I admit it — when I’m on the Internet, I want everything instantly. And I know I’m not alone; in our high-speed world we expect to get what we want with the click-of-a- mouse.
Recognizing Small Business Opportunity
I was in a large city in the midwest on vacation with friends and I stumbled upon what would later change my life. As many of you may have done, I got my idea for my small business walking past and going inside another business. While inside, I noticed how many women were in awe by what the store offered and practical applications showed these women how they could have the same thing. I browsed around with my then girlfriend (now wife) and looked at prices and noticed that the everything was so cheap. My initial question was, “How could this store be making any profit?” Then I got to the checkout line and noticed some of the totals! We were in a scrapbook store and I thought that paper could never turn such a profit. That cash register changed my mind.
Taming the Small Business Beast
The entrepreneurial life yes THAT’S the life for me. Being your own boss can afford you the freedom to work when you please, do what you want, and spend more time with your family. It’s true, owning a small business can be a dream come true, or a nightmare if you let it be. There are untold dangers to be had with owning a business. Without careful and deliberate attention, a business that was once designed to suit your needs may easily turn on you like a growling fearsome creature that keeps you trapped in the corner. How do you tame the small business beast?
10 Winning Ways to Promote your Online Business
You’ve got your website built, it’s got all the gizmos and gadgets, and your website is “live” on the server. Now what? How do you get customers to your site? You can register with the search engines and directories. There are several good services out there to choose from. How else can you market your website to make it stand above the crowd? Here’s some tips I’ve picked up along the way.
Do You Need a Business Plan, Proposal or Marketing Strategy?
Very often clients request assistance with a plan that can help move their business forward from one level to another. They generally request help in constructing a business plan when in fact that may not be what they actually require. Some clients want to lift their ideas from a thinking stage to a real life actuality and believe that a business plan is most appropriate in taking the next step. Others want to find investors or financiers who may be interested in partnering with them. Still others require a proposal that can be offered to interested parties and which clearly defines the direction they’re planning on taking their company. Others need a marketing strategy, which clearly maps out the needs and stages of their marketing endeavors. The purpose of this article is to clarify what it is you actually need for your particular project and which steps to take in realizing your goals.
What’s the Secret to Repeat Business?
When you think about ways to gain repeat business from your customers, you probably turn your thoughts to marketing efforts such as advertising, public relations and other means that will allow you to repeatedly be seen. However, without one particular element included in your plan, your efforts to entice customers to buy over and over will fail. Even autoresponders – the “king” of repeat exposure – can’t produce the type of loyalty needed to ensure your customers continually send their dollars your way.
Is Your Internet Business Ready for Holiday Shoppers?
Okay, I confess: I can be a terrible procrastinator when it comes to shopping for the holidays. I don’t much like fighting my way through crowded shopping malls. So, instead, I’m ready – even willing – to surf the web looking for the perfect gift.
Top Tips from the Best SEO’s in the Business
Keywords
Know what you want to be found for. You should know the top two or three terms that are most important to your Web site and have incorporated them into a 25-word description that doesn’t use marketing hype, which can then be submitted to human powered directories. You should also know a list of the top 10 to 100 terms you’d like to be found for and ensure that you have pages within your Web site with good, solid content for these terms to please the crawlers.
(Danny Sullivan of Search Engine Watch)
Grow Business In An Economic Slowdown
Bad economic news doesn’t have to be bad news for your small business. Your business can thrive and grow in a slowing economy if you make it recession-proof. Here are 3 things you can do immediately to start recession-proofing your business.
Building a Referral-Friendly Business
Referrals are an important part of any successful business. They’re a great way to keep building your customer base, year after year, without having to go out and pay for advertising. Instead, you use the power of your current customers to help you continue to grow.