by Guest Blogger, Lena West 

I was recently nominated to the Advisory Council of the Center for Women's Business Research, probably the only research organization that's focused solely on the progress and challenges of women entrepreneurs. My first Advisory Council meeting was absolutely amazing. I got to hear Marti Barletta of Trend Sight speak and I met Flori Roberts (yes, THE Flori Roberts) and Nina McLemore -- (her name is actually pronounced Nine-ah)...

Anyway, the Center in collaboration with IBM, recently completed a research study about how women entrepreneurs are using technology in their business, called Solutions & Sophistication. And, I spoke at the "meet the press" event they had to release the results of this study. Mucho interesting! 

Since this is a blog for women by women...or anyone who cares to know us better...and I'm the resident technologist, I thought you might be interested in what *I* found MOST interesting from the research results...'cause it IS all about me :) <jk>

TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION

51% of women business owners said their technology adoption rate was average

15.2% said they were lagging somewhat behind

10.3% said they were well behind the curve

Only 23.5% of women business owners said their technology adoption rate was more advanced than average or leading edge.

I find this absolutely amazing!  Forget about the technology adoption rate for men. This is not about them - for once. This is not about being on par with men (or beating them), it's about women stepping up to set our own digital yardstick.

What the above figures say to me is that there is an opportunity for 25.5% of women business owners to have just an AVERAGE technology adoption rate.  But, more importantly, there is an opportunity for 76.5% of women business owners to do better than average in regards to their use and adoption of technology. Talk about an opportunity!  I'm not asking you to be a gadget toting geek...all I'm saying is let's step our collective game up, eh?

Why should you care?

Because, technology, more than any other business tool, allows your businesses to gain a substantial competitive advantage and a substantial competitive advantage means more success, more money, more fulfillment, more freedom.

For example, if you can provide customer support 25% faster than the competition because you decided to adopt instant messaging through your web site, who do you think is going to get better customer service feedback - and as a result more business? If you guessed you, you'd be right. (By the way, you can do this for free with Meebo.)

Do you want to:

- Increase your number of speaking engagements?  You can! I doubled mine this year by being really active in the right places online.

- Make a bigger impact around issues that are important to you? You can! I just told you that I was nominated to the Advisory Council of the Center for Women's Business Research. Now, I can help even more women to use technology to grow their businesses.

- Attract more media attention? You can! I was interviewed by the Wall Street Journal earlier this year AND got a full three-page feature in one of the most prestigious consulting publications, Kennedy Information's Consultant's News.

- Increase your revenue? You can! My company was recently contacted by one of the largest educational institutions in the U.S. to help them kick-off a presence in SecondLife.  How did I meet them? On a listserv for technology professionals.

Ladies, we can DO this. We have opportunity.  We have motive.

I'm willing to put my time where my mouth is.  On Wednesday, July 11th @ 7:00 - 8:30pm, EST, I'm hosting a Women & Technology Brass Tacks Roundtable Discussion that's open to any and all women business owners.

218-486-1300

6-digit Bridge Number: 405772 (no need to press#)

No prep needed. No speakers or talking heads or slick agendas. No marketing and autoresponders. Just you and me having a "brass tacks" conversation about what you NEED and WANT from technology to have an above average business. Come as you are. Tell your friends and colleagues.

If you ever wanted to get to the bottom about how and why technology has failed you. This is it.

Will YOU be there?