Commentary – Page 16 – 40Billion Blog for Startup Entrepreneurs and Small Businesses

Dec 4: Why Entrepreneurs Need to Create Their Own Brands

At some point in your career, someone has probably talked to you about how to brand yourself, how personal branding is this incredibly important thing that everyone is doing these days, how, if you’ve built a business and are trying to grow, it’s not something you can ignore.

Or is it? Personal branding, just like regular branding, is something that’s often completely out of your control. Read more…

Dec 4: Don’t Make This Common Brainstorming Mistake That Leads to Failure

Imagine you’re leading a brainstorming session at your company. You want to come up with growth strategies for your startup, so you gather your team in a meeting room, generate lots of ideas, and choose the most promising one. Many small business owners use that approach, but unfortunately, it often doesn’t work. Read more…

Dec 4: How To Deal With Stress At Work

Are you stressed out at work? Do you feel like you’re reaching a breaking point? Are you having a hard time juggling business and family demands? It happens to many of us. The anxiety, negative thoughts, perspiration, and despair caused by stress are normal, but you should not let them prevent you from succeeding and being your best you.

To cope with the stress and stay focused, you’ll need to incorporate a stress relief routine in your workday. Read more…

Dec 4: How to Build Great Marketing Relationships for your Business

You may have heard the term “relationship marketing” being tossed around recently. Relationship marketing refers to everything you do to develop strong, lifelong relationships with your customers. From influencer programs to referral campaigns to affiliate marketing, relationship marketing builds brand awareness and positions your brand as your customers best option. Read more…

Dec 4: How to Promote Your Crowdfunding Project to 2,500,000 People for Only $20

Want to get the word out? Did you know you can broadcast your crowdfunding project or campaign to over 2,500,000 active users on 40Billion, Twitter, Facebook, and Google for only $20, or as little as $5 a day? Buy a promo ad to promote your message, brand, product, service, fundraising campaign, crowdfunding project, or small business to the world.

Are you trying to raise money on Kickstarter, Indiegogo, or GoFundme? For over 4 years, aspiring crowdfunders and startup entrepreneurs have used 40Billion for affordable promotion across popular social networks in order to reach more potential customers and investors. Read more…

Dec 4: Turning Holidays Gifts Into a Marketing Tool – 6 Ideas

Hopefully you’ve already created your annual customer and client holiday gift list. Whether they’ve been naughty or nice, all clients should get recognized in this holiday ritual. But how can you make your holiday gifts do double duty-not only as a “thank you” for the past year’s business, but also as a marketing tool to encourage more business in the new year? Here are some ideas.

Remind them of you:

The simplest way to make your holiday gift a marketing tool is to choose a promotional product with your company’s name and/or logo on it. Read more…

Dec 4: Seven Winning Market Strategies To Generate Sales

Every firm has something that it calls a market strategy. Unfortunately, many market strategies are ineffective and almost guarantee failure.

Market strategies that really work always have the following characteristics:

1. They are strategic rather than tactical.

This sounds simple, but it’s a point that many people find confusing. Read more…

Dec 4: Why Startup Entrepreneurs Need To Be More Like Reporters

The new marketing concept of brand journalism is the practice of covering your business and industry like a reporter. In other words, you’re transforming your marketing efforts into publishing efforts.

The big guys in your industry are likely already fully entrenched. In fact, some are practicing this new style of content marketing so effectively you probably haven’t even noticed that their content is marketing driven.

Here are four tips on how you can get started:

Dec 4: I never saw a pessimistic general win a battle. -Dwight D. Eisenhower

SAY OF THE DAY: “I never saw a pessimistic general win a battle.” -Dwight D. Eisenhower… read more

Dec 4: 3 Winning Social Marketing Strategies From Top Brands

Do you follow a brand in social media? Are you glad you did? If that’s the case, they are doing either one of three things:

. Connecting with one of your passions and/or interests.
. Entertaining you with their engaging personality.
. Providing interesting and/or important information to you. Read more…

Recommended: 3 Habits Of High-Performing Teams

Dec 4: Word of Mouth Marketing and Social Media

Word of Mouth Marketing (WOMM) has always been a powerful way to influence business results.

Why should Marketers care about WOMM?

If you could master what has been identified as the most valuable form of marketing-the one that consumers trust above all others and the one that is most likely to drive sales for your company – would you instead choose to ignore it or leave it to chance?

Why would you simply choose to sit back and hope conversations will just happen organically about your brand? If you want to win the marketing race in 2017, you need to unleash the power of word of mouth. Read more…

Dec 3: How to Maximize the Marketing Potential of YouTube – 9 Tips

Most social media strategies involve routine updates on Facebook and Twitter – and if they’re particularly ambitious, Instagram and Pinterest. Even if they do create video content, few marketing teams have discovered how to access the full viral potential of YouTube. Read more…

Dec 3: How to Promote Your Crowdfunding Project to 2,500,000 People for Only $20

Dec 3: How To Develop A LinkedIn Marketing Plan

Do you want to learn how to present yourself and your business on LinkedIn?

Are you looking for a resource to guide your LinkedIn marketing efforts?

Whether you’re using LinkedIn as an individual or as a brand, the following tips will help you develop a LinkedIn marketing plan and find prospects and leads.

Create a Presence for Yourself

Make sure your LinkedIn account is secure. Read more…

Dec 3: 8 Reasons Why Your Content Marketing May Fail

Today, nearly every business is attempting to become a content marketer. The results aren’t pretty. The noise is deafening and while there’s plenty of great content, every industry is being bombarded with junk-cheap imitations of the idea of content marketing-create original, compelling, helpful content. Read more…

Dec 3: How To Gain Clients Trust – 5 Tips

If you are the owner of a small business looking to increase your clientele, here are some tips on how to build a trusting relationship with your client.

Tip # 1: Be Upfront

How do you put your client at ease when he first comes to your home as a total stranger? It all starts with communication. Read more…

Dec 3: Are You a Micro-Manager? Here Are 3 Ways to Change

Every business owner knows how to wear a lot of hats. When first striking out on your own, you have a hand in finances, marketing, product design, and everything in-between. But as your company grows, you need to empower your employees to feel that same sense of independence.

Autonomy is one of our fundamental human needs – an essential component of a healthy workplace – our need to be driven by personal interest and enjoyment.

Employees that feel empowered are happier, more motivated, more committed to their jobs, and less stressed. Read more…

Dec 3: Keeping Up with the Changing Face of Advertising

Advertising is changing at lightning speed with the internet. When businesses started flocking online, they found amazing opportunities to reach consumers outside of traditional media like print and television. But even in the last few years, those advertising options have shifted tremendously.

Gone are the days of the pop up – well, mostly. Read more…

Dec 3: 4 Ways To Overcome Fear And Be More Confident

Ever experienced fear or doubt about your abilities? To the degree you can overcome your insecurities, you will experience freedom to be yourself and reach your full potential as an entrepreneur. The most important thing to understand is that everyone experiences these scary emotions to some degree, regardless of how confident and self-assured people may seem.

Follow these 4 tips to overcome fear and get to that next level in your business goals:

1) Don’t forget that it’s normal. Read more…

Recommended: 8 Social Marketing Fails to Avoid

Dec 3: How to Promote Your Crowdfunding Project to 2,500,000 People for Only $20

Dec 3: What Entrepreneurs Need to Know About Equity Crowdfunding to Raise Money

Equity crowdfunding is the process whereby everyday people (the “crowd”) invest in an early-stage company, which is not listed on a stock market, in exchange for shares in that company. These shareholders have partial ownership of the company and stand to profit if the company does well.

For the first time, the JOBS act is allowing unsophisticated investors to purchase your stock. Read more…

Dec 3: 6 Smart Email Triggers for Marketing Automation

Triggered or targeted emails can be a great way to deliver the right content at the right time to the right people. A sincere thank you, a courteous confirmation, or a concerned abandoned cart message that automatically follows a specific behavior someone took on your website can be the difference between a very happy customer and losing a contact altogether.

As long as the automated email is relevant, timely, and provides value to the recipient, triggered emails can be used to save marketers a tremendous amount of time and, more importantly, better engage your contact database. Read more…

Dec 2: Why Small Businesses Should Not Hire These 3 Types Of People

Even the most perceptive business owners can make a bad hire when they don’t pay attention to the right signs. Here are 3 personality types that can bring down your business and how you can spot them in an interview.

1) The Narcissist.

It’s easy to make the mistake of hiring a narcissist. They are often charismatic and radiate self-confidence. Read more…

Dec 2: How to Advertise Your Business to 2,500,000 People on 4 Social Networks for $20

Want to spread the word about your business? Did you know you can broadcast your product or service to our large audience across Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and 40Billion for only $20, or as little as $5 a day? Buy a promo ad to broadcast your small business, startup company, product, or service to 2,500,000+ social users on 4 social networks – including Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and 40Billion – at once.

For over 4 years, aspiring entrepreneurs and startup companies have used 40Billion for affordable promotion across popular social networks in order to reach more potential customers. Read more…

Dec 2: Does Your Marketing Strategy Work For You?

Why isn’t anyone buying your products and services? It doesn’t matter how great your products and services are or how nice your offices look if no one has heard of you. That’s where good marketing comes into play. Unfortunately, many small businesses make the mistake of focusing all of their efforts on other aspects of their company and forget to make marketing a top priority. Read more…

Dec 2: Target Marketing – Everything You Need To Know And More

Target marketing is about attracting customers who will buy what you’re selling.

In order to target market effectively, you’ll need to know exactly who purchases your products and exactly how to reach them. And acquiring that kind of knowledge requires some research and planning on your end.

The evolution of target marketing
Target marketing is the most current method of marketing to consumers based on research into their interests, hobbies, and needs, and it didn’t spring from nothing. Read more…

Dec 2: 6 Tips To Achieve Marketing Goals

All marketing managers struggle with one thing. How to set goals for marketing department. It sounds like a simple-enough task, but over time I came to see goal-setting as something of an art; it requires practice, constant refinement, focus and a little bit of playfulness (unless you want to drive yourself crazy).

How do you set goals that are challenging yet still achievable (is there an exact formula for this, like always shoot for x% more than last month)? How many goals should you set–one, three, six? Should you focus on a new goal every week, month, semester, quarter or year? If you’re a small company and you need to achieve quick growth, how do you pick which goal is most important when there are a billion urgent things that need to happen? How do you stay focused on your goals (once you’ve finally decided on them) and not let other stuff get in the way, like tempting partnership opportunities or new tactics you want to try out?

Following six tips will help achieve marketing goals:

Dec 2: 11 Steps To Communicate Better As An Entrepreneur

For entrepreneurs, knowing how to communicate clearly and effectively is critical in leading a company and selling your business ideas. But the words you speak and hear are only a small part of getting your message across to your employees, customers and investors. It is the way you speak and listen that makes all the difference in the world.

Consider these 10 steps for communicating and pitching more effectively as a business owner:

Step 1: Relax. Read more…

Dec 2: Word of Mouth Marketing and Social Media

Word of Mouth Marketing (WOMM) has always been a powerful way to influence business results.

Why should Marketers care about WOMM?

Dec 2: New to Crowdfunding? Here’s What to Expect.

With the popularity and success of crowdfunding as a new way to fund new projects, it’s easy for other aspiring entrepreneurs to believe that sites like Kickstarter are their golden ticket to launching a business. But the reality is, crowdfunding isn’t always as simple as it seems.

Whether you’re looking to raise a small amount of startup cash or acquire a larger sum through equity crowdfunding, there are a few challenges you might face during the process that you may not have expected.

Choosing the right platform

The first step is to choose the right platform. Read more…

Dec 2: How to Promote Your Crowdfunding Project to 2,500,000 People for Only $20

Dec 2: 3 Social Media Tips For Business Owners

Gaffes on social networking sites can happen to the best of us. There are some very good lessons business owners can glean from common social media mistakes and apply to their own marketing efforts. Here are 3 of those lessons and tips:

1) Make it known to employees that social media is not just for fun. Read more…

Dec 2: The 7 Crowdfunding Tips That Are Most Important

Crowdfunding is a collective cooperation of people who network and pool their money and resources together, usually via the Internet, to support efforts initiated by other organizations. Unlike angel investments, in which an investor takes a large stake in a small business, with crowdfunding, you can literally attract a “crowd” of people – each of whom takes a small stake (if any) in a business idea by contributing towards an online funding target. Read more…

Dec 2: 3 Absurd Myths About Using Technology in Small Business

Risk taking is second nature to most entrepreneurs, but technology issues can make them turn cautious. Too often, business owners believe they don’t have the expertise or financial resources to take full advantage of technology. But, by limiting their use of tech, they also limit their growth opportunities in our always-on, always-connected world.

Turns out, many of these myths about tech may be based on misconceptions. Read more…

Dec 2: It is wise to persuade people to do things and make them think …

SAY OF THE DAY: “It is wise to persuade people to do things and make them think it was their own idea.” – Nelson Mandela… read more

Dec 2: 3 Social Media Tips For Business Owners

1) Make it known to employees that social media is not just for fun. Read more…

Dec 2: The 7 Crowdfunding Tips That Are Most Important

Dec 1: How To Make Social Media Marketing Success

Social media-a requirement for inbound marketing success-holds real influence that continues to rise. A captivating social media presence is essential in the current business environment. Neglect social media, and your business will suffer. You will not be able to optimize your content marketing, website traffic, or lead generation and conversion without social media best practices.

Provide Real Value

Winning social media marketing requires active listening and genuine participation. Read more…

Dec 1: How to Advertise Your Business to 2,500,000 People on 4 Social Networks for $20

For over 4 years, aspiring entrepreneurs and startup companies have used 40Billion for affordable promotion across popular social networks in order to reach more potential customers. Read more…

Dec 1: 4 Ways Influencers Can Boost Your Brand

Trust, attraction, and engagement… sounds like the recipe for a deep and lasting relationship, right?

Not surprisingly, consumers can experience and feel these same attributes for a product, and as a result, they form lasting, loyal relationships with the brands that serve them.

Unfortunately for brands, connecting to a potential customer at this level is difficult and time-consuming. Read more…

Recommended: One Man Marketing Department !!!

Dec 1: How To Avoid Summer Slowdowns, And Keep Growing Your Business

If your business experiences uneven revenues during summer months or other seasonal slowdowns, you may be looking for new summer marketing ideas to grow your organization. Here are four ways you can give in order to get more customers and sales this summer.

For seasonal businesses that thrive during summer months, marketing might be a cinch. Read more…

Dec 1: Networking Events Are A Waste Of Time If You Don’t Do This

The old saying that we “treasure what we measure” – and vice versa – turns out to be highly relevant in networking.

In a world where the news media regularly reports the latest sports scores, stock market numbers and the weekend’s top-grossing films, wouldn’t you think business networkers would just naturally track how much they’re getting from their efforts?

While systems for following up, staying in touch and tracking results are key to networking success for both men and women, they’re especially vital for women. Read more…

Dec 1: How To Deal With The Risky Business Of Launching Your Own Startup

Dreaming about leaving that “day job” and starting your own business? Doing that is easier said than done. As anyone who has ever contemplated starting a business knows, the risks of the venture loom large.

How does one leave the security of a job and paycheck and benefits for the uncertainty of a new business? The potential perils seem too big, but risk is part of the game. Read more…

Dec 1: 4 Easy Financial Accounting Tips for Small Business Startups

You have a great business idea, and you’re lining up the resources to make it a reality. But if you don’t establish solid corporate and accounting strategies from the start, you could be putting your business in peril before you ever get off the ground.

Follow these four steps to get off on the proper financial foot…

Dec 1: 3 Absurd Myths About Using Technology in Small Business

Turns out, many of these myths about tech may be based on misconceptions. Read more…

Dec 1: How to Promote Your Crowdfunding Project to 2,500,000 People for Only $20

Dec 1: Use Your Smartphone To Be 30% More Productive At Work

It’s easy to lose precious hours playing games and goofing around on your smartphone or tablet. Such distractions can kill your focus and productivity.

But you don’t need to turn off your phone or chuck it out a window to get more work done. From scaling back your notifications to timing your tasks, try these 4 tips for using a smartphone to boost your productivity by up to 30% and reach your business goals:

1) Turn off your notifications.

Your smartphone and many of its apps are designed to grab your attention with various types of notifications, including icons that appear in your phone’s status bar, sounds, flashing lights and vibrations.

Whenever your phone notifies you of something, you might not need to immediately respond. Read more…

Dec 1: 25 Instagram Marketing Tips for Business

With Facebook declining in popularity among younger users, more and more businesses are turning to Instagram to reach younger demographics.If you plan to adopt a similar strategy, you’ll want to take a look at the following Instagram marketing tips and tricks for getting the most out of your presence on the site.

Fill Out Your “Bio” Section

Before you pass “Go” and collect $200, be sure to fill out the “Bio” section of your Instagram profile. Read more…

Dec 1: How to Brainstorm Breakthrough Ideas for Your Business

It’s also a time to reflect on your business and find the spark for your next breakthrough idea.

No clue what that is? To ignite new light bulb moments, start with these idea-generating tactics:

Embrace fear.

Ask yourself: “What scares me?” Then, explore that dark space. What if you overhauled your product and reintroduced it – what features would it have? Where would you invest money if you replaced a major conference or trade show with other lead-generating activities? Even if something is working for you, is there a way to make it better? As for your competition, instead of studying what they’re doing, contemplate what they’re afraid of, too.

Pull the trigger. Read more…

Dec 1: To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often. Winston Churchill

SAY OF THE DAY: “To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.” Winston Churchill … read more

Dec 1: 3 Habits Of High-Performing Teams

What are some common challenges that small business and startup teams face? Long hours, conflicting personalities, not enough space, or too many mistakes?

A business team should undergo comprehensive team training in order to perform at a high level. To help your team become more efficient and effective, here are 3 team-building skills that you should focus on developing:

1) How to be great followers so that they can be great leaders

Good followers know how to listen attentively, ask questions when they don’t understand something, adapt to changing demands from different leaders, and give constructive criticism. Read more…

Dec 1: How to Create a Great Invoice – 7 Tips

If at least a third of your receivables are 60-plus days delinquent, you’re not alone. In fact, you’re one of 40 percent of small businesses in that predicament – and your invoices may be partially to blame.

Before you issue your next invoice, be sure all the parts are complete.

1. Seller info:

The source of the invoice should be clear and include your company’s name, address and telephone number. Read more…

Recommended: Tumblr – 7 Things To Know About

Nov 30: Crowdfunding or P2P Lending – Which is Better for My Small Business?

When you are looking for funding, the dilemma use face is crowdfunding or peer-to-peer lending? This is the question many business owners are asking now that these alternative forms of business finance have become mainstream on the back of ineffective lending from the banks. So, the ultimate question then is, which method of finance would work best for you and your business?

Crowdfunding and peer-to-peer lending are two innovative ways to get money into your business. Read more…

Nov 30: How to Promote Your Crowdfunding Project to 2,500,000 People for Only $20

Nov 30: 4 Affordable Ways to Market Your Business Around Town

Most entrepreneurs spend too much time and money on promotions that don’t generate new business. Whether it is local sports sponsorships, newspaper-ad buys or social media, they waste money on marketing strategies that may boost their egos by making them local celebrities, but don’t actually translate into sales.

Entrepreneurs, especially those relying on customers in their local areas, should first focus on networking with other area businesses, major employers, schools, churches and other organizations. Read more…

Nov 30: 3 Social Media Tips For Business Owners

1) Make it known to employees that social media is not just for fun. Read more…

Nov 30: Uncommon Ways To Find Investors For Your Startup

Lack of funding often causes young entrepreneurs to give up on their ventures before ever getting off the ground. The many rejections, ignored emails and missed calls thrown your way from potential investors can be quite demoralizing, to say the least. Sometimes it seems like searching for a needle in a haystack, but entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart.

It’s imperative for young entrepreneurs to look beyond what is considered the normal route in business, especially as they seek that crucial first investment. Read more…

Nov 30: Tumblr – 7 Things To Know About

As the 32nd most popular website in the world, Tumblr is a big opportunity. But you can’t approach it as you would other marketing strategies.

With 105 million blogs and 49 billion posts, Tumblr, the free blog hosting and social networking site, is the 32nd most popular site in the world. So, if you’re not using Tumblr as part of your marketing efforts, you’re missing a very large boat.

Tumblr isn’t a blog platform like WordPress; it’s a social network that has a blogging platform. Read more…

Nov 30: 4 Ideas for a Customized Marketing Strategy to Reach the Right Audience

Reaching the right audience at the right time with the right message is very crucial to any marketer. You already know why you need to do it. The problem is that you’re part of a small team and that there are only 24 hours in a day. What you need is an arsenal of high-impact tactics that are creative, easy to implement, and proven to work.

Nov 30: Small Businesses: How to avoid these 5 E-Marketing Mistakes

Simple mistakes are easily made when running a small business, but they can also be easily avoided or remedied if attention is paid to the proper problem areas. A few common mistakes that all small business owners can easily avoid.

1. Strong web presence is a must.
The internet provides access to a resource that works for you 24/7 virtually for free – use it to your advantage. Read more…

Nov 30: How to Advertise Your Business to 2,500,000 People on 4 Social Networks for $20

For over 4 years, aspiring entrepreneurs and startup companies have used 40Billion for affordable promotion across popular social networks in order to reach more potential customers. Read more…

Nov 30: Why Entrepreneurs Need to Create Their Own Brands

Or is it? Personal branding, just like regular branding, is something that’s often completely out of your control. Read more…

Nov 30: How To Be A Better Manager – 4 Tips

You want your employees to perform at their best, but there’s a fine line between being a tough manager with high expectations and being an unreasonable asshole. Here are 3 tips to ensure that you’re on the right side of the line and don’t lose your best workers:

1) Give your employees a reason to give a crap. Read more…

Nov 30: How To Get Influencers To Endorse And Grow Your Business

Wouldn’t you like to have a celebrity recommend your product or service? This type of endorsement has been known to boost businesses and sales. But dealing with influencers, such as celebrities, can be tricky because they tend to get thousands of free sample products in the mail from businesses hoping to get their attention. Read more…

Nov 30: I do not believe a man can ever leave his business. He ought …

SAY OF THE DAY: “I do not believe a man can ever leave his business. He ought to think of it by day and dream of it by night.” -Henry Ford… read more

Nov 30: 5 Ways Entrepreneurs Who Take Vacations Are More Successful

When was the last time you took a vacation? For many young entrepreneurs, the answer is probably “I can’t remember,” or “I don’t have time for vacation.” But you just might want to rethink your aversion to time off. To run a successful company, you’ll need to be there, of course. But you’ll often need to also take time to clear your head or even distance yourself from the business in order to think about how to grow more effectively. Read more…

Nov 30: Avoid These Four Social Media Marketing Mistakes

Social media marketing is an area which seems to divide businesses. Some companies embrace it, invest in it, and generate fabulous returns from it, whilst other businesses are pensive, scared and unwilling to get online and start competing via social.

The early adopters of blog marketing, for example, are way, way ahead of their industry competitors.

Trying to catch up a thought leader is a virtually impossible task, after all. Read more…

Nov 29: 5 Counter-Productive Things You Should NOT Do Every Day

Can’t get through your workday without constant interruptions? Are routine tasks taking over your day? Here are 5 daily tasks you can remove from your workday to help you stay focused and be more productive:

1) Cram your to-do list.

You might feel the need to write down everything you need to accomplish each day, and while compiling a lengthy list of things you need to accomplish might seem productive, you could be doing more harm than good. Read more…

Nov 29: How to Promote Your Crowdfunding Project to 2,500,000 People for Only $20

Nov 29: 4 Ways To Keep Your Website From Getting Hacked

Small businesses are especially vulnerable to hacking because they usually lack the technology expertise and site security that larger companies have. They also suffer more if their lack of expertise slows repairs and their ability to get back to work. Read more…

Nov 29: 8 Social Marketing Fails to Avoid

1. Little or no social media or blogging activity.

Why start a blog and never publish? Why start a Twitter account and never tweet? In social marketing, you have to show up and be active. Yes, starting that Facebook page was a good idea, but unless you are going to be consistent in posting and using it, just forget about it.

You can save time by using sites like 40Billion.com, which specializes in broadcasting and promoting posts to its large network of several million users across the most popular social networking sites for small businesses – including Twitter, LinkedIn, 40Billion, and even Facebook. Read more…

Nov 29: 3 Habits Of High-Performing Teams

What are some common challenges that small business and startup teams face? Long hours, conflicting personalities, not enough space, or too many mistakes?

1) How to be great followers so that they can be great leaders

Good followers know how to listen attentively, ask questions when they don’t understand something, adapt to changing demands from different leaders, and give constructive criticism. Read more…

Nov 29: 6 Creative Ways of Marketing Your Startup on a Budget

There are endless ways to finance your ideas, but there’s nothing like marketing a startup with a modest budget. Limited funds give you an excuse to flex your creative muscle and truly share your vision with the world.

Don’t rely on the same old banner ads and Google reviews. Instead, try these 6 marketing strategies to place the spotlight on your business:

Nov 29: 5 Fundamentals Of Marketing For Any Business

Marketing strategies and tactics can be very different, depending on your industry, size or location. But there are five fundamentals your marketing must accomplish, no matter what type or size of business you run, and no matter where it is.

If your marketing is not accomplishing one or more of these five marketing musts, it might not be bringing your small business the new customers, brand advocates and followers you need to build a strong organization. Read more…

Nov 29: 3 Ways To Prevent A Mistake From Destroying Your Business

It’s easy for new entrepreneurs and even seasoned business owners to be frazzled and to panic when mistakes happen. As your business grows and employees and partners are stretched thin, the risk of mistakes, errors and accidents increases. Mistakes happen, but they can destroy your brand’s reputation – whether your company has made a billing error, sent an embarrassing email with leaked confidential information, or recalled a bad product.

When mistakes happen, what should you do? Here are 3 suggestions for how to deal with unexpected disasters and keep them from destroying your company:

1) Act quickly and fix it. Read more…

Nov 29: How to Promote Your Crowdfunding Project to 2,500,000 People for Only $20

Nov 29: Boost Summer Sales With These 4 Tips

Many people accept that a slowdown in sales is a fact of business life during the summer. Well, nothing could be further from the truth, and as a business owner you need to get out of that frame of mind.

A summer slowdown may be something many people want because they expect this to be a season for vacations when the living is easy. Read more…

Nov 29: How To Gain Clients Trust – 5 Tips

If you are the owner of a small business looking to increase your clientele, here are some tips on how to build a trusting relationship with your client.

Tip # 1: Be Upfront

How do you put your client at ease when he first comes to your home as a total stranger? It all starts with communication. Read more…

Nov 29: 10 Ways To Motivate Yourself To Do The Impossible

Nov 29: Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also …

SAY OF THE DAY: “Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.” – Winston Churchill… read more

Nov 29: Lead Generation: 19 Tips For Better Results

Need more leads? Of course, you do!

A well-optimized landing page is one of the most effective methods of generating authentic leads for your business. It drives traffic to your website, develops familiarity with your visitors and can gain you warm leads.

But what marketing campaigns increase traffic to your page and drive conversions? What value exchange does your business need to increase leads?

And for year around affordable marketing, don’t forget online marketing sites. Read more…

Nov 29: Popularity of Local Mobile Marketing

Location-based mobile marketing promises the sky: high conversion rates, surgical targeting, and rich consumer profiles.

But does it deliver? According to many accounts, it does.
Not surprisingly, retailers, brands, and agencies are scrambling to hone their location-based approaches. These encompass everything from “geo-aware” and “geo-fenced” ad campaigns, to hyper-local efforts keyed to Wi-Fi hotspots, and algorithmic location-based targeting of audience segments like soccer moms, bargain hunters, coffee enthusiasts, etc.

In a report from BI Intelligence on location-mobile marketing, key stats on the location-based services marketplace that indicate it’s supremacy in mobile marketing, explain how the most important techniques (such as geo-aware, geo-fenced, audience-based local-mobile campaigns) work, examine the cornerstones – such as data and audience building – to a successful location-based mobile strategy, look at who has the valuable location-based data, and analyze the six most effective local-mobile marketing tactics. Read more…

Nov 28: 5 Counter-Productive Things You Should NOT Do Every Day

1) Cram your to-do list.

Nov 28: How to Advertise Your Business to 2,500,000 People on 4 Social Networks for $20

For over 4 years, aspiring entrepreneurs and startup companies have used 40Billion for affordable promotion across popular social networks in order to reach more potential customers. Read more…

Nov 28: How To Challenge And Beat The Big Boys In Local Sales

What should you do as a small, independent retailer when a major food chain, big-box store or national franchise becomes a direct competitor? All along you’ve been specializing in items that aren’t in the mainstream but sell well, and then some big outfit like Walmart or Amazon decides they’re going to hone in on your action.

When this happens, what can you as a specialty retailer do to remain in business and retain your dominance in any niche market?

Your first reaction might be to lower prices in order to compete with the big stores. Read more…

Nov 28: How To Dominate the Market – 8 Tips

A variety of internal and external forces can affect the longevity of products and services your business offers. Understanding how your business excels where your competition does not is a crucial element in dominating your market. Incorporating these strategies into your marketing plan can push your organization into becoming an industry leader. Read more…

Nov 28: SEC And Crowdfunding: Things You Need To Know.

9 Ways the New SEC Crowdfunding Rules Will Affect Your Business

The SEC adopted new crowdfunding rules in late 2015. Following information will help learn all about the important changes, and what it means to you.

The new SEC crowdfunding rules could be a game-changer for your business, but there’s a lot work to be done on your end before you can reap the benefits.

Following 9 tips will help you understand new regulations little better.

Nov 28: Improve Your Mobile Advertising Campaign: 10 Tips

Figuring out how to use mobile ads for a startup or small business isn’t easy. Most entrepreneurs have struggled with online advertising, period. And adding mobile to the mix can seem confusing and expensive. But with so many people on their phones 24/7, neglecting to explore this new territory is a mistake. Read more…

Nov 28: 3 Ways To Get Your Employees To Share Their Honest Opinions

After you’ve surrounded yourself with the best talent you can find, creating an environment that stifles open communication can render that investment useless.

Perhaps your employees are afraid to give you honest answers about your business or feel like they need to agree with every idea you have, even the obviously bad ideas. Read more…

Nov 28: 5 Tips for Digital Marketing Success

As the world has grown increasingly accustomed to staying connected digitally and on-the-go, nearly all of the more traditional marketing methods have become irrelevant. We’re going to take a look at what digital marketing is, and how you can harness its power to achieve success for your marketing campaign.

What is Digital Marketing?

Digital marketing is the total opposite of outbound marketing. Read more…

Nov 28: How to Promote Your Crowdfunding Project to 2,500,000 People for Only $20

Nov 28: Why Entrepreneurs Need to Create Their Own Brands

Or is it? Personal branding, just like regular branding, is something that’s often completely out of your control. Read more…

Nov 28: Seven Winning Market Strategies To Generate Sales

Every firm has something that it calls a market strategy. Unfortunately, many market strategies are ineffective and almost guarantee failure.

Market strategies that really work always have the following characteristics:

1. They are strategic rather than tactical.

This sounds simple, but it’s a point that many people find confusing. Read more…

Nov 28: How to Become a Twitter Marketing Expert Quickly

Although Twitter started off as a consumer application, businesses have realized in recent years that Twitter’s effectiveness makes it perfect for marketing. People these days have short attention spans and sending out your message, known as a tweet, in a quick sentence or two can get the idea out there before potential customers have time to lose interest. Read more…

Nov 28: Men are not prisoners of fate, but only prisoners of their own …

SAY OF THE DAY: “Men are not prisoners of fate, but only prisoners of their own minds.” Franklin D. Roosevelt… read more

Nov 28: Tumblr – 7 Things To Know About

As the 32nd most popular website in the world, Tumblr is a big opportunity. But you can’t approach it as you would other marketing strategies.

Tumblr isn’t a blog platform like WordPress; it’s a social network that has a blogging platform. Read more…

Nov 28: 5 Crowdfunding Steps Proven To Raise Money on Indiegogo

This post on how to raise money successfully using simple crowdfunding steps answers common questions for startup entrepreneurs and small businesses thinking about using crowdfunding to raise funding.

I have been in the crowdfunding space since 2008, after experiencing first-hand one of the biggest problems plaguing new businesses: There was a $40 billion gap in funding every year! That year, I founded one of the first crowdfunding platforms for U.S. Read more…

Nov 27: Step-By-Step Guide For Social Video Marketing

Here’s a list of buzzwords for you: social, video, and marketing. But if you put them together, they create something that can powerfully engage customers and greatly improve their online experience.

It’s a combination that works very well for online marketing: the grassroots, viral environment of social media; video’s ability to engage; and a strong marketing strategy.

You’re likely well aware of video’s value in bringing your brand and messages to life. Read more…

Nov 27: How to Promote Your Crowdfunding Project to 2,500,000 People for Only $20

Nov 27: 5 Mobile Marketing Methods That Work

Marketing has gone mobile. Most shoppers use at least one mobile device to research and purchase products online. Maybe your small business doesn’t have a mobile-friendly site yet. But do you need one?

1: Determine whether you need a mobile site

Before you start developing a mobile site, figure out if you really need one. Read more…

Recommended: How To Deal With Setbacks

Nov 27: Keeping Up with the Changing Face of Advertising

Gone are the days of the pop up – well, mostly. Read more…

Nov 27: Can Social Media Marketing Be Outsourced?

Social media plays a very vital role in the online presence of a business or the brand, and more and more consumers are turning to these outlets to connect with brands they like. Social media is the best way to actively engage with your customers both active and potential, and if done cautiously and correctly, can of great advantage to your business by targeting a specific audience for your brand. Read more…

Nov 27: What Entrepreneurs Need to Know About Equity Crowdfunding to Raise Money

For the first time, the JOBS act is allowing unsophisticated investors to purchase your stock. Read more…

Recommended: How to Create Influence on Twitter

Nov 27: How To Keep Your Employees Motivated

Keeping your employees motivated, inspired and productive should be a top goal for any organization. Here are 5 ways to leave your staff inspired and productive:

1) Create a list of employee rights.

To amp up your work environment, this list should include the right to a comfortable work environment, managers who behave professionally, and an immediate and fair response to any grievances. Read more…

Nov 27: How to Promote Your Crowdfunding Project to 2,500,000 People for Only $20

Nov 27: How to Manage Your Digital Marketing Without Falling Behind

Business owners often struggle with a perpetual to-do list for running their companies, and it seems to be getting longer all the time. Digital marketing, in all its varied forms, is becoming increasingly important as more and more of your target audience is searching for and finding products and services on the internet. Read more…

Nov 27: The Unexpected Benefits of Crowdfunding

In addition to the money provided by backers, crowdfunding can generate other, unanticipated benefits for small businesses. Two such benefits are 1) new customers and supporters, and 2) access to additional financing and specialized services.

New Customers and Supporters:

Everyone who contributes to a crowdfunding campaign is a potential new customer and loyal advocate for your brand. Read more…

Nov 27: 3 Social Media Tips For Business Owners

1) Make it known to employees that social media is not just for fun. Read more…

Recommended: How to solve one marketing puzzle

Nov 27: Winning starts with beginning. -Robert H Schuller

SAY OF THE DAY: “Winning starts with beginning.” -Robert H Schuller … read more

Nov 27: Targeting B2B Customers Effectively When Your Targets Keep Moving

Tech startup companies and business entrepreneurs don’t have a lot of room for miscalculating buyer behaviors. Here’s what you need to know to be able to anticipate, identify and satisfy changing buyer behaviors for the sake of creating an effective marketing strategy.

The buyer you engage with today won’t be the buyer you engage with tomorrow. Read more…

Recommended: 8 Social Marketing Fails to Avoid

Nov 27: 4 Growth Hacks to Turbocharge Your Small Business

There’s good news and bad news when it comes to marketing your small business. The good news is that as a small business owner, you are the perfect person to promote your product or service. You’re knowledgeable and passionate, which are two of the main ingredients in an effective marketer. The bad news is that marketing can take up a lot of time and money. Read more…

Nov 26: 5 Networking Tips That Entrepreneurs Need to Know

How can you maximize the benefits of attending professional networking events as an entrepreneur or business owner?

1. Have an agenda.

Not all networking events are created equal. It behooves you to research the best of the bunch in your area and decide which might be best for your overall start-up goals. Read more…

Nov 26: How to Promote Your Crowdfunding Project to 2,500,000 People for Only $20

Nov 26: Why Starting a Business and Becoming an Entrepreneur is Risky

When you were a kid, how often would you ride your bike fast down a steep street while letting go of the handlebars, or take your sled to the top of the highest hill in town, not even considering that one false move could end in a tumble? Back then, you knew that the ride was worth the risk.

Now, with your own business, are you questioning every decision and avoiding the high hills of opportunity because of a fear of falling? It’s a natural reaction, but it can kill your aspirations and cost you the thrill of that amazing ride to success. Read more…

Nov 26: 10 Ways To Motivate Yourself To Do The Impossible

Nov 26: Viral Video Marketing 101

Video is rapidly growing and quickly becoming a staple of marketing strategies. If you have not yet incorporated video marketing then you are simply behind the curve. Not only that, but you are losing out on the various benefits that having a video strategy provides.

Importance of Video:

The reason video is such a powerful medium lies within its ability to engage, educate, and influence potential and existing customers. Read more…

Nov 26: The Choice: Google+ Vs. Facebook

Google+ is a nice social network that is quite different from Facebook in many ways but it was all the rage when it came out and people were waiting for e-mail invites to join the network. The initial buzz has been over for quite a while, and now it is time to really see if Google+ can overtake Facebook at some point and become a more popular and larger social network.

Are the Numbers Important?

At some point in the future the numbers may take Google+ over Facebook, but numbers are only one part of the equation. Read more…

Recommended:

Nov 26: How To Promote Your Startup On A Shoe-String Budget

What do smart entrepreneurs do different to ensure their business stays profitable? They do the simple things right. Simple things really, like finding cheap ways to get exposure, or hearing their customers out, or networking in the right places. With all this covered, the Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) for every new customer falls low enough to make their business model sustainable in both the long and short run.

If you have a young business that’s losing steam fast compared to its rivals, it’s very likely you’re facing a competitor who has found inexpensive and effective ways to market itself to new customers. Read more…

Nov 26: 3 Reasons Why You May Not Need To Write A Business Plan After All

Sure, you can lay out a proposed path to success in a business plan presentation template, but the road will be full of surprises. More important than attempting to forecast is knowing how to adapt and be flexible.

For exactly that reason, many top investors and incubators are shifting their views on written business plans. Read more…

Nov 26: How to Advertise Your Business to 2,500,000 People on 4 Social Networks for $20

For over 4 years, aspiring entrepreneurs and startup companies have used 40Billion for affordable promotion across popular social networks in order to reach more potential customers. Read more…

Nov 26: Networking Events Are A Waste Of Time If You Don’t Do This

The old saying that we “treasure what we measure” – and vice versa – turns out to be highly relevant in networking.

While systems for following up, staying in touch and tracking results are key to networking success for both men and women, they’re especially vital for women. Read more…

Nov 26: 3 Habits Of High-Performing Teams

What are some common challenges that small business and startup teams face? Long hours, conflicting personalities, not enough space, or too many mistakes?

1) How to be great followers so that they can be great leaders

Good followers know how to listen attentively, ask questions when they don’t understand something, adapt to changing demands from different leaders, and give constructive criticism. Read more…

Nov 26: SEC And Crowdfunding: Things You Need To Know.

9 Ways the New SEC Crowdfunding Rules Will Affect Your Business

The SEC adopted new crowdfunding rules in late 2015. Following information will help learn all about the important changes, and what it means to you.

The new SEC crowdfunding rules could be a game-changer for your business, but there’s a lot work to be done on your end before you can reap the benefits.

Following 9 tips will help you understand new regulations little better.

1. Read more…

Recommended: How To Deal With Stress At Work

Nov 26: The only real security that a man can have in this world is …

SAY OF THE DAY: “The only real security that a man can have in this world is a reserve of knowledge, experience and ability.” – Henry Ford… read more

Nov 26: 4 Ideas for a Customized Marketing Strategy to Reach the Right Audience

Nov 26: Is Crowdfunding Right For Your Small Business?

What is Crowdfunding?

Over the past 10 years, crowdfunding has emerged as a popular tool for individuals to raise financing for business ventures.

Entrepreneurs typically raise small amounts of money from a large number of backers, or “the crowd,” usually via the Internet. Backers receive some sort of reward or, less commonly, an equity- or royalty-based financial return. Read more…

Nov 25: 3 Ways to Grow Your Small Business Brand on Google

Google loves big brand names, and for good reason. But that doesn’t mean smaller companies don’t stand a chance when it comes to search engine optimization (SEO).

In regard to natural search results, the better the results Google can deliver, the more people will use its service. Read more…

Nov 25: How to Advertise Your Business to 2,500,000 People on 4 Social Networks for $20

For over 4 years, aspiring entrepreneurs and startup companies have used 40Billion for affordable promotion across popular social networks in order to reach more potential customers. Read more…

Nov 25: Essential Tips for Successful Crowdfunding

It seems like everyone is using crowdfunding to kick off their new business venture, be it a new coffee shop, or electronic gadget. But the usefulness of crowdfunding is still debatable. Is crowdfunding even right for your business?

Here’s some information and and a few tips that will help explain crowdfunding concepts and how you can take advantage of them to fund your business.

What is crowdfunding?

Crowdfunding is a way of raising money for a new venture by soliciting small donations or investments from many people online. Read more…

Nov 25: The Unexpected Benefits of Crowdfunding

New Customers and Supporters:

Everyone who contributes to a crowdfunding campaign is a potential new customer and loyal advocate for your brand. Read more…

Nov 25: 3 Traits Of Successful Entrepreneurs

What type of entrepreneur or business leader are you? Knowing the answer could help you become more successful in your business. Being aware of what makes you tick can help you make better decisions as an entrepreneur.

These 3 character traits define a business leaders’ decision-making process:

Nov 25: 4 Steps to Crowdfunding Success

The biggest problem that many small businesses throughout the United States face is how to secure startup or initial funding from traditional lenders. Since the 2008 financial meltdown, banks are under a lot of pressure to make safer loans, resulting in stricter underwriting guidelines and fewer loans being approved.

With the advent of crowdfunding providing a more accessible option, the amount of small businesses with crowdfunding campaigns has significantly increased. Read more…

Nov 25: 10 Content Marketing Ideas to Promote your Small Business or Startup Company

Small business marketers who use content marketing are able to reduce the cost of leads, increase awareness and position themselves as leaders.

In recent years, marketers have been forced to think differently about how they engage with potential customers, particularly small business marketers.

Every year, customers have increasing control over what marketing messages they wish to consume. Read more…

Nov 25: 6 Ways to Boost Your Inbound Marketing with Evergreen Content

You’ve heard it many times: reuse, reduce, recycle. Did you know that this piece of advice doesn’t just apply to aluminum cans and plastic water bottles?

You can repurpose your influencer marketing content to increase its value to your campaign. Think of it like a neighborhood recycling program: You’re preventing waste while putting resources back into the community – or, in this case, your company.

Nov 25: How to Advertise Your Business to 2,500,000 People on 4 Social Networks for $20

For over 4 years, aspiring entrepreneurs and startup companies have used 40Billion for affordable promotion across popular social networks in order to reach more potential customers. Read more…

Nov 25: 11 Steps To Communicate Better As An Entrepreneur

Consider these 10 steps for communicating and pitching more effectively as a business owner:

Step 1: Relax. Read more…

Nov 25: 5 Crowdfunding Steps Proven To Raise Money on Indiegogo

Nov 25: Social Media Marketing – 6 Myths

Here’s why your company’s Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, and other social media campaigns aren’t performing as well as they could be.

Over the past five years, social media has become an increasingly important part of many companies‘ marketing strategies. Read more…

Nov 25: Let all your things have their places; let each part of your …

SAY OF THE DAY: “Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.” – Benjamin Franklin … read more

Nov 25: 5 Mobile Marketing Methods That Work

1: Determine whether you need a mobile site

Before you start developing a mobile site, figure out if you really need one. Read more…

Nov 25: 4 Effective Video Marketing Content Ideas

You’ve got your ideas about what you want to promote in your video content. You’ve probably even already got a video marketing strategy. But have you given real thought to what your audience wants to see in your videos?

Sure, you’ve thought about how to make your videos more successful, and that requires thinking about audience reception to a degree. Read more…

Nov 24: Is Twitter A Good Marketing Tool For You?

What do you think in reality Twitter is? It has long been one of the most important social media platforms available on the internet. But what do you feel is the true use of this wonderful website? Over the years, websites, such as Twitter and others are becoming more and more popular. Read more…

Nov 24: How to Advertise Your Business to 2,500,000 People on 4 Social Networks for $20

For over 4 years, aspiring entrepreneurs and startup companies have used 40Billion for affordable promotion across popular social networks in order to reach more potential customers. Read more…

Nov 24: 4 Effective Video Marketing Content Ideas

Sure, you’ve thought about how to make your videos more successful, and that requires thinking about audience reception to a degree. Read more…

Nov 24: 5 Surprising Reasons To Raise The Price Of Your Product

Should you charge a premium price for providing an extraordinary experience and value? Why bang your head against the wall trying to undercut competitors’ prices?

Selling premium products and services at premium prices leads to greater profits. If you want to make a million this year, you’d have to sell 40,000 copies of your product at $25. Read more…

Nov 24: 4 Mistakes That Hurt Your Crowdfunding Campaign

On some of the most popular crowdfunding platforms – such as Kickstarter, Indiegogo, and GoFundMe – less than half of the campaigns hit their funding goal. How do you make sure your crowdfunding campaign isn’t a failure? Here are four potential mistakes to avoid.

#1: Starting off too slow

If you want to hit your fundraising goal by the end of the campaign, experts recommend focusing on raising 30 percent of it in the first two or three days. Read more…

Nov 24: 4 Ways To Come Up With A Memorable Business Name

Does your name matter? It might, in the case of your new business, if you want people to remember it. Judging from the long list of businesses a simple Google search yields when you query “naming your company,” it matters a lot.

While there are several technical strategies that can be used when choosing a name for your new venture, you can just as easily flip through the business section of any newspaper to get an idea of how other entrepreneurs are doing it.

However, don’t take this decision lightly. Read more…

Nov 24: Mobile Shopping Trends Reveal That Customers Combine Online With Offline

These days, the desire for speed, easy access and convenience are a priority with consumers of almost every generation. Technology is impacting every aspect of our daily lives, shifting how we gather information and research and affecting our purchasing choices and habits. We want access to information from our smartphones and we want technology integrated into our shopping experience. Read more…

Nov 24: Target Marketing – Everything You Need To Know And More

Target marketing is about attracting customers who will buy what you’re selling.

Nov 24: How to Advertise Your Business to 2,500,000 People on 4 Social Networks for $20

For over 4 years, aspiring entrepreneurs and startup companies have used 40Billion for affordable promotion across popular social networks in order to reach more potential customers. Read more…

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