
A "business" calendar. Each Google account comes with a calendar. In this case, it can be particularly useful for your business. Google calendars are easy to "embed" in your website - meaning that you can display a "live" version of this calendar right on your business website. We can show you how.
A Form Creation/Survey system that allows you to create and distribute polls, surveys, questionnaires etc and automatically collect & save the responses.
Unlimited storage of your business photos (at standard resolution - adequate for most online uses)?
A free separate business phone number. We can show you how.

Although we prefer the "Googlesphere", if you want , you can do many of the same things with the Microsoft equivalent called Office Online (We won't provide specifics in this post, but if you're interested, reach out to us for full details).

Well there's actually lots more, but we've just tried to cover the highlights. The point is, as a small business, you should take advantage of available free or low-cost technologies to make you more effective and efficient.

Doggone Good Technology is dedicated to making technology work for you!