Lexie Lu is a UX strategist and web designer. She enjoys covering topics related to UX design, web design, social media and branding. Lexie is a contributor to Marketo, Website Magazine and Envato. Feel free to subscribe to her design blog, Design Roast.
AutoCAD is a software utilizing computer-aided design (CAD). The company behind the program is Autodesk. Artists can draw and edit designs on the computer faster and more efficiently than by hand, saving time and enhancing productivity. You can also collaborate with others on your team to create your finished product.
According to Statista, the CAD market is worth over $5.5 billion for 3D design and $1.97 billion for 2D design. By 2028, experts predict the usage will rise to $10.48 billion for 3D design alone.
Building a tech business from the ground up is a tremendous effort that can take some serious cash. Often, however, tech companies staffed with talented devs and businesspeople fall into a few of the same pitfalls — even if they have enough money to succeed. They may fail to invest in essentials or allow certain expenses to overtake what really matters.
These are a few of the right and wrong investments for any tech business, and how you can prioritize your spending for success.
If you want to increase your cash flow, consider some of these worthwhile investments.
The printed circuit board (PCB) industry supports many different types of products. The components go into nearly any modern electronic product imaginable. Most PCB manufacturers reside in Asian countries, such as China. Recent global health concerns have impacted the production of electrical components and delayed shipments.
In the United States, less than 500 firms make PCBs and employ only 21,000 people. By contrast, China sees annual growth of about 8.5% in the PCB industry and employs around 700,000 citizens. Asia typically makes the items faster and cheaper than other parts of the world.
Today's public is more environmentally conscious than ever before. Not only do people want to reduce their personal carbon footprint, but they look for companies that are eco-friendly as well. If you don't already have a passion for saving the climate, seeing how passionate your customers and workers are about the topic should spur you on.
Recycling isn't only for huge corporations or community organizations. Even the smallest of tech startups can benefit from adopting a green philosophy. You'll save money and do something good for the environment in the process.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the country generates about 267.8 million tons of solid waste annually, or around 4.51 pounds per person each day. Only 94 million tons of that get recycled or composted. With only a 35% recycling rate, there is a lot of room for improvement, especially in the business sector.
We're living in a time of extreme global competition and rapid technological changes. For your business to remain competitive, you have to stay on top of day-to-day improvements and advances in technology. You might think you have an automatic handle on shifts in technical knowledge since you're in the industry, but it's impossible to stay on top of everything unless you make a concerted effort to do so.
There are many different reasons for adding an online map to your website. It offers visitors a point of reference based on location, weather or even geographic locations served. Some businesses benefit more from maps than others, and different types serve various purposes.
There are around 30 million small businesses in the United States, with small-business owners earning about $50,347 per year. If your company has a brick-and-mortar location, office space or distribution area, then a map shows users exactly where your products are available or where to find you.
Have you ever visited a website that created a strong impression and made you want to return again? What is that special formula that makes one site appealing and another boring? A basic website includes some features you'll see over and over again. You can expect a navigation bar, a footer and content. However, you can make a number of simple additions to a business website that enhance the user experience (UX) and help your site stand out from the competition.
No matter what type of business you run, there are risk factors you must navigate if you wish to maintain the same level of profit and growth. Tech businesses, in particular, may be susceptible to harm from interruptions such as hacking or power loss. Although there is potential for great profit in this sector, there is also the possibility that people could steal your ideas — not to mention fierce competition. A minor mishap can cause you to fall behind others selling the same or similar services or products.
Do people land on your website and instantly bounce away? If conversion rates are low, you may be lacking a key ingredient — visitor intent. To meet user needs and stand out from competitors, understand why your audience seeks you out in the first place. People are attracted to websites for a variety of reasons, and it's essential to address them all.
No matter what type of business you run, a style guide helps solidify your brand and present a consistent image across multiple media. The style for an industrial business may vary slightly from other types of businesses. People want to know they can trust you, so consistency and reliability become even more of a factor than, say, for an e-commerce store that sells kitchen gadgets. However, some of the rules are similar.
While every aspect of your business deserves attention, customer relationship management (CRM) is one of the most important. How you form and keep the interactions between you and your customers makes the difference in retaining them. At the same time, you need to build new leads and prevent people from bouncing away to one of your competitors.
In today's global economy, if you aren't on top of your game when it comes to the customer experience, you risk losing out. CRM software is one tool worth investing in because it improves the customer pipeline in several ways.
Excellent customer support is essential to any type of business, but in the tech industry, it can be particularly beneficial. Since many tech companies offer a service or software, it's much more likely customers will reach out for support. Their first experience after purchasing the product is often with your service team. If your employees aren't fully trained to meet consumer expectations, you risk losing repeat business from those people.
