One person business | Apps For Work | The Apps Show04:33

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Published on February 20, 2017

Are you the owner of a small business (eg: a “one-person business, or a “solo start-up”, or a “one woman-band”)? Are you thinking about the advantages of using Google Apps for Work – and how? This episode was made for you! In this episode, Drea is our “one-woman entrepreneur” and explains why it made sense for her to use Apps for Work when she opened her hair salon.

You may use today your personal email to communicate with your customers. But wouldn’t you want to look more professional in your communication with clients, and see your business name displayed in your email address? Drea explains that this was one of the reasons why she chose Apps for Work – together with the bonus of having a 24/7 support line, open for any need of assistance on software usage or setup.

The setup of a new Google Apps account is quite intuitive. Drea walks us through the steps: go to the site apps.google.com, and click “get started”; while you fill in your personal information, you’ll be able to choose between the option of using your existing domain – or buying a brand new one via Google For Work partners. Once you’ve created your account, don’t forget to import your contacts from your personal email to your Apps for Work account. You will do that in your Admin Console. Jimmy show us how to do that in the advanced Gmail settings.

Drea shares with us her favorite Apps that has been making her life so much easier: she uses Calendar Appointment Slots, that replaces the need of a receptionist; clients can make a reservation selecting an available slot in Drea’s Calendar! Also she is a big fan of Hangouts, which is a real time-saver: she meets many of her clients via video meetings, for consultations that don’t need the physical presence of attendees.

Finally, online promotion. Visibility in the Internet is key if you want to keep bringing clients to your store. Jimmy show us two tools that may help you doing that. First, Google+, which is great for creating a Community of clients, where you can share photos and updates. Second, Google My Business, which allows local stores to appear in Google Maps and on local Google searches. It is a free platform where your clients can find your business hours and leave their reviews . Jimmy walks us through the set-up process – check it out if you still don’t have an account!

These are the main tips from Drea. Do you also have a one-person business and want to share with us your best practices? Please do so in the comment section below!

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