Get contacted by any Nigerian princes lately? How about being sent an exclusive offer for cheap Canadian drugs? Or a free trip to Jamaica if you just fill out a survey? Spam email is an epidemic that has existed since the earliest days of the internet, and, despite promises every few years, it doesn’t appear to be going away anytime soon. There are few things more annoying than spam email filling your inbox with unsolicited offers or attempts to scam you. As an entrepreneur, there is a good chance you know the frustration of your carefully crafted, targeted emails being…
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Have you ever wondered what makes the difference between a great email marketing campaign and an unsuccessful one? A successful email marketing campaign depends on many factors, from the size of your email list, to the products or services you are promoting, to the service you use to send them out (I use Mad Mimi, for the record). Designing a great email marketing campaign isn’t easy! But one of the most important parts is the content that you include in it. We aren’t just talking about advertisements here, we are talking about genuine and interesting content that will get your…
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“A picture is worth a thousand words.” Boy, how about that old cliché, huh? It’s just one of those phrases that gets thrown around, without any real through as to what it means. Well, I am going to reclaim that phrase because it is a truly fantastic piece of advice for small business owners. When you are talking with a client, even if you are engaging, interesting, and are offering them something really special, there is a chance that they might not be fully listening. That’s the problem with words, it can be easy to get lost in them. If…
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Seminars are a staple in the business world. The problem is that seminars are expensive and somewhat inconvenient affairs that, although useful and informative, sometimes only attract limited audiences. But today, thanks to the power of technology, anyone can reach a much wider audience around the world! Using a real-time video conference, known as a webinar, small business owners can give a much more cost-effective talk. A webinar is basically an online seminar. It offers your clients a real-time connection to you; they actually hear you speak and can respond through chat. With the option for anyone in the world…
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Product launches are exciting for small business owners, whether they’re for a new webinar, e-book, online course, or physical product. Seeing the results of your labor being used and appreciated by dozens, if not hundreds or thousands of people, is extremely satisfying! However, it’s also a lot of work to get to the point of launch, especially if you’re doing everything on your own. [Tweet “Make a big deal about your launch! Think Facebook ads and online promotions to mark the occasion.”] Have you ever looked at other entrepreneurs and wondered how they get new products ready to launch so quickly?…
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Business to business (B2B) relationships can be valuable assets for a small business, especially when it comes to gaining exposure on social media. Cross promotion through social platforms is a great way to attract new followers and new clients. It’s an “I’ll scratch your back if you scratch mine” deal, though. You won’t get exposure for nothing; whoever you’re working with will expect to be given similar exposure in return. This is great because it can strengthen a whole network of independent businesses and form long-lasting partnerships! [Tweet “Social media isn’t just for marketing to clients. Use it for connecting…
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Well, we’ve almost made it through another year! I hope it was as good for your business as it was for mine, although I have some great suggestions if you didn’t meet all of your business goals this past year. The perfect time is coming up, in the lull between holiday gatherings and the new year starting in earnest, for you to take some steps for envisioning your next year in business. [Tweet “Come up with concrete plans and goals to make the New Year, your best year yet!”] One of the key practices you should adopt if you want…
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Do you have the right team in place to support your business? Your goals probably involve the growth of your business, taking on new clients, expanding your services or product line, tackling more and larger projects, etc. No small business owner wants to get stuck in a rut or have their business stagnate. However, growth means more work. A lot of small business owners view hiring an additional person to work on their business as a scary prospect. They worry about paying a salary, whether their need for support will remain consistent enough to warrant the commitment of a new…
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It’s Thanksgiving week, which means it’s a good time to focus on the things in our lives that we’re grateful for. Owning and running a small business can sometimes be challenging or draining, but there are so many wonderful things about it that make the trials worthwhile. I always try to remember to think on all the parts of running my own business that fill me with gratitude and appreciation for the work I do and the people I work with. Especially around holiday time, when the themes of thankfulness and love are so prevalent, I find it makes me happy…
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