Here's an interesting online collaboration tool that can help manufacturing SMBs, workgroups and displaced teams come to consensus around elements of a project.

Zapproved allows anyone - at no cost - to submit a proposal or proposed project/product to any person or group with an email address. Of course, attachments can be added to any proposal. The proposal package can then be sent within the email with two buttons - one to approve, one to deny. All votes, their sources and any comments from the group are tracked and shared, allowing for strong record keeping and approval cycle management.

Since Zapproved is a SaaS (software as a service, and Web-based), there's no software to install. And your projects and proposals - along with all data around the approval cycle - are maintained and retrievable for later review.

This simple tool can help technical groups build consensus, keep projects moving, and it brings transparency to all team members involved in a decision process.

It's not too hard to imagine how Zapproved can assist manufacturers manage their supply chains by gaining documented approval and consensus on design or process changes, as well.

A unique approach to collaboration, Zapproved is worth a visit if your team could use a little control.

I recently wrote about why manufacturers (and businesses, for the most part) don't blog.

I stumbled on and article this morning titled "12 Common Blogging Mistakes To Avoid" that gives some pretty good advice on do's and don'ts for the beginning bloggist.

Of course, that's you - if you want to be. Just register on MFGx, and you get your own blog for the manufacturing world to see.

The list of 12 mistakes deserves a read. Here are the titles of each item (with my comments in parenthesis):

1. Thinking (more) people will actually read (a) post [they won't)
2. Using full paragraph format (be brief)
3. Not using or numbering lists (see previous)
4. Trying to sell something in a blog post (the more commercial you are, the less credibility you earn)
5. Not including facts (support your findings)
6. Using improper titles (don't get cute - say what it's about)
7. Writing for pHds (keep it simple, when you can ... tough for manufacturers sometimes - it's the nature of the beast)
8. Making the post too long (again, be brief)
9. Repackaging existing information (and be sure to give proper credit)
10. No use of headings and subheadings
11. Highlight or bold important terms and concepts (helps readers scan - perfect for the Web)
12. Not using supporting images (a picture's worth a 1000 posts)

One other point from me: find your own voice. Following these nuggets of advice can get you started blogging on the right foot.

Here at MFGx, we’re all about the collaboration (for proof, look here and here). And now is a great time for manufacturing SMBs without the resources to build their own network to find inexpensive solutions to collaborate online with customers and prospects.

Here’s another one: Spreed.

Spreed allows you to conference online with up to 3 colleagues for free (with registration) – and you can share files, video chat, share power point presentations, whiteboard and even screen share. If you want more than 3 others, you can step up for as little as $20 U.S. per month.

Spreed is based in Europe, and is available in English, German, and Russian.