Tag Archive: business


Jump Starting a Small Business Presence Online

The traffic statistics page for Robert’s new small business web site starts to load. He scrolls down the page, dismayed. Just one or two visitors daily. Robert sits back and sighs. Most were probably curious friends and family.

When his internet-savvy nephew suggested promoting his small business on the Internet, Robert designed a simple but attractive five-page small business web site. He added meta-tags and keywords, and waited for the search engines.

Robert wonders, “What now?”

Robert’s experience is common among small businesses getting started on the Internet. He has just faced the first big lesson for a small business web site: the web site is not enough. Unlike the weekly advertisement Robert places in the local paper, he needs to promote the web site itself. In a sense, he needs to advertise the advertisement.

What Robert doesn’t realize is that he already has the most valuable asset a small business can leverage online — knowledge and experience. Anyone who runs a small business off-line is an expert on something that other people would like to know about. Writing articles can turn that knowledge into targeted traffic. Article writing is the ideal free method for a small business to promote itself on the Internet.

Every small business has expertise it can share in 500-1,000 word bites. A landscaper could write about the uses for different kinds of turf grass. A window installer can describe new types of energy-efficient windows. A home cleaning service can provide cleaning tips.

Customers ask Robert five questions repeatedly. He can easily write five simple articles to answer them. Then, he just needs to add a “resource box” which advertises and links to his web site.

Robert can also include a few of his web site’s keywords in each article, and, if possible, in his resource box. Robert’s business depends on local customers. Including his city’s name in anecdotes within the articles, or in the resource box, can help his articles to appear in local searches for that city.

Robert would start by uploading his article to a new web page. This gives visitors more to read — and starts to establish Robert as an expert. More importantly, the article becomes “spider bait” for the content-loving search engines to find and index.

He could stop there, but his new article gives him a more valuable opportunity to promote his site.

Next, Robert can offer his article to other web sites. Most article directories accept submissions of articles. They offer those articles for others to use in newsletters or on web sites. A quick search for “article directory” will yield a sizable list of sites that accept article submissions.

Prepared, with a simple text file ready to copy and paste, it takes just minutes to submit an article to an article directory site. Once posted, the article provides a link to Robert’s site. Other webmasters may reprint his article, also linking to his site.

Article marketing is viral, multiplying the links — and visitors — to the author’s site each time an article is republished. Just one popular article can attract a growing number of information-hungry visitors as the article spreads across the Internet.

Many article directories also include new articles in RSS feeds and e-mail announcements to their lists. Robert doesn’t even need his own e-mail list or feed to advertise his web site to readers of his article.

Finally, if Robert has more time, he can search for “ezine directories” to find newsletters that accept articles and offer his article directly to them. If he is willing to spend some money, he could use article submission services.

Over time, the growing number of links to a web site can improve its “link popularity” and Page Rank. As the site rises in the search engine rankings, it attracts even more visitors.

Articles spread those all-important links across the Internet without the tedious process of sending out link exchange requests (often declined or ignored). Better still, webmasters who reprint articles rarely ask for reciprocal links back to their own sites.

The benefit of writing an article builds over time, yet articles require no ongoing maintenance once they are written and submitted. Other options like newsletters, blogs, and forums can demand more upkeep than a small business can afford.

Best of all, articles can remain up on web sites indefinitely, driving free traffic immediately — and long-term. Most other kinds of advertising stay posted only as long as they are paid for. An article’s “views,” “reprints,” and “click-throughs” can increase — without increasing advertising costs.

Writing articles is a powerful way to leverage a small business’ expertise, transforming it into traffic. The currency of the Internet, information, makes advertising a small business web site affordable. Promoting with articles can jump-start the online presence of a small business and continue to market it for a long time to come.

(c) 2006 Wendy Maki
May be reprinted in email newsletters and on web sites. Must be unedited and include the resource box. All other rights reserved.

Cyber Crime Hitting UK Small Business

Small businesses thinking of making the move to accept payments from customers via the internet need to seek advice before doing so, according to Tony Neate, managing director of Get Safe Online.

Research taken by the organisation reveals that 44 per cent of small businesses in the UK have been a victim of cybercrime, including internet scams, identity fraud, phishing and data theft. Of those businesses affected, more than a third (36 per cent) had suffered a computer virus and almost one in five (18 per cent) had been a victim of internet scams such as phishing, spyware or hacking in the last two years.

In such an environment, Mr Neate said that as soon as your company is responsible for handling other people’s confidential information, then new rules and regulations come in to play.

He reveals that there are now regulations that have been brought in by the credit card companies, and small business outfits probably need to have a look at those because they will likely be imposed on them as a result of taking credit card details.

The message is that if you are not an expert in relation to computers and computer security and you have your own e-commerce site or server, then you need to get advice. Furthermore, if you are taking people’s credit card details and transacting online, make sure you have listened to the correct advice.

However, Get Safe Online reveals only five per cent of small businesses have access to dedicated IT support, either internally or via an outsourced provider. Instead, many business owners have to take it upon themselves to keep up with the latest online security issues. Of those who had experienced online crime or other IT-related problems, almost a fifth (19 per cent) said they lost revenue as a result of downtime – the average figure cited as £1,540 – or an estimated £750 million in losses across the UK small business population as a whole.

Furthermore 60 per cent of small businesses said they would grind to a halt altogether if their PCs were taken down by cybercrime or IT related issues.

While businesses must look at access control, data encryption and secure password practices, as well as looking at other measures such as staff training, it’s also important to remember that by taking a few simple precautions should mean that online risks needn’t overshadow the huge benefits that the internet brings to UK businesses.

Disclaimer:

This article has been written for information and interest purposes only. The information contained within this article is the opinion of the author only, and should not be construed as advice or used to make financial decisions. Expert financial advice should always be sought and any links contained within this article are included for information purposes only.

How to Make a Great Classified Advertisement for a Small Business

Most home and small businesses rely on classified advertisements to market their services and products. Getting good results with a classified ad isn’t as simple as it seems. There is more to it than just writing two or three lines of copy and placing it in the local shopping digest or weekly newspaper. A well-written ad in the wrong publication or under a wrong headline or a poorly written ad in the right publication will not get you the desired results.

Follow the tips we’ve outlined below when you develop a classified advertisement for a small business:

o Choose the right publication: Target your customers and post the ad in publications that they are likely to read. For example, a classified advertisement for a small business that is into beauty therapy or pet grooming is likely to receive a better response when placed in journals favored by upper-class communities.

o Do your homework: Look at other samples of classified advertisements for a small business that appear in the local media consistently week after week. What is it about certain messages that catch your attention? What sets them apart? Is it the way they are worded or placed or did you perceive value in the benefit that is being promised? Analyze these ads and incorporate their best features into yours.

o Think through your content: Before writing out a classified advertisement for a small business, one must know exactly what it is one wants to sell. Make sure the communication is very clear and specific. Once you have determined your message, draft it out in one or more complete sentences. Then, prune it to make it concise and effective. Be sure to include a phone number or other contact information.

o Make the first few words count: The first couple of words in a classified advertisement for a small business are equivalent to a headline in a newspaper. They should arrest the readers’ attention immediately and make them want to go further. In order to do that, those words must tell readers the most important benefit of your product or service upfront.

o Proofread carefully: Proofread the copy for typographical and grammatical errors very carefully. Just because it is a classified advertisement for a small business, and not a full blown campaign featuring a big brand, does not mean it can be dealt with casually. A badly written piece will certainly harm your reputation and make your business look shoddy. If you have drafted the lines, it is better to have someone else proofread the final version.

o Look at where your competitors are: Advertise in the same publications favored by your competitors. Look through the back issues of any journal that you are considering advertising in. If your rivals have been advertising consistently in that publication, your message should be in there as well.

o Test your advertisement in several publications: Place your ad in different publications to test which ones work for you. Use the same body copy in all of them. Run each one long enough to give it a fair try. Having your business ad appear on a regular basis builds name recognition and convinces prospective customers to trust you.

Even though internet advertising is here to stay, old-fashioned print ads can still produce results as long as you use them effectively. Remember there are still thousands of people who have no access to the internet and who depend on local newspapers and yellow pages to find the products and services they need. A classified advertisement for a small business can help bridge this gap very nicely indeed. What’s more, it is a fairly inexpensive way for small businesses to market themselves.

Why Your Small Business Needs a Website

 

Why Your Small Business Needs a Website

It has been estimated by the Small Business Administration (http://www.sba.gov/advo/research/) that there are over 17 million small businesses in the United States with over 100,000 started every month. Furthermore, it can be safely assumed that most consumers within most developed countries research most purchases and companies from whom they purchase by using the internet. The exception is granted towards those companies which have been established through many generations, but you will find that even these companies unilaterally always have websites. Therefore, just to be a viable player in small business, your company will absolutely need a website for company representation to your existing and potential clients.

Now we have found that the most difficult part about small businesses obtaining a website is the nickle-and-dime scam that occurs from these full-service design companies. Most web design companies bank (literally) that you do not know the complexities of a website and will charge you for this disadvantage. For instance, one company in particular will set your small business up with a web site for one fee, charge for tiered, limited hosting, charge extra for email, for a photo gallery, etc. The list goes on and on. Then by the time you get the site up and running with one of these web design companies (if it ever happens, some businesses feel so inundated that they never get to this point) two things happen: 1) you’re out of money and 2) you’re out of energy to devote to your main business.

This is why JLA Development provides small businesses with one flat-rate fee for company representation on the web. We know exactly what it takes to put you up on the web. JLA Development has an extremely low overhead and offers its clients a standard flat fee for their websites. We despise the tactics of unethical and otherwise dishonest website development companies who charge their customers every step of the way.

Lastly, another mistake we see businesses make is that they attempt to build the website themselves. This is probably a cheaper option in the short term, but a very expensive option in the long. As more consumers search the web for your products and your services, if they encounter an unprofessional, unattractive website, there is no turning back that first impression. Be wary of branding your company with a poor website as it will reflect poorly on your company and its products.

Our advice to you: never give up. If we can do anything to help your small business get a universal presence on the web, we will do it and do it well.

Best Wishes,
JLA Development
http://jladevelopment.com

 

Where Do You Get All Those Customers From for Your Small Business?

As a small business owner, you realize the value of having live, able customers stepping through your door everyday. It’s a simple question of math and conversion that those potential buyers become good profitable customers. However, you may be one of the many small businesses feeling short changed in that regard. Have you ever noticed some of the other small businesses in your area always seem to have enough of these types of customers? Some may in fact be busting out a good business.

Your competition may be getting a hand up on you in many different ways. A new product, head office support, advertising agency, newspaper promotion, coupons, etc. Rarely though do I find small independent businesses making use of the most cost effective communication medium available – The Internet.

If you are a small business and do not have an ongoing marketing effort online, you are most certainly handing customers over to your competition. In fact, you might as well gift wrap them and send them over with a sticky note on their back saying “Can you take this buyer? I don’t really need a buyer today.”

Smart small business owners these days know how valuable a buyer can be, not just their first visit, but for repeated visits and then for bringing in other customers. But you need more and more of them as your business competition gets tougher and tougher. That’s why the internet is so perfectly suited for the future of your small business marketing.

It’s inexpensive to setup (if you do things right that is), and there are ways to reach any potential customer you want, and communicate your products and service directly to that person. You can even direct your message to potential customers in a specific geographic area whether that be near your location or clear across the continent.

What a lot of small business owners don’t realize is that it isn’t as difficult as it seems to set up a website, (an effective website that is), get it noticed in the search engines and then start building an online clientèle that will eventually come through your doors. Maybe its a few half-days of work. You can get your family involved or even a staff member or two during their down time. Everybody loves special assignments, especially if it’s out of the ordinary routine. The thing is once it is set up, it pretty much runs itself and can be your best selling employee working non-stop with no wages, no benefits, no holidays, and no drama.

Once you get an internet presence working for you and have it as part of your everyday sales system your competition will soon be wondering: Where do you get all those customers from?

Would You Use Meat Loaf in Your Targeted Small Business Marketing

Copyright (c) 2008 Paul Flood Marketing, LLC

Entrepreneurs know the importance of a targeted small business marketing strategy. Many make the mistake of doing what big advertisers do. Rock icon Meat Loaf is in a great commercial but the product and company selling it are easily forgotten. Learn a lesson on how not to advertise

Remember Meat Loaf (born Michael Lee Aday)? His album Bat Out of Hell, released in 1977, has sold nearly 40,000,000 copies and was on the charts for over 9 years. He is also featured in a new commercial that is running pretty frequently on TV.

The ad features Meat Loaf as a dad whose son is begging him to get him a cell phone. He’s singing about how he won’t run up the minutes. Personally, I am a fan of Meat Loaf and I like the commercial. He includes some lyrics and riffs from Paradise by the Dashboard Light, which I’ve always thought was a cool tune.

The other afternoon, I heard the commercial and started singing the tune in my head and realized I had seen the commercial several times and could not think of the company or brand of the phone! Now, I’m thinking this was a fairly expensive production because in addition to Meat Loaf, Tiffany is in the commercial and they are probably fairly expensive talent to hire.

After all of this expense, I couldn’t relate a brand or a product to the commercial! I kept an eye out for the next airing and saw it was for the AT&T GoPhone. Think of all the money spent on the ad. They did a lot of things right like using celebrity endorsements, a good tune and an entertaining spot. But it really made me wonder, why couldn’t I think of the company or the product?

What could you do differently if were considering a similar TV ad as one of your primary small business marketing tools ? For one thing, a bit more focus on the product instead of the production. You could easily think of special offers that would give prospects a reason to buy soon. I’ll bet a contest to have dinner with Meat Loaf or win a free “Bat Out of Hell” concert DVD would attract buyers. You would have a tracking mechanism to see how many inquiries and sales were generated. What if they had a toll free number, 1-800-MeatLoaf, to call and get a special offer and find out how to download the song to iTunes or even a ring-tone? The marketing folks could track response and the ROI on the ad. What if there were a contest to be in a commercial with Meat Loaf?

But instead, the focus was all on creativity and entertainment. I’ll bet the ad will even win an award but I still think ads should be written to sell the product now, not build a brand or win awards. My guess is that you can’t afford Meat Loaf in your ads but remember, when you do advertise, it’s about making money, not building your brand. Brands don’t put food on the table, sales do. When you spend money on marketing, either do it yourself of find a professional whose goal is to increase your profits and is willing to guarantee results, not just earn a commission.

The commercial may not be on TV too long but you can catch it on www.youtube.com. Search for Meat Loaf AT&T. This version is a 90 second commercial that does a better job of naming the product than the spot on TV but it still could have soooo much more potential as a source of REVENUE instead of a brand. When you think about branding as a strategy, ask yourself if you want to get your name out there or sell as much of you product or service as possible and build a strong and loyal customer list as quickly as possible.

For the small business marketing tools to add to your toolbox, go ahead and think about branding. However, your brand needs to be strong and you should strengthen it with incredible products and service or with your Unique Selling Proposition. Build your brand using marketing that creates prospects and leads. It is just as expensive to get your name out there with a compelling offer and reason for a client to buy from you now as it is to just get your name out there. The difference is the ROI. The Meat Loaf commercial offers no way to measure the ROI and small businesses can’t afford to throw scarce marketing dollars up against the wall and guess at the ROI.

Here is a powerful small business marketing tip when it comes to a brand-building strategy: If your financial planner came to you with an idea to spend ,000 on marketing as an investment, you’d think, “What will my return be?because she is a trusted advisor. Use the same standards with your marketing, advertising and media reps. Ask the question: “What is my projected return and how does it compare to other marketing investments?When the rep tells you the value of impressions, ask for some statistics from other advertisers regarding the ROI of the ads and spots they are running?

After you watch the YouTube video, see if you can help me out. Why is Tiffany holding a leg of lamb when she enters the commercial set? Maybe there is some reference I don’t remember from Meat Loaf’s earlier days. He was quite a theatrical talent!

How to Choose the Right Law Firm for Your Small Business

Copyright (c) 2008 Law Offices of Jonathan Cooper

Unlike large corporations, who have in-house counsel, a small business is confronted by difficult choices when faced with the need for legal counsel – which firm do you hire? Do you look for a big firm or a small firm? In order to assist the small business owner in making these decisions, I have compiled the following list which clarifies some of the advantages and disadvantages of the big and small firms.

Big Firms:

In general, there are four (4) reasons why you may want to hire a big law firm to represent your small business:

(1) Resources.

You need sufficient support staff to manage an antitrust matter, a complex merger and acquisition, or a litigation matter with documentary discovery that would fill a large conference room or two.

(2) Interdisciplinary Expertise.

You require the in-depth knowledge of counsel on a broad range of legal services to collaborate on matters requiring expertise spanning several disciplines, such as corporate and securities, mergers and acquisitions, securitization, intellectual property, funds and other pooled investments, bankruptcy and corporate reorganization, bank and commercial lending, public finance, real estate, tax and employee benefits, as well as trusts and estates.

(3) Global Presence.

You need a global network of law offices to provide integrated multi-jurisdictional and cross-jurisdictional legal services.

(4) Big Firm Stature.

You need the prestige of a big firm’s name on an opinion letter to support the actions your company intends to take.

Small Firms:

Conversely, if your needs do not fit into one of these categories, your money would probably be better-spent on a small law firm specializing in your business’s needs. The reasons for specifically choosing a small law firm are several:

(1) Client Satisfaction is Critical to a Small Firm’s Survival.

Since, by definition, small law firms lack the “big name” distinction of a large law firm, the distinguishing characteristic for any small firm is its reputation for excellence in its particular areas of practice, and the personal attention the firm offers each client. Since each attorney’s performance is judged on client satisfaction and results obtained rather than on the attorneys’ annual billable hours that are charged to the firm’s clients (including you), the small firms have a vested interest in assuring that the resolution of your litigation or other assignment is as expeditious and inexpensive as possible.

(2) Seeing the “Big Picture”

The day-to-day handling of your case is carried out by the partner in charge of the case, and therefore will always remain mindful and positioned to recognize the most cost-effective manner to achieve your goals.

(3) No Duplication of Work Effort

You should never be billed for meetings between the partners and associates on your case, will rarely, if ever, be billed for more than one attorney appearing at a Court conference or deposition. Why should you pay to assure that the “head” knows what each “hand” is doing, or pay for two or more attorneys appearing when often only one of the attorneys will be allowed to speak on your behalf?

(4) Learning on your Nickel

Since your case is being handled directly by the partner in charge, you will only pay your lawyer to complete the requested task; you will not incur the additional time and expense for educating a new attorney.

In sum, selecting the right law firm is not always simple; one size does not fit all. The key is to choose wisely based upon the factors that are set forth above. It will save you a lot of time and aggravation (and probably money) in both the short and long term.

SEO Services for Small Business

SEO Services for Small Business

Search engine optimization is an effective tool in internet marketing since it helps to generate more traffic to the web pages. At present, there are a number of web design firms that offer efficient SEO services for small business owners. Opting for these services would be a wise decision since it would guarantee that your business is well established and bring more returns.

Search engine optimization includes writing keyword rich articles that are interesting, useful and clear.  Link popularity building, meta tag and search engine directory submission are an integral part of these services. Since these are provided at affordable rates, they are highly appealing for small businesses.

Unless a small business owner gets his websites opened in the primary pages of leading search engines such as Google, MSN, Altavista, Yahoo and others, he may not receive a good flow of traffic to his site.  Depending on a particular client’s products, optimized content will be provided by the SEO service providers. But before choosing such a service, it is necessary to ensure that the web design company you are associating with is an efficient and reliable one. You should guard against companies providing poor services and take care to make a good choice for better results.

Almost all SEO companies employ a professional team comprising marketing specialists, content writers, developers, search engine specialists and other required staff. Ideal companies will be capable of providing copywriting, web content development and all other services needed for search engine optimization. Some of them give clients the privilege of opting for corrections, if not fully satisfied with the work they do. If you are happy with the services of a particular web design company it is best to maintain a long term relationship with it.

By utilizing state-of-the-art SEO services from reliable providers, small business owners can easily take their businesses to greater heights.

Requisites To Small Business Enterprise Launch

If you asked fresh graduates about their immediate plans after school, many would answer seeking employment, which is obvious.

Once we secure good jobs, we never stop and think about the core founders of such a renowned company we have just become part of.

Thriving and smart enterprises were once small businesses with unlimited funding, workforce, physical resources and so on.

This would be especially so if the core founder’s idea then appeared inapplicable in light of challenges provided by the environment to small businesses just starting up.

Today, we are enjoying fruits of people, who in spite of all the ridicule and criticism of their business ideas did not give up their vision and over the years their enterprises have expanded splendidly.

Such big companies should be the inspiration to those who dream of starting up small businesses that should then grow to be a source of employment for generations.

I would like to share some few points that I think should be requisites to launching a small business enterprise.

Probing our minds for business ideas

All small business to be launched must start by setting up the purpose they wish to serve, which is entirely the duty of the starter.

We then would need to set free the creative genius in us so as to generate top and unique business ideas ahead of planning how to implement them.

If we do not do this, then we may only invest in one or two of the many existing businesses and depend on the probability of a customer choosing our products and services while leaving those of our rivals.

One could even do this, but locating a unique marketing niche ensuring that once you launch would make progress is the way forward.

To ensure that your business idea is well developed and mature, seek advice and carry out a through market research on the same.

Have an action plan

Having tested your business idea in the market, the next step involves planning about implementing it.

It will address the issue of initial costs for starting a small business of your choice in terms of funding, labor, physical and time resources as well as the sources.

Not unless the owner needs to operate from home, there has to be actions to find the most strategic location or an office and expenditure to incur at the start and monthly.

The office will need to be equipped with some furniture, machines and the like and these costs must be reflected on this action plan.

Additionally, planning ahead ensures that you make decisions concerning the workforce at the initial launch stage.

You are able to answer the question of whether your ‘green’ business would need an extra hand to facilitate management and the costs involved.

The owners also need to set the time limit in terms of when to start up the plan and the period it is expected to take till completion.

All this will just be in paper because the owner will be examining his financial strength to set the short-term goals, with the hope that the market mechanism changes to his or her favor.

Implement the plan

This now will be nothing short of action as per the objectives of the plan, which is very challenging.

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Why Avail Small Business Technical Support Services?

Small Business Computer Support introduces a comprehensive list of computer support functions pertaining to computer software, hardware, and communications. With the increasing scope of the Internet based services and the spread of high speed connections, it is now possible for small businesses to employ high qualified computer technicians to look after the maintenance of their business system resources, and to provide computer repair facilities 24×7.

Online tech support companies have professional and trained computer engineers who remotely manage your systems and prevent the need to haul them to repair shops, thereby saving you time and money. Most small businesses have approved of such services as they can now their computers productive and effective at all times.

Small business tech support eliminates the need for sending personnel to customers’ offices to fix the issue. They provide support more quickly and efficiently than any in-house staff can with expertise being the sole reason. The complete procedure is done online using remote desktop connection. With your permission, the technicians remotely take hold of faulty computers, diagnose issues, and resolve them right away. Everything is being done before customer who enjoys the authority to control the actions taken on the computers.

Such server services are gaining in popularity primarily because of the convenience they provide to the customer. Another underlying benefit is the cost. The customer need not pay if the technician fails to resolve the issue. Moreover, everything is offered at the convenience of the customer’s premises.

Emergence of companies like Circuit City and iYogi has enabled both established and start-up businesses to make use of cutting edge technology to readily fix their nasty computer errors and problems. These companies have highly trained technicians who maintain professional conduct along. They provide the expertise that small businesses require to leverage finest technical support for efficient working.

Online vendors dealing in small businesses computer support boast to have distinct plans which are tightly integrated to enable small businesses leverage the best computer support and tech support benefits at price suitable for rigid budgets. These plans are made after taking everything including companies’ potential, future growth, and number of computers into consideration.

If you are facing any kind of computer server problems or having a technical and Computer issues? Looking for remote support of branded computers like Microsoft, Dell and HP, MP3 player support services etc.? iYogi will provide quick technical help on 1-866-914-9838 for your infected pc by Microsoft certified specialist.


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