Because we have to carry it throughout our lives, our names are so important to us. In real life, we may share the same name with others but online, only one person can hold that domain. So what happens when you try to register your own name and it’s taken? In this podcast, we talk to Connie Ragen Green who found herself in that exact situation. Listen in to learn what she did about it, went on to build a super successful business with it. [display_podcast] Learn more from Connie through her 10K Laser Coaching Program.

Small businesses are usually owned and managed by entrepreneurs who just have to wear more of the proverbial hats than any other businessperson with a much bigger company. Owing to its diminutive business presence and limited financial resources, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) need to find clever ways to compete with their business rivals so that the odds get to favor them. In most cases, many business battles would have to be fought and won online since it offers the most advantageous way of somehow leveling the playing field between the big and the small — without the latter having…

Once-Upon-a-Time: Using Storytelling as a Creative Method for Increasing Brand Preference Everyone loves a good story, right? Especially one that includes a hero or heroine and a happy ending. Storytelling has been used for a variety of reasons through the ages, and is now quickly becoming one of the more popular and effective ways to increase brand preference. Does your business have a story to tell? Learning how to craft one and tell it well can help you increase followers, as well as your customer base and sales. Before you get started, find out how storytelling and brand preference are…

A lot of business owners are apprehensive about setting up a website because of the costs of setup and maintenance. Having a business website, however, is not a waste of money as long as you know how to effectively use your site to spread word about your business and save on your operational costs. Your investments for setting up and maintaining a website can also pay off if you are able to maximize the uses of your website. Below are some ideas on how you can make the most of your business website: Use Your Website to Sell Your Goods…

I ran into an acquaintance yesterday and we got to talking about business. He made the comment, “It’s important to look big – don’t you think?” It’s an interesting question. In our culture we equate big with success. Big houses, big cars and trucks, big business, big names etc. I remember when the the web finally took off, one thing that stood out for me, was the statement that the web was the great equalizer. Now anybody could “look” as big as they wanted and nobody would be the wiser. Now you don’t need the expense of bricks and mortar…

It is always important for small business owners to reach out to their customers. It is important to get their attention and give them information about the small business owner’s products and services. Of course, when more people hear about these products and services, there are more chances that they will buy it. There are different ways on how to reach out to customers. The effectiveness of each method depends upon the target market, the nature of the business, and the products or services itself. Add some ads Paid advertisement is still one of the most effective advertising methods. It…

I especially agree with points #1 – that was smart to put it up front because it is the key to everything that follows. Also happy to note great points about hiring right which I wrote about briefly. What do YOU wish you’ve known before starting up?

While walking the hallway in my child’s school one day, a poster caught my eye. In huge letters, it said, “Failure Isn’t An Option”. At that time I thought it was good. After all, that’s what we tell ourselves too. It’s an old message and you see it often in different places. We understand it to be good because we’re essentially saying – aim for excellence and we should always shoot to win. It isn’t until recently that I’ve begun to take a different stance on that. In fact, I’ll be watching myself so those words will never be uttered…

There’s this guy named James. He runs a pretty successful business. It’s obvious James has a lot of responsibilities and is a busy man. Regardless, when you talk to him, he’s always positive, smiling and easy going. Do you have a person like James in your life? It’s like no matter what he’s faced with in his business, he always seems to be calm and reasonable. How do they do that and more importantly how can you? The Eleventh Hour Should Be Spent Resting For starters, don’t leave projects till the last minute. Some people claim that the pressure of…

Graphic design firms have for years neglected a key space that can bring them a significant new stream of revenue. Most of this missed opportunity is due not understanding the opportunity of branding. For far too long, graphic designers have called developing logos “branding.” Re-branding is being marketed as simply changing the logo of a company. This mis-information is then picked up by the media and the mis-conception breeds on itself. I cringe every time I see in the media that a company is re-branding, and on investigation, see that they are simply changing the logo. You have to ask…