Be the smart one at work: Download NetSuite’s free knowledge e-book, “The CFO’s Guide to AI and Machine Learning.” No matter what you do, you should know more about AI. It’s not going anywhere.
Streamline workflow with these automation tips
Are you sick of wasting time on repetitive tasks? You don’t have to go it alone. Automation can streamline lead generators, customer service and other business needs. We’ll show you how in our step-by-step guide to small business automation.
What can you automate in your small business?
So you want to be more productive. Here are four ways Google Keep can help. Aside from that, you can also automate daily tasks like data entry, appointment scheduling, follow-up emails or even social media posting. This will free up time to focus on more pressing tasks.
According to Quixy, 77% of marketers who use automation see an increase in conversions. Best of all, it’s not complicated. You can start to automate your small business by taking advantage of tools you might not know about.
For example, tools like Zapier can help automate data entry between different platforms. If you need help managing appointments, check out tools like Calendly or Acuity. They’ll send automatic reminders and schedule recurring events so you don’t have to.
That’s just the beginning. Here are a few other tasks you can automate:
- Lead generation: Tools like lead magnets and landing pages are great ways to automate the lead generation process. You can also use these tricks to get more people to your site.
- Invoicing and payments: Automate the payment processes with tools like Xero or FreshBooks, which help set recurring invoices and automatic payment reminders. Our sponsor, NetSuite, is another helpful tool to overlook your business processes. More on that later.
- Social media: Tools like Buffer, Hootsuite or Later help schedule social media posts ahead of time.
- Email marketing: You can set up autoresponders and triggered emails with Constant Contact. Additionally, Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) helps streamline email marketing with automation workflows.
We have an in-depth guide for email marketing to help you launch more effective campaigns. Use these three secrets to launch a successful newsletter.
How to start using small business automation
Tools, check! Are you feeling overwhelmed by all the possibilities? Don’t let automation alarm you. Follow these simple steps to begin.
- Examine your daily tasks. Look for repetitive things you do every day.
- Find specific automation tools that will work for your business.
- Implement the tools next. Start small and test out different tools to see which best fits into your workflow.
Stay vigilant in monitoring your automation processes and tweak them as necessary to maintain effectiveness. If you’re looking for other ways to upgrade your business processes, we can help.
How to sell your iPhone safely
Ready to upgrade to the iPhone 16? Here’s your guide to selling your old iPhone and getting the most out of it!
🪄 You need a magic wand: The FCC says Adobe has predatory subscription billing practices. When you try to cancel Creative Cloud, Adobe charges you half of your leftover subscription, and they make it nearly impossible to cancel without calling. Caught in their web? The FCC put out a guide to help you dispute your charges.
What did Elon Musk try for two days before he gave up? Was it … eating only carrots, getting his Ph.D., living in a Mars space simulator or saying “good enough” to any project?
100 hours
MrBeast and his crew will spend a little over four days in Egypt’s Great Pyramids. They rented them out. The Egyptian government will guide them through the tombs, share their history, allow them to sleep inside them … and get in some ghost hunting. What’s the difference between an ancient Egyptian prince and a Jenner? The Egyptian prince knew from the start his daddy would become a mummy.
Must-know AI info for 2025: Download “The CFO’s Guide to AI and Machine Learning, free from NetSuite, no matter what you do. You need to know more about AI; it’s not going anywhere.
What are you tackling in 2025? Even if all you have is a vague idea, AI can help you with an action plan. Here are a few prompts to try with ChatGPT, Gemini or Claude.
- “I have a goal for 2025 to [fill in the blank]. Can you help me make it SMART?” (SMART is an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Assignable, Realistic and Time-related.)
- “You’re a life coach who wants to help me have my best year yet. Help me figure out some goals for 2025. Ask me questions one at a time to help me decide what to focus on.”
- “My goal is [fill in the blank]. What are some obstacles that might come up and ways I can overcome them? Give me specific examples for each obstacle.”
- “I want to [fill in the blank], but it feels overwhelming, and I don’t know where to start. Can you help me by breaking it down into more manageable tasks?”
⭐ AI isn’t going anywhere: Instead of sticking your head in the sand, make this the year you embrace AI. You’ll get daily tips here in this newsletter and, coming soon, my AI 101 guide for total newbies.
In the meantime, give this list of AI trends for 2025 a read and grab NetSuite’s free knowledge drop, “The CFO’s Guide to AI and Machine Learning.”* You’ll sound smart (and know what you’re talking about!) when it comes up in conversation.
If you haven’t yet this year: Get your free credit report before 2024 ends. Go to AnnualCreditReport.com or call 1-877-FACTACT (1-877-322-8228). New freebie coming soon: My complete guide to credit-reporting mistakes you should be watching for.
Impress your boss in 2025: Download NetSuite’s free knowledge drop, “The CFO’s Guide to AI and Machine Learning.” No matter what you do, you should know more about AI. It’s not going anywhere.
I hear you loud and clear! Coming soon: My guide to AI for total newbies. In the meantime, here are three practical ways to try ChatGPT: 1.) Event planning — Ask for itineraries, packing lists, or ideas for parties or vacations; 2.) Writing help — Ask it to spot typos or areas you can clean up; and 3.) Brainstorming — Anything goes, from blog topics and gift suggestions to medical issues and small-business names.
Use Excel a lot? Set up a macro to automate anything you do often, like formatting a monthly report the same way. Full guide here. So worth the time it takes to set up.
Your to-do list won’t stand a chance: Use Mac’s free Automator app to do repetitive tasks. You can make a variety of workflows and applications. Here’s a full guide. If you’re a coder, you’ll love this!
Just got scammed? Stop here
It’s tough to figure out your next move when you’re stressed out. But the Better Business Bureau has a tool that can guide you in the right direction.
Record your own voice directions
Forget about robotic voices like Siri. You can guide yourself to your destination with your own narration — here’s how.
I wonder why: Microsoft brought back its official guide for Windows 10 and 11 users wanting to switch from a cloud account to a local one. They pulled the steps from their site in June, probably to push folks toward the more ad-focused version. Want to go back? Here are the steps (at the bottom).
Guide to Amazon Prime Day: Returns and what to expect
Prime Day is coming up on July 16th and 17th, but there’s a catch for frequent returners. Amazon is cracking down and it might affect your shopping spree.
3 tips to score cheaper hotel deals
Getting ready to hit the road? Here’s your guide to snagging awesome rates for your next stay!
Do you text like an old person?
Gen Z’s texting style is a whole new world compared to everyone else’s. Here’s your guide to staying in the loop.