Home Wealth Project
Extensive Research On How To Build Wealth From The Comfort Of Your Own Home.
A Picture Is Worth A 1000 Words: Pinterest Is On To Something
Feb 8th
Ok, I am a Pinterest newbie, arriving on the site because of the enthusiasm of an artist friend, Ann Kelle. As a surface designer, naturally Pinterest is one of her online stomping grounds. However, I’m a writer active in the small business arena so I was slow to respond to her excitement and reminders.
However, after attending a series of small business classes filled with artists and shop owners in the home and decor industry, it was easy to see that this social network is a mainstay for this creative group of entrepreneurs. And I wanted to know why. So I finally signed up. And quickly became addicted.
Something About Pinterest: Organic, Easy to Use
If you see something you like, then you “pin it” to one of your boards. Uou can come back to it whenever you need or want to. It’s fun. It’s mesmerizing. But is it business relevant?
Well, if a picture is worth a thousand words, then Pinterest is really on to something. It’s like an online scrapbook but better than that. It’s a little haven for the “neat freak” in some of us and perfect for the messy creative types too.
According to social media strategist, Kathryn Rose, “Pinterest is a great way to create interest in, and drive traffic to your blog posts.” Remember, traffic is the potential for conversion. Casual visitors to your website can become loyal subscribers and eventually paying customers (if you’ve prepped your site for the traffic but that’s a different post).
Kathryn uses the second half of her “in-depth look” to give you some specific things you can do to maximize the SEO benefits and in turn get more traffic. Reb Carlson, Founder of NY Creative Interns, provides four tips to help you enjoy and add to the Pinterest community.
If You Fall in Love With Pinterest
Decide to make it your next social media hang out. Consider Reb Carlson’s advice:
“Brands need to be creative in order to fit with the environment without being disruptive.”
It’s a creative space so be sure to honor that. Have fun at Pinterest and start pinning some pictures or videos, including ones from your own website, and check out the pin boards of others, too.
Push Pin Photo via Shutterstock
A Picture Is Worth A 1000 Words: Pinterest Is On To Something
View full post on Small Business News, Tips, Advice – Small Business Trends
Worth a million words
Jan 21st
We all know how much a picture is worth. What about a good short video? (hit the play button and watch for thirty seconds–here is the large version).
View full post on Seth’s Blog
Building a Business is Worth the Time
Jan 19th
Make no mistake. Creating your own small business is hard work. But as you’ll see, there are rewards. Here are some tips, tools and trends to think about while taking the time you need to build your small business.
Small Biz Success
It takes time to build a business! Rachel Strella can attest to that. Over the last 18 months, she admits to spending many 60 hour days building her social media marketing firm based in Camp Hill, PA, but she often finds that people still ask her, What do you do all day? Strella Social Media
Living the dream after layoffs. Some people might think of a layoff as the ultimate bad news, but for Carolyn Higgins it was the first step on the path to helping small businesses think and market the way larger companies do. What can Carolyn teach you about marketing your business today? BizSugar Blog
Tips & Trends
Even celebrities want to be entrepreneurs. Nowadays becoming a small business owner is so popular, even the stars want to get into the act. Take Jessica Alba, star of TV’s “Dark Angel” and The Fantastic Four movies, who recently announced a new e-commerce biz selling eco-friendly products. CNN Small Business
Elections worth their weight in gold. It’s election season again and the dredging up of numerous public issues can mean good opportunities for PR if your business happens to touch upon any of these. Here are nine top ideas to get you started. Understanding Marketing
Self-improvement
Don’t over-organize. It’s official! A clean desk may indeed be the sign of a sick mind. One expert says you aren’t doing yourself any favors with endless organizational chores. It’s something to remember in small business and in life. Inc.com
Marketing
How do you showcase your expertise? Promoting your knowledge and experience in the area where you have expertise is a huge part of building your brand. And though many Web tools, particularly social media sites, have been created to make this easier, there are basic techniques you must observe. Search Engine People
Transforming Leads Into Sales. It can be a tricky thing to turn leads or prospects into paying customers, but e-mail can be an important tool in this effort, if used correctly. How are you using your e-mail efforts to nurture potential prospects and transform them into customers in the future? HubSpot Blog
Startup
Guide to an “enchanting” business plan. Guy Kawasaki, author of Enchantment, gives this brief overview that may have you looking at business plans a bit differently in the future. There are also some downloads to help you get started. How to Change the World
7 Tips for Startup Companies. Though the following suggestions are made by a research scientist and clearly aimed more at the tech startup, the fact is that these tips can apply to almost any business you can think of. Do they apply to your idea? On Startups
Infographics
Infographics for your small business. They’re everywhere and super-popular, and if you don’t yet use infographics as a marketing tool for your business, maybe you should. Here are some basic examples of what the medium can do to transmit your message. Small Business Trends
Building a Business is Worth the Time
View full post on Small Business News, Tips, Advice – Small Business Trends
5 Reasons Google+ Is Worth It For SMBs
Jan 4th
In case you haven’t heard the news: Traffic to Google+ jumped 55 percent in the month of December and is expected to hit 400 million users by the end of 2012. I know, it’s almost impressive, right? But many small business owners are still completely ignoring the platform, either because they’re not sure how to use it or they don’t think it’s any different from more-established networks like Twitter and Facebook. For SMBs not sure how to get started or how they can leverage Google+ in their day-to-day business, below are five jumping off points to help you get started. When it comes to Google+, you may not even know what you don’t know.
Ready?
1. Share content with the right audience
As a marketer and blogger, one of the coolest things about Google+ to me is how easy it makes segmenting your audience through the use of Google+ circles. Circles are how you’re able to “organize” the people that you choose to invite into your network. You can create as many circles as you deem necessary, label them whatever you’d like [Customers, Vendors, Friends, Bloggers You Read, etc], and add users to as many as make sense for your purposes. Then, when you post an update, you can decide which audience segment(s) you want to see it and which you don’t. What this gives you is a breathtakingly easy way to bucket your audience and share content based on those buckets. Now you can account for different time zones by posting the same content at different times without appearing redundant or post questions to only a certain bucket of your audience – perhaps those who have bought from you vs those who have not.
2. Host a hangout
We’ve talked a lot about Twitter Chats and Facebook contests, but Google+ goes one important step further with its Hangout feature. What Hangouts allows you to do is have a video chat with up to nine of your friends, colleagues or customers. As a small business owner, Hangouts can be used to talk to remote employees, hold business calls, answer customer support questions face-to-face, have events or even record presentations that you can use later. It’s a powerful feature that allows everyone to connect, regardless of where they’re located.
3. Create saved keyword searches
Of course, at it’s core, Google is still a search engine. And it stays true to that by allowing users to search Google+ based on keyword, brand terms or anything else they may be interested in. By doing a search for [Outspoken Media], I’m able to easily find everyone who has been talking about Outspoken Media or who has shared blog content.
I’m then able to save the search so that I can quickly reference it and look for new updates. As a small business owner, you may want to create save searches for brand terms, industry keywords, hot topics or anything else you want to keep an eye on.
4. See how your content spreads
We create content to share with our audience with the hope that they’ll like it enough to share it with theirs. So any tool we can use to visualize how our content is being shared, who is doing the sharing, and who it is being shared to is really valuable. Lucky for SMBs, Google+ makes it pretty easy to help us see just that. By clicking to the right of any Google+ post (yours or someone else’s), you’ll see a link to view ripples.
Once you select that link, Google will populate a graph so that you can watch, in real motion, how your content was shared, what was said by whom, and what circles it became part of.
This is a really neat and functional feature.
5. Create a business page
Want another way to share content with your audience and keep them up to date on what’s top of mind for your business? Well, you can now create a Google+ business page. Use it to post relevant blog posts, to promote your own content, to poll your audience, to share company photos, to post (appropriate) videos from your holiday party, etc. Below you’ll see the Google+ page for Pepsi.
The soda giant is using it to host conversations with fans, to share photos, and build out a new presence. As we’re starting to see these brand pages rank in the search engines, creating a presence is only going to become more important in helping customers to find you.
Above are five ways for small business owners to find value in Google+. How have you used it for your business? Or, if you’re avoiding it, what’s causing you to hold back?
5 Reasons Google+ Is Worth It For SMBs
View full post on Small Business News, Tips, Advice – Small Business Trends
Three Small Biz Books Worth Reading
Dec 17th
If you’re looking for a business book to read on a holiday flight (or even one to read to get away from the chaos of family), here are some great ones to look at. Here we give you just a taste of three fantastic business books. It’s your job to read them!
Engagement from Scratch!
Engagement from Scratch! is written by Danny Iny (@DannyIny) of Firepole Marketing. The book is one part marketing, one part blogging and one part social media, all of which adds up to community, the theme of the book. Or rather, how to create and continue to engage your community through content. The book teaches readers how to build an audience that will rally around you and your cause, be that through your blog or a social channel.
The author, Iny, trains and coaches small business owners on marketing through his Firepole Marketing platform. He also blogs prolifically on sites like LifeHack, Problogger and Freelance Switch.
The book is a collection of essays from top marketing and small business experts (including Small Business Trends‘ CEO, Anita Campbell), who provide actionable tips you can actually use. In his review, blogger Steve Hill found it to be not just another internet marketing book:
“Engagement from Scratch provides ideas about getting started and generating results for readers who recognize the importance of building online communities. Also, most of the writers present their ideas in such a way that comes across as transparent and genuine rather than an attempt to get a few more Twitter followers or generate some leads (although I’m sure none of them would complain if that did happen).”
Managing with a Conscience: How to Improve Performance Through Integrity, Trust and Commitment
Frank Sonnenberg’s book, Managing with a Conscience, originally published in 1996, got an update with its second edition, released this November. The management book looks at nine factors critical to success for managers, such as “building an organization with passion that focuses on major priorities, reinvents itself every day, devotes itself to service excellence, adapts well to change, responds with speed, maintains a flexible structure, taps unlimited resources through networking, and puts integrity back where it belongs, right beside the bottom line.”
Sonnenberg (@FSonnenberg) is the author of four books, and often appears on CNN as an expert in marketing. He acted as National Director of Marketing for Ernst & Young’s Management Consulting Group for ten years.
Reviews of the second edition are as positive as they were for the original version. On Amazon, reader Barbara Kimmel, Executive Director, Trust Across America had this to say:
“Managing With A Conscience should be read by every CEO who wants to build a long-term sustainable business strategy, and placed on the “required reading” list in all MBA programs.”
Become a Franchise Owner
Franchise expert Joel Libava just released his book, Become a Franchise Owner. This book is full of the resources you need if you are seriously considering buying a franchise, including a self-evaluation to see if you’re cut out to become a franchise owner. As Libava says, most people aren’t cut out for franchises, so this book is an affordable tool to help you figure out if you should move forward.
Libava (@FranchiseKing), also known as “the Franchise King,” says he was a lousy franchise owner. But through his experience both owning franchises and consulting with franchise owners, he’s learned a great deal about what to consider when looking at a franchise.
Business consultant Jim Kukral recommends the book to anyone considering a franchise as a business investment:
“Bottom line, if you EVER thought about purchasing your own franchise, you must read Joel’s book. Joel will give you tips on how to locate information about franchises, current industry trends, interviews with franchisors, and hot franchise opportunities.”
Have you read any of these books, or do you plan to? Let us know what you like about them!
Three Small Biz Books Worth Reading
View full post on Small Business News, Tips, Advice – Small Business Trends
3 Awesome Corporate Blogs Worth Reading
Nov 18th
Some of the biggest companies in the world have been unable to get their blogging recipe just right. Then there are those that have figured out that sometimes the best sell is the soft sell. Here are three corporate blogs worth reading on a regular basis.
WEGMAN’s
Visit: http://www.wegmans.com/blog/
Wegman’s blog, dubbed “Fresh Stories,” is designed to keep customers informed and engaged. What makes the blog interesting is that you get an inside look at the journey food takes before it hits supermarket shelves, and eventually your table. Everything on the website reinforces the Wegman’s brand. You can learn about products, get recipe ideas, monitor the progress of store openings, and even pick up health tips. This is all done without beating readers over the head.
The blog is updated several times a month, which might go against the blogging adage that more is better, but when it comes to a company blog, I imagine most people prefer quality over quantity; you have better things to do than check in on a daily basis.
What truly sets the blog apart is the large range of bloggers that Wegman’s use, some have been with the company for decades, others are newcomers, each delivering an interesting perspective.
A Flickr stream of photos will make you feel as if you fresh picked the produce yourself. The Wegman’s blog puts the product first in a subtle way, all while giving the reader a local market vibe. And for anyone who has ever shopped at Wegman’s, you know that this is the same approach that has made the supermarket chain so successful. Kudos to the company for getting that messaging across on their blog.
ZAPPOS
Visit: http://blogs.zappos.com/
I know, you’re so used to seeing Zappos on a “best of” list that you are getting ready to click off this story. But wait! The accolades are well deserved. As a company that puts it’s customers (and employees!) first, the Zappos blog showcases a level of transparency rarely seen on a corporate blog. One day you’ll find useful shopping tips, the next, information on the company’s amazing adoption benefits for employees. Perhaps you will hear from upper management on why they are making a change to their backend system. Or maybe you just want to know what shoes are hot this season.
The Zappos blog was born in late 2007 but really found its legs in late 2008. If you are interested in improving your company’s customer service or just want to hook yourself up with a sweet pair of kicks, the Zappos blog is worth bookmarking.
FEDEX
Visit: http://blog.fedex.designcdt.com/
FedEx has a tremendous global reach, but the company is about more than just package delivery….and they want the world to know it. The FedEx corporate blog does that, dishing out small business best practices, a look inside of the company’s logistics, and even an eco-friendly section that is designed to make the company, and the world, a little more green. Team member stories make up a portion of the blog. Rather than read as overly-edited company fluff pieces, the stories have depth; character. FedEx’s philanthropic efforts get the spotlight center stage.
Overall the blog is professional and polished, but has just enough voice to make you feel as if you are reading an informal blog.
Which corporate blogs do you read on a regular basis — and what about them do you love?
Do you have your own blog? Get your blog reviewed and published at a PR6 site at Blogsearchengine.com, a perfect place to promote your blog
View full post on Business Pundit
Worth it?
Nov 16th
That’s a question you hear a lot. “Was it worth it?”
Not certain what either “it” refers to, but generally we’re saying, “was the destination worth the journey? Was the effort worth the reward?”
The thing about effort is that effort is its own reward if you allow it to be.
So the answer can always be “yes” if you let it.
View full post on Seth’s Blog
7 Business Leaders Worth Looking Up To
Nov 15th
Every young entrepreneur needs an example to look up to–someone whose story resonates with your own and inspires you to reach even greater heights. Whether it’s a personal encounter with Jack Welch or reading a biography of Steve Jobs, you can find inspiration from multiple sources.
We asked members of the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invitation-only nonprofit organization comprised of the country’s most promising young entrepreneurs, this question:
“Who is one well-known business leader over the age of 40 that you look to for advice on running your small business? Why do they resonate with you?”
Here are some of the leaders the YEC members look up to:
1. Herb Kelleher of Southwest Airlines
“Like many businesses, Southwest Airlines was born on a cocktail napkin, but it took a lot of perseverance to actually take flight. Numerous Texas airlines tried to keep Southwest grounded with lawsuits in its first years of business, but Kelleher was steadfast and fought through. Today Southwest is one of the only profitable airlines [in the U.S.] because it refuses to accept the status quo.” ~ Benjamin Leis, Sweat EquiTees
2. Jack Welch
“I personally resonate with Jack Welch because I admire his ability to lead and manage people. He believes that winning individuals and organizations create jobs, galvanize growth and give back to society. I had the pleasure of meeting him. He shook my hand, looked me in the eye and remembered my name. Named the CEO of the century, his management skills are unparalleled.” ~ Lucas Sommer, Audimated
3. Aaron Strout
“Aaron has been part of my professional and personal life since we met at SXSW in 2009. He’s done a lot in his marketing career, from big brands to startup digital agencies. His advice resonates with me because he’s one of my mentors and despite the fact that my path has changed from when we first met, he isn’t trying to shape me into a mini-Aaron. Though that wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing.” ~ Sydney Owen, 3Ring Media
4. Richard Branson
“I read his book and love what he did. He created an enterprise that was built on a lifestyle brand versus a specific industry. This allowed him to expand anywhere because he had a big vision. I like having a big vision, as there is a lot to accomplish in this world. I also admire his ability to be well rounded.” ~ David Schnurman, Lawline
“I’ve read Barbara’s book Use What You’ve Got and I keep going back to it because there are so many juicy and wise words of advice there. I resonate with her because she is self-made and tells it like it is. She’s also got a great sense of humor and makes doing business fun!” ~ Nath Lussier, Nathalie Lussier Media
6. Dan Kennedy
“Working in direct-response marketing and helping others build their own businesses is the business that I have found myself in, and no one has done that better, longer and within more industries than Dan Kennedy. From his bestselling books to his live events and masterminds, he finds ways to connect with me and my team that have exponentially grown our business and expanded my mind.” ~ Greg Rollett, The ProductPros
7. Who’s Next?
“I look to many older business leaders for advice as there is always an area of business to improve. Rather than looking to one person, I turn to many people, and usually to the person who has successfully navigated through the issue I am having at the time. This allows me to find the exact experience of the person who has been there and done that, rather than taking advice from someone who hasn’t.” ~ Louis Lautman, Young Entrepreneur Society
7 Business Leaders Worth Looking Up To
View full post on Small Business News, Tips, Advice – Small Business Trends
7 Business Leaders Worth Looking Up To
Nov 15th
Every young entrepreneur needs an example to look up to–someone whose story resonates with your own and inspires you to reach even greater heights. Whether it’s a personal encounter with Jack Welch or reading a biography of Steve Jobs, you can find inspiration from multiple sources.
We asked members of the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invitation-only nonprofit organization comprised of the country’s most promising young entrepreneurs, this question:
“Who is one well-known business leader over the age of 40 that you look to for advice on running your small business? Why do they resonate with you?”
Here are some of the leaders the YEC members look up to:
1. Herb Kelleher of Southwest Airlines
“Like many businesses, Southwest Airlines was born on a cocktail napkin, but it took a lot of perseverance to actually take flight. Numerous Texas airlines tried to keep Southwest grounded with lawsuits in its first years of business, but Kelleher was steadfast and fought through. Today Southwest is one of the only profitable airlines [in the U.S.] because it refuses to accept the status quo.” ~ Benjamin Leis, Sweat EquiTees
2. Jack Welch
“I personally resonate with Jack Welch because I admire his ability to lead and manage people. He believes that winning individuals and organizations create jobs, galvanize growth and give back to society. I had the pleasure of meeting him. He shook my hand, looked me in the eye and remembered my name. Named the CEO of the century, his management skills are unparalleled.” ~ Lucas Sommer, Audimated
3. Aaron Strout
“Aaron has been part of my professional and personal life since we met at SXSW in 2009. He’s done a lot in his marketing career, from big brands to startup digital agencies. His advice resonates with me because he’s one of my mentors and despite the fact that my path has changed from when we first met, he isn’t trying to shape me into a mini-Aaron. Though that wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing.” ~ Sydney Owen, 3Ring Media
4. Richard Branson
“I read his book and love what he did. He created an enterprise that was built on a lifestyle brand versus a specific industry. This allowed him to expand anywhere because he had a big vision. I like having a big vision, as there is a lot to accomplish in this world. I also admire his ability to be well rounded.” ~ David Schnurman, Lawline
“I’ve read Barbara’s book Use What You’ve Got and I keep going back to it because there are so many juicy and wise words of advice there. I resonate with her because she is self-made and tells it like it is. She’s also got a great sense of humor and makes doing business fun!” ~ Nath Lussier, Nathalie Lussier Media
6. Dan Kennedy
“Working in direct-response marketing and helping others build their own businesses is the business that I have found myself in, and no one has done that better, longer and within more industries than Dan Kennedy. From his bestselling books to his live events and masterminds, he finds ways to connect with me and my team that have exponentially grown our business and expanded my mind.” ~ Greg Rollett, The ProductPros
7. Who’s Next?
“I look to many older business leaders for advice as there is always an area of business to improve. Rather than looking to one person, I turn to many people, and usually to the person who has successfully navigated through the issue I am having at the time. This allows me to find the exact experience of the person who has been there and done that, rather than taking advice from someone who hasn’t.” ~ Louis Lautman, Young Entrepreneur Society
7 Business Leaders Worth Looking Up To
View full post on Small Business News, Tips, Advice – Small Business Trends
Change worth reading about: update
Nov 14th
About six weeks ago, we launched a massive multi-author book called End Malaria.
Here’s what’s happened since:
- It became a top 10 bestseller.
- We raised more than $250,000 in sales and sponsorships for Malaria No More–every penny spent on the ebook goes to them, and the same amount from every paperback copy sold.
- The book received more than 30 five-star reviews.
- Conversations were had among hundreds of thousands of people about the ideas in the book–ideas that can jumpstart your projects, change your approach and grow your organization.
- Thank you for saving lives.
If you haven’t gotten your copy, you’ve missed something. Today is the best day to catch up.
View full post on Seth’s Blog
