Starting Wednesday, April 27, Verizon is starting a new Verizon Author Series created to connect bestselling authors with their target audiences—small businesses across the country. The monthly live webinar will take place at the Verizon Small Business Center. Each month, each author will offer advice, tips and insights on what makes a successful small business. First on the agenda is Alan Gregerman, author of Surrounded by Geniuses, this Wednesday, followed by a live tweeting event on Thursday, April 28. Also, a limited number of books will be given away to business owners who interact with the Verizon Small Business team. Check the site for upcoming authors, times and more details.
Google+
Search Articles
Most liked posts
Popular Tags
accounting and taxes blogging blogs Branding Business Development business travel Capital Access Compliance Customer Service ecommerce Email marketing entrepreneur entrepreneurship Facebook Generational Marketing GrowSmartBiz Conference Grow Smart Business lead generation LinkedIn Marketing michael dougherty mobile marketing networking online marketing Raising Capital Resources retail sales sales process SBSI Search Marketing seo small business small business accounting small business hiring small business loans small business marketing small business resources small business technology Small Business Trends social media Technology Twitter Web Design WorkforceCategories
- Categories
- Advanced Degrees
- Allison Kapner
- Best Of…
- Business Development
- Capital Access
- Carol Roth
- Compliance
- Cover Letters
- Customer Service
- Dating
- Email marketing
- Entrepreneurs
- Entrepreneurship
- Entrepreneurship
- Etiquette
- Etiquette
- Events
- Innovation
- Interviewing
- Interviews
- Jennifer Nycz-Conner
- Job Search
- Life Transition
- Lunch with Entrepreneurs
- Marketing
- Networking
- Networking
- Networking
- Networking
- Networking
- Networking
- Networking
- Networking
- Networking
- Networking
- Networking
- Patrick Madsen
- Patti Nuttycombe Cochran
- Personal Brand
- Recruiters
- References
- Resources
- Resumes
- Robin Ferrier
- sales process
- Sarah Morgan
- Small Business
- small business
- Small Business Success Index
- social media
- Technology
- Thomas Madrecki
- Tweetchat
- Uncategorized
- UnintentionalEntrepreneur
- Videos
- What's next Gen Y
- WhatsNextGenY
- Workforce
- Working World
Events Articles
Small Biz Resource Tip: ConferenceHound.com
April 1st, 2011 :: Maria Valdez HaubrichLooking to attend or send an employee to an industry conference for networking and education? Check out ConferenceHound.com, a free online arena that has more than 45,000 searchable listings of conferences around the world. With an available mobile platform and integrated social media platforms such as LinkedIn and Twitter, attendees can base their choices on factors such as topic, who’s speaking, location and even weather and attractions (in case you’re trying to combine the conference with a little R&R). And if you have an event to promote, ConferenceHound.com is a great marketing tool.
Google+Small Biz Resource Tip: America’s Small Business Summit
February 28th, 2011 :: Maria Valdez Haubrich
America’s Small Business Summit
Whether you’re looking to learn something new, network with other entrepreneurs or use your voice to help change small business legislation, America’s Small Business Summit in Washington, DC, will be the place to be May 23-25, 2011. Attend workshops on a variety of small business topics and listen to speakers such as former SBA Administrator Hector Barreto and Coupons.com founder Steven Boal. Plus find out this year’s winner of the Dream Big Small Business of the Year Award, sponsored by Sam’s Club. Be sure to take advantage of the events’ many networking opportunities. Register now and receive a discount on registration fees.
Google+Sneak Peek at the Future: Network Solutions Small Biz Tweet Chat
January 10th, 2011 :: Rieva LesonskyBy Rieva Lesonsky
Take a sneak peek at the future: Join me for Network Solutions’ Small Biz Tweet Chat!
I’ll be participating in a free tweet chat, hosted by Network Solutions, on Wednesday, January 19, from 1 p.m. to 2:30 EDT.
Join me and find out all about what 2011 has in store. We’ll be talking about:
Demographic Trends:
Find out what key markets you should engage with in 2011, and the “3 B’s” you need to know about: babies, boomers and brides.
Internet Trends :
What you need to know to create a competitive website, plus how cloud computing and mobile technology can power your business in 2011.
Trendspotting :
Learn how to identify big trends and still reach a niche market, plus how to become your own “trendspotter.”
Find out more about the Small Biz Tweet Chat or register.
Google+What’s New at Network Solutions
December 7th, 2010 :: Shashi BellamkondaThis December, Network Solutions has a few great opportunities to help you take your small business to the next level. In addition our leadership tweet chat with Terry Starbucker, we have some fantastic online deals for you this holiday season. Read on!
Leadership for Small Biz Tweet Chat Dec. 9 with Terry Starbucker (@starbucker)
If you are a small business owner, you need to read Terry Starbucker’s blog, Ramblings from a Glass Half Full. From hiring, to firing, and everything in between, Terry offers sound advice to help hone your leadership skills with executable tactics. For a quick look, check out last week’s post on Solutions are Power where we re-capped some of his recent articles. We are so fortunate to be hosting Terry as guest tweeter for our upcoming #netsol small biz tweet chat.
Register on Eventbrite: http://netsolleadership.eventbrite.com/
Here are the details:
Who: Terry Starbucker, top leadership speaker and blogger
What: #netsol tweetchat, just log into twitter or tweet chat and follow the hashtag, #netsol
When: December 9, 1-2:30 pm EST
Where: Twitter
Why: To understand how to be a more effective leader, and to answer the following questions and more:
- How do I become a leader instead of a micro-manager?
- As a leader, how can I be an effective communicator?
- How do I increase my odds of hiring someone worthwhile?
- What are some simple non-verbal tactics I can use to become a better leader?
Image courtesy of Terry Starbucker
We all know what December means… It’s time for the holidays. Here at Network Solutions, we are big into giving too, and this year we are especially giving thanks for our Facebook fans. Facebook is one of our favorite ways to engage with you, our customers, and hear your small business success stories.
Network Solutions is offering exciting deals to get your Web presence moving forward, and they all start on Facebook. We are encouraging you to join our small business conversations on Facebook with some fantastic offers:
- $1.95 Domain names—to redeem, visit www.facebook.com/networksolutions and click on the Offer tab
- $1,000 Network Solutions Gift Certificate Sweepstakes—the grand prize winner will be able to boost his/her Web presence with $1,000 worth of Network Solutions tools and resources.
- 5 additional winners will receive Network Solutions “Large” Hosting packages.
- To enter, visit www.facebook.com/networksolutions and click the Sweepstakes Tab.
Google+
From the GrowSmartBiz Conference: Proven Strategies to Convert Web Visitors into Customers
November 17th, 2010 :: Monika Jansen
One of my favorite sessions at the GrowSmartBiz Conference on November 5 was a Technology Track panel discussion that offered valuable, no-nonsense ways to convert Web visitors into customers. Thanks to Jennifer Shaheen, President of the Technology Therapy Group, Melinda Emerson, the Small Biz Lady, and Walt Rivenbank, VP of the Mobility Applications Consulting group at AT&T for such great information!
Their strategies are fairly easy to implement, but they will require some time. Here’s what to do:
1. Check Google Analytics to find out whether your Web visitors are staying.
If you don’t have an account yet, get sign up for one today (it’s free, natch). One of the things Google Analytics looks at is your website’s bounce rate. If people are visiting your website but not staying long and not moving from one page to the next, it’s not good. It means you are probably not supplying them with the information they are looking for and you are definitely not converting them into leads, let alone customers. It also means you need to update your website.
2. Have a clear call-to-action (CTA).
Update your website by offering a consultation, white paper, how-to guide—anything that is both educational and valuable. As Melinda Emerson, the Small Biz Lady, said, “Give away your best stuff.” But you’re not giving away anything for free! Before they get that free consultation or white paper, ask them for their name and e-mail address. Your web designer/programmer can help you set this up.
3. Be sure your CTA is easy to find.
Don’t hide your CTAs! Add them to every page in the form of a big button that is hard to miss (it need not be a garish eyesore, just prominent). If you have a shopping cart, make it a really big button that is easy to click on.
4. You have 7 seconds to convince your Web visitors to stay.
Your website is your home base and most visible online presence. Because you only have 7 seconds to grab the attention of your Web visitors, your home page must be especially well-written. As you are writing—or re-writing—your website content, also keep in mind that your website is not a book—people do not read it from beginning to end.
5. No handouts.
When you give a presentation or workshop, do not hand out information that elaborates on your topic. Instead, ask attendees to visit you online at your website, Facebook page, or Twitter account to receive some great information that they will find useful (really sell it!). You can, however, give them a one-sheet (a one-page brochure) that acts as a CTA. It should only include some information to pique their interest. Your goal is to get them onto your website or connected to you via social media so you can continue to engage with them and convert them into customers.
Photo Courtesy Shashi Bellamkonda
Google+GrowSmartBiz Conference: How to Multiply the Effects of SEO With Great Content
November 15th, 2010 :: Monika Jansen
One of the Marketing Track sessions I attended at the GrowSmartBiz Conference had a great title–Stories, Content, and the Search Engine Sword Over Your Head–and delivered useful information in spades. No matter how new or established your business, this session was a great way to learn exactly how to improve your search engine optimization efforts and results.
Ben Cook, the SEO Manager at Network Solutions, moderated the panel of 4 pros, including Tinu Abayomi-Paul, principal of Leveraged Promotion, Dr. Alan Glazier, founder and owner of Shady Grove Eye and Vision Care, Deborah Ager, principal of ClickWisdom, LLC, and Liana Evans, CEO of LiBeck Integrated Marketing. (You might be curious as to why there’s an optometrist on the panel. Dr. Grazier has successfully implemented SEO at Shady Grove Eye and become a prolific blogger in the process.)
Here are their tips on using great content to boost your website’s search engine optimization:
Write for your audience! To produce great content specific to your audience, you need to understand what they search for when online. Use Market Samurai, a keyword analysis tool, to help you figure what people are searching for. Then you will be able to write content that addresses their needs.
Use long-tail search terms in your content. Long-tail search terms are the descriptive keywords people enter in the search box when they’re conducting research online. For instance, “children’s navy blue cotton jacket” rather than “children’s jackets”. The more pages your website has, the more content you’ll have, and the more chances you’ll have at being found for long-tail terms.
Content type is important. Blogs, videos, and podcasts are great for search engine optimization, thanks to plenty of chances for back linking (aka, links from other sites). All search engines, including Google and Bing, measure how often content is linked and how many views it gets, so the more varied your content, the better.
Make it easy to share content. Twitter makes sharing content and getting links easy as your content is spread from one person to the next. On your blog, make sure you add “tweet this” and “like” buttons. Google rewards websites that have links back to it from both new and established websites.
Optimize video and podcasts. Because search engines cannot read videos or podcasts, add a transcript.
The importance of the URL. You can create custom URL shorteners for branding purposes (I had no idea!). Awe.sm is the first company I found in search results that does this. Also be sure that your blog’s URLs contain the title of the blog post rather than numbers.
Photo Courtesy Shashi Bellamkonda
Google+From the GrowSmartBiz Conference: Customer Service as a Differentiator for Small Businesses
November 12th, 2010 :: Monika Jansen
‘There is a general cultural of bad customer service in this country.”
Barry Moltz began his presentation, Customer Service Is the New Marketing, at the GrowSmartBusiness Conference on November 5 with the above statement. As a prolific author and sought-after speaker on entrepreneurship (he has started three companies and founded an angel investing fund), Barry focused on the incredibly important role customer service now plays in a company’s growth and success. (His engaging and entertaining presentation was based on his newest book, BAM! Delivering Customer Service in a Self-Service World.)
As he alluded to in his presentation, small business owners have a competitive advantage over large companies because we consistently deliver exceptional customer service to our clients. I can only name three large companies that have built their cultures around customer service: Apple, Zappos, and Nordstrom. (Maybe this is a trick question, but are there any others you can add to the list?)
Following are excerpts from Barry’s presentation, per my furiously scribbled notes:
“In a world with no boundaries, the only sustainable competitive advantage is excellent customer service.
‘There are a lot of myths associated with customer service. These myths have to be busted, because the customer is not always right. Under-promising and over-delivering is not a customer service strategy. Unhappy customers are not part of doing business. Customers do not only care about low price….
“Good customer service is whatever a customer says it is in a particular instant on a particular day. Instead of asking, ‘How can I help you?’, ask ‘How can I make your day better?’
“To ensure your customer service is as good as it can be, put together a customer service manifesto to clearly explain what your customers can expect from you. It should include the following:
- Deliver on what you promise
- Listen to your customers
- When things go wrong, be reachable
- Resolve issues in a reasonable amount of time
- Admit mistakes
- Empower employees to resolve issues
- Make it easy to stop doing business with you (in direct contrast to cell phone and cable companies, as Barry pointed out)
- Don’t charge nuisance fees or surcharges
- Treat your customers with respect and dignity
- Don’t change the rules without prior notification (cough—credit card companies—cough)
“To get useful feedback from your customers, ask the following four questions:
- Why did you choose to do business with us?
- Did anyone do a good or bad job servicing you?
- Do you plan to use us in the future?
- Can you tell any friends, colleagues, or business partners about our business?”
There's Something for Every Entrepreneur at the GrowSmartBusiness Conference Nov. 5
November 2nd, 2010 :: Rieva LesonskyBy Rieva Lesonsky
Being a small business owner is hard work. There’s lots to know, even more to do, and never enough time to accomplish it all. That’s why it’s essential to get as much information as you can from other entrepreneurs and industry experts.
If you’re in the Washington, DC, area you can do just that on Friday, November 5, by coming to the GrowSmartBusiness Conference hosted by the Washington Business Journal and Network Solutions.
There’s something for every business owner (including nonprofits), no matter the size or stage of your business. You can attend sessions in any one of four tracks and find out how to (among other things):
- Use social media to grow your business
- Get funding
- Attract and keep customers
- Be innovative
- Navigate the “mobile world”
- Get started in business today
- Hire smart
We all know most entrepreneurs don’t like to follow the rules, but I think you’ll want to know about the 6 rules for tech success, and the 10 rules of business cards. I can’t wait to share 3 big trends that you can start cashing in on almost immediately. One of our speakers is even going to share the “5 minutes that can change your business—forever.”
I know you’re busy; all of us business owners are. But getting away from the office, meeting new people, and hearing different perspectives is as important to growing your business as almost anything else you do.
Come join me Friday, November 5th at the Renaissance Hotel. I promise, you won’t regret it.
Google+10 Reasons to Attend the GrowSmartBiz Conference on November 5
October 19th, 2010 :: Monika Jansen
If you didn’t make it to last year’s GrowSmartBiz Conference, you absolutely must make it a priority to go to this year’s conference, which will be co-hosted by the Washington Business Journal and Network Solutions on November 5. The conference was expanded to include a trade show, and it will take place once again at the Renaissance Hotel in Washington, DC.
Based on my experience at last year’s conference, here are 10 reasons to attend this year’s conference:
10. Great networking opportunities. Last year, I got to meet a lot of interesting people (here’s one), as this event attracts hundreds of executives from various industries throughout the region.
9. You will learn a lot from small business owners. All of the small business owners and executives who spoke last year shared their knowledge and experience on issues that affect us as we try to grow our businesses. And some of them are very funny (especially Ramon Ray of SmallBizTechnology, who said he thought Shashi was Network Solutions for the longest time).
8. Meet the vendors you’ve been meaning to contact. The trade show aspect is a really great opportunity to meet product and service providers who can help you grow your small business.
7. Pick a conference track. Last year, all attendees heard great presentations on a handful of topics, but with only an hour for each session, the surface was barely scratched. This year, you get to immerse yourself in one of four topics to gain a much deeper understanding of that area. Choose from Marketing & Innovation; Government, Small Business Finance, and Non-Profit; Technology as a Tool for Your Business, or Entrepreneur Bootcamp.
6. Breakfast and lunch. The food was really good last year.
5. Meet the NetSol bloggers! All of us bloggers (yes, including Shashi) will be at the event. Because I work remotely, I loved meeting everyone last year, including some of NetSol’s marketing people.
4. It’s not expensive. The cost to attend is only $79 per person this year, way down from last year’s rate.
3. You get out of the office for the day! Last year’s conference was on a Tuesday, and because of the simple fact that this year’s conference takes place on a Friday, it’ll be more fun.
2. This year’s event is bigger. More vendors, more speakers, and more topics.
And the number one reason to attend this year:
1. You will leave inspired. Sounds a little too Oprah Winfrey, I know, but when I left last year, I had learned a lot, and I was honestly excited not only about being a small business owner, but confident that I could grow my small business (and I have!).
Google+
