How to Market Your Business Through Public Speaking (via Intuit Small Business Blog)Nobody knows your business as well as you do, which makes you an expert in the field. Sharing what you know in a public forum can help you market your business, expand your network of contacts, and attract new customers. Here are things you can do before…
The Essential Ingredient of Small-Business Exporting (via Intuit Small Business Blog)Somewhere in Fiji, someone is devouring a meal made with Bone Suckin’ Sauce, a lip-smacking and award-winning product exported by Ford’s Gourmet Foods of Raleigh, N.C. When former real estate appraiser Phil Ford re-created his mother’s recipe…
7 Tips for Setting Your Marketing Budget (via Intuit Small Business Blog)If boxing is the sweet science, then maybe marketing, given its unpredictability, is the sweet-and-sour science. Or perhaps it’s more like fuzzy math. No matter. Your small business needs marketing. It must be done, no matter how tedious or difficult…
4 Free Online Courses for Entrepreneurs (via Intuit Small Business Blog)Among educators and anyone who’s anxious to learn, massive open online courses — MOOCs for short — are all the rage. It seems that when you pair online instruction with everybody’s favorite word, free, you’re onto something. “We estimate…
Designing a Pop-Up Model for Small-Business Success (via Intuit Small Business Blog)Creative entrepreneurs Sarah Filley and Alfonso Dominguez (pictured) had known each other for many years before the day in 2011 when they hatched the idea that would transform a California neighborhood and spark national interest. “We literally ran…
5 Factors to Consider When Setting Prices (via Intuit Small Business Blog)The legendary psychologist Sigmund Freud is thought to have said, “Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.” That may be, but price is never just about price. The psychology of pricing involves much more, including perceived value and marketplace competition…
Why and How to Conduct a Web Content Audit (via Intuit Small Business Blog)Whether you’re planning to redesign your website, rebrand your company, or increase your online marketing might, you’ll want to examine whether your existing web content is supporting your company’s goals. A web content audit is a thorough review…
Using Power Words to Sell (via Intuit Small Business Blog)When it comes to sales, a high-quality image can go a long way toward making your product or service more appealing. But using the right words can help make or break the deal. The Most Powerful Word of All So, don’t be afraid to use the most powerful…
How to Increase Your Powers of Persuasion (via Intuit Small Business Blog)A successful small-business owner must be adept at persuading others. Whether it’s asking employees to do a better job, negotiating a more cost-effective arrangement with vendors, or convincing prospective customers to purchase a product or service…
4 Ways to Build Your Customer Base (via Intuit Small Business Blog)Three out of four U.S. small businesses expect better sales in 2014, according to the latest monthly survey of CEOs [PDF] released by The Wall Street Journal and Vistage. Is that what you want for your company as well? A key way to sell more goods or…
Is Your Product in Danger of Becoming Obsolete? (via Intuit Small Business Blog)“People don’t want gadgets anymore. They want services that improve over time.” —Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon.com Once upon a time, building a quality product and offering it at an attractive price was the key to success. However, that…
7 Tools for Gathering Customer Feedback (via Intuit Small Business Blog)Do you know what your customers really think about your company, products, services, or employees? You should make it a point to find out: 73 percent of consumers trust the recommendations of their friends or peers far more than most of your marketing…
6 Ways to Cultivate User-Generated Content (via Intuit Small Business Blog)User-generated content — words and images provided by visitors to a website instead of its publisher — is an effective way to boost the SEO ranking of your company’s website. Requesting reviews of your products and services, answers to frequently…
4 Factors to Consider Before Taking Out a Small-Business Loan (via Intuit Small Business Blog)If your company is running short on funds, applying for a loan may seem like the best next step. After all, an influx of cash can keep operations running, support expansion plans, and ultimately help to increase revenue. Before borrowing money, however…
Using Handwritten Thank-You Notes to Distinguish Your Business (via Intuit Small Business Blog)A personal touch can boost client loyalty, referrals, and overall business success. John Kralik’s story proves this: With everything going wrong in his life and his work, he decided to spend a year writing a thank-you note a day. Kralik wrote to everyone…
4 Guidelines to Follow When Offering Free Shipping to Customers (via Intuit Small Business Blog)When it comes to shipping, the word “free” can be a deal maker. Eight in 10 Americans who bought an item this year that required shipping said shipping options — including free delivery — were an important factor in their overall shopping experience…
