In his book Cloudonomics, author Joe Weinman explains how businesses can strategically employ cloud computing to both generate profitable revenue and deliver clear benefits to clients and customers. In this edited excerpt, Weinman outlines how small businesses can best use the cloud.
Category Archives: Technology
Square Too Expensive? Try These Alternatives
BY E. SHERMAN
It was too good to be true for too long. Square, the innovative start-up that turned smartphones into credit card processors just killed its flat fees for small companies, effective in February. Instead of charging $275 for up to $21,000 in monthly transactions, the company is moving to a 2.75 percent swipe fee, or 3.5 percent plus $0.15 for each manually entered transaction.
To compare, 2.75 percent of $21,000 is $577.50, which is $302.50 higher than the old monthly fee. If you can swipe
Mistakes You’re Making on LinkedIn
BY J. HADEN
What separates the master networkers from the amateurs? The former tend not to make these mistakes.
Lots of articles describe how to create a more marketable LinkedIn profile, how to find the right groups to join, how to choose the best profile photo… I should know, I’ve written about that. Oh, and that. Yep, and that too.
Since most people understand the value of taking those steps, let’s go deeper. To really harness the power of LinkedIn, don’t make these mistakes:
1. You give only because you expect to receive.
Connect with people on LinkedIn and you can write a recommendation that gets displayed on their profiles.
That’s awesome, unless you’re only giving recommendations because you want one in return. Then it’s tacky.
For example, say you’re a plumber. A pipe burst and we call you at three in the morning. You immediately rush over, fix the leak, and save us from inadvertently converting our basement into a swimming pool. I’m extremely grateful and I write you a deservedly glowing recommendation.
Then I ask you to write a recommendation for me.
The problem is,
