Successful Blog

The Cubs Have Made a Business out of Coming up Short

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It isn’t that often that I would talk baseball on a business blog. But with Opening Day upon us this week, could there be a better time to discuss the two?

Just as a business owner has to go about trying different things to make their company successful so that it sees a strong ROI (return on investment), the owners of the Cubs, business owners at that, have tried year after year to put a pennant winning team on the field. To date, they have unfortunately struck out.

I have been following Major League Baseball since my childhood days in the 1970s. While many things have changed since back then – there has been one troubling consistent in the world of professional sports on the north side of Chicago – the Cubs have not won the World Series.

Truth be told, I don’t see the Cubs winning in my lifetime, and I’m hoping on being around for some time to come if the guy upstairs allows it.

Those loveable Cubbies, who tickled the fancies of their fans back in 2003 before losing to the eventual champion Florida Marlins in the N.L. Championship, have not won the big pennant since 1908, let alone appeared in the World Series since 1945.

Curses, Why Can’t They Win the Big One?

From the often-mentioned Billy Goat curse to the Steve Bartman incident in 2003, the Cubs have simply not been able to go from start to finish without slipping up somewhere along the way.

Now mind you, the Cubs have had some outstanding players over the years, among those Ernie Banks, Billy Williams, Ron Santo, Fergie Jenkins, Ryne Sandberg, Lee Smith and Mark Grace to name but a few. Still, no World Series flag flying above the friendly confines of Wrigley Field since 1908.

In the early 1980’s, I had the opportunity to attend my first-ever Cubs game at venerable Wrigley Field. To this day, it remains one of my favorite MLB experiences of all time. Other than the original Yankee Stadium, which I got to go to as a child numerous times growing up on the East Coast, nothing evoked history to me like Wrigley Field (I have not been to Fenway Park yet).

Still, despite all that history and what can still be considered a bit of a home field advantage by having a large number of day games during the hot and humid summers that are Chicago, the Cubs have not been able to hoist the World Series trophy in my lifetime or even my grandparents for that matter.

The Pressure is Squarely On

When the Boston Red Sox won their first of two titles last decade, the monkey was taken off their backs for a very long drought (had not won since 1918) and placed squarely on the shoulders of those lovable Cubbies.

While I am not one that enjoys seeing others suffer, I must admit with a slight twinkle in my eye that there is something a tad funny about the Cubs and their years of stumbling and bumbling.

Trust me, as a lifelong New York Mets fan; I know what stumbling and bumbling looks and smells like. I did, however, get to enjoy the 1986 title over the previously mentioned Red Sox, so I could die tomorrow and my baseball life is perfectly fine.

Ever since the Cubs moved out of the N.L. East (starting with ’94 season), their rivalry with the Mets has lessened year after year. As it stands now, my animosity still continues to be directed towards the Atlanta Braves and my native city of Philadelphia and those dreaded Phillies.

As for those Cubs, I wish them well going into this season.

As for the Cubs winning the World Series anytime soon, I think someone that was a community organizer in Chicago at one time has a better chance of getting elected President.

Wait a minute….

Photo credit: mothra04.blogspot.com

Dave Thomas, who writes on subjects such as starting a small business and workers compensation writes extensively for San Diego-based Business.com.

Don’t Let Your Business Blog Content Become a Biology Project

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Just about all of us at one time or another has had to deal with rotten food.

In many cases, we leave something out too long or leave it in the fridge for an extended period of time; hence it soon takes on the junior high science project that many of us thought was cool back in the seventh grade.

In our adult years, however, such projects are not only viewed as unfavorable, but they can be costly when running a business.

Working in marketing full-time and doing freelance writing on the side, I literally come in contact with dozens and dozens of business blogs on a daily basis. The number one threat to their existence in my opinion is stale content.

When some business heads feel like the content is just there to fill space and show both current and potential customers that the site is active, I just want to come up to them and shake them for about five seconds. My main question as I am shaking them is what are you thinking? In many cases, they probably are not doing much of that in the first place.

What is the Purpose behind Business Blogs in the First Place?

Company blogs come in all shapes and sizes, be they for someone just beginning to run a business or someone who’s been around the block a time or two. In many instances, the blog is used as a tool to attract current and potential customers to the site, and then provide them with worthwhile information that they can take away.

On the surface, that sounds like a great premise for having a blog in the first place. Where that becomes an issue is when the lead content is left to sit on the site for days and days and days and….

Soon, visitors coming to the site begin to see the same old and tired copy anchoring the site. Before long, what was once good content starts turning into that bagel or loaf of bread that was left sitting out on the counter for weeks and weeks. You get the picture, it isn’t pretty.

As someone that has written and overseen a number of business blogs over the years, I cannot stress enough the importance of maintaining fresh content on the site.

Among the obvious reasons to do so:

  • Search engines will be more favorable to your site if the content is regularly updated;
  • Fresh content puts your company blog out there as an authority on a subject or subjects, singling you out from competitors;
  • A continuously updated blog site makes it much easier to approach potential advertisers that will want to get their name linked to your site;
  • With updated blog content, you can have real-time interaction with readers, leading to more opportunities to convert potential customers into customers.

One small business blog I recently came across, one which I will not name, was last updated in the fall of 2011. Last time I checked the calendar, we were coming up on the middle of March.

My first thought was maybe this company had gone under and the site was still showing up on Google searchers. As it turns out, the company sure is still business and looking for new clients as we speak. If I were consulting them, I would not advise them to start their sales pitch by referencing the site’s blog.

I make it a habit to clean out my refrigerator once a week so that nothing can become a biology project behind that closed door.

Perhaps more business owners should take on a similar project to make sure their company blogs are not festering something nasty.

Remember, the time for conducting science projects was back in school, not when you are running a business.

Photo credit: marqui.com

Dave Thomas, who covers among other topics workers compensation and credit card processing, writes extensively for Business.com, an online resource destination for businesses of all sizes to research, find, and compare the products and services they need to run their businesses.

Dear American Worker, Are You Pessimistic On Your Retirement Plans?

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The last few years have brought some unwanted news for many American workers and that does not appear to be changing anytime soon.

According to a recently released report from the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI), worries regarding one’s job security and mountains of debt are leaving many American more doubtful than ever when it comes to their retirement.

The recent EBRI survey (approximately 1,270 workers and retirees ages 25 and up) shows that a mere 14 percent of workers claim to be “very confident” they will have enough money to live a comfortable life during their retirement years. Meantime, 38 percent of workers claim to be “somewhat confident” and 23 percent report they are “not at all confident.”

According to many of the survey respondents, current priorities trump retirement plans at this point and time.

Job Security a Major Concern

The survey shows that approximately 42 percent of respondents claim a lack of job security is the number one issue they are facing, with only 28 percent of workers claiming to feel very confident they will be gainfully employed for as long as necessary. Lastly, 62 percent of workers report that their debt is their biggest challenge now.

Money put away for retirement is a big obstacle right now for many American workers, as approximately 60 percent of those surveyed report having total savings and investments of less than $25,000 (excluding the value for their residence and defined benefit plans). Even scarier, nearly 30 percent of these respondents claim to have less than $1,000 in their savings.

According to an EBRI spokesperson, “A lot of the people who have either lost their jobs or are worried about losing their jobs are trying to put a little money away for a rainy day and just don’t have money to put into savings right now.”

High Health Care Costs Prove a Burden

One of the major factors right now eating away at available money to put into savings are high health care costs. According to the survey, only 13 percent of respondents state they are very confident they will be able to meet medical expenses when their working days are over. Meantime, just 26 percent of workers claim to be very confident that they will even have the necessary funds to cover basic expenses.

As the American population ages, the irony of the health care issue is that advances in that very area leads to longer life expectancy for millions and millions of people. Living longer lives also means needing to put away more money in order to meet those needs.

With retirement funds scarce for many American workers, more and more are delaying retirement in order to keep a regular paycheck coming in, while increasing their Social Security benefits by waiting to ages 67 and 70 to start taking benefits.

On the down side of that idea, approximately half of current retirees report they exited the workforce unexpectedly due to health matters, a disability, or an employer that let workers go or even ceased operations.

So before gloom and doom set in from reading these numbers, the report does point out that more employers are automatically enrolling workers in retirement plans such as 401 (k)s, with many of those companies increasing contribution levels on a yearly basis.

EBRI’s spokesman pointed out that “We continue to find that employees lucky enough to be working for an employer that sponsors retirement plans — and who choose to take advantage of it — are not only much more likely to have a significantly higher amount of retirement savings, but also much higher confidence.”

As an American worker, what do you view your retirement to be like?

Are you confident today that you will have enough money for tomorrow or should you be doing A, B, and C to right your financial ship moving forward?

Photo credit: gobankingrates.com

Dave Thomas, who covers among other topics workers compensation and credit card processing, writes extensively for Business.com, an online resource destination for businesses of all sizes to research, find, and compare the products and services they need to run their businesses.

Use Writing Skills; Get Compensated at the Same Time

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Whether it is done as a primary job or just picking up some part-time work on the side, freelance writing is a great way to get a writer’s name out there, picking up some extra money along the way in many cases.

In the event you are considering freelance writing or have been doing it for a while but don’t feel you are getting all you can out of it, there are several things to keep in mind.

Among them are what you will be writing about, who you will be writing articles for, whether or not you will be getting compensated and how often you will be expected to craft stories.

The top challenge for many freelancers, especially those just beginning, is what their area of expertise should be.

Should they focus on an area that they currently or have worked in or choose a topic selection that is of great interest to them, even if they aren’t necessarily experts in that field?

While it is a given that newspapers and magazines are traditional sites for one to offer their freelance articles, there are many other avenues where one can find enjoyable work and make some extra money on the side. Among them are:

  • SEO Writing – If you know how to write from an SEO point of view, you can definitely find work in today’s Internet driven age. More and more companies are contracting with companies who want SEO branded copy to improve their search engine rankings. SEO writing is different from traditional writing in the sense that certain words and phrases are targeted to be picked up by the search engine. Phrasing sentences with SEO words is a little trickier than a normal sentence, but it is not that hard to do. The goal here is businesses want to attract customers, and your writing skills may just do that.
  • Copywriting – While some businesses have full-time in-house copywriters, others either give outgoing articles a quick look or look outside for freelance copywriters. If you have an eye for detail, you can accrue a rather steady stable of work in the process.
  • Resumes – With more individuals out of work these days, it should come as no surprise that many people need to keep their resumes up to speed. If you’re good with writing and editing, you can assist individuals in sharpening their resumes.
  • Press Releases – While many companies spend their time doing press releases in-house, others will look to freelancers to craft the right message for them. The style and substance of each press release will vary from company to company, so if you have a diverse writing background and can write captivating copy, this might be for you.
  • Ghostwriting – How many times have you seen ads online or elsewhere seeking a ghostwriter? Whether it is someone producing a book or movie who doesn’t have the time to write or someone isn’t a very good writer and needs assistance, ghostwriters can make some nice money in doing so. Keep in mind that you will not get a byline and any credit for the material, but it can lead to some steady and profitable work.

Where Does Pay Rank in Importance?

While freelancing does have its advantages in the eyes of many writers, one major concern is always regarding on-time payments and making sure you get paid in the first place.

In order to make sure you don’t fall victim to unscrupulous businesses for your writing services, make sure you are up front about the payment requirements when you put a business proposal together for a prospective buyer of your writing services.

To be safe, seek a contract so that everything is in writing. If you don’t want to go the contract route, at least get a proper e-mail exchange that provides the terms of the deal. With an independent contractors’ deal in writing, the chances of being taken advantage of certainly decrease.

Secondly, have in place a kill fee so that your work does not go to waste if the client kills the project and/or the piece does not reach publication.

Finally, seek a deposit up front, thereby giving both you and the client added incentive to follow through with everything.

While it doesn’t fall under the payment category, ask your client if they wouldn’t mind recommending your services to others seeking writers, proofreaders, etc.

Once the word filters around to the value of your writing services, you could be free to do more work and increase your wallet size.

Photo credit: gaebler.com

Dave Thomas, who covers among other items advice on starting a small business, writes extensively for Business.com, an online resource destination for businesses of all sizes to research, find, and compare the products and services they need to run their businesses.

Is Layoff a Precursor to Running Your Own Business?

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With the endless string of layoffs that hit American businesses the last few years, many workers were left to fend for themselves, wondering how long it may be in between jobs. For some, however, a job lost is an opportunity gained.

Whether it was a lifelong dream or born out of necessity, countless individuals have taken those layoffs and turned them into the opportunity to start and run their own small businesses. In doing so, however, they are oftentimes left with myriad of questions, both from themselves and from family and friends.

Prior to striking out on your own with what could be your dream of a lifetime, keep several things in mind about how to start a business.

On the positive side:

  • Individuals find themselves with the opportunity to make their own decisions for a change, something that can prove very refreshing;
  • Individuals are able to set their own hours. It should be noted, however, that run one’s own business oftentimes involves a lot more time and energy, especially if there is a family involved. The days of the 9 to 5 routine may very well be gone in such a situation;
  • Individuals can earn more money running their own business as opposed to working for someone else, but keep in mind that there are also more expenditures when being self-employed;
  • Individuals will likely have to find their own health insurance coverage since they are no longer under a company’s employ. There are also things to consider like employing others, providing workers comp coverage, having business insurance and more.

On the negative side:

  • Individuals are required to make all their own decisions, meaning more time and effort must go into planning things out not only today, tomorrow, next week and next month, but the next year or two;
  • Individuals may be scraping the barrel when it comes to finding all the necessary funds to not only start the business, but keep it afloat early on. We all know that many small businesses fail within the first year to three years, so make sure you have a financial lifeline available if you need it;
  • Individuals should they choose to hire employees essentially become psychologists. No two employees are alike, so expect to have to oversee an array of personalities. Running a small business is hard enough, don’t let those under you become a major distraction;
  • Individuals will have a ton of paperwork to deal with. While a small business owner can and likely will hire someone to do their books and may even have legal counsel at their disposal, there is still a paper trail that leads back to them. You need to make sure you’re an organized individual who can respond rather quickly to any customer issues, financial audits, potential lawsuits and more.

The downtrodden economy of the last few years has in turn opened up a number of doors for people who otherwise would likely still be with their employer or another one.

If your dreams of opening a small business still remain important to you, take the time to weigh the pros and cons of such a move.

Remember, it is your business to get it right the first time around.

Dave Thomas, who covers among other items obtaining phone systems, writes extensively for Business.com, an online resource destination for businesses of all sizes to research, find, and compare the products and services they need to run their businesses.

Customers and the Internet Can Be Deadly Combo for Businesses

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With all the good the Internet has brought to both businesses and customers, it also has opened a can of worms that is not too easy to close.

Take the following example:

A customer comes to your restaurant with their significant other for a special evening of fine dining and relaxation. Their waiter/waitress is running behind and is late getting them their orders. When the food does arrive, it is not what they ordered and/or is cold. The restaurant is real noisy and the couple, the ones that were planning on a peaceful dining experience, ends up feeling like they just spent an hour or two at a food court in a busy airport. When all is said and done, they leave your restaurant and haven’t even left a decent tip. Think you will never hear from them again?

In all likelihood, while you may never see them in person again, there is a very good chance you will hear from them, as will countless others.

Internet Has Changed the Ways We Do Business

You see, the ‘old days’ likely meant that you may get a letter in the mail regarding the service, but not much more than that. Okay, while it is never good business to lose a customer or two, losing a few here and there is to be expected.

But wait, what if you now lose hundreds of potential customers because of this one bad experience the couple had? Don’t think it can happen? Well, think again.

After that couple left your eatery the other night, one or both of them took to the Internet and told anyone who would listen about what a bad experience they had at your restaurant. Now, instead of maybe just their family and friends knowing about it, potentially hundreds and even thousands will hear their complaints.

Negative publicity regarding your business is certainly not a positive thing, but do you automatically have to react or does doing so actually open you up to more trouble?

First and foremost determine why the negative publicity originated:

  • Was the customer’s bad experience something that could have been prevented or were you not even aware of it until the fallout?
  • Is it a constructive comment or something that seems personal from a customer you’ve had issues with in the past?
  • Has this customer’s bad experience been something new to your business or is this becoming an unwanted trend (other customers too) as of late?
  • If you have dealt with a similar issue before, what was the outcome?

When it comes to dealing with bad publicity, the advent of the Internet years back has meant business owners now can be dealt a major blow with just a few sentences being banged out on a keyboard.

What once used to be bad publicity spread through word of mouth from one upset customer to maybe a handful of people can now be passed around like a viral wildfire by one click of a mouse. In just minutes, thousands of people can read a bad review of your business and form negative views of it in the process.

If your business believes that bad publicity is better than no publicity at all, then by all means stand back and take your chances. Chances are, however, that many companies don’t feel that way and will take a stand to deal with the matter.

If negative publicity links regarding your business seem to be spreading like wildfire, the best way to eliminate them is by using the correct SEO techniques.

Do You Know and Understand Your Online Reputation?

A positive step is hiring an expert who handles online reputation rebuilding so they can start the cleansing process of removing bad publicity links.

The individual/company you hire to rebuild your company’s reputation can simply demote bad post ranking sites from search engines such as Google, promoting positive posts for the rankings instead. The information is likely still to be on the Internet, but those researching will have a major dig on their hands.

In the event comments are left on your site via a forum or on your company’s Facebook page, it is important that you have already have in place a reader comments policy so customers know the rules up front. Not only does this protect you legally, but it also keeps your reputation in tact that you can take the heat and address the issues at heart. For those customers who leave constructive comments (not involving vulgarity, etc.), by all means leave them up, as censoring them is going to draw the ire of not only the original poster, but likely others.

Business owners can ignore the remarks and let them hopefully die or take them on and deal with those consequences.

The bottom line is trying to determine the potential impact from the comment or comments and how they can impact your wallet.

So, has your business been saddled with negative online comments in the past? If so, what did you do about them?

Photo credit: neighborhoods.redeyechicago.com

Dave Thomas writes extensively for Business.com, an online resource destination for businesses of all sizes to research, find, and compare the products and services they need to run their businesses.