Spreadsheets & Digital Media – A Marriage made in Heaven!

When they save me so much time and money and make running my business so much simpler is it any wonder I openly declare that:

“I Y Spreadsheets”

 

I also confess to a passion, close to addiction, for my favourite social media platforms.

• Thanks to IFTTT any retweets or favourited tweets are automatically updated to my twitter spreadsheet.
• I regularly export my LinkedIn contact details to a spreadsheet too. The contact information can be imported to an email address book, used for a free email marketing campaign (such as Mail Chimp) or to produce and send out a free electronic questionnaire (I use Survey Monkey or Google forms).
• And guess what the results of any surveys or feedback supplied via electronic forms are also automatically fed back into a spreadsheet so I can analyse the results to determine areas for improvement and ensure the services I am providing are constantly updated to match the clients ever changing needs.
 
“I don’t believe there is a business owner out there


who could not benefit from Spreadsheet and Digital Media Training”.
When you're ready  - get in touch - and lets make it happen!
www.secretsofsoftware.co.uk

 

 

Spreadsheets are Sexy?

Spreadsheets are Sexy!

I was recently asked to advise a committee on what computer skills were most relevant to start-up and small business owners. There were smiles all round as I ran through the benefits of understanding social media platforms and related strategies, nods of agreement and acknowledgement as we discussed email management, electronic business cards and video conferencing. But, when I mentioned spreadsheets, faces twisted as though I’d delivered an almost fatal stab to the heart, and the project manager exclaimed ‘Oh no, not spreadsheets, they’re just not sexy’!

How I hope business owners are more enlightened to the benefits of spreadsheets. Throughout the entire process of setting up and running a business my reliance on spreadsheets, has been up there with my need for oxygen.

It started with spreadsheets for a personal budget, set up costs and creating an excel database of potential clients. Once up and running excel templates produced quotes and invoices.

Spreadsheet files now record, income, costs and expenses, including travel and mileage and are all automated to produce the required totals for each annual tax return. Effective use of spreadsheets allows me to avoid the need and expense of an accountant.

Spreadsheets keep a track of every client, the service received and potential future requirements. Keeping in touch with clients and ensuring they receive first class customer service is an absolute priority. Applying a quick sort and filter to my spreadsheet means I also avoid the need for expensive Customer Relationship Management software.

 

But are spreadsheets sexy? What does the dictionary definitions have to say about Sexy:

1.      Arousing or tending to arouse sexual desire or interest.

No! Even I have to agree that spreadsheets aren’t quite that amazing!

 

2.      Highly appealing or interesting; attractive.

 I say yes! Spreadsheets are Sexy!

 

The final decision is yours – but don’t waste too much time making your mind up J