Retiring This Blog

After 6 years of bringing you small businesses Internet marketing tips and the latest small business trends, I'm officially retiring this blog.

Many of you have been faithful readers for years, and for that, I thank you. 

It's time to move my efforts into other areas of my business. I will still occasionally share tips with those of you who are on my email list. And I will continue to share my tips on Facebook. If you'd like to stay in the loop and continue to get tips, LIKE my Internet Marketing page here: https://www.facebook.com/BonelliEnterprises

To see the other things I'm up to these days, and to stay up on what I'm doing next :-), visit my main Web site: http://bonellienterprisesllc.com/
There you'll find several different ways to LIKE or FOLLOW me!

Thanks again for your readership and for sharing it with your associates.

Happy Holidays and Buon Natale!
Ciao, Paula

2 Quick Marketing Tactics

Small Biz Marketing Tips
source: office.microsoft.com

 These tips are excerpted from a recent article in Web Marketing Today. I find that many of my small business clients don't do them at all or don't do them consistently.

1. Get Email Addresses - give something small in return for a customer sharing their email address with you people. People get lots of emails and many won't give out  their email address unless they feel they will get something of value in return.
2. Ask for Reviews - testimonials had a part in the marketing role. Today they take on the form of online reviews. Ask for reviews by email, newsletter, your Website, your social media platform, or by a printed sign at your place of business.

Here are some other often overlooked tactics you might try --

• Put links in your email signature to your Web address and any social sharing sites like LinkedIn, Facebook or  Google+.
•  If you have a storefront, put a sign with your Web address near the checkout.
• Many people have smartphones with them at all times. Place QR codes in your place of business with links to special offers, your Website or social sharing site(s). Create QR Codes free here.
• First impressions count on the phone or in person. Make sure all employees know where you are on the Web and how to encourage sign-ups to your mailing list, etc.
• Offline achievements add a trust factor. Don't be shy about letting your customers know about honors or awards by displaying them in store and online.
• Probably the most important -- provide consistent information across all platforms.

How to Schedule Posts on Facebook

source: office.com

This, also from the blog archives of AWeber, provides instruction for how to schedule your posts to Facebook. Finally!

I know many of you have been using 3rd party apps for this, like TweetDeck or HootSuite, and they still work great. Now Facebook has added scheduling and targeting to Page's functionality.

Read the full blog post at AWeber for a quick, visual walk-through of how to do this so you can work smarter, not harder. :-)

Ciao for now,
Paula

Holiday Email Marketing

Holiday Email Marketing

2011 in Review 

(This is part of an email opt-in series. See graphic in detail and 
get the rest of the Holiday Email Marketing tips from AWeber)

Data and infographic by AWeber Email Marketing

Create More Email Leads

In a recent blog post, AWeber gives us 5 ways startups (or any biz) can create more email leads.

source: office.com

1) Integrate email into your offering
2) Provide informative resources to your readers
3) Promote your resources
4) Invite a guest to post to your blog
5) Use your blog real estate wisely

Get the details for each point above by reading the full article here.

Using Video in Your Business

Are you using video in your business?

Since most of my small business clients sell something, whether it's products or services, I thought I'd share some quick video stats with you that are hard to ignore from Invodo.com.

Using video for business

This is how video is being consumed by your customers:

• 52% of consumers say that watching product videos makes them more confident in their online purchases; 85% are more likely to buy
• 3 out of 5 consumers will spend at least 2 minutes watching a video that educates them about something they are planning to purchase
• Videos appear in 70% of the top 100 search engine listings
• Video views increase time on site as well as conversions/sales
• Online video is the fastest growing ad format in 2012

As you think about adding or optimizing pages of your website, why not include video? It doesn't have to be professionally made. Most point-and-shoot cameras, phones and laptops have perfectly suitable cameras for shooting a quick video.

For most small businesses, creating a YouTube account and uploading your videos will be the simplest solution. There are many easy-to-use features within YouTube that allow you to edit the video, add music and optimize it for search.

Before you get started, read these 4 tips for optimizing your videos to increase views and sales from ReelSEO.

Start experimenting and tracking your results. If you get stuck, contact me. I'm experienced in using YouTube and I can help you upload and optimize your videos.

I'd love to hear how video has impacted your business. Share your comments below, now or after you try it.

Ciao for now,
Paula

Is Your Business Real?

No matter what type of business you have, are you taking it seriously?    

Here's a few tips from David Bullock for knowing if you have a real business or simply an income opportunity (hobby):

image courtesy Microsoft.com

• A business has its own clients/customers
• A business is not dependent on one channel for traffic
• A business can be sold later
• A business can run without me
• A business needs people working it (whether you call them employees, contractors, outsourced vendors, etc.)
• A business needs infrastructure (financial, marketing, customer systems, etc.)
• A business has "flow", a way to sustain a level of income
• A business is scalable

 If what you are doing does not fit with the statements above, then you don't have a business.

If you want a real business, focus on connecting with people and learn what they want from you. Then provide it.

Use the Internet as a vehicle to connect with these people. David says, "do things that are beyond business as usual." Find ways to create meaningful connections with people to grow your business and keep it moving forward.

Web pages: Tunnel Vision

This information from Jakob Neilsen shows how users interact with the information on Web pages "Users don't see stuff that's right on the screen. Selective attention makes people overlook things outside their focus of interest."

web image courtesy of Microsoft.com

He goes on to say, "...Selective attention is really a survival instinct; if people had to pay attention to all stimuli in the environment, they'd never get anything done. They are also more likely to overlook something important...It's only human: focus on a few things and ignore the rest."

The most important information often gets overlooked.; focus on it when analyzing the layout of your page(s) and test your pages with real users.

If you're redesigning your site or just a page or two, get some real users and test it before taking it live. And read his entire article on the subject here:
Tunnel Vision and Selective Attention (Jakob Nielsen's Alertbox)

Increase Revenue by Using Your Website

Listen up all you small, local businesses! I've been telling you (my small business clients) this for years, but it is falling on deaf ears so it bears repeating.

Your Web site is a great marketing tool/channel. It isn't simply an online brochure. You must use it as a marketing channel and treat it like any other marketing effort by tracking the return on your investment (ROI). You must also be fervent about constantly improving it. It will cost you far more money to guess than it will to actually know what's working.

Your Web site is open 24/7. You're not limited to retail hours. If you don't already sell from it, consider what you could sell online. It doesn't have to be every product you have, just something that you feel is easily sold online. This will allow you to work smarter, not harder [hmmm....where have you heard that before? :-)] and to increase sales with little extra effort.

A BIG plus to adding eCommerce to your Website? It increases your revenue AND it makes your business more saleable!

Here's 10 things you'll want to track:

• number of sales (orders, leads, phone calls, etc.)
• number of unique visitors (all visits except repeat customers)
• conversion rates (traffic divided by sales)
• traffic from search queries (people using a search engine from their desktop or mobile device)
• direct traffic (they already know your Web address and type it directly into their browser)
• visitor loyalty (are your customers returning to your site and buying again?)
• traffic from social media sources (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn - anywhere you have a social profile)
• traffic from email newsletters (Please tell me you're building an email list and communicating regularly with your customers.)
• traffic from offline marketing campaigns (radio, TV, newspaper, etc.)
• traffic generated for online advertising (paid online advertising like Google AdWords or Bing adCenter)

Most of the areas listed above can be tracked by setting up a free Google Analytics account and connecting your Website URL (Web address) to the account.

If you would like assistance setting up and monitoring the data, let me know. I've provided these services for many clients and I work in it daily. I can help you get set up and interpret the data.

Challenge for August:
Find 1 thing from your local business that you can sell online.

Note: It doesn't have to be costly to sell from your Website - you can do it using a simple PayPal account. In fact, you don't even NEED a Website to use PayPal to sell products.
I can help you get started!

Excellence: A Vast Wasteland?

Do you wonder what happened to people striving for excellence? Does it seem like everyone around you is apathetic or does just enough to get by?

Sometimes I feel as though no one has what it takes to stick to something, to run the race, to give a task or project their absolute best. As Jeff Haden of Inc.com put it, "The extra mile is a vast, unpopulated wasteland."

I remember a childhood saying that has stuck with me. My mother probably said it many times -- if something is worth doing, it's worth doing right -- whether it's cleaning a bathroom, waiting on a customer, answering a phone, or filling an order. It didn't matter what the task was, I was expected to do my best.

Don't be discouraged - give it your all. You may find that you are the only one there, but don't give up. It may be a lonely place, but it's filled with opportunity.

I've had the chance to manage employees. I always had a rule for myself. If I wasn't willing to do it, then I couldn't expect my employees to do it, and certainly not to do it well. 

Tips for Managers

What's different about great managers?

• They draw on an employee's strengths rather than trying to fix weaknesses.
• They select staff based on talents, over education or experience.
• They believe that every employee has the ability to make a positive contribution.

So go ahead and be different - go the extra mile - it will set you apart and make you successful. :-)
__________________________________________________________

In Facebook News:
What are promoted posts?

In May, Facebook enabled you to pay for an individual post to be seen in a fan's news feed. Your posts are only seen by a portion of your followers/firends at any given time depending on the amount of items in their news feed.  Promoted posts reach more of the people who like your Page and their friends, and are available to Pages with 400 to 100,000 likes.

In Small Biz News

Small Biz News headlines:

Ways to Measure Your Brand's Social Media Health

Why Mobile Will Dominate Future of Media and Advertising

What Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast!

Fear

Are you afraid to take a risk in business?
Do you resist good advice?

A recent post by Perry Marshall got me thinking about how we're all protective of what we've worked so hard to accomplish; to the point of being afraid to take a risk, or ignoring sound business advice from a colleague.

Or maybe your sounding board is a spouse, but you can't get them to see the "big picture" as you see it. They simply see a HUGE risk and can't understand it or get behind it.

Resisting risk is a very common problem for all of us as small business owners. But be honest with yourself - what risk or advice have you been resisting? If you don't power ahead and work through it, you'll have that unsettling feeling that will continue to gnaw at you until you resolve it.

What big decision are you putting off? Is it selling a business? Starting a new division? Attending an expensive industry seminar? Take some time away from the office and grab a notebook. Don't think too much, just start writing out all the reasons why you think this WILL work and why it's good for your business.

Then come to a conclusion - are my concerns valid and should I listen to them? Or can I find a way to make it reasonably fit into my business? If it's the latter, just do it. :-)

Ciao for now, Paula

In Small Biz News:

Combine Photos and Social Media for the Best Exposure

How to Create Real Relationships with Social Marketing - OK, so this is a no-brainer. Treat Social Media Marketing like a relationship with a friend and have real conversations with your customers.

Musings by Top eMarketers:

7 Marketing Sins by Seth Godin - common sense, really. Read the 7 Sins and be sure to take 5 minutes to watch the video - good stuff. Make something or build something people will talk about - brilliant!

How Committed are You? by Perry Marshall - relentless passion for learning and personal development.

Google+

Did you know that Google+ is already 1 year old? It launched in June 2011 and amassed more than 90 million users in 6 months.

What does this have to do with you as a business owner? In November 2011, Google+ introduced business pages, some say to compete with Facebook. Be that as it may, creating a business page may expand your footprint on the Web (your Web presence), and help customers find your business.

Here's some quick facts about Google+ business pages and my PRO, CON or SAME vote as it compares to Facebook:

1. Pages can't +1 (LIKE) other pages and they can't +1 content on the Web - CON
2. You can't receive notifications via email or text for a Page - CON
3. Pages don't have the option to share to extended Circles (FRIENDS) - CON
4. Pages can't mention you unless you're connected - PRO
5. Pages can be made for different entities; profiles can only be made for people - SAME
6. Local Pages have designated fields that help people find your business' physical location - SAME

Once you get a Page set up, the posting is very similar to Facebook. I just set up a basic page. See it here and find the link to a free guide - How to Use Google Plus For Business by Hubspot. In that guide you'll find step-by-step instructions for setting up your own page.

In other Small Biz News:

• Tools for Twitter Users (hard-core users)
• 6 Tips to Boost Your Web Presence
• Google+ merges with Google Places for Local Search

Talk to me...I've been penning this blog especially for small businesses for years now. While I have quite a few readers, I rarely hear from any of you. If you find the information I provide helpful, I'd love to know. It will help me write about things you want to know about!

I'd also like to hear about your personal experiences so that we might all learn from them.  Small businesses survive when we stick together.

Do you have questions? Ask. I'll do my best to answer them based on my experience. 

So please.....talk to me. :-)

Google Engage

Each day, people go to Google to find businesses like yours. Make sure your business shows up!

My company partners with Google to allow small business owners the opportunity to run an easy-to-create ad on Google that appears to potential customers searching your area for exactly what you offer.

If you're interested in receiving $100 in free advertising, get in touch with me and I'll mail you a coupon code with additional information from Google about how to get started. This is for new customers only with self-managed accounts.*

Don't delay...accounts must be established and coupon code applied BY JUNE 30, 2012.

*I am an AdWords specialist. Soon after you've established an account, it would be wise to consider hiring me to manage your account. I've been managing client accounts for 7 years and can optimize your campaigns to get the best ROI for your business. There is simply SO much to learn! By hiring me you'll save money by getting my experience and knowledge behind your campaigns.

P.S. If you're interested in advertising in Facebook, email me. I can establish and manage an ad campaign for you.

Tips for Starting a Business After 50

Over 50? Thinking of starting a business? You are the only one. Several big business owners like McDonald's, Kentucky Fried Chicken, and the inventor of ramen noodles all got their start well after they were 50!

Read this article for tips on getting a business started or buying an existing business.

50+ Entrepreneurs article at SBA.gov

Motivating Employees

Key points for motivating your employees by American Express' Open Forum:

• Hire people with a high level of self-motivation and convey goals of your business.
• Do little things in your work environment that shows you appreciate your employees. Not everyone is motivated by money. A small business owner in NY, Dixon Schwabl, writes encouraging post-it notes to her employees every Friday and holds ice cream Thursdays.
• Don't wait for review time to reward an employee's performance with a pay increase.
• Share sales goals and involve employees in important decisions.
• Schedule regular talk times with employees to improve communication (outside the work environment, if possible). Regular feedback is crucial.
• Don't use fear as a motivator.

In Small Biz News:

Apple's iOS 5.1.1 Update
Facebook Adds Services for Vets and Military Families
Google Sites Top Facebook on Mobile
New Barnes & Noble Subsidiary to Do Battle with Amazon and Apple e-Books

Interesting Small Biz tidbit - According to a survey from the Kauffman Foundation and Thumbtack.com, Texas, Idaho, Oklahoma and Utah are the most small business-friendly states.

5 Productivity Apps for Android

I'm in both the Android and Apple worlds when it comes to apps. When I work from my desktop, I Play (no pun intended!) in Google so I often turn to apps in the Android market that will help me be more productive.

Here are 5 free Android Productivity Apps to try:                

1.  Adobe Reader - allows you to view PDF docs. I use it to view email attachments when I'm away from my office.
2. Evernote - I've blogged about this useful app before. I use it for SO many things that I have it on all my mobile devices and my desktop.
3. Dropbox - a useful file sharing tool for photos, videos and documents.
4. Bar Code Scanner - scans bar codes for comparison shopping or special offers. Also scans QR codes you find in magazines, business cards, etc.
5. PayPal - I use this to send money and pay bills. Super fast and easy!

What apps do you find useful? Share them by leaving a comment!

Ciao for now, Paula

In Small Biz News

Top Small Business News

Facebook Buys Instagram
Facebook has just finished a deal to acquire mobile photo sharing app Instagram for approximately $1 billion in cash and stock.

6 Habits of Strategic Thinkers
You're the boss, but you still spend too much time on the day-to-day. Here's how to become the strategic leader your company needs.

 The Best of Pinterest Campaigns So Far
With Pinterest exploding over the last few months, it was only a matter of time before brands got on the bandwagon.

10 Ways Successful Entrepreneurs Beat the Odds
Did you ever wonder why some entrepreneurs always seem to have all the luck and success, while others never seem to catch a break?

 Thoughts on Being a Female Entrepreneur
It's never too late to drastically change careers, especially if your happiness is at stake.

In Small Biz News

The latest headlines in Small Biz News:

How to Protect Your Company's Data

The New Small Biz Website

Is the Health-Car Law Hurting Small Business? (video)

 Why Relationship Marketing is Important for Business

Guide to the New Facebook Pages Timeline

If you haven't already previewed or updated your Business Page to the new timeline, you'll have until March 30 to customize and preview it.

I've put together a quick Guide for finding your way around the areas of the new Timeline.

Get the Guide on my site: Get the New Facebook Timeline Guide 

P.S. Take the quick poll above. Are you using Google+?