SmallBusinessNewz

Is There Still a Need for Public Relations?

It must be a least a week since we’ve had a juicy meme to sink out teeth into. Fortunately, one has surfaced over the past few days: Is there still a need for public relations? TechCrunch, RWW, and Steve Rubel are among those weighing in with their thoughts on the subject. Here are a few choice morsels: TechCrunch:

Cheap Small Business Web Sites

In today's Small Business section of the Wall Street Journal is an article called Creating a Successful Site for Almost Nothing by Vauhini Vara. (Link will expire soon for non-subscribers, so click now!) And unlike a lot of similar-themed articles for mainstream media, this one is pretty well researched and written. If you've never had a Web site before, following the instructions in this article is a great start.

You Have to Stay in Front of Them

I was just reviewing a marketing plan for one of my clients. Clearly, they had taken their time and thought about their plan. But they missed a critical piece. And its one most small business owners don’t ever think about. Yet it is the key to making your marketing work for you… You see, this client had done all the background work quite well…She knew her target market, her mission, her unique selling proposition, and even had some great ideas about where to market and who to market to.

Cutting Cost Tips Every Small Business Owner Should Know

Develop a Clear Mission StatementOne of the most important steps is one most business owners consider obvious - but few truly do thoroughly.  Make sure that your business plan is simple, clear, and workable before you invest your capital. Have you planned out the next five years intensively?  In how much detail?  The more narrowly, specifically, and intelligently you articulate your business mission, the easier it will be for you to construct a cost effective budget and to keep your company in the black.

Choosing the Best E-Commerce Software for Your Business

The quality of your e-commerce software can have a major impact on how successful your online store is.  Here are some important features to look for when choosing the best e-commerce software for your business.The foundation of any online store is its e-commerce software.  This software shapes every minute of your visitors' experiences, from browsing to checkout.  For this reason, it is imperative to choose the best e-commerce software for your business.

E-Commerce Today: The Evolution of the Online Store

Online stores have come a long ways from the mid-nineties, when major companies such as Amazon and eBay entered the playing field.In the early 1990s, opening a store meant renting commercial space, buying merchandise and business equipment (such as shopping carts and cash registers), paying employees to keep the store open during business hours, and buying a service that enables customers to pay via credit card.

Why Your Business Should Care

There's certainly no shortage of discussions in the blogosphere that examine and spotlight companies that are listening to brand-related conversations across the Social Web to improve customer service, retention, and loyalty. But, when the New York Times decides to profile the emerging and critically important trend of two-way dialog between company representatives and stakeholders, we actually begin the process of crossing the chasm into the mainstream.

Small Businesses Should Take Advantage Of The Internet

Frank Reed had an interesting post on his Frank Thinking blog, lamenting how small businesses seem to avoid search marketing. They spend their money on Yellow Pages ads and other older forms of marketing that might not bring the best return on their investment. So, with the U.S. economy focusing every small business on making more from less, why is it that Internet marketing, and search marketing in particular, is so scary?

Social Media's Place In The Organization

When I first started this social media agency, the question I was asked most often was, “What is social media?”  In just a few months, that question morphed into, “What kinds of things can social media do for my organization specifically?” 

A Company Needs To Be Questioned To Grow

Your analyst is the most dangerous person in your company.