Successful Blog

Beach Notes: Logs Unchained

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By Suzie Cheel & Des Walsh

Our previous picture Unchain My Logs left us wondering what these piles of chains and logs would become.

Several days later we were greeted with the answer. The piles of logs and chains had become a climbing balancing bridge, one of several contraptions along the beach, for some fitness activity.

For now, we’re sticking to walking and swimming.

fitness on the beach

Authors Bios: Suzie Cheel is the Heart Whisperer at Suzie Cheel You can find Suzie on Facebook and on Twitter as @suziecheel

Des Walsh is a Digital Disruption Navigator at Des Walsh Dot Com You can find Des at LinkedIn and on Twitter as @deswalsh

Book Your Small Business for Success in 2016 and Beyond

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Diversity Business People Seminar Presentation Team ConceptThe right trade show can do wonders for your small business, especially for those business owners who are just starting out and are in need of getting their names out there.

All across the country, small business owners are attending trade shows to help boost their brand presence and so can you.

Here are just a few of the many trade shows worth attending in 2016:

The Small Business Expo

If you’re looking for a trade show that features a diverse number of networking opportunities, then look no further than the Small Business Expo.

This massive trade show covers consulting, start-ups, finance, insurance, real estate, non-profit, education, marketing, advertising, technology, ecommerce, and a number of other small businesses.

In terms of an all-in-one trade show, the Small Business Expo focuses on a variety of industries, which can really help you increase exposure for your brand.

Another benefit of this trade show is it takes place throughout the year in 14 major cities including New York, Chicago, Houston, San Diego, and Atlanta just to name a few.

ASD Market Week

The retail and consumer goods industry is competitive and if you’re in the retail business, then you already know the importance of brand presence. The ASD Market Week trade show in Las Vegas can help you hone your retail sales skills and stay ahead of the competition.

This trade show invites both small businesses and distributors, which creates an effective networking atmosphere.

As the following article looks at, along with the 2 philosophies that ensure tradeshow booth success is taking advantage of future distribution.

ASD Market Week, which takes place in late February and early March each year, segments attendees based on the products they sell.

This makes it even easier for distributors to seek out your small business during the trade show.

Pubcon

If your small business needs a hand with marketing and SEO, then Pubcon is an absolute must.

Part trade show and part conference, Pubcon brings together online marketers, social media experts, and SEO masterminds for the benefit of your small business.

At this trade show, you can improve your own marketing tactics while increasing the visibility of your brand through networking and workshops. Pubcon takes place in Las Vegas and Austin, Texas every October.

CES International

Consumer technology is one of the fastest growing industries in the world.

Whether your small business builds smart devices or improves technology that’s already on the market, the CES International trade show can help you build a strong following for your brand.

CES International takes place every January in Las Vegas and features small tech companies and innovators from all across the globe.

If you’re looking for a trade show where you can market your consumer tech innovation while networking with distributors and investors, then this trade show is a must.

America’s Small Business Summit

Having a relationship with your local chamber of commerce is an important part of running a small business.

America’s Small Business Summit connects business owners with state chamber executives in order to help build lasting business relationships. The summit takes place each June in Washington, D.C. and features discussion panels from chamber policy experts.

If you’re ready to book your small business for success in 2016, then consider some of the trade shows mentioned above.

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

About the Author: Adam Groff is a freelance writer and creator of content. He writes on a variety of topics including trade shows and small business.

Should I start a podcast?

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“All my friends are doing it!”

That excuse doesn’t fly in our house, and it shouldn’t drive your marketing decisions either.

Podcasting is experiencing a well-deserved renaissance, because audio-based content is the perfect way to squeeze more productivity into our busy lives. Learn and laugh while you’re on the treadmill, while you’re driving, and while you’re brushing your teeth in the morning.

All of the great podcasts out there, and all of the discussion about podcasting, may have triggered an urge to start a podcast of your own. Before you go out and invest in that professional microphone and headphones, you need to test the idea against your marketing strategy.

A podcast can be a powerful component of your content marketing, but only if it fits into your overall business plan.

Key considerations – should you start a podcast

  • Do you have a voice for radio? If you’re going to be the primary host on air, you need to evaluate the quality of your voice when it’s recorded. Do some test recordings using your equipment, and have colleagues listen to it. Not everyone is cut out for broadcasting.
  • Are you committed to a schedule for the long term? You don’t want to burn out or ignore your primary business. Just the same as for starting a blog, you want to be sure you’re going to commit before launching your podcast. Don’t leave your listeners high and dry after three episodes!
  • Do you have a promotional plan? Producing a podcast is just the first step. Once it’s recorded, you need to know what you’ll do with that great show, and how you’ll find your audience. Check out this fantastic post from Jay Baer on producing and promoting a podcast for some inspiration.
  • Have you found a topic that you are an authority on, and is not saturated already? I don’t buy the whole “I can’t create content about X because everyone else is already covering it,” because no-one else has your specific point of view and life experiences. However, you do want to give yourself a fighting chance, so find a topic where you are the ultimate authority and can spend lots of time talking about it without running out of ideas. What are you endlessly curious about?
  • Do you have a content plan? Is the format of your show like a talk show? Will you be monologuing? If you’re going to be conducting interviews, start with a dream list of guests and do some outreach to get bookings. Bone up on the structure of a good interview, while you’re at it.
  • Do you have professional equipment and resources? The bar has been raised. You can’t just use your little white iPhone earbuds and hope for the best. The top podcasts have bumper music, logos, high quality sound, and other professional touches. You don’t have to build a studio in your backyard, but put some care into your sound equipment and it will pay off. Here’s a good summary from ReadWrite on podcasting on a budget.
  • Does your target customer listen to podcasts? Do some market research…ask your current customers if they’d listen to a podcast from you. Check out the professional research on podcast listeners and trends.

You went through the checklist above, and oops…you got derailed on a few of them. But you still want to take advantage of the power of podcasting. No worries, there are other ways you can incorporate audio into your marketing plan.

Alternatives to producing your own podcast

  • Sponsorship – Invest some of your advertising budget in sponsoring a popular podcast in your business niche.
  • Be a guest – All of those podcasts are constantly seeking interesting guests and good stories, so why not go pitch yourself to some of your favorites?
  • Invite a podcaster to your blog – Flip the tables and interview some popular (and relevant) podcasters on your blog. They’ll probably promote it to their audiences.
  • Create content that accompanies a podcast – Create a partnership with a podcaster and help develop written content (or video) that compliments the audio.

I’d love to hear from any readers who are doing their own podcasts. Post a link to your show in the comments so we can all listen!

 

Featured image via Flickr CC: Patrick Breitenbach

Author’s Bio: Rosemary O’Neill is an insightful spirit who works for Social Strata — makers of the Hoop.la community platform. Check out the Social Strata blog. You can find Rosemary on Google+ and on Twitter as @rhogroupee

 

Are You Up for a Content Audit?

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Start Now Thumbs UpYour website is the front door to your virtual store.

The content you offer on your site is akin to the fixtures, services and products that you would have in a brick and mortar store.

Just as you would want to make sure your customers have a positive experience inside your store, you should make sure your customers enjoy visiting your website content.

Website content consists of anything and everything on your website.

That includes the written word, pictures, infographics and navigation menus. Making sure that all of your website content is optimized is critical to the success of your business.

One way to ensure that your website is working the way you want it to is to have a content audit. A content audit is a third-party, objective review of your site’s content.

When you subscribe to a content audit, you will receive a detailed, thorough report of all the things that are wrong – or right – about your website content.

Visitors are Fickle

If you’re wondering why you should invest in a content audit, consider this.

Recent studies report that most site visitors give your website no longer than 15 seconds before deciding if they are going to leave or if they are going to stay. That’s only a quarter of a minute.

As the following article looks at, if you wondered why your website needs a content audit, that should firmly answer your question.

Type of Content Matters

Some things that a content audit will uncover include problems with the content itself.

Google’s constant updates require more and better written content. Those site owners who think they are pulling one over on the Google Panda update by regurgitating old website copy are penalized with low page rankings.

Unique, engaging written content will get your website up front and in front of the competition.

Effect of Images on Your Site

Another aspect of your site that a content audit will uncover is if you have too many or too few images on your site.

For better or worse, many people who browse the Internet need images to help retain their interest.

Without pictures, many visitors will feel overwhelmed with content that appears boring or bland. Images help break up content, but at the same time, there can be too many images and not enough of the written word.

That’s where the content auditor comes in.

Through experience and analysis, a content auditor can arrive at the exact number of images your site should have in relation to the number of pages on the site, and the rest of the content.

Don’t fear a content audit. No matter what they turn up, the solution is an easy one.

You’ll either have to have a complete site redesign, or simply have to adjust a few things on the site.

Whatever the results of the audit, the answers are within your control.

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

About the Author: Kate Supino writes extensively about best business practices.

“Gotta Get Mine” Is Unsustainable

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I fall under this lie a lot – that I have to live like I gotta get mine.  If I’m not out for me, who else will be, right?

Wrong. So wrong.

Think about your closest relationship – maybe with a spouse, a friend or a family member. Think about a time when you approached that relationship solely with a “gotta get mine” mentality. How did that go? How would it go if you did that all the time with them?

Ok, but that’s personal relationships. It’s different in business, isn’t it?

I sat down with a few businessmen a month or so ago. I asked them what is the greatest lesson they’ve learned in business. The eldest two affirmed that they’ve learned the value of giving something away and not strapping people for money for everything they do. They’ve experienced growth in their business when they haven’t nickel-and-dimed people, but instead have been generous with their skills and connections.

We know this intuitively, don’t we? We dislike paying people who feel like they’re only out for themselves. Trust is an essential component of business.  And we don’t usually feel like we can trust people who seek their own interests over ours.

And we also know the opposite is true – we more easily trust individuals who sacrifice for us.  I trust my mom with my life because of how much she’s sacrificed for me. And there are a few select others I trust because of how they have served me so thoroughly. You’ve got people like this too. 

“Gotta get mine” isn’t really accurate either. It’s backwards. If we truly were out for our own interests, we would seek to serve others. We would probably be happier and run more sustainable businesses if our primary focus was on serving others. In fact, the people I know that constantly focus on themselves are the most miserable people I know.

“Gotta get mine” is unsustainable in business and in life because we live and do business with people. We need to be able to trust each other if we want to do well. We’re all better if we’re out for each other’s best, rather than our own. Let’s bury “gotta get mine.”

 

Image info: Original image by Death To The Stock Photo.

About the Author: Lindsey Tolino comes alongside artisans, craftsman and people monetizing their passions to help them create healthy businesses. She shares her heart at ToBusinessOwners.com. Follow her on Twitter @LindseyTolino or connect with her on Google+.

Are Printed Business Cards Obsolete?

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The conference was fantastic.

I attended lots of sessions where I learned new things, I got a good sense for where my industry is going, and I had lots of great one-on-one, eyeball-to-eyeball conversations.

In the past, my first activity when I returned home from a conference was to place a giant stack of business cards on my desk, and enter the information into my contacts.

This week, it hit me that I came home with only a small stack of business cards, and most of them were from vendors I spoke with in the exhibition area.

Hmmmm.

What has changed?

  • A shift toward authentic connections, rather than business transactions
  • Social networks now contain the vital contact information
  • The world moves too fast for print; we all have half-full boxes of cards with old titles, phone numbers, and emails
  • People change jobs and companies more often
  • More online networking than offline…no need for thousands of cards

But there is still a place for printed business cards.

 

The Case for Business Cards

They provide a tangible reminder of a moment in time. I know some who jot down a quick note on the back of business cards, either to remind themselves of where they met or some physical characteristic of the person to aid in remembering their name later.

Personality/branding and succinct messaging. Your business card can sometimes give a more precise and quick summary of your business than you can, off the cuff. For situations where an elevator pitch isn’t feasible (in an actual elevator, for example), a quick handing over of the card and “please call/email me when you have a moment to talk” might work.

Stand in for your physical presence. When I bought my last car, the salesperson handed me several of his business cards to give to my friends/family who might be in the market for a car. Handing out business cards can make it easy for your customers to refer people to you, and ensure that your messaging isn’t mangled in the translation.

 

The Case Against Business Cards

Startups can save money. Cards aren’t really that expensive, but if you add up the design time, printing, and reprinting, along with the waste, it might be an expense that a small startup can skip.

You may work harder to make an impression. My friend Lisa Jenkins told me once that, “if I can’t remember you without a business card, you didn’t make a very big impression!” I like the idea that the force of your personality or the strength of your connection will leave a memory stronger than a piece of paper.

Save trees, resources. I probably have a full forest worth of old business cards in my office. The move toward paperless communication is leaving printed business cards, brochures, and other detritus of the old system behind.

 

Where do you stand? Are you still handing out paper business cards? What do you do with the ones you bring home?

 

 

Author’s Bio: Rosemary O’Neill is an insightful spirit who works for Social Strata — makers of the Hoop.la community platform. Check out the Social Strata blog. You can find Rosemary on Google+ and on Twitter as @rhogroupee

 

Featured image via Flickr CC: Geoffrey Franklin