Small Business Thinks Big Tech

I came across a great article from the National Post that discussed small business technology buying and thought I would highlight it for you.

Traditionally small businesses are not as early an adopter of large scale technology as their corporate counterparts. This is usually due to the massive investment needed to prepare for large scale IT projects. This has left enterprise resource management (ERP) and customer-relationship management (CRM) to the big players only - until recently.

With the move the the web of many ERP and CRM vendors and the building of scaled down versions from their enterprise customers, small businesses are beginning to take notice. Here are the keys for the vendors who have made the leap to small business successfully:

1. Understand that SMBs are a different market: Larger organizations typically roll out ERP systems over a five year period. Small businesses need to see a faster return on investment. They need to justify the purchasing decision very quickly and see results coming in.
   
   
2. Tell stores of SMB success: When doing your sales pitch don't compare your SMB prospect to an enterprise customer. Show how you have made it work for a smaller company that is just like them.
   
   
3. Offer software as a service: Instead of costly up front setup fees and licensing agreements, offer monthly plans that allows the small business owner to more effectively manage their cash flow.
   
   
4. Focus on customer relationships: Most small businesses rank customer relationships as the most critical factor in their success and 50% are using technology to help find new prospects
   
   
5. Demonstrate measurable payback: The more you can demonstrate the financial impact to the small business the more likely you will get a yes answer.