REDONDO BEACH, CA / ACCESSWIRE / September 24, 2015 / Small to medium-sized businesses - or SMBs - represent nearly half of the U.S. gross domestic product ("GDP"), but many technology giants have ignored them in pursuit of larger clients capable of generating greater revenue on a per-client basis. For instance, the majority of IBM Corp.'s (NYSE: IBM) or Oracle Corp.'s (NASDAQ: ORCL) revenue comes from large enterprise clients rather than a diverse range of small to medium-sized businesses.
In the tech industry, there is growing demand among small to medium-sized businesses for online self-serve solutions to automate various businesses processes, from customer relationship management ("CRM") to search engine optimization ("SEO"). In fact, 53.8% of SMBs have adopted SEO practices to drive traffic to websites, while 16.2% of them rate it as the most effective marketing protocol for their business, according to Vocus.
In this article, we'll take a look at one company that's innovating in both of these areas with a growing suite of software and industry partnerships targeting the large underserved SMB market comprised of more than 27 million U.S. companies. Through an upcoming reverse merger with Maxima Group (OTCBB: MXMG), SMASH Solutions will provide investors with a unique opportunity to capitalize on the underserved market with an innovative product offering.
Bringing SEO to the Masses
Search engine optimization ("SEO") is much more than a buzzword, with Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) raking in more than $14.5 billion in advertising revenue last quarter alone. By ranking higher in search engine results for certain keywords, businesses can generate substantial web traffic without paying a fortune for advertising on programs like Google AdWords. The problem is finding a way to effectively rank higher on search engines – a notoriously difficult task.
SMASH Solutions Inc., a software company focused on developing business and marketing tools, has focused a lot of effort on solving the problem with its SMASH Booster Bar Search Engine Optimization tool. According to management, the Booster Bar is the only productized automatic SEO boosting technology in the market with a consistent track record of increasing website visitors and helping to improve organic search results automatically. The technology provides an immediate boost to businesses that implement the solution, while a free two-week trial eliminates any risk for businesses that want to try it out.
In August, the company announced its first partnership deal with Social5, a social media management company, to integrate the SMASH Booster Bar with the Social5 Rank SEO tool. The blended product will have specific value to SMBs by delivering an automatic increase in website visitors and higher visibility online. For its part, Social5 brings more than 6,000 business located across 11 different countries to the table, which could help expand SMASH's reach within the market and improve revenue over the long-term.
In September, the company announced the launch of the SEO Rocket Bar in conjunction with 4th Dimension Marketing Inc. of Vancouver, Canada. As the firm's second major OEM distribution deal, 4th Dimension Marketing will market the product to its 10,000+ clients across 25 different countries. The team anticipates launching the SEO Rocket Bar by mid- to late-October to both existing and new customers.
"4th Dimension Marketing has been serving the Small to Medium Business (SMB) market for many years. Today our client 'footprint' has expanded to more than 25 countries with over 10,000 current clients ... The SEO Rocket Bar is so cost effective and will deliver a great value to the SMB market that has been virtually neglected for so many years," said 4th Dimension Marketing CEO Don Whitmore in a press release.
Automating Customer Contact Management
Customer relationship management (CRM) solutions have become extremely popular over the past several years as a way to better manage business. In fact, the CRM industry grew 13.3% in 2014 to reach $23.3 billion, according to Gartner. Within the segment, software-as-a-service ("SaaS") has grown to account for nearly half of the market, with on-premise software provided by companies like Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ: MSFT) accounting for the other half.
SMASH Solutions has developed an all-inclusive CRM suite that helps streamline and simplify operations for SMBs looking for simple and intuitive solution to meet their unique needs. Given that the CRM is the most widely adopted cloud application among SMBs, at over 55%, this represents a significant market opportunity for the company over the long-term.
The CRM platform features a one-click contact manager that automatically gathers public data (coming in version 2.0), tasks, events, appointment link calendars that allows contacts to conveniently pencil themselves in and a personal virtual assistant that reaches out to contacts regularly a company's behalf and much more. The technology makes it easy for small businesses to offer a "personal touch" to all clients, automatically, and at scale.
In addition to these functions, the software includes unique features like the SMASH Buzz Wall that automatically keeps social media up-to-date, SMASH Newsletters to keep clients up-to-date with the latest developments, and video e-mail functionality to keep clients engaged. The company also provides a number of other hands-on solutions, such as social marketing and website design, to help clients reach their business goals.
Looking Ahead
SMASH Solutions is led by an experienced management team, including a new Chief Marketing Officer Claude Walton, who has over 20 years of experience in advertising, brand management, and digital product marketing for leading companies such as Intuit, Yahoo! and Procter & Gamble. With new partnerships - like the deal with 4th Dimension Marketing Inc. and Social5 - bringing new distribution channels to the table, the company could see greater revenues over time as product sales increase.
On June 3rd, SMASH announced that it acquired a controlling interest in Maxima Group Inc. (OTCBB: MXMG) as the first step in the plan to become a publicly traded company. Investors interested in the technology space, including small-cap companies like Digital Brand Media & Marketing Group Inc. (OTC: DBMM) or Paid Inc. (OTC: PAYD), may want to take a closer look at the upcoming public company as a potential opportunity in the space.
For more information, visit the company's website at www.smashsolutions.com.
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SOURCE: Emerging Growth LLC
