Archive
163 Must Read Articles from Entrepreneur Magazine
Get a Handle on Your Overhead
Technology is making it easier for you to keep tabs on your business’s resources.
Proven Tactics for Tough Times
The newest insights into online marketing that deliver customers
Become a Networking Mentor
If you want to improve your networking skills, teach someone else what you know.
HARO: Tapping Into Sources:
This simple service is connecting journalists with sources.
6 Easy Ways to Make Money Online
Learn how affiliate marketing can skyrocket your bottom line
Build Your List, Grow Your Business
Every point of contact with potential customers is an opportunity to build your e-mail list.
See Your Business with Fresh Eyes
In tough times, you need to look for new opportunities
How to Negotiate With Your Creditors
Advice on protecting your interests by negotiating with creditors
6 Website Fixes to Make Now
These simple measures put your site’s focus on the customer
Cheap Ways to Motivate Your Team
In a recession, keeping morale high is essential
Start Your Online Business for Less Than $5,000
Create a great website on a budget–without skimping on the essentials
Get Your Product to Market in 6 Steps
You’re the best person for the job, so get started
8 Tips for Working With Web Designers
Get exactly what you want for your business’s website–on time and on budget.
Stimulate Your Business
These organizations can help match your business with stimulus projects
How to Create a Simple Budget
Having a business budget in place is an essential part of running a business
Recruit a Virtual Sales Force With Your Blog
Put the internet to work for you and drive sales by connecting with your customers online
Get Help Starting Your Home Based Business
If you want to get started quickly and cheaply, a franchise or training program might be the choice for you
A $25 Million Press Release
Grab the press’s attention–and keep it–with concise and compelling releases
Need a Business Idea? Here are 55
You can start any of these home based businesses for less than $5,000
6 Steps to the Perfect Pitch
Learn to succeed with investors–from a guy who failed
10 Questions to Ask a Financial Advisor
Do some research before signing the dotted line
How to Get a Handle on Expenses
Take inventory, keep your books in order, cut back and hang on to your money as long as possible.
Create an Action Plan Now
Survive the economic downturn by setting attainable goals
5 Ways to Audit-Proof Your Tax Return
Knowing the rules and proper documentation can help keep the IRS off your back
From Keyword to Business Idea in 8 Steps
Learn the language of people’s problems, and you’ll discover untapped markets
Get the Most From Your Written Testimonials
Make it standard practice to ask clients and contacts for testimonials and you’ll build your credibility and your business
6 Tips for Preventing Click Fraud
Don’t let scam artists torpedo your online ad budget
What’s the Pulse of Your Market?
Surveys and polls give e-mail marketers a read on customers’ needs
Be Selective With Your Social Networks
Make sure they’re right for your business–and you have time to maintain them
Turn Passion Into Money
These entrepreneurs turned their hobbies into businesses. Learn how you can, too
5 Steps to Deal with Difficult Employees
Ignoring a problematic staffer could jeopardize the success of the entire organization
Become an Industry Expert
Offering your wisdom to the media is a great way to further your brand
6 Tips to Assess Problems, Find Solutions
When you fix all the small problems in your business, profits shoot through the roof
Turn Web Traffic Into Foot Traffic
A solid web presence is essential–even for the smallest brick-and-mortar businesses
Young Idealism Leads to Success
These fearless kid entrepreneurs took big risks and reaped big rewards
School for Entrepreneurship Hits
These young entrepreneurs take school for startups on tour.
7 Essential Startup Steps
Make sure you’ve covered all your bases before you launch
A Definitive Guide to Government Grants
Everything you need to know in order to get a government grant
It’s Great To Be a Mompreneur
Yes, it’s the hardest thing you’ll ever do–but the journey is well worth the effort expended
A Day in the Life . . . Part II
Mom entrepreneurs share how they achieve balance personally and professionally in the second part of a series
Beware the ‘Shiny Stuff’ Seduction
Don’t blow your startup budget on unnecessary bells and whistles.
5 Great New Web Tools
Modernize your business with these great alternatives to traditional tech
The Cost (and Payoff) of Investing in Social Media
Savvy entrepreneurs are looking to social media as another way to market their businesses
Website Maintenance Musts
Keep your online business running smoothly with a monthly check-up of these crucial areas
Market Your Way To the Top
Never stop thinking about marketing–it’s the best way to grow your business
Give Your Online Network a Real-World Foundation
Networks that merge online and face-to-face meetings are the wave of the future
5 Lifelines for Your Startup
These organizations can help you find direction and funding
Know Your Target Market
Get a grasp on generational marketing with this guide to demographics
5 Employee Motivation Myths Debunked
Recognition–not money–is the real motivator in a down economy
Manage Expenses Strategically
Look in these areas to find things your business can live without
Should You Buy a Prepackaged Website?
It’s a great way to get started quickly, but consider these factors
Getting Paid in a Bad Economy
5 tips to make sure you get paid and keep the cash flowing
Find Your Purpose
Roy Spence explains why entrepreneurs are the key to our economic future
10 Rules for Quick and Easy PR
Simple steps to give your business a competitive edge, on a budget
Find the Right Person in 6 Steps
The market has changed, but smart hiring strategies are timeless
5 Tips to Become a High-Achiever
Understand your threshold and exceed your goals.
The 10 Worst Partners For Your Start-Up
Don’t give away equity or authority to these characters
Learn to Lean on Your Advisors
Take advantage of expert advice–but know that the final say is yours
Build a Social Media Hiring Strategy
Use your online network to lure quality talent
Crank Up Your Customers’ Confidence
Use these 3 tips to show that your website–and your business–are trustworthy
Integrate Your Online Advertising
Why pay for clicks when you can actively network with your customers
Design the Ideal Home Office
Professional designer Jo Heinz describes how to make your office a welcome, efficient and productive place to work
4 Business Lessons from NASCAR
You’re the driver, the car’s your business–now learn how to finish first
7 Steps to Stimulus Money
Consultant and author Mark Amtower offers a guide to winning stimulus funds
5 Myths That Can Kill Your Marketing Copy
If you’re going it alone, avoid these pitfalls
How Bad Do You Want It?
When it comes to startup, it’s not enough to take risks–you have to love them
6 Startup Friendly Industries
These businesses are booming despite the gloomy economy
Create Your Own Online Network
It can grow right along with your company–and help your company grow
Should You Be the Face of Your Business?
There are plenty of ways to be your own best spokesperson–and a few reasons not to
Why Should Your Employees Like You?
Use these 5 tips to gain respect from your team and boost your bottom line
840 Million Reasons to Celebrate
Fresh off his mammoth deal with Amazon, Zappos.com CEO Tony Hsieh shares the secrets of his online empire
Money Isn’t Everything
Consider these 5 factors before you start searching for investors
Sharpen Your Social Media Intelligence
Proactively monitor how your company is represented in blogs, Facebook or Twitter
E-mail Marketing Still Works
Social media has its place, but e-mail remains the king of online relationship marketing
9 Free Advertising Solutions
When the going gets tough, the tough advertise
5 Steps to Building a Successful Niche Business
A simple service can win big in a small market
Shrink Your Debt
A strategy guide for negotiating with creditors
Identify and Cure Negative Workplace
Positive employees lead to increased collaboration, creativity and loyalty
If It’s So Good, Why Offer it to Me?
5 ways to tell legitimate deals from stinkers
Become an Online Pundit Overnight
Budget-friendly pocket camcorders like Kodak’s Zi8 can turn you into a globally-renowned business expert.
Start a Business Without Going Broke
Keep startup costs low and consider these recession-proof industries
Up Your Sales Technique
Now, more than ever, service professionals need to step it up and sell themselves
My Business or My Child?
When it comes to being successful, the answer has to be both
5 Ways to Grow Your Profits
A simple formula to help you maximize profit margins
Which Ad Strategy Is Right For You?
Rev up your ROI by choosing the best medium for your message.
Make Noise–Even Shout–To Win Sales
Stay on your customers’–and media’s–radar with newsletters, press releases, and contests
Find Your Audience Now
Use free tools to bring people together around your brand–online or off
Put People Before Profits
4 ways people-centric companies are investing in fun
Wow Investors With a Web-Savvy Business Plan
In a tight credit market, use expertise to stand out from the crowd
Making the Best of a Bad Situation
These startups saw the recession as an opportunity to connect job seekers with employers
Unigo: Retooling the College Guidebook
This young entrepreneur is giving students the power to rate and review their schools
Lessons from ‘Brand Obama’
Use the president’s message control strategies to command attention
The Art of Negotiating
A practical guide to getting what you want, when you want it, at the price you want
New Ways to Engage Customers
Make sure these 3 crucial elements are part of your marketing plan
3 Deal-Killing Mistakes
Avoid these common blunders–or face suffering sales
The Next Hot Management Tool: A Paper Napkin
Simplify the essence of what your business is and where it’s going
Have You Outgrown Your Home Based Business?
These key indicators will let you know when it’s time to leave home.
Online Ad Deals Are Clicking
Use these lean marketing tactics to grow your business during lean times
Looking for a Great Business Idea? Stay Home
A tour of the typical home reveals numerous opportunities to start a home services franchise
Be Efficient With Your Social Networking
Budget your time wisely–or risk being ruled by the internet
The Future of Online Publishing
Cutting-edge devices like Sony’s new Reader Daily Edition let you enjoy thousands of books and magazines from anywhere
It’s Not the Economy, Stupid
Take charge of your business with these 5 uncompromising tips
Go Guerrilla! Speaking, Coupons and Contests
Use these creative methods to grow your business–your bottom line will thank you.
Set Your Company’s Message Free
If you want to create buzz, you have to give up control
10 Tips for the First-Time Business Owner
Advice from a young entrepreneur in the trenches
Print Ads: A Bargain for Buyers
Take advantage of today’s market with these tips.
Anchor Your Networking with Strong Relationships
Use strategic associations to keep your business afloat during economic storms
Harness the Power of ‘Freemium’
Learn when–and how–to start charging for your web service without starting a riot.
Get Organized Now!
Use these tips to get–and keep–your documents in order
Building Brand Value the Playboy Way
Love him or hate him, Hugh Hefner provides the ultimate example of successful branding
Who Is Jason Sadler, and Why Should You Care?
Valuable lessons from the social media mastermind behind the company I Wear Your Shirt
Strengthen Your Hellos and Goodbyes
Make better connections with e-mail list sign-ups and opt-outs.
Young, Fearless and Fed Up
Take the leap, follow your passion and pursue the new American Dream.
Business Planning for the Rest of Us
Having a plan is about managing your company, not explaining it
Avoid Social Media Weapons of Mass Destruction
Protect your reputation from acts of ‘social media terrorism.
Rock-Solid Marketing for Trendy Times
Instead of jumping from trend to trend follow these 6 steps for marketing that really works.
Drive Sales With Tutorials
Position yourself as an authority and gain market share with instructional content.
Marketing Locally? Think Globally
Thinking outside the borders can expand your customer base
Increase Your Startup’s Online Visibility
5 ways to develop engaging brand language and ensure success on the internet
Adding Value: The Future of Marketing
Cut through the advertising noise by marketing with meaning
Big Returns Come in Micro-sized Packages
A microloan from a community-based lender can provide the cash you need
5 Tips to Keep You Sharp
Constant learning is the foundation of a successful business owner.
Proactive Negotiation For Selling Your Business
10 commandments to make sure you get the best possible deal
Feng Shui for the Home Office, Part I
Enhancing the energy of a space can increase productivity and creativity
Ex-Googler Launching $5 Million VC Fund
Chris Sacca goes from angel investor and Google employee to venture capitalist
Learn How to Delegate Better
Do an assessment of your weaknesses and find the right people to fill in those gaps
2 Can Be Better Than 1
Combining your marketing efforts with another businesses can produce results greater than the sum of the parts.
Marketing to a Captive Audience
Capture the attention of airport travelers with strategically placed ads.
10 Ways to Waste Your Time in a Networking Group
Referral business from networking groups can pay off handsomely, so make the most of every meeting
Involver: A New Frontier in Marketing
Rahim Fazal forged a niche helping advertisers engage customers using new media formats.
Give Your Marketing a Fall Lift
Check in with customers today to prepare for tomorrow’s holiday season
Focus on Core Customers
Be committed to them, and they’ll deliver new clients to you
Online Advertising Made Simple
Follow these essential tips for an online campaign that increases sales
Move From ‘I Hate’ to ‘I Love’ to Sell
5 tips for sales professionals who want to love their job
Make the Most of Your Advertising Dollars
4 tips to make the most of your money in a buyer’s market
5 Rules for Pitching the Very Rich
Wonder if even seasoned pros screw it up? Let me count the ways.
Summit Series: Connecting Young Entrepreneurs
Elliot Bisnow created a networking event to bring together young captains-of-industry
4 Sure Ways to Get Publicity
There are more channels for exposure than ever, but it takes diligence to keep your business in front of the right ones
Stand Out in a Crowded Marketplace
You can do it with these 5 savvy internet marketing strategies
Market With Meaning
Don’t offer your customers products–offer them solutions, connections and satisfaction
How to Find Ambitious Employees
Attracting proactive people isn’t easy, but it’s well worth the effort.
How–and Where–People Network
Online isn’t for everyone; geography matters when it comes to building connections
Why Serve a Niche Market?
A jack-of-all-trades is a master of none
Selling Overseas
Market constraints have you rethinking your business plan? Consider exporting
Embrace the Hispanic Market
Before you worry about patenting your invention, investigate potential sales markets
Creating a Value Proposition
This information comes directly from http://futurecurve.com Visit their website for full details and great webinars.
These gals are totally LiquidSalesman Approved.
What is it?
The phrase value proposition is scattered around business language today yet its meaning has been watered-down into vague sales and marketing ideas. Generally we find that’s mostly used as another way of saying ‘benefits statement’ or a way of describing the offering.
From a technical perspective, a value proposition is ‘a clear, compelling and credible expression of the experience that a customer will receive from your value-creating offering’. On the following pages, we’ll look at what this means in detail.
[Wiki says: A value proposition is an analysis and quantified review of the benefits, costs and value that an organization can deliver to customers and otherconstituent groups within and outside of the organization. It is also a positioning of value, where Value = Benefits / Cost (cost includes risk)]
Why it’s important
A strong value proposition will:
• Generate faster, more profitable sales
• Help you decide who to do business with – in other words, when and why to say no
• Uncover the hidden and non-obvious strategic insights of clients and prospects
• Give you clarity as to what your organisation is actually going to do for clients
• Qualify opportunities fast giving huge cost savings on cost of sale and quickly qualifying out non-compliant organisations and opportunities
For example, EDS says its average cost of pursuing sales opportunities is $480,000. Applying a value proposition can reap huge benefits.
• Enables supplier alignment – helping purchasers to weed out suppliers who don’t align with them strategically
That’s all – no more freebies. Gotta check out this hit squad for yourself. Congrats ladies.
I personally signed up for their newsletter and downloaded this excellent PDF and spent the morning watching their video and taking copious notes.
Errol Chung
The LiquidSalesman.
Strategic Marketing- Host a Partnered Event
by Errol Chung – the LiquidSalesman.
Strategic Marketing is the next logical evolution of marketing and communication. Most statistical reports will show that word-of-mouth and visual keys are some of the strongest forms of marketing there is. Mass marketing is great for specific daily updatable information such as grocery store discounts, department stores, cell phone companies with millions of dollars budgeted for ads; not for the small business, and not for the solo-entrepreneur, who I am focusing on.
Word-of-mouth allows you to use other people as on-the-spot testimonials; otherwise known as “referral machines”. These individuals have visited your establishment and are willing to put their reputation on the line to make sure their friends see you and share in the experiment. The power of Visual Keys can be seen in every Coca-Cola logo or the Nike Swoosh on every billboard, soda can or t-shirt label. What about some of the lesser known but widely revered logos? For this example we are looking to the Shop Owners and the Perfect Client.
The main goal of this Strategic Networking exercise is twofold: Get as many points as possible from public relations, corporate branding, name recognition, and community involvement per dollar spent, and gain the trust of all of your Marketing Partner’s current clientele to make your company a household name.
Where it’s being done main stream
Movies! – Ever wonder how a movie can cost $500,000,000 (that’s 500 million) to make and gross over $1 Billion dollars. Do you really think that that $500M came from early ticket sales or Hollywood movie budgets? No. Partnered marketing efforts of Hollywood are the stuff that dreams and beach front condos are made of. They seamlessly combine all of the things we enjoy, offered by businesses we trust, wrap them around a core theme and feed them to us in cute little packages.
Promote: 1 year before release Previews hit the movie screens
Promote: 6 months before release Commercials hit the TV airwaves
Print: 3 months before release Reviews and cast scandal rock the headlines
Partner: 2 months before release Big Vendors( Burger King, Walmart, Sprint)
Sponsor 1 month before release Smaller Vendors (Clubs, Assoc & Mini-Events)
Event: Movie premier Gala Event (cameras, celebs, celebration)
Marketing: 1 month after release Continued merchandising
Marketing: 2 months after release Continued merchandising
Marketing: 3 months after release Talk of a sequel…?
How it can be scaled down to fit your business
The common element between the fast food companies, merchandising companies and the movie company is that they all share the same client, but can all squeeze a different dollar out of him. He will spend $20 at the movies, not to impose the $8.50 Super Burger Combo (with collector’s cup), and the $25 retro Spiderman t-shirt that he just had to wear to the movies. 1 client, 1 central event equals 2 additional vendors that sold their items apart from the main event.
For this campaign, you and your Strategic Partners do not have a core product; you have several core products that must appear to be one. Find a central theme, a reason for your Perfect Clients to gather and enjoy themselves. In my book, we use the example of theMotor Cross Exhibition.
[If you do not know how to choose a Strategic Partner, please visit my Editorials –www.LiquidSalesman.com]
The Off-Road Tire Shop, the Motor-Cross Driving School, theLaundromat the Car Wash, and the Small Urgent Care Facility. Five seemingly independent businesses that all focus on the same basic clients: Those who like to play in the dirt. Imagine the possibilities of combining the marketing budget of all four companies and hosting a Motor Cross event. Create teams for each business then promote and sponsor them. Create a community tradition, not just a one-time clever campaign. Include a few graphic components and some major in-house marketing and you can have a yearly phenomenon guaranteed to bring clients into all 5 companies.
These concepts seems to come with a much higher cost however, there are 4 budgets to consider instead of just one. Considering the diversity of each business’ clientele, word-of-mouth marketing and a simple in office/corporate website will play a large roll.
1. Off Road tire shop hosts a mini seminar at their tent on bike safety and tire ware
2. The Driving School offers free dirt bike lessons to ages 14-18 and 50+
3. The Laundromat offers their pickup service and their expertise on stain removal
4. The Car Wash offers discounts on bike and truck washes during and after the show
5. The Urgent Care facility runs the First Aid tent and talks about bike safety
All are revered as masters in their field and all are seen by the guests at this event as specialist towards the motocross and extreme sports world. All have an opportunity to become a family member instead of a service provider; The Extreme Sports family.
Here is where blanket radio ads and additional promotional aspects are good reminders to those who have heard it mentioned already. A very small percentage that hears it for the first time on the radio will come. Conversely, a very large percentage that hears about it from a friend, then reiterated on the radio will come. In essence, sticking to the current client lists of each business should allow for a very large audience. Count your heads here, not prospective radio ads.
The Plan
The plan does not have to be for a large motocross event, evening ball (tuxes and all), little league softball game, networking meeting at a new resturatunt (which they will comp for the promotional benefit). As long as it is something that they have to physically get ready for and attend you can be sure you will have their attention and that they will be a captured audience.
Plan: Find Strategic Partners (Remember: same client, different core product)
Plan: Talk about your shared clientele and what event they would enjoy the most
Research: Each store manager runs the idea past their customers for feedback
Research: Report back to Strategic Partner and decide contract and responsibilities (This is the heavy section. You must decide on an event, date, location and cover all of the expected and unexpected odds and ends)
Promote: Get as much word-of-mouth advertisement as possible (newsletters, banners, customer contests)
Promote: Print/write as many online news articles, blogs, comments, Facebook posts as you can about your event and write them often up until the day of your event.
Promote: Promote your Strategic Partner’s involvement
Promote: Invite other small business groups, news and media reporters
Event: Gala event: Do as much as you need within budget to make sure your clientele is overjoyed and talking.
Market: Get all names on an email list. (i.e.: in store/email sign- up sheet at front door…)
Market: Word-of-mouth promotion. Make sure there are several people there speaking on behalf of your business
Promote: Write about your event, upload photos, and invite people to visit you.
The goal is not to sell 100 widgets at the event. The goal is:
1. To use the earned trust network of other business professionals to your advantage.
2. To expand your customer base of “Perfect Clients”
3. To get more of the “Perfect Clients” into your establishment who already trust in your quality.
4. To increase your neighborhood recognition and Public Relations image
5. To build word-of-mouth buzz about your business.
6. To have a great time meeting people in your community that you would otherwise not have been able to meet.
The next hurdle to pass is the Sale. What to do with the client once they are interested in your product or service. This will be discussed another time. First, get the BUZZ going!
Errol Chung
the LiquidSalesman.