Tips from Wednesday, May 5, 2009
The Small Business tips today will be about direct mail: an immediate response media – people either respond or trash immediately.
To succeed w/ direct mail advertising, you will have to be aggressive. Don’t forget you have to sell. List benefits, ask for the sale.
Be aggressive with descriptive writing. Be graphic. Be visual.
Biggest benefit you offer that makes you different from competition: unique selling position. Make it stand out so that YOU stand out.
The REAL key to success: testing. Test each part until you find the best possible combination that achieves the highest profit.
Daily Overview: The only thing that counts with direct mail advertising in the end is the response rate. Sell. Test. Test. Sell.
By Kim Fenolio · May 06 2009
small business tips, marketing, small business, Advertising
Government and Economy
That State of Small Business in America
Last week, CEO of Network Solutions Roy Dunbar hosted a webinar with small business experts Kristina Bouweiri, Anita Campbell, Tom Heath, Kelly Muccio and Surfy Rahman. They discussed the state of small businesses in the US and what SMB owners could do right now to increase sales and here are the insights they shared. SmallBizTrends.com
Management and Financial Issues
Survey: Small Businesses Turning Away From Green Initiatives
According to a Wells Fargo/Gallup Survey, one-third of small business owners say that the recession has changed their plans to make their businesse...
By Charles M Cooper · May 06 2009
small business brief, marketing, small business, economy
Government and Economy
Velazquez: Give Small Business a Break on Cap and Trade
Small businesses need rebates to ease the higher energy costs that may result from capping carbon dioxide emissions, the chairwoman of House Small Business Committee wrote today to the Democratic sponsors of the cap and trade legislation. Bloomberg.com
Small Business Credit Continues to Tighten—Just Not by as Much
According to the Fed’s quarterly survey of senior bank loan officers, banks are still—for the tenth quarter in a row—tightening credit standards for small businesses, but not to the d...
By Charles M Cooper · May 05 2009
small business brief, marketing, small business, economy
Tips from Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Today’s Small Business tips will cover taking advantage of the fact that 57% of adults in the U.S. read a newspaper daily.
Newspaper advertising is sold by the column inch and different classifications may have different rates.
A smaller advertisement run repeatedly does better than a larger ad run less often.
You can't afford the same old newspaper ad these days. Design and word to evoke emotion for attention! Motivation for action!
Talk with your newspaper staff to locate your local target audience; pay for that circulation.
Daily Overview: As always, you have to provide value and build trust. Get attention, create desire & ask for action repeatedly.
By Kim Fenolio · May 05 2009
small business tips, marketing, small business, Advertising
Government and Economy
Obama: Financial Sector Will Shrink
According to President Obama, the financial sector will make up a smaller part of the US economy as new regulations put an end to what he calls "massive risk-taking." Yahoo.com/Reuters
SBA Redefines Small Business to Expand Help
The Small Business Administration has temporarily expanded its definition of 'small' to make more loans available to auto dealers, but potential borrowers still face many obstacles before they see the money. CNNMoney.com
By Charles M Cooper · May 04 2009
small business brief, marketing, small business, economy
Tips from Friday, May 1, 2009
The Small Business tips today will be about how to use social networking to market your business.
The top 3 places to represent most businesses are on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Maintain consistent presence.
Don’t solicit. If you wouldn’t like it, don’t do it to others. Social networking is about being social. Do that instead.
Being trustworthy and adding value will add value to your brand and your business: increasing conversions.
Have contests, giveaways or special discounts. Encourage interaction. Incentives go a long way.
Daily Overview: Participate in the social networks in a way that isn’t off putting and give your network a reason to talk about you.
By Kim Fenolio · May 01 2009
small business tips, marketing, small business, internet
Government and Economy
House Forgets Small Business in New Credit Card Reform Bill
The Credit Cardholders Bill of Rights, which restricts some aggressive tactics by credit card companies, passed the House but doesn’t apply to small business credit cards even though such cards function the same way consumer credit cards do. BusinessWeek.com
Stress-Tests Results Delayed
With banks disputing the findings of the recent federal stress tests, the Fed and US banking regulators will now reveal the results on May 7 after the financial markets close. Bloomberg.com
By Charles M Cooper · May 01 2009
small business brief, marketing, small business, economy
Government and Economy
Obama: Working to Clear the Economic Wreckage
President Obama tried to reassure Americans during his Wednesday evening press conference that he is making real progress in dealing with the recession and improving the US image abroad. However, he urged patience in dealing with these and other issues. Yahoo.com/Reuters
Taxes Coming on Digital Goods
A number of states are looking to tax digital goods, yet enacting these taxes while trying encourage broadband adoption and develop a low-carbon economy sends the wrong message, according to opponents. ZDNet.com
By Charles M Cooper · April 30 2009
small business brief, marketing, small business, economy
