Public Relation (PR) Tools for Your Business

When you think of public relations, the first thing that comes to mind is a press release. A press release is, and will always remain to be an important tool for reaching the media and getting the word out about your business.
But there are other ways to tap the media, and here are some strategies [...]

Learning from Big Boys

PowerHomeBiz.com has a new blog called “Learning from Big Boys” at http://www.learningfrombigboys.com/ .
This new blog focuses on what small and home-based entrepreneurs can learn from big businesses — both the great things that make them successful, as well as the mistakes that make them stumble (yes, they make lots of mistakes, too!). Big businesses may [...]

How to Market a Graphic Design Business

One of my closest friends is a freelance graphic artist. She specializes in designing book covers, and has designed the covers of several publications. But right now, she is branching out to web design given the myriad opportunities of the Web.
Seeing her navigate the difficulties of self employment gave me some perspective that I am [...]

Lessons on Paid Search Marketing

With more websites competing for eyeballs and sales, paid search has become a critical marketing strategy for online businesses.
Whether your ad budget is $100 or $10,000 per month, here are useful lessons in paid search marketing from ChannelAdvisor’s “Top 12 Paid Search New Years Resolutions”

Spend as much money as it takes to yield your desired [...]

Home-Based Franchises

If you want to start a business that has proven to be viable and less risky, then franchising is the route for you.
But don’t think that all franchises are as expensive as your local McDonald’s. In fact, there is a growing segment of franchises that can be operated from home. These home-based franchises combine the [...]

How the Big Boys Do It: Web Site Features for Online Retailing

Internet Retailer magazine made a list of the top tools used by the Top 500 retailers on the Web. It’s an interesting look at how the top guns of online retailing are doing it, and can give the small online retailers on the features they need to consider for their websites (if they are not [...]

Unleashing Your Entrepreneurial Spirit

I love this quote from Brian Kurth, author of the book “Test Drive Your Dream Job” as it rings true for many of us:
“It’s romantic to think the heavens will offer up a sign letting you know when the time is right to unleash your entrepreneurial spirit and start your dream business. Unfortunately, reality often [...]

Word of Mouth & Client Referrals: Top Sources of New Customers

The folks at SalesConx.com sent me the results of the survey they conducted last year. They surveyed 700 small business owners to see how entrepreneurs look at client relationships, to determine the lead generation strategies and how to grow the business using the Internet’s networking features.

Some of the findings of their survey are:

Referral and word [...]

Doing Business with the Government

I few years ago, I chatted with a Maryland entrepreneur after he won the Small Business Administration Entrepreneur of the Year award. He runs a highly successful translation business whose main clientele is the government. He provides translation services to the Department of State and Department of Defense, among others.
But he struggled during the early [...]

Rachel Ray: Finding the Needs of Your Target Market

In my last post, I raised the question of how do you determine the needs of your target market.
In the November 2007 issue of Business 2.0, they featured four “One Man Brands” — or entrepreneurs who have become business icons whose names have become huge brands. One of those featured is Rachel Ray, the [...]