There are many different ways a company can sell their products to customers, and one of the most underutilized is selling through social media. From one-man operations to multinational corporations, social media should be an integral part of marketing strategies. For many small businesses, social media is a new frontier that they can use to push forward sales.

Using social media to advertise or sell products and services, commonly called ‘social selling’, should be an integral part of your marketing and sales promotions. Here are five reasons why your sales force should be social.

1. Cost effective. Of the main marketing and sales pipelines, social media is by-far the most cost effective way to connect with people and build a solid marketing funnel.
2. Level playing field. The best thing about social media is that there’s no size requirement. One man companies can benefit in exactly the same way as multinational corporations. With a well crafted and executed plan, you could see your company achieve Internet fame and increased revenue as a result.
3. Less investment of time. Marketing and sales is a full time job, and using a website or other technical mediums requires the time of other departments as well. With social media, sales people can run campaigns themselves thereby reducing the demands on other departments.
4. Highly trackable. Social networks like Facebook and Google+ have built in analytics making it easy to track nearly anything related to social media sales. If a mistake is made changes can be made quickly and results will show instantly.
5. Drives loyalty and brand presence. With successful social media interactions, customers will often be more loyal as they feel a connection with the brand and will be less willing to change to buy from other companies. Social media also gives customers a chance to truly let you know how they feel, and other customers can see this. Visible comments are one of the most effective ways to build brand identity.

Using social media to conduct social selling is a great way for small businesses to not only grow their business but also market their brand. If you’re not using social media in your company, or would like to know more about how social media can help your business grow, please contact us.

'Note to self: Check the status of order number 3261 after lunch.' Do you find yourself making mental notes like these on a regular basis? How many of them do you actually remember? Most people find that if they don't write it down, they will most likely forget. But who carries a pen and paper around with them these days? If you have an Android tablet, there are some really handy note apps available, why not use that?

Here's three note apps that different users will find useful:

Google Keep For users who are integrated with Google; using Google Drive, Gmail, etc., Keep is a recently released note app that allows you to create notes and lists. You can also attach voice reminders, pictures and change the color of each note.

What separates this app from others is that it syncs your notes automatically with Google Drive, which means you can access, edit and manage the notes from any system. The mobile app looks great, as it follows Google's new 'clean' look with lots of white space. Notes are added to the main screen as thumbnails with the main content featured in the image. If you use Google's apps, this is a great addition that you will likely find useful. Free on Google Play.

OneNote Mobile If your office uses Microsoft Office, or Office 365, you may have already used OneNote. The mobile version lets you create notes and lists with bullet points, checkboxes, text and pictures. You can sync these notes with your SkyDrive account, or your Office 365 ID - they should both be the same ID - and have access to them on nearly every device including your desktop.

If you use OneNote on your desktop or browser, you will be able to view and open these notes using the mobile app and vice versa. Free for 500 notes on Google Play. If you want to create more than 500 notes, there is an in-app upgrade cost that varies depending on your account.

Evernote If you use multiple mobile and desktop platforms, or aren't picky about an app's integration with existing systems, Evernote should be right up your alley.

Like Google Keep, this app lets you create notes and lists, and also add voice reminders and pictures. The ability to search your notes for keywords is also included, which makes this app useful if you take a large quantity of notes.

The key distinguishing feature of this app is that it isn't just for one system. You can install versions on nearly every platform e.g., iOS, Windows Phone, BlackBerry, Windows, Mac, Linux, Chrome, Firefox, etc. And your notes will be synced as long as you have an Internet connection. This makes it perfect for the business owner who has a Windows PC in the office, an iPhone and an Android tablet. Free on Google Play.

These are just three potential note apps that you can use on your Android tablet. Do you use other ones? Let us know.

When it comes to mobile devices, users really only have the choice between a closed system with three incredibly popular devices, or an open system with hundreds of phones. For those who want choice, that system is Android. When researching devices, you are bound to hear about Android's Nexus line, but might wonder, "what exactly is Nexus?"

To begin with, devices labeled with Nexus are Google branded phones and tablets made by different manufacturers that often come in different sizes. Below is a brief overview of the different types of Nexus devices, how they differ from other Android devices based on hardware and software, plus how to buy them.

Nexus devices As noted above: Nexus devices carry the Google brand. Flip one over and you will see the Google logo featured prominently on the back. What this means is that in countries like the US and Canada, the device is sold through Google's website. Google does not manufacture these devices, instead relying on companies like Samsung, Asus and LG to produce them.

There are currently three Nexus devices available from the Google store: The Nexus 4 - a 4-inch smartphone made by LG; Nexus 7 - a 7-inch tablet made by Asus; and the Nexus 10 - a 10-inch tablet made by Samsung. You can still find older devices like the Galaxy Nexus, Nexus S, etc. available from a variety of different cell providers.

Nexus hardware Google views the release of a specific Nexus device as what Android devices should be. This means they have near top-of-the-line components and are often considered high-end when they are released. It's easy to think of the them as the benchmark - hardware wise - for the other Android devices, up to a year after the release.

Because of the large number of manufacturers turning out Android tablets and phones, you can bet that any device, Nexus included, will soon be surpassed by another in a matter of months. However, most tablets are powerful enough that users often don't notice the difference, so there's really no need to worry about bigger and better with the Nexus - at least not for a year or two.

Nexus software Where the Nexus models excel is software. Google's Android OS is now in it's eleventh version, yet most users are still using devices with versions from 2011 and 2012. This fragmentation happens largely because manufacturers apply their own OS layout that needs to be updated when Google releases a new version of Android. This can take months.

Nexus machines receive OS updates a few days to a month after Google releases them. This means that for at least two years they will be running the latest version. These devices also don't have custom layouts, so you get a 'pure' Android experience, or as Google calls it 'Vanilla Android'.

In other words, if you want a device that runs the latest and greatest software and OS, Nexus is the way to go.

Buying a Nexus As Nexus devices are considered high-end, you might think that the devices come with a high-end cost too. That's not 100% true though. For example, the Nexus 7 tablet is sold at cost (USD$199 for the 8GB version). In comparison, the iPad Mini starts at over USD$300. In general, Nexus devices retail at an affordable cost for the intended market. If you are looking for a high-end Android tablet, the Nexus is one of the best value devices on the market.

That being said, if you have a set budget, and aren't worried about a device running the latest and greatest version of Android, you shouldn't feel pressured to get a Nexus. There are many Android devices out there that could meet your needs and budget. Not to mention that almost all apps on the Google Play store will run on a large variety of devices, so you can still access the same apps.

If you have your heart set on a Nexus then check out the Nexus store. For those who can't access this, many big electronics stores also offer the devices, often at the same price as the Google store. To learn more about Android and your business, why not give us a shout? We'll be happy to sit down and have a chat.

Tablets are in. Just take a look around the next time you are out at a coffee shop. It's pretty much guaranteed that you will see at least two or three. The amount of tablets out there is steadily growing, and these mobile devices offer a great opportunity for companies to reach out to their customers through mobile advertising. This can be harder than it looks, especially because it's a fairly new idea. It doesn't have to be hard however.

One of the easiest ways to get in on the mobile advertising boom is through the use of mobile ad networks. There are over 150 available, serving more than 10 different niches. This will likely grow exponentially over the next few years as the demand for mobile marketing and the number of mobile devices continue to grow.

Sure, mobile advertising is the next big thing, but how do I figure out A. who the companies offering services are, and B. what companies offer what services? To help answer this question, mobyaffialiates has recently posted an infographic/map of which companies offer which form of mobile ad services.

This is an interesting infographic because you can click on the names of the companies to be taken to an overview of what each company does and the regions/areas they work in. It's definitely worth a look if your company is interested in launching a mobile advertising campaign. Some companies even offer ad development, so this could be your key to a successful campaign.

With the increasing number of Android tablets in use, it may be time to look into a more unique, (for now), form of advertising. If you'd like to learn more about mobile advertising, please contact us, as we may have a solution for you.

Computers are getting smaller. In the not-too-distant future, it's highly likely that the many business owners, managers and employees will do the majority of their work on tablets, instead of desktops. This trend has is already starting, and devices like Android tablets are making inroads into the office. The one downside is that transferring files between devices can be a bit of a chore. Helpfully there is an app that facilitates the sharing of files.

To wirelessly share files from your PC to your Android tablet without a cord, you can use the ES File Explorer File Management - available for free on the Google Play Store. This app does a lot more than allow you to share files from your PC, in fact it's main purpose is to access and maintain files on an Android device. There is a feature of this app which allows users to access files shared on their computer of a LAN - Local Area Network.

Here's how you can set this up: Note: The following steps are for computers running Windows 7.

Set up both devices

1. Download and install the app on your Android tablet. It can be downloaded from here.
2. Start the app on your device and go through the overview and brief tutorial.
3. Navigate to the folder on your computer you would like to share with your device. You can also create a new folder on the desktop for files you want to access on your device.
4. Right-click on the folder and select Add a network location.
5. Click Next and a screen will display your computer's IP address which you can jot down. If your computer is the only one on the network, there's no need to do this, but if you have more than one, it's a good idea to write this address down. It should look something like 192.168.1.107 - the IP will differ, depending on the network.
6. Set a Username and Password when you're given the option. Then click Finish. Note, if you don't set a username and password, anyone connected to the network will be able to access the folder.

Connect your Android device

1. Connect your Android device to the same Wi-Fi network the computer is connected to.
2. Select LAN in ES File Explorer on your Android device. It can be found by pressing the downward pointing blue arrow in the top-left side of the app.
3. Press Search on the app. It will search and display a list of devices currently connected to the LAN.
4. Tap the computer icon with the IP address that matches the one you jotted down above.
5. Enter the username and password you established earlier and select Connect.

Using ES to transfer/view files After you have connected, you can tap on the icon again and you will be able to see the folder(s) you selected to share. To copy a file from your computer to your device:

1. Tap and hold the file for a second or two to get a list of options.
2. Press Copy to copy the file.
3. Navigate to /sdcard/ - by flicking to the left/right on your device.
4. Select the folder where you would like to place the file, and press and hold for a second until the menu comes up.
5. Press Paste.

If you want to move a file from your Android tablet to your computer, you can navigate to it's location on the /sdcard/ section, then press and hold to select Copy and navigate to the LAN section. Select the folder, long-pressing on it and finally pick Paste.

There are many different apps out there that can help you integrate your Android tablet to your office. If you do choose to follow this method you should be aware that it may not be the most secure way to transfer files. It would be a good idea to contact us before you try this at the office, as we may have a solution for you that could make things even easier.

The last few weeks have been rife with tech speculation. No, we aren’t talking about the results of any election, rather new tablets. It seems that the last two weeks of October have turned into ‘Open Tablet Season’, where developers go hunting for sales by releasing new tablets. Announcements have been made by both Apple and Google. Apple had their turn last week, and Google’s big event is October 29. Rumor has it, there will be new Android tablets too. Before you get caught up in ‘Tablet Frenzy 2012’ you should ask yourself how you intend to use it for business.

Before we answer any questions about whether a tablet, more specifically an Android tablet, is right for your business, we need to look at the elephant in the room, the iPad. The iPad is a great device that allows users to communicate much as they would on a smartphone, just over a larger screen. The thing about the iPad, and most other tablets, is that they are generally designed for the largest audience - no, not businesses; retail consumers.

This puts businesses at a bit of a disadvantage in terms of tablet adoption, simply because modern tablets are so new that they haven’t had time to evolve and concentrate on many other mediums outside retail everyday-use. This has left businesses wondering why they should adopt tablets, and those that have try to fit the tablet to traditional uses.

Most early business adopters of the tablets, Android tablets in particular, have been using them as oversized PDAs. In this way, Android tablets excel, especially if you use Google’s products. Practically your whole office, calendar, alarms, contacts and email are in one easy to carry device. The administration side of business and Android go hand-in-hand.

The tablet is great for the road-warrior. Why carry a large, bulky laptop around for presentations when most tablets can now connect to projectors, thus enabling users to run presentations and keep notes on the same small device. Tablets are also good for giving presentations during a lunch meeting, or to a smaller group. There’s no need to rent a big space with a projector to present to a handful people.

Where the tablet starts to look less impressive for businesses is in terms of productivity. Continuing the presentation example from above: Yes, you can easily give presentations on a tablet, however creating and editing, while not impossible, takes a lot longer than on a computer. The same goes for word documents and spreadsheets. It’s an act of frustration to use advanced features of both office functions on a tablet. While this sounds like a big con, there are a number of programs expected in the near future, like Office 2013 for Android, and add-ons like keyboards, that will make it easier to be productive on a tablet.

The other hinderance of tablet adoption is that many small businesses just don’t have a way or plan on how to manage tablets in the office. A large number of backup and management solutions companies use come from before the modern tablet became so successful, and as such, they lack a way to support these devices. Consequently the value add-on of tablets might be offset by the cost of upgrading to support them.

There is a high enough adoption rate of these devices amongst companies that back-end developers and service providers are starting to work in ways to manage/integrate mobile devices into the company’s systems while keeping the cost to a minimum.

If you’re thinking of integrating an Android tablet into your office ecosystem - a move many agree with - and if you want to be more mobile and connected from anywhere, we recommend that you talk to us first, as we may have a low-cost, or affordable way for you to integrate a device into your systems successfully.

Often, the hardest things a manager has to do is keep ideas straight, or translate creative ideas from their heads onto paper. One of the best ways to achieve this is through the use of mind maps, having a central idea and visually connecting ideas to it. Mind maps are designed to help people see the bigger picture, and can help you make better decisions. Because of their visual nature, they are a great fit for Android tablets, and there are some terrific apps out there.

Here are five apps for Android tablets that will help you with your mind mapping.

Connected Mind Connected Mind, USD$3.00 on the Google Play store, is a full function mind mapping app that allows you to create maps using your finger to draw and edit branches and nodes. Each branch is randomly assigned different colors (which you can change) to help keep your map organized, and with 27 shapes you can create some pretty complex maps.

The good thing about this app is all maps are stored in the cloud and linked to your Google account. This means you can access the maps on any Android device, or even on Chrome with a Chrome extension. You can also share the map, as an image, to other apps like Gmail, WhatsApp, Google Drive, etc.

Mindjet for Android This app is the Android version of the popular PC based mind mapping program Mindjet. With this app, you can create professional looking mind maps quickly and easily. At the bottom of the screen is a customization toolbar that allows you to customize category nodes, branches and sub categories to your heart’s content. Any mind map created on your tablet will sync with mindjet’s browser or computer based versions; you can take your mind maps anywhere.

As an added bonus, the app syncs with Dropbox and if you have the full version, Microsoft Office, SharePoint, Apple Mail and Yammer. The downside of this app is you do have to subscribe to use it. A Web based subscription is USD$15 a month, while the full version is USD$30 a month. The app on the Google Play store is free, but you will be asked to subscribe after 30 days.

Mindomo Mindomo is an app that’s quite similar to Mindjet in that it’s easy to use to create professional looking mind maps. While it offers many of the same features, it also adds collaboration if you sign up for the paid subscription, giving you the ability to work on mind maps while offline. You can also embed images directly from your phone into the mind maps, with maps and images being synced to other versions when you’re connected to the Internet.

Mindomo has four pricing options: Free, which gives you three maps a month, Premium, Professional and Team. The cost for the three paid programs is USD$6.00, USD$15 and USD$29 a month, respectively. The Professional and Team versions give you the ability to collaborate with up to five guests and five users for the Team version.

iMindMap HD If you have a creative streak in you, or love brilliant looking mind maps, this is the app for you. Backed by ThinkBuzan (the company started by Tony Buzan, the inventor of modern mind maps) you can create mind maps worthy of framing, while also storing them on ThinkBuzan’s cloud storage service. There’s more to this app than it being really, really, ridiculously good looking though. You can draw your own branches, embed Web links and pictures directly from your camera, open email attachments and export your maps as images. It also has a built in function that will help ensure a neat and tidy map.

You can have up to five maps on the free version, but can subscribe to ThinkBuzan Cloud for USD$20.99 for one year.

Simple Mind If you are looking for a low-cost (USD$5.00), easy to use app, this is a great choice. You can create, edit and reorganize maps and that’s about it. The maps you produce look simple compared to some the other apps produce. While this may be a downer to some, simple mind maps often look great, and if done correctly, can look super professional.

If you’re interested in using mind mapping apps in your company, or for your Android device, please contact us, we can help you set up an app that will meet your needs.

These days mobile devices are as common as computers, if not more so. Some people have even forsaken the computer entirely in favour of them. While they might be mobile they are still very much computers, and as such they are just as much at risk for attracting malware and other damaging programs. If you have an Android device there’s a new piece of malware you should be aware of.

In late June 2012, the mobile version of Firefox was released on the Google Play store. Some enterprising hackers have taken advantage of this and posted apps on a Russian website that are actually malware.

These apps are a form of the Boxer malware app. Boxer is an app that can be downloaded and installed on Android devices. When downloaded and opened, it will bring up a Rules page - the page that tells you what permissions the app needs to run - and asks you to accept it. This page contains one extra rule in small print: it gives the app permission to send and accept SMSs from paid services.

When the user hits Accept, an SMS will be sent to a number ending in 2855, 3855, 7151, or 8151 and the user is taken to a webpage to download the actual app, with a message saying the app has been activated.

What sets the Firefox version apart from other versions is that it doesn’t ask the user for permission to install or show the rules page. It installs and sends the SMS to the above numbers without the user knowing. The other difference is that this version sends the user to Google’s search page not the download page for the real app.

The interesting thing about Boxer malware is that it has appeared a number of times posing as different popular apps, suggesting there could be a trend developing. We highly recommend that you only download apps from approved sites like Google Play, and always look at the publisher of the app before downloading. If you have any questions regarding the security of your Android device, please contact us.

Tablets are quickly becoming an important device to small businesses. With the ability to take your office with you on a device not much bigger than a book and be able to keep in contact with the office, tablets are a dream. Many manufacturers realize this and have started producing tablets to meet demand with the majority of these tablets using the Android OS to operate. While a solid OS it does take a bit of time to get used to navigating.

Here are the most common touch-screen motions that will have you navigating your Android tablet like a pro in no time. Note: these tips will work for most versions of Android but are optimized for Android 4 or higher - Ice Cream Sandwich and Jelly Bean.

Vertical scroll The vertical scroll is used to browse lists or websites. When you open a website or list that’s longer than the screen, you can scroll down by putting one finger on the screen and moving your finger away from your body. To scroll up you move your finger towards your body. If you want to scroll quickly, flick your finger up or down and lift it off the screen. The faster you flick, the further you will scroll. Tapping the screen will stop scrolling.

Horizontal scroll Horizontal scrolling is used to navigate your apps screen, turn a page in an e-book reader and to move to the different home screens. From the main home screen, place your finger on the screen and move it to the left or right to view your other home screens. If a website is too large for your screen, you can view more of it by using the same action. As with vertical scrolling, the quicker you move your finger, the faster you will scroll.

Zoom Some apps like Google Maps, Web browsers and document readers will allow you to zoom in to view the page or map better. To zoom in, place two fingers on the screen - most people place their fingers like you would on a keyboard - and move them apart. When you move your fingers apart, you should notice the screen zoom in e.g., in Google Maps, the map will zoom in to show a smaller section. To zoom out, or view more, place two fingers on the screen and bring them together. If you do this on a website, you’ll be able to see more of the site.

If the list, website, book or document you’re looking at doesn’t really scroll very far, try rotating your tablet to the left or right so you’re holding it more like a book. When you rotate the tablet, your screen should also rotate into Landscape mode, which makes your viewing area wider. Should your screen not rotate, open Settings and select Display. Locate Auto-rotate screen and tap it. If there is a checkmark in the box, it means your screen will auto-rotate. To learn more about your Android tablet, or if you have any questions, please contact us.