Do You Want to be an Entrepreneur? - New Podcast

Come check out our new Podcast, perfect for small business owners, where we show you how to discover YOUR strengths, find your niche and make money running your own business, doing what you love! In this episode, we talk about what it takes to be an entrepreneur - to start and maintain your own business successfully over time. We also identify our 12 traits common to all successful entrepreneurs.

Go here to listen: Small Business Mavericks Podcast

How to Prevent Accusations of Spam from Destroying Your E-Mail Campaign

There are many things computer users fear.

Viruses, unexpected shutdowns, loss of saved files – this list goes on.

There is one thing that all computer users hate: spam. Formerly known as cheap meat inside of a can (from my home state, I’m not-so-proud to admit), spam is now a larger than life term that can clog email inboxes and slow down reading and sending of messages.

You probably receive spam messages every day dedicated to everything from helping you earn one million dollars to quick medicinal fixes for problems you don't even have.

While spam emails are an unavoidable aspect of using the Internet, you must ensure that your small business does not end up listed as a spammer. Being listed as a source of spam and unwanted email can doom your messages from reaching their intended sources. With the ultimate power that an accurate and good email subscription list possesses, your business needs to maintain an online impression as a sender of worthwhile and trusted information.

Every small business owner must pay attention to the prevention of accusations of spam. Even though your business may never mean to send an unsolicited email, you still run the risk of identification as a spammer. Email programs and Internet software have evolved into more advanced forms, and one of their primary goals is to eliminate spam from cyberspace. However, these programs use a variety of filters that are not entirely accurate. They may mark messages from friends and trusted sources as immediate junk, or even worse, they may never even deliver the notes.

As a small business owner, you recognize the importance of reaching your customers with special offers and new information via email. Because of this, you should make sure that your email list remains updated.

Include an “unsubscribe” option in each newsletter or email you send to your recipients in case readers no longer want to be a part of your list.

While a long list of readers is a good tool, there is nothing worse than an angry customer who is tired of receiving updates.

As soon as anyone gives you the news that he or she wants to be removed from the list, make sure this is done.

Never add an email address without a request from the recipient.

Leave a sign-up form on your website and use addresses that are personally offered.

Keep a list of who enrolls in case you are ever confronted with spam listings from individual subscribers. This serves as a good defense of your innocence.

Another note you should pay attention to when crafting consumer emails is subject lines. There are a number of programs that screen emails, and the most important part of the message is the subject. Ask your Internet service provider for a comprehensive list of terms or symbols that are sorted out as cases of spam so you can avoid using them in any of your customer messages. The service that I use to send my e-Zine, Constant Contact, has a spam checker built right in. I highly recommend using a service of this type and putting their spam checker to work before you send your e-mail campaign.

Accusations of spam can have serious consequences for your small business, and it is crucial to keep your web address free from suspicion of bad activity. Remain aware of what leads to spam listings, avoid the hassle of having to remove your business from "suspected spam" lists and blacklists and ensure your e-mail campaigns are reaching your customers, not getting stuck in their spam filters.

By taking these simple steps - before you start your e-mail campaign - you'll raise the amount of e-mails that are delivered to your customers, and your response rates - and your sales - will increase as a result. To learn more about how you can prevent accusations of spam from taking down your e-mail campaigns - and how you can find new customers in your local area and increase your sales with e-mail, visit my website at http://www.SmallBusinessMavericks.com today!

Shoppers Prefer Online to Offline!

The first time I became really aware of my preference for online shopping vs. offline was the day our popcorn popper died about 4 years ago. Thinking that this was a simple item to replace, I stopped in at my local Target store to pick one up. We're probably old-fashioned around here, but we like our popcorn popped with heat and oil (olive oil, that is). None of this air popping stuff for us!

When Target didn't have what we were looking for, I headed over to Walmart to see if they had a popcorn popper that would work for us. No such luck!

My last stop, K-mart, didn't yield any better results.

So now, frustrated at having to drive around, visit stores I hate to go into (Walmart and K-mart) and wasting a bunch of time trying to get something super simple, I realized that I could probably have just ordered it online. When I got home, I checked - and sure enough - Amazon.com had just what I was looking for.

This scenario has repeated itself a few times in our lives, when we've thought that stopping at the local store might be faster and easier than ordering online, only to find the store sold out of what we want - or not stocking it in the first place.

That's why I wasn't surprised when I read the results of the latest American Consumer Satisfaction Index that was released today. It shows that American shoppers gave online retailing a score of 80 out of 100, compared with 74.4 for offline retailers.

Because of the ability to offer vast selection - far more so than any physical store can - selling your products online helps you meet the needs of today's shoppers. Brick-and-mortar businesses who don't get with the trend and add an online component to their business - soon - are going to be in for a surprise. That's why I'm telling all my clients - "get on the Web now!"

What Headline Will Get Your Reader to Open Your E-Mail?

Return Path just recently released their "Third Annual E-mail Consumer Survey," which they conducted in December of 2006. The survey comprises responses from 2,413 people ages 18 to 54 and living in the United States and Canada. Here's what they found regarding the current state of E-mail marketing:

Why Consumers Choose to Open and Read E-Mails:

55.9% - Know and Trust the Sender
51.2% - Previously Opened from Sender and Thought Valuable
41.4% - Subject Line
32.2% - I Only Open the E-Mails I Normally Read
21.8% - Preview Window Caught my Attention
20.0% - Discount
17.5% - Free Shipping Offer
9.4% - Company Doesn't Send me Much E-Mail
8.8% - Looked Like the Catalog I Received at Home

One of the questions they asked was new for 2006:

Given all the e-mail you received this holiday season, how do you feel about signing up for new email offers in the future?

50.9% - No Different
28.5% - Slightly different, I am a bit more wary of signing up
21.5% - A lot different, I am very wary of signing up
1.9% - A lot better, I love e-mail and sign up for everything

What this tells me is that while e-mail is a tremendously powerful tool for small business owners to use in their marketing strategy, it's imperative that you do each stage of the process exactly right - customers have been bombarded by spammers trying to make a quick buck at the expense of their reputation ... you don't want to be linked to those types of con artists! By strategically planning your e-mail marketing campaigns, you can successfully avoid scaring off customers who are wary of being spammed, and use e-mail to stay in touch with current customers, find new customers and grow your sales too.


Another question that was new for 2006:

What Kinds of Subject Lines Most Attract Your Attention:

55.2% - Clearly State the Offer
49.6% - Discount or Free Shipping
48.8% - Brand Name of the Sender
33.8% - Curious
30.3% - Promise Immediate Answers (download or survey)
18.7% - Short
15.2% - Promise to Solve a Specific Problem
14.1% - Funny
11.0% - Has My Name In It

Now, this was a surprise! I can't tell you how many "internet gurus" out there will tell you that having your customer's name in the subject line is a "sure fire" way to get your customer to open it. It makes a lot of sense if you think about it from your customer's point of view, though. The winning headlines are those that state the benefit to the customer - which is, after all, just pure Marketing 101. Keep your customer in mind when marketing - whether via e-mail or anywhere else - and you'll come out on top every time.

To find out how YOU can use E-Mail marketing to find new local customers and increase your sales, visit our website at www.SmallBusinessMavericks.com/products.htm today!

Ten Ways to Get Free Publicity for Your Local Small Business

Everybody is looking for a way to get free publicity for their small business. With the Internet, it is much simpler than most would suspect to generate free publicity. The old tried and true method for free publicity is the press release.

However, there are other great methods available for free publicity that you’ll want to take advantage of, as publicity is like free advertising for your business!

#1  -  The first of the methods is very simple indeed and used by thousands of people. Write an article on the subject matter of your small business. If you are a carpet and flooring store maybe you would write an article on stains and stain removal. Nothing overly complex or in-depth, just something that defines your website. Once you are finished writing this article, place it on-line submitting it to the article directories. In the footer place the contact information for your business. It is free and will attract people that will be interested in your business.

#2  -  Second on the list is information. Start up a blog on your company site and write about your company and it's products. Simply adding a WordPress blog will generate search engine crawls and will also increase the find rate that people looking for you have for your website and company on the web.

#3  -  Third, start posting in forums and place links back to your website in the footer. Forums are a great place to build relationships with customers and to help people find your website. You just need to place the link to your website and not break the forum rules.

#4  -  Fourth, contact bloggers about upcoming company events and specials. Find bloggers that are relevant to your company and send them an e-mail. Some will mention your site or your location in their blogs. This is just another form of free publicity.

#5  -  Fifth, write a how-to article for a local newspaper or print media outlet. In the printed version make sure that your company is referenced and a link to your website can be found.

#6  -  Sixth, contact your local reporters and let them know that you are willing to be contacted for background and expert commentary. Many times a reporter will go to a trusted source, anytime your company is subsequently mentioned you will be racking up free publicity.

#7  -  Seventh, offer to speak at local events and functions. Many times churches and civic groups need to fill out their meeting agendas and a local speaker stepping forward is a welcome relief for the event organizer.

#8  -  Eighth, offer free classes or webinars on how to teach a certain skill related to your business. The large home improvement stores have capitalized on this with Saturday lessons on putting in bathrooms, floors, and a various sundry of other items. So jump in and capitalize on it also with your own teaching and instructional items.

#9  -  Ninth, simply ask your customers for a mailing list of friends if they are satisfied with your services. The mailing list can be physical or even electronic. With the electronic list contact each individual separately and with a personal e-mail. Never mass mail these people, as this would be considered spam and most likely wind up in the trash bin of the potential client.

#10  -  The tenth and final suggestion for free small business publicity is to submit information to airline magazines. Specifically talk about local events happening that pertain to areas where airlines in your area fly regularly. If you sponsor a festival or have some other small event in your region perform a write-up and submit it to the airline editor. The airline magazines reach very influential individuals and potential clients.

In short there is not a shortage of ways to get your small business free publicity without having to send out a press release. In general being helpful will get you further with your marketing efforts than just sending press releases on their own – and can result in some great free advertising opportunities for your small business!

Fun With Google

Everyone knows Google as a search engine - you can type in your search query and find out just about anything you could ever want to know.

There are some clever ways to use Google search that you might not be aware of, however. Here are some ways you can maximize YOUR Google queries:

1. Need to find out when that package is going to arrive? Simply type in a tracking number from UPS, Fed-Ex or any major shipper and you'll get your answer.

2. Wondering if your co-worker's flight will be on time? Type in an airline name followed by the flight number to check on the flight status.

3. Need to know what the new Apple iPhone will cost in Euros? Simply type in "$500 USD in euros" and Google's currency converter will hook you up.

4. Math challenged (like me)? Just type in any math problem and Google will give you the answer. (Where was this tool when I struggled through high school algebra?)

5. Not sure what the word "Kerfuffle" means? Type in define: kerfuffle and you'll have your answer.

These are just some of the creative ways you can use Google to become even more dependent upon that clever little search tool. What would we do without it?