Web 2.0. Social Networking. We’re told we need to use these to build our businesses, but are overwhelmed with it all!
So I’m bringing in my good pals, Michele PW, Your $Ka-Ching! Marketing Strategist, and Mary Pat Kavanagh, Queen of Connections, on exactly what all of this is and how you can use these strategies to get more leads, contacts, customers and MONEY.
On June 24 at 8 PM EDT (5 PM PDT), I’ll be grilling them to reveal the Insider Secrets of Using Web 2.0 and Social Networking to Get Thousands of Warm, Hungry Visitors to Your Web Site.
We’re going …read more

Tales and Tips from a Serial Entrepreneur
By Razor Suleman, Founder and CEO, I Love Rewards
As a serial entrepreneur, I have learned my share on what it takes to not only light that entrepreneurial flame within, but also take the business to the next stage, and the next, and the next.
I started my first business at the age of 15 when I decided to become a sports card dealer and flip Upper Deck Hockey cards for a profit. Since then I founded and now serve as CEO of I Love Rewards, a web-based marketing incentive firm that builds employee rewards …read more

The Chicago Tribune recently posted an interesting article on the myths that many people believe about starting a business.
But what surprised me the most is they cited statistics that say the typical start-up requires about $25,000 to get going.
Really?
The more entrepreneurs I meet (and I met a ton yesterday at a trade show in New York City), the more I find they’ve started their businesses for much, much less.
How about you? What do you think of that statistic? Is it accurate? Or is it a myth too?

Entrepreneur Magazine and the Women Presidents’ Organization have launched a search for the 50 Fastest-growing women-owned or women-led companies in North America!
The competition finds the 50 Fastest™ women-owned/women-led companies in North America. Companies will be ranked according to revenue growth from 2003 to 2007. The Top 50 fastest-growing companies will be publicized in the November 2008 issue of Entrepreneur Magazine.
To be eligible, companies must be…

privately-owned
women-owned/led
must have generated $100,000 in annual revenue by the first week of 2003
must have reached revenues of $1 million by year-end 2007

Go …read more

Yesterday, I discussed what tactics small businesses are choosing to invest their marketing dollars in. Today, I want to show you how much more you can do, cost effectively.
Here are my tips on making sure your Internet marketing is working for you – not against you.
Search engines aren’t the be all and end all.
Although search engines are important and you should use them, you need to drive your own traffic to the site to reach prospects and let the search engines know you’re alive and well.
That means providing content.
Use as many media as you can for an integrated approach. For …read more

We all know that kids say (and do) the darnedest things.
With Mother’s Day passed and Father’s Day around the bend, I thought it would be fun to find out how kids teach us things about business.
So I asked my colleagues at b5’s business channel to share their thoughts this week about it:

Blogging is important – even to 2nd graders. Liz Fuller at Business & Blogging shares why this pint-size group uses a blog.
Kelly Erb at Tax Girl has been inspired by her own daughter and shares all about the lesson she learned.
Ren Garcia at Accounting Solver shares an inspirational quote …read more

B2B Reports recently released results of their survey on what small business owners’ invest in marketing-wise.
More than half used their marketing dollars on web design (53 percent). Many (43 percent) also added search engine optimization to the mix as well. And 41 percent also chose email marketing.
B2B Reports surveyed 800 small businesses.
Investing in Internet marketing is a great idea.
But, I must admit, I see a lot of small business owners make the wrong investment.
Having a website is great, but a pretty website that doesn’t keep customers coming back is a waste. And I see it all the time.
Sure, basic SEO …read more

Keith McFarland’s new Time magazine article claims that entrepreneurs aren’t really fearless.
And I must disagree.
He says that many people starting up companies think in terms as a brilliant experiment – that if it doesn’t work out they can go back to getting a ‘real job.’
It’s taking that initial leap -rather than staying in a secure environment – that’s truly a leap of faith. So many people dream of having their own business, yet few actually do it.
What do you think? Is McFarland off base?

As part of Success Secrets: this and every Friday, we talk with entrepreneurs and other professionals about building a business.
On Wednesday, I posted a teleclass I did with Gina Ratliffe, a success coach and entrepreneur who helps women build businesses online.
Some of the gems she shares are certainly secrets of entrepreneurial success, so instead of a new podcast, I’d love you to take a listen here. (Warning! It’s a pretty big file, so if you are having troubles listening online, download it!)
(Images courtesy of Shannon Cherry of BeHeardSolutions.com)