Just being on social media isn’t enough. While it only takes a couple minutes to set up an account, it takes months to build up a credible presence. And it’s tempting to want to be everywhere because everyone else seems to be. It appears that peer pressure doesn’t end when we leave grade school. It’s…
By now, you know that being in business is all about knowing your numbers. How many sales you need to turn a profit. Or how many people you need to hire to cover the workload. You can’t afford to guess because you know that the success or failure of your business depends on getting the…
We love to talk about our businesses. Give us thirty seconds and we can rattle off all the products and services we offer, when and where we offer them, and in what shapes and sizes they come in. While this may make you the envy of your friends, it does little to earn you the…
“Should I be on Facebook?” As a small business owner trying to make a name for yourself, it’s a no brainer, right? Of course you should. So you set up your Page and start posting. But oddly enough, not much is happening. You get a few “likes” here and there, but not the big numbers you expected. Frustrated,…
The ball has dropped, the corks have popped, and a new year is upon us. Just as celebratory confetti has cleared the streets of Times Square, 2014 has graciously bowed out, leaving 2015 to take center stage. And for small business owners like you and me, you probably have a list of things you’re going…
Ready or not, 2014 is packing its bags, making room for the hustle and bustle of a new year. With 2015 just three weeks away (seriously?), you’re probably scrambling to do what’s expected of you this season – send out holiday wishes. And chances are, you’re going to do what you’ve seen done before. Like…
While many holiday bargain hunters are already planning which big box retailers they’ll pitch their tents in front of this year, many small business owners are busy firing up social media and printing out coupons to commemorate the five year anniversary of Small Business Saturday, officially launched by American Express in 2009. But, the…
Building a website is one of the most exciting parts of starting a business. You feel official, somehow. Your hard work, dreams, and caffeine induced brainstorming sessions all culminate into this tiny piece of the digital universe. But for many of us, the crushing reality is, building a website can be expensive. It can…
Warren Buffet once said that it takes twenty years to build a reputation and about five minutes to ruin it. And never has that been more true than now. In recent years, the popularity of social media and online review sites has skyrocketed. Consumers are looking to one another online to determine the quality and…
Think back to your last bad sales experience. You know, the one with that ultra aggressive sales guy (or gal) that went on and on for twenty minutes about how great their product or service was… blah, blah, blah. You never got a word in. And when it was finally over, you whispered a silent prayer to the heavens…
Several studies suggest that well over 40% of marketing budgets next year will be spent on online (digital) efforts. And at the core of those campaigns will be an emphasis on content marketing. Content marketing. Sure, to marketers like me, that term is as recognized and revered as search is with Google. But for some businesses…
When you’re ready to make a big purchase, do you…? A) go on a gut feeling B) see what people are saying about it online C) trust the salesperson The Answer Chances are, most of you picked “B.” Studies have shown that 90% of consumers say online reviews impact their buying decisions. And this doesn’t…