5 Recommended Cloud Storage Services for Small Businesses (SOHO)

Cloud Storage Services for Small Businesses

You can't afford to ignore data storage and backup as a small office or home-based company (SOHO). Small businesses require the security of data storage and backup services in the cloud. This blog will examine why a backup is essential and 5 recommended cloud storage services.

Why A Backup Plan?

One of the essential digital resources in a home-based company office is backup or synchronization services for office documents. However, it's similar to having flood insurance. We don't seriously consider it until the water rises inside the house.

Starting a home business is intimidating, and most people find themselves going from one time-consuming activity to the next with little time to consider some crucial but non-urgent tasks. Providing cloud storage for our computer files frequently falls into this category.

If my description matches your situation, I'm guessing you've never experienced a computer failure or a loss of your computer to fire, water damage or any other calamity. Otherwise, the devastation of losing essential data, much of which might be irreplaceable, would convert you into a believer. You'd already have some backup or cloud storage in place. 

The Convenience of A Backup Provision

It's more than simply a good idea to have a backup strategy. It's also convenient. Whether you suffer from a computer system collapse or lose your data, you'll need to purchase new hardware or upgrade your computers sooner or later. Restore your data to the new computer with an easy-to-restore solution is a life-saver.

I've had everything from a computer crash to a hard drive replacement and purchasing a second computer. In each instance, I could move all of my data in one easy step to the new machine or hard drive.

What Is Cloud Storage and Why Have It?

Cloud storage is a form of data storage in which data is kept on remote servers over the internet. Due to their superior attributes when compared to traditional on-site data storage solutions, cloud storage services are becoming increasingly popular.

One of the most significant benefits of cloud storage is that it allows users to store and access files from nearly any place on earth. You only need an internet connection and can quickly and simply access your data. Cloud backup also eliminates the need for hard drives for backup, which are less dependable and susceptible to physical catastrophes such as fires or floods.

The third significant advantage of cloud storage is that it is far more scalable than on-site data storage. You may quickly increase or decrease the storage space you use with cloud storage. This is ideal for companies with seasonal increases and decreases in data storage requirements.

As seen in the list of advantages to cloud storage, I recommend using cloud rather than onsite storage.

Backup VS Syncing?

When you look at cloud storage, you will find services that only back up your files and others that synchronize the contents of your computer with those in the cloud. So, what is the distinction?

- Backup - With your documents backed up, a distinct operation is required to upload them to the cloud storage and then restore them to your computer. The backup procedure may be set up to run automatically or manually started. But restoration will require manual activation.

- Syncing - If you choose to sync your files in the cloud, backup happens as you work within the file. The cloud storage replicates your hard drive files selected for syncing. As you make changes within the files on your computer, those changes are automatically made within the files stored in the cloud. You don't even have to think about backup. It takes place as you work. The only caution you must consider with file syncing is if you are also syncing those duplicate files on a second computer. For instance, after working with a file on your desktop, you can later pull up that same file on your laptop, which will be up-to-date with the one on your desktop. But here is where the caution arises. When you start working on your laptop, you need to allow time for it to sync with your cloud storage before starting to work on your synced files. This syncing process happens automatically once your computer connects to the WiFi. But you must give it a minute or two for the update to occur.

(We independently select these products — if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission.)

My Recommendations:

So, my first advice was for cloud storage instead of local storage. My second recommendation is for file syncing instead of file backup. As you can see from the description of synchronizing, it is a simple and automatic operation. This isn't to suggest that there won't be times when backing up rather than synchronizing is required. But these will be rare occasions.

Explanation of Recommendations --

- All of the five suggestions below allow for synchronization. To be clear, syncing your data is equivalent to backing it up. In other words, multiple copies in the cloud may be reloaded onto your computer if you suffer a data loss or need to transfer all your information onto a new hard drive.

- I'm not suggesting that these five are the best cloud storage services. That being said, they're all trustworthy and dependable services. You could discover features with services not included in the list that aren't available with those listed here. But for most home business offices, these five should suffice. 

Why these five?

- The first three (Google Drive, Onedrive, and Dropbox) should work well with your existing system.



- As far as Google Drive is concerned, you probably already have a Google account. If this is the case, whether or not you're currently using Google Drive, you already have access to it.

- Onedrive is already included with Windows for PC users. If this is the case, whether you are using it or not, you already have the service.

- Many individuals may already be using Dropbox in a limited way. If so, all you have to do now is expand your usage and sync all or most of your office documents.

- If you want features unavailable through Google Drive, Onedrive, or Dropbox, IDrive or PCloud are good alternatives. We will get into their differences below.

Recommendations:

1. Google Drive

If you already have a Google account, Google Drive is a natural choice for cloud storage and data syncing. Suppose your Google account is your account, and you are the only employee in your home business. In that case, a personal account will be a sufficient alternative for a cloud storage service. 15 GB comes with a free account, but you can increase the storage limit at reasonable rates. Here is the rate schedule:

- 2 TB will cost $99.99 per year or under $1 monthly.

- 5 TB is $24.99 per month or $249.99 per year, a 17% savings.

- 10 TB costs $49.99 per month.

- 20 TB comes at $99.99 per month.

A Google Drive app is available for Windows and Mac users. When you install the app on your computer, a G Drive stores your synced files. Move all files you want syncing in the cloud to the G Drive. All files in the G Drive will be uploaded to the Google Drive cloud storage and automatically synced as you make changes to these files.

Should you experience a crash or loss of your computer, install the Google Drive app on a new computer, and all the files in the cloud will be downloaded to the G Drive on your computer.

File & Folder Sharing - Do you need to share documents with someone else? You have two options:

- Create a shared folder - Create a folder and then share it with others. Give them editing privileges or just viewing privileges. Then move all documents to the folder you wish to share. Those with whom you are sharing will have access to all documents in the shared folder.

- Create a shared document - Select any document in your Google Drive and share it with others. Again, choose to give editing privilege or just viewing privilege.  Then share the link with those you want to have access.

Office Apps

Google offers three office apps with Google Drive; Unlike Microsoft office apps, Google apps do not run independently on your computer. You must work within documents in the cloud or install a browser extension. If you wish to use one of these apps offline, you must set a document for offline editing while logging into your Google account. Once you are offline, you will use the browser extension for editing.

- Google Docs - This is the Google word processor.

- Google Sheets - Google's spreadsheet app.

- Google Slides - Google's answer to PowerPoint.

Google One

When you upgrade your Google Drive storage from a free account to a paid version, you become a member of Google One. Additional benefits come with this membership.

- Pro Session - Schedule a personal online session with a Google expert to learn about improving your account security.

- Extra Google Photos editing - Access to Google Photos editing features for Android and iOS.

- VPN protection on your device - With a VPN on your device, you can:



- Browse, stream, and download content with a secure and private connection

- Shield against hackers on unsecured networks (like public Wi-Fi)

- Reduce online tracking by hiding your IP address

- Google Play & Google Store Points

Google Personal VS Google Workspace

To this point, we have been discussing a personal Google account. But if you are a home business person, you may consider Google Workspace, the business account.

So why should you use Workspace?  

Here are a couple of reasons you may want to consider Workspace:

- Branding - If you are the only employee of your home business, there is no reason you could not simply use your personal Google account. If you need additional cloud storage, upgrade your subscription. But your account will not project a very professional image. This is particularly true if you are using Gmail as your email service. In this case, your email address will be like this -  businessperson@gmail.com. Using an email account with this address is more professional - businessperson@mybusiness.com. With Workspace, Google will interact with your domain name to use it with your email address.

- Sharing - A Workspace account allows users to be added to the account and assigns all the same features and tools to each user. This provides a unified calendar; all email addresses use the business domain name. Further, the workspace owner has access to all cloud storage drives of other users, maintaining the ownership of all documents.

Cost - The cost of Workspace is $6 per user per month. This comes with 30 GB per user.

NOTE: Consider the discussion about Google Drive file syncing and sharing common to the other cloud storage services. Though these features may not be mentioned with the other services, assume they are true for each unless otherwise noted.

2. Microsoft OneDrive

Microsoft Onedrive is most attractive to those already using Microsoft Office apps, such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. The use of these apps comes with a subscription to Microsoft 365. A personal account costs $6.99 monthly and comes with 1 TB of storage. However, you can sign up for Onedrive storage without the apps at $1.99 per month for 100 GB. Then there is the Microsoft 365 Family Plan which is a real bargain. For $9.99 per month, you can have up to 6 users with 6 TB of storage.

Onedrive VS Google Drive

The two will run neck-and-neck if comparing only the file-syncing capabilities of Onedrive and Google Drive. The critical difference between them is the office apps they are designed to work with. For Onedrive, it is Microsoft Office Suite; for Google Drive, it is Google Suite.  And a significant difference between these two suites is their operating environment. For Google apps, the working environment is the browser. For Microsoft apps, the environment is your computer desktop.

Hybrid user

Based on these two comparisons, I might be considered a hybrid user. For my cloud storage service, I have chosen Google Drive. My choice was based on convenience. I already had a Google Account and slowly began using Google Drive incrementally. When Google developed the Google Drive app that installs on my computer and automatically syncs my computer files with files in the cloud, I jumped all in.

But I seldom use Google's suite of apps or office apps from my browser. Even though I work primarily on my computer desktop, neither am I a Microsoft Office apps user. I use the Corel Office Suite and, as I say, work directly on my desktop. But as I do, my files are automatically synced with those stored on Google Drive. I would probably use OneDrive instead of Google if I used Microsoft Office apps. The deciding factor between the two seems to hinge much on productivity apps.

All that has been said here goes equally for Mac users and Windows users.

3. Dropbox

We have demonstrated so far through Google Drive and OneDrive that one's work style and need play a significant role in choosing a cloud storage service. The distinguishing feature between Google Drive and OneDrive is the productivity apps used. Dropbox brings yet another perspective. A significant focus for Dropbox is team collaboration. Team collaboration is indeed a feature in OneDrive and Google Drive, but with limited work tools. Dropbox has a large toolbox full of apps with which it integrates for team collaboration.

Dropbox Paper: 

https://youtu.be/fmsq1uKOa08

Paper is Dropbox's signature feature which is a collaborative document-editing service. A free Dropbox service helps teams create and share early ideas. Within Paper, you can work with almost anything, from video and images to code and sound. Paper is the place teams use to coordinate their work and keep projects moving. Building on Paper, teams can integrate their work using an arsenal of apps such as Trello, Slack, Dropbox for G Suite, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Teams, and many more.

So integration is a prominent feature with Dropbox. It is through the integration of many apps and services that team collaboration takes place. Through these partner integrations, Dropbox claims to . . .

- Bring Magic to your creative workflows.

- Provide High impact marketing and a speedier sales process

- Keep your teams connected and keep projects moving

- Bring it all together with the DBX Platform

Cloud Storage:

DBX Platform is the Dropbox platform. Through its platform, Dropbox reverses the focus. Rather than bringing your apps to their platform, Dropbox focuses on bringing their platform to your apps. So, as they say, "DBX Platform lets you add Dropbox features to your apps, such as file storage, sharing, previews, and search."

Pricing

(Click on images to enlarge)

4. iDrive

As noted above, all the services listed have similar file syncing and sharing features. But IDrive approaches it differently. This is because there is no focus on the apps that will be working with their service. IDrive concentrates on backup and syncing. The features offered by IDrive reflect this concentration:

Multiple Device Backup:

Back up unlimited PCs, Macs, iPhones, iPads, and Android devices into a single account. In addition, data from external hard drives can also be backed up.

Online File Sync:

Files and folders will be synced in real-time across all devices you link using IDrive. Sync storage does not impact your backup storage and matches your backup storage limit.

IDrive Express:

Quick backup and data retrieval via physical storage shipment in less than a week, ensuring no bandwidth usage.

Snapshots and Versioning:

Snapshots provide a historical view of data for point-in-time recovery and help protect against ransomware; IDrive retains up to 30 previous versions of all files backed up to your account.

Manage Computers: 

The web-based console helps manage data backups, restores application settings, and more on remote computers.

Clone/Computer Backup: 

Perform sector- or file-level backup to secure your entire computer and restore the same to its initial state in the event of a disaster.  NOTE: This goes beyond data backup to whole-computer backup - including the operating system. Should you experience a catastrophic disaster rendering your computer inoperable, this backup can restore the computer to its initial state of operation.

Security and Privacy:

Transfer and store files with 256-bit AES encryption using a user-defined key not stored anywhere on the servers.

https://digitalchowder.com/5-recommended-cloud-storage-services-for-the-small-business-soho-in-2022/

How to Use Snagit for Screen Capture & Recording

Snagit Capture and Screen Recording Features

In this article, I will highlight Snagit Capture and Screen Recording features.

Snagit is a powerful screen capture and recording software that helps users quickly and easily capture their screen or record videos of screen activity. With its extensive suite of features, Snagit makes it easy to take screenshots, annotate images, draw professional-looking graphics, and record videos with audio.

With this article, I will only cover some of the features of Snagit. There are too many to attempt them all. I have been using Snagit for over 20 years, and in that time, I haven't used them all myself. Occasionally I will come across a new feature and wish I had already been using it.

My primary purpose in this article is to demonstrate Snagit's capabilities for those uninitiated about Snagit. Therefore, I will not demonstrate advanced features or provide a "how-to" of specific features.

Taking Screen Captures with Snagit.

Left Column

This image shows the main window of Snagit. This window is our starting point. We will work our way through the features from left to right. Starting with the left column, we will talk about the type of capture we will take.

Type of Capture

There are three choices:

- All-In-One - If you select all-in-one, you will wait until later to choose whether to capture an image or do a video capture. After activating the capture process and selecting the area, you can choose whether to do an image or video capture.

- Image - Choosing an image capture from this window will limit our capture to a single image. The image capture also provides several options as to the area to select for the capture.

- Video - Again, choosing a video from this window will limit the capture to video capture. It will also show other options to be selected, such as using the webcam to include our image in the capture and recording audio with the video.

Center Column

Moving from the far left column in the main window to the center column, we have three choices if we take an image capture.

Capture Selection

The first choice is the area we will select. Notice the drop-down menu in the image. Only a few of the options are visible in the menu, but they include the following:

- Region - Choosing a region allows us to drag the mouse over the area we want to select.

- Window - This refers to an active window open on our desktop. It may be a word processor or another available app.

- Full Screen - Everything on the desktop will be included in a full-screen capture.

- Scrolling Window - This capture option will cause the active window to automatically scroll to the bottom of the page, capturing the whole rather than just the initially visible portion.

- Panoramic - A panoramic capture is similar to a scrolling window. In contrast, you will select a portion of the page width and then scroll as far down the page as you wish using the mouse. This process will capture everything within the width of your selection and to the bottom of your scroll.

- Grab Text - With grab text, a section of text on the screen is selected and then converted to editable text.

Choice of Effects

You will see the effects drop-down menu in the image to the right. Only a portion of the possible effects is visible. Effects include a border, shadow, edge, etc. SnagIt includes the selected effect in the final capture.

Share Capture

Again, a drop-down menu will list numerous choices to share the capture. These include:

- Screencast - A cloud storage service of SnagIt.

- Word

- PowerPoint

- Google Drive

- Dropbox

- Evernote

- Many more 

To summarize, you can choose an image or video capture, the area of the screen to capture or the entire screen, an effect to add to the image if desired, and an option to share the capture.

What To Do With The Capture

We are now ready to address the right column. Once you have made a screen capture, what will you do with it? Your choices include:

- Preview in the Editor - This choice will automatically send the capture to the SnagIt Editor, where you can remove unwanted portions of the capture or make additions and enhancements.

- Copy to Clipboard - Using this choice; you can paste the capture wherever you choose.

Activating A Capture

Now it is time to start a capture. We have three options.

- The hotkey - Notice the image highlighting the hotkey setup. The hotkey can be whatever combination of keys you want unless that combination is already in use. Below the capture button, you will see your current hotkey. Mine is the print-screen keyboard key. If you press the capture button, you can change it to the combination of keys you want to use.

- Press the big red button that says "capture."

- From SnagIt Editor

Video Demonstration

Please watch the video below for a demonstration of the SnagIt features we have discussed. As they say, "A picture is worth a thousand words." Words would never explain using the SnagIt Editor or a screen recording video. But the video will provide a demonstration.

Conclusion

So as you can see, Snagit is a powerful and versatile tool for capturing, recording, and editing screenshots. It's easy to use with a range of features that make it perfect for professionals who need high-quality images or videos and casual users who want something quick and straightforward. With its hotkeys, capture widget, Snagit Editor presets, and more - you can easily create beautiful graphics in no time!

This demonstration may have made you interested in checking it out further. If so, use this button for a free SnagIt download. You will receive a 15-day free trial. Using SnagIt is the best way to decide if it is a good fit for you.

Free SnagIt Download


https://digitalchowder.com/how-to-use-snagit-for-screen-capture-recording/

Elementor vs. NicePage: Which Is Better for WordPress Websites?

Which Is Better for WordPress Websites - Elementor or NicePage?

WordPress has two excellent drag-and-drop page builder plugins for WordPress in Elementor and Nicepage. Both have several fantastic features. Both are great picks for creating WordPress sites. So, which one should you use?

As a user of both WordPress builders, I must inform you that I have already decided. That said, I'll go through both objectively and share some reasons why I chose Nicepage. To level the playing field, I will also disclose that I am an affiliate for both Elementor and Nicepage.

So, with disclosures out of the way, we will start by looking at some objective features of both Elementor and Nicepage.

Page Builder VS Theme Designer:

One of the benefits I liked about Nicepage is that it's not only a page builder but also a theme creator. However, on the Elementor website, you'll discover a theme builder feature. So are they able to create WordPress themes as well? The answer is yes, albeit in two very different manners.

Installing a desktop program on either a Windows or Mac computer or an online builder is where Nicepage begins. These are independent applications that aren't connected to your WordPress site. You start by creating your theme using a variety of templates and styles in these apps. Templates are full-page layouts on which you may build your theme's design. The designs inspire the page's block arrangement. Once you have designed a theme, you export it from the program and install it in WordPress, just like any other theme. A plugin is included in the archive file that must also be downloaded and installed in WordPress.

Elementor does everything from within WordPress. Once the plug-in is installed in WordPress, you can build a theme. If you are using a free version, you will need to install the "Hello" theme and use the theme builder tool from within the page builder to modify theme elements, such as the header and footer. A template feature is installed for building a theme if you are using a pro version of Elementor.

Elementor gives this description regarding its theme builder:
"'Builder' might be a confusing word in this case, but historically, it has become a standard part of the design vocabulary. Just as page builders are page designers that work in conjunction with your theme, the Elementor Theme Builder is a tool for building a new design framework that changes the look of those areas of your theme that have traditionally been off-limits to page builders."

Website Designs:

Another advantage of Nicepage is that it is more than a WordPress theme designer and page builder. The themes created with its desktop or online applications may not only be exported as WordPress themes but also as Joomla templates. Furthermore, they can be exported as an HTML5 website.

Comparison of Features:

Now let's focus on page building and compare features between Nicepage and Elementor.

Responsive & Mobile Designs

Elementor and Nicepage are both responsive and mobile-friendly. In other words, their designs adapt to any screen size - including mobile displays - and respond quickly. Both provide Desktop, Laptop, Tablet views, and Mobile screens in portrait and landscape mode. Once you've created a desktop version of a page, you may switch to any other screen sizes to see how it appears and make any needed changes. The majority of the time, all that is required is a few modifications to this view, such as repositioning page headers on the page or centering images. Elementor and Nicepage are equally capable in this area.

Drag & Drop Editor

Both offer drag-and-drop design capabilities, which is another common feature between them. Find the feature you want from a list in the left column of your design page and drop it on the page layout in either program. You may then freely position and resize the element as desired. In addition, you may easily customize the colors, backgrounds, and other properties to your liking.

(We independently select these products — if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission.)

Video Demonstration

Here are two short videos demonstrating their features to give a feel for the differences between the two builders.

If you view both videos, you'll find that the technologies employed are pretty similar. Regarding page creation through drag and drop, both products work similarly. The different ways elements may be positioned and modified within the page blocks influenced my decision to use Nicepage. Elementor's manual handling of position, sizing, and modification tools in the left column can be time-consuming. At the same time, Nicepage's mouse use for all these functions on the design page is more efficient. While this distinction might seem minor, it significantly impacts how quickly you can achieve your desired look and do so without spending hours in front of your computer.

Elements

Nicepage claims over 300-page elements, and while Elementor does not give a number, a browse through available features appears to be very similar. Elements might be broken down into:

- Design elements - These include such elements as Headings, elements for layout, images, text editor, buttons, texts, colors, fonts, etc

- Function elements include forms, menus, sliders, social media integration, etc.

Nicepage




Elementor

Pricing

Both offer a free edition. As you might expect, these free editions have certain restrictions. The limitations affect the number of websites on which you may use your license and specific features. So let's look at them side by side:

Elementor:

- Free Plan - The free version is limited to one website, 50 editor widgets, and no theme building. A few other limitations exist, such as no eCommerce or form builders.

- Essential Plan - For most of those reading along, this version or the free version will be the only version in which you will have any interest. You are not designing multiple websites. Only the one you need for your business. This plan is $49 per year and allows for one website. It comes with 100+ editor widgets as well as the theme builder. It also has more website kits and designer themes available. Plus, it has eCommerce, a popup builder, and a form builder.

- There is also the Expert Plan, the Studio Plan, and the Agency Plan. While there are a few more differences than this, the primary difference is the number of websites with which they can be used.

Nicepage:

- Free Plan- The free starter pack allows you to create the site, export it, and test most options. The number of grids, blocks, colors, etc., is limited in the free version. There is no limit to how long the free version is available.

- Personal Plan - The cost of this plan is $59 per year. This plan gives free updates, five sites, 10,000+ Page and Block designs, 200 block layouts, 25 Grid styles, and 1 Modal Popup.

- Other plans include the Business plan for $129 annually, the Pro plan for $199 a year, and the Ultimate for $349 a year. Each of these plans will increase the number of sites, page & block designs, grid styles, and modal popups. Again, the Personal Plan is sufficient if you are only interested in designing your business site. Should you need more than one site for your business, the Personal Plan will allow this.

Get a top Elementor Developer

Conclusion:

Both plugins offer similar functionality, so choosing between them depends on your needs and preferences. If you’re looking for a simple page builder with fewer options, then Elementor might be better for you. However, if you’re looking to build complex pages with many different elements, then NicePage will likely be a better choice. It will excel in giving you:

- The ability to try out your ideas on the fly.

- Allow you to modify elements in minutes.

- web design 3.0 features

- 1,000s of designer web templates

- A responsive design that looks great on any device

Check them out:

Nicepage




Elementor

(We independently select these products — if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission.)

Additional Resources:

- My Personal Guide to All the Best Features in Nicepage, Part 1

- My Personal Guide to The Best Features in Nicepage Part 2

- My Personal Guide to All the Best Features in Nicepage - Part 3

- Unlocking the Power of Nicepage: My Personal Guide - Part 4
https://digitalchowder.com/elementor-vs-nicepage-which-is-better-for-wordpress-websites/

What Is A Pad Printer And How Can It Help Your Home Business?

How Can A Pad Printer Help Your Home Business?

What Is A Pad Printer? If your business transfers two-dimensional images onto three-dimensional objects, that question could interest you. Your quality might be lacking if you use screen printing or another technique rather than pad printing. The pad printer is made specifically for this print job.

But you may also be looking for a way to take your home business to the next level. Pad printing can benefit your existing business but can also be an avenue for diversifying your business or starting a new one.

What Is Pad Printing?

Pad printing is an indirect offset where ink from a laser engraved plate is transferred onto a 3-D object using a silicon pad. Thanks to pad printing, a process once difficult or impossible to complete is now available for customization. With the pad printer, it is possible to print on such materials as:

- Aluminum

- Cellulose acetate

- Ceramics

- Chromium-plated surfaces

- Coated surfaces

- Cotton

- Duroplastics (phenolic and melamine resins, glass-fiber reinforced polyester, and epoxy resins)

- Glass

- Gold-plated surfaces 

- Leather

- Metals

- Nickel-plated surfaces

- Paper

- Plasticized PVC

- Polyester (PES)

- Rubber

- Silicone rubber

- Synthetic leather

- Wood

- and many more

By broadening the types of materials you can print on, you also enlarge the number of doors opening for starting a new business or expanding an already current one. With being able to print on any of the following surfaces, your printing ventures could include:

- 1. Custom coasters

- 2. Ceramics such as mugs, plates, and bowls.

- 2. T-shirts

- 3. Golf balls

- 4. Keychains

- 5. Magnets

- 6. Notepads

- 7. Pens

- 8. Mousepads

- 9. Stickers

- 10. Glassware Decoration

- 11. Metal Signage

- 12. Promotional Items such as pens and buttons

- 13. Product Labeling

- 14. Barcodes

This list is not exhaustive, but it should pique your thinking about the limitless options. These choices might be made available as promotional goods for your company or to sell, or you may contract with other firms to print on products they create or market.

Basics of Pad Printing

How does a pad printer work? 

Three components are necessary for a pad printing machine to deliver a print to an object: the plate, the ink cup, and the pad.

The Plate: The printing plate holds the image you want to engrave on the object. Common ones are plastic – thin metal plates covered using photosensitive plastics. They are known for their flexibility, cheapness, and easy printing. Another type is the steel plate, known for toughness and durability and better suited for large production runs.

The Pad: The mechanism that transfers ink in a pad printing machine is called the printing pad. With the image on the pad, the pad stamps it onto the object.

Pads are silicone, with the type and hardness depending on their purpose. Pads also come in diverse shapes and sizes, determined by the application and artwork.

The Ink Cup: An ink cup is a mechanism that contains the ink printed on a component. The ink cup travels over a plate containing the etch and then returns, leaving only a tiny amount of ink in the etched region.

The ring and cup are the two essential parts of an ink cup. The plate has a ring that slides over the cup to limit ink to locations on the plate consistent with the image. Some manufacturers use ceramic, metal, and plastic rings in their products.

For more details, go to: 

- Step by Step Guide:  https://www.printinginternational.com/story-printing-international/what-is-pad-printing/

- Training & Expert Advice: https://itwtranstech.com/services/training/

Cost of getting started

Suppose you're wondering how much it costs to begin pad printing. In that case, the answer is relative to whether you plan on utilizing it for existing business ventures or starting an independent pad-printing-based business.

Print Projects within your business

With an established business, you may wish to print your company name or logo on goods as a marketing technique. For example, publishing your firm's name and logo on coffee mugs as a giveaway is an option. You may rent a little pad printer for $310 from here. A printer with this price range would come with supplies such as ink, paper, and plates, but not necessarily the printer itself.

Pad Printer Business

There are a variety of print projects that a company may undertake. Therefore, the cost depends on the nature of the job. Other factors contributing to the cost are the size and quantity of the product to be imprinted. To give an example, I'll utilize one case study; you may tailor it to your needs.

This example will use mugs as the product of choice using the Printa Systems ready-made printing system.

The Printa System provides you with the high-quality equipment needed to run your business and the expert training necessary for success. With this particular plan, you are leasing to buy the 990 Series Silver Pad Printer System. The cost of the machine is $3995, with shipping totaling an extra $110—making the total $4105. Your contract stipulates that you pay out this lease at a manageable monthly rate of $138.75 for 48 months. At the end of this period, you will own the equipment.

It is wise to keep it simple and start with a niche market such as mugs. But the equipment you purchase will enable you to branch out and print many other things like water bottles, pens, glasses, cups, and golf balls. You won't need to purchase any extra machinery.

In addition to the equipment, you will also receive training on how to use it. The session covers setup, preparation, artwork, printing, and more topics. This way, even if you have never worked with a printer, you can get started without trouble.

Go to this link to explore the information further.

Other Ideas: This is only one way to secure the printing equipment. However, this example may serve as a guide for the cost and capacity of a pad printery. Furthermore, this method allows you to start without making a significant financial investment.

Go to https://www.printa.com/business-resources/how-to-start-a-mug-printing-business for more information about the printa system.

Ideas For Identifying Business Clients

After you've decided to start your own pad printing company and have acquired your equipment, you will now need print jobs. Enlisting jobs may be the most challenging part of launching a print shop business for you. Where can you locate customers, and how will you entice them?

Individual Customers

If you operate a home-based business, realize that foot traffic will not contribute to your success as it would for a store-front operation. Your primary customers deliberately seek out your products or services online or through word of mouth.

Any mode of advertisement or promotion (aside from a street-level sighting) places you on equal footing with the store-front business owner. Those ads can easily direct customers to your website, make a phone call, or send an email inquiry.

Business Clients

You're not limited to only finding individuals as customers; business clients are another great option. If you pad print any products, find businesses that make and sell those same items so they can use your service for imprinting purposes.

Teaming up with this type of business can make sense financially because you would print more items and get stable work. In other words, having just a few contracts like this could be all your company needs to do well. Once established, you can increase your production with more of the same printing or start imprinting onto different products--or both! This way, your printing volume will go up, along with how much money you're making.

Here are some reasons why choosing a B2B approach to identifying print jobs might be wise. These ideas come from the article, "Why B2B is a Better Choice for a Print Shop Franchise," published by Signarama Franchise.

Conclusion

To summarize, pad printers can be highly beneficial to home business owners:

Business projects can help you create professional-looking marketing materials and personalized gifts and save money on commercial printing services.

Start a new business: Starting a pad printing business can be a great way to earn extra income from home. Anyone can get started in this rewarding field with a small investment in equipment and supplies! 

Please share your thoughts or experiences in the comment section below. What would you like me to write about? Contact me at: wayne@digitalchowder.com

https://digitalchowder.com/what-is-a-pad-printer-and-how-can-it-help-your-home-business/

3 Best Free Invoicing Apps for Sole Proprietors in 2022

Free Invoicing Apps for Sole Proprietors

Why An Invoicing App

If you're a sole proprietor, chances are you're always on the go, and your time is precious. An invoicing app can help save you time and make sure you're paid promptly by automating the invoicing process. With an invoicing app, you can create and send invoices directly from your phone or computer. In addition, many invoicing apps allow you to track payments so you can see at a glance who owes you money and when the payments are due. This can significantly help you stay organized and on top of your finances. Another significant advantage of using an invoicing app is that it allows you to get paid via credit card or PayPal, which can be a big plus if your clients prefer those payment methods. So if you're looking for a way to streamline your billing process and get paid faster, an invoicing app is worth considering.

Finding a FREE invoicing app is even better. Getting the help of an invoicing app doesn't need to break your budget. You don't need all the features of a more significant business, so why pay for them? This blog will recommend three of the best free invoicing apps for your home business.

Wave

Wave Website

Wave is a free invoicing app that allows you to create and send clean, professional-looking documents for no cost whatsoever. It also includes handy features like tracking payments or managing expenses, so your finances stay on top! Choose Wave for invoicing and add needed features such as accounting and banking. They are all 100% free.

Wave makes money when you choose to use its financial services. For instance, you can use Wave invoicing for free. The service costs you nothing if a client pays the invoice through their own channels. However, you can have Wave send the invoice, and the client can choose to pay the invoice using Wave payment services, and Wave receives a percentage of the transaction. The same principle is true of their other services.

Here is how it breaks down:

- Need to receive payments? It is 2.9% + $.60 per transaction.

- Need payroll services? The cost of $35 per month.

In addition to these services, Wave offers consultation for a fee:

- Need a bookkeeping advisor? The cost is $149 per month.

- You can have an accounting and payroll coach for a one-time fee of $329.

A benefit of taking advantage of these paid services is that it leaves the heavy lifting to Wave. Need to refund a customer? No problem. Wave will take care of it and keep track. Wave's slogan is "Everything you need. Nothing you don't." And that is the approach to their services.

Wave has recently added a banking feature to which I referred above. As with the other services, banking is free. The service tracks business and personal expenses and keeps them separate to simplify tax season. Wave debit card purchases automatically get logged and categorized in the accounting software. Transactions can be tracked with their mobile app.

Wave Website

Zoho

Zoho Website

Zoho is another excellent choice for the sole proprietor. By comparison with Wave, Zoho is a scalable, full-featured accounting app. While it has a free plan, there are limitations to the number of customers or invoices included with the plan. Since we are focusing on free plans, I will compare the Zoho free plan with Wave.

The Zoho free plan includes these features:

- Hosted payment pages

- Multi-currency support

- Integrated with Stripe

- Offline payments

- Client self-service portal

As you move into the paid plans, more features are included. As you scale upward to the more advanced plans, Zoho becomes one of the market's best invoicing and accounting apps. Zoho's free plan cannot compete with Wave as a free app. On the other hand, Wave cannot quite make it with Zoho as an advanced accounting app.

With Wave, there is no paid plan for invoicing and accounting. Therefore, there are no limits to the number of customers or features between various plans. There is only one plan, and it is free!

Zoho is a good choice for a small or mid-size business with more complex accounting needs.

Zoho Website

ZipBooks

ZipBooks Website

ZipBooks is also designed for the sole proprietor or small business. As a free invoicing and accounting option for the sole proprietor, it fits in a category between Wave and Zoho. Wave is completely free. There are no paid options for invoicing and accounting. On the other hand, I would not rate Zoho as an authentically free choice. Yes, there is a free plan, but there are restrictions. It will accommodate only 20 customers. It limits the free service to very small businesses and calculates small using a metric based on the number of customers.

Wave also targets small businesses but uses a different metric for small. Rather than measuring by the number of customers, it calculates based on the complexity of the business accounting needs.

So what about ZipBooks? Its free plan includes:

- Sending unlimited invoices

- Managing unlimited vendors & customers

- Accepting digital payments (Square or PayPal)

- Viewing Basic Reports

- Connecting one bank account

This is a similar approach to Wave. Again, the metric is based on accounting features rather than customers. The ZipBook philosophy is, "From accepting your first transaction to operating a high-revenue operation, we have a plan that covers you (yes, it starts at free)!" So as a new business, you start free. As your business grows, upgrade to the plan that best fits your needs. But since the features offered in the free plan are unlimited, nothing is added to these features in the paid plans. With the paid plans, you will have included things like automation, the number of bank accounts, and the number of team members. For instance, check this list of features included in the Smarter Plan:

- Schedule recurring invoices with auto-bill

- Automate reminders

- Save invoice line items

- Connect multiple bank accounts

- Receive account notifications

- Track time

- Add 5 team members

ZipBooks Website

Which App Is Best

The plan that is best for you is just that - the plan that is best for you. Saying one app is better than another can only be judged based on whether it best suits your needs, regardless of how many great features it has. I have already given a clue to an approach to deciding which invoicing app to choose. Now I will go into it in more detail.

Greatest Need -- Is your greatest need invoicing, bookkeeping, payroll, or something else? If your business sells products, bookkeeping may be the most significant need rather than invoicing or payroll. If, on the other hand, you provide client services, invoicing is probably your greatest need. So start there. If invoicing is your greatest need, then the number of customers or clients you have is also essential. You don't want an app that restricts your number of customers.

If customers and invoicing are not your most significant concern, pick those issues that are of greatest concern. Maybe you need more complex accounting or want to accept payments on your website? Whatever it is, laser focus on your most significant concern or need. Having found the plan that best addresses that concern, now consider some more minor concerns. Does the app that best addresses your most significant concern also address this minor concern? If not, is that a game changer? If so, your next option is to accept a compromise with your more significant concern issue. Or, it may be that none of these three apps best addresses your need.

While your business may be small, your financial concerns may be mid-size business issues. You may need to go looking for apps better suited for the mid-size business.

Small Business Financial Tips

I hope this blog has helped you decide on a free invoice app for your business. Here are a couple of additional tips to help keep up with your business financials.

Tips for Getting Paid On Time With An Invoice

Tips for getting paid on time with an invoice
Invoicing can be frustrating, such as sending out countless payment reminder emails, making numerous phone calls, and still not getting paid on time. Fortunately, you can do a few things to increase your chances of getting paid promptly. First, be clear about your payment terms from the start. Make sure you discuss payment options and timelines with your client before starting work. Second, use an invoicing system that allows you to track payments and automatically send reminders. Finally, follow up with a phone call or email a week after your invoice is due. By taking these simple steps, you can decrease the chances of getting stiffed on a bill.

Why tracking income is essential for sole proprietors

Tracking your income is not an activity you can take lightly. It is what keeps you in business. Besides helping you stay organized and on top of your finances, you will know how much money you bring in each month. With this information, you can better budget and keep up with your cash flow. This will also be incredibly helpful in deciding how to grow your business. Plus, it will help you spot potential problems before they become too serious.

Conclusion

So, there you have it. Our list of three best free invoicing apps and tips on ensuring you get paid for all that hard work. Whether you use one of the apps we’ve mentioned or choose a different option, remember to keep your invoices clear and concise, follow up if needed, and always be professional. With a little organization and a solid payment system, you can focus on what you do best—running your business!

https://digitalchowder.com/3-best-free-invoicing-apps-for-sole-proprietors-in-2022/

Unlocking the Power of Nicepage: My Personal Guide - Part 4

Unlocking the Power of Nicepage

This article is my final installment in a four-part series about one of the best web builders: Nicepage. It's not an instructional set of videos. Still, instead, I'm focusing on some of the fantastic features that make this builder a standout for me.

- In video number one, I discuss why NICE pages, subscription plans, and the accompanying desktop app are so effective in helping you design both offline and online. It's one of the features that has made it my go-to choice for all my web development projects.

- In video two, you'll witness the fantastic design features that Nice Page offers, many of which are exclusive to this platform.

- Then in the previous video, I presented the diverse publishing choices that come with a Nicepage desktop app. These include WordPress, HTML, and Joomla. Publishing directly to the Nicepage servers is another choice.

- In this final video, we'll be exploring Nicepage within WordPress. I will show you how to use the plugin that comes with it to get your website up and running in no time. And as a bonus, I'll also share tips on customizing your site online and offline. So let's get started.

Installing the Nicepage Theme

In the last video, I demonstrated the installation of the Nicepage website design in WordPress that I created in the desktop app. I installed it the same way as any other WordPress theme.

We exported the website design to a WordPress zip file from the desktop app. Then, going to WordPress, we select "Appearance" in the menu and "Themes." We then click on "Add New" followed by clicking on "Upload Theme." We locate and install the zip file we exported from our desktop app. Once installed, we need to activate our theme and customize it. Now, notice in the main menu on the left the addition of the Nicepage plugin.

Using Nicepage Editor

Now, let's go to "Pages" from the main menu. Hover over the page you want to edit and click "Edit with Nicepage."

The first thing I want to point out in the editor is that you can do everything within the page editor without leaving it, including:

- Switching to another page

- Creating a new page

- Editing the menu

The image's arrows indicate "Pages" and "Menu Items." I can do it all right here.

Also, if you don't use an SEO plugin, you can add meta information from the page editor. Notice the image highlighting page settings. I decided to use SEO plugins because they have additional features not included with Nicepage.

You can view all these features demonstrated in the video further down the page.

Browser View of Page

In the second video, I demonstrated several design features in Nicepage. With the page loaded in the browser, we can view those features.

- Animation - View the video and notice the animation in the first two blocks of the page. Trigger these instances by scrolling. Animation can also be triggered by hovering. In either case, there are numerous animations from which to select.

- Grid - A grid in Nicepage is similar to a table in which you can create multiple cells. Each cell can contain images, text, or any other type of content. A significant advantage of the grid is to tie content units together as the page responds to various devices. Otherwise, as a responsive page adjusts for multiple devices (desktop, laptop, tablet, phone), the content can become unstable in its positioning.

- Modal - A modal is a popup that overlays the page. It can have a transparent background that allows the page to show through. You can create any content in a modal. I like to use image slide shows. Create a single image or button as a hyperlink to launch the modal. The modal can display other images.

Modals can be triggered, as mentioned, with a link, timed to launch after the page has loaded, or set to launch when a view shows intent to leave the page.

- Accordion - An accordion is a series of labels with content that 'accordions' out when you click the label. (Also on the video)

- Tabs - Tabs are similar to accordions. Whereas accordion labels are vertical, tab labels are horizontal, revealing additional content when clicked. (On the video)

Resizing Images

Resizing images is simple on Nicepage. Drag any side or corner of the image and drag it; the image will respond while keeping its aspect ratio. This feature is probably true in any web builder. However, occasionally I will need help sizing an image to fit a particular spot without losing portions of the image I want. I often get around this problem by using HTML.

To use the HTML image tag for an image, I insert an HTML element in the cell or box where I want the picture. I enter a simple image tag in the HTML code, including the image file's location and the width I want. I do not include the height. By doing this, the browser will automatically use the correct height to keep the aspect ratio. The same effect will work by using only the height. I use a percentage rather than a fixed width. In this way, the image will be responsive for different devices. In this way, the image will be in full view.

Editing Between Online and Offline

The last feature I will highlight is the ability to work online and offline with Nicepage. When I speak of working offline, it refers to using the desktop app. The ability to work offline is my favorite feature of Nicepage.

You may wonder why I want to edit offline when I can do everything I need online. I can do everything online, but every change I save will be public once I have published a page. If I make a significant change to a page, I may save the changes at several stages, so I keep them should something go wrong. Each time I make a save, my incomplete work becomes public. Not a very positive image to portray!

Instead, I will make sure the desktop app has the current version of the page and will make my changes in the app. Once the changes are complete, I will export them from the app and import them online. So how do I do that?

Notice where the location of the cursor in the nearby image and the popup menu next to it. This menu is related to the selected block with a blue border. The popup menu lists "Export Block." Select this and export that particular block to your computer. Then go to the desktop app and open the same page. Select a block and click on the three dots on the left side of the block. Choose to import block and locate the block you just exported from online.

You will need to do this for each block in the desktop app that is not up-to-date. If the same block was already present on the desktop but is outdated, you must delete the obsolete version.

There may be several applications you can make to this feature. Another application would be when you have a block of information on a website page that you want temporarily removed. Using this feature, you could store it on the desktop and then move it back online when you want to display it again.

Conclusion

This article and series conclude. Please use the comment box below if you have questions or comments. Is there a topic you would like me to address in a future article? Share that in the comments.

Be sure to download a free copy of Nicepage and try these features yourself.

https://digitalchowder.com/unlocking-the-power-of-nicepage/

My Personal Guide to All the Best Features in Nicepage - Part 3

This is my third article in a four-part series about my favorite web builder, Nicepage. In the first article, "My Personal Guide to All the Best Features in Nicepage, Part 1," we discussed the Nicepage subscription plans. We also mentioned its desktop app for Windows and Mac allows you to design and edit your website offline. Then, in my second article, "My Personal Guide to The Best Features in Nicepage Part 2," I highlighted special design features in Nicepage that I especially like. Some are even unique to Nicepage.

In this third article, we will discuss the options available on Nicepage, allowing you to publish your site to your website from the desktop app.

Publication Options

I have provided screenshots to help you visualize the comments, but there is also a video further down you can view.

Nicepage Publishing Options

So let's go to the desktop app for Nicepage. In this case, it is in Windows, but there is also a version for Mac computers. The website showing on the desktop is one I have been working on in the second video for demonstration purposes. We demonstrated some animation, grids, and how they contribute to a responsive website. We also presented a modal, accordion, and tab feature.

Assuming that we are ready to publish our website on the internet, let's look at our publication options. These methods export the site from our desktop app to our online website. So we go to the publication feature, where you can see the following options:

- Website. This option uploads the site directly to the Nicepage server. This is a simple way to post the site online and allow clients to view it before launching it publicly.

- HTML. For those who prefer a simple, straightforward website rather than a CMS such as WordPress or Joomla.

- WordPress. This is the most popular website option, and Nicepage is a leading theme builder for WordPress.

- Joomla. Though less popular than WordPress, Joomla offers another CMS option.

- Image. Publish a one-page image of the site.

- Website project. This packages the website project for transfer to another computer.

Website Publication

Website Publish option

Starting with the first option, we will publish to a website. The subdomain to which it will be posted is shown in the window. Use this URL to view the site once it's published. A custom domain name that you have registered can also be configured to direct viewers to the Nicepage subdomain. A few other options can also be selected in the window, but we will skip them and go straight to "Publish Website."

Now we can use the subdomain URL to view the site. As you scroll down the home page, you can observe the animation in action with the various page elements as they zoom out or slide in. Click on the button for the modal to have it pop up with the photo slider. And then, you can see how the accordion and tab look and operate. Both are good options for offering viewers an opportunity to view the data or not.

HTML Publication

HTML Publish option

With the option to publish to HTML, we can export the site to a folder, a zip file, or directly to our website using FTP. I use my FTP client, so I take the Folder option and select where to export it.

I will go over to Filezilla, connect to the export folder, and then to my website folder online. I will select all files and folders in the export folder, then drag and drop them into the online folder on my hosting site.

There is no further configuration necessary. I can go to my browser, enter the URL of my website, and immediately view the site. This assumes that my domain is set up with the hosting site and has propagated across the internet.

WordPress Publication

WordPress Publish option

Finally, we will choose the WordPress option for publishing. Again, we can export to a folder, zip file, or FTP. Selecting the zip file option is the most straightforward choice. You will need a more advanced understanding of WordPress to use the folder or FTP approach.

By choosing to export to a zip file, I will install the site on my WordPress website as with any other theme. The only difference will be the import of content and installation of a plugin. The Nicepage plugin will serve as your editor in WordPress to work with your Nicepage web pages.

Before exporting the WordPress zip file, choose which features you want to export to your website. You will want to include the Theme along with pages and Editor Plugin. If you are planning an eCommerce site, retain the templates. If you want to export your site to the desktop app, choose to have the Nicepage Project. Now we are ready to export.

Next, we will go to the wp-admin section of our WordPress website to install the zip file. Once you are in the wp-admin area, select "Appearance" from the left menu and select themes. At the top of the page, click on "add new" and then on "upload theme." You will locate the exported zip file on your computer and click "install."

Now that we have installed our website, we need to activate it. Having done that, click on customize, and you will need to go to self-identity. In this section, you will insert your logo and Favicon from your media library or upload them from your computer. Then go further down to insert the site icon.

Now click the back arrow, then go down to the menus. Under menus, you will need to select the menu you will be using. Most likely, it will already be set.

Next, click the back arrow and go to "Homepage settings." Here you will choose whether the homepage will use the latest post or will be a static page. Although posting is a significant function of my Digital Chowder website, I use a static homepage with links to posts.

At this point, you're ready to click publish and view your WordPress website online.

In my fourth and final Nicepage-oriented article, I will discuss working with your Nicepage-generated website within WordPress. In addition, I will show how to go back and forth between your online and offline versions of the site. You can view all four articles on YouTube for a better visual demonstration of this presentation.

Website Building and Repair

Elite Web Presence

Do you find all this a bit overwhelming, or do you not have the time to work with a site? Let me make a suggestion. Go over to Elite Web Presence for some help. Whether you need a complete website build and update, or some cleanup and maintenance, they can do the job for you. They can also help with SEO, along with website backup and security.

Conclusion

Has this series been helpful? Building a website with Nicepage is an easy and efficient way to get your site up and running quickly. Using the tools it offers, you can create an attractive design that drives traffic to your pages and gives customers what they need.

Finally, does all of this sound too daunting or time-consuming? In that case, Elite Web Presence can help build, update or maintain your website to optimize it for success.

Have questions or comments? Please leave them in the comment section below.

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