Tips from November 12, 2009 The Small Business tips today discuss different sales strategies for marketing for the holidays.
Have a "12 Days of Your Company/Product/Savings." Each day change the promotion, gift, or sale. Keep your customers coming back each day.
Have overstock? A complimentary gift of extra products for customers spending a certain amount of money will help balance out your stock room.
Advertise new techniques, products, or services via social media. Upload coupons on your Facebook Fan page or Tweet out links to these deals.
Do good for others during the holidays: offer a dollar off a product if customers bring in an item to donate to a local food pantry to help the hungry.
Daily Overview: Let your customers feel like they're important and allow them to get more for their money while helping others at the same time.
By Cheryl Sowa · November 12 2009
small business tips, small business, sales strategies, holiday marketing
Tips from November 11, 2009 The Small Business tips today discuss ideas and options for holiday marketing promotions.
Offer discounts or special offers on certain days to drive in holiday business. It's a standard ploy, but consistently works.
Give your customers a thoughtful gift. Set out homemade cookies, give one of your favorite holiday recipes; perhaps on a direct mailer or a pick-up in the store. Something special relating to your product or service would be the best idea. Free sells.
Reward loyal customers with additional discounts to your standard holiday promotions. Maybe an extra 15% off for them during a specific weekend.
Give your gift cards a holiday makeover and add a bit of holiday flair. You'll capture the eye of the holiday gift shopper more easily this way.
Daily Overview: What gets you through the door of a store around the holidays? Be inventive, creative, thoughtful an...
By Cheryl Sowa · November 11 2009
small business tips, small business, customers, promotions
Tips from November 10, 2009 The Small Business tips today will be about email marketing around the holidays.
Include holiday greetings and designed themes in your email marketing. This can help set a certain tone if that's what you're looking to do.
Don't blow-up subscriber inboxes with additional holiday email promotions. Instead substitute a standard email with the holiday one.
Your subject line should include holiday phrases and special deals to entice people to open the email.
Keep emails informative without spamming. Put direct links to holiday-branded landing pages instead of a link to your homepage.
Daily Overview: Don't be a Scrooge. Make email marketing over the holidays fun, informative and unique.
By Cheryl Sowa · November 10 2009
small business tips, marketing, small business, email
In The News
Workplace Shootings in Florida, Texas Again Put Focus on Violence on the Job The two shootings are the highest-profile incidents of workplace violence since a Yale University student’s strangled body was found in the university laboratory where she conducted research. A co-worker, Raymond J. Clark III, was later charged with the murder. Workforce.comManagement and OperationsHow to Resolve Workplace Conflict Conflict in the workplace is a painful reality and a key reason for poor productivity and frustration. Do you have people in your workplace that cause problems for everyone else? Do they create additional work for o...
By Cheryl Sowa · November 10 2009
small business brief, small business, conflict, productivity
Tips from November 9, 2009 The Small Business tips today discuss holiday marketing tips for your website.
Make like Google with your logo. During the holidays go for a spirit-themed logo. Capture what might appeal most to your audience.
Use your holiday logo and themes for your social media sites! Get your Facebook and Twitter audiences into the holiday spirit.
Create holiday-themed landing pages (not necessarily the home page) for your website to use in both online and offline advertising.
Even if you don't have a shopping cart on your website, be sure to list your in-store holiday promotions. 69% of consumers research online before coming into your store.
Daily Overview: Your business can appeal to your audience's holiday spirit by dressing up online: your logo, website and social networks.
By Cheryl Sowa · November 09 2009
small business tips, marketing, small business, google
You know, a 140 character limit really isn't a lot to share something significant in. Neither is 15 minutes though, especially not between three people trying to convey the effects of social media on an industry. Fortunately, a collection of some of the best minds in small business were able to do just that at the 140 Characters Conference in LA this past October. I was lucky enough to have been one of the 140 people asked to speak and represent the state of now. I wasn't alone in this. This conference was Jeff Pulver's baby. Jeff is a globally renowned thought leader, author and entrepreneur. He contacted Becky McCray of Small Biz Survival and asked her to put together a panel of people who could effectively speak on behalf of small business...
By Kim Fenolio · November 06 2009
social media, twitter, kim fenolio, characters
Tips from November 6, 2009 The Small Business tips today discuss naming a start up business.
Think of a creative and recognizable name for your business. Be memorable, quirky, and unique, yet professional for business purposes.
Before settling on a business name check your phone books, online domains & with the county clerk's office for availability.
Consider a business name that's obvious to your business purpose and works in your favor for SEO as well. It often helps the customer if a name is self-explanatory. A name like Kim's Social Media Services tells me right away that this is a social media servicing company by Kim.
Register the business name as a trademark with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. You get legal protection for the business's name. Find out more at http://www.uspto.gov.
Daily Overview: When naming yo...
By Cheryl Sowa · November 06 2009
small business tips, small business, business, startup
Tips from November 4, 2009 The Small Business tips today discuss legal concerns for start up businesses.
Sole proprietors should incorporate their home-based businesses with tax benefits and protect personal assets from business liabilities.
You can use your own name as your business name in most states without having to register it. Everything else needs some type of registration.
Minimize disputes with clients by having thorough contracts, detailed wording with no room for excuses, multiple signatures, and clarity from both parties.
General rule of thumb: a business that sells goods, needs a business license; a business that offers professional services (regulated by the state) needs a business certificate.
Daily Overview: All business legal concerns should be taken to a lawyer who knows the laws in your state, specific to your situation.
By Cheryl Sowa · November 05 2009
small business tips, small business, lawyer, start up
