Running a business means being pulled in a million different directions every day. Sometimes, it’s all you can do just to keep your company running, let alone execute the research required to evolve to the next level. That’s why we at Impact have put together this collection of our most helpful free business education resources for small businesses.
In this post, you’ll find eBooks, webinars, blog posts, and more that can help you boost sales, reduce expenses, streamline operations, and improve marketing strategies. Read on to find the educational resources you need, no matter what your professional goals are.
Would you like an expert to work with you one-on-one to sort out achievable yet exciting next steps? Get in touch with us today to schedule a free 30-minute strategy call with an Impact specialist.
Free Digital Transformation Resources for Small Business
Whether your business is brand-new or has been in operation for decades, the odds are still high that you’re working with some outdated processes or technology. But getting that tech implemented isn’t just about installing some new software. Use these small business resources to create a roadmap and make sure it works as planned over the long term.
Blog on Managing Change
Change is exciting for decision-makers, but the staff who have to handle the actual effects often feel differently. In 5 Change Management Strategies for Digital Transformation, we explore what specific steps you need to take to make sure change goes smoothly at your organization, and how to build a culture that not only accepts it when things shift but actively embraces it.
eBook on Smart Tech Planning
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said “the pace of change has never been this fast, yet it will never be this slow again.” That’s where a flexible roadmap comes in. In Fast-Tracking Your Digital Transformation, we do a deep dive into how to figure out your goals, priorities, and the tech you actually need so you can have up-to-date tech without jumping at each piece of shiny new software.
IT & Cloud Resources for Small Business
All businesses run on technology today, but actually keeping it up and running is hard, even for the most tech-savvy of executives. Impact’s free resources for small businesses to explore what IT actually involves today and can help you figure out what the right method is for you to keep your network up and running.
eBook on Your IT Provider Options
When you first started your business, it’s possible that all you needed was some basic home technology to operate out of your garage. But as you scaled up, the tech you’re responsible for grew with you. Can you handle it all yourself? Does taking tools into a shop for quick fixes cover your needs? Figure it out with Does Your Business Need a Managed IT Service Provider?
Webinar on the Gap Between IT and Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity and IT are clearly connected, but a specialist in one can’t always help you with the other. Where does the line between the two lie? And how do you make sure your network is not just operational but actively secure? Find out by watching The Difference Between IT and Cybersecurity Standards.
Free Cybersecurity Business Education Resources
Cybersecurity is always a hot topic in the news. That’s because even the biggest companies often have vulnerabilities in their cybersecurity strategy that hackers can exploit. But even more terrifyingly, small businesses have become a more frequent target of cyberattacks than their larger counterparts. Use these resources for small businesses to make sure your own organization doesn’t get hurt.
eBook on Creating a Cybersecurity Strategy
There are so many layers to a modern defense plan that it can feel impossible to handle them all. That’s why we created What Makes a Good Cybersecurity Defense for a Modern SMB? It breaks down exactly what you need, why it’s crucial, how to figure out what’s most important for you right now, and how to get it.
Webinar for When You Can’t Hire
Cybersecurity professionals are hard to come by. There are millions of unfilled jobs in the field because every business has realized that they need people monitoring their systems, but not nearly enough specialists have graduated from training programs to handle all of that work. Overcoming the Talent Shortage will help you figure out what to do to stay safe when you can’t hire specialists in-house.
Marketing Resources for Small Businesses
Marketing is the department of your organization that is most focused on growth, helping you boost sales, finding the right candidates when you’re ready to hire, or just getting your name out there in a new market. But it’s also more of an art than a science, so it’s easy to feel like you’re just guessing every time. Use these pieces to figure out how to take a more specific, calculated approach to your marketing.
eBook on What You Actually Need for Marketing
It’s one thing to say “let’s do social media” but another to have the skills and time available to make visual posts, film videos, write witty captions, and put together a cohesive strategy. And that’s just one out of a seemingly endless number of channels that should all work together! Read The Ultimate List of Marketing Resources for Any Campaign to break down what you can do logistically and strategically.
Webinar on Making Campaigns Work
Marketing is more than a shout into the void. It’s meant to be a data-driven conversation with your consumers that inspires them to take real-world actions favorable to your organization. Find out how to make your campaigns actually achieve the goals you have in mind for them by watching Attract, Engage, Stand Out—Building Effective Marketing Campaigns.
Educational Business Print Resources for Small Businesses
90% of companies in North America don’t actually know how much they’re spending on printing. Sometimes, it’s an unavoidable business cost. But sometimes it’s not. Use these to discover if you’re throwing money down the drain with wasteful practices, outsourcing when you simply don’t have to, or not taking advantage of incentives meant for small business owners like you.
Checklist on Minimizing Print Spend
Are you always printing in color, even when you just need a black and white document? Do your employees ever print a 10-page document when all they really needed was the top sheet? Are you outsourcing jobs to your local print shop regularly that might not actually be that difficult? 8 Ways to Reduce Printing Costs will help you figure out small ways to save that seriously build up over time.
Blog on Tax Incentives for Equipment
Have you ever heard of IRS Section 179? It provides some serious savings on office equipment every year, making it much more affordable for the average business to get the machinery they need to handle tasks in-house and get printed products when they need them without having to rely on a third party every time. See if it applies to you in IRS Section 179: What You Need to Know.
Bottom Line
Whether your company needs to focus on growth, customer experience, employee engagement, or anything else, there’s a world of technology out there that can make it happen. But with so many choices, it’s easy to get overwhelmed, especially as a non-expert in this area. It’s not a fair position for the average small business owner.
We hope this collection of free resources for small businesses from Impact helps you discover what your organization needs to get to the next level, whatever that may be. There are so many aspects of a business to consider, but with these educational resources, you’ll have a firm understanding of at least where to start.
Take the next step in the process by reaching out to an expert who can make these strategies happen for your company. Contact an Impact specialist to schedule your free 30-minute strategy call now.