Archive for November 2008

25 Nov

The iPhone 3G makes a great business tool.

I love my iPhone. I couldn’t wait to get it, not because I make a lot of phone calls, but because it’s like having a mini computer with me wherever I go.

Sure it has iTunes so you can listen to music or watch movies at the gym. But did you know you can check your Google analytics on the fly? How about downloading your files for reading later? Or checking your Facebook or MySpace accounts? Or your bank balances?

You can easily look up phone numbers, find directions to an appointment, access your calendar and contacts. Look up a meaning of a word. Add to your WordPress blog. The list is endless.

Sure, you can find many people to complain about the iPhone or compare it to the new Research in Motion “Storm”. But I find that the iPhone gives me a lot of ways to conduct business wherever I’m at and is well worth the money.

And speaking of lists, here are some of my favorite business applications so far:

  • Tasks (a great organization tool to help you get things done)
  • To Do (this is a simple way to list your tasks)
  • NetNewsWire (get all the news you can ever want with this RSS feed app)
  • LinkedIn (access your account and keep up to date)
  • Pageonce (add all your bank and stock accounts and watch your balances drop when you’re on the go)
  • WordPress (add to or edit your blog from any location)
  • myAnalytics (check on your web page hits)
  • Dictionaire (a free, but simple, dictionary)
  • WhitePages and YPmobile (an easy way to find a phone number or address)
  • Stanza (free books, newspapers and magazines you can download, read and bookmark. Tons of classics are available. If you can’t sleep at night, just turn on your iPhone and read in the dark. Even Gone With The Wind is available and fits easily in my iPhone)
  • eReader (another book reader, only this one lets you buy the latest books and download them to read at your leasure)
  • MobileFiles (access your Apple MobleMe account and download your files)
  • AirSharing (a great way to move your files from your PC to your iPhone)
  • MProfs (lots and lots of information on marketing, e-mail marketing, search engine optimization, Business to Business ideas and more)

If you have an iPhone, check out these applications. Most of them are FREE. If not, buy one. Unfortunately I get no commission from Apple, Inc.

Business Practices
24 Nov

Now's the time to promote your business!

The economy really sucks. Big time. You need to save money and advertising your business seems like a good place to cut back.

Wrong. Just the opposite is true. Now is the time to do whatever you can to promote your business. You certainly don’t want people to forget about you. If you are advertising in a newspaper or magazine on a regular basis and suddenly disappear, people may think you’ve gone out of business.

I’ve been advertising my Creative Juices business in the Easy Reader for over 15 years. In my experience, people remember these little ads. They may not remember whether it was in the Easy Reader or the Beach Reporter, but they remember. Some have even clipped the ad and saved it for years until they finally needed my services.

So advertising does pay.

Other ways of getting new business are:

  • Updating (or creating) your website.
  • Add a link to your website for a newsletter.
  • Create a regular newsletter, kind of an eBlast (include useful info and perhaps a special offer).
  • Write a blog about your business.
  • Join a networking group (either in person or online).
  • Write an article about your business and submit it to a local paper.
  • Hire someone to do all of the above.

The bottom line is that you must always be visible to your potential customers. By not promoting your business you cease to exist.

Advertising Blogging to promote business. Business Practices Marketing 101
20 Nov

10 Reasons why you should use E-mail Marketing

  1. E-mail marketing is relatively easy to create
  2. The fundamentals of e-mail marketing are relevance, strategy and testing
  3. Most recipients accept and even welcome targeted, opt-in e-mails
  4. A survey from Jupiter Research says “60% of business decision makers prefer e-mail and the internet over other mediums for receiving marketing messages”
  5. E-mail is cost-efficient for nurturing your existing leads
  6. E-mails are personalized
  7. Using an e-mail service comes with built-in tracking features with statistics on bounce rates, delivery and open rates, click-through analytics and more
  8. Using e-mail is a quick and cost-effective way to test market your messages and offers
  9. Sending an e-mail message before delivering direct mail pieces helps boost awareness
  10. A great way to follow up on direct mail deliveries
Advertising Business Practices Marketing 101
19 Nov

Using a free website template is a BIG mistake.

Keep in mind that your website is often the first impression people will have of you and your business or service. This is what potential clients will look at to get a sense of what they can expect when doing business with you.

While it’s true you can set up your own website using one of these free templates, keep in mind that everyone has access to those templates. Hundreds of other people could be using that same template. Your brand is what sets you apart from all the other businesses. By using a template you are erasing your brand recognition. This is not a good thing to do. Especially when today’s businesses need all the help they can get to stand out and survive.

It is far more important to have a unique brand image (including your logo on your website) than to save a few dollars. And unless you are a competent graphic designer, go to an expert. This is the only way to get a strong brand image that you can be proud of.

Business Practices Marketing 101
17 Nov

When NOT to Give Credit to a Customer

If you’re a small business with a limited cash flow, it’s almost never a good idea to give credit to a customer. Even if you know them. Sure, you can take credit cards, but to extend credit… not so much. I’ve been in business almost 28 years and you’d think after being burned many times, I would have learned. Not all people are truthful.

That is why I always get a 50% deposit with the balance due COD. Well almost always.

Beware of the following excuses:

  • I left my check book at home. Is it okay if I take the  job now and mail you a check?
  • I really need to have this (ad, brochure, website) now for a trade show, conference, big job.
  • I have lots of business and if you can give me a few days to pay you I’ll be giving you lots of work.
  • I work for a big company and they never pay COD. (That’s because they pay 60, 90, 120 days or never pay at all. In fact they’ll soon be bankrupt.)

If you feel the least bit iffy, check your potential customer’s credit. Or else you might end of up with three boxes of printing and two bad checks. Who me?

Business Practices
14 Nov

Beware of Fake Google Scams

If you have a Google AdWords account and receive the following email, watch out:

“Google AdWords News Bulletin

Dear advertiser!
We are once again monitoring quarterly account activation and deleting the accounts of users who have been inactive for more than four months and have no funds in their accounts
This measure is due to the fact that there have recently been more frequent cases of Google AdWords accounts being hacked and funds added from stolen credit cards

We hereby notify you that your account has been inactive for more than four months and is liable to be deleted according to our activation programme. In order to activate your account, you just have to log in using your registration data.”

There was more to this missive but this is enough to warn you.

My Google AdWords account is in perfect order yet I constantly receive these emails. Whoever is sending them is obviously out to get some information from me to use for purposes not in my best interest.

So if you do receive this notice, or any other similar notice from a bank or savings institution, do not click on the link. You may regret it.

Advertising Business Practices Marketing 101
13 Nov

Help, my bank is dying!

These are scary times. I went to make a deposit in my neighborhood bank, the same bank I’ve been going to for over 40 years, since I was a kid. And there was a long line. Well, relatively long. Okay, 5 people. What were these people doing? Closing their accounts.

Not everyone was closing their accounts, but about half, so said the teller. My money is insured and safe, he smiled. But still, when you do all your bill payments online and count on your bank to always be there, it’s a bit disconcerting to realize there’s a good chance your bank will be gone or bought out by the end of the year.

With big name stores closing all over the place, how do you keep your small business solvent? Simply by getting your name out there. Well, maybe not simply. But it doesn’t hurt to have a web presence. Make your business a destination people will want to go to. When you offer a product or service of value at a reasonable price with friendly, efficient service, you may just weather the recession storm.

Keep a positive attitude and smile to your customers. It couldn’t hurt.

Advertising Business Practices Marketing 101
13 Nov

Pets at the workplace – great idea! Mostly.

There was never any question that I would be bringing my Chihuahua puppy to work with me sixteen years ago. When I got her I knew there was no way I would ever leave her at home alone every day. It just wasn’t going to happen. Lucky for me I am self employed. Although Tasha is gone now I am planning on acquiring a new little Chihuahua to supervise me.

Studies show that co-workers tend to get along better and some even work longer hours when there are pets at the office. There’s no need to rush home and walk your dog when he/she is right there with you.

You also have a great excuse to exercise by walking your dog on your breaks and lunch hour.

A recent survey showed that nearly one in five companies allow pets at work.  Those surveyed believed that having pets at the office reduces stress and causes happiness. That’s a win-win situation.

It’s best if your pet is people friendly. My little girl tended to be a bit overprotective. She liked to chase people as they were leaving. I guess she wanted to make sure they paid their bill and then left her along to nap. So make sure if you do bring your pet to work that they don’t bite your customers. That is never a good business practice and may lead to an unwanted lawsuit.

Business Practices
11 Nov

Beware of Yellow Page Solicitations

Have you been receiving phone calls from a telemarketing call center in India asking you to renew your yellow page ad? Watch out. I have been getting these calls consistently for weeks.

Chances are you do not have an ad in the book being solicited and if you’re not careful you will end up with a bill for $500 or more. If you have not advertised in any yellow page book, you know this is a bogus call. Run. Or just hang up after politely saying “I’m not interested.”

If you do have a yellow book ad, make sure you are speaking to your actual rep. It would be kind of rude to hang up on a genuine yellow pages ad rep.

Also be aware of those direct mail yellow envelopes asking you to renew your yellow book ads. Even though it says it is not a bill, some people may not realize that it’s a solicitation and send in the money to renew their ad.

When in doubt, check it out. With so many marketing scams out there, this is just another way to get your money. There might actually be a yellow page book, but probably not one people would actually use.

Advertising Marketing 101
07 Nov

Blogging for Business

If you’re reading this blog then you know that blogging is one of the most popular parts of Web 2.0. Using the format of blogging to help promote your business is a powerful way to reach new clients. The whole purpose of writing a blog is to constantly create new content. All search engines, such as Google, Yahoo and MSN, love blogs because they constantly look for new content. And if your content is optimized correctly, the search engines will find it. This is a great way for your blog to be listed high up in search results.

How does this relate to your business and it’s success? Just follow these simple steps:

  • Create content that people want to read. You want to be a useful resource, so make sure whatever you’re writing about is something people will learn from.
  • Include keywords, but make sure the copy is easy to read, short, to the point and useful.
  • Bulleted items and lists are very helpful and precise.
  • Make sure to include a link to your website. Don’t include too may links as search engines may interpret that as spam and reject your site.

If you do link to your website, it’s best to link to a specific “landing page” that covers the topic of your blog.

Blogging to promote business. Marketing 101 Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
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