business

Email marketing for small business

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Small business email marketing how-to. Pic by MrBG

Email marketing is a popular and effective online marketing strategy for small businesses (as well as large corporates).

Like all marketing and advertising strategies, email marketing comes with its own set of strengths and weaknesses - but email marketing can also be dangerous for unwary businesses.

Unlike advertising on your own site, email marketing is disruptive. It reaches out to potential clients and customers - and because of this there are severe penalties for email spam.

The secret to online advertising in 2013

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The best online advertising secret in 2013. Pic by shakakahneven

Online advertising can help businesses capture new leads and generate sales and revenue almost instantly - but only if they know the secret to effective online ads.

While online ads (in particular, PPC ads) have great potential, it is very difficult to know exactly how to create the perfect ad that reaches the right audience, at the right time.

Internet users are very good at tuning out marketing and advertisements, rendering them all but useless. So getting your online ads wrong, can end up sucking the marketing budget dry with very little ROI (Return On Investment).

How to always choose the best small business software

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How to choose the best small business software. Pic by Scarygami

Business software evolves and changes on a monthly basis and it is hard to choose the best accounting software, business management software, SEO software, or whatever, all the time.

It's important to opt for software and services that offer the latest productivity improvements at an affordable rate.

Buying outdated software, or worse, the wrong software entirely, is not only a waste of money, it can also set your business back - making it even more important to invest in the right technology, to stay competitive.

5 great ideas for business cards

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Great business cards are important marketing. Pic by semibad

Business cards are an essential marketing and networking tool for all business and professional people, so it pays to be creative when it comes to designing them.

Having a unique, functional, and professional business card can help promote yourself and your business, and leave a lasting impression on clients and partners.

So whether you are looking for a conventional business card (with only a slight twist), or want ideas for business cards that will have people queuing up, this article will give you the inspiration and info you need to create the perfect business card.

How to start a blog for business

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How to start a blog for sustainable business profit. Pic by Maria Reyes-McDavis

Most often, when people talk of how to start a blog, they are referring to the steps required to create a website with the ability to publish blog posts.

Turning that blog into a valuable business asset that generates plenty of organic search traffic and converts visitors into customers or profit, is something else entirely.

A blog is much more than a series of posts that share some common thread. Here's my definition of a blog:

5 reasons you won't make money online

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5 reasons most people fail to make money online. Pic by danielmoyle

If you want to know how to make money online, then it's time to look carefully at the main reasons why almost everyone fails to make anything at all from the Internet.

Everyone's heard of the incredible riches being generated by bloggers and ordinary people who have struck it rich online with some magic formula. So why can't you?

The truth of the matter is that something like 95% of all online businesses never make money at all.

Why cloud based SaaS is right for your business

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Cloud based software as a service is right for business. Pic by the aucitron

Small businesses (and large businesses alike) are starting to make the shift to cloud based software, and online business Software as a Service (SaaS).

But, as with any change to the way in which businesses operate, there are proponents and antagonists. Much like, I imagine, when the PC replaced the typewriter.

Just a quick point for clarity: I am using the term cloud based SaaS to refer to either cloud based software, or software as a service, or both, for brevity - not because one implies the other.

Can your business ideas make money?

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Turning business ideas into money. Pic by SalFalko

New business ideas are more important than ever because, while big business is shedding jobs, small business is growing rapidly - as more and more people make money from their own ideas.

The American economy is absolutely reliant on small businesses, and the creativity and drive of entrepreneurs and small business owners who have the tenacity to succeed.

Central to how well small business can help to grow the economy out of its current recession/depression is the quality of the business ideas, and efficiency and competency with which these ideas are brought to market.

Why buying quality blogs may be the best marketing strategy for business

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Buying blogs is a great marketing strategy for business. Pic by Hakan Dahlstrom

Almost all businesses that have researched Internet marketing strategies are aware that high quality, engaging and relevant content is one of the best ways to drive valuable organic Web traffic.

The problem is that many businesses don't have the time or patience to build up a good base of content via blogging.

So what's the alternative?

How to save on startup costs

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Tips on how to lower startup costs for small business. Pic by 401(K) 2013

"Looking for some great ways to lower startup business costs in 2013?" Starting a business is a "risky business" because there are always plenty of startup costs, with no guarantee of a return down the line.

This makes it important for startups to be as lean as possible without prejudicing their chances of success by opting to use poor quality products and services.

Online startups, in particular, are susceptible to choosing low cost, low quality services that put them at an immediate disadvantage - for the sake of saving a few dollars here and there.