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• Wella, Wella, Wella, Huh! 29 September, 2011, 8:17 am
  I was struck by a story in the New York Times today about entrepreneur Christy Prunier, who introduced a line of soap, cosmetics and bath products for preteen girls under the brandname "Willa." She started the product line three years ago after her 8-year-old daughter, Willa, put her foot down and said she no longer wanted to use soaps meant for babies....Read Full Post
• Why Google+ is Important for Entrepreneurs 25 September, 2011, 12:18 pm
  Just when you thought you had social media covered with Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, now there's
• Method Looks to be Cleaning Up 23 September, 2011, 2:50 am
  I love me some Morning Joe on MSNBC .I'm watching the founders of Method, the nearly-ubiquitous "green" cleaning brand. The two young founders (under 40) look like they came straight from central casting. Their products displayed in front of Mika, Willie, Barnicle. "Our house is full of this stuff," Willie says. Mika said she's going to take a bunch of it home. The founders have a new book out (I am always a little suspicious when small business execs have time to write a book, but nevermind), called The Method Method. I checked out their website and, wow, it is really very good. While I have never purchased their products (I'm more of a Costco guy when it comes to soap),
• Slurp. That's the Sound of BlackBerry Going Down the Drain 16 September, 2011, 2:02 am
  The folks who made my buggy-slow two-year-old BlackBerry released their second quarter earnings yesterday -- down 58.7 percent. Whoops! The New York Times reported that analysts are circling overhead in buzzard formation: "Mike Abramsky, of RBC Captial Markets, challenged the company's forecast, saying to Mr. Balsillie [the co-CEO], 'I'm just wondering why you feel that confident.'"...Read Full Post
• What it Takes to be an Entrepreneur -- and a Franchisee 14 September, 2011, 2:04 pm
  I loved reading today's New York Times story about the renegade Applebee's franchisee in New York, who now owns 34 of the chain's restaurants. His locations average $4.25 million in annual revenue -- twice the average Applebee's, the Times reports. The owner, Zane Tankel, perfectly articulates the way someone can be a franchisee and an entrepreneur. Most franchisees are sheep, not business people. They're hoping someone else's vision will save them, as long as they can follow the manual. Tankel said fuggedaboutit to the manual. He changed menus, uniforms, hiring practices and many other operating assumptions that Applebee's considers sacrosanct....Read Full Post
• What Would it Take for the U.S. to be World Class Again? 12 September, 2011, 1:57 am
  There has been significant criticism from the business community of President Obama's new jobs proposal. Some say giving a
• What Did You Think of the President's Jobs Speech? 8 September, 2011, 1:07 pm
  Wow, that was a good speech, no? What did you think?
• Anyone Want to Hire Carol Bartz Now? 7 September, 2011, 1:59 am
  Anyone want to hire Carol Bartz? Not likely. Here's how Yahoo's CEO handled her termination yesterday: she sent an email to everyone in the company that read, "To all, I am very sad to tell you that I've just been fired over the phone by Yahoo's Chairman of the Board. It has been my pleasure to work with all of you and I wish you only the best going forward. Carol....Read Full Post
• Jobs, Jobs, Jobs, Jobs, Jobs, Jobs, Jobs, Jobs, Jobs, Jobs, Jobs, Jobs 7 September, 2011, 12:41 am
  The buzz is starting about President Obama's jobs speech on Thursday night. He reportedly will propose a $300 billion jobs program involving tax cuts, infrastructure spending and aid to states and localities.
• Small Businesses Argue on Ways to Get Out of the Economic Mess 5 September, 2011, 2:59 pm
  A few weeks ago,

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SmallBiztrends

• Pay-to-Play Becoming Less Common in Venture Capital 23 January, 2012, 6:00 am
  To motivate investors to reinvest in additional rounds of financing at start-up companies, venture capital deals often include “pay-to-play” provisions. Under these provisions, investors that don’t reinvest have their preferred stock converted to common stock or otherwise made less preferential, VC Experts explains. According to venture capitalist Brad Feld, pay-to-play provisions were rare in the 1990s. But after the Internet bubble popped in 2001, they became very common. New data show that investors have moved away from pay-to-play provisions in recent years. The figure below shows data on the share of venture capital deals with pay-to-play provisions taken from the Venture Capital Report produced by law firm Cooley LLP. While the data only cover deals for which Cooley did the legal work, they show the frequency with which VCs are using pay-to-play provisions. While the trend is imprecise, the pattern is clear. Pay-to-play provisions have become less common since the fourth quarter of 2003 when Cooley first began to track this measure. What does this trend mean for venture capital? Pay-to-play provisions encourage investors to reinvest when the condition of a business isn’t encouraging. If fewer venture capital deals have pay-to-play provisions then VCs will be less likely to put additional money into start-ups in down rounds than they used to be. Source: Created from data from the Cooley Venture Capital Report, various issues From Small Business TrendsPay-to-Play Becoming Less Common in Venture Capital
• Create Your Own Roadmap with Your Small Business 23 January, 2012, 3:30 am
  Every small business is different, so, of course, every entrepreneur will be charting new territory. If there were a simple manual or step by step approach for operating any business, everyone could be a small business owner. Unfortunately, it’s a bit more complicated. Tips For Success Don’t have a clue? Not to worry. One of the things to remember about launching a small business is that often times there is no roadmap when you begin. Don’t sweat it if you feel as if you’re making things up as you go along. CreateHype The one thing your business needs. You might be surprised by the answer to this question. Businesses of any size need leaders who spread ideals and are artists creating a business with unique vision. What skills do you bring to your small business leadership? Fast Company Important Trends Why we need black entrepreneurs. One critic says cuts in the public sector and a tough economy have had a disproportionate impact on the black middle class. One answer? Entrepreneurship! Now, startups in the black community are seen as key to maintaining a middle class lifestyle. Bloomberg Businessweek Optimize your WordPress business blog. Do you use WordPress for your business blog? Odds are you do. The platform is very popular with business and other bloggers alike. But how do you or your Web developer make sure you are getting all you can out of the platform? HostCube Home Business & Franchise Calling in sick. From time to time everyone feels under the weather. It’s a fact that many full-time employees take for granted. When you’re too sick to work, you call the boss and tell him/her you won’t be coming in. But what if the boss is you? Planting Money Seeds Franchises need not be feared. You may have read stories about communities less than pleased with franchises starting up locally. That’s a shame says franchise expert Joel Libava a.k.a. the Franchise King, who points to one community clear on the benefits. Become A Franchise Owner! Planning Ahead Do you have a business plan? You can think of it as a roadmap to small business success, but the fact is that the benefit of planning in anything is that it forces you to focus on direction. Don’t worry about creating the perfect plan. Just create a roadmap and start traveling. The Small Business Playbook Budgeting for your business. Making sure your business makes (dollars and) cents is hugely important in any economy. It’s great if your customers love your products, but are you budgeting your money well enough to be sure you have profit in the end? Bloggertone Leadership Lessons 10 things that will make you a success. What if you had a crystal ball that could tell you whether or not your next business would be a success? Well, it’s not quite that easy, but it turns out there may be some key indicators. Business Insider How to hire well. The cost of hiring new employees can be more than you might imagine, but top performers are just what any business needs for success. How are you managing your hiring so that the cost does not outweigh the benefits? Z-S Knowledge Center From Small Business TrendsCreate Your Own Roadmap with Your Small Business
• 8 Ways to Finance Your Startup with Debt: Part 2 22 January, 2012, 12:30 pm
  I mentioned this article to someone recently who was surprised at the limited number of debt options for startup companies.  I asked her to do some research and encouraged her to come on and comment on the story if she has some other suggestions.  It’s not that we’re discussing the “only” debt options for startups but, rather, we’re talking about the most common options or the solutions that can be employed by the majority.  The answers to all your prayers may not be here but it’s important to clearly understand your options and the beginning of empowerment is to know what can and can’t be done so that decisive action can be taken. So here we go with our next set of startup debt financing options: SBA Loan – We’re all familiar with SBA loans and I know they have a bad name with some but, if you’re a startup, don’t discard this option.  Brock Blake is the CEO of Lendio, a free small business resource that should be utilized by any small business owner looking for capital.  According to Blake: “SBA can be a great option for startups looking for capital.  One of the most important requirements is strong personal credit. With good credit, it’s likely that a startup could get approved for a loan up to $35,000 through the Community Express or Community Advantage loan programs. For larger loan sizes, the business owner will need a combination of strong credit, industry experience, collateral, and a thorough business plan.” Home Equity Line of Credit or HELOC – I realize this isn’t 2007 so there are not nearly as many HELOC’s being handed out.  However, there are still people who either own their homes free and clear with no financing or they have a lot of equity.  People who have been downsized after several years in the workforce.  Others have inherited a property from parents or grandparents and now they have options to borrow against their new home.  So, despite the fact that approximately 30% of homeowners owe more than their homes are worth, there is still a large army out there with equity.  If you’re part of the silent “equity army” and you’re looking for a HELOC then you may be wise to look at the smaller banks and credit unions since the lending challenges and issues at the big banks are well documented.  Lastly, even though HELOC’s are not nearly as prevalent as they once were, they belong on the list of options. Peer to Peer Loan aka P2P – I’m still amazed that, with all the requirements involved in being a lender and the burdensome requirements of the SEC, that we still have lenders who are willing to offer small loans like the P2P lenders.  So on one hand they are great.  But if you visit the websites for two of the largest P2P lenders, Prosper and Lending Club, you’ll quickly learn that these loans aren’t cheap.  With closing costs and high APY’s this is not your bank loan with minimal closing costs and a reasonable interest rate. However, there are tens of millions of dollars of loans being issued through these networks and the default rates are rather minimal.  So they have created models that work.  The downside is that loan amounts are pretty low on average.  Lending limits are usually $25,000 to $35,000 and the average loan sizes that are being approved are much lower than those limits.  You’ll almost always get better terms on a credit card which allows you to use the funds over and over again instead of only once like a loan – and you may be able to get a larger credit limit as well.  P2P loans may not be cheap and they do have their downsides but these are a good fit for the right person. Contract Financing – This is a relatively new financing option that allows business owners to capitalize on a contract that is either existing or in the beginning stages of negotiation.  Kris Roglieri is the founder of Commercial Capital Training Group and the President of a national commercial finance company who has used contract financing for many clients.  Roglieri explains it like this: “By having a contact, some lenders can immediately monetize a portion of the fixed payment stream from the contract to fund the small business in order to perform on the contract. This method allows the business to grow effectively and is a far cheaper debt option compared to giving up equity to a lender or investor.”  The credit of the borrower and financials of the new business are not a factor in determining whether or not a business can access capital from their contract.  Roglieri points out that: “The underlining factor in a lenders decision to monetize a contract is solely done on the issuer of the contract and their credit worthiness.  Ideally, the business provides a unique technology or service to an investment grade company and has a fixed contract over a period of time.” So the bottom line is to know and understand what your options are.  After all, how can you make the best decision if you don’t know what your options are and which one or which combination is best for you?  Be sure to check out Part 1 too.  I realize that not every option is here but we welcome your comments.  So to all my fellow business owners keep living the dream! Home Equity Loan Photo via Shutterstock From Small Business Trends8 Ways to Finance Your Startup with Debt: Part 2
• Start Your Engines and Read the “Roadmap to Revenue” 22 January, 2012, 6:30 am
  Now that we are solidly into 2012, it’s time to stop dreaming and start doing.  One of my business resolutions was to create product and service offerings that are rooted in targeting my ideal customer, what’s important to them when they are buying what I’m selling and then developing an offer that is structured for exactly how they want to buy. Over the last few years, I’d done a decent job of targeting my customers and understanding what was important to them, but I’ve never really created an offer around exactly how they want to buy.  I’m not going to kid you – it’s been a challenging process that’s involved daily quiet sessions picking through my brain, observing my customers’ behavior and trying to parse out exactly what’s going to resonate with them. The Universe must have gotten wind of all these brainwaves because soon after making this commitment in my business, I received a review copy from the author of Roadmap to Revenue: How to Sell the Way Your Customers Want to Buy by Kristin Zhivago (@KristinZhivago).  And what’s really strange is that I was certain that I had passed the book on to another reviewer on the team and was kicking myself for not hanging onto it and then as I was looking for another book – THERE IT WAS!  That’s when the theme from the Twilight Zone started ringing in my head.  I was meant to read this book and share it with you. The Culture has Firmly Moved Into a Customer-Driven Market If you’ve taken any marketing classes or read any older marketing books, you might remember the standard history chapter on how the culture has moved from being manufacturing driven (build it and they will come) to being sales driven (sell it to them and they will buy) to being market driven (give them what they want) to being customer driven (know what the customer wants and how they want it). Roadmap to Revenue is one of those books that will help you build your marketing strategy and system around creating a customer experience that just resonates so that your customers choose you.  This book would be a great follow-up book to the series we did that includes SNAP Selling, SHIFT and Selling to the C-Suite. Let’s Take a Road Trip Around Roadmap to Revenue One of my favorite aspects of this book is  the graphic inside the front cover.  I received a hard back review copy, so the summary map and graphic are easy to find, easy to read and serve as a terrific introduction to what’s coming up as well as a resources to double check my marketing efforts to make sure I’m going in the right direction.  (Don’t you just love the analogy?  It’s effortless.) Your journey starts at the Awakening Point where you DISCOVER what your customers want and figure out a way to make purchasing easier.  Then you move on to Resolution Junction where you DEBATE the differences between what they want and what you have to sell.  And finally you DEPLOY as you hit Lake Turnaround.  Here you map out the buying process and start moving toward “Revenue City!” What Make Kristin Zhivago a Great Tour Guide on the Road to Revenue? Kristin Zhivago is a “Revenue Coach” who helps CEOs and entrepremeurs make more money by understanding exactly what their customers want to buy from them – and how they want to buy it.  She’s been at this a long time.  She founded her company Zhivago Management Partners in 1979 and since then, she’s worked with companies such as IMB, Dow Jones and Johnson & Johnson. What You’ll See Along The Roadmap to Revenue Zhivago has some specific suggestions as to WHY and HOW we are actually standing in the way of our customers choosing us.  These start early in the book on pages 6 – 9.  I’d recommend spending some quality time with this list.  You might want to mark the ones you think you are guilty of so that you can focus on those in your marketing plans later. And remember the model I told you about inside the front cover?  You’ll get into all the details in Chapter 2.  Chapters 3 – 5 get into the “what to do” of each phase of your road to revenue.  Chapters 6 – 12 really dig deep into understanding your customers and their buying process. One powerful way of designing a marketing process around a customer is to create a “persona” of a real person.  Give them a name and describe their real world experiences as realistically as possible.  In Roadmap to Revenue you’ll meet Joe. Zhivago breaks down this fictitious customers every move and every thought and then shows you how to think about your marketing messages so that Joe has an easy purchasing experience with you. Who Will Get the Most Out of Roadmap to Revenue? Small business owners – especially those who serve consumers such as retailers or consumer services providers will find a lot of great ideas in this book. Sales and marketing managers will be able to identify their own “blocking” behaviors that keep customers from buying from them. What To Look Out For on Your Trip Through the Book There is a good possibility that you will pick up this book, read it and nod your head – but then do nothing.   While the book is absolutely loaded with information, and how-to advice, it stops short of feeding it to you.  After going through the book I went to the Kristin Zhivago web site to see what online resources were available for Roadmap to Revenue.  All I found was a page that described the book and how to buy it.  Then I went to the book jacket where I found Kristin Zhivago’s blog, Revenue Journal.  You’ll find lots of articles there – but no worksheets or templates or guidelines that I think would have made it easier for customers of this book to actually put these principles in action. But don’t let this stop you.  If you’re ready to become a more customer-friendly business that makes it easy to buy from you, then this is a book that is right up your alley. From Small Business TrendsStart Your Engines and Read the “Roadmap to Revenue”
• Latest Small Business Events 21 January, 2012, 12:46 pm
  Every two weeks we put together a list of key events for small businesses and entrepreneurs. The following Small Business Events Guide contains worthwhile events for those wanting to grow their businesses: * * * * * The Art of the Cold Call // BUSINESS 153 January 23, 2012, New York City So your startup doesn’t have any money for a fancy ad campaign or a seasoned sales exec. You can barely keep the lights on as it is. But you know that your product is amazing, and if only your clients knew about you, you would be raking in the dollars. For a struggling start up like yours, there is only one way to make that happen. Pick up the phone. Cold calling is a deeply psychological exercise. We’ll start with a brainstorm. Why is cold calling so hard? What do you feel when you get that call? When you make one? We’ll tackle these issues so that you can build up your confidence and deliver a flawless call. Introduction to Developing Entrepreneurial Ideas Four Session Series: January 23 & 30, February 6 & 13, New York City Do you have an idea but you are not sure if you can make a business out of it, or have an idea but need to refine it? Or need help in creating, reviewing or evaluating an idea? This class will focus over four sessions on the idea generation process and generating creative new ideas and turning entrepreneurial ideas into businesses. Often people think they need just one great business idea and this idea will cover them in a “flash of genius.” While this can be true, often good business ideas get developed, molded, and improved over time. We will discuss both products and services ideas and focus on how to transform an idea or invention into an economically viable innovation and business. Tax Tips and IRS Examination Advice for Small Business Owners January 25, 2012, Wheaton, MD If you are a small business and want to learn tips about taxes and the IRS examination, this class is for you! This class will be taught by small business accountants and attorneys. In this workshop attendees will learn 1) tax tips, 2) how to prepare for tax season, 3) red flags for being selected for examination, 4) the elements of an examination, 5) how an examination proceeds, and 6) potential outcomes. One 2.5 hour session. How to Drive Buyers for Your Book, in Droves January 31, 2012 –  Twitter chat, 7:00 pm New York time Presented by the 4th Annual Small Business Book Awards, this hour-long Twitter chat will help authors and aspiring authors learn the secrets to marketing your book. Today, even the largest publishers do a limited amount to market a book.  As an author, it’s up to you to take charge, make your book known, and find buyers.  And today many of the sales efforts focus online, or a combination of online and offline.  This chat on Twitter, from 7 to 8 pm Eastern time, will features authors and book publicists.  Twitter chat sponsored by JustRetweet.com. Small Biz Success Summit 2012 February 1 – 23, 2012 – Online Presented by Social Media Examiner, this mega-event is designed to help you grow your small business using social media. There’s no travel! You simply attend this online event from the comfort of your home or office. It consists of multiple online webinars and Q&A sessions spread out from February 1 to 23, 2012.  Recordings and transcripts also available. You will hear from 28 of the world’s top small-biz social media experts, including: John Jantsch (author, Duct Tape Marketing), Anita Campbell (founder, Small Business Trends), Michael Stelzner (founder, Social Media Examiner and author, Launch), Mari Smith (co-author, Facebook Marketing),  Brian Clark (founder, Copyblogger Media), Lee Odden (founder, TopRank Online Marketing), Ramon Ray (founder, Small Biz Technology and author, Technology Solutions for Growing Businesses).   —->  Register now. Sponsorships 101: How to Find them, Close them and Create Value for them February 2, 2012, San Francisco Events, events, events! They are everywhere, especially in tech. Over the last two years, pariSoma has hosted over 300 events. Some of them were co-organized, some self-organized, and some completely independent. What was needed for many of them were sponsors! Sponsors help you grow your community, create a value add, and of course, cover your costs. This class will teach you how to look for sponsors, how to engage with them, how to create value for them, and how to close them. Getting Down to Social Business February 3, 2012, Atlanta Social Media, Social Networks, Mobility and Cloud services are impacting all aspects of life today. While “social” has been driven by personal/consumer enthusiasm, it has carried over to business interactions – external (with customers and prospects) and internally (between colleagues across the organization and with trusted partners). Topics covered include: Changing Corporate Culture to Win Over Customers and Employees in the Social Age Big Data and the Social Customer – How to Turn Information into Insights, Interactions and Long Customer Relationships The Subscription Economy: Using Clouds, Marketplaces and Social Strategies to Connect with Today’s Customer ROI: How to determine the value of Social Initiatives to the Organization – How to determine the Value of The Social Customer to the Organization Beyond Marketing and Promotion: How Social Initiatives Are Being Used In Overlooked Areas To Help Businesses Compete in Today’s Market The Collaborative Organization: Tools and Tactics for Interacting in a Multi-channel, Multi-device World Speakers include Paul Greenberg, Author of CRM at the Speed of Light, Anita Campbell, Publisher, Small Business Trends, Jeff Nolan, VP of Product Marketing, Get Satisfaction, Jeanne Hopkins, VP of Marketing, HubSpot, and Robin Carey, CEO of Social Media Today. Where Is Everyone?: The Remote Project Manager’s Arsenal February 6, 2012, San Francisco So how exactly does one manage a tribe and change the world, with all these to-do’s and deadlines bogging us down? Not to mention the finicky Skype calls, buried emails, and timezone arithmetic. Join us for practical tips to get more out of you and your team: - Preemptive strike: attack problems before they happen - Two (free!) tools for working better, and how to set them up - Your inbox is a blackhole. Get out of it. - Social psychology 101 -And more… Specifically designed with the remote project manager in mind, this class will cover tips that go beyond watercooler politics and planning agendas. Methods will be applicable to MiF-carrying PM’s and jetsetting entrepreneurs, to office bees who occasionally work from home… or anyone who has to work with other humans. Small Biz Big Things February 7, 2012, San Francisco Small Biz Big Things is all about YOU, YOUR BUSINESS, YOUR challenges. In this interactive forum you’ll hear from business growth experts who have built (or are building) successful companies and can share their lessons learned, success stories, growth challenges and victories with you. Speakers include Scott Hintz, co-founder of Tripit, Jim Fowler, who built Jigsaw and sold it to Salesforce.com, and Tamara Mendelsohn, VP of Marketing for Eventbrite. Come network, have a great lunch and learn from experts who can help you GROW YOUR BUSINESS.   Social Media Week February 13-17, 2012 – London, Miami, New York, San Francisco + More Reflecting the global impact of social media – and its role as a catalyst in driving cultural, economic, political and social change in developed and emerging markets – Social Media Week is one of the world’s most unique global platforms, offering a series of interconnected activities and conversations around the world on emerging trends in social and mobile media across all major industries. See website for each city’s schedule of events. Small Farms Conference February 25, 2012, Corvallis, OR The event includes workshops ranging from harvesting rainwater and marketing meat products to grafting vegetables and selling produce to schools and hospitals. Speakers include farmers, OSU faculty, farmer’s market representatives and experts from the state Department of Agriculture. Other topics include farm financing, land-use legislation and business plan development. Inc. GrowCo March 5-7, 2012, New Orleans Come to GROWCO and master the strategies, tactics, and real-world solutions your company needs to thrive. Packed with actionable insights, GROWCO can be a life-changing event. You’ll learn from mega-successful entrepreneurs whose companies have created millions of dollars of wealth and tens of thousands of jobs…and a lot more. Seventh Annual Small Business Summit 2012 March 6, 2012, New York City The Small Business Summit is New York’s premier event for small business owners looking to network with other decision-makers, attend cutting edge seminars and shop around for products & services available to help their small businesses succeed. You’ll network with 500+ attendees, hear from small business experts in exciting presentations and panel discussions, and have a great lunch. The winner of the Small Business Strategy Award will be announced live, plus great raffles and giveaways. Early Bird Registration Rate of $149 through February 24th. Geek Girl Cape Cod Boot Camp 2012 March 17, 2012, Cape Cod, MA Whether you are a beginner newbie who needs hand-holding on all things computer, to the intermediate self-starter entrepreneur who needs some new tools, to you entirely tuned-in code toads looking to learn, there is a workshop for you at this bootcamp. See website for full list of sessions. 2012 Ohio Business Matchmaker March 20-21, 2012, Dayton, OH The Ohio Business Matchmaker 2012 event is a unique opportunity for exhibitors, purchasing agents (buyers), trainers, and small business owners (suppliers of goods and services) to come together. More than 1,300 small business owners who represent small, minority, service-disabled veteran-owned, veteran-owned, HUBZone, women-owned businesses, and approximately 250 purchasing representatives from city, state, county, and federal agencies will be participating this year. Prime contractors and other organizations with a combined purchasing budget representing hundreds of millions of dollars in opportunities will attend as well. In addition to one-on-one matchmaking meetings, this event will offer exhibitors networking opportunities and workshops covering current topics vital to small business success such as Selling to the Government, Doing Business with Federal Government Prime Contractors, SBA Policy Updates, and Surety Bonding. Social Tech ’12 March 29-30, 2012, Seattle Social media marketing is no longer an option for B2B—it’s an absolute necessity. Luckily, we’ve got you covered with over 25 of the leading experts who will teach you how to use social media marketing to generate more inbound leads, grow brand awareness, drive conversions, and increase revenue. You’ll meet with industry insiders as well as other B2B marketers to discuss best practices, winning techniques, current roadblocks, and find out what works for your business! Infusioncon 2012 April 2-4, Phoenix, AZ Get ready to learn, network and set new ideas in motion! Join hundreds of small businesses from all around the world at InfusionCon 2012, Infusionsoft’s annual user conference, and experience three days of idea sharing and inspiration in beautiful Phoenix, Arizona on April 2-4. Innovation Uncensored April 18, 2012, New York City Where provocative thinkers collide and engage in meaningful, unexpected conversations. At this event, participants from various industries are charged with sharing smart techniques and exploring the next generation of innovative ideas that are shaping our world. Confab: The Content Strategy Conference May 14-16, 2012, Minneapolis Deep dives. Conceptual discussions. Practical application. Whether you’re a seasoned content vet or new to the game, Confab has something for you. You’re sure to walk away with not only new insights and discoveries, but also the ability to actually DO something with them. A mixed agenda format will offer attendees a variety of ways to engage with and employ the innovative ideas that come from the scintillating content and unexpected environment. The event content is aimed toward anyone who thinks of themselves as an innovative business leader including but not limited to the fields of technology, design, marketing, entertainment, venture capitalism, energy, infrastructure, non-profits and brand executives. America’s Small Business Summit 2012 May 21-23, 2012, Washington, DC The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s annual event — America’s Small Business Summit — unites small business owners, managers, and entrepreneurs from across the country to learn, network, and discuss common legislative and management concerns. Past speakers include former President George W. Bush, General Stanley McChrystal, Small Business Editor of the WSJ Colleen DeBaise, and many more. Attendees help influence our nation’s economic and political agenda by advocating for pro-business policies through the Rally on the Hill portion of the program. The event will take place at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C., on May 21-23, 2012. For more information and important dates, check the Summit website, www.uschambersummit.com. 8th Annual Kentucky Innovation and Entrepreneurship Conference June 1, 2012, Louisville, KY The Annual Kentucky Innovation and Entrepreneurship Conference (8th KIEC) will bring together distinguished speakers, tech-based economic development practitioners, researchers, innovators, entrepreneurs, students and postdoctoral fellows. The conference will focus on growing local initiatives powered by science and engineering talent. 2012 Veteran Entrepreneur Training Symposium June 11-14, 2012, Reno, NV Designed by Veteran small business owners for Veteran small business owners, VETS2012 brings government agencies, industry leaders and Veteran entrepreneurs together in a small, intimate forum to discuss the questions you need answered. To find more small business events, contests and awards, visit the Small Business Events Calendar. If you are putting on a small business event or contest, and want to get the word out, please submit it through our Events & Contests Submission Form (it’s free). Only events of interest to small business people, freelancers and entrepreneurs will be included. Brought to you as a community service by Small Business Trends and Smallbiztechnology.com. From Small Business TrendsLatest Small Business Events
• Data Driven Marketing Makes Branding Objectives Clear 21 January, 2012, 6:30 am
  The numerous ways to conduct digital marketing, combined with traditional media, can create an elaborate process to measure results.  To make  the hard work of analysis easier, try Data Driven Marketing: The 15 Metrics Everyone In Marketing Should Know by Mark Jeffery.  Jeffery, a professor at the Kellogg School of Management, has provided the right starting points to discovering the value of a data-driven marketing campaign. The book is also an excellent primer for small businesses establishing a measurement platform.   I picked up a copy from a local bookstore to review. The introductory chapters explain the role metrics play, based on surveying 252 firms dedicating $53 billion to marketing.  Examples like Circuit City’s failure – constantly running sales to draw customers despite thin retail margins – make effective punchlines, particularly with counterpoints such as competitor Best Buy spending its budget on branding and customer relationships. “…few firms get marketing, and many do not.  The result is that firms that get marketing have a competitive advantage and those that don’t struggle.” The first opening chapters note why many companies are not analytic, outlining obstacles to data driven marketing and defining traditional marketing metrics. One typical excuse of B2B businesses – “We’re a B2B company and sell indirectly to customers. As a result we don’t know who our customers are.”  In the best analytic traditions, Jefferies remind that improvement is possible without oversell: “There is a frame work for developing a data-driven marketing strategy. You don’t need 100% of the data to get started.” The next book segment outlines the 15 Metrics ballyhooed in the title.  Five nonfinancial metrics are grouped, with the next 4 grouped to address return on investment.  Chapter 6 is a particular favorite (All Customers are Not Equal: Metric #10 – Customer Lifetime Value).  It includes a breakdown formula for determining the value of a customer segment, and has an example chart of a value-based direct mail marketing strategy. Chapter 7 rounds out the 15 with web analytics metrics such as bounce rate and cost per click. These middle chapters, containing calculations and supporting material, sets Data Driven Marketing apart from other marketing books.  Jeffery strikes a proper tone between presenting super-absorbent-dry textbook material and text dripping with useless generalities.  Chapter 5 for example includes a spreadsheet template explanation to support a Return on Marketing Investment calculation.  The discussions are advanced but also include charts that will help you envision campaigns more comprehensively. The ending chapters return to broader ground, serving as a primer for today’s data management and broader operational concerns.  There’s a nod to the ethics for collecting customer data. “Marketers should clearly communicate the privacy policy both external and internal and how data will and will not be used.” Examples also note how to demonstrate data to support your product branding. A great B2B instance occurred during OpenHack, a competition in which Microsoft showed how its servers faced 82,500 attacks, yet maintained 100% uptime.  The competition was the genesis for an image changing campaign for Microsoft server, perceived as susceptible to hacking. “IT professionals were given free training on how to secure Microsoft products within the enterprise, then their perception toward Microsoft products and security change very significantly and positively after the training.” The formulas enhanced the book without reminding you of a bad study hall experience.  There is an appendix for instructors, a nod towards classroom purposes.  But recalling my grad school days, I can’t think of a better book that noted data, finance, and operations in a digestible package.  Business owners who like to learn are in for a treat. For building a business based on sound practices and beyond tips and hints, you will want to keep data driven marketing at your side.  While it says Marketing on the cover, you will be hard pressed to find a more solid book that sets a marketing context against other operations in your business. From Small Business TrendsData Driven Marketing Makes Branding Objectives Clear
• 8 Ways to Finance Your Startup with Debt: Part 1 20 January, 2012, 12:30 pm
  There’s good and bad news to share about startup financing for a small business.  Keep in mind, we are only looking at debt options so think of loans and lines of credit that you pay back to a lender.  We are not looking at any equity solutions such as angel investors, venture capital, etc.  The good news is that there are options.  The bad news is that nothing is easy nowadays and if you have damaged credit or you’re looking for several hundred thousand dollars it’s much less likely to happen purely with debt. I have split these 8 solutions into two parts based on the likelihood and value factors.  Simply put, likelihood just asks the question, “How likely is it that this type of financing can be obtained by a higher percentage of people?”  Value is all about how much value would each form of financing bring to business owners who utilized this form of financing.  So let’s get started. Here are the 4 most likely forms of debt financing for small business startups: Credit Cards This is absolutely, positively, without doubt the most common form of financing for small business startups.  Additionally, credit card financing – when it is done right – is arguably the least expensive form of financing.  From a benefit perspective they also do not require collateral like many other forms of financing.  The problem is that when credit card financing is not done correctly – and normally it is not – you will hurt your credit profile, pay too much in interest, you will not properly separate your personal & business credit, and you’ll likely miss out on some good tax benefits. ROB’s Technically known as Rollovers as Business Startups – are only an option for people who have saved up some adequate retirement funds.  It’s also much more risky than most other forms of financing.  This is a very popular form of financing for new franchisees.  The downside is you’re risking your future basically since you’re tapping your retirement savings.  The upside is that you can access a sizeable amount of capital if you have a nice nest egg waiting for you. Trade Credit Maybe it’s not as popular but it is very common.  Examples of trade credit – which is also referred to as vendor credit – would be a line of credit at Staples, or Dell, or any other company where you need to purchase their goods or services for your business.  There are many forms of trade credit where you can obtain loans and lines of credit that are revolving in nature…meaning the balances are not due in full and can be spread out over several months or several years.  However, the most common “terms” attached to trade credit are Net 30.  So there is not the same value or ability to finance nearly as much since you’re only delaying the purchase by a month or maybe two. Equipment Financing Most startup companies need some type of equipment.  Ideally, if the goal is to use your capital in the best way possible, you wouldn’t use a working capital loan or line of credit to purchase equipment.  Sometimes it is necessary but, often times, you can get a loan or lease specifically for your equipment and then leave your cash, working capital loans, and credit cards available for other uses. With over 15 years of small business lending experience, Kris Roglieri is the Founder of Commercial Capital Training Group and President of a national commercial finance company.  According to Roglieri: “In the last 4 years, the number one characteristic of defaulted loans or leases in a lenders portfolio were companies that had less than 2 years time in business so most lenders only finance companies that are more than two years in business or their underwriting requirements are very tough and stringent.  If you’re seeking to finance equipment as a startup you should have good personal credit, some experience in your industry, and hopefully at least 6-12 months of liquidity.” In Part 2 we’ll discuss the other 4 most common debt solutions for startups. Credit Card Photo via Shutterstock From Small Business Trends8 Ways to Finance Your Startup with Debt: Part 1
• Cory Hartlen of Radian6: We Listen to Social Media 20 January, 2012, 9:30 am
  Can you hear me? Can you hear me now? Are you even listening? In today’s technological age, there’s a lot of “noise.” Becoming an effective listener is a skill that needs to be honed and actually being an effective listener is a skill that can be capitalized on in business, especially when it comes to social media. Listening closely to what’s happening around your brand and products in real time can be crucial to the success of your social media strategy. Cory Hartlen of Radian6, a site that listens, tracks and monitors social media conversations so that businesses can successfully employ a social media strategy, joins Brent Leary to discuss why it’s so important to listen. * * * * * Small Business Trends: Before we jump in, maybe you can tell us a little bit about yourself? Cory Hartlen: I came into social media, into Radian6, in a really round about way. I spent 10 years in the food and beverage business and I was managing bars and restaurants.  I even waited tables and bartended.  For a little while, I started my own stand up career and toured around Canada. When I got to be closer to age 30, I decided it was time to put down some roots and began a career in financial planning. Then in October of 200,8 after the market crashed, I wanted to find something a little bit more stable and was more than happy to go through the interview process at Radian6.  It has been the best decision I ever made. Small Business Trends: How are companies looking at social media monitoring in 2012? Cory Hartlen: I think the industry has really grown up in the last two or three years and it’s starting to come into its own. The people leading the industry have been doing it from the early days.  You have Dell, Pepsi and Microsoft.  They’ve been doing it very well.  And then there are the people that are now getting into it.  So we do see there is a fragmented gap. The people that have been doing it for a while are trying to figure out ways in which they can infuse social data and social media intelligence through the organization. The others start with marketing, PR or corporate communications, and do some testing and develop some strategies to figure out ways to measure the effectiveness. As it starts to grow, we really see where social media flows though the organizations.  So it does not just live in marketing anymore. Small Business Trends: How do you see listening impacting areas of business? Cory Hartlen: One of the neatest stories that I’ve heard the last few months is in HR. Being able to listen for all brand mentions of people that have graduated with their MBA, or are looking forward to graduating with their MBA, and then seeing inside of those conversations what topics are coming to the top.  Especially when people are saying that they are looking for jobs or applying for jobs. We have had a few clients who have had success in being able to find potential candidates for their junior executive training programs. Instead of being able to rely on more traditional avenues for that, where there have been recruiters or headhunters, they are able to use social listening to help reduce some of those costs. Small Business Trends: What are some of the skills we need to hone in order to become an effective listener? Cory Hartlen: To become a good listener is really about having a process to get that information in the hands of people that can use it and act on it. It’s not just about how to listen, but to have a good team together that can act and capitalize on these opportunities that come from that listening program. Small Business Trends: What are some of the ways that companies are able to quantify the importance of listening today? Cory Hartlen: We listen to social conversations so that when people reach out to their social networks and ask for advice, then maybe we can lend a hand and share a link to our review of monitoring systems. Those conversations are very measurable because we can figure out how many leads we are getting from the social space over a given time period and get those input into our system.  Then we actually see how many of those we are able to close on over a given time period to get our own ROI from a program like that. There are other ways that the customer service team can deliver better customer service by meeting people at the point of need in these social spaces. We have heard some new numbers that have come out on increasing the rate on one touch closes. The reduction in average time per resolution and the reduction in cost per resolutions as well. Small Business Trends: Are there certain areas that people still have not really adjusted well to in terms of leveraging listening? Cory Hartlen: Well I think it comes down to measurement. People may be listening to the right conversations, but they might not be using that data effectively. Maybe PR and marketing are doing some listening, but are those two departments sharing that social intelligence across their departments or across the departments that can use it? I still see that information being housed inside of the individual department and I think that can be a little counterproductive because you get a duplication of efforts. Small Business Trends: What are the top two or three things needed in order to get the most out of listening in 2012 and beyond? Cory Hartlen: I think that it all comes down to goals and strategy. I always say that the phone is just a phone – without a plan social media is no different. People always ask about the ROI of social media. I could very easily ask you what the ROI of my telephone is.  But without a goal and a measurable strategy, I am really left in the dark. But if I decide to make three more sales this month, then I know that I need to make X number of phone calls to be able to close that number of sales.  So now I have a goal and a strategy which can be measured to prove my success. I think that social media is no different. Small Business Trends: Cory where can people learn more about Radian6? Cory Hartlen: Radian6.com. We are also on Twitter @Radian6, LinkedIn, and Facebook. This interview is part of our One on One series of conversations with some of the most thought-provoking entrepreneurs, authors and experts in business today. This interview has been edited for publication. To hear audio of the full interview, click the right arrow on the gray player below. You can also see more interviews in our interview series. From Small Business TrendsCory Hartlen of Radian6: We Listen to Social Media
• We’re In The Big Leagues Now 20 January, 2012, 6:00 am
  I’m not a sports guy. I’m sort of big and pretty tall, so coaches always assumed that I’d be a wonderful addition to whatever team they were assembling. I’d try to warm them, really I would, but they’d always chat me up, put me out there, and then shake their heads in bitter disappointment while I tripped over my own clownishly oversized feet. Sigh. . . But sports can be a big part of sales small talk, so I tried to keep up on who played what for whom and how. Mostly I just nodded and agreed.  But I had this one manager who was sports crazy. Any sport. I swear he followed curling. And he loved his sports analogies. “We were batting 1000, but we’re in the big leagues now. It’s a whole new ballgame. You need to cover your bases and play hardball. Step up to the plate, swing for the fences, and really knock it out of the park!” Honestly, it went on and on like this. . . So I did this cartoon in a meeting to amuse myself. I think it’s a home run. (Rats! Now I’m doing it!) From Small Business TrendsWe’re In The Big Leagues Now
• Do This, Don’t Do That: A Strategy for Unique Business Building 20 January, 2012, 3:30 am
  Small business leadership requires an incredible range of decisions. Your strategy is key to navigating these successfully. Having a unique strategy separates you from the pack. Opportunities So you think your business is unique? Better reserve judgement until you check out some of these. We all know that part of branding is that initial impact your business makes on customers. And, of course, on creating that one unique product or service no one else has. Yahoo! News How not to handle business reputations. When looking at the way celebrities and gurus handle their small businesses, we are sometimes treated to a view of how we hope our businesses someday might be. Not in this case. Here’s a look at what can go completely wrong when managing your reputation.  David Leonhardt’s SEO and Social Media Marketing Marketing Video tips you should ignore. There are so many tips around on managing your small business including your business online that you be surprised hearing someone advocate ignoring tips in one of the most popular online marketing tips around: online video. Work At Home Woman What separates great entrepreneurs from all the rest? David Siteman Garland shares this simple thought after time spent interviewing some of the most successful small business leaders on the Web. There is no secret formula for success and no substitute for paying your dues. The Rise to the Top Sales Steps to better e-commerce success. It’s called the empty shopping cart syndrome. What happens when you set up that online store only to have nothing happen? Nothing at all! Don’t loose hope. As with any problem there is a solution. Learn more about how to turn e-commerce failure to success. Buzz Small Business Magazine So you want to do business with China. S mall businesses have better odds than ever before even as exporters and certainly the Web and other technology will help you if you have the products, services and marketing to be a success. But hold it! This infographic suggests some obstacles. High Street Partners Management What a city in Spain can teach the world about branding. Plenty. Let us tell you! Check out this post on how one city has promoted itself to incredible heights and how the techniques are things you should already be trying in your business. Bloggertone Bring your employees into the game. You know that your employees are the key to your businesses success. So it shouldn’t come as a shock that giving them a stake in the outcome is far more likely to lead to success. But when looking at compensation, how can you find the equation that works the best? You’re the Boss Leadership Your mantras for success. A mantra is meant to be a short phrase repeated over and over again to reinforce an idea. This list of suggestions are clearly worth recitation by any entrepreneur wishing to find success and take it to the next level. Inc.com How not to lead. Don’t make the mistake of thinking this is just another anti-Washington rant or one more critique of SOPA and the potential damage it could have done to the world as we know it. Oh no. It is much more! It is an object lesson about the kind of leadership we desperately need…now! Seth Godin’s Blog From Small Business TrendsDo This, Don’t Do That: A Strategy for Unique Business Building

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• Launch Effect 4 November, 2011, 10:31 am
  What is it? Launch Effect: A free WordPress theme anyone can use to quickly create a professional looking, virally inclined pre-launch page for your upcoming product website, app, service, etc.). Who makes it? Barrel LLC Why is it the killerest? First let me state that I'm saving you some trouble, because I did this the hard way first. For my latest venture I started by building a pre-launch site from scratch. It's a couple pages, right? How hard can it be? Well - to do well, actually - kinda hard. Or, time consuming anyway. Consuming of time you should be spending building your New Thing. 1. It's very easy to set up - virtually anyone can do it. I'm no WordPress guru, but I went from nothing to a fully launched site in just a few hours. First, I fired up a super cheap hosting account with my registrar NameCheap. Once my account was set up, I logged in, installed WordPress (literally a few mouse clicks), then downloaded the Launch Effect theme, uploaded and installed it in my WordPress, made a few tweaks, and my site was ready to go.  2. It's got built in social-sharing tools and viral spreading motivation  This is perhaps the nicest feature and something you likely wouldn't have time to build yourself. And it's all baked in, and very easy to configure.  How it works: After someone gives you their email address, they're presented with a thank you message, and a panel of social icons they can click to share.  Subscribers are also given a unique tracking link. When they use that link (or any of the icons) to share, you and they will both be able to see how many folks they've sent to the site, and how many signed up themselves. Additionally, you can give them an incentive to share. On mine, I'm giving away a free lifetime account to someone who shares and leads someone else to sign up. 3. It's got great built in tracking As mentioned above, each person who signs up will show up in your admin panel, along with the number of clicks they've sent you, and how many of those have also signed up (plus conversion rate). Both you, and they can see these stats at any time. What could be improved? Tracking your referrals is too confusing for visitors. When a visitor shares, they have access to their referral, and conversion stats, but in order to see that information, they have to re-submit their email address into the signup form. Clever - but how on earth are they supposed to know that? There's really no good way to communicate that to them at this point. It needs to integrate with MailChimp and/or Campaign Monitor. First, it's very easy to export your signups in a CSV and import them into MailChimp - which, if you're only going to do that once, is no big deal. But ideally, you'd like to get an auto-response email to your signups. This would allow you to tell them about the referral stuff noted in my last complaint, as well as a few other bells and whistles that MailChimp offers. It's a bit hard to fully customize without touching the code. Out of the box, it probably does most everything you need, and you can certainly make a perfectly good-enough site without customization. But if what you want to do isn't exactly what the theme expects you to do, you'll need to dive into the css and/or php files. This is a minor niggle though, it has very solid customization constructs. It has only a small subset of the available Google Fonts to work with.  That said, they do natively support TypeKit and MonoType. And I note, they're working improving it. This roadmap looks great. How much does it cost? Nothing (it's free) Rating? Reviewed by Carson McComas p.s. Here's the one I set up. If you make one, please share it in the comments below.  
• Why entrepreneurs should be watching Discovery Channel's "Gold Rush" 1 November, 2011, 9:33 am
  I enjoy entrepreneurship, startups, business and the like the same way my brother in law enjoys baseball and basketball. Which is to say, I'm a rabid, foaming-at-the-mouth fan. Rarely a day goes by that I don't read, study, research, observe, or consult on the topic. And like many of you, I'm constantly engaged in my own attempts at it. It captivates my attention like little else. I'm only a casual sports fan, so working this metaphor further will be perilous, but I'll just say that Gold Rush is as close as I'm going to come to the euphoria, mental swings, and irrational emotional investment that some folks have watching sports.  Gold Rush is extra interesting to me because it has all the elements of an engaging startup story, but in a completely different context than my world. For the uninitiated (and my apologies for those outside the US who may not have access to it), Gold Rush is a TV series which follows a team of hard scrabble, go-for-broke, all-in, heart-and-soul, down-on-their-luck dreamers who aim to cash in on the current high price of gold by starting a mining operation in Alaska. Watching the sacrifices they make, the bond that builds between them, the impossible odds against them, and their pure unflagging determination in the face of a relentless wave of obstacles is, in a word, inspiring. The parallels to the startup world that you and I live in are myriad.  There are probably some weirdos who appreciate entrepreneurism, yet don't like this show for some reason, but I can't imagine who. The (relative) ratings boom the show has enjoyed confirms that my affection for the show is not uncommon. If you enjoy a good story, an against-all-odds tale of struggle in realizing your dream, this is a bit of television well worth your time. If you haven't started yet, do yourself a favor and start with season one. Unfortunately they don't make it easy. But there are a couple options.
• Answers on Startups (a Stack Exchange site) 17 May, 2011, 11:45 am
  What is it? Answers.OnStartups.com: A question and answer site focused on Startups and Entrepreneurship. Who makes it? Stack Exchange (with a dash of clout from Dharmesh Shah) Why is it the killerest? Stack Exchange (the company behind this) have built a highly effective Question-and-Answer gamification format offering. They started with the absurdly successful Stack Overflow which is focused on answering software development questions, and applied the model to various other topics, including startups. All of us have questions as we venture into these challenging startup waters, and Answers OnStartups is a productive place ask them. Because of the reward system built into the site, you will typically get high quality, and varied answers from experienced folks who know what they're talking about. It also skews heavily toward online and software startups, which is where my own passion lies (as it does for many of you). What could be improved? I've been watching and participating for a few weeks now and I've had a great time, but two things could be improved: 1) The number of participants. What it has now is great, but I would love it to reach the level of some of the higher volume Stack Exchange sites. I know a bunch of you reading this have valuable insights to share, so get over there. 2) Some repetition in questions. Equity splitting, marketing, and funding questions occupy a large percent of the questions. That said, there are still interesting and helpful questions posted frequently. How much does it cost? Free Rating? Reviewed by Carson McComas  
• How to find a good domain name 5 May, 2011, 9:01 am
  Finding a good domain name is hard. If you're like me, you've spent absurd amounts of time on this task. Including time which would be much better spent building your product/website/company.  Here are a list of tools I use which have significantly reduced the time I spend looking for a good domain, and have also significanly improved the quality of the domain names I end up with. Domain Hole - use Beta code "TWITTER" to get in (as of this writing). Panabee  Name Station Bust a Name - takes a little getting used to, and is a bit painful to use, but can be valuable at getting you to think about connected ideas Value Drops, these guys update every day with quality domain names recently expired. Domai.nr helps you find creative url structures for that name you really, really want to use. Wordoid helps you make up names. And finally here's an even more comprehensive list of tools - dozens deep.
• Landing Page Case Study - Invoice Bubble 15 July, 2010, 9:42 am
  Rounding out my landing page coverage, I'd like to share some insights from a page in the wild that does a nice job incorporating the principles we've been discussing here.  Stu Green, the creator, was kind enough to answer a few questions about what they're doing: How are you getting traffic? We have a few channels that put traffic through to Invoice Bubble. The best way to get solid traffic is by getting reviewed or getting featured in CSS galleries. We got a lot of traffic after being featured in a web gallery called Web Creme, plus we also had a few writeups and reviews on sites like MakeUseOf and Tuttoaster. How well is that traffic converting to signup? The social buzz really kicked up when we made Invoice Bubble free. We suddenly found that we were getting lots of traffic through social bookmarking because it changed from being another premium web app, to being a useful and FREE tool for freelancers. When that happened our signup conversion also shot up from about 2% to about 8% of all unique visitations, which is a massive jump - but one that you would expect given the very low risk factor for signing up (its free). Those are nice conversion rates. What principles are you employing on your landing page to achieve that success?   Our landing page is simple. It says what it does on the tin "Free Online Invoice Software". Everything is big, clear and obvious with no messing around. We have clear call to actions to either "Get Started for Free", or to "Take the Tour". Every page basically ends up on the sign up page, so therefore people have two options, close the website or sign up. The only reason that someone wouldn't sign up is that they are not interested in using the app. Therefore with that clear choice in mind, we get a pretty good percentage that do end up deciding to sign up and use the app. How did you figure out these principles? The way that we learnt those principles is purely by trial and error. We have tried 30 day trials, we have tried having just a landing page and no Tour, we have tried really clear and bold headings on the landing page (as you see), and more long-winded explanations of the app, we have tried different pricing and tried ultimately making the app completely free. So its only by experimentation that we have learnt those lessons. One thing that we don't do on Invoice Bubble that we DO do on Project Bubble (the bigger brother app) is to show a video. I would say the most important thing when designing a good landing page is to be really clear about what the product offers, have clear calls to action (as you see on Invoice Bubble), but also show off the product in a video and give your users NO excuse not to click on the video. A human voice, visuals and music can do so much for your conversion rate than any ordinary text could ever do. When we put a video on Project Bubble it almost doubled our conversion rate, so we might do the same thing for Invoice Bubble in the future. Great insights Stu! Thanks for sharing.  Stu Green is the managing director of Haloweb Ltd, a UK based web application development company who currently have 3 apps: Project Bubble (project management for small businesses), Invoice Bubble (invoicing for freelancers), and Halogy (a white label, easy-to-use CMS for agencies).
• Good landing page principles are good UX principles 8 July, 2010, 8:15 am
  If you haven't seen the new Think Vitamin Membership offering from Carsonified, and you're a web developer of any kind, it's worth checking out. Below I've embedded one of their free videos (most are behind a pay wall) that does a great job of explaining some of the principles behind a proper landing page. They don't use that exact language, but you'll see the familiar principles at play. Enjoy.
• A few landing page principles 6 July, 2010, 11:18 am
  Don't over-complicate things, a successful landing page is simple and focused.  When visitors land on your page, they have a few questions in mind, and your landing page should answer them. Does it offer what I need? What does it look like? How much does it cost?And before they act, they also want to know: Can I trust you? Finally, they need a way to convert. This should not be hard to find, do, or figure out. A old designer trick that works well here is to sit back and squint your eyes at your landing page and see if it's obvious how to act. I've taken a few successful landing pages with different conversion methods, and done some of that work for you to illustrate you what I mean. As you look over these page screenshots, is it obvious how to convert?        
• Defining a "successful" landing page 2 July, 2010, 8:47 am
  This one is simple. The metric that matters when defining a "successful" landing page is profitability. You need to make more than you spend to bring the traffic. If you're spending X to get traffic, and you're profiting X-plus-anything after the conversion, you're successful. If not, you aren't. This might require a 25% conversion rate, or it might work with a 1% conversion rate.  A couple of examples of a successful landing page: You are running an AdWords campaign, and you pay $1.00 per click and you have a 1% conversion rate. Your offering costs $150. Assuming you have less than $50 in labor and other costs associated with a conversion, you're profitable and have a successful landing page at a 1% conversion rate.  You are giving way an eBook full of great, useful information. In the eBook you establish yourself as an expert. 25% of those who land on your page click the link and download your book. Of those who download the eBook, 0.2% (1 in 500) hire you to consult. You make $200/hr consulting and a typical gig is 25 hours. You're not spending anything explicitly to gain traffic, but you're hustling to spread the word using social media. Each month you get 4,000 visitors to your landing page (giving away 1,000 eBooks). That translates to two consulting gigs, or $10,000 which is enough to cover your overhead with enough left over to live the way you'd like. You're profitable at a 25% conversion rate. (btw, do you have a successful landing page? You should share it with us). 
• I need your help - seeking successful landing pages 1 July, 2010, 2:15 pm
  One of the most challenging aspects of web-based marketing is creating a landing page that converts well. Most web-oriented entrepreneurs find themselves intensely interested in learning what works and what doesn't because a good landing page often tips the scales toward success or failure. Of course one solution won't work for all applications, but there are principles we can apply, and examples we can learn from. I'm going to touch on some principles in an upcoming post, but I'd like to share some of your proven examples too.If you have a successful landing page, and are willing to share how you created it, why it's successful, and share some stats to back it up - please drop me a note (email link over in my sidebar, or find me on Twitter.) I'll select some of those and share their story here on WorkHappy.net so we can all learn together.Don't be shy.-Carson
• Founder of Threadless keepin’ it real 7 June, 2010, 1:09 pm
  This interview with Jake Nickell is a joy to watch. And an inspiration. He’s the founder (and subsequent millionaire) of the ingenious threadless.com. Tune in to hear great marketing ideas and other inside scoop. It should get your wheels turning. After watching the below intro, click through to view the various parts, it’s about an hour. Watch live video from Inc. Magazine on Justin.tv

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Everyjoe

• Chick of the Day: Evelyn Lozada 26 January, 2012, 5:35 pm
  VH1’s Basketball Wives star Evelyn Lozada has taken over Maxim Digital in an ultra sexy photo shoot for the #1 Men’s Mag. This Puerto Rican beauty had an opportunity to dish on her guilty pleasures, how a Louboutin shoe almost delayed her flight and why she calls her AFC champion fiancé Chad Ochocinco “Poopsicle”! “I was so thrilled and honored to shoot with Maxim magazine! This was one of the most professional and best shoots I’ve ever had and it was truly exhilarating!” “Evelyn Lozada is turning out to become one of the hottest reality stars on the scene and everyone is taking notice. She is absolutely gorgeous and we had an awesome time shooting her.” – Cory Davis Photo Editor/Photographer of Maxim.com. You can now pre-order her book Inner Circle: The Wives Association at Amazon.com and check out Basketball Wives — Season 4 returns to VH1 February 20th. Photo credit: Cory Davis Post from: EveryJoe
• Fox Morning Show Co-Anchor Greg Kelly Accused of Rape 26 January, 2012, 3:46 pm
  
• Pat Sajak & Vanna White Hosted “Wheel of Fortune” Drunk 26 January, 2012, 3:37 pm
  In a recent interview, Pat Sajak revealed that back in the day he and his co-host Vanna White would sometimes host the show while drunk. “Vanna and I would go across and have two or three or six [margaritas] and then come and do the last shows and have trouble recognizing the alphabet. They’re really great tapes to get a hold of,” Sajak said. Post from: EveryJoe
• Rihanna Gets a “Thug Life” Tattoo 26 January, 2012, 3:29 pm
  Rihanna showed off her new tattoo on Twitter yesterday. It reads “Thug Life” across her knuckles in pale pink ink. I’m sure Tupac is rolling over in his grave (if he’s really dead). The tattoo looks ridiculous on her, but at least you can barely see it. Also, she needs to work on her camera angles. Look at that forehead fivehead sixhead! Post from: EveryJoe
• Could Facebook Shut Down Over SOPA & PIPA? 17 January, 2012, 12:30 pm
  If you are like many people, you are reading a lot about SOPA and PIPA right now. To get the lowdown, check out this post about how SOPA/PIPA can affect you. Also, watch this video about understanding SOPA and PIPA, and find out if Facebook could actually shut down. Though Wikipedia is going dark over SOPA/PIPA tomorrow. Many companies actually support SOPA, from ABC to Visa. Allison Boyer of BlogWorld has a good piece about Why SOPA Scares the You-Know-What Out of Me that talks about a lot of worrisome loopholes. You should also read this article from Daily Kos about the repeated blows SOPA and PIPA suffered over the weekend. A quick Google search will pull up tons of articles and commentary on the legislation. Read up (be sure to read the actual bills too) and form your own opinion instead of listening to what the mainstream media might be telling you. Related posts: Wikipedia to Go Dark on Wednesday to Protest SOPA & PIPA Post from: EveryJoe
• Wikipedia to Go Dark on Wednesday to Protest SOPA & PIPA 17 January, 2012, 9:13 am
  The U.S. government is currently considering to bills that are causing quite a stir — the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the PROTECT IP Act (PIPA). According to TechCrunch, “Websites found to offer pirated content, along with the services that they use, could be hidden from US internet users by being delisted on search engines and potentially on DNS servers themselves.” Many people believe with these bills, we’d be heading down a slippery slope and the legislation could threaten free speech. Wikipedia’s Jimmy Wales has decided to send a message by going dark for 24 hours on Wednesday, Jan. 18 in protest of SOPA and PIPA. Wikipedia is joining many other websites, such as Reddit, and businesses that are stopping operations for the day in an effort to increase awareness about the two bills. Post from: EveryJoe
• Betty White Turns 90 17 January, 2012, 9:02 am
  Betty White was funny on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Golden Girls, but in recent years, Betty has garnered a cult-like following. She was a big hit when she hosted Saturday Night Live and appears in many commercials. Today, Betty White turns 90. The last surviving Golden Girl, White doesn’t appear to be slowing down. On Monday, she was celebrated in a star-studded TV special on NBC — “Betty White’s 90th Birthday: A tribute to America’s Golden Girl.” And now, she’s about to premiere a new show Off Their Rockers — a senior citizen hidden camera show. Congrats to Betty White on all her achievements, and Happy Birthday! Post from: EveryJoe
• Tim Tebow Keeps Starting Job 16 January, 2012, 10:17 pm
  No matter which team wins the Super Bowl, the 2011 NFL season will be remembered for one thing: Tim Tebow mania. The most talked about player in the league was someone you either loved or hated. There’s simply no middle ground when dealing with Tim Tebow. With that in mind, there is good news for fans of the NFL: Tim Tebow will keep his starting job going forward. John Elway, the boss of the Denver Broncos, states it’s Tebow’s job to lose. Said Elway: “Well, I think Tim’s earned the right to be the starting quarterback going into training camp next year. “I think he made some good strides this year. He obviously played very well against Pittsburgh and played very well in a lot of football games.” So while Tebow’s season came to an end when the Broncos got destroyed by the New England Patriots, we’re sure to here much more about him for years to come. You either love this news, or you hate it. Tim Tebow, Denver Broncos (Image: TSN.ca) Post from: EveryJoe
• Healthy Super Bowl Party Food 14 January, 2012, 4:12 pm
  If you want to make the food at your Super Bowl party a little more healthy this year, it’s definitely possible with a bit of planning and know-how. Celebrity caterer and event planner Andrea Correale, who’s worked with the likes of Mariah Carey, P. Diddy, Jimmy Fallon and Kevin Spacey, has some great tips on putting out the ultimate tailgate party spread while having healthy options available for guests who are trying to stay fit. Here are some food suggestions from Andrea: Burgers: Many Americans opt to serve big juicy burgers of the grill. Change it up and put out a mini burger bar consisting of a buffet of lean mini beef, vegetarian and tuna burgers. You can put out a fun condiments & topping for the burgers like shredded lettuce greens, tomatoes, roasted peppers, low-fat cheese and sauteed mushrooms. Fajitas: Fajitas and tacos can be packed with calories. Use whole wheat wraps and prepare ground chicken and turkey and offer healthy filling like onions, peppers, red beans and brown rice. Chips & Dip: Chips and dip are a must have. To add a healthy choice for guests serving hummus with raw veggies, toasted whole wheat pita chips or carrot sticks. Buffalo Wings: This appetizers if the most popular of them all but they are very fatty because of the skin and are usually dripped in butter. Try using cajun spices on boneless chicken strips and serve it up with a chipotle dipping sauce. Macaroni Salad: Don’t settle for traditional macaroni salad but offer a whole wheat pasta salad with fresh diced tomatoes and low fat mozzarella. Post from: EveryJoe
• Rick’s Cabaret Girls Root for the Giants 14 January, 2012, 4:04 pm
  Rick’s Cabaret New York Girls Beverly, Thai, and Tiara are all Giants fans. “I love the Giants, and they are going all the way to the Super Bowl,” predicted Rick’s Cabaret Girl Beverly. “Yes, it will be difficult to beat the Packers this week, but they will!” “I have met so many of the players here at Rick’s,” said Rick’s Cabaret Girl Tiara. “They are great guys, and not just because they are good tippers.” Rick’s Cabaret Girl Thai explained, “We are not allowed to name names, but I can tell you that the Giants football guys are really nice.” Post from: EveryJoe

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Guy Kawasaki

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Springboarders