Yahoo, Bing Partner With Media.net for Contextual Advertising Program

Yahoo, Bing Partner With Media.net for Contextual Advertising Program
Don’t Let Your Business Run You: A Snapshot of Web Development Team Success
A Tip of the Cap Could Increase Credit Union Lending
Leadership Truths That Every Leader Needs To Know
A Behind The Scenes Peek: SMBInfluencer Awards Media Partners
SBA Kicks Off Chats for Women’s Month

Posted: 04 Oct 2012 01:00 PM PDT

Yahoo is attempting to make a name for itself in the contextual ad network game. With the help of Microsoft and Media.net, the search engine wants to chip away at some of Google AdSense's market share by offering a similar advertising product to both businesses and web publishers.

The Yahoo! Bing Network Contextual Ads program is an ad network that allows web publishers, including blogs, online publications, and similar sites, to set up a revenue stream from ad units on their site.

The platform is powered by Media.net and is made up of advertisers from the Yahoo and Microsoft Search Alliance, which has been around since 2009 and also covers search advertising.

Since Media.net already offered contextual advertising solutions to Web publishers prior this partnership, Yahoo and Bing don't actually have to do anything in the way of powering the ad network. But for Media.net, the partnership allows them to reach more advertisers and customers with the tools it already has.

For Web publishers, this new partnership just means different options for contextual advertising. Both Media.net and the Yahoo and Microsoft Search Alliance have been around for years, but now that they've partnered up, publishers can expect a larger variety of ads available for better targeting. And those who didn't already use Media.net just have another platform with a high volume of ads to consider.

For businesses interested in advertising, this means that Yahoo and Bing now offer more than just the text or search ads advertisers may be used to, and they can have their ads displayed on more than just search results pages. Like with AdSense, advertisers can set their own budget so the program can be feasible for businesses of all sizes.

And though Google is still the dominant player, advertising with Bing and Yahoo can mean reaching different consumers altogether.

This isn't the first time Yahoo has tried its hand at a contextual ads network. The original program was nixed in 2010, but apparently Marissa Mayer thought it would be worth another try. The former Google employee could have some helpful insights to keep the program afloat.

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Don’t Let Your Business Run You: A Snapshot of Web Development Team Success

Posted: 04 Oct 2012 11:19 AM PDT

If you're end of year project is to develop an app or work with a developer, stop what you've planned to do after reading this review and pick up Don't Let Your Business Run You: How Less Everything Makes $1 million Annually from Client Services. Meant for a web development audience, much of the book is also useful for the small business that sees technology as an increasingly necessary operation.

The authors, Allan Branch And Steve Bristol, write from their launch experience with Less Everything.com, a small award-winning development firm. I learned about the book during Allan's appearance on Melinda Emerson's weekly twitterchat Small Biz Chat.

When you read the opening chapters, being flexible is the modus operandi behind strategic choices and reviewing potential teammate. And these authors have brash but approachable personalities – the company website lists its personnel with the byline "We've assembled a team of people that give a sh**".

The first sentence of the book says if you are not wiling to change, give the book to someone who does. That flexibility helps to make firmer decisions, such as their opening point about selecting who the customer is:

"We put clients in two categories: the ones who listen to you (those who really want your expertise in more than just code/design) and the ones who don't…You'll have to figure out why clients are hiring you. Most clients will hire you for your knowledge and expertise, but maybe it's just because you're in the same city, or because?you have experience in their industry, or perhaps you've built the type of features they needed before. It might be simply because you're the cheapest.

Whatever the reason, it will be easier in the long-run if you figure it out and accept clients with similar motivations. Once you know why they are hiring you, you can decide if you want to continue with these types of clients/projects and enhance the aspects they are looking for."

Notice that I wrote the word "selecting" your clients instead of "understanding." That drawn-line-in-the-sand quote may speak to online developers, but the thoughts easily apply to other industries. When Allan and Steve offer the other clients types, a small business owner with a few years under the belt will nod in agreement. Combine this chapter with the book No You Can't Pick My Brain, and you get the idea.

Quick asides throughout the book display the authors' lightheartedness: When talking about partnerships being meant for each other, Steve references Allan as Forrest Gump's Jenny. And there is a nice-but-intentionally-subtle-failed plug for LessAccounting, the account software they offer. Their humor and directness makes the book a good read.

The subsequent chapters set expectations about marketing your business and what certain client responses can occur. Here is a rundown of what I considered thought-provoking quotes:

"Too many sites make their companies look unapproachable. Whether you like it or not, approachability is the opinion of the viewer. You never know when you'll have a potential client looking for a freelancer or a small web company. Be very conscious of how you're going to be perceived."

"Marketing is about standing out, being approachable, showing value and giving love. Rinse and repeat."

The follow quote reminds about how referrals are truly offered – from people you know, not just those who have been:

"At the very least, you should be able to find 2-3 hours a day to contribute to an open-source project. Most new business comes from referrals, so becoming the hero of a bunch of developers will likely lead to those developers mentioning your name when they have the chance. This is a great way to get some fairly easy exposure."

This last mention is a reminder of where analytics and online marketing measurement is heading – there are still business stuck on eyeball metrics and not engagement. Allan and Steve do not delve into social media deeply, but their thought does temper expectations to realistic business-building levels:

"The best marketing doesn't instantly get you a surge of traffic. Those people are quick to forget and never come back. Good marketing builds and builds, growing bigger and bigger. The things you do today will not affect your business for another 6-12 months."

Building A Team Starts With How You Talk To Each Other

Allan and Steve shared some really solid hints at hiring and working with technical professionals, increasingly a necessity across all businesses. The focus in Chapter 6 on interviewing developers is a great must read.

"Hire communicators. This doesn't mean someone who just emails … Hire a person that follows up their employment application with an email that is clear and to the point."

Allan and Steve also offer some interesting insights into what business should look for in partners. They believe resumes really don't tell a lot about who can bring a solution to your table. And they believe in businesses building on their own "home cooking", so to speak, such as this comment on consultancies:

"A consultancy without any of its own projects is a real head-scratcher. How is a client supposed to trust you to make decisions with their project (using their money), when your consultancy doesn't even build its own apps?"

So why should businesses have their own projects? One answer appears above this one:

"….How can you judge a consultancy based on past client work? You don't know how much of the project they were involved in. Perhaps the client had terrible requirements. You can't see through that stuff and into how the consultancy would make decisions."

The last chapters deal with finance and accounting – not as deep as a standard finance book (see our short list of finance books), but still a useful reminder why cash is king.

Although the book is meant for up-and-coming developers, retailers large and small should read Don't Let Your Business Run You. It serves as an excellent supplement to project planning. Once you do read it, you'll find working with technical project managers and developers will be a piece of cake everyone can enjoy.

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A Tip of the Cap Could Increase Credit Union Lending

Posted: 04 Oct 2012 11:00 AM PDT

As Members of Congress have returned home in the run-up to Election Day on Tuesday, November 6th, credit union supporters continue to educate elected officials about issues of importance to their industry.

There are a host of developments in Washington, DC, of importance to credit unions. Most importantly, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has stated his intentions to hold a vote on the credit union Member Business Lending legislation (S.2231/H.R. 1418). Passage of this bill, introduced by Senator Mark Udall (D-CO), would raise the lending cap — currently of 12.25% of a credit union’s assets — to 27.5%.

According to National Association of Federal Credit Unions (NAFCU), more than 1,100 credit unions are actively lending to small businesses. A number of them are offering the popular SBA loans and other financial products to entrepreneurs seeking to launch or expand their businesses.

However, a significant portion of these credit unions are approaching their law-mandated cap. Once a credit union reaches that limit, it would no longer be able to grant loan approvals.

In the Biz2Credit Small Business Lending Index, the percentage of approved loans by credit unions has dropped for three straight months. During the credit crunch, as small business owners looked for alternative options for capital, credit unions began to play an increasingly important role in small business finance.

However, the most recent analysis finds that credit union approval percentages this year have dropped from a high of 57.9% in March 2012 to 52.9% in August. Thus, small business owners are exploring opportunities from non-traditional lenders, such as accounts receivable financiers, who often charge higher percentage rates than credit unions do.

By having a wider variety of funders that are able to provide working capital, expansion loans, equipment loans, lines of credit, etc., small business owners can borrow money at more attractive rates. Limiting the options hinders the ability of entrepreneurs to shop around for the best deals.

It’s a simple but important law of economics, and it is not just theory. I speak to hundreds of small business owners each month who want to grow their companies and create jobs. They tell me first-hand about the opportunities they lose out on when they have a short supply of funding options.

A vote on this issue could take place shortly after Congress reconvenes after Election Day. If they want a better competitive landscape, credit unions must work hard to distinguish themselves from banks and remind elected officials that increased member business lending by credit unions will translate into local job creation.

This is critical for any politician who wants to be elected in November.

U.s Flag and Dollar Bill Photo via Shutterstock

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Leadership Truths That Every Leader Needs To Know

Posted: 04 Oct 2012 08:00 AM PDT

Successful business leadership is about the ability to create a compelling vision that is backed up by strong values, a strong sense of purpose and that inspires other people to help you to achieve it. In order to do this it is essential that, as a leader, you create an environment where people are encouraged to work harmoniously together using their own unique talents and skills to achieve common goals.

It sounds fairly straightforward doesn't it?

simple truths

However, great leadership requires a complex set of skills which have to be continually honed and fined tuned. Great leaders all share common characteristics which make them successful. They operate based on truths which underpin all of their behaviors and actions.

Here are 5 truths that every great leader knows:

Truth#1: You Cannot Motivate Someone, You Can Only Inspire Them To Motivate Themselves

Motivation comes from within a person. All the motivation techniques in the world will not work if the people you are trying to motivate don't buy in to the idea.

Inspiration is different as it appeals at a deeper level than motivation and is designed to win hearts as well as minds. Great leaders know that to truly engage employees you need to inspire them and then they will be motivated.

Truth#2: Combining Talents, Skill And Abilities Will Achieve More Than Working Sepreately

Great leaders know that they can't achieve what they want to independently, nor do they want to. They inherently understand that human beings can gain better results from pooling resources and utilising the strengths of others to complement their own skills.

Working in this state of interdependence produces far greater outcomes than could ever be achieved by working separately.

Truth#3: Being The Change You Want To See In Others Is The First Step To Improving Things

If you want employees to adopt certain behaviors, develop specific skills and display particular attributes then you have to model them yourself first. Leaders who have a strong set of principles and guiding values, and who live by them, command much more respect than those who don't.

A leader should always display the kind of behavior that he/she would expect to see from others.

Truth#4: People Have Unlimited Potential And They Will Generally Do Their Best

Believing in people's potential is vital in a leadership role. After all, you have to trust that your employees are up to the job or can be developed to their full capability in order to achieve your organisational objectives.

Having this kind of mindset and positive expectation will help to foster a high performance culture in which people can excel.

Truth#5: To Know And Understand Yourself Is The Best Way To Achieve Excellence As A Leader

Having high degrees of self awareness and emotional intelligence are characteristics common to all great leaders. This means that they operate as their authentic selves at all times and that they behave in accordance with their own set of inner principles or values.

To be authentic you first have to know and understand who you really are and what makes you tick. You also have to be fully aware of your strengths and flaws. Having a complete self understanding means that you can manage yourself and your emotions, develop your weaknesses and capitalize on your strengths.

Simple Truths Photo via Shutterstock

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A Behind The Scenes Peek: SMBInfluencer Awards Media Partners

Posted: 04 Oct 2012 05:00 AM PDT

The 2012 Small Business Influencer Awards have been a resounding success, thanks to our sponsors, media partners, and everyone who participated and helped spread the word.

The awards honor companies, organizations, apps and individuals who have made a significant, influencial impact on the North American small business market.

Supporting our efforts were some wonderful small businesses themselves, our media partners. Below, you will find a series of short interviews I conducted with several of the SMBInfluencer media partners.

* * * * *

Adrian’s Network

Adrian’s Network is a business networking community comprised of business owners and professional services providers that are joined together to help one another to make contacts and connections that lead to business opportunities. The group meets virtually and in person. Founder Adrian Miller shares a little about herself and her company:

Small Business Trends: How many times a day do you check your email – be honest!

Adrian Miller: Scary to say but probably at least 20.

Small Business Trends: What’s your preferred social media channel, and why?

Adrian Miller: Facebook. Fast, fun, effective.

Small Business Trends: If you had an extra $100,000 for your business, where would you spend it?

Adrian Miller: I’d donate half to charity and use the remaining half to hire some interns, upgrade technology and my Web presence.

* * * * *

Ask The Business Lawyer

Ask The Business Lawyer helps women business owners escape “self-employed slavery” by teaching them how to build multimillion dollar companies for scale or sale. The company, run by Nina Kaufman, helps women business owners who are ready to catapult to the next step in their professional lives:

Small Business Trends: What’s the first thing you do when getting to your office each day?

Nina Kaufman: E-mail (sad to say). It’s a double-edged sword, because I love hearing from my clients. Sometimes, though, I’m a slave to email.

Small Business Trends: How many times a day do you check your email -be honest!

Nina Kaufman: Approximately 17 (that I’m consciously aware of; probably more).

Small Business Trends: What’s your preferred social media channel, and why?

Nina Kaufman: LinkedIn. As a lawyer, I hate being limited to 140 words–much less Twitter’s 140 characters! For business, there are fewer temptations/distractions than there are on Facebook to check out what’s going on in people’s personal lives– which is fun and juicy, but not always useful for client service.

* * * * *

Founding Moms

Jill Salzman created The Founding Moms in an effort to find like-minded female entrepreneurs in her area. What started locally is now a collective of offline meetups and online resources for mom entrepreneurs in 30+ cities around the globe. The website offers tools, tips & tricks to help women grow their businesses and get down to business:

Small Business Trends: What’s the first thing you do when getting to your office each day?

Jill Salzman: Put a straw in my glass of water. The straw is probably the most important thing to make sure I have each morning.

Small Business Trends: How many times a day do you check your email – be honest!

Jill Salzman: Every 25 seconds. May be less.

Small Business Trends: If you had an extra $100,000 for your business, where would you spend it?

Jill Salzman: Hiring great people and overhauling the website. Team is #1 and if you have that extra $100,000, please call me ASAP.

* * * * *

Editor’s note: This article is part of a series highlighting key players in the Small Business Influencer Awards.

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SBA Kicks Off Chats for Women’s Month

Posted: 04 Oct 2012 02:30 AM PDT

The U.S. Small Business Administration has designated October as National Women's Small Business Month, recognizing the contributions of women to small business in our economy. Be sure to attend a series of live online chats for women in small business, starting today. For more on the live chats and on the role women play in entrepreneurship, see the links below in Small Business Trends National Small Business Month roundup.

Tune In

Talk the talk. Drop by for the first live chat in the National Women's Small Business Month series today at 3 p.m. ET. The discussion will cover starting and growing your business, with other topics including finding capital, contracting with the federal government, and business opportunities for young women, happening later this month. SBA.gov

Women on point. One study estimates women could create between 5 and 5.6 million new small business jobs by 2018, meaning that while entrepreneurs like Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates continue to make headlines, women in small business could be key to spurring the economy. The Huffington Post

Lead On

Women in leadership. And there are even more great examples of women in strong leadership roles in business. Take Meg Whitman, Hewlett-Packard's chief executive, who is spearheading a retooling of her company and repositioning it in tough economic times. There are leadership roles for women in businesses large and small. The New York Times

Need to know. There's some other data you need to know about the importance of women in small business and entrepreneurship roles. Ashley Neal shares information and a link to American Express OPEN's second annual State of Women Owned Businesses report. Small Biz Diamonds

Your Future

Stand up and be counted. For women to claim the role of leader in small business and entrepreneurship that they deserve to occupy, they must sometimes make the sacrifice of appearing at those industry events and taking a larger leadership role. For women, this sometimes conflicts with the responsibilities of family, but it is a sacrifice that must be made, says one blogger. Malla Haridat

Why women in business remain important. Of course, those interested in the progress of women and their growing role in small business and entrepreneurship must understand the issue impacts far more than just women. As Deborah Shane notes, quoting the President of the United States, it touches upon issues of family, economics, and competitiveness. Small Business Trends

A guide to moving forward. Finally, we conclude with some practical advice from a business and marketing coach on how women entrepreneurs can move their businesses forward. Don't let your company get stuck in a rut. Check out these tips and learn to get your business on track with a plan to meet your goals and achieve your dreams. Annemarie Cross

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