291 - 8 (Free) Google Services We Use and Recommend

Google services put you right under their spotlight, giving many more reasons to appear at the top of search results. They also make your business more efficient, freeing up time for important marketing and management priorities.

Here are 8 Google services we recommend and use, plus 'how to do it' articles showing the easiest way to use them. Sure, this takes a few minutes to get started, but isn't this a time management issue? Are you wasting time on '$10 an hour' paperwork and ignoring business-building?

Let's get busy:

Use Google Apps to manage your Email: let's face it, email in most businesses is a mess, and it costs you money in lost sales and slow payments. I've recently swapped to the free Google Apps service and now email is all online, accessibly from anywhere and very easy to search. It still goes out under our email address and the spam filtering is extremely effective. Very highly recommended! Talk to Tony Cosentino who did the Profitable Hospitality setup - great service. Note: this is different to setting up a Gmail account, although you can access that from the same account.
Google Local Business allows your business listing to come up the way you want when a search is done. Otherwise, there will only be minimal data that Google has gathered from yellow pages listings eg no opening hours or menu information. It's vitally important if you want to stand out on the Maps service. Check it out right here .
Google Maps: is overtaking other online competitors - not just showing locations and directions, but adding a stream of new services for travellers eg photos and even videos of locations. Their MyMap option is a great way to set up and share a map of popular locations in your area - now you're really influencing what people look for: here's how to Set Up Google Maps to Show Off Your Business .
Photo Albums: - food, happy customers, weddings, parties and the location - whatever you want to share. There are so many digital photos stored in your camera, it's time to share them in online albums and slide shows. Google's Picasa Web Album is the tool of choice eg here's how you could show off your location or wonderful food. Check out all the Great Ways to Use Photos on Your Website.
Google Alerts: - set it up with your domain name and business name. Also include your own personal name and others if you want to track them as well. A great service at no cost.
Google Calendar: collects your event information then it can be published on any website - your own, or a site shared with other visitor attractions. As you update information, it automatically changes anywhere it appears. Here's where we show you How to Set Up a Google Calendar.
Your own YouTube Channel: YouTube offers plenty of laughs, but it's also become a serious educational, recruitment and marketing tool - think 30-second promo (TV commercial length) not 5 minute lecture. Here's the channel for Profitable Hospitality and for Cafe Troppo . You have young staff who would LOVE to help with this - Here's How to Set Up a YouTube Channel for Business Promotion!
Google Docs for working together on menus, promotion ideas, function package updates or costings - anything where you want to share a word or excel document with others and don't want to be flicking multiple versions back and forth. Here's an example of a costing sheet that could be (securely) shared and worked on by several people.

How do you use Google services? Add questions & suggestions in the Comment Box at the bottom of this page...thanks!

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Make 2010 a Year of Greater Efficiency! Use the wide range of information and resources in every area of the Profitable Hospitality website. 1st Class Membership is an investment with a fast return: Join Online Now or by Fax, Invoice or PayPal (NEW option).

And check the many Success Stories from Profitable Hospitality members and customers.

2010 Training & Events Calendar

NEW: 25 Great Ways to Promote your Club Online - Sydney: 17 February 2010 - full day workshop.

NEW: Food & Beverage Alive: Queensland 2010 23-24 March 2010 in Brisbane. Two intensive days for club professionals.

Starting a Cafe or Restaurant Workshop 13 or 27 February in Sydney; 13 March 2010 in Melbourne

DVD Set: Club Food & Beverage Management Summit - ORDER NOW: huge value in this 4-DVD set, with 13 presentations from the Oct 2009 event. Great for building staff and manager skills - check the preview video online.

With warm regards -

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