Stop Resisting Technology, Your Business Depends on It

I see a lot of people struggling with bringing new technology into their business. So many business owners resist technology, and to be honest with you, it baffles my mind. You see, I firmly believe that technology is the future of all business. Technology is here to stay, and it’s becoming more important to master it every single day. I hear a lot of these same business owners saying that they don’t have time to learn the tech. And it’s typically because they’re too busy doing what’s comfortable. But doing what’s comfortable won’t help you grow. In fact, it can make your business obsolete almost overnight. The same business owners who have been resistant to learning new technology were dead in the water when COVID shut everyone down.

However, it’s not too late to pivot. In fact, it’s never too late, if you’re willing to do what needs to be done.  One of my mentors is always telling me, “The best time to plant a tree was 10 years ago. And the second-best time is right fucking now.” So if you haven’t taken the steps necessary to get familiar with technology, now is the time to do it. It doesn’t matter if it’s learning how to use your computer better, or learning how to use your smartphone or your tablet to its maximum capacity; whether it’s learning how to get familiar with an app, or with building applications, or building custom form tools, being willing to take the steps to bring your business into the 21st century can mean the difference between surviving or losing everything you’ve worked to build.

The hard truth is, you can’t run from technology and expect to keep your business going. It could be something as simple as implementing new software or fine-tuning your Quickbooks account. Or it could be something that is a bit more advanced, like building out your email marketing or a followup sequence in your CRM system. But whatever it is, it will help you grow and make more money. Sometimes significantly more money, and quickly.

Big businesses figured this out a long time ago. If you look behind the scenes at any large corporation you would see exactly what I’m talking about, on a much larger scale. Email sequences, marketing funnels, advanced CRM systems and much more. These businesses understand that technology is a tool that can be utilized to keep them relevant as a brand and make them a ton of money. That’s why they have no problem investing the time and the money they do in marketing and the tech behind it.

Using the technology available to them, and to you on a smaller scale, turns more sales, and generates more revenue for their companies than what they’d be able to do without it. And guess what?! If it works for big businesses, it’s going to work for small businesses as well. And to be honest with you, some of the technology available for marketing – if utilized correctly – can help your business compete with the big dogs. Think about it, how often do you see ads for Ford trucks or Charmin toilet paper pop up on your Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube feeds? Yes, they’re there, but you don’t see them nearly as often as you see ads and promotional posts from small businesses and entrepreneurs.

Look, I’m not saying you need to be Mark Zuckerberg or Elon Musk. What I AM telling you is you need to at least understand the basics. You can’t not know anything these days, not with the wealth of information available at your fingertips (hint: Google is free…). There is no excuse if you can’t set up a zoom call or send a meeting invite from your Google calendar. Not only will that hinder your growth, it will make you look like a fool.

Maybe that stings a little bit, especially for those of you who have dug your heels in and refused to be open to learning how to use the new technology that is available to anyone with a phone and an internet connection. But, that sting is good for you. It’s your sign that you need to get out of your own way and stop holding your business back from true success.

Photo by Rodion Kutsaev on Unsplash

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