Can it be twenty years? Really? In 1999, I hatched a plan and stepped out into the unknown of business ownership. But how did I land here? Sure, I flirted with the idea of being a freelancer designer/marketer in my 20’s. But building a client base and filling in much of the needed business acumen was not quite my forte … Read More
How Do You Know When to Redesign?
New clients often sheepishly shake their heads as they admit how long they’ve been meaning to update their brochure, web site, fill-in-the-blank. Whether it’s time or money or ever-slippery priorities, small business owners and other harried types know that they should point some of their fractured attention toward marketing in order to lure new customers/clients. But how can you tell … Read More
How Your WordPress Site is Like Your Car
As a youth, my idea of a great car was one that got you where you wanted to go. From my jet black Chevy wagon (which sucked through a quart of oil per week) to my Dodge Duster (where the brakes rusted into the trunk held in place only by the lid), I didn’t fuss much with looks or … Read More
Are You Now or Have You Ever Been: Where Are You Listed Online?
Ever wonder if you are on some kind of list? How did you get there? What are people saying about you? Seems like the expansive frontiers of the internet would make it easier to track that sort of thing. And in some ways, it does. The unsung workhorses of your marketing mix are those directory listings in all the nooks … Read More
Are YOU the Master of Your Domain?
Imagine if you had to pay an annual fee for the privilege of using the address for your office. What if you didn’t know or remember exactly who “rented” that privilege to you or where to go to keep it? You might find someone else has snatched it up or some interloper masquerading as the keeper charges you three times … Read More
5 Marketing Things to Do Right Now
Yeah, we know. “This” economy is a drag. Entrepreneurs like us are scrambling to put their energy and money into best-bets for breaking even, and just maybe branch out into growth areas. But you can and should make time for a few marketing steps that keep your name and services out there. At least pick one. 1. Be Online and … Read More
Sometimes You Just Need to Ask for Help
By nature, small business owners have a real DIY attitude. You have to when you wear that many hats: ceo, marketing director, receptionist, coffee maker/fetcher/cleaner-upper. It’s a great, and probably necessary trait. But successful entrepreneurs also need to know when they need help. Maybe it is high time you hired an intern for some marketing assistance or a bookkeeper to … Read More
Does Your Website Need a Check-up?
Do you find yourself apologizing for your website when you send someone to it? (“Just ignore the pictures/flashy thing/out-of-date stuff.”) Do you feel like the site could actually motivate more people to call or buy? Does it just seem like the site feels a little dated or out-of-step with what you see on the Internet these days? Or, it doesn’t … Read More
Generating New Ideas to Keep Small Biz Healthy (or Afloat!)
Andrew Field, CEO of PrintingForLess.com, has flung an interesting idea up the flagpole. He worries that the stimulus packages and attention to all the big business meltdowns in recent months miss a critical aspect of the problem. Scads of small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are struggling and if they begin to shutter, the impact on unemployment, etc., will be far … Read More
Shoppers Now Prefer Search Engines to Yellow Pages
It’s official. As of 2008, local shoppers report using search engines (the usual suspects like Google, Yahoo, MSN) more than traditional print directories. Led by the venerable Yellow Pages, these print editions are still likely to be a tool for finding businesses. The Web Pro News article also reports internet yellow-type directory sites are currently third in the list of chosen options. The article … Read More
- Page 1 of 2
- 1
- 2