An issue facing all small business owners – where to advertise your business

I know that half of advertising doesn’t work, the problem is I don’t know which half – As a small business owner does this quote ( paraphrased) by retailing tycoon John Wanamaker, resonate with you? Do you want to know where to advertise your business? Knowing how, what & who to advertise with was  bad enough when the  options where limited.

where are you going to spend your advertsing dollar

where are you going to place your advertising dollar?

Not so long ago the options were television, newspapers, radio, mail outs, flyer’s, and a small amount of others and now? The internet is fast being a superhighway of advertising. What with Google ads and other pay for click advertising, internet marketers advertising everything including the kitchen sink, our own business website, Facebook ads, Facebook offers (on the way, see below), Twitter ( and soon twitter ads), pinterest,  You Tube ads, and next, you tube ads for small businesses. Don’t forget all those fantastic coupon deals and loyalty schemes our businesses must be  a part of that will drive thousands of buyers to our stores, services or websites…

An issue facing all small business owners – where to advertise your business

Basically the whole web and most social media is becoming advertising driven.  Now I’m not saying that that is wrong, it’s just the way it is. There was always going to be a price to pay for the mega load of information  on the web. Someone, somewhere needs to be paying to support the infrastructure and on going maintenance of websites of, for example, charities and other social causes, craft forums, pet information etc. Facebook is going public, and as such will need to generate a return for it’s investors from what? from businesses advertising on the platform.

What worries me most, as a small business owner is, where do we place our advertising dollar? What is going to give us the most return? Who do we trust [Read more…]

Planning to start up a business – try the business model canvas (video)

Are you in the process planning to start up a business or are you wanting ideas to grow your business to the next level. While some businesses start up and grow organically without a  formal business blueprint or strategy, most start up business owners have a spent many hours constructing a business plan. So, if you are wanting to know where and how to start planning to start up a business the business model canvas may be for you. What is does is to force you to think about you business strategy and work on  rather then in your business. I  call it a conceptual framework for business.

The Business Model Canvas, is a strategic management and entrepreneurial tool. It allows you to describe, design, challenge, invent, and pivot your business model.source

So grab a coffee, tea or water and watch these 2 videos.

[Read more…]