Instant Messaging for Small Business
Instant Messaging for Small Business
Instant Messaging is not just for teenagers anymore. Small businesses can benefit from the nearly instant, interactive communication. Unlike email where you send a message and wait for the recipient to check mail, IMs are in real time. Allowing interactions similar to a phone conversation. You can see if someone is available and reach them quickly. You can share files and links to browse the web while chatting. Collaborate or conference with clients long distance without the long distance cost.
Instant messaging is an advantage for those who want to be available for their clients, especially if your business requires consultation. IM can add another means of communication to your phone, fax and email. Even a retail online store can benefit by having a customer service rep available to answer customers questions. You can set the hours and customers will see by the link if the rep is available to chat.
There are a number of business solutions offering IM software for businesses, however these are designed for the larger business and involve an up front cost. A good way to see if your business can benefit from IM without a long term investment is to try one of the free services offered by Yahoo, AOL, MSN or ICQ. While technically promoted for "personal use" these tools offer the small business a free way to enhance communication with both consumers and other business people.
Getting Started:
If you don't already have a favorite messenger service you may want to download software that can "talk" to users of several different services. This allows you to easily chat with the broadest range of customers while allowing them to use their favorite messenger tool. Since users of Yahoo Messenger cannot chat with users of AOL messenger, for example, you may want to install a third party software that is interoperable with all the major services. One such IM software is Easy Message http://www.easymessage.net/ . Easy Message can chat with customers using Yahoo, AOL, MSN and ICQ messenger services. It's also free and takes up few system resources, allowing it to run on less powerful computers. It has fewer customizable personal features like icons, avatars, games and other bells and whistles. However, it has most of the essential communiation tools for small business use.
For other software that works with multiple IM services, see the interoperability chart: http://www.bigblueball.com/IM/interoperability.php
You will need to create a screen name or ID at every service that you want to use. You then enter each screen name or ID into your messenger software. When choosing a screen name or id make sure you choose a business friendly name.
Now you are ready to add "Online Status" links to your contact web page and offer clients another way to contact you. An online status link is a small icon that changes when you are online or offline. The customer can click this link to open their messenger software and send a message to your screen name directly. You will need to add a link to each messenger service that you want to use. See my contact page for example: http://unlimitedmedia.com/contact.php
The most common tools, with the broadest base of users, are AOL (AIM), Yahoo, MSN and ICQ
Links to the various Instant Messenger software and services:
Yahoo: http://messenger.yahoo.com/
AOL: http://www.aim.com/index.adp
MSN: http://messenger.msn.com/
ICQ: http://www.icq.com/
Get the code for your online status indicator to place on your web page:
Yahoo Add Presence
Contact me to set it up.
Instant Messaging is not just for teenagers anymore. Small businesses can benefit from the nearly instant, interactive communication. Unlike email where you send a message and wait for the recipient to check mail, IMs are in real time. Allowing interactions similar to a phone conversation. You can see if someone is available and reach them quickly. You can share files and links to browse the web while chatting. Collaborate or conference with clients long distance without the long distance cost.
Instant messaging is an advantage for those who want to be available for their clients, especially if your business requires consultation. IM can add another means of communication to your phone, fax and email. Even a retail online store can benefit by having a customer service rep available to answer customers questions. You can set the hours and customers will see by the link if the rep is available to chat.
There are a number of business solutions offering IM software for businesses, however these are designed for the larger business and involve an up front cost. A good way to see if your business can benefit from IM without a long term investment is to try one of the free services offered by Yahoo, AOL, MSN or ICQ. While technically promoted for "personal use" these tools offer the small business a free way to enhance communication with both consumers and other business people.
Getting Started:
If you don't already have a favorite messenger service you may want to download software that can "talk" to users of several different services. This allows you to easily chat with the broadest range of customers while allowing them to use their favorite messenger tool. Since users of Yahoo Messenger cannot chat with users of AOL messenger, for example, you may want to install a third party software that is interoperable with all the major services. One such IM software is Easy Message http://www.easymessage.net/ . Easy Message can chat with customers using Yahoo, AOL, MSN and ICQ messenger services. It's also free and takes up few system resources, allowing it to run on less powerful computers. It has fewer customizable personal features like icons, avatars, games and other bells and whistles. However, it has most of the essential communiation tools for small business use.
For other software that works with multiple IM services, see the interoperability chart: http://www.bigblueball.com/IM/interoperability.php
You will need to create a screen name or ID at every service that you want to use. You then enter each screen name or ID into your messenger software. When choosing a screen name or id make sure you choose a business friendly name.
Now you are ready to add "Online Status" links to your contact web page and offer clients another way to contact you. An online status link is a small icon that changes when you are online or offline. The customer can click this link to open their messenger software and send a message to your screen name directly. You will need to add a link to each messenger service that you want to use. See my contact page for example: http://unlimitedmedia.com/contact.php
The most common tools, with the broadest base of users, are AOL (AIM), Yahoo, MSN and ICQ
Links to the various Instant Messenger software and services:
Yahoo: http://messenger.yahoo.com/
AOL: http://www.aim.com/index.adp
MSN: http://messenger.msn.com/
ICQ: http://www.icq.com/
Get the code for your online status indicator to place on your web page:
Yahoo Add Presence
Contact me to set it up.
posted by Mayda Sanchez at 7:32 AM
