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How to Help Customers Remember Your BrandSmall Business
We all recognize some taglines. Think about “We try harder," “When you care enough to send the very best," and “The quicker picker-upper” (Avis, Hallmark and Bounty). The moment you ...
Three Common Blogging MistakesSmall Business
Lee Odden has been blogging since 2003. He offers sage advice to help bloggers avoid the three tactical errors his company's blog made. These mistakes are common and can be ...
Tips for Writing Research QuestionsSmall Business
If you’re in the process of writing questions for a market research study, it’s helpful to know the questions typically fall into 25 categories. “These are the kinds of questions ...
A Little Friendly Advice from Bloggers to Newsletter EditorsSmall Business
When writing your newsletter, it’s easy to slip into a just-the-facts-ma’am mentality. But Nick Usborne says there’s a good way to avoid that nap-inducing tone: Think like a blogger. Why? ...
How to Become a Hometown HeroSmall Business
Maybe you’re not ready to conquer the world just yet. If your business has a regional focus, search engine marketing expert Dan Skeen has some tips for being found by ...
Three Tips for Writing for the WebSmall Business
Whether writing for an online catalog, a blog or an e-newsletter, certain rules hold true. (In many cases, they’re similar to those your 8th grade English teacher taught you.) “How ...
Three Tips for Getting Prospective Clients to Call You BackSmall Business
Technology has made it easy to avoid unsolicited phone calls. Simply glance at the incoming number and determine whether to take a call or send it straight to voicemail. This ...
Should You Publish Real Names When Customers Sing Your Praise?Small Business
Testimonials—endorsements from respected companies or business leaders—can facilitate selling your products or services. But getting the testimonial is merely the tip of the iceberg. Next, you must decide how to ...
Understand Your Competitive EdgeSmall Business
Skip Reardon, who blogs at Be Excellent, claims most small businesses don't develop strategies that exploit their inherent advantages. "The point of articulating small business advantages isn't that [they're] better ...
When to Issue a Press Release Small Business
Small business owners—risk-takers who turn personal visions into realities—are understandably passionate when it comes to their work. But like proud parents, they sometimes forget that everyone does not need regular ...
Five Hints for Effective Survey DesignSmall Business
Surveys are a great way to learn what customers think of your business. Brian Henderson of Prezza Technologies cautions that all surveys are not created equal. As you design your ...
Is Search Engine Advertising For You?Small Business
The appeal of search engine advertising, also called paid search, pay-per-click or PPC, is obvious: Your ad appears on the search results pages of search engines like Google and Yahoo! ...
Building Buzz in the Blogosphere Small Business
You probably heard about the movie Snakes on a Plane before New Line began its marketing campaign. Why? The movie’s high-concept premise delighted bloggers who sparked a year of online anticipation. The free ...
Three Traits of a Must-Read NewsletterSmall Business
A newsletter broadcast—whether daily, weekly or monthly—can be a great way to draw attention to your product or service. But growing a mailing list of eager recipients can be a ...
Two Reasons to Avoid Email AttachmentsSmall Business
Even a routine email attachment—say, a PDF or JPG—has a number of challenges to overcome before a potential client looks it over. For starters, corporate servers, vigilant in their defense ...
Do's and Don'ts for Lead GenerationSmall Business
Most of us only think about lead generation when things aren’t going so well. It’s a high-pressure situation that can make the array of options overwhelming. Luckily, Ruth Stevens, author ...
Avoid Looking Like a SpamsterSmall Business
The definition of "spam" is in the eye of the beholder. Outrageous cons—say, dodgy financial propositions from improbable Nigerian millionaires—qualify unquestionably as spam. But what about that array of seemingly ...
Three Keys to a Viral CampaignSmall Business
In the age of YouTube and MySpace, a viral campaign is the marketing equivalent of a lottery ticket. If you get lucky, your minor investment could yield a major bonanza. ...