Growing Your Business Articles For Entrepreneurs & Small Business OwnersCollateral is a Big Factor in Getting a Business LoanMost small business lenders now require borrowers to put up hard assets to be granted loans, and the most common collateral used is real estate or one’s home. Take the case of Craig Holman who put up his share of the family farm as collateral to get an $85,000 loan to buy into an AdvantaClean […] The Franchise Industry Is GrowingCustomers at these times of economic difficulty have second thoughts about spending their money on untried businesses. They would rather spend on tested brands. It is in this context that the IFX Enterprise has scheduled a three-day conference in Las Vegas. The Las Vegas Business Press says this summit will guide potential suppliers on franchising […] Facebook To Help Franchise GrowthFacebook, the leading social media network, joined the International Franchise Association (IFA) as a member, the IFA announced. It has also teamed up with the association to boost growth of the over 800,000 US-based franchises. In 2012, it will offer free advertisements to local businesses. It told The Street that it will email companies with […] SBA Loan Volume at All-Time HighNetwork Solutions reported that the US Small Business Administration announced a record volume of loans in fiscal year 2011. This volume is the highest in its history. The first quarter of 2011 was also the most active single quarter ever for SBA-backed loans with over $12 billion. This is more than double any quarter in […] The Role Of Process Visibility In Continuous ImprovementAs the most important goal in any organisation, striving to achieve continuous improvement should be at the forefront of all management processes, regardless of the size of the organisation or the nature of work produced. Effective processes are required to achieve this goal, and also assist in quality management. Processes should not only be developed […] What To Do On LinkedinSo, you’ve joined Linkedin on the promise that it’s a great business tool and you’ll definitely get clients from it, right? Now what? You know that clients coming from this medium won’t happen on their own, but what should you do next? This is such a common question – what should I be doing on […] Who Will You Choose To Work With?You’d think with all the literature, research, evidence etc out there that small business owners would know who their target customers were and what their needs are. And yet, still I went to a networking event the other day and heard a lady say that she could help “everyone”. So, today I thought I’d turn […] 4 Reasons To Max Out Your Business Credit CardAs a business owner, one of the biggest questions that you will face is how to get the most out of your different resources. Likewise, another big question that you’ll face is where to find the most advantageous credit terms. Luckily for business owners, there is a way to combine these two things and make […] Are Reality Shows Good Examples Of Marketing?Do you remember, back at the beginning of the 2000s, when reality shows were just launching and were all the rage? I can’t think of anyone I know who didn’t watch at least something from The Apprentice to Big Brother, The X Factor or Strictly Come Dancing to name oh but a few. And yet, […] The PR How-To BibleSynopsis: It’s said that you can’t find the right answers until you ask the right questions. So with that in mind if you are thinking of hiring a public relations firm or of launching a media relations campaign for yourself, the following is a list of how to points to ask yourself before moving forward. […] Why You Absolutely Do Need PR To SucceedPublic relations is the most effective and least expensive way to build your brand, grow your business and establish you as a go-to expert in your field. Whether or not you should launch a media relations campaign should not be the question, because the answer to that is a no-brainer; yes you should. The real […] The Small Business Marketing Success SecretThe biggest problem that most small business owners have with PR is that they don’t fully understand the process or how it can help build their business or establish their brand. Most think that public relations is only for large corporations or those in the entertainment world and that it has to do with stunts […] PR 2.0: Succeeding In The New Media WorldWhen it comes to distribution and media outlets, PR has changed dramatically. Mailing used to be the standard way of sending out information (actually it’s not a bad approach nowadays, since everyone is getting so adept at hitting their keyboard delete button). But on the whole, mailing in many ways has become archaic. The number […] 16 Points To Consider When Hiring A Graphic Designer1. Got Ego? Not yours… the designer’s. Most doctors have lousy handwriting. All politicians promise you the world. Many designers are divas. Great designers check their ego at the door. It’s not about them, it’s about you and making you look good. If a designer insists on telling you what they have accomplished instead of […] Is Cold Calling Dead?The other day I was speaking at a conference and was inviting delegates to ask me anything they wanted to know about marketing. One of the audience asked an interesting question – “Is Cold Calling dead?” They’d been along to a social networking seminar on the same day and the presenter had made this bold […] Media & Medicine: Developing A Medical Practice Utilizing PRIf you’re a physician looking to market your practice or reach out to new patients, keep in mind that physicians, more than those in other professions, can benefit from an effective media campaign. Press coverage reaches their target market, drives patients their way and gives them validation and credibility. The public generally learns about the […] Appearing On A Talk Show Post-OprahTimes are changing; Oprah is gone as are many of the daytime soap operas. TV’s 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. daytime slots are shifting dramatically. It is a primarily female audience that watches at that time. The numbers show that most are seeking personality based or issue oriented programs. Talk shows, game shows and reality […] How To (Phone) Pitch The MediaYou may be a natural salesman, and your clients may indeed love you, but you’re playing a different game when you’re contacting the media. You are entering a very specific phone world. You may be a great person one-on-one, with a winning smile and a firm handshake, but that won’t get you far over the […] 14 Signs You Are A Sales ZombieA recent editor’s note in a sleep products magazine discussed how many people suffer from poor sleep and the editor referred to these individuals as zombies. Instantly, I thought of dozens of sales people I have encountered over the years who could be classified as zombies, too. Here are 14 signs that you might be […] What Targets Should I Be Setting For My Marketing?I know in my own business that I ALWAYS do better each month if I set some targets for my marketing. If I’ve got goals to aim for, I know where I am and I can try to achieve them. So my targets for this month for instance are: 1 x meeting in the diary […] |
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