By Paul Swansen What really are advertising and marketing, how are they different, and why are they important to your small business? According to Wikipedia, “Advertising is a form of communication that typically attempts to persuade potential customers to purchase or to consume more of a particular brand of product or service.” And Wikipedia says…
Our friend Chuck Huckaby is building an online business directory.“Any owner of a ‘brick and mortar’ business is welcome to get another one way link to their store,” Chuck said. “I think that in many small towns, just a few extra links would help lift many businesses’ rankings. So this is one gratis link that…
Young entrepreneurs are our future. Rural young entrepreneurs, however, can be just a little different. Here’s a new twist on the old lemonade stand idea: @LizaJne tweeted: the boys are out in the yard selling frogs, slugs, grasshoppers and other bugs. they’ve already made $6.00! Lessons you can learn: Don’t believe the grownups who tell…
Your business can’t survive alone. You can greatly improve your chances by networking with other entrepreneurs. My hometown of Alva, Oklahoma, is working on this, with Fast Forward Fridays. Alva Area Chamber of Commerce Director Alexandra Mantz explained, “We hope to bring budding entrepreneurs in the region together to talk and find resources that will…
Each Friday, I open the brag basket as a fun place to give someone a pat on the back, brag, or promote yourself and your projects. Last week, Doug at Mitchgroup bragged on a client, Marco announced Factoring Articles, Paul proudly finished a page at TheSeedCompany.org, Sandra of Guiding Vision complimented my presentation, I bragged…
Our friend Ted Demopoulos knows how to make blogging work for business. I named him one of the four small town game changers, using social media tools effectively from a small town. Ted wrote a terrific booklet, “Secrets of Successful Blogging: 101+ Tips for Blogging more Effectively, Efficiently, and Effectively.” He sold several thousand copies,…
You’re got to have a 9 a.m. appointment every day that you work from home. Without one, it’s too easy to let yourself start slowly. Or to get started on the wrong things in the morning. Sometimes you just don’t feel like moving. That’s why you need a 9 a.m. appointment. Make one every day….
Aaron Strout (@astrout on Twitter) found an interesting article (Still an early market for social media) and a white paper on social media use by companies. Let me share some of the lead conclusions about social media in companies: Social media technologies have the potential to transform the way companies build and manage relationships with…
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