I was just checking my email for the night and noticed that it’s Darren Rowse’s 5th Birthday at Problogger and he’s holding a very special pricing for his 30 Days to a Better Blog Series. You Get 50% off the price! It is a PDF that you can download right away. Go here: http://www.verarecommends.com/workbook Enter Discount: probloggeris5 Also, if you choose to grab it up, be sure to send me a copy of your receipt and I will send you my personal checklist for the workbook so you can actually get the work done. I’m grabbing the workbook at the…

Do you pump out plenty of content, but sometimes feel unappreciated? Many content site owners and blog owners for that matter, tell me they don’t understand why their content is not appealing to their readers. No matter how hard they try, there seems to be a break in the connection. It could be that your connection problem is simply traffic. Implementing new strategies like link building and more targeted marketing would be the answer here. When nothing changes after that the problem might just be a disconnect between you and the market. To cure that, simply try LISTENING. It really…

You are now reading Small Business Branding on the brand new blog design. I chose the Colormatic theme from Unique Blog Designs and went with one of their new themes.  First I must say this theme has been the easiest one I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. I’m completely amazed at how easy was to get this theme loaded and going.  The main reason I chose to leave my CUSTOM theme and switch to this easier cheaper theme (it cost me about $70) in one word.. Widgets! And lots of them! It is so easy for me to…

Those who believe that content and copy (i.e. “copywriting”, using words to sell) are two separate entities have this to say: “Providing content on your website is for the purpose of information and not necessarily to sell a product.” “On the other hand, writing copy is definitely to sell products to potential customers.” If you think this way, then consider the following points: When potential customers come to your website, you don’t just want them to look; you want them to do something. Your content is versatile in that it can build a relationship with the prospect and, at the…

When you think about running shoes, you probably have a company that comes to mind. Think about soda pop and another company comes to mind. This is because some companies are great at creating superior brand recognition. They’re the first place you think of and the first place you go when you need what they sell. Positioning your company, building brand recognition, is a very profitable strategy. Here are a few tips and strategies to boost your company’s brand recognition: #1 Provide an exceptional customer experience. Treating your website visitors and customers like gold is a great way to motivate…

Summer is coming to an end soon. To some businesses it is the end of their third quarter. Many of us consider it a time to buckle down and forge ahead. Vacation season is behind us and we can count the number of rounds of golf that lie before us. Of interest to venders of small businesses is a recent survey by Warrillow & Company that sought to understand what small businesses are afraid of most and also what was their most important pain point. This research was concluded in March of this year. What they found was the number…

Recently as you may know this site here literally flaked out on me.  It didn’t matter which link you clicked on the home page it brought you back to the home page. It was rather frustrating for me because it wasn’t something easy for me to fix and the theme has been very finicky since I started using it. I’ve tried adding code to the sidebar at times and the sidebar ends up at the footer, not cool. So, I’ve wanted to change the theme for a  long time, something ever so simple and quick to pop in and out…

You may already publish articles on your own site to provide valuable content to your readers and to generate traffic through search engines, word of mouth, etc. But there are plenty of benefits to distributing your content elsewhere online. Here are just some of those benefits: 1. Expand your reach 2. Reach new (sub) markets 3. Increased brand recognition 4. Incoming links to your site for traffic and link reputation 5. Connection with other businesses, reaching a similar target market 6. Credibility – having your name out there Tips to get your content out there: 1. Article directories like Ezine…

One of the easiest and cost-effective ways to market your business online is through the publication and distribution of content. We’re talking blog posts, articles, reports, email content…and even audio recordings and video. Help people solve their problems, entertain them and you can win a loyal audience. Couple that with strong calls to action in your content and you can quickly grow your website visitors, subscriber list and sales. Thousands of businesses use content marketing every single day…but most attempt to do so using so-so, generic content that does little to build true relationships and perpetuate their brand. Go the…

ONE: Frankly it takes a lot of work to stay on top of my brand. If only I could just push a button like the Staples “Easy Button” ( which I have on my desk). I hate that I can’t! TWO: I hate having to remind businesses that their brand is more than their logo. I have every design shop and ad specialty shop to blame for the mis-information I guess. (I could be painting with big a brush too) THREE: I hate companies who don’t realize that branding is a top down initiative. Without the captain on board, who’s…