Have You Reinvented Your Business Lately? |  |
- Have You Reinvented Your Business Lately?
- Top 5 Online Credibility Killers
- 6 Signs That Site Isn’t Worthy Of Your Guest Post
- Facebook Settles and Lipstick Alley Is Sued as Privacy and Free Speech Remain in the Spotlight
| Have You Reinvented Your Business Lately? Posted: 20 Jun 2012 11:00 AM PDT What has it taken to keep your small business thriving—or even just surviving—for the past four years since the U.S. economy crashed? For my business, it's been an ongoing process of reinvention.
Turns out we're not alone: A recent survey out from Citibank found the majority (53 percent) of small business owners have stayed afloat or competitive by reinventing their businesses. Here's what Citibank found small business owners are doing to reinvent their businesses:
These figures don't surprise me, because reinvention is what entrepreneurs do. (After all, if we weren't such naturals at innovation, we'd be employees, right?) I've learned a lot about reinvention as a small business owner. When my partners and I started our company in early 2008, just before the economy crashed, we had a well-thought-out business plan targeting one type of market. A few months later, though, our big clients lost their budgets and couldn't commit to contracts. Time to reinvent ourselves. We turned on a dime and have kept our business thriving as a custom content provider for more than four years. There have been lots of large and small reinventions along the way–and we're not done yet. Even when I was an employee, I've always liked shaking things up, but one thing that's surprised me about being in business for myself is that the pace of reinvention truly never lets up. In fact, with 38 percent of small business owners in the Citibank survey describing competition in today's business environment as “extremely intense,” entrepreneurs were taking other steps to stay competitive:
To make these changes happen, 38 percent are increasing capital investments into inventory, facilities and computer equipment, with 75 percent using profits and 62 percent using personal savings to do so. Small business owners' reinvention process isn't over, either. In the next 12 months, 50 percent of small business owners say they plan to introduce new products or services. Now, what these figures make me think is: Who is that 12 percent that aren't keeping up-to-date on their industry? The 50 percent who aren't introducing new products or services? The 33 percent who aren't upgrading their computers? If you ask me, these entrepreneurs are making a big mistake. In the old days, maybe you could rest on your laurels and feel confident in your hard-won knowledge. Today, you've got to keep earning that knowledge over and over again. If you're not reinventing yourself, not only are you not keeping up—you're falling behind. How are you reinventing your business?
From Small Business Trends |
| Top 5 Online Credibility Killers Posted: 20 Jun 2012 08:00 AM PDT As a follow up to my last piece titled “9 Great Online Credibility Builders,” I felt it was important to point out the flipside: credibility killers. In many ways credibility killers are even more important because it only takes being guilty of one cred killer and all your hard earned credibility could be out the window.
So, let's begin: 1.) Poor LinkedIn Profile: When checking out a person's professional background and cred online, LinkedIn is often the first stop for me. It amazes me how little effort some people invest in it. To have good cred your profile has to present you in the best possible light. That means in needs to be filled out completely and accurately. Many folks simply don't know about all the bells and whistles (like videos, Slideshares, etc.) that they can use to spice up a profile. It also helps to have more than one or two testimonials. Need more? Then try giving more. And please, make sure your information is accurate, grammatically correct, and devoid of typos. 2.) Bad Website: When I say a "bad website" I mean a website that's unprofessional. That means broken links, bad grammar, a lack of design, etc. One of the worst things you can do is point out the fact that you don't have your act together with a lame, "Sorry, our new site is under construction. Come back soon." 3.) Inactive Blog: Many folks start a blog with the best intentions only to lose steam after a year or two. So, when it's the middle of summer and your last post talks about building a snowman, you're gonna look bad. In fact, you'll look bad even if the only obvious thing is that you haven't posted in a few months. Blogs are like plants, they need to be watered. If they aren't, they'll look bad and make you look bad. 4.) No Facebook Business Page: Yea, I know they screwed up on their IPO, but that's not a reason to ignore the power and influence of Facebook. The fact is that if you have a business, product, service, organization, etc. and you don't have a dedicated page for it on Facebook – you just killed your credibility. Not only should you have a page, but it should be as cool, engaging and informative as possible. 5.) Unprofessional Behavior: Unprofessional behavior can take many forms online, from an embarrassing rant on a blog post, to an Anthony Weiner moment on Twitter. Be smart about what you do and say. Remember, the Web is an exciting place. It's also unforgiving. Be sure you learn the rules of engagement for every online platform you use and always keep your professional image in mind.
From Small Business Trends |
| 6 Signs That Site Isn’t Worthy Of Your Guest Post Posted: 20 Jun 2012 05:00 AM PDT When someone emails you offering to write content on your site, you're picky about it. You do your due diligence to figure out who they are, what their site is about, what their community is like, and the type of content they're likely to write. And you're smart to! You put your reputation and your community on the line each time you attach your name to someone else's and hand over the keys to your blog.
Well, guess what? The same applies when you're selecting sites to guest post for to increase your own brand and exposure. You want to make sure you're putting them through the same quality test you'd put someone else through. We've all heard how important guest blogging can be to your small business marketing efforts. But below are six signs a site isn't worthy of your post and you should place it somewhere else: 1. Their Most Recent Post Is From April of 2007 Hey, we all know how difficult it can be to keep fresh content coming on a regular basis; however, a blog where posting is, at best, infrequent is a sign this site is not a match. When you're guest posting, you want to hone in on sites that have authority, an engaged community, and where your content will be appreciated. If the site you're looking at hasn't been updated in six months, there's a good chance the attached community has gone away with it. It also could be an indication that the person in charge of the site isn't going to be responsive to emails, either because they've given up on the project, forgotten about it, or they've simply moved on to something else. Placing your content here isn't going to give it the best chance for new eyes, which is what it deserves. 2. Posts Are Low Quality Okay, so not only is this blog not stagnant, they're actually posting four to five posts a day! It sounds good, however, upon further notice you realize that while the number of posts and activity is great, the quality is not. Posts are ridden with spelling/grammar errors, are awkwardly written, and don't seem to really generate much value for readers. If that's the case, you may want to find another site to pitch (one that appears more worthy of your content) or at least dig in and do some more research about it. It could be that a well-written post from you on this site would stand out and generate a lot of great comments because it's so different. Or, the low quality present could be a sign that people aren't really invested in the site and won't notice how exceptional your content is. If you're not getting a good feeling from this site, it's best to move on. 3. Unhealthy Comment Section One of the best health indicators for any blog is the comment section because it gives you an intimate look at the activity and conversation happening on site. Some things to look at:
If you notice that the majority of the comments on that blog are spammy, self-promotional, or perhaps even just plain mean, this is another big warning sign. A blog that is unkempt, and where spam is permitted to litter the conversation, is not one that you want your brand to be a part of. It's another indication that the owner of the blog isn't invested in its success and that the community hasn't been trained in how to respect one another. 4. Irrelevant Ads/Links Present You want your brand to be associated with good things and good online neighborhoods. If you're looking at a florist Web site and begin noticing a smattering of ads for cars, sneakers, Web design and/or other services that have no relation to the floral industry, it could be a sign that those links/ads are paid for. Knowing how strongly Google is keeping an eye out for these types of things and openly penalizing brands, you may want to avoid placing content on these sites. A somewhat controversial area, but one you should be aware of. 5. Your Audience Isn’t There There's this blog you absolutely love! The author is funny, you have a similar writing style, and the community is really engaged. However…their community is about dog lovers, while you write about technology. Sure, there's a chance that a few of this community's members would be interested in the latest dog gadgets or a topic that combines the two, but that's not really the audience you're going after. You're looking to reach people interested in technology and travel, not technology and pups. If you don't feel like your audience is hanging around at this blog, then resist the urge to pitch them a post, even if you're a really big fan of the blog. If you want to throw them a bone (pun intended) and give them a fun post when you have some spare time, that's okay, but don't make it part of your larger guest blogging objectives. For those, you want to stick to targeted sites that represent where your community is likely to be. Otherwise, you're producing content that's not likely to much ROI. 6. No Social Media Activity An active social media presence is a good indication that the blogger is paying attention and wants to be part of their larger community. It shows they care about their site and are invested in turning it into a great resource. If you're not seeing these life signals, it can be a red flag. Sure, not every business is going to take to social media or have the resources to dedicate to large marketing campaigns, but have they at least claimed their profiles? Can you find them to ask questions? Are they talking to others? If they're not, you might want to ask yourself why. Guest blogging has become a trusted and effective way for business owners and consultants to increase their reach and expand into new audiences. But it can only do that if you're selective and smart about the sites you choose to post for. You wouldn't let "just anyone" to post on your blog, so don't post on just anyone's blog either. Ghost Town Photo via Shutterstock From Small Business Trends |
| Facebook Settles and Lipstick Alley Is Sued as Privacy and Free Speech Remain in the Spotlight Posted: 20 Jun 2012 02:30 AM PDT How do privacy and free speech affect business today? Obviously, the need to respect customer privacy online has become an important issue for all businesses, but some feel regulations like the proposed Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) may force businesses to police their customers, violating rather than protecting that privacy. The same regulations and other hindrances to free speech online may restrict the operations of businesses and limit competition if improperly used. We’ll look at some of the issues impacting privacy and free speech on the Internet today. Protecting PrivacyFacebook users turn anti-social. The social network is paying $10 million to settle a suit brought by users who complain Facebook publicized their “likes” of certain advertisers in a “sponsored stories” feature without compensation or notification. Getting social engagement on your site is one thing, but be sure your customers know what you’re doing before you share any information about them. Reuters You have the right to remain private. Stakeholders including consumer groups, advertisers, and Internet companies have been asked to give input into a data transparency code of conduct ahead of a July 12 meeting, beginning discussions on a proposed US “Privacy Bill of Rights” with a focus first on mobile apps. The regulations are likely to have an affect on the online business community. ZDNet A hand in the cookie jar. European officials are beginning to implement rules for how online businesses may use cookies to track site visitors, a move critics say will damage online business in Europe, especially online retail. Cookies used to target advertising to visitors based on their online behavior will require visitor permission to deploy. Targeted advertising is a major component of online business, especially for smaller site operators. Inc.com Let Your Business SpeakLipstick on a pig. Film actor Chris Evans’ attorney tries to dress up a suit against the online forum Lipstick Alley as a defense of his client’s publicity rights and against a “fraudulent” and “intentional” user-generated post on the forum referring to a celebrity gossip blog about Chris. But critics argue the suit is really an attempt at limiting the forum’s freedom of speech and could have broader implications if attorneys continue to file such claims against Website operators. TechDirt Talking about speech. Some small business owners may have difficulty connecting free speech to business. Here Josh King, vice president of business development and general counsel at Avvo, a site providing a health and legal Q&A forum and directory of doctors and lawyers in the US, explains how those wanting to silence speech use endless legal challenges to do so, and how this can ultimately hurt any company. Gigaom The battle of Pirate Bay. Many business owners who depend upon quality content as part of their product or service may sympathize with efforts to protect intellectual property online, but censorship like the recent UK court decision used to target magnet-link sharing site The Pirate Bay has other implications. An important side of the story to remember is that any Website might someday be a target of such court orders, with little recourse left to site owners. C|NET Acting Up Over ACTADon’t send flowers. The rumors of ACTA’s death have been somewhat exaggerated. Though some key committees and elected officials are clearly against it, the final vote is coming. The Web is buzzing with concern over the implications to online business and other freedoms and the damage to online privacy. Some of the greatest worries are about how intellectual property owners could use legal means to strong arm smaller site owners with questionable infringement claims. TechDirt Too close for comfort. Those worried that ACTA will benefit a few large, intellectual property owners at the expense of online business freedom are biting their nails and sitting on the edges of their seats as the final vote approaches on ACTA. Despite plenty of opposition, here is how things stand with a vote that may be closer than expected. EUObserver.com Bad for business. One can get a better understanding of how ACTA might adversely impact business in general by looking at some reports, as formal opposition to the treaty emerged near the end of last month. Specifically critics worry the treaty doesn’t adequately balance intellectual property rights against other issues, like business freedom, protection of personal data, and the freedom to receive or provide information. IT World Infringement Morphes into Speech IssueLegally binding. An attorney is suing cartoonist Matthew Inman, founder of The Oatmeal, and two charities over a donation Inman plans to make to them in lieu of a demand for damages. The legal troubles started when the cartoonist complained about another site stealing his content and monetizing it for their own benefit. As a small business owner, you may want to call out competitors from time to time. First, learn more about the lawyer your competitor employs. The Washington Post From Small Business Trends |
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