If your business is one of the bricks and mortar kind, or service based such as a plumber 
here’s another tool that you should be using. Yes, sorry to say yet another one, though you can set it & forget. Google+ helps your business website rank on a local level.Why is this important? When a potential customer searches on local plumbers, those with a google places listing come up first ( just under paid advertising) and those that have had reviews (real ones) and have been google plused are higher than those who haven’t. So the moral of the story, actively engage in getting customers to review your site and/or google+. The easiest of the two is google+ and here are some set and forget strategies. [Read more…]
Small Business – will SOPA effect small business websites ?
January 24, 2012 By Leave a Comment
A question I have been asking myself lately is, will SOPA effect small business websites? Now I don’t know the ins and outs on a detailed level, but I do know that piracy on the internet is a real problem. Also, that over legislation is not the answer. And I was thinking that whatever happened would not effect me in my little part of the world.
How wrong I was.
As if it was planned, as the timing could not be better, only 100kms ( 60 miles) away from my home the masterminds of Megadownloads.com had been lurking. In a swoop the police force of my country had been working with the FBI and those involved are now before the courts. It looks like the current laws may be working (?)
So, would a new law in the US effect those in other countries…. well yes….At least in those countries with agreements with the US. So will SOPA effect small business websites globally? Yes! So we all must take an interest in what’s happening stateside. This snippet gives an opinion on the effect on small business [Read more…]
Small Business – Word of Mouth Marketing
January 23, 2012 By Leave a Comment
The undisputed king of advertising or marketing is for your business word of mouth. I love infographics, they are easy to read and understand. Check out this one on word of mouth marketing. There’s some proof on what might have expected, or ways to improve your business in dealing with customers, finding out what they want, how they want to be treated and how much more they would pay for the ‘experience’, what are the driving forces of purchasing decisions. Apply these to your advantage. source: column five media
Small Business – Low Start Up Costs A Piece of the Puzzle
January 23, 2012 By 2 Comments
You have a great idea, you have done your homework and are ready to get going. It’s hard, 
but try & keep the reigns pulled in by keeping in mind low start up costs are going to you benefit you in the long term. If it will help use this as a mantra… do I need to spend this much on this item now, is there a less expensive alternative…It is not an exaggeration, with 50% off business not surviving one year in some parts of the world, this could be the difference between success and failure. What follows are some strategies for keeping low start up costs written by Jacob Cass.
Think About Your Office Space
….it is likely that you will be working out of a home-based office so this may not be a significant issue. Too many new business owners fall into the trap of spending too much money on the trappings of a luxury office. As per Mr. Morris, new business owners should use utilize extra space in their home, even the garage for as long as is feasible. Another possibility is to join a start-up incubator. An incubator is a great option for new entrepreneurs as these spaces typically provide access to a copier, scan, telephone and fax services. Not so incidental is that an incubator also permits you the opportunity to interact with other start-up business owners for support and camaraderie.
Consider Your Options for Computers / Equipment
…… it is is more than likely you will need a computer / laptop with a consistent Internet connection, along with software. The next step is to identify the least expensive option for purchasing these products. One idea for new business owners is to rent and lease a laptop rather than purchase, since this gives you the flexibility to change models as your business grows. Because a computer is essential to your business as a designer, do not shortchange yourself in this one regard. Also, remember there is no magic button.
Use Low-Cost Marketing Strategies
There are several low-cost strategies small business owners may employ to keep marketing costs down, especially with social media. Create a page on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn and engage prospects with status updates that pose questions or ask for feedback. Engage with your network. Join discussion groups or start a blog to become recognized as a thought leader in the field. Email can be used to promote special offers. Write an article or series of articles and submit to article directories or as guest postings on the sites of colleagues.
Even thought these tips been written for a freelancer or designer they can be applied to most businesses. Just keep in mind
… do I need to spend this much on this item now, is there a less expensive alternative….
low start up costs are a piece of the puzzle in building a sustainable business.
Small Business Help – Daily Coupon sites hurt
January 21, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Check all consequences of a coupon deal
Daily Coupon Sites HURT small business. Before embarking on a discounted deal promotion make sure you work out the financial details and consequences. And if you are not good with numbers check with your accountant or financial adviser BEFORE signing any contracts. Here is another horror story reported by Bob LeDrew of Translucid Communications, also be sure to read below on how to make it work, or how to lose less as daily coupon sites hurt.
They embarked on a number of different offers. One offered $200 in value for $89. They sold over 1000 of those. They offered others at $55 for $175 worth of meat. They sold thousands of those. [Read more…]
Small Business Marketing Tips – Back to Basics
January 20, 2012 By 4 Comments
While there is an avalanche of support for connecting with your customers via social media, your Small Business Marketing Tips toolkit should still include print. Jane Applegate, a former syndicated columnist for The Los Angeles Times reminded those
at a forum on “Seamless Marketing: Integrating Your On and Off Line Promotions,” to get back to basics. Here are some of Jane’s thoughts on small business marketing tips for today
As an experienced observer of small-business innovations and marketing trends, author and consultant Jane Applegate has positioned herself as an industry leader by helping companies develop effective communication strategies.
And while acknowledging the impact and importance of social media advances in the new millennium, Applegate also supports a diversified advertising portfolio for small and midsize companies and advocates a mix of traditional and emerging branding techniques. [Read more…]
Small Business Start Up – Real life experiences – the hours
January 19, 2012 By 2 Comments
Are you thinking of starting a small business? Start up takes time, effort, blood, sweat & tears, don’t believe me? Do you think it’s easy? That it will be a great ‘Lifestyle’ to be the boss? You’ll have time for family & friends, coffee and long lunches? Here is an article by Rachel Strella on her small business start up and how of her time is taken up with it starting up and running her business.
Huge time committment in starting a small business
A year ago, I remember someone asking me, “What do you do all day?” The question caught me by surprise. It was not easy to define. Currently, my business is 18 months old and I admit to putting in over 60 hours a week, if not more.
So what is an entrepreneur doing when we’re working all of those hours? [Read more…]
Small Business – Marketing Benchmarks for social media and websites
January 18, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Marketing benchmarks for small businesses are hard to find. Benchmarks for marketing, in this instance, is to compare what you are doing with others to find out what is considered ‘best practice’. So firstly consider where you are planing to spend your time, energy and money in marketing your business. Are you going to use Social Media and your website to bring in new customers in 2012? Then find out what others are doing in order to asses your strategy. Be mindful though, following others may not be the best thing for your business.
The following infographic looks at what other small businesses are doing in regards to marketing, social media and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) on the net. See if what other businesses are doing aligns with your plans. Do you think that they are on the right track, do you need to adjust your strategy? These marketing benchmarks are easily to understand and follow due to the graphical format.
While blindly following the pack is not a suggested strategy, knowing what they are up to can give you tips of how to effectively use for marketing dollar. I hope these marketing benchmarks have provoked you into at least thinking about what your next step is.
SEO for your Small Business Website – 3 key free ideas
January 17, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) for your small business website cannot be ignored. It’s crucial to use SEO to get your website showing up in relevant searches for your business. In a recent post I reported on a Google
Places listing. This listing is important for your business when potential customers are looking for a business or service based by location. When a searcher is looking for a product or service and location is not entered in the search criteria, how does your website stack up? Using a SEO company to help you can be costly and finding expert SEO providers is not easy. Here, in this extract of an article written by Aaron Sperling, are some ideas for DIY SEO for your small business website.
I can recommend three relatively straightforward steps that will likely increase your website’s search engine rankings, and thus make it easier for people to find your business.
Identify your keywords. Start by building a list of the keywords that you think potential customers will use in searches to find your business. Once you have your list, use [Read more…]
